Baldur the Stonesoul
While the last tenuous thread of his life was held fast by Megalith, Baldur’s spirit was subsumed within the entirety of Orboros, and the fundamental principles of the world were made clear to him. He has returned to serve as a conduit for a torrent of destructive power. In the midst of battle Baldur can tap into this endless flow to empower himself beyond his mortal limits, but the longer he fights, the more his body tears itself apart.
Basic Info
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Abilities
- 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.
- Pathfinder
- Devourer's Debt - During your Control Phase, place one Wurm token on this model. This model gains +1 STR for each Wurm token on it. At the end of each of this model's activations, it suffers 1 damage point for each Wurm token on it. This damage cannot be transferred.
- Elemental Mastery - Construct warbeasts in this model's battlegroup beginning their activation in this model's control range can charge and make power attacks without being forced. This model can heal friendly construct models in its battlegroup.
- Ritual of Renewal (★ Action) - Remove all Wurm tokens from this model.
Weapons
Tritus - 2" reach, POW 7, P+S 14 melee attack
- Weight of Stone - When a model is damaged by this weapon it suffers –3 SPD and DEF for one round.
- Damage Type: Magical
Spells
- |-
|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Crevasse ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 3
! 8
! -
! 12
! -
! Yes
|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|If Crevasse boxes its original target, you can make a SP 6 attack using the boxed model as the attack's point of origin. The SP 6 attack can target models in the boxed model's back arc. Models hit suffer a POW 12 magical damage roll. Models boxed by Crevasse are RFP'd.
- |-
|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Ground Zero ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 3
! SELF
! 5
! 13
! -
! No
|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Center a 5" AOE on the spellcaster. Each other model in the AOE is hit and suffers a POW 13 damage roll. Immediately after this damage is resolved each enemy model damaged by Ground Zero is pushed d6" directly away from the spellcaster in the order you choose.
- |-
|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Rock Wall ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 2
! Control
! -
! -
! Upkeep
! No
|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Place a wall template anywhere completely within the spellcaster's control range where it does not touch a model's base, an obstruction, or an obstacle. The wall is an obstacle that provides cover.
- |-
|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Roots of the Earth ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 2
! 6
! -
! -
! Round
! No
|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Target friendly Faction model gains +3 ARM, cannot become knocked down, and cannot move or be placed. Roots of the Earth lasts for one round.
Feat: Hallowed Ground
All friendly Circle model in his CTRL range are immediately affected by his Roots of the Earth spell.
Thoughts on Baldur the Stonesoul
Baluder2 in a nutshell
Baldur the Stonesoul is the Circle brick-caster. His key feature is both the Roots of the Earth spell and the ability to put it on his entire army with his feat. A circle army that can take the alpha strike is very unusual, and Baldur therefore lets you play in a way that is most unlike normal Circle casters. In a ranged heavy meta extra ARM really matters because boosting is rarer for ranged than melee attacks.
Because of the lack of a damage buff in most lists (there's always Primal in some) and because he has Crevasse Baldur tends to be best bricking into infantry rather than winning brick-on-brick action.
Maximising his Feat & Spells
- Roots of Earth is that rare thing - a non-upkeep ARM buff (meaning that it can be spammed - and indeed is spammed on feat turn). It's also normally cast multiple times even on non-feat turns, leaving Baldur with a very tough battle group. Making your models unable to be moved is also great.
- Rock Wall is great for providing cover and should be out almost every turn. As an obstacle it can't be charged or slammed over. More importantly enemies can't end their movement on top of it, meaning it's awesome for blocking huge bases.
- Crevasse is normally cast via Megalith/Woldwardens. It's a pretty decent spell with a nice remove from play effect (making it a problem for Ghost Fleet). It can also do interesting things to shield walls.
- Ground Zero is mostly for owning control points.
- You feat at the obvious time - it's pure defence.
Drawbacks & Downsides
- Slow, heavy, and hard hitting. Is this why you chose Circle? Effective tho.
- His feat casts a spell on everyone. It therefore is vulnerable to blessed weapons.
- The only damage buff Baldur himself brings to the party is free charges for the normally pillow-fisted Wolds.
Tricks & Tips
- Remember that if you don't clear away the Wurm tokens then by turn 5 he hits like the Butcher. He's not an assassin - but can kill anyone that gets too close.
- Take control points - and then prevent the enemy pushing you off them.
List Building Advice
Strategy
Baldur2's normal win strategy is to take the best the enemy can throw at him, then grind them into dust. The Woldwrath is pretty central to this strategy... with a huge number of hitpoints (2nd-most in the game) and high armor with Roots of Earth, he can be difficult to deal with, especially if you're using Rock Wall to limit how much can attack him. More importantly, while the Woldwrath *can* be removed, it usually takes so many resources that the rest of the army is unscathed afterward. Baldur2 can push forward aggressively in the early game, contesting zones and flags early on. His army almost always survives the enemy's first strike thanks to Baldur2's feat, and can then counter attack to claim sole possession of the objectives. Even if the enemy manages to make some headway against your battlegroup, claiming the objectives can usually force them to spread ever dwindling resources out against your tougher models or risk losing the game on scenario.
Theme Thoughts
Bones of Orboros - Baldur2's main theme
Baldur the Stonesoul is one of two warlocks who frequently plays with the The Bones of Orboros theme (the other one being Bradigus) - free points (normally spent on a Blackclad Wayfarer or two to start) for taking a rock-based army that he wanted to take anyway.
- Shifting Stones and Sentry Stone & Mannikins - not only are both these choices simply good but they fit Baldur thematically.
- Celestial Fulcrum - it's a tough shooter you can make tougher.
- See the Battlegroup section for which rocks to take.
Devourer's Host
This theme gets you access to Loki, who is reasonably durable. The loss of Construct warbeasts makes it probably not worth it, though.
The Wild Hunt
Warpborn Skinwalkers - the only 8 wound heavy infantry that's not carting half a ton of metal, making the tough tougher is always good.
Battlegroup
- Megalith is Baldur's pet warbeast, so he can take him in any theme. Megalith gains Baldur's construct-buffs. Giving Baldur automatic healing is great; it means the first two Wurm tokens do nothing to hurt Baldur so by turn 4 or 5 he can be a wrecking machine in melee. He also has a great spell list for Geomancy - both Roots of Earth and Crevasse are Geomancable.
He likes Construct warbeasts (which are not allowed in Call of the Wild or Devourer's Host).
- Woldwrath - the only actually really hard hitting option in Bones of Orboros a double Woldwrath list is not unknown. It also has great armour even before you throw Roots of Earth on it.
- Woldwarden - free charges, a combo smite, and great geomancy. Plus extra self healing.
- Woldwatcher - ARM 21 in Stone Form before Roots of Earth.
- Wold Guardian - ARM 19 before Roots, self healing from theme, free charges, and harder hitting than the Warden. And Shield Guard.
- Woldwyrd - Zap zap zap. It's pretty good and fits the theme.
Outside the Bones theme he likes other tough models:
- Feral Warpwolf - Although it's not allowed in Bones, Baldur's normal theme, the ARM buff it's probably the toughest non-character Circle heavy. And a Feral really likes being made immune to knockdown.
Other
Trivia
Originally released in Hordes: Domination (2011)
Theme Forces
Other Circle models
Rules Clarifications
Rules Clarification : Feat: Hallowed Ground
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Rules Clarification : Weight of Stone (Edit)
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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 : Pathfinder (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Elemental Mastery (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Devourer's Debt - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Ritual of Renewal - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Crevasse and/or Jaws of Urcaen (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Ground Zero (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Rock Wall (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Roots of the Earth (Edit)
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