I have a player who wants to be a Rogue Trader for our next Dark Heresy campaign. I had no problems since I would just give other players bonus 5,000xp so that they can match Rogue Trader abilities, but it is still not balanced. Part of this has to do with the skill/talent access DH have over RT. He finally realized the change in balance in characters, but is wanting to modify the RT career path so it fits. I am against this considering Universal Weapon training etc. What do you recommend?

Hard to balance exactly, but as a rule of thumb RT PCs are better in stats (origin path and 25+2d10), gear (everyone gets nice gear, seneschal can get an INFERNO PISTOL for example) and some training (universal weapon talents for one). DH PCs make up for it in more skills and more talents. If you want to balance it, give the RT Player, well, resources. Stuff an acolyte cell wouldnt have, his influence gives them fancy rooms, easy to pick up transportation, can get the best gear for himself, etc.

What's the problem? The RT character is too powerful?

-K

If someone wants to bring an RT character into a DH game, I say you let them. But you're going to have a lot of work ahead of you as you integrate parts of two systems.

But when it comes to how his RT class progresses, he should keep the character in the RT classes exclusively. I have found when you try to combine abilities from multiple systems, you open things up for meta-gaming to a level that leaves the characters un-balanced.

As far as 'Universal' abilities, those exist in Ascension, but are simply called by other names: Basic Mastery, Pistol Mastery etc.. So if the RT character gets them early, it's ok. His abilities cost a lot more as he progresses, so if he really wants to bring in an RT character into a DH game he will find himself outclassed eventually. You might let him take an Ascension class, when he hits the 13k experience with the rest of the group. But if he doesn't do this he should be stuck with the RT character and live with it… for the good and the bad options.

Now that he is working for the Inquisition, he should draw 'pay' from the Inquisition (unless he's a Rogue Trader), and get pay from the nearest equivalent rank. For example a level 1 Missionary should receive the pay of a level 5 Cleric.

If he's playing an actual Rogue Trader, then things can get a bit sticky. If he is, WHY is he willing to tow the line to an Inquisitor? What does he get out of the deal that improves his profit margin? And what does the Inquisitor get out of someone who will never consider himself subservient to them? This part is going to be roleplay intensive, and I have actually gone down this route at one point, in my campaigns. It can be very rewarding, but is going to a take a lot of work from you, if you allow this.

All game mechanics should be left in the same system. If someone wants to bring over an Astropath or a Navigator, then their ablities should stay out of the core RT, and they should not gain access from 'traditional' Psyker abilities, just because they're running with that crowd. Their classes should not change. They're just working with other people.

Good luck! (you'll need it)

Well we have come up with a ranking system that takes from the Rogue Trader (rogue trader) career and adapts it to Dark Heresy format. Please provide criticisms as this is still being edited.

Rank 1:

Awareness - 100

Climb - 100

Pilot (Flyer) - 200

Literacy - 100

Drive (Ground Vehicle) - 100

Basic Pistol (Universal) - 500

Melee Weapon (Universal) - 500

Resistance (Cold) - 100

Sound Constitution (x2) - 100

Dodge - 100

Sprint - 100

Gamble - 100

Rank 2:

Ambidextrous - 200

Common Lore (Imperial Navy)

Charm - 100

Quick Draw - 100

Navigation - 100

Logic - 200

Peer (Navy) - 200

Trade (Shipwright) - 100

Inquiry - 100

Sound Constitution - 200

Evaluate - 100

Performer (Choose One) - 100

Rank 3:

Commerce - 100

Common Lore (Imperial Navy)+10 - 100

Intimidate - 100

Deceive - 100

Leap Up - 100

Blather - 100

Command - 100

Charm+10 - 100

Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) - 100

Deceive+10 - 100

Navigation (Stellar) - 200

Speak Language (High Gothic) - 100

Pilot (Spacecraft) - 100

Rank 4:

Scrutiny - 100

Decadence - 200

Evaluate+10 - 100

Scholastic Lore (Heraldry) - 100

Commerce+10 - 100

Common Lore (Rogue Trader) - 200

Secret Tongue (underdeck) - 100

Security - 100

Dark Soul - 300

Sleight of Hand - 100

Two Weapon Wielder (Melee) - 200

Awareness+10 - 100

Two-Weapon Wielder (Ballistic) - 200

Light Sleeper - 100

Barter - 100

Carouse - 100

Dodge +10

Rank 5:

Trade (Choose One) - 100

Swift Attack - 200

Common Lore (Rogue Trader)+10 - 100

Tech-Use - 200

Counter Attack - 100

Driver (Skimmer) - 100

Cipher (Naval) - 200

Disarm - 100

Sure Strike - 100

Scholastic Lore (Imperial)+10 - 100

Barter+10 - 100

Step Aside - 200

Cipher (Ship) - 200

Trade (Void Farer) - 200

Air of Authority - 200

I would say a Rogue Trader doesn't just start out as a Rogue trader which is where the origin path comes into play. Dark Heresy has plenty of careers I could see a Rogue Trader starting out in. I would say have your character spend 4500xp in a Dark Heresy career then buy into the Rogue Trader Career with his next 500xp (his rt starting xp). At this point the Rogue Trader will be slightly more capable given their additional starting skills but from that point on having access to only RT career advances will likely slow them down compared to their counterparts (I wouldn't give them an origin since they have already lived/played it).

Its sort of like ascension just a different path (not as power I would say either). It is however a way of making characters from both systems play nice, and is loosely how we handled it in our campaign. If you choose to build a Rogue Trader career for DH I would remove all universal weapons training, and offer them weapons training similar to the scum class (perfect starter career for a Rogue Trader Pirate type).

My thoughts…

My approach to this when I was faced with a similar problem, was to just award the rogue trader player double xp of the dark heresy players. It is a bit crude, but it works. The base problem is the advancement rate, you simply advance much faster for less xp in dark heresy compared to rogue trader. Otherwise the two games seems quite well balanced.