Role for Librarians in current meta?

[XeonDragon]

So, having recently played against the new Tau, I have been thinking about how to deal with overwatch (in addition to taking suppressors). It got me thinking: is there a role for librarians now?

 

I was thinking a jump-pack librarian with shadow master and swift and deadly WL traits and umbral form and spectral blade powers might make for an interesting character to escort VGVs into combat. Natively switches off overwatch, advance and charge, and give himself a 4++ and spectral blade = OK melee.

 

Alternatively I was thinking just a plain librarian using Enveloping Darkness (WC 7 = not that reliable?) to save on WL traits. 

 

So, I wanted to ask the flock if you see a role for librarians in the current meta, or is giving up the potential to take abhor the witch too much of a loss to outweigh having more tools to turn off overwatch? 

[Dracos]

I had a lot of fun with my Phobos Librarian in last years Crusade. He doesn't usually do much to enhance other units but he can occasionally kill off a weaker character or finish off the dregs of a unit. I've thought about the ability to shut off Overwatch on a unit, but I'm not sure of the Tau interaction with other units also providing Overwatch.

[tychobi]

Tau overwatch is not the problem at this point. Your librarian cannot help you with the firepower gap, the mobility gap or the points gap. He can die horribly to a fancy new prototype thermonutronic cheese projector but so can lots of things.

[SanguinaryGuardsman]

What meta?  You got Custodes, Tau, Harlequins, soon to be Nids,and possibly eldar followed by a bunch of garbage that isn't viable.  Just paint what you think is cool and bring a lot of booze to any future games you have vs these armies.  

[Jacques Corbin]

Well, here we play a lot of missions where you contend over an objective in the center of the board as well as objectives in you and your opponent's DZs. I really like Infiltrators w/ Helix Guantlet and deploy a Phobos Librarian with them. Casting Shrouding on them is gold, because now they cannot be shot at, unless they are the closest target. Another HQ with Master of Ambush taking a unit of infantry up front screens them very well, as well as anything that can drop in via Grav Chutes, Jump Packs, or Strike from the Shadows. And, if you do not get first turn, the Infiltrators are still a Smokescreen unit. Now we have Armor (no "U" in America) of Contempt, which now reduces AP by 1, and that is awesome.

 

Now, I can position to make that push for one (or both) of my opponent's backfield objectives, worrying less about not getting first turn. I still say Aggressors are the way to go. Tau just got released, and despite their Pulse Rifles gaining AP-1, we now treat it as AP0. But, those Pulse Rifles are still S5, so Gravis is wounded on a 4+, but with 1 damage, we can still use Unyielding in the Face of the Foe for a 2+ save in the open.

 

Also, you can take a Primaris Librarian and use Shadowstep to send in a support character over to any unit that Infiltrated or arrived via Deep Strike. My favorite use is to send an Apothecary to where he is needed most. However, an Ancient or Bladeguard Ancient would be good as well.