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by Adrian Orlando Dark Heresy House Rules (v1.21) of 9

WARHAMMER 40K DARK HERESY HOUSE RULES

The following is a list of House Rules for use with Dark Heresy. In a few cases, these are just modifications to match Dark Heresy to

the later versions of Warhammer 40k RPG—most notably Rogue Trader.

RULES

Below is a list of updated or changed rule mechanics.

ARMOUR AND FALLING DAMAGE

Armour does provide some protection against Damage from

falling, but is not as effective as normal (except power armour).

For all armour other than power armour, halve the armour’s

Armour Protection value (round up) against this Damage. Types

of armour with the Primitive quality provide no protection at all.

ARMOUR AND STEALTH

Some types of armour impose a penalty on Concealment and

Silent Move Tests, though most do not. Wearing any type of

carapace armour imposes a –10 penalty on such Tests, whilst

wearing any type of power armour imposes a –30 penalty.

AWARENESS MODIFIERS

Circumstance Modifier

Full blown war; battle involving tanks or other

very powerful weapons Trivial (+60)

Pitched battle involving heavy weapons, explo-

sives and/or grenades Simple (+40)

Battle with regular weapons; agonised screams;

heavy traffic Easy (+30)

Combat only involving melee weapons and/or

silenced firearms; yelling and/or an argument;

traffic; adjacent to source (2m or less away)

Routine (+20)

Loud conversation, light traffic, and so on;

close to source (3m to 5m away) Ordinary (+10)

General noise such as conversation, walking,

and so on; near to source (6m to 10m away)

Challenging

(+0)

Quiet conversation or similar; away from source

(11m to 20m); door or light wall in the way

Mildly distracted (close to any distracting activ-

ity but not directly involved)

Difficult (–10)

Whisper or similar; far from source (21m to

50m away); heavy door, regular wall or floor

in the way (wooden or light metal)

Asleep or distracted (undertaking any activity

that requires concentration)

Hard (–20)

Sounds of breathing or similar; very far from

source (51m to 100m away); steel door or

heavy wall or floor in the way (e.g. brick)

Very Hard

(–30)

Distant from source (101m to 250m away); thick

steel door or rockcrete wall or floor in the way Arduous (–40)

Very distant from source (251m to 1000m

away)

Punishing

(–50)

Extremely distant from source (more than 1km

away); blast door or bulkhead in the way Hellish (–60)

CARRYING CAPACITY

When calculating the total of a character’s Strength Bonus and

Toughness Bonus, add the individual Characteristic Scores to-

gether and use the tens digit of this total value.

For example, a character with a Strength of 33 and a Tough-

ness of 38 has a total value of 71, and hence an effective total

bonus of 7 for the purpose of determining his carrying capacity.

CONCEALMENT AND SILENT MOVE MODIFIERS

Circumstance Modifier**

Full cover or concealment (cannot see any

part of the creature’s body at all) Easy (+30)

Immobile (creature is not moving any part of

its body at all) Routine (+20)

Stationary (may be carefully easing out a

weapon or similar); partial cover or con-

cealment (less than half its body is visible)

Ordinary (+10)

Moving at half speed Challenging (+0)

Moving at full speed Difficult (–10)

Open area or noisy surface Hard (–20)

Sniping* Very Hard (–30)

Charging or running Arduous (–40)

*Using the Sniping Action requires a Half Action immediately

after each attack to remain hidden (i.e. the attacker must make a

Standard Attack and then spend a Half Action to stay hidden).

**Apply a creature’s size modifier to both Concealment and

Silent Move Tests.

DEFENSIVE STANCE (HALF OR FULL ACTION)

You strike no blows this Round as you concentrate on self de-

fence. Until the start of your next Turn, opponents suffer a –10

penalty (if you used a Half Action) or a –20 penalty (if you used

a Full Action) to Weapon Skill Tests made to attack you. You

must be wielding a melee weapon in order to use this Action.

GRAPPLING

While grappling with an opponent, you may only take Grapple

Actions, except as noted below. While in control of the grapple,

you may make a Grapple Test (which is an Opposed Strength

Test with your foe) to deal unarmed Damage to your opponent

(1d5–3+SB). As with unarmed combat, a Grapple Test that

causes Damage equal to or greater than your opponent’s Tough-

ness Bonus also causes one level of Fatigue. If the opponent

wins, no Damage is dealt. You may also take purely mental

actions, such as using a psychic power. If your opponent is in

control of the grapple, you must first pass a Willpower Test to

maintain your concentration. While in control of a grapple, you

may disengage from the grapple as a Half Action.

If your opponent is in control of the grapple, you may make a

Grapple Test to take control of the grapple. If you win the Test,

you may either escape the grapple, or you may stay in the grap-

ple in order to injure your opponent next Turn.

of 9 Dark Heresy House Rules (v1.21) by Adrian Orlando

Creatures with the Natural Weapons trait use that Damage in

place of the normal unarmed Damage while grappling, but they

do not inflict levels of Fatigue upon their opponent. (They tend

to tear them to shreds instead!)

A character may attempt to draw a small one-handed weapon

(knife or compact Pistol weapon without the Accurate, Storm or

Twin-Linked qualities) with a Challenging (+0) Grapple Test.

Attacking with such a weapon requires a Difficult (–10) Grap-

ple Test; a failure by three or more degrees results in the charac-

ter being forced to drop the weapon. The opponent cannot use a

Reaction to avoid the attack. If your opponent is in control of the

grapple, you suffer a –30 penalty on these Tests.

