Warhammer Quest: Witch Hunter
Warhammer Quest: Witch Hunter Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
This pack contains everything you need to introduce a new Warrior - the Witch Hunter - to your games of Warhammer Quest, including his Warrior card, Warrior counter, Equipment card, a rulebook, any special cards and a Citadel miniature to represent the Warrior himself.
This rulebook is split into three sections: a basic Warhammer Quest section, an Advanced Warhammer Quest section, and a Roleplay section.
The Warhammer Quest rules contain all the rules for using this Warrior in your games. The Advanced rules cover all the rules for the progression of the Warrior through the battle-levels, including any spells, skills or special rules, and the final section gives rules guides for using the Witch Hunter in the Roleplay system.
Rules for Warhammer Quest
If you wish, you may replace one of the Warriors from the Warhammer Quest game with the Witch Hunter. Simply allow one of the players to choose the Witch Hunter. The rules which follow explain how to use the Witch Hunter in your games. Remember to put the Warrior counter for the original Warrior back in the box, replacing it with that of the Witch Hunter!
Remember too, that if there is no Barbarian in the party, then one of the other Warriors will have to carry the lantern and be the leader.
Bigger Groups of Warriors
If you want to, you can take more than four Warriors into an adventure, adding the Witch Hunter to the party of Warriors. If you do this, you will have to make sure that there are enough Monsters to go round! The cards and tables from the Warhammer Quest game are based on there being four Warriors in the party, so if you have fifteen different Warriors, then the game as it stands will present no challenge at all! As a general rule, stick to parties of four Warriors, but if you have a party of five or six, then increase the number of Monsters by an equal amount.
For example, if you have six Warriors in the party, that is 50% more Warriors than the Event cards are set up to deal with. In this case, you should make sure that each time Monsters appear, there are 50% more of them. If the card says "1D6 Ores", roll the dice as usual and then multiply the result upwards to match the party size. A dice roll of four Ores would become six Ores, and so on.
Starting as a Witch Hunter
The profile of a Witch Hunter is as follows:
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Wounds | 2D6 |
| Move | 4 |
| Weapon Skill | 3 |
| Ballistic Skill | 4+ |
| Strength | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 (4) |
| Initiative | 3 |
| Attacks | 1 |
| Pinning Roll | 5+ |
Wounds
The Witch Hunter starts off with 2D6 Wounds. When rolling Wounds, a Witch Hunter may re-roll 2's as well as 1's, but if the dice comes up with a 1 or a 2 again, you must keep it.
Weapons
The Witch Hunter is armed with a sabre and a pistol. The sabre causes 1D6 + the Witch Hunter's Strength (3) damage. If he rolls a 6 to hit with his sabre, the Witch Hunter causes an extra Wound (1D6 + 3+1 damage).
See below for the rules for the pistol.
Armour
The Witch Hunter wears a metal gorget around his neck, mainly to protect his throat from Vampires. This gives him +1 Toughness.
Pistol
To hit with the pistol, roll over the Witch Hunter's Ballistic Skill on a D6. The pistol has a range of 6 squares, and is a Strength 5 weapon (1D6 + 5 Wounds).
Once it has been fired, the pistol must be reloaded before it can be fired again. It takes one whole turn to reload the pistol, during which time the Witch Hunter can do nothing else. The pistol may not be reloaded while there are Monsters on the same board section. In a single turn, the Witch Hunter may use his sabre or his pistol, but not both.
Note that the Witch Hunter may not use his pistol if he is pinned in hand-to-hand combat.
Equipment
A Witch Hunter begins the game with 1D6 magical amulets. Roll a dice to see how many you get, and then roll again to see what sort each one is.
Re-roll if you get any duplicate amulets. Each amulet may be used once per adventure.
1 Amulet of Purity. When this amulet is used, roll a dice for all adjacent Monsters. On a score of 4+ the Monster suffers that many Wounds, with no deductions at all.
2 Amulet of Healing. This amulet can be used at any time to heal D6 Wounds on any one Warrior.
3 Amulet of Holy Fire. The Amulet of Holy Fire shoots a bolt of magical energy towards the Witch Hunter's foe. The attack has a range of 8 squares, and hits automatically. The magic bolt counts as a Strength 5 Attack, with normal deductions.
4 Amulet of Strength. While in use, this amulet gives the Witch Hunter +1 Strength for the duration of a whole turn.
5 Amulet of Fury. This amulet gives the Witch Hunter 1 extra Attack when it is used.
6 Amulet of Alcadizzar. This amulet is used against a Monster of the Witch Hunter's choosing. Select any Monster on the board and roll a dice to see what effect the amulet has:
- 1-3: The Monster loses 1 Attack this turn.
- 4-6: The Monster loses 1 Attack this turn, and suffers 1D6 Wounds (no deductions).
Witch Hunters, Equipment and Treasure
The only hand-to-hand weapons a Witch Hunter may use are any form of sword or dagger, including magical items. He may not wear armour, other than his gorget, nor a helmet, but he may carry a shield and wear furs.
He may not use missile weapons, other than his pistol.
The Witch Hunter may use any other magical items that he may find, such as a Time Freeze Ring, but he may not use any treasure which is specifically designed for Wizards.
Faith
The conflict of wills as a Witch Hunter faces a daemon or ghostly apparition causes the air to crackle and spit. Stories are told of the legendary Witch Hunter generals cowing the Greater Daemons of Chaos by strength of will alone, sending them back into the darkness of the hell which spawned them.
