How do you use the librarian ?

[Dexo]

Hi

 

I Just build this librarian and can't wait to play with him, but i can't decide with powers i shudt give him.

 

 

it seams to me that all his offensive powers is at 12" and don't fit into the hole 24" games GK is playing ?

[nurglez]

he's mainly used to provide shrouding, sanctuary, and might of titans/hammerhand.

 

shrouding makes cover saves 1 better, helping vs enemy shooting.

Sanctuary helps prevent you being assaulted, or slowing down/killing enemies who assault you.

Might of Titans and hammerhand makes a squad really strong, and helps wreck enemy armour in close combat.

 

Those are the main powers I use on mine :nuke:

[Grand Master Caloth]

MoT, Quicksilver, and Warp Rift (I love Warp Rift, rediculously useful)

[Drachnon]

His power pretty much depend on what he should attribute to your army.

 

To boost the close combat abilities of the squad he's with

- Hamerhand (standard)

- Might of Titan

- Quicksilver

 

For defense

- Sanctuary

- The shrouding

 

Shooting

- Smite

- Warp rift

 

Movement shennanigans

- the summoning

 

I suggest one defensive, one shooting and one to boost close combat.

My preference is might of titan, sanctuary, warp rift.

[The Holy Heretic]

And don't forget a force staff for some CC safety :)

[Inquisitor Fox]

Although it should be mentioned the default Nemesis Force Sword helps with close combat safety (granted a 4++ vs a 2++), and the staff costs as much as 7! psychic powers. It's also 70% of the cost of upgrading your Librarian to psychic mastery level 3. In my opinion, I'd rather spend the points on additional powers or a mastery level than go from a Force Sword to a Warding Stave. The point of the Librarian is to be casting powers, some of which are intended to not be in combat in the first place. Granted, this is a philosophical question based on playstyle :)

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Here is how I kit mine:

 

++ psychic powers ++

—Might of Titans

—Sanctuary

—Shrouding

—Warp Rift

 

++ wargear ++

—2x servo skull

—master crafted warding stave

 

Note that I used to take the psychic power Quicksilver but over the course of many games realized I never used it once. The two most powerful psychic powers are both defensive in nature—Sanctuary and Shrouding. Sanctuary is an an auto win versus units such as Tyranid genestealers as they have no reliable counter.

 

The 2++ save in melee is golden and means that your Librarian will survive much longer than any other equivalent psyker... For truth it's better than a Shadowfield. I master craft mine to buff my Librarian in melee.

 

G :)

[the jeske]

The point of the Librarian is to be casting powers, some of which are intended to not be in combat in the first place.

why ? he is an HQ he costs a lot GK dont have viable shoting powers and he costs too much even without the staff to stay at range and do nothing[now SW can do that but their RP are realy cheap] . +7 powers wont help the librarian when he gets hit by a powerfist and has a 50% chance to die from it . Staff is essensial other powers depand on the unit he is with and the set up of the army . It is different for draigo wings and different if it is something else . is this a henchaman +librarrian army . or maybe there is a GM in this unit too. Or maybe he is in the army list but hangs around another unit . Are there NDKs formations in the army or is it more gunline . etc etc. While there are a lot of combinations and offten powers are picked to help against some match ups the builds may have problems with , the staff is something that should always be taken. sooner or later the libby will be in hth and if not then this is probably a gunline build [and being an HQ with extra A over normal GK he server his job as counter support] or this is draigo wing and he is used another ablative wound .

[Inquisitor Fox]

Or he's there for Sanctuary, Shrouding, Summoning, and a psychic hood. Or you'd rather have 35 points to spend elsewhere in your army. There is no such thing as an "always be taken" upgrade. It all depends on the playstyle in question and what sort of thing you're doing with your list. All I'm pointing out is the (rather considerable) Opportunity Cost of the staff. It being one of the most expensive upgrades humanly possible in the Codex, it's worth thinking about "Do I really need the upgrade from a 4++ to a 2++ in close combat only?". I could argue that if he's in a unit with other Terminators, it's better to take Quicksilver, Might of Titans, Hammerhand, and a level 3 psychic mastery upgrade than it is to take the staff. Why? Because if the unit itself also casts Hammerhand, you're striking at init 10 and +3 str. If they're all dead there's no reason to take an invulnerable save, is there?

[RedemptionNL]

If they're all dead there's no reason to take an invulnerable save, is there?

