The effervescent Shadowseer swirls in a Harlequin checkered mist of Leadership modifiers. For 60 points, and the release of the new Aeldari Gathering Storm 2 Rules, the Shadowseer can no longer be ignored.
Harlequins, they’re considered by many to be the joke of the Eldar community—literally. With the release of the new Ynarri FAQ that banned beginning a game embarked on a Battle Brother’s transport, most Harlequin players let out a groan. But, with the Shadowseer, there’s still hope for some checkered giggles in your army yet.
At 60 points base, with available upgrades ranging from a Mask of Secrets to a Mastery Level 2 upgrade, the Shadowseer is an affordable psychic elite that can dance into any footslogging squad for a psychic boost when a Farseer HQ is just too taxing. Besides, he’s got some tricks up his sleeves.
Wargear:
- Holosuit
- Mistave
- Flip Belt
- Hallucinogen Grenade Launcher
- Shuriken Pistol: Can be upgraded to a Neuro Disruptor
- May Take Haywire Grenades
- May Take 1 item from the Enigmas of the Black Library List
Special Rules:
- Fear
- Fleet
- Furious Charge
- Hit & Run
- Independent Character
- Psyker (Mastery Level 1)
At first sight, the Shadowseer isn’t exactly love. His lack of an armor value makes him a target that’s an easy picking, especially when attached to a Harlequin unit with the same 5+ invulnerable save. But, with the new Aeldari Faction, the Shadowseer has a place.
Stick him at the back of the pack of a footslogging Wraithguard squad, combined with a Mask of Secrets for a -2 Leadership and an upgrade to Psychic Mastery Level 2, roll that Shadowseer on Telepathy for some Leadership shenanigans and defensive mechanisms before you go to work on your opponent.
Or, take a chance, and try the Harlequin Phantasmancy Discipline, keeping the Shadowseer equipped with the Mask of Secrets. There’s the often-popular Mirror of Minds, a Mastery Level 2 Psychic Power. Choosing a target model within 24”, the Shadowseer and the target model roll a D6, adding their respective Leadership values to the result. If the result of the target model’s roll is equal to or less than the Shadowseer’s, the model suffers a single wound with no armor or cover saves allowed. The theatrics continue until the target model finally thwarts the Shadowseer, rolling a higher Leadership. With a bag of tricks consisting of a Leadership 10, a -2 Leadership modifier to enemy units (dubbed the Mask of Secrets), and a 24” range, sometimes, the Shadowseer has the last laugh.
Mirror of Minds isn’t the only dangerous riddle within the Harlequin’s badgering psychic Discipline. The Primaris Power is the “Veil of Tears” (and it’s my personal favorite). The rules of this deadly game are simple: a unit wishing to target the Shadowseer or his unit must roll a 2D6, and multiply the result by 2. If the unit is not within the amount of inches rolled of the Shadowseer and his unit, then the enemy unit may not fire this turn.
The possibilities of combinations with the Primaris Power “Veil of Tears”, “Mirror of Minds”, and the new Aeldari faction are endless. Not only can the Shadowseer act as a cheap psychic buff, defensively casting on Sanctic and Telepathy, but it can also play offensively on Telepathy and Phantasmancy.