Flesh Is Weak - A First Look at the Augmentation System

Do you aspire to the purity of the blessed machine, Lord Captain?

DLC3 - The Infinite Museion for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is on its way, and the time has finally come to talk about its key feature - the augmentation system!

Available through the new voidship compartment — the Sector Bionica — the augmentation system is a brand new layer of character progression that allows you to install powerful cybernetic and bionic implants. 

With over 100 augments scattered across the game, it will offer you a rich selection of new tactical possibilities. 

So, let’s dive in!

The Sector Bionica

This place is a brand new medical and augmentation compartment on the von Valancius voidship that is available at any time to all owners of the Infinite Museion DLC. 

Here, Genetor Ferrenc and Vivisector Martinax treat the sick and the wounded, perform surgeries, and compete for the attention of the Lord Captain. Each of them has their own approach and vision for their job, and each will gladly offer the Rogue Trader their advice, knowledge, and of course, augmentation services.

How Do the Augments Work?

Augments are a new special class of items that can be obtained across the Koronus Expanse and implanted into your characters. They typically have up to three unique effects:

• A major positive effect that grants a significant advantage, changes standard gameplay mechanics, or allows the use of new abilities.
• An impactful negative effect that works as a counterweight for the positive one and forces you to adapt your tactics around its disadvantage.
• A tradeoff effect that grants a benefit in exchange for a negative effect. Some implants may lack this option.

There are six basic slots where the augments can be placed:

Head - 2 slots:

• Perception system - augments that affect sight, sound, and smell or substitute for these, usually at the cost of one's own flesh.
• Nervous system - cranial implants that affect reflexes, mind, and thought. These can be extremely dangerous for the user, yet many are willing to take the risks for an immediate tactical advantage.

Torso - 1 slot:

• Internal organs - replacement organ augments that provide a variety of global body effects. 

Hands - 2 slots:

• Main hand - augmented main limb that may serve as a specialized tool or weapon. 
• Offhand - augmented off-hand, focusing on secondary and utility functions.

Legs - 1 slot:

• Leg replacements - replacement augments for lower limbs that offer a number of mobility options.

Adeptus Mechanicus and Forgeworld characters have additional slots unique to their backgrounds and physiology.

Becoming Augmented

All augments can be installed through a painful surgery process in Sector Bionica after you obtain them as items. Once implanted, an augment cannot be removed completely - only replaced with a different one.

Note that not all of your companions will agree to this process - Astartes advanced biology requires a different approach not achievable on a Rogue Trader voidship, the Aeldari and Drukhari despise these modifications, and Cassia will simply never allow herself to be touched. Others, however, will be happy to embrace the Machine God’s blessing.

Many implants are Conviction-locked or have effects based on what Conviction the user belongs to. That includes your companions: Argenta, for example, will never agree to wear anything Heretical.

All existing companions who, prior to this update, had augmented body parts in their appearance or story, such as Abelard, Jae, Solomorne and Pasqal, will also receive them as unique story augments. 

Notably, these will remain available and provide effects even if the player does not own the Infinite Museion DLC.

Some implants may also be purely cosmetic, such as those selected during character generation.

Ferrum Sanctum

By inserting augments, you boost the character’s Ferrum Sanctum, representing their steps on the path to the purity of the blessed machine. 

Each point of Ferrum Sanctum makes the character more susceptible to electricity and EMP damage, but boosts the effectiveness of some augments, talents, and abilities that synergize with this stat or target mechanical units.

Galvanization

Galvanization is a special overdrive mechanic available to certain augments. 

When out of combat, you may place one of your augments with this feature in a special galvanization slot. In combat, you may choose to activate it, granting you a major benefit for one round in exchange for penalties in the following round.

Are you willing to take the risk, Lord Captain?

New Talents Related to Augments

As always with the new options, we’re adding a handful of new talents to support the new mechanics.

Here are just a few:

These provide you additional tactical flexibility and allow you to synergize the rest of your build with the new augmentation system.

What else?

We know you’re dying to find out more about the specific augments available, so here’s a couple more examples to give you an idea of their capabilities:

Are you planning which parts of your crude biomass you will replace yet? 

Praise the Omnissiah!