Warhammer Quest: The Knight Templar
by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock
14 AUG 95
-*-
The following is one of my earlier home-made professions made for
_Warhammer Quest_, in my attempt to come up with the equivalent of a "paladin"
of sorts for the WQ setting, and a loose translation of the "Knight Templar"
character from _Talisman_. This character has been weekly playtested since its
original inception, and I'm convinced that it should work well in regular games
--whether random dungeons or moderated.
This revision makes a few minor alterations in terminology and skills. I'm
referring to this now as the "Knight Templar", in order to make a better
correlation with its _Talisman_ counterpart, and also to make it clear that
when I refer to a "Knight" in some of my other articles, that this term
encompasses both the Knight Panther and Knight Templar (and presumably the
Knight Revenant whenever it comes out). I've also altered the Knight Templar's
healing skill (potentially gained at higher Battle-Levels) so that it is
significantly more useful. There are also some other minor alterations in the
special rules here and there.
-*- THE KNIGHT TEMPLAR -*-
There are many Warriors who take up the call to arms to defend the Old World
from the forces of Chaos. The Knight Templar is one such Warrior, but one who
has devoted his life to this purpose as service to his Deity, possibly having
started preparing for this role even in childhood.
Knight Templars are knights in shining armor, steadfastly resisting the
forces of Chaos, and epitomizing the virtuous and heroic lifestyle. They
follow the code of chivalry, protecting the innocent, helping the downtrodden,
and showing respect even to their enemies. They never attack the defenseless,
and make no attempt to take their enemies by surprise.
-*- KNIGHT TEMPLAR STATISTICS -*-
Wounds: 1D6+7
Move: 4(3)
Weapon Skill: 3
Ballistic Skill: 5+
Strength: 4
Toughness: 3(5)
Initiative: 3
Attacks: 1
Equipment: Holy Symbol.
Weapon: Sword, causing 1D6+4 Wounds
Armour: Chainmail, giving +2 Toughness, -1 Movement.
Pinning: Breaks from pinning on a roll of 6+.
Special Rules
Once per adventure, the Knight Templar may call upon his Deity to prevent a
catastrophe or to ensure success. A blow that has struck a Warrior (even after
the damage has been already rolled) may be averted as if it never happened at
all, or the Warrior may be guaranteed success on a single die roll.
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
TO HIT FOE 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6
-*- KNIGHT TEMPLAR ADVANCED PROFILES -*-
Battle Level 2 Wounds: 2D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 3/5+
Strength/Dice: 4/1 Toughness: 3(5)
Initiative: 3 Attacks: 1
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 1
TO HIT 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 Will: 2
SKILLS: 1 Pinning: 6+
Battle Level 3 Wounds: 2D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 4/4+
Strength/Dice: 4/1 Toughness: 3(5)
Initiative: 3 Attacks: 1
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 2
TO HIT 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 Will: 3
SKILLS: 1 Pinning: 6+
Battle Level 4 Wounds: 3D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 4/4+
Strength/Dice: 4/1 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 4 Attacks: 2
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 2
TO HIT 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 Will: 3
SKILLS: 2 Pinning: 6+
Battle Level 5 Wounds: 3D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 5/4+
Strength/Dice: 4/2 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 4 Attacks: 3
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 2
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 2 Pinning: 5+
Battle Level 6 Wounds: 4D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 5/3+
Strength/Dice: 4/2 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 5 Attacks: 3
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 3
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 3 Pinning: 5+
Battle Level 7 Wounds: 4D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 5/3+
Strength/Dice: 4/2 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 5 Attacks: 3
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 3
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 4 Pinning: 5+
Battle Level 8 Wounds: 5D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 6/3+
Strength/Dice: 4/2 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 5 Attacks: 4
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 3
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 4 Pinning: 5+
Battle Level 9 Wounds: 5D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 6/2+
Strength/Dice: 4/3 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 6 Attacks: 4
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 3
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 4 Pinning: 5+
Battle Level 10 Wounds: 6D6+7 Wpn./Bal. Skill: 6/2+
Strength/Dice: 4/3 Toughness: 4(6)
Initiative: 6 Attacks: 4
ENEMY'S WS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck: 4
TO HIT 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 Will: 4
SKILLS: 5 Pinning: 5+
-*- KNIGHT TEMPLAR'S SKILLS -*-
The Knight Templar has the following skills available to him as he goes up his
Battle-Levels. To determine which specific skill he learns when given the
opportunity roll 2D6.
