Sovereign Tristan Durant

Sovereign Tristan Durant Protectorate Warcaster

Unlimited Only This model can only be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can see the other models with / without mk4 rules on this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Stepping out of the shadows and after his time learning his craft, Tristan Durant has been promoted to the forefront of the fight against the heathen. His insight and undertsanding of the enemy has made him a valued commander both by the leadership of the faith and those who follow him for the glory of Menoth.

Basic Info

Durant2
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 5 STR 6 MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 14 ARM 16 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS 7 FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 15 F. Field N/A WJP +28 WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA N/A UNIT SIZE N/A COST N/A N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Warcaster - All warcasters come with a stack of standard special rules - most notably being awesome. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Feat : Prayers of War

1. Warjacks in Durant's battlegroup currently in his control range gain 1 focus point.
2. Durant gains 1 focus per battlegroup warjack currently in his control range. He cannot have more focus points than his current FOCUS as a result of Prayers of War.

Abilities

• True Sight - This model ignores cloud effects when determining LOS. This model also ignores Stealth.
• Field Marshal [True Sight] - Warbeasts/warjacks in this model's battlegroup gain True Sight.

Weapons

• Veritas - 2" reach, P+S 12 melee weapon.
  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Critical Dispel - On a critical hit, upkeep spells and animi on the model/unit hit immediately expire.

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Chasten	2	8	-	12	-	Yes
Enemy upkeep spells and animi on target model/unit damaged by this attack expire.
Cleansing Fire	3	8	3	14 (Fire)	-	Yes
Cleansing Fire deals fire damage. On a critical hit, models hit suffer continuous fire.
Hand of the Creator	3	SELF	Control	-	-	No
Remove d3 damage points from each friendly Faction model currently in the spellcaster's control range. This spell can be cast only once per activation.
Inviolable Resolve	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +2 ARM and cannot be moved by a push or a slam. Models are not affected while out of formation.
Manifest Destiny	3	SELF	Control	-	Turn	No
While in the spellcaster's control range, models in its battlegroup gain an additional die on melee attack and melee damage rolls. Discard the lowest die of each roll. Manifest Destiny lasts for one turn.

Theme Forces

• Exemplar Interdiction
• Guardians of the Temple
• The Creator's Might. He can start the game with upkeeps in play, and upkeep them for free in turn 1, in this theme.
• The Faithful Masses
• Warriors of the Old Faith

Thoughts on Durant2

Durant2 in a nutshell

Tristan Durant is primarily a warjack caster with a good mix of options and spells.

• He has an excellent spell for his battlegroup (Manifest Destiny), and a feat that can make good use of it.
• He has tools to play the war of attrition with multi-wound models (Inviolable Resolve and Hand of the Creator).
• He has de-buffing abilities (Field-Marshal:True Sight plus Chasten).

His field marshal ability has limited application as it will give Tristan Durant an edge against lists which use cloud walls to stop charges (e.g. Trencher smoke with Haley3 or with the Llaelese Resistance, Jarl, The King of Nothing, etc), or to scalpel out stealthed solos trying to score on flags. There is some skornergy between having True Sight on his battlegroup, and having the Manifest Destiny spell, as jacks that are both good in combat and ranged are expensive (e.g. the Reckoner). However, the Judicator may be a good choice for both shooting on the way in then coming in hard with adding two dice and dropping the two lowest in melee (under the spell and the Judicator's S-System). You are more likely to be taking a melee army than ranged one, but the option is nice to have on a few jacks. It should be noted that True Sight allows spell arcing with no regard to Stealth or clouds, as both Tristan and his arc nodes ignore Stealth.

In general, Tristan is a somewhat fragile caster, who likes to hang back, and support his force from the backfield by arcing spells forth, and loading up his battlegroup on a crucial turn.

Feat thoughts

Tristan's feat allows him to fully fuel his warjacks for one turn (assuming he has no upkeeps or doesn't want to cast Manifest Destiny). This will generally allow you to get the maximum output out of your workhorse warjacks. Don't try to allocate fully to all your warjacks - try to maximize the extra resources you've been given. Having Focus aids like Wracks and Vassals can help get peak efficiency out of your battlegroup.

Additionally, the extra Focus gained from the feat can allow him to get a spell assassination in, although it's probably not worth it due to low odds against everyone but the squishiest of warcasters/warlocks. You can also use some of the extra Focus to camp and protect him better.