To save your Perils of the Warp attacks from casting 3 powers per turn. :devil:

 

I wouldn't consider the Warding Stave mandatory for a Librarian, but it's pretty much the only unit where I would consider taking it at all. I wouldn't master-craft it though, seems like somewhat of a waste on a character with only an average attack profile, and the number of useful ways to spend 5 points in the GK codex.

[Seahawk]

I just painted mine (converted from the Space Hulk Librarian) and he'll be used this weekend in a tournament. His only upgrades are Sanctuary, Shrouding, and 3 servo-skulls. He's already expensive with that little amount of gear and he will probably not see combat much (his stats suck and he'll be flying most of the time, preferably) so with that I'm good.

[Aidoneus]

If they're all dead there's no reason to take an invulnerable save, is there?

To save your Perils of the Warp attacks from casting 3 powers per turn. :devil:

Problem with that is the warding stave only works in close combat. When you're casting shrouding and sanctuary to keep a shooting list safe, the stave doesn't help at all.

 

Also, people need to remember that, as an IC, it's fairly easy to keep the librarian away from power fists and the like. If you charge, you can often position him to either be in base-to-base with a harmless mook or to not be in base-to-base at all, so he can only affect the combat indirectly by boosting your squad. Also, by keeping him behind the other models in the squad he's with, you can usually ensure that an enemy charge won't get him in base-to-base, so when you counter-charge you can dictate which enemy model he's engaging. I'm not saying you will absolutely never get hit by a power fist, but I am saying you can greatly reduce the chances of that happening. With such a low probability of ever being hit by a fist, upgrading a 4++ to a 2++ is a lot less attractive option for 35pts. Again, not useless, but certainly not necessary.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I can't count the number of times my Libby's stave 2++ save has been huge. You can have one Paladin or GKT with a stave and Draigo has the 3++ shield save. The combination has shut down big baddies such as Abbadon and Ghaz. The Libby is quintessential for Draigowing in my opinion–the buffs are very powerful. Psychic mastery Level 3 I think it something not necessary for a competitive list.

 

G ;)

[spartan249]

I use my Librarian as the second piece of my castle tactic. My loadout looks like this:

 

Librarian: Shrouding, Sanctuary, Might of Titan, Warding Stave - 200 pts

 

When I started playing with C:GK, I was very doubtful about the Warding Stave's usefulness in games. Experience with the librarian in this loadout has convinced me of the worth of this piece of wargear, as it dramatically improves his survivability in his most vulnerable situation (assault) and gives me options when the situation is direly against me. The way I see it, it's expensive for a reason... it's just that much of a boon for the Librarian. The 4++ is decent, but nowhere near as dependable as the Stave in the one phase where he can be singled out.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

A 4+ invul is not good insurance against power weapon death (he only has two wounds in any case). A 2+ invul basically dissuades anyone from attacking him in close-combat, as it's largely pointless (unless you're in BTB with an entire unit of powerfists, in which case you and your squad are dead anyway ;) ).

 

The warding stave does cost you a bucket, but it's a worthwhile investment, as invariably your Librarian will be attached to Terminators or Paladins and be supporting them with his close-combat buffs. It also has the secondary effect of preventing 'Perils' whilst casting in close-combat, which is nice. Yes, it does nothing against 'Perils' from your AOE powers ('Sanctuary' and 'Shrouding'), but that would be broken. Only Eldar get that kind of protection against Perils, and even they only save on a 3+.

 

Master Level 3 is a waste. Half your powers can be cast in both player turns ('Might' and 'Hammerhand'), 'Sanctuary' and 'Shrouding' are only cast in the enemy turn. There is no reason you'd need more than two powers active per player turn anyway. 'Warp Rift' is fun but it's not worth such a huge upgrade to cast in addition. I only cast gun powers if you have no better option.

 

Power-wise, the holy trinity of 'Might', 'Sanctuary' and 'Shrouding' are must-haves. After that, personal preference dictates. I like 'Warp Rift', it doesn't miss and Initiative tests are a pretty reliably way to kill stuff (no pesky saves getting in the way). 'Vortex' is awesome but just don't roll 'Perils'. 'Quicksilver' can be good for shocking someone as your Strike Knights go first.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Warp Rift is great. I've snipped mean enemy characters such as the Fateweaver plus it auto pens armor. I always take it.

 

G :(