Litany of Hate
Litany of Detestation
One ally within 30 feet gains +2 to hit a corrupted, heretical, daemonic, psychic, or Oathmarked target.
Chaplain
The black-armored voice of wrath, faith, and duty. Litanies, morale, fearlessness, melee presence, spiritual violence, and the ability to make warriors fight harder than survival allows.
Astartes ClassesSpiritual CommanderAvailable in 1.0
Class Dossier — Chaplain
Working Draft · v0.1Chaplain
Hate is a hymn. Duty is the chorus.
Astartes ClassAvailable in 1.0Working Draft
The Chaplain is an Astartes spiritual executioner: keeper of oaths, bearer of relics, voice of wrath, guardian of Chapter memory, and judge of cowardice, doubt, and corruption.
A Chaplain does not heal with gentle faith or command with mortal authority. They ignite transhuman fury, sanctify slaughter, shame fear out of existence, and make the enemy understand that the squad's hatred has a priest.
The class fantasy is simple:
A Chaplain survives through Presence, Willpower, litanies of hate, relic authority, crozius violence, Chapter oaths, and the sacred certainty that mercy is usually a logistical error.
// Design Philosophy
The Chaplain should not play like a mortal priest with a bigger voice. The class should create moments like:
- I name the heretic and my brothers' fire follows.
- I speak, and the squad's fear dies before the enemy does.
- I bring the crozius down like a verdict.
- I answer the hit that should have dropped my brother.
- I condemn the unclean thing and watch it flinch.
- I remind the squad that the dead are watching.
Starting Bonus Actions
Bonus ActionGranted automatically by class selection. One Bonus Action per turn — full rules under Combat > Bonus Actions.
// Litany of Hate
TypeBonus Action
TargetOne visible enemy
RangeLine of sight; allies benefit within command radius (30 ft.)
DurationUntil the start of the Chaplain's next turn
Condemn a foe. You and allies within your command radius gain +1 on melee attack rolls against the condemned target. Only one target may be condemned at a time — condemning a new target removes the old mark.
- Melee attacks only.
- The Chaplain must be conscious and able to speak.
Forge VTT: Fully automated: the condemnation sits visibly on the target; melee attacks against it gain +1 in the roll breakdown (not consumed on hit).
// Exhortation
TypeBonus Action
TargetSelf or one ally who can hear you
RangeEarshot
DurationInstant
Remove one of the following conditions from the target: Hesitant, Frightened, Suppressed, or Pinned. Never removes psychic domination, possession, permanent trauma, or Corruption.
- The target must be able to hear the Chaplain.
- Mental battlefield conditions only.
Forge VTT: Fully automated: pick the condition to remove; the chat card names it.
Signature Mechanic — Litanies of Hate
Signature MechanicLitanies of Hate are the Chaplain signature class mechanic.
// Rules Draft
- Starts with 3 Litanies at level 1.
- Litany Uses restored after safe rest.
- Draft Uses: Proficiency Bonus per safe rest.
Litany DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Presence modifier
Willpower may apply for anti-corruption or personal refusal.
Litanies of Hate are special. Chaplains do not gain a new Litany every level.
Zeal
ZealZeal represents battlefield hatred focused into sacred momentum.
// Rules Draft
- Hold Zeal up to Proficiency Bonus.
- Gain Zeal when an ally resists fear, you drop a heretic/daemon/corrupted enemy, you take damage while holding an oath, or an ally drops to 0 within 30 feet.
- Spend Zeal to empower Litanies.
Faith is calm in chapels. In war, it has teeth.
Litanies of Hate Known Progression
| Chaplain Level | Litanies of Hate Known |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 9 | 5 |
| 13 | 6 |
| 17 | 7 |
This progression is a working draft. Final class balance may change after all classes are designed.
Litanies of Hate
Working DraftLitany of Hate
Hate Makes Us Steady
Allies within 15 feet gain Advantage on their next Willpower Save against fear, Pinned, corruption, or psychic dread.
Litany of Hate
Crozius Judgment
Your next melee attack with a crozius or power weapon gains +2 to hit. Spend 1 Zeal to add Proficiency Bonus to damage.
Litany of Hate
Oath Recalled
One ally within 30 feet may end Pinned or Frightened if they succeed on a Willpower Save with +2.
Litany of Hate
The Dead Are Watching
When an ally drops to 0 Vitality, all allies within 30 feet gain temporary Vitality equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
Litany of Hate
Condemn the Unclean
One enemy must make a Willpower Save or become Exposed and lose Reactions until next turn if corrupted, daemonic, heretical, or psychic.
Litany of Hate
No Brother Falls Alone
Use Reaction when an ally is hit; grant +2 Defense or reduce damage by 1d10 + Presence modifier if they can hear you.
Litany Trees
Progression SystemChaplain progression uses Litany Trees.
A Chaplain may specialize deeply in one tree or spread Litany Points across several to become a broader orator, executioner, oath-warden, terror of the unclean, or bearer of Chapter relics.
Each rank costs 1 Litany Point and requires the previous rank in that tree unless future rules say otherwise.
// Litany Points Progression
Chaplains gain 1 Litany Point at every even level.
Litany Points
| Chaplain Level | Litany Points Gained |
|---|---|
| 2 | +1 |
| 4 | +1 |
| 6 | +1 |
| 8 | +1 |
| 10 | +1 |
| 12 | +1 |
| 14 | +1 |
| 16 | +1 |
| 18 | +1 |
| 20 | +1 |
This progression is a working draft. Final class balance may change after all classes are designed.
Rank 1Vox-Grille Thunder
Litany range increases by 15 feet for allies who can hear you.
Rank 2The Squad Answers
When you use a Litany on an ally who is Pinned or Frightened, they gain +2 to the save.
Rank 3Hate as Armor
Allies affected by your morale Litanies gain temporary Vitality equal to Proficiency Bonus once per scene.
Rank 4Sermon Under Fire
Once per safe rest, use a Litany as a Reaction when an ally is hit, Pinned, or Frightened.
Rank 5The Reclusiam Speaks Through You
Once per safe rest, affect all allies within 30 feet with a morale Litany.
The sermon ends when ammunition does.