Goreshade the Cursed

Goreshade the Cursed Cryx 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.

A terrible hubris motivates Goreshade. His eyes fire with a mad glow all the more terrifying for its unshakable conviction. Becoming an eldritch granted him insight into the endless chasm between Caen and Urcaen from which the banes manifest and irrevocably altered his perception of reality. Even if his people refuse his unorthodox notion of "salvation", he will bring it to them by force. He stands ready to unmake Caen if he must.

Basic Info

Goreshade2
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 6 STR 7 MAT 7 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 15 ARM 16 CMD 8 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS 7 FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 17 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: Reanimator

1. Remove from play one or more friendly Faction warrior models currently in Goreshade's control range.
2. For each model removed, return to play one destroyed non-character friendly Faction warrior model completely within Goreshade's control range.

   Place returned trooper models in formation with their original units.

   Returned models forfeit their Combat Actions the turn they return to play.

Tip ! You can return solos as well as troopers.

Abilities

• Immunity: Cold
• Undead
• Arcane Consumption - When an enemy model declares it is casting a spell while in this model's command range, the enemy spellcaster immediately suffers d3 damage points and this model can remove d3 damage points. If the enemy spellcaster is destroyed as a result of this damage, the spell does not take effect.
• Tactician [ Bane ] - While in this model's command range, friendly Bane models can ignore other friendly Bane models when determining LOS. Friendly Bane models can advance through other friendly Bane models in this model's command range if they have enough movement to move completely past them.

Weapons

Voass
		RNG				POW				P+S
		2				8				15
Damage Type: Magical Freeze - A model hit by this weapon becomes stationary for one round unless it has Immunity: Cold.

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Abyssal Gate	3	8	-	12	-	Yes
When Abyssal Gate damages an enemy non-warcaster, non-warlock, non-infernal master model, after the attack is resolved you can place the enemy model anywhere completely within 3" of its current location. A model can be placed by Abyssal Gate only once per turn.
Curse of Shadows	3	8	-	-	Upkeep	Yes
Target model/unit suffers -2 ARM and cannot make free strikes. A model can advance through an affected model if it has enough movement to move completely past its base.
Hex Blast	3	10	3	13	-	Yes
Enemy upkeep spells and animi on the model/unit directly hit by Hex Blast immediately expire.
Mirage	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains Apparition. Apparition - During your Control Phase, place models with Apparition anywhere completely within 2" of their current location.
Occultation	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains Stealth. Models are not affected while out of formation.

Theme Forces

• Black Industries
• Dark Host
• The Ghost Fleet
• Scourge of the Broken Coast

Thoughts on Goreshade2

Goreshade2 in a Nutshell

Goreshade the Cursed is an offensive spellslinger who supports troops, and debuffs the enemy. He also shuts down a variety of spellcasting troopers and solos without having to do anything. His feat allows a really effective denial/attrition game, which can turn the tide of battle.

• Arcane Consumption is the bane of single wound units with Magic Ability. It makes close-range spellcasting a suicide mission for them, support and offensive alike. Animi are spells as well, so you can chip crucial health points from warbeasts too. It works in your CMD zone rather than CTRL.
• Tactician on Bane units work hand in hand with their Ghostly ability; ignore terrain with the latter, and your own models with the former.

Feat thoughts

A really potent feat, for which you bring cheap, disposable units to swing the attrition war to your favour. Nothing illustrates efficiency better than exchanging your 0,9 pts Mechanithrall to a 3.6pt Soul Hunter.

Themes are often the key restriction for getting the most mileage from this feat but here are some key targets to remove and some to return.

    Who to Kill    

• Scrap Thralls - dirt cheap and in most themes
• Necrosurgeon - or more specifically the stitch thralls
• Asphyxious4's Servitors - killing 1 servitor when it is put back into play next control phase is often a fine move.

