Rune Priest wargear

[MoleMantle]

Hi guys,

 

Just a quick question

 

Looking at running a rune priest in small points games (500-750 as models are finished) with a couple of friends. Is it worth keeping him in power armour to just keep his cost down? Or putting him in TDA for the invul save? (not using and transports yet as they aren't finished)

Also in terms of his runic weapon - sword in power armour and axe in TDA? There's a good chance if he ends up in combat he's going to be challenged out when fighting chaos due to all the aspiring champs so a sword *hopefully* would make him kill before the other guy hits back, or would you say runic armour and still give him an axe to make him power sword proof?

 

Also is it viable to take JotWW and Divination as my 2 powers or do they have to both be from the same school? (rulebook is at a friends house)

 

Thanks in advance guys

 

edit:

 

PS I did try a search but nothing came up, sorry!

[Wulfebane]

If transport isn't an issue, I believe TDA is the better choice, though you lose defensive grenades and sweeping advance. Axe vs sword is a tough choice, but ultimately rune priests aren't great in melee so I would just try to avoid it at all costs.

 

And no, you can only pick either codex powers or BRB powers, not both. Living Lightning, JotWW, and Murderous Hurricane tend to be the three staple SW powers. I believe Divination is preferred otherwise.

[dswanick]

Looking at running a rune priest in small points games (500-750 as models are finished) with a couple of friends. Is it worth keeping him in power armour to just keep his cost down? Or putting him in TDA for the invul save? (not using and transports yet as they aren't finished)

I think the 2+ LO,S! is better than any Invulnerable save you can get for a Rune Priest.

Also in terms of his runic weapon - sword in power armour and axe in TDA? There's a good chance if he ends up in combat he's going to be challenged out when fighting chaos due to all the aspiring champs so a sword *hopefully* would make him kill before the other guy hits back, or would you say runic armour and still give him an axe to make him power sword proof?

Rune Priests are not CC capable units, by and large. You should have a WGPL accompanying your Rune Priest's unit to take up challenges or just decline the combat. If he's in the middle-rear, where he should be, he's insulated from any fighting if he does so.

Also is it viable to take JotWW and Divination as my 2 powers or do they have to both be from the same school? (rulebook is at a friends house)

BRB or Codex powers only.

[MeatGrinder]

I keep mine cheap, pretty much naked or with tda or ra depending on points and his role. Also, I dont think we get to choose what weapon our RPs have, as theyre unusual force weapons.

[Grizzly Adams]

At that point level, I might consider tda, as you may need to stick him in some assaults. Once you get to playing 1250-2000, where you can take more assaulty choices, is keep em as cheap as possible

[WG Vrox]

For lower point games where the RP is my only HQ, I run Melta Bombs and Runic Armor, -125

 

I will drop Melta Bombs and pickup a CotS if I use Living Lightning or other To-Hit ranged attackes.

 

I usually run my RP inside my Rhino and fire out of the fire-ports. In a world of AP3 power weapons RA is a must for me, just to keep him alive long enough to pay for himself.

 

I am a big fan of Murderous Hurricane for smaller games.

[MoleMantle]

For lower point games where the RP is my only HQ, I run Melta Bombs and Runic Armor, -125

 

I will drop Melta Bombs and pickup a CotS if I use Living Lightning or other To-Hit ranged attackes.

 

I usually run my RP inside my Rhino and fire out of the fire-ports. In a world of AP3 power weapons RA is a must for me, just to keep him alive long enough to pay for himself.

 

I am a big fan of Murderous Hurricane for smaller games.

 

Cool thanks, I have a razorback that just turned up the other day but I'm out of undercoat and in the middle of finishing up some other bits so for our 750-1000 hopefully it should be done to use as a razor or a rhino and that sounds like a good safe way to keep him!

 

 

I keep mine cheap, pretty much naked or with tda or ra depending on points and his role. Also, I dont think we get to choose what weapon our RPs have, as theyre unusual force weapons.

 

Ah ok, I wasn't sure if it was classed similarly to "power weapon" where you needed to pick a type

 

I think the 2+ LO,S! is better than any Invulnerable save you can get for a Rune Priest.

 

So in this respect the runic would be better for the pros outweighing the cons?

 

 

Rune Priests are not CC capable units, by and large. You should have a WGPL accompanying your Rune Priest's unit to take up challenges or just decline the combat. If he's in the middle-rear, where he should be, he's insulated from any fighting if he does so.

 

The only thing I'm worried about is if the lord and an aspiring champion get into combat and start mulching all my extra bodies. So for the challenges (if I've picked this up right from other places) TDA with an axe or a sword in PA and to keep cheap?

 

Thanks guys, as you may have guessed I'm fairly new to this, been collecting and painting for a short time recently (and for a few years about a decade ago) but only played 1 game so far!

[WG Vrox]

Thanks guys, as you may have guessed I'm fairly new to this, been collecting and painting for a short time recently (and for a few years about a decade ago) but only played 1 game so far!

 

Well! welcome to the game, wolves are a great starting army.

[skeletoro]

I really don't get the argument for keeping rune priests out of melee - at least insofar as you are taking BRB powers.

