Nephilim Protector

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Legion Logo.jpg Nephilim Protector

Legion Nephilim Light Warbeast

Mk4 icon.png
Prime
This model is available in one Prime Army, Ravens of War. It can also be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can view the other Mk3 models that made it into a Legacy Army at this page.

Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

From birth, nephilim protectors obey an instinctive imperative to guard Everblight’s warlocks and will dive into harm’s way without hesitation or concern for their own lives. They are also ideal vessels for any grave wounds their warlocks shunt to them, as they are bred to endure these injuries. Ever alert to their surroundings, protectors stand with halberds ready to intercept any approaching threat.

Basic Info

Nephilim Protector
Missing Info
NephilimProtector.jpg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Warcaster 0
BASE Medium
SPD 5
STR 8
MAT 6
RAT N/A
M.A. N/A
DEF 12
ARM 18
CMD N/A
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS N/A
FURY 3
THRS 10
HP 22
F. Field N/A
WJP {{{wjp}}}
WBP {{{wbp}}}
IHP {{{ihp}}}
FA U
UNIT SIZE N/A
COST 8
N/A
N/A
N/A
Warcaster 1
COST N/A
N/A
Understanding
the Statblock

Warbeast - All warbeasts share a huge stack of special rules. The short version is they're big, furious, and beat stuff up pretty good. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Abilities

  • Eyeless Sight symbol.jpg Eyeless Sight
  • Guard Dog - While this model is within 3" of its warlock/warcaster and isn't knocked down or stationary, its warlock/warcaster gains Parry and +2 DEF against melee attack rolls, and models attacking the warcaster/warlock do not gain back strike bonuses.
  • Shield Guard - Once per round, when a friendly model is directly hit by a non-spray ranged attack during your opponent's turn while within 3" of this model, you can choose to have this model directly hit instead. This model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. This model cannot use Shield Guard while it is incorporeal, knocked down, or stationary. The Shield Guard special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.

Weapons

  • Halberd - 2" reach, P+S 12 melee attack.

Animus

COST RNG AOE POW DUR OFF
Safeguard

1 SELF - - Round No
The spellcaster cannot become knocked down or stationary and does not suffer collateral damage. When it is slammed, reduce the slam distance rolled by 3. Safeguard lasts for one round.

Theme Forces


Thoughts on Nephilim Protector

Nephilim Protector in a nutshell

The Nephilim Protector is a utility beast who shares many similarities with the Cyclops Brute of Skorne or Troll Bouncer of Trollbloods. Though it has a weapon, the Nephilim Protector brings very little in the way of offensive output (though its 2" reach can tie up enemies fairly well). It is the only in-faction Shield Guard, but quite expensive at 8 points when compared to options like Farrow Valkyries or the Ogrun Bokur. The value of the Nephilim Protector comes from the combination of Shield Guard, Guard Dog, and Safeguard - giving your warlock additional protection at range and in melee, preventing pop-and-drop assassination tricks, and allowing them to disengage freely on their next turn. Beyond that it is a transfer target that may fight in melee in the late game.

With that said, the Nephilim Protector is slow and lacks Pathfinder, while needing to stay close to its warlock to make full use of its abilities. This can be problematic when combined with highly-mobile warlocks. The warlocks who most need the Protector's kit are the ones who will be pushing forward aggressively, and those are often the ones that the Protector will have the most trouble keeping up with.

Since it is expensive and not designed to be spammed; and because Guard Dog doesn’t work with the Blight Archon you probably only ever want to own a single Protector that you may include in your army occasionally. If staying power is your #1 priority on a Shield Guard, the Protector can fit this task well.

Combos & Synergies

The Protector can be reliably applied to any list that may want to have a Shield Guard to fend off an unwanted shot. It also has unnaturally high ARM for his weight class, which can be leveraged with several of Legion's warlocks, and some need it more than others.

