Rare items on your starting list

Hey, I'm new to Mordheim. Been playing Necromunda for a while though.

I've seen some starting lists where people have equipped rare items from the warband's weapon list (For example, an assassin adept starting with a warplock pistol). I didn't see anywhere in the rules that this was allowed cause normally you would have to roll for it. Did I just miss it? Is it a common house rule or something?

Thanks!

if it's on your warbands equipment list then yes you can start with it with out a roll and only pay the stated price. After that you will need to roll and pay the price on the master list.

As Pervavita said.

Some warbands(including official GW ones) do have initial access to rare equipment, and sometimes at a reduced price. The rationale is that in the warband's homelands these items are more commonly available than they are around Mordheim. Hence, you can buy them without a roll when first creating warband, but not subsequently.

My group does have a house rule where, if a rare item is on your starting equipment list, any of your heroes searching for it receive a +1 to their roll.

Yup. If it's on your equipment list it can be bought at warband creation at the listed price.

As clarified in the Errata, any subsequent purchase of such an item must be made as per the usual rules for rare items. This is particularly important when recruiting henchmen into a group that is armed with rare items.