Hi Everyone,
I'm not normally much for Forging, but I'm interested in how 9th Age of Warhammer seems to have taken off, and if 8th edition 40k rolls out and it's... Siggy... than I'd be on board for being a part of the solution. I'm not great at coming up with names for things... so imagine a cool name for things that are called "Power 3".
Anyhow, I've been talking with people about the psychic phase. I like the separate phase. I'm not even opposed to the Warp-Charge-Harness mechanic, though I think it needs tweaking.
In general, the random x random x random x random nature of the current system is not acceptable. I wouldn't bring a tank to a battle without knowing what guns it has. I wouldn't bring a Psyker to a battle without knowing his powers.
To that end, I've got some ideas, and this seems like the place to start fleshing them out. Nothing set in stone... hell... some things are just jelly right now.
General RulesPsykers generate the following number of Warp Charge [WC] dice, determined by their level.
Lv 1: 2 Dice
Lv 2: 3 Dice
Lv 3: 5 dice
Lv 4: 6 dice
Each additional psyker level above 4 generates one more die.
Psykers may only use their "own" dice when attempting to manifest powers, there is no "pooling" of dice between models, unless specified, such as in the rules for Brother Hood of Psykers / Sorcerrors. [I'm going to change the BoP rules a bit...]
Psykers may attempt to manifest a number of powers equal to their level, provided they have enough dice to potentially succeed. They may not attempt to manifest the same power more than once, unless specified.
In order to successfully manifest a power, a psyker must harness enough warp charge to meet or exceed the warp charge value of a given power. The psyker may roll as many dice as they wish, from the dice they have available. Unless specified, a warp charge will be successfully harnessed on a roll of a 3+. Whether successfully harnessed or not, the dice rolled are expended in the attempt.
Psykers have access to their Primaris power/s [Based on Faction / Chaos God / Whatever] and additionally may choose to know the powers from one Discipline, below. [Yup, they'll have a lot of powers to choose from.
]
Deny the Witch will work on a deleting successes method, not all or nothing. A unit will have one roll base, plus one for non-psyker IC, plus one for Psykers [relative level will play a factor] and rules like Adamantium Will. A unit can attempt to deny if the target of a power, or if within 12" of a power that does not target them. Only one DtW attempt can be made per power. A little loosey goosey for now, I admit.
Protection: Impenetrable Armour: WC 1 – A target unit within 12” of the psyker gains a 5+ invulnerable save. This save is improved by 1 for each warp charge successfully harnessed beyond the first. For example, if 3 WC are successfully harnessed, the unit gains a 3+ invulnerable save. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Swirling Mist: WC 1 – A target unit within 12” of the psyker gains the Shrouded special rule. If the unit already has the Shrouded special rule, the unit gains Stealth instead. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Fortune's Favour: WC 2 – A target unit within 12” of the psyker must reroll failed saving throws. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Hero's Fate: WC 3 – A target unit within 12” of the psyker gains the Hard to Hit rule. [Hard to Hit is changed to force re-rolls of succesful to-hit rolls.] This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Destruction:Hatred: WC 1 – The psyker makes a shooting attack with the following profile. The Strength and AP of the attack are each improved by one, for each WC succesfully harnessed beyond the first. For example, if 3 WC are succesfully harnessed, the attack is made at Strength 6 and AP 3.
Range: 24” Strength: 4 AP: 5 Assault - 6
Fury: WC 1 – The psyker gains +2 Strength, +2 Attacks, and the Smash special rule.
Wrath: WC 2 – The psyker makes a shooting attack with the following profile.
Range: 24” Strength: 8 AP: 3 Assault – 1, Large Blast
Appocalypse: WC 3 – The psyker makes a shooting attack with the following profile.
Range 18” Strength: D AP: 1 Assault – 1, Small Blast
Augmentation:True Aim: WC 1 – A target unit within 6” of the psyker gains +1 to their Weapon Skill and Balistic Skill. This bonus increases by 1 for each WC succesfully harnessed beyond the first. For example, if 3 WC are succesfully harnessed, the target unit's WS and BS are each increased by 3.
No Quarter: WC 1 – A target unit within 6” of the psyker gains the Ignores Cover special rule.
Blistering Heat: WC 2 – A target unit within 6” of the psyker gains +1 Strength to all of their attacks, and the AP value of their attacks is improved by 1. If an attack would be made at Strength 10, there is no strength benefit. If the attack would be made at AP 1, there is no AP benefit.
Warp Time: WC 3 – A target unit within 6” of the psyker gains the following benefit. Each model may make one additional attack with either a shooting weapon or close combat weapon this turn. Choose either shooting or close combat attacks when the power is succesfully manifested.
[This power seems complicated and possibly under powered for the “teir 3” power. Any suggestions?]
Curses:Sickness: WC 1 – The psyker targets a unit within 18”. That unit suffers a -1 penalty to their Toughness / Armour Value. The penalty is increased by 1 for each warp charge successfully harnessed beyond the first. For example, if 3 WC are successfully harnessed, the unit suffers -3 to their Toughness / Armour Value. If this would modify a unit's Toughness or Armour value to below 1, the value is reduced to 1 instead. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Brittleness: WC 1 – The psyker targets a unit within 18”. Attacks made against that unit gain the Rending special rule. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
??: WC 2 – The psyker targets a unit within 18”. Attacks made against this unit gain the Instant Death rule, and re-roll failed to wound rolls. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
Blindness: WC 3 – The psyker targets a unit within 18”. Attacks made
by the targeted unit must reroll successful to hit and to-wound rolls / rolls that results in the loss of HP to a vehicle. This effect lasts until the caster's next psychic phase.
[Movement Spells]:Working on it. I'd like to be able to have units kept in “summoning” reserve, that you can pull out and deploy by deep strike and/or outflank. Units stay in reserve until summoned. Also, a 12” move spell, and maybe something else. I'm tired and such.
Please feel free to add comments or suggestions! In particular, are the powers relatively balanced between each other? Is there one discipline you'd always take, or never take?
I could alter the "harness value" to 4+ instead of 3+ for specific powers, to fine-tune the WC / Power level.