  • Absylonia2 - she is midline caster that need to play forward to trigger Alpha Hunter and keep up with her beasts. Safeguard, Guard Dog and Shield guard can save her from assassination while she can up Protector melee output.
  • Fyanna - no knockdown works nicely with her feat, Guard Dog gives her +5 DEF on that turn, and Shield Guard helps protect her from any shots that do make it through her high DEF. Fury allows Protector hit like true Combat Light - P+S 15 is decent for 9 point beast.
  • Saeryn1 makes a Protector far harder to kill than its points would suggest thanks to its high ARM (for a light), and offers insanely high DEF in melee. On the flip-side, since her DEF is hard to come around both at range an in melee, enemies will try to do everything to knock her down.
  • Thagrosh1 can really brick up with a Protector between Death Shroud, Spiny Growth from a Carnivean, and DEF 16 from Guard Dog. Safeguard can be helpful in preventing a pop-and-drop assassination if Thagrosh is near the front lines.
  • Thagrosh2 - Will a warlock on large base be shot? Of course he will. Of all our warlocks, he probably most wants help against shots from quality guns. Like his previous incarnation, Guard Dog and Safeguard can help him play forward with less risk of being assassinated.
  • Rhyas1 accompanied by a Protector dug into melee can get miles and miles of work out of Guard Dog, jacking her DEF up to really silly levels. Bear in mind if your opponent can knock her down, it's still basically game over, so Safeguard can be an important tool for keeping her alive.
    • If you don't need Safeguard, Dodge from Zuriel or a Harrier are highly likely to trigger Dodge with Guard Dog active, which can shut down the would-be assassin's attempts immediately.
  • Lylyth3 can benefit from a Protector in order to catch magical shots that pierce her Wind Wall. Don't count on him against armies with lots of magical guns though. The Protector also struggles to keep up with Lylyth, a job better suited to a model like The Wastelander.
  • Kryssa has very limited defensive tech, save for Set Defence, and putting Ashen Veil on herself. She might want a Protector more than usual.
  • Vayl1 is squishy caster that sometimes need to be uncomfortably close to opponent. Guard Dog, Shield Guard, Safeguard in combination with Dark Sentinel can stop assassination run short in tracks. Try to position Protector so that it can block LoS to Vayl with Dark Sentinel move (if assailant have 2" meelee range it's possible on maximum range), while attack part can remove trooper or solo. On the other hand, Protector benefits from Incite, Leash and her Feat. Especially Incite can help him in late game to make up some of his points in meelee. More often than not Protector will be one of the last beasts alive because of pkaying close to caster while being less threatening piece.
  • Currently, the Protector is allowed in all the themes. However, you get the most out of it in Children of the Dragon, the dedicated Nephilim theme, where it gets Unyielding.

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • Expensive and heavily contested by Minion choices:
    • If you only need a Shield Guard in your list, you can get an Ogrun Bokur for half price. Though he is no match in terms of HP, he has the same ARM against frontal attacks due to his Shield.
    • The Wastelander has a pseudo shield guard that punishes enemies who can’t hit him all at a 3 point reduction.
    • Farrow Valkyries for the same cost can intercept 3 shots a turn and have better melee punch, as well as higher DEF (though one less ARM).
  • Not much offensive threat.
  • Durable for a light, but can still crumble under pressure.
  • Low mobility, no flight or pathfinder.
    • If you want to use Guard Dog you might also want Safeguard up on the Protector so the enemy can't cancel it trivially by knocking the beast down first. You can't do it while running but sometimes it's the only way to keep up with a speedy caster.
  • Guard Dog doesn’t work on a Blight Archon, Thagrosh0 or the Beast Mistress they'rr Battlegroup controllers not warlocks

Tips & Tricks

  • Guard Dog grants a warlock Parry, and works at a range of 3". With a warlock with Flight, if you position the Protector carefully, you can maintain Guard Dog (and Parry from it) while flying over a line of enemy models to reach a key target behind them without taking free strikes. This is especially nice with Abyslonia2 since she can also Reposition back afterwards, again enjoying Parry during the movement.
  • Since it will rarely use Fury for anything but running, it will almost always remain available for transferring damage.
  • Safeguard won't counter pushes, and the Protector (or your warlock) can still be slammed away if the slam distance is more than 3. Watch for that if you want to keep the beast within shield guard/Guard Dog range.
  • Safeguard reduces the distance of all the effects that would slam you (spells, weapon effects, etc), not just power attack slams.

Other

Trivia

Released in Hordes: Metamorphosis (2009)

Other Legion models

Legion Logo.jpg       Legion Index       (Edit)            
Battlegroup & Similar
Warlocks

Absylonia1 - Absylonia2 - Anamag - Bethayne1 - Bethayne2 - Fyanna2 - Kallus1 - Kallus2 - Kryssa - Lylyth1 - Lylyth2 - Lylyth3 - Lylyth4 - Rhyas1 - Saeryn1 - Saeryn2 & Rhyas2 - Thagrosh1 - Thagrosh2 - Vayl1 - Vayl2

Other Warbeast Controllers

Beast Mistress - Blight Archon - Thagrosh0

Lesser Blight Wasps - Shredder - Harrier - Mekanoshredder - Stinger
Light Afflictor - Naga Nightlurker - Nephilim Bloodseer - Nephilim Bolt Thrower - Nephilim Protector - Nephilim Soldier - Raek - Teraph
Heavy

Angelius - Azrael - Carnivean - Golab - Neraph - Proteus - Ravagore - Scythean - Typhon - Seraph - Zuriel

Gargantuans Archangel - Blightbringer
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units

Blackfrost Shard - B.N. Archers - B.N. Hex Hunters - B.N. Legionnaires - B.N. Raptors - B.N. Scather Crew - B.N. Swordsmen - B. Rotwings - B.O. Warmongers - B.O. Warspears - Chosen - Grotesque Banshees - Grotesque Raiders - Hellmouth - Ice Witches - Strider Blightblades - Strider Scouts - Spawning Vessel - Virtue Host

