Difference between revisions of "Witchwood"

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(Basic Info)
({{PAGENAME}} in a nutshell)
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=== {{PAGENAME}} in a nutshell===
 
=== {{PAGENAME}} in a nutshell===
Witchwoods, affectionately known as "the spooky tree", are a fairly unique combat solo with a gun that can disrupt living enemy models. It is very often used as a scenario anchor due to its high arm, and potential stealth as well as its ability to simply walk contesting models out of a zone.  
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Witchwoods, affectionately known as "the spooky tree", are a fairly unique combat solo with a gun that can disrupt and drag enemy models. It is very often used as a scenario anchor due to its high arm, and potential stealth.
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That said while tough and very strong in melee
  
 
=== Why should i include Witchwoods in my army? ===
 
=== Why should i include Witchwoods in my army? ===

Revision as of 07:12, 18 April 2022

Grymkin Logo.jpg

Witchwood
Grymkin Solo

"Beware the comely maiden ’neath the old and knotty tree—a foul, deceitful witchwood the maid will likely be."

Bound together as a witchwood, the woman and the ancient timber seduce victims with lilting song and fruits freely given, turning stouthearted allies against one another in jealousy. Any who take axe or torch to a witchwood soon find how easily their flesh tears in the tree’s gnarled grasp.

Basic Info

Witchwood
Missing Info
Witchwood.jpg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Warcaster 0
BASE Large
SPD 0
STR 9
MAT 6
RAT 7
M.A. N/A
DEF 5
ARM 18
CMD N/A
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS N/A
FURY N/A
THRS N/A
HP 10
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

  • AD symbol.jpg Advance Deployment
  • Bone Picker - When this model destroys a living or undead enemy model with a melee attack, this model gains the destroyed model's corpse token and the destroyed model is removed from play. This model can have up to three corpse tokens at any time.
  • Death Feast - During its activation, this model can spend corpse tokens to remove d3 damage points for each token spent.
  • Death-Powered - This model gains +1 STR and ARM for each corpse token currently on it.
  • Hunter - This model ignores cover and concealment when making ranged attacks.
  • Immovable - This model has no Normal Movement, cannot become knocked down or be moved, and is automatically hit by melee attacks.
  • Just a Tree? - This model is not a living model and while it has concealment, it gains stealth.
  • Strange Growth - Once per turn at any time during its activation, place this model anywhere completely within 5" of its current location. This model cannot be placed except as a result of Strange Growth.

Weapons

Tendril Trap
Gun icon.jpg  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW 
8 1 - -
  • Drag - When this attack hits an enemy model with an equal or smaller base, immediately after the attack is resolved the enemy model can be pushed directly toward this model until it contacts a model, an obstacle, or an obstruction. After the enemy model is moved, this model can make one basic melee attack against the enemy model. After resolving this melee attack, this model can make additional melee attacks during its Combat Action.
  • Black Penny - This attack ignores the target in melee DEF bonus.
Swipe (x2)
Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S 
2 6 15

Theme Forces

Recent Changes

2021.10 Mega Update - The Witchwood got a complete overhaul

  • -1 STR
  • Ranged attack name changed from "Siren's Call" to "Tendril Trap"
  • Lost Dual Attack and Bewitch
  • Prowl swapped to Just a Tree?
  • Gained Bone Picker, Death-Powered, Death Feast, and Drag
  • Added to Dark Menagerie

Thoughts on Witchwood

Template:Recent Change

Witchwood in a nutshell

Witchwoods, affectionately known as "the spooky tree", are a fairly unique combat solo with a gun that can disrupt and drag enemy models. It is very often used as a scenario anchor due to its high arm, and potential stealth.

That said while tough and very strong in melee

Why should i include Witchwoods in my army?

Witchwoods are generally brought as a free solo in Bump in the Night. It is extremely uncommon for players to pay for them as their 5pt price tag is very expensive. You should generally consider bringing one when you want to bring a combat solo who can sit on the edge of a zone or on a flag and not be trivially removed. Some casters in Bump are very support orientated and will be considering models such as Eilish and the Glimmer Imp. When you don't need these kinds of models however, Bump has only two non character combat solos, Trapperkin and Witchwoods.

Trapperkin are the offensive option, and Witchwoods can be viewed as the defensive option.

