I've always been a sucker for the lore and setting of Warhammer 40,000 and while I've owned several of the RPGs set there I've never actually played any of them. Imperium Maledictum from Cubicle 7 just released today and I hope to rectify that sometime later this year.
This new RPG treads similar ground to Dark Heresy with the the Characters working for a Patron and hunting down heretics and xenos who seek to corrupt and destroy the Imperium of Man.
Imperium Maledictum uses a d100 system very similar to their Warhammer Fantasy Role Play 4th Edition where Success Levels see the result of the 10s die subtracted from the Tens Place of a Skill but seems to lack the Momentum mechanic introduces in the latter game.
Before Character Creation begins you are walked through creating a Patron for the group to work for. I've really enjoyed the Eisnhorn and Ravenor novels and both of them were larger than life characters whose agents were and extension of what made them so cool and I like this approach. The Patron has ties to and influence with several Factions serving the Imperium that range from Adeptus Mechanicus to Astra Millitarum to Inquisitors to Rogue Traders. The Patron's ties and mission are the indicators for what type of game the GM plans to run and I like this choice.
Character Creation begins with what the game's Characteristics that include Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, Toughness, Agility, Intelligence, Perception, Willpower, and Fellowship and start out at 20+2d10. If you choose to roll randomly place them you gain a 50 XP bonus for Advances later.
Origin comes next which tells you what type of world you come from and gives you 2 Advances for specific characterstics and equipment. Again, randomly choosing you grants you bonus XP for later.
Your Faction determines who you were trained by within the Imperium. Options included are the same as during the Patron creation process and gives you the possibility of being a telepath, serving the Navy, or even an outlaw. In the fiction, servants of the Imperium will use nearly any resource or being in their crusade against the forces of Chaos and the Faction portion of creation captures that exceptionally well.
Roles are next and include Interlocutor (negotiators or interrogators), Mystic (psykers), Savant (experts), Penumbra (assassin's or thieves), Warrior, or Zealot. Each presents Talents, Skill Advances (each grants +5%), Specializations to Skills (a Skill can only be improved by 4 Advances or +20% and Specializations allow you overcome that limit), and Equipment.
Looking at Advancement it seems that the Career system of WFRP 4E is not used and it appears you can simply spend XP to increase Characteristics (to a max of 60%), Skills, Specializations (no more than 4 Advances, as well), and Talents.
The PDF released today for $29.99 and I'm still making my way through the book but I'm liking what I'm seeing. Cubicle 7 makes great products and this is no exception with the layout and art successfully showcasing the 40k's atmosphere and look.
I'm really pleased with my purchase and have already made a character. I went the fully random route ending up with a Zealot who works for the Adeptus Ministorum and born on a Feudal World who uses a Chainsword and with Specializations has 69% chance to attack a creature. I was able to create him in under 20 minutes which I found fairly impressive.
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