Mike Myler D&D 5th, Tabletop RPGs, Warhammer 40k D&D 5E

Warhammer 40k D&D 5E – Assault Space Marines and Imperial Commissars (Hack #4)

Check out the first post for:

  • general rules
  • Corruption ability score
  • new skills
  • a hit selection system
  • races
  • character backgrounds
  • the psyker feat.


See the second post for:

  • the (shared) Resources party attribute
  • the Lucky Bastard feat
  • New martial weapons (chainswords, power swords, lightning claw, power fist, power maul)
  • New ranged weapons (from bolt pistols to long las)
  • New extremis weapons (the iconic bolter, heavy bolter, las cannon, melta, etc.)
  • Power Armor (for space marines, for chaos space marines, for non-space marines, even for xenos!)

What’s in last week’s post?

  • Apothecary monk archetype
  • Chaplains!
  • Imperial Guard Veteran archetype (fighters with options)

Today’s post?

  • Assault space marine barbarian archetype
  • Imperial Commissar fighter archetype

As I frequently mention my love for Warhammer 40k fiction is a passionate one and some of the best titles from the Black Library are about commissars–either Ibram Gaunt (for excellent and compelling military adventure) or Ciaphas Cain (which is some of the best humor I’ve ever read–sorry Ghosts, he’s far and away my favorite).

And who doesn’t want to be a raging space marine and get up in some xenos’ or heretic’s face with some chainswords?

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Assault Space Marine (Barbarian)

Always in the forefront of battle, assault space marines soar overhead on raptor packs or sprint ahead of their battle brothers, getting directly into the thick of the fight for maximum shock and awe before moving on to the next foes as their allies bring up the rear of the attack. All space marine chapters have assault space marines but they are particularly frequent in the Blood Angels, Space Wolves, and World Eaters.

Imperial Devotion
Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your devotion to the God-Emperor hardens your resolve in battle. When you are raging, you have advantage on saving throws. After you have used this feature on a number of saving throws equal to your Constitution modifier, you lose this feature until the next time you rage.

Know No Fear
Starting at 6th level, you cannot be frightened.

Critical Introduction
When you reach 10th level, as long as your first hit in a combat against an opponent is made with a melee weapon and you are raging, it is a critical hit. After you have used this feature against a number of opponents equal to your bonus Rage damage, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Astartes Juggernaut
At 14th level, you’ve seen and survived most everything the galaxy could throw at you. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed. While raging you cannot be charmed or poisoned, and you are immune to poison damage.

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Imperial Commissar (Fighter)

It can be difficult for the rank and file soldiers of the Imperial Guard to maintain their courage in the face of cosmic horror, succumbing to fear and breaking–assuming of course that their Commissar is not within sight. These morale officers are responsible for keeping the troops in line through either inspiration or intimidation and throughout the command structures of the army, they enjoy one of the positions of highest authority and can often acquire other ranks depending on the devotion to the Imperium, heroism, and tactical acumen they employ in the field of battle. To form these fine individuals, those most exceptional of children that find their way into the scholam are chosen and groomed from a young age to be the superior ideal that soldiers can confidently follow into the maw of death.

Imperial Voice
Starting when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can inspire others through stirring words or terrifying commands backed with the knowledge that death may follow insubordination. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Imperial Voice die, a d4. Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Imperial Voice die, but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Imperial Voice die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Imperial Voice die at a time. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest. Your Imperial Voice die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d6 at 7th level, a d8 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

Imperially Trained
At 7th level, you learn two maneuvers of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype in the fighter class. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice). If you already have superiority dice, you gain two more; otherwise, you have two superiority die, which is a d4. This die is used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Stalwart
Beginning at 10th level, you cannot be frightened and you have advantage on saving throws to resist being charmed.

Superior Imperial Training
Starting at 15th level, your superiority dice increase to d6s and you gain two more.

Words of Inspiration
When you reach 18th level, you can spend 1 minute inspiring your allies, shoring up their resolve to fight and the need for maximum effort. When you do so, you and every creature that can hear you gains temporary hit points equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. A creature can’t gain temporary hit points from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest. Listening to a recording of your uplifting oratory does not grant any benefits.

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Mike Myler D&D 5th, Tabletop RPGs, Warhammer 40k D&D 5E

Warhammer 40k D&D 5E – Apothecaries, Chaplains, and Veteran Guard (Hack #3)

Check out the first post for:

  • general rules
  • Corruption ability score
  • new skills
  • a hit selection system
  • races
  • character backgrounds
  • the psyker feat.


See the last post for:

  • the (shared) Resources party attribute
  • the Lucky Bastard feat
  • New martial weapons (chainswords, power swords, lightning claw, power fist, power maul)
  • New ranged weapons (from bolt pistols to long las)
  • New extremis weapons (the iconic bolter, heavy bolter, las cannon, melta, etc.)
  • Power Armor (for space marines, for chaos space marines, for non-space marines, even for xenos!)

 

What’s in this post?

First up we’re covering the “what about healing” issue with the Apothecary Space Marine monk archetype, then what to do about Chaplains, then the Experienced Soldier fighter archetype (which hits medicae, heavy weapons specialists, and technologically-inclined members of the Imperial Guard).

Apothecary Space Marine (Monk)

You are the caretaker of your chapter, ensuring that the proud line of space marines of which you are a part continues on long after the deaths of you and your charges. While you work to save the lives of your Adeptus Astartes companions, your most sacred duty is to acquire and protect the gene seeds from those who have fallen, ensuring they can be used for the creation of future generations of your brethren. All space marine chapters have apothecaries.

Keeper of the Chapter
Unlike other monk player options, you choose this archetype at 2nd level (instead of 3rd) and do not receive a ki pool. You have advantage on Death saving throws and when within 30 feet of a space marine at 0 hit points, are able to spend a bonus action to give them advantage on their next Death saving throw so long as they would otherwise be able to hear you.
     In addition, you gain proficiency with the healer’s kit. When you use a healer’s kit to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point. As an action, you can spend one use of a healer’s kit to patch a creature up, restoring 1d12 + 4 hit points to it plus additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum number of Hit Dice. At 6th, 11th, and 17th level, you restore an additional 1d12 hit points (to a maximum of 4d12 + 4 + the creature’s maximum number of hit dice). The creature can’t regain hit points from being patched up again until it finishes a short or long rest.

