Dark Heresy - initial impressions

As promised, I downloaded and flipped through the demo scenario for Dark Heresy, the new 40k RPG. Here's my initial take...

It's derived from the WarHammer Fantasy RolePlay system. That system is a tiny bit clunky, but it has it's charms. It's had years of playtest and multiple printings, so is unlikely to have many unexpected flaws. I'm familiar with WH FRP, and while I couldn't run a game of it tonight, I could be up to speed in under a week.

Even better, the latest edition of WH FRP was the framework I'd been using for my own version of 40k RPG that I'd been toying with a year and a half to two years ago. I have over 30 pages of career options already penned and laid out in Quark files on my computer. While no doubt some of that will be duplicated or contradicted by the official system, I'm happily anticipating being able to quickly expand out the career paths to boost player options.

Character archetypes for the PCs in the demo scenario are: Adept, Arbitrator, Assassin, Guard, and Scum. These are all a far cry below the power-level of the archetypes I was gushing about earlier today. Arbitrators are like Judge Dredd. Adept is probably a foot-in-the-door minor acolytal role that could head into any of the many priesthoods and psyker schools of the Imperium - at least that's what my version was. The Assassin is a low-key cutthroat, not a Callidus or other recognizable Assassin subtype from the minis game - though you can probably grow in to them. And it just ain't 40k without the Imperial Guard. Scum, on the other hand, while certainly an adequate description of most hivers, is not exactly the pinnacle of character tropes within the setting. One of these things is not like the others.

Speaking of career paths and character archetypes - I have only glowing positive things to say about the career path concept and XP system of WH FRP. Presumably this will follow that system, at least loosely. If that's the case, PCs will rise to power and prominence quickly, and in 10-20 sessions be standing at the power-levels I'd initially hoped for. What's more, a pleasant side-effect of this branching career path system is the way it slowly and craftily acclimates new players to the setting. Every 8 to 10 sessions you're on a new career, which shows you a slightly broader picture of the universe. Should any of this prove too slow for your tastes, it's also a very easily accelerated system.

The tone of the demo scenario is just about perfect. Investigative, conspiratorial, and a touch morbid. The heroes of this setting are heroes only because the villains are so much worse. There's some meaty stuff there for character actors and narrativists to sink their teeth into. One fear I'd had was that the game would be too combat-heavy, less cerebral. The intro PCs have shotguns and laspistols under their trenchcoats, not assault cannons and vortex grenades mounted on power armor. I think that was the right call, but it will leave some players antsy for the big guns and advanced careers.

All in all, I'm quite happy.