Veritas Vitae: Psychic Powers

[Jolemai]

Welcome to the Veritas Vitae Series!

Following the release of the 9^th edition Supplement, there is no better time to discuss all the tools that we have access to. This ongoing series of articles focuses on what a Blood Angels Force Commander has at their disposal, with advice, information, and tactics plucked from the readily available to the more obscure parts of GWs rulesets.

Like all Veritas Vitae articles, these remain active and are in flux, so we can add and update them as the information contained within changes. So please chip in with any and all suggestions to help your fellow Frater to vicory against the daemon, the heretic, the xenos, and the traitor.

Psychic Powers

A Blood Angels force has a number of psychic powers available to it and these can be found in the various support books available to us. This guide explores what they are, what they do, an how best to maximise their use for our army.

Article Setup
The following are notes on the setup of article below:

• Header in Blood Red, power is found in Supplement: Blood Angels
• Header in Enchanted Blue, power is found in Codex: Space Marines
• Header in Administratum Grey, power is found in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook (BRB)
• Keywords will appear in Bold format
• Important points will appear in underlined format

Locations
The following points are where the psychic powers listed can be found in each sourcebook:

• BRB powers begin on page 214
• Librarius discipline powers begin on page 110
• Obscuration discpline powers begin on page 111
• Sanguinary discipline powers begin on page 51

Common rules
The following are common rules which apply to Psykers and psychic powers:

• Powers are either selected or randomly chosen by rolling a D6 (re-rolling duplicates)
• All Librarians know Smite. The Librarian's Datasheet lists what discipline it knows
• When taking a Blood Angels Detachment, a Librarian may instead choose from the Sanguinary discipline
• There is no mixing and matching, as per the latest BRB FAQ
• Unless otherwise stated, the same power can not be cast more than once per battle round

Links
The Psychic Powers a Blood Angels force can use are split into three different categories, the links to which - along with any relevant support - can be found below:

• Psychic Support
• BRB
• Librarius Discipline
• Obscuration Discipline
• Sanguinary Discipline

Edited November 8, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Psychic Support

The following page is a list of things that can boost our Librarians:

Chapter Command
Chief Librarian

• Gains keyword Chief Librarian (If you field Mephiston, this needs to be from a different Chapter)
• Gains ability Chief Librarian: knows one additional power from their chosen discipline and can deny one additional power in your opponent's Psychic phase
• Gains access to Psychic Mastery (Warlord Trait): Add 1 to Psychic tests taken for this Warlord
• Gains access to Neural Shroud (Relic): Bearer's Psychic Hood range is now 24"
• Extra denies always come in useful, as does knowing an additional power for flexibility. The Warlord Trait comes into it's own depending on your build and how reliant you are on getting your spells off. The Relic is as situational as you'd expect but it's still a bonus at 24" which is good on the current-sized tables

Relics
Galian's Staff

• Model with force stave only
• Gains ability Galian's Staff: Add 1 to the psychic test to manifest a power from the Sanguinary discipline
• Range: Melee; Type: Melee; STR: +3; AP: -2; D: D3
• Depends on the composition of your army as multiple relics aren't cheap, but should your tactics hinge on a support Librarian buffing Core units then this could be make or break.

Tome of Malcador

• Librarian model only (excluding Librarian Dreadnoughts)
• The bearer knows one additional power from any discipline it has access to
• At the time of writing, Librarians can not mix and match Psychic disciplines meaning this relic just gives you more options from your chosen build. In conjunction with Spiritual Might, there might be some application here on the supporting side of things.

