Psych me up for Dark Heresy

[Asmor]

I was at Borders today and Dark Heresy was staring me down hard... Took all my willpower not to plop the $60 right there (I really, really can't afford that at the moment). I didn't realize I wanted that game so badly, but apparently I do.

So I'm going to start saving up and hopefully buy it in about a month.

I was thinking it would be a good game to run at school (college), as character creation is fast and simple, it wouldn't seem to require a battle mat so limited table space isn't a problem, and hopefully it should support a large group well which I'd likely draw if I offered to run it.

A question: I was looking at the GM's screen, and it mentions something about a Xenos creator or something. Any details on what that is? Also, I noticed the GM's screen is out of stock on Amazon; is that something that's hard to find (so I should go grab it at Borders now) or should I just wait and get it later?

 

[Tancread]

If you enjoy the 40k dark universe where everything is falling apart and no once can trust anyone it is a very good game. I like the character system and combat, it flows nicely and the characters feel true to the setting. The downsides are similar to most space games, it is very broad and without a sharp focus the game can feel too open ended. That can be covered by a good GM, but it needs to be watched more than you normally do for fantasy game for some reason. The only other thing that rankles me is that that the players are employed by a walking deus ex machina in the form of an inquisitor.I prefer the players to be sole focus of an adventure, rather than an inquisitor. The inquisitor can be hand waved away, I have done it in the two games I run, but their presence can lead to awkward game moments. Overall I think Dark Heresy is a brilliant game, good fun to run and very flavorful. I would say give in and buy it.

 

[reason]

Psyching material:

RPGnet Forums - [WH40K Dark Heresy] Plot seeds for the Ordos Calixis - aiming for awesome

Principia Infecta: Aurealogi Belsepanium Archives

RPGnet Forums - [Dark Heresy] Better defining Hive Sibellus

Dark Reign | The Unofficial Warhammer 40K Roleplay Site - Home

And http://www.malleus.dk/Ordo/Default.aspx

Reason
Principia Infecta

 

[Betote]

Fluffwise, it's a very unique dark-goth-punk space opera setting. And the fact that there're no real "good guys" makes it very interesting. Overall, the WH40K setting has many selling points, and a RPG based on that universe has been very expected (although someone could argue that there was already one in the form of the 2nd edition of the tabletop game, the acclaimed "Rogue Trader").

Crunchwise, it keeps the core of WHFRP. It's a quite simple system (roll 1d100 below your ability + modifiers), but with some interesting and well-implemented spot rules as hit location or sanity. Combat manages to get pretty tactical and varied without resorting to battlemats and miniatures.

On the 'bad' side, as it stands now it might be too Inquisition-focused. I expected an RPG based on an universe as rich as 40K's one is to be more open-ended (I was, in fact, hoping to run rogue trader campaigns 'a la' Firefly), although if I'm not wrong, this is bound to be covered by future supplements.

 

[Snoweel]

I love the WH40k universe but I imagine it would be very taxing to GM.

The downsides are similar to most space games, it is very broad and without a sharp focus the game can feel too open ended. That can be covered by a good GM, but it needs to be watched more than you normally do for fantasy game for some reason.

It's interesting that this is the case with space/sci-fi settings. I've found the same with fantasy settings where planar travel is too prominent.

It's probably a topic for another thread, but I've often wondered about it.

 

[Phaezen]

On the 'bad' side, as it stands now it might be too Inquisition-focused. I expected an RPG based on an universe as rich as 40K's one is to be more open-ended (I was, in fact, hoping to run rogue trader campaigns 'a la' Firefly), although if I'm not wrong, this is bound to be covered by future supplements.

I believe the WH40K RPG was originally meant to come out in 3 "settings" The first being "Dark Heresy" based around an Inquisitor and his retinue, the second being Rogue Trader based and the third being Deathwatch.

Since FFG have acquired the license, no news has been forthcomming about the other 2 settings.

Phaezen

 

[Nikosandros]

Since FFG have acquired the license, no news has been forthcomming about the other 2 settings.

Rogue Trader has been announced at Gen Con.

 

[Phaezen]

Rogue Trader has been announced at Gen Con.

See, you learn something new every day

Phaezen

 

[Betote]

Rogue Trader has been announced at Gen Con.

Hooray!

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Start reading the Horus Heresy series starting with "Horus Rising" by Dan Abnett. If you aren't psyched to do Dark Heresy by the time you finish the second book "False Gods" by Graham McNeill then there is nothing more that can be done to psych you up. Black Library has a ton of other books that more directly deal with Inquisitors so you might check those out too.

The reason I reccomed the novels is that I found that just playing Warhammer 40k and Dawn of War doesn't give you a picture of what life is like on a typical Imperial world that isn't the center of some battle between the various militant factions of the universe. It isn't that big of a problem for a tabletop miniature game like WH40K but it is a problem when you are a GM of a roleplaying game.