Though the Tharn possess their share of shamans, true warlocks are rare and revered, each a formidable leader, capable of unsurpassed feats on the battlefield. Iona the Unseen is among the rare few, a huntress whose fierce gaze can force obedience from both warbeast and subordinate Tharn alike. A fearless hunter, Iona draws on the predatory aspect of the Devourer Wurm, granting her forces speed and stealth as they surround her enemies like a pack of dusk wolves. She employs clever feints and decoys and relishes the sight of her enemies’ confusion as her pack slowly encircles them.
Basic Info
| Iona1 |
| Missing Info |
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| COST |
{{{cacost}}} |
| UNIT SIZE |
{{{casize}}} |
| FA |
{{{cafa}}} |
| Warcaster 0 |
| BASE |
Small |
| SPD |
7 |
| STR |
6 |
| MAT |
7 |
| RAT |
N/A |
| M.A. |
N/A |
| DEF |
16 |
| ARM |
14 |
| CMD |
9 |
| ESSENCE |
{{{essence}}} |
| FOCUS |
N/A |
| FURY |
7 |
| THRS |
N/A |
| HP |
16 |
| F. Field |
N/A |
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|
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| WJP |
{{{wjp}}} |
| WBP |
+28 |
| IHP |
{{{ihp}}} |
| UNIT SIZE |
N/A |
| COST |
N/A |
| N/A |
| N/A |
| FA |
N/A |
| N/A |
| Warcaster 1 |
| BASE |
N/A |
| SPD |
N/A |
| STR |
N/A |
| MAT |
N/A |
| RAT |
N/A |
| DEF |
N/A |
| ARM |
N/A |
| CMD |
N/A |
| FOCUS |
N/A |
| FURY |
N/A |
| THRS |
N/A |
| HP |
N/A |
| WJP |
N/A |
| WBP |
N/A |
| UNIT SIZE |
N/A |
| COST |
N/A |
| FA |
N/A |
| N/A |
Understanding
the Statblock |
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Abilities
- Warlock - All warlocks come with a stack of standard special rules - most notably being awesome.
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Parry
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Pathfinder
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Stealth
- Dodge - When an enemy misses this model with an attack at any time except when it is advancing, this model can immediately advance 2" ignoring free strikes.
- Leadership [Tharn] - Friendly Tharn models in this model's command range gain Dodge.
- Overtake - When this model destroys one or more enemy models with a basic melee attack during its Combat Action, after the attack is resolved it can immediately advance up to 1".
- Preternatural Reflexes - This model can't be targeted by CRAs or CMAs, and enemy models can't gain the back strike bonus against this model.
Weapons
- Wurmtooth - 1" reach, POW 7, P+S 13 melee weapon
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Damage Type: Magical
- Blood Boon - Once per activation, immediately after resolving an attack in which it destroyed an enemy model with this weapon, this model can cast a spell with COST 3 or less without spending fury points.
- Brutal Charge - This model gains +2 to charge attack damage rolls with this weapon.
- Fighting Claw - 0.5" reach, POW 3, P+S 9 melee weapon
Spells
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COST
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RNG
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AOE
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POW
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DUR
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OFF
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| Abattoir
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2
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SELF
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Control
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-
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| Models in the spellcaster's battlegroup currently in their CTRL range can immediately make one basic melee attack. Abattoir can be cast only once per activation.
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| Hunter's Mark
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2
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10
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-
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-
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Turn
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Yes
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| Friendly models can charge or make a slam power attack against target enemy model hit by Hunter's Mark without being forced or spending focus. A friendly model charging an enemy model hit by Hunter's Mark gain +2" of movement. Hunter's Mark lasts for one turn.
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| Pursuit
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2
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8
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-
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-
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Upkeep
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Yes
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| If target enemy model/unit advances during its activation, one model in the caster's battlegroup & control range can immediately make a full advance.
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| Sure Foot
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2
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6
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-
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-
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Upkeep
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-
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| Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +2 DEF and cannot be knocked down. Models are not affected while out of formation.
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Feat: Time of the Beast
This feat has two effects:
- While in Iona's control range, friendly Tharn models gain +3 STR and ARM.
- While in Iona's control range, friendly Circle warrior models can reroll missed attack rolls. Each attack roll can only be rerolled once as a result of the feat.
Lasts for one round.
Theme Forces
Recent changes
2019.08 Oblivion
Thoughts on Iona the Unseen
Iona the Unseen in a nutshell
Iona is an aggressive infantry warlock made to play in Devourer's Host. Her entire kit is centered around delivering Tharn to the enemy, and her feat ensures they hit like trucks when they do. She's not exactly a frontline warlock, but her defensive and offensive stats let her play closer to the front. Although Abattoir is a battlegroup spell, her army should mostly be made up of Tharn.
