Iron Lich Overseer

Iron Lich Overseer Cryx Solo - ('Jack Marshal)

The first overseers were created in the aftermath of the annihilation of Drer Drakkerung, when the Orgoth war witches unleashed unparalleled destruction upon the Cryxian army. The lich lords left no tool to decay, no matter how badly damaged. This included powerful necromancers who had suffered massive physical and mental trauma but were not entirely destroyed. Because of their unique skills and arcane talents a method was found to preserve them. The restructured liches are composite beings with a single body and a unified consciousness. The restoration process ensures some degree of cooperation, and in time these competing personalities merge into a single mind - undeniably insane, but with heightened awareness as well as amplified cognitive and arcane powers.

Basic Info

Iron Lich Overseer
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 5 STR 7 MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. 7 DEF 14 ARM 16 CMD 9 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 8 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 UNIT SIZE N/A COST 5 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• 'Jack Marshal
• Undead
• Circular Vision - Models never gain a back strike bonus against this model.
• Drive: Dark Shroud - While in this model's command range, a warjack under its control gains Dark Shroud. (Dark Shroud - While in the melee range of a model with Dark Shroud, enemy models suffer -2 ARM.)
• Magic Ability [ 7 ] - 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.
• Soul Taker: Soul Cage - 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. This model can have up to three soul tokens at any time. This model can spend soul tokens for the following:
  • Soul-Powered - During its Combat Action, this model can spend soul tokens to make additional melee attacks. It can make one additional attack for each token spent.
  • Strength of Death - During its Combat Action, this model can spend soul tokens to boost one attack or damage roll for each token spent.

Weapons

• Fell Staff - 2" reach, POW 5, P+S 12 melee weapon
  • Damage Type: Magical

Spells

	COST	RNG	AOE	POW	DUR	OFF
Cloak of Darkness	(★ Action)	-	B2B	-	Round	No
This model gains Stealth. While a warjack this model controls is B2B with it, the warjack also gains Stealth. Cloak of Darkness lasts for one round.
Dark Fire	(★ Attack)	10	-	12	-	Yes
When a living enemy model is destroyed by Dark Fire, the spellcaster gains the destroyed model's soul token regardless of the proximity of other models.

Theme Forces

• Cryx
  • Black Industries

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Mortenebra is leading the army.

Thoughts on Iron Lich Overseer

Iron Lich Overseer in a nutshell

The Iron Lich Overseer is a jack marshal that provides Dark Shroud for whichever jack he's currently marshaling for some serious hitting power.

Combos & Synergies

• Seether - it's unusual to recommend marshaling a heavy, but the Seether gets to charge for free which means you can always use the Crush jack marshall ability. That's effectively three P+S=21 attacks and one P+S=18, all at MAT 8.
  • Even more if it Berserks
• Slayer - the pocket heavy with Crush has three attacks at P+S 20 and one at P+S 16. Not bad for the cost.
• Shrike - it's cheap, high DEF, and its trample really can get places to set up the Dark Shroud. Alas it can't exploit Dark Shroud while Trampling. Cloak Of Darkness can help it reach the objective without being shot.
• Harrower - against the right foe the Harrower can do absurd damage thanks to a full stack of souls and the jack marshal bonuses. But the wrong foes or the enemy sniping your Soul Takers will make this a waste of points.
• Warwitch Siren - Empower lets you use the Crush drive for an extra attack and +2 to all damage rolls rather than be stuck with +2 to hit on your charge attack.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Cloak of Darkness is a (★ Action), which means you can't use it after running or charging. Thus if you want the ILO and its jack to be stealthed, you're moving across the field at a snail's pace.
• Cloak of Darkness would be okay on a ranged jack, but the only ranged jacks that Cryx have are heavies, expensive, and focus-hungry. Tying them to a jack marshal just isn't good sense.
• Lots of stuff can ignore stealth.
• It's a 5 point 'Jack Marshal and Cryx has two 4 point Journeyman Warcasters that do pretty much the same job, and are pretty much better at it. Even in theme forces where the ILO could be free, the ILO still competes with the two Journeymen (because they can be free too). It is difficult for the Iron Lich to be the chosen one.

Tricks & Tips

• Since the Overseer has a medium base, keep it screened by bone/helljacks or medium-based infantry like Bloodgorgers or the Black Ogrun Boarding Party.
• Maintain Cloak of Shadows to lessen incoming fire and when the enemy is dealing with the Overseer's marshaled 'jack; otherwise, torment infantry with Dark Fire.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Wrath (2011).
• The model looks somewhat like a Quintesson from the Transformers universe.
• Nicknames: ILO; Overseether (if you attach a Seether).