The Witch Hunter starts an adventure with 1D6 Faith counters, which he uses up during the game. When you create a new Witch Hunter, roll a dice to see how many Faith counters he starts the game with, re-rolling if you get a 1 as usual. This is his 'Starting Faith', and should be noted on his Adventure Record sheet. Take this many Faith counters and put them in the Faith box on his Warrior card.
The Witch Hunter can use one Faith counter to add +1 to any dice roll he makes. Each time he does this, he must discard one Faith counter. When he has no Faith counters left, he can no longer adjust his dice rolls in this way!
The Witch Hunter can use as much Faith at one time as he likes, and the modifiers are cumulative. Using 4 Faith counters, for example, will give him +4 to hit for a single Attack.
Advanced Rules
In the Advanced game, you can keep your Witch Hunter from game to game, building up his character as he progresses from adventure to adventure. This section of the rulebook gives you all the rules for taking your Witch Hunter right up to battle-level 10, including special rules for visiting Settlements, training, blessings and faith.
Starting at battle-level 1 as a Novice, follow all the rules as outlined over the previous pages. Some of the rules which follow in the Advanced section may seem to be repeating some of the basic rules, but in every case the rules will have been expanded, so read them carefully.
Evil Magic Users
A Witch Hunter abhors evil sorcerers, and gains double gold if he kills an evil Magic User. This does not include Greater Daemons.
Faith
A Witch Hunter's Faith builds as he progresses from battle-level to battle-level. Faith lasts from adventure to adventure, in a similar manner to Luck. The Witch Hunter starts an adventure with his full Starting Faith total, and as he calls on his Faith throughout the game, it is used up. His total Faith will not be restored until the start of the next adventure, AFTER any journeys to Settlements or other between game play. A Witch Hunter's Faith total is indicated on his Battle-Level Table.
When you create a new Witch Hunter roll a D6 to determine his Starting Faith, and note the score down on his Adventure Record sheet. The Witch Hunter can use 1 point of Faith to add +1 to any dice roll he makes. Remember to keep a track of the Witch Hunter's current Faith as it is used up.
The Witch Hunter can use as many Faith points as he likes, and the modifiers are cumulative.
Any Faith modifiers are doubled if used against Undead or Daemonic creatures.
In addition to the rules for Faith outlined earlier, a Witch Hunter can use a point of Faith to give him +1 Magic Resistance against a single spell which has just been cast. If he had no Magic Resistance, using a Faith point would give him Magic Resistance on a 6+ dice roll, for example. Using 4 Faith points, for example, will give him Magic Resistance of 3+ against a single spell.
Faith can be gained and lost throughout a Witch Hunter's career. It is useful to keep a record of your Witch Hunter's Starting Faith, as well as his current Faith. As mentioned above, his Faith is restored to its starting level at the start of the next adventure. This means that it is possible for a Witch Hunter's Faith to be reduced to zero by the end of an adventure, only to be bolstered back up by the start of the next.
Sometimes, however, a Witch Hunter may lose some points from his Starting Faith, permanently, and thus will have less Faith to start each adventure with! This is very bad news for a Witch Hunter.
Losing Faith
If a Witch Hunter ever ends an adventure with his current Faith at less than 1 point of Faith per battle-level, then he is at a very low ebb indeed.
Before he can return to a Settlement, he must resolve the turmoil going on within him. Does he have the willpower, the faith, to go on as a Witch Hunter, or must he part company with the Warriors and begin a new career elsewhere?
The Witch Hunter must now roll a number of dice equal to the number of Faith points he is short. For example, a battle-level 6 Witch Hunter who ends an adventure on 3 Faith must roll three dice. He may use Luck points to re-roll some or all of these dice if he wishes.
The Witch Hunter needs to score anything but a 1! If he scores a 1 on any of the dice, he could be in trouble. Depending on his level, the Witch Hunter may ignore a number of 1's, as outlined below. If there are any left over, however, then he must roll a dice for each one, and deduct that number from his Starting Faith total, permanently. If a Witch Hunter ever starts an adventure with a Starting Faith of zero, then he is out of the game.
| Battle-Level | Number of 1's ignored |
|---|---|
| 1 | - |
| 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 0 |
| 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 |
| 8 | 1 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 2 |
Battle of Wills
A Witch Hunter may engage a daemonic, Chaotic or ghostly creature in a battle of will power, as he attempts to banish the Monster or lay its troubled spirit to rest.
He may try this once per turn if he wishes, rolling a dice and adding his Willpower to the score. He may expend Faith points to add to this total if he wishes, but he must declare how many Faith points he is using BEFORE rolling the dice. Then roll a dice and add the Monster's battle-level to the score. (A Monster's battle-level being the same as the Monster Table that generated it - a Lord of Change from the Level 9 Monster Table would have a battle-level of 9, for instance.)
If the Witch Hunter wins, then the difference in the dice roll shows how many Attacks the Monster loses this turn as it concentrates on the battle of wills. If the Monster wins, then the Witch Hunter loses 1D6 Faith points from his Starting Faith, permanently.
The Witch Hunter's Battle-level Table shows how many Faith points he has at each level.
Witch Hunters, Equipment and Treasure
The only hand-to-hand weapons a Witch Hunter may use are any form of sword or dagger, including magical items. He may not wear armour, other than his gorget, nor a helmet, but he may carry a shield and wear furs.
The only missile weapons a Witch Hunter may use are powder weapons; he may not use bows or crossbows. He may use any form of gunpowder weapon.