Feat thoughts
Her feat is a massive force multiplier to Tharn. The STR buff and re-rolls will help Tharn of all types (including herself) break the hardest of bricks, while re-rolls help ensure they hit their targets. The ARM benefit is nice, but given the low base ARM of Tharn models, won't really help them brick up; at best, expect them to survive blast damage and low-POW attacks easier under the feat.
Spell thoughts
- Abattoir is melee Broadsides, allowing them an extra out of activation attack. It can be useful for getting one last attack in to destroy a model or clear off a jammer that went into your heavy. Don't depend on it to clear off high-DEF enemy models, but don't forget this as part of her kit, either.
- Pursuit gives you some control against the enemy. It gives you out of activation movement for your battlegroup, allowing you to move them up for extra ground or move away from an opposing model. Remember that it's often better to take a single free strike from an engaging model while moving away from it instead of a whole barrage of attacks.
- Sure Foot is pretty good on just about everything Circle offers, though it really shines on any of the Warpwolves. They already have high DEF, so adding +2 more makes them damn near unhittable by anything without some serious effort (A Khador Juggernaut is on 9s to hit, and any heavy at MAT 6 is on 10s). Warpwolves are notorious for being susceptible to knockdown mechanics to bypass their absurd DEF; Sure Foot mitigates this nicely. It works well on Tharn units due to her giving them Dodge, and she can put it on herself in a pinch if you're worried about her being knocked down or hit.
- Hunter's Mark makes everything better. Frees up fury for buying/boosting, as well as gives you an edge with charge distances. Just when your opponent thought they were out of range, you channel Hunter's Mark through a Gallows Grove and wreck their faces with a heavy they never saw coming.
Drawbacks & Downsides
- The ARM/STR portion of her feat doesn't affect non-Tharn models. This also means she'll really only see play in Devourer's Host (not that she's not great in it).
- Has no battlegroup specific buffs besides Abattoir, although Hunter’s Mark and Pursuit offer movement and positioning opportunities that can be a side benefit to her battlegroup.
- Not particularly hardy - 16/14 with Stealth and Dodge are good, but there are some lists (Sloan, many versions of Primal Terrors) that laugh at that.
Tricks & Tips
- Remember that any buff to STR means the thrown damage output of the Tharn Bloodtrackers increases; they go from good to phenomenal under her feat, threatening all but the toughest of targets. Thrown weaponmasters (especially with Prey) is just horrifiying.
- Her feat applies on free strikes, too.
- The interaction of Blood Boon and Overtake can be a bit funky, but basically if you cast an offensive spell before your Overtake move, you can't use Overtake. See the #Rules Clarifications section for a full breakdown.
List Building Advice
Strategy
As of her release, the most common build strategy for Iona has included Tharn models that can leverage her FEAT to the greatest extent, namely Tharn Ravagers, Tharn Bloodtrackers, Brighid & Caul. The additional 3 STR and ARM and rerolls on attacks directly improve weapons that can be boosted through STR buffs. Sure Foot can also improve the survivability of the Ravagers and free up points that might have been spent on the Tharn Ravager Shaman for other solos or support models.
As Iona lists will often bring either Brighid & Caul, the Lord of the Feast, or both, the Minion unit slot available through the Devourer’s Host theme is often used for the Boil Master & Spirit Cauldon to provide additional corpse tokens as well as Puppet Master and or the occasional drag through Spectral Lash.
Iona wants to support Tharn models more than she does a large battlegroup and will often only bring beasts whose animi directly support her or solve a problem faced by a particular meta.
Theme Thoughts
Various themes
She likes these support models, which are in all/most themes:
Gallows Grove proves a good solo as a means of channelling out Pursuit or Hunter's Mark from afar, entropic force proves useful in the current meta, as well as a solo to base flags for you.
The Devourer's Host
Given she's a Tharn model that was released in the Devourer CID, that's probably where she'll want to spend most of her time. Obviously she benefits this theme most, male Tharn go up to Def 17 in a forest under Sure Foot with no knockdown, or against gunlines Phantasm is a fantastic way of keeping them safe as there's no real way to circumvent it outside of dispelling.
Other Themes
Although she can be taken in every other theme except for Secret Masters, Iona’s STR and ARM buff will not benefit wolds in Bones of Oroborsor Wolfsworn or Beasts in The Wild Hunt. The second half of her FEAT allowing for friendly faction warrior models to reroll missed attack rolls does allow for a single round of boosted accuracy for infantry models giving her the possibility of play in The Wild Hunt, however those models in The Wild Hunt have no issues with accuracy, and would much prefer a damage buff.
