the fenris, escor and Ternion problem....I got a solution!

So anyone following the CIDs know that PP seems stuck (putting more evidence that among the senior designers there is just not someone who has thunk deeply about Khador). The flip flop in 2.5 feels like nothing more than spitballing at its core.

So I got to thinking (always dangerous)

1)  We are NOT getting the ability to put most spells on doomies.  I think rightly so they worry about fury, last stand, battlelust,  Hand of Fate and how that would buff them too high.

2)  The tough - rise mechanic just isn't compelling.  At 13/13 the doomies are simply too easy to hit on the first shot.  Yes, tough requires more expenditure of resources but given CMD7 there is a good chance you can double dip with sprays, aoes, and other things that can increase your efficiency.

3)  Pathfinder also seems problematic with Saxon available to us and then infantry-centric casters like Irusk2.  As others have pointed out - 3 points for the escort vs. 4 points for saxon seems like a no brainer.

3.5)  Apparation also reduces the utility/need for pathfinder here.  Yes, it is a cruch but you can make this work well with proper use of the theme benefit.

So pathway to solutions.

4)  Outside of the Strike tanker Khador does NOT have ready access to grevious wounds.  Having seen stupid GC in action I can tell you it is really nice to have

5)  The "fluff" here is that we have dark magic being investigated by the Ternions and then criminals chained to swords.  We have a ready made mechanics in souls and/or "rage tokens" which both could work.  Below I will elaborate on both.

6)  We want this to work well but not too well with Zerkova2 and Butcher 2. There will be other casters that run WoW but we want some fun here with the 2 iconic casters for that part of the faction.

7)  We do NOT need an entire rework of the models.  This is a "mini-CID" - trying to address a theme which just doesn't get enough play.

The Solution


A)  We start by giving Fenris a soul collecting and spending mechanic (this also could be rage tokens if PP prefers but it might be nice to keep rule bloat to a minimum). Capped like all souls at three.  So now Fenris can charge in and start doing work. It provides the benefit of getting souls from impact attacks and/or zerker near the juicy target.  His victim stats do not break the game. With souls it synergizes with Butcher 2, making Fenris on feat turn a truly scary guy - but predictable in range as to provide counter play.  It works with Zerkova2 who can hold her feat and use the sprays to try to fuel up Fenris to provide some "hit" to complement the sprays.  Consistent with the fluff (see Ruin)

B)  We then give the escorts grevious wounds.  Here he becomes compelling because now tough does not shut down my zerker chain.  It also provides an interesting idea that the doomies go charging in, apply grevious, die, but the hard target is not healable.  

C)  The most controversial change is to admit that IceCage on the Ternions is sadly MK2.  It "worked" when you took em in a jack heavy force or when stationary was unshakable.  It works as an AEO (see CG) because it provides for a way of removing def buffs even when in ridiculous territory based on the 1/2 distance AOE rule (get within 4, auto hitting the target).  But requiring a direct hit on a Magic 7 entity just is not usually going to be a desired choice.  Oh you will cast it - when POW 12 sprays or clouds don't make a difference but not usually.

C2)  But what WILL be compelling is "Ogroth curse"  Like ice cage lets make it Rng 6 or 8 (not sure it matters).  And what does Ogroth Curse"?   For one turn target if disabled it is removed from play.  RFP is something that khador does NOT have great access to outside of S2 and B3.   S2 is a mess without Freezing Grip.  B3 and silence works but rarely will he get that much work out the RFP aspect baring, for example, buffing Shocks in an AK.  But here we have our ready made anti-recussion army - a bunch of doomies and greylords walking the field.

Such a build opens up some really interesting match ups.  Probably still a bad play into a recussion caster like Haley3 but very viable into Skorne's new battle engines.  I think also a 50/50 or 40/60 game into Syvestro.  Have to think about Gore4 but I think so - especially with, for example, a cloud caster or vlad2.

This works.  It fits together.  It is fluff consistent.  So hopefully PP lurks here cause I am pretty pleased with the idea.