52. Daemonic Possession
RAW ✔️ Source: The Book of Ruin
Multi-player games can be a great way to kick off a Necromunda campaign, or bring one to a close. These kinds of games are also a good way to introduce new players and gangs into existing campaigns, as it allows weaker gangs and more inexperienced players to fight it out without being the sole focus of their opponent. When setting up a multi-player game, the Arbitrator should consider the relative strengths of the different gangs involved, and potentially adjust the scenario to suit. This could mean placing the strongest gangs in the most exposed place on the battlefield – or farthest from the objective – or even having the stronger gangs randomly select their crews while the weaker gangs get to choose their fighters.
In an Uprising Campaign, if the scenarios are played during the Damnation phase, then any credit rewards are ignored. Instead, players will gain 1 portion of Meat for each enemy fighter they took Out of Action, and 1 Scavenging roll if they are the winner. In a scenario using loot counters or loot caskets, each one of these is also worth 1 Scavenging roll to the gang who claims it.
A Daemon is loose within the hive.
Battlefield
This scenario uses the Battlefield Set-up guidelines, as described on page 117 of the Necromunda Rulebook.
Crews
This scenario uses the standard rules for choosing a crew, as described on page 118 of the Necromunda Rulebook. Each player uses the Random Selection (6) method to choose their crew.
Deployment
This scenario uses the standard rules for deployment from page 119 of the Necromunda Rulebook.
The Daemon
One of the fighters is secretly harbouring a daemonic entity that will manifest fully and take possession of that fighter, before leaping from fighter to fighter to spread havoc and evade destruction.
At the beginning of the battle, before deployment, each player should roll a D6. The player that rolls the lowest (re-rolling ties) has a Daemon hiding within their crew! To determine which fighter harbours the Daemon, that player should shuffle their Fighter cards together and draw one at random.
In the End phase of each round, the player who controls the fighter that harbours the Daemon rolls a D6. On a 5+, the Daemon manifests and takes possession of the fighter. If the Daemon has already manifested, it will leap to another fighter and take possession of them.
When the Daemon leaps to another fighter, it will leap to the closest Standing fighter and immediately take possession of them. If two Standing fighters are equally close, roll a D6 to determine which becomes possessed. Once the Daemon has leapt to another fighter, its previous host becomes subject to the Insanity condition (see page 60 of the Necromunda Rulebook).
Possessed Fighters
Whilst possessed, a fighter improves their Strength, Movement, Attacks and Willpower characteristics by 3. The fighter cannot make use of any ranged weapons they carry but, for as long as the Daemon has possession of the fighter, will become a Psyker (see page 75 of the Necromunda Rulebook). The possessed fighter has the Non-Sanctioned Psyker skill and knows the Psychic Vomit Wyrd Power.
Possessed fighters automatically pass any Cool checks they are required to make and cannot be Pinned. Finally, should a possessed fighter become Seriously Injured or be taken Out of Action as the result of a ranged attack, the Daemon immediately leaps to another fighter, as described on page 85.
Psychic Vomit (Basic): Corrupt energy erupts from the possessed fighter's eyes or outstretched hands, engulfing the enemy. Immediately make a ranged attack with the following weapon:
| Weapon | Rg S | Rg L | Ac S | Ac L | S | AP | D | Am | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychic Vomit | - | T | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | - | Blaze, Template |
Creature of the Warp: When rolling on the Perils of the Warp table, a Possessed fighter treats a roll of 9-12 as Warp Surge! – being already possessed by a Daemon, they can not suffer Daemonic Possession.
Underhive Exorcism
Should a possessed fighter become Seriously Injured or be taken Out of Action as the result of an attack made by a weapon with the Melee trait or by a Coup De Grace (Simple) action, there is a chance the Daemon will be exorcised. Roll a D6. On the roll of a 5 or 6, the Daemon has been exorcised. On any other result, the Daemon immediately leaps to another fighter, as described previously.
Blood For The Warp
The Daemon thirsts for the blood of mortals! Each time that the player controlling the Daemon takes an enemy fighter Out of Action, they will score 1 Victory point. The player who exorcises the Daemon scores 6 Victory points.
Tactics Cards
Each player may choose two Tactics cards from their Tactics deck. The player or players with the lowest total crew rating may draw an additional random Tactics card.
Ending the Battle
The battle ends immediately once an Underhive Exorcism is performed. Alternatively, if either gang has no fighters left on the battlefield at the end of any round, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
The gang with the most Victory points (see Blood for the Warp) is the winner. If two or more gangs have the same number of Victory points then the gang with the most fighters on the battlefield at the end of the battle is the winner.
Rewards (Campaigns Only)
Experience
Each fighter that took part in the battle earns 1 Experience point.
Any fighter who is possessed by the Daemon and still on the battlefield at the end of the game earns D3 Experience points.
The fighter who destroys the Daemon earns D6 Experience points.
Reputation
The victorious gang gains D3 Reputation.
If any gang bottled out, they lose 1 Reputation.