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Apologies if I've put this in the wrong forum, I wasn't sure where the 40k FFG RPG's would go.

I'm getting the Dark Heresy second edition core rulebook soon and have zero experience with RPG's and no idea how it's played, and was wondering if someone could give a little introduction and any tips for a newbie?
Do I need anything else to play apart from the rulebook?

Any advice would be muchly appreciated.

It is not the easiest RPG to run if I am being honest. I wouldn't typically recommend it as a starting RPG if you have never played one before and you are intending to RUN it.

However it is QUITE good. If you are playing with experienced group of players you are in for a fun time in my opinion.

If possible, play with a group of people who are familiar with RPGs. But the game is full of incredible fluff and is quite enjoyable if you enjoy investigation type adventures.

I've run the 40k rpgs for years, so I'll give you a basic rundown. Please note the book does a reasonable job explaining the games rules so don't be afraid to look to it for answers.

The game runs on a d100 system, you roll to test a skill, such as weapon skill, to see how well you do. You must be at or under your skill to hit. A guardsmen with a weapon skill of 31 that rolls a 30 on his dice will hit (normally).

Instead of "leveling up", the game uses a pay as you go method. Players are given XP to spend, which allows them to customize their character. Prices for skills, talents and stat boosts are related to what the character focused on at character creation.

Combat is dangerous, it's not DND were a healer can just fix your wounds no problem. A simple hobo with a metal pole can beat nearly anyone to death, ensure your players play tactically.

You don't need anything else at this time besides the core rulebook, some dice and other other roleplay basics to play the game. Having models and terrain helps, you can play out combat on any standard 40k battlefield where you would play the actual tabletop game.

Juraigamer has pretty much hit the nail on the head. FFG has a whole series of WH40K core books that let you play RPGs set in the Imperium of man. Besides Dark Heresy, there is Only War, Rouge Trader, Deathwatch, and Black Crusade. Depending on what you and your players choose to play.

If this is your first RPG, are the people you are playing it with likewise new to RPGs? If not, it may be a better plan to have one of them run the game while you just play it. While not strictly required, it most certainly helps to know how an RPG is played before you try running one yourself.

The reason for this is, running an RPG is *much* more challenging than just playing it. The GM (or DM, Referee, Storyteller, whatever title you prefer) has a much larger role in setting the story, RPing each and every NPC the party is going to meet, describing the setting for each scene, adjudicating the results of actions (pass, fail or somewhere in between) of players and generally making the game-world live and breathe for the players.

Be a Psyker.

yw

edit- Actually, I don't know how psykers compare in 2E to the first game, but that'd be the correct answer to all questions regarding DH1.

It is both difficult and expensive (XP-wise) to be a Psyker in DH2, though it can be rewarding. They've also (so far, anyway) done away with the derptastic powers from IHB and other books from 1st Ed.

ETA: They have also fundamentally changed the way Psykers work in DH2, bringing them in-line with RT, OW, and the other FFG 40K games. Now, you're not throwing a handful of d10s, you're making a WP test, modified both by the difficulty of the power and how much of your Psy Rating you want to throw at it. On paper, it's very nicely balanced (minimal risk of Perils only throwing 1 point of Psy Rating at the Manifestation... but, in that case, the Manifestation of the power isn't particularly impressive), but Ive not gotten a chance to really test it in-depth... have done a few test-runs of some mechanics, but my current DH game is remaining 1st ed until the next campaign.

Be aware that FFG's version of the setting differs from that in a lot of the sources you may be familiar with (namely, they amp up the horror genre aspects and the Space Dark Ages mood).

DH is not pulp action adventure, like the Eisenhorn novels say.

Much less bolter-porny, too, because everyone involved in the Warband is, in the end, only human.

 Psienesis wrote:
Much less bolter-porny, too, because everyone involved in the Warband is, in the end, only human.

I've only played Deathwatch, and that one is definitely bolter porn. Especially when you use the non-FAQ'd weapons, in which case heavy bolters blow up battle tanks on a regular basis. It was basically impossible to give my players a real challenge, outside of a theoretical exercise where we faced a Bloodthirster (which insta-killed half the team without sweating).

I've tried most 40K RPGs (although my only long-running campaign is black crusade), and they are excellent!
I love the psyker and crits mecanics a lot, as having your own PC turn a routine fight into an impossible one, done without gravity, gear or powers and in the dark through perils (yes, that has happened to me in Black Crusade) is really fun

One thing with those games is that they can be harder to GM than most others (I'm looking at you D&D and clones!) as giving out XP is entirely left up to you, and adventures can require A LOT more preparation (or excellent improv) than in Deathwatch or all dungeoncrawl games: you have to really think out the big bad's plans, contingency measures, encounters the PCs will have if they get off track, stay on track, explore new locales...
And you basically have to design an entire planet or 2, in detail! As the PCs are often almost free to roam around and pick how they will try to win.
For that, I advis picking up the RT book Stars of Inequity, or using some of the excellent fanmade tools out there, that give you everything from political state, local minor cults to arbitres presence and Adeptus Terra taxation levels and types.

I's say that if you're playing DH now, start with the second edition, as it meshes best with all of the other games.
Try combining it with Rogue Trader from time to time (the odd spaceship combat is always excellent), and if you can, read up on the fluff from the first edition DH books, which was waaaaay better than their rules.