Updated with important information for PC creation.
All the props in the world to Doombringer over at
Advanced Tau Tactica for putting in so much initial leg work back in the day and making my job that much easier. Much love.
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Tau PC Creation Cont. This is still very much WIP and no changes here should be reflected on PC sheets yet.Septs (Homeworld)
First Sphere
- T'au T'au is the homeworld of the T'au species in the star system of the same name and the largest and most politically important Sept of the T'au Empire. The High Council, led by the Ethereal Supreme Aun'Va, convenes here, its decrees shaping the entire empire. Even after the growth of the T'au Empire into an interstellar civilization, T'au remains the center of T'au culture and bureaucracy. No other Sept world can challenge the prestige of T'au within the Empire, and only Vior'la can match its military power. T'au is a warm, dry and arid world. Preference for worlds with climates like that of T'au drives T'au colonization towards planets with similar climates, such as T'ros.
Benefits: PCs begin play with Peer (Tau)
OR Bonus Trait: "Prestige" - When rolling characteristic scores, Characters from Tau may roll twice for their influence score and take the higher score.
- Sa'cea Sa'cea is a hot, densely populated, cosmopolitan Tau world. When the planet was originally settled by the Tau during the First Sphere of Expansion, the world was overrun with fierce flesh-eating predators that had to be hunted down and destroyed by the Fire Caste before settlers would dare to land. It is highly militarized and has one of the greatest proportion of fire warriors in the Tau Empire. During the Second Sphere Expansion it produced more colonization fleets than any other world.
Benefits: PCs begin with Resistance (Heat)
OR Double Team.
Bonus Trait: "Accustomed to Population Density" - PCs from Sa'cea are used to the densely populated cities and ports that litter the planet. As such, they can weave through the densest mobs with ease. Crowds do not count as Difficult Terrain for Sa'ceans, and when Running or Charging through a dense crows, these Tau take no penalty to the Agility Test to keep their feet.
- PechPech, Homeworld of the Kroot, is a primitive Arboreal world with few lasting structures and only bare minimum manufacturing capabilities.The native Kroot live high among the tree tops in hives made of regurgitated wood. Areas devoid of the expansive planetary forests are covered in harsh tundra. The jagga tree, an evergreen tree native to this planet, blankets most of the largest continent where the fauna are also plentiful. Animal life of Pech consists almost entirely of Kroot and their cousin species including the peaceful, lumbering grazers called krootox, the savage kroot hound, and what may be the original kroot genus, the kroothawk. Pech has a deep spiritual significance for Kroot, and despite the Kroot presence across the whole Galaxy most will try to make a pilgrimage to Pech at least once in their lifetime.
Benefit: PCs begin with Peer (Kroot)
OR Mercenary (Into The Storm pg. 52) talent.
Bonus Trait: "Hard" - Characters who have survived the dense jungles of Pech are made of tough stuff. As such, they start with +2 wounds.
Second Sphere
- Tash'varA frontier sept, those of Tash’var have been subjected to frequent Ork invasions and pirate raids. As a result, its people have become tenacious and hardy. Breacher teams from Tash'var are considered some of the best in the entire Empire.
Benefits: PCs begin with Demolitions known
OR Hatred (Orks).
Bonus Trait: "Find the Weak Spot" - Whenever a character from Tash'var inflicts Critical damage, they may add +1 when determining which result to apply from the appropriate Critical Effects table.
Third Sphere
- Fi'Rios The Tau occupying this world wrested it from the grip of a fierce Ork warlord, though doing so cost them dear. The sept world has become a veritable fortress, though local battles still rage on its outlying worlds. Tau of this sept are known for a tenacious refusal to accept defeat, tempered by a stoic acceptance of the price all must pay in the furtherance of the Greater Good.
Benefits: PCs begin with Resistance (Fear)
OR Hatred (Orks)
Bonus Trait: "The Tau'va is All" - When spending a Fate point to gain a +10 bonus to any one test, a PC from Fi'Rios gains a +20 bonus instead.