Narthecium
At 3rd level, your chapter gives you a narthecium, the tool of your trade. It contains various counterseptics, skin patches, transfusions, a practically impregnable strongbox holding stasis tubes for recovering the gene-seed from fallen space marine’s progenoid glands, a high-powered laser scalpel or an adamantine-toothed chainsaw (to cut away armor so that you can treat wounds), and long syringes for utilizing the many drugs stored within. You are able to use your medicio points only while wielding your narthecium and your unarmed strikes only deal your monk damage while using the weapon.

Medicio Points
Also at 3rd level, you gain a number of medicio points equal to your monk level. Whenever you gain a monk level, your pool of medicio points increases by 1. By spending an action, you can expend medicio points to heal a space marine within reach, restoring 10 hit points per medicio point spent. By spending a bonus action, you can heal another type of creature instead with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, restoring a number of hit points equal to your bonus on the check. You regain medicio points after finishing a short or long rest.

Surgical Combat
Beginning at 6th level, you learn how to best strike a living creature with deadly effectiveness. Once per turn you can deal an extra 1d10 damage to one living creature you hit with melee weapon attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. The amount of the extra damage increases by 1d10 at 11th and 17th level (to a maximum of 3d10).

Quick Amputation
Also at 11th level, you learn how to quickly and effectively amputate. By spending spending an action working an extremis weapon or your narcethium on an ally space marine that is willing, you can cut off a limb. You have advantage on checks made to install cybernetic limbs.

Biological Dismantler
Starting at 17th level, you always deal the extra damage from Surgical Combat so long as you are targeting a living creature.

Chaplains

Use the cleric class! Take the Life or War domain. 😀

For chaos space marine chaplains, grab the Abyssal domain from the Evil Primer (skin your quasits as servoskulls or daemonic spirits bound to lowly material forms).

Here’s your Crozius (which your GM gives you when they decide you’ve earned it). It does not suffer from the Corruption rules detailed in Warhammer 40k D&D 5E Hack #1.

CROZIUS
Magic weapon, legendary
While wielding this enchanted badge of office and potent magic weapon, your weapon attacks are magical and deal 1d4 force damage per two points of proficiency bonus you possess. You are able to focus your Channel Divinity feature through your crozius. Unless the GM says otherwise, in the hands of any creature other than you the crozius is a normal morning star.

Imperial Guard Veteran (Fighter)

Despite the Imperial Guard’s well-deserved reputation for constantly high fatalities, there are men and women that live long enough to retire from martial service for the Imperium of Mankind. Some of these are masters of battle or have championed combat in one realm or another, but most are from heavy weapons teams, medicae, and technical specialists.

Veteran Knacks
Starting at 3rd level, your experience in the Emperor’s service has taught you the first vital tool for your military trade. Choose either medicae, heavy weapons, or technical specialist. Once chosen, this choice cannot be changed and all of your archetype features are taken from this battlefield focus.

  • Medicae: Combat Medicine. You gain proficiency with the healer’s kit. When you use a healer’s kit to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point. As an action, you can spend one use of a healer’s kit to patch a creature up, restoring 1d6 + 4 hit points to it plus additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum number of Hit Dice. At 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level, you restore an additional 1d6 hit points (to a maximum of 6d6 + 4 + the creature’s maximum number of hit dice). The creature can’t regain hit points from being patched up again until it finishes a short or long rest.
  • Heavy Weapons: Extremis Wielder. You gain proficiency with one extremis weapon. You must spend a bonus action setting your footing before moving and a reaction settling after moving. When making attack rolls with an extremis weapon, you have disadvantage on your first attack each round if you do not spend a bonus action aiming first.
  • Technical Specialist: Apprentice Technologist. You gain proficiency with Technology. If you are already proficient, you gain advantage on Intelligence (Technology) checks.

Lesser Veteran Knack
At 7th level, your time in the Imperial Guard has garnered another crucial bit of knowledge for your purpose on the battlefield.

  • Medicae: Improved Combat Medicine. You can patch up the same creature twice between short or long rests. In addition, you can awaken an unconscious creature as a bonus action as long as you have a healer’s kit (this does not expend a use of it).
  • Heavy Weapons: Extremis Lugger. You no longer require a bonus action or reaction to move while wielding an extremis weapon. In addition, you gain proficiency in another extremis weapon of your choice.
  • Technical Specialist: Vehicle Operator. You gain proficiencies with two vehicle types of your choice (air, ground, space, water). At 10th and 15th level, you gain proficiency with another type of vehicle or choose a vehicle type you are already proficient with to have advantage on checks where your vehicle tool proficiency applies.

Greater Veteran Knack
Beginning at 10th level, you learn another trick of your role in the Imperial Guard.

  • Medicae: Expert Combat Medicine.  You can patch up the same creature three times between short or long rests and you can do so as a bonus action (instead of an action).
  • Heavy Weapons: Extremis Veteran. You no longer have a disadvantage on your first attack roll each round when using an extremis weapon. In addition, you gain proficiency in another extremis weapon of your choice.
  • Technical Specialist: Make It Work. By spending a bonus action on your turn, you can force a piece of broken equipment to function normally for 1 round. You may only affect any single piece of equipment this way a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, after which it is completely destroyed.

Supreme Veteran Knack
At 15th level, you’ve figured out virtually every nuance of your military profession.

  • Medicae: The Guard Never Die. As long as you reach a creature within a few rounds of its death, as an action you can spend 3 uses of a healer’s kit to attempt a DC 17 Wisdom (Medicine) check to revive it. On a success, the creature is restored it to 0 hit points and dying, making its death saving throws with disadvantage. You are only able to use this feature on a creature that has died within a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).
  • Heavy Weapons: Extremis Endurance. You have advantage on Constitution saving throws and you treat all exremis weapons as if they only weighed 50% less.
  • Technical Specialist: Maximum Range. You double the ranges of all technological weapons and items that you use.

Elite Veteran
Starting at 18th level, you are the best at what you do and new recruits into the Imperial Guard look onto you like you were the God-Emperor himself.

