Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges

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Mercenary Logo.jpg Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges

Mercenary Cephalyx Unit

Mk4 icon.png
Limbo
This model has not (yet) been updated with Mk IV rules, as of 2022.12. Privateer Press have promised it will get updated ... eventually.
You can view the Mk3 models that have been updated on this page.

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

Cephalyx specialized in unleashing formidable mental powers to augment the drudges they command or to annihilate foes, mind benders can instill in their enslaved warriors a strength and savagery beyond ordinary fleshly limitations. These drudges sometimes serve as conduits for the mind bender’s overwhelming rending mental attacks, though they are consumed in the process.

Basic Info

Limited Employment - This model can be included only in an army made using a Cephalyx Theme force.

Mind Bender

Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges
Missing Info
Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges.jpeg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Mind Bender / Drudges
BASE Small
SPD 6 / 5
STR 6 / 8
MAT 6 / 5
RAT N/A
M.A. 6 / -
DEF 14 / 12
ARM 13 / 16
CMD 7 / 4
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS N/A
FURY N/A
THRS N/A
HP 5 / 1
F. Field N/A
WJP {{{wjp}}}
WBP {{{wbp}}}
IHP {{{ihp}}}
FA 3
UNIT SIZE 1 Bender 5 or 9 Drudges
COST 7 or 11
1.2 to 1.1 pts each
N/A
N/A
Warcaster 1
COST N/A
N/A
Understanding
the Statblock

Abilities

  • Officer symbol.jpg Officer
  • Pathfinder symbol.jpg Pathfinder
  • Stealth symbol.jpg Stealth
  • Magic Ability [ 6 ] - This model can cast spells. Normally this uses up the model's Combat Action and as such is limited to one spell per activation, but exceptions do exist.
  • Psychic Projection - This model can channel spells through Grunts in this unit that are in formation, even if the channeler is engaged. When it does, you can choose up to two additional Grunts in this unit that are in formation for the spell to also be channeled through. The spell is cast once through each channeler, simultaneously, then the channelers are removed from play.
  • Sacrificial Pawn [ Unit ] - When this model is directly hit by an enemy ranged attack, you can have one friendly, non-incorporeal model in this unit within 3" of it directly hit instead. That model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. The Sacrificial Pawn special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.

Weapons

  • Prosthetic Blades - 1" reach, P+S 8 melee weapon

Spells

COST RNG AOE POW DUR OFF
Adrenal Flood

(★ Action) 6 - - Turn No
Target Drudge Grunt gains +4 MAT and STR and can immediately advance 4". Adrenal Flood lasts for one turn.
Concussion Pulse

(★ Action) - 4 12 - No
Center a 4" AOE on this model or a Grunt the spell is channeled through. Other models in the AOE suffer a POW 12 magical damage roll.
Psychic Assault

(★ Attack) SP 8 - 12 - Yes
This attack ignores LOS.

Drudges

Abilities

Weapons

  • Battering Fists - 0.5" reach, P+S 11 melee weapon

Theme Forces


Thoughts on Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges

Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges in a nutshell

The Mind Bender and Drudges are a support unit for the Cephalyx - not as hard hitting as the Mind Slavers but instead acting to empower the mind slavers and turn them into a wrecking crew.

You shouldn't be trying to get in melee with this unit, you should be sacrificing the Drudges to fuel the Bender's spells. Most of the time that'll be Adrenal Flood cast 3 times on Drudges in a different unit.

Combos & Synergies

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • You can't charge the Drudges and use the Mind Bender's spells in the same activation.
  • The Cephalyx Overlords are better at Psychic Assaults.
  • The Cephalyx Mind Slaver unit is better in melee.
  • If the Bender dies the grunts fall back on their basic stats, which are terrible.
  • Unlike other Mercenary models, they can't go in most themes. So your list-building options are limited.

Tricks & Tips

  • Since the Drudges in the Slaver unit have CMA, use Adrenal Flood on whomever is going to lead the CMA.
  • If you can get into melee without charging, attack with the Drudges before sacrificing them to fuel the Bender's spells.

Other

Trivia

Limited Edition sculpt.
  • Released in the digital-only book Forces of Warmachine: Cephalyx (late 2014).
  • Republished in the Warmachine: Reckoning expansion book (mid 2015).
  • The Gobber Drudge models can be substituted as grunts in the unit. You can even have a whole unit of Gobber Drudges!

