Rogue Trader (rpg) or Dark Heresy?

[Space Insect]

So, I'm going to buy a new RPG for Warhammer 40k and I'm wondering which one you guys suggest.
As fas asI know, Rogue Trader is more or less adevnturers in SPACE (in 40k)
Dark Heresy is a bunch of guys bunting heretics for the Emprah and then getting brutally murdered.
Please correct me if my preconceptions are wrong.

Also, are splatbooks practically required for either of these?

Fill me with your RPG knowledge!
(as long as it is tasteful)

 

[Excidium II]

Dark Heresy because it's easier to play.

Rogue Trader (Like Black Crusade) is more player-driven so you gotta have the right group for it to flourish.

Also, are splatbooks practically required for either of these?

Dunno for RT because we only used core, but for DH as a player, splats are kinda skippable until you feel like you need more stuff, they mostly only have shit that is either OP or suck...I really only used them to shop for guns but there's an spreadsheet somewhere on the internet with all the gear.

 

[Alex]

Well, I played a bit of both. The system in Rogue Trader is a little bit more abstract. For instance, you use dice rolls instead of actually counting money. On the other hand, Rogue Trader has a few more tools for a sandbox game. I think psyker powers were more interesting in DH too.

I don't think splatbooks are needed for either. Maybe your players will want new options after a while, but there is nothing wrong with coming up with these yourself. I don't really like any of the splats, so that is probably even a better idea.

In the end, though, I am not a big fan of either. I think there is a whole lot they could have done in these games that they didn't, such as providing you with an idea of what a hive looks like, what life there is like, what kind of jobs people in there lead, etc.

 

[Jaedar]

Also, are splatbooks practically required for either of these?

I'd say inquisitors handbook is basically required for Dark heresy. Without it, the players are a bit too limited in terms of gear, character creation and development. Be very careful with other splatbooks as they add some stuff that is very questionable depending on what type of game you are running.

The rest are skippable, but I do thoroughly recommend disciples of the dark gods and creatures anethema for the GM. So many awesome monsters and adventure hooks in there.


Rogue trader is cool, but as Excidium said, it requires a certain type of group to work since it is supposed to be more freeform whereas in DH the GM can just insert the players onto a planet/settlement and say "find and kill hereticz/aliens".

 

[Darth Roxor]

get dark heresy 2nd edition

also, I personally prefer RT even though it has really bad psychic powers and the acquisition/money model is a clusterfuck

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Rogue Trader has a tendency to be more awesome if you have a fun and imaginative group.

 

[Space Insect]

get dark heresy 2nd edition

I did read your review in case you were wondering.

 

[Xathrodox86]

Dark Heresy. It's far from perfect, but captures the spirit of 40K much better IMO.

 

[Alex]

You know, I think Traveller is a better game and more fun than either. So if you aren't set on Warhammer as the setting, that could be a good idea.

 

[lightbane]

Rogue Trader is good if you group gets tired of playing disposable, unlucky and incompetent souls who have to count every bullet they shoot. RT works better if you play the setting as something more light-hearted and less serious (kinda like Ciaphas Cain's view of the Imperium). Of course, the hardcore fans who believe WH40k must be GRIMDARK 24/7 will loathe that idea.

In any case, RT's Explorers have way more freedom and influence than the average failcolyte (although they can still do some work for the CInquisition, in case you wish to recycle a DH scenario or two).

 

[Xathrodox86]

Rogue Trader is good if you group gets tired of playing disposable, unlucky and incompetent souls who have to count every bullet they shoot. RT works better if you play the setting as something more light-hearted and less serious (kinda like Ciaphas Cain's view of the Imperium). Of course, the hardcore fans who believe WH40k must be GRIMDARK 24/7 will loathe that idea.

In any case, RT's Explorers have way more freedom and influence than the average failcolyte (although they can still do some work for the CInquisition, in case you wish to recycle a DH scenario or two).

