RPG-HAMMER 40K:RT style

Like Warhammer Fantasy, the first edition of Warhammer 40,000 (Rogue Trader) was also designed to allow for Role-playing adventures in the far, dystopian future. Though, even less detailed than the rules presented in 1ed. WHFB, they are also less confusing! No special skills but for psychic powers and great material for a sword and planet style campaign! The only thing missing are monetary values for the equipment, and the character advancement rules are very simple. Dragon Magazine 149 had a great article by Ken Rolston on using 40k as RPG. Put on Scribd by user Mark Argent: http://www.scribd.com/doc/112035819/Orcs-in-Space

Thanks Mark!

It's a nice article, but for the death and injury rules I'd probably use those of 1st edition Warhammer Fantasy...

WEIRD EFFECTS FOR DYING ELVES

Human scholarship is still in debate about the nature of elves. Some say they are petty-gods and angels, others regard them as a type of undead while yet different scholars say they are spirits of the natural wilds, of flora and fauna. In a sense they are al right, Elves are concepts of nature and myth in human form. While in human form, their inner spirit has little effect on their being, other than a general sense of alieness that permeates them, causing fear in goblins and general unease among men. It also gives them natural longevity and aptitude for magic.

If an elf dies from combat, magic or poison, roll a d6 and consult the appropriate table below:

WOOD ELF

1. Bursts apart in a flurry of leaves and flower petals that disperse on the wind

2. Bursts apart into a swarm of butterflies that flutter away in all directions

3. Melts away on the ground forming a patch of moss and weeds

4. Melts away on the ground after which a small, flowery shrub grows in the place he fell. The flowers may be used as ingredients for a healing potion

5. falls to the ground and turns into a log of wood. The wood can be carved into a club or bow with d3 magical properties.

6. Falls to the ground and melts away, within 2d6 days a spirit tree will grow up on the spot. When the spirit tree or any surrounding trees within 2 miles are in danger of being chopped down, the spirit tree becomes a treeman and attacks the offenders.

SEA ELF

1. Becomes an apparently normal corpse, but rather than decay, turns into a patch of coral if submerged in water

2. Bursts apart in a watery splash

3. Melts away on the ground, forming a small pool of salt water

4. Liquefies after d6 turns. The liquid may be used as a potion of Breathe under water or philtre of wetted humours

5. Liquefies after d6 turns, the liquid may be used as a potion of Walk On Water or philtre of wetted humours

6. Falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a spectre of the elf will appear and haunt the general area where he fell.

HIGH ELF

1. Becomes an apparently normal corpse, but does not rot and decay

2. Bursts apart into a flock of sparrows

3. Melts away on the ground, forming a patch of thorny white roses

4. Melts away on the ground, a small patch of healing herbs grow where he fell

5. Falls to the ground and immediately decays, leaving only hair and bones which can be used to create d6 philtres or one amulet of aerial humours

6. Falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a wight will appear and haunt the general area the elf fell.

DARK ELF

1. Falls to the ground and bursts into a swarm of tiny lizards who scurry away as fast as they can

2. Bursts into a flock of tiny bats who flutter away in the darkness

3. Melts away on the ground, a patch of poisonous purple and white mushrooms grows in the spot

4. Falls to the ground and immediately decays, leaving only hair and bones which may be used to create d6 philtres or 1 amulet of earthen humours

5. Falls to the ground as a heap of rubble and gravel. 2D6 magical sling stones (+1 to kill) may be salvaged from the heap.

6. falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a wraith will appear and haunt the general area where the elf fell.

Adjusted Firsthammer skill system

If and when I'm going to play Firsthammer as RPG I'll pretty much run it by the book. However, I will have a few modifications and house rules in place which hopefully improve the experience. One of the most involved modifications is an edit of the skill-system presented. My gripe with it is that it does not describe most skills and has a few superfluous skills. So here is my first draft of that.

(HUMAN) SKILLS
This is my modification of the original skill list. Starting characters have D4-1 skills (as described in WH1 vol.3). Characters with Intelligence of 10 or better have 1 additional skill.

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper 
Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)


11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Trader
Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.


26-30 Sailor
Can perform general ship-board duties


31-32 Carpenter
Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.


33-34 Servant
May dodge close combat attacks on an unmodified roll of 6 on a d6.


35 Herdsman
Can train and direct dogs.


36-40 forger
Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.


41-44 con man
+1 to bluff rolls.


45-53 pick pocket
Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongs these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).


54-60 pharmacist
Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.


61-67 actor
Good at pretending to be other people (disguise)


68-75 minstrel
Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.


76 Barber-surgeon
Can perform surgery and apply medicine to injured or sick characters and gain the bonuses of Healers when performing first aid as described in the Injury and Death chapter. Also they may perform surgery on characters to remove permanent effects of injuries. This will require a successful Intelligence test (modified by GM at his discretion). Failed surgery may have additional adverse effects.


77-81 Jeweller
Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.


82-85 Woodsman
Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.


86-88 Fisherman
Can safely operate a row boat with ease, knows the best spots in a body of water to fish


89-92 Thug
Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).


93-95 Armourer
May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.


96 Miner
A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.


97 Engineer
Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.


98-100 Linguist
Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.

Social status and skills

As I will be using the Social Standing characteristic too (RAW) I'll give any aristocratic player character the option of having a servant-retainer with the generated skill rather than the aristocrat knowing a skill that is obviously beneath their station (such as miner, thug, fisherman etc.).