LEAPING AND JUMPING

In a Running Leap, a character must choose to take either a Full

Move Action or a Run Action. The character must move at least

four metres in a straight line before his leap. He then makes a

Challenging (+0) Strength Test. He clears a distance equal to

his Strength Bonus times 50cm, plus or minus 50cm on a suc-

cess or failure and for every degree, with a minimum equal to

his Strength Bonus times 10cm. For every additional four metres

of run up, the character gains a +10 bonus on his Strength Test

(maximum +30 bonus).

In a Standing Leap, the character does not need to move first,

but must make a Difficult (–10) Strength Test instead.

When Jumping Up, the character must make a Challenging (+0)

Strength Test. If he makes a run up in a straight line of at least

four metres, he gains a +10 bonus on this Test. The character

clears a height of his Strength Bonus times 20cm, plus or minus

10cm on a success or failure, and per degree of success or fail-

ure, with no minimum height.

When Jumping Down, a character must make a Challenging

(+0) Agility Test. On a success, he jumps down a distance of

1m plus 1m per degree of success without taking Falling Dam-

age. Further distance counts as normal falling distance. On a

failure, increase the effective falling distance by 1m for every

two degrees of failure.

OVERWATCH

The Overwatch Action can be used with a weapon in semi-auto

mode, in which case the subsequent Pinning Test is only Chal-

lenging (+0). Use the modifiers given in Opposed Reactions to

determine who acts first, in place of the standard rules given in

the DARK HERESY CORE RULEBOOK.

PINNING

A character who is in cover and who fails his Pinning Test by

two degrees or less may choose the following option in place of

his normal restrictions due to being pinned. The character may

take a Full Action or two Half Actions, as long as the Actions do

not cause any part of his body to leave cover. For example, he

could spend a Full Action to reload his gun whilst remaining

crouched down behind cover.

PSY FOCUS

A psyker who is not in possession of a psy focus is not impaired

in manifesting psychic powers, but runs a higher risk of suffer-

ing adverse effects.

When manifesting a power at Fettered level, the psychic trig-

gers Psychic Phenomena as normal for each result of ‘9’.

When manifesting a power at Unfettered level, the psyker

must roll twice on the Psychic Phenomena table for each in-

stance triggered, and the GM chooses the worst result; if the

psyker uses a Fate Point to reroll, he must roll twice again, with

the GM again choosing the worst result. The psyker does not

roll twice on the Perils of the Warp table.

When manifesting a power at Push level, the psyker must roll

twice on both the Psychic Phenomena and Perils of the Warp

tables for each instance of either that is triggered. As above, the

psyker must roll twice again if he uses a Fate Point to reroll.

SLEEPING IN ARMOUR

A character who sleeps in armour risks being Fatigued upon

awakening. A character who sleeps in any type of armour must

make an Ordinary (+10) Toughness Test. If he was wearing a

body glove or mesh armour, he gains one level of Fatigue on a

failed Test. If he was wearing flak armour, he gains one level of

Fatigue on a success, or two levels of Fatigue on a failed Test. If

he was wearing carapace or power armour, he gains one level of

Fatigue on a success, two levels of Fatigue on a simple failure,

and three levels of Fatigue with two or more degrees of failure.

SIZE AND ATTACK RANGE

Creatures larger than Average have the following Range with

melee weapons, based on their size. Note that this assumes tall

creatures; long creatures (such as felids or hounds) have their

Range increased as if they were one size smaller.

Scrawny creatures stand under 1m tall, but still have a reach

(range with melee weapons) of 1m. Average creatures stand

between 1m and 2m tall, and have a reach of 1m. Hulking crea-

tures are 2–4m tall, with a reach of 2m. Enormous are 4–6m tall,

with a reach of 3m. Massive are 6–10m tall, with a reach of 4m.

Immense are 10–15m tall, with a reach of 6m. Monumental are

15–25m tall, with a reach of 8m. Titanic are 25–50m tall, with a

reach of 12m. Epic are over 50m tall, with a reach of 20m.

The minimum distance a creature must move in order to use

the Charge Action is equal to 3 plus its reach.

TWO-WEAPON WIELDING

Fighting with a weapon in each hand is popular amongst a wide

variety of cultures, organisations and combat styles. A character

wielding two weapons simultaneously suffers a –20 penalty to

all attack rolls, in addition to any other applicable modifiers.

(Note that if the individual does not have the Ambidextrous

talent, the penalty with his off-hand attacks will be a net –40.)

Simply holding a weapon in each hand does not impose this

penalty—a character counts as wielding two weapons only if he

makes an attack with both weapons during his Turn. This penal-

ty applies to all attacks made with either weapon until the start

of the character’s next Turn.

When wielding two melee weapons, a character may use the

Multiple Attacks Action to make a single attack with each

weapon. He cannot combine this with additional attacks granted

from any other source.

When wielding two ranged weapons, a character may use the

Multiple Attacks Action to make an attack with each weapon.

He may use any mode of fire (Single, Semi-Auto or Full Auto),

but must fire both weapons in the same mode.

A character cannot use a melee weapon and a gun together

unless he has at least one Two-Weapon Wielder talent.

When combining the Aim Action with the Multiple Attacks

Action (whether due to wielding two weapons, or as a result of


using a talent such as Swift Attack), only the first attack a char-

acter makes each Turn benefits from the Aim Action.

TALENTS

Below is a list of new or updated (marked by *) Talents.

AMBIDEXTROUS*

Prerequisites: Agility 30.

You can use either hand equally well. You do not suffer any

penalty for using your secondary hand.

ARMOUR OF CONTEMPT*

Prerequisites: Willpower 35.

