Zaateroth, The Weaver of Shadows

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Zaateroth, The Weaver of Shadows Infernal Master

Zaateroth is a fell master of tremendous intellect and will, an entity whose very appearance can overwhelm lesser minds, forcing them to their knees. She possesses an aura of alien grace and majesty that is both cold and terrifying. It is no wonder that in ancient times, those who witnessed Zaateroth thought her a dark goddess, and in occult texts, she is described as a personification of death and decay. At her least touch, corporeal forms begin to lose coherence, falling to ruin as if left to age for a thousand years. Shadows move about her like specters, and in these shadows is the essence of the Outer Abyss.

Basic Info

Zaateroth1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Large SPD 6 STR 7 MAT 6 RAT 7 M.A. N/A DEF 15 ARM 16 CMD 12 ESSENCE 7 FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 16 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP +26 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

• Infernal Master - This model is the Infernal equivalent of a warcaster or warlock. They have a number of unique rules (which you can read here), but fulfil the same role; namely, being really awesome at everything.

Feat - Whispering Void

1. While in Zaateroth's control range, friendly Faction models gain +3 DEF.
2. When an enemy model misses a friendly Faction model in Zaateroth's control range with an attack, immediately after the attack is resolved place the friendly model anywhere completely within 3" of its current location unless it was missed while advancing.

Whispering Void lasts for one round.

Abilities

• Pathfinder
• Long Shadows - When a friendly Faction model in this model's command range is targeted by a ranged attack, the attack suffers -3 RNG.
• Soul Taker: Cull Soul - This model can gain soul tokens. When a living enemy model is destroyed within 2" of this model, this model gains the destroyed model's soul token. After this model replenishes its essence during your next Control Phase, replace each soul token with 1 essence point.
• Veneficium - When a spell or special rule on an enemy model causes one or more of this model's upkeep spells to expire, the enemy model suffers d3 damage points for each of this model's upkeep spells that expire.

Weapons

Echoes of Dissolution
		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		12			1			3			14
Damage Type: Magical Black Mark - When this model destroys a living enemy model with an attack with this weapon, this model gains the destroyed model's soul token. Reload [1] - This model can spend 1 essence point or soul token to make one additional ranged attack with this weapon during its Combat Action.
Infernal Touch
		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				3				10
Damage Type: Magical

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Black Spot	3	8	-	-	Upkeep	Yes
(1) Target enemy warrior model/unit suffers -2 DEF. (2) When a friendly Faction model destroys one or more affected models with a basic melee or ranged attack during its Combat Action, immediately after the attack is resolved it can make one additional melee or ranged attack. Attacks gained from Black Spot cannot generate additional attacks from Black Spot.
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.
Rebuke	2	10	-	-	Upkeep	Yes
Target model/unit cannot give orders, receive orders, or make power attacks or special attacks.
Rites of Torment	3	SELF	Control	-	Upkeep	-
When a friendly Faction model in the spellcaster's control range destroys one or more enemy models with a melee or ranged attack during its activation, immediately after the attack is resolved one horror in the spellcaster's battlegroup that is in its control range can advance up to 3". A horror can advance only once per turn as a result of Rites of Torment.
Scything Touch	2	6	-	-	Upkeep	No
Target friendly Faction model gains Dark Shroud. Dark Shroud - While in the melee range of a model with Dark Shroud, enemy models suffer -2 ARM.
Stygian Abyss	3	10	-	12	(★)	Yes
On a critical hit, the model hit suffers Blind for one round. Blind - A model suffering Blind cannot make ranged or magic attacks, suffers -4 MAT and DEF, and cannot run, charge, or make slam or trample power attacks. It must forfeit either its Normal Movement or Combat Action during its next activation. Blind can be shaken.

Theme Forces

• Dark Legacy

Thoughts on Zaateroth

Zaateroth in a Nutshell

Zaateroth is a powerful control ’caster with a suite of powerful spells and rules to help disable her opponent’s army.

Zaateroth's "gun" is a high POW with an AOE that collects souls and can be reloaded, giving her a pretty decent method of Soul Collection against enemy infantry formations, or she could, y'know, just shoot the enemy warcaster with it and kill them. It is fairly versatile.

You may have noticed that Zaateroth has several upkeeps, and she should definitely make decisions between upkeeping them, which could put a strain on her ability to summon, while also casting other useful spells, like Ghost Walk, or even throwing out a boosted Stygian Abyss. However, since upkeeps can be a crucial part of her gameplan, her Veneficium will punish opponents who dispel them.

