New Codex, New Cryptek

[Tyriks]

I hope so, but without an invuln or Quantum Shielding it's hard to imagine them being useful. Doesn't matter how cheap they are if they can be blown up in a turn as easily as they can.

That said the Tomb Blades look very nice!

[Angelus Nex]

Power 19 is the same is it is now. Zo I gauss it will be the same points. However the strategem is nice and the mephrit dynasty makes it cool. -3 ap on 6 s8 shots!

[Emicus]

Stratagem is more useful for late game re-deployments I reckon. Hauling out wounded squads to regen or deny kill points.

 

Or re-deployment lines responding to CC threats. 'OH were you moving over there well I've got my 20man warriors here now...'

[NTaW]

Whole Codex, page by page anyone?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqVO6ez4xFU

 

As far as I'm concerned this is all great. Point drops seem a little tight but everything else looks like some problems have been solved and a ton of character has been added.

[Tyriks]

Crap why'd this have to go up while I'm at work, haha! I'll try and download it just in case it gets taken down. What kind of stuff do you see that helps?

[Karhedron]

Looking like a solid set of Traits. At first glance, Sautekh and Mephrit look like the best options as they either speed up infantry-heavy armies or make the whole shebang hit harder when it gets up close. Nihilakh looks good on paper but I suspect will be less popular as so much of the army wants to keep moving to get those short-ranged RF guns where they will do the most damage.

[NTaW]

The above youtube like is actually a leak of the BETA CODEX, and as such not 100% reliable. I still think it will give us a darn good idea of what's coming though.

 

Points drops seem to be the only thing that helps anti-armour, though Doomsday Arks are Heavy D6 always not just against big units. Triarch Stalkers don't benefit from Dynastic Codes so womp there.

 

That being said everything but Triarch and C'Tan models seem to have the <dynasty> keyword which gives them access to dynastic codes which is nice.

[Schlitzaf]

So I heard rumors protocols were being changed is that true?

[NTaW]

Not according to this betadex, it's just worded to include the recent FAQ.

 

The 2cp stratagem is apparently rerolls of 1 for the whole army for RP, not just a unit as per CA.

 

The only thing this leak has going for it in my eyes is that the codes were worded exactly the same as what the WC article posted following it surfacing.

[Tyriks]

If all this is true... It's a mixed bag. Better than index for sure, not as good as some codices. But those books might be brought in line by the spring updates, I suppose. Overall, Necrons will for sure be more fun to play, if not a top tier army. But lots of new toys to play with.

[NTaW]

Hilariously, my 2k list is exactly the same number of points according to the betadex here. Things like my Heavy Destroyer squad dropping by ~40 points were quite offset by my Wraith squad jumping to 330 (6x Wraiths no upgrades). 

 

That being said Wraiths being able to fall back and shoot/charge as well as having better AP and 2D is going to make them SO MUCH WORSE for my opponents *laughs metallically*.  

[Tyriks]

They can fall back and charge? I missed that!

[Minsc]

Overall I feel slightly disappointed with the codex. 

There was no redesign of Necrons, this (beta) codex feels like the Index +1.

 

A few things I noticed: (other than what has been leaked/uploaded already)

 

RP hasn't changed, it's still roll 5+ for every slain model at the beginning of the turn.

 

Necron Lords have a reroll 1's to wound-aura.

 

Canoptek Cloaks give 10" movement and Fly, and a unit within 3" heals D3 instead of 1 with their Living Metal.

 

Hyperphase Swords give +1 Strength.

 

Flayed Ones lost 1 attack and their Ld-rule got worse (they now need to kill a model for said unit to get -1 Ld for the turn). They did get 4 ppm cheaper though.

 

Praetorians and Stalkers still don't have the <Dynasty> keyword.

 

Heat Ray is now 2D6 hits when dispersed.

 

Wraiths did get AP-2 D2, and the ability to shoot/charge after falling back, but also went up massively in price.

 

Gauss Cannon is now Strength 6 and Heavy 3.

 

Doomsday Cannon is D6 shots on both profiles, regardless of the size of targeted unit.

