REBEL

This is a special advanced class designed specifically for the Warhammer 40,000 setting. As such it merits extra description but is lacking a “sample rebels” section at the end. This section describes the Rebel advanced class. The fastest way to get to this class is through the Charismatic Hero basic class. Imperial Rebels find their beginnings in the most significant of Imperial events: the Horus Heresy. A few abilities come from the Negotiator and Personality class in the Modern SRD.

 

The Horus Heresy is now commonly assumed to be a conventional revolt, and only the Emperor, and the Cyber-libraries of the Ordo Malleus, have an accurate recollection of the Heresy.

 

General Horus was regarded as the finest military commander that the Imperium had produced. His abilities were faultless, and eventually the Emperor granted him the title of Imperial Warmaster. This was a high honour, even in the early years of the Imperium, when brave deeds were commonplace. Before Horus could travel to Terra to receive his reward he fell ill on the feral world of Davin. This was his undoing. During his convalescence on Davin he was inducted into a secret warrior’s lodge, which proved to be little more than a coven. A change of character became evident in the Warmaster - he had been possessed by a Daemon. Horus’ membership in the secret lodge was not unusual; Imperial soldiers were often encouraged to join warrior societies of this type. Recruiting was felt to be easier on worlds where ‘warriors from the stars’ had become ‘brothers’.

 

Warmaster Horus was recalled to duty in preparation for a new Imperial Crusade. It is clear that the Warmaster introduced a system of ‘warrior lodges’ into the five Legions Astartes Chapters under his direct command. The Chapters were entirely corrupted at the lodges meetings. The infection rapidly spread to the Orders of the Adeptus Mechanicus attached to Horus’ command. From there the rot spread further into the Imperial forces. More than half of the Adeptus Mechanicus, including many units of the Collegia Titanica and the Legio Cybernetica wholeheartedly supported Horus and his vision of a new Imperium of Chaos. This wholesale treachery went undetected by the Inquisition.

 

A bombardment on Istvaan V that resulted in the deaths of millions was the spark that started the war. Across the Imperium rebel units attacked loyalists and vice versa. Old feuds were revived in many systems, giving additional excuses for battle. The rule of the Imperium dissolved into planetary battles. Many units of the Imperial Guard sided with the Warmaster. The Imperial Fleet dithered and managed only to drive rebel ships from the Imperial home systems.

 

During the War Horus seriously wounded the Emperor and was slain (though his body was never found). The Emperor’s body had breathed its last, and he entered the Golden Throne. The Traitor Legions and their dead Warmaster vanished into the Eye of Terror. The First Inter-Legionary War - the Horus Heresy - lasted less than a decade, but it nearly destroyed the Imperium.

 

In the many years since then many have learned the stories of Horus. Many know nothing about his allegiance to Chaos. They simply see the Imperium as a twisted oppressive society with nothing but hate in their hearts. Their desire to see a new law, a new religion and a new future for mankind is inspired by Horus’ near success. Little do they know of the fell origins of his power. Many rebels fight Imperial hypocrisy, others wage a personal vendetta against the oppressors and others still succumb to the poisonous words of the Fell powers. Rebels can be found across the galaxy in all walks of life and in all ways they are similar. They try to rouse a sense of disgust in the system. They try to get the mob to work in their favour. Like Warmaster Horus, they hope to gather like minded men around them and free themselves.

 

Many rebels are quite succesful gaining positions as Imperial Commanders of entire worlds. Imperal Commanders are the most powerful men in the galaxy. With the entire resources of a world at their disposal they can do great good for humanity – or great evil. Despite the development of warp travel many worlds lie years or decades from their neighbours. It can take many years to mobilize troops and even longers to travel to localized warzones. Under the circumstances it is hardly surprising that some Imperial Commanders come to see themselves as above the rule of the Imperium.

 

Thus it is that the worlds of the Imperium are ever vulnerable to the greatest of humanities enemies – humans themselves.

 

Requirements

To qualify to become a Preacher, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

Skills: Diplomacy 6 ranks, Bluff 6 ranks

 

CLASS INFORMATION

The following information pertains to the Rebel advanced class.

 

Hit Die

A rebel gains 1d8 hit points per level. The character’s Constitution modifier applies.

 

Skills

Bluff (Cha), Craft (writing), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int) Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Knowledge (business, sciences, current events, streetwise) (Int), Perform (all) (Cha), Read/Write Language (none), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none).