Solos

Ammok - Annyssa Ryvaal - Beast Mistress - Blight Archon - B.N Shepherd - B.N. Sorceress - B.N. Warlord - Craelix - Forsaken - Fyanna1 - Grotesque Assassin - Incubi - Spell Martyr - Strider Deathstalker - Succubus - Thagrosh0 - Virtue Champion - B.O. Warmonger War Chief - Yssylla

Battle Engines Throne of Everblight
Theme Forces
Children of the Dragon - Oracles of Annihilation - Primal Terrors - Ravens of War
Minions
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Legion of Everblight Minion
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification:  : Warbeast      (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

See also the Warbeast page for a recap of the core warbeast rules.
  • Forcing
    • If an ability doesn't specify how much it costs to force, it costs 1. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Animi
    • A single Animus can be on several models at the same time. (Infernal Ruling)
    • Unlike in Mk2, in Mk3 if a model has an animus on it from any source and then another animus is cast on that model, it will lose the first instance of an animus and will be replaced by the second. It does not matter if either the first animus or the second animus is from a warlock or warbeast. (Infernal Ruling)
    • An animi cast by a warlock is an animi and a spell. (Infernal Ruling)
  • 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)
  • Frenzy (Edit)
    • You cannot trigger optional abilities (such as Cleave or Sprint). (Infernal Ruling)
    • You must trigger compulsory abilities (such as Consume) ... except for compulsory abilities that also generate an extra attack (such as Berserk). In that case, you don't get the Berserk attack. (Infernal Ruling)
    • A warbeast may not make an Assault shot as part of a Frenzy activation.
    • If the closest target to a warbeast resolving a Frenzy cannot be charged, then the warbeast will forfeit movement and action (as per the rules of having to charge and not being able to). (Infernal Ruling)
    • If a frenzying warbeast can't reach its charge target (because the charge lane is blocked by terrain, etc) then it will make a failed charge and end its activation. (Locked thread)
    • If a frenzying warbeast has two melee weapons with the same POW, it can choose which one to use. (Infernal Ruling)
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Eyeless Sight      (Edit)

  • A model that ignores Stealth must ignore both aspects: both (1) the auto-missing, and (2) the 'not counting as an intervening model' parts.
    • This can have some strange interactions with casters & channelers, if one has Eyeless Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page.
  • Blind vs Eyeless Sight (Edit)
    • If a model is Blinded, and then given Eyeless Sight, then that model ignores Blind ... but it is technically still Blinded. So if you somehow later lose Eyeless Sight (for instance walking out of the range of Menoth's Sight), it will immediately go back to suffering the effects of Blind. (Infernal Ruling)
    • Also this means stuff that only works vs Blind models (ie Hidden Blade) will still trigger vs a "Was Blinded but then got Eyeless" model.
  • Anti-Cloud abilities vs Burning Earth (Edit)
If you make a piece of terrain "Burning Earth" it counts as a cloud effect in addition to it's original type. This has 2 odd rulings:
  1. If any part of the terrain piece is "hit" by an ability that makes clouds expire (such as Gale Winds) then the entire terrain piece is taken off the table. (Infernal Ruling)
  2. If a model can ignore clouds but not the original terrain type, they don't ignore the terrain. For instance if you have a burning forest, then Eyeless Sight can't see through the forest. (Infernal Ruling)
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Guard Dog      (Edit)

  • If Rocinante is put under the control of a Jack Marshal then he effectively loses his Guard Dog ability because he does not have a controlling warcaster.
    • Simarily, he loses it while under Gastone1's control because Gastone1 is not a warcaster, he's a solo.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Shield Guard and/or Shadow Guardian     (Edit)

  • You can't use this ability vs spells.
  • You shift all effects onto the new model, including stuff that triggers on "when this attack hits".
  • When you use this ability vs an AOE attack, the template moves too. Because, with reference to Apdx A, the hit 'moves' at Step 6 and the template placement is determined at Step 7.
  • This ability doesn't work vs Point Blank attacks. Because Point Blank attacks are melee attacks that are made using a ranged weapon.
    • On the other hand, it will work vs Gunfighter attacks.
  • Shield Guard only
    • Since Shield Guard specifies "opponent's turn", it can't be used against stuff that shoots in your own turn (such as Watcher or Counterblast).
    • The Shield Guard does not necessarily need to be in the attacker's LOS or range.
    • The Shield Guarder is always hit even if they have an ability that makes them automatically get missed, such as Stealth. (Automatically missing is determined earlier in the timing sequence than the Shield Guard moving the hit.) (Infernal Ruling)


RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Safeguard      (Edit)

  • Subtract 3 from the dice roll, to a minimum of 0. Then apply other modifiers (such as, if the slammer is a smaller-base than the target, halve it. Or if the attacker is a huge-base making a Power Attack, add +2").
  • If the slam distance is reduced to 0", and the target is B2B with other models, then it does not count as contacting those B2B models and they won't take collateral damage. (Infernal Facebook Ruling)