Tzeentch never wins the same way twice, and that is the point. So, this new battletome angle leans into magic as your main weapon.
Meanwhile, the classic fate twisting and illusion shenanigans stay central. However, the real spice here is faction terrain that actively changes how you cast. Consequently, your “safe” backline wizard suddenly feels like an artillery piece.
Argent Shards Are Silver Tower Fragments That Refuse to Sit Still
As the article explains, each Argent Shard is a fragment of a Silver Tower of Tzeentch, and they manifest in pairs. During the relevant deployment step, you set one Shard up like normal faction terrain. Then, its Silver Simulacrum shows up after both armies finish setting up. So, you effectively get the full “two Shards” experience without awkward early placement games.
However, these things do not obey physics, and that is where Sorcerous Duplication comes in. Once per turn in any movement phase, you pick one of two effects. If only one Shard is on the table, you can create the second within 12 inches, while respecting spacing from terrain, objectives, and enemies. Alternatively, you can pick up a Shard and redeploy it elsewhere with the same restrictions. Therefore, your board control can shift mid game without needing a spell slot.
Magical Focus Turns Terrain Into Your Casting Point
Once per turn in any hero phase, Magical Focus lets your next Spell measure range and visibility from the Shard instead of the wizard. Consequently, your caster can stay tucked away while the Shard “spots” and “reaches” for them. Still, there’s a fair trade. Your opponent can measure to the Shard for Unbind purposes, so the Shard becomes the obvious counterplay anchor.
Gaunt Summoners, Leaden Limbs, and the Lore Toolkit
Gaunt Summoners love this setup, because they are the Silver Tower specialists. Their Masters of the Silver Towers rule stops enemies ending a charge move within 1/2 inch of a nearby Shard that was set up that turn. So, your fresh Shard is harder to bully immediately. Additionally, a foot Gaunt Summoner brings Leaden Limbs, which halves Move and shuts off Fly on a target, until your next turn.
Meanwhile, the spell lores get extra toys. Fold Reality and Transformed to Spawn now interact with units placed into reserve via Eldritch Illusions. The Lore of Fate keeps Infernal Gateway, and Shield of Fate now offers Ward 5+ or subtract 1 from hit rolls. Also, Wyrdflame Haze can obscure your units at range, if they lurk near a unit set up that turn. Finally, the Tome of Eyes manifestation can hand a nearby wizard a bonus spell from either lore, without eating their normal spell budget.
Summary
Argent Shards give Disciples of Tzeentch a mobile spell origin point, plus defensive positioning tricks and real tempo control. Consequently, you can play cagey, then suddenly project power exactly where it hurts. The battletome, Argent Shards, and the Fatemaster all hit pre order on Saturday. So yes, it is time to remind Teclis who actually wrote the syllabus.
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