2 RESIST MAGIC
The Chaos Sorceror sends a bolt of screaming energy straight for your heart.
You steel yourself, confident in your virtue to defend you against this power
of corruption.
Your Warrior may resist the effects of magic, taking no effect on a roll of
4+ on 1D6 (though this does not offer any protection to others hit by the same
spell). If he uses this resistance, however, the concentration required means
that he must forfeit any attacks he would otherwise be able to make during the
following turn.
3 ENDURE
The Monster's attack carves a wound in your chest an inch deep, but, summoning
your reserves of willpower, you grit your teeth and ignore the terrible pain.
This skill allows your Warrior to ignore the Wounds from a single blow that
might otherwise kill him. This skill may be used once per adventure.
4 COURAGE
Despite the horrific visage of the foul spawn of Chaos that looms before you,
something stirs within you, suppressing your fears as you remind yourself of
your ultimate goal.
Your Warrior may re-roll any failed Fear or Terror test, though the result
of the second roll must still be kept, whether successful or not.
5 LORE
As you examine the sword, you recall an illustration you saw in one of the
priest's illuminated manuscripts. . . .
Upon encountering a magical item (or other artifact of possible importance)
for the first time, you may use this skill to automatically identify it, unless
the rules for that item state otherwise. This ability may only be used once
per dungeon. (It also gives your Warrior an additional +2 to rolls to identify
any magical or holy artifacts, usable at any time.)
6 HOLY WARRIOR
The spirit cackles as your comrades' blades sweep through its form, doing no
more damage than to the air itself. Its cackling stops momentarily as you
reach out with your gauntlet and grab it solidly by the throat.
Your Warrior's attacks against undead or daemonic creatures are treated as
if you were using a magical weapon, whether in hand-to-hand or ranged combat.
Ethereal creatures are subject to pinning rules when in combat with your
Warrior.
7 TURN UNDEAD
As you slice through yet another of the walking dead, its comrades' eyes show a
glint of fear -- something not normally found in such mindless blasphemies.
They turn and flee, some crumbling to dust as the magicks which held them
together disperse back into the Warp.
Undead monsters are subject to Break tests while fighting your Warrior.
Any already subject to such tests (such as Ghouls) take their tests at a
penalty of -1.
8 RESIST CORRUPTION
The sludge drips off of your armor, not even a drop clinging to you. In
seconds, your armor gleams once more as if it had just been polished.
Disease and filth cannot touch your Warrior. Plague, Tomb Rot, Vomit and
any magicks that involve disease or filth have no effect on your Warrior.
9 HEALING TOUCH
With fervent prayers, you call upon your Deity to heal your wounded comrade.
Once per turn, your Warrior may heal himself or one other Warrior in an
adjacent space. Neither the Warrior (nor his recipient, if other than himself)
may be adjacent to an enemy, nor may he take any other action this turn. The
healing act takes the entirety of this turn. (If a Monster moves to attack
either your Warrior or his recipient during this turn, then the healing does
not take place, and your turn is wasted.) If successful, this power restores a
number of Wounds to the recipient equal to your Warrior's Battle-Level. It may
not be used on any Warrior who is at 0 Wounds or who has already been slain.
10 HOLY AURA
A light from some unknown source momentarily bathes your Warrior as he enters
the chamber, and the foul creatures of darkness shrink back in fear.
Once per adventure, the Warrior may invoke his Deity to strike fear into
the hearts of his enemies. All Monsters present are at -1 to hit the Warrior
for this combat.
11 FAVOR
Your Deity must be smiling upon you, for this journey has presented fewer
hazards than you expected.
When travelling to a Settlement, once per week a roll on the Hazards Table
may be re-rolled, though the second result must be kept, whether better or
worse.
12 HATRED OF UNDEAD
You feel a burning in your soul as you spy these foul blasphemies, and know
that you must end their existence.
Your Warrior has a righteous hatred of all undead monsters, gaining 1 extra
attack when fighting them. Unlike the normal "Hate" characteristic, though, he
does not suffer a -1 penalty to hit them. Every time he kills one of these
Monsters, he gains an extra 5 gold on top of the Monster's normal Gold Value.
-*- HOLY SYMBOL -*-
The Knight Templar starts the game with a single piece of special equipment: a
blessed holy symbol.
