Rune Priests: When do they become essential

[Grimtooth]

At what point level do rune priests become essential for you?

 

I know some people right off the back will say they begin their build with a rune priest as their first HQ choice. I am not one of those people. My builds tend to start with a Wolf Guard Battle Leader then upgraded to a Wolf Lord. At that point I start adding my Rune Priests as support elements (which I firmly believe they are both in fluff and in game terms). Finally my last HQ to add will be a Wolf Priest. My all comers big list essentially boils down to a Wolf Lord, Rune Priest x2, Wolf Priest.

 

Now for anything under and including 1000 points I am fielding a WGBL. At 1250 he is bumped up to a Wolf Lord, some points are moved around and at this point I will add a Rune Priest. Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. At 1500 and above, a Rune Priest is standard.

[Mac the knife]

I tend to run a rune priest under all circumstances due to the protection it provides against jump infantry and psykers. I face off against BAs and Chaos more often than any other force so making an entire BA force make a difficult terrain test =WIN.

 

Other than that though I defer to my brothers who are longer in the tooth.

[Andrew_Beck]

deamonhunters = mandatory priest

because you wanna be the psychic dictator with the 4+

[dswanick]

In an all-comers list I always include a RP in 1000+ pts. Below 1000pts I often won't field one unless I know my opponent is susceptible to psychic nullification.

[Grimtooth]

That is a thought to ponder. BA and Dark Eldar come to mind quickly when I think of armies that would suffer from Tempest Wraith depending on their compositions.

 

Let's look at 1000 points;

 

Dark Eldar will be mounted almost assuredly in their paper thin transports. First turn Flat Out moves or Flat Out moves from reserves to make up for that weak armor. Tempest Wrath would indeed be useful as would Living Lightning. However at 1k points, a Long Fang Pack seems like it would be able to handle what any Dark Elder player could bring at 1k points with just as much relative ease.

 

Now BA we might see a DOA jump pack army. Again, Tempest Wrath would be useful. Even moreso because it would affect the jump infantry in all aspects of movement and assault. There is a stronger case for a Rune Priest against BA because he would also add his psychic defense against a BA librarian looking to cause trouble. I leave Storm Ravens bbecause they seem to be a little steep for 1k points.

 

The flipside of the DOA list is I don't think a viable 1k list can be created due to point costs. RAS would bring more to the fight then a lower amount of jump packed equipped BA using DOA and thus subjecting themselves to Tempest Wrath. Now that they are mounted in fast transports, Long Fangs with missile launchers make more sense.

[Fred Johnson the 3rd jr]

RP is even more important now with Grey Knights coming up....

[Zzo]

I always run RPs in my army, they are totally worth their points. But now, RPs are a must because of GKs. In fact, imo, 1 RP isn't enough anymore against GKs. I'm considering 2-3 now or possibly Njal. If you can't stop the GK powers, not even TWC can stop them.

[MalachiOfRuss]

By GH you actually mean Grey Knights, right?

[Fred Johnson the 3rd jr]

Zzo must be talking about the Space Wolves Civil War. One side clad in gray, the other in blue gray.

[Zzo]

Yes ment GKs :) my bad. Edited now.

[the jeske]

500pts or more.

[Wysten]

Often, Rune Priests are imputted when I don't want a Wolf Lord or Wolf Priest. He is the ultimate unity hero that, while his kill count may never be as high, his abilitys and psy defenses granted upon his followers is brillent and he's basically that cheaper Hero when you want more points for more killy things.

 

In short, his pressence will often be felt through the entire game as a supportive leader, while the Wolf Lord is probably felt in short bursts of epic hero hammer mega violence. Just depends what the list calls for.

[Grey Mage]

Rune Priests- I wont play above 1500pts without one. At that point I need the psyschic defense to help shut down Eldar and Tyranids, Blood Angels and soon Grey Knights.

 

At less than 1000pts he and the Wolf Priest are my go-to guys, because theyre cheap and effective. I dont have the luxury of spending a fifth of my army on a 3 wound model.

[Warhead01]

I can't think of a game where I have not used a Rune Priest. I tend to face hordes of orkz "lately" and a few lash lists.

But to me the space wolves were not very shooty before this codex..( which is strange because it's very nearly the same book..) so the rune priest was my first choice with living lightning but my love for the murderous hurricane well it has helped me in the most games. I am only now starting to build and use wolf lords. ..or am building them to have on hand for later..

I wish the Rune priest had more options and heck I wish he could get a storm shield.. but being that he is ? harder ? to use I love it when he is able to perform heroically.

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

I don't think Rune Priests are essential at any point level. I'm regularly playing 1750 and I rarely use rune priests. That may have something to do with the fact that where I play, people don't like psychic powers much. Or it may have something to do with the problem that every time that Rune Priest is in a position to negate a psychic power, I don't get that 4+. Therefore, I can't rely on the guy anyway, and I have to work out a way to shut that psyker up the old fashioned way, by carving his face in. With a thunder hammer.