 

Skill Points for each Level: 5 + Int modifier

 

Table: The Rebel
Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Defense	Leadership
1	+0	+1	+1	+1	Conceal Motive	+1	+1
2	+1	+2	+2	+2	Bonus Class Skill	+1	+1
3	+2	+2	+2	+2	Bonus Feat	+2	+1
4	+3	+2	+2	+2	Rebel Storeroom	+2	+2
5	+3	+3	+3	+3	Manipulate	+3	+2
6	+4	+3	+3	+3	Bonus Feat	+3	+2
7	+5	+4	+4	+4	Bonus Class Skill	+4	+3
8	+6	+4	+4	+4	Sow Distrust	+4	+3
9	+6	+4	+4	+4	Bonus Feat	+5	+3
10	+7	+5	+5	+5	Lose Faith	+5	+4

CLASS FEATURES

The following class features pertain to the Rebel advanced class.

 

Conceal Motive

A Rebel gets to add a bonus equal to his or her Rebel level whenever he or she opposes a Sense Motive check.

 

Bonus Class Skill

A rebel needs to have a different array of skills depending on his environment. Some are capable hackers, others are are good with animals (maybe to calm down guard dogs) and so on. The Rebel designates one cross-class skill to become a class-skill. Once designated that skill is always treated as a class skill every time a new level of Rebel is added.

 

Rebel Storeroom

Rebels manufacture or steal their own private weapons to use against the enemy. When purchasing weapons, armour or grenades a rebel can go to his ‘special sources’ and get a 25% discount.

 

Manipulate

At 5th level, a Rebel develops such a force of personal magnetism that he or she can convince a single target to regard him or her as a trusted friend. (If the target is currently being threatened or attacked by the Rebel or his or her allies, this ability won’t work.)

The target makes a Will saving throw to avoid being persuaded by the Rebel’s words and actions. The DC is 10 + Rebel’s class level + Rebel’s Charisma bonus.

This ability doesn’t enable the Rebel to control the target, but the target perceives the Rebel’s words and actions in the most favorable way. The Rebel can try to give the target orders, but he or she must win an opposed Charisma check to convince the target to perform any actions the target wouldn’t normally undertake. The target never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, and any act by the Rebel or his or her allies that threatens the target breaks the mood and clears the target’s head. Otherwise, a target remains won over for 1 minute per Rebel level.

After the duration expires, the GM determines the reaction and attitude of the target based on what the Rebel compelled the target to do.

This is a Mind-Affecting ability.

 

Sow Distrust

A Rebel of 8th level or higher can turn one character against another. The Rebel must spend a full-round action and know the name of the character he or she is attempting to persuade as well as the name of the character toward whom the target’s distrust will be directed. The target must be able to hear and understand the Rebel.

The target makes a Will save. The DC is equal to 10 + Rebel’s class level + Rebel’s Charisma bonus. If the target fails the save, his or her attitude toward the other designated character worsens by one step: helpful turns to friendly, friendly to indifferent, indifferent to unfriendly, unfriendly to hostile (see the Diplomacy skill). The target makes a Will save whenever the Rebel uses this talent against him or her. As long as the target continues to fail the Will save, the Rebel can continue taking full-round actions to worsen the target’s attitude toward a designated character. When the target’s attitude drops to hostile, he or she attacks the designated character.

A successful Will save doesn’t restore previous attitude shifts, but it does render the target immune for 24 hours to further attempts by the Rebel to sow distrust.

The Rebel can’t use this talent on his or her allies.

This is a Mind-Affecting ability.

 

Lose Faith

The rebel is particularly good at pointing out the hypocrisy of the Imperial Faith. He gets a +10 bonus to Diplomacy when influencing someone’s attitude towards the Faith.

Initial Attitude	———————— New Attitude ————————
	Fervent	Pious	Religious	Neutral	Dubious	Heretical
Fervent	19 or less	20	40	80	—	—
Pious	4 or less	5	20	40	80	—
Religious	—	4 or less	5	20	40	80
Neutral	—	—	4 or less	5	20	40

 

The effects of Lose Faith last for one month unless reinforced. A preacher who drops below Pious in his belief loses all class-features. The Dubious attitude indicates someone who is convinced to become skeptical about religion or to adopt a sort of atheism. A heretical attitude is either active worship of a forbidden religion or else just a disgust in religion brought on by heavy atheism.