Starting up an Ordo Xenos campaign and since we have no Cell Directives, I thought I'd make one up. This would be mainly for a "standard" Inquisitor, hence the lack of things like Exotic Weapon training. Obviously the unique Talent is ripped off from Deathwatch. I am on the fence about including Tech-Use, as it would be useful in identifying Xenos tech, not sure how well it fits. I also toyed with Chem-Use as a way to identify Xenos toxins, but felt it was a little weak.

Ordo Xenos Retinue

Induction Cost : 200 xp

Requirements : The cell must serve an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor who provides additional training to them.

Suffer Not The Alien To Live : Members of the Cell gain the Ordo Xenos Conditioning Talent for free

Advances
Awareness 100 Skill
Common Lore (Imperial Creed) 100 Skill
Ciphers (Acolyte) 100 Skill
Secret Tongue (Acolyte) 100 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Xenos) 200 Skill
Search 200 Skill
Hatred (Xenos) 200 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Inquisition) 300 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Ordo Xenos) 300 Skill
Speak Language (any one Xenos) 300 Skill
Resistance (Fear) 300 Talent

Ordo Xenos Conditioning (Talent)
Acolytes with this Talent automatically confirm any Righteous Fury results against alien enemies without needing to re-roll the Ballistic Skill or Weapon Skill Test.

Alternate : I also was thinking of doing a Talent that lets members count Fear caused by Xenos to be one step lower. That would replace the auto-confirm rules. Then probably swap Resistance (Fear) with Exotic Weapon Training (any One), but am undecided.

Thoughts?

I say that looks pretty solid. and your alternate idea isnt bad either. Good Job!!!

Sounds good! Also, the alternate sounds a lot better than the auto-confirm

I would use the alternate talent.

kenshin138 said:

Wouldn't Forbidden Lore (Xenos) cover identifying xenos tech and xenos toxins? I wouldn't say that it would tell the PC how to use the tech, but just identify that it is xenos tech and depending on the roll from what xenos that tech is from. And I would say same goes for the toxins, granted you would still need a Chem-Use check to know that it is a toxin, or a SL (Chemestry) test, and you would use FL (Xenos) to identify what xenos uses this toxin. At least that's what I think.

kenshin138 said:

Would definately use the alternate talent instead as the other seems too powerful. Even the alternate form seems a but redundant, as other ablities exist in the game already that are very similar. Some classes get the chance to better confirm crits, so it seems fair to not step on their toes.

Hatred - Xenos should be listed as a Talent, not a Skill (remember that any ability that can be improved, +10, +20 etc is a skill, abilities that can't are either Talents or Traits).

The Calixian Xeno Arcanist has Speak Language - Xenos for 400 experience, so it seems that Skill should be same cost or even 500. Remember that Adepts (which the Xeno Arcanists are) are pre-disposed towards learning such 'fluffy' studies. To me it seems strange that it would be cheaper to learn.

However, the costs of Hatred - Xenos, Forbidden Lore - Ordos Xenos & Resistence - Fear could all be lowered (100, 200, & 200).

I would suggest re-writing the Conditioning Talent as follows:

Xenos Conditioning (Talent)

Acolytes with this Talent have had their memories adjusted, so that Xenos have a lesser chance of affecting them mentally. Psychic barriers have been implanted and mental resilience has been increased. Effect: You gain a +10 Willpower test to resist Fear, or attempts to control or possess your mind when so affected by Xenos. This ability drops to +5 versus non-Xenos. This ability does not stack with Imperial Conditioning (see page 13 Inquisitor's Handbook), and in fact uses some of the same techniques used therein, but to a lesser degree here.

Otherwise a set of very good ideas. With the changes, I can see me using them in the near future in my game. Thank you.

Great points! After sorting through the comments here, I have a revised Cell Directive. I liked the revised conditioning presented above, but dislike the +5 for non-Xenos part, so I dropped it. I also removed Resistance (Fear) since it feel duplicated, and replaced it with Forbidden Lore (Xenos) +10. I note that while the Hereticus Retinue doesn't get any +10's, the Malleus one does. Seems to work since Malleus and Xenos are a bit more focused. I also have read enough comments/suggestions in official fluff that the Ordo Xenos will use xeno-tech from time to time that I've included Exotic Weapon training. I figure this would let people use this for Radical-leaning as well as Puritan Inquisitors. Digital weapons would fit in great for Puritan, while more "open minded" types could get much more deadly stuff. Excuse the Advances formatting, I can't paste a table into this forum software so it isn't ideal by any means.

Ordo Xenos Retinue (Cell Directive)

Induction Cost : 200 xp
Requirements : The cell must serve an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor who provides additional training to them.
Suffer Not The Alien To Live : Members of the Cell gain the Ordo Xenos Conditioning Talent for free.

Advances
Awareness 100 Skill
Common Lore (Imperial Creed) 100 Skill
Ciphers (Acolyte) 100 Skill
Secret Tongue (Acolyte) 100 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Xenos) 200 Skill
Search 200 Skill
Hatred (Xenos) 200 Talent
Forbidden Lore (Inquisition) 300 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Ordo Xenos) 300 Skill
Forbidden Lore (Xenos) +10 300 Skill Requirement: Forbidden Lore (Xenos)
Exotic Weapon Training (any one) 500 Talent
Secret Tongue (Xenos - any one) 500 Skill

Ordo Xenos Conditioning (Talent)
Acolytes with this Talent have had their memories adjusted, so that Xenos have a lesser chance of affecting them mentally. Psychic barriers have been implanted and mental resilience has been increased. Effect: You gain a +10 Willpower test to resist Fear, or attempts to control or possess your mind when so affected by Xenos. This ability does not stack with Imperial Conditioning (see page 13 Inquisitor's Handbook), and in fact uses some of the same techniques used therein, but to a lesser degree here.