You drape yourself in the armour of scorn and hatred. Whenever

you would gain Corruption Points, reduce the amount you gain

by 1. This does not negate the automatic Corruption Point that a

psyker gains whenever he triggers Perils of the Warp.

AUTOSANGUINE*

Ancient and blessed technology filters your blood. Handed

down from generations past, your implants repair minor injuries.

For the purposes of removing Damage through natural healing,

your injuries are considered to be one step less severe than they

actually are (i.e. you treat Heavily Wounded as Lightly Wound-

ed, and you treat Critically Wounded as Heavily Wounded). In

addition, you naturally heal at an increased rate, removing one

extra point of Damage per time interval.

BALLISTIC MASTERY

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 45, Agility 40, Two-Weapon

Wielder (Ballistic).

You may use the Overwatch or Supressing Fire Action when

wielding two weapons capable of Full Auto fire, gaining the

usual effect with each weapon, except that you may only desig-

nate a single area. If you also have the Independent Targeting

talent, you may designate a separate area with each gun in line

with that talent. When using the Overwatch Action in this way,

you must take your Full Auto Burst Action with both weapons at

the same time (even if they are covering different areas).

Classes: Cost is the same as Two Weapon Wielder (Ballistic)

for a particular class, and only available two ranks later.

BATTLE RAGE*

Prerequisites: Frenzy.

You may Parry while frenzied, and you may choose not to use

the All-Out Attack Action. In addition, you may reroll a failed

roll to snap out of your frenzy or to resist entering a frenzied

state if you so choose.

BLADE DANCER

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 40, Two-Weapon Wielder (Melee).

When wielding two single-handed melee weapons which do not

have the Unbalanced or Unwieldy quality, you reduce the penal-

ties for fighting with two weapons by a further 10 (usually re-

ducing the penalties to 0).

Classes: Cost is the same as Two Weapon Wielder (Melee)

for a particular class, and only available two ranks later.

BLADEMASTER*

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 35, Melee Weapon Training (any).

Your mastery of sword and knife is unsurpassed, and your blade

always strikes true. When attacking with a bladed weapon of

any type, including chainswords, axes and power swords, you

may reroll a missed attack once per Round.

BLAST AWAY

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 35, Strength 35, Agility 35, Basic

Weapon Training (any).

You are practiced at using a Basic weapon in close quarters.

You may use any basic weapon which does not have the Accu-

rate quality or Long-Barrelled upgrade while engaged in close

combat, but suffer a –20 penalty on your Ballistic Skill Test.

You do not gain any other bonuses or penalties to hit for range

or targeting equipment. You may also apply this talent to a

weapon with the Flame quality, in which case all affected crea-

tures gain a +20 bonus on their Agility Tests to avoid injury.

Classes: Arbitrator, Assassin, Guardsman and Scum, 200 XP;

all others, 300 XP.

BULGING BICEPS*

Prerequisites: Strength 45.

Whereas a weaker man would be sent flying when using power-

ful weapons, your strong physique allows you to remain stand-

ing. You can fire a Heavy weapon on Semi-Auto or Full Auto

without first bracing; however, you take a –10 penalty on your

Ballistic Skill Test.

CATFALL*

Prerequisites: Agility 30.

You are nimble and balanced like a cat, and are able to fall

greater distances unharmed than others might. Whenever you

fall, you may make a Challenging (+0) Agility Test. On a suc-

cess, you treat the fall as your Agility Bonus in metres shorter,

plus one metre shorter per degree of success.

CRIPPLING STRIKE*

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 40.

You are able to land your blows in the spot where they will in-

flict the most harm. Whenever you deal Critical Damage with a

melee attack, you deal an extra 2 points of Damage.

FAVOURED BY THE WARP*


You may spend a Fate Point as normal to reroll results on TABLE

6–2: PSYCHIC PHENOMENA (doing so normally requires you to

burn a Fate Point).


FEARLESS*

The Fearless talent cannot be taken by player characters as an

advance.

FRENZY*

Prerequisites: —.

If you spend a Full Action fuelling your anger—by flagellation,

drugs or other means—on the next Round you go into an uncon-

trolled rage, gaining a +10 bonus to Weapon Skill, Strength,

Toughness and Willpower, but suffering a –20 penalty to Ballis-

tic Skill, Intelligence and Fellowship; this cannot reduce any

Characteristic to below 1. While frenzied, you must attack the

nearest enemy in melee combat if possible. If not engaged with

an enemy, you move towards the nearest enemy and engage it if

possible. You will not take obviously suicidal actions, such as

leaping off a building to engage an enemy on the ground, but

will take any actions that give you a reasonable opportunity to

engage in melee with the nearest enemy.

While frenzied, you are immune to Fear, Pinning, the effects

of Fatigue and cannot be Stunned, and you may not retreat, flee

or Parry. Where possible, you use the All-Out Attack Action to

attack your enemies. You remain frenzied for the duration of the

combat, and may not use psychic powers while frenzied.

After combat ends, or if there are no more eligible enemy tar-

gets for you to attack, you may make a Challenging (+0) Will-

power Test to snap out of your frenzy. If you fail, you must

attack the nearest ally (favouring NPCs over player characters).

At the start of your Turn each Round, you may make another

Willpower Test, with a cumulative +10 bonus, to return to a

stable state of mind and come out of your frenzy. You may not

enter a frenzied state again for at least one hour as you recover

your mental and physical strength.

GUN SCOUNDREL

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 40, Knave of Pistols, Pistol Train-

ing (any two).