  • Medicae: The Good Stuff. You have access to the best pharmaceuticals the Imperium offers to their soldiers and they keep you in excellent mental shape. Your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores all increase by 2 (to a maximum of 20).
  • Heavy Weapons: Extremis Marksman. You have advantage on your first attack roll each round when you are wielding an extremis weapon.
  • Technical Specialist: Instant Recognition. You’ve spent enough time around technology to recognize the general purpose of any technological item you come across. You may not be able to use it (at least not without intense analysis, and even then probably not well) but you can recognize a weapon or data compiler or what have you when you see it, even if it is made by xenos.

Tune in next week for more class archetypes as we fill
out the heroic (or villainous!) roles for player characters
in the Warhammer 40k D&D 5E Hack! 😀

PS: I’m involved with Frank Mentzer’s Empyrea Kickstarter!!! If you are an OSR or down to see a campaign world that a D&D legend has been crafting for 40 years, you are in for a tremendous treat. 😀
Mike Myler D&D 5th, Tabletop RPGs, Warhammer 40k D&D 5E

Warhammer 40k D&D 5e – Hack #2 (Equipment)

Welcome to the second post for Warhammer 40k D&D 5E Hack, my (what was originally meant to be rather quick) exploration into how we can bring the darkness of the far future into the d20 world.

WH 40k DnD 5e hack

Check out that last post for:

  • general rules
  • Corruption ability score
  • new skills
  • a hit selection system
  • races
  • character backgrounds
  • the psyker feat.

 

What’s in this post?

  • the (shared) Resources party attribute
  • the Lucky Bastard feat
  • New martial weapons (chainswords, power swords, lightning claw, power fist, power maul)
  • New ranged weapons (from bolt pistols to long las)
  • New extremis weapons (the iconic bolter, heavy bolter, las cannon, melta, etc.)
  • Power Armor (for space marines, for chaos space marines, for non-space marines, even for xenos!)

 

Resources

A party in Warhammer 40k D&D 5e has a Resources score to simulate how the wheelings and dealings of the universe turn out for them when the time comes to equip themselves for a mission. The party’s Resources ability score is equal to their average party level + Charisma modifiers. After accepting an operation, the GM makes a Wealth check on behalf of the party (1d20 + Resources ability modifier). The PCs receive temporary equipment and gear of a value equal to 200 gold x the result of the Resources check (minimum 300 gold). Any item purchased by the operators with the gold acquired from a Resources check must be used during the operation or directly before its undertaking. After an operation is over temporary equipment and gear that remains mysteriously disappears, gets broken, fell out of a character’s pack during combat, or otherwise becomes unavailable to the party.

Any item that requires attunement cannot be acquired with these funds, but by paying double the normal price a piece of temporary equipment or gear can be bought as a regular item. Items that grant permanent bonuses are ineligible as well, and when calculating item value, use the maximum amount (100bt for common, 500bt for uncommon, etc.).

For example, a party of four PCs at 8th level with the following Charisma scores (13, 18, 15, 14) has a Resources ability score of 17 (average party level 8 plus 1 + 4 + 2 + 2). The GM rolls 1d20+3 and gets a 15 for a total of 18, so the party gets 3,600 gold of temporary equipment and gear. The PCs should play a large role in how the temporary equipment and gear is acquired (via favors, contacts, the bureaucracy of the Imperium of Mankind, etc.).

 

Feat: Lucky Bastard

It’s almost as if life itself were designed to meet your needs. When your party makes a Resources check to acquire temporary equipment and gear, choose one of the following:

  • Increase the amount of funding received by +50%. It is impossible for any of the items acquired to become regular items.
  • After a mission is over you can spend your own gold to make pieces of temporary equipment or gear into regular items at half the normal price.

 

Armored Bodyglove (Uncommon, 11 lb.). Unlike most armor, a creature may wear an armored bodyglove under clothing or other suits of armor. While wearing an armored bodyglove, the wearer’s AC equal 14 + the wearer’s Dexterity modifier (or better, if they are wearing a superior suit of armor over the armored bodyglove).

Detox Pill (Uncommon, 0 lb.). After ingesting this small, foul-tasting black pill, a creature suffering from a poison or disease not borne from the Warp can immediately make a new saving throw to rid themselves of it. The creature has advantage on this saving throw. On a success the disease or poison stops spreading, though its effects may linger for as long as 1 hour.

Grapple Gun (Common, 4 lb.). Depending on how it is designed, this device resembles either a crossbow or firearm with a grappling hook fixed onto a spear that emerges from the front of it. As an action, the wielder of a grappling gun fires it at a perch within 500 feet–a crux of tree boughs, the corner of a building, the top of a street light, cluster of rocks across a chasm–and makes a ranged attack roll against an AC of at least 13 (at the GM’s discretion, more difficult targets have a higher AC). On a successful hit the device’s grappling hook affixes itself and until the wielder moves more than 10 feet in any direction, they may spend a bonus action to retract the line and move 100 feet in the direction of the square adjacent to the grappling hook. A grapple gun that has its line obstructed by another creature or broken (AC 15, 10 hit points) becomes inoperable until it is reloaded. Reloading a grapple gun requires 2 actions. When fired as an attack against a creature, on a successful hit the target takes 2d4 bludgeoning damage and makes a DC 7 Strength saving throw or is knocked prone.

Injector (Common, 1 lb.). These ampules can be self-administered as a bonus action or jammed into a creature with an Attack action and successful melee attack roll. For 1 minute, the drug from an injector grants its benefits to the target, after which it suffers a penalty equal to the formerly gained bonus and makes a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + 1 per drug dose taken in the last 24 hours) or suffers 1 level of exhaustion. Example bonuses include: +1 bonus action each turn, +2 AC, +5 hit points per point of proficiency bonus, +15 ft. movement, +3 to any ability score (this can increase a score above 20).

Jump Pack (Rare, 50/100 lb.). By spending a free action on its turn, the wearer can activate the jump pack and increase the distance of any jumps they make by 40 feet horizontally and 60 feet vertically until the start of their next turn. This increase to jumping distance only increases the wearer’s speed for the turn and only if the wearer moves by jumping. Jump packs automatically deactivate at start of the wearer’s next turn. Leaving a jump pack active for consecutive turns eats twice as much of the devices power but grants a fly speed of 40 feet. A creature can use a jump pack for to leap up to 10 rounds (or fly for 4 rounds), regaining 1 round of use for every 1 minute they are not in use.