OPTIONAL RULE: ALTERNATIVE ELVES

In warhammer, Elves are nothing but a sort of ubermensch with aptitude for magic. Below an alternative skill list for Elf characters to use instead of the normal skill-list. The abilities are a mix of mundane skills and stuff inspired by European Myth and some excellent blogposts (Middenmurk, Jrients and others) on making elves more alien/weird/fey

Fey Feats

Elves are fey and otherworldly beings and sometimes have magical powers. If an elf generates a skill that requires life energy to use, generate life energy as for a wizard, even if the elf is not a wizard character.
At each 1500 experience points the elf acquires, generate a new Fey Feat.

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper
 Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)

11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Animal spirit 
The elf is a were-creature. Generate the were-factor as normal (d6)
wood elf: Were boar, bear, wolf or tiger
High elf: were-tiger
Sea elf: were-rat or were-wolf
Dark elf: were-rat


26-30 Sea Elf
Can perform general ship-board duties. May breathe under-water at -1 life energy/10 minutes


31-32 Scout
Excellent vision and excellent hearing (+1 to spot checks)


33-34 Wardancer
Lightning reflexes (always strike first or in initiative order if surprised)

35 Magical Sleep 
Put d6 foes to sleep for 2d6 turns. Expend 1 life energy per foe per turn.


36-40 Fey
 At night, the Elf appears otherworldly and ghost-like, causing fear in domestic animals, humans, halflings, orcs and beastmen and terror to Goblins.
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)


41-44 White (wo)man 
At night, the elf may turn into a Spectre (WHTMCFRPG vol.1 p. 50) for 1 life energy per turn, and operate under the rules as detailed for such creatures. The spectre cannot use other abilities or cast spells, nor can s/he use any equipment. To revert to corporeal elf-form, the elf must pas a WP-test at -1 for each 3 turns spent as spectre. A number of failed tests equal to the Elf's WP indicates the elf cannot rematerialize in mortal form and will vanish when his life energy runs out or when caught in sun-light. The elf-spectre will continue to haunt the area where he was last seen every night until banished by an exorcism or banish undead spell.
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

45-53 Marshlight
may cast magic light for 2 energy without the use of a philtre or amulet
drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

54-60 Herbalist
Heal injury, identify plants, poisons and potions

61-67 Tree-spirit 
May turn into a dryad at-will for 1 life energy. While in dryad-form the elf loses 1 life energy per turn. To turn back into a normal elf, the elf must pass a willpower test at -1WP per 3 turns spent as Dryad. If a number of tests equal to the Elf's WP have failed, he remains in Dryad-form. Once the Dryad's life energy runs out, the Dryad becomes a normal, immobile tree.

Dryad stats: BS:-1, S+1, T+1, W+1, I:-2, A:+1, armour save 5+. While in Dryad form, the elf attacks with natural weapons and cannot use any other equipment. The elf may still cast spells or use other special abilities that do not require the use of tools or weapons.


68-75 minstrel
Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.


76 Elf-guest 
Open locks


77-81 Elf shot 
Treat all bows as an Elf Bow (range, strength)


82-85 Woodsman
Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.


86-88 Sense magic 
If not a wizard, the elf gains the sense magic ability. If a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.


89-92 Hypnotist
-still need some rules for that


93-95 magic awareness  
If not a wizard, the elf gains the magic awareness ability, if a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.


96 speak to animals
The elf can speak to animals and understand their language.


97 Alien 
-1/10 to reaction tests


98-100 Linguist
Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.

OPTIONAL RULES: DWARVES

Like elves, though I like Warhammer's characterization of Dwarves, I want to do some de-humanization of these creatures too. Making them a bit more like their mythological counterparts outside fantasy gaming. Therefore dwarfs may go for Dwarven Crafts instead of the normal skills:

Dwarven crafts

Roll a d100
1-10 Trapper 
Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)


11-18 Tracker
Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.


19-25 Trader
Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.


26-30 Greedy 
Gains double experience for any gold looted. If of avarice alignment, the dwarf earns experience at a rate of 1:1 (i.e. acquiring 8 gold crowns is 8 XP.).


31-32 Carpenter
Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.


33-34 alcoholic
 Subject to alcoholism. However, each pint of strong drink consumed gives +1 strength for the next turn.


35 Conman
+1 to bluff rolls.


36-40 forger
Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.


41-44 Ugly 
-1/10 to reaction tests, cause fear to children, imbeciles (humans with INT 3 or lower) and Halflings in night and darkness.


45-53 pick pocket
Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongst these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).


54-60 Alchemist
Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.


61-67 sense magic
 If not a wizard, the Dwarf gains the sense magic ability, if a wizard, the Dwarf knows one additional spell.


68-75 Immune to poison 
Poisons have no effect on this dwarf.


76 Berserker
subject to frenzy


77-81 Jeweller
Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.


82-85 Hard-headed 
Half the time unconscious and change of death for head wounds.


86-88 Sniffer
 Detect the presence of metals, minerals and gemstones (1 type per level)


89-92 Thug
Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).


93-95 Armourer
May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.


96 Miner
A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.


97 Engineer
Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.


98-100 Runecraft
 Can engrave runes on metal items (blades, rings, bracelets etc, see warhammer magic)

OTHER CLASSES IN FIRSTHAMMER RPG

The first edition warhammer rules provide us with but 2 classes, Fighter and Wizard, and in many ways the Warhammer fantasy battle system has always been about those two classes and its variants.

