he Koronus Expanse is a place of adventures and

danger in equal measure. Xenos, pirates, heretics, and

worshippers of Chaos await those who venture through This book is intended to add additional features to the ROGUE
the Maw, and ancient horrors lurk amongst countless forlorn TRADER GENESYS sourcebook. Players and GMs will find new
worlds in the depths of the Expanse. Many brave and foolhardy and glorious methods to increase their profit margins within
Explorers have set off from Port Wander to try their luck and these pages.
wrest their fortune from the Expanse with a stout ship and their In Chapter I: Creating a Xenos Explorer, we provide
Warrant of Trade—few return. rules for creating alien Player Characters (PCs) and give a brief
overview of the specific xenos’ history, culture, and unique
physical and mental characteristics.
In Chapter II: Proscribed Knowledge, we offer new
This book is a guide to playing as an alien character in
Home World options, skills, and talents geared towards both
combination with the ROGUE TRADER GENESYS sourcebook.
human and xenos characters, as well as new Psychic skills with
Playing as the xenos is a dangerous departure from the typical
a proclivity towards darker origins.
dogma of the Imperium and any GM should be sure to only
accept xenos player characters if the game would accommodate In Chapter III: Xenos Armoury, we display a variety of
them. The roleplaying aspects of being outside of humanity interesting—albeit heretical—items for Explorers of any origin
should always be a priority and a xenos character should not to use to whatever ends they choose.
simply be considered an outsider, but a destructive force In IV: Riches of the Expanse, we present a number of the
without hope of acclimating to the desires of humanity. Instead, more unusual (and valuable!) prizes that Rogue Traders
the alien should maintain their own goals and motives with compete to discover and exploit within the Koronus Expanse.
their own unique views on humanity for better or worse.
 his chapter is a supplement for ROGUE TRADER Imperium. When combined with the very ‘alienness’ of a xenos
GENESYS that lets players take on the role of a xenos (sentient though it may be), it imposes certain limitations
character within the Warhammer 40,000 setting. between a xenos player character and Imperial society.
This chapter follows all of the rules and information for Each xenos species has a history, some longer than others,
character creation laid out in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS, so it and a unique culture that comes with its own set of advantages
will benefit players to have a read through that sourcebook and disadvantages for roleplaying. No matter which xenos
before using the more advanced features herein. species you play, you should consider how it will work with
your character’s background. Your group should discuss what
kind of games they hope to play and why being a xenos brings
interesting aspects to such a story. A GM should always ensure
Xenos races—that is to say, non-human—maintain a strained such unique groups will fit into their campaign or consider
relationship at best, outright hostile at worst, with humanity. running entirely different campaigns better geared to the
Xenos themselves can think and behave in ways truly alien to player’s desires.
humanity. Since playing an alien character is, well, alien, the Rogue Traders have a special position amongst the
player should discuss such ideas with their GM. At the very Imperium of Man, being both within and without its boarders.
least, the GM should know there will be a xenos character in While blatant heretical acts will always be punishable, those
the game, so that they can consider it. In all cases, the player who inhabit the Koronus Expanse understand that survival will
and the GM should work to come to a mutually acceptable typically beat out law on most given days. Survival for the
solution and ensure the game works for all players, including Rogue Trader comes in the form of information—controlling,
the xenos player themself. titrating, and prohibiting. These tasks keeps a dynasty ahead of
For the most part, xenos characters work in the same way others and it is no secret that the many xenos of the galaxy
as human characters and gain experience, which they can spend maintain information of immense value.
as usual. They gain talents and skills, just like human
characters. However, in other ways they differ. Many alien
characters do not have access to Psychic skills, the Navigator
Gene, or the Machine God, and most xenos species do not share
illustrious origins as humanity does. This is not to say that the
Alien PCs were not raised amongst humans, and know
xenos is without their own advantages. Instead, xenos Player
little about the culture and history of the Imperium.
Characters have different choices detailing their backgrounds,
Likewise, humanity would scarcely know where to
as found in their individual entries.
begin when it comes to understanding the xenos—
especially those who guard their past from outsiders.
A PC making Knowledge skill checks about the history
To call the Imperium of Man xenophobic is something of an and culture of another species adds jJ jJ to their check.
understatement. The Imperium believes in the manifest destiny This penalty might be reduced or negated if the
of the human race to rule the galaxy; the preachers of the character has spent a good deal of time living among
Ministorum tell the unwashed masses to detest and fear the vile the species in question or if they have sufficient ranks
alien, and Crusades to purge planets, star systems, or even in Knowledge (Forbidden).
entire sectors of xenos races are commonplace. Whether this
attitude is repugnant or laudable is debatable, there are many In addition, the company of any xenos aboard a human
xenos races who are just as eager to destroy the Imperium as vessel is unsettling for the naturally superstitious crew
the Imperium is to destroy them. In any case, non-humans are and discontent spreads quickly. The continued
patently unwelcome in the Imperium. presence of one or more xenos PC aboard a starship
reduces the total Crew Morale by 2 for as long as the
The Imperium is not a cosmopolitan society, and the few
xenos remains.
xenos that interact with it live on its fringes: on frontier worlds,
far-flung void stations, and amongst the crews of certain Rogue
Trader vessels. This isolation generates ignorance—both the
Imperium’s ignorance of xenos physiognomy, civilization, and
culture, and xenos ignorance of the details and minutia of the
 In the broadest of terms, no human may interact with a xenos
creature in any way except violently—such creatures are
Within the Calixis Sector, a handful of Administratum
inherently blasphemous against the God-Emperor and must be
Ordinates in Port Wander provide the service of
eliminated on sight without exception. The number of xenos
sanctioning. This is an expensive and challenging
who have set foot upon human worlds peacefully and survived
process as such people’s identities are not widely
is small indeed, but this is not always the case.
known, and the service itself must be specifically
requested, as they will not offer it otherwise. Though the Imperium was founded upon a creed of
intolerance towards non-humans, peaceful contact with a
These Sanctioned Xenos are still regarded with caution variety of xenos species actually happens frequently. In most
and hostility by most, but this is unsurprising—even the instances, these are short-term alliances or matters of
sanctioned psykers of the Imperium are still subject to temporary mutual convenience, though illegal contact with
the prejudice so readily promoted in the Imperium. xenos cultures is sufficiently commonplace. A number of
However, so long as they remain in the company of an xenos species hire themselves out as mercenaries, for reasons
ally who can vouch for their service and agree to be all their own, and there are more than a few unscrupulous
visibly marked to prove that they are sanctioned— Imperial Commanders willing to hire such creatures to bolster
typically, a brand or tattoo on the face or hands, where their forces, seeing them as the ultimate expendable
it can be clearly seen. The permanence of such a mark mercenaries and caring little for their fate.
is of no concern—without a human employer to vouch
Rogue Traders, and a few other individuals, have the
for the xenos, the mark is essentially meaningless.
power to do more, and do so legitimately. These men and
As the required mark is very similar to that which women, freed from the normal strictures and feudal
identifies sanctioned psykers, it quickly becomes requirements of the Imperium, have the influence and authority
apparent what the mark means to those with any to make peaceful contact with xenos species. In some cases, an
knowledge of the Imperium. It is still wise to be cautious allied xenos may almost become a trusted companion, highly
in bringing even a sanctioned xenos to a human world; valued for its skills.
those who will understand the nature of the mark of
sanctioning are still a minority, and a xenos creature will
spread only fear and anger by its presence amongst the
common masses of humanity.

his section introduces the character creation and making a xenos PC, you follow the steps provided in each of
advancement options specific to the Warhammer those sections.
40,000 universe. Character creation follows similar These characters still invest experience points to increase
steps in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS with a few alterations. characteristics, skills, and talents, and gain Motivations,
Xenos characters do not select a Role or Home World from the determine a Lineage and Profit Factor, and choose gear as any
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS sourcebook. Instead each xenos other PC.
Player Character has a specific option listed in their entry (the
Kroot have Kindreds and Life Paths, for example). When
 Culture & Society: The Kroot remain a primitive culture in
many ways. They favour harnesses worked from animal hides
The Kroot homeworld of Pech lies within the Ultima and often adorn themselves with bones, handcrafted amulets,
Segmentum, not far from the Tau Empire. On this world, and circlets. Kroot culture reflects the savage environment of
massive evergreen forests of the hardy jagga tree cover most of their origin—they are fierce and ruthless warriors with few
the prime continent. The other regions of Pech that are not scruples, but they possess many noble qualities as well. Kroot
covered by forest are mainly inhospitable ranges of rock cliffs are courageous, tenacious, and often proud. They are well-
and jagged mountains. It is from Pech’s deep forests that the known for honouring any agreement to the letter. Kroot are
Kroot originated, and there, they live within arboreal colonies often confused by advanced technology, but they learn quickly
in family groups known as Kindreds, led by wise and ancient and have adapted to many improvements made to gear that they
Kroot called Shapers. Most make their homes, nestled amongst are already familiar with, such as the enhanced ammunition and
the higher branches of the trees, from animal hides and the Kroot rifles adapted to fire that ammunition, both provided
regurgitated dead wood pulp. The presence of the Kroot in the by the Tau.
Koronus Expanse is an intriguing mystery. It is rumoured that The most infamous habit of the Kroot is their preference
a number of Kroot Warspheres entered the Expanse via a for eating the flesh of the dead. Even in the midst of combat,
previously unknown warp gate—a gate that somehow links the Kroot will often ritually devour the corpses of those they have
Expanse to the vastly distant Eastern Fringe. killed, and there is almost nothing beyond their tastes. Kroot
form Kindreds controlled by a lead figure who dictates what
Appearance & Physiology: A tall avian-like race, averaging the group eats in order to properly grow and evolve towards a
two metres in height, and their lanky frames have a deceptively specific goal. Among the Kroot, a Kindred represents a
fragile appearance. In reality, Kroot musculature is composed combination of clan and tribe—a group of warriors serving the
of dense fiber spindles that are extremely efficient and same Shaper (or Shaper council). They are brethren, fiercely
powerful. This structure possesses a higher power to mass ratio loyal to each other and trained in the same beliefs and traditions
than humans, and rapid muscle contractions create a whiplash since birth
effect—meaning that a Kroot can deliver a rapid series of
powerful blows. Kroot can hop from tree to tree with great Alien Medical Attention: Kroot physiology is completely
speed, and on the ground they move with a hopping, bounding unlike that of any human. Increase the difficulty of any
gait that eats up distance. Kroot are clearly evolved from avian Medicae check made to treat a Kroot once. Typically, human-
stock, possessing a light but strong bone structure, a quill-like made drugs have little to no effect upon a Kroot, although
“ruff,” and a beak. poisons and toxins have their normal effect. The GM should
While the Kroot do possess two sexes, there are no real decide if a particular drug should affect a Kroot, and to what
cultural differences between a male and a female Kroot. extent.
Physically, female Kroot are very difficult to distinguish from Bionics are completely unknown amongst the Kroot, and
the males, and most observers find it nearly impossible to tell their unusual musculature and bone structure make bionic
which is which. The Kroot’s unusual senses mean that the limbs nearly impossible to correctly install on a Kroot’s body.
sexes are mostly distinct in ways unnoticeable to a human, and The GM may allow a Kroot to acquire certain bionics or
by the same token, most humans appear just as sexless to the cybernetic implants at their discretion, but such things should
Kroot! be considered unnatural to the Kroot, both physically and
The Kroot digestive system is a marvel of efficiency, culturally. The GM should consider very carefully before
capable of breaking down almost any organic material into a allowing a Kroot character to gain any bionic or cybernetic
form of energy stored in specialized organs called nymunes implants.
scattered throughout their bodies. By far, the strangest quirk of
Kroot digestion is their ability to extract potentially useful Alien Psychological Attention: The Kroot mind is very
strands of their food’s DNA. Much of the double-helix different to that of a human and the effect of corruption and
structure of the Kroot’s own DNA is somehow “blank,” used insanity reveal themselves in very different ways that might not
to separate those areas that do contain useful genetic be wholly understood to mankind. Kroot gain corruption and
information. The Kroot have inherited a unique mutation that insanity in much the same way a human PC would (see page
gives them the ability to incorporate useful DNA codes into 212 in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS), but the signs and symptoms
their own genetic structure. With guidance from the Shapers, are something to behold.
successive generations of Kroot may exhibit special qualities
of those gene-codes.
 The Kroot express corruption and malignancy through
savagery and the need to hunt. A deeply corrupted Kroot may
abandon firearms in favour of tearing enemies to shreds and Kroot mercenaries hold no prejudices against any particular
devouring them immediately or taking swift and aggressive race, and care only that they are well paid for their services.
actions towards anything that shows even a hint of provocation. Like all Kroot, the mercenaries can interpret sensory
Kroot PCs still gain malignancy, but do not roll for any information very quickly, and their senses are all finely tuned,
negative effect and Kroot never gain mutations. linked through a series of ganglia that run the length of their
Kroot possess a measurable level of sanity and suffer crests. The vast wealth and resources of a Rogue Trader are a
insanity and mental trauma as usual. A GM should consider perfect fit for the Kroot Mercenary’s approach, and more than
what mental traumas may develop in Kroot PCs. Compulsions a few Rogue Traders who operate in the Koronus Expanse are
to steal or eat food solely caught by the Kroot’s own claws known to employ Kroot amongst their armsmen.
make sense, but developing a fear of the dead or visions of lost  Starting Skills: The Kroot Mercenary begins with one
comrades would not cross the minds of these proud warriors. rank in Athletics and Survival. You still may not train
these skills above rank 2 during character creation.
Arms and Armour: The Kroot are rather primitive in their
 Eaters of the Dead: Once per session, a Kroot
ways despite their adaptability to space travel and advanced
Mercenary may eat the sufficiently fresh corpse of a
weaponry. They disdain heavy armour and their strange
living creature to increase its wound and strain
musculature makes wearing most human clothing and armour
thresholds by 3 until the end of the session. For the next
impossible. Kroot are loathe to wear heavy armours (any
24 standard hours, any time this character would heal
armour that provides +2 soak or greater) and add jJ to all
wounds or recover strain, they heal 1 additional wound
Brawn- (except Resilience) and Agility-based checks while or strain.
wearing such.

A Shaper is usually an elder Kroot who has proven its ability

to survive through battle and storm. Shapers are revered
amongst Kroot culture, and few Kroot have the patience and
inner strength required to achieve this lofty role. Shapers also
serve as spiritual leaders for their Kindred, and many are
credited with prophetic dreams and a primal connection to
 Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn Pech.

 Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower  Starting Skills: The Kroot Shaper begins with one rank
in Discipline and Survival. You still may not train these
 Starting Experience: 80
skills above rank 2 during character creation.
 Beak: Kroot have a powerful bird-like beak and may
 You Are Strong…: Once per session, a Kroot Shaper
choose to attack with the following weapon profile:
may eat the sufficiently fresh corpse of a living creature
(Brawl; Damage +1; Critical 3; Range [Engaged];
to increase any characteristic by one. Other Kroot may
Basic; Vicious 1).
spend a Story Point when activating Eaters of the Dead
 Special Abilities: Each type of Kroot has its own to gain this effect while lead by a Kroot Shaper instead
special abilities, listed in the corresponding entry. of the usual effect. This effect lasts for the next 24
standard hours.
  Savagery: When making a melee attack, the Kroot can
choose to add jJ to the check to add +2 to the damage
Among the Kroot, a Kindred represents a combination of clan dealt by one hit of that attack.
and tribe, a group of warriors serving the same Shaper (or
Shaper council). They are brethren, fiercely loyal to each other
and trained in the same beliefs and traditions since birth.
Certain Kindred of Kroot have fed upon the most poisonous
After choosing your character’s kindred, select eight skills
creatures they could hunt. The resulting generations of Kroot
to be career skills (except for Psychic skills) for your character
are nearly impervious to all forms of poison and are capable of
and gain a rank in any four of these chosen skills before
secreting a highly corrosive acid that burns the exposed flesh
spending XP. Keep in mind that a good set of career skills
of their enemies.
typically features a variety of general, social, knowledge, and
combat skills to help your character feel unique among your  Iron Stomach: Begin with one rank in Resilience. You
group. still may not train this skill above rank 2 during
character creation. In addition, this character is immune
to toxins and poisons.

This Kroot was born into a Kindred that has selected prey  Vile Maw: This Kroot’s Beak weapon gains the Stun 3
possessing great courage. Many such Kindreds have feasted item quality. In addition, this character’s Beak weapon
upon the apex predators of a dozen worlds, passing on the gifts counts as being made of advanced materials.
of increased bravery, excellent hand-eye coordination, and
coolness under fire.
 Stalwart Predator: Begin with one rank in Cool. You The predecessors of these Kroot habitually preyed upon
still may not train this skill above rank 2 during chameleonic reptiles and other such creatures that blend into
character creation. their surroundings. The resulting Kindred are incredibly
 Momentum: When making a melee attack, the Kroot stealthy, and their skin ripples with colours and patterns that
deals additional damage equal to the number of range make them nearly invisible when they wish to hide.
bands it moved during the current round.  Shadow Lurker: Begin with one rank in Stealth. You
still may not train this skill above rank 3 during
character creation.
Upon entering the Koronus Expanse, the Kroot soon  Shadow Step: When your character makes a Stealth
encountered the devious alien merchants known as the Stryxis. check, they may spend all a generated by the check to
They were delicious. Shapers who have directed their Kindred add an equal number of a to the results of the next
to feed upon Stryxis notice a proclivity for cunning and combat check they make during the current encounter.
deviousness in later generations of Kroot.
 Keen Mind: Begin with one rank in Deception or
Negotiation. You still may not train this skill above
rank 2 during character creation. The life of a Kroot is typically simple in comparison to a
human. They hunt and consume to shape their tribe, grow the
 Golden Thrones: When assisting an ally with an
tribe through prosperous hunts and trade, and follow the words
acquisition or influence check, this character may add
of their Shaper into evolutionary lines of success. Kroot do not
s h instead of jJ to the check. take illustrious titles or lead great wars throughout the stars in
the name of their own. Thusly, Kroot fall into either the role of
a supporter of the tribe as a mercenary or the director of the
The Kroot have battled against Orks for centuries, and it was tribe as a Shaper.
during a major battle on their homeworld of Pech that the Kroot A life path has helped your character grow and prosper
and Tau first formed an alliance. The Shapers have learned to somehow. Your character begins the game with 50 starting
strengthen their Kindred by devouring Ork flesh. Doing so XP that can only be used to purchase talents or skills at
produces a startling resilience in a Kroot’s frame. character creation. These experience points are not included
 Brutish: Increase this Kroot’s wound threshold by 2 in the starting experience from the character’s species, and so
and increase the damage of unarmed attacks (including cannot be spent to increase characteristics.
the Kroot’s Beak weapon) by +1.
 Kroot have access to many of the same talents that any
other Explorer would have from the ROGUE TRADER GENESYS 1–1
sourcebook. The flavour should be changed in favour of a TALENT RANKED SOURCE
Kroot as they do not worship the God-Emperor, but could still
TIER 1
display a fury no less than mankind. This section adds
Mercenary No Page 9
additional talents specifically for Kroot Player Characters to
utilize. Primitive Warrior No Page 9

TIER 2

1 Greed is Good Yes Page 9

Kroot Leap No Page 9

Shamanic Powers No Page 9

Tier: 1 TIER 3
Activation: Passive Blood of the Stalker No Page 9
Ranked: No Kauyon, the Patient Hunter No Page 10
The Kroot may reroll failed Fear checks while within medium
Kroot Leap (Improved) No Page 10
range of its employer. In addition, when healing strain after an
TIER 4
encounter involving its employer, the Kroot may spend a a
to heal 3 strain. Hyperactive Nymune Organ No Page 10

Mont’ka, the Killing Blow No Page 10

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Tier: 2
Ranked: No Activation: Passive
The first time during an encounter that your character draws a Ranked: No
Melee weapon, increase the weapon's damage by 2 for the Only a Kroot Shaper may benefit from this talent. Divination
remainder of the turn. In addition, when using an improvised and Psyniscience are now career skills for your character. You
weapon (see GENESYS Core Rulebook page 109), the GM may can only invoke one power using the Divination skill per
only spend d to cause the weapon to break. encounter. A character with this talent does not upgrade the
difficulty of Psychic skill checks when manifesting a power
2 and may only use the concentration psychic maneuver.

3
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes Tier: 3
After your character makes a skill check to acquisition, they Activation: Active (Action)
may suffer 1 strain to use this talent. The character cancels one Ranked: No
h for every 20 Profit Factor the group has. Your character Only a Kroot Shaper may benefit from this talent. The Kroot
may use this talent a number of times per session equal to their Shaper may spend a Story Point and about thirty minutes to
ranks in Power from Profit. anoint itself and a number of Kroot equal to its Willpower
characteristic. All character’s affected by this talent add a a
to successful Coordination, Perception, Stealth, and Vigilance
skill checks . This effect lasts until the end of the encounter or
Tier: 2
scene this talent was used.
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No The Kroot Shaper may apply this to non-Kroot allies, but
Once per round, the Kroot may suffer 1 strain to jump to any the ally must succeed on an Average (kKkK) Discipline check
location within short range, leaping over obstacles and ignoring to appease the spirits into granting them this boon.
difficult terrain. Your GM may rule some locations cannot be
reached (such as ones behind locked doors or walls).
 4
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Tier: 4
During a combat encounter, the Kroot may choose to take
Activation: Passive
either no maneuvers or no actions during their turn to use this
Ranked: No
talent. If they do, they reduce all strain suffered to 0 (both
A Kroot can perform a second maneuver during their turn
voluntary and involuntary) until the start of their next turn and
without suffering strain or giving up their action, but they still
add a a to combat checks they make until the start of their
cannot perform more than two maneuvers during their turn.
next turn.

Tier: 4
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Ranked: No
Once per session, the Kroot can seize the perfect moment to
Your character must have purchased the Kroot Leap talent to
overwhelm the enemy by making a Hard (kKkKkK) Athletics
benefit from this talent. You character may target an adversary
check. Success allows any number of other PCs who have not
within short and make an Average (kKk)K Athletics check. If
yet acted this round to immediately take their turns as if there
successful, the target is knocked prone and is immobilized until
were that many PC slots at that point in the Initiative order.
the end of your character’s next turn. The Kroot becomes
Each PC who acts this way counts as having acted for this
engaged with the target and may spend t to cause the target round (and thus cannot act again this round). The Initiative
to suffer 3 wounds and strain (not reduced by soak). order returns to its previous order at the beginning of the next
round.
 other, engaging anything from simple fistfights to all-out war,
simply to satisfy their need for noise and mayhem. This in itself
Alongside humans, Orks are the most numerous species in the should be cause for relief, yet Orks revel in such warfare, and
galaxy, and their kind can be found almost everywhere. Their grow larger and stronger through constant battle.
prolific nature is made all the more perilous by their Their society is one with apparently very little internal
belligerence and inclination towards violence, for the Orks are strife—while violence is endemic to them, they consider it a
a species who crave one thing above all else: war. It is no natural part of life and seem to bear no ill will towards their
surprise, then, that mankind and the greenskins have come into enemies. Ork culture is comprised of a robust caste system
violent conflict frequently since humanity first took to the stars defined by the size, strength, and aptitudes of the individuals
tens of thousands of years ago—it is even rumoured that Orks contained within. Similarly, the issues of heresy and sedition
were the first Xenos species ever encountered by mankind. are almost unknown amongst the Orks. Lacking the inclination
Orks appear to have simply always been there, careening from to muse about the nature of existence and being frequently
world to world seemingly without aim or purpose other than quite content with the state of things, few Orks ever think of
the enthusiastic slaughter of everything they meet. rebellion or the worship of the Ruinous Powers at all, let alone
consider them as alternatives to the Orks’ own belligerent
Appearance & Physiology: Orks are large, broad humanoid deities; entities known simply as “Gork and Mork.” These twin
creatures, with rough, thick green flesh and heavy musculature. gods are sometimes said to embody the ideals of brutality and
The average Ork stands approximately as tall as a human, to cunning, respectively, though few Orks are certain which god
the top of the back—an Ork’s hunched frame means that the embodies which ideal.
head generally sits level with the shoulders—and weighs
roughly 60% more due to thicker bone and muscle. However, Alien Medical Attention: With Orks in particular, medical
the nature of Ork physiology means that a more aggressive, attention is alleviated by the fact that their anatomy is so
more successful Ork will grow in size, and some of the largest resilient that few mistakes will have a noteworthy impact, let
known examples stand as much as three metres tall and weigh alone be life threatening. Remove jJ jJ from any Medicae
approximately half a tonne if some reports can be believed. check made to treat an Ork. Typically, human-made drugs have
Orks are, physiologically, not entirely animal. In fact, little to potentially the opposite effect on Orks and the GM
they’re actually two creatures—the animal body, and the should decide if a particular drug should effect an Ork at all,
algal/fungal strain that saturates their blood and flesh. This and to what extent.
algal symbiote provides the Orks with many of their most Orks are not gentle in any sense of the word and human
unusual traits. The Ork body, for example, is insanely resilient, cybernetics cannot stand up to the sheer abuse Orks treat
wounds that would be instantly and irreversibly fatal to a everything with. Orks can fashion their own version of human
human being may only incapacitate an Ork for a matter of cybernetics in the form of, “Bioniks.” These versions increase
hours. their rarity by +1 and cost by +500. An Ork reduces 1 strain for
More significant still is that this algal component of their every two Bioniks they have installed due to the rugged nature
physiology serves as their reproductive system. Orks are of their physiology. The GM may also veto the existence of
functionally genderless and have no concept for such notions. many cybernetics such as scribe-tines, MIUs, cortex implants,
Instead, Orks shed spores as they move, and unleash a great and others that would seem out of place with the desires of
number of these spores upon death. Given the right conditions, Orks.
these spores mature into other greenskins—Squigs, Snotlings,
Gretchin, and eventually other Orks. Such a reproductive Alien Psychological Attention: In particular, the Ork’s desire
system has another peculiar effect; genetic knowledge. The for violence is perhaps their most defining psychological
ability to fight, to speak, and in the cases of the specialist or trait—Orks will fight anything, anywhere, and for the flimsiest
“Oddboy” castes, an understanding of science, technology, of reasons, savouring the mayhem and thrill of battle and
medicine or any of a number of other complex skills, are all lamenting its end. Do to their few desires and inherent nature,
hard-wired into an Ork’s genetics, as natural and instinctive as Orks rarely suffer from the clawing influence of Chaos and
breathing. their mind’s break in unusual ways.
Orks in service to the Chaos Gods, or even succumbing to
Culture & Society: That the Orks have not rallied together and the corrupting influence of the warp, are so rare as to be
swept aside all that stand before them is something many are essentially unheard of. Simply put, Orks aren’t easily tempted
thankful for, and it is the same predilection for violence that to Chaos and they’re far more resistant to the warping influence
makes them a threat that also keeps them from uniting in such of Chaos than humans. Consequently, Orks do not gain
a terrifying manner. When there are no other adversaries malignancies or mutations and automatically succeed on all
immediately on hand, Orks will cheerfully make do with each corruption checks.
 Like any other creature, an Ork’s mind can be damaged or
broken by sufficiently traumatic experiences and these Orks are
collectively known as, “Madboyz.” Orks gain mental traumas Freebooterz tend to be more open-minded than most Orks,
as usual, but do not suffer ill effects. Mental trauma typically willing to see non-greenskins as something other than enemies,
expresses itself as taking an “Orky” habit to an extreme like and often inclined to learn other languages. Freebooterz often
build massive scrap piles or having six-hour shouting matches affect piratical or naval-style outfits—mixed haphazardly with
with one’s own echo. If an Ork ever surpasses the threshold for the squighide leather and scavenged armour plates that Orks
mental traumas and would go insane, they are removed as typically wear. Their melee weapons tend to skew towards
usual. Orks may never take any talent that reduces or removes “bigger is better,” and ranged weapons follow a similar trend,
mental traumas for any reason and cannot spend XP to reduce the louder the weapon the better.
the current step of any mental traumas they receive.  Starting Skills: The Ork Freebooter begins with one
rank in Resilience, and either one rank in Coercion or
Arms and Armour: Ork technology is more sophisticated than
Negotiation. You still may not train these skills above
many will comfortably give credit for. Patched together from
rank 2 during character creation.
what appears as little more than scrap metal and junk yet
capable of devastating effects, this method escapes the  Da Nekst Best Fing: An Ork Freebooter adds jJ to
comprehension of all but the finest scientific minds of the Fear checks for every two non-Orks within short range.
Adeptus Mechanicus. This effect does not count towards mechanized
creatures, wild animals, lesser Orkoids, or other such
Orks adapt to other species’ technology with relative easy,
puny beings as determined by the GM.
especially when the technology is something brutal like a
sword or club. However, an Ork has a unique body shape
unsuitable for all kinds of armour that is not created by Orks to
begin with. An Ork can only wear items created by its kind or
In spite of the generally boisterous and unsubtle inclinations of
cobbled together from multiple suits of human armour, as the
Orks, they are remarkably successful in their chosen role as
GM deems appropriate.
infiltrators, guerrillas and masters of psychological warfare,
turning the belief that Orks could never sneak up on someone
to their advantage by doing just that. The shock of their success
at closing on enemies unseen is a terrifying thing, for even a
small Ork (small being a relative term) is a deadly combatant
in his own right, more than capable of tearing apart enemies
with only the most basic of weaponry.
 Starting Skills: The Ork Kommando begins with two
ranks in Stealth. You still may not train these skills
 Wound Threshold: 14 + Brawn above rank 3 during character creation.
 Strain Threshold: 8 + Willpower  Ded Sneaky: As a maneuver while benefiting from
 Starting Experience: 80 cover, this Ork may add additional damage equal to his
 More Dakka!: An Ork always uses the Auto-fire ranks in Stealth to one hit of the next successful combat
quality of any weapon he can. check while using a personal weapon. The target must
be within short range and this effect last until the end
 More Gubbinz!: An Ork counts his encumbrance of the Ork’s next turn.
capacity as twice his Brawn + 5.
 WAAAGH!: Once per session, an Ork may spend a
Story Point to let out his signature battle cry. Until the
end of the next round, he becomes immune to the Mekboyz are considered a strange but vital part of Ork society.
effects of Fear and difficult terrain, and ignores Critical Their preoccupation with machinery distances them from other
Injuries that would not outright kill him. While under Orks, but the undeniable usefulness of their creations make
this effect, all Brawl and Melee attacks deal +2 damage. them highly valued. As with much of Ork knowledge, the
 Special Abilities: Each type of Ork has his own special technical skill possessed by Mekboyz is innate, found within
abilities, listed in the corresponding entry. their genetics, more an instinctive talent than a learned skill.
 Starting Skills: The Ork Mekboy begins with one rank
in Tech-Use, plus one rank in either Driving or
 Piloting. You still may not train these skills above rank combat skills to help your character feel unique among your
2 during character creation. group.
 Kustomise: Once per session, a Mekboy may spend a
Story Point to make an Average (kKkK) Tech-Use
check while engaged with a device to make it function These are the richest of the Orks and tend to be the most
as another relevant device. The GM may spend d on inclined to flaunt their wealth and status. Their great fang-like
this check to choose what the customized device does teeth and tusks—collectively known as “Teef ” and used as
instead. The GM has the final say on what can be currency by the Orks—grow faster than those of the Orks of
modified in this way. any other Klan, which means Bad Moons have greater wealth
and a greater inclination to trade and barter than most.
 Starting Skills: Bad Moons begin with one rank in
Negotiation or Charm. You still may not train this skill
Weirdboyz have two primary roles in Ork society: battlefield above rank 2 during character creation.
support in the form of psychic powers and “guidance” in space
 Flashy: Once per session, a Bad Moons Ork may spend
travel. In either role, the incoherent jabbering and constant
a Story Point to cancel one d from acquisition or
fidgeting isolate Weirdboyz from the rest of their brethren.
influence skill checks made in his presence.
 Starting Skills: An Ork Weirdboy starts the game with
either Divination or Telekinesis as a career skill. He
starts with a single rank in the Psychic skill selected as
a career skill during character creation. They obtain this Largely distrusted by other Orks, Blood Axes have adopted
rank before spending experience points, and these skills many human ideas and tactics in their way of war, such as
may not be increased above rank 2 during character wearing camouflage, and are notable for having traded with
creation. humans at various points in history.
 Oddboy: The Weirdboy does not select a Klan during  Starting Skills: Blood Axes begin with one rank in
character creation, but still selects eight skills to be Leadership and Knowledge (Common). You still may
career skills and gains one rank in any six of these not train these skills above rank 2 during character
chosen skills before spending starting experience. creation.
 Da Power of WAAAGH!: A Weirdboy adds jJ to his  Rank n’ File: Blood Axes ignore the Alien Among Us
Psychic skill checks for each other Ork within short rule (see page 4) when making Knowledge checks
range. Whenever the Weirdboy would generate Psychic based on war, combat tactics, famous campaigns, and
Phenomena (see page 61 of ROGUE TRADER other similarly destructive and brutal topics.
GENESYS), he instead rolls on Table 1–3: Weird Fings
and adds +5 to all rolls for each other Ork within short
range. The effects of Weird Fings take place before the
Justifiably considered to be thieves and looters by most other
Psychic skill check has been resolved. Any psychic
Orks, Death Skulls are superstitious plunderers who gleefully
power effect that refers to the Weirdboy’s ranks in
strip the fallen (and anyone else not looking) of their
Knowledge uses Knowledge (Common). In addition, a
possessions. They are notable for wearing copious amounts of
Weirdboy can never use the fetter psychic maneuver.
blue war paint, considered a lucky colour amongst Orks in
general and Death Skulls in particular.
 Starting Skills: Death Skulls begin with one rank in
These broad groupings, commonly seen wherever Orks gather, Skulduggery. You still may not train this skill above
are collectively known as Klans, each of which has its own rank 2 during character creation.
tendencies and predilections. On some level, all Orks possess  Right Lucky: Once per session, when a Death Skull
an affinity for one of these Klans, demonstrating the common Ork spends a Story Point on any check and fails, they
tendencies that define them. do not move a Story Point into the GM’s pool.
After choosing your character’s Klan, select eight skills to
be career skills (except for Psychic skills) for your character
and gain one rank in any six of these chosen skills before Addicted to speed almost as much as they are to violence, Evil
spending XP. Keep in mind that a good set of career skills Suns love loud, fast-moving vehicles. They often save up their
typically features a variety of general, social, knowledge, and Teef to obtain a bike or another ramshackle vehicle, so as to get
to grips with the enemy even faster.
  Starting Skills: Evil Suns begin with one rank in skills at character creation. These experience points are not
Driving or Piloting. You still may not train this skill included in the starting experience from the character’s species,
above rank 2 during character creation. and so cannot be spent to increase characteristics.
 Red Wunz Go Fasta!: When operating a vehicle of Orks have access to many of the same talents that any
silhouette 4 or smaller that is currently travelling at the other Explorer would have throughout the ROGUE TRADER
vehicle’s max speed, an Evil Suns Ork may spend a GENESYS sourcebook. The flavour should be changed in favour
Story Point to increase the vehicle’s max speed by 1. to reflect Ork “Kulture” as they do no worship the God-
The vehicle suffers 1 system strain at the start of every Emperor, but could still display a fury no less than mankind.
round that it is travelling above its original max speed. This section adds a few additional talents specifically for Ork
Player Characters to utilize.