Stratagems
Spiritual Might

• 1 CP
• Used in the Psychic Phase, can only be used once per phase
• Select a Blood Angels Psyker, it can attempt to manifest one additional psychic power that phase
• Our Librarians can only cast two powers in our psychic phase, so this little gem allows for the casting of Smite (or another spell is used with Mephiston) n addition to our other spells. As you can use it any time in your psychic phase, use your other spells (or another Librarian) to draw out an opponent's Deny the Witch rolls before casting that spell you want to go through - such as Wings of Sanguinius

Successor Chapter Tactics
Knowledge is Power

• Each time a Psychic test or Deny the Witch test is taken for a Psyker unit with this tactic, any or all dice results of 1 can be re-rolled.
• BA Successors get to choose two Chapter traits, one of which is suitable for those wanting a force more psychically potent. The other can be anything you like, but you could try and line something up depending on how you build your Librarians - for example, if melee orientated, pair with a melee trait. If going down the Obscuration route, look for stealth or movement, perhaps.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Rulebook

All Librarians know these spells:

Smite

• Warp charge: 5 (increases by 1 for each subsequent attempt to manifest)
• Duration: Witchfire: use in the Psychic phase
• Description: Closest visible enemy unit within 18" suffers D3 mortal wounds. If the Psychic test result is 11+, this becomes D6 instead
• Combos: Blood Boil
• As there's no real way to spam it for us right now, this is essentially a backup tool for most of our Librarians. However, it is possible to take three witchfire spells and with the aid of the Spiritual Might Stratagem, put out anywhere between 2-10+ mortal wounds a turn...

Edited November 8, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Librarius Discipline

The following datasheets know this discipline:

• Librarian
• Librarian in Terminator Armour
• Librarian on Bike
• Primaris Librarian

1. Veil Of Time

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select one <Chapter> unit within 18" of this Psyker. It can re-roll any Advance and charge rolls made and if it starts the Fight phase within Engagement Range of an enemy unit, it will fight first that phase
• Combos: Psychic Fortress
• Hugely useful on any supporting Librarian as a charge re-roll can be hard to come by without a relic or other buff nearby. The second part is great for any prolonged combats or what is essentially a second "interrupt" but without the CP component.

2. Might of Heroes

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select a friendly <Chapter> Core or <Chapter> Character model within 12" of this Psyker. It gains +1 STR, TGN, ATK
• Combos: tbc
• Small character or Core unit buff. Useful for a supporting Librarian or even an assault-orientated one.

3. Null Zone

• Warp charge: 7
• Duration: Blessing (Aura): lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: No invulnerable saves within 6" of this Psyker and enemy Psykers halve the total of any Psychic tests they take
• Combos: tbc
• This will affect your invulnerable saves, so keep it away from your troops and best not to take it on a Librarian in Terminator Armour...Good choice for a jump pack or a Drop Pod arrival with a delivery unit when you need to de-buff stuff like Harlequins.

4. Psychic Scourge

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Witchfire: use in psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy unit within 18" of this Psyker and roll D6 and add this Psyker's leadership, with you opponent doing the same with the targeted unit. If you total is higher than your opponent's, it takes D3 mortal wounds. If the total is equal, it takes 1 mortal wound.
• Combos: Smite
• Often overlooked as every Librarian has Smite, the difference here is that it is targetable and doesn't hinder further Smite attacks from other Librarians. In fact, it tandems well with Smite on an offensive Librarian that's not kitted out for combat - like a Librarian on Bike. If it kills all enemies in engagement range, then the freed unit is free to shoot/charge in the subsequent phase

5. Fury of the Ancients

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Witchfire: use in psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy model within 18" and draw the shortest possible line between the Psyker's base and the enemy model's base/hull. That model's unit, and every other unit the line passes through, suffers 1 mortal wound
• Combos: tbc
• Finds use on a Librarian which arrives from reinforcement (Deep Strike, Teleportation, even a Drop Pod) and they can line up an attack that stretches across a gun/tank line. Sure, it's not a huge amount of damage, but it's a distraction to be dealt with.

