"Battlemage" Librarian

[Master Avoghai]

Edit double post

[facmanpob]

Yeah but we're back on the same debate : he costs more than 200pts for CC bonuses

Eh? Zeke costs 145 points, not "more than 200 points".

Anyway, I was comparing his cost to that of another Libby.....if you use Zeke as an uber-libby for buffing your units via Divination etc, whilst being more survivable than a normal libby, then all of his other bonuses are exactly that....bonuses that might come in handy...

Let's look at it another way.....

If I take a libby, then I generally give him terminator armour, to make him more survivable. I also often upgrade him to ML2.....immediately he's costing me 130 points, and he still only has 2 wounds, and is not that great at handling himself in CC if the enemy gets that close. I will, of course, also be taking a Command Squad with the SoD and apothecary, and a bucket load of tactical marines for my gunline.

If I use Zeke instead, it only costs me 15 points more, and I lose the 5++ invulnerable of the terminator armour.....but I still get the FNP from the Command Squad and I get a 2+ save from the artificer armour.....I also get an extra wound, an extra point on Initiative, a master-crafted Force Sword, my Command Squad is at WS5, and I get an extra point of Warp Charge meaning that I can still cast Prescience and not lose my chance of casting one of the Warp Charge 2 powers, or if the enemy is closing in, I can try Mind Worm and activate my Force Sword all in the same turn.

I'm not arguing that Zeke is some sort of CC monster, nor am I suggesting that he be sent alone into the jaws of certain death, but I am saying that he is a powerful Librarian who is a solid alternative to running a normal Libby, and he has a chance of handling himself in CC.

The example I gave in the previous post, of using him with Azrael, was mooted a couple of months or so ago by someone in the Army list forum, whilst a few of us were discussing ways of making Azrael more useful. In that example, challenges can be handled by a number of different characters, and there is synergy between the units being used, so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Remember this was the specification from the OP

Granted, he'll never be a powerhouse combat unit like the other HQs we get, Belial/Azrael etc.

But I figured I'd try my hand at making one that is alright enough in combat, as some decent "combat" oriented psychic powers, and can support a combat oriented retinue.

...and I think that Zeke can fulfill that role.

[FragEmAll]

I really don't understand what makes zeke evil... He knows a useless additional spell and has one attack less than the other libbies...

Sure he gets bonus with the book and all but at this cost... Gah...

 

I find him as good as asmodai...

 

He has 3 attacks base and 3 wounds, so 1 MORE than a normal libby.  he has artificer armour. The additional spell nerfs an enemy characters WS and I by 3 and his book of secrets buffs everyone within 6" by +1 weapon skill. PLus he can cast 3 powers meaning you could prescience/precognition him, then cast mind worm and then use the force sword.

 

The only downside is that his sword is 2 handed.

 

He is a great assassain character, especially if deployed with a unit of DWK's.

[facmanpob]

his book of secrets buffs everyone within 6" by +1 weapon skill.

 

He is a great assassain character, especially if deployed with a unit of DWK's.

Just reminded myself of the wording in the codex.....the Book of Salvation applies to all *units* within 6", so potentially 2 or 3 units are going to be buffed to WS +1, you only need 1 member of the unit within 6" for the bonus to apply.

[FragEmAll]

well even better then. Stick him with a terminator blob and get stuck in :D