Krak Grenade (Uncommon, 1 lb.). This small, cylindrical explosive can be thrown at a target within 60 feet as an action (or further with the use of a weapon with the launcher quality). Any creature within the grenade’s area of effect (20 feet) makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or takes 8d6 fire and force damage (a successful save halves this damage).

Lho-Stick (Common, 0 lb.). After lighting and smoking one of these stimulant-filled combustible sticks (a bonus action and minimum of 2 minutes) a creature finds itself more awake and restored, regaining a single use of one feature that has multiple uses which recharge on a long rest. This does not include spellcasting. A creautre can only benefit from a lho-stick once per 6 hours.

Mechadendrites (Rare, 10-50 lb. depending on the limb). Virtually all servants of the Mechanicum (and Dark Mechanicum) possess these cybernetic implants located somewhere on their body, generally on the back of the neck but always accessible to main conduits of the central nervous system. Using mechadendrites grants a +2 bonus to Technology checks and any check where the creature is using their mechadendrites (this does not include attack or damage rolls unless the wielder also has power armor). In addition, the wearer’s unarmed strike damage increases by +2.

Runic Protections (+1 for 1,000 gold, +2 for 2,500 gold, +3 for 5,000 gold). Having these holy and sanctified runes emblazoned on armor or weapons helps protect from the malign influences of the Warp. These must be maintained and restored by priests capable of blessing them after every mission. A creature wearing or wielding an item with runic protections gains a +3 on saving throws to resist a spell that can cause Corruption and on saving throws to resist increasing Corruption.

Subdermal Mic (Common, 0 lb.). A subdermal mic is a miniaturized two-way short bandwith radio transceiver that broadcasts to a range of 10 miles. Anyone within range and tuned to the broadcast frequency (which can be calibrated using the Science or Technology skill) is able to hear messages sent from the subdermal mic. The subdermal mic is also able to receive messages provided it is tuned to the frequency they are broadcast at. Radio waves travel through solid objects. Subdermal mics run off of the wearer’s body heat and can be spoken into and heard without anyone but the wearer hearing the transcieved messages.

Void Shield (Rare, 5 lb.).  When active (a bonus action) this device emits a forcefield around the wearer. Whenever the wearer would take damage, the forcefield is damaged first. The forcefield has 30 hit points and regenerates 1 hit point each round. When a forcefield is reduced to 0 hit points, the void shield breaks and requires a DC 20 Intelligence (Technology) check and 1 minute of work to repair. Deactivating a void shield is a reaction.

Vox (Common, 10 lb.). This device can be as small as a belt pouch for elite models or as big as a backpack for large, bulky military models. A vox operates as a subdermal mic does, but is capable of picking up frequencies on multiple different spectrums and can operate to distances of up to 1,000 miles (at the GM’s discretion).

Any ranged weapon below that does not have the loading property is assumed to have the autofire property.

Autofire. A character wielding an autofire weapon may spend a bonus action to gain an additional attack at disadvantage. If the wielder is able to make an additional attack as a bonus action for some other reason, they may make both attacks but with disadvantage.

Bullet Spray. Bullet spraying weapons can expend five times as much ammunition as normal to spray a 5-foot-cube area within its first range increment as an action. Creatures in the area of effect that fail a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to the wielder’s attack roll) take the weapon’s normal damage. By expending 10 times as much ammunition as normal, the wielder can increase the area to a 10-foot-cube.

Range: Area. When a creature uses a weapon to fire a cone, line, or sphere (instead of at a specific target) the wielder makes a separate attack roll for each target in the area (objects included).

 

Martial Melee Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Chainsword Common 1d8 bludgeoning or 1d10 bludgeoning — 12 lb. Heavy, rending (1d10 or 2d6+2; slashing), versatile (1d8 or 1d10)
Power Sword Rare 1d8 magical slashing plus 1d8 force — 6 lb. Versatile (1d10), plus 2d6 psychic damage if wielder has Psyker feat
Martial Ranged Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Bolt Pistol Uncommon 1d12 bludgeoning 300/600 7 lb. Ammunition, reload (12)
Bolt Rifle Uncommon 2d8 bludgeoning 400/800 15 lb. Ammunition, reload (36), two-handed
Flamer Uncommon 4d6 fire 60-ft. line or 20-ft. cone 12 lb. Ammunition, loading, reload (10), two-handed
Las Pistol Common 1d12 radiant 500/1,000 3 lb. Ammunition, reload (30); half damage after short range
Las Rifle Common 2d8 radiant 500/1,000 8 lb. Ammunition, bullet spray, two-handed; reload (60), half damage after short range
Long Las Uncommon 2d10 radiant 1,500/1 mile 10 lb. Loading, reload (12), two-handed; half damage after short range; can reduce range to (200/600) and remove loading property
Extremis Melee Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Lightning Claw Rare 1d10 slashing plus 1d6 lightning — 25 lb. Finesse, heavy, light
Power Fist Rare 1d8 bludgeoning plus 1d6 force — 35 lb. Heavy, light
Thunder Hammer Legendary 2d6 bludgeoning plus 1d6 lightning — 35 lb. Heavy, two-handed
Extremis Ranged Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Autocannon Rare 2d12 bludgeoning 1,000/2,000 or 50-ft. line or 10-ft. sphere 150 lb. + 15 lb. ammo Ammunition, bullet spray, heavy, reload (120), two-handed
Bolter Rare 2d8 bludgeoning plus 1d6 thunder 750/1,500 30 lb. Ammunition, heavy, reload (24)
Combibolter Rare 2d8 bludgeoning or 2d6 piercing 500/1,000 40 lb. Ammunition, heavy, reload (24), versatile
Heavy Bolter Legendary 2d8 bludgeoning plus 1d6 thunder plus 1d6 fire 1,000/1,500 150 lb. + 25 lb. ammo Ammunition, bullet spray,  heavy, reload (48) two-handed
Las Cannon Legendary 4d10 radiant 1,000/2,000 150 lb. + 30 lb. Ammunition, heavy, loading, reload (6)
Melta Legendary 6d6 fire 50/100 or 50-ft. line 40 lb. Ammunition, heavy, loading, reload (5), two-handed
Rocket Launcher Rare 3d6 bludgeoning plus 3d6 fire plus 3d6 force 500/1,000; 20-ft.-radius sphere 150 lb. + 20 lb. Ammunition, heavy, loading, reload (4), two-handed
Storm Bolter Legendary 2d8 bludgeoning plus 2d8 bludgeoning 500/1,000 40 lb. Ammunition, heavy, reload (24/24),  two-handed; disadvantage without bonus action aiming
Xenos Melee Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Eldar Bonesword Legendary 1d8 piercing plus 1d8 slashing — 5 lbs. Finesse, light; ignores 6 points of armor bonus
Ork Killsaw Uncommon 1d8 bludgeoning plus 1d8 slashing — 20 lbs. Heavy, two-handed; 30% chance of breaking on critical hit
Tau Equalizer Rare 1d4 bludgeoning plus 2d8 force — 11 lbs. Two-handed
Xenos Ranged Weapons Cost Damage Range Weight Properties
Eldar Shuriken Pistol Rare 2d8 piercing 150/600 3 lbs. Ammunition, loading, reload (50); ignores 4 points of armor bonus
Eldar Shuriken Catapult Legendary 2d12 piercing 300/1,200 12 lbs. Ammunition, loading, reload (100), two-handed; ignores 6 points of armor bonus
Ork Shoota Common 2d12 bludgeoning 300/600 18 lbs. Ammunition, loading, reload (20), two-handed; 30% chance of breaking on critical hit
Tau Ion Rifle Rare 2d8 lightning 250/1,000 13 lbs. Ammunition, loading, reload (16), two-handed
Tau Ion Cannon Legendary 4d12 lightning 500/2,500 28 lbs. Ammunition, heavy, loading, reload (4), two-handed

