Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader effectively allows for three different character alignments: Dogmatic, Heretical, and Iconoclast. Each of these represents a very particular worldview, and many of your story and dialogue choices contribute to one or the other. There's a little more nuance than that, as you can ultimately contribute to multiple alignments over the course of a single playthrough, eventually winding up somewhere in the middle. However, most players eventually commit to one ideology or the other, going further down that path than any others.
Different choices contribute to different alignments in different amounts - for example, saving an entire planet might grant you ten Iconoclast points, where returning someone's lost wallet might grant you one. You can view your alignment progress at any time by checking the Biography section of the menu, but what alignment actually means - and what it affects in the long run - isn't totally clear. Here's what your alignment actually changes in Rogue Trader, and, in my opinion, which you should choose for your first playthrough.
What Happens When You Choose The Dogmatic Path?
Pros & Cons Of Dogmatic Alignment
The Dogmatic alignment path basically turns you into the archetypical Warhammer character. Dogmatic characters believe wholeheartedly in the superiority of the Imperium of Man, and spreading its ideals throughout the galaxy, willingly and by any means necessary. Being dogmatic means inherently distrusting any and all nonhumans and heretics, often to the point of murder. Think of it as playing a lawful neutral character in Dungeons & Dragons; your main priority is following orders, come what may.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Review: "Gets What Warhammer 40,000 Is All About"
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader translates the world of the tabletop game into an isometric RPG excellently, even with the odd clunky moment.
You'll make a lot of enemies by playing a Dogmatic trader, but you'll have powerful allies, too. Your alignment does affect your which romance options are available to you later on. The following characters approve of your Dogmatic choices, while all others will disapprove, by far the most common alignment among recruitable party :
- Argenta
- Pasqal
- Cassia
- Heinrix
- Ulfar
Some characters will even leave your party if you go too far down a particular path, but it'll be abundantly clear when this is about to happen. Playing as a Dogmatic character also allows you to recruit a secret companion, Incendia Bastaal-Chorda, during Chapter 2.
Alignment-related choices may also affect your reputation in the long run, although it depends more on whom your decisions benefit than their objective alignment. Eventually, your alignment will also determine the particulars of the ending you get, although it's possible to get every ending no matter what your alignment.
What Happens When You Choose The Heretical Path?
Pros & Cons Of The Heretical Route
Heretical characters and Dogmatic characters are two sides of the same coin: their primary goal is to stick it to the Imperium, often to the point of mass destruction. Hereticals will willingly and openly work with enemies of the Imperium, using alien technology and the Chaos Gods' powers for their own means, and will just as gladly cut down anyone who stands in their way. They're just as power-hungry and violent as their Dogmatic counterparts, just for a different reason.
How to Increase Your Profit Factor in Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader
Profit Factor determines what you can and cannot purchase from vendors in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, so increasing it is in your best interests.
There's only one main companion who approves of your Heretical choices: Idira Tlass, who uses Psyker abilities to wield greater power at the risk of summoning demons to the battlefield. There's also a secret Heretical companion, Uralon the Cruel, whom you can unlock by finding both pieces of the Chaos Blade and siding against the Space Marines later in the story.
Heretical is a chaotic route, and you'll often be punished for siding against the Imperium. Making a Heretical character means an archetypically "evil" playthrough - though being anti-Imperium is understandable, Heretical choices are more about seizing power for yourself at any cost.
What Happens When You Choose Iconoclast?
Pros & Cons Of The Iconoclast Path
Iconoclasts generally work within the Imperium's guidelines, but they have staunch morals of their own. They prioritize life and kindness over authority and power, which sometimes gets them into trouble with the Imperium - though not quite on the level of a Heretical character. Iconoclasts are the closest thing Rogue Trader has to good guys: they treat everyone with respect and attempt to avoid violent conflict whenever possible.
It's also possible to end up as an "unaligned" character by landing somewhere in the middle of all three paths, but this isn't too common. Unaligned characters still have access to (mostly) the same endings).
You have two Iconoclast main companions - Abelard and Jae, both of whom are among the best characters in Rogue Trader from both a gameplay and a story standpoint. You can also recruit the secret Iconoclast Calligos Winterscale during Chapter 2, so long as you're of the same alignment.
However, playing as an Iconoclast can be punishing. In the Warhammer setting, trying to be a good guy makes you the odd one out, which means making a lot of enemies and few allies. It's not an insurmountable problem, but you'll run into a lot more trouble playing this path.
Why You Should Choose Iconoclast
At Least On Your First Playthrough
While the choice is ultimately up to preference, I'd recommend playing as an Iconoclast the first time around. Although it can be challenging, your victories as an Iconoclast are hard-won, which makes them a lot more satisfying. As an Iconoclast, it's also a lot easier to achieve a happier ending, or at least the closest you can get in this setting.
For your second playthrough and beyond, you can go back and try out the Dogmatic or Heretical routes if you so desire. But on your first run, you should definitely stick with Iconoclast in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
-
- Top Critic Avg: 78/100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- December 7, 2023
- ESRB
- T Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Owlcat Games
- Publisher(s)
- Owlcat Games
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
Your comment has not been saved