- T'rosOriginally an Imperial mining company, the arid desert world of "Taros" was integrated into the Empire as T'ros. T'ros is today mainly inhabited by Gue'vesa who were formerly citizens of the Imperium but became turncoats because the Tau offered a better life. Gue'vesa and the subsequent Tau who settled T'ros are particularly tough and adaptable as a result.
Benefits: PCs begin with Iron Jaw
OR Die Hard.
Bonus Trait: "Adroit" - At PC creation, characters from T'ros choose one characteristic. Throughout the game, any successful test with this characteristic (including skill tests related to it) gain an additional DoS.
Fourth Sphere
+++[REDACTED BY ORDER OF ETHEREAL COUNCIL]+++
Farsight Enclaves
In addition to the planetary bonuses, Tau from the Farsight Enclaves also begin the game with these traits:
- "Mentally Hardened" - Centuries of living outside of the realm of the Greater Good has hardened the resolve of these Tau. A Farsight Enclave character halves the duration (rounded up) of any result from Table 8–11: Shock or Table 8–13: Mental Traumas (see pages 287 and 288 of the Dark Heresy Core Rulebook), and can remove Insanity points for 50xp per point rather than the normal 100xp.
- "Traitor to the Greater Good" - If the character must interact with members of the Greater Good outside of the Farsight Enclave, they are naturally distrusted and even at times disdained. All of these social interactions take a -30 penalty.
- Vior'los Vio'los is the capital of the Farsight Enclaves and the home of Commander Farsight and the majority of his military forces. Though Vior'los boasts a warm saline ocean teeming with life, the planet's contiguous landmass is both its principal training ground and its most stunning natural resource. The many tectonic borders are dotted with volcano chains, each of which harbours a training academy. It is said in the Enclaves that Vior'los, whose name loosely translates as "Son of Vior'la," can boast just as many warriors as its parent planet, if not more.
Benefits: PCs begin with the Weapon Training (Choose 1)
OR Combat Formation talent.
Bonus Trait: "Inured to the Ork" - Vior'los characters have decades of experience fighting the hated Ork. These characters gain +20 to any Fear test caused by an Ork.
Castes
- Fire (Shas) The Fire caste are the warriors of the Tau. It is the duty of these warriors to protect the other castes. Centuries of selective breeding has led to the Fire caste being the biggest and strongest of the Tau. Fire Warriors are strongly motivated by a strict code of honor in battle, and are not mindless thugs, preferring to use advanced ranged weaponry rather than brute force or close combat to win battles.
Aptitude: Ballistic Skill
OR Offense
Benefits: The Tau gains +5 BS, +5 WS, and a +5 bonus to resist Fear or Pinning.
Drawbacks: The Tau suffers a -5 Fel penalty.
- Earth (Fio) The Earth caste are the artisans and laborers of the Tau. It is they who build the machines, erect the dwellings, and provide the food for the rest of society. Engineers and scientists beyond compare, the Earth caste are responsible for the maintenance of Tau technology, and are sometimes seen accompanying Fire caste cadres into battle serving as combat engineers, battlefield technicians, or field surgeons. Tau of the Earth caste are short with squat, broad bodies.
Aptitude: Intelligence
OR Knowledge
Benefits: The Tau gains +5 Int, +5 T (
after calculating starting Wounds), and +5 to Tech-Use Tests.
Drawbacks: The Tau suffers a -5 Ag penalty.
- Air (Kor)The Air caste members were traditionally messengers and couriers but now, with the march of technology, they encompass and drive the Tau Navy (Kor'vattra) onward to glory. They are pilots and spaceship crews beyond compare, transporting goods and warriors to where they are needed. Air caste members live almost entirely offworld, except for pilots of atmospheric craft (although frequently they live in orbital stations). Tau of the Air caste are the tallest of the castes, with hollow bones to better withstand extreme G-forces and gaunt features.
Aptitude: Agility
OR Finesse
Benefits: The Tau gains +5 Per, +5 Ag, and +5 to Operate Tests.
Drawbacks: The Tau suffers a -5 S penalty.
