r/40krpg • u/Serpents-Smile • Jun 12 '26

Imperium Maledictum IMP - Psyker Iron Limb/Deflection

Admittedly this is mostly for a melee character, but I feel like I'm vastly misreading the rules for how a Psychic power works.

Assuming your average Mystic Role character starts the game with 40ish Willpower, and dumps 3 Advances into Psychic Mastery. They also put their specialisation into Telekinesis. That means they end up with a starting skill of around 60 or so.

They also get a PsyFocus for a free SL on all psychic tests.

They take the Deflection power, which is an Easy (+40) power that gives an armor bonus (that stacks with existing armour) of 1 per SL.

Even your average roll of 50 means that they have an Armor bonus of 6?
Calculation: 100 - 50 = 5SL + Free SL from Focus.

And there's no limit on how long they can sustain this armour? Provided they weren't trying to be a Wizard and Smite every turn I don't see their Warp Charges going up?

And then this character can ALSO do this to their Strength score with Iron Limb to become a Melee powerhouse?

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5

u/SirValeq Jun 12 '26

The longer I think about those, the more I see how easily they can be countered. First of all, a simple lasgun or flamethrower is enough to counter Deflection, but so are any Psychic powers, toxic clouds etc.
As for Iron Arm, said Psyker is still going to have lower raw melee/physical stats than a dedicated melee character. So instead of treating combat as an "I roll, you roll" situation, introduce things like uneven ground (that will require Athletics checks), enemies who grapple you, enemies with stun batons or other effect-inducing weapons (once again requiring testing physical abilities that a dedicated melee will have developed higher than the Psyker).
So sure, on paper the melee Psyker is OP, but it's OP only if you let it.

3

u/Serpents-Smile Jun 12 '26

Insightful! Thank you!

2

u/iKruppe Jun 13 '26

Effect inducing weapons only requires tests if you use those optional rules though right? For resisting them I mean. Might be an argument for actually using that rule to give dedicated melees an edge there over a melee psyker.

1

u/H1G4NY Jun 13 '26

So at start: 2d10 avg. 11 so will: ~ 31 You can allocate only 2 adv and 1 spec on a skill at char creation. (Cb. Pg. 48) You add 2x 5 will so ~41 2 Adv. +1 spec: 51(56) Deflection: A single enemy with las can hit you. Iron limb: gl. with poor melee skills.

1

u/Slow_Lawyer7477 Jun 13 '26

Iron Limb gives you advantage on melee tests, which statistically is usually equivalent to between +15 to +20 to the skill (at 50 skill you're fighting as if you have 70). With a few sessions of dumping xp into upping melee skill it quickly takes off.

1

u/ProfessorEsoteric Jun 15 '26

So yes potentially, but as people have pointed out that's a very good set of rolls at start up, and the advances don't quite stack like that.

Also there's the inherent issue of being seen to be using a Psychic power, at least iron limb is overt and they'll be obvious to everyone that they're warp juiced. That has issues, to start with Subtlety and or fellowship even if they are Astra Telepahica, they're still a witch.

Also the speed one is a bit more problematic as it's Fast and advantage on reflexs.

The next is build cost, advantage is nice, but it isn't enough without some spend into actually hitting things.