Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader — Best Yrliet Build Guide

Want to snipe enemies one after the other, often with guaranteed critical hits? If so, you’ll want to leverage the power of this effective companion with the right abilities and skills. Here’s my guide on the best Yrliet build in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader.

How to Make the Best Yrliet Build in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

My Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader best Yrliet build guide primarily focuses on the Aeldari companion’s capabilities as a sniper so we can turn her into a killing machine. Yrliet already starts out strong with the Operative archetype, and she has a few quirks available by default:

• Origin ability: In My Sights — Yrliet attacks this target at the start of her next turn and this shot cannot miss. using this ability ends Yrliet’s current turn.
• Operative Talent: Assisted Analysis — At the start of the turn, the Operative inflicts +1 exploit on an enemy for every two Operative allies that have the target in their line-of-sight; can trigger on multiple enemies.

Yrliet can’t equip non-Aeldari gear pieces, but she does come with her own sniper rifle. Later, you can acquire the Eye of Hecaton, which is her best-in-slot weapon. I was able to obtain it at the end of Act 2 during the Rogue Trader’s ascension ceremony. I opted to accept Calligos Winterscale’s gift, which turned out to be this sniper rifle that grants +5 movement points and allows movement after attacking. Moreover, if the shot hits three or more targets, Yrliet will be able to do another attack.

Best Attributes and Skill Options for Yrliet

I recommend prioritizing the following to have the best Yrliet build in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. Unlike some other builds, such as those for Marazhai and Ulfar, there are specific skills to look out for (you don’t want to pick just any).

• Characteristics: Perception and Ballistic Skill as your top two priorities; Agility as a third option.
• Skills: Awareness and Lore (Xenos) are your best bets here. Don’t forget to level-up Medicae at least once so she can equip Medkits.

Yrliet’s Best Operative Abilities and Talents

Below are my picks for Yrliet’s default Operative class. A word of warning, however: there are some bugs in Rogue Trader, including ones that don’t allow certain characters like Yrliet to be respecced fully. Be sure to carefully consider your overall build once you reach a certain point (I know from experience, as I was locked out of progressing several characters).

• Abilities:
  • Perfect Spot — +25% cover efficiency, +15 Perception, and +15 Ballistic Skill when in cover; lasts until the Operative moves again.
  • Precise Attack — Reduces the target’s cover efficiency and increases your hit chance against it if it’s affected by an exploit.
• Talents:
  • Swift Sight — In My Sights costs only 1 AP.
  • Fresh Target — Attacking an enemy at full wounds deals extra damage.
  • Sharpshooter — If the Operative has not moved this turn, gain Ballistic Skill and extra damage for every five cells between them and their target.
  • Ballistics Calculation — Attacking a target affected by an exploit from a distance of nine cells or further deals extra damage.
  • Voidborn Origin: Bloody Mess — Anytime a Voidborn scores a critical hit, there’s a 10% chance to double the damage.

Best Advanced Archetype for Yrliet

Here, I’ve opted for the Bounty Hunter advanced archetype. This is due to Hunt Down the Prey, which lets you mark three targets to gain bonuses and nifty effects. These synergize with the following abilities and Talents:

• Abilities:
  • Piercing Shot — The next attack has 100% over-penetration and bonus armor penetration. This attack is a guaranteed critical hit on those marked as prey.
  • Claim the Bounty — Make a free, single attack with your weapon; guaranteed to hit but does lower damage; each third kill grants an extra charge of Hunt Down the Prey. Also, if this ability kills a marked target, you regain +2 AP.
• Talents:
  • Claim and Maim — If Claim the Bounty kills an enemy, the next attack will always be a critical hit.
  • Critical Chain — Killing an enemy with a critical hit gives nearby allies increased critical hit chance until the end of combat.
  • Pierce the Armor — When you score a critical hit, the target’s armor is reduced until the end of combat.
  • Pounce — The Bounty Hunter’s allies gain increased crit chance against enemies affected by prey, trailed, or immobilized.
  • Share the Spoils — If an ally kills prey, the Bounty Hunter gains half the bonuses from Hunt Down the Prey.

Yrliet has the right tools to make quick work of multiple opponents. Using piercing sniper shots, guaranteed criticals, a blast from In My Sights, and free action points/turns from Officer abilities (which also prematurely proc In My Sights), you’ll see hostiles drop before they even get too close.

These are my suggestions when coming up with the best build for Yrliet in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. Don’t forget that you can still grab a few amazing talents once Yrliet becomes an Exemplar. You can learn more in our Exemplar class guide. For other tips and tactics, you can check out our WH40K: RT guides hub.