Typically the largest, most aggressive, and most violent of a 1

species renowned for its size, aggression, and propensity for
violence, Goffs are intolerant of the other clans, whose
methods they consider to be entirely Un-Orky.
Tier: 1
 Starting Skills: Goffs begin with one rank in Brawl or Activation: Passive
Melee. You still may not train this skill above rank 2 Ranked: No
during character creation. When your character makes a melee attack after engaging a
 Too ‘Ard Ta Care: A Goff Ork adds jJ jJ to all target, your weapon gains the Knockdown item quality. If the
Resilience checks. In addition, a Goff can hold his weapon already has Knockdown, you may activate the quality
breath for a number of rounds equal to twice his Brawn without spending a.
characteristic and suffers 1 wound from being exposed
to a vacuum instead.
2
Tending to be primitive in outlook, Snakebites disdain the use
Tier: 2
of technology in favour of what they see as traditional methods.
Activation: Active (Action)
Their name comes from their initiation rites, where a venomous
Ranked: No
snake is goaded into biting a young Ork (known as a “Yoof”).
Only an Ork Weirdboy may benefit from this talent. Telepathy
Given the Orks’ natural resilience, this rarely has a significant
is now a career skill for this character. Additionally, a
effect other than making the Ork more tolerant of poisons.
Weirdboy can send and receive messages like an Astropath, but
 Starting Skills: Snakebites begin with one rank in is limited to a number of simple words equal to his Willpower
Survival. You still may not train this skill above rank 2 characteristic. A Weirdboy does not downgrade the difficulty
during character creation. when making Mind checks to send messages and focuses his
 Da Old Ways: A Snakebite Ork adds s to all checks energy via shouting the message as loudly as he can (the player
they make to track a target they have seen and could may choose whether or not they wish to do so as well).
follow. If the Snakebite Ork injured the target, they add
s s to checks made to track the target instead.
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
To some degree, all Orks possess useful genetic knowledge. In After making a Ranged (Light), Ranged (Heavy), or Gunnery
some, this knowledge becomes a driving force in their lives,
check, your character may spend a a a to add s equal to
resulting in Orks known as “Oddboyz” whose obsessive focus
their ranks in this talent to the results of all Ranged (Light),
makes them valuable specialists within Ork society (though
Ranged (Heavy), or Gunnery checks they make against the
they may be regarded as somewhat crazy by other Orks). In
same target until the end of the current encounter.
others, this is simply a specific knack they might have for
certain tasks. The check does not have to be successful to use this talent.
Orky know-wotz has helped your character grow and
prosper somehow. Your character begins the game with 50
starting XP that can only be used to purchase talents or
 1–2 3
TALENT RANKED SOURCE
TIER 1
Tier: 3
Krump ‘Em No Page 14
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
TIER 2 Ranked: No
Da Big Shout No Page 14 When your character would be incapacitated by suffering
Dakka Dakka Dakka! Yes Page 15 wounds that exceed their wound threshold, you may spend a
Dentis’ No Page 15
Story Point to have your character use this talent to
immediately make a combat check with a weapon they are
Listen Ta Me, Cos I’z Da
No Page 15 currently wielding.
Biggest

More fer Me! No Page 15

TIER 3
‘Ard til da End No Page 15 Tier: 3
Oh Zog! No Page 15
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Runtz Yes Page 15
Only an Ork Weirdboy may benefit from this talent. The
TIER 4 Weirdboy may spend a Story Point whenever they would roll
Throo Da Kosmos Yes Page 16 on Table 1–2: ‘Eadbang. If they do, they immediately
sacrifice a nearby greenskin minion. This may be a nameless
Ork boy or any greenskin gained through the Runtz talent.

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No Tier: 3
Once per session, an Ork may use this talent to spend any Activation: Passive
number of a from a check they make to gain 100 thrones (or Ranked: Yes
Teef, in most cases) for each a spent this way. You must An Ork is followed around by a number of Gretchin, Attack
Squigs, or Snotlings (see All Da Rest) that grow as the Ork
explain how the check gave your character the opportunity to
sheds spores. When taking this talent, the player may choose to
“find” this currency.
take a pack of Gretchin, Attack Squigs, or Snotlings equal to
their character’s Brawn characteristic.
Once per round in structured encounters, your character
Tier: 2 may spend one maneuver to direct his runtz in performing one
Activation: Passive action and one maneuver during your character’s turn. The
Ranked: No runtz must be within hearing and visual range of your character
An Ork with this talent may use his Brawn characteristic when (generally medium range) to benefit in this way. Otherwise, the
making Coercion and Leadership checks against minion and runtz do not contribute to the encounter. The specifics of the
unnamed rival NPCs. Allies who witness checks made with this runtz behavior are up to you and your GM, but generally,
talent suffer 2 strain unsupervised runtz are a nuisance at the best of times.
For every additional rank of Runtz your character has,
increase the pack size once (to a maximum of 5). If any member
Tier: 2 of a Gretchin or Attack Squig pack is killed, a new suspiciously
Activation: Active (Incidental) similar member will appear to take its place as the GM deems
Ranked: No appropriate (usually between major scenes or encounters).
Your character adds jJ jJ to his melee combat checks while Snotlings replenish their entire pack within an hour of narrative
time.
engaged with three or more opponents. This effect applies even
if the Ork has the Combat Master talent.
 4
Gretchin are small, devious, and generally only dangerous in
numbers. They serve Orks to avoid being killed and/or eaten
by the larger Greenskins, though this is by no means a
Tier: 4
guarantee of their safety. The player and GM may decide that
Activation: Passive
Gretchin reared by Oddboyz have skills better associated with
Ranked: No
that particular Ork such as Tech-Use for Mekboyz or Medicae
Only an Ork Weirdboy may benefit from this talent. The
for Painboyz.
Weirdboy treats navigating a course through the Immaterium
as a Navigator would, but increases the difficulty once for any
roll on Table 3–10: Difficulty of Passage (see page 162 in
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). A Weirdboy can never estimate
the duration of passage and he adds h to the results of all
checks made to traverse the warp, but may still spend a and
t as usual. Finally, a Weirdboy uses Survival and Cunning Skills (group only): Brawl, Ranged (Light), Stealth,
instead of Astrocartography and Intellect when making checks Vigilance.
to plot a course through the warp. Talents: None.
Abilities: Mischievous (as a maneuver, may distract one
character at engaged range; that character adds jJ to their next
check for every two Gretchin in the minion group), Right Tool
Since Orks often have “help” in the form of lesser greenskins, fer da Job (a Gretchin counts as a useful tool for their Ork
the stats for Gretchin and Squigs are provided here. masters by holding gear, licking syringes clean, or simply
walking pet Biting Squigs).
Equipment: Grot shoota (Ranged [Light]; Damage 4; Critical
4; SP; Range [Medium]), pointy teeth (Brawl; Damage 3;
There are countless breeds of Squig. Many are fang-filled
Critical 3; Basic; Range [Engaged]; Vicious 1).
maws with a large tongue, powerful legs, beady eyes, and
unquenchable appetites. They in turn are used as walking
larders by those Greenskins not busy finding new ways to
weaponize them. Snotlings are too “puny an’ squishy” to warrant a full profile,
as these tiny little annoyances are barely sentient, unable to
communicate with more than squeaks, yips, and obscene
gestures, and too small to hurt anyone, or really do much of
anything.
Snotlings count as silhouette 0 creatures, die when hit with
any attack, and can lug up to 1 encumbrance per minion.
Skills (group only): Brawl, Discipline, Survival, Vigilance.
Talents: Swift (does not suffer penalties for moving through Snotlings engaged with an adversary cause the target to count
difficult terrain). as being in difficult terrain (they must perform twice as many
Abilities: Furious Assault (after using a move maneuver to maneuvers to move the same distance they would in normal
terrain).
engage an adversary, the Attack Squig may add s s h h
to the results of the next combat check it makes this turn),
Silhouette 0.
Equipment: Grossly Oversized Maw (Brawl; Damage 5;
Critical 3; Basic; Range [Engaged]; Vicious 1).
 In the worst cases, the accumulated power can find no
other means of expressing itself and simply forces itself out of
The powers of Weirdboyz are unpredictable at best, and the Weirdboy’s head in the fastest and most violent way
commonly produce bizarre side effects, particularly where the possible. This can cause anything from crippling headaches to
Weirdboy himself cannot properly control those powers. bouts of vomiting green flame to the head of the Weirdboy (and
Numerous possible effects have been observed, from bizarre often other nearby Orks) detonating.
lights and sounds to bizarre telekinetic displays and a dizzying
sense of unease.

1–3
d100 EFFECT
01-05 Oo-er...: The Weirdboy has a really, really bad feeling about something.
Funny Noises: For a few seconds, strangely-echoing sounds fill the air within long range of the Weirdboy. The noises seem to emanate from the
06-10
Weirdboy.
Movin' Stuff: Everything within long range of the Weirdboy that is not secured and has an encumbrance of 0 floats around or is flung in random
11-15
directions. This storm of debris is too light to cause physical harm.
Bizarre Growth: A luridly-coloured cluster of mushrooms about a metre tall burst from the ground within short range around the Weirdboy. This
16-20
provides anyone who takes a maneuver to gain +1 cover behind the fungus. All mushrooms have the Weirdboy's face.

Ded Smelly: Green smoke pours from the Weirdboy's ears, nose, and other orifices. The Weirdboy becomes immobilized until the end of the next
21-25 round and the smoke gives +1 cover to everyone (including the Weirdboy) in engaged ranged. The smell is potent and anyone within the smoke is
disoriented until they leave or the smoke clears.

An Odd Feeling: Hundreds of conflicting emotions and sensations, none of which are familiar to the Weirdboy, rush into his mind. The resulting
26-30
confusion causes the Weirdboy to be staggered and immobilized until the end of the next round.

31-35 Sparkly and Glowy: Bizarre flashing lights fill the air around the Weirdboy imposing jJ jJ to all combat checks the Weirdboy makes until the end
of their next turn.

Sleepy... so Sleepy: The Weirdboy suddenly feels very, very tired and gains 6 strain. If the Weirdboy is rendered unconscious, the bizarre dreams he
36-40
experiences cause the Weirdboy to make an Average (kKkK) Fear check upon waking.

All Gone Dark: Until the end of the encounter, everything within medium range is plunged into impossible darkness. Everyone within the area is
41-45
blinded unless having some supernatural senses in which to navigate.

Angry and Loud: A sudden surge of Waaagh! energy fills the air, inspiring nearby creatures to violence. All living creatures within short range are
46-50 immediately subject to the effects of the Frenzy talent. Non-Orks within that distance may attempt an Average (kKk)K Discipline check to resist this
effect.

Dizzy and Bewildered: The Weirdboy is suddenly unsure of which direction is which. Worse, this confusion seems contagious. The Weirdboy is
51-55 immediately knocked prone and is staggered until the end of the next round. Any other creature within short range of the Weirdboy must pass an
Average (kKkK) Perception check to resist this effect.

Gork's Shout: The air is filled with a thunderous, monstrous noise, the sound of some titanic beast bellowing an inhuman war cry. All living creatures
56-60 in the area must make an Average (kKkK) Resilience check or be deafened for 3 rounds. Orks (including the Weirdboy) that pass this check recover 5
strain and remove the negative effects of Fear they may be under.

Mork's Cunnin': A barrage of ideas and images fills the Weirdboy’s mind, but so swift and violent is this mental onslaught that little remains of use.
61-65
The Weirdboy adds h h h to the next Fear check he makes, but may reroll a single failed Intellect check during this time.

Fire and Thunder: Green embers fill the air, bursting into emerald flames upon all they touch and issuing forth a thunderous roar. All flammable
objects within short range immediately catch fire and the area counts as a dangerous atmosphere with Rating 5 (page 111 of the GENESYS Core
66-70
Rulebook. All creatures within this distance must succeed on a Hard (kKkKkK) Athletics or Coordination check to safely dodge away (except for the
Weirdboy).

Manifest Violence: Insubstantial green hands drift around, shoving and grabbing and hitting everyone within reach. All creatures within medium
71-75
range suffer 8 strain damage (reduced by soak).
76+ ‘Eadbang!: The Weirdboy's power goes out of control. Immediately roll on Table 1–4: ‘Eadbang!.
 1–4 ‘
d100 EFFECT
What?!: The Weirdboy’s power misfires and is shunted off into the warp, only to burst forth moments later. The power takes effect as normal at
01-10
the start of the Weirdboy's turn, but 1d5 rounds later.

Vessel of Da Waaagh!: Overcome with accumulated Waaagh! energy, the Weirdboy’s body is wracked with green lightning that crawls from his
11-20 eyes. The Weirdboy must succeed on an Average (kKkK) Resilience check or take 6 damage (ignoring soak). Additionally, until the end of the
session, add +10 to all rolls on Table 1–3: Weird Fings.

Seein' Green: A bewildering mist fills the battlefield, preventing anyone from telling friend from foe within long range. Everyone within this mist
21-25 must make a Daunting (kKkKkKkK) Discipline check as an out-of-turn incidental. If the character fails, he must spend their next turn attacking the
closest target.

Err... I forgot: The memory of psychic powers simply leaves the Weirdboy and he forgets how to control the strange warp energy within for 24
26-30
hours. The warp still antagonizes the Weirdboy and he must make a Hard (kKkKkK) Fear check as an out-of-turn incidental.
WAA-: The Weirdboy winks out of existence and reappears at the end of the next round (or 5 minutes in narrative time). When he returns, the
31-35
Weirdboy must make an Average (kKkK) Fear check and as an out-of-turn incidental and does not wish to speak about its unintended journey.
What Wuz I Doin' Again?: The Weirdboy forgets what power he was invoking and even who he was targeting. The GM randomly selects the
36-40
nearest target in medium range and the GM chooses any power the Weirdboy has. The Weirdboy resolves this power on the new target as normal.
Dis iz Gunna Hurt!: The Weirdboy floats into the air as cackling green lightning seethes from his mouth and eyes. Every creature within short
41-45
range (including the Weirdboy) is blasted by the roiling energy and takes 6 damage. The Weirdboy does not reduce this damage through soak.

Hot-hot-hot-hot!: The Weirdboy is suddenly set on fire and burns for 7 damage at the start of each round. The fire may be put out with an Average
46-50 (kKkK) Coordination check on hard surfaces or an Easy (kK) Coordination check on softer surfaces. Submerging in water clears the fire
immediately.

-AAGH!: An exact duplicate of the Weirdboy appears within short range and believes himself to be the real character. He relentless attacks the
51-55 Weirdboy for 2 rounds or until slain. The duplicate and anything he had on his body vanish with his destruction. The Weirdboy gets a nagging sense
of déjà vu and one Story Point in the PC's pool is moved into the GM's pool.

Crazy Spores: A pale green fog erupts from the Weirdboy within short range. Anyone caught in the fog (including the Weirdboy) must make a
Hard (kKkKk)K Resilience check as an out-of-turn incidental. Failure causes the target to make a roll on Table 2–3: Hallucinogenic Effects (see
56-60
page 86 in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). d may be spent to cause the target to gain a mental trauma or increase an existing mental trauma by one
step.

‘Eadswap!: The Weirdboy and one random target (note this cannot be a Daemon, untouchable, or other ‘soulless’ creature) within medium range
swap consciousness until the end of the encounter or 10 minutes in narrative time. Each creature retains its Intellect, Cunning, Willpower, and
Presence, but gain the new body's Brawn, Agility, abilities, skills, and any other specifics the new host has. If either body is slain, the effect ends
61-65 immediately and the survivor suffers a mental trauma or increases an existing mental trauma one step. When both parties return to their body, they
make an immediate Hard (kKkKk)K Fear check as an out-of-turn incidental.
If there are no creatures within range, the Weirdboy falls to the delusion that it is some animal or inanimate object within range. It acts on these
beliefs as best it can. This causes a mental trauma or increases the severity of a mental trauma by one step."

Psychic Vomit: The Weirdboy feels the power building up within and expels it the only way he can think of—quickly. The torrent immobilizes and
66-70 knocks the Weirdboy prone until the end of the next round. The closest creature within short range (Weirdboy's choice) must make an Average
(kKkK) Coordination check or take 6 damage (not reduced by soak).

Gork Smash!: The area around the Weirdboy is smashed flat as if the first of Gork (or maybe Mork) had descended from the sky. Everyone within
71-75 medium range, including the Weirdboy, must succeed on an Average (kKkK) Coordination check or suffer 10 strain and be knocked prone until the
end of the next turn.
Waaagh!-valanche: A surging green wave of energy ripples outward from the Weirdboy in all directions. Anyone within medium range must
76-80 succeed on a Hard (kKkKkK) Athletics check or be knocked prone, staggered, and immobilized until the end of the next round. The Weirdboy suffers
10 damage and 10 strain (not reduced by soak) and is staggered until the end of their next turn.
Where'd Da Git Go?: The Weirdboy rockets into the sky leaving a trail of green smoke behind him. The Weirdboy travels to medium range before
81-85
falling to the ground moments later and suffering all associated effects of a short fall.
Squigs! Squigs Everywhere!: Clusters of tiny squigs worm out from the ground before growing larger before your eyes. A minion group of Attack
86-90
Squigs (See All Da Rest) with 1d6 members suddenly descends upon all targets within medium range.

Waaagh!-ruption!: The Weirdboy's power overloads, arcing out in great bolts of green lightning. Anyone within engaged range (including the
91-95 Weirdboy) takes 10 wounds (the Weirdboy does not reduce damage from armour), and all of the Weirdboy's clothing and gear is destroyed, leaving
them naked. The Weirdboy gains a mental trauma or increases an existing mental trauma by one step.

Kaboom!: The Weirdboy’s head detonates with a loud boom and a small green mushroom cloud, killing him outright. His body responds slowly to
96-99
this development and continues to run around the battlefield, flailing about at random for 1d5 rounds.

‘Ead A’splode!: The Weirdboy’s head explodes with the force of the psychic energy surging within its skull. The Weirdboy is slain instantly and
100 all other Greenskins within short range must immediately succeed on a Hard (kKkKkK) Resilience check or suffer the same fate. The Weirdboy’s
headless corpse (and any other Ork corpses) continue to mill around at random for 1d5 rounds.
 furthermore even understand the science behind it. To further
this advantage, members of the Earth caste seek always to
A relatively recent addition to the galactic tapestry, the Tau improve, and new prototypes are constantly being developed
have only just begun to carve their empire out of the Eastern and deployed to ensure the Fire and Air castes constantly have
Fringe. A thriving species possessed of remarkable unity of a technological edge on the ever-changing battlefields the Tau
vision and unmatched technological innovation, the Tau have face. The Tau also commonly employ sophisticated artificial
burst from their home world, constructing, colonizing, and intelligences, often in the form of drones.
conquering footholds for themselves throughout the eastern Of course, how a Tau expresses all these facets of his or
reaches of the galactic plane. As the Tau spread explosively her personality can vary wildly. All serve the Greater Good,
outward, their expeditions encountered a myriad of other but this does not mean that the Tau Empire is utterly
species. Whether through diplomacy, duplicity, or violence, the homogenous. Various Sept worlds maintain a reputation for
Tau have had little need to slow their expansion, as each new producing Tau of certain personalities and it is not uncommon
species has fallen to their guns, or been seduced into the that a Fire Warrior would join a Rogue Trader to simply study
Empire’s philosophy of the Tau’va or “Greater Good.” their most powerful enemy from up close. Likewise, a Tau will
place the needs of their group over the individual at any time
Appearance & Physiology: The Tau themselves appear and those Tau who choose a life of wander often have starkly
humanoid in size and shape, but their blue skin colouring different definitions of who or even what a group consists of.
makes them quickly differentiable from humans. They have
rather flat faces, wide eyes that do not dilate, a vertical slit Alien Medical Attention: Tau physiology is radically
where a human nose would be, and often lack hair other than different from that of a human. All Medicae checks made by
the occasional warrior’s braid. Their two-toed feet make humans to heal a Tau increases the difficulty once. Human-
another marked distinction from the form of Mankind and their made drugs have little effect on a Tau (and vice-versa).
hands include a thumb and three digits. Their lifespans are
Human-made cybernetics must be properly modified to
typically shorter than a human’s, especially those with access
work alongside Tau physiology. Tau are very likely to only
to juvenats and other medical luxuries.
take cybernetics if it would benefit the group and not simply to
The Tau species presents sexual dimorphism, but it is not increase their efficacy in a given role.
well understood outside of superficial traits. A male Tau
typically stands taller and is more heavily muscled when Alien Psychological Attention: Tau are very different from
compared to a female. Female Tau have a similar nasal slit as humans when it comes to the mind, more so than even in body.
male Tau do, but this feature appears to fork towards the Their fixation on the Greater Good and their optimistic view of
forehead not unlike the shape of the Terran letter “Y.” the universe (despite all evidence to its capricious, cruel nature)
The Tau can be further divided along their rigid caste make them even alien among other xenos.
system that has shaped both the mind and body of each xenos. The Tau are not affected by the presence of the warp in
The Fire caste sports the strongest and largest Tau and produces the same way as humans are, and are far less attuned to the
all warriors for battle. The Air caste are taller and lighter, apt temptations offered by the Ruinous Powers. Tau Explorers still
traits for piloting and space travel. The Water caste members suffer corruption, but they do not gain negative effects from
are naturally social and are able to learn other species’ malignancies and never roll for mutations. Due to this inability
languages and, more disturbingly, social manners. Earth caster to understand corruption, a Tau player character may never
Tau are short and sturdy beings who build and innovate. The take talents that reduce or negate corruption for any reason.
Ethereal caste act as focal point among all Tau and they exude Like most sentient species, Tau can become increasingly
a natural presence that inspires loyalty, obedience, and even unhinged due to the psychological traumas inherent in living in
hope among their kind. An Ethereal is marked by a naturally the 41st Millennium. Tau PCs gain mental traumas as usual,
occurring diamond-shaped organ in the forehead. but the expression of these traumas are different from a human.
The GM should carefully consider the specific applications and
Culture & Society: Unlike the Imperium, a Tau finds
manifestations of various disorders on Tau characters, and
differences and technology as things to be embraced, rather
modify them as necessary.
than feared or shunned. Tau recognize other species as
possessing different traits and abilities, but rather than being Arms and Armour: The Tau can readily utilize other species
shameful, these differences are simply ways to contribute to the armour, weapons, and equipment, but prefer the tried and true
Greater Good that the Tau themselves cannot. To the Tau, the natural of their own. Tau believe in reliability and adjustments
concept of xenophobia is itself alien. of existing technology in order to better outfit themselves for
The Tau already enjoy a level of technological the battlefield. This view is unorthodox at best and heretical at
sophistication superior to most other races in the galaxy, and worse to humans.
 