Spell thoughts

• Chasten - Cheap enough to be cast multiple times on feat turn and the benefit of removing enemy upkeeps. It may be worthwhile keeping an Arc Node around to keep the threat deep into the enemy lines.
• Cleansing Fire - Typical caster ranged AOE spell with reasonable POW and possibly setting things on fire.
• Hand of the Creator - Mass healing is always useful. Be careful though, this is best used to keep a damaged battlegroup active and hitting hard by repairing crippled systems. It can also help keep solos and medium based infantry alive, but it's main use is likely to be keeping key, but badly wounded, 'jacks in the fight.
• Inviolable Resolve - Useful buff spell to make any infantry screen more durable, or simply make an already tough 'jack even tougher to remove, for example the Templar gets to levels of ARM that make it hard to remove while still hitting hard - enough to make Khadoran clamjacks weep in jealousy.
• Manifest Destiny - This is Tristan's go-to spell. It just makes his battlegroup hit more often, and hit harder. It is hard to imagine playing him without this spell active.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He has little to improve movement - rough terrain and SPD de-buffs and rough terrain patches could be a headache.
• Expensive spells, plus a bias toward a larger battlegroup can leave you focus strapped, and vulnerable to tricks that increase casting spell cost (Arcane Suppression, Lamentation, etc).
• A Focus-related feat is pretty vulnerable to counter-feats and abilities, which mess with Focus and allocation:
  • Sevvy1's feat can greatly decrease the effectiveness of yours, dropping you to Focus 5, while simultaneously stopping spell casting and arcing (but not buying extra attacks, or allocating)
  • Garryth shuts down spellcasting and focus spending altogether
  • Disruption won't allow jacks to gain Focus from whatever source
  • Morghul1's feat will stop your jacks spending their accumulated Focus.
• As a battlegroup caster, Amon supports his army slightly better than Tristan (a combat buff and and a movement buff).

Tricks & Tips

• If you happen to play against Reznik1, remember that your jacks under his feat can still collect focus both from power-up and Prayers of War, as none of them are allocations.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Tristan's strategy is to push up the field with his warjacks and keep them functional with Hand of the Creator. Once his battlegroup is in position, he'll feat, cast Manifest Destiny, and hopefully land a crippling blow on the opponent. He's mainly a backline warcaster due to his stats and mediocre combat ability. If worst comes to worst he can go into melee (Manifest Destiny works on him as well) and do some work, but he's certainly no Kreoss2 or Thyra when it comes to combat.

Tristan will want to be taking more 'jacks than usual for a typical Protectorate caster, to maximise his spells and feat. Seven is the ideal for trying to 'live the dream' on his feat turn. But more typically will be 4-6 'jacks and likely a mix of heavies and lights and suitable support. He will most likely be used in The Creator's Might which is almost exclusively a warjack army. The warjacks in his battlegroup too are likely to primarily be melee orientated, but probably the best builds are those taking a variety of 'jacks.

Theme Thoughts

    The Creator's Might    

As mentioned above, Durant will probably be in this theme because he likes to have a big battlegroup.

• Visgoth Juviah Rhoven & Honor Guard are the only real infantry he may take in this theme. A few more Shield Guards never go amiss.
• The Exemplar Warder is also a Shield Guard, and his Bodyguard ability can keep Durant a little safer in melee.
• Scourge of Heresy can be taken in the theme. Although pricey, it's an elite warjack who can provide extra protection against spells via Arcane Vortex, amongst other abilities.

    Exemplar Interdiction    

• There is a temptation to take Exemplar Cinerators or better yet Exemplar Bastions who can be healed via the Exemplar Bastion Seneschal and the Hand of the Creator to stay alive. This can work, but it is an expensive option and with only 5 hit boxes these days, it's not necessarily a good option.
• Visgoth Juviah Rhoven & Honor Guard, mentioned above, can also go in this theme.
• Fire of Salvation can be taken in the theme. A souped-up Crusader with several good abilities, there's no reason not to take it if you're playing Durant in EI.

    Guardians of the Temple    

• Flame Bringers are surprisingly robust and may work well - if they already have not run out of his control range and so can be healed via his spell and keep on much longer than the enemy would like.
• Guardians of the Temple allows you to take Blood of Martyrs, Hand of Judgement, and Eye of Truth:
  • Blood acts as a souped-up Dervish with Grievous Wounds and Hand of Vengeance, and appreciates Manifest Destiny improving its mediocre starting POW.
  • Eye of Truth essentially provides Blessed for surrounding models, and becomes extra tanky with the healing Tristan provides. Pricey, but it can be worth taking.
  • You're unlikely to take Hand of Judgement due to its somewhat mediocre combat abilities and high cost, but it might be worthwhile if you're taking Flameguard Cleansers.