 

Pointcost changes in spoiler:

(If it's not in the list, it didn't change)

 

 

Nightbringer: -20

Imotekh: -28

Orikan: -28

Trazsyn: -39

Obyron: -11

 

Cryptek: -16

Destroyer Lord: -14

Overlord: -17

 

Deathmarks: -1

Flayed Ones: -4

Praetorians: -3

 

Wraiths: +17

Destroyers: -13

Blades: -10

 

Spyders: -11

Doomsday Ark: -10

H. Destroyers: -13

Transcendent C'tan: -7

 

Ghost Ark: -10

Doom Scythe: -15

Night Scythe: -14

 

Heavy Guass Cannon -7

Staff of Light -8

Twin Heavy Guass Cannon -10

 

Dispersion Shield -3

Fabrication claw array -3

Nebuloscope -1

Phylactery -5

Shieldvanes -3

 

Stratagems in spoiler:

 

2 CP reroll RP rolls of 1.

2 CP use an additional random C'tan power.

1 CP set up two units via invasion beams/eternity gate instead of one.

1 CP 3 Doom Scythes in proximity don't shoot but causes 3D3 mortal wounds to units within 3" of a point on 4+ (3+ for big units, 5+ for charcaters)

1 CP A Character (not Trazyn and C'tan) are raised with 1 wound on a roll of 4+

1 CP A Necron Vehicle shoots with its undegraded profile for a turn.

2 CP A Lychguard unit with Dispersion Shields gain a 3++ in the shooting phase, attacker suffers MS on rolls of 6.

2 CP A Canoptek unit gains RP for a turn.

1 CP -1 to rolls made for Quantum Shielding on a vehicle for a phase.

1 CP 1 Swarm model can suicide, causing D3 mortal wounds on 2+ to a nearby (1") unit

1 CP A Destroyer unit rerolls failed to hit and wound for a shooting phase.

1 CP +1 Strength for a necron infantry unit in close combat for a assault phase.

1 CP Overlord can use MWBD / WoC a second time

1 CP A Necron Character ignores invulnerable saves on his *first attack* in close combat.

1 CP A Canoptek Unit can shoot and/or charge while advancing.

1 CP A unit of Prateorians gains +1 to hit for a shooting or fight phase.

1 CP An Obelisk's gravity pulse triggers on 4+ instead of 6's.

1 CP A C'tan Shard can replace one of its power with a different power.

2 CP (Sautekh) If a Sautekh unit causes an usnaved wound to a unit, add +1 to hit for friendly sautekh units that target the same unit this phase

2 CP (Nihilakh) End of turn. Select a unit, if within 3" from an objective marker OR if it didnt move for any reason during its turn, it gains +1 to saving throws and +1 attack until the start of next turn

1 CP (Nephrek) During deployment. One infantry or Swarm unit can be set up in deepstrike (9")

3 CP (Novokh) A Novokh unit can fight a second time in this fight phase.

1 CP (Mephrit) For every roll of 6 to hit in the shooting phase, make one additional hit roll.

 

Artefacts in spoiler: 

 

- Nightmare Shroud: +1 save characteristic, enemies get -1 Ld within 6"

- Orb of Eternity: Replaces Res Orb. +1 to the result of RP.

- Gauntlet of Conflagrator: One use only. 8" Pistol 1. Roll a D6 for each model in the target unit within 8". Mortal wound on each roll of 6.

- Voidreaper: Replaces War/Voidscythe. Wounds on 2+ unless targeting vehicles, in which case it has S7. (AP-4, Damage 3)

- Veil of Darkness: Bearer and 1 dynasty infantry unit within 3" are removed and can deepstrike 9" away from enemy (unit must be within 6" of bearer)

- Lightning Field: 4++. Roll a D6 for enemy units within 1" of the bearer at the start of the fight phase. A Mortal wound on 4+

- Nanoscarab Casket. Replaces Phylactery. Regains D3 rather than 1, during both your turn and opponents turn. First time bearer is slain, on 4+ he is set back up at end of phase, with D6 wounds remaining.

- Sempiternal Weave. Infantry only. +1T and +1W.

- Voltaic Staff. Mephrit Relic. Replaces Staff of Light. 12" Assault 3 S6, AP3 Damage 2 / User AP2 D1

- Blood Scythe. Novokh Relic. Replaces War/Voidscythe. +2 S, AP-4, Damage 2, +D3 Attacks.

