Marazhai Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Marazhai is a Drukhari warrior who revels in the slaughter of his opponents, taking the fight up close and personal. I will give you the best Marazhai build guide I found to work under all circumstances.

Updated: December 29, 2023

This build is current to the 1.0.88 patch!

Best Marazhai Build in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

Here is a list of Rogue Trader features you will want to take for Marazhai while leveling him from the Assassin sub-archetype to Exemplar. In game terms, this particular build will place a solid foundation on which you can build, adjusting him to your play style. And remember, you can always respec if you feel like something's not right with your character.

Related: Officer Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Best Marazhai Characteristics in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

To properly play Marazhai in Rogue Trader, here are the most important Characteristics to pick when leveling him:

• Weapon Skill: Directly increases Marazhai's combat proficiency and ability to parry.
• Toughness: Marazhai is primarily a melee character, which usually makes him the first to be hit, especially when in close range. Toughness will allow him to withstand more damage and stay alive.

Best Marazhai Skills in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

Here is a list of the best Skills to take in this Marazhai Rogue Trader build.

• Medicae: This is a must-have, and you should pick it up as soon as you're able to. Medicae allows Marazhai to heal himself and his allies, which is a very useful skill in combat, especially if things start to go awry. He is a real glass cannon; while he's able to dish out a lot of damage, he cannot take any in return. Even a single well-placed hit will do horrendous damage to him, and Medicae will go a long way in keeping him alive, especially if there are no other allies with this skill to aid him.
• Athletics: Makes Marazhai more nimble in combat, allowing him to fight more effectively. Fast and deadly is the name of the game and the true way of Druhkari.
• Thick Skin: Marazhai gains +1 damage deflection, and his parry chance is increased by +25% of the total Armor value. It provides additional parry, so he doesn't receive damage. It also gives him deflection so he can mitigate some damage output from enemies.

Best Marazhai Talents in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

This is the list of best Talents for Marazhai in Rogue Trader:

• It Will Not Die: Increases the number of wounds on Marazhai by 50%, rounding up. Great for making him more durable, as he is quite fragile and will quickly succumb to injuries if caught in the crossfire.
• Outsmart: Boosts Marazhais's agility bonus, which is essential for keeping him alive.
• Killing Spree: A great Talent to have on any warrior, and especially on Marazhai, as it directly boosts his damage output by giving him a stacking bonus reflected from Agility.
• Tricky Defence: Capitalizes on Marazhai's use of light armor, providing him with a much-needed increase in Dodge chance.
• Carmine Whisper: Builds upon Death Whisper by enhancing the damage enemies get from the Haemorrage status.
• Imminent Demise: greatly benefits Marazhai by making his attacks more potent. When he deals direct damage, this talent adds an extra stack of the 'vulnerable' effect on enemies. It enhances Marazhai's ability to weaken his foes, making them more susceptible to damage from all sources.
• Extermination: A must-have Talent on Marazhai. It increases his damage output by +1 for each attack he makes during a combat encounter. The key benefit here is that the more Marazhai attacks, the more damage he will deal with each subsequent strike. This makes him progressively more dangerous as the fight goes on.
• Interception: Comes into play when Marazhei successfully parries an attack, reducing the action point cost of his next Warrior archetype ability by -1. Essentially, every time he parries, it becomes easier and more action-efficient for him to use her Warrior abilities in the next move. This makes him more adaptable and responsive in combat, allowing him to counterattack or utilize his abilities more frequently.
• Mortally Effective: Allows him to regain spent Action Points when he hits a target with a lethality score of 100 or greater for the first time in a combat round. This means that every round, Marazhai has the potential to recover AP upon successfully striking a highly lethal target, essentially rewarding him for targeting and hitting the most vulnerable enemies.

Best Marazhai Abilities in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

Here are the best Abilities to take on Marazhai while leveling him in Rogue Trader:

• Death Whisper: Great for softening up targets before moving in for the kill by inflicting hemorrhage status. Ideal for using it on tougher bosses, so ensure to always use it before moving in for the kill.
• Dispatch: Provides Marazhai with an unmissable melee attack against an enemy with boosted damage. Excellent for inflicting a fatal blow to high-profile targets, like enemy HQ or Bosses.
• Sworn Enemy: You will deal more damage to those enemies that you mark with Sworn Enemy ability in combat. Marazhai will also gain additional armor against the target, making it easier to take down harder enemies in close combat.
• Endure: Until Marazhai's next turn, all incoming damage is reduced by minus in Toughness, and he will gain a temporary wounds bonus depending on his Toughness level. This allows him to soak up a little bit more damage. It is very spammable, and goes especially well combined with Sworn Enemy Ability above.

Related: Heinrix Build Guide – Rogue Trader

Best Marazhai Items in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

The best items to use on Marazhai in Rogue Trader are those that boost his Dodge Skill and Weapon Skill Characteristics.

• Light Armor: Prioritize Agility over Defense, as Marazhai is more reliant on dodging than tanking hits. Fine Flawless Carapace Armor or Scout Armor are great choices. Thanks to Tricky Defence, you will get additional benefits to your Dodge when using Light Armor on him.
• Dual Wielding: Marazhai excels at dual wielding due to his high Agility and Weapon Skill. Look for Power Swords, Wraithblades, or other weapons with good damage.
• Secondary Weapon: Consider a Plasma Pistol or Combi-Weapon for ranged options, especially against tougher enemies.

How to play Marazhai in Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader

I found the only way to properly play Marazhai in Rogue Trader is to use him as a shock trooper, trying to outflank your enemies and charging them while your tanks, like Abelard or Ulfar, draw fire away from him. He won't last long if focused, so keep moving him from cover to cover, only risking exposure when you're sure he's within the charging range of enemies. Here is what using Marazhai should look like in practice:

• Charge the first enemy you see in the enemy ranks to get a kill and combat bonus.
• Run past the rest of the troops.
• Go straight for the most powerful character or a boss.
• Using the remaining MP, dive for cover to avoid the brunt of enemy fire that will ensue.

The key to playing Marazhai successfully is to understand the Drukhari battle doctrine. The Druhkari are corsairs that attack suddenly, spreading wanton destruction and are gone in a heartbeat, leaving death and mayhem behind them. That means they play as glass cannons, and Marazhai is a perfect depiction of his kinsmen's fighting style.

When using Sworn Enemy, always ensure that you combine this ability with Endure for maximum effect. That will cost 2 AP, and it will also take away 1 AP cost from Charge, bringing all three abilities down to 3 AP, leaving you with one more AP for a regular melee attack, which is incredible value.

Looking for more interesting Rogue Trader articles to survive the perils of the Warp? Look no further, as Pro Game Guides is your Iron Halo! Have a look at All Rogue Trader difficulty levels, explained.