Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader — How to Get More Action Points

Making the most out of the action economy helps you win a lot of battles. Indeed, there’s a lot that goes into encounters in this CRPG version of the TTRPG. Here’s our guide on how to get more action points in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader.

How to Accrue More Action Points in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

You can get more action points (AP) in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader by selecting certain origins, class skills/talents, by using Stimms, and upon reaching certain levels. Here’s a quick summary:

• Bonus AP when leveling up — Characters automatically receive +1 AP once they reach levels 20, 45, and 55.
• Stimms — These are consumable items that grant +4 AP and +4 movement points (MP) instantly. However, on the character’s next turn, their base MP and AP are reduced by 2 points.
• Homeworlds and Origins — Think of Homeworlds and Origins as the starting points of any build you want to consider down the line. There are certain core abilities that you’ll want to use.
• Class Skills and Talents — Since there are numerous classes and perks to consider, I’ve opted to list them in separate sections, which you can see in their respective categories.

Best Homeworld and Origin Choices For Earning Additional Action Points

I wholeheartedly recommend the Commissar origin for your main character if you want to get more action points in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. That’s because of a free ability called At All Costs. You can either shoot an enemy or an ally. Shooting an enemy marks it, and if killed by an ally, they gain an extra turn with +2 AP and +4 MP. Shooting an ally, meanwhile, gives them +1 AP and +3 MP for the next round.

As for Homeworlds, one of the best options is Fortress World due to the Never Stop Shooting (NSS) perk. It gives you a chance at having an attack that costs 0 AP.

How to Get Moree Action Points as the Officer Class

Among all archetypes/classes, Officers are the top choice for those who want more action points in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. In fact, my main character in my playthrough is an Officer so I could have a support-oriented role.

• Core ability: Bring It Down — Grant an ally an extra turn with +2 AP but no MP.
• Talent: More Than Possible — The target of Bring It Down gains +1 AP; if they no longer have AP when they finish this extra turn, they take Willpower bonus-based damage.
• Talent: Seize the Initiative — At the beginning of combat, gain an extra turn where you can only use Officer abilities.

How to Get More Action Points as the Soldier Class

Soldiers don’t necessarily give themselves additional AP. Instead, their core ability and talents help them expend less AP.

• Core ability: Run and Gun — Gain bonus MP based on your Agility; your next attack costs -1 AP less and does not count toward the attack limit for your turn; become winded afterward and lose -10 Ballistic Skill and be unable to use Run and Gun.
• Talent: Rapid Reload — Reloading costs -2 AP less; the first reload in combat doesn’t cost AP.

How to Get More Action Points as the Warrior Class

The Warrior, a melee specialist, has more reactive perks compared to others. Basically, they need to take a bit of damage to gain extra AP:

• Unlockable ability: Sworn Enemy — Mark a target to gain bonus armor and damage against them. If they attack you during that round, you’ll also gain +1 AP.
• Talent: Interception — Parrying an attack successfully lowers the cost of your next Warrior ability by -1 AP.

How to Gain Additional Action Points as the Bounty Hunter Class

The Bounty Hunter is an advanced class available to Soldiers and Operatives that reach Level 16. The idea is to mark your prey, then use Claim the Bounty on that target:

• Core ability: Hunt Down the Prey — Mark up to three enemies as prey, granting buffs such as temporary HP, critical hit chance, and critical damage.
• Unlockable skill: Claim the Bounty — This is a free, single-target attack that always hits, but the damage is slightly lower. If Claim the Bounty kills a target marked as prey, you’ll gain +2 AP.

Best Team Setup and Synergies to Acquire Bonus AP

There are certainly numerous methods to continue playing with the action economy in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. My personal setup involves characters like Cassia and the Rogue Trader, who are both officers, as well as damage dealers like Yrliet and Sister Argenta. Here’s what I do in most battles:

• Cassia has powers that can cause enemies to get grouped together. Both she and the Rogue Trader are Officers, so they can give extra turns through the use of Bring It Down. My Rogue Trader also has the Commissar origin, which means she can cast At All Costs.
• I usually give a free turn to Yrliet, who has the Eye of Hecaton equipped. Since enemies are bunched up, she’ll hit several, and she’ll still be able to attack. I made her a Bounty Hunter so she can mark targets as prey, followed by using Claim the Bounty to kill one foe.
• The same applies to Sister Argenta, who I’ve also turned into a Bounty Hunter. With Run and Gun, she can use two burst-fire actions on the same turn. Her reloads also don’t cost AP.
• I can also use In My Sights as Yrliet. However, if I use Bring It Down on her during the same round, the passive is triggered, which means she’ll get another free attack earlier than expected.

Other Sources of Bonus Action Points

There are many more ways to get action points in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. We do tackle these in other guides, too:

• Yrliet’s In My Sights — This is an ability unique to Yrliet, your Aeldari companion. While it does end her turn, she’ll automatically fire on her target on her next turn. This is basically a free shot that can also be triggered by other allied perks. You can learn more about Yrliet and other companions like her in our Operative build guide.
• Sanctioned Psykers — Psykers deftly manipulate the currents of the Warp to cast spells. While this is an origin option, it’s also more complex due to the nature of the mechanics and talents. We discuss this further in our Sanctioned Psyker build guide.
• Heroic Acts and Desperate Measures — Certain ultimate abilities may also affect the AP that you earn, though this is governed by how much Momentum you amass in battle. You can learn more in our Momentum guide.
• Exemplar talents — The Exemplar is the game’s ultimate class, unlocked once characters reach Level 36. It has an assortment of talents, including those that further amplify action point usage. You can learn more in our Exemplar class guide.
• Weapons and equipment — A select few weapons also grant bonus AP and MP. For instance, there’s the Eye of Hecaton that lets you attack again and again if your shot can hit at least three targets.

These are the ways to get more action points in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader. There are various setups and synergies to discover, some of which will really amaze you once you’re able to clear dozens of enemies in a single round. For other tips and tactics, you can check out our WH40K: RT guides hub.