Minions
Although Iona herself does not utilize corpse tokens, both Brighid & Caul and the Lord of the Feast want to make use of corpses and make for the natural inclusion of the Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron, on top of that, it provides Puppet Master which really helps load out any of your core models.
Battlegroup
Lacking a toolkit that directly supports large battlegroups, since her release Iona has been generally played with a small warbeast package. Because she can mix it up in melee she often brings a Warpwolf Stalker for Sprint. As Sure Foot may be out on another model/unit, the remainder of her warbeast points are often used for a Gnarlhorn Satyr for the sake of Earth’s Blessing. These two beasts are 17 and 12 points respectively, going 1 point over Iona’s 28 point warbeast allowance. Iona does not offer a STR or MAT buff to her battlegroup but through Hunter’s Mark can increase their threat range and increase their fury efficiency, and Abbatoir allows her beasts to possibly become unjammed or make one last attack to finish an enemy model. Additionally, with a Gnarlhorn Satyr as a bodyguard, a shrewdly placed Pursuit can allow for a perfectly lined up Counterslam.
Those interactions aside, however, because Iona’s kit is tailored to supporting Tharn infantry she wants to spend as many points on them as possible to maximize the theme benefits of Devourer’s Host and therefore it seems unlikely she would pay the cost above and beyond her warbeast points allowance for either a Gorax or Feral Warpwolf for Primal.
As Iona is likely to see play nearly exclusively in Devourer’s Host, it should be mentioned that DH allows for both Ghetorix and Loki and further testing with those two beasts may be warranted.
Other
Trivia
Video Battle Reports
Other Circle models
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification: : Warlock (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)
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- General
- Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is).
- FURY (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warlock's card. Fury (lowercase) refers to fury points a model currently has.
- Your CTRL area is double your FURY stat, not double your fury 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 warlocks 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 Warlock rules.
- Reaving & Leeching
- If you choose to Reave, it's all or nothing. You must Reave all the Fury (up to your limit) and you can't choose to "let some disappear". (Locked thread)
- If your warbeast is Removed From Play, you can still reave fury off it. (Locked thread)
- If your warbeast is destroyed or RFP'd while under your opponent's control then:
- You cannot reave fury off it. Because it is still enemy at the time it was destroyed/RFP'd, and you can't reave from enemy warbeasts.
- After it is taken off the table, it returns to your control and is eligible for Spirit Bond and (possibly) Return to Play stuff (like Thagrosh1's feat).
- Transferring Damage
- If both the warlock and the warbeast are damaged by the same attack (such as an AOE), then you need to apply the 'normal' damage to the warbeast before the transferred damage. This distinction can be important when you're working out who/what actually destroyed the beast. (Infernal Ruling)
- If there is too much damage for the warbeast and it "overlaps" back to the warlock, then that damage is considered ... unsure at this time. (Infernal Checking)
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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).
- 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 if they run, fail a charge, or use an ability like Reposition.
Because doing one of those things makes that specific model's activation to end (even if the unit's activation is still ongoing) and you can't use abilities on models that are not active.
- So, for example:
- You cannot use a minifeat after the Officer runs. (Infernal Ruling)
- You cannot use a minifeat 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.
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Rules Clarification : Warcaster Unitor Warlock Unit (Edit)
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 (normally) not Grunt models. Therefore they're not eligible for stuff like Revive.
- Press Forward Order vs Casting Spells
- If you're giving an order, it must be done first, before casting any spells or using your feat.
- If you issue the Press Forward order and your caster does not have LOS to any enemy models, then they cannot declare a charge and instead must run, so therefore can't cast spells. But between the fact that models declare charges one at a time, and spells being an Any Time ability, it actually becomes a bit convoluted. The scenarios are essentially:
- (A) "issue Press Forward order ► I want to cast a spell ► can I declare a charge ► if no, I must run & I can't cast spells."
- (B) "issue Press Forward order ► I want to cast a spell ► can I declare a charge ► if yes, I can cast it. ► After casting the spell, do I still have a valid charge target ► if yes, rinse and repeat."
- (C) "issue Press Forward order ► I want to cast a spell ► can I declare a charge ► if yes, I can cast it. ► After casting the spell, do I still have a valid charge target ► if no, I must now forfeit both my Normal Movement and Combat Action."
- Refer to (Infernal Ruling) and (Infernal Ruling). However note that as of 29th May 2019 it is getting reviewed (Infernal Checking)
- Note that, in the above scenarios, the "I want to cast a spell" step is a Any Time ability. So although you may not be able to declare a charge right "now", you could for instance move one of the troopers in the unit to open up LOS.