- Water (Por)Water is the element that can be found in all living things, flowing continuously to allow life to function. So it is that Water caste members are bureaucrats, politicians, negotiators and administrators. They are the merchants and diplomats, moving in and around the other castes to make sure that society functions smoothly. Water caste members often accompany Tau expeditionary forces to negotiate safe transit through alien systems and smooth the passage of Tau merchants and colonists. Tau of the Water caste are lithe, with rounded, soft features.
Aptitude: Fellowship
OR Social
Benefits: The Tau gains +5 Fel, +5 WP, and +5 to Social Tests.
Drawbacks: The Tau suffers a -5 BS penalty.
Roles
- FirewarriorA Fire Warrior is a member of the Tau Fire Caste and thus serves as the primary soldier and the core combatant of the Tau Empire's multispecies armed forces. Fire Warriors are efficient, professional soldiers. They are well-equipped,and their absolute belief in the Greater Good and their fanatical trust in the Ethereal Caste makes them deeply determined soldiers, grim in defence and aggressive on the attack.
Aptitudes: General;
Agility, Ballistic Skill, Defense, Finesse, Offense, Perception,
TechStarting Skills: Common Lore (Tau Empire), Dodge, Logic, Linguistics (Tau), & Tech-Use.
Starting Talents: Fire Caste Weapon Training, Marksman (pistols or rifle), Rapid Reload, Supporting Fire, & Unshakable Faith.
Starting Gear: Pulse Rifle, Pulse Pistol, Tau Photon Grenades (x3), Tau Combat Armor w/inbuilt micro-bead, translator unit, and blacksun filter.
Bonus Trait: "Gun Line" - When attacking a target that an ally attacked since the end of the Fire Warrior's last turn, the Fire Warrior can re-roll any results of 1 or 2 on damage rolls.
- Shas'uiFire Warriors who work hard enough, can be promoted to the rank of Shas'ui. As Shas'ui, they can either lead teams of Fire Warriors or choose to become an XV8 Crisis Battlesuit pilot. Shas'ui are seasoned, competent, and respected among the shas'la they lead. The Shas'ui usually carries a Bonding Knife which is a symbol of unity within the group.
Aptitudes: General; Ballistic Skill,
Defense, Fellowship,
Perception, Social, Strength, Toughness
Starting Gear: Same as Fire Warrior w/choice of Pulse Carbine. All weapons good crafts.
Bonus Trait: "Tactical Mind" - Shas'ui have much tactical combat experience. Choose one of the folloing Squad Mode abilities to start with:
- PathfinderA member of the Fire caste must prove himself capable at the art of stealth before even being accepted
to undertake the training to become a Pathfinder, for the Fire caste has no shortage of recruits seeking to take on this dangerous battlefield role. As light reconnaissance units, Pathfinder Teams are the eyes and ears of their Tau Commander in a way no Tau Drone can yet emulate. A Pathfinder's role is not to engage the enemy, but instead to maximise the efficiency of the rest of their Hunter Cadre with their Marker Lights which designate priority enemy targets and guide the fire of their comrades.
Aptitudes: General; Agility, Ballistic Skill,
Fellowship, Fieldcraft, Finesse, Perception,
TechStarting Gear: Pulse Carbine, Pulse Pistol, Tau Photon Grenades (x3), Tau Recon Armor (AP: 4, +10 Stealth)
Bonus Trait: Pathfinders begin play with the Tactics (Recon and Stealth) skill known. In addition to this, anytime a pathfinder successfully attacks an unaware enemy, they add their Ballistic Skill Bonus to the total damage dealt.
- BreacherThe Fire Warriors Breacher Team specialises in brutally effective close-range assaults, clearing buildings of threats in a tight, tactical formation and delivering sharp, shockingly sudden frontline displays of raw incendiary power that grind enemy soldiers into dust, discharging pulse blasters and hurling photon grenades until they are certain every path is clear.
Aptitudes: General; Agility,
Ballistic Skill, Finesse, Offense, Perception,
Tech, Weapon Skill
Starting Gear: Same as Fire Warrior w/Pulse Blaster instead of Pulse Rifle.
