Unit of the Week: Tzaangor Shaman

[Xenith]

++Thousand Sons Unit of the Week++

++Tzaangor Shaman++

New codex, new discussions about units! As we already have in other faction sections, this is the Thousand Sons Unit of the Week series, where each week we select and dissect a datasheet found in the book, and discuss how we use the unit in-game, favoured loadouts and combos, essentially how to use these units best. What have you found that works, and what doesnt? Please try to stick to the idea of making the unit in question work, as opposed to pointing out other units that might do a better job - we'll get to those in time!

This week, we will be discussing the Tzaangors Shaman. I've never seen one of these in a list, but in 9th it might have some utility for scoring. How would you use Tzaangor Shamans in your lists?

What are you thoughts, and how best would you use the unit?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around?
  
• Will you be running multiples?
  
• What <GREAT CULT>, loadouts, spell relic and Stratagem support do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?
  
• Are you buffing this unit, and if so, how?
  
• Are you building as a damage dealer or buff-provider?
  
• Uses in Matched, Narrative and Open Play
  
• How have they fared for you in-game?
  

Over to you.

++Thousand Sons Unit of the Week Index Link++

[dice4thedicegod]

I view this guy as a:

- cheap psychic action taker

- expendable character assassin (doombolt + cabal mw, maybe also 1cp for an additional smite… which could always be turned to 3mw for yet another cp)

- or just sit behind rubrics and be an additional cast , for less than the cost of a rubric squad

 

In terms of warlord traits, I’d say seeker after shadows to make psychic actions easier/harder to deny and give extra cabal points

Edited January 10, 2022 by dice4thedicegod

[Xenith]

Definitely a contender for Seeker to get those actions off - also a contender for Warp Ritual, Psychic Interrogation, or potentially Mutate Landscape if it's late game and you need VP's - If you haven't been able to advance on your opponent's objectives all game, he's a throwaway, fast character than you can fire up the table to get into objective range to mutate or burn one. 

[Lucky_Lee]

He's extra cabal points and buffs tzaangors. I tend to run 3x10 of tzaangors on foot so having 1 do secondaries while handing my Obsec chaff goats a 2+ WS is pretty nice.

 

Outside of that a basic sorcerer is better in almost every instance for 20 more points. There's also an argument to be made that if you can bring the shaman, you could've had 3 chaos spawn.

 

Overall I think he's relegated to a preference/synergy pick. If you like goats run 1-2. If not then you've got better options elsewhere.

 

IMO don't ever use Change-wrought Chalice! It's a trap! Why would you spend cp to make a poor-mid tier caster slightly better than just spend the extra 20 points and get a good one? Good implying access to cult powers, command upgrades, extra cast, expanded spell selection, ability to teleport in cult of duplicity, yadda yadda.