The Witch Hunter may use any other magical items that he may find, such as a Time Freeze Ring, or Cloak of Stealth, but he may obviously not use any treasure which is specifically designed for Wizards.
Amulets
A Witch Hunter's amulets now have a number of charges. See the rules on page 8.
Visiting Settlements
While visiting Settlements, the Witch Hunter may visit all the shops, the Temple, the Alehouse (dice roll as Elf), the Witch Hunters' Guild, and the Alchemist. He may not visit any other locations.
Uneventful Days
During uneventful days, there is a chance that the Witch Hunter is actually engaged in some important business. Roll a dice to see what this might be.
Uneventful Days Table (Roll a D6)
- 1: The populace are fed up with you and your terror tactics upsetting this peaceful Settlement, and throw you out of town.
- 2: You are approached by a budding Witch Hunter, a stern-faced youth who appears to have all the qualities needed by your kind. Touched by his determination to succeed, you give him one tenth of all the gold you have to hand, to help pay for equipment and training.
- 3: It really is an uneventful day!
- 4-6: You finally track down a notorious evil doer who has been evading you for some time. After an exhausting battle, you emerge victorious. Roll a dice to see who the enemy was, roll again to see what your actions were, and once more to determine the reaction of the town authorities.
Enemy Table (Roll a D6)
- A Witch - An evil hag of ill repute.
- A Sorcerer - A black-hearted follower of the dark gods.
- A Chaos Cultist - Scheming to overthrow the city itself.
- A Necromancer - Bringing the dead back to stalk the streets at night.
- A Vampire - Sucking the blood of innocents.
- A Daemon - The darkest of evils, an unspeakable creature of great malignant power.
What Did You Do? (Roll a D6)
- Gathered the people of the Settlement together and drove the evil creature out once and for all.
- Burnt the evil doer in the cleansing flames of righteousness.
- Hurled the monstrous abomination from the highest tower of the Settlement.
- Bested the foe with sharp cold steel and a pure heart.
- Impaled it through the heart with a blessed iron stake.
- Cast the foe into the very pit of hell.
The Reaction of the Authorities (Roll a D6)
- "Get out, troublemaker!" In your zeal you have mistakenly accosted a complete innocent. You are thrown out of town for your outrageous behaviour. Lose 1D3 starting Faith points permanently.
- The authorities ignore the incident, embarrassed that they could not resolve it without your aid.
- Grudging thanks, but leave it to the proper authorities in future!
- No-one except the local priests seem to realise what you have done, but they manage to scrape together a payment of 50 gold for your troubles.
- Celebration! You are given 100 gold, and the freedom of the city.
- Our hero! You are rewarded with 2D6x100 gold, an item of dungeon room treasure and add +1 to your starting Faith score permanently.
Training
When a Witch Hunter reaches a town or city, and he has the required gold, he may try to find the local guild of Witch Hunters and pay for training, just like other Warriors. The Witch Hunters' Guild is a Special Location as described in the Warhammer Quest Roleplay book, and follows all the rules for finding and visiting a Special Location.
The Witch Hunter's 'training' will tend to take the form of long discussions, arguments, access to holy books and the like, as well as the more mundane learning of valuable fighting skills. Sometimes, if he is deemed worthy, the Witch Hunter may be entrusted with a special item of equipment or a powerful artefact to help him in his mission to rid the world of the stench and stain of darkness.
The Witch Hunters' Guild
These buildings are very sombre places indeed, full of darkened chambers, wood panelled walls and ornate stained glass windows. The sound of booted footsteps on worn flagstones is the only sound, as the Witch Hunters observe the ritual of silence while they walk the corridors of the guildhall.
Training will take a week, and the Battle-level Table shows what changes there are to the Witch Hunter's profile as he goes up to the next battle-level, and how many dice rolls he has to make on the Benefits of Training Table to see what benefits he gains.
Also, whenever a Witch Hunter visits a town he may seek out the Witch Hunters' Guild once per visit anyway, whether or not he has enough gold to go up a battle-level.
Charging Amulets
In the Advanced game, a Witch Hunter's amulets each carry a certain number of 'charges'. Once you have found out which amulets the Witch Hunter has, roll a dice for each one. The number you roll shows how many charges of magical energy the amulet contains. Each time the Witch Hunter uses an amulet, cross one of the charges off. When an amulet has no charges left, it may no longer be used.
The first thing the Witch Hunter can do is to try and recharge his amulets, visiting the chapel in the inner sanctum of the guildhall and laying his amulets on the altar. He may roll a dice for each one, and consults the following table to see what happens.
He can try once per amulet per visit to a Settlement, and must offer up a payment of 1D6x50 gold per amulet.
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The amulet is ruined, all power drained from it forever in the battle against evil. It crumbles to dust before the Witch Hunter's gaze. |
| 2 | When the Witch Hunter picks up the amulet, there is no difference - it still looks dull and lifeless. The recharging has had no effect upon the amulet, but at least it is not destroyed and the Witch Hunter can try again during his next visit to town. |
| 3-5 | An audible hum of power fills the chapel, and bright light surges around the altar. When the light subsides, the amulet is throbbing with righteous energy once more. It is recharged - roll a dice to see how many charges it now has. |
| 6 | White light blinds the Witch Hunter, and he falls to his knees before the altar. When the light dims, there are two amulets on the altar. The original is now charged up to 6 power. Also, he has gained another amulet - generate this as usual. |
In Between Battle-Levels
Between the battle-levels, it is worth visiting the Witch Hunters' Guild, as they may be prepared to help a Witch Hunter in some other way, at the cost of a donation towards their funds. Pay the gold first, then roll on the table below to see if they can assist or not.