In concept, Zaateroth should provide powerful utility to her army (and some debuffs to her opponents), but not the pure arcane might of Agathon. She is also not as beefy as Omodamos, but much sturdier than Agathon. She should be versatile, and let you make different decisions each turn, between buffing your models, or trying to stymie your enemy, or summoning, or shooting, etc.

Spell thoughts

• Black Spot is both a DEF fixer and a source of extra attacks, two things that have synergy with the Desolator, allowing up to 4 sprays a turn against it's favorite food, infantry.
• Ghost walk get around some of the pathfinder issues certain infernals have. Note that is can be spell slaved by D'Vyaros which can save Zaat more essence than a harmonious exaltation would provide.
• Rebuke can heavily disrupt infantry that cannot cleanse it off them, especially if they need to charge to do work, or have shield wall.
• Rites of Torment is exactly the same as Road to War and Warpath, and is a ridiculously flexible threat extender. Use it to get your horrors up the board, or allow them a psuedo side-step to dig deeper into enemy lines, or reposition after one spray to line up more targets for the second... there's almost too many potential applications to list.
• Scything Touch is an easy to apply +2 melee damage swing, meaning Zaat can achieve a +6 with Desolators and the Hermit.
• Stygian Abyss is Zaateroths standard nuke spell, though there's little reason to use it when she's already sporting a great ranged attack. Boosting to try for the blind could potentially disable battle engines for a turn.

Feat thoughts

Zaateroth's feat ramps up her army defense, helping deliver them across the table, or making trading more challenging once the lines have clashed. Additionally, it forces your opponent to expend resources ensuring they actually hit, because a miss gives the model a free 3" place, almost like a Super Duper Dodge.

Drawbacks & Downsides

Between casting and/or maintaining 4 upkeeps, wanting to take advantage of the powerful summoning mechanic, and keeping some essence for transfers it really feels like 7 Essence is not enough. She has a large tool box of options, but if the right tool is not used at the right time it can be punished by the opposing player.

Getting her caught up in melee also feels quite bad as she has very little for melee output (single pow 10 at mat 6). Often ghostwalk is your best way out when opponents tie her up in melee, which feels rough due to how tight her essence feels already.

Her huge and powerful spell list feels very strong, but unlike traditional Warmachine and Hordes casters, you will often be spending 3-4 of your essence up front for a summon, leaving a lot of options for spells but very little essence to spend on them.

Tricks & Tips

Don't forget about her gun. With Black Spot and reload she could potentially kill 4 things and collect 4 souls. Also dont forget that her reload shot can be purchased with the soul from one of her earlier shots.

Don't be afraid to cut for essence if you only need to replenish 2 or 3 instead of sacrificing a cultist, particularly if there is a healing objective nearby.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Its main method of winning is ...Placeholder
For example: "using her feat turn to get a melee/ranged/spell assassination" "attrition then win on scenario" "board control then win on scenario" "sending a jack in, to beat the enemy warcaster's face into pulp" "etc"

Army

Stuff it likes to take to help achieve this strategy is ... Placeholder

Other

Trivia

• Released with the Faction launch (2019.06)

Other Infernal models

Infernal Index       (Edit)
Unique Rules : Masters, Horrors, Essence, & Summoning
Infernal Masters	Agathon - Omodamos - Zaateroth
Attachment	Lord Roget d'Vyaros		Master Infernalist	Princess Regna
Lesser	Foreboder	Light	Lamenter - Shrieker	Heavy	Desolator - Soul Stalker - Tormentor
Units, Solos, & Structures
Structures	Infernal Gate
Solos	Eilish1 - Eilish2 - Great Princess Regna Gravnoy (Master Infernalist) - Hermit of Henge Hold - Lord Roget d'Vyaros - Lynda the Forgotten - Nicia2 - Orin1 - Saxon Orrik - Runewood2 - The Wretch - Umbral Guardian - Valin Hauke, The Fallen Knight
Units	Croe's Cutthroats - Cultist Band - Griever Swarm - Howlers
Theme Forces			Mercenaries
Dark Legacy - Hearts of Darkness			J.A.I.M.s
This index was last updated: 2020.12

