Warcaster
This is a copy of the official warcaster rules.
See also:
- 101 - Warcasters: A newbie-friendly recap of the warcaster rules.
- Category: Warcaster: A list of all warcasters in the game.
- (Editors only): Template: Warcaster Template: Warcaster Unit Template: Unit of Warcasters
Contents
Core Rules - Warcasters
All warcasters have the following special rules in common.
Battlegroup Commander
This model can control a group of warjacks. This model and the ’jacks it controls are collectively referred to as a battlegroup. This model can allocate focus points to warjacks in its battlegroup and can channel spells (p. 73) through warjacks in its battlegroup with the Arc Node advantage.
As warcasters and warjacks are independent models, each model in a battlegroup can move freely about the battlefield separate from the rest of the group. Although warjacks usually benefit from remaining within their battlegroup commander’s control range, they are not required to do so.
Only friendly models can be part of a battlegroup. If a rule causes a ’jack to become an enemy model, it is not part of its original battlegroup while that rule is in effect.
If an effect causes a battlegroup commander to fall under your opponent’s control, while the model is controlled by your opponent the warjacks in its battlegroup remain under your control and become autonomous (p. 67). If you regain control of the battlegroup commander, it resumes control of the warjacks in its battlegroup unless some other model has already taken control of them.
Power Up
Warjacks are empowered by the mere presence of their controlling warcaster on the battlefield. During the Control Phase, each warjack with a functional cortex in a battlegroup that is in its controller’s control range (p. 69) gains 1 focus point. A warjack with a crippled cortex or no cortex at all cannot power up and does not gain this focus. Remember, a warjack cannot have more than 3 focus points at any time.
Allocating Focus Points
In addition to focus points gained from powering up, a battlegroup commander can allocate additional focus points to the warjacks in its battlegroup during your Control Phase. A warjack must be in its battlegroup commander’s control range to be allocated focus, though it need not be in its line of sight. Remember, a warjack cannot have more than 3 focus points at any time and a warjack with a crippled cortex cannot be allocated focus.
A battlegroup commander cannot allocate focus points to warjacks in another model’s battlegroup, even if they are both part of the same army.
Feat
Each warcaster has a unique feat that can turn the tide of battle if used at the right time. A warcaster can use this feat at any time during its activation. A warcaster can use its feat only once per game.
Remember that a warcaster cannot use its Normal Movement to run after using its feat and cannot use its feat after using its Normal Movement to run, as its activation ends as soon as it completes the run movement. Additionally, because a warcaster can use its feat at any time, it can do so before moving, after moving, before making an attack, or after an attack but not while moving or attacking (see “Use of ‘Any Time’ Special Rules,”p. 11).
Focus Manipulation
This model has a Focus stat (FOCUS). During your Control Phase, this model replenishes its focus points so that it has a number equal to its current FOCUS. To replenish focus, a model gains focus points so that it has a number equal to its current FOCUS. This model begins the game with a number of focus points equal to its FOCUS. Unless otherwise stated, a model can spend focus points only during its activation.
A model with the Focus Manipulation special rule has a control range and can spend its focus points for additional melee attacks, to boost attack and damage rolls, and to shake some effects. During its controller’s Maintenance Phase, a model with the Focus Manipulation special rule loses all focus points in excess of its Focus stat.
Control Range
A model with the Focus Manipulation special rule has a control range, a circular area centered on the model with a radius that extends out from the edge of its base a number of inches equal to twice its current FOCUS. When a special rule changes a model’s current FOCUS, its control range changes accordingly. Some spells and feats use the control range, noted as “CTRL,” as their range or area of effect. A model is always considered to be in its own control range.
A warjack must be in its battlegroup commander’s control range to power up, to be allocated focus points from the warcaster, or to channel spells (p. 73).
Focus: Additional Attack
A model with the Focus Manipulation special rule can spend focus points to make additional melee attacks as part of its Combat Action (p. 36). It can make one additional attack for each focus point spent. Some models have special rules that enable them to also spend focus points to make additional ranged attacks.
Focus: Boost
A model with the Focus Manipulation special rule can spend 1 focus point to boost any of its attack or damage rolls during its activation. Add an extra die to the boosted roll. Boosting must be declared before rolling any dice for the roll. Remember, a particular roll can be boosted only once, but a model can boost as many different rolls as you choose and can afford.
Focus: Shake Effect
During your Control Phase after allocating focus, a model with the Focus Manipulation special rule can spend focus points for the following:
- If the model is knocked down (p. 61), it can spend 1 focus point to stand up.
- If the model is stationary (p. 61), it can spend 1 focus point to cause the stationary status to expire.
- If the model is suffering an effect like Blind or Shadow Bind that can be shaken, it can spend 1 focus point to cause the effect to expire.
Power Field
Warcaster armor is perhaps the most sophisticated blend of magic and mechanics to be found anywhere. Besides its seemingly impossible strength, this armor creates a magical field to surround and protect the warcaster from damage that would rend a normal individual to pieces.
At any time during its activation, this model can spend focus points to remove damage it has suffered. For each focus point spent this way, the model can remove 1 damage point.
Reinforcing the Power Field
When a model with the Power Field special rule would suffer damage, it can immediately spend up to 1 focus point to reduce the damage it would suffer by 5. The model is still considered to have suffered damage even if the damage is reduced to 0 or less. Excess damage prevention is lost.
- EXAMPLE: Captain Victoria Haley has 2 focus points left and is hit by an attack that deals her 13 damage. She can spend 1 focus point to reduce the damage she suffers to 8.
- EXAMPLE: The High Reclaimer has 1 focus point left and is hit by an attack that deals him 4 damage. He can spend his focus point to reduce the damage to 0. He is still considered to have suffered damage.
Spellcaster
This model can cast spells by paying the COST of the spells in focus points (p. 72).
Warcaster Units
Some warcasters are part of a unit rather than being independent models. The warcaster is the unit commander and activates as part of the unit. The warcaster is the model in the unit with the Officer advantage and is the only model in the unit that has the special rules of a warcaster. The warcaster controls a battlegroup, has a feat, can spend focus, and so on. If the warcaster is destroyed, its upkeep spells expire and its warjacks become inert as normal.
The models in a warcaster’s unit are part of its battlegroup.
Warcaster units cannot have command or weapon attachments added to them. However, a warcaster that is part of a warcaster unit can still have solos with the Attached special rule attached to it. If a solo with the Attached rule is attached to a warcaster that is part of a warcaster unit, the solo remains an independent model and does not become part of the warcaster unit.
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification: : Warcaster (Edit) | ||||
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