Grand Strategist

Grand Strategist is one of the six second-tier Archetypes in Rogue Trader. It focuses on controlling the battlefield by buffing allies and debuffing enemies.

## In-game description

Masters of battlefield positioning for themselves and their allies, the Grand Strategist is able to increase the battle effectiveness of their party by designating and strengthening important parts of the battlefield.

Core focus: battlefield control, ally buffs, unique utility, enemy debuffs.

## Archetype Features

The Grand Strategist is almost entirely a support class. Their Combat Tactics ability allows them to designate areas of the battlefield as the Front, Backline, and Rear. These areas provide bonuses to allies within them. All three can be placed on the first turn of combat, and one can be moved on each subsequent turn. All of the Grand Strategist's abilities are "stratagems" which provide additional benefits to one of the Combat Tactics areas.

If you have multiple Grand Strategists in your party, the Combat Tactics areas are common to all of them, and the highest INT bonus and FEL bonus will be used to determine the bonuses they provide.

Grand Strategists always go first in combat, before enemies or other allies.

### Characteristics

Grand Strategists can improve the following characteristics during level-up:

* Intelligence
* Perception
* Willpower
* Fellowship

### Skills

Grand Strategists can improve the following skills during level-up:

* Commerce
* Demolition
* Logic
* Lore (Imperium)
* Lore (Xenos)
* Persuasion
* Tech-Use

### Abilities

Keystone

* Combat Tactics

Unlockable

* Blitz Stratagem
* Combat Locus Stratagem
* Killzone Stratagem
* Overwhelming Stratagem
* Stronghold Stratagem
* Trenchline Stratagem

Ultimate Abilities

* Take and Hold (Heroic Act)
* Take and Hold (Desperate Measures)

### Talents

* Point of Interest
* Diversion Zone
* Crossfire Zone
* Enduring Zone
* Redeployment
* Adjusting Frontline
* Personal Zone
* Strongpoint
* Personal Combat Zone
* Critical Zone
* Mobility Zone
* Supporting Zone
* Strategic Perfection
* Improvised Strategy
* Sniping Zone
* Fire at Will
* Disputed Zone
* Strategic Offensive
* Respite Zone
* Inescapable Zone
* Fortress Zone
* Daunting Zone
* Opening Strategy
* Overcoming Zone
* Blurred Locus

### Progression

Officers and Operatives can become Grand Strategists when they reach level 16. Grand Strategists gain the following benefits when they level up

* 16. Gain the Combat Tactics ability
* 17. Choose one Ability
* 18. Choose one Talent
* 19. Gain your Ultimate Abilities
* 20. Gain an additional AP and choose one Characteristic improvement
* 21. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Talent
* 22. Choose one Ability
* 23. Choose one Skill improvement and one Talent
* 24. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Common Talent
* 25. Choose one Talent
* 26. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Skill improvement
* 27. Choose one upgrade for your Ultimate Ability
* 28. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Talent
* 29. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Skill improvement
* 30. Choose one Ability
* 31. Choose one Talent and one Common Talent
* 32. Choose one Skill improvement and one Characteristic improvement
* 33. Choose one Characteristic improvement and one Talent
* 34. Choose one Common Talent
* 35. Choose one upgrade for your Ultimate Ability

At level 36, the Grand Strategist becomes an Exemplar.