Design a Character
by Avian
Of course you also want a character to lead your lesser creations into battle. A suitable leader for smaller forces is a Hero. Here's how you create one. There is at the moment no limit as to what races can have what types of heroes, so you can have a Saurus assassin if you really really want to. There will probably be some limitations sometime.
Contents
Create a Hero
First choose stats for your Hero. The numbers in the parantheses are the maximum increases allowed compared to a basic trooper, though a character does not have to take an increase if you don't want him to. A character can never have a lower value in any stat than a basic trooper (well, if you really want to he can, but he pays the point as if his stat value was equal to that of a basic trooper). You only pay the price listed in the column for the stat the character gets.
Assassin
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +25 pts | ||||||
| Weapon Skill (+5)* | -10 pts | 0 | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | +40 pts | +50 pts | ||
| Ballistic Skill (+5) | Free! | +5 pts | ||||||||
| Strength (+1, max 4) | -10 pts | 0 | ||||||||
| Toughness (+1, max 4)** | 0 | +25 pts | ||||||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | ||||||||
| Initiative (+4)*** | Free! | |||||||||
| Attacks (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Leadership (+3)**** | -20 pts | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
* an Assassin may not have more than twice the WS or BS of a basic trooper
in his army.
** max 3 for elves
*** max equal to WS upgrade
**** max 8 for cold-blooded creatures
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should an assassin character at this point cost less than 65 pts its cost is now raised to 65 pts.
Beastmaster
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Weapon Skill (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Ballistic Skill (+1) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+1, max 4)* | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | |||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+1)** | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+2) | -15 pts | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | +45 pts | ||||
| Leadership (+1, max 9)*** | -30 pts | -15 pts | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | ||||
* max 5 for orcs, max 3 for elves
** may only be taken if WS upgrade is taken
*** max 8 for cold-blooded creatures.
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should a beastmaster character at this point cost less than 25 pts its cost is now raised to 25 pts.
Berserker
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+0) | -15 pts | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | |||||
| Weapon Skill (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Ballistic Skill (+0) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+1, max 4)* | 0 | +20 pts | +40 pts | ||||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+1)** | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Leadership (+1, max 9)*** | -10 pts | -5 pts | 0 | +10 pts | |||||
* max 5 for orcs, max 3 for elves
** may only be taken if WS upgrade is taken
*** max 8 for cold-blooded creatures
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should a berserker character at this point cost less than 25 pts its cost is now raised to 25 pts.
Engineer
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+0) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | |||||
| Weapon Skill (+1) | 0 | +5 pts | +10 pts | +15 pts | +20 pts | ||||
| Ballistic Skill (+1) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+0) | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+0) | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+0) | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+1) | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Leadership (+0) | 0 | +5 pts | +10 pts | +15 pts | +20 pts | ||||
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should an engineer character at this point cost less than 25 pts its cost is now raised to 25 pts.
Fighter
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+0) | -15 pts | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | |||||
| Weapon Skill (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Ballistic Skill (+2) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+1, max 4)* | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | ||||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+2)** | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+2) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | +30 pts | ||||
| Leadership (+1, max 9)*** | -10 pts | -5 pts | 0 | +10 pts | |||||
* max 5 for orcs
** max equal to WS upgrade
*** max 8 for cold-blooded creatures
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should a fighter character at this point cost less than 25 pts its cost is now raised to 25 pts.
Priest
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+0) | -15 pts | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | |||||
| Weapon Skill (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | |||||
| Ballistic Skill (+0) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+1, max 4)* | 0 | +15 pts | +30 pts | ||||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+1)** | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+1) | -10 pts | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | |||||
| Leadership (+1, max 9)*** | -10 pts | -5 pts | 0 | +10 pts | |||||
* max 5 for orcs
** max equal to WS upgrade
*** max 8 for cold-blooded creatures
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
Should a priest character at this point cost less than 25 pts its cost is now raised to 25 pts.
Wizard
| Stat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement (+0) | -5 pts | 0 | +5 pts | +15 pts | |||||
| Weapon Skill (+1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | +5 pts | +15 pts | ||||
| Ballistic Skill (+0) | Free! | ||||||||
| Strength (+0) | 0 | + 10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Toughness (+0) | -10 pts | 0 | +5 pts | +20 pts | |||||
| Wound (+1) | 0 | +15 pts | +40 pts | +65 pts | |||||
| Initiative (+0) | Free! | ||||||||
| Attacks (+1) | 0 | +10 pts | +20 pts | ||||||
| Leadership (+0) | -15 pts | -10 pts | -5 pts | 0 | +10 pts | ||||
Cold-blooded characters cost an additional 10 pts.
A wizard must buy a Magic level of 1 for the cost of +50 pts. Each individual wizard may choose to raise this to level 2 at a cost of +35 pts.
Should a wizard character at this point cost less than 45 pts its cost is now raised to 45 pts.
Special abilities
Unless explicitly noted otherwise character types buy abilities, individual characters do not. Thus a Dark Elf army could have an Executioner Hero, with all the abilities and equipment of an Executioner, but it could not have a character type with the option to buy the Killing Blow special rule at will.
When the price of an ability depends on the number of weapons a character
has, assume the character has one weapon.
A character can not and does not have to buy the Skirmish ability when he would
otherwise be required to do so, though if his race would get a Rarity Increase
for Skirmish he must pay for that Rarity Increase in the normal manner for his
Hero type.
A character can not use the Scout ability if mounted.