- Abyssal Staff. Sauthek Relic. Replaces Staff of Light. 12" Assault 1. Hits automatically, roll 3D6 if a unit is hit in the shooting phase: equal or greater than LD and unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. (AP-2 Damage 1 in melee)

- The Solar Staff. Nephrek Relic. Replaces Staff of Light. 12" Assault 6, S5 AP3 Damage 1 / AP2 Damage 1. If enemy infantry is hit in the shooting phase, on 4+ they are blinded and cannot overwatch and suffers -1 to hit for rest of turn.

- Timesplinter Cloak. Nihilak Relic. Once per battle, re-roll a single hit roll, wound roll, or damage roll for the bearer. 5+++.

 

Warlord Traits in spoiler:

 

-1 Damage taken on Warlord.

Re-roll failed wound rolls in fight phase if charged/was charged/performed a HI.

Friendly <Dynasty> units automatically pass morale within 6". Warlord can attempt to deny 1 psychic power.

Increases range of all abilities by 3". (with a few exceptions such as vehicle explosions etc.)

Reroll failed charge rolls for friendly <Dynasty> units within 6"

Warlord gains +D3 attacks if targeting the same character with all their attacks.

 

Sautekh: Once per battle, reroll a single hit roll, wound roll or damage roll. In addition, regain each spent CP on 5+.

Mephrit: +6" to the maximum range of all Assault weapons fired by your Warlord. Your Warlord can shoot enemy characters even if they are not the closest model.

Nihilak: Always fights first in the fight phase even if he didn't charge.

Nephrek: Opponent must substract 1 from hit rolls that target the Warlord.

Novok: Unmodified hit rolls of 6's in the fight phase for friendly novokhs within 6" of your Warlord can make one additional attack.

 

Lychguard got better due to certain Stratagems (+1 Str, 3++), Warlord Traits (reroll charge), and +1 Str on their swords, but they're still overpriced at 30 ppm with Scythes and 34 ppm with Shields respectively. T5 W2 is not resilient in 8th Ed.

 

Negative Nancy says that with the exception of stuff that always gets added in 8th Ed. codeci, very little has actually changed from the Index to the Codex. Many units stayed the same or nearly the same.

Positive Pete on the other hand points out that overall our Codes, Stratagems, Relics and Warlord Traits are pretty good, or at the very least useable.

[Tyriks]

Note: the canoptek cloak replaces chronometron.

[NTaW]

^ and is 1/3 the cost of the chronometron if I recall correctly.

[Tyriks]

Chronometron costs points? Ugh I thought it was built into cryptek

[Indefragable]

First time with 'Crons, so take this as you will, but these seem not bad. Fantastic? Great? Game-changing? Maybe not, but definitely not bad.

 

My eyes are connecting the dots with some pretty interesting combos.

[Minsc]

Necrons will be mid-tier.

 

They have no OP units (not even Tomb Blades), no cheap HQ's/Troops and (with the exception of Sautekh) no way to regenerate CP, so they'll always be starved for CP, and they have no one to soup with other than themselves.

Nothing wrong with being mid-tier however, unless you're WAAC.

[NTaW]

Necrons can be a lot faster with this book, models can either constantly move d6" extra and shoot or reliably move up 11+" without shooting: that's something that really didn't exist before. If I focused an army on Destroyers, Scythes, and Canoptek units Necrons could be as fast or faster than anyone else out there while still dishing out high S/AP weapons. I look forward to that day, but until then everything in my now infantry based list has gotten harder hitting in almost every aspect (the only exclusion being my Stalker that is essentially identical between books).

 

This is all a win and offers a lot more variety in army building than there was before.

[Tyriks]

Alright, now I have time to go through in some detail.  These are the changes; not going through all the WL traits and relics yet.  

 

Imotekh gets a nice boost and a 28 point drop.  His staff gets +1S in close combat.  He can still use MWBD on any Necron Infantry but if he targets Sautekh both times he can use it twice.  That's very nice.  Lord of the Storm got a tiny buff, in that the line "on a 1 nothing happens" was removed.  That means while your main target still wouldn't take damage, it still can overflow to nearby units. Then he adds 1 CP if you're battle forged and he's warlord.  Nice boost, no downsides.

 

Vargard Obyron got an extra attack, and the updated The Lord's Will. 11 points cheaper.

 

Orikan came down 28 also.

 

Trazyn's Empathic Obliterator got a buff.  It won't hurt you anymore if you're the same faction as a character it slays, and it hits all enemy units in 6" instead of only those of the same faction.  Trazyn also came down a whopping 39 points.

