Archangel’s Shard

[Spyros]

The enhancement Archangel’s Shard does the following:

"The bearer’s melee weapons have the [ANTI-CHAOS 5+] and [LANCE] abilities."

 

Lance is pretty self explanatory, but Anti-Chaos 5+ ?  What melee weapons can actually use this ability?

The only one that comes to mind is the Thunder Hammer that has Devastating wounds, which would be triggered against Chaos on 5+.

Is this the only one? I can't find something else, and the hammer is not even a blade...

[Paladin777]

You're right on all counts. That's why it's considered to be a pretty sub-par enhancement. 

[DemonGSides]

It just means that no matter what the Strength v Toughness is, you'll be wounding on a 5+ against any enemy with the Chaos keyword.

Pretty ok against Chaos Knights, I guess, and against chaos vehicles when using, like, a chainsword?

 

It does feel pretty anemic; making your DW on a thunder hammer a little easier is nice, but it technically works on anything, it's just not very impressive.  The Lance is definitely the better of the two abilities.

[Paladin777]

Considering that the power fist is the best of the Captain weapons anyway, you wound everything on 5's or better anyway (barring any shenanigans).
 

if you're charging, there's a good chance you're already using Red Rampage too (especially after the OoM nerf), making the Lance part of the enhancement redundant too.

 

DW on the TH is really the only reason to take it, and now the only character that can take it is the Jump Captain, and he's required to take a SS to do so, and going from 5 wounds to 6 isn't exactly hitting any breakpoints.

 

edit: if it was only 10-15 points it might have a place on a Sanguinary Priest, but at 25 it's just too expensive. 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Paladin777

[Karhedron]

It is pretty poor considering Space Wolves get a similar Enhancement that provides Anti Vehicle 4+ and Anti-Monster 4+. The Shard just seems kinda weaksauce compared to that.