’ Honoured Warrior: A Battlesuit Pilot begins with the
light and nimble XV25 Stealth suit (see page 49). In
addition, while piloting a battlesuit, the Battlesuit Pilot
may use their ranks in Driving when making Athletics,
Coordination, and Stealth checks.

 Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn Some members of the Fire caste with a particular aptitude for
 Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower technology are assigned to closely manage drones, as a
firesight marksman directing a team of sniper drones or
 Starting Experience: 85
equipped with a drone controller system. Under the control of
 The Greater Good: Once per encounter, a Tau may such a warrior, drones become incredibly formidable, ripping
suffer 1 strain when receiving orders from another Tau. apart their foes with tightly placed bursts of fire or moving in
If they do, they may add jJ to their next check. perfect tandem with the rest of the squad.
Additionally, if this places the Tau in substantial danger
 Starting Skills: The Drone Handler begins with one
to benefit the group, they may upgrade their skill check
rank in Tech-Use, plus two ranks in Knowledge
once instead.
(Scholastic). You still may not train these skills above
 Special Abilities: Each Tau Fire Caste has its own rank 2 during character creation.
special abilities, listed in the corresponding entry.
 Drone: A Drone Handler begins the game with one Tau
drone (See page 23).
 Superior Technology: Once per session, a Drone
Those born into the Fire caste have a single destiny: to become Handler may spend a Story Point to target a number of
warriors in the name of the Greater Good and to spend their ranged weapons equal to their ranks in Tech-Use within
entire lives engaged in the single goal of honing their martial short range. Those weapons ignore the first “jam” result
skills. A Fire Warrior will seek to tactically analyze a situation they suffer this session.
rather than charging headlong in, and generally prefer to
engage at maximum possible range.
 Starting Skills: The Fire Warrior begins with one rank
Tau believe in the tenets of the Greater Good, their guiding
in Discipline, Ranged (Light), and Knowledge
philosophy and the foundation of their budding empire. Tau
(Scholastic). You still may not train these skills above
Explorers might be warriors who wish to spread this
rank 2 during character creation.
philosophy to the stars of the Koronus Expanse, or might be
 Tactical Flexibility: When making a check for outsiders who have other reasons to have passed through the
Initiative, you may choose to generate a slot at the end Jericho warp-gate.
of the Initiative order instead of rolling. All NPCs add
After your character is fitted for their Classified
jJ to their combat checks against allied Tau until the Competence, you select eight skills to be career skills (except
Fire Warrior acts in the encounter. for Psychic skills) for your character and gain a rank in any four
of these chosen skills before spending XP. Keep in mind that a
good set of career skills typically features a variety of general,
social, knowledge, and combat skills to help your character feel
The greatest heroes of the Fire caste are those who stride to war unique among your group.
in mighty, armoured battlesuits. The pride of the Fire caste rests
upon its pilots, for battlesuits are among the most important
symbols of the Tau Empire. In these machines, members of the
Fire caste can watch ingenuity triumph over savagery and The Tau have enjoyed success in large part due to their ever-
ambition vanquish complacency developing and expanding technology. Although mostly the
realm of the Earth caste, certain Fire Warriors feel a certain
 Starting Skills: The Battlesuit Pilot begins with one
affinity to the weapons and gadgets they regularly employ and
rank in Driving, plus two ranks in Knowledge
enjoy a superior understanding of such machines.
(Scholastic). You still may not train these skills above
rank 2 during character creation.  Starting Skills: An Adept Machinist begins with one
rank in Knowledge (Common). You still may not train
this skill above rank 2 during character creation.
  Ingenuity: Adept Machinists add jJ when providing
assistance to an ally’s Intelligence-based skill check or Although most Tau excel at ranged combat, certain Fire
Perception check, in addition to any other bonuses Warriors distinguish themselves at engaging at extreme ranges
assistance might provide. and firing with precision. In addition to their own experience,
such individuals often lend their skills to improve the abilities
of those around them.
Most Tau prefer to rely on their technology and ranged  Starting Skills: A Precise Hunter begins with one rank
weaponry, but occasionally some Fire Warriors feel the savage in Perception. You still may not train this skill above
call of more primal warfare in their blood. These Tau relish the rank 2 during character creation.
occasional chance to engage in melee combat, especially when
 Expose Weakness: Once per session after the Precise
protecting their allies.
Hunter makes a successful ranged combat check
 Starting Skills: A Dauntless Bulwark begins with one against a non-vehicle target, they may spend a Story
rank in Coordination. You still may not train this skill Point to reduce the target’s soak value by an amount
above rank 2 during character creation. equal to their ranks in Knowledge (Scholastic) until the
 My Body as a Shield: When a Dauntless Bulwark end of their next turn.
makes a move maneuver to engage a target and
successfully performs a Brawl or Melee check against
that target; all engaged Tau allies may suffer 2 strain to Although most large vehicles fall under the Air caste’s
disengage as an out-of-turn maneuver. purview, the Fire Caste still employs many smaller vehicles,
most notably the wide variety of powerful battlesuits. Fire
Warriors might find themselves piloting Battlesuits, Piranhas,
Although all Tau are equal, in following with the Greater Good, or other such machines for a variety of reasons, but in all cases
some Fire Warriors fall into positions of command. Unlike share the determination to utilize their vehicle to defend their
some other races, however, Tau commanders hold themselves allies.
to the same standards of those they lead.  Starting Skills: A Windstrider begins with one rank in
 Starting Skills: An Exemplar of Unity begins with one Driving or Piloting. You still may not train this skill
rank in Knowledge (Forbidden). You still may not train above rank 2 during character creation.
these skills above rank 2 during character creation.  Defensive Plating: A Windstrider may cause any
 Prime Example: As a maneuver, an Exemplar of Unity vehicle or battlesuit they are operating to suffer 3
may suffer 2 strain and then perform their action. If they system strain to upgrade the difficulty of ranged combat
do, all allied Tau that can see this character gain s to checks against all engaged allies once.
perform the same action until the end of their next turn.

Tau prefer working in groups and formations in order to use The Fire caste is the military of the Tau Empire, and wages
superior tactics and firepower, but coordinating intelligently wars with the tools of tactical flexibility and superior
require reconnaissance. For this, the Tau rely on those who feel weaponry. Fire Warriors expect to use many strategies in
the calling to serve as Pathfinders or Stealth Suit pilots to scout warfare, always adapting to the current flow of battle, but many
ahead and report back to the main force. commanders prefer certain strategies to others and default to
them whenever possible. Even amongst the endless training
 Starting Skills: A Finder of Ways begins with one rank
Fire Warriors endure, certain personal aspects will arise in how
in Stealth. You still may not train this skill above rank
any given individual perceives controlling the battlefield.
2 during character creation.
The way of the Fire Warrior has helped your character
 Silent Shadowing: Tau allies engaged with this grow and prosper somehow. Your character begins the game
character add s to Stealth and Vigilance checks they with 50 starting XP that can only be used to purchase
make. talents or skills at character creation. These experience
points are not included in the starting experience from the
character’s species, and so cannot be spent to increase
characteristics.
 Tau have access to many of the same talents that any other
Explorer would have throughout the ROGUE TRADER GENESYS 1–5
sourcebook. The flavour should be changed in favour to reflect TALENT RANKED SOURCE
the Tau’s unifying philosophy as they do no worship the God-
TIER 2
Emperor, but could still display a fury no less than mankind.
Blessing of the Ethereals No Page 22
This section adds a few additional talents specifically for Tau
player characters to utilize. Committed Diplomacy Yes Page 22

New Allies No Page 22

2 Superior Supply Chain No Page 22

TIER 3
Advanced Battlesuit Training No Page 22

Tier: 2 Envoy of the Greater Good No Page 22

Activation: Passive Greater than the Sum No Page 23
Ranked: No TIER 4
While this character is suffering from a Critical Injury, they
Formation Tactics No Page 23
may spend a Story Point to ignore Fear checks and the
Through Unity, Devastation No Page 23
immobilized condition until the end of the encounter. The
character suffers 6 strain if they leave the scene before
completing any remaining duties or achieving a superior’s
orders. 3

Tier: 3
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Ranked: Yes
The Tau Explorer no longer grants combat bonuses to enemies
When attempting a Charm or Negotiation check, the Tau may
due to silhouette differences while piloting a battlesuit.
suffer a number of strain to downgrade the difficulty of the
Additionally, when this character makes a Gunnery check with
check a number of times equal to the strain suffered.
a weapon mounted to their battlesuit, they do not increase the
Alternatively, when the character is the target of a Charm or
difficult to use the Auto-fire item quality.
Negotiation check, the character may suffer a number of strain
to upgrade the difficulty of the check a number of times equal
to the strain suffered. This number cannot exceed their ranks in
Committed Diplomacy. Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The Tau ignores all penalties from the Alien Among Us rule
Tier: 2
(see page 4). Additionally, whenever this Explorer meets an
Activation: Passive
organization or race that has not previously been encountered
Ranked: No
by the Tau, they may spend a Story Point and make an Average
The Greater Good, Classified Competency abilities, and any
(kKk)K Knowledge (Scholastic) check. If they succeed,
talents that references Tau characters can now include any
downgrade the difficulty of all Charm, Deception, and
trusted ally (such as other Explorers) instead of only allied Tau
Negotiation checks until the end of the encounter or scene.
characters.
The character should learn pertinent information about the
culture, group, or species they are dealing with that could prove
helpful in subsequent dealings (at the GM’s discretion).
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When attempting to acquisition Tau items with a rarity of 7 or
greater, reduce the difficulty of the skill check once.
Tier: 3
The Tau make extensive use of artificial intelligence-controlled
Activation: Active (Incidental)
machines called drones. These drones may be equipped with
Ranked: No
weapon systems for close and long ranged combat or even
Once per session, the Tau Explorer may spend a Story Point
support systems like shields and the infamous Tau markerlight.
either to gain the benefits of a talent an allied Tau has or to
All Tau Drones are priceless and have a rarity of 7.
grant an allied Tau the benefits of a talent this character
possesses. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter.
If the talent has ranks, the character gains that many ranks
in the talent. Greater than the Sum may not be used to gain
talents with the improved or supreme titles.

4
Skills: Perception 2, Ranged (Heavy) 2, Stealth 1, Tech-Use 1.
Talents: None.
Tier: 4 Abilities: Auto-Subjugation Routine (this creature may
Activation: Active (Action) operate independently, or can be controlled directly; if being
Ranked: No controlled, the creature counts as having ranks in any skill
The character may make a Hard (kKkKkK) Knowledge equal to the controller’s ranks in that skill), Flyer (can fly; see
(Scholastic) check. If successful, they may choose a number page 100 of the GENESYS Core Rulebook), Machine 3 (This
of allies within short range equal to the number of uncancelled creature does not need to breathe, eat, or drink, can survive in
s. Adversaries upgrade the difficulty of attacks against these vacuum and underwater, is immune to poisons and toxins, Fear
allies once until the end of the character’s next turn. The checks, and mind-influencing effects), Silhouette 0.
character may spend t to have this effect last until the end of Equipment: A Drone may be outfitted with a single set of
the encounter instead. useful tools or weapons:
A character currently affected by Formation Tactics may  Twin-linked pulse carbine (Ranged [Heavy]; Damage
not benefit from additional applications of this talent. 5; Critical 3; Plasma; Range [Medium]; Linked 1,
Pierce 2) or longshot pulse rifle (Ranged [Heavy];
Damage 8; Critical 2; Plasma; Range [Long]; Accurate
1, Vicious 2).
Tier: 4
 Shield projector (this drone provides an engaged target
Activation: Active (Incidental)
with 2 ranged defense).
Ranked: No
Once per round when an opponent attacks an ally who is within  Markerlight (when any character uses a single aim
long range of your character, you may spend one Story Point maneuver against the target, they gain jJ jJ on their
and h or d to have your character use this talent to next combat check. This can only occur once per round,
automatically hit the opponent with a ranged weapon your and the character may not use their second maneuver to
character is wielding, if the opponent is within the weapon’s aim again. This effect lasts until the target moves out of
range. The hit deals the weapon’s base damage plus additional range or breaks line of sight).
damage equal to your character’s ranks in the skill used to
wield the weapon.
 and use it for more productive means, the inhabitants of
Craftworlds choose to focus their attentions and energies into
The Eldar are an ancient and enigmatic species that dominated specific areas, mastering a craft or vocation rather than let
the galaxy millions of years before the rise of the Imperium. themselves be seduced by new sensations or distractions. These
Hugely technologically advanced and knowledgeable in the areas are known to the Eldar as Paths, each a specialized role
secrets of the universe, the Eldar once controlled or traversed which an Eldar devotes his abilities to and masters over the
much of the domain humans now claim. Today the Eldar are course of decades or even centuries of training and practice.
few in number, hidden away in distant, secret parts of the These Paths can vary greatly within the society of the
galaxy, sailing the void in their great world-ships or reduced to Craftworld, and encompasses all manner of trades and skills as
raiders and pirates. Their civilization has fragmented and has well as all the arts of war.
largely become nomadic, its once-great clans and peoples
travelling in vast armadas of ships and aboard mighty Alien Medical Attention: Eldar anatomy is truly alien to that
Craftworlds, gargantuan vessels the size of cities or larger in of humans. Just as the Eldar mind processes with twice the
space. Whatever teachings they follow, they remain a capability of a human, so too does their heart beat faster, organs
significant force within the galaxy and a constant threat to the lay in a relatively “clean” manner, and muscle fibers bond
Imperium and its worlds. precisely to bone and sinew. All Medicae checks made by
humans to heal an Elder increases the difficulty once. Human-
Appearance & Physiology: Physiologically, Eldar appear made drugs have little effect on a Craftworld Eldar (and vice-
much like humans, though they are usually taller, more slender versa).
of limb, and always more graceful in the way they move. Their Human-made cybernetics seldom work on Eldar
faces are also longer, with sharp, pointed features, tapered ears, physiology for one reason or another. The Eldar have both the
and almond-shaped eyes that give them an ethereal, knowledge and technology to simply regrow lost limbs and
otherworldly cast. Their dark liquid eyes are also markedly organs and typically value using their own body over
different from human eyes, deep and full of ancient secrets, cybernetic materials. It is not to say that sufficiently advanced
assuring any man who looks too long into them just how alien bionic parts exist for Eldar, but it is the rare sort who chooses
the Eldar really are, and that, despite some passing physical such a device. The GM has the final say in what
resemblance, they are nothing like humanity. biotechnologies may exist for an Eldar.
Part of these differences lie within the physical nature of
the Eldar and their long natural life span, which far exceeds that Alien Psychological Attention: Just as an Eldar’s body is
of even the most long-lived human, even taking into account different in many ways to a human one, so is an Eldar mind.
the many ways in which man might try and prolong his The Eldar perceive existence differently to humans, viewing
existence and cheat death. Paradoxically, though the Eldar have the universe with greater intensity and clarity than the human
exceptional longevity, their metabolism is far faster than that mind can easily comprehend, and their minds operate at a speed
of a human, their hearts beat more quickly, pumping their blood that would be bewildering to a human. They can also reach far
around their body in a rapid crimson torrent. It is speculated greater extremes of emotion and sensation than a human can.
that this increased blood flow improves their reaction speed While the Eldar understand the threat of all the Chaos
and brain function, allowing them to act and react far more Gods as being dire, no single entity poses a greater threat to
quickly than humans can. Eldar existence than Slaanesh (She-Who-Thirsts). Craftworld
Eldar gain malignancies as normal, but never gain mutations.
Culture & Society: The remnants of Eldar culture that Corruption of a Craftworld Eldar manifests most clearly in
survived the cataclysm among the Asuryani preserved much of their unwillingness to follow a Path into completion or giving
their species' history in the form of traditional stories, songs into darker and crueler ways of life and forms of discipline.
and dance. Written records, monuments and visual records
The Craftworld Eldar work tirelessly to outpace their own
were almost completely destroyed except for a few instances
extinction and they protect their minds as well as any other
where they were taken aboard voidcraft fleeing from the
sentient race. Craftworld Eldar PCs gain mental traumas as
doomed worlds. All of the Eldar alive today are essentially a
usual, but do not outwardly express it as humans do. Due to the
refugee population, the scattered remains of a formerly vast
extremes of emotions and the obsession of the Path, Craftworld
interstellar empire. Even as such, they are still a deadly and
Eldar might begin to lean too rigidly into a single aspect of their
influential force in the galaxy.
discipline and become all but consumed by it. The GM should
The Eldar mind can be a fractious thing, given to extremes carefully consider the specific applications and manifestations
and excessive indulgences. In part, this was the root of the of various disorders on Craftworld Eldar characters, and
Eldar’s doom and the seed that gave birth to the cults and the modify them as necessary.
destruction of their empire. To harness this part of Eldar nature
Arms and Armour: While the Eldar can employ weapons and
armour designed for humans, most prefer not to—Eldar
technologies better suit their sensibilities and physical Eldar who have passed through the many different Asuryani
proportions, and most regard human-made war gear as crude Paths to master the full power of their minds may command
and ungainly. There are no particular penalties involved in their psychic powers without fear of attracting daemons or
Eldar employing human-made equipment, but human armour creating rifts within the warp. These few take on the role of a
will not fit the Eldar comfortably, while human-made weapons Seer—a powerful psychic within the Eldar ranks—and they
generally seem unwieldy. unleash their skills in potent and refined forms.
 Starting Skills: This character gains Divination,
Telekinesis, or Telepathy as a career skill. They begin
with one rank in the Psychic skill they select and two
ranks in Knowledge (Scholastic). You still may not
train these skills above rank 3 during character creation.
 Precognition: Once per session when a Seer makes a
successful opposed skill check, you may spend a Story
Point to heal all strain they are currently suffering.
 Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
 Rune Magic: A Seer begins play with a Rune of the
 Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower Seer (see page 59).
 Starting Experience: 85
 Ancient Comprehension: All Craftworld Eldar begin
with a Spirit Stone (see page 60) and gain Psyniscience
Not a true Path, but an outlet for the rigid constraints of the
as a career skill.
Path as such limits may be intolerable even for an Eldar to bear.
 Matchless Grace: Craftworld Eldar can perform a Such individuals leave their craftworlds and voluntarily
second maneuver during their turn without suffering become Asuryani Outcasts. Many Eldar spend many Terran
strain or giving up their action, but they can never years or decades in exile before they return to the Path.
perform more than two maneuvers during their turn.
 Starting Skills: Eldar on the Path of the Outcast begin
 Special Abilities: Each Craftworld Eldar has its own with one rank in Vigilance and one rank in both
special abilities, listed in the corresponding entry. Knowledge (Common) and Knowledge (Forbidden).
You still may not train these skills above rank 3 during
character creation.
 Living Ghost: Once per session, you may spend a
The Eldar are a race beset on all sides by warfare. Young
Story Point to add s s to the results of a Stealth
Asuryani often believe they can rebuild the glory of their
empire with fire and passion, but their elders know well that check your character makes, or to add f f to the
their shattered civilization is locked in a struggle for simple results of a Vigilance or Perception check another
survival. character makes to detect your character.

 Starting Skills: Eldar on the Path of the Warrior begin

with one rank in Discipline and one rank in either
Melee or Ranged (Light). You still may not train these
Within the Koronus Expanse there are several different Eldar
skills above rank 3 during character creation.
clans and at least one documented Craftworld. Corsairs are
 Graceful Slaughter: After a Warrior successfully hits most likely to make deals with human traders and void-farers,
a character with a combat check, they add jJ to combat given their familiarity with the Expanse and their limited
checks targeting the same character until the end of the resources. It is not unknown for clans to make use of humans
encounter. (and other races) to complete their goals, whether it is a simple
act of piracy or something more complex.
After choosing your character’s Clan, you select eight
skills to be career skills (except Psychic skills) for your
character and gain a rank in any four of these chosen skills
before spending XP. Keep in mind that a good set of career
skills typically features a variety of general, social, knowledge,
and combat skills to help your character feel unique among  Peerless Guile: Any opponent who moves into
your group. engaged ranged with this character adds jJ to melee
combat checks made until the end of their turn.

The Crow Spirits are grim, cold killers who seem bent on the
selective annihilation of humanity within the Koronus
Expanse. Clad in glittering armour that shines as if filled with The Aeldari are long-lived beings and will walk many different
moonlight, they make no sound in battle and are led by witches paths in their lifetime. Many begin on the Path of the Artisan
robed in pale tatters with tall helms of gleaming bone. What or Path of the Healer, honing a skill over many Terran years
their purpose is remains unknown, but some have speculated until it becomes as second nature. Eldar then take these skills
that they are guarding something, or keeping something from and further specialize them when undertaking the next path,
being discovered. especially in the case of war. An Eldar who has completed the
journey from one path to another is an incredible ally to few
 Starting Skills: Crow Spirits begin with one rank in
and an indomitable foe to many.
Deception. You still may not train this skill above rank
3 during character creation. The Path your character walks has helped them grow and
prosper somehow. Your character begins the game with 50
 Peerless Precision: When making a Ranged (Heavy)
starting XP that can only be used to purchase talents or
skill check with an Eldar ranged weapon, your
skills at character creation. These experience points are not
character may increase the difficulty once. If they do,
included in the starting experience from the character’s species,
their weapon gains the Linked 1 quality until the end of
and so cannot be spent to increase characteristics.
their turn.
Craftworld Eldar have access to many of the same talents
that any other Explorer would have throughout the ROGUE
TRADER GENESYS sourcebook. The flavour should be changed
Distant and isolated among other craftworlds, Kaelor lingers in favour to reflect the Eldar’s adherence to their many deities
on the edge of the galaxy. After a divisive conflict among the as they do no worship the God-Emperor, but could still display
population, the Farseer Ela’Ashbel united the remaining a fury no less than mankind. This section adds a few additional
population. Eldar from this craftworld are cautious and slow to talents specifically for Craftworld Eldar player characters to
act and violently oppose all things Chaos. This pragmatic utilize.
nature has caused a great number of Warp Spider Aspect
Warriors to develop from this craftworld.
 Starting Skills: Kaelor Eldar begin with one rank in
2
Cool. You still may not train this skill above rank 3
during character creation.
Tier: 2
 Peerless Foresight: When determining Initiative,
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Kaelor Eldar roll twice and take the higher results. A
Ranked: No
t may be spent to keep both results, effectively Once per session, when your character makes a check, you may
generating two slots.
spend a Story Point to add lLlLlL to the check.

The Twilight Swords seem to relish in their piratical and wild

lifestyle. Dressed in gold and crimson red, they prefer wild Tier: 2
melees and lightning-fast raiding to traditional combat. The Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Warband seems to also be bound by a complex code of honour, Ranked: No
though they nonetheless are known to violate these edicts if it When determining Initiative, your character may use this talent
puts them at a disadvantage. Supposedly, the Twilight Swords to spend t to make a melee combat check against a valid
are searching the Heathen Stars for some unknown prize. target before the first round of combat begins.
 Starting Skills: Twilight Swords begin with one rank
in Skulduggery. You still may not train this skill above
rank 3 during character creation.
 1–6
Tier: 3
TALENT RANKED SOURCE
Activation: Passive
TIER 2 Ranked: No
Gift of Asuryan No Page 26 When taking the aim maneuver to target a specific item or part
Rage of Khaine No Page 26 of an opponent, this character does not add any jJ to the check
Tears of Isha No Page 26 as a part of performing the maneuver.
Words of Gia No Page 27

TIER 3
Elusive No Page 27 Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Eyes of Kurnoth No Page 27
Ranked: No
Guide No Page 27
Your character must be following the Path of the Seer to benefit
Mathlann’s Grace No Page 27 from this talent. Once per encounter, this character may make
TIER 4 an Average (kKkK) Knowledge skill check (the GM and player
Truths of Cegorach No Page 27 should determine which Knowledge skill is most applicable in
Wisdom of the Ancients No Page 28 the given situation). If successful, the character may add t to
any check made by an allied character during the encounter.
The subsequent check should relate in some way to the
Knowledge skill used, or the player should come up with an
Tier: 2 explanation for why the information the character learned is
Activation: Active (Incidental) instrumental in the success of the ally’s check.
Ranked: No
When your character makes a check to recover strain at the end
of an encounter, they may use this talent to spend a a a or
Tier: 3
t to heal a Critical Injury with a severity of Easy (kK).
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round while controlling a starship or vehicle, the
Tier: 2 Eldar may suffer 2 strain during their next check. If the check
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) succeeds, the character adds t to the results. However, if the
Ranked: No check fails, they add d instead. The t or d added this way
When this character is targeted by a social skill check and the do not include the s or f that are usually a part of them, only
adversary generates h h or d, this character may suffer 1 the beneficial or negative effects of the symbol.
strain. If they do, the adversary suffers a number of strain equal
to this character’s ranks in Deception.
4
3
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Tier: 3 Ranked: No
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Add one extra Story Point to the player pool at the beginning
Ranked: No of each session. Once per session when all Story Points are
When another character makes a check to follow your moved to the GM’s pool, all Craftworld Eldar PCs recover 6
character’s trail (whether physical tracks or a trail of strain. The effects of this talent may only apply once per
information), your character may use this talent to add f equal session regardless of how many characters have this talent.
to their ranks in Streetwise or Survival, as appropriate to the
environment, to the check results.
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per game session, the character may make a Hard
(kKkKk)K Knowledge (Forbidden) check regarding a single
relic, ruin, or piece of history (subject to the GM’s approval).
If successful, the character knows an important fact or has
pertinent information about the item based on the number of
uncancelled s. The character may spend a a a to know
the origin of the knowledge (especially if there are similar
things at the source). They may spend t to know who would
be most interested in this knowledge or the potential worth of
such knowledge.
 in favour of a surfeit of cruelty, arrogance, and merciless
ambition.
Ten thousand Terran years ago, amid the apocalyptic screams Little distinction is drawn between the sexes, for an
of a newborn god, the mighty Aeldari Empire fell to ruin. Yet individual's skill and intellect are far more important than traits
the architects of this catastrophe were spared the worst of its such as raw strength or gender. Drukhari senses are keen to the
wrath, hidden deep within the bounds of the Webway. They point of paranoia, their shadowed eyes and tapered ears alert to
lurk there still, a race of unrepentant monsters damned to suffer the slightest disturbance. It is said they can see in complete
an eternal thirst for the pain of others. The Dark Eldar or darkness, that they can taste fear upon the air, and that they can
“Drukhari” are kin to the Craftworld Eldar or “Asuryani” and hear the beat of a terrified heart through a solid bulkhead door.
share much the same history until the birth of the Chaos God
Life and its outcomes begin as early as pre-birth for most
Slaanesh. To save their souls for one more day, the Dark Eldar
Drukhari. Those known as Trueborn are often privileged in
now hide from the horrors they created in the realm of
Drukhari society because of the circumstances of their birth,
Commorragh the Dark City.
and many are the descendants of the ancient Drukhari noble
families. As such, they are arrogant and see themselves as far
Appearance & Physiology: Although Eldar and humans look
better than the majority of Drukhari. This societal power allows
far more similar to each other than either does to any other alien
Trueborn unfettered claims to Halfborn as slaves and Halfborn
species common to the Koronus Expanse, this does not mean
are almost always excluded from being part of any squad of
that Eldar merely look like tall, thin humans with pointy ears.
Trueborn warriors. Ultimately, the average Halfborn cannot
Eldar are taller, more slender, and more poised than humans,
hope to compete with even the lowliest of Trueborn Dark
moving with a fluid, easy grace that is exceptionally difficult
Eldar, but some have climbed the hierarchical ladder through
for a human to mimic.
means just as cruel and cunning as their Trueborn counterparts.
Eldar features are more tapered and pointed, and in the
case of Dark Eldar, subtly touched by a savage aspect that Alien Medical Attention: Dark Eldar physiology is
makes them appear predatory. The Eldar eyes particularly fundamentally different from that of a human. All Medicae
stand out, and can be described as dark, crystalline pools within checks made by humans to heal a Dark Elder increases the
which an ageless and utterly alien mind dwells. In all, it is quite difficulty once. Human-made drugs have little effect on a Dark
difficult for an Eldar to pass as a human, or for a human to pass Eldar (and vice-versa).
as an Eldar, at least up close. At a distance, when robed and
Human-made cybernetics seldom work on Dark Eldar
hooded, such a deception may be easier, but it is unlikely to
physiology for one reason or another. Dark Eldar tend to favour
fool anyone for long.
the fleshcrafter’s arts to crude metal augmetics at any rate and
Dark Eldar have clear sexual dimorphism similar to therefore may only be fitted by a Haemonculus. When fitted by
humans. Unlike humans, Dark Eldar are rarely born from the skilled fleshcrafters, Dark Eldar gain exactly the same
natural means due to lengthy gestational periods coupled with benefits as listed under a similar cybernetic.
the constant violence and soul damage present within Dark
Eldar life. In this way, those born naturally are “Trueborn” and Alien Psychological Attention: Just as an Eldar body is
typically come from already noble stock. Everyone else born different in many ways to a human one, so an Eldar mind is
from vats of amniotic gestational tubes are considered different to that of humans. The Eldar perceive existence
“Halfborn.” It is necessary, however, for such rapid production differently to humans, viewing the universe with greater
of Halfborn to fill out ranks of Dark Eldar who die both to their intensity and clarity than the human mind can easily
enemies and to each other. comprehend, and their minds operate at a speed that would be
bewildering to a human. They can also reach far greater
Culture & Society: Fiercely intelligent and devious to a fault, extremes of emotion and sensation than a human can.
Drukhari revel in pain, feeding upon the suffering and anguish
While the Eldar understand the threat of all the Chaos
of others. In them, the boundless and brilliant potential of their
Gods as being dire, no single entity poses a greater threat to
kind is given terrible purpose, and because their lives span
Eldar existence than Slaanesh (She-Who-Thirsts). Dark Eldar
Terran millennia, the Drukhari have all the time they need to
gain malignancies as normal, but do not suffer the usual
perfect their stygian arts. The Drukhari quickly learn to fight
negative penalties for a malignancy, and never gain mutations.
with every weapon at their disposal, and to kill without mercy
Each time a Dark Eldar gains a malignancy, they suffer the
or hesitation. To do any less would lead them to a swift death,
Horrific Injury Critical Injury result (page 115 in GENESYS
for amongst the entire Drukhari people there is not a single
Core Rulebook). This Critical Injury cannot be healed by any
shred of compassion or mercy. Such traits are worthless upon
means until the Dark Eldar gains the effect of the Power
the night-black streets of Commorragh, and are best discarded
Through Pain ability. Dark Eldar may never take any talent that
reduces or removes corruption for any reason.
 Unlike corruption, insanity is of no concern to the Dark
Eldar. For them, the indulgence of desires and the unnatural
hunger within their souls are primary concerns. Dark Eldar A terrible force to face, the Kabalite Warrior may hail from any
characters do not gain mental traumas and they only gain Kabal within the Dark Eldar’s expansive realm. The warriors
beneficial effects from Fear checks as the thrill of death is just train endlessly in bloody battles against their kin and may die
one more marvelous moment for these depraved creatures. at any time if not acting at their peak performance. Pain fuels
these warriors, pain from their victims and pain inflicted upon
Arms and Armour: While the Eldar can employ weapons and themselves.
armour designed for humans, most prefer not to—Eldar
 Starting Skills: The Kabalite Warrior begins with one
technologies better suit their sensibilities and physical
rank in Athletics, plus one rank in either Brawl or
proportions, and most regard human-made war gear as crude
Melee. You still may not train these skills above rank 3
and ungainly. There are no particular penalties involved in
during character creation.
Eldar employing human-made equipment, but human armour
will not fit the Eldar comfortably, while human-made weapons  Screaming Soul: When a Kabalite Warrior inflicts a
generally seem unwieldy. Critical Injury with a melee combat check, they heal a
number of strain equal to the severity of the inflicted
Critical Injury. This effect only applies once per target
in an encounter.