HUGE THANKS to my Head of Minion Sciences (Dixie Carr) for categorizing and adding weights to these!

POWER ARMOR (Gary Sterles WTF man?!?! 😀)

Unless otherwise noted, power armor entirely covers a humanoid’s torso, limbs, and head, functioning as a medium suit of armor. Donning or removing power armor provokes opportunity attacks and takes 3 consecutive rounds. All power armor grants the following bonuses:

  • the wearer’s AC becomes 14 + Dexterity modifier (maximum 2).
  • the wearer gains darkvision 120 feet.
  • the wearer’s Strength score increases by 2 (this does not modify its maximum Strength score).
  • the wearer is able to jump as far as 30 feet horizontally or 20 feet vertically without the need for a check (these distances are added to the distances that result from any jump checks).
  • the wearer reduces all falling damage by 30.
  • the wearer’s unarmed strike damage changes to 1d6.
  • the amount of weight the wearer can carry doubles (the weight of the power armor does not count against the wearer’s carrying weight.)
  • melee weapons mounted onto the power armor cannot be disarmed.
  • as long as the power armor has a helmet, while the suit is intact it grants immunity to all gas-based attacks and effects, possessing an internal air tank the wearer can breathe from for up to 4 hours.
  • the wearer is able to walk on metal surfaces in the void of space or zero gravity environments.

NOTE: It is mentioned in the flagship post for this series, but it bears mentioning again–if you give one PC power armor, give everybody power armor.

 

CHAOS SPACE MARINE ARMOR

Mark V Carapace (Rare, 400 lb.). Increases Strength by 4 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 24, increase Constitution by 2 up to a maximum of 22, damage resistances (cold, fire), and the wearer ignores the first 5 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

Mark VII Carapace (Legendary, 500 lb.). Increases Strength by 5 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 24, increase Constitution by 4 up to a maximum of 24, damage resistances (acid, cold, fire), and the wearer ignores the first 6 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

Living Carapace (Near Unique, 900 lb.). Increases Strength by 6 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 26, increase Constitution by 6 up to a maximum of 26, damage resistances (acid, cold, fire, force), and the wearer ignores the first 7 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage. You are always able to act in the surprise round.

*Chaos Space Marines that are Veterans of the Long War might get their hands on Terminator Armor instead of Living Carapace.

 

IMPERIUM SPACE MARINE ARMOR

Mark VI (Rare, 400 lb.). Increases Strength by 4 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 24, increase Dexterity by 2 up to a maximum of 22, damage resistances (cold, fire), and the wearer ignores the first 5 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

Mark VII (Legendary, 500 lb.). Increases Strength by 5 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 24, increase Dexterity by 4 up to a maximum of 24, damage resistances (cold, fire, lightning), and the wearer ignores the first 6 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

Terminator Armor (Near Unique, 900 lb.). Increases Strength by 6 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 26, increase Dexterity by 6 up to a maximum of 26, damage resistances (cold, fire, lightning, thunder), and the wearer ignores the first 8 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.*

 

IMPERIAL POWER ARMOR

Ignatus Power Armor (Uncommon, 100 lb.). Does not increase the wearer’s Strength score. Additionally it normally does not come fully sealed or helmeted (an additional 500 gold), but it does count as light armor for purposes of proficiency.

Sororitas Power Armor (Rare, 200 lb.). Resistance to acid, cold, fire, and the wearer ignores the first 3 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

 

XENOS POWER ARMOR

Eldar Power Armor (Legendary, 100 lb.). Increases Dexterity by 6 (to a maximum of 26) and speed by 30 feet.

Ork Power Armor (Rare, 750 lb.). Increases Strength by 6 (instead of 2) up to a maximum of 26, and the wearer ignores the first 2 points of damage whenever it takes damage.

Squat Power Armor (Rare, 200 lb.). Increases Constitution by 4 (to a maximum of 24), increases Strength by 4 (instead of 2; maximum of 22), and the wearer ignores the first 8 points of damage whenever it takes non-psychic damage.

Tau Power Armor (Rare, 200 lb.). Resistance to cold, fire, radiant, and the wearer ignores the first 6 points of damage whenever it takes damage.

 

That’s it for today’s post! Tune in next week for the beginning of Class Archetypes!

Mike Myler D&D 5th, Tabletop RPGs, Warhammer 40k D&D 5E

Warhammer 40k D&D 5e – Hack #1

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

Today however it’s a little bit more lively as I’m starting the first post of a new blog series: Warhammer 40k D&D 5e!

