Soldier Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Updated: January 2, 2024

This build is current to Patch 1.0.89

Soldiers are the backbone of every Rogue Trader's party, capable of dishing out incredible damage from a versatile set of ranges depending on the weapons being used. This Soldier build guide will make full use of the Archetype's ability to swap weapons and be effective at a moment's notice.

Best Soldier Build in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

As Soldiers are an early-game class, this build will focus on making sure you can reach the end of the first act easily. If you're not a fan of some of the choices made here after Act 1, feel free to utilize the respec option (available just after the Prologue) to make changes. Now let's get building.

This particular Soldier build will make heavy use of both Sniper Rifles and Flamers, and many of the choices below will reflect supporting this unique short-long range playstyle. The goal will be to inflict as many targets as possible with DoT effects up close, and accurate burst damage at a distance.

Best Soldier Homeworld in Rogue Trader

We're going with the Fortress World for this build as it comes with the powerful Never Stop Shooting mechanic. This passive ability allows the Soldier to gain stacks of a buff with the same name after killing an enemy. When firing with the buff active, they give the Soldier a percent chance equal to the number of stacks to get a free additional turn. Gaining this turn removes the stacks. As the mechanic says, we want the Soldier to never stop shooting, and this plays a huge role in reaching that goal.

Best Soldier Origin in Rogue Trader

Soldier has several useful Origins it can make use of, but for this build, we'll be going with the Sanctioned Psyker - Pyromancy to make use of the Psyker ability and invoke the Warp to inflict additional DoT (damage-over-time). Pyromancy also provides several key Talents that improve the Soldier's overall damage and survivability, but we won't be taking most of them in this basic Archetype. Instead, those will be taken once the Arch-Militant advanced Archetype has been unlocked. More on them later.

Related: Yrilet Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Best Soldier Characteristics

To play this Soldier build correctly in Rogue Trader, you'll want to prioritize investment in these core stats:

• Ballistic Skill - This stat governs how often you hit with ranged weapons, so it automatically has the most value out of all others.
• Agility - Governs your Dodge Chance and affects where you appear in the turn order. The main importance is the turn order, as you need to be able to get into position to dish out punishment long before the enemy gets to move.
• Willpower - We're investing in Willpower so that Soldier's Psyker abilities are potent enough to remain threatening through the game.
• Perception - This stat primarily acts a secondary one for improving hit chance; thus there is investment value if you want to move around some of the stat points yourself.

Best Soldier Skills in Rogue Trader

For this Soldier build, Skills don't play much of a role, but there is one you could invest in for some general usage:

• Demolition - I can recommend investing in Demolition because your core stats have some minor levels of synergy while out of combat. There isn't anything else that matters much, so feel free to invest elsewhere if you already have a party member with a high Demolition Skill.

Best Soldier Talents in Rogue Trader

As mentioned, we want the Soldier to be able to dish out damage through DoTs; thus there are a few key talents we can invest in to make the magic happen.

• Flame Weapon Expert - With this, the Solder's Flamer weapon skills have their AP costs reduced by one. This is massively important because this allows the Soldier to use the line burst attack with no AP cost. In situations where the Soldier can attack several times per turn, the only limitation because the ammo amount in the Flamer.
• Second Skin - For this Soldier build, we want the Soldier to remain somewhat protected while also having full access to their natural Dodge Chance. Second Skin provides this.
• Biomancy - Biomancy allows the Solider to gain access to several potent buffs and heals that will allow for a massively improved amount of sustainable ability when required.
• Invigorate - For this build, Invigorate provides a reliable healing source without a consumable cost.
• Sparks of the Greater Flame - Enables the Soldier's DoT effects to critically hit, based off Critical Chance. DoTs are a major part of this build's damage, so this is a must-have Talent.
• Biophysical Distortion - When any of the Soldier's attacks land, they will also infect the target(s) with a potent toxin that cannot be removed. This is a staple Talent as well, as it is effectively damage that costs nothing to apply. Additionally, due to this toxin being a DoT, it gets fully affected by Sparks of the Greater Flame

Related: Pasqal Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Best Soldier Abilities in Rogue Trader

For this Soldier build, there are only a few important Abilities you'll be using actively.