Each individual of a Wych Cult is a killer of the highest caliber,

and all other pursuits are secondary to refining the art of total
lethality. Depraved performers as they are, they dance across
 Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn the battlefield as if it were a great stage with utmost grace,
 Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower effortlessly slaughtering all living targets in their way.

 Starting Experience: 90  Starting Skills: The Wych Cultist begins with one rank
in Coordination and Vigilance. You still may not train
 She-Who-Thirsts: When preparing the Story pools at
these skills above rank 3 during character creation.
the beginning of a game session, add one Story Point to
the GM pool instead of the player pool.  Discipline of Shiamesh: Once per encounter, a Wych
Cultist may spend a Story Point to add the Burn 1
 Matchless Grace: Dark Eldar can perform a second
quality to their melee weapons until the end of the
maneuver during their turn without suffering strain or
encounter. Burn damage caused by this weapon is not
giving up their action, but they can never perform more
reduced by soak and cannot be neutralized.
than two maneuvers during their turn.
 Power Through Pain: Once per session, whenever a
Dark Eldar character is engaged with a living rival or
nemesis adversary that becomes incapacitated, suffers The body is ultimately disposable to the Dark Eldar—the
a non-lethal Critical Injury, fails a Fear check, or is Haemonculi in their shadowy pits long-ago conquered death.
otherwise subjected to excruciating pain (as determined Physiology is a plaything to these creatures, to be manipulated,
by the GM), add one temporary Story Point to the twisted, and subverted as they see fit. Fleshcrafter Disciples
player pool. A temporary Story Point works just like a have learned a great deal from the masters, but inspiration for
normal Story Point but is removed from the pool when the art must always be sought out.
it is used or at the end of the session.
 Starting Skills: Fleshcrafter Disciples begin with two
 Special Abilities: Each Dark Eldar has its own special ranks in Resilience. You still may not train this skill
abilities, listed in the corresponding entry. above rank 3 during character creation.
 Form into Function: Fleshcrafter Disciples begin the
game with one cybernetic with a rarity of 6 or less (see
page 115 of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). You may
spend 15 starting experience to purchase one additional
cybernetic with a rarity of 7 or less. Your character does
not need to make any checks to install these cybernetics
and Fleshcrafter Disciples do not decrease their strain
 threshold when installing any cybernetics or
mechadendrites, but can only install a number of
The promise of pain is as sweet a torment as the pain itself, and
cybernetics equal to their ranks in Resilience.
fearful anticipation is a potent elixir.
 Starting Skills: The Dark Eldar begins with one rank
in Stealth and Streetwise. You still may not train this
Different Dark Eldar derive different amounts of vigour and skill above rank 3 during character creation.
satisfaction from the myriad flavours of pain and dread, and  Vile Laughter: When an adversary fails an opposed
each chooses to focus their talents to those ends. check against this character, the Dark Eldar may spend
After discovering your character’s Vile Pleasures, select h h h to cause the adversary to make a Hard
eight skills (except for Psychic skills) to be career skills for (kKkKk)K Fear check.
your character and gain a rank in any four of these chosen skills
before spending XP. Keep in mind that a good set of career
skills typically features a variety of general, social, knowledge,
The Dark Eldar care not for who suffers or where pain comes
and combat skills to help your character feel unique among
from, only that agony abounds.
your group.
 Starting Skills: The Dark Eldar begins with one rank
in Medicae or Leadership. You still may not train this
skill above rank 3 during character creation.
Stringing a foe along in hopes for freedom or a respite from
physical suffering is as intoxicating as the precise agonies  Dark Pleasures: Followers of the Sadistic Joy may
cultivated by the finest bladework. now gain the benefits of Power Through Pain when
engaged with an ally who meets the criteria, so long as
 Starting Skills: The Dark Eldar begins with one rank
the Dark Eldar was not the cause of that suffering.
in Coercion. You still may not train this skill above rank
3 during character creation.
 Pity the Weak: Add jJ to Coercion, Deception, and
Negotiation skill checks targeting characters with lower Autonomous military organizations that exist somewhere
Profit Factor or apparent social status to your character. between a criminal cartel, a pirate fraternity, and a noble
In addition, Critical Remarks can be used to gain the household are often established by the Dark Eldar to further
Power Through Pain ability. their desires. Each may specialize in any form of combat, from
poisons to words to well-known weaponry, or simply exist due
to hoarding the power of others. Likewise, each organization
This Dark Eldar has become attuned to the particular agonies draws in a never-ending supply of aspirants as being part of any
of those slain by their own skill at a greater distance, and is able organization offers a meager level of protection from the
to draw upon that power more readily. general brutality of society.
 Starting Skills: The Dark Eldar begins with one rank The coven, cult, or kabal your character is sworn to has
in Perception. You still may not train this skill above helped your character grow and prosper somehow. Your
rank 3 during character creation. character begins the game with 50 starting XP that can only
be used to purchase talents or skills at character creation.
 Evil Eye: Followers of the Cruel Demise may gain the
These experience points are not included in the starting
effect of Power Through Pain from ranged combat
experience from the character’s species, and so cannot be spent
checks they make against targets within medium range
to increase characteristics.
(they still must meet the criteria to activate the ability).
Dark Eldar have access to many of the same talents that
any other Explorer would have throughout the ROGUE TRADER
GENESYS sourcebook. The flavour should be changed in favour
to reflect the Dark Eldar’s malicious attitudes to all living
things as they do no worship the God-Emperor, but could still
display a fury no less than mankind. This section adds
additional talents specifically for Dark Eldar player characters
to utilize.
 1
1–6
TALENT RANKED SOURCE
Tier: 1
TIER 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes Fearsome Yes Page 32
When an opponent becomes engaged with your character Power From Pain No Page 32
during a combat encounter, the opponent must make a Fear TIER 2
check. The difficulty of the Fear check is equal to your
Practiced Cruelty No Page 32
character’s ranks in Fearsome. At the GM’s discretion, some
Cutting Question No Page 32
adversaries may be immune to this talent.
Siphon Pain Yes Page 32

TIER 3
Adrenalight No Page 32
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental) Mandrake’s Touch No Page 33

Ranked: No Tormentor’s Supremacy No Page 33

This character may add +1 damage for each Critical Injury they Tormentor’s Vigour No Page 33
are suffering from until the end of the encounter. This character
TIER 4
adds +10 to any Critical Injury they inflict while under this
Sharks of the Void Adrenalight Adrenalight
effect.
This talent may only be used after triggering the Power
Through Pain ability.
Tier: 2
2 Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
This character may gain the Power Through Pain effect when
an engaged ally causes a rival or nemesis adversary to suffer.
Tier: 2
The ally does not have to be a Dark Eldar, but does have to
Activation: Active (Incidental)
meet the criteria for triggering the Power Through Pain ability.
Ranked: No
Increase the range of this effect by one range band per rank in
When attempting a Coercion or Deception check, the Dark
Siphon Pain.
Eldar may suffer a number of strain to downgrade the difficulty
of the check a number of times equal to the strain suffered.
Alternatively, when the character is the target of a Coercion or 3
Deception check, the character may suffer a number of strain
to upgrade the difficulty of the check a number of times equal
to the strain suffered. This number cannot exceed their ranks in
Tier: 3
Practiced Cruelty.
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to become disoriented for
Tier: 2 the remainder of the encounter. At the beginning of each of
Activation: Active (Incidental) your character’s turns, if they are still disoriented due to this
Ranked: No talent, they heal 2 strain.
Your character may use this talent before making a Coercion
check to use Deception and Willpower instead. When the
character uses this talent, the player must explain how, in this
particular instance, the Deception skill is helping to erode the
foe's resolve.
Tier: 3 Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action) Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
The character targets a single minion group or rival within long The character may spend a Story Point to activate this talent.
range and makes a Hard (kKkKk)K Coercion check. If When an engaged adversary suffers wounds, this character
successful, that target flees the encounter. At the GM's heals 3 wounds. When an engaged adversary suffers strain, this
discretion, these NPCs may not flee due to extenuating character recovers 3 strain. This effect may only activate once
circumstances (such as if there is no realistic path or means to per round and lasts until the end of the encounter or scene.
leave the encounter). This talent may only be used after triggering the Power
This talent may only be used after triggering the Power Through Pain ability.
Through Pain ability.
4
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental) Tier: 4
Ranked: No Activation: Active (Incidental)
This character may spend two Story Points to active this talent. Ranked: No
When they do, the character becomes immune to the effects of After making a Piloting check, your character may spend t
poisons and disease, the stagger and immobilize condition, and or a a from the results to use this talent to make a combat
any Critical Injury result other than one that would destroy check as a maneuver.
them outright. In addition, the character no longer needs to
breathe and ignores the dangers of most environmental
hazards. Critical Injuries caused by psychic powers, force
weapons, or holy attacks still confer their results as normal.
This effect lasts until the end of the encounter or scene.
This talent may only be used after triggering the Power
Through Pain ability.
 xplorers created in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS hail from  Ship-Bound Fighter: When fighting in cramped or
all parts of the Imperium, each a unique flame in the confined spaces (like on a starship or in tunnels) your
darkness of the void. character adds a to Initiative checks they make. When
This chapter adds four new Home Worlds for human fighting in open spaces, your character removes a
characters, new talents, and the awesome and terrifying psychic from Initiative checks they make instead.
discipline of the Psykana Malifica.

Within the Imperium of Man there are those who sit at the
These player options follow all the rules as described in pinnacle of power—the nobility and the ruling elite. Over time,
Chapter I of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS and are designed for a Rogue Trader may find that their empire is growing. The
human Explorers. Players may choose to use any Home World dynasty now has fleets of ships, planetary fiefdoms, and
they wish when creating their character. thousands of house soldiers to call upon. To ensure that this
legacy continues, the lords and ladies of the dynasty designate
an heir-apparent in whatever fashion is deemed appropriate by
their customs. These sons and daughters may find themselves
The great Battlefleets of the Imperial Navy are among the most struggling for the favour of their dynastic leaders in an effort to
ordered and disciplined organizations in the Imperium. The be worthy of succession.
men and women of the Imperial Navy’s officer class stand
The children of the Rogue Trader clans are instructed in
apart, even from other Void Born. They have their own culture,
all manner of subjects mundane and esoteric. They are assigned
and descend from a long and noble line of naval families and
the best tutors and mentors the clan can afford, and by the time
ship clans that can trace their lineage back millennia. It is with
the child enters adolescence, they are capable enough to be sent
great distinction that these members serve the Golden Throne,
out into the wider galaxy (typically with bodyguard entourage
persecuting renegades and pirates in the name of God-Emperor
in tow). They have been afforded every advantage, as the future
of Mankind. Many battlefleet members can trace their origins
of their dynasty rests upon their shoulders. Rogue Trader heirs
to the rulers of worlds that administer the battlefleets’ ships.
are often assigned one of the family’s void ships under the
Here their families collect and organize battle-won wealth,
command of one of their most capable captains or a family
judiciously managing the spoils of war so that the great
scion that has more days behind him than ahead. They are then
battlefleets may continue to serve the God-Emperor with
given a stipend and sent to learn about the unforgiving galaxy.
distinction and honour.
If along the way they make gains for the family, so much the
You were born to a life aboard ship. Nothing stirs your better. Some return upon their majority to assume the title they
blood more than sailing the void or facing pirate ships with gun have been ordained for; others are never seen or heard from
batteries locked. Yours is a tradition of bravery, honour, again.
sacrifice, and adventure. The void is where you truly feel alive.
You have been gifted with immense rank and privilege,
You see yourself as born leader and commander, and a Rogue
and the immense responsibilities to go with them. Trained in
Trader’s ship offers both a desired challenge and a chance to
command and the intricacies of commerce, you are ambitious
write your legacy amongst the stars.
and perhaps even a bit devious. However, duplicity is the
Starting Abilities: Battlefleet characters gain the trademark of a child of your dynasty, and you know your trade
following starting abilities: well. You will use every shred of ingenuity to ensure your
 Void Born Ancestry: Begin the game with one rank in family’s name survives in the cruel and uncaring world of the
either Discipline or Coordination. You still may not 41st Millennium.
train this skill above rank 2 during character creation. Starting Abilities: Child of Dynasty gain the following
 Officer on Deck: This character adds jJ when making starting abilities:
Leadership checks (or other checks to inspire, lead, or  Molded for Greatness: Begin the game with one rank
rally an audience). Inspired targets also add jJ to any in any non-career skill. You still may not train this skill
subsequent Discipline checks they make over the next above rank 2 during character creation.
24 standard hours
 Dynastic Warrant: Choose one personal starship with
a silhouette of 5 or greater. It gains 3 additional Hard
 Points. Each additional character with this Home World
increases the same starship’s Hard Points by 1 instead.
 Honour Among Peers: While aboard their chosen The Schola Progenium takes children whose parents have
starship, this character reduces any strain suffered from perished in the service of the Emperor, from daughters of
social skill checks that target them by 1. Imperial Guard Officers killed on the battlefield, to sons of
administrators lost in the far reaches of the Imperial space, and
trains them to become the backbone of Imperial society. Those
who pass through the Schola Progenium are called progena,
There are few sectors within the Imperium of Man free from and they receive an education like no other.
constant war. To contain the greatest threats, whole worlds The fundamental part of life in the Schola Progenium is
have been established to act as bastions. Called fortress worlds, harsh discipline. From the day they first don their grey garb,
the entire populace is immersed in warfare; they constantly the progena learn that the God-Emperor has no use for infirmity
train for the day they may be called upon to defend the of purpose or weakness, and pain is merely an illusion of the
Imperium, and they take their duty very seriously. Fortress untrained mind. A progena’s education moves through
worlds are established as bulwarks against the enemy. Every predetermined phases, beginning with literacy and the Imperial
citizen is a solider, trained to fight from the moment they can Creed, and progressing on through history, politics, and the
handle a weapon. Perhaps the best-known fortress world is the contemplation of Imperial saints, rhetoric and leadership skills.
planet of Cadia—a world standing at the end of the Cadian Gate The curriculum does not stop at honing the intellect either as
against the forces of the Eye of Terror. The Imperial Guard’s all progena are trained in physical endurance and skill at arms
best and most celebrated regiments often come from fortress by the infamous drill abbots.
worlds. Life in the halls of a Schola has guided your character’s
Life on a fortress world is steeped in military discipline beliefs and understanding of their role within the Imperium. A
and doctrine. From the moment the citizens wake, until they go Rogue Trader from this walk of life may be a powerful militant,
to sleep they train and operate as a military unit. All citizens of pushing into the darkness to bring forth the Emperor’s light and
fortress worlds prepare for the day they are called upon to push burn away all that stand in humanity’s way. There are no
back the darkness that sits beyond their crenelated walls. Cities questions to be raised and no moral ambiguities to be pondered
are giant fortresses studded with artillery weapons, and when it comes to the survival of mankind. You are well
industry is focused almost exclusively on manufacturing prepared to meet any challenge and show contempt for what
machines of war. Those old enough to enlist in the Imperial others consider hardship.
Guard or Planetary Defense Forces are often required to do so, Starting Abilities: Schola Progenium characters gain the
and even those too young or infirm find ways to serve. It’s not following starting abilities:
uncommon to have whole generations of a family in service to
the Imperium at one time, and many such Imperial Guard  Schola Educated: Begin the game with one rank in
regiments boast a rich and proud history. Melee or Ranged (Light). You still may not train this
skill above rank 2 during character creation.
From the moment you could walk and hold a weapon,
every waking moment of your life has been spent training to  Tempered Resolve: Heretics, daemons, sorcerers,
fight and kill the enemies of the God-Emperor. You know the xenos, and other enemies of the Imperium add f f to
basics of combat and military tactics. You are disciplined, the results of any Charm or Coercion check targeting
honourable, loyal, and have the highest regard for integrity. this character.
However, the military doctrine that has surrounded you your  Progena Scholastica: Any Knowledge skill check
whole life has also made you inflexible and dogmatic. involving the Imperium of Mankind requires 50% less
Starting Abilities: Fortress Worlders gain the following time to complete.
starting abilities:
 Constant Combat Training: Begin the game with one
rank in Streetwise or Survival. You still may not train
this skill above rank 2 during character creation.
 Know Thy Enemy: Your character may make
Initiative checks using Knowledge (Scholastic) instead
of Cool or Vigilance.
 Steel Nerve: This character and allies within short
range add automatic s s to Fear checks they make
while benefiting from cover.
This section introduces the Psykana Malifica, a Psychic skill Concentration: Yes
that harnesses the power of the warp to call upon both foul Discipline: Psykana Malifica
energies and creatures. The character makes a Psykana Malifica skill check. The
default difficulty for the check is Easy (lL). If the check is
successful, the character conjures a one-handed melee weapon
with no moving parts (such as a sword or knife) or a Silhouette
The ways that a psyker can manifest formidable powers are 1 minion. These appear engaged with the character. The
almost limitless. While many of them are taught by the summoned creature or item remains present until the end of the
Scholastica Psykana of the Imperium and are grudgingly character’s next turn.
accepted by its rulers as useful and necessary, there are other, Any weapon summoned in this manner has the power
darker powers as well. These powers can manifest in ways that craftsmanship (see ROGUE TRADER GENESYS page 88), but
are truly dangerous and profoundly disturbing. cannot be damaged or disabled. If this weapon kills or inflicts
Any character eligible to take Psychic skills may have a Critical Injury on a living creature, the wielder must make an
Psykana Malifica as a career skill and gain ranks as normal. If Easy (kK) Corruption check at the end of the encounter.
a character would gain the Wyrdling mutation (page 220 in Increase the difficulty of this Corruption check by one each
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS), they may choose to take Psykana additional time this weapon kills or causes a Critical Injury (to
Malifica instead of rolling. a maximum of Formidable [kKkKkKkKk]K ). These weapons
ignore the Daemon ability's damage reduction and may harm
incorporeal creatures.

 Your character wants to curse enemies, weaken the veil If the character summons a warp minion, the creature
between the warp and realspace, and summon behaves in the best approximation of its natural instincts (as
Daemonic creatures to do their bidding. determined by the GM). It is not controlled by the character
and will be hostile to them. In a structured encounter, it takes
 Your character wishes to create truly diabolic weapons its turn immediately after the character. Any character who
such as Daemonhosts or unholy armaments. summons creatures with this power must make an upgraded
 Your character wishes to die a horrible death and suffer Corruption check at the end of the scene or encounter with the
eternally in the realms of Chaos as the Dark Gods’ same difficulty as the creature summoned (including any jJ).
plaything.
Before making a conjure check, choose any number of
additional effects listed on Table 2–2: Conjure Additional
Effects. These effects are added to the check.
 Your character wishes to understand the nature of a
Daemon. That would require Knowledge (Forbidden) Conjure in Narrative Encounters: While many of the
instead. structured encounter rules suffice for what can be done in
 Your character wants to send messages across the narrative encounters, this power may have many other uses.
vastness of space. That would be the domain of an Depending upon the complexity of the entity being summoned
Astropath. and for what purpose, the GM should consider a few factors.
For instance, summoning a warp minion to murder all living
creatures within sight is simple enough, but attempting to call
2–1 forth a more intelligent daemon to ask it absolute truths about
POWER PSYKANA MALIFICA
the universe is a dangerous undertaking.
Furthermore, the items and creatures created through
ATTACK ✓
Conjure are vile and unnatural and no sane individual may
AUGMENT ✓
mistake such things otherwise. Your GM should ensure that
CONJURE ✓ NPCs react appropriately to this (at the very least, upgrading
CURSE ✓ the difficulty of all social skill checks twice). Characters of
strong faith in the God-Emperor may be even more violent
HEAL ✓
against psykers that practice this power.
UTILITY ✓
 2–2
EFFECTS DIFFICULTY MOD
Additional Summon: This power summons one additional weapon or creature. In addition, you may spend aa to summon
+kK
one additional weapon or creature (and may trigger this multiple times, spending a a each time).

Medium Summon: The character may summon a rival no larger than silhouette 1 or a two-handed melee weapon. +kK
Range: Increase the range of the power (the distance from the character that the summoned item or creature appears) by one range
band. This may be added multiple times, increasing the range by one range band each time. +kK
Grand Summon: The character may summon a rival of up to silhouette 3 +kKkK
Subjugation: The creature the character summons is obedient to them and obeys their commands. If this creature has the Terrifying
ability, it does not affect the psyker or friendly allies (they may still be disgusted). The psyker may spend a maneuver to direct the
creature, allowing them to determine its action and maneuver. If the psyker summons multiple creatures, the character may spend +kKkK
one maneuver on their turn to direct the turns of all summoned creatures.

Tier: 2
There are many paths to power in the 41st Millennium and,
Activation: Passive
without a doubt, those men and women of unimportance to the
Ranked: No
grand schemes that move the Imperium desire nothing less than
When your character makes a Boarding action, they may use
to be on top. These new talents offer power to those who are
Discipline instead of Leadership. Once per session, while this
not afraid to do whatever it takes to move ahead—even if they
character is known to be onboard any starship, you may spend
must tread a path that others would call heretical.
a Story Point to recover 5 Crew Morale (this cannot cause Crew
Morale to exceed its maximum rating).
2
Tier: 2
Tier: 2 Activation: Active (Incidental)
Activation: Passive Ranked: No
Ranked: No After making a social skill check to influence others, the
When your character makes a combat check using a weapon character may remove h h from the results, as long as the
with the Burn item quality, the attack inflicts additional damage target of the check recognizes the authourity of the Warrant of
equal to the weapon’s Burn rating (this does not increase the Trade.
weapon’s base damage).

Tier: 2
Tier: 2 Activation: Active (Incidental)
Activation: Active (Incidental) Ranked: No
Ranked: No Only a Navigator may benefit from this talent. A Navigator
Only a character with a warp presence may purchase this may perform a small ritual and add jJ to their next
talent. Your character may make use Psyniscience instead of Astrocartography check when charting a course through the
Cool or Vigilance when determining Initiative. In addition, this warp (page 161 of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). The ritual
character now automatically detects the source of any performed can take many forms and more elaborate or
Navigator powers and Psychic skills used within medium dangerous rituals may add additional benefits at the GM’s
range. discretion.
 2–2
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes TALENT RANKED SOURCE
Only a character with a warp presence may purchase this TIER 2
talent. When your character gains this talent, decide on a single Cleanse and Purify No Page 37
power consisting of a particular psychic action (such as Attack Improved Warp Sense No Page 37
or Augment) and a specific set of one or more effects (such as
Into the Jaws of Hell No Page 37
Fire and Range). Your character may make a skill check to
invoke this power using Intellect and Knowledge (Forbidden) Renowned Warrant No Page 37

with that exact combination of action and effects. Signature Ritual No Page 37

Each additional time this talent is purchased, you may Sorcery Yes Page 38
choose two additional combinations of powers and add it to TIER 3
your character’s repertoire of dark arts. Blather (Improved) No Page 38
Sorcerers do not count as a psyker and do not gain any Communion No Page 38
benefits from psychic implements, but they are still effected by
Frenzy (Improved) No Page 39
items, psykers, Navigators, Untouchables, and other creatures
Lightning Reflexes Yes Page 39
that would affect the warp around them. A Sorcerer is subject
to the rules described starting on page 54 of ROGUE TRADER Sorcery (Improved) No Page 39
GENESYS with the following notable exception: Take Them Alive No Page 39

 A sorcerer can only use the concentration psychic TIER 4

maneuver (see page 61 of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). Master and Commander No Page 39
 A sorcerer must have a free hand and be able to speak The Flesh is Weak No Page 39
clearly or add jJ to checks to invoke their power.
 A sorcerer must be able to gesture freely and cannot
wear heavy armour (+2 soak or more) or be physically 3
restricted in some other manner. If they wear heavy
armour or are restricted they add jJ jJ to checks to
invoke their power. Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
 Whenever a sorcerer is required to roll on Table 1–17:
Ranked: No
Psychic Phenomena (page 63 of ROGUE TRADER
Your character must have purchased the Blather talent to
GENESYS); they add +5 to the result of the roll (in
benefit from this talent. The character may make a Hard
addition to any other modifiers).
(kKkKk)K Charm or Deception check instead of the usual effect
Your GM should ensure that loyalist NPCs react
of Blather. If they succeed, a number of targets equal to this
appropriately to the use of sorcery (at the very least, upgrading
character’s ranks in the chosen skill downgrade the ability of
the difficulty of social skill checks twice). This talent
their next skill check once when targeting this character’s
represents damnable knowledge for the user and all who
allies.
harbour them. The various Ordos of the Inquisition and many
such followers of the Ecclesiarchy do not look favourably upon
those who dabble in sorcery and even the lax laws aboard a
Rogue Trader’s ship are not enough to overlook these deeds. Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Only psykers may benefit from this talent. When your character
uses the Conjure psychic power, adding the Subjugation effect
does not increase the difficulty. The summoned creature
remains for the duration of the encounter even if your character
does not use a concentrate maneuver to maintain the power.
 Whenever the summoned creature suffers strain from
Warp Flux, the psyker suffers the same amount of strain. At the 4
end of the encounter or scene, the psyker increases the
difficulty of the Corruption check they make once.
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Tier: 3
Your character may use Leadership when making a check to
Activation: Passive
determine Initiative, instead of Cool or Vigilance. They may
Ranked: No
spend t from this Initiative check to add s to the results of
Your character must have purchased the Frenzy talent to
all allies’ checks made during the first round of combat. While
benefit from this talent. Your character can now use Psychic
using this talent aboard a starship the Rogue Trader controls,
skills and the Parry talent while they are frenzied.
all checks made by the crew add s during the first round in
addition to important allies.
Allies must be able to hear and see this character to benefit
Tier: 3 from this talent, which may be done through vox systems and
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
vidscreens while on a starship.
Ranked: Yes
When targeted by a combat check, the character may spend a
Story Point to add f equal to their ranks in Coordination to
the check. Your character may use this talent a number of times Tier: 4
per session equal to their ranks in Lightning Reflexes. Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Only an Explorator may benefit from this talent. An Explorator
who gains this talent no longer needs to breathe, eat, or drink,
Tier: 3 can survive in vacuum and underwater (but may not be able to
Activation: Active (Incidental) swim due to their shape and mass), and is immune to poisons
Ranked: No and toxins, Fear checks, and mind-influencing psychic effects.
Only a character with the Sorcery talent may benefit from this
Any mental traumas the character might have suffered
talent. Before making a check to use the Sorcery talent, your
from are removed and a similar number of appropriate mental
character may choose to suffer a number of wounds no greater
traumas replace them. Additionally, the character may only be
than their ranks in Sorcery to add an equal number of s to
“healed” by using the Tech-Use skill or an appropriate Psychic
their check. In addition, this character does not add jJ for skill and cannot benefit from Stimm (painkillers).
wearing heavy armor (armor with +2 soak or higher) or not
Their new metal form grants the Explorator +1 soak that
having at least one hand free.
stacks with other forms of soak. This character no longer
decreases their strain threshold when gaining cybernetics and
may install a number of mechadendrites equal to their Brawn,
Tier: 3 plus 2. Finally, this character adds h to all Presence-based
Activation: Active (Incidental) social skill checks against non-Mechanicus followers, but adds
Ranked: No s to Coercion checks. At the GM’s discretion, this effect may
When your character makes a combat check targeting a living not apply when interacting with those who knew your character
opponent, they may use this talent to deal strain damage instead very well before their ascension.
of wounds, and inflict additional strain damage equal to their
ranks in Knowledge (Scholastic).
 he xenos harbours strange weapons, armours, and
devices, each meant to service in the annihilation of all
those who would stand against them. From the brutally
effective Orks and their weapons of crude violence to the
For simplicity, a xenos PC follows the same rules for
elegant Eldar and their molecular-thin weapons of bloodless
ammunition described in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS
death, the Calixis Sector sees a seemingly endless array of
(see page 99) when using their own weapons. If a
wargear. Rogue Traders have a knack for finding these
character were attempting to find ammo for a weapon
wondrous, if not heretical; devices in their travels, but only the
from another species, they would count the rarity of
masters of these tools draw out their true strength.
ammo as equal to the weapon. The weapon’s rarity still
follows the rules defined in Item Availability on this
page.
This section lists some of the more interesting items that the
each xenos might employ. However, this section is not an
exhaustive list.
Xenos PCs should utilize Chapter II: The Armoury in In a galaxy of guns and swords, Ork weapons stand apart. Ork
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS as a source for many items. Xenos weapon design is slavishly devoted to two principles—bigger
are just as likely to have weapons and armour of different is always better, and more is always better. As an Explorer
craftsmanship, and they employ similar melee weapon player character, this Ork philosophy should couple well with
technologies within their arsenals. Item attachments are a Rogue Trader’s desires.
common among all inhabitants of the universe and many
examples of cybernetics are seen throughout.

