Jaga-Jaga, the Death Charmer

99% of this website is about Mark 3 (mk3), which is the previous edition of the game (2016 to 2022). The reasons for this are explained here. 1% of the website is about Mark 4 (mk4), but only in regards to which mk3 models are useable in mk4 Prime and which are mk4 Unlimited. See Legacy Armies for more detail.

Jaga-Jaga, the Death Charmer Minion Gatorman Warlock

Limbo This model has not (yet) been updated with Mk IV rules, as of 2022.11 (unlike nearly the entire Minion Faction). Privateer Press have promised it will get updated ... eventually. You can view the Mk3 models that have been updated on this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Jaga-Jaga has risen to prominence as a high priestess of the Blindwater Congregation. In her talons writhe the spirits of death drawn from the swamps, each eager to comply with her designs. She is an enigmatic creature, whispering into the darkness to converse with ravening things of shadow. Around her the unseen spirits bubble close to the surface, drawn to her as leeches are drawn to disturbances in the water.

Basic Info

Jaga-Jaga1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 6 STR 6 MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 14 ARM 16 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY 7 THRS N/A HP 16 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP +29 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

• Minion - In a +2 warlock game, she can work as a Circle, Legion, Skorne, or Trollbloods
• Warlock - All warlocks 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.
• Gatorman Warlock - This model can only have Minion Gatorman warbeasts in its battlegroup.

Feat: Vengeful Spirits

Choose up to d3 + 5 enemy models currently in Jaga-Jaga’s control range. RFP one friendly Faction warrior model within 5˝ of each chosen enemy model. Each chosen enemy model suffers a magical damage roll with POW equal to the base ARM of the corresponding removed model. Models destroyed by Vengeful Spirits are RFP'd.

Abilities

• Amphibious
• Tough
• Field Marshal [Death Rage] - Warbeasts/warjacks in this model's battlegroup gain Death Rage. (Death Rage - When a model with Death Rage is disabled by an enemy attack at any time except while it is advancing, it can immediately advance up to 3" and can make one basic melee attack, then it is RFP'd. When making this attack, ignore the effects of crippled aspects on the model with Death Rage. The model with Death Rage cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.)

Weapons

• Serpent Strike - 2" reach, POW 5, P+S 11 melee weapon.
  • Chain Weapon
  • Poison - Gain an additional die on this weapon's damage rolls against living models.

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Battle Host	2	SELF	CTRL	-	Upkeep	No
Warbeasts in the spellcaster's battlegroup beginning their activations in its control range gain +2" movement when advancing as part of their Normal Movement. The spellcaster gains +2 ARM while one or more warbeasts in its battlegroup are within 3" of it.
Deadweight	2	8	-	12	(★)	Yes
When Deadweight destroys an enemy living or undead model, choose an enemy model within 2" of it. The chosen model must forfeit either its Normal Movement or its Combat Action during its next activation, as its controller chooses.
Ghost Walk	2	6	-	-	Turn	No
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains Ghostly for one turn. Ghostly - A model with Ghostly can advance through terrain and obstacles without penalty and can advance through obstructions if it has enough movement to move completely past them. It cannot be targeted by free strikes.
Grave Wind	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model gains +2 DEF and Poltergeist. Poltergeist - When an enemy model misses a model with Poltergeist with an attack, immediately after the attack is resolved you can choose to push the enemy model d3" directly away from the model with Poltergeist.
Signs & Portents	4	SELF	CTRL	-	Turn	No
While in the spellcaster's control range, friendly Faction models gain an additional die on attack and damage rolls. Discard the lowest die in each roll. Signs & Portents lasts for one turn.

Theme Forces

• The Blindwater Congregation
• Will Work for Food

Thoughts on Jaga-Jaga, the Death Charmer

Jaga-Jaga, the Death Charmer in a nutshell

Jaga-Jaga has moved from a warlock with a plan, to a great all-round offensive and ranged warlock thanks to Spellpiercer being swapped out for Signs and Portents. This can make her very boring or just straightforward to play, depending on your tastes, as Signs & Portents and two upkeeps leave her doing little else other than camping each turn.

Feat thoughts

It presents a tough choice - to hit the enemy hard you need to sacrifice your high-ARM troops, but they're normally your most expensive ones that you don't want to sacrifice.

On the other hand it is auto-hitting and doesn't need LOS, which is sweet. You can use it after your warrior has activated, and you can boost the damage.

One option is run some of your cheap troops within 5" of the squishy enemy support solos and just smash them.

Another option is, if your Posse is already hurt and will probably for next turn, just sacrifice them for a hard hit.

Lastly, note that Signs & Portents will apply to your feat, too.

Spell thoughts

• Battle Host is excellent. Cast once then upkeep the rest of the game. 2" extra movement on your warbeasts can be scary. Especially as they also hit harder. Also between Battle Host and Spiny Growth she can be ARM 20
• Ghost Walk is a very good spell, and a reason to bring a soul slave. That and the extra upkeep. Pathfinder on a stick with some extras.
• Grave Wind either goes on a Wrastler or, frequently, her for extra survivability.
• Deadweight is a superb attack spell that she seldom has the spare fury to cast.
• Signs & Portents is frequently considered one of the best spells in the game and helps both with hitting and damage.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Negligible combat abilities and average defensive capabilities - and she's on a medium base.
• She doesn't have a magical weapon, making her one of the few casters in the game that don't.
• If you like to have to think with your warlock she's not for you - by the same token she's great for beginners in her new incarnation.

