Exotic Beasts

Source: Necromunda Core Rulebook (2023)

The worlds of the Imperium are host to many strange and wonderful creatures, and Necromunda is no exception. It is well-documented throughout the ages that humans have a strange propensity for keeping all manner of creatures as pets, fascinated by their behaviour and comforted by their loyalty, and in this the denizens of the underhive are no different to humans anywhere else in the galaxy. What is unique to Necromunda, though, are the type and variety of pets that people choose to keep…

Exotic Beasts are purchased as Wargear and should be recorded on their owner’s Fighter card accordingly. However, where Exotic Beasts differ from normal Wargear is that they will have their own Fighter card, which details their unique stats, skills, and weaponry.

Skill Table

D3	Agility	Brawn	Combat	Cunning	Ferocity
1	Catfall	Bull Charge	Combat Master	Backstab	Berserker
2	Dodge	Crushing Blow	Disarm	Evade	Fearsome
3	Sprint	Iron Jaw	Step Aside	Lie Low	Nerves of Steel

Exotic Beasts follow all of the normal rules for a fighter, with the following exceptions:

• Whenever the fighter that owns the Exotic Beast is selected for a scenario, the Exotic Beast may also be deployed. This may take the number of fighters in a starting crew above the number specified by the scenario.
• Exotic Beasts may not perform any action that interacts with objects on the battlefield with the following exceptions:
  • An Exotic Beast with a Strength characteristic of at least 4 may perform the Carry Loot Casket (Simple), Force Door (Basic) and Smash Open Loot Casket (Basic) actions.
  • An Exotic Beast with an Intelligence characteristic of at least 7+ may perform the Operate Door (Simple) action.
  • An Exotic Beast with an Intelligence characteristic of at least 5+ may perform the Access Terminal (Basic) and Bypass Loot Casket Lock (Basic) actions.
• Exotic Beasts cannot assist fighters when rolling for Recovery.
• Exotic Beasts can only be activated as part of a Group Activation with their owner. Accordingly, the owner of an Exotic Beast gains the following special rule:
  • Group Activation (Exotic Beasts): When a fighter with this special rule is activated, their controlling player must activate all Exotic Beasts belonging to this fighter as well, as part of a ‘Group Activation’:
  • The controlling player selects and activates each fighter in this group activation as normal, fully resolving each activation before selecting and activating the next. Each fighter activates individually; groups do not activate simultaneously.
  • If this fighter itself is activated as part of a Group Activation, this rule still applies, meaning any Exotic Beasts this fighter owns are activated as described above when this fighter is itself activated as part of a Group Activation.
• Exotic Beasts must always end their activation within 3" of their owner. If the Exotic Beast is more than 3" away at the end of its activation, it must pass a Nerve test or become Broken.
• Should an Exotic Beast become Broken, it will run towards its owner when activated rather than for cover. When an Exotic Beast makes a Running for Cover (Double) action, it runs towards its owner. It is only concerned with getting back within 3" of its owner.
• An Exotic Beast that has become Broken automatically rallies if it ends an activation within 3" of its owner (note that, during Campaign play, Exotic Beasts do not gain XP for rallying in this way).
• If the owner is removed from the battlefield for any reason, the Exotic Beast is also removed from play.
• Exotic Beasts are not counted for Bottle tests, neither as part of the starting crew nor as fighters Taken Out of Action or Prone and Seriously Injured.
• If an Exotic Beast is taken Out of Action or becomes Prone and Seriously Injured, only other Exotic Beasts need to take Nerve tests to avoid becoming Broken, gangers are made of sterner stuff and expect their beasts to lead short lives.
• Exotic Beasts gain Experience and suffer Lasting Injuries as a normal Ganger and may become a Specialist.
• Exotic Beasts may not take any additional equipment. They may not use weapons other than those detailed on their profile. They may never use Wargear.
• Exotic Beasts can be taken Captive, in which case the owning fighter’s gang can attempt to rescue them and the capturing gang may sell them as if they were a normal fighter. Exotic Beasts taken Captive cannot be put to work in any Territories.