In a galaxy of guns and swords, Ork weapons stand apart. Ork

weapon design is slavishly devoted to two principles—bigger
At the GM’s discretion, certain items like grenades, is always better, and more is always better. Ork ranged
consumables, and most cybernetics may be available at a weapons are loud and spray their deadly ammunition far and
similar rarity if the alien could reasonably have an equivalent wide and melee weapons appear as crude, heavy, and
version of the item. In all other cases when acquisitioning
weapons, armour, or gear from a different species, increase
the rarity of the item by 2.
This acquisition should also not be left to a roll alone and For an Ork, Gunz include anything that fires a projectile,
the players should have to find brokers who are willing to missile, or anything that can kill someone from a distance.
exchange such illegal things. Ultimately, gaining a piece of When any non-Ork attempts to use an Ork ranged weapon,
xenos equipment should be an endeavour onto itself. h can be spent to make it jam.

All xenos wargear may be repaired, modified, and maintained Orks take savage delight in the pure destructive power of fire.
via the rules for item maintenance (see GENESYS Core To that end, they have created a wide variety of flame weapons
Rulebook page 89). However, alien technology may operate on simply named burnas. Enterprising Orks know that a burna is
different principles. not just a weapon, but a tool for looting.

Whenever a different species attempts a Tech-Use check An Ork may spend a maneuver to convert a Burna into a
to repair, modify, or maintain an item of different origin than melee weapon with the following profile: (Melee; Damage 7;
themselves, they upgrade the difficulty of the Tech-Use check Critical 2; Range [Engaged]; Cumbersome 3, Sunder). A burna
once. A relevant talent or skill related to the xenos species may requires two hands to wield.
adjust this difficulty at the GM’s discretion.
 3–1
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
MELEE
Big Choppa Melee (+4) 3 Engaged 4 3 4 Cumbersome 3, Pierce 1, Vicious 3

Choppa Melee (+3) 3 Engaged 2 2 4 Vicious 2

Grabba Stikk Melee (+2) 4 Short 3 1 4 Ensnare 3, Unwieldy 2

Breach 1, Cumbersome 3,
Power Klaw Brawl 7 2 Engaged 5 0 6
Reinforced, Sunder, Vicious 3

ENERGY
Blast 8, Burn 2, Cumbersome 3,
Burna Ranged (Heavy) 10 3 Short 5 3 5
Prepare 1

Snazzgun Ranged (Heavy) 9 3 Extreme 4 3 6 Linked 2

SOLID PROJECTILE
Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 3,
Big Shoota Ranged (Heavy) 8 3 Medium 4 3 5
Inaccurate 1, Pierce 2
Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 4,
Deffgun Gunnery 12 2 Long 7 4 6
Inaccurate 1, Pierce 4
Slugga Ranged (Light) 6 3 Short 2 2 5 Inaccurate 1, Linked 1, Pierce 1

A deffgun is a favourite amongst Loota Boyz for its immense Ork melee weapons operate on a simple principle, “The bigger,
sound and hailstorm of bullets. It is so large it must be mounted sharper, pointier, and ‘urtier, the better.” When any non-Ork
on a special firing rig strapped to an Ork’s broad shoulders. It attempts to use an Ork melee weapon, it loses the Vicious
is impossible for a human to fit into a deffgun rig without heavy quality.
augmentics or thick slabs of vat-grown muscle.
After using a deffgun during an encounter, the user adds
jJ on any Vigilance or Perception check made to hear for the Simple, but effective, slabs of metal that are beaten into shape
next hour.
and sharpened to one edge. The common Choppa can be seen
in any self-respecting Orks armoury. Larger and fiercer looking
than the common Choppa, Big Choppas are brutal two-handed
Loud and unbalanced, the Ork slugga can be considered weapons.
anything that can fire a projectile—with varying results. To the
Ork mind, bigger is always better, and as the name suggests, a
big shoota is a larger and more destructive version of the
Ork slavers known as Runtherdz commonly use grabba stikks.
standard Ork slugga, though the word “standard” can only be
Consisting of a sturdy metal pole, a deceptively simple pulley
used in the loosest possible sense when applied to Ork
system, and an articulated barbed claw, grabba stikks are used
technology.
to capture and restrain potential slaves.

The Orks known as Flash Gitz love to spend as many teeth as

Within Ork society, a power klaw is a symbol of status as much
possible on upgrading their guns into new and more dangerous
as a weapon. Orks often amputate their own arms and graft a
versions known as Snazzguns. These weapons can be highly
power klaw to the stump, taking the weapon as an augmentic
individualized, but all share one characteristic—they are
implant. Implanting a power klaw is treated as any other
extremely lethal. These weapons are often upgraded with crude
cybernetic and the Ork decreases his strain threshold by 1. An
bionics to increase accuracy
implanted power klaw reduces its encumbrance to 0.
This weapon has the power weapon technology already
applied to its profile. An Ork may trigger the Knockdown item
quality without spending a.
 3–2
NAME DEFENSE SOAK ENCUMBRANCE HARD POINTS RARITY
CLOTHING
Snazzy Attire 0 (+1) 2 1 6

Squighide Leathers 0 (+2) 2 2 3

ARMOUR
‘Eavy Armour 1 (+2) 4 4 5

Looted Armour 0 (+2) 3 2 4

Mega Armour 1 (+3) 7 4 8

FORCE FIELD
Kustom Force Field 3 – 2 0 8

The GM may spend d on a successful hit to reduce any

damage this weapon deals by 4 (before applying soak). A The most potent personal defense, this suit consists of thick
player may spend t on a successful hit to add the Pierce 5 plasteel plates, scavenged power-exoskeletons, and other bits
quality to the current attack. and gubbins of military and industrial detritus. Each suit is
custom built for its wearer, typically a flashy, domineering
Nob, but oftentimes a Warboss or other high-ranking Ork.
These ponderous, clanking, smoke-belching suits of armour
Ork clothing is known for its practicality as an Ork has little allow an Ork Warboss or Nob to stand toe to toe with the
need for more protective uniforms due to their resilient galaxy’s fiercest enemies.
physiology. Armour usually consists of massive plates of metal
Mega armour follows all the rules for power armour (see
or “looted” goods cobbled together on the battlefield. In
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS page 92).
general, Orks cannot wear human armour, as it is far too small,
and humans cannot wear Ork armour, as it is far too unwieldy
and cumbersome.

Freebooterz, Ork mercenaries occasionally employed

‘Eavy armour has a ramshackle, improvised appearance. Often
by Rogue Traders, tend to be more open-minded than
assembled from scrap metal scavenged from the battlefield,
most Orks, willing to see non-greenskins as something
‘eavy armour offers far more protection than its humble origin
other than enemies, and often inclined to learn other
would suggest.
languages. Freebooterz often affect piratical or naval-
style outfits—mixed haphazardly with the squig-hide
leather and scavenged armour plates that Orks typically
Many Meks construct force fields to better protect them whilst wear. Their melee weapons tend to skew towards
they tinker away. Such a device follows all the rules for force “bigger is better” weapons, capable of disabling an
fields (see page 92 in ROGUE TRADER GENESYS). enemy in one decisive crushing blow. Ranged weapons
follow a similar trend, the louder the weapon the better.
Orks often describe this phenomenon as “shootier” or
Orks love of war often leaves entire fields filled with the dead “more dakka”.
of both the brutal creatures and their victims. For most Orks, In essence, one can tell what recent battlefields a Rogue
these graveyards represent an open-air market from which all Trader has been on by the attire of a present Ork
manner of weaponry, armour, and loot can be pilfered. The Freebooter.
astute can recognize recent conflicts that an Ork has partaken
in by noting how many other species armour has been
fashioned together into something bordering on functional
protection.
 3–3
Ork Weirdboyz often carry large copper rods. These staves can
ITEM NAME ENCUM RARITY serve as a primitive psy focus and also occasionally act as a
DRUGS & CONSUMABLES grounding rod for the Weirdboy, channeling the energy of the
Fungus Beer 1 2 Waaagh! away from him.
PSYCHIC IMPLEMENT When your character generates t while manifesting a
Copper Channeling Rod 2 5 power, you may roll jJ and add it to the results, in addition to
TOOLS spending the t normally. When your character generates d
Boss Pole 2 6
while manifesting a power with this implement, you must roll

Iron Gob 2 6
jJ and add it to the results, in addition to spending the d
normally.

Freebootaz and Orks from the Blood Axes Klan might not care After a long day of killing foes and performing his great deeds
for human regulations, but they do understand that value of a of the day, a greenskin looking to sit and not think for a while
bright red sash, a decorated hat, or a long-tailed coat with many can pour himself a nice tankard of fungus beer. Every Ork has
shiny—if meaningless—badges on the breast. a recipe for fungus beer, each one usually vile and unpalatable
When wearing snazzy attire, an Ork character removes jJ to anyone without an iron stomach. Still, you could do worse
from any Charm, Deception, or Negotiation checks they make at some of the seedier hab districts of Footfall.
with humans and other Orks who might see the value in having When an Ork drinks fungus beer, he upgrades Discipline
humans around. checks made to resist Fear and Coercion once until the end of
the scene or encounter. A non-Ork becomes disorient for the
next two rounds instead.
Made from the tanned hides of the common squig, these heavy
leathers are the most common type of Ork armor. Capable of
being dyed, Orks often use the colour of their squighide to These massive metal facial appliances are bolted onto an Ork’
show allegiance to a particular Clan or Warboss. lower jaw, exaggerating the already fearsome appearance of
the hulking green brutes.
When an Ork wearing an iron gob is targeted by a social
skill check that would inflict strain, the character performing
Shiny bits, seemingly useless baubles, and “flashy” things Orks
the check suffers 1 strain. An iron gob has an encumbrance of
like to have around. While impressive to Orks, most items are
0 while “worn.”
useless, dangerous, or both!

Many nobz and warbosses wear a big pole strapped to their

back adorned with skulls, sharp bits, and metal Ork glyphs, to
show other Orks they’re not to be messed with.
A boss pole adds s when making Coercion or
Leadership checks against other Orks.
 The Kroot hunting rifle employs modified ammunition and an
In the field of weapons research and construction, the Tau are
improved firing mechanism, resulting in increased range and
extremely advanced, making good use of stable plasma
drastic reduction in noise when fired. Kroot forces using these
generation and containment technology, as well as magnetic
weapons have employed them as sniper rifles, wielding them
induction coils to propel solid slug munitions at supersonic
to eliminate key enemy personnel before launching a
speeds.
devastating assault.
This weapon may be used as either a Ranged (Light) or
Melee weapon with the profiles listed on Table 3–4.
The Kroot are mercenaries by trade and have no qualms with
using the devices of other species. Kroot Player Characters do
not increase the rarity of Tau or human weapons and The weapon operates by creating a stream of highly ionized
equipment. particles and using advanced electro-magnetic fields to direct
them at a target. These weapons are highly experimental and
have been put into service as a variant to sniper rifles used
among Pathfinders.
In the field of weapons research and construction, the Tau are
extremely advanced, making good use of stable plasma As an incidental, this weapon may be fired in overcharged
generation and containment technology, as well as magnetic mode. While in overcharged mode, the weapon gains the
induction coils to propel solid slug munitions at supersonic Breach 1 quality. After firing, this weapon runs out of ammo.
speeds.

Pulse weapons are marvels of Tau technology and the standard

Every citizen of the Sept world must be educated and trained, arms of the Tau military. Pulse weapons operate by launching
so Tau weaponry must be effective and simple to any an unstable particle, via an induction field, at the target. As the
occupation, but powerful enough to reduce foes to slag. Baring particle leaves the barrel of the weapon, it breaks down,
the dangers of plasma weaponry, the Ethereal cast sought for a generating a plasma pulse of significant size. Each pulse
safer alternative with similar punching power—the pulse weapon also features a gyro-stabilized aiming system, allowing
plasma weapon was born. However, the Tau also employ for greater accuracy at extended ranges.
highly experimental weapons that use linear accelerators to All Tau pulse weapons reduce the difficulty of ranged
launch mass or ionized particles directed by electro-magnetic combat checks at long and extreme ranges once. In addition,
fields. Tau pulse weapons cannot jam by spending h.

3–4
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
ENERGY
Ion Rifle Ranged (Heavy) 8 2 Long 4 3 7 Auto-Fire, Vicious 2

Longshot Pulse Accurate 1, Pierce 1, Prepare 1,

Ranged (Heavy) 10 2 Extreme 4 2 7
Rifle Vicious 2
Cumbersome 2, Pierce 1,
Pulse Carbine Ranged (Heavy) 7 2 Medium 3 0 4
Unwieldy 2, Vicious 2

Pulse Pistol Ranged (Light) 6 2 Medium 2 1 4 Pierce 1, Vicious 2

Pulse Rifle Ranged (Heavy) 8 2 Long 4 2 4 Auto-Fire, Pierce 1, Vicious 2

Rail Rifle Gunnery 12 2 Extreme 6 3 8 Breach 1, Prepare 1, Vicious 3

SOLID PROJECTILE
Kroot Rifle Ranged (Heavy) 8 2 Extreme 4 2 6 Accurate 2

Kroot Rifle (Melee

Melee +3 3 Engaged – – – Pierce 2, Vicious 1
Profile)
The specialized pulse carbine variant sacrifices distance in Many of the Tau Empire’s greatest heroes are its battlesuit
order to incorporate an under-slung grenade launcher. Most pilots, warriors who have earned the rank of Commander and
pulse carbines in the Expanse have been modified to fire the carved their name into the memory of the Fire caste. While
wide variety of human grenades available. there are many battlesuits utilized throughout the Tau Empire,
The pulse carbine launcher has the following profile: the two most common—by a Rogue Trader’s standard—are the
(Ranged [Heavy]; Damage 8; Critical 4; Range [Medium], XV25 Stealth Battlesuit and the XV8 Crisis Battlesuit.
Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1). Any grenade may be loaded to gain All battlesuits are treated as power armour for mechanical
its specific profile, but retains the range and Limited Ammo 1 consistency (see ROGUE TRADER GENESYS page 90). All
quality. weapons attached to a battlesuit are implanted, can only be
replaced with at least one hour of labour, and would be
impossible to fire without being mounted onto the battlesuit.
In addition to their advanced battlesuits, the Tau employ A battlesuit has a variety of specialized primary systems.
traditional armours. All Tau armours and battlesuits feature a The blacklight filter allows sight normally even in areas of total
blacksun filter, so they never suffer penalties for areas of total darkness, and is immune to the effects of blinding from flashes.
darkness or for fighting in areas of dim or no lighting. In Environmental sealing means a battlesuit is immune to effects
addition, they are immune to blinding effects from grenades of smoke, dangerous breathing environments, vacuum,
and other flashbang weaponry. underwater conditions, and other such effects.
A battlesuit can fly (see GENESYS Core Rulebook page
100) in structured encounters or up to five minutes in narrative
The Fire caste uses body armour of a similar design and time. When falling any distance, a pilot may make an Easy (kK)
construction to that of carapace armour. It consists of impact Discipline check as an incidental; on a success, this character
resistant synthetic plates, layered over a loose-fitting but does not suffer any damage and lands on their feet. Tasks that
durable bodysuit. Sensors in the helmet allow for simple require fine manipulation are impossible while piloting a
upgrades to be fitted like blacksun filters or target locks, and battlesuit and the GM may rule that any particular skill or talent
the vision slots are pre-configured to see markerlights. cannot be used while piloting a battlesuit.

Recon armour is a lighter version of combat armour. The

reduced weight diminishes the protection it provides, but the
increased mobility it allows has proven popular with Tau
Pathfinder teams. A character wearing this armour adds jJ to
any Stealth check they make.

3–5
NAME DEFENSE SOAK ENCUMBRANCE HARD POINTS RARITY
ARMOUR
Tau Combat Armour 1 (+2) 3 2 5

Tau Recon Armour 1 (+1) 2 1 5

BATTLESUITS
XV25 Stealth Battlesuit 2 (+1) 3 2 8

XV8 Crisis Battlesuit 1 (+2) 4 3 8

XV9 Hazard Battlesuit 1 (+3) 4 4 8

XV88 Broadside Battlesuit 1 (+2) 5 5 8

 3–6
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
ENERGY
Burst Cannon Gunnery 7 3 Short 3 1 6 Auto-Fire, Pierce 2, Vicious 1

Fusion Blaster Gunnery 9 2 Short 3 1 6 Breach 1

Accurate 1, Breach 1, Planetary

Heavy Rail Rifle Gunnery 2 3 Extreme 7 3 7
Scale
Auto-Fire, Pierce 2, Reliable,
Phased Ion Guns Gunnery 6 2 Short 2 1 5
Vicious 2
Plasma Rifle Gunnery 8 2 Medium 5 2 8 Breach 1, Linked 2

SOLID PROJECTILE
Airbursting Blast 7, Guidance 4, Limited
Gunnery 9 4 Short 4 2 8
Fragmentation Projector Ammo 2
Missile Pod Gunnery 7 3 Long 3 2 7 Accurate 1, Breach 1, Linked 3

MELEE
Onager Gauntlet Brawl 15 2 Engaged 4 2 9 Breach 1, Reinforced, Sunder

The mass production model XV8 Crisis Battlesuit has carried Built to mount massive weapons, the bulky XV88 Broadside
countless battles for the Tau Empire. Its mobility, resilience, sacrifices maneuverability and speed for raw destructive
and the overwhelming firepower it can mount all make the power. These large battlesuits are frequently positioned far
XV8 one of the deadliest weapons platforms available, and from the front lines, for they can bring their deadly armaments
almost all members of the Fire caste aspire to reach the lofty to bear even at incredible range.
ranks of those entrusted with such machines. Any character wearing this battlesuit increases their
As a maneuver, the pilot may activate the advanced silhouette by 2, instead of 1. If the pilot makes no maneuvers
targeting systems and decrease the difficulty of the next this round, they may decrease the difficulty of the next ranged
combined combat check they make during the same turn by combat check made during this turn by one.
one.

Battlesuits are capable of mounting weapons far too large for

The XV9 is extremely adept at engaging foes at close range, normal infantry to wield. A skilled pilot in a battlesuit can hold
searing them apart with incredibly potent armaments while the line against forces many times greater than themselves or
using its photon casters and vectored retro-thrusters to stay just bring the full force of the battlesuit’s firepower down upon a
out of reach. Its larger size also provides its pilot with a greater powerful enemy.
degree of protection—an asset that have often taken advantage
The weapons listed in Table 3–6 count as attachments for
of by placing these suits in the way of a superior force.
any battlesuit. Battlesuit weapons cannot jam and only run out
Any character wearing this battlesuit increases their
of ammo by spending d d. Reloading battlesuit weapons
silhouette by 2, instead of 1. Once per encounter, the pilot may
takes considerable effort and cannot be performed in structured
use a maneuver to activate the knee-mounted photon caster.
encounters.
This resolves the effects of a photon flash grenade (page 85 of
ROGUE TRADER GENESYS) against targets within range,
excluding the battlesuit pilot.
Linked into a battlesuit’s sensor suite, a pilot is capable of
determining the exact angle to fire at in order to achieve best
results on any target in range. The projectile explodes in the air
above the target, filling the area with lethal shards of shrapnel.
Due to the bulk of this weapon system, it cannot be mounted
onto the XV25 Stealth Battlesuit.
 3–7
Phased ion guns represent an attempt to downscale the vehicle-
ITEM NAME RARITY mounted ion cannon and thus create a mass-production version
Command and Control Node 6 of the cyclic ion blaster for use on battlesuits. These weapons
Failsafe Detonator 8 may only be mounted on the XV8 Crisis or XV9 Hazard
battlesuit.
Neuroweb System Jammer 8

Repulsor Impact Field 7

This weapon may be fired in its standard mode or in an
overcharged mode. Switching between these modes is an
Shield Generator 7
incidental. While in overcharged mode, the weapon increase its
damage by 2. While this weapon is set to overcharge mode, the
GM may spend h h from a combat check to damage the
Based off the same plasma pulse generation technology as the weapon one step.
pulse rifle and its associated variants, the burst cannon is a
multi-barrel assault weapon capable of very high rates of fire.
Usually mounted on the Tau Stealth battlesuit, the relatively Using similar principles to Imperial plasma weapons, a Tau
short range of this gun is outweighed by its capacity to inflict plasma rifle uses a concentrated burst of super-heated gas to
massive casualties on lighter armoured troops. destroy its target. This bulkier version of the handheld weapon
Anyone firing a burst cannon must always use the Auto- makes a battlesuit a fast and formidable opponent.
fire quality

Beyond the primary systems integrated into most battlesuits,

Similar in design and effect to the Imperium’s melta weaponry,
the Earth caste’s ingenious engineers have developed a
the fusion blaster agitates the sub-atomic particles of the target,
plethora of specialized systems to help battlesuit pilots cope
causing a massive build-up of heat. These weapons are often
with countless different threats and perils they may encounter.
deployed on Stealth suits, allowing Tau pilots to strike at the
exposed rear armours of enemy vehicles or conduct lightning
raids to destroy important fortifications.
Some battlesuit pilots employ a command and control node, a
set of AI-assisted systems that allow a pilot to coordinate the
fire of their teammates with pinpoint precision.
The larger and more brutal cousin of the rail rifle, the heavy
Use With: XV25 Stealth Battlesuit.
rail rifle is an anti-armour cannon, used to demolish enemy
Modifiers: The pilot may make an Average (kKk)K Tech-Use
vehicles from long range or tear massive creatures limb from
check. If successful, they may choose a number of targets
limb from well outside their effective range. Due to the sheer
within medium range equal to their Cunning characteristic. The
weight and recoil, only the XV88 Broadside can mount this
weapon. pilot and all allies may reroll any blank kK in the pool once
when making ranged combat checks against these targets.
Hard Points Required: 1.

Although not as powerful as a krak warhead, and lacking the

damage radius of frag missile, Tau missiles are nevertheless
still very dangerous. Due to the bulk of this weapon system, it The warriors of the Fire caste are often called upon to shed their
cannot be mounted onto the XV25 Stealth Battlesuit. blood on the battlefield in the name of the Greater Good, but
no device better exemplifies their conviction than the failsafe
detonator. This device consists of an explosive charge set to
obliterate the pilot, his battlesuit, and any foes nearby, thus
An experimental technology created by the Earth caste in a buying his allies a chance to win the day.
moment of great need, the onager gauntlet is a melee weapon— Use With: Any battlesuit.
one of only a few ever designed for use with a Crisis suit. These Modifiers: The battlesuit gains the Meltdown 2 ability. A
devices were few in number to begin with, and almost all were battlesuit pilot may forcibly activate this mechanism while still
lost on the battlefield in the wake of their use. alive by succeeding on a Daunting (kKkKkKk)K Discipline
This weapon has the power weapon technology already check. The pilot is irrevocably destroyed in this action.
applied to its profile. Hard Points Required: 1.
 3–8
The neuroweb system jammer is a prototype device capable of
shorting out enemy weapons and machinery with a complex ITEM NAME ENCUM RARITY
jamming field, denying enemies a chance to even fire before PSYCHIC IMPLEMENT
they are cut down. Fetish Pouch 1 5
Use With: XV8 Crisis Battlesuit and XV9 Hazard Battlesuit.
Kroothawk Totem 1 6
Modifiers: The pilot makes a Hard (kKkKk)K Tech-Use check.
TOOLS
If successful, one powered device within short range overloads
Markerlight 1 4
and fails. The pilot may spend a a on this check to cause
another powered item within range to fail (and may trigger this Target Lock 1 4

multiple times, spending a a each time).

Hard Points Required: 1.

Thought to be the evolutionary ancestor of all Kroot, the

kroothawk is a fast hitting skirmisher. More bird than
The repulsor impact field is a device that projects a shockwave humanoid, Kroothawks are swift fliers who use their speed to
upon nearby foes. This machine’s ability to influence the flow hunt prey. Many Kroot Shapers carry unique totems into battle,
of battle is building a reputation among melee positioned pilots. believing that they carry a special blessing that invokes the
Use With: XV9 Hazard Battlesuit and XV88 Broadside kroothawk’s power.
Battlesuit. This item counts as a psychic implement for Kroot
Modifiers: The pilot suffers 2 strain as a maneuver to repel all Shapers. While your character uses an Augment power, adding
engaged targets. Anyone caught in the field must succeed on a the Haste and Swift effects does not increase the difficulty. In
Hard (kKkKk)K Athletics or Coordination check as an out of addition, a Kroot Shaper may add jJ whenever they make a
turn incidental or be forced one range band away and suffer 5 Psychic check using the Mask power.
strain. h h h may spent on a failed check to also knock the
target prone.
Hard Points Required: 2.
This beam is capable of highlighting key strategic targets and
relaying their position back to the shooter, their allies, and any
other warrior equipped to perceive it. This item is often
The generator projects a wave of energy designed to intercept attached to a gun or may be hand-held by a spotter.
incoming projectiles and forces, redirecting them away from
As a maneuver, select one target within long range. When
the projector or robbing them of all kinetic energy.
any character uses a single aim maneuver against the target,
Use With: Any battlesuit.
they gain jJ jJ on their next combat check. This can only occur
Modifiers: Increase the range defense of a battlesuit by one.
once per round, and the character may not use their second
Hard Points Required: 2.
maneuver to aim again. This effect lasts until the target moves
out of range or breaks line of sight.

