The Black Crusade RPG is a tabletop role-playing game where you play as a servant of Chaos in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It flips the usual heroic perspective, letting you fight against the Imperium and embrace the Ruinous Powers.
What is the Black Crusade RPG?
Published in 2011 by Fantasy Flight Games, Black Crusade uses the same core system as other Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying games like Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader. But instead of playing an Inquisitor or a rogue trader, you’re a Chaos-corrupted character working against the human empire.
The game has a martial focus, and your character doesn’t have to be a soldier, just a follower of Chaos. You can be a heretic, a renegade, or even a daemon prince in the making. The core book includes a pre-written adventure to get you started.
Why it matters
Most 40k RPGs cast you as someone fighting the horrors of the galaxy. Black Crusade lets you be the horror. It’s the only official RPG line that puts you on the side of the Ruinous Powers, which makes it a favourite for players who want to explore the setting’s darker half.
It also expands the lore of the Chaos Gods through dedicated supplements, giving Game Masters and players plenty of material to build campaigns around corruption, ambition, and damnation.
Key books and supplements
The line ran from 2011 to 2014 under Fantasy Flight Games, and Cubicle 7 took over the license in 2017. The core rulebook is your starting point, and the Game Master’s Kit adds a screen and extra rules. The four Tome books each focus on one Chaos God, offering new options for followers of Tzeentch, Khorne, Slaanesh, and Nurgle.
- Core Rulebook (2011), includes a pre-written adventure.
- The Game Master’s Kit (2011), screen, adventure, NPCs, and expanded rules.
- Hand of Corruption (2012), a three-act adventure.
- The Tome of Fate (2012), Tzeentch.
- The Tome of Blood (2012), Khorne.
- The Tome of Excess (2013), Slaanesh.
- The Tome of Decay (2014), Nurgle.
- Binding Contracts (2014), additional rules and content.
How it connects to other 40k RPGs
Black Crusade is part of the same family as Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, Deathwatch, and Only War. They all share the same basic mechanics, so you can mix characters and campaigns if you want. But Black Crusade stands apart because it’s the only one where you play as the antagonist.
The lore ties directly into the wider 40k universe. Your actions can affect the same sectors and conflicts featured in other games, just from the other side of the war.
Key facts
- Black Crusade is a Warhammer 40,000 role-playing game published in 2011 by Fantasy Flight Games.
- Players take on the roles of Chaos-corrupted characters fighting against the Imperium.
- It uses the same core system as Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, and other 40k RPGs.
- The line includes a core rulebook, a GM kit, adventures, and four Tome supplements dedicated to the Chaos Gods.
- Cubicle 7 acquired the license in 2017 and may continue the line.
FAQ
Is Black Crusade still supported?
Fantasy Flight Games stopped producing it in 2017, but Cubicle 7 now holds the license and may release new material. The existing books are still available second-hand and through digital sellers.
Do I need other 40k RPG books to play?
No. The core rulebook has everything you need to start playing. The supplements add options but aren’t required.
Can I play a loyalist Space Marine in Black Crusade?
Not by default. The game assumes you’re a Chaos follower. But with Game Master approval, you could house-rule a loyalist character, though it goes against the game’s premise.