Ok so my group will be starting a new campaign in about a months time with the setting as the PC are mid-ranking gang members in a hive. Normally I DM the games but a friend has taken over while I get a rather large Only War campaign set up for them in a couple months time. So I decided to have some fun with the character I will be running

I wanted to build a character based of the Joker (specifically the Joker as presented in both the new 52 comics and the Arkham series console games.)

I have the basics down and was hoping that you guys could help me build this guy up to really capture the essence of the character. I am looking for choices that make sense to the charcter, not what will make him OP within the rule set.

We are using both the Tome of Blood and Fate as well as starting with and additional 1000xp.

With that out of they way here is what I have so far.

Class: Apostate

Pride: Charm

Motivation: Nihilism

Disgrace: Deceit

Stats

The character has high Fel (bout 54 before xp) as well as good WS and BS. His strength nd thoughness are the lowest of his rolled stats with both Ag and WP being reasonable.

Gear:

-Legacy crowbar

-Hand cannon with fiendish recoil and scavenged (the gun will shoot a BANG! flag every time it jams)

- Mesh Armour (faded purple suit, reinforced)

- Combat knife

- Joker gas grenades (taking the chymist trade and and demolition trainging to make toxic stun grenades)

Comabt wise the idea is that I have several minions that do all the fighting for the character while still being able to defend myself if need be.

Any advice or suggestions are welcome.

And lastly I'm curious to know, what do you think? And would you play with him in your group?

(...)and the Arkham series console games(...)

They also came out for PC, you platformist scum!

More seriously, the idea is intriguing. I'd totally play with that, as long as I knew all players are down with the less serious style he will no doubt introduce to the game. On that note - why Arkham Joker and not Ledger Joker? Not only is he more serious overall, he's also clearly bent on teaching the world a lesson about Chaos, so he fits like a glove.

I'd have no problem with someone using him, if someone can explain who and what he is.

The 'bang!' flag might be pushing it, but what the hey, he's clearly nuts.

'It's the Joker' isn't inherently an issue, but in the 40k setting isn't an answer, either.

How tied are you to the suit and purple jacket? The only reason I ask is that if you're prepared to add a dash of motley to his apparel under the jacket (or some subtle diamond pinstriping), the obvious link to a joker-esque individual is the Harlequins, who turn up in the vortex occasionally to murderize significant heretics.

A budding slaaneshi heretic, master/mentor/friend gets turned to chunkey salsa in front of his eyes, followed by the brain-melting trauma of a harlequin's psychoactive mask, hallucinogen grenades and maniac laughter - which is all that's left of his memory of the event and pretty much all that's left of his psyche at all.

Numerous shuriken scars, badly disguised under white slapstick, and a mad, antic nature with clothes vaguely resembling a harlequin's mode of dress makes sense, and chemistry/ 'Saw'-style mental trauma inducing traps seems apt given that he can't replicate a harlequin's agility and combat prowess.

I think the real issue here is, how to make sure the rest of the team picks up the idea and makes different Batman villains as their characters.

A budding slaaneshi heretic...

Why Slaanesh? Why not Tzeench or Nurgle? Tzeench makes the most sense to me. The heretic seeks to bring down the established order simple because it is there. Change for the sake of change.

I was unaware that the second game (or the upcoming release) made it to PC.

The reason I went Arkham over Ledger is because this is quite simply a fun character, Ledger's portrayal was more serious and also I'm not a big fan of his performance in Dark Knight. There other reasons are one of the other members is a long time DM and rarely a player (he runs Pathfinder RPG on the off week to our BC game and this is his first 40k rpg.) So he is playing a fun character aswell. Plus I like the idea of titan thugs as minions

Kinda hoping to keep more unaligned then anything else and as for the Harlequin idea I like it but as the setting for this game is down in an imperial underhive that might be a hard story to work in.

I had considered having the character formerly work in an area such has hazardous waste disposal or energy production and being a bit loopy before joining the underhive gang. After an accident that left all the skin on his lower face completely transparent he completely loses it and decides everyone else should smile aswell.

Kinda hoping to keep more unaligned then anything else and as for the Harlequin idea I like it but as the setting for this game is down in an imperial underhive that might be a hard story to work in.

Since they travel about through the Webway (and IIRC don't use ships), Harlequin troupes can potentially appear anywhere the plot demands

Not saying your backstory isn't cooler. I really don't think one needs to meet Harlequins to come up with an idea of being a murderous clown.

By the way, your story has reminded me of one obscure DC character who's for all intent and purpose a French Joker expy:

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Norman_Rotrig_(New_Earth)

My current DH GM made our team face a daemonhost who looked like that guy. The character itself ain't anything special, but the visuals are pretty cool as an alternative to the standard Joker look.