    Faithful Masses    

With the theme granting Hand of Vengeance, it tunes your warjacks up to an entirely new level. It's also highly thematic, being the kind of army Tristan leads in the final battle of Godless.

• Paladin models, such as the Champion of the Order of the Wall, Paladin of the Order of the Wall, and Initiates of the Order of the Wall, all appreciate the healing Durant provides.
• The Avatar of Menoth won't benefit from Tristan's feat or Manifest Destiny, but greatly appreciates Hand of the Creator and Inviolable Resolve, allowing it to operate as a heavy hitter independent of Durant's battlegroup.

    Other models - Various themes    

• It almost goes without saying that you will not be leaving home with Tristan without a Choir of Menoth and most likely two min units. Additionally, given two of his important spells are not cheap, a Hierophant or a Wrack or two may help alleviate his focus burden. A Vassal of Menoth or two also aid in focus distribution to the 'jacks and as mentioned above help Dervishes become really tricksy things to pin down.
• The Covenant of Menoth becomes even more obnoxious when it can be healed, and provides useful utility for Durant's army.
• The Menite Archon becomes tankier with Hand of the Creator and Inviolable Resolve, supporting its nature as a powerful, durable beatstick.
• The Shrine of the Lawgiver brings back models at one box, which Tristan can heal back up with Hand of the Creator. The Shrine itself will appreciate the healing and Inviolable Resolve.

Battlegroup

• Light
  • Dervish - A very effective light 'jack, and with parry it is a very good target for a Vassal of Menoth's Enliven ability, able to walk away without free strikes after being hit. Its sidestepping ability means it can get deeper to annoy the enemy or do well in clearing infantry. At its good price/performance ratio it is always worth considering.
  • Repenter - A perennial solid light 'jack. The spray adds some extra ranged options and infantry clearing, i.e. increases the diversity of his battlegroup, and another 'jack to approach that magic number of seven for a relatively inexpensive price. While Tristan prefers melee orientated warjacks, thischeap ranged options to deal with infantry on the approach. In melee the Repenter brings a Chain weapon to also get past infantry cowering behinds shields/shieldwalls.
  • Revenger - If you can't afford a Guardian for an Arc Node, then a Revenger may be worth considering for that flexibility that Tristan thrives on.

• Heavy
  • Templar - With its shield and a good target for Inviolable Resolve this 'jack will be difficult to remove and likely to be around to keep hitting after some suitable healing from Hand of the Creator. As a Shield Guard it can help keep Tristan alive, as he marginally on the weaker side in terms of survivability.
  • Guardian - Tristan will like an arc node, but he doesn't rely on one, so this heavy has good melee range and hits hard as well as providing Tristan with a way to cast Chasten deep into the enemy.
  • Reckoner - While only having one initial melee attack, it is a powerful one and the Reckoner's gun is always useful in closing with the enemy, it rounds out a battlegroup of diversity well, and can help mark a high DEF/stealth target via its Flare.
  • Castigator - Two open fists are always useful for board control and the combustion ability can assist in clearing out infantry, which Tristan definitely needs.
  • Crusader - As a cheap beatstick it will likely often see service for a caster who wants a larger battlegroup and is getting pushed for points. It is solid and cheap and if your enemy is spending resources on removing it, it is resources not being spent removing more specialised elements of your army.

• Colossal
  • Judicator - The Judicator has now become an interesting option for Tristan, especially in melee, able to 'double dip' the additional die, drop the two lowest in a similar manner to the High Reclaimer. This double effect only works in melee, but the Judicator's ranged game is useful on the approach and could make use of True Sight at long ranges.

Other

Trivia

• Released at the start of mk3 2016.06
• Durant1 is a "Junior" Warcaster, released in the 2014 Kickstarter.

