So I'm building a character for an upcoming game and ran into a couple of snags. These could just be me not reading the rulebook right, but I wanted to check with the Font Of All Knowledge that is this forum before I foul up any further.

1) The "Return to Duty" deed from Rites grants you Forbidden Lore (Deathwatch) as an Advanced skill. Referencing the rulebook, it's not one of the listed skill groups under Forbidden Lore. Is this a mistake, or is this a new skill group meant to grant you knowledge of the inner secrets of the Deathwatch?

2) The "We are all One" deed again from Rites grants you Command as an Advanced skill? Why… you have it listed as a Basic under your Starting abilites thus you can already use it (at half characteristic granted). Does moving it to an Advanced skill, mean you're now Trained in it and thus can use full characteristic?

Cheers

JamesWL

jameswllorimer said:

1: There are more skill groups than those listed in the deathwatch skill section. Those in the skill section are just those space marines usually have, though space marines can learn multitudes of many skill groups due to the (any) option. For other skill groups, check the other dark heresy books, or even create your own (with your GMs permission of course).

2. You are correct, Command is a Basic skill (test on half characteristic). To get command trained (full characteristic, prerequisites for other command skills/talents, and cohesion) you must either purchase it through your normal advance schemes or through a back-door like this deed. Listing it as an Advanced skill in the source was simply a typo, Command IS a Basic skill and if you were to "gain" an advanced skill it must be trained anyways for your character to use it. So it was meant to state: "as a Trained skill."

(1) I would comfortably call a typo. And I believe (any) means "any existing," not "just make something up."

Kshatriya said:

So if it's a typo.. should it be Common Lore (deathwatch).. cos the Living Errata correct the skill gain in Return to Duty to "Forbidden Lore (Deathwatch) +10"

jameswllorimer said:

I put Deathwatch lore firmly in the Forbidden category. Common lore is stuff that your average run of the mill citizen could know, and while they may know the Deathwatch exists, they don't know about its rituals, proceedure, rank, organization, etc.

The more I muse on it, the more I think the Deed should be Common Lore (Deathwatch) +10, as you start with that skill as a Marine anyway.

Anyone else agree?

Kshatriya said:

If you mean "only those existing in the Deathwatch book," then how can Blood Angels ever take "Talented: Trade (Artisan)"?

Artisan is not in the skill groups listed in the deathwatch book, but it is an available option in the Blood Angel advance table.

If you simply mean "any existing in any DH-based bok," then you're giving your GM a limitation on what he can bring into your game.

Granted, as with anything, moderation is needed, but it should be possible to create new skill groups when the need arises. FFG has done it many times, creating new skill groups in their mission books, skill groups relating, initially, to those missions.

I'm very happy to limit Lore/Trade bloat.

I find some of the stuff on the Chapter tables to be purely there for fluff purposes and which will never be used by the vast majority of PCs playing that Chapter, so I tend not to worry about it much.

I'm fine with Deathwatch Lore being Common Lore for marines in the Deathwatch, or at least treated as such for the random time your character is suddenly unskilled at it due to magic or something. Probably should be Forbidden for everyone else though.