WH 40k DnD 5e hack.png

Before you throw your hands up in the air and cry out that this is heresy, hear me out–I got to work on Black Crusade, it is one of several awesome Warhammer 40k RPGs, and I loved the opportunity to be a part of Tome of Decay, but it’s not always easy to sell your group on trying out a new system. The hacks in this series are a way to crack the door open for Dark Heresy or any of the other awesome tabletop RPGs set in the grimdark future. By all means please go to Mire and fight the Lutomorbus rocking your d100s (and d10s, and tell me about how it went!), but if you have players reticent to pick up Only War or what have you, try breaking them in with the material found here.

Besides–it gives us something to enjoy while we all spin our wheels waiting for Wrath & Glory to come out, and when it *does* hit the table your D&D group will be raring to go! 😀

 

What’s in this post:

  • general rules
  • Corruption ability score
  • new skills
  • a hit selection system
  • races
  • character backgrounds
  • the psyker feat

 

GENERALLY

If you’ve got a space marine around I recommend at least keeping them 1 level lower (maybe 2 levels lower) than other PCs. They are really, really powerful, even with the different race stuff and reduced backgrounds and even if they aren’t wielding extremis weapons–they kind of have to be or we’re not going to have the right feel for Warhammer 40k. I’m sure there’s a balance we could strike by amping up non-space marines and just assuming a higher average party level when calculating CR (by 1 or 2 or whatever) but I’d rather have somebody playing a space marine feel like a freaking monster on the battlefield.

Furthermore, if one character gets power armor, they should all get power armor (or at the very least a void shield; come back next week) because now everything is going to need upped by at least 1 CR.

THE FIRST POST

This is a complicated project so I’ve mapped out how I’m doing it all–to give the God-Emperor and his universe due justice, one post won’t do it. After this we’ve got ~19 more to fill in equipment, specific class roles, and various monsters. We’re tackling player options first.

 

NARRATIVE PLAY

Players and GMs are in for a very narrative experience. There’s simulation to be had (obviously; see Corruption below) but everyone at the table should be ready to reinterpret the “fluff” of a class or racial feature to be the result of Mechanicum augmentations, specialized training, and the like. Focusing on the nuances of the Ministorum might be a fun thought experiment, but in play the drudgery of a dystopian bureaucracy probably won’t be very exciting.

RESKIN THINGS

Want a badass daemon from the Warp? There are bajillions of them. Take any appropriately CR’d monster from the book, figure on a new description, and roll with it. Specific daemons of the various Ruinous Powers will appear in later blog posts.

 

BANNED MAGIC

If it gets magic, you are either playing a psyker archetype (librarian SM paladin, grey knight SM warlock, agent of the Inquisition warlock, psyker sorcerer) or you aren’t playing it (or at the very least, not getting access to the magic bits). Pretty simple. There’s archetypes for virtually every class coming down the line so don’t panic and if you can’t wait, play a fighter. :p

Corruption

A creature’s Corruption score starts at 0 and is increased when it indulges in the dark powers or suffers exposure to the Warp. When a creature’s Corruption ability score reaches 30, it transforms into chaos spawn (use the statistics for a gibbering mouther).

  • When exercising power in a cruel way or using the Intimidation skill, a creature may make a Corruption ability check (instead of a Charisma check or other check). Doing this more than once in a week increases its Corruption by 1.
  • Instead of making a regular saving throw, a creature may make a Corruption saving throw to resist being influenced through deception or magic, increasing its Corruption by 1.
  • The use of various abilities and features (like evil spells from the Evil Primer) may cause a creature to increase its Corruption. Generally speaking, if it’s a spell that deals any type of damage other than cold, fire, force, lightning, radiant, or thunder, the GM may ask for a Corruption saving throw (DC 12 + spell level) or the creature’s Corruption increases by 1.
  • Aside from sanctified holy relics (which are rare indeed), all magic items are either corrupted things of the Warp (frequently intelligent) or not actually magic items and just misunderstood technology (see the Cog-Born background below).
    For every day a magic item that grants a permanent bonus is in a creature’s possession, the creature makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw (whichever is lowest) against a DC equal to 5 + 1 per day they have possessed the item. On a failure the creature’s Corruption increases by 1 and the base DC is doubled.
    Whenever a creature activates a magic item, it makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw (whichever is lowest) against a DC equal to 5 + 1 per previous use. On a failure the creature’s Corruption increases by 1 and the base DC is doubled.

Warp Mutations. Gaining too much Corruption at once can cause a creature to mutate. Whenever your Corruption score increases by more than 1 in the same day, any further saving throws made to resist Corruption have disadvantage and on a failure your body mutates. These mutations should vary widely and generally grant one benefit (typically based around what the mutation is; an extra eyeball would grant improved vision, an extra ear better hearing, dead flesh extra hit points) and two negatives (one should always be a heavy social penalty, the other reflective of the mutation; an extra eyeball might make the creature susceptible to nausea, an extra ear vulnerability to thunder damage, dead flesh a decrease to carrying limit).

NEW SKILL – Science (Intelligence)

You’re familiar with the actual practical application of science—collecting samples, performing experiments, realizing hypothetical designs, finding vox frequencies, understanding the nuances of and handling scientific materials, and so on.

Bards, monks, rogues, rangers, and wizards add Science to the list of skills they may pick from during character creation. The following Backgrounds may exchange one of their offered skills for Science: Guild Artisan, Hermit, Noble, and Sage.

NEW SKILL – Technology (Intelligence)

You can understand how a device unknown to you functions, locate vox frequencies, and anything else that falls under “hit the keys to make things happen” that doesn’t qualify as music. The majority of checks using this skill are either against a DC determined by the GM (such as hacking a messaging cable), or as an opposed check against an opponent who also has the Technology skill (such as a technician overseeing a functioning system).

Bards, fighters, rogues, sorcerers, and wizards add Technology to the list of skills they may pick from during character creation. The following Backgrounds may exchange one of their offered skills for Technology: Charlatan, Criminal, Entertainer, Guild Artisan, Noble, Sage, Sailor, and Soldier.