Other Mercenary models

Mercenary Logo.jpg       Mercenary Index       (Edit)
Mercenary 'Jack Controllers (Human) (Edit)
Warcasters

Ashlynn1 - Ashlynn2 - Aurora2 - Blaize - Caine3 - Crosse2 - Damiano - Fiona - Macbain - Magnus1 - Magnus2 - Montador - Rahera - Shae

"Juniors"

Asphyxious4 - Crosse1 - Nemo4

'Jack Marshals

Colbie Sterling - Dirty Meg - MacHorne1 - MacHorne2 - Raluk Moorclaw - Rutger Shaw - Steelhead Ironhead

Mercenary Warjacks (Human)   (Edit)
Light Buccaneer - Renegade (Magnus only) - Scallywag - Swashbuckler - Talon - Vanguard
Heavy Freebooter - Gallant - Mangler - Mariner - Mule - Nomad - Rocinante - Rover - Toro - Swabber
Colossal Blockader - Galleon
Rhulic 'Jack Controllers (Edit)
Warcaster Durgen Madhammer - General Ossrum - Gorten Grundback
'Jack Marshal Thor Steinhammer
Rhulic Warjacks (Edit)
Light Blaster- Gunner
Heavy Avalancher - Basher - Driller - Rockram
Colossal Earthbreaker
Cephalyx Warcasters (Edit)
Warcasters Cognifex Cyphon - Exulon Thexus
Cephalyx Monstrosities (Edit)
Heavy Subduer - Warden - Wrecker
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Warcaster attachments

Doctor Stygius - Madelyn Corbeau - Reinholdt - Wyshnalyrr

Lesser Warlocks Rorsh & Brine (Farrow) - Wrong Eye & Snapjaw (Gatorman)
Non-character Units

Cephalyx Mind Bender - Cephalyx Mind Slaver - Cephalyx Overlords - High Shields - Artillery Corps - Forge Guard - Idrian Skirmishers - Kayazy Assassins - Kayazy Eliminators - Legion of Lost Souls - Ogrun Assault Corps - OoI Resolutes - OoI Vigilants - Precursor Knights - Press Gangers - Sea Dog Pirates - Deck Gun - SH Cannon - SH Halberdiers - SH Cavalry - SH Mortar - SH Riflemen - SH Volley Gun - Tactical Arcanist Corps - Thorn Gun Mages
Special CA: Cephalyx Dominator (small or medium based units) - Special WA: Morrowan Battle Priest (Morrow units)

Character Units

Alexia1 - Asphyxious4 - Croe's Cutthroats - Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters - Blythe & Bull - Boomhowler1 - Herne & Jonne - Lady Aiyana & Master Holt - Lynus & Edrea - MacHorne1 - The Commodore Cannon - The Devil's Shadow Mutineers

Non-character Solos

Cephalyx Agitator - Death Archon - Gobber Tinker - Menite Archon - Morrowan Archon - Ogrun Bokur - Powder Monkey - SH Arcanist - SH Ironhead - SH Gunner - Swamp Gobber River Raider Thamarite Advocate - Thamarite Archon - Void Archon

Character Solos

Alexia2 - Alexia3 - Alten Ashley - Anastasia Di Bray - Balthazar Bamfist - Black Bella1 - Black Bella2 - Bloody Bradigan - Boomhowler2 - Boomhowler3 - Bosun Grogspar - Brun Cragback & Lug - Captain Crawtooth - Colbie Sterling, Captain of the BRI - Dahlia Hallyr & Skarath - Dez1 - Dez2 - Dirty Meg - Doc Killingsworth - Doctor Stygius - Eilish1 - Eiryss1 - Eiryss2 - Eiryss4 - First Mate Hawk - Flubbin1 - Flubbin2 & Dreyfus2 - Flugwug the Filcher - Crosse1 - Glyn Cormier, Illuminated One - Gorman1 - Gorman2 - Grand Master Gabriel Throne - Gubbin1 - Gubbin2 - Gudrun1 - Gudrun2 - Harlan Versh, Illuminated One - Harlowe Holdemhigh - Hermit of Henge Hold - Hutchuk, Ogrun Bounty Hunter - J.A.I.M.s - Kell Bailoch - Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress - Lord Rockbottom - MacHorne2 - Major Harrison Gibbs - Malvin2 - Master Gunner Dougal MacNaile - Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - Princess Delores Graciela - Ragman - Raluk Moorclaw, the Ironmonger - Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord - Rorsh & Brine - Rutger Shaw, Professional Adventurer - Savio Montero Acosta - Saxon Orrik - Scythe - Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye - Stannis Brocker - Taryn Di La Rovissi, Llaelese Gun Mage - Thor Steinhammer - Tubbin - Underboss Vizkoya - Viktor Pendrake - Weird Wendell - Widget1 - Widget2 - Wrong Eye & Snapjaw

Battle Engines

Hammerfall Siege Crawler - Nemo4

Independent Warjack

Malvin1 & Mayhem1

Theme Forces (Edit)
Flame in the Darkness - Hammer Strike - Llaelese Resistance - Operating Theater - Soldiers of Fortune - Strange Bedfellows - The Irregulars - The Kingmaker's Army - The Talion Charter
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Limited Employment - None yet. (Edit)


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Rules Clarification : Officer      (Edit)

  • Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook.
  • When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose).
  • But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.
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Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit)

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Stealth      (Edit)

  • Stealth models are not invisible and you can target them - you'll just auto-miss most of the time.
  • You can target them with a charge.
  • You can target them with an AOE, have it auto-miss and scatter, luckily land on top of them anyway, and that will hit them.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Magic Ability      (Edit)

