Forge Master Syntherion

We have 1351 articles and 91% are complete!	Please help review these models from 12+ months ago: (and/or the rest)				(Edit)
	Eradicators	Theme - Storm Division (Nemo4)	Theme - Heavy Metal (Nemo4)	Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex

Forge Master Syntherion Convergence Warcaster

Constantly processing and as remote as the disembodied members of the Constellation, Sytherion's mind is occupied with complex equations, energy schematics and the application of engineering principles. Sytherion brings the same single-minded efficiency to war as to his workshop. There is no room for emotions, no pity or mercy. In every engagement Sytherion seeks to quickly eliminate whatever opposes him. Those clockwork soldiers who accompany him in battle know only too well that the forge master gives no allowance for error, discarding any who fail him, for in his calculations there is no possibility of redemption.

Basic Info

Syntherion1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 5 STR 9 MAT 6 RAT 5 M.A. N/A DEF 13 ARM 18 CMD 10 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS 6 FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 20 F. Field N/A WJP +27 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 : Technological Superiority

Other Models in Syntherion’s battlegroup beginning their activations in his control range gain 1 focus and Dual Attack. Technological Superiority lasts for one turn.

Dual Attack - This model can make melee and ranged attacks in the same activation. When this model makes its initial melee attacks or a power attack, it can also make its initial ranged attacks. This model can make ranged attacks even while in melee.

Tip ! Syntherion doesn't gain Dual Attack from his own feat.

Abilities

• Construct
• Pathfinder
• Auto-Repair - During your Control Phase, remove d3 damage points from this model.
• Empower (★ Action) - RNG CMD. Target friendly Faction warjack. If the target warjack is in range and it was suffering Disruption, it is no longer disrupted. The warjack also gains 1 focus point.
• Field Marshal [Auto-Repair] - Warbeasts/warjacks in this model's battlegroup gain Auto-Repair.
• Resourceful - This model can upkeep spells on models in its battlegroup without spending focus/fury.
• Soul Vessel - This model generates soul tokens as if it were a living model.

Weapons

• Static Bolt - 11" range, POW 11 ranged attack
  • Damage Type: Electricity
• Workshop Array (x2) - 0.5" range, P+S 14 melee attacks

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Convection	2	10	-	12	-	Yes
When Convection destroys a living enemy model, you can give 1 focus point to a warjack in the spellcaster's balttlegroup that is in its control range.
Hot-Shot	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target model in the spellcaster's battlegroup gains boosted ranged attack damage rolls.
Magnetic Hold	3	8	-	-	Upkeep	Yes
Target model/unit suffers -2 SPD and DEF and cannot charge or make slam or trample power attacks. Friendly Faction construct models charging an affected model gain +2" movement.
Reconstruct	3	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
When target large-based or smaller warjack in the spellcaster's battlegroup is disabled by an enemy attack at any time except while it is advancing, place it anywhere completely within 3" of its current location. Remove 1 damage point from each system, then Reconstruct expires.
Synergy	2	SELF	Control	-	Upkeep	No
While in the spellcaster's control range, models in this model's battlegroup gain a +1 cumulative bonus on melee attack and melee damage rolls for each other model in the battlegroup that hit an enemy model with a melee attack this turn while in the spellcaster's control range. This cumulative bonus cannot exceed +3.

Theme Forces

• Clockwork Legions
• Destruction Initiative
• Strange Bedfellows

Recent Changes

2020.02 Strange Bedfellows Dynamic Update

• Feat changed from "can charge for free" to "gains one free focus"
• Gained Empower

Thoughts on Forge Master Syntherion

Recent Errata - This article needs updating The "Basic Info" section has been updated to match a recent errata/spoiler, but the "Thoughts On" section hasn't been brushed up yet. If you play this Faction, please fix up the old info and then delete this warning. See also Category: Recent Change and Category: Recent Release.

