Abominant - Creeds and Relics

[Cognative]

As I've been looking into all the Creeds and Relics I've been debating heavily between 3 choices. No matter which choice it is, it's going to be its own detachment with Abberants, a Clamavus, and a Biophagus, so other unit choices don't matter

 

1. Cult of the Bladed Cog with Mark of the Clawed Omnissiah

 

2. Cult of the Twisted Helix with Elixir of the Prime Specimen

 

3. Cult of the Four Armed Emperor with Scourge of Distant Stars

 

The Bladed Cog would greatly increase the survivability of the Abominant with a 3+ invuln save. Generally his 5+ armor is being ignored, but a 3+ invuln makes this big boy a much harder target to put down. The 6+ for Abberants would be negligible in my opinion, but will save one every now and again.

 

The Twisted Helix is the more obvious choice, make him a straight wrecking ball. Extra strength and attacks means whatever he hits gets destroyed. Extra Strength on Abberants makes picks a slightly better choice.

 

The Four Armed Emperor means you're making charges out of ambush on a 7+ (you are taking a Clamavus, right?). Also a good buff to the Abberants.

 

So what is everyone's thoughts on this? Is there another take I've overlooked? Have people had a chance to try different things?

[Runefyre]

Personally I'm inclined to run a twisted helix anointed throng detachment, give the abominant the relic hammer so he hits normally, and cast might from beyond on him. I think the elixir of the prime specimen is better used on a patriarch with the biomorph adaptation warlord trait.

 

But the 3++ from the bladed cog is super tempting as well. I'll probably give them all a try at some point.

[Cognative]

I forgot about the Anointed Throng relic hammer. That kind of cancels out the Scourge of Distant Stars +1 to hit. Makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely be looking into it.

[Ficinus]

This is a hard question because the Abominant has so few attacks that hit only on 4's, that making a tough to kill version seems like a waste. What use is he with a alive if he can barely hit with three attacks?

 

So, I'd go with the Twisted Helix or Four-Armed Emperor. It's better to hit hard or have a better chance to charge (with a better chance to hit).

[GarvielEisenhorn]

Pauper Princes lets you re-roll hits when you charge (or get charged). Also you could use their stratagem to get +1 to hit against a unit that killed one of your characters; maybe use the Biophagus buff on the Abominant and then make him into the overwatch. If he survives, you can buff another unit next turn. If not, then whatever killed him isn't going to last long.

[Panzer]

I'd definitely go with Four Armed Emperor. No offensive buff in the world is worth a penny if you don't make it into melee and simply get shot off the board.

[anarchistscourge]

I think Twisted Helix is a trap. Most times aberrants are coming in from reserve so the +2 advance doesnt help. Between powers, relics, WLTs and the Biophagus, we have so many ways of improving strength that the +1 from the creed is wasted. Im running mine CotFAE for a nice 6" charge out of deepstrike (Clamavus, Insidious Mindworm, CotFAE).

The only other one I would consider is Bladed cog for the 3++ save on the abominant with their relic

[Kastor Krieg]

I think Twisted Helix is a trap. Most times aberrants are coming in from reserve so the +2 advance doesnt help. Between powers, relics, WLTs and the Biophagus, we have so many ways of improving strength that the +1 from the creed is wasted. Im running mine CotFAE for a nice 6" charge out of deepstrike (Clamavus, Insidious Mindworm, CotFAE).

The only other one I would consider is Bladed cog for the 3++ save on the abominant with their relic

With Twisted and different auras you can buff Aberrants to S8. Give all of them thunder hammers (which, hilariously, are better than any Space Marine ones) and they are S16, wounding Imperial Knights on 2+ flat (S16 vs T8!) and making a metric crapton of attacks.

[Marshlands]

I think Twisted Helix is a trap. Most times aberrants are coming in from reserve so the +2 advance doesnt help. Between powers, relics, WLTs and the Biophagus, we have so many ways of improving strength that the +1 from the creed is wasted. Im running mine CotFAE for a nice 6" charge out of deepstrike (Clamavus, Insidious Mindworm, CotFAE).

The only other one I would consider is Bladed cog for the 3++ save on the abominant with their relic

This. Honestly everyone's so hyped about twisted helix but strength isnt even that important in 8th, especially when you have access to other sources of +1S, and with deliverance broodsurge a +1 wound strat which is strictly better.