For example, a battle-level 1 Witch Hunter wishes to seek the aid of the Witch Hunters. When he next visits town, he pays a visit to the Guild. Paying 200 gold, he rolls a dice and scores a 4. He only needed a 3+, so the Witch Hunters are indeed willing to assist him. He now makes 1 dice roll on the Benefits of Training Table, and scores a 3. This means that he gains 1D6 potions and elixirs. Rolling a 2, he now has to consult the Potions and Elixirs Table to see exactly which two he has gained.
Note that the Witch Hunter only rolls on this table if he is seeking extra benefits in between battle-levels, in which case he may try once per visit to the Witch Hunters' Guild. If he is training, then his Battle-level Table tells him how many dice rolls he may make on the Benefits of Training Table.
| Level of Witch Hunter | Chance of help | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3+ | 200G |
| 2 | 3+ | 400G |
| 3 | 3+ | 600G |
| 4 | 4+ | 1,000G |
| 5 | 4+ | 1,500G |
| 6 | 4+ | 2,000G |
| 7 | 4+ | 3,000G |
| 8 | 4+ | 3,500G |
| 9 | 4+ |
On a successful dice roll, you gain 1 roll on the Benefits of Training Table below.
Benefits of Training
Each Witch Hunter will develop into a distinct and individual Warrior, with a wide range of skills, special equipment, artefacts and symbols, potions and banes.
When a Witch Hunter trains to go up to the next battle-level, he may make two rolls on the Benefits of Training Table below, to see what benefits he gains from training in addition to any characteristic increases he may have gained.
| Roll | Benefit |
|---|---|
| 1 | Faith |
| 2 | Items and equipment |
| 3 | 1D6 Potions and banes |
| 4 | Artefacts and symbols |
| 5 | 1D6 Invocations |
| 6 | Skills |
Now roll on the relevant sub-table, to see exactly what the Witch Hunter has gained. Note that unless specified, the Witch Hunter may not give away any of the items, equipment, artefacts, symbols or potions that he gains from the Witch Hunters' Guild.
1) Faith
The Witch Hunter gains extra Faith whilst in the presence of his superiors. Roll a dice, and this is how many Faith points you gain. These are permanent additions to the Witch Hunter's Faith score. Re-roll 1's as usual.
2) Items (Roll 2D6)
| Roll | Item | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Silver Pistol Shot | The Witch Hunter has enough silver shot for 4D6 shots. Each bullet is carefully cast in pure silver, etched with holy symbols, blessed by a priest and soaked in holy water. The Witch Hunter gains +1 to hit with his pistol whilst using this shot, and against Undead, Chaotic or Daemonic creatures he causes +1 Wound per battle-level. |
| 3 | D6 Firebombs | Each firebomb may be thrown at any time, and affects an area 2 squares by 2 squares. Any model in the area takes 1D6 Wounds, with no deductions for Toughness or armour. |
| 4 | Amulet of Power | This amulet gives the Witch Hunter a magic resistance of 6+. Any subsequent amulets he gains will add +1 to this resistance, up to a maximum of 4+. |
| 5 | Lock Tools | Lock tools allow the Witch Hunter to open any lock as long as it is not magical or the rule for the lock specifically states otherwise. To see if your Warrior can open a lock, roll 1D6: 1 The lock tools snap off in the lock and are ruined - and the lock still holds! 2, 3 The Warrior fails to open the lock, but he can try again next turn. 4+ The lock opens! To use lock tools, the Warrior must be in a square adjacent to the locked item or door. Opening a lock will take a whole turn per attempt, and the Warrior may not try if there are any Monsters on the same board section. |
3) Potions (Roll 1D6)
Banes are powerful potions and magical poisons which come in phials of thick, dark solutions. There is enough bane to go on a sword or other weapon to last a whole adventure, and the extra damage caused when the affected creature is struck can be devastating.
| Roll | Potion or Bane | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healing | The Witch Hunter gains a precious healing potion. This can be used at any time. It heals the Witch Hunter up to full Wounds, and adds +1 to his starting Wounds permanently. If used by another Warrior, it heals 1D6 Wounds. Each healing potion may be used once, then it is finished. This may be used by other Warriors. |
| 2 | Holy Water | When drunk, the holy water restores 1D3 lost Faith. When thrown at Daemonic, Undead or Chaotic creatures (making a normal BS roll to hit, and assuming the Witch Hunter can see his target), it causes 1D6 Wounds to the Monster it hits, and 1D3 Wounds to any in adjacent squares. No deductions at all may be made. |
| 3 | Undead Bane | Causes an extra Wound per battle-level against all Undead. May be used by other Warriors. |
| 4 | Chaos Bane | Causes an extra Wound per battle-level against all Chaos creatures. This may be used by other Warriors. |
| 5 | Daemon Bane | Causes an extra Wound per battle-level against all Daemons - with no deductions whatsoever. This may be used by other Warriors. |
| 6 | Light of Bravery |
4) Artefacts/Symbols (Roll 1D6)
1 Chalice of Life. These brass chalices are amongst the greatest treasures of the Witch Hunter cult. It is said that they were created by the long dead Priest King Alcadizzar, in an attempt to thwart the plans of Nagash to destroy his kingdom. Even as the armies of Undead overthrew his realm, the chalices were spirited away, eventually coming into the hands of the Witch Hunter General in Middenheim.