    Who to Revive    

Troopers are useful to bring back because even though they can't attack on feat turn, they extend the longevity of the overall unit. Solos are a little harder to justify, because they need to avoid getting sniped out during the opponent's next turn.

• Troopers
  • Black Ogrun Ironmonger or more specifically the Leader model so it can still use its Curse ability (which it can do even without a Combat Action). This can be very surprising for an opponent who is probably expecting the returned models to be next turn's problem.
  • Cavalry - be they Soulhunters or Bane Riders these are some of the most expensive troopers in faction.

• Solos
  • Pistol Wraiths will spawn with Incorporeal, so are more likely to survive to the post-feat turn.
  • Skarlock Thrall - probably one of the few times a Skarlock Thrall might be preferable to Doctor Stygius is here, since the Thrall can be brought back.
  • Warwitch Sirens have decent DEF and Stealth (to avoid getting sniped), and high SPD (to get back in position the turn after).
  • Satyxis Raider Captains also have decent DEF and high SPD. They can threaten knockdown on free strikes during the enemy turn and/or trigger Gang Fighter on the turn they are spawned.
  • Satyxis Blood Priestess - her main ability, giving Sucker to Goreshade, is a passive ability.

Spell Thoughts

• Abyssal Gate - Expensive, but can be extremely useful due to the place effect. Battle engines, and various models resist pushes and slams, but few resist placement effects. Don't forget to turn the model around - models with Backstab (like Croe's Cutthroats) will really appreciate that.
• Curse of Shadows - Good Cryxian damage fixer. Combine it with Dark Shroud from the Bane Warriors and watch enemy jacks and beasts crumble.
• Hex Blast - Pairs nicely with Arcane Consumption.
• Mirage - Extra threat range for your units, or ways to extricate them from jamming models.
• Occultation - Ensure your Bane Knights or Bane Riders reach their target intact.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• RFP attacks on your important models won't allow them to be brought back by your feat - avoid themes like Band of Heroes, Masters of War, or Shadows of the Retribution.
• Anti-magic tricks and units will cause him a lot of headache.
• Not much support which goes exclusively to your battlegroup.

Tricks & Tips

• If your enemy has attacks that can cause RFP, like in the above mentioned Troll or Retribution themes, warn them in the spirit of fair play that they actually have to state whether or not they'll use the RFP feature. If they don't the attack doesn't automatically have that effect on them, and those slain models will be eligible for revival.
• As the feat affects warrior models, you can return to play cavalry, solos, and sometimes even unit leaders (like the Revenant Crew of the Atramentos's leader) or Officers, when the enemy killed them and you couldn't field promote.
• A dimension of the feat that is often overlooked is that it also works on non-character faction solos. This has several interesting advantages over feating to bring back troopers, as trooper recursion is stymied if the entire unit is wiped out. Solos can always be brought back so long as they were not RFP'd, and moreover, they can be placed anywhere in his control range. Saving the feat for later turns to bring back the likes of Pistol Wraiths, Warwitch Sirens, or even Machine Wraiths when there is less to threaten them can open up interesting scenario possibilities.
• If you are fielding living infantry then a min unit of Mechanithralls and a Necrosurgeon can take corpse tokens generated from friendly casualties and turn them into thralls. On feat turn the thralls charge then get turned back into living infantry.

List-Building Advice

Strategy

Goreshade allows you to commit your forces more boldly than with other casters, and once you tied down the enemy, bring back losses to strengthen your lines. Keep a unit of cheap infantry behind (but in CTRL) for sacrificing purposes, and out of reach for the enemy's guns.

Goreshade lacks battlegroup spells, and works well with infantry units. To maximise on his feat he wants a very cheap unit to sacrifice, and an expensive unit to return.

Theme Thoughts

    Black Industries    

This theme is full of cheap infantry to sacrifice for the feat, but not many options worth bringing back via the feat. You're basically looking at bringing back Soulhunters and/or Brute Thralls..