[Kassill]

Take a gander whether or not RP's are essential for me. :)

[Marshal Wilhelm]

I dont have the luxury of spending a fifth of my army on a 3 wound model.

 

I agree on the Herohammer call.

 

Whilst any of the 'fighter' types seems good in killyness, when you compare it to the same points worth of Troops, even if the Hero kills as many in mêlée, he kills next to nothing via shooting and has far fewer wounds.

 

When guys said "Just take the Emperor's Champion and leave the Marshal at home" I was thinking 'you cannot be serious'

When you do the maths, you see that it just doesn't work for the HQ.

 

The ThunderLord is different, as he has mobility and an improved stat-line, becoming a Daemon Prince in effect. One that can join units....

But on foot, it just isn't as good. Same with Jump packs. Bikes are in between JP and TWC and so might work....

 

Imo, shooting dudes is where games are won. The Rune priest does that through LL and even JotWW. It is hard to die in your own shooting phase. Though not impossible ;)

[Marshal Wilhelm]

I can't think of a game where I have not used a Rune Priest. I tend to face hordes of orkz "lately" and a few lash lists.

But to me the space wolves were not very shooty before this codex..( which is strange because it's very nearly the same book..) so the rune priest was my first choice with living lightning but my love for the murderous hurricane well it has helped me in the most games. I am only now starting to build and use wolf lords. ..or am building them to have on hand for later..

I wish the Rune priest had more options and heck I wish he could get a storm shield.. but being that he is ? harder ? to use I love it when he is able to perform heroically.

 

Wolves got shootier because they got some mad buy in bulk deal from Mars, I'm guessing.

 

Fangs are much cheaper. Probably too cheap tbh. They cost as little as BA Devs, yet are more effective. Let's not mention Ultramarines, eh?

 

Grey hunters are cheaper and, iIrc, more effective than before. Who cares if Claws are obsolete when you've been gifted perhaps the best TROOPS in the game?

 

Even if you considered nothing else, those two changes have totally transformed Space Wolves from okay to WOAH!

 

That is without mentioning the total buff Rune Priests got [becoming the best value HQ in the game, imo] and getting perhaps the best assault unit [not raw assault talent per se but what the package gives you] in the game from out of the blue.

 

Plus you have Riflemen dreads and Land speeders, two of the best units in C:UM. All you didn't get were Hammernators.

 

Sure some things got nerfed, but really, even if you included some of these weaker units in your list, you only field an 'average' army at worst.

 

Phil Kelly needs to write all the Dexes, imo. At least everyone will be getting the good oil then :)

 

But I'd have Matt Ward write the fluff. Then you be kicking goals in that department too ;)

[Warhead01]

Prior to my wolves I was playing very shooty lists all optimized to deliver that long range smack that we would all hate to receive, so moving to wolves mixed with my love of fire power, I did not think them very shooty but like the Eldar every unit has its role. so now to say were not shooty is (for me) wrong. I field 3 long fang packs and speeders when I can as well as my Rune Priest I like bring my imp guard thought processes in with these list builds . That being by the time my units close in on what ever they are going after the odds should be stacked in my packs favor not fighting a 1 on 1 but a 2 or 3 on one (pro my guys!) which to me builds on the counter attack so its shoot them up move to cover , keep shooting..leaving them with stand in the open or assault..followed by counterattack! the Rune priest helps with this in a lot of ways. One being the MH. which changes the Initiave up in most instances helping my Rune Priest slay and live to brag about it. butt I am also finding that them more "bad" choices I present in close combat the better the Rune Priest dose. which roughly translated to multi assaults, tag as many models you are assaulting with as many of you units as you can and it disrupts their ability to fight back. but as we all know it doesn't work 100% of the time. nothing dose..

[the jeske]

Whilst any of the 'fighter' types seems good in killyness, when you compare it to the same points worth of Troops, even if the Hero kills as many in mêlée, he kills next to nothing via shooting and has far fewer wounds.

how many points is to worth to nerf infiltration builds ? how many points is it worth to counter MC , be able to hinder deep strike builds or be an extra auto cannon ? how many points does it cost to have your units of LF/GH not lashed/doomed 50% of time[on top of the possible wolf tail negate] ?

+ considering one HQ is mandatory and a good lord costs like a DP by taking a RP you save 70+pts . those points are hvy bolter razors for long fangs , extra gear for GH squads etc etc .

 

the RP never was and never will be a hth chara .[and a SW wolf lord can actualy kill the point he is worth and if he doesnt he offten breaks the game play of the opposing army].

[littlbitz]

Bah, Rune Priests. Psyker can't use his powers if he aint got no head... Give me my Axe and bike any day.

 

My Rune Priests rarely go to battle, they sit around the fire telling stories. :D