The chalices are always full of a golden liquid, sparkling and effervescent. Those who drink from a chalice are said to be imbued with the power to lay the dead to rest once and for all.
If a Witch Hunter has a Chalice of Life, he may drink from it before the start of a dungeon. As he drinks, righteous power floods his body, and his efforts to destroy the Undead legions of the world are redoubled. The effects of drinking from the Chalice are as follows:
| Bearer's Level | Dice Roll | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Novice | Impossible | N/A |
| Champion | 6+ to hit | Extra D6 Wounds |
| Hero | 6+ to hit | Extra 2D6 Wounds |
| Lord | 5+ to hit | Extra Wound/level |
2 Mirror of the Damned. Every Witch Hunter wishes to hold a shard of this mirror, created eons ago by the Chaos Sorcerer Zhakkanar Jewelskull. His intention was to imbue the mirror with two powers - the power to capture the souls of those who looked in it, and to destroy their living bodies by revealing the true nature of evil which dwells in every human soul.
After many battles in the Northern Wastes, the armies of Zhakkanar stood at the gates of Praag, their unholy mirror mounted on a great war altar.
Count Boris Schlieger, Witch Hunter General, had prepared himself for this moment, exorcising his very soul in isolated confinement in the deepest dungeons of Praag for the last month, as the daemon hordes advanced.
Walking alone from the gates of Praag to meet the Chaos hordes, leaning heavily on his pure white rod of office for support, the ageing Witch Hunter challenged Zhakkanar, daring him to look in his own mirror. Zhakkanar laughed aloud until he reaped that Schlieger was deadly serious, and willing to gaze on the glassy surface himself. "If I die, Praag is yours," cried the sombre Witch Hunter. "If you die, then may your foul horde be consumed by the very souls within the abominable mirror."
Proud, arrogant and quite mad, Zhakkanar agreed, but only if Schlieger would look first...
Schlieger stepped forward and gazed fully at the mirror for a minute or more, before stepping back and bowing. The Chaos horde gasped in horror. Frowning, Zhakkanar laughed aloud before stepping before the mirror and gazing into its depths. With a shrill shriek, he was consumed in roiling flames, and the mirror shattered into a thousand pieces. The released souls raced across the battlefield, slaying the assembled forces of Chaos, scattering the army to the four winds before finally finding peace.
Schlieger ordered the fragments gathered as relics, as a reminder to all Witch Hunters of their victory over Chaos.
Few people were privy to the fact that Boris Schlieger had been blind since birth...
A Witch Hunter carrying a fragment of the Mirror of the Damned gains the following ability if he uses the mirror: any creature of Chaos who rolls a 1 when trying to hit the Witch Hunter suffers 2 Wounds per battle-level of the Witch Hunter, as it gazes at the mirror. Any other creature who ends the turn in a square adjacent to the Witch Hunter (including the Warriors but excluding the Witch Hunter himself) suffers 1 Wound per battle-level of the Witch Hunter, with no deductions at all.
This artefact may be used once per adventure, and its power will last for one whole combat.
3 The Book of Hoschenfels. Hoschenfels was a Witch Hunter of great repute, said to have burned a thousand proven witches and banished a hundred daemons. Upon retirement, he wrote a great treatise on the power of man over the forces of darkness, and how such forces quailed before the burning light of righteousness and honour.
If a Witch Hunter has a copy of this book, then he can spend time in a Settlement doing nothing but reading and reaffirming his power. For every day he spends reading the book, he may make a Willpower test to see if he benefits from his study. A successful Willpower test is made by rolling a dice and adding his Willpower characteristic. If he scores 8 or more, he is successful, and gains the following benefits: either 1 extra point of Starting Faith, or the ability to automatically pass one Fear or Terror test in the next dungeon.
What is it to be a Witch Hunter?
To toil endlessly against the dark
What is it that we cannot forget?
We are all but one step away from the pit
Who then are we to judge and condemn?
The death of a 1000 innocents is far better than the survival of the damned
Do we bear our burden lightly?
Our destiny is a cruel master whom we dare not ignore
What then will be our reward?
We ask for none, and none is received
When can ever we stop?
When the cold grave eternal calls us to rest.
Excerpt from Inculcation and Vigilance Litany, Grand Cabal Majestic, Lords of the Inner Quadrant, Middenheim.
4 The Iron Talisman of Khardoz. These ancient talismans are reputed to have been forged by the mad Dwarf Runemaster Khardoz Whitebeard many centuries ago. They are the size and shape of a small warhammer, and covered in bizarre and unfathomable runes.
The purpose of the talismans is the destruction of daemons and the containment of daemonic manifestations. They came into the possession of the Witch Hunter General as a gift after the banishment of a Verminlord summoned by Skaven Sorcerers in an attempt to overthrow the Dwarf hold of Zhufbar once and for all. Fifty Empire Witch Hunters died in the banishment, and the talismans were given as acknowledgement of the debt incurred.
These talismans may be used as Warhammers by Witch Hunters only. They are magical weapons. When striking against Daemons, the Witch Hunter gains +2 to his to hit rolls when wielding a Talisman of Khardoz. The Talisman follows the normal rules for warhammers.
When wielded by a Witch Hunter, apart from the benefits outlined above, once he hits his foe with the talisman, for every point of Faith he puts into the blow, he causes an extra D6 Wounds on the target.
Daemons may not ignore pain or damage caused by this talisman.
The Iron Talisman may be used by a Witch Hunter only.