• Mechanithralls & Brute Thralls - The Brutes can use Shield Guard, die, then be brought back to be Shield Guards again (in a later turn). The Mechanithralls are natural fuel for the feat. With Ambush (from the theme) or Advance Deployment (from the CA) they can get some very good angles, too.
• Soulhunters are the most expensive unit available in the theme (3.6 pts per Soulhunter) so on a "points gained via feat" viewpoint they are optimum. They appreciate Mirage or Occultation to help their delivery, and Curse of Shadows to stop them getting bogged down and/or let them hit harder.
• Deathjack - Abyssal Gate and Hex Blast are good spells for it to cast, and Mirage or Occultation are good upkeeps on it. Goreshade does not really support warjacks anyway, so taking this big boy and two Deathrippers to fill up your WJP is a fine way to build your list.

    Dark Host    

• Banes are the elite undead, so for feat sacrifices you're limited to Scrap Thralls, Soul Trappers, and/or Cephalyx Drudges (but they use up your Merc unit slot).

• Bane Riders - Both Mirage and Occultation are excellent on them, and Curse of Shadows can deal with screening models too.
• Bane Warriors - With their UA and Bane Lord Tartarus' Death Toll it takes quite a while until the enemy can take down a whole unit. If the UA gets sniped out before their minifeat, use Gorshade's feat to bring them back.

Battlegroup

• Two Deathrippers so he can arc Abyssal Gate or Hex Blast, or swap around some upkeeps. Add in Deathjack and you have filled his WJPs exactly.
• A Desecrator or two is a decent choice if you're running Banes.

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. Warjack: Desecrator
2. Warjack: Deathripper (x2)
3. Solo: Bane Lord Tartarus
4. Solos: Scrap Thralls (x3 or 6)
5. Unit: Bane Warriors + CA
6. Unit: Bane Knights + CA
7. Unit: Bane Riders

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Legends (2008)
• Sculptor: Jeff Grace
• Goreshade tracked down the Iosan ice god Nyssor with the intent to kill him (to release Nyssor from the bonds of Caen and return him to the elven gods' home realm), but was thwarted. However Goreshade did manage to steal the ice god's personal sword, Voass, but he was cursed by Nyssor in the process. You win some, you lose some.

Video Battle Reports

• 2019.04 Feat Fetish, vs Anamag1
• See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.

Other Cryx Models

Cryx Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Agathia - Aiakos2 - Asphyxious1 - Asphyxious2 - Asphyxious3 - Coven - Deathjack2 - Deneghra1 - Deneghra2 - Deneghra3 - Goreshade1 - Goreshade2 - Goreshade3 - Mortenebra1 - Mortenebra2 - Rahera - Scaverous - Skarre1 - Skarre2 - Skarre3 - Sturgis2 - Terminus - Venethrax
Warcaster attachments	The Withershadow Combine - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Skarlock Thrall - Doctor Stygius (Partisan) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers	Jack Marshals: Iron Lich Overseer       "Junior Warcasters": Aiakos1 - Asphyxious4 - Deneghra0
Light	Cankerworm - Deathripper - Defiler - Helldiver - Nightwretch - Ripjaw - Scavenger - Shrike - Stalker
Heavy	Barathrum - Corruptor - Deathjack1 - Desecrator - Erebus - Harrower - Kharybdis - Inflictor - Leviathan - Malice - Nightmare - Reaper - Seether - Slayer
Colossal	Kraken - Sepulcher
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Asphyxious4 - Bane Knights - Bane Riders - Bane Warriors - Bile Thralls - BO Boarding Party - BO Ironmongers - BO Smog Belchers - Blackbane's Ghost Raiders - Bloodgorgers - Marauders - Carrion Thralls - Cephalyx Drudges - Cephalyx Overlords - Mechanithralls - Necrosurgeon - Revenant Cannon - Revenant Crew - Satyxis Gunslingers - Satyxis Blood Witches - Satyxis Raiders - Scharde Dirge Seers - Scharde Pirates - Soulhunters - The Devil's Shadow Mutineers - The Withershadow Combine
Solos	Aiakos1 - Agrimony - Axiara - Bane Lord Tartarus - Bloat Thrall - BTO Mobius - Captain Rengrave - Darragh Wrathe - Doctor Stygius - Deneghra0 - Gerlak - Hellslinger - Iron Lich Overseer - Machine Wraith - Master Gurglepox - Misery Cage - Necrotech - Ol' Grim - Pistol Wraith - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Satyxis Raider Captain - Scrap Thrall - Skarlock Thrall - Severa Blacktide - Soul Trapper - Warwitch Siren
Battle Engines & Structures	Wraith Engine
Theme Forces
Black Industries - Dark Host - The Ghost Fleet - Scourge of the Broken Coast
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cryx Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Feat: Reanimator Goreshade can bring back solos. The clause about "must be placed in formation" only applies if you bring back a unit member, it doesn't mean you must bring back unit members and only unit members. If a unit is completely wiped out you can't bring it back, because even the first guy you place needs to be in formation. Models are returned with full health.

