Hello, I am trying to understand the rules on updating skills. Am I right in thinking that if my character is, say, an Ultramarine he starts with no Acrobatics skill? Am I also right in thinking that he can never have any Acrobatics skills, because it is not listed as a Starting skill, a General Space Marine Advance, a Deathwatch Advance, or a Chapter specialities advance. I can only see it listed for Blood Angels. Does this mean than only Blood Angels can acquire this Skill, and get as good in it as their XP allows, but every other character cannot even acquire it at a basic level?

Acrobatics is also available to a Rank 3 Assault Marine for 400 xp, but that's it as far as I can tell. I can only assume that Acrobatics isn't a "natural" skill for Space Marines to train in due to their cumbersome power armour. Seriously: It's gotta be harder to roll around in compared to going unarmoured!

You really, really want that skill? Talk to you GM about Elite Advances. Suggest a cost of 1,000 xp and that you play a mission using Scout Armour for your character as part of his training for the skill.

These are pretty generous terms considering that it's more than double the standard cost (I see the 200 xp cost for the Blood Angels Chapter Advance as being at a considerable discount).

Thanks kjakan. I take your point about someone in power armour perhaps not being able to carry out acrobatics, but then why allow it for Blood Angels? Why could a Blood Angel who is a tech marine or devastator, with all the heavy gear that implies, carry out acrobatics but not a Tactical Ultramarine armed only with a bolt pistol?

The reason, incidentally, I was keen on this skill is that I like the idea of Disengage (page 94) being only a half-action, leaving another half action available for getting a shot off (Standard Attack, half action) at your opponent. This doesn't seem like something that particularly requires great acrobatic skills - just a hefty shove would achieve the same effect of putting a little bit of space between you and your opponent. I suppose I could try Knock-Down if fighting an opponent with weaker strength.

Oh, they are probably able - power armour does not come with any Acrobatics or Agility penalties, but it seems more likely that it's not a part of the Battle-Brother's normal training regimen. Perhaps its more of a fluff thing?

-K

Bolter said:

Because Blood Angels are the the masters of martial and hand to hand skills. Combine their genetic legacy from Sanguinius (who, outside of witchery of all 4 chaos gods, and perhaps the emperor couldn't be beaten in hand to hand), their long life-spans allowing them to perfect their arts, and (arguably) the red thirst giving them an edge in battle (and urge to enter melee, which itself makes them NEED to be good at fighting in melee) and there are no better space marines when it comes down to pure hand to hand skill and combat in the melee arena.