Thanks to Games Workshop for sending us these rules and the Skaventide box set for review. Over the coming weeks, we will be having experts provide insight into how they are building and running lists with each faction in Age of Sigmar. For this overview, we’re looking at what stands out for each faction, how much has changed, and how we might approach some key challenges on the tabletop.
Faction Pack Overview
As a non-Tzeentch player, the Disciples of Tzeentch third edition book was one of the more disappointing books in the last edition. I didn’t like long hero phases where spells were cast without targets just for the purpose of gaining summoning dice. Several of the flavorful rules around automatic casting, or endless spells that couldn’t be unbound, were bait for rules jank involving the Incarnate of Ghur. Even worse for followers of the Architect of Fate the combination the summoning and wound density of horrors made balancing the unit difficult. Tzeentch has some of the most flavorful models and most players who put them on the table want a faction with strong magic, weird rules, and lots and lots of plots that sometimes actually work.
The index completely rewrites the deamon side from “bring out a lot of these through summoning” and adds a flavorful “burning” mechanic Wyrdflame spells and demon shooting attacks can inflict. This is a mechanic is flavorful and multiple units get the chance to effect burning units. Tzeentch has a number of abilities that reduce your opponents hit and wound rolls. When you initially look at the allegiance abilities and some of the artifacts this army feels a little underwhelming and there isn’t obvious synergy beyond “build into the Wyrdflame mechanic.” However, nearly every warscroll has some sort of unique ability or spell that will cause your opponent to say “that can’t be right” during play – just like Master of Fate wants.
Not everything is completely new, as Destiny Dice continue to be a core mechanic and useful for removing dice from the dice game. With the removal of Battle-shock your 1s and 2s wouldn’t have a use during the game. In a stroke of fate, the master plotter has seen the future of the Great Game and created several alternative uses for Destiny Dice and methods to replace them.
There is a broad split between daemons, Arcanites, and Tzaangors but most lists are going to benefit from some of everything. There is synergy in the army but unlike some other factions the enhancements don’t force you down a particular path so mixing in a particular unit for a special warscroll ability won’t hurt you too much.
Allegiance Abilities
Destiny Dice
Roll nine dice and place them to the side. You can use them instead of making a roll and must spend a number of dice equal to the roll that you want to replace (2D6 requires 2 dice). Any rolls count as unmodified rolls and cannot be modified by other friendly abilities. You can use dice to make casting rolls, unbinding rolls, banishment rolls, run rolls, charge rolls in your turn, hit, wound, and save rolls.
Conflagration of Tzeentch
Once per Turn (Army) your shooting phase: Pick an enemy unit that had any damage points allocated it by a Wyrdflame spell or Wyrdflame shooting attack. That unit has the Burning keyword.
Burning Wyrdflame
Once per turn (Army) End of any turn. Roll a D3 for each Burning enemy unit. On a 2-3 inflict an amount of mortal damage equal to the roll. On a 1, that unit no longer has the Burning keyword.
Quenching the Flames
If a burning enemy unit uses an ability that would heal or return slain models to it, instead of healing or returning slain models to it that unit no longer has the burning keyword.
An interesting effect of the burning mechanic is that it doesn’t care how many points of damage are healed, only that it had the burning keyword.
Battle Formations
Arcanite Cabal: Add 1 to unbinding rolls for friendly Arcanite units. In addition, if a friendly Arcanite unit unbinds a spell no command points are spent for that unit to use the Magical Intervention command in that phase.
Change Host: (Once Per Battle (Army), end of your turn) Pick a Friendly Disciples of Tzeentch Daemon unit in combat. Roll a dice, on a 3+, remove the target from the battlefield and set it up again on the battlefield. Each model in the target unit must be in combat with any of the enemy units that it was before it was removed from the battle field.
Tzaangor Coven: Each time a friendly Warflock unit uses the Rally command you can make 3 additional rally rolls of D6.
Mutagenic Inferno: Subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks made by Burning enemy units.
