The following rules changes are effective immediately. The majority of these changes are reflective of the Legion CID that occurred mid-2020, with a few extra bits of rules cleanup on non-Legion items added as well. For each change, we will first cover what changed and then provide a brief reason why each item was updated. If an update includes a completely new rule or new text for an existing rule, that text is provided.

Legion Warlocks

Kryssa, Conviction of Everblight

• Spear Melee weapon loses Critical Sustained Attack
• Spear Melee weapons gains Sustained Attack
• Change SPD stat to 6
• Remove Quickness Spell
• Add Energizer Spell
• Add Ignite Spell
• Gain Total Obedience Ability
• Change FURY stat to 7

Developer’s Notes: Kryssa was updated with rules that emphasize her martial prowess, as well as her ability to command ranks of Legion infantry into battle, both of which fit her better thematically and make her a warlock with a more defined strategy and role within the Legion warlock roster.

Bethayne, Voice of Everblight

• Change DEF stat to 17
• Change Warbeast points to +22
• Change Feat name to Arcane Symbiosis
• Change Feat rules text to

While in Bethayne’s control range, friendly models gain boosted magic attack rolls and magic attack damage rolls. Arcane Symbiosis lasts for one round.

• Change text of Blood Thorn spell to:
  

Target friendly Faction model’s/unit’s ranged and melee weapons gain +2 POW and Continuous Effect: Corrosion .

• Remove Cloak of Ash Spell
• Remove Venom Spell
• Add Deceleration Spell
• Add Hex Blast Spell

Developer’s Notes: Bethayne is a unique ’caster, capable of swapping between two different “modes.” We wanted to further push this idea by expanding her toolbox of options, allowing her to support her army in a variety of ways, whether by delivering infantry, buffing the damage output of a model’s/unit’s weapons, or cranking the magic offensive of her army all the way up.

Additionally, we altered Belphagor to add a more meaningful decision between staying unmelded (for the reduced cost on a channeled spell) and being melded (better survivability and gaining Blood Boon for a potentially free spell if in melee).

Belphagor

• Change MAT stat to 7
• Change the POW on the Claw Melee weapon to 4 and the P+S to 13
• Claw melee weapons gain the Blood Boon ability
• Change the text of the Bond ability to the following:
  

Bond [Bethayne, Voice of Everblight] – This model begins the game bonded to Bethayne, Voice of Everblight. This model is not considered to be bonded while under your opponent’s control. While this model is in Bethayne’s control range, she can channel spells through it. Once per turn, when Bethayne channels a spell through this model she can reduce the COST of the spell by 1, to a minimum of 1.

Legion Units

Blackfrost Shard

• All models gains Combat Caster ability
• Severyn loses Disbinding special action in his Magic Ability menu
• Severyn gains Unbinding special action in his Magic Ability menu

Developer’s Notes: The addition of the Combat Caster ability allows this unit to deliver themselves upfield by casting their Stealth spell and then running. Delivery was always their primary issue, and this helps the unit function a lot better on the battlefield. Additionally, this elite unit of spellcasters can now cast up to 6 spells a turn thanks to their combo of Combat Caster and Battle Wizard, if everything aligns just right.

Blighted Nyss Archers

• Unit gains the Reposition [3˝] ability

Developer’s Notes: For Nyss troops, we wanted to further emphasize speed and agility across their ranks. The Nyss Archers were hitting about as accurately and as hard as we wanted them to, but they were missing an element of mobility to help truly shine as the harassment unit they needed to be. With the addition of Reposition, the unit can now fire-and-fade, allowing them to remain mostly safe.

Blighted Nyss Archer Officer Ammo Porter

• Officer and Ammo Porter gain the Reposition [3˝] ability
• Change the text of the Ammo Porter’s Ready Ammo ability to the following:

Ready Ammo – While this model is in formation, the ranged weapons of models in its unit become ROF 2.

Developer’s Notes: The Ready Ammo ability was a bit fiddly before, so we’ve simplified it in a way that allows this mobile unit of archers to spread out and still get the maximum benefit from their Command Attachment.

Hex Hunters

• Unit gains Stealth
• Unit Loses the Prowl ability
• Unit gains the Apparition ability

Developer’s Notes: Similar to the Blackfrost Shard and the Nyss Archers, we looked at ways to help this unit’s mobility as well as its capability to deliver itself into combat. We decided to trade Prowl for flat Stealth and give the unit back its old theme force benefit of Apparition. Additionally, compared to other command attachments in Faction, we lowered Bayal’s cost by 1 point.

Bayal

• Bayal gains Stealth
• Loses the Prowl ability
• Gains the Apparition ability
• Change Points Cost to 5

Blighted Nyss Swordsmen

• Unit gains the Blade Shield ability

Developer’s Notes: The swordsmen received a small but important upgrade, again playing to the theme of “agility” and reviewing whether the unit needed more mobility (it did not) or a way to protect itself (it did).