Combos & Synergies

  • The Heretic will sometimes passively assist its accuracy if his Trump happens to be on something it wants to hit or shoot. Don't expect Heretic to do much for it though. You can technically walk enemy models through Heretic's wall of fire, but this is generally something you'll do that's cute and available at the time, not a realplan
  • The Wanderer causes the Witchwood to have stealth at all times while Fog of War is up.
  • The Dreamer can technically make it RAT 9 by using mark target on the small phantasm. Once again, kind of a side case you shouldn't expect to see
  • It has one decent support synergy in that it can't be pushed so you can use it to either backstop your models from pushes, or stand in front of them to stop drags

It should be noted there really isn't that many powerful synergies for this model. It's very self contained. It's just the nature of a slow, ponderous combat solo who is more defensive in nature than offensive

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • Thanks to immobile, it can't aim. RAT 7 is stellar, but the downside of not being able to aim is definitely there
  • It's threat ranges are pretty short, 7" for melee and 13" for its gun. These ranges are completely static with zero extenders meaning typically your opponent will be very aware of what you can and can’t do
  • It's not super easy to kill, but its also not super hard to kill. Melee troops in particular will be able to polish it off as even very low pow charges will chip away at it until its dead. It's at its most annoying when your opponent has to commit a decent gun at it, and possibly anti stealth tech.
  • The gun is pretty restricted, it works on non-caster, warriors only, and living models. This means its fairly typical to play some games where it will never fire its gun and its 5pts for a model with a 7" threat range
  • Its output is pretty low for 5pts
  • It has no answer to stealth or anti shooting tech such as Sucker or Shield guard.

Tricks & Tips

  • It can anchor zones, and use a combination of its gun and melee to walk models out of a zone while killing others.
  • Bewitch suffers from limited target selection, but its very powerful and flexible with a range of uses
    • Walking a unit leader away from the unit can leave members out of command which is awful, a whole unit can potentially be crippled. Opponents savvy to this may also not think enough about it when making field promotions when a leader dies. That is, their original leader was very safe from this threat, and then you killed a few models and he was forced to promote to the middle of the unit to keep everyone in command, which the Witchwood then takes advantage of
    • You're able to make a ranged attack with models you take control of, not just a melee attack. Be aware of taking control of models with very powerful attacks if it ever comes up. Eiryss1 for example is a hard target, but if your opponent ever fails to consider the tree and you're within 10" (or can get a back strike...). Gorman can blind important models with his grenade
    • The model you take control of is friendly during its move and attack. you can un-dig models with Dig in with this among other tricks. Your opponent can also make actions such as Admonition, Defensive strike etc.
  • You can use bewitch to make up for its mat 6 by turning its target away from you.


Other

Trivia

Released with the Faction release (2017.06)

Other Grymkin models

Grymkin Logo.jpg       Grymkin Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup
Warlocks

The Child - The Dreamer - The Heretic - The King of Nothing - The Wanderer - Old Witch 3
Arcana
Warlock Attachment: Baron Tonguelick

Warbeasts

Lesser: Crabbit

Light: Frightmare - Gorehound - Rattler

Heavy: Cage Rager - Clockatrice - Skin & Moans

Gargantuan: Slaughterhouse

Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units

Dread Rots - Hollowmen - Mad Caps - Malady Man - Murder Crows - Neigh Slayers - Piggybacks - Twilight Sisters

Solos

Baron Tonguelick, Lord of Warts - Cask Imp - Defiled Archon - The Four Horseymans - Glimmer Imp - Grave Ghoul - Gremlin Swarm - Isiah, Dread Harvester - Lady Karianna Rose - Lord Longfellow - Trapperkin - Weird Wendell - Witchwood

Battle Engines Death Knell
Theme Forces Minions
Dark Menagerie - Bump in the Night Refer to Category: Grymkin Minion
This index was last updated: 2021.08

Rules Clarifications

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Advance Deployment      (Edit)

  • Sometimes you can attach a WA or CA that doesn't have AD to a unit that does have AD. If you do, the attachment effectively gains AD and they can all advance deploy together. (Locked Thread)
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Bone Picker and/or Bone Pile     (Edit)

  • This model only gets the corpse if it's the closest eligible model. Bone Picker doesn't have the "regardless of proximity of other models" wording like Dark Fire does.
    • This will hardly ever come up, considering the short range of most melee weapons.
    • It'll come up slightly more often for Barnabus2.
  • RFP on Destroyed (Edit)
    • Corpse/Soul generation and collection isn't an ability that you trigger, it just happens the instant a model is destroyed. As such, if an attack RFPs the target on destroyed (such as Bone Picker), it will not stop corpse/souls. (Infernal Ruling)
    • In saying that though, Golab's Carrion Feast ability messes everything up. You can read more about that weird rule interaction here.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Death Feast      (Edit)

