Tau society is very structured. Fire Warriors only go out in fight, Earth technicians only build shit and farm, etc.

A group wouldn't make any sense. If the party was sent somewhere, then the party would be entirely one caste/race. It's not like the Inquisition where they mix and match.

I like the Xenos in RT I think it fits well but I have an issues with any one who thinks they could rolepaly an Elder, evan a young, none craftworld one. you could not list the knowlage skills or understand the mind set. But that's just me and I don't like the concept of someone playing a elf in WFRP. My standard are to high.

Cortez said:

Howdy,

The problem with most fiction/games is that the "aliens" are never "alien" enough.  :)

The Eldar in Black Library fiction have understandable motivations and familiar psychology, as do "elves" in most heroic fantasy literature.  I agree with you and think that it is neat to have some aliens be totally inscrutable and unknown, and have those left as NPCs.  I prefer not to do that with the Eldar - they are very popular and really are not that different from other player choices as far as "otherness" with respect to canon fiction and fluff.

You want a REAL "alien" PC choice with respects to psychology and motivation?  Adeptus Mechanicus! :)

Cheers,

Ken

Plushy said:

Why not? An Ethereal has more influence than an Inquisitor. If he wants a diverse SpecOps team, who's going to tell him no? I've found certain Acolyte options to be a bit of a stretch, but I suspend disbelief for the sake of the game. A group of PCs is always going to be full of unusual individuals, that's a part of RPGs.

That's the point. An Ethereal can literally command another Tau to kill themself, and their order will be obeyed without hesitation.

That sort of thing doesn't work too well in the hands of players, also Ethereals don't really have to autonomy to go running around doing that sort of thing (remember they have their own hierarchy) and they're just not going to be allowed to run around the cluster with a handful of companions who aren't even all bodyguards.

There's also that Air Caste can't live in normal gravity, due to their fragile bones.

And I have a hard time seeing how any of the Acolyte options (the default ones) are a stretch.

Every 40k RPg is xeno-centric; you get to kill some in every book!  some are even the star of the book (Deathwatch)

Blood Pact said:

That's one step away from an Inquisitor who, if you won't follow their order to off yourself then the rest of player characters would be more than happy to do it. Technically Rogue Traders crew and the guardsmen following a commisar. One character holding life or death over another is pretty old hat.

Air Caste wouldn't be required to live in gravity just exist in it for the duration of a mission, presumably wearing the kind of reinforced suits they'd wear they were flying craft in atmospheric flight, if they are required at all.

Face Eater said:

I was thinking of the Ethereal being more of a mission dispatch guy rather than a PC, but the Inquisitor comparison works too.

With regard to the Air Caste, worst case is that they aren't a PC option. That still leaves the other castes, as well as any other species that serve the Greater Good (who aren't mind-slaved to the Ethereals). This includes, but is not limited to, Kroot, Vespid Strain Leader, and Human. They could even have rules to create your own race, along the lines of the DH xenos generator & DW Chapter creation rules. Why not?

And I never said the default Acolyte classes were a stretch.

I'm not an advid player of Tau, but I've tried to keep up with their society, and I've never came across where it explicitly states that Air Caste cannot go into normal gravity.  I know it states they have hallow bones, and normally stay at low to zero gravity, but I have never read any where that they cannot live on normal gravity.  I mean, heck, they once lived on their home planet, that had normal gravity.  I even faintly recall seeing Tau Air Caste in artwork, with other Tau caste members on a planet, and they didn't have any exo-skeleton devices either, all they wore was something that looked like a void suit.  Well, now that I searched for it it could be a exo-skeloton, but it more or less looks like light armour to me.  Anyhoot, I would still like to know where the information is that Air Caste members can no longer travel on normal gravity worlds.

On a side note, playing an Ethereal would be a big no IMO.  The rules aren't explained for their "natural abilities" of convincing others to join the Greater Good, not to mention none have ever been captured alive yet.  Having a PC play one would most assuredly end up with them sooner or later doing something wacky to get themselves captured and "studied."  I created Tau characters for DH and RT on my links below.  Feel free to browse and use what you like.

I gotta go with Nameless2All on this one.

The Tau have some of the most advanced tech known. Air Caste would have ZERO problem in normal gravity given a special suit. Lets not forget the battlesuits that Tau have. The idea that the castes cannot cooperate with each other is ridiculous. They do so on a regular basis. If they didn't, they couldn't pose such a threat to all the other races in 40k. Having an Air Caste in a light armoured suit that protects them from gravity and handing them a pistol is no different than running any other tech or knowledge savvy archetype. Water castes would be fellowship based. Fire Caste would be ballistic skill based. You would have inducted species fill other roles as well. Inducted options also allow imports from the other books. The mere idea of running around with my Greater Good group inducting other planets through negotiation or violence alone makes me want to play this game.

Just a question for folks who might be more familiar with the TT than myself - when was the last Eldar codex released?

 Eldar are more likely than Tau. The Tau have no psykers, and you know how FFG loves their Phenomena tables.

Gaire said:

True dat. but for the Tau FFG's own Greater Good Xeno could be a psychic of some type (but it would have to be a pretty cleaverly done).

Gaire said:

Someone mentioned a race called Nicassar which are appearently a psychic race that is allied with the Tau.[1]
 

Musclewizard said:

They're a little under-fluffed. They have psychic ability, and use it to power ships called Dhows. They are capable of Wapr travel and natural explorers, with a love of finding new places. It is said that they hibernate during long voyages, rotating the awake staff for those at rest. The Tau have kept them a secret from the Imperium, because they know that they would hate witch-xenos more than just one or the other. Fanart depicts them as looking like mind flayers.

I would love to have them be the group psyker, but then again I also like Tarellains… so perhaps I cannot be trusted.