Tricks & Tips

• Signs and Portents is worth effectively +2 MAT, +1.5 damage - good for attrition.
• Look for the enemy solos that Jaga-Jaga's feat can take out to pull the army apart.
• If you can attack with the models you're going to sacrifice you get more use out of them.
• You're generally going to be upkeeping Battle Host and casting Signs and Portents with Jaga-Jaga.
• Rorsch and Brine: Brine can be given ghostly from a gatorman soul slave, rage from Wrastler, and enjoy signs and portents while getting a lot of non-linear threat to go assassinate ignoring free strikes and obstructions on the way.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Signs & Portents is the backbone of an attrition game - but she has mobility and the ability to eliminate solos for an all round threat.

She's more of a battlegroup caster than most, but her buffs are versatile enough to work with almost anything.

Theme Thoughts

    Will Work for Food    

• Gatorman Soul Slave rarely does Jaga-Jaga have enough Fury to cast Ghost Walk the Soul Slave solves this issue by casting it for her and giving her a free upkeep spell. With its armour of 17 it is also not a bad target for her feat, once it has activated and paid off its value.
• Scythe - Sign & Portends is excellent on ranged models and Scythe is THE ranged model with ROF 3 and a Weapon Master Bow.
• Void Archon - They are very fast so they can keep up with your battle Hosted beasts and apply Dark Shroud. But their main value comes from their high number of initials with an Assault Spay mixed in, which makes them take to S&P super well. Ghostly & Flight also means they can pretty much go anywhere they please.
• Barnabas the Conqueror - Outsourcing a Swamp Horror to him is a very good idea because it does not lose out on Battle Host, but does gain Murderous and Blood Quenched, so he runs them better than she does. Against living models his Horror can roll 4 dice on the attack roll without boosting, which is just silly.
• Underchief Mire - He contributes to a Cloud Wall to hide your Archons, Scythe and beasts, and can cast the animus of his beast for free, which should probably be a Wrastler because your Squids need Rage and Jaga-Jaga has no fury to spare to cast it. Giving Scythe Hunter via Weald Secrets is a very good use of the spell!
• Greygore Boomhowler & Co. - They jam decently and Cacophony can be very useful, especially with Ghost Walk as he takes no free strikes. The main draw is that they are 10 warm bodies with ARM 15 for only 12 points, so they are the perfect feat targets.
• Malvin & Mayhem - Ghost Walk and S&P is amazing on them and they need no fury management. Excellent for her. Elasicity can make for a backbreaking Berserk Chain.

    Blindwater Congregation    

• Croak Raiders - Any ranged unit loves S&P.
• Gatorman Posse - A nice unit for the feat.

Battlegroup

• Ironback Spitter - Something should hang back with her for the Battle Host ARM-buff.
• Swamp Horror - Swamp Horror at SPD 6 and with Overtake from the Will Work for Food theme and Signs and Portents is a lot of munched infantry.
• Bull Snapper - Can also be used for Battle Host, stacking Spiny Growth on top of it to bump her to ARM 20, in addition to screening her.
• Blackhide Wrastler - Because nothing else she brings will crack armor.

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. Warbeast: Swamp Horror
2. Warbeast: Swamp Horror
3. Solo: Kwaak & Gub
4. Solo: Gatorman Soul Slave
5. Solo: Underchief Mire
6. Warbeast: Blackhide Wrastler
7. Unit: Croak Hunters

Other

Trivia

• Released in the Hordes: Exigence expansion book (2014).
• Still the only gator without a bite attack. She prefers to let her undead snake do the biting.
• Her snake is a Tazylworm, a venomous, multi-eyed serpentine creature native to the western Iron Kingdoms that come in many varieties. Skarath is also one. Despite being part of the IKRPG Monsternomicon and begin featured as Gatorman Warbeasts in the "Wild Adventure" IKRPG book, they never made it into Hordes as a fully fledged Gator Warbeast.

Video Battle Reports

• Desperate Pace, 2019.12, vs Deneghra3
• Not Snakes Gaming, 2018.05, vs Harbinger1
• See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Feat: Vengeful Spirits You need to remove a friendly model for each enemy damaged. You can't damage multiple enemies that all happen to be within 5" of the same friendly. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Chain Weapon - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Poison - None yet. (Edit)

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:  : Warlock      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

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) 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 : Gatorman Warlock and/or Bog Trog Warlock - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Amphibious - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)

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 : Death Rage - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Escort and/or Battle Host - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Deadweight - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Ghost Walk      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Ghostly      (Edit) Ghostly doesn't let you move through other models, just terrain. Ghostly doesn't let you ignore damage from hazardous terrain. (Infernal Ruling) Ghostly ignores Windswept terrain penalties. A model with both Flight and Ghostly will move through Windswept terrain at full speed. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Grave Wind      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Poltergeist      (Edit) If the attack is out of range, Poltergeist is still triggered. This is because an out of range attack misses automatically, and an auto-miss is still a miss. If a single attack misses multiple Poltergeists (for instance a Thresher), then you get to resolve the pushes in any order you choose (after the last thresher attack is resolved).

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.