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A few mates and I are running a campaign using pre-heresy legions and custom rules for the Primarchs. I was hoping the good people here at dakka could have a look at them and tell me if they are acceptable/stupidly over powered/and in line with the fluff.


Rogal Dorn custom rules
Rogal Dorn 400 points
WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv
-8---6---6-6--5-6-5-10-2+

Unit composition
1 (unique)

Unit type
Infantry (character)

Wargear
-Artificer armour
-Iron halo
-Dorn's arrow
A custom, wrist-mounted bolt weapon capable of firing faster and penetrating thicker armour than a standard bolter. The Arrow of Dorn has the following profile.
Range Str AP Type
-24"-----4---4--Assault 4
-Light of Dorn
Dorn's favoured weapon is a chainsword that strikes at initiative 4, +2 strength and ignores armour saves due to it's massive size.
-Frag grenades

Special rules
-Legion tactics: Siege genius
Dorn is equally adept at both defence and assault to represent this before the start of the game choose either:
'Hold the line!' - When defending the Imperial fists dig in and prepare for a counter-attack. The entire army gains the stubborn special rule and can bolster the defences of all terrain in their deployment zone (as detailed in C:SM).
Or 'Secure the position' - Often the Imperial Fists will have to swiftly take up a position, in these cases they will often use drop pod assaults to rapidly gain control of an area. An army using this tactic adds +2 to rolls for reserves, in addition Dorn and any unit he joins may move and assault normally after disembarking from their drop pod.
-Titanic might
Rogal Dorn is truly massive and takes 2 spaces in a transport vehicle. In addition his physical might is such that he can re-roll all failed wounds in close combat and rolls 2D6 for armour penetration.
-Death before dishonour
Notoriously unyielding, Rogal Dorn and his men will fight to the last inorder to complete their objective. Should the game result be a draw, another turn will be played as the Imperial Fists desperately try to gain victory, during this turn all Imperial Fists unit become fearless.
-Pick of the armoury
As a Primarch Dorn has access to the best equipment the Imperium has to offer, all his weapons are master-crafted
-Eternal warrior
-Independent character

Looks ok except:
True Grit - get rid of it completely. If you wanted him to have 6 attacks, just give him 6 attacks. But don't actually do that 5, is plenty for someone like Dorn.
Light of Dorn - when was Dorn ever referenced as using something like this? Also, he doesn't need a +Strength weapon.

DakkaDakka wrote:

From their descriptions in the books, does anyone else think that Primarchs should maybe be Monstrous Creatures?

Che-Vito wrote:
Why just not make him S9,

S6 is adequate for Dorn. He wasn't ever mentioned as being noted for extra strength over the other Primarchs.

Due to Random Game Length the final turn fearless part of "Death Before Dishonour" is nigh impossible to adjudicate as you won't know if it's the final turn until the dice is rolled after the turn has ended.

Hate to rain on your parade, but Dorn's favoured weapon was probably a power sword. At least that's the weapon he brought with him to Horus' Battle-Barge and broke over his knee. This sword was later reforged into the Sword of the High Marshals of the Black Templars.

Edited to take your suggestions into account.

Why just not make him S9

The modified strength using a special weapon is due to the fact that we are using a basic stat line for all the Primarchs, just makes things a bit easier for us to balance.

Hate to rain on your parade, but Dorn's favoured weapon was probably a power sword.

Fair enough, I was basing my assumption off the fact that all that in artwork I've ever seen of him, he is carrying a chainsword. Like this one:

http://images.wikia.com/warhammer40k/images/d/d8/Rogal_Dorn_by_slaine69.jpg

Preston wrote:

Hate to rain on your parade, but Dorn's favoured weapon was probably a power sword.

Fair enough, I was basing my assumption off the fact that all that in artwork I've ever seen of him, he is carrying a chainsword. Like this one:

http://images.wikia.com/warhammer40k/images/d/d8/Rogal_Dorn_by_slaine69.jpg

I see your fanmade picture and raise with this official artwork.

Yep, Dorn always carried a power sword which, as Walrus pointed out, was reforged into the Sword of the High Marshals.

Chrysis wrote:Due to Random Game Length the final turn fearless part of "Death Before Dishonour" is nigh impossible to adjudicate as you won't know if it's the final turn until the dice is rolled after the turn has ended.

You're technically right here, but it doesn't matter. The idea is that the rule overides the game-end rules. E.g. Once the game has ended (when the dice is rolled) then decide whether it is a draw. If it is, then carry on for one more turn as if the game never ended. Else, end the game.

I love that rule, it's awesome, it's different and it's powerful

DakkaDakka wrote:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:

Preston wrote:

Hate to rain on your parade, but Dorn's favoured weapon was probably a power sword.

Fair enough, I was basing my assumption off the fact that all that in artwork I've ever seen of him, he is carrying a chainsword. Like this one:

http://images.wikia.com/warhammer40k/images/d/d8/Rogal_Dorn_by_slaine69.jpg

I see your fanmade picture and raise with this official artwork.

His hand doesn't seem to be in a position that could actually hold that sword...

lunarman wrote:

Chrysis wrote:Due to Random Game Length the final turn fearless part of "Death Before Dishonour" is nigh impossible to adjudicate as you won't know if it's the final turn until the dice is rolled after the turn has ended.

You're technically right here, but it doesn't matter. The idea is that the rule overides the game-end rules. E.g. Once the game has ended (when the dice is rolled) then decide whether it is a draw. If it is, then carry on for one more turn as if the game never ended. Else, end the game.

I love that rule, it's awesome, it's different and it's powerful

Ah, either I read it wrong or it's been edited already. I thought it said "during the last turn they become fearless." which you would have difficulty determining most of the time because of Random Game Length. If it's only during their bonus turn (or turns? If it's still a draw after the bonus turn ends does it trigger again?) then it works perfectly fine.

Ah, either I read it wrong or it's been edited already. I thought it said "during the last turn they become fearless." which you would have difficulty determining most of the time because of Random Game Length. If it's only during their bonus turn (or turns? If it's still a draw after the bonus turn ends does it trigger again?) then it works perfectly fine.

Fearless is only in the bonus turn and the bonus turn can only trigger once.

Looks pretty balanced and not too OP, unlike quite a few primarch rules you see floating around.

Guys its called the fist of dorn for a very good reason. Like it is a chainsword + power sword combined.

Praxiss wrote:Looks pretty balanced and not too OP, unlike quite a few primarch rules you see floating around.

Except he needs to be Str 6 only, no matter the gear.

DakkaDakka wrote:

Am I the only one that sees a chainsword in the official artwork? Look at it again, it is much too thick to be a power sword, and definitely has teeth.

Since one of the special rules DOES mention him joining units, I assume the original poster meant for this character to have Independent Character. If he is an IC, then 400 points is about right.

You are correct, must have missed it when I copied the text over from my word document. Fixed now

Asherian Command wrote:Guys its called the fist of dorn for a very good reason. Like it is a chainsword + power sword combined.

Fist of Dorn is what Lysander carries around. No inference that I'm aware of indicating that it was weilded by the man himself. I've only read of the powersord that was reforged to be the Black Templar's sword.

lledwey wrote:Am I the only one that sees a chainsword in the official artwork? Look at it again, it is much too thick to be a power sword, and definitely has teeth.

The teeth cut off about halfway down the blade though. I'd say his sword is simply serrated for some reason.