You may now gain the Basic Weapon Training talent, but only

in classes of weapons in which you have the Pistol Training

talent. You still cannot gain the Heavy Weapon Training talent,

and you continue to take a –10 penalty on Ballistic Skill Tests

with all ranged weapons which are not Pistols.

Cost: 300 XP.

GUNSLINGER*

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 40, Two-Weapon Wielder (Ballis-

tic).

While wielding a pistol in each hand, you reduce the penalty for

fighting with two ranged weapons by 10.

HARDY*

Prerequisites: Toughness 40.

For the purposes of removing Damage through natural healing,

your injuries are considered to be one step less severe than they

actually are (i.e. you treat Heavily Wounded as Lightly Wound-

ed, and you treat Critically Wounded as Heavily Wounded).

HEAVY WEAPON TRAINING (CANNON)

Prerequisites: Heavy Weapon Training (any two).

You are proficient in the operation of military cannons, such as

the earthshaker and demolisher.

Classes: Guardsman and Tech-Priest, 200 XP; all others, 300

XP.

IMPROVED GRAPPLE

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 35, Strength 35 or Agility 35.

You gain a +10 bonus on Tests related to grappling, including

the Weapon Skill Test to initiate a grapple and all Tests made

using the Grapple Action. You may take a single Grapple Action

as a Free Action immediately after you successfully initiate a

grapple with any opponent.


all others, 300 XP.

JADED*


You have seen the worst the galaxy has to throw at you to the

point that you are acclimatised to all but the worst of horrors.

You generally need not make Fear Tests against mundane hor-

rors (such as extremely violent deaths, excessive gore, vicious

beasts, and so on). You must still make Fear Tests as normal

against daemonic, xenos and psychic effects (which includes

sorcerous arcana, and all creatures with the From Beyond trait).

LIGHTNING REFLEXES*

Prerequisites: —.

You gain a +1 bonus on Initiative rolls. In addition, when rolling

for Initiative, you roll two dice and discard the lower result.

MARKSMAN*

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 35.

Distance is of little consequence with a gun in your hand, and

you are far more adept than most at picking off far away targets.

Increase the base range of any gun you wield by one-quarter,

rounded up to the nearest 5m; this does not apply to weapons

with the Spray quality. If the base range of the weapon is less

than 20m, instead round up to the nearest 1m.

PISTOL FINESSE

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 40, Agility 40.

You are adept at shooting up close and personal with a pistol.

When using a pistol in melee, you gain a +10 bonus on your

Ballistic Skill Test.


all others, 300 XP.

PROSANGUINE*

Prerequisites: Autosanguine.

By an act of will, you speed the workings of your autosanguina-

tors. Once every twelve hours, you may make an Ordinary

(+10) Willpower Test. On a success, you heal Damage as if you

had just spent a Fate Point. If you roll a 96–00, in addition to

failing the Test, you overstrain your implants. They cease to

function for one week. During that time, you lose the benefits of

the Autosanguine talent and cannot use this talent. Using this

talent takes ten minutes of meditation and ritual incantation.


RAGING ONSLAUGHT

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 40, Frenzy, Swift Attack or Multi-

ple Arms trait.

When using the All-Out Attack Action, you may choose to make

multiple attacks, as if you had used the Multiple Attacks Action.

If you do, you gain a +10 bonus on all Weapon Skill Tests made

as part of that Action, instead of the usual +20 bonus. All other

benefits and restrictions of both Actions apply as normal.

If you wish to also gain the benefits of the Furious Assault

talent, you may use the Multiple Attacks Action with the All-

Out Attack Action, but gain no bonus on your Weapon Skill

Tests. The extra attack from Furious Assault applies to the first

successful attack you make.

Classes: Cost is 400 XP, and only available two ranks after

Frenzy.

RESISTANCE (DISEASES)

Prerequisites: Toughness 30.

You gain a +10 bonus on all Tests to resist the effects of disease.

Classes: Can be taken at the same rank and cost as Resistance

(Poisons).

RITE OF PURE THOUGHT*

Prerequisites: Mechanicus Implants.

You have begun the process of replacing the emotional centres

of your brain with cranial cogitators. You feel little emotion, and

are instead filled with the cold purity of logic. You gain the

Chem-Geld, Nerves of Steel and Resistance (Fear) talents.

SIDEARM

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 40, Ballistic Skill 40, Two-Weapon

Wielder (Melee), Two-Weapon Wielder (Ballistic).

When armed with a pistol in one hand and a one-handed melee

weapon in the other, you reduce the penalties for fighting with

two weapons by a further 10 (usually reducing them to 0).

Classes: Cost is same as Two Weapon Wielder for a particu-

lar class, and only available two ranks later.

SNIPER’S POSE

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 30, Agility 30, Basic Weapon

Training (any).

You are adept at using the sniper’s pose (laying out prone on the

ground) to maximum effect. You may assume the sniper’s pose

while using a Basic weapon by intentionally adopting a prone

position as a Half Action. If you take any Action other than

shooting (includes Overwatch and Suppressing Fire), Aim, De-

lay, Focus Power or using relevant skills (such as Awareness to

spot new targets or Concealment to hide again after sniping),

you lose the benefits of being in the sniper’s pose, and must

spend a Half Action again to readopt the pose. While in a snip-

er’s pose, you suffer no penalty on Ballistic Skill Tests for being

prone, and enemies at a distance further than Point Blank suffer

a –10 penalty on ranged attacks against you.

Classes: Assassin and Guardsman, 100 XP; Arbitrator and

Scum, 200 XP; all others, 300 XP.

TARGET SELECTION

Prerequisites: Ballistic Skill 50.