In fact, the skill system of Firsthammer provides some additional flavours to both classes, as certain skills would make your character also a ranger (trapper, tracker, woodsman), bard (Actor, Minstral) or rogue (pickpocket, conman, transvestite).

The few related publications of WD and a few miniature boxed sets also provide us with the idea that a Wizard may be role-played as priest (Thistlewood Scenario, WD45) and Fighters as Thieves (Thistlewood, Dorian Redhorn & the Lizard King -lizardmen boxed set, Watch Out There's a Thief about -WD51). But aside from the “ Watch Out There's a Thief about” article, both the cleric class and thief class can be viewed as a role-played variant of the wizard and fighter class respectively.

In many ways, this is fine. It requires some creativity of the players and GM, but one can easily figure out that an Avarice aligned Fighter or Wizard with the Pickpocket and/or Conman skill(s) can be role-played as Rogue more than Fighter or Wizard, or a player may decide his Good Aligned Wizard is actually a priest of some religion, rather than a student of the arcane... But how would the Firsthammer skills come in to play for Clerics? Well, a wizard with the sailor skill might be a priest to a Sea God, a wizard with the Trader skill might have turned his back on his previous profession of greed to tend to the needs of the soul. Smart players and GM's can work something out.

In the 2^nd edition scenario pack Bloodbath at Orc's Drift, we are presented with another kind of thief-type character, the Half-Orc spy and also a (drunken) Druid.

Let's take a deeper look at how these other classes are handled in Oldhammer scenario's and articles.

WD 45: Thistlewood, Meet the Oldhammer Cleric and Warhammer's first Thief

Thistlewood is the first White Dwarf published scenario for Warhammer, and provides us with the First Cleric: Bishop Milendon, and the first Thief: Foro Malas (NPC).

Bishop Milendon is what one might call a 'themed character', a Mastery 4 wizard whose spells are chosen based on what the scenario designer found fitting for a cleric. Such as they are: Cure Light injury, Blessing, gift of tongues, flight, aura of mighty resistance, Telepathy, aura of steadfastness, hold door, mystic mists, aura of invisibility, banish undead, invisibility, inspiration and wall shaker. He has some religiously themed trappings in the form of a silver crucifix and the Mace of the White Lord (magic weapon, +2 to hit and kill) and has a heroic characteristics profile. A bad-ass character this, though he lacks armour (may be remedied by spells). Also, he is unaffected by Fear and Terror.

The Cleric as “themed wizard” has remained a staple for WFB scenario writers throughout editions to handle priests, and there are a few WD and Citadel Journal scenario's were Priests are featured as wizards using particular spells or lores. For example, the priest of Taal in the 5^th/6^th edition versions of the Maisontaal Abbey scenario is treated as Level 2 or 3 wizard with the Amber/Beast lore of magic. I think this is also influenced by 1^st edition WFRP, where most priests use, with some restrictions, the basic magic types, rather than having special priest spells although Druids get their own lore of Druidic magic.

So, being a Cleric in Firsthammer is an option for players, but mainly as character background and theme than a mechanical decision like in D&D.

Bishop Milendon is pursuing a thief named Foro Malas, who is in fact, a Fighter with Move 5 (rather than 4 as normal for humans), WS, BS and I of 8, 2 wounds and 1 attack. His equipment is a light crossbow and a curved dagger, nothing else. Also, no mention is made of any thieving skills, only that he managed to make off with a relic of the Bishop's temple.

In any case, one must house-rule firsthammer thievery anyway, so why not base it around initiative tests to accomplish certain tasks, or just have player ingenuity decide things with ad hoc GM rulings when special situations pop up?

Lizardmen Boxed set: Dorian Redhorn

Dorian Redhorn is another “themed” character, nothing in his characteristics clearly mark him out as thief (he's just a basic hero more or less), but his choice of magic items in the scenario he stars in have definitely a roguish, thieving-based theme.

WD51: Watch out, there's a Thief about, WFRP design notes

This article in WD 51 gives a set of tables and skills to generate Thieves in Warhammer games, pre-WFRP, and is in fact, presented as a sneak peek of the 'forthcoming WFRP rules'. The rules are said to have been play-tested, but I can't imagine them to be “balanced” for a role playing campaign as presented in Volume 3 of the white box. The reason I think so is because of the random characteristic bonuses granted to (starting) thieves of various kinds. Using these rules, it is entirely possible to start your thief character with Weapon Skill or Bow Skill 10!

The presented Thieves' Skills are well conceived though, and most of them were kept with little modification for the 1^st edition of WFRP, so if you're interested in the history of that system, WD51 is well worth checking out.

For 1sthammer role-play, the article is a mixed bag, the rules for generating thieves are not based on the character generation rules of 1^st edition and unbalanced when combined with the volume 3 system. However, the article does finally give detailed rules for the Pickpocket skill and offers some rules for actions that could come up in an adventure but are not covered in 1^st ed. Vol.3 and some new weapons. It's value to me thus lies in the rules provided for bluffing, blathering, grapnels, pistols, throwing knives, bombs, lock-picking, jumping, spotting (traps) and picking pockets.

Bloodbath at Orc's Drift: Lock-picking, sneak-attacking half orc spies ...and also: Druids

This scenario pack was written for 2^nd edition, but I include it here because it presents two interesting character classes not found elsewhere in WFB material: the Spy and the Druid.

The spy is a Half-orc with some characteristic advances, among others a +6 to initiative (Initiative 9)! Also he can pick the lock of his prison on a 3+ (d6) and back-stab an enemy on a 3+ (d6) as well. The back-stab allows the spy to strike a blow against an enemy he attacks in the rear without the enemy being able to strike back at the spy for that turn. Elegant way to handle that rule in a Warhammer battle if you ask me.