Bonus Trait: "Close Quarters Dicipline" - Close Quarters Discipline: A Breacher scores one additional degree of success on successful Ballistic Skill tests he makes against targets at Point-Blank range, at Short range, and with whom he is engaged in melee.
**Strikeout indicates potential future changes to PC creation- EngineerWhile Engineers are historically and almost always Earth Caste, there are rare instances when a member of another caste is forced into a situation requiring they learn these skills. Earth Caste engineers are the backbone of the Tau's technological might. They are the designers, builders, and maintainers of all of the buildings, space stations, tools, weapons, and vehicles of the empire. These are the professional experts who study diligently, research heartily, and build vigorously. Through their constant learning and innovation, they keep the relatively young Tau Empire light years ahead of other races.
Aptitudes: General; Finesse, Intelligence, Knowledge, Perception, Tech.
Starting Skills: Awareness
or Operate (Pick One), Common Lore (Tau), Logic, Security, & Tech-Use
Starting Talents: Ambidextrous
or Clues from the Crowd, Fire Caste Weapon Training, Peer (Earth Caste), Technical Knock, Unremarkable & Unshakable Faith.
Starting Gear: Pulse Pistol, Nano-tool (functions as Combi-tool), Engineer fatigues (AP 1 body, arms, legs), Labor Drone.
Bonus Trait: "Expert" - In addition to the normal uses of Fate points (see page 293), when an Engineer character fails a test in their chosen field (ex: Medicae or Tech Use or Security or Demolitions), they can spend a Fate point to automatically succeed instead with the degrees of success equal to their Intelligence bonus.
- Medic:
While common sense makes this a necessary option, I believe the Tau would be more likely to employ medical drones to assist squads or platoons in battle. For now, I am going to put this role on hold. Future Ideas: Drone Medic, Embedded Earth Caste Medic.
- Medic
Aptitudes: General; Ballistic Skill, Fieldcraft, Intelligence, Knowledge, Perception, Willpower
Tau Traits
- BluntTau register an incredibly small presence in the Warp. All Tests made to detect Tau by daemons or through the use of psychic abilities suffer a -30 penalty.
- For the Greater Good!The Tau value the group over the self, and further trust their comrades and commanders to always choose the best course of action. This enables every Tau to follow orders without hesitation or doubt. Once per encounter, a Tau Explorer may gain a +10 bonus to a Test made while directly following an order from another Tau character. Additionally, if this order places the Explorer into substantial danger to benefit the group as a whole, this bonus increases to +30 (GM’s discretion).
- Heightened Senses (Smell)The Tau olfactory organs are highly developed, allowing them to discern a wide spectrum of scents and pheromone signals other sentient races cannot. All Tau characters begin with the Heightened Senses (Smell) Talent.
- Lessened Senses (Sight)While Tau olfactory senses are superior to humans, they have a harder time focusing on objects at long distances. They make up for this deficiency with their technological innovations such as advanced optics and headgear. After 100 meters, any Tau character relying on their eyes without aid suffers a -10 penalty on all perception-based tests, including ballistic skill.
- Non-ImperialThis character was not raised among humans, and knows little about the culture and history of the Imperium. The laws, traditions, religion, and superstitions of Mankind are unfamiliar and alien to characters with this trait. The character suffers a –10 penalty on all Common Lore, Forbidden Lore, and Scholastic Lore Tests relating to the Imperium of Man.
**
Speak Not Unto The Alien only comes into play with Tau characters in other 40k settings and thus does not matter much for our purposes here.**
Auxiliaries
***Currently, Auxiliaries do not choose any of the above options as they are meant to be powerful enough on their own***- Gue'vesaThe Gue'vesa (which literally means "Human Helper" in the Tau Lexicon) is the name the T'au have given to those humans who have willingly joined the T'au Empire. Humans are unique auxiliaries among the Tau as they are extremely adaptable to almost any role or situation they find themselves in. As such, they can excel at almost anything they put their mind to, though often they aren't utilized as perfectly as that would entail. Needless to say, Gue'vesa are considered the worst kind of Traitors to the Emperor of Mankind and are believed by the Ecclesiarchy to have been spiritually corrupted for willingly associating themselves with a xenos culture. The term Gue'vesa'la is given to the standard human troops of the line; their non-commissioned officers, equivalent to Sergeants in the Astra Militarum, are known as Gue'vesa'ui.