Forge Master Syntherion in a nutshell

Syntherion is the toolbox caster for Convergence, a combined-arms caster with decent MAT & RAT. Backed up by Synergy for significant melee power and a feat that encourages you to use vectors with both ranged and melee attacks, his battlegroup can deal damage from afar as well as in close combat.

Syntherion's kit is pretty straightforward and effective for a battlegroup caster. Most games will start with casting Reconstruct and Hot Shot on turn 1, with a Synergy cast on turn 2. The battlegroup spells will stay up almost all game thanks to Resourceful, but don't be afraid to hot-swap Hot Shot for extra damage. Be aware of Purification and Lamentation-type effects, which punish your upkeep-heavy kit.

Feat thoughts

Syntherion's feat is useful for getting a large alpha-strike in and giving a large increase in the flexibility of your army's activations. The 1 free focus for each Vector is worse in a best-case scenario than the old free charges used to be, but it does give a turn where your induction chains aren't quite as vital to get exactly right. When possible, use the feat after landing a hit with Magnetic Hold and a Diffuser's beacon. This will vastly increase heavy threat ranges (13" for floating vectors and Inverters; 12" for the other quadrupeds), and then they can shoot following a successful charge. Remember, a vector must do all initial attacks before buying additional attacks. For example, if you charge with an Assimilator and buy an additional melee attack, you'll lose out on its gun!

Spell thoughts

Convection

Considering the focus efficiency of a standard Convergence force, you will very rarely need to this spell to get more focus onto your vectors. However, this is the only way Syntherion himself can do magic damage, so keep it in mind for corner cases (for example, exposed solos with incorporeal).

Hot Shot

This should be cast turn 1 on a target with AoE attacks (Cipher, Assimilator) or a target with lots of ranged attacks (Prime Axiom). Since Hot Shot is a relatively cheap spell at cost 2, get in the habit of hot-swapping it between vectors. For example, activate a Prime Axiom with this spell, then activate Syntherion to recast the spell onto an Assimilator, and then activate the Assimilator to get two activations of boosted ranged damage rolls!

Magnetic Hold

This spell will put a powerful debuff on enemies and allow for a better alpha strike/charge opportunities, but with Syntherion's FOCUS stat of 6 you will find yourself boosting to hit frequently. This means it'll usually take 4 focus to cast the spell, so make sure your target is flared for best results. Also, the range of this spell is short, so use an Algorithm Dispersion Optifex whenever possible to keep Syntherion safe.

Reconstruct

This great spell gives a valuable heavy (Usually a Cipher, Inverter, or Assimilator) a second chance at life. Syntherion will likely be using focus to land a Magnetic Hold or soak attacks in later rounds, so don't prioritize recasting Reconstruct unless you safe and have nothing better to use the focus on. Watch out for abilities that deny healing, such as Grievous Wounds, as they will counter the spell's effect.

Synergy

This spell is key to increasing melee damage output, so have it up at all times after round 1. Ramp it up quickly by charging in light vectors like the Galvanizer. At three stacks, most models will punch well above their weight, and Syntherion himself starts to put out appreciable P+S 17 strikes. (Of course, be careful when deciding to commit a caster!)

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He is well-rounded, but doesn't excel at any one given task.
• His average focus stat means hot swapping spells or boosting can deplete him quickly
• Very upkeep dependent, making him weak vs stuff that can strip upkeeps or make upkeeps more expensive.
• He doesn't gain Dual Attack from his own feat (because he has already started his activation).

Tricks & Tips

• Beacon from a Diffuser stacks with Magnetic Hold, which will double the charge distance bonus.

List Building Advice

Strategy

His main method of winning is attrition - keeping your Vectors alive with Auto-Repair and Reconstruct while your opponent's models die around you.

Destruction Initiative - Army build

He's a pure battlegroup caster, so will (almost) always be in Destruction Initiative.