Initially Arcanite Cabal looks incredibly strong – and it is. Not only can you use destiny dice to ensure that you do unbind the spell getting a free command point is a huge boon. There aren’t as many bonuses to cast, and even fewer to unbind so combining this with Kairos makes people give up on casting. Change Host, a way to potentially move at the end of the turn, requires a dice roll (not subject to destiny dice) and feels restrictive. Reducing wound rolls by 1 for burning enemy units seems like the best and most reliable but forces you down a path to enhance this ability.
Heroic Traits
Illusionist: Subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks that target friendly units while they are wholly within this unit’s combat range.
Cult Demagogue: If each dice in a casting roll for this unit has the same value and the spell is not miscast, add 3 to the casting roll.
Nexus of Fate: Roll a die. You must replace one of your destiny dice with that roll.
Illusionist feels like a good trait to put on a Lord of Change or other large model and will effect a nearby support caster . Cult Demagogue works extremely well with destiny dice.
Artefacts of Power
Nine-eyed Tome: Add 1 to casting rolls and banishment rolls for this unit.
Wyrdflame Blade: If any damage points are allocated to an enemy unit by this units combat attacks, that enemy unit has the burning Keyword.
Ambition’s End: (Once per battle, any combat phase) Pick an enemy wizard in combat with this unit to be the target. Inflict D3 mortal damage on the target and subtract 1 from casting rolls for the target for the rest of the battle.
The Nine-eyed Tome feels powerful in a casting army but any casting or banishment roll using destiny dice won’t benefit from the bonus. The Wyrdflame Blade and Ambition’s End both require you to be within Combat Range, a place that most Tzeectch heroes don’t want to tread.
Spell Lores:
There are two spell lores, a destiny dice focused Lore of Fate, and a Lore of Change that is focused on Wyrdflame and trickery.
Lore of Fate:
Glimpse the Future (7 Unlimited): Pick a friendly Disciples of Tzeentch Wizard to cast this spell, then make a casting roll of 2D6. If successful, set aside any Destiny Dice that have a value of 6 and roll all of your other destiny dice again. If you have no destiny dice, roll a dice and add it to your Destiny Dice.
Infernal Gateway (6): Pick a visible enemy unit within 12” and make a casting roll. If successful roll the number of destiny dice (with a minimum roll of 4 dice if you have fewer destiny dice). For each 4+ inflict a mortal damage on your target.
Shield of Fate (7): Pick a visible friendly unit wholly within 18”. If successful in casting the target has a 5+ ward until your next turn. In addition, if you have 4 or more destiny dice subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks that target that unit until the start of your next turn.
Lore of Change:
Bolt of Tzeentch (6 Unlimited): Pick an enemy unit and make a casting roll. If successful pick an enemy within 18” and inflict D3 mortal damage. This spell has the Wyrdflame keyword.
Fold Reality (7): Pick a friendly unit wholly within 12 and make a casting roll. Remove the target and set them up more than 9” from all enemy units.
Transformed to Spawn (7): This spell is a bit much – basically you pay for a chaos spawn that is set up in reserve when the game starts. If you kill any models with the D3 mortal damage when this spell is successfully cast you can place that spawn in combat. The trick is that each spawn can come back unlimited times.
At list construction you need to select a single spell lore.It should be pretty clear if you’re going for a more destiny dice focused build that the Lord of Fate is going to give you a lot of options. A 5+ ward with -1 to hit is an extremely good spell. If you’re more focused on the demon side and the Lore of Change Chaos Spawn have always been a key annoying part of any Tzeentch army.
Manifestations
Tzeentch has a faction specific set of manifestations and can access of the general manifestations. A word of warning about everyone’s favorite range extender, spell portal. In this set you can get a spell unbound through the portal making it a risk to set them up.
Burning Sigil of Tzeentch (5 summon/ 7 Banishment) You must use this manifestation in each movement phase. Roll 2 dice and pick either result. Apply that result to all targets for the rest of the turn. 1-2 nothing, 3 – Subtract 2” from the target’s Move 4 – Subtract 1 from hit rolls 5 Subtract 1 from wound rolls 6 Inflict D3 mortal damage and add 1 to the attacks characteristic of melee weapons.
