Dark Heresy - Dark Heresy Core Rulebook

INTRODUCTION
006 | It is the 041st Millennium
007 | The War for the Soul of Mankind
008 | What’s in this Book?
010 | An Example of Play

CHAPTER I – CHARACTER CREATION
012 | Creating Your Acolyte
013 | Stage One: Homeworld
022 | Stage Two: Generate Characteristics
024 | Stage Three: Determine Career Path
028 | Stage Four: Spend Experience Points, Buy Equipment
030 | Stage Five: Bringing Your Character to Life
037 | Stage Six: Play the Game
038 | Example of Completed Character Sheet

CHAPTER II – CAREER PATHS
040 | Getting Started
041 | Character Advancements
044 | Adept
050 | Arbitrator
056 | Assassin
062 | Cleric
068 | Guardsman
074 | Imperial Psyker
082 | Scum
088 | Tech-Priest

CHAPTER III – SKILLS
096 | Gaining Skills
096 | Basic & Advanced Skills
098 | Skill Descriptions
098 | Acrobatics–Dodge
101 | Drive–Scholastic Lore
105 | Scrutiny–Wrangling

CHAPTER IV – TALENTS
110 | Gaining Talents
110 | Talent Groups
113 | Talent Descriptions
113 | Air of Authority–Feedback Screech
116 | Ferric Lure–Paranoia
120 | Peer–Wall of Steel

CHAPTER V– ARMOURY
124 | Money
125 | Availability
126 | Craftmanship
127 | Weapons
128 | Weapon Special Qualities
131 | Las-Weapons
132 | Solid Projectile Weapons
133 | Bolt Weapons
134 | Melta, Plasma & Flame Weapons
135 | Primitive Weapons
136 | Launchers & Grenades
138 | Exotic Weapons
138 | Melee Weapons
140 | Chain Weapons
140 | Power Weapons
141 | Shock Weapons
141 | Weapon Upgrades
142 | Ammo
144 | Armour
144 | Primitive & Flak Armour
145 | Mesh, Carapace & Powered Armour
146 | Gear
148 | Drugs & Consumables
150 | Tools
152 | Services
152 | Medical Care
153 | Cybernetics
153 | Bionic Replacements
154 | Implants

CHAPTER VI – PSYCHIC POWERS
158 | Types of Psyker
160 | Measuring Psychic Ability
161 | Using Psychic Ability
164 | Overbleed
164 | Sustaining Psychic Abilities
164 | Detecting Psychic Abilities
164 | Psychic Powers
164 | Minor Psychic Powers
169 | Psychic Disciplines – Biomancy
171 | Psychic Disciplines – Divination
174 | Psychic Disciplines – Pyromancy
176 | Psychic Disciplines – Telekinetics
178 | Psychic Disciplines – Telepathy

CHAPTER VII – PLAYING THE GAME
182 | Tests
182 | Skill Tests
183 | Characteristic Tests
184 | Degrees of Success and Failure
184 | Opposed Skill Tests
184 | The Role of Circumstance
185 | The Role of Fate
185 | Using Fate Points
185 | Burning Fate
185 | Gaining Additional Fate Points
186 | Investigation
186 | Using Investigation Skills
186 | Combat
186 | Rounds, Turns & Time
187 | Combat Overview
187 | Surprise
188 | Initiative
188 | Actions
194 | The Attack
200 | Injury
200 | Fatigue
200 | Becoming Stunned
200 | Characteristic Damage
201 | Critical Damage
210 | Special Damage
211 | Damage & Healing
212 | Movement
213 | Movement and Environment
213 | Climbing
214 | Jumping, Leaping & Swimming
215 | Moving & Lifting
215 | Exceeding Your Carrying Limits
216 | Lighting
216 | Flying

