Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – Builds Guide

A couple or more builds i have been obsessing over to make some truly horrifying outcomes.

Some Builds I Have Obsessed Over

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Commissar Cain and Yrgen

Partially tested, will need to actually hit 30 to confirm all mechanics work as expected

Officer/Master tactician build, performs as expected until level 22, at which point it begins to break down the laws of reality.

This build assumes that you will only buff a single ally and focus all your attention on them, this ally is designated as “Yrgen” but I used Argenta, as a soldier/arch militant, I have not tested this past level 22 as of writing this guide. below is taken from my private notes on the mechanics of the game so I will need to format it hence the WIP but Ive spent all day working on this and other builds, need sleep. you will not have all the talents below this is a theory craft of what i will take and in what order up to the final level of the second archtype.

The only assumptions I think i have made here are that:

• A. You target a single ally such as argenta.
• B. The ally you target has awaiting orders which refunds you 1 AP when you target them with a buff.
• C. The ally has at least 5 resolve base.

Additionally this build isn’t special until level 22 at which point your Tactical superiority stacks should hit 70 by the end of round 1, Argenta will have huge resolve, Ballistic skill, and perception and had 3 mini turns and maybe popped her heroic all before her first actual turn.

After level 30 you can start adding large amounts of damage to her for the whole combat before the first round even ends. then every turn you are able to cast assign objective and bring it down Argenta should be able to one shot it and gain +5 characteristics for the rest of the combat, not sure if this one stacks yet, but if it does the longer combat goes on the more godly she becomes, also she will gain an increasing BS and PER bonus every turn because you are targeting her repeatedly, this one does stack according to the description.

Finally having another character as a santic psyker casting word of the emperor and hammer of the emperor will scale this up faster as it works off resolve.

I am honestly afraid this build might get Nerfed, but there were some insane builds in Wrath of the righteous so maybe not.

Commissar Cain and Yrgen Build

Pairs with Argenta build in next section

Origin, Imperial world (buff fellowship), Noble.

Officer

Talents

1. Focus – Ally Perception, and Ballistic Skill gain +8(Fel bonus) when targeted by an ability, stacks but decays by half total stacks at end of allys turn
2. Personal Oversight – Same as above essentially but +1 resolve, no decay just lose if it isn’t refreshed every turn
3. Seize the initiative – Bonus Turn for casting abilities
4. Lead by example – used correctly I should be able to VoC myself
5. Lasting Impression – half bonus from VoC remain, should be ten

Common

1. Characteristic training – Fellowship +5
2. You do something – +1 ap from targeting servant
3. Ready to Serve – It either will increase my own resolve or my allies, useful until I get steel resolve.
4. You kill it – same as 2 but only if my ally kills it and the bonus is for me.

Characteristics

• Fellowship +10 = 70 / Willpower +10 / Agility +5

Abilities

• Voice of command – +20 characteristics +10 linger afterwards
• Bring it down – gain turn with no movement
• Air of authority – Add 2+myresolve/2 to ally
• Take Aim – Target Doubles range of weapon and ignores cover

Master tactician

Talents

1. Hidden advantage – stacks are plus fel bonus more effective so 8
2. Reliance – Linchpin only costs 25% of stacks instead of half
3. In the heroes footsteps – gain another turn when ally heroics.
4. Nerves of steel – Increase momentum gain, minimize loss
5. Unwavering motivation – increase damage of inspire
6. Comfort in conformity – every ally should get some healing from this
7. Against all odds – Gain stacks equal to number of enemies (have seen combats with 22 enemies)

Common

1. Swift movements
2. It will not die
3. Nimble

Characteristics

• Fellowship +10 = 80 (finally get the +8 fel bonus)/ Willpower +10 / Agility +15? (if not add some toughness)

Abilities: keep in mind I should be getting 1 AP back from one of Argenta’s talents “Awaiting orders”

Notes

• Triggers lead by example hitting both me and ally.
• Tactical superiority, its a tactician buff you gain a stack for every 5 momentum gained

Turn 1 – AP 5

• Air of authority -1ap +1ap, Take aim -1ap, voice of command -1ap, Bring it down -2ap.
• Result: Argenta receives +25 all characteristic, 2ap, 2mp, +11 resolve, +48 BS and PER.
• Argenta takes turn, if they get a kill they will generate 31 momentum and 6 stacks of TS.