Daemonic Simulacrum (7 summon/ 7 Banishment) This Manifestation has 4 attacks at 4/3/1/D3 and gets an additional rend against wizards. Its passive ability adds the power level of the wizard it targets to the damage characteristic of the Snapping Jaws. It has 8 health, 9” movement and a 6+ save and 6 Ward.
Tome of Many Eyes (5 summon/ 7 Banishment) When you cast a spell within combat range of this you can add 1 or 2 to the casting roll for a spell. Roll a number of dice equal to the amount added. For each 1 or 2 allocate 1 damage point to the caster.
Depending on the list you build these have some play with the Burning Sigil putting out a pretty wide zone of debuffs at the cost of reliability. Because of the way that turn orders work the -2 movement debuff is almost useless since in your opponents turn you’ll activate this after they have completed all of their moves.
Kairos Fateweaver
Let’s start with an incredible Warscroll – Kairos Fateweaver. He’s still a wimp in combat, with 16 health, a 5+ save, and a 5+ ward and extremely weak attack profiles. He is a three cast wizard who retains the Mastery of Magic to allow him to change the lowest D6 to match the highest. Additionally, he adds 1 to casting and unbinding rolls to Tzeentch wizards wholly within 12. His arcane suggestion spell, cast on an 8, allows you to pick an enemy within 18” and prevent it from using commands, reduce hit and wounds by 1, or subtract 1 from save rolls.
What really sets him apart is his once per battle ability that allows you to pick a battle tactic that you have already attempted or pick 2 battle tactics that you have not yet attempted. If you take the second option you can only score 1 tactic but the other tactic does not count as having been attempted. It’s incredible to be able to select an easy battle tactic a second time or, in situations where you’re not sure if you can get a harder tactic, pick that and an easy one.
Gaunt Summoner On Disc of Tzeentch
This unit still has the ability to set a unit up in reserve and is a little slower than last edition but still has a 14” movement. It’s a two cast wizard but I’m including this unit for one reason, and that’s the warscroll spell “Arcane Imprisonment”. This warscroll spell allows you to destroy an enemy hero you are in combat with if the unmodified casting roll exceeds the target’s health. It also prevents it from being picked to be the target of a replacement ability. This takes a lot of setup, and if you didn’t win and take the priority into the next turn it wouldn’t matter because your opponent would put a lot of effort into kill your unit. Now, with the ability to cast in your opponents phase, it’s much more realistic to charge in, stay in combat through the end of the turn, and then cast the spell using destiny dice no matter who goes first in the next turn. Even better, if you have priority you can take your full turn to set up the spell and then cast it in your opponents hero phase.
Curseling – Eye of Tzeentch
I’m calling out this warscroll specifically because it is able to take advantage of both parts of the “Arcanite Cabal” Battle Formation. Most Arcanites are power level 1 wizards. He’s great in combat for Tzeentch, which means he’s OK in combat for most other factions.
Battle Tactics
Some of the movement based tactics can easily be accomplished in later rounds but Tzeench is going to want to attempt to get Seize the Centre finished in the first round. Do Not Waver, requiring you to fight with two units and have none destroyed, is easier to accomplish if you can ensure that you have your debuffs on the targets you are fighting. Slay the Entourage depends on your opponent but you’re able to kill the unit in any manner, through magic, shooting, combat, or mortal damage.
Go Forth and Change
Overall the army does feel pretty thematic. Greater daemons across the board just feel great to take as a centrepiece for the army with great utility and damage dealing abilities (or just straight attacks!). Being the only army in the game with multiple lores is fantastic and gives real choice, even if the Lore of Change seems like an obvious choice…there’s much less in the way of ranged mortal damage in this edition so an Unlimited spell with that kind of range chucking out a few mortals is big. A lot of book keeping has been lost, which is a positive, and summoning is gone but that’s also just something that’s happened across the edition; there’s still ways to bring units back though so you’ll still have “free” models on the board!
All in all the magic faction of the game has still kept their identity as such and will be terrifying to come up against, especially for armies like Fyreslayers or Kharadrons which have limited (or even no!) unbinds.
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