Class Proposal: Sister of Battle

[Hanabi]

Sisters of Battle are a deeply ingrained part of the Warhammer Lore and a deep seated part of the inquisition. Often moving in squads or on rare occasions operating as independent attaches to other Imperium Forces.

As a class Sisters of Battle have several major factors to consider. Armor, Weapons, Faith Abilities, Role.

-Armor-

Basic Armor: The Sisters of Battle rival the space marines in technology wearing Sororitas Power Armor. They are outfitted similarly. Made of the same metal, with the same frame to move with a power pack. However inside the armor is a relatively normal physical individual. They often lack the raw physical attack power of the Space Marines. That said their armor is just as resilient as anything a Space Marine uses short of Terminator Armor. A defensive shell around a soft core.

Specialist Armor: Depending on the roll, of a sister of battle, their equipment can vary too. From the heavy specializations of the Canoness to the Punishment Scrolls of the Repentia.

Canoness: Differ in their armor being the best make from the Factorum specialized in protection with a brazer on their back. The Brazers vary differently. From a single low burning brazer to large brazers, to two pronged brazers that look more like flaming exhaust pipes. They hold Iconic and Religious Signification allowing for easy spotting on the battlefield where their commander is. On a practical level their armor is heavy, defensive, ideal for a commander who is frequently under the attack of enemy troops.

Hospitaller: Armor wise they are outfitted heavy. Medics often being a first target on the battlefield. They also have medicae tools which often rival that of the Astartes. Specializing in medicine and healing they often run into hazardous situations and instead of helmets they wear specialized hoods that are treated with incense and blessed to prevent toxins and poisons from getting in. They wear beads which count acts of penitence and symbolize their faithfulness, these beads, combat ready are made of adamantium.

Repentia: Repentia are about as opposite the Canoness as you can get. Instead of armor they wear very little, often little more that scrolls of penitence and religious seals or a leatheris bodice and loin cloth. Again covered in seals of penitence related to that Repentia's failure. It is uncomfortable yet easy to move in. On a functional level for survival they would focus on evasion at least long enough to close the distance, death in battle, taking as many enemies out as possible is their goal.

-Weapons-

Basic Weapons: The tools at the disposal of the average sister of battle are wide and varied. From Bolter Guns to flamers. In close combat weapons, anything from Mace Weapons to Chainswords. Their most basic layout is a Bolter Rifle and Sidearm. Sometimes a Plasma Pistol. They also use Krak Grenades.

Specialist Weapons: The Sisters of Battle have a particular fondness for weapons which burn and decimate. Flamers, Melta-Guns, Maces which are also flaming chambers, Melta-Grenades. Weapons blessed towards incineration. A tell tale sign of a sister of battles passing is burnt out ruins and the smoldering corpses of the damned.

Canoness: A Canoness' Weapons are often higher grade versions of the basic Sororitas load-out however with a often more pronounced specialization towards the Melee. A canoness are more often seen with more pronounced Melee Weapons than their counterparts. Power Weapons such as Power Fists, Power Swords and even on a rare occasions Power Hammer, often of a two handed verity that they often varied between the basic weapon. Fighting a Canoness is not a rear field leader, but often is in the thick of the front line where they must crush enemies, weather the worst of the storm, and lead the others of the sisterhood by example.

Hospitaller: The second least armed of the Sisters of Battle, the Hospitaller are healers, who's weapon of self defense is a Stub Revolver, usually carried with a couple of reloads. While small, the Stub Revolver has a potent kick, and good knockback and stopping power.

Their deadliest weapons however are the very tools they have for healing. Their Medicae Tools which are equipped to their armor include injectors full of chemicals, saws for cutting off armor to administer treatments, and often cybernetics to provide a wealth of anatomic knowledge. While these don't do the damage of flamers or bolter guns, a skilled offensive use would be putting a gash on an enemies armor or giving them a toxic dose of medication and then knocking them away with their revolver.

Their tools however specialize in healing, Stems, Battlefield Treatment, Stabilization. Keeping someone fighting until they literally physically cannot anymore. And then, once the battle is over treating the long term wounds. It is often said that the most skilled, and terrifying healers in the Imperium are the Sisters Hospitaller. None mix preservation and cruelty quite as well.

Repentia: The least armed of the Sisters of Battle is ironically the most damaging. Their oaths and sentences of penitence forbids them to take ranged weapons into battle. Therefor you find sisters Repentia wielding one, single, damaging weapon into battle: The Eviscerator. A massive Chain Sword favored by Zealots, Witch-Hunters and the Repentia. Standing as large as its wielder it is the only chain weapon commonly equipped with a disruption field generator most often found on power weapons. A holy hybrid of destruction that is as durable as it is damaging, bearing the weight of a Repentia's sins down upon their enemies until they find absolution in death or their mistress sees them absolved of their sins in the blood of the damned.

