mac40k said:

     Yes, I know but you can always dream . Maybe not as basic career but as an Elite Advance. Much like the "Cybernetic Resurrection" from the Inquisitors Handbook. The principle is the same. Get blown to bits serving the God-Emperor. Fall into torpor. Wake up in a room full of Tech-Priests with all sort of strange symbols flashing in your sight. "Only in death does duty end".

I persoanlly would like to see Chaplains as a Deathwatch class and I don't think their is a reason to miss them.

Most Deathwatch personal are selected for the role either by Chapter or other Deathwatch.  I am sure that when the Deathwatch a Chaplian they would draft from a chapter who presents an orthodox or middle ground view or they an individual who is able to ratify all the disperate "cults" of the Astartes.

Its the same as with Priest irl, some might be staunch traditionalists but their is a growing number out their who recognise that if their religion is valid perhaps all religions are valid so they take on a more relaxed stance.

It would mean of course that some chapters would never provided Chaplians to the Deathwatch (i.e. the Black Templars) but lots of those chapters would be carefully scrutinzied anyway before entry as often their wide beliefs would make it difficult for thier Marines to even work with other chapters.

As an aside iirc while he wasn't a Chaplain in position in the first CS Goto Deathwatch book thier was a Black Templar who essentially filled the role of Chaplain for the DW Kill Team exposing the virtues of the Emperor and acting as religious council for the other DW Marines despite some of them being Psykers.

I would also like to see Veteran Scouts... or maybe the Astartes Scouts that some chapters (like the Wolves) field, full battle brothers who have mastery infiltration as thier means of For the Emperoring.

- Raith

'Veteran' Scouts are normal 'Veteran' Astartes...wearing Scout ballistic carapace.

fimarach said:

Read again, there are Chaplains in Deathwatch. They take any Marine who is good enough to kill Xenos

Only thing is that there are many different ways and point of views in different, even in successor chapters religion. Some worship Emperor as God like Ecclesiarchy teaches and others that He was great man but only man notheless. Iron Hands have stronger connections to Adeptus Mechanicus than Ecclesiarcgy and that's why they don't have Rosarius but equivalent they get from Techpriest of Mars.

For different names and roles Chaplains play in chapters. Example Iron Father in Iron Hand's chapter is Chaplain/Techmarine. And Space Wolves Wolf Priest is Chaplain/Apothecary.

Even if you don't have Chaplain as a choise in Deathwatch when it come's out you could always make one of your Marines trained in medic or oratory.

The only two examples I've seen of Deathwatch Chaplains come from C.S. Goto novels.

Thereby, Deathwatch Chaplains do not exist! Quick mods, close the thread before any of Goto's horrors are allowed to spread unchecked across the Immaterium!

Kanluwen said:

So if there are only two references then it's not true. Hmmm why would Deathwatch leave out Chaplains. Too different world view or the different creed. Still they would propably be most effective Xenos killers because they have all that hate inside them. I don't see any point why would the not exist. And also their oratory would propably be like throwing fuel to fire to keep battle-brothers fighting when they are be siege by Xenos scum.

Routa-maa said:

More likely, they're left out specifically BECAUSE of all that hate. Hate's not conductive to 'good' relations that sometimes occur with the Ordos Xenos, which is seemingly the only Ordos where there's no issue with occasionally allying with Xenos. Add in the fact that letting a Chaplain in would result in the destruction of any/all Xenos material, and huge protests whenever the Ordos practices the "Knowledge is Power" viewpoint rather than the "RAWR SLAUGHTER!" viewpoint.

As far as I know, there are no Chaplains in Deathwatch organization due to the highly selective nature of the group and the fact that zealotry towards the emperor is probably a foregone conclusion. And don't forget they usually roll with a Ordos Xenos Inquisitor around to enforce the emperor's will...

One may note that there is very little fluff as to where a chaplain gets his training.

It would be a better assumption to have a chaplain as an Elite Rank Package that may be taken say about rank 6-8 or so to represent the awesome might these heros command on the field.

Kanluwen said:

Too late.

Multi.

Lasers.

Chaplains wouldn't make a good class as its more akin to Elite advancement package or last rank like Captain. After all, there is usually only one Chaplain per company like there is only one Captain.

And no, you don't get to point at "but they are like DH Clerics but for Space Marines... Adeptus Astartes are battle-brothers, which makes the all religious class by default. They are all already Cleric/Guardsmen from DH point of view. I'd like to see Chaplain as one possible advancement path for DW characters, but never as a class. You don't make Captain class either.

Kanluwen said:

Err...members of the Ordo Xenos would never openly ally with an alien.  Not sure where you got that.  A Radical Inquisitor might do it in secret, but if he did, he sure wouldn't let any Deathwatch Marines know about it.  That's a sure-fire way to an abruptly shortened life.

Atheosis said:

Actually, the Ordo Xenos is by far the most 'flexible' of the Ordos in regards to Radical/Puritan.

It's acceptable to 'ally' with the Xenos...so long as you're intending to slaughter them afterwards. There's been quite a few references of Xenos Inquisitors working alongside the Eldar to further the Imperium's goalsand then brutally massacring them when those goals are met.

After all, Xenos are no more than tools. Where's the harm in using that tool for a purpose?

It's when they start emulating/treating the Xenos like they're people that the Imperium gets worried.

Perhaps we'll see the chaplain in the inqui.. the Deathwatch Handbook. After all why wouldn't the deathwatch marines need a chaplain to administer the last rites before they go into a battle mission. Most they are expected to sacrifice their lives to make sure the mission succeeds.

Lucas Adorn said:

Except that an Ultramarines Chaplain wouldn't be suitable to minister to a Space Wolf, Blood Angel or Dark Angel - different chapter cults, different traditions, different requirements and rituals. In the case of First Founding Chapters, you're dealing with hundred-century-old traditions which can't be easily or quickly imparted. By comparison, the genetic legacies an Apothecary inducted into the Deathwatch must learn are far less involved.

A Chaplain is more useful to his Chapter than he is to the Deathwatch; afterall, the Deathwatch know that they're doing the Emperor's work, as they're serving in the Deathwatch at the behest of the Inquisition who are empowered with the Emperor's authority.