On occasion, fragments of Tau technology do appear for sale

or trade, often as part of a larger haul or disparate items The target lock provides the user with accurate firing plans and
gathered from innumerable sources. tracks the location of individual targets, allowing for complex
patterns of fire to be established by a single gunner. This item
is typically mounted to the shoulder or built into a helmet.
Although it may take many forms, most of them are a The wielder of a target lock may designate a target as a
collections of such items stored in a crudely stitched leather maneuver. If they do, for the remainder of the encounter, your
sack known as a fetish pouch. These pouches are used for GM cannot spend d from their combat checks to cause the
shamanistic rituals amongst the Kroot Shapers. attack to hit an ally engaged with their original target.
This item counts as a psychic implement for Kroot
Shapers. While using a Fetish Pouch as their implement, your
character can use the Divination skill to invoke Heal powers.
In addition, while your character invokes a power adding the
Walking the Path effect does not increase the spell's difficulty.
 Similar to meltaguns in effect and purpose, the fusion guns
Eldar weapons and armour are more grown than manufactured,
used by the Eldar are far more accurate and efficient, utilizing
often at the hands of skilled Bonesingers, the architects of the
technologies far more advanced than those of the Adeptus
Eldar cities and masters of shaping the wraithbone. Each one is
Mechanicus. In the hands of a skilled warrior, a fusion gun can
crafted for a specific owner and made with his or her body in
sear through the weak points of an armoured vehicle, disabling
mind. While the Craftworld Eldar spend their energy creating
or destroying it with almost surgical precision and
weapons to defend their dwindling numbers, the Dark Eldar are
contemptuous ease.
known for their vast array of bizarre and creative ways to bring
death and pain to the rest of the galaxy.

Eldar Lasblasters can release a fury of laser strikes at medium

ranges, easily outperforming even the most advanced Imperial
Ostensibly, the weapons of the Eldar mirror many of the effects las weapons. Eldar take particular pride in their ability to use
of Imperial weapons, casting bolts of plasma or sending out these powerful laser devices, signifying to all their control over
rays of burning concentrated light. An Eldar’s weapons or suit light itself.
of armour are never as effective in the hands of a human as the
Eldar it was created for, the imprinted psychic purpose lost to
the blunt mind of mankind.
Shuriken weapons are graceful dealers of death that use
All Craftworld Eldar weapons benefits from their psychic sophisticated gravity accelerators to hurl volleys of miniature
presence and gain the Superior quality when used by razor disks to literally slice their victims apart in seconds.
Craftworld Eldar. In addition, these Craftworld Eldar ranged Shuriken pistols are common a sidearm among many Eldar
weapons cannot jam. pirates and the rifle-like shuriken catapults are commonly
employed by Guardian squads. The shuriken cannon is
especially dangerous as it can be fielded by small crews or
attached to swift anti-grav vehicles to unleash a storm of death
Eldar ranged weapons appear cosmetically similar to
upon the battlefield.
humanity’s; however, Eldar weapons are considerably more
advanced in nature, and considerably more deadly. Anyone firing a shuriken cannon must always use the
Auto-fire quality.

A weapon favoured by Eldar Aspect Cults, the Deathspinner

fires a shroud of monofilament thread in a deadly gossamer A rare and strange weapon, as lethal as it is bizarre, the
shroud. Able to fire more quickly and lethally than any Spinneret rifle shoots a single monofilament wire over a
Imperial version, they can also entangle small groups, as its considerable distance until it pierces a target, at which point it
wide arc is capable of blanketing several foes with a single coils tightly within flesh and armour, causing considerable
shot. internal injury before recoiling swiftly to re-enter the weapon.
The weapon’s unique method of slaughter requires extreme
precision, making it difficult to use but utterly devastating in
the right hands.
These potent weapons pre-date the Imperium, having been
While your character uses the aim maneuver to target a
created by Eldar artisans. Operating similarly to most melta
specific part of an opponent (see page 98 of the GENESYS Core
weapons, firepikes project a lance of intense heat and radiation
Rulebook) and deals at least 1 wound to a minion or unnamed
over a considerable distance, capable of melting flesh and steel,
rival, the adversary is instantly eliminated.
with deadly precision. Rare even amongst the arsenals of the
Eldar, they are relic weapons beyond contemporary means to
reproduce.
Far more advanced than their human counterparts, each of
these weapons is perfectly balanced and keen edged, reducing
the user’s reliance on raw strength and allowing unparalleled
displays of finesse and skill at arms.
 3–9
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
ENERGY
Firepike Ranged (Heavy) 11 1 Medium 2 1 8 Breach 1, Vicious 2

Fusion Gun Ranged (Heavy) 9 1 Short 1 1 8 Breach 1, Vicious 2

Lasblaster Ranged (Heavy) 8 2 Long 3 2 5 Auto-fire

SOLID PROJECTILE
Spinneret Rifle Ranged (Heavy) 1 1 Medium 2 1 8 Pierce 6, Slow-Firing 1, Vicious 5

ARTILLERY AND ORDNANCE

Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 3,
Shuriken Cannon Gunnery 9 2 Long 4 3 6
Pierce 3
Shuriken Catapult Ranged (Heavy) 7 3 Medium 2 2 5 Linked 3, Pierce 2

Shuriken Pistol Ranged (Light) 6 3 Short 1 1 5 Linked 1, Pierce 1

MELEE
Harlequin's Kiss Melee 5 1 Engaged 2 0 8 Pierce 6, Unwieldy 4, Vicious 5

Breach 1, Defensive 2,
Mirrorswords Melee 7 2 Engaged 3 0 9
Reinforced, Sunder
Accurate 1, Defensive 1,
Singing Spear Melee (+3) 2 Engaged 2 0 10
Reinforced

Exquisitely balanced for dual wielding, Mirrorswords are Singing spears are weapons that are related to the witchblades
extremely lightweight power swords, capable of gliding wielded by Farseers and Warlocks that take the form of a long
through all but the toughest armour with ease. Wielded only by spear, thus providing greater striking range and penetrating
the most nimble amongst a species renowned for their grace power. They are also known for their ability to return to the
and speed, these blades become a deadly wall of glittering steel. user’s hands when called.
An Eldar using these weapons may make Melee combat Your character can thrust or stab with a singing spear
checks using their Agility instead of Brawn (damage is still using the profile in Table 3–9: Craftworld Melee Weapons,
calculated from a character’s Brawn). or they can throw one using the following profile: (Ranged;
Mirrorswords are always used in pairs and count as having Damage +3; Critical 3; Range [Short]; Accurate 1, Limited
the power craftsmanship already applied to its profile. Ammo 1).
Once per round, as a maneuver, the weapon’s user may
recall a singing spear to their free hand from anywhere within
medium range. The user must have at least 1 rank in any
Among the deadliest of all Eldar weapons, the harlequin’s kiss
Psychic skill to use this effect. A creature that is actively
resembles a long tube attached to the back of the forearm. The
attempting to hold on to the weapon must make a Hard
rear of the tube is filled with highly compressed coiled loops of
monomolecular wire, nearly a hundred metres worth. When the (kKkKkK) Athletics check; if it succeeds, then it, too, is dragged
weapon’s spiked tip strikes the target, the wire is released and back to the psyker along with the Singing Spear. This weapon
instantly bursts through even the smallest puncture to fill the has the Force craftsmanship already applied to its profile.
interior of a body or vehicle.
 3–10
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
ENERGY
Breach 1, Slow-Firing 1,
Blast Pistol Ranged (Light) 6 3 Short 2 1 5
Vicious 2
Breach 1, Slow-Firing 1,
Blaster Ranged (Heavy) 7 3 Medium 3 1 5
Vicious 2
Breach 2, Cumbersome 3, Slow-
Dark Lance Gunnery 10 2 Extreme 8 3 6
Firing 2, Vicious 3

SOLID PROJECTILE
Accurate 2, Limited Ammo 1,
Hexrifle Ranged (Heavy) 8 2 Extreme 3 1 10
Unwieldy 3

Splinter Pistol Ranged (Light) 5 4 Medium 1 1 5 Accurate 1

Splinter Cannon Gunnery 10 4 Long 2 2 6 Accurate 1, Auto-fire

Splinter Rifle Ranged (Heavy) 7 3 Long 2 2 5 Accurate 1, Linked 2

ARTILLERY AND ORDNANCE

Terrorfex Ranged (Light) 1 6 Short 2 0 8 Blast 1, Limited Ammo 1

MELEE
Breach 1, Ensnare 1, Unwieldy 3,
Agonizer Melee 7 2 Short 2 0 4
Reinforced, Sunder
Impaler Melee (+3) 3 Engaged 1 1 6 Accurate 1, Defensive 1, Pierce 2

Reaver’s Fang Melee (+2) 3 Engaged 2 1 7 Vicious 2

Concussive 1, Stun 4,
Scissorhand Brawl (+2) 3 Engaged 2 0 5
Stun Damage

Venomblade Melee (+1) 2 Engaged 1 1 7 Accurate 1, Pierce 3

Wych Knife Melee (+2) 2 Engaged 1 1 4 Accurate 1, Pierce 2

the Darklight upon the true light surrounding. The Dark Eldar
employ numerous forms of Darklight weaponry, but the most
The Dark Eldar are known for their vast array of bizarre and common are portable devices capable of savage and precise
creative ways to bring death and pain to the rest of the galaxy, devastation: the blast pistol, the blaster, and the dark lance.
and they are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to
expand this arsenal.
Any Dark Eldar weapon may replace its toxic effect with Each hexrifle is unique, but all function in essentially the same
a poison described in The Toxic Spectrum. In addition, Dark way. Crystalline cylinders containing the tiniest quantity of
Eldar ranged weapons cannot jam by spending h. and a Dark glass plague are fired, shattering upon impact and exposing the
Eldar may inflict Stun Damage with any weapon they use. target to the virus. For all but the hardiest of victims, this
momentary exposure is sufficient for the plague to begin its vile
work, turning flesh and bone into glass and leaving a
transparent, flawless statue where once was a living creature.
While most Dark Eldar are consummate melee combatants,
many choose to deliver death from a distance, often out of a When a living creature suffers a Critical Injury from a
sense of self-preservation or a disdain for their foes. hexrifle, your character must choose to inflict the Maimed
Critical Injury without rolling. t may be spent to cause the
Maimed Critical Injury to effect the target’s head, effectively
killing the target outright, at the GM’s discretion. Hexrifle
Darklight reacts explosively with the true matter of the
ammunition has a Rarity of 8 for a Dark Eldar PC.
universe, leaving only smoldering desolation where the beam
touches. To even look upon Darklight unprotected is to scar the
eyes forever with its impossible radiance, a vile luminescence
that is painful to behold caused by the corrupting influence of
 Injury, you may treat the result as the Compromised Critical
Injury without rolling instead.
Splinter weapons fire shards of splintered crystal using a
powerful magnetic pulse. These shards are covered in
incredibly virulent and fast-acting toxins that can ensure a
painful death or incapacitate a would-be slave. The toxins An impaler is unremarkable in itself, a simple twin-bladed
inside any splinter weapon’s reservoir pod are no less deadly short spear that can be rammed deep into the body of a victim.
due to its size. Impalers are seldom used alone, and most of those who wield
A living target that suffers wounds from a splinter weapon them do so in conjunction with ensnaring shocknets.
must make a Hard (kKkKkK) Resilience check as an out-of-turn
incidental or suffer 4 wounds (not reduced by soak) plus 1
strain per h. Each d made on this check may be used to force The nobles of the Bonespires believe that there is a perfect
a target to repeat the check at the beginning of their next turn insult to accompany each death, and a perfect poison to cause
or cause a Critical Injury. it. Reaver’s fangs’ triple-pronged blades are designed to suit
the latter need.
Splinter weapons are often fitted with razor-sharp blades.
Splinter pistols may be used with the following weapon profile: A living target that suffers wounds from a reaver’s fang
(Melee; Damage +1; Critical 2; Range [Engaged]; Accurate 1, must make an Average (kKkK) Resilience check as an out-of-
Pierce 1). A splinter rifle may be used with the following turn incidental or suffer 5 wounds (not reduced by soak) plus 1
weapon profile: (Melee; Damage +3; Critical 2; Range strain per h. Each d made on this check may be used to
[Engaged]; Accurate 1, Pierce 2). Anyone firing a splinter cause a Critical Injury. In addition, this weapon may be loaded
cannon must always use the Auto-fire quality. with three separate poisons described in The Toxic Spectrum.
The user chooses which poison they wish to use before each
attack and expend the poison after the combat check is
A strange and esoteric Eldar device, a Terrorfex launches resolved.
spheres of the material known to the Eldar as wraithbone,
which have been psychically impregnated with torment,
anguish, and dread. When launched, these emotions spill out, Resembling a pair of surgical shears, Scissorhands are most
afflicting the minds of those nearby. Dark Eldar raiders use commonly wielded by the Haemonculi sometimes encountered
these weapons to inflict pain and fear upon their victims, and alongside Dark Eldar raiders during their attacks. Each talon is
for this reason, they are highly prized by all those who prey impregnated with a variety of potent venoms and toxins, all of
upon the weak or defenseless. them capable of inflicting terrible, debilitating pain. The
Any living creature hit by this weapon must make an slightest cut from any of these blades is sufficient to deliver an
immediate upgraded Hard (lLkKkK) Discipline check as an agonizing dose of poison, and thus the number of blades allows
out-of-turn incidental. If they fail, they suffer 3 strain, plus 1 a deft wielder to incapacitate a victim quickly.
additional strain for each uncancelled h and becomes
disoriented until the end of the encounter.
This weapon is a common sign of wealth and power amongst
the Dark Eldar aristocracy. Each venomblade has thousands of
microscopic pores that continually exude a distilled cocktail of
To face an enemy in close combat is viewed by most Dark hypertoxins. The slightest scratch from a venomblade is
Eldar as the simplest way to feed well. In their employ to sufficient to fell even the mightiest of foes.
murder are all manners of envenomed blades, talons and lashes
A living target that suffers wounds from a venomblade
that spark with a malicious energy, and devices more esoteric.
must make a Hard (lLkKk)K Resilience check as an out-of-turn
incidental or suffer 4 wounds (not reduced by soak) plus 1
strain per h. Each d made on this check may be used to
These exceptionally sophisticated close combat weapons cause a Critical Injury.
overwhelm a target’s senses and can even cause long-term
damage to the central nervous system through intense pain.
This weapon has the chain weapon technology already
applied to its profile. An agonizer can be used to make melee
attacks against targets within short range. The difficulty for this
attack is Average (kKk)K . When this weapon inflicts a Critical
At first glance, there is little to distinguish these blades from a Rather than relying on cumbersome (by their standards)
commoner’s knife or a Kabalite Warrior’s flaying blade. physical armour, many of the higher-ranking Eldar leaders
However, subtle details of their construction, such as the instead turn to field protective devices. Forceshields are one
pattern of serrations, the precise curvature of the blade, or the such item, often worn on the arm or belt. These provide
placement of perforations, influence their balance and the cuts protection on par with the more powerful Imperial fields, but
they inflict so that in the hands of an expert they can inflict without the bulk or weight—indeed many resemble the ovoid
grievous wounds and find the weaknesses in all but the jewels or other alien ornamentation favoured by this decadent
toughest armour. race.
An Eldar character using these weapons may make Melee An Eldar Forceshield follows the rules for force fields
combat checks using their Agility or Cunning instead of described on page 92 of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS. This
Brawn. The character may use their chosen characteristic to hit device can only be made to malfunction or overload by
and calculate damage. spending a t.

Wraithbone is also used to craft the armour of the Eldar, from Mesh armour is often of a high tech or even xenos design and
the light psycho-plastic suits worn by the Guardians to the is formed from thousands of bonded thermoplas cells linked
heavier yet still flexible plate version the Aspect Warriors wear together to create a fabric-like weave. Lightweight and
in combat. Like their weapons, each suit of armour is fitted for surprisingly comfortable, it can withstand most impacts or heat
its user, and responds to their psychic signature. energy by becoming briefly rigid, dissipating the force through
the now stiff material.
An opponent adds h when making combat checks
against a Craftworld Eldar wearing any armour from Table 3-
11: Craftworld Eldar Armour.
This elegant Eldar armour functions as both battlefield
protection and a sealed environment. Thanks to its superior
Eldar construction, the signature “wings” that sprout from its
The armour worn by elite Aspect Warriors and Autarchs is
back to grant added stability but weigh shockingly little, and
even more advanced than the usual Eldar armour. These gem-
improve the balance of the wearer during both atmospheric and
studded, psycho-sensitive suits are perfectly fitted for each
void flight.
wearer, with protection designed to match the user’s combat
mode. Despite the armours apparent bulk—by Eldar This armour is a sealed environment, removes jJ jJ from
standards—an Aspect Warrior moves as swiftly and quietly as Perception and Vigilance checks due to darkness, and contains
their lightly armoured brothers and sisters. a long-range vox and auspex. Anyone wearing this suit ignores
the effects of zero gravity (page 111 of the GENESYS Core
Rulebook).

3–11
NAME DEFENSE SOAK ENCUMBRANCE HARD POINTS RARITY
CLOTHING
Eldar Mesh Suits 1 (+1) 1 1 5

Rune Armour 1 (+1) 1 1 7

Void Armour 0 (+1) 4 2 6

ARMOUR
Aspect Armour 1 (+2) 3 2 5

Autarchs Aspect Armour 2 (+2) 4 3 7

FORCE FIELD
Eldar Forceshield 4 – 0 0 8

Holo-Field 3 – 0 0 8
A Holo-Field is an ancient wonder of the Eldar race and the Constructed of strange resinous materials and shot through
bane of Imperial gunners. The field creates a multitude of with pockets of lighter-than-air gases, each suit of ghostplate
“ghost images” of the Eldar, each in a different location. It armour provides considerable protection while weighing far
effectively masks the wearer’s true position to such an extent less than any comparable panoply.
that it is nigh impossible to determine exactly where it is, taking While functional, this armour doubles its defense.
random shots into the void in the hopes of scoring a glancing Ghostplate Armour can be made to malfunction from a
hit. successful attack against the wearer by spending a a a or
Any ranged combat check made against a character t and requires an Average (kKk)K Tech-Use check to repair.
wearing a Holo-Field increases its difficulty once unless the
weapon causing the damage has the Blast or Burn quality
(regardless of whether the quality is activated).
Kabalite Warriors commonly wear these suits of segmented
plates. Each suit of armour is held in place by a variety of barbs
and hooks that dig deep into the wearer’s flesh and play against
Rune armour is etched with arcane runes of protection and their nerve bundles. The simple act of donning this armour
provides innate defenses to psychic wearers. These mesh robes heightens the senses by causing pain and prepares a Dark Eldar
allow the Eldar to tune their minds in time with their body and for battle.
reach greater heights of awareness in the Warp.
The wearer may choose to attack with the following
This armour has the Reinforced quality when worn by an weapon profile: (Brawl; Damage +1; Critical 3; Range
Eldar on the Path of the Seer. [Engaged]; Pierce 1 and Vicious 1). Any non-Dark Eldar
decreases their strain threshold by 2 while wearing this armour.

The Eldar may be arrogant, but even they understand the

benefit of armour against one’s foes. Dark Eldar often wear A shadow field is an arcane Dark Eldar device that creates a
considerably less to experience the thrill of an enemy’s blade defense that is virtually impossible to pierce. Projecting a dark
barely missing their flesh before deftly maneuvering for the miasma of energy around the wearer, the field is proof against
kill. almost any attack, and the warrior within cannot be easily
targeted. However, should one manage to penetrate this
miasmic aura, the field’s instability causes it to collapse almost
immediately.
In place of coherent fields of energy, a clone field projects
holographic duplicates of the wearer, all identical in aspect and This device overloads when the wearer is hit by any
moving in perfect and lifelike synchrony. Only through trial successful attack.
and error can the true wearer be identified, and few combatants
have the time to find the real threat amidst a swarm of
falsehoods. Clone fields do provide direct protection, and thus
do not overload.

3–12
NAME DEFENSE SOAK ENCUMBRANCE HARD POINTS RARITY
CLOTHING
Clone Field 2 (+1) 2 0 9

Wychsuit 1 (+1) 1 1 5

Xenohide 0 (+1) 2 1 3

ARMOUR
Ghostplate Armour 1 (+2) 3 1 6

Kabalite Armour 0 (+2) 2 2 4

FORCE FIELD
Shadow Field 4 – 0 0 8
 3–13
Wychsuits and similar garments are little more than flexible
bodysuits, adorned in an eclectic manner with armoured plates ITEM NAME ENCUM RARITY
and reinforced panels. Those worn by Wyches often provide DARK ELDAR DRUGS AND POISONS
protection only to the side of their bodies that they habitually Accelerai (Drug) 0 5
turn towards the enemy, while Hellions commonly wear
Essence of Perfect Vitriol (Poison) 1 5
armoured collars and vambraces, and many Reavers favour
Eviscerine (Drug) 0 5
masked cowls and heavily padded shoulders.
Final Breath (Poison) 0 6
A wychsuit does not provide defense when worn by non-
Dark Eldar. Liquid Agony (Poison) 0 5

Murder’s Boon (Drug) 0 5

Nightmare Philter (Poison) 0 6

Crafted from the flayed hides of arena beasts or slaves (living Shudderstep (Drug) 0 6
or dead), these garments are common clothing amongst the Soul Echo (Drug) 1 8
Dark Eldar of the Nexus of Shadows. The toughened nature of
Vitae Rebellion (Poison) 0 8
the material helps ward off would-be murderers and other
EXOTIC
common hazard.
Ghosthelm 2 10
Dark Eldar wearing xenohide may add jJ jJ to checks to
Soul Trap 1 10
resist drugs and poisons that would be administered through
weapons or injectors. Spirit Stone 0 –

Vexanthrope 1 9

Chemical advantages are highly prized as a way of ensuring

survival for another day or another battle. Whether employing
This stimulant alters the warrior’s adrenal glands, producing a
poisons against a rival, or dosing themselves with combat
substance that is far more potent. Harvested from the brain of
stimulants, Dark Eldar will do whatever is necessary to seize
a small, multi-legged, and extremely aggressive predator found
victory.
on the ruined shell of the Light of Terra and certain space hulks
Dark Eldar combat drugs are designed to empower Eldar that drift through the Koronus Expanse, Accelerai accelerates
(including Craftworld Eldar) and are subject to all the rules the user’s attacks to a blistering tempo.
covering drug usage (see ROGUE TRADER GENESYS page 107).
The user adds the Linked 2 quality to all melee attacks
Any non-Eldar who takes a dose of a Dark Eldar combat drug
they make until the end of the encounter or scene. This drug
must first succeed on a Hard (kKkKkK) Resilience check or be
places intense stress on the body and most users find
staggered until the end of their next turn. The GM may spend
themselves extremely lethargic afterwards. The character adds
h h h or d from a failed check to inflict 3 wounds and 3
strain (not reduced by soak). Only one Dark Eldar drug may be
f f to their Initiative checks for the remainder of the session.
used at a time. Any attempt to use a secondary dose or a new
combat drug before the first expires immediately fails and
causes the user to take 3 strain. Eviscerine is a derivative of the rare but seemingly
Dark Eldar combat drugs are deadly to all living things, uninteresting viperleaf found on certain worlds within the
including their creators, and prolonged use is certain to cause Koronus Expanse. However, The Sutured Helix does not share
even the most debased creature to wither into oblivion. At the exactly how it transforms this barbed vine into a drug as
end of any encounter in which a player character uses a Dark effective as Eviscerine, the raw material nonetheless
commands a high price on the Nexus of Shadows. Cold Trader
Eldar combat drug, they must make an Average (lLkK)
groups such as the Consorvana Ring exchange vast quantities
Corruption check (see page 215 in ROGUE TRADER
of viperleaf for xenos artefacts, and know better than to ask
GENESYS).
why the devious aliens want this particular plant. Once refined
into a useable drug, Eviscerine is a favourite of warriors who
prefer to kill at close range. Heightening the adrenaline
sensitivity of perception centers of the brain and the
conductivity of synapses and nerve fibres, a dose of Eviscerine
makes a warrior more able to perceive and avoid the attacks
and defenses of his enemies.
The Dark Eldar are experts in the many applications of poisons
A character under the effects of Eviscerine may upgrade
and toxins. The toxic spectrum is something that all Dark Eldar
any Brawn, Agility, or Cunning-based check they undertake by
appreciate with an artist’s insight, and personal aesthetics are
one until the end of the encounter or scene. However, this
as important as effect when it comes to poisoning a rival,
artificial focus takes a toll on the mind. A character under the
enemy, or prey-beast.
effects of Eviscerine only recovers half the amount of strain
(rounding up) at the end of any scene or encounter for the Any weapon that delivers a poisonous payload may
remainder of the session. replace its normal effects with the effect from a Dark Eldar
poison. Otherwise, an applicable weapon—typically
something sharp or serrated—may be laced with a Dark Eldar
poison, or a poison may be slipped into food or drink. Dark
Distilled from the cranial fluid of slaves who have been
Eldar are nothing if not creative in their application of toxins.
poisoned with a combination of other drugs and toxins
including Corpse Obmulen and Liquid Agony, Murder’s Boon
amplifies a warrior’s killer instincts.
Perfect Vitriol is the universal solvent, a corrosive agent
The user adds kK to all combat and Initiative checks they
capable of dissolving absolutely everything. Created by the
make until the end of the encounter or scene. In addition, a
Stryxis for reasons they refuse to explain and traded to the
character under the effects of Murder’s Boon automatically
denizens of the Nexus of Shadows for use in their arenas and
succeeds any Fear checks they make without rolling. However,
shadowy plots, no substance is proof against this liquid’s fury,
once Murder’s Boon subsides, the character adds jJ jJ to
and it must be stored in magnetic suspension because no
Willpower and Presence-based checks for the remainder of the material container exists that can hold it. Not to be stymied in
session. their quest to weaponize everything in their grasp, the Dark
Eldar of the Nexus of Shadows cleverly use fields and other
exotic distribution systems to imbue their blades and projectiles
Tailored from a number of incredibly dangerous ingredients, with the vapours produced by this substance without degrading
including grass harvested from specific Yu’vath grave worlds their own equipment too quickly for it to be of use.
and miniscule quantities of the stasis venom of the Ariadne A target exposed to Perfect Vitriol must make a Hard
Helspider, Shudderstep is designed to hyper-stimulate fast- (kKkKk)K Resilience check. If they fail, they suffer 5 wounds
twitch muscle fibres. A dose of Shudderstep enables a warrior and treat their Brawn characteristic as one lower, to a minimum
to run at incredible speeds. of 0, until they are healed by flushing the poison through De-
While under the effects of Shudderstep, your character Tox or another method. A character whose Brawn
can perform a maximum of three maneuvers per turn. A characteristic becomes 0 becomes incapacitated until this
character under this effect may use any amount of maneuvers poison is flushed. d may be spent to make the Brawn
to move. The user suffers 6 strain at the end of any encounter reduction permanent instead. If this permanent effect would
or scene that this drug was administered. cause the target’s Brawn to reach 0, the target irrevocably dies
instead.

The coalesced essence of a being who has been tortured not

only unto death but far beyond it, Soul Echo is almost pure Final Breath causes rapid respiratory shutdown, swiftly making
pain, containing the last tormented gasp of a spirit bound in it impossible for the target to breathe. The Dark Eldar first
eternal agony. On the Nexus of Shadows, the only producer of discovered the effect of the plant when a number of slaves
Soul Echo is Drecarus himself, and his exact arcane processes tasked with cleaning the pen of a Clawed Fiend were
are a jealously guarded secret. discovered dying after inhaling its deadly pollen.
When used by a Dark Eldar, they immediately gain the A target exposed to Final Breath must make a Hard
effects of Power Through Pain. When making a Corruption (kKkKkK) Resilience check. If they fail, they begin suffocating
check for using combat drugs for the remainder of the scene or (see page 112 of the GENESYS Core Rulebook). This effect lasts
encounter, a user increases the difficulty once.
for two rounds, plus one additional round per f or h h. A
target that is aware of this attack may hold their breath to
decrease the difficulty of this check once. De-Tox may be used
to clear this poison immediately.
 By chemically influencing the “fight or flight” reaction, and
then triggering it, an overwhelming sense of panic and dread
The Dark Eldar love to draw out the kill and their master afflicts the victim, without obvious cause or reason—
poisoners often brew their finest toxins to this end. After something that is arguably more terrifying than being afraid of
all, why should a prey-beast have the right to die before anything specific. In many cases, the horrified psyche actually
the Dark Eldar allow its suffering to end? Many Dark tries to invent some fearful apparition to justify the terror, a feat
Eldar also like to taunt their prey for longer than the of self-delusion that only serves to act as a beautiful
poisons might normally allow. Timing is everything in accompaniment to the Dark Eldar feeding upon this
a perfect kill, and it is considered a master’s mark to be unreasoning panic.
able to deliver a final, cutting insult that exactly fills a The target of this wicked substance must make an
victim’s last seconds before a poison wreaks its terrible immediate Hard (kKkKkK) Fear check. If they fail, the character
work. suffers all the effects of Fear. If an Ork fails this check, they
If a Dark Eldar effects a target with a poison from The always enter a manic frenzy, spending each turn to attack the
Toxic Spectrum, they may spend a a on the check nearest target (including allies) until the end of their next turn.
to delay the effects. The Dark Eldar chooses if the This poison does not affect creatures who are immune to Fear.
poison has this delayed effect before the target makes
its Resilience check. If the target fails, the poison
activates at the beginning of the target’s next turn. If the A cruel and savage toxin, Vitae Rebellion is a genetic serum of
Dark Eldar character spends t to delay the deleterious incredible potency. This poison aggressively transforms the
effects, they may determine the poison activates any biochemistry of its victims, transmogrifying critical fluids into
time within the next 24 hours. chemicals and compounds that react violently with one
another. The end result is gruesome and spectacular, as the
A Dark Eldar character gains the Power Through Pain
victim detonates in a shower of mutated gore.
effect if a target would suffer any damage from a
delayed poison at the moment they know the target’s A target affected by Vitae Rebellion must make a Hard
extraordinarily timely death. (kKkKkK) Resilience check. If they fail, they suffer 10 wounds
(not reduced by soak), plus 1 wound per h. d may be spent
to cause the target to make another check to resist this poison
as it courses through their body.

