Is Njal worth the cost?

[rodgambit]

270 points seems like a lot when you could get a basic rune priest and another troops choice on the board. Considering Njal's powers don't all work unless you have 1st turn and most of our powers are shooting attacks, which, he can still only do 1 per turn I'm not seeing his usefulness versus his cost when weighed against other options.

[Skirax]

He can use two per turn. And Lord of Tempests is amazing against low armoured enemies. Plus, he's a support unit, so if you stick him with a really valuable unit, he's worth it. To me, at least :)

[The_Betrayed_Spacewolf]

in all probability however since the faq i havent used him, nor do i have any plans to use him in a competitive game as I'm already relying on 2 special characters to make my list work better

[JMac]

I know exactly what you are saying here; his cost is through the roof. However, you get what you pay for. Let's look at what he has that you can't get with a normal rune priest.

 

The obvious, Lord of the Tempests: Yeah, the negative here is that if you don't go first then it won't effect them until turn 2. However, turn 1 is only at worst 20% of the game and at best 14% of the game; ON TOP OF THAT, in turn 1 you aren't likely to get a useful effect given the nature of the ability (referring to the puny d3+1 in turn 1). On the flip side, the later in the game, the more powerful effect you get especially when you need it in the heat of the battle.

 

Staff of the Stormcaller: Nullify powers on a 3+, enough said (That's a 66% chance of no power, for you math illiterate :lol: )

 

All the SW psychic powers: AWESOME! Having the availability of every power is possibly the most overlooked IMO. No more cursing yourself for not taking the right power.

 

Saga of the Majesty: Combined with ATSKNF, improbable to fall back.

 

Nightwing: Not much, but still a leg up.

 

4+ Inv save: Sure to keep him alive longer than a normal rune priest.

 

Now let's look at Njal's wargear that is included in his cost.

 

TDA but with a upgrade to a 4+ inv save = 20 pts

WTN = 10 pts

Master of Runes = 50 pts

 

Brings your rune priest to 180 without a saga.

 

IMO Njal is worth it, but it depends on what you want to. Of course there are things that a rune priest can have (i.e. melta bombs, saga of the beast/warrior, chooser of the slain, combi-weapon and so on) that you might need. It's also fun to create your own legendary rune priest with your own fluff.

 

I still agree with you deciding he is expensive, and therefore wouldn't include him in anything less than 1500 pts.

[Aeddon]

Pretty much anything in our codex can be worth it if used correctly. On the other hand, used incorrectly any unit can become a waste of points. This is perhaps the most important thing to look at when considering any unit or character in your army.

 

On Njal specifically, JMac pretty much covered anything.

 

IMO Njal is worth it, but it depends on what you want to. Of course there are things that a rune priest can have (i.e. melta bombs, saga of the beast/warrior, chooser of the slain, combi-weapon and so on) that you might need. It's also fun to create your own legendary rune priest with your own fluff.

 

One addition though, Nightwing counts as a Chooser of the Slain so I'd compare his points this way...

 

Normal Rune Priest

100

Master of Runes

50

Terminator Armour

20

Wolftooth Necklace

10

Chooser of the Slain

10

Total

190

 

So for an additional 80 points you get a better invulnerable save, a better chance to nullify enemy psychic powers, your retain your bolt pistol with the TDA giving you a total of 2 additional attacks in close combat, you know all of the SW powers, your CotS is attached to you always giving you a BS of 5, you get the Lord of Tempests ability and Saga of Majesty.

 

To be fair though most people (that I know of anyway) take cheap Rune Priests, 110 with just a CotS or even just a bare-bone Rune Priest. So yes you could take two of them which has it's own merits, mainly more overall anti-psyker coverage and more area that you can use psychic powers over. But when played correctly, Njal can be an excellent addition to an army list.

[Requiem of the Wolf]

Having access to every power,and if you take another rune priest,its two sets of the two powers you want the most.

[CainTheHunter]

Don't forget that Njal initially comes in the power armor. TDA is an optional upgrade for additional cost. I've been reconsidering putting him in TDA since recent times, since in Land Raider he doesn't get his shooting attacks as well as all of his Lord of Tempest abilities don't work, since he has no LoS while in LR.

[Aeddon]

Don't forget that Njal initially comes in the power armor. TDA is an optional upgrade for additional cost. I've been reconsidering putting him in TDA since recent times, since in Land Raider he doesn't get his shooting attacks as well as all of his Lord of Tempest abilities don't work, since he has no LoS while in LR.

Nope, he comes in Runic Armour standard.

[ChapniK]

Njal is great if your playing more of a defensive/counter attack army. Is ability to cancel psychic powers on a 3+ comes in really handy with the trend of better psychic powers in the last few codex. With his lord of tempest ability its like he is generating 3 powers per turn, one offensive, of defensive and a random one. But it all really comes down to army composition as he is a supporting element.

[Olgerth Istaarn]

I really want to like Njal, but I keep bumping up against the fact his cost runs counter to what I expect from him. That is 100% personal.

 

Expensive character (to me) screams: to the front lines, and let's kick some serious ass. Njal is... not so great on the front lines. Being a Rune Priest, he's a touch lousy in close combat, and more than a touch fragile. Which says to me: shield him with something that can take a few bumps, but that drives the cost up even higher.

 

Leaving him in Runic Armor and putting him in a Rhino is way too scary. So that's right out for me.