 

Nothing matters more than making the charge, then we do something before we die

[anarchistscourge]

 

I think Twisted Helix is a trap. Most times aberrants are coming in from reserve so the +2 advance doesnt help. Between powers, relics, WLTs and the Biophagus, we have so many ways of improving strength that the +1 from the creed is wasted. Im running mine CotFAE for a nice 6" charge out of deepstrike (Clamavus, Insidious Mindworm, CotFAE).

The only other one I would consider is Bladed cog for the 3++ save on the abominant with their relic

This. Honestly everyone's so hyped about twisted helix but strength isnt even that important in 8th, especially when you have access to other sources of +1S, and with deliverance broodsurge a +1 wound strat which is strictly better.

 

Nothing matters more than making the charge, then we do something before we die

Couldn’t agree more, if you try and charge a Knight and don’t make that then str16 won’t matter. Yes knights can still shoot but thats after my ‘only wounding on 3+’ aberrants hits him down a bracket or 2. Even fight twice is if you go anointed throng. Other stratagems that work very well with aberrants.

 

It’s true you could use perfect ambush but then you have to make sure your in aura range of the Iconward and get might from beyond off

[Quasi Moto]

It's tough to gauge in a vacuum. Twisted Helix might be overkill for the Abominant, but when you factor it across the other units in your force +1Str is a big deal. MY issue with CotFAE is you only get the charge bonus on the turn the model appears on the table. For better or worse I prefer "always on" buffs to the single use type.

[Marshlands]

It's tough to gauge in a vacuum. Twisted Helix might be overkill for the Abominant, but when you factor it across the other units in your force +1Str is a big deal. MY issue with CotFAE is you only get the charge bonus on the turn the model appears on the table. For better or worse I prefer "always on" buffs to the single use type.

I guess perspective also - My units hope, but don't seriously plan on living for 2 turns so the way i see it they get the bonus all the time that matters

[anarchistscourge]

It's tough to gauge in a vacuum. Twisted Helix might be overkill for the Abominant, but when you factor it across the other units in your force +1Str is a big deal. MY issue with CotFAE is you only get the charge bonus on the turn the model appears on the table. For better or worse I prefer "always on" buffs to the single use type.

 

I normally do to, and at first really like Twisted Helix and discounted CotFAE. However I really enjoy tricksy gimmicks and love that through Broodcoven stratgem and the Inscrutible cunning WT, we can basically get an extra 2 WTs for free. That and the problem I see with GSC is getting into combat, once there we should be able to stick in close and bounce from combat to combat, hence anything that helps me get in.

 

As the OP was asking specifically about Abominants though I will give my loadouts below, specifically based on a vanguard of him, Aberrants, Clamavus and Biophagus.

 

- Bladed Cog: WT = Born Survivor, Relic = Mark of the Clawed Omnissiah. (Super survivable Abominant with 3++, and reduces all damage by 2)

- Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor: Make Anointed Throng and use Field Commander for WT = Insidiuous MindWyrm, Relic = Blessed Sledghammer. (with the WT aura, clamavus and the creed you'll have a 6" charge from deepstrike

- Twisted Helix: WT = Biomorph Adaptation, Relic = Elixir of the Prime Specimen (Str 8 base, 6 wounds, T6 with 5 attacks) 

 

As stated by other sand myself I think twisted helix is overkill and the Elixir is much better on a Patriarch (hitting on 2+ instead of 4+, and rerolling wounds). Just looking at it, the fact that you can also get +1 Str from the Iconward Relic and Might From Beyond giving us base Str10 is INSANE. That will put him at Str 20 with his Sledgehammer!!!!! (the only reason i would do this is so i wouldnt have to worry about asking the enemy units toughness :P)

[Raktra]

Any love for Pauper Princes? Admittedly yeah I don’t rate their relic on him (a support Magus, however...) but with the Blessed Hammer and possibly Biomorph adaptation we could have a psuedo-Smash Captain, at least on the offence.

[Link2edition]

I am running 2 detachments. I put all my guys who want to assault in Cult of the 4 armed emperor, and infantry that wants to shoot in rusted claw. Rusted claw helps my gunline soak anti-infantry fire, and CO4AE helps me get charges off.

My Meta is horde heavy, so you often need that extra inch to make the charge once their screens are dead. That said I am currently trying to figure out if the abominant is worth it at all. 105 points is a lot.