5 Amulet of Charadris. Charadris was a Priest of Sigmar who abhorred the unnatural in all its form - Daemons, Chaos, Undead and magic, but mostly magic. He saw that it was magic that kept the dead walking, it was magic that crackled in the air as daemons trod the earth, it was the warping forces of magic that the forces of Chaos used to manipulate their destinies.
Such was his faith, and such his belief, that it was said that by force of will alone he could deny the forces of magic access to the world of man. He claimed that it was Sigmar himself who gave him this power.
A powerful force within the Empire, Charadris clashed with the magic-using Grand Theogonist on a number of occasions and was eventually cast out, to find his own path. He found kindred spirits in the Dwarfs of the Worlds Edge Mountains, who also shared no love of magic. They recognised his ability, and strove to capture its essence in a series of amulets - the Amulets of Charadris.
Charadris himself returned to the Empire many years later, with a chest containing his amulets, seeking out the Witch Hunters in Middenheim. His power was spent and his days numbered, but he handed over the amulets to the Witch Hunters so that they could better carry on their fight.
An Amulet of Charadris can nullify the forces of magic if the wielder's will power is great enough. Its chances of doing so are worked out by the Witch Hunter rolling a dice and adding his Willpower. If he scores 9 or more the amulet takes effect.
This dice roll must be made in the Power Phase if the Witch Hunter wishes to do so, and, if successful, will prevent any form of magic for the entire turn (hostile and friendly).
6 Stone Icon of Ghamaluk. Ghamaluk was a grand Vizier of Araby, in the time when Bel Aliad was a magnificent city built on the verdant oasis of Sharaha. Then came the Undead hosts, and within a short time the waters of the oasis were polluted, plague ran rife in the city and the dead walked the streets.
Ghamaluk worked long and hard to overthrow the forces of darkness, but in the end the armies arrayed against him were too powerful. In the final days, he put the last of his power into a series of graven stone icons, each designed to ward against the corrupting powers of the magic driving the Undead onwards.
He was never to test them, as there were no warriors left in Bel Aliad to carry the fight, and the once proud wizard scurried into the desert with his icons, heading for the distant coast and safety. He never reached the coast, and the stone icons were presumed lost for many years, until the famous Witch Hunter Gunther Graftagg of Sylvania tracked them down to a gypsy convoy passing through Tilea. He surrendered his entire family fortune and lands to the gypsy folk in exchange for the long lost icons, and carried them back to Middenheim, where he died in self satisfied poverty.
A Witch Hunter who bears one of the Stone Icons of Ghamaluk may avoid some of the worse effects of contact with Undead and worse.
In Warhammer Quest, an Icon of Ghamaluk gives some protection against attacks which cause fatal damage. Depending on the level of the bearer, the Icon will give the following saving roll against such damage.
| Level | Saving Roll |
|---|---|
| Novice | Impossible |
| Champion | 6+ |
| Hero | 5+ |
| Lord | 4+ |
At the end of a turn, before working out any fatal damage, the Witch Hunter must make a single dice roll. If he scores equal to or over the indicated number, he is unaffected by any fatal damage, such as tomb rot, which he would otherwise have suffered that turn.
5) Invocations (Roll 1D6)
All invocations are one use only. At the end of an adventure, any unused invocations are lost, unless written in a Holy Book.
An invocation is used up once it has been attempted - the Witch Hunter may not keep trying until he is successful.
If written down in a Holy Book, then each invocation may be kept until used, at which point the page it is written on bursts into flames as the power is spent.
When spoken aloud, the words of these invocations hang burning in the air, striking at the foes of the Witch Hunter like physical blows from a mighty sword.
To see which invocations you get, roll a dice and consult the following tables.
1 Bane Curse of the Undead. Will kill any single Undead creature worth up to the Witch Hunter's battle-level x100 gold points on a dice roll of:
| Level | Dice Roll |
|---|---|
| Novice | 6+ |
| Champion | 5+ |
| Hero | 4+ |
| Lord | 3+ |
2 Bane of Vampires/Necromancers. Will cause 1D6 Wounds per level of the Witch Hunter against any single Vampire or Necromancer on a dice roll of:
| Level | Dice Roll |
|---|---|
| Novice | 6+ |
| Champion | 6+ |
| Hero | 5+ |
| Lord | 5+ |
3 Scourge of Chaos. This invocation strikes fear into the hearts of the followers of the dark gods of Chaos. The affected Monsters each lose:
| Level | Dice Roll | Monsters Affected | Affect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novice | 6+ | 1 | -1 Attacks |
| Champion | 5+ | 2 | -1 Attacks |
| Hero | 4+ | 2 | -2 Attacks |
| Lord | 3+ | 3 | -2 Attacks |
Duration: Lasts until the end of the turn.
4 Banish Magic. Will halt the flow of all magic in the air, good or bad, until the end of the turn, on a roll of:
| Level | Dice Roll |
|---|---|
| Novice | 6+ |
| Champion | 5+ |
| Hero | 4+ |
| Lord | 3+ |
5 Scourge of Daemons. A glittering wall leaps up between the Warriors and their daemonic foes, preventing all forms of attack. The Warriors may fight as usual.
| Level | Dice Roll |
|---|---|
| Novice | 6+ |
| Champion | 5+ |
| Hero | 4+ |
| Lord | 3+ |
Duration: 1 turn.
6 Bane of Greater Daemons. This powerful invocation can only be read out if the Warrior does nothing else this turn. It will magnify the flame of righteousness burning at the core of the Witch Hunter, and send it flying at a Greater Daemon, stripping its power and flaying the flesh from its bones.
