PLAYER CHARACTER RACES

The major (and only recommended playable) races that are dealt with at the moment are Humans.  There are various sub-races of human, these include your standard human (like me and you), Ogryns, Sqauts and Ratlings and the super-human Marines.  Marines are unplayable as well (for now).  Essentially the world of Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay is tailored specifically for human characters. This is because the Imperium is the major power of the universe that the PCs will be a part of.

Eldar, Dark Eldar and Ork characters can also be chosen as a playable race.  This would lead to a very different campaign as more often then not these races would be at odds with the Imperium.  For a beginner campaign I suggest you use Humans or one of the accepted sub-types.  Otherwise, I would recommend a 1 race party so the DM can more easily tailor the campaign to that specific races goals.

Feel free to also use the Half-Orc or Half-Elf race from the 3e dnd Players Handbook to represent different kinds of Orks and Eldars.  All non-human race choices available in T20 like the Vargr, Aslan etc. are considered to be uplifted Terran animals and generally termed Beastmen.  These are all playable races in w40k d20 as well.  Since they are all native to Earth and were uplifted by Humans during the Dark Age of Technology they are not considered Mutants.  In fact any race the DM cares to use which could conceivably have had a modern Earth animal as its base can be used as an acceptable race.

The Fates: All player characters start with a Fate Card, much like those in WFRP.  These cards can be played at ANY time and allow the character to void any dice roll or complete any specific task that requires a dice roll.  For example, an Ork hits Jane, the Sister of Battle for 20 points which would kill her outright.  She decides to play the fate card - instead the blow glances off her armour harmlessly.  Character may only ever have 1 Fate Card at a time but may earn a new one (at the DM's discretion) after they use their current one. 

Humans                                                                                                                 Pure Strain Human  Humans occupy many worlds in the Universe and comprise various factions, most commonly the Imperium and Pirate worlds. They are the most numerous of the four PC races.  These are your standard character in 3e dnd.  Use the statistics for Humans found in the basic 3e dnd Players Handbook.

Squats                                                                                                                         Human Sub-type These are identical in appearance and personality with the Dwarfs or Gnomes of 3e dnd, depending on which strain of Squats they belong to, of the dnd World. Squats come from what are called the Squat Homeworlds. They love technical gadgetry in whatever shape or form. Maximum Height 1.35m.  Use the statistics for Dwarfs or Gnomes (players choice) found in the basic 3e dnd Players Handbook.

Ratlings                                                                                                                      Human Sub-type Ratlings are identical in appearance to the Halflings of the 3e dnd World, but think about food rather less than them. They are determined little people and are recruited into Imperial armies as sharpshooters as they are crack shots. Unfortunately they care little for electronics and machinery.  Maximum height is 1.00m.  Use the statistics for Halflings found in the basic 3e dnd Players Handbook.

Imperial Ogryns                                                                                                        Human Sub-type The Imperium makes great use of these massive, and ugly, humans. Ogryns come from harsh often cold worlds with high gravity and little natural life. They have adapted by increasing their bodyweight to survive the cold, and their bodies have become accustomed to long periods of starvation and protracted darkness. Together with an increase in size Ogryns have undergone a steady decrease in intelligence and mental agility. The Technomagi and Geneticists of the Adeptus Mechanicus have increased the Imperial Ogryns intellect so that they can at least obey orders and use some technological weapons; something that would be impossible for their much bigger cousins. With this increase in intellect Imperial Ogryns are somewhat smaller than normal creatures of their type but are still very big. Males stand 2.10m to 2.70m tall; all Imperial Ogryns are male because if there were females in Ogryn regiments there would be mayhem!  Use the statistics and class progression for Ogres or the racial template of Half-Ogres found in the 3e dnd Savage Species manual.

The Sensei                                                                                                                 Human Sub-type When a Champion of Khorne, Nurgle or any other Chaos Power pledges himself to the service of his Patron Power, his very soul becomes part of the Power's energies. The Star Child also has his Champions, known as the Sensei. Although they do not necessarily know their true identity, these people are actually descended from the Emperor's own descendants, and their genetic structure is similar to his. Not all the Emperor's descendants are Sensei, and almost none of them realise that they carry genes from the Emperor or that it is this which gives them their powers.

