Influence characteristic; Differences between Influence and Logistics. How to use Influence.

Each cell shares an Influence characteristic . Initially it starts at 40, since you are effectively borrowing your Inquisitor's Influence but can increase or decrease depending on the actions and reputation of the cell members. To make an Influence Test for requisitioning, the Acolyte must first determine what (or who) he is requisitioning, what organization or individual he is making the requisition from, and the duration of the requisition. This test is modified by the availability of the item being acquired, the craftsmanship of the item being acquired, any items exchanged or traded in, as well as any modifiers decided by the GM due to location-specific conditions. Then, the Acolyte must roll less than his Influence (after modifiers) on 1d100. The roll may be modified by the duration of the requisition, the Availability of the Item, or the number of individuals providing services. If the roll is less than or equal to the group’s Influence, the Test is successful and he requisitions the items or services for the time specified. Duration Modifier 1-2 sessions +20 3-4 sessions +0 Permanently –20 If the roll is greater than the group’s Influence, then the Test fails, and the Acolyte does not gain the requisition. In addition, if the Test fails by more degrees than his or her Fellowship bonus, the group loses 1 Influence. In certain desperate cases, an Acolyte may use all the leverage at his disposal to force someone to perform a vital task, gain access to a deeply proscribed artefact, or find success in some other important but difficult situation. In this case, the Acolyte can voluntarily lower his cell’s Influence score by 1d5 to automatically succeed at an Influence test. Naturally, it is recommended that the Acolyte consult with his fellows before taking such a drastic step! Requisitioning services is performed in the same fashion as other requisitions, with the following caveats. Requisitioning the services of a group such as a squad, platoon, regiment, or ship can only be performed by an Inquisitor, or an Inquisitor’s agent vested with his authority (usually in the form of his Inquisitorial Rosette). In addition, the requisition of very large groups, such as a fleet though technically possible for any Inquisitor, is in practice a very sticky political issue that can easily backfire. Usually only someone as powerful as an Inquisitor Lord attempts to requisition and command entire armies or fleets. For instance, your Inquisitor has successfully requisitioned the use of the Occultus Confessio to transport your Acolyte cell on its mission, but the voidship still has to complete its originally recon mission for the Achilus Crusade, and should the two priorities conflict, the voidship's Commander is duty bound to obey the orders Crusade High Command which supersede the political strings that your Inquisitor pulled to get you permission to travel aboard the scout sloop.

PEERS AND ENEMIES Obviously, Influence is more effective amongst one’s friends than one’s enemies. In Dark Heresy, this can be represented by the Peer and Enemy Talents (and other Influence Talents). If an Acolyte has a talent, such as the Peer Talent, he gains his interaction bonus to any Influence Tests when dealing with that particular group. In the case of Peer this is +10. However, if an Acolyte has an Enemy or Rival Talent, any influence tests with that group automatically fail, unless he is using his Influence subtly. In that case, he suffers a –30 penalty instead. Even when concealing his identity, an Acolyte has more contacts amongst a group whom he counts as an ally. Other talents may effect the use of influence. APPEARANCE Though no Inquisitor worthy of the Rosette would make the mistake of judging solely by appearances, others may not be so wise. Fine clothes, ornate armor, expensive and ostentatious weapons, and trappings of the office of Inquisitor may increase one’s presence and influence. Meanwhile, the plain robes of an adept or itinerant street preacher likely have the opposite effect. The GM can modify the Influence Test by anywhere between +20 to –20 to take into account the appearance an Acolyte displays. Note: If the group is using Influence subtly, the GM should only award bonuses or penalties if the Acolyte is wearing an appropriate disguise (see page 18). SOCIAL SKILLS Just as appearances may affect an Acolyte’s ability to influence others, so can his bearing, attitude, or ability to handle social situations. Before attempting any sort of Influence Test, the Acolyte may request to use a single Interaction Skill (specifically Charm, Deceive, Intimidate, or Command) to favorably influence his opposition. The skill must be relevant to the situation, and the GM must agree to its use. He may then test the skill. For every degree of success, he can increase his Influence by 2 for that Influence Test only. BORROWING WITH NO INTENTION TO RETURN Needless to say, most organizations frown on those who abuse their goodwill and provide an undue drain on their resources. Some organizations or individuals are less willing to aid the Acolytes in the future, while others, such as the Inquisition, may decide on more direct action. If a player makes a requisition for a specific duration, then keeps it past that duration, the GM should determine the Influence of the organization or individual that owned the requisition previously. The cell’s Influence should be decreased by a value equal to 10% of that organization's or individual’s Influence. In addition, if the requisition was an item of Near Unique availability or higher, each member of the group should receive an Enemy Talent pertaining to the organization or individual they slighted. These penalties can be somewhat mitigated (reversing the Influence loss by 1/2 the amount and/or removing the Enemy Talent) if the item is returned. Naturally, the organization still looks unfavourably upon the borrower and sees them as untrustworthy for the future.

