Lord Commander Stryker
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Lord Commander Stryker |
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. |
As Cygnar is besieged on all sides King Leto turns to the only man that can save the jewel of the Iron Kingdoms, Lord Commander Stryker. He is the one man that has stood with unfailing loyalty throughout the constant warfare and strife.. he is Cygnar's hope.
Basic Info
Stryker2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 : Rolling Thunder
After all friendly models have completed their activations this turn, friendly Faction models/units currently in Stryker's control range can advance up to 3" and then make one basic melee attack. When resolving these attacks, affected models can spend focus points to boost one attack or damage roll for each focus point spent.
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Tip ! |
Abilities
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Immunity: Electricity
- Overload - Once per activation, you can roll one to three dice. This model gains a STR bonus equal to the total of that roll. Then roll the same dice again. This model suffers damage equal to the total of that roll. This model cannot spend a focus point to reduce this damage. This bonus expires at the end of this model's activation.
Weapons
Magnum | ||||||||||||||
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RNG | ROF | AOE | POW | ||||||||||
10 | 2 | - | 12 | |||||||||||
Quicksilver Mk II | ||||||||||||||
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RNG | POW | P+S | |||||||||||
2 | 8 | 15 | ||||||||||||
Spells
COST | RNG | AOE | POW | DUR | OFF | ||
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Rebuke
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2 | 10 | - | - | Upkeep | Yes | |
Target model/unit cannot give orders, receive orders, or make power attacks or special attacks. | |||||||
Deceleration
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3 | SELF | Control | - | Round | No | |
While in the spellcaster's control range, friendly Faction models gain +2 ARM against ranged and magic attacks. Deceleration lasts for one round. | |||||||
Lightning Storm
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3 | 8 | 3 | 10 (Electric) | - | Yes | |
Models hit suffer a POW 10 electrical damage roll. This spell's AOE is a hazard that remains in play for one round. Models entering or ending their activations in the AOE suffer a POW 10 electrical damage roll. | |||||||
Positive Charge
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2 | 6 | - | - | Turn | No | |
Target friendly Faction warjack gains +2 to melee attack and melee damage rolls. While within 3" of the affected warjack, friendly Faction models gain +2 on melee attack and melee damage rolls. Positive Charge lasts for one turn. | |||||||
Velocity
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(★) | SELF | - | - | - | No | |
The spellcaster can spend up to 3 focus points to immediately advance up to 2" for each focus point spent. Velocity can be cast only once per activation. |
Theme Forces
- Flame in the Darkness. He gains access to Khador and Mercenary warjacks in this theme.
- Gravediggers
- Heavy Metal
- Sons of the Tempest
- Storm Division
Thoughts on Stryker2
Stryker2 in a Nutshell
Evolving from the master of support and attrition that is Stryker1, Stryker2 became a more offensive-focused caster with an emphasis on melee combat. He is the faction's first and foremost melee assassin, but he still retains some of his protective capabilities (i.e., Deceleration). Stryker2 can support his army quite well while still having dangerous assassination potential. His unaided threat range is 17" and, with his signature Overload ability, he temporarily go Super Saiyan. In the best case scenario with Overload (and that's before any damage buffs), he can be Power+Strength 33 in melee. Even with an average Overload roll, most enemy warcasters will die to one or two hits from Stryker regardless of how much Focus they have camped. Warlocks and Infernal masters may fare better transferring out the excess damage, but this will erode their battlegroup severely.
Feat Thoughts
This is the red-headed stepchild of Vayl1's feat and the main reason why enemy warlocks and casters will do everything in their power to keep a lot of distance from Stryker's army. It won't always come into play, especially if you concentrate to pull off an assassination run with Stryker, but otherwise it can provide a huge swing on attrition. Main caveats about the feat:
- It is a "pulse" feat (like Haley2's or Deneghra1's) meaning that the actual position of Stryker upon using the feat will determine the number of affected models. You can use Velocity before or after its announcement to adjust your position accordingly.
- It doesn't provide an extra activation, so colossals will get only the extra attack, not the extra move (but the Storm Strider gets both).