  • You roll a new d3 each time you spend a token.
  • Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide]
    • "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except:
    1. Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
    2. 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).
    3. In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling)
    4. In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
    5. When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement).
    6. 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.)
    7. Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge).
    8. 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.
    9. 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 : Death-Powered - None yet. (Edit)

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Hunter      (Edit)

  • Although you ignore cover/concealment, you don't ignore "secondary" bonuses a model gets from it. For example, a model with Prowl will still gain Stealth from their concealment. (Infernal Ruling)
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Immovable and/or Immobile and/or Buried     (Edit)

  • There is no functional difference between "cannot move" and "cannot be moved".
    Even if you gain bonus movement (such as Dodge) via a spell or theme benefit, you still can't move. (Locked thread)
  • Witchwood only:
    • Since the Witchwood doesn't have Normal Movement, it can't gain the Aiming bonus.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Prowl and/or Just a Tree?     (Edit)

  • Whether you can trigger this ability is a bit awkward;
    • As long as you have concealment you get Stealth ... even if the attacker ignores concealment (such as with Hunter).
    • If you're standing in a cloud, and the attacker "ignores clouds for LOS" (such as Bird's Eye) you get Prowl/Tree.
    • If you're standing in a cloud, and the attacker "ignores clouds completely" (such as Alchemical Mask) you don't get it. (Infernal Ruling)
    • Similar for standing in a forest.
  • If a debuff removes Stealth, Prowl/Tree do not reapply stealth... But this ruling is being rechecked. (Infernal Checking)
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.

Rules Clarification : Strange Growth - None yet. (Edit)


RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification:  : Drag , Pull, and/or Catch     (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

Timing
With respect to the Attack Sequence:
  • Pull is resolved at Step 12.
  • Enemy effects (such as Retaliatory Strike or Enliven) are resolved at Step 13.
  • Drag and Catch are resolved at Step 14.


Ranged Attack Damage (Drag and Catch only)

  • If a model is destroyed by the ranged attack, Drag/Catch does not trigger.
    • Corpse tokens, soul tokens, and etc will be generated from the model’s original position.
    • Sicne it doesn't trigger, you won't get the free melee attack from Drag/Catch (even if there's something different already in your melee range).


The Movement

  • You cannot Drag/Pull/Catch models with a larger base size than you.
  • The movement is a Push effect, which is involuntary movement.
    • It is not an advance and will not trigger stuff like Countercharge.
    • They won't take free strikes because it is involuntary movement.
    • They will take damage from any hazards they're pushed through/into (such as Scathers).
  • You can drag your target through Incorporeal models, if there's enough space on the other side, because the rules for Incorporeal specifically allow this. (If there's not enough space, the push will stop on the far side of the Incorporeal model.)
  • You cannot drag models through Curse-of-Shadows-ed or similar models, because those rules refer to "models can advance through this model" and a push is not an advance.
  • You may drag models that you are already in melee with. However most models can't shoot while in melee, so this is pretty much limited to the Prime Axiom and Galleon (see the corner-case scenarios, below).
  • If you get to trigger Drag/Pull/Catch on a free strike (mostly just Pull), the moving model will never get out of your melee range. They have to keep advancing out and being pushed back until either they run out of movement, or you fail a free strike. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Push - General     (Edit)   [Show/Hide]
    • Pushed models do not change their facing.
    • Pushed models move at half rate through difficult terrain. Also, Pathfinder doesn't apply during pushes.
    • Pushed models stop if they contact anything - a model of any size, or any obstacles or obstructions.
    • You don't get free strikes against pushed models, because it is "involuntary movement" and therefore does not count as an advance.
    • Pushed models suffer the effects of anything they move through (such as acid clouds).
    • If you use a Push vs a charging model (via a free strike for example), this will stop the charge movement (refer core rulebook).
      • However, if the pushed model is in melee range of its charge target after the push, then it is considered a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
      • In that scenario, you measure whether the charging model moved 3" or less excluding the push distance. (Infernal Ruling)
    • If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)


The Free Melee Attack(s) (Drag and Catch only)