Popular amongst nobles of the Kabal of the Splintered Talon

involved in realspace raids against particularly valuable targets
and those fighting rivals at home alike, Liquid Agony is a
potent neurotoxin that amplifies nerve conductivity to extreme
levels, turning even the weight of clothing and the caress of the
air into torturous sensations. Liquid Agony is based upon the
viscous bodily fluids of the Sandsnapper of Vaporious, a rare,
segmented serpent that inhabits the deep deserts. Some Dark
Eldar imbibe tiny quantities of this poison to heighten their own
sensations, but overdosing is common and other soul-starved
wretches are quick to feast off the self-inflicted pain of
miscalculations.
A target afflicted with Liquid Agony must make a Hard
(kKkKk)K Resilience check. If they fail, they become staggered
and immobilized for a number of rounds, or minutes, equal to
half their Cunning or Intellect (round down and choose the
higher result). This poison cannot effect the same target twice
within the same encounter or scene.
Unlike other psykers who crudely open their minds to the warp
in order to draw the necessary power into themselves, Seers
rely on psycho-receptive runes to draw and store power from Wraithbone runes are complex, psychically sensitive
the warp. Wraithbone runes allow a Seer to not only call upon tools. Not only are these runes able to direct Warp
warp energy based on their own training, but to learn from all energy, they act as wards to burn out if ever the dreadful
the Seers who have handed down their own runes to them. powers of the Immaterium flow too strong.
Any psyker character may use a set of wraithbone runes
An Eldar PC may wish to make their own Runes to walk
as a psychic implement. While using any rune as a psychic
their path. They must conjure up the mental fortitude
implement, the character does not upgrade their Psychic skill
and find the right mindset for such a dangerous
check when attempting to manifest a power and only rolls for
undertaking. Upon each Craftworld is a Dome of
Psychic Phenomena due to d. However, when handled by an
Crystal Seers at the core of these mighty starships that
Eldar psyker, wraithbone runes provide additional potent
houses the Infinity Circuit. It is here, with the help of
effects. While a Seer is attuned to a rune, the character
the souls of past Farseers, that the Eldar PC may attempt
gains all the benefits listed above in addition to the specific
to create their own powerful runes in relative safety.
effect listed in the rune’s profile.
Runes are small and can easily be carried in a pouch or The PC and GM should work together to describe the
woven into clothing or jewelry, and so have an encumbrance effects of the new rune and the difficulty to create it, but
of 0. These devices are beyond the realms of mortal currency this check should almost always be a minimum of Hard
as they represent a few lifetimes’ of practice to create and so (kKkKkK) for even simple Runes and Formidable
no rarity is listed on Table 3–14: Wraithbone Runes. (kKkKkKkKk)K for anything complex. The PC then makes
a Runes check. If the check is successful, the character
creates their specific rune. Additionally, the player and
GM may spend dice symbols for additional effects,
A Seer who has become lost on their Path may become a
taking into account the intended purpose of the rune, in
Farseer. A Farseer's duties mean that they do not usually
order to illustrate how much focus and effort—or lack
engage in combat despite their previous experiences and
thereof—the character put into their craft.
enormous psychic potential for destruction. Instead, a Farseer
concerns themselves with the movement of the strands of fate
and looking into the possible outcomes of their people.
Implement: While attuned to a Rune of Fate, when your
character manifests an Augment or Curse power adding the
Powerful psykers known as Shadowseers will rarely join in one
Additional Targets effect does not increase the difficulty. In
of their grand performances on the battlefield and take on the
addition, when your character manifest a Curse power you
role of Fate. In many ways, this mysterious individual acts as a
must add the Doom effect with no increase in difficulty.
Farseer for the Harlequin troupe. When a Shadowseer turns
their minds on the enemy, morale breaks and fear reigns
supreme.
Some Seers turn their powers to the task of healing, psychically Implement: While attuned to a Rune of Phantasma, targets
calming the wounded, and easing trauma, stress and shock, effected by your Augment powers are immune to Fear. The
tremendously augmenting the chances of success of the more first time an enemy target is effected by your Curse powers,
mundane surgical procedures. These Seers consider themselves they must immediately make a Daunting (kKkKkKkK) Fear
to be servants to the goddess Isha and utilize Isha’s rune to check as an out-of turn-incidental (a target may only suffer
perform what lesser races would call “miracles.” from this Fear effect once per scene or encounter).
Implement: While attuned to a Rune of Isha, when your
character manifests an Augment or Heal power adding the
Additional Targets effect does not increase the difficulty.
 Implement: When your character successfully casts an
3–14 Augment, Barrier, or Heal spell while attuned to a Rune of the
RUNE DAMAGE Void Dreamer, they heal 1 strain and their target heals 1 strain.
Rune of Fate +0 In addition, once per session, you may spend a Story Point to
negate the results of any roll made on the Psychic Phenomena
Rune of Isha +0
Table.
Rune of Phantasma +2

Rune of Warding +0

Rune of the Seer +3

Warlocks are Seers who once walked the Path of the Warrior
Rune of the Void Dreamer +0 and their previous experience as Aspect Warriors allows them
Rune of the Warlock +4 to harness their more destructive impulses when using their
Rune of the Wayseer +0 psychic powers in combat. Warlocks are impeccable leaders to
new Eldar taking up the Path of the Warrior for the first time
Rune of Thought +2
and even embolden those who may claim veteran ranks among
their kind.
Implement: When your character manifests an Attack power,
the Close Combat effect does not increase the check’s
Farseers often embellish their equipment with defensive runes
difficulty. In addition, they may add the Lightning effect with
that interfere with the psychic powers of their foes, and thus
no increase in difficulty. Attack powers invoked by your
protect the Farseer from harm. On the field of battle, these
character increase their base damage by four.
baleful runes cast their gaze upon the Farseer’s foes, cursing
these adversaries with ill fortune.
Implement: While attuned to a Rune of Warding, any target
effected by your character’s Curse or Dispel powers increases Specialized Seers who understand the ancient art of activating
the difficulty to manifest warp-based powers (including the Webway and maintaining its labyrinthine corridors. This
Navigator powers) once until the power’s effect ends. expertise allows the Seer to quickly move troops and vehicles
through temporary Webway tunnels. When placed into a
combat role, the Seer may utilize their knowledge to strike
from great distances and hold enemies at bay.
The rune created through the growth of an Eldar on the Path of
Implement: While attuned to a Rune of the Wayseer, the first
the Seer is a special undertaking. It represents the fruits of
three Range effects added to your psychic powers do not
study, the risk of placing one’s soul within the Dome of the
increase its difficulty.
Crystal Seers, and the furthering of power and completion on
the Path. These runes greatly reflect their creator and no two
are the same.
Implement: When your character obtains a Rune of the Seer, Seers who act to rely messages with other intelligent species
the GM selects one effect that the rune lets the character add to through telepathic connections are known as Thought-talkers.
any appropriate power without increasing the spell’s difficulty. They may send and receive messages effortlessly across the
The effect the GM chooses should only increase the difficulty void of space, much like the Imperial Astropath, and are keen
of a power by one. Attack powers cast by your character in the detection and interpretation of the moods of living minds
increase their base damage by three. around them. Such power becomes obvious when dealing with
those who would wish to cause harm.
Implement: While attuned to a Rune of Thought, your
character can choose any target in range, even if they cannot
Void Dreamers are Eldar blessed with preternatural foresight.
see it (such as if the target was in darkness or behind a wall)
Where the Farseers use their gifts to sift through the endless
and may use Psyniscience when determining Initiative.
possibilities of fate and the far future to guide their people,
Void Dreamers see that which is near at hand and use this
foresight to guide their Corsair ships through the Webway.
They possess powers that allow them to hurl bolts of pure
psychic energy, bolster the morale of their allies, and even
shrug off psychic attacks as if they were rain.
 Craftworld Eldar carry empty spirit stones to capture their
spirits as their essence departs their bodies, snatching them
Covered in arcane and spidery runes, a ghosthelm is a potent from the thirsting maw of Slaanesh. These empty spirit stones
and ancient device worn by many Farseers to protect them from have no effect besides providing this psychic assurance to the
the dangers of the warp. Fashioned from wraithbone and wearer. Because spirit stones contain the essence of revered
psychically charged with arcane runes and mystic warding, ancestors and represent the only way for an Eldar spirit to evade
these helmets adorn the head of these prodigiously powerful the incomprehensibly agonizing embrace of Slaanesh, the
psykers and allow them to draw energy from the Warp without Eldar value spirit stones in a way that most species cannot truly
fear of consequence. understand. The Eldar do not hesitate to kill members of
After rolling on the Psychic Phenomena Table or the “lesser” species with the gall or bad fortune to come into
Perils of the Warp Table, a psyker wearing a ghosthelm may possession of these treasured relics.
spend a Story Point to ignore any effects of the results against If a Spirit Stone is ever lost or stolen, the Craftworld Eldar
themselves. The effects of the result still occur and may affect is in great peril and must do all they can to retrieve it. If a Spirit
others or the environment as normal. While worn, this item has Stone is missing for any reason at the start of a session, place a
an encumbrance of 0. Story Point from the player’s pool into the GM’s pool. While a
Craftworld Eldar is hunting for their lost Spirit Stone, they may
add jJ to all checks that directly service the successful retrieval
A horrid arcane device conceived by the insane minds of the of their precious item. At the GM’s discretion, they may
Dark Eldar. A soul trap captures the dying essence of its upgrade a check if success would ultimately return the stone.
victims, leaving the wailing psychic echoes readily available
for use by its dark masters. Soul traps vary in size and
appearance, from pyramidal prisms to jeweled skulls engraved This mask allows its wearer to confuse his or her foes in close
with vampiric runes, but all serve to capture the spirit essence combat by projecting distracting images. The mask itself often
of powerful enemies. This spiritual essence is soon devoured takes the form of a delicate, rune-adorned coil of skin and bone
by the Dark Eldar to empower themselves with the stolen and it can project images of the viewer's trusted friend, lover,
energies. or beloved leader to distract them at a critical moment.
A Dark Eldar wearing a soul trap captures the life essence Once per encounter, a character wearing a vexanthrope
of any engaged living being they kill. Rival adversaries are can trigger the illusion as a maneuver. Each character within
worth 1 soul, while nemesis adversaries are worth 2 souls. short range (besides the wearer) must make a Hard (kKkKkK)
When a soul trap has accumulated 5 souls, a Dark Eldar Vigilance check Each character who fails is staggered for 1
may spend a maneuver to bestow the vital essence unto round, plus 1 additional round per h h h. This item’s
themselves. The Dark Eldar increases the ability of any skill encumbrance is 0 while worn.
checks they make by one (in effect, this means they add kK to
their checks) until the end of the encounter or scene. The soul
trap must be replenished after each use and a Dark Eldar
character may only benefit from this effect once per session.
 ore so than almost any of the other individuals of the Koronus Expanse, treasures everyone has heard of, but
power in the 41st Millennium, Rogue Traders and nobody knows how to find. This, of course, stops few from
their compatriots are a breed apart. They are a searching for them; the Expanse has certainly yielded many of
unique sort, and each often furthers this singularity either its hidden treasures to those daring enough to pry them loose
through purposeful design or simply through the time spent of the centuries, but these and many yet still fully unclaimed
away from the norms of staid Imperial society. However, even are perhaps just waiting for a singular Rogue Trader to arrive.
these unique individuals’ character may follow certain general Each of these treasures also represents wealth beyond
themes. Some Rogue Traders act in the name of the Emperor, desire if fully realized. Each could be the end result of
seek redemption for their sins in altruistic voyages, or act to fortuitous happenstance from the Emperor’s benevolent gaze,
ease the suffering of mankind, but these are the exception. or could be the start of endless fruitless quests for a treasure
always just out of grasping hands. To be part of each, even as
a momentary owner or witness to their marvels, is also to
become the stuff of legends, and for many Traders that is itself
If there is one thing a Rogue Trader enjoys more than a a worthy goal.
successful deal, it is the spinning of a tall tale. For those who
Although most of these treasures have mechanical
spend their lives traversing the void, plundering the wealth of
guidelines and benefits for the GM’s use, the GM should
uncharted systems, and gathering untold riches have seen too
always remember that these are intended to aid, not limit. These
many things of mystery and amazement for them to discount
treasures are left deliberately vague, so that GMs can enhance
even the most outlandish of stories. The most outlandish tales
or change them to fit their own campaigns and make them as
typically involve the most famous (or infamous) treasures in
epic as they need to be.
Rumours tell of an ancient archeotech device long lost to the Little is known about the Ataxis’ origins or uses, simply that it
Processional of the Damned. The Astrarium is an elaborate acts as a catalyst for manifesting psychic powers while limiting
navigational 0ship component with a detailed map of the the attendant perils. It has a simple design and would go
Koronus Expanse, recorded millennia ago by an unknown unnoticed to one not sensitive to psychic phenomenon—a one
interstellar cartographer. Perhaps as old as the Dark Age of meter long iron rod encrusted in patterns with tiny, cubic grains
Man, star systems and planets unknown to the Imperium today of an unidentified, rust-coloured metal. The patterns have no
are charted here. Better still, the story suggests that should the discernible significance and anyone who tries to study them for
Astrarium be found, one need only pluck it from the dead hull too long finds themselves fatigued. Stranger still, holding the
and install it on a functional ship. rod for extended periods of time leaves lesions on one’s hands.
The rumours since distributed of the Astrarium’s The hijacked vessel of the Adeptus Mechanicus that housed the
existence have drawn the attention of the Divine Ataxis somehow ended up on the surface of the desert planet,
Astrometricum. They interfere with any voyages of discovery Dross. The Adeptus Mechanicus’ activity aroused the
by private interests working toward recovering the Astrarium, suspicions of other voidfarers and now knowledge of the
but may provide worthwhile information if cornered or Ataxis has leaked to more than one Rogue Trader. Interested
threatened. Rogue Traders had best keep their wits about them parties abound, especially psykers.
as they pass through the Processional of the Damned, even if It may have origins amongst the xenos races, the disciples
they are there on other business. The Divine Astrometricum is of Chaos, or a time when humanity knew more. Given these
well aware that its position in the Processional indicates what mysterious circumstances, the Inquisition would like to see it
progress they have made in finding the near priceless destroyed in order to prevent potential disaster resulting from
contraption and merely sighting another ship is enough for its use. Still, curious psykers desire to taste powers without the
them to enact defensive protocols. perils that usually attend them but, of course, the first to retrieve
the Ataxis and successfully keep it hidden from the Inquisition
gets to set the price.
Should some lucky Explorers stumble upon the Astrarium
Koronus and decide to make use of it, a skilled Tech-Priest
proves invaluable. The starship component may be safely When in the hands of a competent psyker, the Ataxis functions
recovered with a Daunting (kKkKkKk)K Tech-Use check along as an anchor in space and time. Although the psyker still draws
with the burning of incenses and enacting of humble on the Warp for their energy, the psyker and the reality around
supplications. This component counts as an Augment and them maintains a large degree of stability. This allows the
Enhancement (see page 146 of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS) and psyker to reach further and longer into the Warp with a reduced
is linked to the Bridge component. It is highly efficient and risk of Psychic Phenomena and, consequently, Perils of the
only reduces a starship’s system strain threshold by 1 to Warp.
maintain power. If this component ever needs to be repaired, The Ataxis counts as a psychic implement. While in
treat is as having the Archeotech quality. possession of this item, reduce any roll made on Table 1–15:
Any starship with this component decreases the difficulty Psychic Phenomena by -15, to a minimum of 01. Once per
of all Knowledge skill checks relating to exploring the Koronus round, the wielder may use a single push maneuver as an
Expanse and movement into and out of the Immaterium once. incidental instead. In addition, the first Range and the Deadly
In addition, any vessel with this component adds a a to effect added to your psychic powers does not increase the
Exploration objectives. power’s difficulty. Attack powers invoked by your character
increase their base damage by 4.
When any check utilizing the Astrarium Koronus
generates h h h or d, the GM should feel free to invent The benefits of such a device do not come without a price
however. Any attempts to study the Ataxis automatically fail
information that would have been accurate several thousand
and the character investigating suffers 2 strain. At the end of
years ago and feed it to the Explorers in order to add a layer of
any encounter where the Ataxis is used, the wielder must make
complication. Similarly, a a a may be spent to gain
a Hard (kKkKk)K Resilience check. A failure causes them to
ancient knowledge to lead Explorers on new adventures and to
suffer 4 strain as their spirit is sapped. Handling the Ataxis is
reward them with valuable information (perhaps a little known
nearly as bad. Anyone can hold it for a short time but for no
Warp route or the like).
longer than an hour without consequence and then, only if they
do not manifest any psychic powers. Gloves cannot prevent this
effect and it seems to affect even those with prosthetics. At
minimum, it must be placed in a pack or wrapped in several would mean one was ready to conquer the Expanse, and
layers of cloth to be transported any distance. possibly beyond. However, many have been ‘buried with the
blades’ as the saying goes, their lives and fortunes interred to
history in endless questing, just as the blades passed from
history to legend.
The story tells of a mighty warlord plundering a ruined world
of dead cities and collapsed glories, for though there was little
opposition there were spoils still to be had. Here he found the
shattered remnants of swords large enough to decapitate a Each of these weapons is unremarkable at first appearance, and
Titan, each made of metals that defied any attempt of only a puissant psyker or techno-arcanist would detect the
classification. The scale of these weapons impressed even such concealed power each carries. To carry one is to invoke
as he, and he vowed to carry their power away with him. His unheard of martial prowess and battle rage, as well as near
war machines managed to carve off a sliver by striking a blade certain obedience from those who would otherwise stand
with concentrated turbo laser fire, a section miniscule in opposed. As more blades are gathered, so will their power
comparison to the host metal but larger than his war shuttle. increase. They will also attract the attentions of many who have
From this bounty, he commissioned his tech-smiths to stood as caretakers through the ages, and force the entire crew
make a set of blades for him and his finest warlord lieutenants. to face deadly and implacable foes who would not hesitate to
For months on end, they laboured, drawing on all their ancient destroy them all if it meant a blade would be sheathed again.
knowledge from the days before the collapse as well as new A Bloodforged Blade has the Best Craftsmanship weapon
ritualistic techniques of blood and sacrifice uncovered in upgrade already applied to its profile. When using this weapon,
hidden machinery cathedrals and furtive cult-forges. Much of the Explorer keeps a tally of the number of foes the character
the metal was ruined, reduced to brittle ceramics or frozen in slays. For every dozen or so enemies slain, the GM should
unnatural shapes, but when the warlord returned after a year increase the value of item qualities already on the Bloodforged
and a day, they were done. Blade or provide new item qualities to improve the weapon’s
The twelve appeared identical but when held, one would performance for its wielder. As the tally grows, the GM can
be revealed as the ruling blade, the one to be carried by the also have the wielder of this weapon increase their Melee skill
warlord himself. He learned of the dark genesis of the weapons, while using the weapon.
and carried their birth rites into battle. Each newly forged blade This weapon craves satisfaction and will often spur the
he reforged in the blood of his foes as his armies tore apart the owner into greater danger. The Explorer must pass a Daunting
Expanse, growing in power with each newly conquered planet, (kKkKkKkK) Fear or Corruption check (depending on the
each time putting a thousand-thousand to the sword. suggestion or circumstance) if they ever wish to deny the
Each reforging and blood quenching made the blades Bloodforged Blade by using other weapons, fleeing from
more and more powerful until even the stars quaked at their battle, sparing the lives of innocents, and so on. The exact
unsheathing. Only the combined might of all his foes could cut benefits and penalties are up the GM, but it should be both
short his conquest and his life, but these weapons could never rewarding and dangerous, constantly pushing the wielder on an
be destroyed. The gathered swords were sealed away where unknown path towards some final fate.
none could possibly ever find them, but many an explorer has
traded away his wealth in search of them. To possess the blades

4–1
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
Astrarium Koronus – – – – 1 – 9

Ataxis – – – – 1 – 10

Bloodforged Blade Melee +3 2 Engaged 2 0 10 Accurate 1, Superior

Brass Prism – – – – 1 – 8

Silver Ship – – – – – – 10

Quills of Kagnak – – – – – – 10
True Fragments of
– – – – 1 – 8
Winterscale’s Journal
All who serve under the wheeled skull in the service of the For those always in search of everlasting gelt and glory, the
Omnissiah dream binary dreams of the day they may purge Silver Ship shines as a beacon in the darkness of the void.
their fleshy carcasses of pathetic emotions and undisciplined Expelled from the warp seemingly at random across the
consciousness. Many only achieve their goal after decades of Expanse, its clean lines and seamless hull stand out from the
linear meditations, focusing their minds away from the typical encrusted space hulks ejected as flotsam across the
distractions of the flesh as they also substitute it with more stars. Appearing without warning, often much closer to a
worthy mechanical replacements. In the Expanse, there is a system than normal vessels would attempt, its arrival has
device that allows this blessed state of mind and more. The thrown fleets into panic with the possible threat of invasion.
Brass Prism as it is known has the wondrous ability to refract There is also no pattern to its duration in real space, ranging
myriad thoughts into a single beam of blindingly brilliant from minutes to several weeks. And there is of course no telling
mentality, faster than the finest of ancient cogitators or chem- how long it stays when it surfaces in the depths of the void
acellerated lexmechanics. between stars, far outside Imperial travel lanes where no right-
Those who have seen the Prism say it is in fact constructed thinking captain would ever dare voyage. Despite the best
of dull golden materials, but closer inspection indicates it is not efforts of the Adeptus Mechanicus it always descends back into
one of the Seven Blessed Metals and is perhaps even of xenos the Warp after its stay in reality, taking with it any ships
origin. The main chassis is large and bulky, with heavy cables luckless enough to have been docked or stationed nearby, as
connected to a helm that adjusts to the size of whoever dons it. they are caught in the vortex of its farewell.
The laser-focused clarity one gains from wearing this device is Most who have sighted the vessel assume it to be of xenos
rapturous to the followers of the Omnissiah and even non- origins; only closer scans reveal worn lettering in ancient
adherents find their mind’s cleared and their emotional gothic to indicate it is a creation of man. Unlike the proper
distractions removed. Users strive to explore each tendril of voidships of the Imperium, it is utterly smooth and lacking any
knowledge to its ultimate end and there are tales of users of the normal Imperial ornamentation or iconography. This
wasting away unto death rather than disrupt their blessed state. alone makes it a cause for great interest for the Adeptus
Mechanicus, with various factions wishing to entrap it into a
stable realspace anchorage for either study or destruction.
The Prism can be invaluable in many tasks and adventures, but Either it is of an age best left undisturbed from before the true
also will draw much attention from agents of the Machine God emergence of the Machine God, or the result of lost human
throughout the Expanse and beyond. The Inquisition would civilizations who construct without the proper blessings of the
also seek to examine it for possible xenos or Chaos taint, as Omnissiah to their creations. Either are grounds for
they would any who use it. There are other drawbacks as well; technological heresy of the worst kinds or intensive study and
those who use it for sustained periods of time find themselves possible worship, depending on the Mechanicum faction in
becoming distracted by even the most prosaic of matters, and question.
unable to focus for any length of time. Those who claim to have boarded her describe
The exact effects of using the Brass Prism are ill machineries beyond the pale of the finest Imperial
represented by granting mechanical benefits, though GMs technologies. Gleaming corridors stand illuminated by hidden
could upgrade Intellect-based skills when using the device by sources, engines of mirrored steel that purr like contented cats,
one. The true worth of the device should be answering holds dripping with devices ancient yet clean and still
questions Explorers would normally have no way of humming with power, riches beyond the dreams of avarice just
discovering. A character may spend a Story Point to ask the waiting to be plundered. The artefacts to be recovered here
GM questions about events in their game and receive answers would keep entire planets of Archaeo-technologists busy for
they normally could not comprehend. Every question should decades in study, or fulfil the desires of entire hives of lordly
include an upgraded Fear check with a difficulty based upon collectors eager to display their wealth.
the size and scale of the answer. Understanding why an Ork The Silver Ship is not without its perils. Horrors such as
Warband has begun raiding a world on the edge of the Expanse the corpses, freshly rotted or desiccated from aeons of dry
is likely to cause an upgraded Average (lLkK) Fear check, death, are scattered across the decks—the remains of those who
but trying to understand why a small group of Crow Spirit failed to temper their greed against their wits and were trapped
Eldar have decided to take up residence on a desolate mining when the ship dipped back into the Endless Seas. Some of these
colony would be Daunting (lLkKkKk)K to say the least. appear recent, some are clearly xenos, and some perhaps even
the original crew. Even cadavers recovered from the Silver
Ship can be worth their weight in thrones, with eager Magi
Biologis ready with sharpened blades to examine the remains. The treasures though are certainly worth some risk. Even
Not all are dead however. carrying off mundane crates or corpses are tremendous prizes
There may be remnants of previous salvage expeditions given their origin. And actual cargo from the holds could be
still living, both xenos and human, many driven insane through antiquities dating back many thousands of years, possibly from
their unprotected travels through the Empyrean. There are also other sectors of the galaxy or of xenos origin. This can be a rare
those enslaved by hideous life forms, bereft of will and living opportunity to discover some of the priceless artefacts and
only to serve their foul masters. Zombie-like, they perhaps weapons normally only available for the fabulously successful
struggled against their awful fate but now only stalk the decks Rogue Trader crews, or it could be the beginning of a
with listless gaits and empty minds acting only to obey. Worse harrowing and nightmarish adventure should their preparations
still are their masters: floating sacks of alien life, dangling and planning prove insufficient against the Silver Ship and its
tendrils caressing the decks as they hover unnaturally in the still denizens.
fresh air, their thralls standing ready to defend them unto death. GMs wishing to populate the Silver Ship with treasures
These are the worst threats to be found, and the bane of any should consider Archeotech items with a rarity of 8 or more,
who would attempt to pillage the ship of its many treasures. For fitting for a ship that may well have been built before the
to tarry on the Silver Ship is to fall prey to those horrible Imperium even existed. If a Rogue Trader was able to plunder
dominating mentalities and become one of the mindless crew, even a fragment of the ship’s logs or cogitator banks, the
forever serving their foul xenos masters in their unfathomable Mechanicus would pay handsomely for such information
goals, never to be seen again until the vessel reappears, ready (somewhere between 5 and 15 Profit Factor, depending on the
to entice the weak and greedy into her clutches. quantity and quality of the information involved).