This invocation inflicts 1D6 Wounds per battle-level of the Witch Hunter upon a Greater Daemon, and it cannot be dodged or otherwise avoided. Furthermore, it is not subject to the rules for Ignore Pain or Ignore Blow. In fact, the Greater Daemon may deduct nothing from this damage at all.
The chance of this invocation being successful is 5+ on a D6.
6) Skills (Roll 1D6)
1 Dodge. Whenever a Monster hits the Witch Hunter, whether in hand-to-hand combat, or with a missile weapon, the Witch Hunter's lightning fast reflexes may save him. To see if they do, roll a dice. On a score of a 6, the Witch Hunter dodges the blow, and is unaffected by it.
2 Dirty Blow. The Witch Hunter has learnt various cunning and low down tricks with which he can disable his opponent.
Whenever he rolls a 6 to hit, he has struck a dirty blow. This blow can ignore up to 2 points of armour. In addition, a dirty blow is not affected by the Monster's Ignore Blow or Ignore Pain abilities.
3 Reaction Strike. This skill allows the Witch Hunter to make one immediate attack on a single Monster as soon as it is placed on the board next to him. If there is more than one eligible target, you may choose which the Witch Hunter attacks. The attack is in addition to any attacks that he makes in normal combat.
Because this skill is an instinctive reaction to being ambushed, a lashing stab, the Witch Hunter may not gain death-blows from reaction strike attacks. However, as the attack is pure reaction, the Warrior is unaffected by any psychology effects caused by the target.
4 Vengeance. This skill allows the Witch Hunter to choose a certain Monster as it is placed on the board as his most hated foe. If there is a space empty adjacent to that Monster, the Witch Hunter may be placed in that space, no matter how far away or what Monsters intervene, as he barges determinedly towards his foe.
The Witch Hunter gets an immediate Ambush Attack against that Monster, and gains an extra Attack every turn against that Monster until it is dead. If he kills the Monster, he gains double gold.
Use once per adventure.
5 Oppress. When in town, the Witch Hunter's reputation goes before him, and the people of the Settlement doff their caps or just get out of the way.
When he tries to buy something, he gains the following benefits, according to his battle-level.
| Battle-Level | Price Reduction | Dice Roll | Number of Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 gold | 6+ | 1 |
| 2 | 10 gold | 5+ | 2 |
| 3 | 30 gold | 5+ | 2 |
| 4 | 25% off | 5+ | 1 |
| 5 | 25% off | 6+ | 1/shop |
| 6 | 25% off | 5+ | 1/shop |
| 7 | Half price |
6 Killing Blow. The Witch Hunter judges the moment to strike perfectly, and his blade slips through his opponent's armour, spearing his vital organs.
This skill allows the Witch Hunter to cause an extra 1D6 Wounds if his 'to hit' roll was a natural 6.
Roleplay
Roleplaying Guidelines
A Witch Hunter is an enigmatic and forbidding character. No-one is beyond suspicion, not even his fellow Warriors. He keeps himself very much to himself, and over his travels amasses a vast wealth of knowledge. He is not given to frippery or extravagance, and expects that the other Warriors will follow the standard of behaviour set by him.
He will, however, be worldly wise, and may surprise the other Warriors with his brutal style of fighting. He is not averse to dirty fighting, knuckle dusters or boot blades - all he cares about is scouring the land for daemons or the foul servants of chaos. After all, he knows that they are not going to play fair!
There are of course exceptions to the rule, flamboyant Witch Hunters who sweep into town with an entourage of fawning acolytes. Most Witch Hunters would declare such characters charlatans, fools and perhaps heretics...
A Witch Hunter must have confidence. Witch Hunters with no faith, or who are hesitant or unassertive, do not last long in the face of daemons, witches, or even when confronted with angry mobs. Many of them have dark family secrets, or have experienced horrors beyond all imagination at some time in their life, which have sent them down the Witch Hunter path. Witch Hunters are thus driven, possessed of a grim certainty that what they do is RIGHT! No one can accuse a Witch Hunter of taking his duties lightly, as his is one of the most serious professions in the Warhammer World.
To become a Witch Hunter is to invite fear, suspicion, hatred and dread, to be unwelcome and avoided wherever you tread. When you take on the mantle of moral responsibility that a Witch Hunter carries, you cast away many of the simple pleasures of life for ever. To become a Witch Hunter is a decision not to be taken lightly.
Willing to endure all manner of hardship and risk in the pursuit of their sworn quest, Witch Hunters do not necessarily seek the same rewards as other Warriors. Although a bagful of gold and a magical sword are of great value to any adventuring Warrior, they are not the be all and end all to a Witch Hunter. This is not to say that he will not meticulously make sure that he gets his share of any spoils - fair is fair, after all!
So, you have a choice of sorts. You can choose to be the puritanical, tight lipped Witch Hunter, brooding, dark and stern, or the flamboyant, extrovert and heroic Witch Hunter, whose bravado conceals a character of steel (most of the time).
Characteristic Tests
A Witch Hunter is a fairly good all round Warrior. On the whole, he will probably have unmodified characteristic tests for almost any action. With regard to reaction tests, he will gain benefits for any tests against magic, especially if its source is the foul taint of chaos.
If anything, the Witch Hunter will gain bonuses for deciphering ancient texts, searching out secret doors behind which lurk evil foes, interrogating prisoners and all manner of actions of this nature. Like a bloodhound, he will not give up, once on the scent, and this tenacity and determination should show through in his characteristic tests.