• Prime Axiom, transforms the angry fridge into the whirlwind of death.
  • With Hot Shot, Axiom's accelspiker can make mincemeat of just about anything.
  • On feat turn, the Prime Axiom can dish out 12 attacks in one activation. With flare support, the axiom can crush half the opponent's forces with ease or conduct surprise caster-kills.
  • Prime Axiom is a good way to start off his synergy chain, yet sometimes he prefer to max out his synergy by charging lighter vectors like Cipher. With a capped synergy axiom can destroy almost anything in one turn.
  • On feat turn, the Axiom can two-handed throw a model at something to knock it down, make ranged attacks against the knocked down target, and if you dragged the target to you successfully, it can buy additional melee attacks. But good luck actually having anything to punch after that onslaught.
• Shooting vectors, such as Assimilators, Monitors or Ciphers are his favorite vectors. Syntherion is tied with several casters for the highest base RAT in CoC (although Orion and the Iron Mother both have ways to improve this) making him helpful for many powerful ranged attacks. Ranged vectors get to take full advantage of his feat too, basically getting a free initial.
• The Corollary if you have no other target worth empowering at least this is a free way to store focus for later, it also benefits from the feat change and is cheap enough to throw into the fight to stack synergy if needed.
• The Galvanizer is a cheap jack to run up the Synergy chain.
• The Diffuser adds both shooting and threat ranges for his charges.
• Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex helps him get magnetic hold onto a key unit without putting him too far forward. Syntherion also likes to have a large number of melee Vectors charging in and taking advantage of Synergy, so having the induction range increase from ADOs makes it easier for Vectors that have charged forwards to still be able to induct a full load of Focus back to the next Vector in line to dive in.

First Seven Purchases

A few veteran players have put their heads together and tried to figure out the seven best things to buy for this specific caster. This is not designed to add up to a nice round points limit, nor be balanced vs other "First Seven" lists you find on this website. It is simply going to give you some of the essentials this caster needs most of the time.

1. to 4. Any four heavy warjacks except the Modulator or Conservator
   So any four of: Assimilator, Cipher, Inverter, and/or Monitor

5. Light warjack: Corollary
6. Solos: Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex (x3)
7. Unit: Optifex Directive

Alternatively, you could swap the 2 of the heavies for a Prime Axiom

Other

Trivia & Lore

• Released in Forces of Warmachine: Convergence of Cyriss (2013)
• For Lore, refer to Lore - Convergence characters

Video Battle Reports

• 2018.03 House of Dice, vs Testament
• See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.

Other Convergence models

Convergence Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup
Warcasters	Aurora1 - Aurora2 - Axis - Directrix - Locke - Lucant - Orion - Syntherion
Light	Corollary (Attached) - Diffuser - Galvanizer - Mitigator - Negator - Tesselator
Heavy	Assimilator - Cipher - Conservator - Inverter - Modulator - Monitor
Colossals	Prime Axiom - Prime Conflux
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units	Asphyxious4 - Clockwork Angels - Eradicators - Obstructors - Optifex Directive - Negation Angels - Perforators - Reciprocators - Reductors Special CA [Any Unit] : Transverse Enumerator
Solos	Accretion Servitors - Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex - Attunement Servitors - Destructotron 3000 - Elimination Servitors - Enigma Foundry - Frustum Locus - J.A.I.M.s - Prefect Hypatia - Reflex Servitors - Steelsoul Protector
Battle Engines	Nemo4 - TEP
Theme Forces		Mercenaries
Clockwork Legions - Destruction Initiative - Strange Bedfellows		Refer to Category: Convergence of Cyriss Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2020.08

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Feat: Technological Superiority Syntherion doesn't gain Dual Attack from his own feat. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Electricity      (Edit) When electricity arcs/leaps, you ignore models with Immunity:Electricity. The arc "skips" them. If you attack a model with Immunity:Electricity, the arc/leap won't go anywhere at all. The arc is "grounded". Incorporeal models do not have Immunity: Electricity (they just ignore non-magical damage). As such electricity can arc/leap to and from incorporeal models.