Blighted Nyss Swordsmen Abbot and Champion

• Abbot gains the Blade Shield ability
• Champion gains the Blade Shield ability
• Tactics: Overtake ability moved from the Abbot to the Champion
• Abbot loses Granted: Cleave ability
• Abbot gains a menu of Prayers

Prayers – This model can use one of the following prayers at any time during each of its unit’s activations. Each model in this unit gains the benefits listed.

• • Draconic Fervor – Affected models gain Relentless Charge for one turn. (While advancing as part of a charge, a model with Relentless Charge gains Pathfinder .)
  • Imbued Force – Affected models’ weapons gain Damage Type: Magical for one turn.
  • Song of Blades – Affected models gain Cleave for one turn. (When a model with Cleave destroys one or more enemy models with a basic melee attack during its Combat Action, immediately after the attack is resolved the model can make one additional melee attack. A model can gain only one additional attack from Cleave per activation.)

Developer’s Notes: The Abbot and Champion went through a major overhaul, keeping all of their original abilities in some incarnation but gaining a few more tricks to add to the unit of Swordsmen they are attached to. With a menu of Prayers, the Abbot now provides the type of utility we feel is worth his points cost to the unit.

Blighted Nyss Legionnaires

• Change unit SPD to 6
• Unit gains the Battle-Driven ability

Developer’s Notes: While other Nyss were typically fast and could pack a decent punch, the role of the Legionnaires was always meant to be more defensive. These Nyss guardians were intended to take a hit then punch back in return, making your opponent pay for attacking them.

Like all the Nyss, we reviewed their agility and determined that the unit needed a SPD boost across the board. However, to further separate their role as the defensive/vengeful Nyss, we added Battle-Driven to the unit and Farilor, really upping the ante on the price paid for hurting one of them. With the addition of Battle-Driven, we could not keep Iron Zeal on Farilor, as the ARM stacking was a bit too much, and so we decided to replace it with another useful mini-feat. In addition, after reviewing Farilor’s cost compared to his utility, we decided to lower his cost.

Farilor & Standard

• Change Farilor and Standard SPD to 6
• Change Points Cost to 4
• Farilor and Standard gains the Battle-Driven ability
• Farilor loses Iron Zeal ability
• Farilor gains Hold Ranks ability

Hold Ranks – This model can use Hold Ranks once per game at any time during its unit’s activation. Models in this unit gain Defensive Line. Models are not affected while out of formation. Hold Ranks lasts for one round. (While B2B with one or more models in its unit, a model with Defensive Line gains +2 DEF against melee attacks and cannot become knocked down.)

Legion Solos

Annyssa Ryvaal

• Change Points Cost to 7
• Add a new melee weapon, Nyss Claymore
• Weapon is RNG 1, POW 4, P+S 10, and has Weaponmaster

Developer’s Notes: Compared to several dragoons and Archons, we lowered Annyssa’s points slightly. She also received a Nyss Claymore weapon because (a) it opened up her options each activation on how she wanted to attack the enemy and (b) she literally has a sword on her miniature.

Craelix

• Change Points Cost to 5

Developer’s Notes: Craelix received a small points decrease to bring him in line with other solo options in Faction.

Legion Warbeasts

Archangel

• Change the ROF stat on the Dragon Breath ranged weapon to 3 and the RNG stat to 12
• Change the POW on the Bite melee weapon to 7 and the P+S to 21

Developer’s Notes: We felt the Archangel was underperforming for its point cost, and a large part of this was the unreliability of its ranged weapon. As a dragon model, we wanted its breath weapon (and really the whole head) of the model to shine and be its primary source of damage. So, we’ve upgraded the breath weapon to be more deadly and also increased the POW of the bite.

Azrael

• Change Points Cost to 19

Developer’s Notes: Azrael performs its role as intended but was a bit overpriced for that performance. We dropped its points comparative to other options in Faction.

Zuriel

• Change Points Cost to 17
• Change RAT stat to 6
• Remove Assault
• Remove Quick Work ability from Zuriel
• Zuriel gains Dual Attack ability
• Zuriel gains Kill Shot ability

Developer’s Notes: Unlike Azrael, Zuriel was missing something. As a “Ninja Nephalim,” his table performance and interactions weren’t quite operating as we wanted. We want Zuriel to fly in, cut some foes down, breath fire, and just generally be a death blossom to the infantry around him, while still being capable of fighting other warbeasts and ’jacks, if necessary. With the rules changes he has received, we feel he performs this role far better.

Nephilim Protector

• Change Points Cost to 9
• Remove Ornery Animus
• Gain Safeguard Animus

Developer’s Notes: The Protector was lacking just a bit in the “protect the warlock” role but not by too much. We didn’t want to make it more directly powerful in terms of offensive output, so instead we provided a much needed animus to Legion and lowered his point cost.

Proteus

• Change Points Cost to 18
• Change DEF stat to 12
• Change Talon melee weapon POW to 5 and P+S to 17

Developer’s Notes: We reviewed the “Carnivean Chassis” across the board to determine what was missing, where points costs were relative to other options, and which beasts needed a bit more power or utility based on their roles. Proteus saw a slight increase in his melee output while the Carnivean picked up some much-needed utility in the form as a new Chain Attack. The entire “chassis” went up to DEF 12, a small bump but useful for these heavy warbeasts.