- Due to the ability to boost, plan allocation accordingly on your warjacks. If you allocate 2 on them (after getting one from Power-Up), they can run forward, then advance 3" and still deliver a fully boosted blow.
- During your advance you're not immune to free strikes. Also, watch out for things that forbid advance (e.g., Proteus's animus or the Shadow Bind aura of the Primal Archon).
- The extra 3" movement stacks nicely with additional movement shenanigans, like Reposition, or Polarity Shield, if you want to steer clear from the enemy's retaliation.
- Stryker is also affected by his feat - remember that if you barely failed an assassination and need an extra attack.
- Positive Charge lasts for a turn, so with clever positioning you can reap its benefits twice in feat turn.
Spell Thoughts
Although a great assassin, Stryker still follows in the footsteps of his prime version by offering good support to his army. He does a lot for turning Cygnar's fairly average warjacks into heavily armoured melee threats.
Rebuke - A great tool to hinder expensive, high quality infantry that want to either get up the table quickly or cause you headaches with Shield Wall. It's also pretty great against expensive cavalry and/or units with Assault. If your enemy has spells to negate upkeeps (like Purification), they'll have to spend resources to negate your spell- which could still be advantageous for you.
Deceleration - Everyone loves an armour buff. Cygnar's heavy warjacks and cavalry, whose ARM sits in the decidedly average range, suddenly become that much harder to take out on the way in. Stacks nicely with Arcane Shield.
Lightning Storm - Very expensive for what it does, plus your ROF2 gun also causes magical damage. It taxes his Focus substantially and should only really be considered when its low POW is near guaranteed to do what you want at an important moment.
Positive Charge - This boosts Cygnar models from good to great. Heavy melee warjacks become extremely accurate and much more damaging in melee, which makes them less reliant on boosting to cause damage, thus granting you more attacks. The 3" bubble of the buff can also can dial up models such as Sword Knights, Stormblades and Storm Lances. Combine it with the extra attack from the feat and you can set up a devastating attrition swing. Consider an arc node for its application to keep Stryker safe.
Positive Charge 101
- It is not an upkeep, thus resists most of the anti-upkeep techs like Purification, Dispel, Purgation, Hex Blast, etc. You can also have it beside an upkeep like Arcane Shield or while being effected by another effect, like Arlan's Arcane Reinforcement.
- It only lasts throughout the turn, so your free strikes won't benefit from it.
- You warjack can receive it even while it is Disrupted, Stationary, Knocked Down, or has crippled systems, and also broadcasts the respective bonuses.
- Only damage rolls from melee attacks will get the bonus, collateral damages won't.
- Just like with Ragman, use base length and melee range to spread its effect from afar. Cast it on a colossal and charge in with your Storm Lances to reap the benefit up to 11,7" away.
- If needed, you can cast it on two, or even three separate jacks in a turn (which will leave you woefully exposed, so use sparingly).
- The recipient warjack doesn't have to be in your battlegroup. Marshalled jacks as well as ones in a Journeyman's battlegroups are all fine targets.
Velocity - Allows Stryker to heavily bully the table thanks to a non-linear 17" threat range. On the downside, using it to its fullest means that you may only have two attacks with their hit rolls boosted. High DEF can spoil your day even if you only need one attack to get through. Be on the lookout for enemy models with Arcane Vortex, as they can shut down your entire Velocity move if you happen to cast it in their vicinity.
Drawbacks & Downsides
- Overload is dangerous - even on maximum health Stryker dies if you roll 17 or 18 on Overload damage.
- Tricks which deny charging, FOCUS spending, spellcasting or melee attacks will cause you a lot of headache.
- Prone to support bloat
- No native Pathfinder, Runewood, Throne or Rhupert are strongly advised.
Tricks & Tips
- Magnum is basically a pair of handcannons - with a bit shorter range. Not your first line of attack, but if you can't charge or deliver melee attacks, it's something. It also has magical damage, making it way more efficient in dealing with incorporeal solos than your expensive Lightning Storm.