Characteristic Modifiers: Choose 3 for +/Choose 2 -
Aptitudes: General + 4 Characteristic Aptitudes of the player's choice and 4 non-characteristic aptitudes of the player's choice.
(???)Starting Wounds: 1d5+8
Starting Fate Points: 2 (Fate Threshold: 7)
Starting Skills: Common Lore (Imperium), Speak Language (Tau & Low Gothic); Choose 3 more skills to start with as known.
Starting Talents: Weapon Training (Las or Solid Projectile),
Racial Traits:
- Adroit: At PC creation, characters from T'ros choose one characteristic. Throughout the game, any successful test with this characteristic (including skill tests related to it) gain an additional DoS.
- Traitor: Humans that have defected to the Tau Empire are detested as much, if not more, than heretics and apostates who have been seduced by the whims of Chaos. As such, they take -30 to all social tests with any loyal member of the Imperium. GMs are encouraged to use this to affect interactions with members of the Imperium how they see fit.
- Jack of All Trades:
- Kroot MercenaryThe Kroot are a species of savage humanoids who are a member species of the Tau Empire who evolved from avian creatures. Kroot are tall aliens (a good half-meter taller than most humans), their avian ancestry giving them a bird-like beak and long quills protruding from their heads like hair. Smaller quills, possibly the evolutionary remnants of feathers, can be found scattered over their bodies. A unique feature of the Kroot is that they evolve by selecting traits of their defeated foes to absorb by eating them. Due to this, the many Kroot warbands across the galaxy often look radically different.
**For Roleplaying Tips consult Rogue Trader "Into The Storm" pg. 47-48Characteristic Modifiers:
+ Agility, Weapon Skill, Strength;
- Fellowship, Intelligence.
Aptitudes: General; Agility, Ballistic Skill, Finesse, Fieldcraft, Offense, Strength, Weapon Skill.
Starting Wounds: 1d5+12
Starting Fate Points: 2 (Fate Threshold: 6)
Starting Skills: Awareness, Dodge, Stealth, Speak Language (Kroot & Tau), & Survival.
Starting Talents: Kroot Weapon Training, Weapon Training (Choose 1), Leap Up
OR Catfall,Heightened Senses (Hearing & Sight), Mercenary.
Starting Traits:
- Eaters of the Dead: Kroot are infamous for their practice of devouring the corpses of their foes. If necessary, they will even turn cannibal and eat Kroot corpses. A Kroot who devours a fresh corpse (the GM has discretion to decide what qualifies as “fresh”— typically, the corpse must have been killed no more than 24 hours previously, and the corpse must be that of an organic creature; no daemons or machines!) gains a number of bonus Wounds equal to the unmodified Toughness Bonus that the corpse possessed when it was alive (typically three). These bonus Wounds may not exceed the Kroot’s own Toughness Bonus and remain for a number of hours equal to the Kroot’s Toughness Bonus or until they are lost, whichever comes first. Unlike normal Wounds, these bonus Wounds are removed when affected by the Damage of any successful attack, and are always removed first before applying Damage to the Kroot’s normal Wounds. In addition, a Kroot who consumes a fresh corpse heals at twice the normal rate and adds one additional bonus Wound to any wounds healed through any other means (i.e., psychic healing, etc.) for a number of hours equal to his Toughness Bonus. A Kroot can only receive bonus Wounds from one consumed corpse at a time. If a Kroot consumes a corpse while benefiting from bonus Wounds from a previous corpse, he loses the previous bonus Wounds and gains bonus Wounds from the new corpse instead.
- Fieldcraft: Kroot gain a +10 bonus to all Stealth Tests. In addition, Kroot treat forests, jungles, and similar environments as open terrain.