  • If the target model doesn't end up in melee range (whether because the ranged attack killed it outright, or something blocked the drag movement) then you don't get a free melee attack and don't get the option to buy additional melee attacks.
  • If the dragged model can't be targeted by melee attacks, you may not make your free drag attack and don't get the option to buy additional melee attacks. (Infernal Ruling)
  • For both of the above two cases, you may still complete your initial ranged attacks and buy additional ranged attacks as per normal (if you have more guns and/or Reload).
  • You may make the free melee attack against models that "cannot be pushed" (assuming you're in melee range already). The "After the model is moved" is a timing clause, not a conditional clause.
    • To pull this off, you need an ability that allows you to make ranged attack while you're already in melee, so is pretty much limited to just Colossals and/or models attacking objectives.
  • After using Drag/Catch, the attacking model may make a single melee attack without spending focus. (So Black Ogrun can make a single melee attack.)
  • After doing the free attack, you may buy additional attacks if you have a method of purchasing them. Models with Drag but no focus/fury (such as Black Ogrun) can't buy additional attacks (despite what is implied by the rule on their card) - it's just a standarised wording for Drag.


More corner-case Rules Clarifications

  • Models that can make Ranged Attacks while in melee
    • This section is pretty much limited to the Prime Axiom and Galleon who, thanks to being Colossals, can continue to shoot after dragging something into melee with themselves. It can also apply to any model shooting at a "can never be in melee" model (eg Scenario objectives).
    • When you start your activation, you still need to choose either 'initial ranged attacks' or 'initial melee attacks'. If you choose melee attacks, then you will never get to shoot your Drag weapons.
    • If you shoot a Drag weapon you need to resolve the drag move and the free melee attack, but afterwards you're still in "shooting" mode. The best way to think of it is it's "interrupting" your normal ranged attacks and after resolving it, you go back to completing your initials. So it might go:
      • Shoot the Drag weapon.
      • Drag the enemy closer.
      • Resolve the free melee attack.
      • Drag resolved. Now you finish shooting the rest of your weapons.
    • Once you've completed all your initial ranged attacks (and any free drag melee attacks) then you have the option of buying additional attacks (ranged if you have Reload, melee otherwise.
    • However, if you get overexcited and start buying melee attacks after the free drag one then you don't get to finish shooting the rest of your weapons.
    • This is because shooting the rest of your guns is completing your "Initial Ranged Attacks" but by buying melee attacks you have jumped ahead to "After Initial Attacks" (refer first sentence of "Additional Attacks" pg 36 of Prime).
  • Black Spot + Drag or Catch
    • If you trigger Drag/Catch, then any attacks you get from Black Spot can be either ranged or melee, your choice. (Infernal Ruling)
This combo can lead to an infinite number of attacks, but it depends on your dice.
  • Case A (Fail): Make initial ranged attack, destroy the target with the ranged attack.
Drag does not trigger.
Black Spot does trigger, and the free BS attack must be a ranged attack because you don't have any rule that gets around the core rule "models cannot make both ranged and melee attacks during the same activation" (unless you have Dual Attack).
The free BS attack cannot generate any more free BS attacks.
  • Case B (Success): Make initial ranged attack, damage the target with the ranged attack.
Drag triggers, and now you have gotten around the core rule about mixing attack types. (Infernal Ruling)
Destroy the dragged model with a melee attack, and trigger Black Spot. The free BS attack can be either ranged or melee.
So you make a ranged attack and try to Drag another one to restart the sequence.
Theoretically, if you keep managing to damage + Drag targets with the free ranged attacks, and destroy + Black Spot them with the free melee attacks, you never run out of free attacks.
  • Dual Attack & Drag ( Edit )
    • This is pretty-much limited to just the Prime Axiom under Syntherion, or the Swabber, Galleon or Prime Axiom under Aurora2
    • If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs the same model, then you would get the free melee attack from Drag. The Drag attack is a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling)
    • If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs a different model, then you would lose the free melee attack from Drag. Your first melee attack must be versus the charge target, and you cannot save the Drag attack for later. (Infernal Ruling)
    • If you didn't charge then ... just go nuts. There's no restrictions that I know of.
  • Assault & Drag ( Edit )
    • You determine whether a charge was successful or not before making the Assault attack.
    • If you make an unsuccessful charge but then use Drag to get your charge target into melee range, then:
      • It is still a failed charge and your activation is going to end after the Assault attack is resolved. (Infernal Ruling)
      • You will get the free melee attack from Drag as part of resolving the Assault ranged attack. (Infernal Ruling)
      • Whether or not your charge was successful, this free melee attack is not a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling)
      • You won't be able to purchase additionals (because your activation ended).

Rules Clarification : Black Penny - None yet. (Edit)