Your dread gaze marks out your chosen victim, and not even the

riotous confusion of close combat interferes. You reduce the

penalty for shooting into melee by 10.


all others, 200 XP.

THUNDER CHARGE

Prerequisites: Strength 50.

You charge into combat, using your body as an additional wea-

pon to push foes away or to the ground. When you use the

Charge Action, you may barrel through foes to get to your tar-

get. Make an Opposed Strength Test with each foe in the way,

adding each creature’s size modifier to its roll. Any foes with

the Sturdy trait add the usual +20 bonus to their rolls. Foes who

fail their rolls are knocked prone. If you fail by two or more

degrees, you are instead knocked prone. Once you have knocked

down all those in your way, you may complete your Charge and

make your attack against your intended target.

Classes: Arbitrator, Cleric, Guardsman and Tech-Priest, 200

XP; all others, 300 XP.

TOUCHED BY THE FATES*

Prerequisites: Free-willed, living, non-daemonic Non Player

Character.

The Non Player Character has a number of Fate Points equal to

half its base Willpower Bonus (round up); the Unnatural Will-

power trait does not increase the number of Fate Points that the

NPC gains. These Fate Points may be used in exactly the same

way as for Player Characters. In addition, the rules for Right-

eous Fury also apply to this Non Player Character.

At the Game Master’s option, some NPCs (such as Inquisitors

or Space Marines) may gain additional Fate Points from this

talent.

TWO WEAPON WIELDER*

Talent Groups: Ballistic, Melee.

Prerequisites: Agility 35, Ballistic Skill 35 or Weapon Skill 35.

You reduce the penalty for fighting with two weapons by 10, to

–10 instead of the usual –20. You may make a single attack with

one hand, in addition to any attacks you are normally entitled to

make with the other.

When attacking with two ranged weapons, you may use dif-

ferent modes of fire for each weapon.

When wielding a gun and a melee weapon together, if you

have only the Two Weapon Wielder (Ballistic) talent, you may

use the Multiple Attacks Action to make a single attack with the

melee weapon, and to fire the gun in any mode of your choice. If

you have only the Two Weapon Wielder (Melee) talent, you

may instead make any attacks you are normally entitled to with

the melee weapon (such as from the Swift Attack talent), but can

only fire the gun in single shot mode. If you have both Two

Weapon Wielder talents, you may make any attacks you are

normally entitled to with the melee weapon and fire the gun in

any mode of your choice.


WEAPONMASTER

Prerequisites: Weapon Skill 40, Blademaster.

Your mastery of melee combat is unsurpassed, and your weap-

ons almost always strike true. When attacking with any non-

bladed melee weapon that does not have the Unwieldy quality,

you may re-roll a missed attack once per Round. You cannot

benefit from both the Blademaster and Weaponmaster talents in

the same Turn.

Classes: Cost is same as Blademaster for a particular class,

but is only available one rank later.

TRAITS

Below is a list of new or updated (marked by *) Traits.

AUTO-STABILISED*

The creature may use Heavy weapons without needing to brace

them first. In addition, the creature may take a single Half Move

Action as part of making a semi-auto or full auto attack with any

personal ranged weapon (Basic, Heavy or Pistol).

DAEMONIC (+X)*

Daemonic creatures are creatures of the warp, but can manifest

in realspace either through sheer strength of will, hunger or oc-

cult rituals. Creatures with this trait increase their Toughness

Bonus by X against all Damage, except for Damage inflicted by

weapons with the Force or Warpbane quality, psychic powers or

other creatures with this trait.

DEADLY NATURAL WEAPONS

The creature has razor-sharp claws, adamantium-hard fists or

some other similarly lethal natural weapon. The creature must

have the Natural Weapons trait in order to gain this trait.

The creature’s natural attacks loses the Primitive quality.

PENETRATING BLOW (+X)

The creature’s specified natural attack can punch through ada-

mantine and ceramite. The creature must have the Natural

Weapons trait in order to gain this trait.

The creature’s natural attacks add +X to Penetration.

QUADRUPED (+X)

The creature has multiple sets of legs, allowing it to scamper

across terrain faster and more stably than bipeds can.

Increase the creature’s base movement rate by X; the value of

X is generally equal to the number of pairs of legs than the crea-

ture has (e.g. +2 for four-legged creatures, +3 for six-legged, +4

for eight-legged, and so on), to a maximum value of 8.

REGENERATION (X)

The creature heals with unnatural speed.

Each Round, at the start of its Turn, the creature makes a

Challenging (+0) Toughness Test. On a success, it removes 1

point of Damage, plus 1 point for every degree of success, to a

maximum equal to the value X.

If the creature is currently suffering from Critical Damage, it

instead removes that many points of Critical Damage per hour.

RENDING STRIKE

The creature’s specified natural attacks can cause debilitating

injuries, and leave only shredded flesh and twisted metal in their

wake. The creature must have the Natural Weapons trait in order

to gain this trait.

The creature’s natural attacks gain the Tearing quality.

SPRINTER

The creature is a natural sprinter, able to hit full speed quickly

and maintain it longer than most other creatures.

The creature gains the Sprint talent, and does not automatical-

ly gain Fatigue when using the Sprint talent. Instead, on the

second Round, the creature must make an Ordinary (+10)

Toughness Test; on a failure, it gains one level of Fatigue. In-

crease the Difficulty of the Test by one step for each subsequent

Round the creature continues to use the Sprint talent. After-

wards, the creature must rest for one full minute before it can

use the Run Action or the Sprint talent.

STRANGE PHYSIOLOGY*

As per the DARK HERESY CORE RULEBOOK; additionally, the

creature is immune to disease, poison, Stunning and does not

need to breathe.