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 : Freeze      (Edit) Remember Stationary only prevents what it says it does. Refer the page on Stationary for a refresher.

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 : Arcane Consumption and/or Psychic Vampire     (Edit) A model can be affected by more than one Arcane Consumption at a time, and thus will take multiple damage rolls. (Infernal Ruling) The d3 for damage and heal are rolled separately.

Rules Clarification : Tactician and/or Operations Command     (Edit) Applying the LOS and Movement bonuses work like mirror opposites: LOS: The models you draw LOS through do not need to be in the Tactician bubble. The model drawing LOS does need to be in the Tactician bubble. Movement: The models you move through do need to be in the bubble. The model moving does not. The "can ignore for LOS" is not optional. You cannot opt to "turn off" your ability to see through models, in the hope of getting a free strike or some such. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Cold - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Undead - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Abyssal Gate - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Curse of Shadows      (Edit) There is no distinction in the spell between friendly and enemy; neither in the targeting restrictions or in the 'who can move through them' effect. You can't move through affected models during involuntary movement (pushes & slams) because that's not an advance. Charging through models (Edit) You can't charge all the way through your charge target, with the intention to turn around and face them once you're on the other side. Because you aren't able to satisfy the "must keep the charge target in melee range" clause at the point after you are through the model but before you turn to directly face. At that point the target is behind you, not in your front arc, and thus not in your melee range. Your melee range only extends to your front arc. Refer to the latest errata. You can still "skim" through the edge of their base, if you're careful and smart with your positioning.

Rules Clarification : Hex Blast      (Edit) If you miss and deviate onto a different target, no upkeeps or animi expire. You need a direct hit. 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 : Mirage      (Edit) The upkeep needs to be paid before you can get the Apparition move. Refer Step 4 vs Step 5 of "Control Phase" in the core rulebook. Rules Clarification : Apparition      (Edit) Apparition is an "Other" Control Phase effect, so it happens at Step 7 of the Control Phase. It happens after paying for upkeeps, Power Up, etc If you have another "Other" Control Phase effect, you get to choose the order to resolve them. If a model is B2B with you when you use Apparition then they will be exactly 2" away afterwards. So you'll still be in the melee range of anything with RNG 2 or higher. Unit members must always be placed in formation. Refer to the "Placed" section of the core rulebook. If a trooper can't be placed in formation (because it's more than 2" out of formation to begin with) then it can't be placed at all. The unit commander is always "In Formation" by definition, so can be placed where it likes.

Rules Clarification : Occultation      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Stealth      (Edit) Stealth models are not invisible and you can target them - you'll just auto-miss most of the time. You can target them with a charge. You can target them with an AOE, have it auto-miss and scatter, luckily land on top of them anyway, and that will hit them.