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification:  : Magical Damage      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

* The "Damage Type: Magical" is not inherited by "secondary" damage from a weapon. That is, stuff like arcs (Electro Leap) or hazards (Scather). (Infernal Ruling) All spells have "Damage Type: Magical" (refer errata). This is inherited by "immediate" secondary damage (such as Eruption of Spines). (Infernal Ruling) and might be inherited by "lingering" secondary damage (see below). If a spell leaves a template in play that does damage to models that walk around in it, then: if it is not described as a hazard it will do magical damage to models that walk around in it. (Example: Razor Wall) if it is a hazard then it will not do magical damage to models that walk around in it. Instead, it does whatever damage type is specified by the spell description. (Example: Breath of Corruption). (Infernal Ruling) If a weapon/spell includes Magic Damage and another kind of elemental damage it will still damage Incorporeal models. Incorporeal models are not affected by the rule "if an attack does multiple types of damage and a model is immune to at least one it is immune to the entire attack." The phrase "immune to non-magical damage" should be interpreted as "immune to damage that doesn't include Damage Type: Magical" (not interpreted as "has immunity to Corrosion and Electricity and Cold and etc.")

Rules Clarification : Dispel      (Edit) Dispel can't be used versus upkeeps that are not "on" a model/unit (such as Rock Wall, Void Gate, etc), because you can't "hit" them. Because Dispel causes spells to expire on a hit, it will prevent spells that trigger on a hit from triggering at all. For instance, the defensive animus Spiny Growth causes any model that hits the target to suffer d3 damage. This damage will not occur if it's hit by a Dispel weapon. Anti-Upkeep vs a unit (Edit) If an upkeep is on a unit, then all you need to do is make it expire off any member of the unit and the spell will expire from the entire unit. It doesn't matter if the target is in formation or not. (Locked thread) However, if an upkeep is on a single model within a unit (such as Scything Touch) then you need to dispel it off that particular model to make it dispel. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

General Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is). FOCUS (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warcaster's card. Focus (lowercase) refers to focus points a model currently has. Your CTRL area is double your FOCUS stat, not double your focus points. (Infernal Ruling) Casting spells or using feats is an anytime ability with the added restriction that you can't use them on the same turn you run even before you run. See also the clarifications on Any Time abilities (below). Some warcasters are also Battle Engines and thus follow all the Battle Engine special rules. There is no particular interaction between the Battle Engine rules and the Warcaster rules. Work out all damage modifiers (such as Decapitation doubling the damage that exceeds ARM) before reducing it with the Power Field. (Infernal Ruling) Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide] "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except: Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. After the model with the "Any Time" ability has had their activation end "prematurely". By this I mean you resolved something which includes the phrase "its activation ends". Examples include: Running, failing a charge, or failing a slam. Abilities that include "then its activation ends" (such as Reposition and Teleport). In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling) In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement). When you're in the middle of an attack. Which also includes effects that occur "after the attack is resolved". (Although the attack is "resolved" at Step 11, in terms of using an "Any Time" ability the attack is not "finished" until after Step 14. Refer to the first paragraph of Apdx A.) Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge). Warcasters/warlocks/etc can normally cast a spell or use their feat "At any time". However, there is a core rule saying they cannot do so on the same activation that they run. So, they are subject to all the same restrictions listed above, plus they can't cast/feat before running. Units: See below. In general you can use "Any Time" abilities while you're knocked down or stationary (except Spells and Feats which specify you can't). If you have a gun with a random ROF, you can use an "Any Time" ability inbetween rolling the number of shots and actually making the first attack. (Infernal Ruling) Units with "Any Time" abilities You cannot use an "Any Time" ability before issuing/receiving orders. See step 1 and 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after they run (Infernal Ruling) or fail a charge. Because that makes that specific model's activation to end even though the unit's activation is still ongoing, and you can't use abilities on models that are not active. You can use an "Any Time" ability before running, however. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after anyone in the unit has begun a Reposition move. (Infernal Ruling) Warcaster/Warlock Cavalry ( Edit ) Warcasters/Warlocks can't cast spells or use their feat while resolving Impact Attacks. Because Impact Attacks occur during movement - you can use spells or feat before moving, or after moving, but not during movement. Exception: If your Impact target(s) include your charge target, then your movement has ended (refer rulebook, last paragraph of 'Impact Attacks') and thus you're fine to use "any time" abilities before starting the Impact attacks. Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster Unit or Warlock Unit     (Edit) (Click Expand to read) This summary is specific to Warcaster/Warlock units. You may also want to check the Warcaster and Warlock pages respectively, for the "regular" rules clarifications. All models in the unit count as part of the battlegroup. So, for instance, Butcher3's argus can be moved via his Energizer spell. Warcaster units can have attachments. They can even attach units (such as the WSC). (Infernal Ruling) The non-caster models are trooper models but are not normally Grunt models. Therefore they're not normally eligible for stuff like Revive. If any member of the unit start to do their reposition movement, the warcaster or warlock in the unit would no longer be able to feat.(Infernal Ruling) Press Forward Order vs Spells cast at Any Time (Edit) You must issue orders before anything else. If you issue a Press Forward order, you must run or charge. If you cast spells before moving, you can't run so you must charge. If you cast spells before moving, then start the spellcaster's Normal Movement but have no valid charge targets, you are in a situation where you must charge but cannot charge. In this situation the spellcaster must either: forfeit their Combat Action, use their Normal Movement to make a full advance, then their activation ends. (Note that you cannot cast more spells after the full advance). forfeit their Normal Movement, then their activation ends. (Infernal Ruling) Steamroller 2018 The non-caster models can contest scenario zones & flags. The caster model cannot contest. The caster model can control zones and flags by itself, but: to control a zone, the entire unit remaining in play needs to be in formation. to control a flag, the entire unit remaining in play must be within 4" of the flag. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). Rules Clarification : Unit of Warcasters or Warlocks     (Edit) Even though they're warcasters, if they're out of formation they suffer the normal penalties (can't make attacks, actions, spells, etc). They can't upkeep each other's spells. They can only dominate one SteamRoller scenario element at a time. Each warlock/warcaster can have different upkeeps on them if those upkeeps are "target SELF" or "target model". If you cast an upkeep that is "target model/unit", that is the only upkeep any of them can have. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). The Legion Twins Rhyas cannot dominate a zone while out of formation. Rhyas can use the feat while out of formation. Haley3 Only Haley Prime is an 'actual' warcaster model, and as such she is the only one that can dominate a scenario element. The echoes can Control/Contest scenarios like a normal unit. Haley Prime can dominate an element even if the echoes are out of formation.