 

Putting him in TDA means that I need to deliver him. Either in a Land Raider (whoops, no fire points) or in the Drop Pod (OMG SHOOT IT SHOOT IT KILL IT BEFORE IT BREEDS!!!!! *squash*) Of course I could let him hang back and chuck powers all day, but really, what does THAT buy me, considering that Lord of Tempests is a point-blank AoE centered on Njal.

 

Njal has the potential to be awesome. But you kind of have to tool the list around him and give up elements that would potentially give you more for their points than he does. One thing about the Wolves is that they take the "boyz before toyz" axiom to the next level... certainly, they have the OMG:cussBBQ units, but often times, the workhorses deliver more value than the said OMG:cussBBQ does.

[Torin]

good day,

 

To my experience using Njal, he rock!! that all i can say. If you feel the urge to play a special character that is. His ability as Lord of Tempest is superb. But like olgerth said, you have to protect him to the later turn for his ability to be fully maximize. Just love him the moment he become a walking monolith. Againt Ork horde or Gaunt.. its a killer. By playing Njal, your will have a tailored army just for him & its not easy to change your list to a different play style.

 

But if you compare point wise, i would rather go for a rune priest with jump pack instead. Rune priest with 5 Skyclaws simply rocks.

 

cheers. :D

[CainTheHunter]

Don't forget that Njal initially comes in the power armor. TDA is an optional upgrade for additional cost. I've been reconsidering putting him in TDA since recent times, since in Land Raider he doesn't get his shooting attacks as well as all of his Lord of Tempest abilities don't work, since he has no LoS while in LR.

Nope, he comes in Runic Armour standard.

 

Yeah, I was meaning that ;) Runic Power armor :).

[Brother Caleb]

Working from my limited experience, I would say he's worth it. He wreaked havoc on a daemon army with his LotT and consistent use of TW.

 

On another note, I had a quick question concerning the Lord of the Tempests. Do his LotT effects count as psychic powers? The dex does not refer to them as such. My opponent had the mark of Khorne, so if they are psychic powers then he should have gotten his 2+ invulnerable save.

[The_Betrayed_Spacewolf]

nope no leadership roll its an automatic power that you roll every turn until he is dead.

[CainTheHunter]

Working from my limited experience, I would say he's worth it. He wreaked havoc on a daemon army with his LotT and consistent use of TW.

 

On another note, I had a quick question concerning the Lord of the Tempests. Do his LotT effects count as psychic powers? The dex does not refer to them as such. My opponent had the mark of Khorne, so if they are psychic powers then he should have gotten his 2+ invulnerable save.

 

Do You have to roll Ld test for them? No. Therefore, it is NOT a psychic power according to RAW. Just as well, as in cases of Runes of Warding, LotT goes off without requiring three dices for the Ld roll. That's how I am reading this part.

 

Argh The_Betrayed_Spacewolf - perfect timing and You beat me to this :)

[The_Betrayed_Spacewolf]

wow sorry about the ninja down to the last second

[Guganation]

I'm making a list for a huge campain a buddy is putting together, and I came up against the problem of Grimnar or Njal. To be honest which ever one i chose they'd probably be hanging out with the longfangs. (and the ubiquitous Cyclone)

Everyone knows what Logan can do for your longfangs.

Njal however can keep them covered with T.Wrath or S.Caller, all the while sending LL with it's unlimited range wherever. Add to that the Chooser and Njals own badassedness, and those LFs arent likely to see much trouble over the course of the game.

 

I'm liking RPs for this use more and more.

[WG Vrox]

I'm making a list for a huge campain a buddy is putting together, and I came up against the problem of Grimnar or Njal. To be honest which ever one i chose they'd probably be hanging out with the longfangs. (and the ubiquitous Cyclone)

Everyone knows what Logan can do for your longfangs.

Njal however can keep them covered with T.Wrath or S.Caller, all the while sending LL with it's unlimited range wherever. Add to that the Chooser and Njals own badassedness, and those LFs aren't likely to see much trouble over the course of the game.

 

I'm liking RPs for this use more and more

 

Not sure you would want Njal and Logan, but I had some good success with running both a RP and Logan in my Long Fang squad with Cyclone. Blessed Bolters Batman talk about a god squad. I would have a Rhino with about 5 GH hanging back with the Long Fangs then at what felt to be the right time, usually after all the mech was smoking piles of slag, I would break off the RP and jump in the Rhino. This allowed me to move forward and switch to his second power JoWW to start cutting down troops.

 

I remember one game against Chaos, he had 5 rhinos full of troops a LR and Vindi. I sat back with my entire army in a corner till turn 3 and did a pincher move but not much of a need as the God Squad was murdering units of nurgle marines. With Logan's relentless ability there was no place to hide and 5 missiles and 2 LC followed up by LL hitting a unit is a ugly thing to behold.

 

One lucky roll I wrecked a Rhino with my TLLC on my pred he had to jump out either on the side with my Vindi in LOS or with my LF in LOS. He choose the LF side and was wiped out to the man as all 7 weapons hit and wounded.

 

Vrox

[Wolf Lord Durgann]

I run him in the open with a unit of Wolf Guard in Term suits with ranged weaponry in mind. But I play a shooty Wolf army. :)

[Requiem of the Wolf]

I run him in the open with a unit of Wolf Guard in Term suits with ranged weaponry in mind. But I play a shooty Wolf army. B)

Putting him wiht your Long fangs,means that you get to defend him with a squad,you get to protect your Long Fangs with the Lord of the Tempest and SC or Tempest's wrath. It works very very well.