Post: #1

This thread is for voting on the Necromancers and their powers for the Bloodline Armies. Please note this one is more indepth as we had to create new rules for the Master Necromancer as well as some new armour.

Please note: This is not to vote whether they fit in with the theme etc. That is what the discussion in the threads is for.

It is to check and ensure we have created fair rules that are not unbalancing, or there is not something grossly wrong that has been over looked.

This Poll will close on 09/08/09

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Master Necromancer - 190pts
M 4 / WS 3 / BS 3 / S 3 / T4 / W 3 / I 3 / A 1 / Ld 8

Weapons & Armour: Hand Weapon.
Magic: The Master Necromancer is a Level 3 Wizard. However he does not function like a normal Wizard. He generates Power Dice and Dispel dice normally, but the spells he knows are not linked to his Magic level. Instead he automatically knows the 3 Necromancy spells from the Lore of Vampires.
Options:
May be upgraded to a level 4 Wizard for +25 pts. Note that upgrading his magic Level does not give him any more spells, it merely increases the number of Power dice he generates.
May Ride either an Abyssal Terror, a Skeletal Steed or a Corpse Cart.
May Choose up to 100pts of Magic Items from the Common or Vampire Counts Magic Items lists and/or may take up to 100pts of Familiars, however the combined total of Magic Items and Familiars may not exceed 150 pts

Special rules
Undead, Corpse Master, Strength of Will


Necromancer - 90pts
M 4 / WS 3 / BS 2 / S 3 / T3 / W 2 / I 3 / A 1 / Ld 7

Weapons & Armour: Hand Weapon.
Magic: The Necromancer is a Level 1 Wizard. However he does not function like a normal Wizard. He generates Power Dice and Dispel dice normally, but the spells he knows are not linked to his Magic level. Instead he automatically knows 1 of the 3 Necromancy spells from the Lore of Vampires (players choice which spell).

Options:
May purchase 1 or both remaining necromancy spells for 15pts each (players choice which spell(s)).
May upgrade to level 2 for 25pts - however this only increases his PD, it does not give him an extra spell.
May Ride either a Skeletal Steed or a Corpse Cart.
May choose up to 50pts of Magic Items from the Common or Vampire Counts Magic Items lists and/or may take up to 50pts if Familiars, however the combined total of Magic Items and Familiars may not exceed 75pts

Special rules
Undead, Corpse Master, Strength of Will

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Necromancer Special Rules

Corpse Master
As he has progressed further down the twisted path of Necromancy, this individual has rotted away until he is more dead than alive, and feels perfectly at home surrounded by the rank flesh of the undead.
The Necromancer may join Units of Zombies. Additionally, while in a unit of Zombies, as long as there is one or more zombies left, any challenges issued by enemy characters may be accepted by a zombie rather than the Necromancer.

Strength of Will
As his knowledge of Necromancy grows, so to does his control over the undead, meaning that the most experienced Necromancers can control their servants as completely as vampires.
At the beginning of each turn, the Master Necromancer or Necromancer may take a Ld test. If Passed, units within 12" of the Master Necromancer or 6" of the Necromancer may march as per the Vampire rule. If failed, neither characters have the vampire rule for that turn.
If the Master Necromancer chooses not to take a Ld test undead units within 6" may still march as per the Vampire rule.

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Necromancer Familiars

Lacking the innate powers of the powerful vampires, Necromancers are forced to resort to other measures to control the dead. Many summon attendant spirits or daemons which support their foul masters as commanded

Entrancing familiar - 60pts
This familiar weaves a thread of flickering lights around the necromancer, which entrances his enemies in a web of confusion.
At the start of the enemies turn nominate one enemy unit. This unit must take a Ld test following the normal rules & modifiers. If passed this has no effect. If failed the unit must make a compulsory movement (following the normal movement rules) in a direction decided by the Necromancer player. This may include a charge into an enemy unit that is within the units LOS. This power does not affect units which are ItP.

Master Familiar- 50pts
The ghosts that walk the land speak not only of times past, but also of the world of the dead. An astute Necromancer can use this knowledge to increase his control over his minions
The Necromancer may raise Skeletons, Ghouls, Dire Wolves and Fell Bats past their starting number, and also gain +1 to casting rolls when casting IoN on them.

Warrior Familiar - 50pts
Weak and wizened Necromancers may be, but they are far from stupid. Many have created protectors, constructs bound with warrior spirits to protect them in battle
The warrior familiar has the following profile:
M - / WS 4 / BS - / S 4 / T 4 / W 2 / I 5 / A 3 / Ld -

Save - 5+ Ward
Special Rules - Killing Blow

The familiar does not have a base of its own, however as long as it is still "alive" the Necromancer can not be hurt in combat in anyway. All attacks that would normally hit the Necromancer must be resolved at the Warrior Familiar. Once the Familiar is killed attacks will then be allocated against the Necromancer as normal.

Knowledge Familiar - 45pts
Many wraiths do not have the power to remain substantial, yet they still help their living brethren by whispering them secrets of their long dead knowledge
The Necromancer may roll for an additional 4 spells from one lore from the BRB or the Lore of Vampires. In the case of the Master Necromancy it is automatically assumed they know the 4 remaining spells from the Lore of Vampires if they choose that lore.

Power Familiar - 30pts
Souls of dead necromancers crowd around their living brethren, attracting the winds of magic to them. This can be both a Boon and a curse though, as the spirits seek revenge for their demise.
The Necromancer may take a leadership test at the start of the his own magic phase, if he passes he benefits from Irresistible force on any roll of a double apart from double 1. But if he fails he suffers a miscast on any roll of a double.

