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Deathwatch Gamemasters
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Moderator: FFGAntonThe Spaniard Topics: 629 | Posts: 6897
Librarians quickly taking over the show
Published on 18 July 2012 - 18:41:27
Page 3 of 3 (34 messages) « First page... 2 3
Reply #31 | Published on 23 February 2013 - 14:18:18
And a heavy flamer will hit a horde pretty hard too, for (2d5+7)x2, assuming cleanse and purify and storm of iron, likely to at least equal and likely surpass a smite against a horde.
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Reply #32 | Published on 23 February 2013 - 15:07:02

Cryhavok said:

I actually prefer the strom bolter for this. With two to four degrees of success your hitting with four to eight shots. Metal storm rounds make each shot a blast 2 hit, so each of the average of six hits will hit for two damage, putting us at twelve so far. Explosive adds one more. Devestater ability unrelenting devestation adds 1d5, we can average that to 3. Storm of iron doubles that to 32 magnitude. Maximum, with 5 degrees of success would come in at 52 magnitude. The only thing a tactical marine would lose from that would be the 1d5 from the devestator ability, and with marksmen a marine could do this from outside the range of smite. The minimum with only one pair of shots from the storm bolter hiting is going to hit that horde for 12-20 damage from the devestator, or just ten from the tactical marine. Also note that, thanks to the recoil supression in astartes armor, you can dual wield storm bolters maxing out your potential magnitude damage at 104, easily laying waste to almost any horde in a single round.

I agree that using a flamer, storm bolter or heavy bolter is going to be more effective. Using a horde is one more effective way to allow other members of the kill-team to shine. It's a great point. Getting back to the point I disagree that Librarians are taking over the show - like I said earlier. The primary thing you need to do when you have a overzealous librarian that wants to use powers is make sure you are using the Psychic Phenomena table. It does limit the librarian and creates a great deal of tension.

Also, I have never even had to deal with a high rank librarian. I think the highest we have played was where we were around Rank 3-4.  The librarian in our group was already a little bit insane at this point. I think the largest magnitude horde I have put my characters against was 40 but there were other things that they were fighting at the same time.

In Conclusion

I wouldn't come up with houserules specfically limiting the Librarian. I personally like to design my encounters in ways create a dynamic encounter… For Example: An orc nob, a few orc boys, half dozen gretchen and a horde of attack squigs can be a nasty encounter and give everyone the opportunity to participate.

I like the idea of using the corruption from Dark Heresy. In Deathwatch, they are pretty much immune to corruption until they hit 100 and hand over their character. There is a malignancy table in Dark Heresy that would work pretty good. I would steer clear of mutations because after all they are space marines and resistant to the taint of corruption. All in all, there should be some measure of corruption occuring to the Librarian when they reach each 10 points.

I also believe that there should be ways to remove corruption that are difficult. But yes, I believe the malignancy table in Dark Heresy should be used.

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Reply #33 | Published on 23 February 2013 - 17:28:20
One thing you could do to limit a psyker that is getting out of hand would be to introduce the idea that the state of the warp in the local area being part of the terrain and effecting those who use the warp. IE the warp is restless, the viel is thin in the area, feels like a storm is brewing, the warp is truely calm here, etc. Then apply modifiers to psychic powers based on the state of the warp. You could have +/- focus power, +/- phenomena, auto phenomena, extra phenamena, minimum of unfettered/push, or worse. It being the sea of souls you could have unchecked emotion sirge through the area and people must play to thier demeanors when it happens. Imagination is the limit.
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Reply #34 | Published on 23 February 2013 - 18:41:26

While I agree on this somewhat, especially if it fits the current adventure/mission - I don't think creating situations that immobilize a character. I really think FFG has done a great job at balancing the characters for a party role. Like we just talked about with the hordes, a devastator is going to be king at taking down hordes (and vehicles).

Also, a Rank 8 Librarian should be very powerful with a lot of tools but they are not that bad. Refering to the very first post in the thread, a Rank 1 or 2 Librarian could never achieve the level of power allowing for 10d10 attacks with 10 attacks a round. It's just not going to happen. The rules are not being used right. I love hearing a Librarian say I want to push…. as a GM it gets me all giddy inside. I am an adversarial GM. I don't play a character - I just run the game and while the PC's are definitely the center of the world as far as my games go - I also make the games so there is a threat of dying and taking risks while rewarding… are going to have consequences.

Like Cryhavok and a few others have said. In some cases, creating unstable warp areas are great but try and always make a positive side so that the player doesn't feel like his Librarian is getting picked on. Examples:

  •  Enduring Warp: This area has had long term warp activity nearby. Gain a +10 on Focus Power Tests. All psy powers trigger the Psychic Phenomena with a -25 on the check. If a power would also trigger psychic phenomena a second time (such as doubles while using a psy power unfettered) a second phenomena will occur, as normal.
  • Weak Warp: The warp has a harder time reaching this area. Take -20 on Focus Power Tests to manifest the power. If for any reason a psychic phenomena would occur (even if a power is pushed) it only has a 1-50% chance of actually occuring. If it does occur make a psychic phenomena check with -10 on the roll.
  • Warp Ghost: The area is haunted by some strange entity that effects the warp. If any warp power is used apply the Psychic Phenomena of Mind Warp (a roll of 09-11) immediately. Also if a psychic phenomena would occur as a result of unfettered or pushing, it is rolled with a +20 to the psychic phenomena table. All Divination Discipline powers have +3 added to the Psy Rating.

These are just a few examples and I have used things like this before but not to limit psychers… more to add to the general theme of the mission they are on. I have not ran games at high ranks in Deathwatch (although I have had high rank ascended characters in my deathwatch games).

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