At the same time, if there are to be any things he is not so good at, they will include such activities as anything relying on brute strength or natural agility. He is no Barbarian when it comes to sheer muscle power, neither is he an Elf when it comes to lightning fast reflexes. By the same token, he will not have the innate Dwarf abilities of sniffing out gold, spotting and disarming mechanical traps and the like, or quaffing vast quantities of Bugman's XXXXXX.
Witch Hunter Battle-Level Table
| Battle-Level | Gold | Title | WS | BS | Str | Damage Dice | T | Wounds | I | A | Luck | WP | Faith | Pin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | Initiate | 3 | 4+ | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2D6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1D6 | 5+ |
| 2 |
The Wounds entry at each level shows the extra Wounds the Witch Hunter gains at that point, as does the Faith column. Blank entries mean no extra Wounds or Faith are gained at that level.
Card Notes
These are the printed rules on the Witch Hunter's Warrior card and the Magical Amulets Equipment cards.
Witch Hunter Card (Front)
- Wounds: 2D6
- Move: 4
- Weapon Skill: 3
- Ballistic Skill: 4+
- Strength: 3
- Toughness: 3 (4)
- Initiative: 3
- Attacks: 1
- Equipment: Magical Amulets
- Weapons: The Witch Hunter fights with a hefty sabre and his trusty pistol. See the back of this card for more details on the Witch Hunter's weapons.
- Armour: The Witch Hunter wears a metal gorget around his neck, which gives him +1 Toughness.
- Pinning: He escapes from pinning on a roll of 5+.
- Special Rules: See the back of this card.
| 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 |
Witch Hunter Card (Back)
Weapons: The Witch Hunter fights with a sabre, which causes 1D6+3 Wounds. If he rolls a 6 to hit, he causes an extra Wound (1D6+3+1).
The Witch Hunter also carries a pistol, to engage his opponents at longer range. To hit with the pistol, roll over the Witch Hunter's Ballistic skill on a D6. The pistol has a range of 6 squares, and is a strength 5 weapon (1D6+5 Wounds). Once it is fired, the pistol must be reloaded before it can be fired again. It takes a whole turn to reload, during which time the Witch Hunter may do nothing else. The pistol may not be reloaded while there are Monsters on the same board section. In a single turn, the Witch Hunter may use his pistol or his sabre, but not both. Note that the Witch Hunter may not fire his pistol if he is engaged in hand-to-hand combat, i.e. pinned.
- Special Rules -
Wounds: when rolling for Wounds, the Witch Hunter may re-roll 2's as well as 1's but must always accept the second result.
Faith: The Witch Hunter starts an adventure with 1D6 Faith counters, which he uses up during the game. When you create a new Witch Hunter, roll a dice to see how many Faith counters he has, re-rolling if you get a 1. This is the Witch Hunter's 'Starting Faith' and should be noted on his Adventure Record sheet. The Faith counters go in the Faith box on the front of this card. The Witch Hunter can use one Faith counter to add +1 to any one dice roll he makes. Each time he does this, he must discard a Faith counter. When he has no Faith counters left, he can no longer adjust his dice rolls in this way. The Witch Hunter can use as many Faith counters at one time as he likes, and the modifiers are cumulative. Using 4 Faith counters, for example, could give him +4 to hit for a single attack.
Witch Hunters, Equipment and Treasure: The only hand-to-hand weapons a Witch Hunter may use are any form of sword or dagger, including magical items. He may not wear armour, other than his gorget, nor a helmet, but he may carry a shield and wear furs. The Witch Hunter may not use missile weapons, other than his pistol. He may use any magical items, such as a Time Freeze Ring, but may not use treasure specifically designed for Wizards.
Magical Amulets Card (Panel 1)
A Witch Hunter begins the game with 1D6 magical amulets. Roll a dice to see how many you get. If you roll a 1 you may re-roll the dice but must accept the second result. Then roll again to determine what sort each amulet is and make a note of them on your Adventure Record sheet.
Re-roll if you get any duplicate amulets.
Each amulet may be used once per adventure.
1: Amulet of Purity. When this amulet is used, roll a dice for all adjacent Monsters. On a score of 4, 5 or 6 the Monster suffers that many Wounds, with no deductions at all.
Note: the card scan prints "4. 5 or 6"; it is read here as 4, 5 or 6, which is the same as the 4+ given in the rulebook.
2: Amulet of Healing. This amulet can be used at any time to heal D6 Wounds on any one Warrior.
Magical Amulets Card (Panel 2)
3: Amulet of Holy Fire. The Amulet of Holy Fire shoots a bolt of magical energy towards the Witch Hunter's foe. The attack has a range of 8 squares and hits automatically. This is a Strength 5 attack, with normal deductions.
4: Amulet of Strength. While in use, this amulet gives the Witch Hunter +1 Strength for the duration of a whole turn.
Note: the card scan prints this figure as an unreadable "+ t D6"; it is read here as +1, matching the Amulet of Strength entry in the rulebook.
5: Amulet of Fury. This amulet gives the Witch Hunter 1 extra Attack in a turn when it is used.
6: Amulet of Alcadizzar. This amulet is used against a Monster of the Witch Hunter's choosing. Select any Monster on the board and roll a dice to see what effect the amulet has:
- 1-3: The Monster loses 1 Attack this turn.
- 4-6: The Monster loses 1 Attack this turn and suffers 1D6 Wounds with no deductions.