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Could a librarian be a Chapter master? And if they couldn't, why?

Blood ravens. Azariah Vidya
It's happened.

Sarpedon managed it but i think that was a speial case.
I think in the main Librarians don't get to be chapter master because they are in a different part of the organisation. In some chapters where librarians are like sergeants then yeah they could be chapter master but otherwise i think it's unlikely.

Why should a certain path of profiency exclude a marine from the position as Chapter Master?

1) balance of power in a chapter.

- divide the power and prevent corruption. The split between the librarium, reclusiam, arsenal, apothecarion and general military leaders provides the neccessary
control, so the fall of a branch of a chapter won't drag them all down too easy.

2) career.

- usually librarians get promoted until they are N°1 of the Librarians. Like other specialists, their power in this position is great enough and their dutys keep them busy.
- would it not waste the librarians abilities if he had to do all the paperwork?

3) your a BT. You abhor the witch.

- what is this librarian you speak of? Sounds like a witch somehow....*readies flamer*

4) some chapters 'enhance' the codex astartes a bit, so unusual structures are possible ( see example of Mukkin'About : Blood Ravens ).

5) Grey Knights. Tend to have those psi powers inbred, most of them may count as librarian if compared to other space marines.

All Grey Knights are psychic. Even if it's only a little bit.

I think the only time you would get a librarian chapter master, is at an intern level for your run of the mill SM chapters (i.e. Chapter Master dies, head Librarian take duties until new Master is selected)
The only chapter I can think of that could/would do it on a consistent basis would be the Blood Ravens, since they are well known for being a "Librarian Heavy" army.
I believe its mentioned actually in the "Dawn of War" novels that its not generally practiced due to Librarians being so close to warp, they try to circumvent the corruption of a chapter master as best they can. So why would a leader of a whole chapter of Space Marines be so close to corruption???
It makes some sense and there is some logic behind why you don't hear of it. There were a Primarch even that you could call a "Librarian" (Magnus the Red) And he turned to Chaos and along with him an entire LEGION of Space Marines.

purplefood wrote:All Grey Knights are psychic. Even if it's only a little bit.

Little bit being a relative term as all grey knights recruits have to show INCREDIBLE psychic promise, so what may be considered the norm for a grey knights marine would be vastly stronger then your "run of the mill" space marine librarian.

ChronoCupcake wrote:

purplefood wrote:All Grey Knights are psychic. Even if it's only a little bit.

Little bit being a relative term as all grey knights recruits have to show INCREDIBLE psychic promise, so what may be considered the norm for a grey knights marine would be vastly stronger then your "run of the mill" space marine librarian.

i would disagree while the average Grey Knight might show "psychic promise" i do not think he could go toe to toe with the higher ranked Librarians of any chapter. Specifically the Grey Knights fight deamons and are trained to defend themselves from Chaos.
But this is somewhat off topic to the OP.
Grey Knights being a "Special Formation" in the Astarte's organization(s) I would rule them out of this discussion as they aren't anything close to a standard chapter.

Librarians in Chapters tend to be powerful figures, Mephiston, Tigurius, Ezekiel, and Njal Stormcaller. to name the most famous, and are all held to be the most trusted advisers of the chapter masters.
I think it's the same way as Chaplains aren't chapter masters either, they have a separate 'calling' and 'purpose', while a leadership type roll, it's not one that is meant to advance that far, they have different goals, different agendas even within their own chapters (see Dark Angels)

The Grey Knights are psykers, all of them with potential. They're just taught to turn that potential inward, to guard themselves, instead of outwards as a weapon.

---

Librarians can become Chapter Master, but it's very rare. I only know of two instances, both mentioned earlier in this thread, Sarpedon of the Soul Drinkers and Azariah Kyras of the Blood Ravens.

Generally, like Chaplains, they take an advisory route, a sort of 'Left Hand/Right Hand' position. It's far more common to see them in command of an Astartes force though.

Agreed.

Very rare as a whole chapter leader.
As a company commander within a chapter, absolutely! 110% would I buy a Librarian ((or Chaplin)) as a Company Commander.

The current Chapter master of the Blood Ravens, Kyras, is a libby. And a traitor.

EmilCrane wrote:The current Chapter master of the Blood Ravens, Kyras, is a libby. And a traitor.

Don't ruin it for anyone who hasn't finished the game yet or anything.

purplefood wrote:

EmilCrane wrote:The current Chapter master of the Blood Ravens, Kyras, is a libby. And a traitor.

Don't ruin it for anyone who hasn't finished the game yet or anything.

and also as they are the dawn of war chapter their fluff status isn't full, they don't really make the best of examples

I dunno... Psyker as a chapter master sounds kind of Chaos-y to me.

djphranq wrote:I dunno... Psyker as a chapter master sounds kind of Chaos-y to me.

which is why they try to avoid it. lol

Probably wouldn't but sounds cool

BluntmanDC wrote:

purplefood wrote:

EmilCrane wrote:The current Chapter master of the Blood Ravens, Kyras, is a libby. And a traitor.

Don't ruin it for anyone who hasn't finished the game yet or anything.

and also as they are the dawn of war chapter their fluff status isn't full, they don't really make the best of examples

Supposedly non-canonical relic is much better than cannonical CS Goto, its close enough to canon.