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Infernal Master      (Edit) General ESSENCE or ESS (uppercase) is the stat printed on the model's card. Essence (lowercase) refers to how many essence points a model currently has. Your CTRL area is double your ESSENCE stat, not double your essence points. (Infernal Ruling) Casting spells or using feats is an anytime ability (see below), but with the extra restriction that you can't use them on the same turn you run even before you run. Replenishing Essence Can vs Must: Replenishing is optional (it uses the word can) and the model chooses either Sacrificing or Leeching, as per the Essence manipulation rule. If it chooses Sacrifice, it must sacrifice a model. The "sacrifice a non-soulless model" technically means any model lacking the soulless icon, so you could sacrifice a warjack etc. However there is a temporary TO Ruling saying you can only sacrifice models that produce a soul token when they are destroyed. (Tournament Organiser Ruling) Transferring Damage If both the master and the horror are damaged by the same attack (such as an AOE), then you need to apply the 'normal' damage to the horror before the transferred damage. This distinction can be important when you're working out who/what actually destroyed the horror. (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) Rules Clarification : Inscrutable - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Long Shadows - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Cull Soul - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Veneficium - 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 : Black Mark      (Edit) You have to be the nearest eligible model to collect souls. Black Mark lacks the "regardless of proximity of other models" clause.

Rules Clarification : Reload      (Edit) You can use Reload to make additional attacks after a Special Ranged Attack. (Infernal Ruling) If you have (x2) of a weapon with Reload (such as Caine1), the special rule will only be written on the card once. But you can reload both weapons to the max limit. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification:  : Black Spot      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

* Black Spot only triggers from basic attacks. Power Attacks, (★ Attack)s, and Chain Attacks will not trigger it. If you destroy multiple models in an attack (such as with a spray or AOE) you only get one free attack, due to the "destroyed one or more" wording. In a CRA, only the attack leader is actually making an attack, so only he will gain a free attack from Black Spot and all the other participants gain nothing. The free attack he gains is a normal attack, not a free CRA (although he can use the free attack as part of a whole new CRA with different participants, if you want.) The type of attack that is generated by Black Spot The wording of "make one additional melee or ranged attack" is a bit unclear on what the intent is, but the Infernal Ruling is: Essentially, Black Spot doesn't impose any restrictions on the type of attack you make ... but neither does it lift any restrictions you already have. Thus a model can be in one of these cases: If you have a special rule that lets you make both ranged and melee attacks in the same activation, and as many as you like (such as Dual Attack) then any Black Spot attacks you get can be either ranged or melee, your choice. If you don't have a special rule allowing unlimited amounts of both, then any Black Spot attacks you generate have to be the same type as what you started with. Special cases: Abilities that let you make a single attack of the opposite type to your normal attacks (eg Kill Shot, Quick Work, Assault, etc). Because they only allow 1 opposite attack, these abilities count as case #2. For example, you make an initial melee attack, trigger Kill Shot, and get a free ranged attack. This ranged attack then kills a Black Spotted model and you get another free attack. The Black Spot free attack has to be another melee attack. Abilities that let you make unlimited attacks of the opposite type (eg Drag). If you successfully trigger Drag, it counts as case #1. If you're unsuccessful, it's case #2. Gunfighter and Point Blank are case #2. Attack-Generating Abilities (Edit) From the core rulebook: When a model is granted more attacks as a result of an attack it made, it gains only one. If two or more special rules would grant the model another attack as a result of making an attack, its controlling player chooses which special rule to apply. If you trigger two attack-generating abilities (such as Black Spot and Kill Shot) you choose to resolve one and "lose" the other (unless you trigger it again later). If you trigger two attack-generating abilities, and one of them is compulsory (such as Black Spot and Berserk), you must choose to resolve the compulsory one. (Infernal Ruling)

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)

Rules Clarification : Rebuke - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Road to War and/or Warpath and/or Rites of Torment     (Edit) Note that this spell triggers when a model is destroyed. RFP attacks might interfere with it.

Rules Clarification : Scything Touch      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Dark Shroud      (Edit) Dark Shroud only applies to your melee range, and this doesn't include behind you. Refer to the latest errata. The ARM debuff still applies during a free strike.

Rules Clarification : Stygian Abyss      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Blind      (Edit) Blind prevents magic attacks. However spell-casters, spell slaves, etc can still cast non-offensive spells. Blind vs Eyeless Sight (Edit) If you put Eyeless Sight on a Blind model, it will still be Blind but it will not suffer the effects as long as it has Eyeless Sight. (Infernal Ruling) This means stuff like Hidden Blade will still trigger. Also, if the model subsquently loses Eyeless Sight, it will immediately go back to suffering the effects of Blind.