Carnivean

• Change Points Cost to 17
• Change DEF stat to 12
• Talon melee weapon gains Chain Attack: Grab and Smash ability

Ravagore

• Change DEF stat to 12

Scythean

• Change DEF stat to 12

Angelius

• Change Points Cost to 15
• Angelius loses Overtake ability
• Angelius gains the Side Step ability
• Change Bite melee weapon POW to 5, P+S to 14, and RNG 2
• Tail Strike loses Special Attack Armor-Piercing ability
• Tail Strike gains Armor-Piercing ability
• Tail Strike gains Single Shot ability

Developer’s Notes: The Angelius received a fairly significant overhaul and price reduction. It felt stuck between the Neraph and the larger, hardier beasts like the heavy Nephilim and Carnivean chassis. We wanted to really emphasize its speed and erratic movement while also making its Tail Strike a bit easier to use without sacrificing the rest of its melee output. The new changes offer more opportunities with Angelius, including the ability to potentially free strike with an AP attack if the beast didn’t use its tail in the previous turn.

Raek

• Change Points Cost to 6

Developer’s Notes: We like the Raek’s performance and role, but it felt far too expensive compared to other lights. We’ve reduced its point cost to be more in line with its output.

Teraph

• Blight Blast ranged weapon loses the Critical Fire and gains Continuous Effect: Fire .
• Blight Blast ranged weapon gains the Burning Ground ability.

Developer’s Notes: The teraph is a light ranged beast, but its ranged attack felt a bit lacking for the points it cost. Instead of lowering its cost, we decided to increase the value of the ranged attack but allowed it to cause auto fire and potentially leave behind hazard. ’Casters such as Kallus 2 and many of the Lylyths will appreciate the Teraph’s new, upgraded Blight Blast.

Circle Warlocks

Mohsar the Desert Walker

Change the text of the Pillar of salt spell to read:

Place a 3˝ AOE anywhere completely within the spellcaster’s control range where it does not overlap a model’s base. The AOE is a 5˝ tall obstruction that does not provide cover. The AOE can be targeted with attacks, charges, and slam power attacks as if it were a friendly huge-based construct model. When attacked, the AOE has DEF 5 and ARM 20 and is removed from play if it suffers 1 or more damage points. The AOE does not suffer effects or trigger effects from attacks other than damage from attack damage rolls. The AOE remains in play for one round.

Developer’s Notes: The previous incarnation of Pillar of Salt raised some rules questions and interactions it was never intended to have. We have changed this spell in a few significant ways that should fix those issues. The AOE put into play is now an obstruction terrain feature, which covers a lot of questions such as “Can it moved by a slam?” or “Can it be placed by Telekinesis?’, to which the answer is “No, it is not a model; it is a terrain feature.”

The pillar can be targeted by attacks only as if it were a model, but it does not suffer any effects or trigger any effects from being attacked other than simply taking damage. For example, a model cannot trigger a Berserk attack by killing a pillar, but they could charge it and kill it like normal.

Convergence Solos

Transverse Enumerator

• Change the text of the Realignment ability to read:

This model can use Realignment once per game at any time during its unit’s activation. This activation, models in this unit can reroll failed attack rolls. Each roll can be rerolled only once as a result of Realignment.

Developer’s Notes: Fixed a timing issue with this ability.

Khador Attachments

Greylord Escort

• Change the text of the Death Strider ability to read:

Models in this unit gain Relentless Charge this activation. (While advancing as part of a charge, a model with Relentless Charge gains Pathfinder .)

Developer’s Notes: Fixed a timing issue with this ability.

Retribution Units

House Vyre Electromancers

• Change the text of the Energy Leak ability to read:

When a warjack is hit with this weapon, it suffers a cumulative –1 penalty to its focus limit for one round. Models that cannot suffer Disruption are immune to Energy Leak.

Developer’s Notes: Fixed the language to make it more clear which models are immune to Energy Leak.

Theme Forces

Legion Children of the Dragon Theme Force

• Add the following options to the army composition list, placed in the appropriate spots (units near units, solos near solos, etc.)

Throne of Everblight battle engines

Virtue models/units

Blight Archons

Legion Oracles of Annihilation Theme Force

• Add the following options to the army composition list, placed in the appropriate spots (units near units, solos near solos, etc.)

Virtue models/units

Blight Archons

Legion Ravens or War Theme Force

• Add the following options to the army composition list

Blight Archons

Legion Primal Terrors Theme Force

• Add the following options to the army composition list

Blight Archons

Developer’s Notes: The Legion theme forces were updated to include the upcoming new models, as well as the addition of the Throne to the Children of the Dragon theme force.

Core Rules

New Core Rules PDF page 3 AND Rules Digest page 96

• Change the first sentence under Sacrifice to read:

To replenish its essence points during your Control Phase, this model can choose a friendly living non-soulless model in its control range.

Developer’s Notes: We have made it more clear which models an Infernal master can choose to sacrifice to replenish its essence. The addition of the word “living” indicates that constructs, such as friendly objectives, cannot be sacrificed for essence.