- Lightly Armored ("Kroot Physiology"): Kroot are far more comfortable wearing light armor or piecemeal protection scavenged from the battlefield. When a Kroot wears armor that provides more than 3 APs, he loses the benefits of the Unnatural Perception and Fieldcraft Traits. (Note that Kroot do not start with Unnatural Perception (4), but can purchase it for 500xp).
- Kroot Beak: The Kroot’s beak is a natural weapon with the following profile: 1d10+SB R, Primitive (7).
- Kindreds: Among the Kroot, a Kindred represents a combination of clan and tribe—a group of warriors serving the same Shaper (or Shaper council). They are brethren, fiercely loyal to each other and trained in the same beliefs and traditions since birth. A Kroot character must select one Kindred ("Into the Storm" pg. 49-50).
- Unnatural Strength (4): +4 to Strength Bonus.
-
Non Imperial (As Rogue Trader - unimportant for our game)
-
Speak Not Unto the Alien (As Rogue Trader - unimportant for our game)
Starting Gear:
- Kroot Hunting Rifle (basic; 150m; S/2/-; 1d10+5 E, pen 3; Mag: 8, Rld: full
/melee; 1d10+4 R, pen 2; Unwieldy if used one handed, Defensive if used in both hands; Extremely Rare)
- Mono Knife (melee/thrown; 5m; 1d5+SB, pen 2; 1 kg; plentiful)
- Microbead- Kroot Leathers (AP: 2 all)
- Kroot Void SuitRacial Traits:
- Kroot Physiology: Unless a player is either Kroot, or has the Reaper Medical Training talent, medicae tests to treat a Kroot suffer a -20 penalty. Furthermore, bionics are taboo in Kroot culture. GMs and players should work closely together to decide if a bionic is even possible and, if so, the ramifications it will have for the Kroot among its peers.
- Kroot and Technology: Generally speaking, the Kroot are still a mostly primitive culture. The Kroot have learned how to operate some examples of advanced technology, including their Tau adapted Kroot rifles and warsphere spacecraft, but a typical Kroot still lives as his ancestors did centuries ago. Kroot generally disdain any kind of heavy armour, preferring the range of motion their unique musculature and skeletal structures allow. Their unique shape and distinctive movements also render human armor thoroughly incompatible.
Special:
- Insanity Points: Kroot accrue Insanity Points as normal.
- Corruption Points: Kroot gain Corruption Points as normal..
New Skill:
- Speak Language (Kroot) - Bird talk. Clicks and hisses and whistles.
- Vespid StingwingWhen the Tau first encountered the Vespids, they saw a species of great potential value to the Greater Good and came to greatly covet their crystal-based technologies. Although the species had developed a reasonably stable planetary government and was able to utilise its advanced technology for a wide variety of uses, it had not yet achieved space flight. Tau Water Caste cadres established contact, yet were unable at first to communicate with the species. This was not a mundane matter of vocalisation or the understanding of language, for the Vespids have an utterly alien mindset. Initially, the Tau were not only unable to communicate, but incapable of getting the Vespids to even register that they were fellow sentients. The matter was eventually resolved at the command of the Ethereal Caste, who issued instructions for the construction of an interface device that forged a connection between the two species and facilitated communication. The moment the device was employed, the Vespid not only registered the Tau as fellow sentients, they instantly understood the concept of the Greater Good and their place within it. By gifting senior Vespids with "Communion Helms" fitted with the interface device, the Tau are able to communicate with the species at large.
Characteristic Modifiers:
+ Ballistic Skill, Toughness, Agility;
- Intelligence, Fellowship.
Aptitudes : General; Agility, Ballistic Skill, Fieldcraft, Finesse, Offense, Perception, Toughness.
Starting Wounds: 1d5+9
Starting Fate Points: 2 (Fate Threshold: 10)
Starting Skills: Acrobatics, Awareness, Dodge, Common Lore (Vespid), Speak Language (Tau & Vespid), Survival.