SUREFOOTED

The creature is naturally surefooted when moving over rough or

unstable terrain.

The creature gains a +20 bonus on Agility Tests made to

move through treacherous terrain.

TAINTED NATURAL WEAPONS

The creature’s natural attacks are tainted by the warp. The crea-

ture must have the Daemonic or From Beyond trait, as well as

the Natural Weapons trait, in order to gain this trait.

The creature’s natural attacks lose the Primitive quality and

gain the Tearing quality. Increase the Penetration of the crea-

ture’s natural attacks by +2.

UNNATURAL CHARACTERISTIC (+X)*

One or more of the creature’s Characteristics is unnatural. The

creature’s Characteristic Bonus increases by X.

Applying this trait to a creature’s Agility does not increase its

movement. Movement is based on a creature’s unmodified Agil-

ity. See the Unnatural Speed trait for increased Movement.

Whenever the creature makes a Characteristic Test (whether

opposed or not), reduce the Difficulty of the Test by one step,

plus one step for every four points of increased bonus. For ex-

ample, Opposed Tests are usually Challenging (+0), but a crea-

ture with Unnatural Strength (+1) would instead make an Ordi-

nary (+10) Test against its opponent’s Challenging Test; if that

same creature had Unnatural Strength (+4), it would instead

make a Routine (+20) Test.


UNDYING

This creature has a strange and ill understood physiology. It is

immune to disease, poisons and Stunning. It has no need to

breathe and can survive unaided in a vacuum.

UNNATURAL SPEED (+X)*

The creature moves with incredible speed. For the purposes of

determining movement only, the creature increases its Agility

Bonus by X.

LORE SKILLS

Below is an updated list of Lore skills, with descriptions of what

new skills cover.

COMMON LORE

This skill does not represent scholarly training, nor obscure for-

bidden knowledge, but rather the basics you learn by growing up

in, or travelling extensively through, a region.

A character never risks gaining Corruption or Insanity points

by making a Common Lore Test.

Adeptus Arbites: Knowledge of the various divisions and

arms of the Arbites, including such things as their ranking struc-

ture and common procedures.

Administratum: Broad knowledge of the inner workings,

rules and regulations of the Administration.

Ecclesiarchy: Understanding of the hierarchy of the Cult of

the Emperor, and its rankings, greetings and general practices.

Imperial Creed: Knowledge of the rites and practices of the

Imperial Cult, the most common observances to the Emperor,

and the most well-known saints.

Imperial Guard: Basic knowledge of famed regiments and

commanders of the Imperial Guard, standard practices of Impe-

rial Guard forces and commonly used weapons, vehicles and

equipment.

Imperial Navy: Basic knowledge of famous admirals and

ships of the Imperial Navy, standard practices of Imperial Navy

forces and commonly used weapons, vehicles and ship types.

Imperium: Knowledge of the segmenta, sectors and most

well-known worlds of the Imperium.

Machine Cult: A general understanding of the symbols and

practices of the Adeptus Mechanicus, as well as such things as

formal greetings and identifying rankings.

Nobility: Information about the size, customs, dress and pre-

dominant characteristics of the preeminent noble families of the

Imperium, including Navigator families.

Tech: An understanding of simple litanies and rituals to soothe

and appease machine spirits.

Underworld: A familiarity with organised crime and sedition

within the Imperium.

War: Historical knowledge of great battles, notable (and no-

torious) commanders and heroes, as well as famous stratagems.

Common Lore Tests related to events, locations and/or organisa-

tions outside the Calixis Sector are Hard (–20).

Acolytes may select additional Common Lore skills not usual-

ly available to them as elite advances, at a cost of 150 XP each.

FORBIDDEN LORE

This skill represents dangerous and often heretical knowledge,

gleaned from the myriad of unconventional, and even outright

proscribed, sources that an Acolyte often finds in his possession.

This skill represents a combination of scholarly learning and

knowledge gained through practical experience. Simply pos-

sessing a Forbidden Lore skill is often sufficient to warrant ter-

mination at the hands of the Inquisition, and a character must

tread carefully when revealing such knowledge.

A character who fails a Forbidden Lore Test by three or more

degrees must pass a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test to avoid

gaining 1d5 Corruption and/or Insanity Points (GM discretion).

For every additional degree of failure on the Forbidden Lore

Test, increase the Difficulty of the Willpower Test by one step.

The character gains an additional Corruption and/or Insanity

Point for every degree of failure on his Willpower Test.

Adeptus Astartes: Basic knowledge of the ranks, customs,

insignia and famous engagements of the Space Marine Chapters.

Adeptus Custodes: Basic understanding of the duties, cus-

toms and ranks of the Emperor’s personal guard.

Adeptus Mechanicus: An understanding of the followers of

the Machine God, including such things as their observances,

common beliefs and core philosophies, as well as knowledge of

the Universal Laws.

Archeotech: Knowledge of the great tech devices of ancient

times, and clues to their function and purpose.

The Black Library: Secret knowledge of the Black Library

(more formally known as the Eldar Black Library of Chaos), its

forbidden contents, strange industries and the unspeakable pale,

hairless things that toil within its walls.

Cults: Knowledge of the most notorious Imperial cults, and

some of their sub-sects and splinter cabals. Information regard-

ing less common cults is more difficult to discover or recall.

Daemonology: Terrible comprehension of some of the rec-

orded warp entities and their various manifestations.

Heresy: Unpleasant appreciation for those acts and practices

deemed heretical by the Imperium, the most contemptible here-

tics of history, and their most infamous acts.