The Silver Ship represents an unplanned opportunity for a Shaper Kangak led his people from the brink of destruction
crew. It can appear with no warning, though it may be possible through a revolution. The Kroot of Shek persevered through
for very skilled psykers to divine its emergence via reading the test after test of strength and cunning, with his guidance and
Tarot or through other arcane devices. It could also force a leadership. When his health began to fade, the elders convened
vessel to unexpectedly drop out of the warp through and appealed for his advice and prophetic vision in fear that his
disturbances it can cause in the Empyrean, with the ship itself passing would mark their people’s decline and eventual
also emerging soon after. The ship itself is a lustrous mystery, destruction. Kangak assured the beleaguered elders that his
a legend of the Expanse that will be never be fully explained or death was not the end and as a symbol of his confidence, he
safely contained. Each time it emerges, it will be a different removed his ruff and presented it to them. Kangak insisted that
encounter, for who knows if even it is travelling in a linear the Quills themselves were not what maintained the Kindred,
timeline through the warp? rather the strength of their resolve, was lost on most of the
A crew may simply fire on it as a reaction, viewing it as elders who desired something tangible on which to trust the
one less possible danger in their path. The ship will simply future.
vanish back into the warp if so, as the massed destructive This mysterious artefact is a bundle of quills from the ruff
energies puncture the already tenuous boundary layer keeping of Kroot Shaper Kangak. Some say these quills have medicinal
it in realspace. Hopefully their vessel is not too close if this properties well beyond anything the Imperium could muster,
happens—unplanned warp travel is quite eventful. usable not only by the Kroot who guard them but by other
Those brave enough to attempt to board should plan for creatures as well. Stories tell of a painful ritual in which dying
the worst. Entering any derelict vessel is fraught with dangers Kroot have been healed of their wounds by tattooing pigments
aplenty, but can offer unique treasures to reward a bold but deep within the flesh using these quills. Beyond Shek, few
prudent crew. Careful monitoring of auspex sensors can offer know of the Quills or their miraculous properties. In the rare
hints as to when the ship is beginning to drift back into the event that an Imperial citizen should secure the services and
warp, as can sensitive psykers such as Navigators who are confidence of a Kroot mercenary, it would just as likely offer
attuned to the ways of the Endless Seas. Once aboard though, some cryptic words on the subject as deny the Quills’ existence
haste is a virtue, and much care must be made to avoid the altogether. Additionally, the Kroot are keenly aware of the
hidden dangers aboard. Enslavers are perhaps the most deadly danger that knowledge of the Quills could bring should it be
foes they will face, and their flesh-portals will become active widely spread. Therefore, they only use them sparingly outside
soon after their thralls encounter the boarders. of the Kroot warsphere itself.
Though explanations of how the Quills work remain vague and Those who travel though Winterscale’s Realm are used to
of an esoteric, primal sort, their use requires little effort given using the ancient scraps that claim to be remnants of the great
the fantastic nature of their effects. The ritual requires minimal Sebastian’s fabled charts, for as poorly recorded as they are,
supplies (appropriate fetishes and ink among them), at least two they are still the most assured guides to safe travel. Each is
hours of ritual labour, and at least a few comrades willing to priceless and invaluable for any Trader seeking to make his
play minor roles as witnesses and support. Once all is in place, fortune. Even more sought after though is the actual journal
the ritual leader selects the character who is to receive this Winterscale used to record his journeys, an object that so far
miracle healing makes a Daunting (kKkKkKkK) Knowledge remains a wisp of historical fancy. The only reason it is
(Scholastic) check. If the ritual leader is not a Kroot, or at least believed to actually exist are the pages that some claim to come
understands the greater spiritual belief of the Kroot, they add from this apocryphal tome, for these pages reveal secrets of the
jJ jJ to this check. Expanse that only a true explorer such as Winterscale would
have uncovered in the centuries long ago.
A wounded or dying Kroot that receives benefits from a
Quill’s rejuvenating effects heals at three times the normal rate And such secrets they are! Each page seems unique (so far
and heals 1 additional wound from all supernatural healing as those who own one and have compared warily obscured
effects until the Kroot has fully recovered. Any other non- details with other owners), and each details priceless
Kroot heals at twice their normal rate until the character has remembrances such as forgotten warp routes, carefully hidden
fully recovered. Damage that would otherwise require bionic caches of pillaged relics, precise dates and times of ore-rich
replacements heals naturally, regenerating lost arms and asteroid passages, and more. To own one of the pages is to have
internal organs over a period of one to two weeks. tapped into the primordial secrets of the Expanse… or to have
been duped by a clever forgery that may spell embarrassment
The Quills have an affinity for the Kindred of Kangak and
at best or disastrous calamity at worst. Alternatively, of course
the Kroot in general, deteriorating when used on other beings.
to attract the attention of those who feel only they should be the
h h h may be spent form checks made to use the Quills on rightful owners of such a treasure.
a non-Kroot to immediately destroy the Quill. This makes each
Quill a valuable and finite resource, although the total number
of Quills is unknown (and left up to GMs to determine).
Each of these pages (assuming it is actually true and not one of
the many forgeries) contains invaluable information. It may
lead the crew on a harrowing expedition to a seemingly
worthless planetoid, where clever rockcrete craters hide stashes
of purloined goods dating back to the initial explorations of the
Expanse. It could offer more reliable and faster warp transits
across the Realm, cutting many valuable days in travel. A page
might offer tantalizing hints at a dead civilization that is yet to
be plundered on a forgotten world, or details on races yet
discovered. It could also be just the portion of an entry, leading
the owners in search of the other pages to complete the puzzle
or perhaps even work with the other owners in piecing together
the mystery. To own one of the pages is to embark on a new
level of opportunity in the Expanse, a double-edged blade
indeed but one worth owning.
Any True Fragment possessed by the Explorer reduces the
difficulty of checks made within Winterscale’s Realm to
navigate and explore the region and to divine the meaning
behind hidden knowledge once. In addition, True Fragments
utilized in Endeavours in this region always increase awarded
Profit Factor by 1. However, their true worth should be in
revealing lost and valuable locations within Winterscale’s
Realm, as well as secrets of Winterscale’s long and infamous
dynasty that may prove valuable on their own.
 forth in her hands to meet her foe. Even as her death descended
upon her, she swung the blade up to meet it.
The forces arrayed against the Imperium of Man are as potent
The fact remains that since Almace’s final assault, a sword
as they are cunning. Insidious xenos factions and the ever-
matching the legend’s description has arisen from time to time
present threat of Chaos continue their ceaseless assault across
on different planets within the Koronus Expanse. Unsightly
the worlds of the Koronus Expanse even as vile heresies and
compared to the gilded weapons of the Ecclesiarchy, the blade
hordes of mutant monstrosities seek to corrupt and destroy the
is an almost supernaturally sharp chunk of heavily scarred
heart of Humanity. However, as endless and terrible as these
metal welded to a hefty two-handed grip. Always seeming to
forces might seem, the power of those who believe in the
emerge in the most brutal crucibles of violence, its few
Emperor is stronger still.
wielders have spoken of it having a potent, almost violent aura
While the willing devoted are numberless within the about it that reacts with the wielder’s wishes. It now rests in the
Koronus Expanse, four individuals have distinguished hands of the Blood Tears on Loretta, who entrust it to their
themselves above and beyond even the most righteous of the greatest champion.
Imperial Creed. These four missionaries—Genevieve Almace,
Once per combat encounter, the wielder may spend a
Nicomedes Keefe, Nadine Aleynikov, and Jollus Marquette—
Story Point to awaken the memory within the blade (see Table
are shining examples of what it means to live a life for the sake
4–1). Almace’s Last Conquest requires two hands to wield.
of the God-Emperor. The arms and gear that these individuals
used during their lives are an indispensable part of their
individual legends, and continue to aid the righteous in the
never-ending fight against the foes of humanity. Like many of the missionaries before and after her in the
Koronus Expanse, Almace believed that studying the life of St.
Cognatius would be vital for the propagation of the Imperial
way within the Expanse, particularly if such research would
Depictions of Aleynikov rarely depict her without the simple
lead to the location of his tomb. Her quest focused upon the
map case she was known to carry with her throughout her life.
information that she could most identify with, namely his
Though the origins of the chart and how it came into her
military accomplishments and assets, and compiled references
possession remain a mystery, there is little room for doubt that
to both archeotechnology and any cultures with particularly
the influence it had in both her mission and journey was
sophisticated military traditions. Military specialists hold the
significant, particularly near the end of her life. It is believed
Tactica in high regard, and the few Explorators who took up
that she died with the star chart tightly wrapped in her arms.
her research were duly impressed by the archeotech that her
Whether or not this is the precise truth, the barest rumour of
descriptions illuminated (even if they were almost obsessively
this priceless object’s resting place has led countless Explorers
focused on the maintenance and proper use of weaponry).
on forays into the darkest reaches of the Koronus Expanse.
While in possession of Aleynikov’s Star Chart, reduce the
difficulty of Astrocartography checks made to navigate to any 4–1 ’
planet Aleynikov visited or affected during her life once. The
d10 DESCRIPTION
GM should choose or create a number of planets Aleynikov
visited and brief descriptions of what she had seen. These The character adds s s a to their melee combat checks and
must attack any enemy still alive until the end of the encounter
descriptions may be vague or inaccurate as time and war or until the wielder is incapacitated. Any Critical Injury
change many places throughout the galaxy. 1-2 automatically inflicts the Bleeding Out Critical Injury. At the end
of the encounter, this character makes a Hard (kKkKk)K
Corruption check.

Add s s to the next melee combat check made with this

At the very end of her daring strike against a world fully tainted
weapon. This weapon deals 2 damage per s. This effect lasts
by Chaos, her forces all but destroyed and her weapon lost 3-8
until the next successful combat check or until the end of the
somewhere nearby, Almace found herself alone and injured, encounter.
facing the most fearsome warrior of the world’s grim host: a
The character becomes immune to Fear and Corruption checks
Greater Daemon of Khorne. Struggling to stand, her body and immediately recovers from any effects of Fear or Corruption
9-10 they might be suffering during this encounter. This weapon gains
broken but her heart unshaken, Almace roared her last,
the Burn 2 quality and attacks with this weapon count as holy.
desperate plea to the God-Emperor for aid. Casting about in the
tide of blood that spilled before her, her hands at last came to
rest upon the grip of her sword. Stained black with the blood of
countless Daemons, the battered shard of metal seemed to jump
 4–2
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
Aleynikov's Star Chart – – – – 1 – 9

Almace's Last Conquest Melee +4 2 Engaged 3 0 10 Defensive 1, Pierce 2, Unwieldy 3

Almace's Tactica – – – – 1 – 9

Banner of Wrath – – – – 4 – 8

Contriver's Signet – – – – 0 – 10

Folio Languor – – – – 2 – 9

Grand Compendium – – – – – – 10

Halo of the Devoted – – – – 0 – 10

Breach 1, Concussive 1,
Piety's Charge Melee 8 2 Engaged 6 0 10 Cumbersome 4, Knockdown,
Reinforced, Superior, Sunder
Vila of Aleynikov's Bane – – – – 0 – 8

Almace’s Tactica is a tome written in High Gothic. The

reader upgrades any Knowledge skill check relating to such
It is no great secret that Marquette was one of the most well
topics as heraldry, the Imperial Creed, judgments, legends,
connected, influential individuals in the Koronus Expanse.
philosophy, and warfare checks. Once per game session, the
However, few people, from his fellow missionaries to the
character may spend a Story Point to automatically unjam all
highest planetary lords, ever learned the secrets behind his
engaged weapons or repair one engaged weapon by one step.
incredible organizational talents. The network of power he
managed to engineer from his humble beginnings grew to rival
that of any Sector Lord’s. Unfortunately, perhaps because of
An enormous battle standard bearing the Imperial Crest and a this remarkable singularity of power, his sudden passing by an
staggering number of militant verses from the Imperial Creed, assassin’s hand was enough to destabilize most of the planets
the Banner of Wrath has a remarkably rich and long-standing he had worked so hard to bring into the fold. Though
history of use by the Emperor’s forces within the Koronus fragmented and ravaged by conflict, the old groundwork that
Expanse. As its last wielder, Genevieve Almace carried it on Marquette laid upon these worlds persists after his death,
every battle and campaign she ever took part in, except her final waiting for one as talented and driven as he to take up the reins
conquest, and spoke often of the strength it seemed to give both once again.
her and her warriors in combat. Famous for their unmatched Though at first glance it seemed nothing more than a
devotion to both their commander and their Creed, those under rather dull black gemstone no larger than a button, Marquette
her command threw themselves at their foes with little fear of discovered through careful study and experimentation, an
injury or death when inspired by the site of Almace wielding incredibly intricate series of cogitators inside the gem capable
the grand standard. Perhaps knowing that she would not of recording, compiling, and encrypting vast amounts of
survive her final test, she passed on the standard to one of her information. He ordered it to be set within a signet ring and
most favoured attendants, and commanded him to make sure it engraved with his crest. Calling it the “Contriver’s Signet,” he
was returned safely to its resting place in the hands of the set about recording each and every important contact he ever
Ecclesiarchy. made throughout his life within the gem. Tailored to react only
The Banner of Wrath is a standard that requires one hand to his touch, it allowed him to keep a constantly updating list
to wield and carry. Allies within short range of the wielder of every person he had ever influenced. This tally is immense,
reduce the number of a needed to cause a Critical Injury with for Marquette curried favours across countless worlds and
personal weapons by 1, to a minimum of 1. Once per encounter, vessels, from massive shrine worlds where temples whose
the wielder may make an Average (kKkK) Leadership check. construction he oversaw still stand to tiny human populations
If successful, until the end of this character’s next turn, all allies that know the Imperium only through the works of Marquette.
in the encounter may perform one additional move maneuver These fanatics are eager to help any who can provide a sign that
on their turn without downgrading their action or suffering they are carrying on Marquette’s legacy—and there could be
strain—but they still may only perform two maneuvers during no better sign than the Contriver’s Signet, which contains all of
their turn. the secrets one would need to win over such groups.
 The Contriver’s Signet is a small ring that can be worn on Much too large to be carried by even hundreds of people,
the index or ring finger of a normal-sized human hand. An the full Grand Compendium acts as a starship component This
Explorer wearing the Contriver’s Signet upgrades all social component counts as an Additional Facility (see page 148 of
skill checks on worlds converted by Marquette once. Further, ROGUE TRADER GENESYS) with no linked component. It
this information instantly wins the wearer the cooperation of requires 2 Hard Points to create proper storage and space. If
groups dedicated to venerating Marquette. Once per session, an this component ever needs to be repaired, treat is as having the
Explorer wearing the Contriver’s Signet may spend a Story Archeotech quality.
Point to add a number of a equal to their Presence to social Once per session, while onboard a starship with this
skill checks against a specific organization or group until the component, a character may make a Hard (kKkKk)K Knowledge
end of the encounter. check (the GM and player should determine which Knowledge
Marquette’s influence over powerful individuals was skill is most applicable in the given situation). If successful, the
likely the cause of his demise. There are those who fear such character may add jJ to one check that another character who
power, and dread even more the return of one wielding the could reasonably benefit from this information makes before
long-dead missionary’s secrets. The GM chooses one the end of the session. For every s beyond the first, the
organization or group who begins opposing the character character may add jJ to one additional check this way. They
wearing the Contriver’s Signet for as long as that character
cannot allocate more than jJ to any single check this way. At
lives.
the end of the session, any unused jJ are lost.
At the GM’s discretion, player characters who spend
significant time studying the Grand Compendium may
Though she would eventually succumb to the most fearsome of
purchase the Knowledge (Common) and Knowledge
the diseases she researched, Nadine Aleynikov’s exhaustive
(Scholastic) skills as if they were career skills for their
attention to detail and tireless care in recording the causes,
character (effectively reducing the total cost of experience
symptoms, and treatments of diseases laid the groundwork for
required).
centuries of medical miracles to come. Supposedly, she shut
herself up within her cabin for days at a time, feverishly
compiling and recording all of her research within a single
large tome. While no proof has yet arisen to corroborate these Legends of Keefe’s journeys throughout the Koronus Expanse
claims, if such a book exists, it would doubtless prove very describe how Keefe’s devotion to the spreading the Imperial
useful in the hands of any medical specialists seeking to study Creed was such that true followers could actually see a visible
diseases or improve their skills. halo flicker into being over his head whenever he found himself
Any character with the Folio Languor decreases the in danger. Supposedly, this halo provided him the Emperor’s
difficulty of Medicae checks to heal wounds, strain, and protection during his darkest hours, driving away bullets,
blades, and even the baleful fire of tainted psykers. In truth, the
Critical Injuries by one, to a minimum of Easy (kK). In addition,
phenomena thought to be Keefe’s halo was another piece of
they remove all jJ when making Medicae or Knowledge skill
archeotechnology that he discovered. Upon first glance, the
checks to diagnose and treat natural diseases (diseases not
simple silver chain does not seem very impressive, but the Halo
caused by the supernatural beings).
of the Devoted is an extraordinarily powerful protective force
field when active.
A character wearing the Halo of the Devoted may active
Few individuals were nearly so well travelled or so well it once per encounter. The character spends a Story Point as a
informed about the planets, cultures, and motivations of maneuver to intone a prayer to the Emperor. This force field
Winterscale’s Realm as Jollus Marquette. His enormous library provides 2 defense and follows the rules described on page 94
of writings on this subject, later called his “Grand of ROGUE TRADER GENESYS. This device can only be made to
Compendium,” is the sum of everything he learned in his malfunction or overload by spending t.
travels—or at least, everything he would openly admit to
knowing. The topics range from the general to the extremely
specific, and cover an enormous number of different subjects.
While locating and compiling all of this hidden information
would be a project of incredible magnitude, nigh-impossible
challenge notwithstanding, the Grand Compendium itself is a
priceless treasure trove of information that any Rogue Trader
would do well to seek out. Unfortunately, only fragmented
pieces of the compendium have been found thus far.
Nicomedes Keefe recovered this enormous archeotech power A particularly mutagenic, insidious disease native to Sideria II,
hammer during his conversion of Everharvest. The the strain known as Aleynikov’s Bane is characterized by a
astoundingly detailed gilded imagery adorning the head and seemingly idiopathic pooling of blood in various parts of the
handle of the hammer spoke to its rich history as both an body. The disease itself—called Grasping Rot—is as
ornamental tool and a weapon, and Keefe believed that his horrifying as it is lethal. The entire course of the disease from
finding of the weapon was no mere accident. The weapon has exposure to death generally takes about a week, and beginning
since come to stand as a symbol for everything that Keefe with sharp aching sensations in the joints and extremities. It
endeavoured to accomplish during his many excursions out of eventually develops into bloating, discolouration, and loss of
Imperial space. After his death, it was placed in a shrine sensation in the limbs as blood flow slowly ceases. The
devoted to his memory maintained on Foulstone by the Order victim’s miserable life slowly comes to an end as pools of
of the Hammer. Though appearing ceremonial in nature, rotted blood invade and congeal within his internal organs, and
Piety’s Charge is still a fearsome weapon in the hand of a as his gangrenous limbs begin to slough off from his body
competent wielder. Additionally, the intricate engravings and under their own weight.
symbols that adorn it attest to its rich history, and help to ensure It was thought to be completely incurable before
its wielder’s friendship among the Ecclesiarchy. Aleynikov began her work, and though she was able to make
This weapon has the Best Craftsmanship weapon upgrade significant progress in curing it among the greater population,
and the power craftsmanship already applied to its profile. this lead to not only her own death, but the deaths of nearly
Anyone wielding Piety’s Charge adds jJ to all social skill everyone on board both the Rogue Trader vessel Nox Veniae
checks made with the Ecclesiarchy and other groups loyal to and an entire supply space station. Despite the horrifying
the Emperor. This weapon requires one less a to activate the effects of this disease, Adherents of Aleynikov occasionally
Knockdown quality, to a minimum of a (after factoring in carry sealed vials of this devastating malady, as a reminder of
their patron’s sacrifice. Other, entirely more sinister
silhouette differences). If unpowered, this weapon uses the
individuals also sometimes possess samples of the disease.
Warhammer profile. Piety’s Charge requires two hands to
wield. Any Missionary or a character who has shown great
veneration of the God-Emperor (at the GM’s discretion)
wearing a Vial of Aleynikov’s Bane begins the session with a
temporary Story Point. This works just like a normal Story
Point but is removed from the pool when it is used, rather than
being moved to the GM pool.
 the king’s collective heads adorned the trophy room of the late
missionary’s fleet.
The Koronus Expanse is huge and the worlds thus far explored
Still, much was plundered from the world before setting
are only the start of what might be out there. Similarly, what is
off for the next target. The royal guards of Heltor fought with
revealed about the worlds and factions present within the
intriguing weapons—two-meter long poles adorned with brass
Expanse represent only part of their nature. There are no
and silver ending in a sweeping crescent blade seething with
absolute truths for those exploring the Expanse, merely the
the destructive energy of a power field. The fine weapon even
whispers and misconceptions of men, the legends and
included a powerful las weapon into the design, allowing truly
fragmented histories of things that should, by all rights, be
versatile warriors to make the most of their skills.
impossible, or at the very least, highly improbable. That is, at
the core of it, the nature of the Koronus Expanse—a place of This weapon has the Best Craftsmanship weapon upgrade
impossible things, some wondrous and others terrible, a and the Power craftsmanship already applied to its profile. If
graveyard of dead gods, and the resting place of slumbering unpowered, this weapon uses the Spear profile. Alternatively,
horrors amidst unimaginable treasures and limitless this weapon may be used to make ranged attacks with the
opportunities for glory. following weapon profile: (Ranged [Heavy]; Damage 7;
Critical 3; Range [Medium]; Pierce 2).
The lucky and daring few who have come back more or
less intact bring with them tales that do nothing but inspire the
next generation of daring explorers. And so the cycle
continues, and will continue, as long as people exist who see Similar in design as the Orthlack-pattern heavy stubber
danger as merely the cost of opportunity. manufactured in Gunmetal City, the Darloth-pattern chain
cannon remedies the heavy weapon specialist’s having to stop
to reload. Specialized machine spirits awaken to automatically
feed this weapon’s great hunger for carnage. Bulky and
This rare work of the Imperial Cult recounts the founding
fearsome, this multi-barrelled weapon is a lost work of art in
principles of the saints of the Calixis Sector and beyond. Such
the theatre of war.
is the exquisite writing in this tome that anyone quoting from
it when dealing with the faithful of the Emperor gains the This weapon has the Best Craftsmanship weapon upgrade
utmost respect. A complete copy would be a nearly impossible already applied to its profile. This weapon ignores the first out
relic, but various fragments of these books have appeared over of ammo result that it suffers per encounter. In addition, once
the centuries. Sharp-eyed members of the Ecclesiarchy are per round, the Auto-fire quality requires one less a to activate
always looking to compare copies to see if the text aligns and the first additional hit. Anyone firing a Darloth chain cannon
the holy scriptures can be brought together. Due to the must always use the Auto-fire quality.
prevalence of counterfeiting, there are some who doubt that this
book ever existed in whole or in part.
A character with this item adds jJ jJ to Charm, This auspex is similar to many of its handheld brethren in form
Leadership, and Negotiation checks against loyalists. Once per and function, suggesting that this particular archaic device is
session, a character may spend one hour reading from a book certainly from mankind’s past. However, this Ghost Voice
of Imperial Graces and make a Hard (kKkKkK) Discipline Auspex is slimmer in form and much more powerful in
check. If they succeed, they add jJ to all Fear and Corruption function. Compared to the modern Imperial auspex, this
ancient device is not hindered by many common materials. Its
checks they make for the remainder of the session.
sensitive machine spirit easily sees through walls and it
constantly whispers to the user of danger around them.
A character using this device automatically detects any
The world of Heltor was a once powerful human civilization
moving creatures within long range. If creatures within range
with profound technology from mankind’s past. Missionaries
are actively hidden, your character upgrades any Vigilance or
during the Angevin Crusades came upon the idyllic world with
Perception checks to notice them (instead of spotting them
the intention of returning Heltor to the Imperium. The kings of
automatically). This device counts as the right tool for the job
the various lands rejected the message and killed the
to detect environmental anomalies, such as gases and radiation
missionaries as interlopers. A bloody battle ensued in the
as determined by the GM. In addition, a character with a Ghost
aftermath and while technologically advanced, Heltor did not
Voice Auspex cannot be ambushed and may make Initiative
know warfare and ferocity as those of the Crusades did. The
checks using the Cool skill.
planet was sacked, every last native was put to the sword, and
 4–3
NAME SKILL DAM CRIT RANGE ENCUM HP RARITY SPECIAL
Book of Imperial Graces – – – – 1 – 8

Accurate 1, Breach 1, Defensive 1,

Consort Honour Blade Melee 6 2 Engaged 5 1 10
Reinforced, Sunder, Superior
Darloth Chain Cannon Gunnery 12 3 Long 7 2 9 Auto-fire, Cumbersome 4, Pierce 1

Ghost Voice Auspex – – – – 1 – 8

Breach 1, Sunder, Superior,

Hand of Retribution Melee 5 2 Engaged 1 – 10
Reinforced
Hollow Atlas – – – – 2 – 11

Skitarii Cyber Weapon – – – – – – 10

Stalker Carapace – – – – 3 2 9

Void Weave Cloak – – – – 2 1 9

remainder of the session. The GM may spend d to cause a

A small circular device that fits neatly into the palm of the mental trauma or increases any existing mental trauma by one
hand. This device appears to come from the Imperium’s past step instead.
and shows high quality craftsmanship. In effect, this is a power If successful, upgrade Astrocartography, Perception, and
weapon, but strangely, the blade appears as a shimmering beam Vigilance checks twice when navigating in realspace the Warp.
of light. When worn, the user can flex their palm to cause the The region can be as large as a sub-sector or as small as a single
device to trigger, sprouting its thin energy blade on hapless solar system. The character may spend t when activating the
foes. The followers of the Micro-Omnissiah go to great lengths Atlas to see another region entirely chosen by the Atlas. Should
to secure any examples of this archeotechnology. the user heed the Atlas and travel to this region of space, they
This weapon has the Best Craftsmanship weapon upgrade seldom finds the trip wasted.
and the Power craftsmanship already applied to its profile.
Upgrade the difficulty of Perception checks made to find this
weapon on a person's body twice. While this weapon is Crafted by the Adeptus Mechanicus for their Tech-Guard, this
moderately damaged, it still functions as a power weapon. weapon is at first glance a cybernetic arm of incredible artistry.
It is ornamented with precious metals and lovingly detailed
with all manner of holy calculi and machine cogs. Closer
The Egarians constructed the Hollow Atlas during the twilight inspection reveals that it incorporates both a las weapon and
of their civilization, a fusion of their crystal manipulation and grenade launcher hidden within its armoured plates. Such
darker powers. The Hollow Atlas is a series of clear crystal technology is a lost art to the Machine Cult today and signifies
spheres nested within one another. Each sphere is covered in that this cybernetic must have belonged to a valued servant.
spindly, complex etchings impossible to decipher, and all but The worshippers of the Omnissiah are just as likely to purchase
the outermost sphere are rotating rapidly in different directions. such a relic, as they are to see it put into service to fulfill its
The Atlas is exactly what its name claims, a series of maps of divine purpose once more.
the entire Koronus Expanse. While active, a series of highly This cybernetic counts as a Bionic Arm (see page 115 of
detailed three-dimensional star-charts in glowing blue energy the ROGUE TRADER GENESYS) with an internal Hellpistol and
erupt from the Atlas to fill whatever room or area it is currently Grenade Launcher. The Hellpistol has the following weapon
occupying (within reason). Usually, these charts are of a region profile: (Ranged [Light]; Damage 6; Critical 3; Range [Short];
of space the user is interested in visiting and thinking about. Amaranthine, Pierce 1, Superior). The Grenade Launcher has
However, using such a strange xenos device is not for the the following weapon profile: (Ranged [Heavy]; Damage 8;
weak-willed. Critical 4; Range [Medium]; Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1,
Only a character with the at least one rank in Psyniscience Superior).
may use this device. Once per encounter, a character may make The entire Bionic Arm has the Reinforced quality and
a Hard (kKkKk)K Psyniscience check to active the Hollow combat checks made with these weapon profiles never jam.
Atlas. If this check fails and generates h h h h, the user This weapon cannot make combined (Two-Weapon) combat
immediately reduces their strain threshold by 2 for the checks with itself. Noticing this cybernetic has internal
weapons requires a Daunting (kKkKkKk)K Perception check. At
the GM’s discretion, medical scanners may reduce this
difficulty of this check once or twice depending on the how
Xenos beast hides are common across the Imperium and
sophisticated the scanner is.
especially distance worlds might only have access to tanned
leathers made from whatever beast of burden the population
raises. However, the sheer variability of xenos creatures
A strange alien suit of carapace armour made of what looks like throughout the galaxy ought not to be dismissed. On the planet
black volcanic glass that seems to drink up surrounding light. of Burnscour, in Winterscale’s Realm, a xenos beast often
Once thought to be a creation of the extinct xenos race of overlooked by beast traders searching for deadly creatures are
Egarians, further investigation by Inquisitors of the Ordos the fyrerats. Fyrerats are approximately half a meter from nose
Xenos deduced that the unnaturally dark material was different to tail and covered in coarse black fur. They derive their name
in composition when compared to other examples of the for being able to withstand the steaming rain of Burnscour.
xenotech. While the question is still out on the origins of this There are few examples of void weave cloaks due to the
armour, anyone possessing such will find the shadowy difficulty of accessing Burnscour and then capturing enough
members of the Assassinorum are keen to relieve owners of this fyrerats to make a large cloak. However, those that have an eye
armour through trade or more direct means. for detail might find this unnaturally dark cloak useful as it is
Stalker carapace has a soak value of 1 and a defense value highly resistant to damage, especially fire.
of 1. Wearing stalker carapace upgrades the ability of all While wearing a void weave cloak, your character reduces
Stealth checks made by the wearer twice. If the character any wounds suffered from weapons with the Burn quality by 3
remains motionless (does not ready or stow an item or use a before apply soak (this effect applies even if the Burn quality
move maneuver) in a shadowed or dimly lit area, they is not activated). A character wearing this cloak may neutralize
automatically pass opposed checks to search for them. the Burn quality from flame sources as a maneuver, instead of
making a Coordination check.