CHAPTER VIII – THE GAME MASTER
218 | The GM’s Lot
218 | Running Dark Heresy
219 | The Emperor’s Inquisition
219 | Know Them by Their Works
220 | Many are Called, Most are Found Wanting
220 | Themes in Dark Heresy
220 | One Minute to Midnight
220 | There is Taint in All Things
221 | Calcified Knowledge and Mystical Technology
221 | There is Only War
221 | Know Your Place
222 | We’re on a Mission from the God-Emperor
222 | Heroes, Heretics and Everyone in Between
222 | A Proper Stage
223 | Heresies Great and Small
228 | For Glory or Gain?
228 | Experience Points
230 | Interaction
230 | Interaction Skills
230 | Using Interaction Skills
232 | Fear & Damnation
232 | Insanity and Corruption Points
232 | Fear
234 | Going Insane
234 | Degrees of Madness
234 | Mental Trauma
234 | Gaining Mental Disorders
235 | The Severity of Disorders
235 | Types of Mental Disorder
237 | Removing Insanity Points from Your Character
238 | Corruption
238 | Corruption Points
238 | Moral Threats
238 | The Malignancy Teat
239 | Mutation
240 | The Dark Powers
240 | Khorne, Tzeentch, Slaanesh and Nurgle
241 | Servants of the Dark Gods
241 | Dark Pacts
242 | Striking the Bargain
242 | Your Deal with Darkness
242 | Pact of Survival and Dominion
243 | Pact of Vengeance, Desire and Knowledge
243 | Dark Pacts and Corruption
244 | The Mask of Seeming
244 | Invoking the Daemon
244 | Counting the Cost
244 | Denying the Daemon

CHAPTER IX – LIFE IN THE IMPERIUM
246 | The Feudal Order
246 | The Adeptus Terra
247 | The Adeptus Ministorum
248 | The Inquisition
249 | Planets of the Imperium
249 | Types of Planet
249 | Types of Culture
251 | Planetary Government
251 | Planetary Appearance
252 | Imperius Dominatus (MAP)
254 | Travel in the Imperium
254 | Slower Than Light Travel
255 | Warp Travel
256 | Communication
256 | Threats to Humanity
256 | Disciples of the Dark Gods
256 | Mutation
259 | Rebellion
259 | On Organisational Disagreement
260 | War
260 | Imperial Guard
260 | Imperial Navy
261 | Adeptus Astartes
262 | Deathwatch and Grey Knights
263 | Superstition & Faith
263 | The Cult of the Emperor
264 | The Ghost in the Machine

CHAPTER X– THE INQUISITION
267 | Organisation
267 | Overview
268 | The Ordos of the Inquisition
273 | Conclaves
274 | Factions
276 | Methods
276 | An Inquisitor’s Cadre
278 | An Acolyte’s Duties
279 | Tradition
279 | Symbols
281 | Customs of the Calixian Conclave

CHAPTER XI – THE CALIXIS SECTOR
286 | Overview
287 | The Hereticus Tenebrae
288 | The Calixis Sector (MAP)
290 | Scintilla
290 | Overview
293 | Hive Sibellus
295 | Hive Tarsus
296 | Ambulon
298 | Gunmetal City
299 | The Wilderness
300 | Iocanthos
300 | Port Suffering
301 | The Levies of King Skull the Magnificent
301 | Seth the Voice
302 | The Abbey of the Dawn
302 | The Badlands
303 | Sepheris Secundus
303 | The Suffering Kingdom
304 | Icenholm
305 | Gorgonid Mine
307 | Fathomsound Mine
308 | The Misericord
309 | Locations of Note
311 | Power Groups
311 | The Adeptus Terra
311 | The Adeptus Ministorum
311 | The Adeptus Arbites
312 | The Redemption
312 | House Krin
313 | The Cestelle Alliance
313 | The Devayne Incorporation
314 | The Machenko Dynasty
314 | The Skaelen-Har Hegemony
315 | The Calixian Conclave
316 | The Tyrantine Cabal
317 | Komus the Tyrant Star
323 | Other Sector Worlds

CHAPTER XII –

ALIENS, HERETICS & ANTAGONISTS
328 | Traits
329 | Trait Descriptions
334 | Mutations
334 | Gaining Mutations
336 | Dramatis Persona
336 | Arbitrator–Cult Magus
338 | Dreg–Entertainer
340 | Furnace Worker–Heavy
342 | Merchant Magnate–Scribe
344 | Scum to Witch
346 | The Bestial and the Alien
349 | Animals and Vermin
350 | From Beyond
350 | Astral Spectre–Daemonettes
352 | Dispayres–Unclean Spirit
355 | Daemonhosts

