Unit of the Week: Noxious Blightbringer

[Wolf Lord Loki]

Hi guys.

I like the model but not massively sure how to get the best out of him.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Xenith
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[dice4thedicegod]

Same here.

 

His boost just doesn’t seem big enough and he can’t do much in terms of fighting. There’s always somewhere else I could put 60 points… tough to justify bringing him.

[Relentless]

I use him to proxy a plague surgeon sometimes.

 

Not sure how to make him better.  The psyker debuff is a cool idea, but only being a 6in range is a joke.  The only way to actually get him that close is to put him in a rhino, but then his movement buff is useless.  Swap out the -1 psyker test for a free deny, and the +1 movement for a reroll charge aura, and I could maybe see him being taken occasionally.

[Jorgend Lupus]

Even his Relic is trash ; a once per game "no disengage" rule seems really lackluster compared to other Virions Relic choices !

This guy is the biggest fail of our Codex, IMO, which is a shame for such a cool model.

 

Even in a Ferrymen detachment, you'll always have a better Virion Aura to boost rather than his two useless ones...

 

 

...Maybe in a Typhus Terminus Est detachment, with the Relic plasma pistol "Canker" stuff... Maybe... Not...

[KingYertle]

The nerf of the Bell Relic was significant, and not necessary IMO.  While the 5++ aura was very strong, most 9th edition codexes have some way of obtaining an Invul save.  Given the importance the codex places on Bubonic Astartes, the 5++ invul relic would have really opened up alternative builds that utilized our Bubonic Astartes vehicles.  I am perhaps a bit salty as I used that relic often to buff my Hellbrutes/Rhinos and the loss of both that Relic and Contaminated Monstrosity has significantly nerfed a number of units in our codex to the point where they are not viable in 9th.

 

At 60 points the Blightbringer is one of our cheaper characters but still very expensive for what it provides.  Giving a Core or Verion Character +1 Movement is great, and the Plague Bell is a decent melee weapon but we have better character options at a similar point cost.  Its another of our "confused" units that lacks focus.  With a D2 melee weapon his prime target is MEQ however his aura-debuff changed from -1ld to -1 Attrition which MEQ are immune making him more anti-horde.  If it had stayed -1Ld he actually would have been a very interesting buff unit for blocks of Terminators, making them quicker, and adding excellent value with the Break Their Spirits Stratagem.  

 

The Casting Debuff at 6 inches is so disappointing I honestly thought it was a typo, esp considering the Marine Codex has a relic that does the same has a range of 18 inches.  

 

The model might be one of the best in the whole range, and the scene in Dark Imperium novel where the Ultramarines encounter a Blightbringer is excellent and makes them seem legitimately scary.  Its a shame the rules don't live up to its billing.  But I'm not really surprised by this.  Until this model has a official release, and is not just part of a special order package with other old models, I wouldn't expect GW to push it from a rule or point cost perspective.

 

In the meantime, I recommend converting him into a Plaguecaster to avoid using that horrendous model...

[Special Officer Doofy]

He's definitely not competitive for the points. Nurgle daemons have a character that adds 2" to movement and +1 to hit for Plaguebearers. This guy can't even come close to that. He looks sweet though!

[Marshal Loss]

Lovely model, terrible rules. I think GW had the right idea - him having three auras is cool, and fits with how I see the NB's impact as he waddles up the board - but none of them are worth the points. There's no real justification for putting a Noxious Blightbringer in a list based on his current rules, imo.

 

Even his Relic is trash ; a once per game "no disengage" rule seems really lackluster compared to other Virions Relic choices !

And to add insult to injury, it's not even guaranteed.

[McElMcNinja]

The last time I played him was in a Terminus Est Assault Force, adding his additional movement in with Poxwalkers move strat Unleash the Horde. It’s a base 8” move plus advance roll, not too bad. But really after the first turn or two he is pretty useless and points probably would be better spent on something else.

[Tokugawa]

Bad relic is the main reason of making it tournament unplayable. IMO the function of the basic hero itself doesn't change hugely.

 

Imagine if the exclusive relic has ability like …"nominate a core or character unit, it could advance and charge that turn", how popular it will be?

[Marshal Loss]

The last time I played him was in a Terminus Est Assault Force, adding his additional movement in with Poxwalkers move strat Unleash the Horde. It’s a base 8” move plus advance roll, not too bad. But really after the first turn or two he is pretty useless and points probably would be better spent on something else.

He does not boost the movement of Poxwalkers.

[McElMcNinja]

Good catch. Edited September 19, 2021 by McElMcNinja

[Wolf Lord Loki]

He does not boost the movement of Poxwalkers.

I had not realised that until now. I had to go check.

 

So what can we do with them? Let's try and focus on the positives (tho they may be few and far between!)

 

They can:

Increase movement and advance moves

Mildly increase combat attrition rolls

Make psychic tests harder to achieve

 

So in theory they would be a bonus against psychic armies like Thousand Sons and Grey Knights where you might want to get in close quick and interrupt spellcasting with a mace to the face

 

Other possible uses might be if you have large Bubonic Astartes formations that you want to advance on foot rather than in transports

 

How are my assessments any merit or does the practice not necessarily match the theory?

[Jorgend Lupus]

His bonus against psychic armies is ridiculous unless you field him with the Ferrymen strat to get a 12 inches bubble (but you will always have a better virion aura to boost with the Ferrymen strat :( !)

 

He only helps Core and other virions for movement, so even HQs and poxies can't benefit from him... And Bubonic astartes forces footslogging are not very popular these days ; the meta has become far too killy for that...

 

The Attrition boost is cute, but only hordes armies will suffer from it, and I'm sure we will always have a better way to spend those 60pts...

 

 

Really I can't find anything to justify him except the rule of cool for the model ^^

[Plague _Lord]

Great model, trash rules sadly.

I think the units that benefit from his aura the most are deathshroud and possessed - two units that will be advancing turn one. 

His anti psyker aura is a joke though... If it were 12 than maybe in this new psychic meta (GK, 1ksons, upcoming nids  & eldar) it would be worth a second look.

[dice4thedicegod]

I want to play him because of the model… I’m wondering how bad he’d be in a terminus est force with Canker relic … he’ll get termies up the board and could plink a bit

[Iron Sage]

He was the second Death Guard model I painted after the LoC from DI. I have become a better painter since then, so my more recent DG models look quite superior. His model sculpt is truly nice though ! I don't have anything great to say about him. He is 20 points too expensive. At 40, he is probably fieldable with termies or PMs. His anti psyc bubble is thoughtlessly implemented and will work only on extremely special occasions. They truly ought to have retconned him in a FAQ, because the model is simply not working as I think they intended.

 

Sorry for being negative, I usually say something positive about all our models, but this character I can't really defend.