The only exception to the Repentia's sole weapon is the mistress' Electro-Whip. A weapon that is torturous and painful, often paralyzing those struck with spasms and agony, and with prolonged exposure, electrocuting them to death. A Repentia mistress will often use the pain of these whips to strike both the enemy as well as the Repentia under their command, to drive them forward and into a blood-lust with pain. Getting an Electro-Whip wrapped around you is a death sentence as after a short order all that will be left on the ground is a smoldering and electrified corpse where an enemy once stood.

-Faith Abilities-

Basic Abilities: The thing that sets the Sisters of Battle aside and makes them deadly and different from just being a 'lesser space marine' is their Faith Abilities. Their faith in the God Emperor is so strong that it actually bends reality towards their needs. While uncommon for a lesser sister to have the more obvious blessings, their bullets will often find marks that would otherwise miss. Breach armor that would otherwise not break, or shrug off wounds that should have been lethal.

Specialist Abilities: The dangerous lifestyle of a Sister of Battle doesn't often let someone survive long, but when they do, their Faith and the effect it has grows in potency and effect. Blessing of Armor and Ammunition becomes a paramount part of their prayers. Their spirit literally fuels them in many unique ways blessing them to the death of their enemies. Rising consuming fire from weapons that normally do not do such a thing.

Canoness: The most obvious and least subtle of Faith Abilities come from the Canoness who's abilities can shift reality. Great Columns of burning light. Blessing the Weapons of entire squadrons of allies to fire beams of penetrating and burning holy light. To shielding herself from harm and becoming momentarily immune to damage during her front-line forays into battle. Those who come against a Canoness find that the Canoness herself is the very tactical reason she leads from the front. And that she is not an easy target to fall.

Hospitaller: The obvious blessings of the Hospitaller are the ones that are towards the healing of allies. Being able to preserve those under her care. The abilities often time allow them to sustain themselves and allies till after they should have fallen. Though the manifestation and use of such abilities are rare, as the Emperor's Blessings manifest to those of battle more than those of healing.

Repentia: The Repentia are beasts of battle, with few words fitting more. The way blessings manifest with them is often in their ability to keep swinging, to keep fighting, to keep hacking away at enemies even after they've been fatally wounded, often for minutes at a time when they should have expired, only for them to die once their enemy has fallen or their fury to subside. Between the conditioning of their mistress and their penitence in battle they are nigh immune to pain and unable to be crippled by anything less than being outright maimed. Those that survive one battle gain more fury for the next and the next.

The few Repentia that survive have a beguiling sense of where and how to take wounds to keep fighting and slaying so they may kill again, and again. Managing to avoid outright fatal wounds, while being covered in injuring cuts, bullet scars and nearly maimed.

-Role-

Basic Role: The Basic Role of the Sister of Battle is similar to that of a Space Marine, with more of an emphasis on cleanup and defense. The Sisters of Battle tactically take, and purify areas of enemy presence and set up footholds and make good use of cover. Being both smaller, and just as well armored as space marines means that cover a Space Marine would find too small for his frame would do a full job for the sister of battle. Where a Space Marine may ever press forward. A sister of Battle Squad will press on through any cover they can find, and hold out till it is clear to move on.

Advanced Role: Fire Support, literally is their specialty, immolating groups of enemy troops, holding sections of map. Burning things out of their cover with flamers, melting cover with Meltas. Destroying the enemies ability to take cover and laying blankets of fire into the enemy allow the Sisters of Battle's tactics to both take advantage of the fire resistant armoring they and the Space Marines wear to make a lop sided battlefield in the Empire's favor.

Canoness: The best way to describe would be buffs and tanking with an ability to adapt ranged and close combat weapons to hold enemies at bay. Their Faith Abilities are an amplification of the Sister's Advanced role. A Canoness could literally run into an enemies cover, drive them out into the open and survive the onslaught of getting to it. Despite being a '(Not) Normal' Human, between equipment, faith, and experience. She'd be impressively hard to bring down.

Hospitaller: Their smaller frame and hard armor make them perfect for darting from cover to cover to heal the wounded, or approach and wound enemies with poisons or damage their armor. Their pistol could theoretically pack enough punch to knock an armored opponent into the open. While healing from the relative safety of cover, being able to stay low while healing means she'd be able to heal in cover during a firefight and administer stems. On an open field she'd be weaker so she'd naturally be good at diving for cover if she wanted to survive long.