Inquisition: A general understanding (often based on hearsay

and rumour) of that most terrible and secretive of organisations,

known as the Inquisition.

Legend: Going beyond archaic knowledge, this encompasses

the most secretive portions of the Imperium’s history, such as

the Dark Age of Technology, the Age of Strife, the Horus Here-

sy and the Forgotten Apocalypse. This knowledge is hidden and

only known to a few, and is usually proscribed and/or heretical.

Mutants: Covering the study of both stable and unstable mu-

tations, and some of their more unfortunate results.

Navigators: Secret knowledge about the Navis Nobilite fami-

lies, their breeding programs, common mutations and prominent

patriarchs.

Officio Assassinorum: Proscribed knowledge regarding the

operation of the temples, as well as the training, activation and

protocols of assassins.

Ordo: An understanding of one of the Ordos of the Inquisi-

tion, its common tenets and famous Inquisitors.

Psykers: Skill in identifying psykers, the physical effects of

their powers, the danger they cause and the general extent of

their capabilities.

Tech: Knowledge of the great tech devices ministered to by

the Adeptus Mechanicus, and an understanding of their function

and purpose.

Tech-Heresy: Knowledge of proscribed technology, devices

and materials, which may be human or alien in origin.

Warp: An understanding of the energy of the warp, its inter-

action and interrelation with realspace, and how its tides and

eddies can affect travel between the stars.


Xenos: Familiarity with the major alien species known to the

Imperium, the threat they pose and their general appearance.

Information regarding minor alien species is more difficult to

discover or recall.

Acolytes may select additional Forbidden Lore skills not usually

available to them as elite advances, at a cost of 100 XP each (as

a basic skill) or 300 XP each (as a trained skill); Adepts and

Clerics pay only 200 XP each for additional trained skills.

Tech-Priests gain Forbidden Lore (Tech) as a starting skill,

and may take advances in this skill at the same rank and cost as

the Tech-Use skill. They may gain training and take advances in

Forbidden Lore (Tech-Heresy) at the same rank and cost as the

Forbidden Lore (Archeotech) skill.

SCHOLASTIC LORE

This skill represents scholarly knowledge of a particular subject.

In some areas, Scholastic Lore overlaps with Common Lore or

Forbidden Lore, but almost always represents a far greater—and

more academic—level of study.

A character who fails a Scholastic Lore Test to recall infor-

mation regarding a proscribed or dangerous topic by three or

more degrees pass a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test to avoid

gaining 1 Corruption and/or Insanity Point (GM discretion). For

every additional degree of failure on the Scholastic Lore Test,

increase the Difficulty of the Willpower Test by one step. The

character gains an additional Corruption and/or Insanity Point

for every degree of failure on his Willpower Test.

Adeptus Astra Telepathica†: Knowledge of how psykers are

recruited and trained for the Adeptus Terra, including how As-

tropaths are used throughout the Imperium, and the basics of

sending and receiving astro-telepathic messages. Also includes

basic knowledge of the operation of the Adeptus Astronomica.

Archaic: An understanding of the Imperium’s dark past, its

hidden eras, and how the long millennia have changed the face

of mankind. This knowledge is only rarely known, but is not

proscribed or heretical.

Astromancy: A knowledge of stars, heavenly bodies and the

nature of worlds, as well as a theoretical understanding of how

to use telescopes, astrolabes, and the like.

Beasts: An understanding of the classification of animals, and

familiarity with the properties of many types of semi-sentient

creatures.

Bureaucracy: A familiarity with the rules and regulations in-

volved with governments, particularly the Administratum, and

their many and varied departments, policies and documents.

Chymistry: A knowledge of chemicals, their alchemical ap-

plication, and their use throughout the Imperium.

Cryptology: An understanding of codes, ciphers, secret lan-

guages and numerical keys. This may be used to either create or

decipher encryptions.

Ecclesiarchy: Detailed knowledge regarding the inner work-

ings of the Ecclesiarchy, including senior members of the Cult

Imperialis and major cults of the Adeptus Ministorum.

Heraldry: A grasp of the principles and devices of heraldry,

as well as a knowledge of the most common liveries, seals and

heraldic devices in the Imperium, and the names and basic histo-

ry of the noble families or organisations that make use of them.

Imperial Creed: An understanding of the specific rituals and

practices of the Ecclesiarchy, from the traditional construction

of their temples to specific quotes from their texts. This infor-

mation may be used to conduct the rituals for others.

Imperial Military: In depth knowledge of the ranks, func-

tions, deployments and famous individuals within the Imperial

Guard and Imperial Navy, as well as basic knowledge of the less

well known divisions of the Imperial Military. Also includes

working knowledge of weapons and vehicles used by Imperial

armed forces.

Imperial Warrants: Information concerning the establish-

ment, legal scope and use of Warrants of Trade borne by Rogue

Traders, as well as the most famous and dynastic warrants of the

Imperium.

Judgement: Knowledge of the proper punishments for the

myriad of crimes and heresies punishable by Imperial law.

Koronus Expanse†: Information concerning the general

astrography of the Expanse, including known warp passages,

regions, and legends of what may be found there.

Navis Nobilite: Lore concerning the family trees, contracts,

histories and famous patriarchs of the Navigator families.

Nobility: An understanding of the history, standing, affilia-

tions and major interests of the rich and powerful noble families

of the Imperium.

Numerology: An understanding of the mysterious link be-

tween numbers and the physical universe, from Catastrophe

theory to the Sadleirian litany.

Occult: An understanding of occult ritual, theories and super-

stitions, as well as the better known mystical uses of occult

items.