The fortuitous combination of genes the Sensei have inherited from the Emperor makes them very special. Their most important trait is their immortality. Although they can be killed they do not age, and possess amazing powers of recovery. They are also protected from the Chaos Powers, and the untainted flow of the warp can move through them unimpeded. A Sensei cannot experience hate, bitterness, or irrational anger, because these things are part of the disharmony of the Chaos Powers. They radiate natural confidence and harmony, and can even draw upon the energies of the warp to use their psychic powers. Sensei do not risk attracting daemons or other malicious psychic forces by using their powers. Being untainted by Chaos Powers they are utterly invulnerable to the predations of the Chaos Powers. In fact because they harbour no trace trace of the emotions and concepts embodied by the Chaos powers they are largely invisible to them.

Sensei are heroes who wander throughout the galaxy, sometimes in the company of a select band of other powerful heroes. The psychic powers of a Sensei make him dangerous heretic in the eyes of the Imperium, so that he and his followers risk capture and death at the hands of the Inquisition or other Imperial forces. They are not so much the enemies of the Imperium as of Repression and injustice in all their guises. Repression exists throughout the Imperium, much of which is justified, but not all by any means. Wherever a Sensei appears he can be sure of huge popular support, while the forces of oppressive goverment recognise him as an implacable foe.

The Sensei Adventurer Bands                                                                                                            The Imperium regards the Sensei and their followers as dangerous bandits, nihilists and psyker who, if not actually in league with Chaos, are weakening the bulwark which the Imperium has set against its threat.

All over the Imperium, forces are deployed to chase groups of Sensei, and in their turn the Sensei are forced to operate as outlaws. However the conflict does not weaken the resolve of either side. The Imperium is strengthened by the resolve of the Imperial forces, while the Sensei are spurred by their battle against cruelty and oppression.

Sensei outlaw bands are known as Adventurer Bands. They occur all over the Imperium as the champions of underdogs and scourge of authority. They hide in underground caverns, or deep inside cities, or lead freedom fighters from the forest and mountains. Some sail the seas as pirates and operate from secret islands and coves. Others sail space itself as pirates of a different kind, boarding and robbing Imperial cargo vessels as they move ponderously between planets. Everywhere they champion the poor against the rich, the oppressed against the oppressors. They are brave, they are popular, and they see themselves as the enemies of both Chaos and oppression.

Gameplay Notes: The Sensei may pick any character class labeled Celestial in the Savage Species Handbook with the one change that the Sensei always look human (no wings, no dog face, no missing pupils etc.).  They also must be good (any of Lawful, Neutral or Chaotic) as listed in the Savage Species Handbook. Click here to see a converted Ghaele from Savage Species.

These are the non-player races (some are not races, just modified humans) characters can meet within the 40k Universe. This is not to say these are the ONLY types of NPC encounters, these are in addition to the thousands of humans and animal life in the known galaxy. Templates included, some races deserve greater detail so just follow the hyperlinks..

Space Marine                                                                                                                                  Space Marines are the finest fighting force humanity has to offer its most deadly of enemies. They are superhuman warriors that have the best guns, equipment and armour the Imperium can afford. As far as Space Marine PCs are concerned they are NOT allowed in the game. Space Marines need specially tailored campaigns which is beyond the scope of this game. This is because, as they are the finest human warriors and probably the best in the entire universe, they are quickly dispatched against the deadliest of enemies, not against some gang from a scummy hive world. When there is a Tyranid invasion or a renegade Imperial Commander or a troublesome Ork warlord to get rid off, the Space Marines will be dispatched to deal with them with ruthless speed and efficiency. Space Marines have their own unique special advantages.  See Adeptus Astartes  for details.  Space Marines are DEADLY enemies, fortunately only heretics, traitors and mutants need fear them.  The Prestige Class in the above link is for ALL space marines, certain special characters get extra advantages.

The Sisters of Battle                                                                                                                       The Sisters of Battle are the fighting arm of the Adeptus Ministorum - the holy church of the Imperium. Trained and equipped to the highest standards, they are utterly dedicated to the protection of the Imperial Faith. The armies of the Sisterhood fight in small units at close quarters often destroying the faithless with the purifying fires of their Flamers and Meltaguns.  They are, in essence, the female arm of the Space Marines.