These special rules could be used in a rules-light RPG variant of WFB. I'd probably make it a variant on Wizard Levels: the spy starts with one level each in lock-pick and back-stab, succeeding in such actions when he rolls a 6 on a d6. Advancing the skills would give a +1 to the roll, up to a maximum ability of 3+ on a d6 (level 4). lock picking tools would give a +1 bonus to lock-picking, while lock quality should also modify the required score, though a 1 should always count as failed attempt.

As pickpocket is already a skill available to all characters, and 1^st edition characteristic advancement is generally uniform (though with wizards needing more XP to advance fighting stats), one only has to decide at which experience levels these two skills can be advanced. Alternatively, one might make an alternative advancement table for thieves that sets them apart from fighters. Maybe by offering advances to wounds and attacks at later levels than the fighter.

Bloodbath also gives us rules for a Druid, Snart, again a modified wizard, who may have some newly designed spells one would later find among the druid spells in WFRP. He is restricted in his magic and his spell allocation rules differ from the standard rules, giving him access to battle magic spells up to level 2 and elementalist spells up to level 4, though he may only have one spell of each lore per level available (so max. 6 spells in total). He may exchange elementalist spells for the special druid spells.

Snart is, as far as I know, the only Priest-type character in pre-6^th edition WFB to have actual special rules based on his profession, and it poses interesting idea's for having a Priest class in 2^nd/3d editon WFB role-playing scenario's.

Edition 3+ Specialist troops

In 3d edition, Warhammer had moved into wargaming territory by and large, relegating roleplaying adventures to its sister game WFRP. This edition did feature various specialist troop-types such as berserkers and foresters, but also assassins. Many specialist troops could be regarded as ranger variants (animal handlers, foresters, skirmishers, missile elites) or fighters (Berserkers, Flagellants, shock elites). The assassin rules basically give a character figure the ability to 'Hide in crowds' (i.e. a warhammer regiment) and perform a sneak attack. That's all there is to it. Would I try to RPG with the 3d edition rules, this would need some work, or should be substituted for the rules of Bloodbath's Half-orc Spy. Third edition does in some ways provide a class and level system with the elite-troops and hero levels rules, though does not provide campaign-play advice, though one might look to the later Realms of Chaos supplements for inspiration on XP rewards (favour points in RoC) and experience thresholds for advances. WH40K:RT is another source for a simple XP system. A player character could start as a +1 Shock Elite (fighter level 1) and progress through the Shock Elite upgrades to 5 hero and beyond with 25 hero as the final level.

Conclusion

So, thieves and clerics in WFB scenario's are more or less, characters with a particular background or theme, in rare cases provided with special rules (Bloodbath at Orc's Drift), defined rules for these character-types eventually appearing in WFRP, which, despite it's obvious links to the wargame, is quite a different rules system. What would you prefer in an Oldhammer role-play variant as I envision it? Background flavour and player preferences or actual (house) rules?

The WD51 rules for Thieves are in my eyes, unbalanced if combined with the roleplaying rules of 1^st. ed. Vol.3, though gives some good idea's on skill use and handling RPG actions such as jumping gaps and looking for traps.

CHARACTER CLASSES IN WARHAMMER 1ST EDITION: THE FIGHTER AND WIZARD

The role playing rules of Firsthammer include only two character classes, if one could name them as such: The Fighter and the Wizard. Other classes are often a 'flavour' of one of these two, determined by what skills a character has. In fact, to this day, there are but two main classes in Warhammer: the Fighter and the Wizard*

The Fighter

In essence, all Firsthammer Player Characters are generated as fighters, it is the default “class”, and it is entirely possible that a wizard Player Character starts out more proficient in combat than a Fighter! The Fighter does advance faster in the fighting skills department though, so would eventually catch up to the “master swordsman magician” should he survive enough adventures.

The distinction between swordsmen and archers is a tactical choice for all players, and I think that those who want to be wizards would choose archer over swordsman.

So, your character is always a fighter first, in this hybrid system of RPG and table-top wargame, and you have the option to become a wizard at character creation provided your Intelligence score is high enough (5+). The only advantages you have as fighter over the wizard is that you get physically stronger faster and have the simple role of hitting things. Oh, and you don't have to make the tough decision between wearing armour or not, as wizards may wear armour too but get penalties to casting spells when doing so.

The Role Playing rules of Firsthammer, being summary as they are, do not include a lot of guidelines on high level play and character (class)-goals like in D&D, but FoF. Vol.2 gives an insight in what the advancement goals of characters may be from the Hero Generation rules:

• Finding a magic weapon
• Getting some miscellaneous magical equipment
• attracting followers, both humanoid and non-humanoid
• finding and taming a Fantastic Mount.

i.e. these are things a randomly generated hero might have, and thus should conceivably be obtainable by Fighter player characters. Magic weapons and items could obviously be found in dungeons, and humanoid followers are available as hirelings. The non-humanoid “creature” followers pose more of a problem, how to handle these? A character might need an “Erberard's Leash”, a binding spell or come across a puppy of the creature and raise/train it as pet. More involving stuff. Fantastic Mounts include warhorses and horse-sized riding animals. While (war)horses are relatively easy to obtain, the more fantastic mounts such as riding reptiles, griffins, manticores etc. are more difficult to get... I noticed Centaur to also be an option as mount, which would obviously require the deep trust and friendship of such a creature (but, hey, that would be awesome!).