Other Cryx models

Cryx Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Agathia - Aiakos2 - Asphyxious1 - Asphyxious2 - Asphyxious3 - Coven - Deathjack2 - Deneghra1 - Deneghra2 - Deneghra3 - Goreshade1 - Goreshade2 - Goreshade3 - Mortenebra1 - Mortenebra2 - Rahera - Scaverous - Skarre1 - Skarre2 - Skarre3 - Sturgis2 - Terminus - Venethrax
Warcaster attachments	The Withershadow Combine - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Skarlock Thrall - Doctor Stygius (Partisan) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers	Jack Marshals: Iron Lich Overseer       "Junior Warcasters": Aiakos1 - Asphyxious4 - Deneghra0
Light	Cankerworm - Deathripper - Defiler - Helldiver - Nightwretch - Ripjaw - Scavenger - Shrike - Stalker
Heavy	Barathrum - Corruptor - Deathjack1 - Desecrator - Erebus - Harrower - Kharybdis - Inflictor - Leviathan - Malice - Nightmare - Reaper - Seether - Slayer
Colossal	Kraken - Sepulcher
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Asphyxious4 - Bane Knights - Bane Riders - Bane Warriors - Bile Thralls - BO Boarding Party - BO Ironmongers - BO Smog Belchers - Blackbane's Ghost Raiders - Bloodgorgers - Marauders - Carrion Thralls - Cephalyx Drudges - Cephalyx Overlords - Mechanithralls - Necrosurgeon - Revenant Cannon - Revenant Crew - Satyxis Gunslingers - Satyxis Blood Witches - Satyxis Raiders - Scharde Dirge Seers - Scharde Pirates - Soulhunters - The Devil's Shadow Mutineers - The Withershadow Combine
Solos	Aiakos1 - Agrimony - Axiara - Bane Lord Tartarus - Bloat Thrall - BTO Mobius - Captain Rengrave - Darragh Wrathe - Doctor Stygius - Deneghra0 - Gerlak - Hellslinger - Iron Lich Overseer - Machine Wraith - Master Gurglepox - Misery Cage - Necrotech - Ol' Grim - Pistol Wraith - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Satyxis Raider Captain - Scrap Thrall - Skarlock Thrall - Severa Blacktide - Soul Trapper - Warwitch Siren
Battle Engines & Structures	Wraith Engine
Theme Forces
Black Industries - Dark Host - The Ghost Fleet - Scourge of the Broken Coast
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cryx Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

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 : 'Jack Marshal      (Edit) If a warjack gets a marshal benefit (such as Crush) but then moves out of the marshal's CMD range, it keeps the benefit. (Infernal Ruling) Marshals can control character warjacks. (Closed thread) Although they never get the Power Up bonus, a marshaled warjack can gain focus via other means (such as Accumulator, Empower, Spirit Harvester, etc). They can do this even after the Marshal dies and they become autonomous. 'Jack Marshal & Ranking Officer (Edit) If a Ranking Officer joins a unit with the 'Jack Marshal ability, then they can still only take Mercenary warjacks - they don't gain access to Faction warjacks. (Infernal Ruling) They can control that mercenary warjack as normal, even though they're technically no longer the same faction as the jack. (Infernal Ruling) See also this article for the Autonomous warjack rules and how to re-control them.

Rules Clarification : Undead - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Circular Vision      (Edit) This only prevents the normal bonus afforded from back strikes. It does not prevent things such as Backstab, which simply requires being in the rear arc.

Rules Clarification : Drive      (Edit) If the Drive is on an Officer model, and that model dies, then the new unit commander does not inherit the Drive.

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 : Magic Ability      (Edit) Using a Magic Ability counts as a spell, for effects such as Spell Ward, Witch Hunter, etc. 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.

Rules Clarification : Ayisla's Veil and/or Cloak of Darkness     (Edit) This spell doesn't have a target, so it can't be stopped by anti-spell stuff that triggers on "target" (such as Arcane Vortex). 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.

Rules Clarification : Dark Fire      (Edit) "Regardless of proximity" soul takers (Edit) The model which ignores distance doesn't always get the soul. Abilities which say you "can't" collect souls (such as Soul Ward) trump it, due to the general rule that "can't trumps can". If there are multiple models that all have the "regardless of proximity" clause, then you randomise who the soul goes to. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Soul Cage - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Soul-Powered      (Edit) You cannot buy melee attacks after casting a spell, due to the "The rules for these special attacks indicate the nature of any additional attacks that can be made afterward, if any." rule. And none of the spells you can cast specify that additional attacks can be made.

Rules Clarification : Strength of Death - None yet. (Edit)