• Ignite - Applies the Warp Burn DoT and Biophysical Distortion DoT effects with a single cast.
• Invigorate - Healing is important in Rogue Trader, and having this one always on hand for yourself and the rest of your party is incredibly helpful in the game's most difficult encounters.
• Run and Gun - Grants the Soldier an extra turn so you can dish out more damage without waiting for the next round.
• Revel in Slaughter - Killing enemies allows the Soldier to buff their damage to insane levels. This is primarily a 'win more' ability, as it requires you to kill three (two if you take the Talent) enemies before it can be activated.
• Firearm Mastery - One of the strongest Ultimates in the game, this ability allows the Soldier to automatically reload their weapon and fire several times equal to their weapon's Rate of Fire, at no additional AP cost. Doing so allows the Soldier to dish out incredible damage in a single turn, and in future turns, as the effects persist until after combat has ended.

Best Soldier Items in Rogue Trader

DoTs are the name of the game for this Soldier build, but the items you should use should focus on enhancing overall damage and sustainability.

• Primary Flamer - Flamers set enemies ablaze with their own DoT, which does get affected by previously mentioned DoT-related Talents, including Biophysical Distortion. This item is a requirement, whether you're using a Hand Flamer, normal Flamer, or Heavy Flamer.
• Secondary Sniper Rifle - Sniper Rifles allow you to hang back and pick off targets using your standard Soldier kit. They will act as a secondary when getting close to the enemy for flamethrower action isn't a viable move. Biophysical Distortion still allows you to apply a poison DoT to any target you hit.
• Tactical Goggles - These gloves are just a great general damage boost as they provide increased Hit Chance and Critical Chance just by equipping them.
• Antomist's Amulet - The single most important item for this build is this specific amulet, which gives your DoT effects the ability to stack, dramatically boosting their damage. You get +2 stacks whenever you inflict a standard DoT so this doesn't include unique DoT effects like Biophysical Distortion, which is specifically applied through a Talent. It can be purchased from Kasballica Mission for 58 Profit Factor.

How to play Soldier in Rogue Trader

For this build, everything revolves around your DoT effects ticking every single turn on as many enemies as possible. You should have three DoTs on as many enemies as possible at all times.

• Burning - Applied through Flamer attacks. This is Fire DoT that deals Fire damage. Flamer Shot Spread allows you to hit entire groups of enemies with this DoT Instantly.
• Warp Burn - Applied through Ignite. This is a Fire DoT that deals Fire Damage. This is your most powerful DoT as it scales extremely well with Psyker Rating, thus making it even more potent as you progress. Warp Burn can only be applied through Psyker Pyromancy, so keep that in mind.
• Biophysical Distortion Toxin - This is a potent DoT that is applied by dealing any kind of damage to a target, thus it is also applied whenever you apply Burning or Warp Burn. This is a Toxin DoT that deals Toxin Damage. This one is a freebie DoT that also scales well in the later game, as its damage is entirely dependent on your Psy Rating.

Once you've applied all three of these DoTs, you're goal is to dish out as much traditional damage as possible to help them out. Normal kills and kills with DoT both provide stacks of Never Stop Shooting and Revel in Slaughter, with the former allowing for extra turns at a regular pace and the latter boosting your total damage during combat. Run and Gun also provides an additional, controllable method to get an extra turn.

Position yourself at mid-range so that your Flamer can always land attacks. If you're too far away from an ongoing fight or it is dangerous to close distance, pull out your Sniper Rifle to pick targets off.

For more helpful guides and useful information on everything Rogue Trader, check out the Rogue Trader Patch Notes right here on Pro Game Guides.