The Wizard

Being a Wizard in Firsthammer is a player's option provided his Character's intelligence is 5 or higher. By becoming a wizard you get the ability to sense magic in items, discover if there are people using magic nearby and of course the ability to cast spells. Your advancement focusses on the arcane arts, so physical attributes (fighting characteristics) advance at a slower rate than fighters, making you comparatively fragile at higher levels. Even so, the survivability of a wizard is not that much worse than that of a fighter if compared to D&D, mainly because the combat system is a wargame and handles 'hit points' differently. Up to experience level 500 (points), fighters and wizards have an equal amount of wounds, the fighter's advantage lying in his faster fighting skill advancement, which does contribute to survivability. It is even possible for a wizard to have a head start on a fighter concerning the fighting characteristics, though the fighter is bound to catch up and gain the lead eventually.

That being said, the Wizard is very resource management intensive as a character type. Your ability to cast spells is restricted by your constitution points and access to spell ingredients (philtres, amulets, talismans and staffs) and most ingredients are not easy to acquire. Thus, a wizard who has run out of constitution or ingredients is relegated to being a fighter who advances his fighting skills rather slowly. The magic system does give wizards a strong incentive to go out into the world on adventures to get the all important resources and ingredients required for many spells. Most of these can only be found in dungeons, lairs, other wizard's towers etc. And while they do turn op in random treasure tables (both in WTMCRPG vol.3 and FoF. Vol.3), a GM should take some care that wizard players have some opportunities to renew their resources or get those spell-ingredients, such as talismans, that are not expended while casting spells.

For “character goals” based on FoF Vol.2's chapter on heroes and wizards, the wizard has a few additional objectives, namely getting a (special) staff and spell ingredients/talismans. The random wizards generated using those rules acquire followers and mounts at later “levels” than heroes, and get fewer followers to boot, but includes the possibility of having apprentices (level 1 wizards) and lesser heroes among them.

Conclusion

Firsthammer RPG offers two “character classes”, Fighter and Wizard (actually: Fighter/Mage). The choice between both being largely a matter of personal preference. If you like resource management and arcane arts, go wizard. The fighter is in essence your average hack and slash guy.

*though, the addition of warrior/liche priests, assassins and scouts provide additional 'classes' to some races, these are generally just a variation on either of the two main classes.

Long time no blog

Hi guys!

It's been a while since I blogged, for real life got in the way for a bit (or, rather, took it's rightful place in my schedule!). I have reacquired an interest in RPG-reading again recently and I'm planning to come up with a few things:

1. A roleplaying game variant of the WFB2/3 rules. i.e. same stats, same phases, same resulotion mechanics, but with character creation, a class and experience system and price list. supposed to be short and rules-light. a hybrid of Warhammer Quest, Advanced Hero Quest, WFB 1st edition, WH40K:RT and WFB 3d edition

2. a smallish campaign-setting in some dung-age borderlands region (15x15 squares on 1cm gridpaper, 1 square is 10 miles/km) which should be slightly gonzo by the inclusion of Amazon-guarded ruins of the Old-Slann where some 40K gear can be obtained... and a (if I get it right) simple mechanic to have some dynamic elements in the region in the form of roving Chaos Champions (using realms of chaos).

3. Get some mates together to play adventurehammer (still not done that, talked about it though).

One thing that always kept me from finishing my WQAHQWFB40KRT hybrid was that I just couldn't come up with an effective random character generation system and was unsure about skills and special abilities. You know, if I'd just keep to the simplistic rules of WH40K:RT it could all be fun at first, but start to become stale by the 5th or so session, where characters have advanced to champion level, and psychic/magic aside there is little to diversify races/warriors. I also wanted to step away from the "humans of different flavours and sizes" that are the WHFB humanoids. Elves and Dwarves should be alien (Middenmurk has some very cool idea's on this, though D&D based), especially the Elves, and guess what, there are a few things in 3d edition WFB that can make elves more like the mythical folkloristic spirit beings they are inspired on: shapechangers, inflicters of pain and disease, etc. etc.
My plan is for humans to be rather mundane, with a very small chance of knowing actual magic, but having access to trainable skills, knowledge (alchemy) and abilities, and maybe some religious quirks/rites/madness/depravities  while elves and dwarves have the options of supernatural or plainly weird powers and abilities. Some based on spells or magic item properties, others being "trainable" or slightly natural.

then again, I hope I find the time between recording an album, getting a new job and learning how to drive a car :P

Forces of Fantasy

Forces of Fantasy was the first published supplement to the Warhammer rules system. Like the basic game it was a boxed set, and included 4 booklets: Forces of Fantasy, Fighting Fantasy Battles, Arcane Magicks and the Book of Battalions. It includes all of the new rules and errata introduced in the First Citadel Compendium (except for the Mark of Chaos article and Science Fiction/Modern rules).

Overall appearance

Forces of Fantasy looks a lot more professional than the game it expands. The layout is professional, arranged in neat columns with a good font rather than the type-writer blurbs in the basic rules. The art is still very nice and varied. Blanchitsu box-cover and the art inside by various artists, include Tony Ackland, Nick Bibby and of course, John Blanche.

Forces of Fantasy

The eponymous booklet of the publication holds a large collection of army lists and includes the army selection rules and introduces a points system for organising your army into battalions of 1000 points.