In other words - RT is good for playing special snowflakes, while DH is good for playing cannon fodder.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Ayep. Read a good bit of the Nazi Occult if you want to get into Dark Heresy.
Just read the White Bloody Baron if you want to get into Rogue Trader.

 

[Excidium II]

One thing I remember about RT that you might want to address if you play is that the starting gear is a bit wonky. Like Seneschal can start with inferno pistol but the RT chooses between a plasma pistol or a best craftsmanship laspistol.

DH is more balanced, everyone starts with garbage.

 

[Alex]

What kind of idiot would take the laspistol?

 

[Darth Roxor]

one with BALLS OF STEEL

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Archeotech if you're going for flavor

 

[Caim]

Dark Heresy is Call of Cthulhu meets Mass Effect where the party plays Commander Shepard's team.

Rogue Trader is a mix of Star Trek and the Age of Exploration, and can be played anywhere from very grimdark to pretty much this.

Rogue Trader games are higher powered and give players a lot more freedom, but requires more of them roleplaying wise.

 

[Excidium II]

Also in DH you actually count your coins, specially if you're a scum with an average salary of 20 geld. You don't even look forward to getting bolter training that much because you know every battle will cost a small fortune. And of course, power armor becomes a lifetime goal.

You kinda miss that stuff in the other games.

 

[Caim]

Also in DH you actually count your coins, specially if you're a scum with an average salary of 20 geld. You don't even look forward to getting bolter training that much because you know every battle will cost a small fortune. And of course, power armor becomes a lifetime goal.

You kinda miss that stuff in the other games.

How does that work in Black Crusade, anyway? In Rogue Trader you are way too rich for this, in Deathwatch you are issued gear and in Only War you requisition and hoard your stuff.

 

[Excidium II]

How does that work in Black Crusade, anyway? In Rogue Trader you are way too rich for this, in Deathwatch you are issued gear and in Only War you requisition and hoard your stuff.

Black Crusade has an Infamy stat that is basically like RT's Profit Factor.

 

[Xathrodox86]

Also in DH you actually count your coins, specially if you're a scum with an average salary of 20 geld. You don't even look forward to getting bolter training that much because you know every battle will cost a small fortune. And of course, power armor becomes a lifetime goal.

You kinda miss that stuff in the other games.

Scum can make scams which is cool. Basically just steal anything that isn't bolted down and pray that you Inquisitor isn't a hardass, who dosen't allow looted weapons.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Confrontation

 

[Incendax]

DH is also great for "Boss tells you to do X, go do it" if your players lack... pro-active habits.

RT thrives when your players are pro-active.

 

[FritzedProcess]

So, I'm going to buy a new RPG for Warhammer 40k and I'm wondering which one you guys suggest.
As fas asI know, Rogue Trader is more or less adevnturers in SPACE (in 40k)
Dark Heresy is a bunch of guys bunting heretics for the Emprah and then getting brutally murdered.
Please correct me if my preconceptions are wrong.

Also, are splatbooks practically required for either of these?

Fill me with your RPG knowledge!
(as long as it is tasteful)

As others have mentioned, RT is very player driven (in principle) and DH is more GM-driven, so if your group doesn't have a lot of initiative in regards to getting shit started, you'd better run DH. DH is less demanding in regards to bookkeeping (in RT there's ship and crew management, among other things, although it doesn't get nowhere as complex as Ars Magica from what I can remember, but it's something to consider). Because of that, RT will require more involvement from the players, so if they are averse to reading the manual to get acquainted with the systems, spare yourself the headache and run DH.

Although in spirit Rogue Trader appears to be a very player-driven game, there's a workaround for that: have the Captain (the titular Rogue Trader) be an NPC and let the players be his officers. Ditto if you have multiple players with big egos.

The power levels are very different, too: RT's characters are much more powerful than DH's, to illustrate the fact that the characters are important people as opposed to disposable assets, so that's something else you should consider when setting the tone for the game.