Will possessed ever not suck?

[BrotherMoses]

Possessed always seem to suck. Every edition. Anyone see that changing anytime soon?

[Rain]

They were good in 3.5 when you could buy them demonic talons which under the old rending rules rended on hit rolls. They've just sucked since then because "CHAOS IZ RANDEM LOLS"

[Chimerical]

They didn't suck in 3.5. They had a table of upgrades and you chose which ones you wanted to purchase, e.g. wings. I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe you could also buy special CC weapons for your champion (hello powerfist) as well as grenades for your squad.

[the jeske]

they sucked under 3.5 too , yes they had upgrades and yes there were skills and buffs which made them ultra killy , but the units cost 400+pts for 7-8 dudes.

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

3.5 had them effective but very expensive to make that way. 6.0 seems to be a step better than 5.0 but I haven't played with them yet so I'm not sure how the variable-per-turn powers will work out. What I do appreciate is that all the options seem useful in 6.0, as opposed to 5.0 where you prayed you rolled something worth a darn. Not quite the same as tailor-making your Possessed like in 3.5, but not as horrific as being stuck in with something of no use at all.

[Kallistus]

they sucked under 3.5 too , yes they had upgrades and yes there were skills and buffs which made them ultra killy , but the units cost 400+pts for 7-8 dudes.

 

Thats what I remember about them too. There were more efficient options to do the same thing.

[Chaos Lord Shamrockius]

I think this is the best they have looked in a long time. The D3 options are all valid and useful at differing times, and I get that people don't like the randomness of some units but if they had even one of these rules as standard and the random factor removed, people may then be crying foul that they are broken or OP.

 

The question I would ask is what would you take instead as a CC unit? Maurauders seem to have similar options but are slow and purposeful and can't go in transports. Warp Talons have the blind rule but how many times will you even attempt to deep strike in 6" away from an enemy unit?

 

They aren't a bad unit, and for the same points as last edition but with a boost on the random skill table as I see it, they aren't bad at all.

 

As someone said above, they used to be good in 3.5 but they were an expensive load out that could get you two units that would do a lot more for the same amount of points.

 

Maybe the question should be assessed based on what else you could take for the same cost as an 8 or 10 man unit in the elites section and how comparable could their roles be?

[Xenith]

I saw them and think they are ok.

 

The S5 is basically an always on furious charge, and the 5++ is almost FNP, but not quite. The random rolls are nice, but not to be counted on.

 

The priest tax on a BA assault squad essentially makes a basic troop choice around 300pts, and that is what you need to compare the possessed to.

 

If only there was a way to make them fly.

[Dallas Drake]

Thing is once you add marks & a transport they hit 330+ & they can't really do anything CSM can't do, yet CSM can shoot & score. No assault out of Rhinos hurts, as does most cover being the same as their inv. save. They die like ants to any kind of melee walker (DC/Furioso dread).

 

But their main problem is their ponits cost, 17-20 points would've been fair. Scout ot Infiltrate would've been nice too.

 

There are some nice combos you can do with psychics & marks but it's just so expensive & quite a gamble.

 

Dallas

[Captain Idaho]

Are Possessed really that bad? I've been looking at them and they don't seem too bad to me if used as a bodyguard for a decent combat character in a Landraider.

 

Anyone used them in game yet?

[Seahawk]

Possessed have always been good/useful for me...*shrug*

[Dallas Drake]

Are Possessed really that bad? I've been looking at them and they don't seem too bad to me if used as a bodyguard for a decent combat character in a Landraider.

 

Anyone used them in game yet?

 

But what can they do that CSMs with VoTLW & MoK can't do?

 

Plus their LR is HS & they lose Fleet escorting. GW should've taken a hint from Burias in the Word Bearers books & make Possessed more exciting & useful.

 

PS. I made load of posts defending these guys but nobody replied so now I've given up & accepted that they're <_<.

 

Dallas

[Killax]

They'll suck until they get new models again :P

 

OR

 

M. WARTH

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

Are Possessed really that bad? I've been looking at them and they don't seem too bad to me if used as a bodyguard for a decent combat character in a Landraider.