It is the most wargame-oriented booklet of the set, and also introduces rules for regimental leaders and champions, banners and musicians. The rules for capturing an enemy standard are very characterful and complicated, basically a dice-off between both units, the loser suffering casualties and the winner capturing the standard. Very cinematic.

This booklet also gives the rules for the Leadership Factor characteristic.

The point system is not fully detailed as in 2^nd edition/rogue trader, but a list of equipment values is given just before the army lists.

There are a lot of army lists, 4 types of humans (North, East, West and Oriental), 4 types of elves, Halflings, dwarves, gnomes, Orcs, several Goblin variant (Great Goblins, Red Goblins, Hobgoblins, Night Goblins), Chaos, Slann, lizardmen, undead, Giants and Monstrous Hosts. Each army has several troop-types on offer and details the character-models available to the armies. New special rules and abilities are also introduced as well as a 3d character type just for the Oriental Humans: the Martial Hero (basically a Wuxia Shaolin monk “class” with amazing stats). 

Once more, Chaotic attributes are mentioned but not detailed, and even the Chaos character models don't get rules in this book, the reader is once more referred to a 'forthcoming' supplement called "Realms of Chaos" to create his leader characters. The "Mark of Chaos" article from the First Citadel Compendium is presented as alternative, to use while awaiting the Realms of Chaos expansion, possibly in conjunction with the Character generation rules of FoF volume 2: Fighting Fantasy Battles.

The character profiles for heroic leaders and wizards are introduced and have a rough level system.

The wizard levels were already mentioned in Volume 3 of the basic boxed set, but are now codified into:

Mastery Level 1: Novice

Mastery Level 2: Acolyte

Mastery Level 3: Adept

Mastery Level 4: Mage

Heroes get three levels to measure their power and ability, which start at much hire characteristic scores than would later be the case:

Minor hero

(compared to normal creature: +2 WS, +1 I, +1W)

Hero

(+3 WS, +2 BS, +2W, +5I, +1A)

Mighty Hero

(+4 WS, +2BS, +1S, +1T, +2W, +8I, +2A)

Some races/armies have access to all levels of wizards/hero, while other are limited to “Acolyte” level wizards and Heroes at best. Halflings are worst of, no wizards and only up to Hero level Characters.

It is a very useful booklet as the arrangement of text and the characteristic profiles are very readable. In addition, every army-list also includes a random generation table to generate the kind of creature a party encounters in a random encounter. I.e if the GM generates a random encounter with some Orcs with the tables in Vol3. Characters, he may use Forces of Fantasy to see what kind of Orcs they are.

Each army/race gets a bit of background, but it's very summary compared to later publications. As of yet, nothing of the warhammer setting is set in stone.

Fighting Fantasy Battles

Fighting Fantasy Battles is a mixed affair, introducing new rules for siege weapons, fire, buildings (and setting them on fire) and (finally!) Personal Characteristics along with painting and wargaming advice.

We also get the long awaited rules for Fighting Defensively (which allows you to stop an enemy from attacking you), which is a very characterful rule and ideal for RPG combat.

The rules for mounted troops also add detail for small engagements if so desired.

There is also a chart to generate random hazards (animals, monsters and undead) inhabiting terrain features on the battlefield that units walk into, very much like Newhammer's terrain rules. Generally there is a 5-10% chance that any terrain feature holds some kind of creature. I think it can be useful for sandbox adventures, or when the Player characters seek out a resting place in the wilds.

The rules on personal characteristics does not provide much rules for characteristic tests, only Willpower introduces a system for Magical Resistance, but all other characteristics are limited to providing guidelines on what psychological conditions affect a character. Leadership was detailed in the Forces... Booklet.

Intelligence determines if a character is subject to Stupidity, is a fast or slow learner, if a character can be a wizard (INT 5+ required) and how fast one learns skills or gets promoted in a day job in one of the skill professions.

Willpower introduces a system for magical resistance, and gives dwarves extra flavour by making dwarfs with WP 16 (?) so immune to magic that they cannot wield magic items, nor become wizards and cause fear to any wizard within 12”.

Cool is very much the characteristic of self-control in this edition. Characters with a particularly low Cool are subject to Frenzy while those with a high cool may be immune to Frenzy, Fear and Terror.

There is also a page detailing the random generation of mercenaries. It's interesting, but very much geared towards the wargame tier of Firsthammer rather than the RPG side of the system.

Then comes a bunch of pages detailing the tactics, organisation and uniforms of the various races, followed by the Regiments of Renown, who give us new insights in the warhammer world. Many of the regiments or characters are still around to this day, including Josef Bugmann, Menghil Manhide, Grom -the paunch of misty mountain and Golgfag and his mercenary Ogres.

The chapter that interested me the most is the chapter on randomly generating Heroes and Wizards, in a manner that is quite possibly the inspiration for the Realms of Chaos warband rules!

It has a bunch of tables to determine hero/wizard level, their characteristics, any possible magical equipment, fantastic mounts and the chance of and number of followers a character has and what kind of followers they might be (including animal/monster companions). It's not at all balanced and I can't imagine these rules to see much use in wargame battles with armies created using the battalion rules, but I can see it's value in as a character generator in an RPG or Skirmish campaign!

When used as character generation rules for an RPG variant of Firsthammer, you'd get characters that are more durable and possibly have a few magic items and/or followers. I also like the remark that the quality of randomly generated heroes is “In the hands of Goethi and Spanaal the Gods of Chance”!

