corruptionpoints:

Hello!

Congratulations on taking your first steps into running a game in Dark Heresy. Within all of its flaws, Dark Heresyis absolutely one of my favorite systems. 

Here are some pointers!

1. The Bread and Butter. I ran Dark Heresy for roughly three years with my regular gaming group, and was a player for some time before that. Within this, there was generally an understood pattern of how a session would go that was a fantastic framework to occupy. It is as follows:

Reflection -> Briefing -> Prep -> Planet -> Investigation -> Small Fight -> More Investigation -> Large Fight.

Dark Heresy is about three things, at its core. Investigating heresy, fighting, and third thing. This structure allows you to incorporate each piece of those concepts within every session, on any planet, against any enemy, and offers fine pacing for combat and non-combat characters alike!

Now what was that third thing Dark Heresy is about… Oh, right!

2. Nobody is your friend. Dark Heresy is a brutal game system. Foes want the players dead. Friends want the players dead. Often times, other players want the players dead. (Ab)Use this to your advantage.

Fear is the largest export for Dark Heresy, and the players should go about their lives never feeling safe. 

3. Don’t kill them though! While it is tempting to kill off a player or two at any given moment, I would recommend taking things slow for your first few adventures. The odds are, the dice will want players dead far more than you do, and triple that threat if there’s a Psyker involved.

It leads to greater play experiences and much more retelling tales if a catastrophic event leads to a few lost limbs rather than a new Guardsman.

4. Corruption is a disease. I mean this in a literal sense. Look at the corrupting forces of Chaos as an organism that burrows beneath the flesh of the devout and slowly transforms them into servants of the Gods. While there is no doubt that the devout were born devout, there is also no guarantee they can remain that way forever. 

5. Things your players have heard of are a big deal. Treat them with the respect they deserve. A single Space Marine can swath through four dozen acolytes. Ork Bosses are no joke. Eldar are terrifyingly brutal. I once created a stat-line for a Necron Warrior, and felt badly afterwards. 

If your players encounter something that exists in the 40k universe, make sure they understand that they should be running.

Some general hints as well!

1. Learn your rules! This is kind of a given, but Dark Heresy is relatively straight-forward. If there are things you find yourself tripping on, throw up post-its around your book or play area for quick reference. Nothing hurts a game more than stopping to read the rules.

2. Ban Holocaust. I say this every time, and I mean it every time. Holocaust is a Psychic Power in the Pyromancy Discipline tree, and it should not exist. Do yourself a favor and house-ban it. 

3. Don’t be afraid to throw away prep. Your players will act like a pile of drunken cats, and your job is to herd them through small hoops. If they decide to go on a course of action that you hadn’t originally planned on, roll with it! Always try to find a way to say “Yes!” rather than “No.”

4. Have fun with it! Really! Games are to be enjoyed, period. 

If you have any other questions, specific or otherwise, feel free to drop me a line. I love helping people, and I love Dark Heresy!

GMing is a tag-team sport. Feel free to reach out for help at any time.