Your Inquisitor provides his Acolytes with certain blind accounts from which they may withdraw funds to facilitate their operations. Accessing an account requires a Routine (+20) Influence Test with no other modifiers, and provides the Acolyte with 500 Thrones per degree of success. Unless the GM rules otherwise, accessing these accounts should only take place at the beginning of the mission when the Acolytes are in a system with a substantial Imperial presence such as an Imperial world.

LOSING INFLUENCE Just as certain actions and results can increase a Cell’s Influence, so can the decisions of its members and even simple chance result in decreases to its Influence. Reputation is fickle, and Acolytes must take care to protect theirs. At the GM’s discretion, a Cell’s Influence can decrease when something happens to weaken their resource network and reputation, whether through their own fault or due to outside agency. The following are just some examples of events that might decrease a Cell’s Influence: • Failure: Just as success in their duties increases an Cell’s Influence, so does failure decrease it. Failing in their attempts to stop the Imperium’s enemies harms the Acolytes’ reputation in the eyes of the Imperium’s rulers and leaders, and may also decrease the confidence their Inquisitor has in their abilities. In the most extreme cases, failing to stop a heretical plot may even lead some to suspect the Acolytes of treachery. Similarly, when performing a task for an individual or organization that would result in an increase in the Acolyte’s Influence, failure can have the opposite effect, particularly in the case of very egregious failure that harms the interests of the would-be benefactor. The amount by which failure decreases an Acolyte’s Influence depends on the severity of the failure, and how subtle or overt the Acolyte’s actions. • Excessive or Reckless Use: Amongst other things, Influence measures an Acolyte’s standing in Imperial society and reputation in the eyes of his peers and betters. Abuse or misuse of an Acolyte’s authority can swiftly turn opinion against him. When an Acolyte fails an Influence test by more degrees of failure than his Fellowship bonus, his Influence bonus decreases by 1. • Sacrifice: In desperate situations, an Acolyte may be forced to sacrifice his resources or reputation to accomplish a goal. This could mean calling in a major favor, requesting an onerous task of, and thereby alienating, an ally, or even sending allies or servants on a suicide mission. When attempting an Influence test, before rolling, an Acolyte may choose to decrease his Influence by 1d5 in order to automatically succeed. If degrees of success are important, the Acolyte is considered to have achieved a number equal to his Fellowship bonus. • Atrophy: An Acolyte must continuously attend to his Influence, lest it slip away with the passage of time. If an Acolyte goes long enough without any new achievements to bolster his reputation, he risks his name being forgotten by contacts, his achievements overshadowed by others, and his reputation tarnishing as those who remember his name reflect on his absence from the stage. For each year that passes during which the Acolyte does not perform any work for his Inquisitor, his Influence decreases by 1. The loss of Influence represents actual shifts in attitudes toward the Acolyte, or a loss of resources. While it can serve as a simple setback, the loss of Influence can also act as the impetus for exciting encounters or entire game sessions. If a player wishes to recoup lost Influence through in-game activities, the GM should try to accommodate this. For instance, an Acolyte who loses Influence because he failed to save the life of a respected preacher could go before the Ministorum to seek atonement. This could be represented by an in-depth social encounter, or the GM could use the opportunity as a springboard for a new adventure, giving the Acolyte an opportunity to redeem himself by performing a dangerous task for the deacon.

Initially I was using the Influence rules from Ascension, however if the group wishes we may transition to using Dark Heresy 2.0's Influence rules. Primarily the biggest change is that in DH 2.0 each character tracks their own Influence separately, while in Ascension the group's Influence is shared. Ultimately, I leave the choice up to the players. What say you?

I'm fine with both, so I'll roll with whatever the majority wants.

I just picked up 2.0 yesterday so I'm reading through it trying to get up to speed. Personally I'd prefer to roll with 2.0 since its the latest and greatest and it's what most people seem to be playing these days.

I like the idea of using individual influence. It seems to make a bit more sense.

Individual tracking begins now!