Wraith Aspects?

[TorvaldTheMild]

Not I think we'd ever get them but I always thought it would be cool to have a type of wraith aspect warrior, as there must be loads of dead eldar in the infinity circuit that have trodden the path of the warrior.  If it were to be done do you think there should be just wraith versions of the aspects already, which I don't really see as they are slow and clumsier than the other aspects, they could have dark reaper versions and probably fire dragons and warp spiders but I think it would better to have a couple of unique units, though wraiths with warp generators would be insanely cool, like their wraithknight big brothers.  But I would love to see wraith versions of all the aspects, they could write some terrible lore where they make lighter wraithbone to make banshees versions fast etc.

Edited October 13, 2019 by TorvaldTheMild

[Slips]

I mean, you can kinda make Aspect Simulacra with some Wraith builds.

 

Wraithblades with 2 swords can easily just be banshees.

 

The Skathach Wraithknights can be either Fire Dragons or Warp Spiders.

 

Shadowspecters can almost pass off as being a Wraith Aspect.

 

If we were to get an actual wraith aspect warrior shrine though, I think it should be something wholly unique.

[Emicus]

I suppose that's Wraith Guard and not wraith knight. Although I got an interesting 'Fire Dragon Totem Pole' picture in my mind.

[Lord_Caerolion]

From what I know of the Wraith troops, it'd only be the Wraithlords/Knights that have enough focus and memory to truly take advantage of any prior Aspect training. In fact, wasn't there a Fire Dragon Exarch reincarnated as a Wraithlord in Valedor, much as that ignores what Exarchs actually are?

[Dread]

Honestly if you look at wraith guard from the other perspective, they kinda are aspects. They follow all the same patterns like aspects, all same weapons, specialize with them, etc. They're points are already high and don't have an invulnerable save stock, so making them aspect would just make them higher. I just believe they should have a 5++. However I used to have a wraith guard unit years ago that I added hair too and sculpted around the mask to look like banshee and called them wraithshees.

[Lord_Caerolion]

By that logic Guardian Defenders are Aspect Warriors too, though.

[Slasher956]

they are though ... the citizen soldier aspect of war.  The person who goes to war out of necessity to protect their home /loved ones

[TorvaldTheMild]

they are though ... the citizen soldier aspect of war.  The person who goes to war out of necessity to protect their home /loved ones

By that logic every eldar and eldar unit is an aspect warrior.

[Slasher956]

in fluff terms... yep

 

in game terms... not so much :p

 

 

.... can you tell I didnt follow the thought through to its ultimate conclusion..... 

[Karhedron]

We already get 4 different Wraithguard builds, each with a useful ability (+1A on the charge or Withdraw and Shoot). It's hard to see what else they really need.

[Lord_Caerolion]

in fluff terms... yep

 

in game terms... not so much

 

 

.... can you tell I didnt follow the thought through to its ultimate conclusion..... 

 

Except not in fluff terms, because an Aspect Warrior isn't just "they all use a single weapon", but that they ritually take on the role of an Aspect of Khaine. Guardians use a disassociative "war mask", but it lacks the religious element of the Aspect Warriors, and is entirely a psychological construct. They may be the "citizen soldier aspect of war", but that's just a terminology thing, not being an actual Aspect of Khaine, it lacks that religious component. It's also why unhelmeted Guardians shouldn't be a thing, but that's just me...

[Brother Tyler]

The whole point of the Aspect Warrior shrines and the Path, though, is that an Aeldari eventually leaves each Path, or that Path's personality* is subsumed beneath and among subsequent Paths that the Aeldari follows. The two known exceptions to this are the Warlocks (non-Aspect warriors that have previously trod a Warrior Path, so are able to harness aggressive psychic powers in war time) and Autarchs (serve in multiple shrines when on the Path of the Warrior as well as the Path of Command). So when an Aeldari dies, even though they've walked the Path of the Warrior, that personality that they assumed while wearing their mask upon that path does not dominate their personality.
 
The only Aeldari Aspect Warriors for whom the Aspect Warrior personality truly dominates are the Exarchs (and the Phoenix Lords are merely the greatest of the Exarchs). These Aeldari are lost upon the Path of the Warrior and once they have assumed an Exarch personality/suit of armour, never remove their armour. When they die, the armour is removed and their bodies are not their. I can recall [only?] one bit of lore that contradicts this, but the preponderance of lore discusses this aspect of the Exarchs. So the Exarchs are the only ones for whom "coming back" as a ghost warrior, whether wraithguard, wraithblade, or wraithlord, is even possible, and then likely only if the Exarch armour itself is destroyed with the spiritstone (the dominant spiritstone of the armour's first wearer, most likely, but potentially spiritstones of those that have subsequently worn the armour over the years) surviving. Even then, one is left to wonder if the Bonesingers might be able to repair such armour, making such an occurrence even more rare/unlikely.
 
From a rules perspective, I don't see the Asuryani needing such a boost. They are already a strong faction, and have been since 2nd edition. Yes, they are a very specialized force, with each unit having weaknesses to offset their strengths, but players have consistently been able to create strong armies using the various iterations of the Craftworld Eldar rules/army list. The extant lore allows for those dead Aeldari spirits that retain their bellicosity from their time as Aspect Warriors to fill in the wraithguard/wraithblade/wraithlord roles and weapons loads, with close combat oriented spirits taking either wraithblade or close combat wraithlord roles and shooty spirits taking wraithguard or shooty wraithlord roles. There is neither a rules gap nor a lore gap that requires being filled with Aspect Warrior ghost warriors. Creating wraith Aspect Warriors would simply pile more strength onto a faction that is already strong. In fact, it seems likely [to me] that the concept of dead Aeldari becoming ghost warriors is that those that pursued dominant warrior roles are those more likely to become wraithlords (though they can probably take wraithguard/wraithblade constructs when the situation demands/allows).
 
 
 
 
* While walking the Path of the Warrior, an Aeldari doesn't assume a bellicose personality except while wearing their mask (i.e., when the warhost marches to war). There is great old lore depicting the transition from peaceful citizen to warlike Aspect warrior, or the reverse.