CHAPTER XIII – ILLUMINATION
360 | Introduction & Game Master’s Section
362 | Part One: The Brazen Sky
365 | Part Two: Planetfall
371 | Into the Barren Lands
372 | Part Three: The Black Cathedral
380 | Part Four: Faith Betrayed
384 | Part Five: Dancer at the Threshold
389 | NPCs & Creatures
392 | APPENDIX – INDEX
395 | APPENDIX – TABLE INDEX
396 | APPENDIX – CHARACTER SHEET

Written By
Owen Barnes, Kate Flack & Mike MasonWith major contributions fromDan Abnett, Gary Astleford, Alan Bligh, Ben Counter, John French, Guy Haley, Andy Hall, Tim Huckelberry, Andrew Kenrick, Mark Latham, TS Luikart, Chris Pramas & Rick PriestleyInvaluable advice at every stageJohn Blanche, Alan Merrett & Rick PriestleyUndying thanksChris Pramas and Green Ronin for getting us started on this epic journey, Max Bottrill & the

Games Workshop Design Studio,
Dave Allen, Robert Clark, Richard Ford, David Gallagher, Mal Green, Stuart Jeckle, Nick Kyme, Caroline Law, Karen Miksza, Dylan Owen, Lindsey Priestley, Rob Schwalb, all who worked on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, & all playtesters (see p.395)

Cover Art
Clint Langley

Interior Art & Graphics
John Blanche, Alex Boyd, Paul Dainton, Wayne England, David Gallagher, Des Hanley, Neil Hodgson, Paul Jeacock, Nuala Kinrade, Karl Kopinski, Stefan Kopinski, Clint Langley, Pat Loboyko, Mark Raynor, Adrian Smith, Paul Smith, Andrea Uderzo, Kev Walker & John Wigley

Cartography
Darius Hinks, Andy Law & Mark Raynor

Graphic Design
Mark RaynorProject Manager/

Art Direction
Zoë Wedderburn

Games Workshop

Licensing Manager
Owen Rees

Licensing & Acquired Rights Manager
Erik Mogensen

Head Of Legal & Licensing
Andy Jones

Fantasy Flight Games

Managing Developer
Michael Hurley

Executive Developer
Jeff Tidball

Additional Graphic Design
Kevin Childress

Publisher
Christian T. PetersenSIDEBARSIt is the 41st Millennium 6What You Need to Play Dark Heresy 7Reading and Rolling the Dice 9Feral World Careers 14Hive World Careers 16Imperial World Careers 18Void Born Careers 20Starting Psychic Powers 26Trait: Sanctioned Psyker 26Trait: Mechannicus Implants 27It’s a Hard Life 29Handedness 31Multiple Names 36Tech-Priest Abilities in Game Terms 89Vehicles in the Imperium 102Communicating Without Language 107A Dark Age of Technology 124Calixian Currencies 125Availability and Technology 126A Galaxy of Guns 127Bracing 127Weapon Craftmanship 128Using Weapons Without Talent 130Recharging Power Packs 132Throwing Grenades 136Blindness 136Explosive Mishaps 137Armour Craftmanship 144Clothing in the Imperium 146Excessive Drug Use 148Attaching Bionics and Implants 153Witches & Psykers 159Psykers in Dark Heresy 160Am I a Psyker? 160Psychic Foci 162Closer Than Flesh 179Combat Abstractions 191Fleeing 192The Tactical Map 194Righteous Fury! 195Combining Difficulties 197The Effects of Gravity 213Golden Rules 219Playing the Inquisitor 220Very Bad Things 233Only the Insane Shall Prosper 237Chaos and the Common Citizen 238A Warning to the Curious 240Masters of Corruption 244Language 249Psykers 251The Chartist Captains 254Navigators 255On Witchcraft 257On Daemons 258On Xenos 258The Commissariat 260Preachers & Confessors 263Excommunication 267The Sisters of Battle 269Daemons! 271The Black Ships 273Ranks and Player Characters 276Exterminatus 278Customs in Game Terms 281The Scintillan Dictates 282Shoulder Your Burden 284Sector Governor Marius Hax 286Using the Calixis Sector 287Senior Astropath Xiao 294Guns of Gunmetal 299Queen Lachryma III 304The Traditions of Serfdom 307The Misericordian Castes 309Archdeacon Ludmilla 312The Great Houses 313Threat Rating 330Sorcery! 337