Hit Selection and Headshots

It wouldn’t be Warhammer 40,000 if you didn’t get to explode people’s heads. It is strongly, strongly, strongly recommended that only PCs and major NPCs get to use hit selection, and that certain targets may not be viable for it (such as dreadnaughts or a Chosen of Nurgle). At the GM’s discretion, a helmet may negate instant death from a headshot and other parts of power armor may absorb the effects of a selected hit, though this always disables the piece of armament until it can be repaired later (if it can be repaired at all).

ATTACK ROLL = AC → REGULAR HIT
Good for you.

ATTACK ROLL = AC + 2 → TORSO HIT
You hit the target’s torso. The creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty to Constitution saving throws until the damage from torso hits is healed.

ATTACK ROLL = AC + 4 → LEG HIT
You hit the target’s leg. The creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty to Strength saving throws and a -5 ft. penalty to speed until the damage from leg hits is healed.

ATTACK ROLL = AC + 6 → ARM HIT
You hit the target’s arm. The  creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty to Dexterity saving throws and a -1 penalty to attack rolls until the damage from arts hits is healed.

ATTACK ROLL = AC + 8 or more → HEADSHOT
You hit the target directly in the skull. Your attack is a critical hit that deals maximum damage. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to the attack’s damage. On a success it is blinded for 1 round per 10 points of damage (minimum 1 round). On a failure it is dead. If you rolled a natural 20 on the attack roll, the creature dies instantly.

RACES

To strike a balance between space marines and all the inferior lessers among them in Warhammer 40k, we’re going to take the standard races and give them each some oomph–principally the Touch of Fate feature. It should be noted that inside of Imperium Space, anything other than humans, ogryns, and squats are kill-on-sight.

Touch of Fate. Either the God-Emperor has spared you a thought or a dark entity of the Warp has touched your soul. Regardless of the reason, the universe itself protects as bolter shells and other extremis weapons have a tendency to miss you. A creature proficient with an extremis weapon (usually a space marine) has disadvantage on attack rolls using it when targeting you. While you possess this feature, you cannot wield extremis weapons without a class feature granting their use. In addition, once per short rest you can spend your reaction to have advantage on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, or choose to make a creature reroll a successful attack roll that targeted you.

 

ELDAR

Play an elf or for a dark eldar, the following as your subrace features: +1 Charisma, elf weapon training, learn 1 wizard cantrip. In addition, you gain the following:

  • You have resistance to psychic damage.
  • You have advantage on sight-based Wisdom (Perception) checks.
  • You gain the Touch of Fate feature.
  • You have a number of temporary hit points equal to our Intelligence or Charisma modifier (whichever is higher). When these hit points are depleted, they replenish after 1 minute or immediately upon spending an action focusing your mind.
  • You do not require the Psyker feat to take a psyker archetype.

IMPERIAL ELITE

A rank and file Planetary Defense Force soldier, a jockeying bureaucrat at the Ministorum, the depraved lackey of a cult leader, or a low-ranking cog-jockey is going to die quickly in any Warhammer 40k game, D&D 5e hack or otherwise. You gain the following benefits:

  • All of your ability scores increase by 1.
  • You gain 1 feat.
  • You gain proficiency in 1 skill of your choice.
  • You gain the Touch of Fate feature.

NECRON

Lol sorry nope (if you think space marines or orcs are tough–and you will–oy…)


ORK

Use the statistics for a half-orc with the following changes:

  • Your size is Large.
  • You gain natural armor that increases your AC by 2.
  • Your speed is 35 feet. When wearing red armor, clothing, or paint, your speed increases by 5 feet.
  • Your Strength score increases by 3, your Constitution increases by 2, and the maximum for both increases to 22.
  • Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores are both reduced by 3.
  • You gain immunity to poisoned damage, the poisoned condition, and all diseases.
  • You gain proficiency in Athletics.
  • You regenerate 1 hit point at the end of each round until you are decapitated or obliterated. Whenever your proficiency bonus increases to an even number (+4, +6) your regeneration increases by 1.
  • Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
  • When you pick up a broken weapon, you can treat it as though it were not broken. If the weapon you are wielding is red, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with it.
  • If you have Volo’s Guide to Monsters you can use the rules for an Orc with only the following of the above features: natural armor, increased speed, poison & disease immunities, Athletics proficiency, regeneration, unarmed strikes, and broken/red weapons.

SPACE MARINE

These biologically augmented warriors are the apotheosis of humanity, perfect soldiers encased in suits of power armor that make them the bane of xenos across the universe. You gain the following benefits (and are otherwise human, though you gain no benefits from that distinction):

  • Your size is Large. GMs that prefer them to be Medium (most space marines are ~7 feet tall) can give them the following feature instead:
    • Bigger. You are treated as one size Larger for grapples and when determining carrying capacity.
  • Your speed is 40 feet.
  • Your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores increase by 2, and their maximums increase by 2. Your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores increase by 1.
  • You have resistance to poison damage.
  • You have advantage on saving throws against diseases and poison.
  • You gain proficiency in Athletics and Perception.
  • You have advantage on sight- and sound-based Wisdom (Perception) checks (increasing your passive Perception by 5) and on checks made to identify a chemical substance.
  • Whenever you take damage, you ignore 1 point of damage.
  • You regenerate 1 hit point every minute. When reduced to 0 hit points you automatically stabilize unless you have suffered a mortal wound (such as instant death from decapitation, evisceration, or massive damage). While at 0 hit points you remain conscious but are incapacitated.
  • Instantly killing you requires twice as much damage as normal. At the GM’s discretion, you may not even truly die in such an instance (sustained instead by the sus-an membrane putting your body into a state of suspended animation for as long as hundreds of years)
  • You do not need to eat food or drink water. You require only 4 hours of sleep to gain the benefits of a long rest and while sleeping you remain conscious. You can go 2 weeks without sleep.
  • You still need to breathe air, but you are able to sustain yourself on far less of it (as little as 5% oxygen content) and can hold your breath for 10 times as long as normal.
  • You are able to absorb genetic material by consuming blood or flesh, the omophagea inside your body transmitting the gained information to your brain as a set of memories or experiences. What this can reveal is at the discretion of the GM.
  • Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
  • You produce a blinding spittle able to temporarily deprive foes of their vision. As a bonus action, you spit your corrosive saliva at a creature within 15 feet. It makes a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or is blind until the end of your next turn.
  • You gain proficiency with simple, martial, and extremis weapons as well as all armor and shields.