6. Psychic Fortress

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing (Aura): lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: While a friendly <Chapter> unit is within 6" of this Psyker, models in that unit have a 5++
• Combos: Veil of Time
• Suitable for any supporting Librarian to keep a unit a little more safe. Whilst daisy chains are a thing of the past due to the coherency rules, it's still possible to buff multiple units at once.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Obscuration Discipline

The following datasheets know this discipline:

• Librarian in Phobos Armour

1. Shrouding

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select one friendly <Chapter> Phobos unit within 18" of this Psyker. Unless that unit is the closest eligible target, it cannot be targeted by ranged attacks
• Combos: tbc
• Perfect for any unit that is either Objective camping, performing Actions, of needing to hold somewhere like the centre of the board. Furthermore, if you cast this, your characters gain even more protection at their "ablative wounds" can't be syphoned away.

2. Soul Sight

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select one friendly <Chapter> Phobos unit within 18" of this Psyker. Each time a model makes a ranged attack, it can re-roll the to hit roll and the target doesn't receive the benefit of cover
• Combos: tbc
• Useful for clearing things like chaff that are holed up in objectives. Especially if you tandem in certain other buffs like Stratagems, Litanies, etc

3. Mind Raid

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Witchfire: use in psychic phase
• Description: Select one visible enemy model within 18" of this Psyker. That model's unit suffers 1 mortal wound. If it is a Character roll 3D6: if the result is equal to or greater than the model's Leadership characteristic, you gain 1 CP
• Combos: tbc
• Situationally useful and good for targets of opportunity, so suitable for most support Librarians.

4. Hallucination

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Malediction: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy unit within 18" of this Psyker. Subtract 1 from their Leadership and 1 from their to hit rolls
• Combos: tbc
• The leadership debuff pairs well with any "leadership bomb" style tactic, but ultimately, can be used to assist in the removal of a unit via melee. Suitable for a supporting Librarian

5. Tenebrous Curse

• Warp charge: 7
• Duration: Malediction: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy unit within 18" of this Psyker that cannot Fly. The unit suffers 1 mortal wound, halves it's Movement characteristic and subtracts 2 from any Advance and charge rolls it makes
• Combos: tbc
• Very defensive spell used to stop charges (and thus be countered) and to slow units down when chasing objectives. Seen on support Librarians

6. Temporal Corridor

• Warp charge: 5
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the end of this phase
• Description: Select a friendly <Chapter> Phobos unit within 6" of this Psyker. This unit cannot shoot or fight this turn. If it is not within Engagement Range of an enemy unit, it can either make a Normal Move or it can Advance (and for this you don't roll, just add 6")
• Combos: tbc
• With this a Phobos unit can move between 21-26" a turn if need be, which is perfect for claiming objectives. Seen on a support Librarian

Edited November 7, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Sanguinary Discipline

The following datasheets only know this discipline:

• Chief Librarian Mephiston
• Chief Librarian Mephiston (Legends)
• Librarian Dreadnought

1. Quickening

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Re-roll Advance and charge rolls for this Psyker, and add D3 to this Psyker's Attacks characteristic
• Combos: Wings of Sangunius
• A staple for any assault-orientated Librarian such as Mephiston or a Librarian Dreadnought.

2. Unleash Rage

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select a Blood Angels Core unit within 12" of this Psyker. In melee, any unmodified 6s to hit from that unit score an additional hit
• Combos: tbc
• Useful on a supporting Librarian to buff those around - and "exploding dice" are never to be sniffed at, especially given what we can do in combat. So whilst it may be overkill on some units, that extra push for (for example) Tactical or Assault Marines can be vital. Especially if there's a special weapon involved. Note that Core units also includes some Dreadnoughts and Terminators...

3. Shield of Sanguinius

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the start of your next Psychic phase
• Description: Select a Blood Angels unit within 18" of this Psyker. This unit now has a 5++
• Combos: TBC
• So much stuff can negative power armour these days, so having a 5++ can help a certain unit hold for that little bit longer. Even Sanguinary Guard can benefit against melta or on turn one Vs other Marine factions. Keep in mind though that a canny opponent will just drown the unit in low AP weapons and send their high AP elsewhere unless it's an imminent threat. Useful on a support Librarian or any that finds itself on it's own...