Starting Talents: Exotic Weapon Training (Neutron Blaster)
Starting Traits:
-
Armored Tarsus Claw: The Stingwings' diamond hard claws allowed them in ancient times to excavate tunnels in the rock of their drifting islands on Vespid, though mechanical devices now perform this function. These claws can also be used to devastating effect in melee combat, where they can rend and tear armour from their foes. This gives the Stingwing The Improved Natural Weapons (Claw) Trait, which has a profile of 1d10+SB Pen X. X is equal to the amount of armour granted by the Reinforced Chitinous Plates Trait.
-
Chitinous Wings: Vespid have chitinous wings that seem to defy the laws of bio-aerodynamics. All Vespid count as having the Flyer (10) Trait.
-
Oceli (500xp): Adult Stingwings have three pairs of "eyes" known as oceli. The uppermost pair is believed to see in the ultraviolet spectrum, the middle in the spectrum of visible light and the lowest in infrared. This Trait grants the Vespid the Dark Sight and Unnatural Senses trait, allowing them to see utilizing Normal, Infrared, and Ultraviolet spectrums.
-
Reinforced Chitinous Plates (1): Vespid are covered in a chitinous exoskeleton that protects their organs from harm and provides them a skeletal structure.
This trait grants the Vespid Natural Armour X where X is the number noted next to this talent when it is taken. This armor stacks with any worn armor, though it must be Vespid Armour as Vespid are unable to wear the armor of any other race. All Vespid start with (1) but further upgrades can be purchased, denoting their rising maturity; upgrades up to (4) may be purchased for 500xp each.
- Unnatural Toughness (4): (+4 to Toughness Bonus)
- Non Imperial (As Rogue Trader - unimportant for our game)
- Speak Not Unto the Alien (As Rogue Trader - unimportant for our game)
Starting Gear:
- Neutron Blaster (basic; 30m; S/-/-; 1d10+12 E, pen 8; Rld: -; 7 kg; Toxic; Near Unique):
The Neutron Blaster which the Vespid Stingwings carry, is a unique blending of Tau technology and the unstable radioactive crystals that the Vespid mine. The energy harnessed from the crystal allows the weapon to strip atoms off of the target. Due to the Vespid's wings creating different harmonic resonances within the crystal, they are the only creatures able to effectively wield the Neutron Blaster.
- Modified Communion Helm:
Communion Helms are Tau-manufactured masks or helmets worn by Vespid Strain Leaders. Even among the Tau, the technology utilised in the Communion Helm is largely a mystery, as the Earth Caste created the devices following the directives of the Ethereals. What is known is that the Vespids view the world around them in a very different way to most other sentient beings, and their frame of reference is so far removed they often fail to relate to other species as even sentient, yet alone a friend or enemy. The Communion Helm allows for communication between the two species, although some amongst the Ordo Xenos believe that the helm actually attunes its wearer to the worldview of the Tau. Modified Communion Helms are Extremely Rare and were created out of necessity. They allow the Vespid to understand and interact with non-Vespid species. Without this helm the Vespid cannot successfully interact with any Non-Vespid as they lose the ability to understand how other species interpret stimuli.
- Mesoplarum Armour (All: 4 AP; Extremely Rare):
A Vespid wears armour into combat to protect key body parts, including major internal organs and the frontal portions of their limbs. This armour is made of a material known as Mesoplarum, and is of Tau manufacture. Mesoplarum is a similar composite material to that worn in the armour of Tau Fire Warrior infantry and the Vespid are believed to be capable of manufacturing this material in their own production facilities, and may now be doing so in large quantities. It is usable only by Vespid Stingwings.
Racial Traits:
- Insectoid and Chitinous: Vespid Stingwings have an incredibly strange biology with their chameleon-like hide and subdermal toxin glands. As such any Non- Vespid that attempts to perform a Medicae test on a Vespid suffers a -20 penalty due to their alien nature.
Special:
- Insanity Points: Vespid accrue Insanity Points as normal.
- Corruption Points: Vespid gain Corruption Points as normal when utilizing the Communion Helm, otherwise they do not.
New Skill:
- Speak Language (Vespid) - Vespid speak utilizing a confusing series of clicks, gestures, and wing movements. It is not usually possible for other species to learn to speak it, but they can learn to understand it.