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. Press Forward Order vs Spells cast at Any Time (Edit) As of 2020.08, I have lost track of how this is supposed to work and I'm giving up until it is sorted properly. Refer to this thread for the latest ruling and follow-up questions. 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 : Construct - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Auto-Repair - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Empower and/or Recharge     (Edit) A warjack can benefit from this ability multiple times. A warjack cannot go over its normal focus limit (which is 3 for most jacks) as a result of this ability. Refer to the Cortex rules.

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 : Resourceful      (Edit) Battlegroup members (Edit) Spells that target/affect "models in the battlegroup" can also target/will also affect the caster, the caster's unit (if they have one), and the caster's Companion (if they have one). It won't target/affect models which are Attached, though.

Rules Clarification : Soul Vessel      (Edit) A Soul Vessel is not a living model in any way, so it will not trigger anything like Bloodthirst or Poison. The only thing Soul Vessel means is that it produces a soul when it is destroyed, as if it were a living model. An attack that would RFP a living model and thus normally prevents soul token generation (such as Snacking) doesn't trigger vs a Soul Vessel. So the Vessel can't get snacked and will produce a soul token.

Rules Clarification : Dual Attack      (Edit) If you fail a charge, then you do not get to make ranged attacks. If you have multiple ranged attacks and/or melee attacks, you can intermingle them in any order. (Infernal Ruling) You can charge, make a ranged attack, then make your charge melee attack. Even though you made a ranged attack, that doesn't change the fact that your first melee attack is the charge attack. (Infernal Ruling) You must complete all initial attacks before buying attacks. You can't go: Make an initial melee attack, then buy a melee attack, then make an initial ranged attack. (Locked Thread) Dual Attack doesn't let you mix initial attacks with a (★) attack. Dual Attack only lets you make either: Initial melee attacks and initial ranged attacks. Power attack and initial ranged attacks. Any other combination of (★ Attack) and initials is disallowed. See this thread for full explanation and links to relevant Infernal Rulings. You could theoretically make a special melee attack and then buy additional ranged attacks (or vice versa) ... but the core rules say "The rules for these special attacks indicate the nature of any additional attacks that can be made afterward, if any" so the special attack would have to explicitly allow a swap - and I'm unaware of any that do so. There is no penalty for shooting an enemy you are in melee with. Your ranged attack(s) can target a model you are not in melee with. (Infernal Ruling) Dual Attack & Drag ( Edit ) This is pretty-much limited to just the Prime Axiom under Syntherion If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs the same model, then you would get the free melee attack from Drag. The Drag attack is a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling) If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs a different model, then you would lose the free melee attack from Drag. Your first melee attack must be versus the charge target, and you cannot save the Drag attack for later. (Infernal Ruling) If you didn't charge then ... just go nuts. There's no restrictions that I know of.

Rules Clarification : Convection      (Edit) A warjack can benefit from Convection multiple times. A warjack cannot go over its normal focus limit (which is 3 for most jacks) as a result of Convection. Refer to the Cortex rules.

Rules Clarification : Hot-Shot - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Magnetic Hold - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Reconstruct and/or Respawn     (Edit) Note it heals 1 box of each system/aspect. Not 1 off each damage column/spiral. Colossals/Gargatuans cannot be the target of this spell as they are not "large base or smaller".

Rules Clarification : Synergy      (Edit) Synergy is not retroactive. Synergy must be cast (or upkept from the previous cast) before any attacks will start adding to the bonus. (Infernal Ruling) You gain +1 bonus per model that hits. Not +1 per attack that hits. The Synergy bonus affects other battlegroup models. The currently active model doesn't benefit from any bonus that it earns. Frenzy attacks can contribute to the Synergy bonus. It is possible to earn Synergy bonuses during the opponent's turn, if they're letting you get lots of free strikes. If you have lots of out-of-activation attacks (such as the aforementioned free strikes), you may create a bookkeeping nightmare thanks to the "only get bonuses from other model's attacks" rule. Good luck!