 

You can decline challenges. Even after declining challenges, you can still:

 

1) Cast maledictions and blessings. Moreover, you can cast maledictions and blessings on units in assault - which is often where such blessings will be most useful (rerolling 4+ to hit is better than rerolling 3+ to hit; grey hunters get 1 bolt pistol plus 3 attacks on the turn they charge and 2 attacks during the following round of combat, which is a lot more than 2 rapid fire shots; a few other reasons too)

2) Allocate incoming AP3+ attacks to your runic armour (and if you suck up a wound, start allocate the remainder away with Lo,S!) When under the effects of a wolf standard, a model with a 2+ save is 8 times more durable vs. AP4+, and 36 times more durable vs AP3, than a model with a 3+ save.

 

Moreover, 4 WS5 AP3 attacks on the charge are extremely valuable against anything lacking a 2+ save. Sure, if you're planning on using C:SW shooty powers, you may be better served by staying out of melee. so that you don't get locked in melee unable to cast. But if you're just standing back, blessing rapid firing units rather than chargers, and staying out of melee, then you're doing only half your job (or less).

 

So yeah, personally I think you should ALWAYS take the runic armour (or TDA, if it works with your delivery method) on a Rune Priest, unless perhaps you're planning on hanging back with long fangs - but I'm not convinced that such rune priests are worth their points anyway...

[dswanick]

I think the 2+ LO,S! is better than any Invulnerable save you can get for a Rune Priest.

 

So in this respect the runic would be better for the pros outweighing the cons?

In this respect, yes. 20pts for 2+/2+++ is better than 20pts for 2+/5++/2+++ when you consider all that you lose by giving him TDA.

 

Rune Priests are not CC capable units, by and large. You should have a WGPL accompanying your Rune Priest's unit to take up challenges or just decline the combat. If he's in the middle-rear, where he should be, he's insulated from any fighting if he does so.

 

The only thing I'm worried about is if the lord and an aspiring champion get into combat and start mulching all my extra bodies. So for the challenges (if I've picked this up right from other places) TDA with an axe or a sword in PA and to keep cheap?

The problem with this thinking is, if you're up against a C:CSM unit as described your going to get mulched whether you accept or decline the challenge.

 

Personally, I don't add any wargear to my Rune Priests beyond a Chooser. A rune Priests role is anti-Psychic support, not combat.

[skeletoro]

Do you take the Chooser for the BS or the anti-infiltrate?

 

What does the C:CSM unit do? Can it force you to accept challenges?

[dswanick]

Do you take the Chooser for the BS or the anti-infiltrate?

Actually, my primary purpose is to adhere to the Leaders of the Pack rule when I take multiple Rune Priests.

What does the C:CSM unit do? Can it force you to accept challenges?

No, just that C:CSM Lords and Champions are usually much better CC fighters than a Rune Priest can ever hope to be.

[Aztec]

Also, I dont think we get to choose what weapon our RPs have, as theyre unusual force weapons.

 

Has this ever been clarified? I've been running it like since I started playing 6th a while ago, but I'm not 100% sure what the ruling is.

I'll admit that I personally dislike using Power/Force Axes as I'd rather make use of our I4, would also mean I wouldn't be able to use my RP's as they both have Axes :(.

[MeatGrinder]

Has this ever been clarified? I've been running it like since I started playing 6th a while ago, but I'm not 100% sure what the ruling is.

I'll admit that I personally dislike using Power/Force Axes as I'd rather make use of our I4, would also mean I wouldn't be able to use my RP's as they both have Axes .

Not yet, I made a thread about this a while ago, forgetting that RWs have a special combat rule that lets them wound daemons on a 2+. And as such, the rulebook states that they are unusual force weapons, striking at user I and ap3. However, Njal's RW was FAQ'd to being a Runic Weapon (stave) for whatever reason.

[MoleMantle]

Well as it happened my rune priest and his entourage of greys managed to whittle down his cc marine unit and then wiped the floor with them. for fun i accepted the challenge from his lord as he had a sword and i took the tda, managed 1 unsaved wound in first round of combat, popped my force weapon and *poof* dead lord!

i was very pleased witg how well jaws worked especially through terrain as it killed the aspiring champ in the unit i ended up with in combat.

 

my other wonder was the stat line says 2 attacks, is this before or after including the bolt pistol and ccw default equipment?

[Wulfebane]

Before.

[MustangTC]

In my last game against chaos I was fielding a Rune Priest with master of runes, TDA, chooser with divination (primaris and 4++) attached to a unit of 6 long fangs with missile and a TDA wolf guard with cyclone missile launcher. This unit was boxed in by an aegis with quad gun.

 

My opponent charged a demon prince with mark of nurgle and the black mace and a 10 man marine squad into my fire base. My rune priest challenged his demon who was at initiative 1 due to him charging through cover and destroyed it by his 3 twin linked, always wounding on a 2+ AP3 runic weapon attacks! What's more the unit won the combat by 1 and they fled!

 

Epic moment and not too impossible when you factor in prescience and a demon weapon.