4. Blood Boil

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Witchfire: use in psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy unit within 18" of this Psyker and role 2D6. If the total is higher than the unit's toughness, it takes D3 mortal wounds. If the total is double the unit's toughness, it takes a flat 3 mortal wounds
• Combos: Smite
• Often overlooked as every Librarian has Smite, the difference here is that it is targetable and doesn't hinder further Smite attacks from other Librarians. In fact, it tandems well with Smite on an offensive Librarian that's not kitted out for combat - like a Librarian on Bike. If it kills all enemies in engagement range, then the freed unit is free to shoot/charge in the subsequent phase

5. Blood Lance

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Witchfire: use in psychic phase
• Description: Select a visible enemy model within 18" and draw the shortest possible line between the Psyker's base and the enemy model's base/hull. For every model's base the line crosses, roll a D6; on a 5+ they take a mortal wound
• Combos: tbc
• Finds use on a Librarian which arrives from reinforcement (Deep Strike, Teleportation, even a Drop Pod) and they can line up an attack that stretches across a gun/tank line. Sure, it's not a huge amount of damage, but it's a distraction to be dealt with.

6. Wings of Sanguinius

• Warp charge: 6
• Duration: Blessing: lasts until the end of this phase
• Description: This Psyker can make a Normal Move or Fall Back as if it were your Movement phase. Furthermore, it has a Move characteristic of 12" and the Fly keyword
• Combos: Quickening
• Any assault-orientated Librarian, such as Mephiston or a Librarian Dreadnought, benefit rom this as it it helps them close the gap to their prey.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Right folks, so get thinking! There are a number of combos, synergies, and strategies that I've likely missed, so post them below and I'll add to the thread as we go along^TM - by combos here, I also mean things the spells can be combo'd with, such as leadership bombs and so on.

[Paladin777]

Unleash rage on anything with lightning claws and any rerolls to hit.

 

The rerolls to-wound help insure that those extra attacks stick, and the more attacks the better.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Paladin777

[keeblerartillery]

Something I missed - might of heroes can be used on core dreadnoughts. So pumping a redemptor up to T8 is a strong defensive buff, as well as augmenting it’s combat potential.

[Paladin777]

Something I missed - might of heroes can be used on core dreadnoughts. So pumping a redemptor up to T8 is a strong defensive buff, as well as augmenting it’s combat potential.

Both Might of Heroes and Quickening on a Chief librarian Dreadnought would also be nasty if you don't need Wings that turn.

[Karhedron]

Can the Phobos Librarian take Sanguinary Powers? If so, it is a handy way to get a buff Librarian into the midfield to cast Shield or Unleash Rage on our melee units as they head past. I normally run a squad of Infiltrators anyway so they give him some protection and he provides some melee capability to protect them.

 

Basic Librarians are a bit on the squishy side so Artificer Armour or (better still) Armour Indomitus is a good buy to help keep him alive.

[Jolemai]

 

Something I missed - might of heroes can be used on core dreadnoughts. So pumping a redemptor up to T8 is a strong defensive buff, as well as augmenting it’s combat potential.

Both Might of Heroes and Quickening on a Chief librarian Dreadnought would also be nasty if you don't need Wings that turn.

 

 

The only catch here is that you'd require another Librarian to cast it on the Librarian Dreadnought as the Librarian Dreadnought can't mix disciplines.

Can the Phobos Librarian take Sanguinary Powers? If so, it is a handy way to get a buff Librarian into the midfield to cast Shield or Unleash Rage on our melee units as they head past. I normally run a squad of Infiltrators anyway so they give him some protection and he provides some melee capability to protect them.

 

Basic Librarians are a bit on the squishy side so Artificer Armour or (better still) Armour Indomitus is a good buy to help keep him alive.

 

It can, yes. Either it knows the Obscuration discipline or it knows the Sanguinary one instead (there's an example of this in the BRB FAQ that uses Dark Angels)