There are rules for generating heroes for the three races available for player characters in the Role-play variant, Men, Elves and Dwarfs. It also gives a bit more differentiation between the 3 races, Dwarfs being slow but tough having the highest possible wound score among the three but lowest initiative levels, while elves are skilled, fast and fragile (least max. wounds) and humans are somewhere in between. The followers generation table for human characters is the most diverse and might also factor in a character's alignment, some results giving a human hero the choice between a Dwarf or Ogre or Elf or Orc as follower.

It also strikes me that elves have the lowest possible amount of followers (d8 at best for a mighty hero/mage), while Dwarves have the highest (3d10 for a Mighty Hero/Mage) and humans are again in between (2d10 for a Mighty hero/mage). It seems unfair to have a quite powerful race have the most henchmen, but in contrast to humans and elves, Dwarfs get no 'creature' followers (which includes manticores and wyverns!) like humans and elves do, nor may they have Fantasic Mounts, so the possibilities of such may balance things out.

Hey, let's make a hero!

Ackny Toland, Minor Hero

Weapon skill: 8

Bow Skill: 3

Strength: 2

Toughness: B

Wounds: 1

Initiative: 3

Attacks: 1

Magic weapon (10% chance): none

Other magic (5% chance of 2): none

Followers (20% chance): none

Arcane Magicks

The third booklet is the most Role-play oriented of the lot. We get a bunch of new magic items, magic item random generation rules, a few new spells, new creatures and a more detailed and expanded treasure generation table, detailing the possible 'treasures' found in various kinds of buildings. Points values for magic items are not all to common throughout the book, but most rules include a monetary value in gold crowns, the currency used in the Role-play variant (WH1 vol.3).

Once more magic is very much geared towards (role playing) campaign play, but has the potential to add a lot of flavour and excitement to the battle game.

I like they way magic weapons are handled in this edition, weapons often having a certain alignment (chaos, evil, neutral, good, avarice or hunger), a willpower factor and possibly even a name! All these factors must be taken into account to see if a character can wield the magic item at full effect or suffers penalties using it, a slimmed-down version of this was used in WFRP ed. 1 where you must pass a WP-test to be able to use a magic item.

Unlike the white box Vol.2: Magic, there is not a whole lot of setting-notes beside the introduction of Araby and its native magical creatures (Djinn and Efreet) and items (flying carpet, magic lamp, magic rope) and the chapter on Power weapons.

Forces of Fantasy as a whole introduces the Slann as the ancient race of 'creator god-aliens' thet build the world and brought in magic, the artefacts of the Slann being presented as Arcane Rods and Power weapons. Arcane Rods are basically storage units for magical energy that can be used to cast, enhance or resist spells. Power Weapons are more dangerous items, which can enslave weak-willed characters and drain away their willpower up to a point that the character is compelled to undertake a long journey to some Slann ruin where some ritual takes place that results in mastery of the weapon. Power weapons are a bit like the later Deamon Weapons in that way (powerful but dangerous to wielder and victim alike), but also find employ as “laser-guns” and heavy hitters. These weapons should obviously be very rare and highly sought after by ambitious characters and/or villains and may inspire a campaign arc. Finding one by random chance in a sanbox environment might add a defined plot to such a campaign if the GM is willing.

The book of battalions

This booklet details some army lists. I'll not go into details on these, for I am more concerned with the RPG aspect of things.

The 1st WARHAMMER, a closer look at Volume 3: Characters.

Now, volume 3 is actually the main thing of this blog. It is the booklet that inspired me to try and use warhammer as RPG!

Unfortunately it's also the least comprehensive of the 3 original booklets. It's apparently aimed at experienced role-players who want to avoid system-switching between Adventures and Mass-combat who are proficient house-rulers and home brewers as the best we get from Volume 3 are guidelines.

The worth of this booklet for WFRP scholars is however, enormous in my opinion. This is zero-edition WFRP, with the kernel of the injury tables and career system.

I have yet to use the firsthammer rules with my friends, but did some solo-games and it's quite a rules-light RPG with low character survival chances at first.

The booklet starts with some general information on how to play a role-playing game, yet gives a paragraph on the handling of the player-character's miniature and by that Warhammer remains a miniatures game even if used as RPG. And would we have it any other way?

It does bring up an interesting, board-gamist rule that only the player may move his character's figure and once moved a player may not change his mind (like in chess).

Volume 3 adds more characteristics to the game: personal characteristics. Some have no mechanical use other than determining wealth (social status) and general appearance, but Intelligence, Cool, Willpower and Leadership are implied to have mechanical effects in play. Sadly, these are barely covered and aspiring Firsthammer GM's are left in the dark as what to do with them!

A list of skills is also provided. It features shockingly few actual rules on their use, has no less than 5 naval skills, 3 of which are absolutely superfluous and the list also includes the cringe-worthy skill transvestite! I'd hate to have an immature GM/Group when I roll that skill, and of course it is also semi-superfluous as there is also an actor skill. It's an interesting skill if done well though, if a GM treats it as “disguise as opposite sex” skill, rather than implying your character to suffer gender disphoria (unless you want to role-play that of course!). It also brings up the question on what Dwarf women would look like in your campaign, as Dwarves can get this skill and male Dwarves invariably have beards while females have not, in Warhammer lore (though firsthammer is pre-canon). So, in firsthammer, do Dwarfettes have beards? I actually prefer them not to have beards... but maybe they (sometimes) wear veils?

