The Winter FAQ for Age of Sigmar is up, and a little earlier than expected. It is quite expansive, touching on the various sets of base rules and on several factions. At one time it was mentioned that point changes might be included, but no. We will need to wait for GHB 2019 for new point changes, thank goodness. So, let’s dive into the new magenta text that has been added this go around.
Starting with the core rules set, there were some clarifications and changes. Where rolls of ones are misses or failures no adjustments that are added can change that. Abilities that state ‘wholly within’ only work if the whole base of every model in the affected unit is in the given range. Also specific rules found on warscrolls, battleplans, and allegiance abilities do trump core rules. So, Kroak’s and the Tzaangor Shaman special spell rules trump the one time casting per spell limit. Also teleport moves like Shadow Realms in Ulgu or with the Mirrorpool spell now count as your move. All things that gust clean up the current rules set.
Rolls of 6’s got some attention also. The game language is moving from 6+’s to unmodified or ‘natural’ 6’s become that norm. Any older effects that trigger ‘on a roll of 6’ are to be counted after rerolls but before modifiers. Items also are affected like “Jade Diadem Change … ‘If the unmodified save roll for an attack that targets the bearer is 6, heal 1 wound allocated to the bearer.’ Just a hint of the way special rolls will be used in further rules.
Order armies have a number of changes. Things like the Lords of the Lodge battalion can steal the initiative in the first turn on a 2+. That should give one drop armies reason to pause in set up. The Celestant-Prime’s Retribution from On High Ability adds 2 to the Attacks characteristic of Ghal Maraz per battle round. For Idoneth the Gloomtide Shipwrecks now must be placed more than 6” from where any objectives on top of other restrictions for placement. Lastly, a few battalions have been removed from the lists. The Daughters of Kaine abilities ‘Worship Through Bloodshed’ and ‘Orgy of Slaughter’ can no longer stack. Not sure that’s enough to remove them from the top seat in tournaments. Daughters currently enjoy a 70+% win ratio at events. Most everything looks good for Order.
Chaos got next to no real changes. Slaanesh got a small alteration, “…any friendly units that include any Enrapturing Banners” are affected by the minus one. No more stacking for that.
Death, which has risin to be one of the top factions got a few clarifications and some new allies. You only roll once for the death save no matter how many heroes are nearby. Which seemed obvious to me, but needed clarifying. Then the Legions of Nagash got two new allies on their list. The Guardian of Souls with Mortality Glass or with the Nightmare Lantern can now be taken. The Coven Throne now treats everything but the hero on it as a mount. I thought that was how it was being played but this also needed clarification. All in all nothing is affecting their current rise in supremacy.
Destruction, Ironjawz is the only allegiance that got some adjustments, I love my Ironjawz and was hoping for some love. What did they get well…they can no longer use ‘Mighty Destroyers’ one the same unit in a hero phase. No big deal. The Ironfist ‘Ere We Go!…’ ability now sounds like I only roll one dice for the battalion move and it applies to each unit in the battalion. However, they can still stack Mighty Waaagh! and/or Waaagh!, which was the only ruling I expected them to change. No matter, I will still be yelling “Smashin’ and Bashin’” at events in my area.
Artifacts saw some changes as well, I think for the better. The Doppelganger Cloak now only works “‘Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase…”. Which I see as a positive, any item that sits on everybody’s short list as a must take, needs to be looked at, and in a number event reviews, this item placed prominently in the top lists. Some others got
Overall the changes are lite and like other FAQ’s there are some gems in there that make you laugh.
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