Dark Heresy Revamped : My Thoughts So Far...

So, I've been busy the past couple of weeks with work and college assignments, but I've still had time to do a bit of pondering and playtesting with regards to my Dark Heresy Revamped project. I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to split this little project into two distinct but interlinked branches, due to different player groups having different expectations of what I'm doing, and my own desire to be able to accomodate both.

Essentially, I'm going to be splitting it into Dark Heresy 2.5, and Dark Heresy 3.0. 2.5 will be, in effect, an updated version of the Dark Heresy rules, essentially updating a few of the issues that irk me and incorporating a few mechanics that I've been making use of with my groups for a while now. Dark Heresy 3.0 on the other hand will take this revamp considerably further, with mechanics undergoing significant alteration due to my own belief that they improve the game.

For claritys sake, here's what I'm planning to alter / incorporate into these versions...

Dark Heresy 2.5

• Altered Character Creation : This is in line with what I've done so far, and incorporates updated and altered Homeworlds/Origins, Backgrounds and Roles as well as a few other minor tweaks. This is more or less complete.
• Altered Skills and Talents : This incorporates my new skills (Endurance and Resolve), as well as tweaks to the Lore skills and a few talents thanks to the changes I'm making to the system.
• Altered Consumables Rules : These are alterations to how ammunition and other consumable resources like medical supplies and the like work. I'm doing this to cut down on book keeping and make the game flow faster, with more of a narrative feel to it.
• Zone Based Combat and Movement : This is perhaps the biggest change I'm making from 2.0, with the rest just being updates and alterations. There are also a couple of tweaks that I want to make to the combat system, especially with regards to Fatigue.
• Updated Equipment and Weapons : Obviously the above changes require some alterations to the existing statistics for weapons and equipment. Not only that but a fair few items have very nebulous rules, and I'd like to nail them down properly with more specific mechanics.
• Updated Psychic Powers : 

Dark Heresy 3.0

While the above alterations are pretty set, those that follow could be considered "Plug Ins", with anyone using them able to treat them as optional house rules and pick and choose. 

• Alternate Resource Systems : This is an expansion on the above alterations, but taken to the next level with Influence being replaced with a series of statistics that are dependant on character actions and rewards, such as Influence, Reputation and Wealth. Each taking the form of both permanent statistics and consumable temporary rewards.
• Benefits of Success / Consequences of Failure : I've already explained this little system in my earlier posts, and it's one that I'm playtesting, along with...
• Damage 3.0 : This is a modified damage system, which replaces the existing Wounds and Critical Damage tables with a system of Injuries and Damage Thresholds. This is currently the most contentious change and the one that I'm playtesting the most heavily.

I'm working on another update tonight, so I'll be posting that up too shortly. I've actually got a week off from work and college, and though there's plenty I want to do, I'm also going to try to catch up on my writing.

For the purpose of this project, I'm going to focus on the components of 2.5 for now, while I playtest those of 3.0 in the background. That'll let me get more content out to my readers, while simultaneously accounting for all the basic changes for my play groups.

Until Next Time
Happy Gaming
Michael