  • Combat Action
Nearly all Magic Ability spells require the spellcaster to use their Combat Action to cast the spell. As such it is not an "at any time" ability (like it is when warcasters/warlocks cast spells). This means ...
  • You must complete your movement before you use a MA.
  • A model in a unit cannot use its Combat Action to cast a spell until all members of the unit have completed their movement. (Infernal Ruling)
  • You cannot make initial ranged or initial melee attacks on the same turn you use a MA.
  • You cannot buy additional melee/ranged attacks after using a MA special attack. Refer to the core rulebook, "Special attacks listed as a rule of the model itself are neither melee attacks nor ranged attacks. The rules for these special attacks indicate the nature of any additional attacks that can be made afterward, if any."
  • You cannot use a MA on the same turn you charge. Because a charge must (almost always) be followed by a melee attack.
  • Non-Combat Action
There are a few models that can use a Magic Ability without using their Combat Action. These models get around all the restrictions listed above.
  • Models with Geomancy or Necromancy can use a Magic Ability at "any time" just like a warcaster/warlock.
  • Models with Battle Wizard or Necrophage can make melee attacks then get a bonus "free" spell.
  • Models with Combat Caster can cast a spell before charging, then do a normal charge + melee attack.
  • Note that Battle Wizards, Combat Casters, etc have the option to use their Combat Action to cast a spell. Their special rule is in addition to the normal spell casting, not instead of.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Adrenal Flood      (Edit)

  • You can cast AF on drudges from other units. Indeed, that's kind of the whole point.


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Rules Clarification : Concussion Pulse      (Edit)

  • This spell is simply a damage roll - it does not target or attack.
  • Also, it's a (★ Action) not a (★ Attack) so even if you destroy something, it doesn't count as being "destroyed by an enemy attack" (so stuff like Vengeance won't trigger).


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Rules Clarification : Psychic Assault      (Edit)

  • Ignore LOS (Edit)
    • Since you ignore LOS, you can target models in your back arc. (Infernal Ruling)
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Psychic Projection      (Edit)

  • So casting up to three spells simultaneously can get complicated, but it's not that hard:
    1. Declare which spell you'll be using.
    2. Declare number of times you'll be channeling it through grunts in the unit (none, 1, 2, or 3).
    3. Declare all the targets before starting any attack rolls. Resolve all effects that trigger on "target".
    4. Make all attack rolls before starting any damage rolls. Resolve all effects that trigger on "hit" or "attack".
    5. And so on through the attack sequence.
  • See also the Rules Clarifications for Channeling


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Rules Clarification:  : Sacrificial Pawn and/or Sucker! and/or Grim Salvation     (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

Differences
  • Sacrificial Pawn is optional.
    Grim Salvation and Sucker are not optional.
  • Grim Salvation only works vs basic attacks, not special attacks, power attacks, chain attacks.
    • Spells are not basic attacks, because they are not "made with a weapon". (Infernal Ruling)
    • CRA and CMA are basic attacks. (Infernal Ruling)
    • If a Special Attack generates an additional attack (such as Multi-Fire), the second attack will be basic and as such can have Grim Salvation used vs it. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Sacrificial Pawn & Sucker! don't work against melee attacks.
  • None of them work vs magic attacks (spells).
    All of them work against Magical Ranged attacks, though.
  • The model the attack is transferred to 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 when the attack is moved. (Infernal Ruling)

From here down, the terms Sacrificial Pawn, Grim Salvation, and Sucker! are interchangeable

  • Using Sac Pawn moves all damage and effects onto the other model.
  • The new model hit may use any abilities that trigger on being hit/damaged by an enemy attack (such as Vengeance and Shock Field).
  • Sprays and AOEs
    • With reference to the timing chart in Appendix A: placing a spray template down occurs at Step 3. Using Sacrificial Pawn occurs at step 6. Placing an AOE template down occurs at step 7.
      Therefore if you use Sac Pawn vs a spray, the placement of the spray template does not change. If you use Sac Pawn vs an AOE, the placement of the AOE template does change.
    • A model indirectly hit by an AOE attack cannot use Sac Pawn vs it.
    • Since a spray template doesn't move, it may cause the Pawn to be hit twice by the same spray. So you then resolve two damage rolls against it.
    • When/if you shift an AOE template, the original target may be clipped by the edge of the AOE anyway (depending on how far apart the original target and Pawn are).
  • Quick Draw vs Sacrificial Pawn (Edit)
    • If enemy "Model A" shoots you, and then you use Quick Draw against "Model A", but they use Sac Pawn to move your Quick Draw attack to "Model B" then ... Quick Draw has no effect (or rather, it affects "Model B" who isn't currently shooting you so is irrelevant). Point is, "Model A" can continue shooting you.
    • This won't happen with Shield Guard though (outside of a very low-probability scenario) because Shield Guard can only be triggered during an enemy turn.


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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)

Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)