 

Anyone used them in game yet?

 

I'm concocting a 2000 point Grisly Beasts list that has some Possessed in the mix. It'll be a while before it's ready for the field but when it debuts I'll let everyone know how it does down in Army Lists/Battle Reports. Like I said up above, I'm pretty curious as to whether the roll-per-turn powers can make these guys a worthwhile investment, and I do still have 10 of them languishing in torpor in a figure case.

[Trevak Dal]

You can mitigate the bullcrap, but you will need an independent character to do it (most easily). Slap a guy with them and he gives them grenades-their number one lame thing they don't have.

 

I think they'd be better (along with warp talons) if they could deep strike and then assault.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

You can mitigate the bullcrap, but you will need an independent character to do it (most easily). Slap a guy with them and he gives them grenades-their number one lame thing they don't have.

 

I think they'd be better (along with warp talons) if they could deep strike and then assault.

 

Except that doesn't solve THEM not having grenades. Your character will strike at Initiative, but the Possessed still won't -- grenades are checked at a model-by-model basis, not for the whole unit.

[Trevak Dal]

Really? I thought that by attaching an IC it effectively gave them grenades, sort of like giving Fearless or ATSKNF or what-have you.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Nope. I tried a similar trick once with my Eldar; attached a jetbike Autarch to a Shining Spears squad. Spears don't have grenades; the Autarch does. Didn't work in 5th, and it doesn't work now, either. BGB p 61, under the Assault Grenades section. It specifies "models."

[Trevak Dal]

Eh, that sucks. You think having an independent character tasked to them would be enough of a balancing factor (as opposed to putting them on a more killy unit)

 

I looked to selling them, but I'm STILL the only chaos player. Even the guys who dropped flags to play as wolves/blood angels/Grey Knights aren't coming back so I can't sell them to anyone around here. I go to work in a little while, I will give it some thought tonight and make my final judgement regarding them when I get home.

 

They could be great in large units...but become cost prohibitive (both in points, and in model purchases) not to mention support elements tied up to get the possessed INTO where they need to go remove elements from the rest of your army. Think I may just throw them away.

[the jeske]

Are Possessed really that bad? I've been looking at them and they don't seem too bad to me if used as a bodyguard for a decent combat character in a Landraider.

 

Anyone used them in game yet?

no shoting weapons , no frags and our LR are not loyalist , what else . high costed marks , no fist/power weapons , even with lucky rolls they get max ap3 . 26pts +3 sv marines with 1 wound and they sit in slots with terminators that are all power weapon[no luck needed to be a3] and+2sv.

[totgeboren]

I am considering just a small unit of five with the MoK, and sending them up a flank, hugging terrain and trying to hide out of LOS. Since they are fleet, they could easily get a turn two assault vs most enemies, and the MoK gives them a more reasonable number of attacks of the charge. They would most likely kill any vehicle with a rear AV of 10 at least.

 

However, as I think about it, I realise spawn cost about the same per model, with the same S, but are much faster and about as tough, so would fulfil that role much easier. Funny thing, only on a roll of '1' for your attacks does a Spawn get less attacks than a Possessed.

 

Who would have thought, Spawn being a better choice than something else?

 

Btw, faced Nids yesterday, and really, not having grenades on assault units is an incredibly severe handicap, especially for 1 wound models.

 

At least we don't have it as bad as the poor Nids.

[FallenOne]

they would be fine if they cost less. They could have been fun fluff units for local games. That cost is just too high with diminshed output from lack of grenades and lack of shooting attack.

 

This edition is more about taking shots then ever.

[Dallas Drake]

I desperately hoped GW were going to re-think Possessed. They could've even lifted inspiration from Burias Drak'Shal, especially the bit where they're assaulting Tanakreg & Burias, under the direction of Marduk, leads a small group of possessed marines and infiltrates the enemy lines, killing all the Guard units dug in. Great stuff!

 

Dallas