- Warlocks and Infernal masters can transfer away an Overloaded hit up to the remaining health boxes of their beasts, but must suffer the excess damage. It is not always bad, as it can leave the warlock with a pretty banged-up battlegroup, but be absolutely sure that they cannot respond in kind after you gave them a thorough beating.
- If you really want to keep Stryker alive, you can stack Arcane Shield, Dirge of Mists and Stryker's Deceleration to make him DEF 18 and ARM 21 against ranged and magical attacks. Matchups against ranged armies with plenty of blessed weapons can still significantly negate your defensive measures, as they can ignore both Deceleration and Arcane Shield.
- Don't have a direct line to charge the enemy caster? Use Velocity to set up a better angle.
- The enemy caster is bunkered up behind some beasts or jacks? Charge them instead, destroy them and Velocity into the gap to get at the squishy caster behind.
- Threatening an assassination run is often more powerful than the run itself. Use that to psych out our opponent and make them brick up harder than they need to.
- Do your math as to whether or not you'll need the extra overload die on his attacks. Even unharmed, there is nearly 2% chance that he'll die because you rolled 17 or 18 on 3 dice for your damage - and there's hardly a more frustrating scenario than giving away a sure win because of that.
List Building Advice
Strategy

Stryker2's main win condition is attrition, with an ever-present assassination threat. His non-linear 17" threat range comprises up to 6" with Velocity, and his normal charge range of 11". His attrition toolkit consists of Positive Charge, Rebuke, Deceleration and his feat. Between Deflection and his feat, Stryker2 can also manage a tolerable scenario game against ranged armies or armies full of fragile models. While running units and then feating to jam an opponent out of a scenario is obviously much worse than getting both a charge and a feat attack for every model in your army, the overwhelming speed of such a strategy can provide critical positioning to push for a win. Melee troops obviously love his feat.
Theme Thoughts
Support
Stryker likes these models/units, which are grouped together here because they're available in many themes:
- Squire - Like every incarnation, Stryker2 is often FOCUS strapped. This attachment can dish out focus for three turns, give additional CTRL to catch as many models as possible with the feat, and reroll a failed magical attack.
- Any source of Shield Guard is worth considering. A Sentinel is a good 'jack for a Journeyman Warcaster who has access to this spell. Alternatively, the readily available Morrowan Battle Priests can also provide cheap bodies to catch a few bullets.
- Gallant - It can gain Focus from Stryker via Accummulator and can severely discourage opponents from putting out upkeeps thanks to Purgation.
- Morrowan Archon - Stryker can benefit from his Veteran Leader aura and sometimes all it takes is that single +1 to attack to make your charge connect. He's also a shield guard who can soak up incoming shots. Its aura can defend your troops who ran forward to engage the enemy with your feat.
- Blockader - It cannot move during the feat and its melee range will be only 2" for the extra attack. However, its huge footprint can spread around Positive Charge efficiently, while also sending its damage output through the roof. Rocket Smash may also be triggered during the extra attack and being able to boost it may increase your chance to a critically slam.
- Devastator - A sturdy scenario piece with excellent resistance against shooting with Deceleration.
- Thorn - An ever useful arc node, it can keep a safe distance due to Reaction Drive after arcing Rebuke.
- Sword Knights - Positive Charge skyrockets their accuracy and damage output if you happen to trigger Flank. Alain Runewood offers Veteran Leader for them and Pathfinder for Stryker.
- Precursor Knights - This can be a "Flame-light" theme, housing the Partisan units who would otherwise eat up your mercenary slots - though missing out on Vengeance's speed bonus may be a deterrent. Rebuke can help you to survive non-charge attacks in Shield Wall then respond in kind with the minifeat plus Positive Charge.
- Stormclad - With Accummulator it often has a spare focus to whack things with boosted attack or damage roll during your feat turn. Add in Arlan Strangewayes, and you've got a weapon platform with no burden on your FOCUS pool.
- Stormsmith Grenadiers - Good at moving enemy troops out of the way.
- Storm Knights - Really likes Deceleration to make them much more resistant to incoming fire.
- Storm Lances - Can be brutal during their charge during feat turn. The additional electro-leaps make for a huge attrition swing against against infantry, especially if your opponent has tried to layer his defence to absorb their charge and counter-attack next turn.