Repentia: The Repentia are are extremely powerful in a straight forward sense. Charging enemies and clearing them out. Most often under fire support they will charge while an enemy is suppressed and the crazier ones will charge right through enemy fire dealing massive amounts of damage to the enemy lines. Their zeal in combat is unmatched, and while sentenced for a failing they are among the most (lowkey) respected members of the Sisters of Battle. Where an assassin will cleverly close with an enemy. A Repentia takes the shortest path to their enemy, a straight line. On the defensive side they often wait safe in cover until they perceive an opening and charge.

{edit: Added Repentia Role Column}

[✪ megapull]

Holy cow.

Awesome write-up, thanks for taking the time to compose this.
I'm gonna add this to our feedback section for the devs to see.

[Hanabi]

Thank you.

[Archon]

Support, I totally forgot sisters of battle existed lol

[Hanabi]

Added Repentia Role Column.

[black_bones1234]

Funny thing, this game could really have sister of battle no issue since on the "power level" sister of battle are at the same rank has inquisitor, meaby just a crank down. I would love to play has one too, because why the hell not.

[Hanabi]

Thanks for the comment Black Bones. But there is also no reason an Inquisitor couldn't be borne from the ranks of the Sisterhood.

[Rui83DeathMetal]

引用自 Hanabi：

Thanks for the comment Black Bones. But there is also no reason an Inquisitor couldn't be borne from the ranks of the Sisterhood.

Lore wise I never saw it happen, and I have read my share of novels and still read. The sisters are a very specific organism of the imperium with a mission of they're own. But one thing I'm sure, there is nothing wrong with a sister helping the Inquisition purging some filthy xenos:D Let the sister come to Purge! Im in for a sister class! Ave Imperator fellow Inquisitor!

[Jean-Luc]

Unless it blatantly violates the lore I'd love me some SOB. Basically a Paladin class.

[Hanabi]

Thanks guys, but I think it will be a while, if it ever happens. Making a balanced class is hard to do.

[Malevolent God]

+1 for SOB , great idea

now how to we get Grey knights in there too ?

[Hanabi]

Considering the Grey Knights are like a Hybred between Psyker and Space Marine I can't see why not eventually. Aside from the Grey Knights and Sisters of Battle, other groups like the Arbates would be interesting or perhaps flushing out more per class, such as making Crusader more catch all.

But for me playing a Sister of Battle in an ARPG would be like a dream.

[WarBaby2]

引用自 Hanabi：

Considering the Grey Knights are like a Hybred between Psyker and Space Marine I can't see why not eventually. Aside from the Grey Knights and Sisters of Battle, other groups like the Arbates would be interesting or perhaps flushing out more per class, such as making Crusader more catch all.

But for me playing a Sister of Battle in an ARPG would be like a dream.

True, same here... still, I don't think it would be fitting.

As it stands right now, all the classes are probably former inquisitorial agents/acolytes, which makes sense, since new Inquisitors are usually choosen/sponsored by a senior Inquisitor out of their retinue.

SOB, while being the military arm of the Ordo Hereticus, are usually not sworn to the Inquisition directly. They fight for the Ecclesiarchy first and foremost. Further, IF a Sororitas Militaris would take up the mantle of Inquisitor, it most likely would be a Celestia... they are the most senior/elite of the non-administrative fighting ranks. Palatine and Canonesses are usually to old and have too many obligations within their order to just "up and leave".

Repentia are, well, they are basically flagellants seeking death in battle, and Hospitaller are glorified field medics with very little fighting training/experience.

If the old Inquisitor Tabletop is anything to go by, the most feasable characters to come after the psyker would be:

Enforcer - Adeptus Arbites space police... with cyber mastifs!
Mechanicus Priest - Crazy machine talkers, packing auto turrets and drones.
Ministorum Preacher - Warrior priest missionaries with fate abilities.

[Gredd]

This would be an awesome addition, Sister of Battle really need more love.

[Rotheilm]

I hope the servants of the God-Emperor of Mankind will not only read it but find a way to add it to this game or maybe give the ability to some priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to mod the game.

[AirsickHydra]

can anyone update me on fluff if the sisters have a few weapons associated with them specifically? The reason I ask is that a character itself in inquisitor doesn't really vary much, you might get a few unique perks but it's really 95% the weapons which set the classes appart, perhaps yes the armor abilities too to a lesser extent. Would we be able to get say 8/10 unique weapons for her?