Control Familiar - 25pts
The familiar constantly coughs up warpstone dust filling the air with Dark Magic. As it falls towards the ground it resonates against undead flesh like a bats shriek bounces off a moth in the night.
The Necromancer may re-roll any failed Ld tests when rolling from the Strength of Will special rule. Subject to normal rules regarding rerolls

Spirit Familiar - 20pts
Some Necromancers spend so long communing with those who have passed over, it becomes almost second nature to summon and heal these creatures
Has +1 to cast IoN on ethereals and heals 2 wounds instead of one.

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Necromancer Specific Magic Items

Vaporous Cloak - 40pts
This cloak appears as a swirling cloud and seems to continually shift and move. Such a distraction is almost impossible to ignore, and enemies attempting to strike the wearer find themselves confounded by tendrils of mist brushing their blows aside.
Light armour. If the necromancer is in a unit, enemy models attempting to strike the necromancer in close combat require 6's to hit. Additionally for any results that are not a 6 but would have been sufficient to hit the model, these hits are worked out against the unit he is with instead. Weapons that would hit automatically require a 4+ to hit him and other results are worked out against the unit. However for these rules to take effect, the wearer must be in a unit with at least 5 other models, not including other characters.

Dark Barrier - 50pts
The necromancer is surrounded by ribbons of dark energy that flow round him, moving to intercept any blows that head towards him.
Light armour. This confers a 5+ ward save to the necromancer. The necromancer may sacrifice his own Power/Dispel dice - 2 and 1 respectively - in the appropriate magic phase to grant any unit he is with a 5+ ward until the following magic phase.

Post: #2

Yeah that all looks fine to me.

Post: #3

All looks good DoN, I like the unique rules and powers.

Just a minor thing, you may want to re-word the Strength of Will bit;

Quote:"At the beginning of each turn, the Master Necromancer or Necromancer may take a Ld test. If Passed, units within 12" of the Master Necromancer or 6" of the Necromancer may march as per the Vampire rule. If failed, neither characters have the vampire rule for that turn.
If the Master Necromancer chooses not to take a Ld test he counts as having the vampire rule with a range of 6" for that turn.

The Italic bit is fine, but you might not want to word the rest as either having or not having the 'Vampire' rules since that covers more than just being able to march. Things like magic items. Its not a major problem but seems a little out of place.

Post: #4

I've amended the wording slightly, hopefully that's better.

Post: #5

Just a couple minor wording changes...

Quote:Power Familiar - 30pts
The Necromancer may take a leadership test at the start of the [Add - Necromancers' own] magic phase, if he passes he benefits from Irresistible force on any roll of a double apart from double 1. But if he fails he suffers a miscast on any roll of a double.

Control Familiar - 25pts
The Necromancer may re-roll any failed Ld tests when rolling from the Strength of Will special rule. [Remove - He cannot re-roll a re-roll] [Add - Subject to normal rules regarding rerolls]

All good otherwise

Post: #6

I have changed some of the wording - instead of Necromancer I put "his own" - better English.

Post: #7

I have spotted one thing that is slightly odd. The Nercro as a higher BS than the Master? I know that this makes no difference in game terms but it should probs be changed.
Apart from that all looks good to me .

Post: #8

Changed BS.

Post: #9

For that matter, why does the Necro have sub human stats? The only humans I can think of WS/BS 2 are Bretonnian peasants.

Post: #10

No idea at all, the necromancer in the VC book is WS/BS 3 i think (havent got the book on me) i think that both master and hero necro should be WS/BS3 as there isn't many reasons why the master should be better at fighting as he won't have practised weilding a blade etc.

Post: #11

I can't say I like the 150 pts allowance. I'd rather say that he has a 100 pts magic item allowance and can also take one familiar (no points limit), but a familiar may only be taken once per army (with the exception of some of the cheaper ones perhaps).

And I agree with the two previous posters about the WS/BS. As necromancers aren’t battle wizard, unlike most other wizards, they haven’t trained for close combat and both should therefore have a WS of2 IMO.

Post: #12

Since it's not specified, I assumed that the Familiars would follow the normal rules regarding Magic Items. (ie. only one per army)

This might be a case for adding in cheap equivilants for Lord fo the Dead, Summon Creatures, and Summon Ghouls. It'd make sense to allow these ones to be "common", and allow multilpes per army.

I'd be okay with 100pts plus one Familiar.

Post: #13

I wouldn't. Necro's are weak as you have to remember this is a weak character that when he is smushed is going to cause your army to crumble. I think if anything we are possibly leaving them vulnerable as it is. If we make it more so we can leave them too underpowered to be a viable choice.

In regards to WS, I think it should be raised to WS 3 for both.

Post: #14

I think that the allowance for items is fine, and for the WS/BS the reason it was low was that these are necromancers, old decrepid wizards. DoN i'm not sure I like the idea. I think having the master 1 more WS is fine, and don't forget that these necros won't be doing much fighting, expecially if surrounded by a unit of zombs, who can take challenges for them.

Post: #15

I think the allowence is fine as it is, I think they should both be the same WS as the master wouldn't have improved his combat skills since being only a necromancer.

Post: #16

I agree with CRD. WS3 for both.

Post: #17

Meh, if you want.

Post: #18

Stats amended.

Post: #19

BUMP! Ending this Sunday.....

Post: #20

You know DoN, your Bumps are becoming increasingly desparate. Are you feeling ok? :P