Not Stryker2's first theme, as it lacks durable, heavy hitting infantry. Trenchers rely on Dig In to stay alive agaisnt ranged threats rather than Deceleration. Positive Charge can make their melee attacks quite telling and murderously accurate.
- Trencher Commandos - Getting access to Reposition with their CA, they can dig into really inconvenient spots to cut down enemy infantry with their Anatomic Precision attacks. When using Styker's feat, remember that they can still deliver a melee attack after using their grenades. This is because the Cumbersome rule restricts additional weapon use only in their activation, the feat attacks happen outside their activation.
- Major Harrison Gibbs - Hot Meal can heal Stryker back up to full health if you want to gamble on a massive Overloaded attack.
- Gibbs can be taken in other themes, but you use up your "Up to one Mercenary solo" slot on him, except in Heavy Metal.
Yet another odd theme for Stryker2, and usually his first incarnation feels much better here. You have no upkeep to spread around before the game begins, and you can utilize only the movement part of your feat for most of the time, as their melee attacks are mediocre at best. However, if you plan on assassination, Arcane Tempest Gun Mages and Ace with Caine0 are good at moving enemy troops out of the way, while Gun Mage Captain Adepts can effectively lower the target's DEF. Caine and the Tempest Blazers may also help you to remove chaff infantry from Stryker's path. A very niche pick and a lot less powerful and forgiving than other themes.
Mercenaries
- Eyriss1 - Removing Focus and Fury from enemy Warcasters/Warlocks will ensure they have nothing to defend against your Overload attacks.
- Lanyssa Ryssyl - A good way to get Styker much further up the table to a key target thanks to Hunter's Mark. Even if your assassination target is not in her range, or has a low probability of hitting, there is the option of putting the spell on a nearer model with a lower DEF. You then charge that model, moving as far as you can, then use Velocity to get to the enemy caster.
- Grand Master Gabriel Throne - Basically a combat-Rhupert, he can amp up the damage output of your melee units considerably. If you time its casting between the unit's activation and the feat attacks, you can still achieve considerable damage swing on said unit outside charges. Stryker is a Morrowan model, so if you have a lot of Morrowan units around, he offers a bit more freedom in positioning Stryker behind an infantry screen.
Battlegroup
- Ol' Rowdy - His pet warjack that he can take in any theme. Between Aggresive and Stryker's feat, Ol' Rowdy has excellent Focus efficiency. It is possible to charge in with his Tremor attack, then do an auto-hitting feat attack with boosted damage roll with only power-up focus. The effectiveness of counter-charge should also not to be underestimated. Remember, Tremor can be made only during its activation, and not during Stryker's feat.
- Lancer - Arcing Positive Charge and Rebuke where you need them can be really useful if you don't want to expose Stryker too much. Also, the feat attack with the Shock Shield can knock out the last remaining cortex box on a warjack. If you play in Heavy Metal, you can also consider spending 3 pts upgrade to Thorn.
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.
- Warjack: Gallant
- Warjack: Toro
- Solo: Alexia3
- Solo: Morrowan Archon
- Unit: Order of Illumination Resolutes
- Unit: Legion of Lost Souls
- Unit Attachment: Morrowan Battle Priest (x3)
Other
Trivia
- Released in Warmachine: Apotheosis (2005)
- He was one of the main protagonists of the storyline, until (spoiler) his death at the conclusion of the Stormbreak story arc (published in 2019.11) (end spoiler)
Other Cygnar models
Video Battle Reports
- 2018.04 Deathclock Dave 75 points vs Iron Mother
- 2018.03 Deathclock Dave 75 points vs Orion
- See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification : Feat : Rolling Thunder
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Rules Clarification: : Magical Damage (Edit) |
* 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)
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Rules Clarification : Disruption (Edit)
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Rules Clarification: : Warcaster (Edit) | ||||
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Rules Clarification : Overload - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Electricity (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Rebuke - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Deceleration (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Lightning Storm (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Positive Charge (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Velocity and/or Quickness (Edit)
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