The characteristic generation range is quite broad for certain characteristics, while others have maybe two or three options. Wounds and attacks always start at 1 and can only be advanced quite late into a campaign, making character survival precarious. The injury table is quite unforgiving too, so players would need to tread carefully to make it to the level where they finally get that additional wound point. Off course, if you get that maximum weapon skill of 6 and a good score for bow skill to boot, you might have a good chance to slaughter your way to experience level 500.

Playable races are Humans, Dwarves and Elves, and may be generated randomly (1:2 chance of human, 1:3 chance of Dwarf and 1:6 chance of elf).

What I don't like here however, is the character generation sequence given, the order in which you roll up your attributes as it is completely out of sequence with the profile-organisation in the creature list, the descriptive at the start of the chapter and the profile of sample character wulfhand. It seems all randomly arranged in a random fashion that is completely random!

But then, if anything, randomness is of course, a big part of oldskool gaming, especially Oldhammer (Realms of Chaos anyone?)!

One of the personal characteristics I have tinkered with most before writing the blog was Social Status. In Firsthammer you generate your social class which determines wealth and in some cases starting equipment... and that's it. While your character may be a Duke or Dwarf Royal Prince, nothing says you have a castle and retinue, just more wealth. I first considered nobles to have a chance on having estates and/or retainers, or instead of rolling for skills rolling for privileges, offices and titles but in the end I settled on something simpler as there's only a 10% (20% for dwarves and elves) that a character is generated with an aristocratic social standing. My house rule for aristocrats would be that instead of having a skill, they may have a servant-henchman with that skill, especially if a skill is a commoner's profession. Could vary by race: human and elfish nobles would sneer at blacksmithing being a peasant's job, while a dwarf noble might take great pride in his family's forge!

I have a lot more thoughts on Firsthammer character generation I'll write up in another post (this one is long already).

Character advancement is one of the more incomplete chapters of Firsthammer. For starters, remember volume 2 where the writer tells us he will give a (more) detailed explanation Life Energy in Volume 3? Well he lied! All we get is the life energy generation rules and nothing about the effects of losing large amounts of life energy.

Aside from experience for killing mook NPC's (standard creatures) and acquiring wealth, experience points are to be randomly generated if we follow the rules. This might be okay in sandbox-style play where every encounter is randomly generated, though for prepared adventures a GM should predetermine the amount of XP based on what he throws at the party.

The advancement tables are a variant of D&D, I can see it no other way. There are no “levels” mentioned though, but I might use “levels” as in D&D for ease of use, as XP accumulates and at certain thresholds advances are gained. The tables go up to “level 10”, but would obviously be expanded on when WFRP were to be released. Would it? ;)

Wizards get their own table for the magical stats, but also progress on the fighter chart at double cost at the same time (so at XP100 a wizard can advance both Constitution and Initiative). The table for wizards is a bit different though.

Absent from the advancement tables are strength and toughness and personal characteristics, so I might make my own variants to improve them.

Alignment is done a bit differently in Firsthammer. Chaos is not yet an alignment, we get Good, Neutral, Evil, Avarice and Hunger as alignments, and all but Neutral alignment affect experience rewards in some ways or other. Good aligned characters gain double XP for killing evil creatures but penalties for slaying Good ones while Evil characters get double XP for killing good creatures and triple points for harming allies and friends!

Avarice alignment characters get double points for acquiring money but nothing for acts of courage, bravery or self-sacrifice.

Hunger aligned characters get quadruple points for eating defeated enemies though the alignment is only available for Human player characters, though the chance of getting it using the random table is pretty slim.

As in WFRP, a GM is encouraged to reward players for role playing alignment accurately.

There is also a full-page table for randomly generating alignment of many creatures, though for some creatures the inclusion in the table is quite pointless, some having 100% chance of being of Hunger alignment (though nice for reference).

As characters are stuck with one wound for quite a while, the booklet provides an injury table so characters are not killed outright but might survive with a (possibly) debilitating injury instead. The example description of the injury table in use is a bit grating as it presents us with a high level character slaying 20 orcs and only suffering injury after taking no less than 3 wounds, implying Rothnik 'Mad Hacker' Redbeard to be at least level 8 (1250 total XP). How did he get that far? Why is there no mention of niggling previous injuries? What a lucky bastard that Rothnik is!

The Creating Adventures chapter gives us some tiny plot hooks and summary GM-prep-advice, but also a nice price list and employment chart which may double as guidelines for henchmen fees.

The Encounter charts provided are nice, but generic. It does give a table to determine the direction the creatures come from though, something I haven't seen in RPG rules before.

The random treasure table is neat too, and includes all items described in volume 2.

Volume 3 concludes with the rough outline of a sandbox style warhammer adventure in the Redwake River valley. Once more a lot is left to the GM running the game to elaborate on and prepare, but the adventure has a start and a finish and the potential to be a multi-session campaign rather than a single adventure, with a few plot twists to boot!

LET'S MAKE A FIRSTHAMMER PLAYER CHARACTER:

Priri Ecestlyk

Social status: Free Elf

Age: 30

sex: male

Alignment: Good

Intelligence: 7

Cool: 12

Willpower: 8

Leadership: 3

Attacks: 1

Wounds: 1

Initiative: 5

Weapon skill (secondary skill): 4

Bow Skill (Primary skill): 6 (being an elf gives a +2bonus to the 2d6 roll on the bow skill generation table)

Strength: 2

Toughness: B

Move: 4½

Money: C30 (gold)

Weapons: Sword, bow (elf standard equipment).

Skills: pickpocket, trapper