Explore Patrons In Warhammer 40,000 RPG: Imperium Maledictum

December 16, 2022 by brennon

In our recent interview with Padraig Murphy from Cubicle 7, we discussed the upcoming Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game, Imperium Maledictum and what people can look forward to when it arrives next year. Well, this week we also got more information on the Patron system that starts off every campaign of this d100 RPG.

Patron // Warhammer 40,000: Imperium Maledictum

In Imperium Maledictum you take on the role of citizens, soldiers and everyone in between who have been plucked from the masses to aid your Patron in the service of The Emperor and The Imperium. When you sit down to plan out your campaign, the first thing you'll be doing is collaboratively making that Patron that will guide you through your story.

Patrons represent the likes of powerful Inquisitors, Tech-Priests, Bureaucrats and more who have a particular mission to fulfil and have chosen you because your skills can help them in their endeavours.

Player Characters // Warhammer 40,000: Imperium Maledictum

When choosing your Patron, you'll decide upon their Faction and the Duty that they have undertaken. They could be linked to the Inquisition, the Astra Militarum or perhaps the Adeptus Mechanicus and this will influence the style of game you'll play. Want combat heavy, it'll probably involve the Astra Militarum! The Duty then decides how they serve that faction and focuses you towards a particular style of play.

Beyond that, you'll also get to choose the Motivation and Demeanour of your Patron. Motivation is their aspiration and goals and their Demeanour determines how they interact with the party. Are they a benevolent leader who aids the players as much as possible or are they cold and distant, watching from afar as their minions do their tasks?

The Emperor's Tarot // Warhammer 40,000: Imperium Maledictum

Players and the GM will then get to decide the Boons and Liabilities that come with serving this Patron. Boons are big benefits that come from serving one of the high and mighty in the Imperium. This could mean access to better weapons, more intelligence and more. Liabilities represent something that the GM chooses in secret that the Patron has hidden from the players. Maybe they have old rivals or they aren't quite who they appear to be. This will come back to haunt the players at some point down the line!

Last but not least, there is the element of Influence that your Patron brings to the tabletop. Patrons have relationships, both good and bad, with different aspects of the Imperium and this can determine who you can and can't talk to if you're out on your missions. This will also be in constant flux as you make friends and enemies within these factions. You'll probably want to keep your Patron's preferred allies on side though!

Having the players directly influence the creation of a Patron that guides them is a really good way of bonding the party before they head out on their adventures. I think it'll be a good way to almost establish that "session zero" feel and make it so no player is going to question why they have joined up with the group.

You can dive into more thoughts on Imperium Maledictum here in our interview...