Philosophy: Knowledge concerning the theories of thought,

belief, existence and other intangibles. As it also includes logic

and debate, it may be used for argument or creating philosophi-

cal works.

Rogue Traders†: Understanding of the most famed Warrants

of Trade, well-known deeds associated with them, their bearers,

and the vessels carrying them through the Imperium.

Tactica Imperialis: The theories of the Tactica Imperialis, as

well as other systems of troop deployment and battle techniques

used by the Imperium. This knowledge may be used to devise a

battle plan, or deduce the likely flow of war fought by Imperial

forces (or fought against a commonly encountered foe). GM

Note: One way of using this skill is to allow a successful Test to

grant that individual a +10 bonus on one other Test during the

current battle. For every degree of success, one other ally gains

the same benefit.

†These Scholastic Lore skills are available as Common Lore in

the ROGUE TRADER system.

Scholastic Lore Tests related to events, locations and/or organi-

sations based outside the Calixis Sector are Difficult (–10), with

the exception of Scholastic Lore (Koronus Expanse).

Acolytes may select additional Scholastic Lore skills not usu-

ally available to them as elite advances, at a cost of 100 XP each

(as a basic skill) or 300 XP each (as a trained skill); Adepts and

Clerics pay only 200 XP each for additional trained skills.


IDENTIFYING DAEMONS

The amount of information that can be gained from a Forbidden

Lore (Daemonology) Test, and the Difficulties associated with

gaining each piece of information, are described below.

BASE DIFFICULTY

Unaligned Daemon

minima or minoris – Easy (+30)

majoris – Routine (+20)

incorporeal – Challenging (+0) to detect possessed host

Lesser Daemon

minima – Easy (+30)

minoris – Routine (+20)

majoris – Ordinary (+10)

Daemonic Herald – Challenging (+0)

Daemon Prince – Difficult (–10)

Greater Daemon – Hard (–20)

WHAT THEY KNOW…

Degrees Information Known Regarding Daemons

Simple Class of daemon (unaligned or servant of …)

Methods to injure Incorporeal creature (if relevant)

One Type of daemon (e.g. fury or bloodletter) or that it

is a powerful servant of a Chaos God (i.e. a

Herald, Prince or Greater Daemon)

How lethal its natural attacks are (Primitive,

Deadly, Rending, Tainted or Warp Weapon)

Two Most common name by which a powerful daemon

is known (e.g. the Fiend of Murder)

Whether daemon has psychic or sorcerous powers

Major defences (e.g. flesh hounds are resistant to

psychic powers)

Major attacks (e.g. blood wraith possession)

Three Most information—all nonstandard attacks and

defences or custom traits which the GM wishes

to reveal

Four History of the daemon

DAEMONHOSTS AND DYBBUKS

Recognising a possessed host:

Ordinary (+10), greater dybuk or daemonhost

Challenging (+0), dybuk

Difficult (–10), if the daemonhost has ‘seeming normali-

ty’ for its unholy changes

Degrees Information Known Regarding Daemonhosts

Simple That creature is possibly a daemonhost

One What type of creature (i.e. daemonhost or dybuk)

General threat level indication (e.g. “We shall

prevail.”, dybuk; “Stand and fight!”, greater

dybuk and twice- or thrice-bound daemonhost;

“Run! Run for your lives!”, once-bound

daemonhost; curl up in a ball and cry piteously,

unbound daemonhost)

Psychic powers or not

Two Level of binding, or lesser vs. greater dybuk

Level of psychic ability (Theta, Eta, Zeta or Delta)

Name of daemonhost



to reveal

Four History of the daemonhost

IDENTIFYING XENOS

The amount of information that can be gained from a Forbidden

Lore (Xenos) Test, and the Difficulties associated with gaining

each piece of information, are described below.

BASE DIFFICULTY

Type of Alien

common abhuman – Easy (+30)

well-known – Routine (+20)

common beast – Ordinary (+10)†

semi-sentient – Ordinary (+10)†

secretive – Challenging (0)

uncommon beast – Challenging (+0)†

rare – Difficult (–10)

extinct – Hard (–20)

†When using the Scholastic Lore (Beasts) skill, apply the fol-

lowing Difficulties instead to these Tests: common beast, Easy

(+30); semi-sentient, Routine (+20); and, uncommon beast,

Ordinary (+10).

Categories of Alien

common abhuman – Ogryn or Ratling

well-known – Eldar, Jokaero, Kroot, Ork, Tarellian, rarer

abhuman strains

common beast – ambull, sabre-wolf, saurian carnosaur

semi-sentient – Byavoor, clawed fiend, Catachan devil

secretive – Dark Eldar, Enoulian, Fra`al, Genestealers,

Hrud, Loxatl, Morgauth, Nekulli, Stryxis

uncommon beast – Dusk stalker, nightwing, osedex

rare – Argonite, Groevian, Q`orl, Rak`Gol, Simulacra,

Slaugth, Whisperers

extinct – Egarian, Lacrymole, Yu`vath

WHAT THEY KNOW…

Degrees Information Known Regarding Xenos

Simple Whether intelligent or bestial

One Name of species or race

If it has natural attacks, how lethal they are

(Primitive, Deadly or Rending)

Two How their weapons compare with Imperial

technology

Major defences (e.g. ambull natural armour is as

strong as ceramite, Eldar are inhumanly agile,

Slaugth have an unnatural physiology)

Major attacks (e.g. gloomhaunt cranial clasp, brain

leaf take control, Genestealer implant)



to reveal; may also include information

regarding specific weapon technologies

Four History of the species or race

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