SQUATS

I know they aren’t really a major thing in the IP anymore but I love me some space dwarves. Use the regular statistics for dwarves, adding these additional benefits:

  • Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your maximum increases to 22.
  • You gain proficiency with Technology and have advantage on checks made to analyze, build, engineer, repair, and sabotage technological devices.
  • You gain proficiency with technological vehicles (be they for air, land, outer space, or water).
  • You gain the Touch of Fate feature.

TAU

The tau are a race of technologically-advanced xenos from the fringes of space, an entire empire devoted to the Greater Good. GMs with a party that have more than one tau should create subtypes to represent various societal casts, but otherwise treat them as (fire tau that are statistically identical to) regular humans with the following benefits:

  • You gain proficiency with Technology.
  • You have advantage on saving throws against spells.
  • You gain the Touch of Fate feature.
  • You barely register in the Warp and cannot take the Psyker feat or any psyker archetypes.

 

For kroot, genestealers, and other xenos, consult your GM and beware the Inquisition!

 

CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS

All humans should use the backgrounds available to regular characters as well as those found in the Book of Exalted Darkness (including that free Evil Primer PDF particularly for chaos folks!), Hypercorps 2099 5E, and 2099 Wasteland as appropriate. If you dig around on my website, you will little bits scattered here and there. If your character is already all about the Warp, make sure to twist your background into something appropriately maddening and evil. Otherwise a human should probably be either very much pragmatic (PS: got a Pragmatist background in Mists of Akuma 😉 ) or very devout. If you are xenos, chances are good you’ll have the best luck in 2099 Wasteland although again, with a bit of tweaking many of the standard backgrounds should suit you fine.

As mentioned above, space marines are going to overshadow unaugmented characters so for any PC that isn’t a space marine, an ork, or taking the Cog-Born background, give out two character backgrounds to help even out the playing field a bit.

Cog-Born

Either identified from scholam in your youth and brought into the fold of the Mechanicum, saved from slavery in the hold of a chaos warship, chosen by the Dark Mechanicums probability machines, trained by xenos scientists, or otherwise led to learning how to assuage the spirits of the machine (or if you’re a stout, you know, understanding how machines work).
Skill Proficiencies: Science, Technology
Tool Proficiencies: Alchemist’s supplies, thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools
Equipment: Alchemist’s supplies, thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools
Feature: Coax the Machine Spirit. You have learned enough about the workings of technology that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of technology (except for extremis weapons and power armors).

Space Marine Backgrounds

You only get a single proficiency or feature because you’ve got enough goodies already. :p
Also for whatever godawful reason, Games Workshops doesn’t have lady space marines. I say f#%^ that–if you want to play a female Adeptus Astartes, do it. Assume that the Lost Primarchs are DAUGHTERS instead of sons (! my word!) and that they have been in deep space, written from history for fear of the singular ability that sets them apart from their male kin: reproducing more Adeptus Astartes far more rapidly than their male kin. One chapter is oriented towards Chaos and the other chapter remains true to the Imperium. As an extra f#@$-you to misogynists, you get proficiency in one skill and two tool kits of your choice for playing a lady space marine.

CHAOS SPACE MARINE BACKGROUNDS

  • Alpha Legion: Deception proficiency
  • Death Guard: poison immunity
  • Emperor’s Children: thunder resistance
  • Iron Warriors: Investigation proficiency
  • Night Lords: Stealth proficiency
  • Sons of Horus: Persuasion proficiency
  • Thousand Sons: Arcana proficiency
  • Word Bearers: Religion proficiency
  • World Eaters: Intimidation proficiency

IMPERIUM SPACE MARINE BACKGROUNDS

  • Blood Angels: natural weapon bite attack (1d4)
  • Dark Angels: Survival proficiency
  • Imperial Fists: Insight proficiency
  • Iron Hands: Technology proficiency
  • Raven Guard: Stealth proficiency
  • Salamanders: deal an additional 1 point of damage per die when dealing fire damage
  • Space Wolves: Advantage on smell-based Perception checks
  • Ultramarines: History proficiency
  • White Scars: Vehicle (land) proficiency

FEAT: Psyker

Prerequisites: Wisdom 16 or Charisma 16

You are able to call upon the powers of the Warp. Whether through training by Imperium-sanctioned psykers or through the manipulations of daemons, you wield what some call sorcery or magic, using it to perform tasks that defy belief.

  • You are able to take a psyker archetype.
  • You have advantage on checks and saving throws to resist increasing your Corruption score.
  • You learn one cantrip from any spell list, using either your Wisdom or Charisma (whichever is highest) as your spellcasting ability score.
  • You learn one 1st-level spell from any spell list, using either your Wisdom or Charisma (whichever is highest) as your spellcasting ability score. You are able to cast this spell a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus before requiring a short rest to recharge the use of this feature.

 

CHAOS CLASS ARCHETYPES

In the months to come there are going to be a lot of archetypes, almost all of which are focused on playing as a faithful servant of the Imperium of Mankind. At the GM’s discretion, these can be tweaked and modified for playing a character devoted to the Warp instead, gaining dark gifts of Chaos that work the same way as the written ability but represented by a gruesome mutation or unholy relic rather than Imperial training or advanced technology.

 

END OF HACK #1

There’s more ground to be covered yet but this should be enough to take the given core rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition into the grim, dark future of Warhammer 40,000.

In the next post I’m going to dig into weapons, power armor, and other equipment. Then it’s onto class archetypes where each post will have an option for space marines and something for non-space marines (for 7 posts), and after that there’ll be 9 paired monsters posts.

For the 20th post (because Enuncia is close to my heart and deserves a post of its own, mostly because I can’t think of a specific one it ought to be with–and I can drop in the random sidebar-esque material in there) I’ll share the big google document where all the content is efficiently organized, improved via feedback from folks, and super accessible.

Thanks for checking this out! 😀

(MIKE WHAT ABOUT STARFINDER — I just got my dev copy and am gleefully reading it. That hack will definitely include the Starfinder conversion of Hyper Score so I need some time to work it out. Don’t worry, it’ll get here. 😀 )