A Caleidoscope of Hate – variant Talents for Dark Heresy

Logo RSP Karneval 250pxIn a concerted action, German RPG-bloggers are looking at “emotions in RPGs” this month.

The Warhammer 40,000 universe might not seem the most obvious choice for tackling this topic.
It has at least one big emotion stamped all over it, though:

Hate.

Hate is perhaps the defining emotion, nay, the defining trait of the Imperium of Man.

Hate is also already reflected in the rules of the various Warhammer 40,000 Rolepay games, namely in the existence of the Hatred Talent Group, which lends a character extra combat strength against members of specific groups.

The Talents below build on the Hatred Talent Group, adding more variance to the advantages (and disadvantages) inherent to hating the enemy.

Whenever you would be able to purchase a regular Hatred Talent, you may instead opt to buy one of the variant Hatred Talents below at the same cost, as long as you fulfil all prerequisites.

Burning Hate
Prerequisites: Hatred (any)
Fire is hate incarnate, and so you express your unquenchable hatred for the enemy in the flaming death you wield.
Any weapon with the Flame special quality you wield does not suffer from jamming against a hated enemy.

Flickering Hate
Prerequisites: Hatred (any)
While for many, their hate takes the form of a permanent, relentless fixation, yours, though no less intense, still is of a far more ephemeral nature. Each enemy you battle kindling it anew and making you forget past foes.
After a fight, in which you suffered Critical Damage, you may exchange one of your existing Hatred Talents against one that applies to the group, to which the enemy who inflicted the Critical Damage on you belonged.
This exchange becomes effective only after the fight has ended.
There is no cost associated with the exchange.

Nemesis
Prerequisites: Hatred (any)
Talent Groups: See text
Amongst the legions of the enemy, one of them stands out as the focus of all your contempt. It is that individual, above all other you have sworn to bring down, his allies and underlings mere obstacles on your course.
When choosing this Talent, you have to select an individual foe as your Nemesis. Your Nemesis has to belong to a group which you already hate.
While your Nemesis is still alive, the bonus granted by the Hatred Talent appropriate to your Nemesis’ group increases to +20.
Once your Nemesis is dead, the bonus granted by the Hatred Talent appropriate to your (former) Nemesis’ group is reduced to +5 from now on.
If you meet in personal combat, neither you nor your Nemesis may burn Fate Points (or use Touched by the Fates) to escape death.

Poisonous Hate
Prerequisites: Hatred (any)
Your hatred is an almost living thing, twisting and burrowing through your guts, making your bile rise painfully and keeping you awake at night. It lends you incredible strength while eating you up from the inside.
When fighting a hated enemy, every time you would spend a Fate Point, you take 1d5 points of Damage instead (this Damage cannot be reduced by Armour or Toughness) and the Fate Point remains unspent.
You have to take this damage, and may not spend Fate Points normally, while engaged with a hated enemy.

Pure Hate
Prerequisites: Hatred (any)
All-consuming, the hatred you feel for your foe leaves you blessedly blind and deaf to his screamed obscenities and whispered lies.
Whenever a hated enemy would cause you to gain any number of Corruption Points, you reduce that gain by 1. The number of Corruption Points gained cannot be reduced to 0 (or less).


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