Turn 2 – AP 5

• You. Serve me -0ap, Air of authority -1ap +1ap, Take aim -1ap, Lynchpin -1AP, Assign objective -1ap, Bring it down -2ap. Result: Argenta retains +25 all characteristic (round hasn’t ended), 2ap, 2mp, 24 BS and PER. They additionally gain +60 BS and PER, +18 resolve. I have consumed 6 stacks of TS. Argenta Takes turn, If they kill target, they will generate 137 momentum, I will gain 70 stacks.

If they use a heroic action and I am level 30, this will be Turn 3:

Identical to turn 2 except I have 1 additional ap from “you kill it”.

And I use it to cast inspire consuming 42 stacks to grant +48 total damage to Argenta for the rest of the combat, all within round 1, not to mention her absurd resolve stat, ballistic stat, and perception stat, she essentially can’t miss and this only takes into account the support side of the build. *Numbers above are slightly off i can only use officer abilities in the first turn so a little less resolve and i both lose and gain no stacks via lynchpin 2nd turn is the same though as I forgot to account for second turn resolve per turn gain.

Argenta Companion Build (Pairs with Rogue Trader Build)

“Yrgen” build

“As you command” build?

This ones harder to name, either way its paired with the above build but isn’t as dependent.

Playstyle is to keep them next to the rogue trader like a bodyguard but with a hybrid Anti material, rpg, machinegun.

Ballistic Skill

• Origin, Imperial world (buff agility), Adepta Sororitas (basically the priest origin but flavored for her).

Soldier

Talents

1. Rapid Reload – Required for the burst shot single shot rotation required to gain versatile stacks
2. Muzzle Velocity – Better burst fire, add rate of fire to damage, should work with rapid fire ability.
3. Swift Slaughter – More frequent “Revel in slaughter”, Ability 2 kills instead of 3
4. Unfaltering Fire – Better Rapid fire ability, no damage reduction.
5. Cameraderie or Forewarned – bonus based on proximity to ally, remember to keep your emotional support Rogue Trader nearby at all times.

Common

1. Characteristic Training: BS*+5
2. Doing my Part – The first ability of their unique archetype is -1ap
3. Ready to serve – Should increase their resolve when rogue trader targets them
4. Heavy weapon proficiency – I want to get her a heavy Boltor, and the common talents of arch militant will make this a better investment.

Characteristics: In order of priority

• Ballistic Skill +10
• Agility +10
• Willpower +5

Abilities

• Run and Gun – attack twice, BS* debuff, don’t like, use heroic of Arch-Militant as replacement.
• Revel In slaughter – Stacking ballistic skill gain per 2-3 kills
• Rapid Fire – Double rate of fire, -25% damage, can be fixed with a talent.
• Controlled Shot – Useful if Abelard is in the damn way again.

Arch-Militant

Talents

1. Discipline – A +1 stack for every extra turn, not sure if “bring it down” actually counts.
2. Awaiting orders – Refund rogue trader 1AP once per round.
3. Always ready – start with 2 versatile stacks
4. Critical Versatility – +3% crit damage per stack
5. Dependable – +2% armor per stack
6. Close quarters training – can always fire gun but if in melee -10 BS*
7. Heavy gunner – Heavy weapons fire for -1AP, delay getting this if you havent gotten a good heavy Boltor yet. the only one I saw was at the end of act 1 and was heretic specific.

Common

1. Overpower –
2. Breaking point – gives +BS bonus crit hit and +BS bonusx3 crit damage, for heavy weapons.
3. Characteristic training: Agility +5
4. Nimble or It will not die? I’m running out of good common talents so feel free to grab whatever.

Characteristics: arch militants get 8 bumps so 40 total stats.

• Ballistic Skill +10
• Agility +10
• Willpower +10
• Perception +10

Turn order, assuming level 30

Always alternate between single shot and burst fire if you can, even if it seems like a waste the key is to build stacks of versatility while Rogue trader buffs you. Stay in confident approach the entire combat.

W.I.P.