This blessed holy symbol may emit a blinding light which paralyzes all undead
Monsters in the same room for 1D6 turns. One use, then discard.
-*- ADDITIONAL RULES -*-
* Your Warrior cannot visit the Alehouse or the Gambling House. Doing so
would be inappropriate.
* If the Knight Templar makes a sacrifice at the Temple, he gets to roll
twice on the table to determine the results. Duplicate results mean that
the given blessing may be used twice rather than only once in the
subsequent adventure.
* The Knight Templar may also choose to donate any amount of gold or
treasures to the Temple that he wishes. He immediately gains an equivalent
number of Experience points. (If you are not using special rules for
Experience points, simply note how much was "donated" -- These points may
be spent only on training, in the same way as gold, but has the advantage
of being safe from any Hazards or Events that would result in the loss of
gold or possessions.)
* The Knight Templar may use any armor, equipment or items usable by the
Barbarian (with the exception of items that would make sense for only the
Barbarian to use ... such as the Berserker Blade). He may, unlike the
Barbarian, wear Plate Armor if he acquires it.
-*- REPRESENTING YOUR WARRIOR -*-
When putting together this character, I had in mind the Knight Templar
miniature from the _Talisman_ board game, who would be perfect for the part.
For my own games, I've used one of Metal Magic's knights (one with a "unicorn"
crest on its head), and the "MtG: Crusade" miniature from Heartbreaker Hobbies
might work nicely as well. Basically, you just need a "good guy knight" model,
and plenty abound, put out by various manufacturers.
-*- ROLE-PLAYING TIPS -*-
Like the Knight Panther, a Knight Templar should be concerned to a great
deal with the ideals of chivalry and protection of the innocent, as well as
having a drive for conquering the forces of evil. Beyond this, there is
certainly a lot of room for variation. A Templar of Sigmar, after all, might
be particularly zealous, giving his enemies no quarter whatsoever. But perhaps
you might envision your holy warrior type as someone who might be more inclined
to try to show mercy whenever he has the chance. (Of course, unless you're
playing with a moderating GM with a penchant for talkative NPCs, such a chance
isn't likely to show up very often.)
Whatever, the player of a Knight Templar should be particularly attentive
of how his actions are perceived by others. He shouldn't be spending his time
arguing over treasure distribution, trying to loot dead bodies, bullying
unarmed NPCs and other antics that seem to be commonplace in many a game. If
you're playing this with a GM, and the Knight Templar isn't performing a role
in accordance with someone serving a Deity, the GM is quite within his rights
to strike down many of the Knight Templar's supernatural gifts. (However, keep
in mind that with this more strenuous code of conduct, the GM might have reason
to let this Deity give the Knight Templar a few extra blessings should he be
exceptionally devout and generous to others.)
If you're going to use this profession, don't let a player finagle his way
out of his obligations. If, for example, the other Warriors decide to slit the
throats of some defeated mercenaries who had surrendered to them (but who they
decide are too dangerous to let live), don't let the Knight Templar just
conveniently turn to look the other way while the rest complete their
unchivalrous deed. The Knight Templar player is obligated to uphold his
ideals, and if he tries to conveniently close his eyes to them when it is
expeditious to do so, then the GM should ruthlessly penalize him, whether it
involves the loss of gold/experience or abilities. The Knight Templar has the
potential of having some rather nice special abilities (especially the power of
healing) and some complete /immunities/ to some rather nasty monster attacks.
His code of chivalry is a restriction meant to help offset some of these
bonuses, and to shirk those restrictions is unfair to the other players.
-*- DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH -*-
_Games Workshop_, _Warhammer Quest_, _Advanced HeroQuest_, _Talisman_,
_Warhammer Fantasy Battle_, _Battle Magic_, _Knights Panther_, the _Old World_
and _Skaven_ are trademarks of Games Workshop, Ltd. Their use here does not
constitute a legal challenge to that status.
This article is copyright 1995 by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock. It may be
freely distributed in unaltered form so long as proper credit is given and no
fees are charged for its use.
I welcome feedback, and would certainly like to hear back from players of
_Warhammer Quest_ who have made use of this profession in their adventures.
If, for whatever reason, you'd like to contact me, you can write to me at:
Jordan Peacock
1610 Parker
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
-*- HAPPY QUESTING! -*-