 

Overlords can take a Voidscythe now, Sx2 AP4 D3 subtract one to hit.  Base model came down 17 pts.  Voidscythe is 2pts more than a staff was.

 

Lords reroll wound rolls of 1 in a 6" bubble now instead of rerolling Morale.  

 

Crypteks gained the cloak in place of Chronometron if they want.  Base model is 16 points lower.  Chronometron adds back all but one point, cloak is 1/3 the cost of the chronometron.  

 

Destroyer Lord lost 14 points.  Phylacteries are 2/3 their former price.

 

For all HQs the Staff of Light is down 8 points.  Other weapons are the same.

 

Warriors and Immortals are unchanged.  Weirdly, in the points section Lychguard and Deathmarks are shown as troops, which made my heart die a little in excitement, but their data sheets say Elites still so just a weird mistake, most likely.

 

Deathmarks are one point cheaper.

 

Dispersion Shields for Lychguard are 3pts cheaper.  

 

Flayed Ones lost an attack.  Flesh Hunger also happens to a unit a Flayed One killed a model from, instead of a unit within 3".  That means if the Flayed Ones kill something and then die off they still get the penalty.  They are 4pts cheaper.

 

Praetorians are 3 points cheaper.

 

Stalker base model is the same but the Twin Heavy Gauss Cannon is 10 points down.  

 

The Shards know one more C'tan power, but still only uses one.  It also can't have a warlord trait. Nightbringer came down 20pts.

 

For Wraiths, both Vicious Claws and Whip Coils are now AP2, D2.  They can fall back and still shoot/charge. They're up 18 points.

 

Scarabs WS got reduced by one.  

 

Tomb Blades are now hard to hit, -1 to hit them in Shooting Phase. 10 points cheaper.  Nebulascope and Shieldvanes both down 3.  

 

Destroyers also have the upgraded Gauss Cannon with one more shot and one higher Strength. 13 points cheaper.  Heavy destroyers are a further 5 points cheaper.  

 

Spyders only take one MW for failing to replenish scarabs now, and they have FLY keyword. 11 points cheaper.  Fabricator Claws are down 3.

 

Monoliths are completely unchanged, which is a huge shame.  

 

Annihilation Barges have the upgraded Gauss Cannons.

 

Doomsday Ark now fires d6 shots for both profiles.  The Low Power profile also got 12" longer range.  Finally, they added the Hovering rule so you measure to/from hull or base instead of just the base. 10 points down.

 

Transcendant C'tan had the same changes as C'tan Shards, lost Writhing Worldscape, plus it added Fractured Personality, where you either choose a trait or roll 2d6 and get both (doubles are wasted).  These are: use 2 C'tan powers per turn, +1 to saving throws, heal d3 wounds per turn, add 12" to movement when advancing instead of rolling, reroll failed wound rolls in Fight phase, or getting Writhing Worldscape back. 7 points cheaper.  

 

Ghost Arks got 10 points cheaper and can't transport Destroyer Lords anymore.

 

Doom Scythes are 15 pts cheaper.

 

Night Scythes are 14 pts cheaper.

 

Tesseract Vault got a 4++ invulnerable save and knows one more C'tan power.  

[Emicus]

- Veil of Darkness, Lightning Field and Nanoscarab Casket relics are hot. Dont care for the rest.

​Great shame about all the weapon relics. for some reason weapon relics usually make me sad :(

​I'd sacrifice entire civilisations to the Star Gods to have some of those relics as generic upgrades.......

[NTaW]

As far as relics go I'll likely still be using Veil of Darkness to move Warriors around (specially now with that Mephrit Code), but I'll be real tempted to spend a CP to gain access to either the Nightmare Shroud, Voidreaper, or Orb of Eternity for my Overlord occasionally. 

 

Huh. Just noticed there's no 1/3CP stratagem for extra relic(s). We'll see if it's included in the printed Codex soon enough I suppose.

[Tyriks]

I think there was a strat for that, like the second one listed. I also think the Veil is gonna stay my go-to outside of experimental lists.

[Minsc]

CCB with the Lightning Field relic and some nice aura warlord trait (immune to morale or re-roll charge) looks like a solid go-to pick for a Warlord.

[Arachnofiend]

Chronometron costs points? Ugh I thought it was built into cryptek

It only costs points so that it can be comparable with the canoptek cloak; a cryptek with chronometron is actually a point cheaper in the codex than in the index.