How To Use Librarians

[ElectricPaladin]

Brothers! It has been confirmed that Blood Angel librarians are being reduced in points from 100 to the 65 already enjoyed by other Astartes chapters. Now that we know this for sure, I would like to know more about how you use librarians. Does the points drop justify using them as support HQs while you also spend points on a primary HQ to take point? Can you afford to do things like deploy a librarian with, say, a well-equipped devastator squad to buff them? Do you field support librarians alongside your captains, chapter masters, and chaplains?

 

Or does the librarian's reduced cost merely mean that you have a cheap HQ option for small games or other situations where you would rather de-emphasize your Warlord in favor of spending more points on other components?

 

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

[Kaedes Nex]

It's not a question of whether or not the Librarian is justified. If you want a psychic outlet and don't have one/don't have them in your allies/etc, you take the default Librarian at ML2.

 

It's a good HQ, but sometimes you like other HQs and don't have room for him. But I believe the default generic go-to HQ for most viable builds will have at least 1 ML2 Librarian, because of how important psychic powers are. It's not whether you have the points for them, it's whether you have the free HQ slot. You don't NEED psychic powers, but they are nice to have available. Haven't seen the BA cards but they may get some very good unique powers too.

 

It's like a Meltagun or vehicle Lascannon. Yeah, you could have an army without any. You can even win without them. But there's zero reason not to take some if you can.

[knife&fork]

Ask not what you can do for your librarian. Ask what your librarian can do for you! 

 

Librarian are buffers, if you take one you have estimate if the buffs are worth it and where he can be most useful. Do you generate enough warp charge to realistically pull off those powers?  

[Stickeh]

Librarians have been my go-to HQ for so long now, it's rare I field something else. Their overall utility is excellent, and the various disciplines allow you to have a broad plan for how to use them, if not specifically which powers. Unless you're forgoing the psychic phase entirely, theres a place for them in most lists.

 

In smaller games, the stock Libby is a bargain, particularly at <1000pts where upgrades are at a premium and multiple HQs/CADs are out of the question. Failing that they're always great point filler, often I find that I have just enough points left at the end of a list to fit a Librarian in. They're also the go-to HQ when taking multiple detachments, as 65 points is fairly easy to justify in order to take an extra 3 Elite/FA/HS.

 

Unlike TH+SE CM's though, they're not powerful enough to act as an anchor for a list. By all means a TDA Libby with SS can be a fairly durable warlord when in the right unit, but don't expect him to plough through daemon princes and hive tyrants like the CM/Cap from the vanilla codex.

 

Although the BA codex hasn't landed yet, there are some credible rumours stating that Librarian Dreadnoughts can be taken as HQ and warlord. If this is the case then it adds a way of introducing psychic powers to an armoured list, although I'm not sure I like the idea of my warlord only having AV12 3HP. The BA powers look to be very CC oriented, three of the rumoured powers are direct CC buffs, and it looks like BA Libby's will get FC, which might shift the math hammer slightly.

 

I've found that a unit of GKT is great for accompanying a TDA+SS Librarian, as they're cheaper than a normal Terminator escort and provide a bonus WC, while benefitting greatly from the 3++. GK Librarians are also way more point efficient than C:SM and BA Librarians when you factor in the stat boost, TDA and the Lvl 3 Psyker upgrade costs only 10 points more than a standard TDA Libby with SS and Lvl 2.

[knife&fork]

Librarian dreads are AV13 front and comes with a S10 force weapon that strikes at initiative. 

[AndrewChristlieb]

The only valid use for Librarians witches is kindling.

[Acebaur]

The only valid use for Librarians witches is kindling.

Not true, you can melt down the white metal and use it for something more awesome, like pouring it over the nearest heretics head :lol:

[Sigil]

I run a ML2 libby in my sternguard pod unit along with a TH, SE Chap master. He's used to buff the squad with powers and sometimes accept challenges to mulch middle tier multi wound characters with his force sword at init4 so they don't get to swing with power claws, fists against the chapter master. I find he's pretty fun.

 

Also, I know people hate on the primaris, but never discount the terrify + psychic shriek combo right out of a pod before the sternguard open up. Sure, a lot of the time you only get off a wound or two (still worth it imo) but every once in a while you hit the jack pot on an important unit that can have a major impact on the game.

[knife&fork]

Or a nice Nova power in a crowded deployment zone. 

 

Last game I used mephiston I went with telekinesis for the sake of variety. Nailed seven units with a nova power jumping out of a storm raven. :)

[Jacques Corbin]

Libby with force ax, level 2, telepathy, jump pack joined to assault squad. It was the perfect storm. Invisibility for 2 turns, activated force on the second turn, and disorganized charge vs 2 riptides. Both fell to libby's ax, my opponent gave up.