N18 Helot Cult Gangs - do we still get Specialists?

[mateyboy3000]

My group disagrees as they say Witch does specify otherwise, which is a massive pain as I want to use one, but I’m buggered if I’m going to buy the Books of Ruin AND Outcast to try and argue it. I think I’m scuppered.

which line are they saying is 'Specified Otherwise'? i have ruin in front of me and i see nothing that would preclude them from benefiting

 

[TopsyKretts]

Most of us wants to start RAW. Then we crash and burn. Then either house rule extensively or play something else

 

[TopsyKretts]

Someone has just suggested I drop the Helots entirely and make a corrupted outcast gang instead. The only negative being that you can’t switch gods (which I don’t plan on doing anyway)

Another common house rule Outcasts can't be corrupted/infected.

 

[Stubram]

Most of us wants to start RAW. Then we crash and burn. Then either house rule extensively or play something else

Is the game still f*cked with inconsistency and poor wording or did the Necrodamus overcome them?

 

[TopsyKretts]

It seems to be improved quality in the past few books! But the amount is still evergrowing

 

[Lunarcruiser]

Onwards quality looks like it is improving but I would like a backwards look at previous works by the design staff now and then.
Gang composition for helots enforcers etc to be updated to the House of ... mechanic would be nice, 0-2 enforcers sergeants ringing bells, and the specialist question.
Given that all the House gangs apart from Van Saar have been updated with crews etc in the latest succession release and Warhammer Community articles and the Enforcers have had a tweak it could be helots cultists turn next. Or a giant super cricket or sandworm for ash wastes nomads to use instead of vehicles...

 

[AshX42]

So the consensus is due to that line in the Book of Outcast that my Chaos Helot Witch has one primary skill and one Wyrd Power at the start?

The Book of the Outcasts rule says that all psykers start with at least one wyrd power unless stated otherwise. The Witch never explicitly states that they don't get a wyrd power, so RAW you can either select a wyrd power as their normal skill for being a champion, or you can select a skill that isn't a wyrd power, and then the Book of the Outcasts rule gives them a wyrd power in addition to make sure that the psyker has a wyrd power.
It is a hilarious rules interaction that makes picking a wyrd power for the first skill completely pointless.
If your arbitrator is adamant that witches don't get 2 skills, they're in charge, but both RAW and community concensus agree that they can.