Rules Clarification : True Sight      (Edit) You only ignore clouds for LOS. Models can still get the concealment bonus, trigger Prowl, etc from clouds. (Infernal Ruling) A model that ignores Stealth must ignore both aspects: both (1) the auto-missing, and (2) the 'not counting as an intervening model' parts. This can have some strange interactions with casters & channelers, if one has True Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page.

Rules Clarification : Field Marshal      (Edit) Field marshal only grants the ability to warjacks/warbeasts in the battlegroup, so (normally) the caster does not have the Field Marshal ability. However if it is listed on the caster's card separately, such as on Magnus2, then they do have it. (Closed thread)

Rules Clarification : Chasten      (Edit) Anti-Upkeep vs a unit (Edit) If an upkeep is on a unit, then all you need to do is make it expire off any member of the unit and the spell will expire from the entire unit. It doesn't matter if the target is in formation or not. (Locked thread) However, if an upkeep is on a single model within a unit (such as Scything Touch) then you need to dispel it off that particular model to make it dispel. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Cleansing Fire      (Edit) On a critical hit, all models in the AOE suffer continuous fire, otherwise none do. Rules Clarification : Fire      (Edit) If you deploy in fire hazard terrain (Burning Earth), then you get set on fire before the game starts. Deploying a model in a hazard counts as being "put into play" in the hazard. Being put into play counts as "entering". When you enter a hazard, you trigger the hazard. Moving into "Shallow water" standard terrain does not cause continuous fire to expire. It's magic fire. You can always use non-standard terrain if you agree with your opponent before the game starts, however. A weapon can inflict continuous fire without itself being a fire damage weapon (for example, the Helios's fists). In this case, the attack can hurt models with Immunity:Fire it just won't apply the continuous effect. In terms of which player's clock is running down during the Maintenance Phase: The active player will roll for expiration of all the continuous effects. Then the inactive player will roll for all the damages of the continuous effects. (Judge Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Hand of the Creator - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Inviolable Resolve - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Hand of Fate and/or Manifest Destiny and/or Signs & Portents     (Edit) This buff affects any damage roll that is caused by a model, not just normal attacks. For instance, it can affect the damage roll when a Berserker explodes via Unstable. (Infernal Ruling) Discard Die (Edit) If you're discarding lowest or highest, you have to discard even if you want it for a critical hit. For instance: if you discard "the lowest die", need 6+ to hit, and roll a 3, 3, and a 4 ... then you must discard one of the 3s, and you'll end up with a non-critical hit with the 3 + 4.