Abelard Build Guide: Companions

Discover the ultimate Abelard Warrior Assassin build for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Master tanking, DPS, and survivability for any difficulty.

This guide details two powerful builds for Abelard in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader: the Warrior Assassin for early-game tanking and late-game DPS, and the Assassin build focusing on melee damage.

Abelard’s Warrior Assassin Build

The Warrior build establishes Abelard as a tank in the early game, leveraging his Navy background for cover in open areas. This build is beneficial for Hard or Unfair difficulties, providing team and tanking buffs. It also sets up for a later assassin role, enhancing survivability and granting increased charge distance for mobility. Talents like Reckless Strike, Sworn Enemy, and Daring Breach are crucial for dealing significant damage, synergizing with Vulnerability and Weakspot targeting in the Assassination tree.

Warrior Build Skills

Key talents include Defensive Manoeuvres, Sworn Enemy, and Reckless Strike for early damage windows and synergy with the Assassination tree. Improving characteristics like Strength (bonus melee crit chance, melee damage) and Toughness (Wounds) enhances Abelard’s tanking capabilities. Athletics improves his role in combat and world/dialogue checks. Warrior and common talents granting Dodge are useful for avoiding ranged attacks and improving the Lethality bonus.

The Warrior build is typically completed around the start of Chapter 2, transitioning into the Assassin playstyle.

Assassin Build

The Assassin build focuses on making Abelard a prominent melee DPS threat, combining Warrior damage buffs with strong weaponry for efficient boss and pack management, even on higher difficulties. His established defensiveness allows him to survive heavy hits, while talents enhance his mobility, AoE, and boss-killing potential. Party synergy talents are also considered to optimize AP usage.

Assassin Build Skills

Core talents include Death Whisper for a free hit from ranged or melee weapons at a damage cost, useful for triggering effects. Inevitable Enervation reduces enemy dodge chance, effective against tough enemies and bosses. Party synergy traits like Create an Opening provide a weakspot/opening if an ally crits a nearby target, saving AP. Defensive talents like Agility and Toughness, along with Nimble, improve survivability and allow Abelard to keep up with boss battles and mechanics, offering dodge for the Assassin Lethality mechanic.

Suggested Weapons, Armor, and Accessories in Chapter 2

The Hammer of Epiphany, a two-handed power hammer, is recommended. It can be acquired by sacking the temple using the Heretical option at the Foulstone monastery on the Trinnitos System. This weapon is considered the best two-handed option in Chapter 2 and beyond, boasting 40% armor penetration, further enhanced by the Power Weapon talent, making it ideal for the assassin role against all enemy types. Strength and weapon skill modifying items are also beneficial.