- Unfortunately if you have no valid charge targets you cannot cast a spell, even if resolving the spell would give you a valid charge target (such as Energizer or Mage Sight).
- 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).
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Rules Clarification : Unit of Warcastersor 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.
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Rules Clarification : Parry - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Stealth (Edit)
- "Automatically missing" is not the same as "cannot be hit by".
- For instance, a stealth model can still be the target of an AOE attack and although it auto-misses, if the AOE deviates onto them they will get damaged.
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Rules Clarification : Dodge (Edit)
- Dodge triggers after any missed attack - melee, ranged, or magic.
- An enemy model with 2" melee range that is B2B with you before you Dodge, will be exactly 2" away afterwards, and thus will be able to attempt a 2nd melee attack.
- If you're missed by an AOE attack, but it doesn't deviate very far and still hits you then: Dodge still triggers, but the AOE does damage before you get the Dodge movement. (Infernal Ruling)
- Dodge plus Riposte (Edit)
- If a model has both Dodge and Riposte, you can choose whether to dodge or riposte first. Appendix A Step 13 applies here, because the controller of the model being attacked is not the active player.
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Rules Clarification : Leadership (Edit)
- If you have two Leaders handing out the same buff, then sometimes they stack (Bronzeback) and sometimes they don't (Exemplar Bastion). (Infernal Ruling)
- See specific models for case-by-case clarifications.
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Rules Clarification : Swift Hunterand/or Overtake (Edit)
- The free move must be resolved before other abilities that involve attacks (such as Quick Work or Berserk). Refer Step 12 vs 14 in Appendix A.
- This ability does not trigger off special attacks, only basic ones.
- An important difference:
- Swift Hunter can be triggered by any attack, including out-of-activation attacks.
- Overtake only works on attacks during your Combat Action. Even stuff like Impact Attacks won't trigger it.
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Rules Clarification : Preternatural Reflexes - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification: : Magical Damage (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)
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* 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.")
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Rules Clarification : Blood Boonand/or Rites of Blood and/or Ritual Slaughter and/or Soul Food and/or Blood Weaver (Edit)
- Timing (refer Appendix A):
- If you choose a non-offensive spell then it's resolved at Step 12.
- If you choose an offensive spell then it's resolved at Step 14.
- If you have another ability that triggers at Step 12 (such as Iona1 having Overtake), you can either cast a non-offensive spell and resolve them in any order, or you can resolve the other ability before the free offensive spell. You can't cast an offensive spell at Step 14 then go back to Step 12.
- (Infernal Ruling for all of the above)
- If you trigger the free spell from an attack that also grants a free melee/ranged attack (such as Rahera1 with Black Spot) then you can't have both an offensive spell and the free attack, because of the "attack-generating abilities" rule in the core rulebook. You can cast a non-offensive spell and get the free attack, though. (Locked Thread)
- The free spell doesn't interact with abilities that change the COST of a spell. (Infernal Ruling)
- For instance, if you trigger it while being affected by Lamentation then you can still cast a COST 3 spell (even though if you spent focus to do the same thing it would cost you 6 focus/fury).
- (Rites of Blood only): The Priestess doesn't need to be in the caster's CTRL range to use her ability.
- (Blood Weaver only): It's not tied to a specific weapon, and it can be triggered multiple times per turn.
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Rules Clarification : Brutal Charge (Edit)
- If your charge movement was less than 3", your first attack is not considered a 'charge attack' and thus you won't get the Brutal Charge bonus.
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Rules Clarification : Broadsideand/or Abattoir (Edit)
- A model which can do something "instead of making a ranged attack" (such as the Spriggan's Targeting Flare) then they can do that as a Broadside attack. And similar logic for melee + Abattoir. (Infernal Ruling)
- Warbeasts/warjacks cannot spend focus/fury to boost these attacks (because the attacks occur out-of-activation), but the caster can boost it (since it happens during the caster's activation).
- Secondary effects of the warjack's gun can still trigger (as long as they're not limited to "activation only" or "Combat Action only"). For instance, the Galleon can drag stuff in with its harpoon and get its free melee attack. And similar logic for melee + Abattoir.
- 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.
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Rules Clarification : Hunter's Mark - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Pursuitand/or Shadow (Edit)
- This spell/ability does not grant immunity to free strikes.
- If put on an enemy unit, you only get one move from the entire unit (not one per model that moved in the unit). (Locked thread)
- This spell/ability triggers from any in-activation movement, and no out-of-activation movement.
- Note that the moves that occur at the end of a model's activation (such as Sprint or Reposition) are still during a model's activation and so will trigger this spell/ability. (Because "At the end" is not "after the end".)
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Rules Clarification : Sure Foot - None yet. (Edit)
