We’ve been hinting a lot about what lies within the hallowed pages of Phoenix Rising, and today we’re revealing one of the MAGNIFICENT new rules features in the book. You know how Codex: Space Marines includes the means to create your own Successor Tactics? Well, Phoenix Rising has a similar system that enables you to do the same for your Craftworlds, Kabals, Wych Cults and Haemonculus Covens!
This article was originally published on the Warhammer-community page.
As with Successor Tactics, if your Craftworld, Kabal, Cult or Coven Detachment of choice doesn’t have its own associated Craftworld Attributes or Drukhari Obsessions, you can now choose two from those listed in Phoenix Rising to create your own!
Craftworld Attributes
There are no fewer than 22 Craftworld Attributes to choose from, offering your Asuryani a wealth of tactical and thematic opportunities. If you’re looking to take the fight to the enemy with a small, elite warhost with a strong presence of Aspect Warriors, the first option on the list, Children of Khaine, is an excellent option.
Howling Banshees, in particular, will benefit greatly from the chance to inflict additional Damage in this manner, as the -3 AP of their power swords means that they’ll likely cut straight through their target’s armour. All of a sudden, that solid line of 2-Wound Primaris Space Marines doesn’t look so intimidating!
New Powers of the Aspect Shrines also enable you to customise the way that your Exarchs fight in battle – perfect for creating a narrative twist or giving your Aspect Warriors a competitive edge that complements your play style. There are six new powers to choose from for each of the nine Aspects, ranging from Howling Banshees to Crimson Hunters. You can either replace your Exarch’s existing power with one of the new options, or make use of the Exemplar Stratagems to pick one in addition.
For example, one of the Howling Banshee Exarch Powers – Disarming Strike – is excellent for helping to shut down a powerful enemy character or war machine by subtracting 2 from the Attack characteristic of it. It will even work on an Imperial Knight!
To further augment your close-range hitting power, give your shuriken weaponry an Armour Penetration boost with Hail of Doom. AP -1 is always handy when you’re firing so many shots with your shuriken weapons.
Do you seek to wield the deadly Ghost Warriors of the craftworlds in large numbers? A combination of Diviners of Fate (for a 6+ invulnerable save) and Wrath of the Dead will make for a tougher, hard-hitting combination of attributes – especially effective with Strength 10 D-scythes and wraithcannons, as they’ll be wounding most targets on a 2+ anyway!
Phoenix Rising introduces a brand-new psychic discipline, Runes of Fortune, to the mighty psykers of the craftworlds – six new powers that offer some alternate narrative or competitive flavour. Is your craftworld especially sneaky? Are they renowned for striking suddenly, as if from nowhere? Ghostwalk is a handy power for giving your charging unit an edge, and can even guarantee success over short distances, and that’s the best kind of fortune!
Kabal Obsessions
One thing that Kabalite Detachments are never short of is poisoned weaponry. If you field these weapons in large numbers, Toxin Crafters is an obvious choice for your first Kabal Obsession. The chance to cause additional Damage is always a welcome one, especially considering the number of shots that splinter weapons can churn out.
If you want to maximise your mobility, something of a Drukhari speciality it’s fair to say, then Mobile Raiders is a great option. This Obsession provides a flat 3″ increase to the Move characteristic of models that can Fly. This is a significant difference that further enhances the Drukhari’s ability to threaten anywhere on the battlefield at a moment’s notice with Raiders and Venoms filled with Kabalite Warriors.
Wych Cult Obsessions
Given the gladiatorial nature of the Wych Cults, it’s no surprise to learn that their Obsessions are all aggressive, rewarding getting up close and personal with the enemy. Whether you favour carving your way through enemy infantry or bringing down larger foes, your Wyches can be engineered to specialise in a number of roles – all of them violent!
The combination of Berserk Fugue and Precise Killers will help them to tear through anything in their way, offering the potential to score double hits and an additional pip of AP on 6s to hit and wound respectively, while Test of Skill will give your units a bonus against targets with 10 or more Wounds.
However, if you prefer to engage the enemy in combat as much as possible, you may want to consider sacrificing your second Obsession to take Acrobatic Display. After all, a 3+ invulnerable save is a huge deal, and will enable your Wyches to face off against even the most devastating enemies in melee.
Haemonculus Coven Obsessions
Depending on the units in your Haemonculus Covens collection, the Obsessions at your disposal can be engineered as effectively as the twisted flesh of your warriors! If you have lots of Wracks, consider Dark Harvest, which offers each model in the unit the chance to inflict a mortal wound on the charge.
But whether you favour Wracks, Grotesques, or both, Master Torturers is always useful, as it halves the Command Point cost of the nasty Torturer’s Craft Stratagem (+1 to wound). Couple this with Experimental Creations, and you’re talking some serious killing power.
Cool, huh? Whether you’re a Craftworlder or a Drukhari, you’re definitely in for a treat when it comes to rules flexibility. We’ll have more information tomorrow – specifically on the updated rules for the new miniatures in Blood of the Phoenix – so be sure to join us again for more Aeldari goodness! In the meantime, why not grab yourself a Start Collecting! Craftworlds or Start Collecting! Drukhari set? You’re gonna need it!
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