An Unbreakable character can only be the army General if he is the only
character.
When a character has to buy special abilities because they are compulsory to his race, use the cost listed below, multiplied by the factor listed in the description of the Hero type.
- Animosity: Does not apply to characters
- Aquatic: Free
- Ancestral Grudge: Free
- Choppa: Free
- Cold-blooded: Paid for under 'Stats'
- Fear (specific): Free
- Frenzy: +2 pts
- Hatred (specific): Free
- He who runs away lives to fight another day: Free
- Ignore Goblin Panic: Free
- Ignore Greenskin Panic: Free
- Lead from the rear: Free
- Life is cheap: Free
- Mark of Chaos Undivided: Free
- Predatory Fighters: Does not apply to characters
- Quell Animosity: Free (character counts as additional Hero)
- Relentless: Free
- Resolute: Free
- Scaly Skin (6+): +2 (cost is not multiplied for a Hero)
- Stoic: Free
- Strength in numbers: Free
- Undead: +2 pts
- Wight Blades: Free
- Woodsmen: Free
Assassin
An Assassin Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race
(ie. if he is a Vampire he must buy Undead), bought at five times the base
cost.
An Assassin may start the game hidden in any unit of non-skirmishing infantry
in his army. If he does so he may be revealed at the start of any Close Combat
phase, before challenges are issued. He is placed in any fighting rank and
replaces a regular trooper, who is displaced to the rear. The Assassin always
strikes first in the turn he is revealed, striking before enemies who have
charged. If the enemy also has this ability then blows are struck in Initiative
order.
No other friendly model may every use the Assassin's Leadership for any
Leadership test. An Assassin may not be the army General.
Each individual Assassin may have any of the following abilities at the cost
listed (cost counts towards the Assassins quota of magic items).
- Frenzy: +20 pts
- Hatred (general): +40 pts
- Killing Blow: +30 pts
- Poisoned weapons: +10 pts
- Rending weapons: +20 pts
- Scout: Free
Beastmaster
A Beastmaster Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race
(ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at five times the base
cost.
Beast units and Beast herds within 6" of a Beastmaster Hero may re-roll
failed psychology tests. Monsters within 12" of a Beastmaster Hero may
re-roll failed Monster reaction tests and a monster ridden by a Beastmaster
Hero will automatically pass a monster reaction test.
Berserker
A Berserker Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race
(ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at five times the base
cost.
A Berserker Hero may select any of the following abilities at five times that
which a trooper would have paid for the ability plus 5 points per point of
Rarity increase: Blessed, Drunken, Frenzy, Hatred (any kind), Immune to Fear,
Immune to Panic, Immune to Psychology, Impetous, Poisoned weapons, Stubborn,
Unbreakable.
Unbreakable characters may not join units that are not Unbreakable.
Engineer
An Engineer Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race
(ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at two times the base
cost.
Any war machine joined by an engineer may re-roll one dice rolled to hit (D6,
scatter or artillery dice) per turn, though the roll for a cannonball's bounce
may not be re-rolled.
Fighter
A Fighter Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race
(ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at five times the base
cost.
A Fighter Hero can have any special ability available to his race, and which is
also available to at least one of the unit types below (units that appear in
the same army only). The price is 10 times what a trooper would have paid for
the ability, plus 20 points per point of Rarity Increase. The character may
not have any of the following abilities: Disciplined, Poisoned weapons,
Strongmen.
- Medium Infantry, Heavy Infantry (character must be on foot)
- Light Infantry (characters with Toughness 3 or below only, character must be on foot)
- Fast Cavalry (characters with Toughness 4 or below only, character must be mounted)
- Medium Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry (character must be mounted)
One Fighter Hero in the army may carry the army Battle Standard at a cost of +25 pts. A Battle Standard Bearer may not use the Scout ability.
Priest
A Priest Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race (ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at five times the base cost. A Priest must buy at least one of the abilities listed below:
- Adds 1 Dispel dice to the army's pool: +15 pts
- Hatred: +5 pts per army hated
- Prayers: +25 pts for four prayers choosen from the list below. Prayers are
bound spells with a Power Level of 3. A Priest may only have one active prayer
at a time and may end his prayers at any time.
- Banishment - place the 5" template over the priest. All undead or deamonic models hit (as per a normal template weapon) take a S4 hit with no armour save allowed.
- Destruction - Every enemy model in base contact with the priest suffers a single S4 hit.
- Disruption - All enemy units in contact with the priest or the unit he is with must take a LD test. If failed they suffer a -1 to hit penalty in the next Close Combat phase.
- Divine Speed - The priest and any unit he joins add +D3" to their charge distance. Roll after charges and charge reactions have been declared. If failed the unit moves its normal failed charge distance.
- Fury - The priest and any unit he joins is Immune to Fear, Terror and Panic.
- Hammerhand - cast on the priest himself or any other character within 12". The model may re-roll failed to-wound rolls in close combat. Does not affect magic weapons.
- Heal - cast on the priest himself or any other character within 12". The model is immediately healed back to his full starting wounds.
- Protect - cast on the priest himself or any other character within 12". The model gains a 5+ Ward save.
- Terrifying presence - the priest causes Fear.
- Word of God - one model in base contact with the priest must take a Toughness test. If failed the model loses 1 Wound with no armour save allowed.
In addition the priest may have any of the following abilities at five times that which a trooper would have paid for the ability plus 5 points per point of Rarity increase: Anointed weapons, Blessed, Drunken, Frenzy, Hatred (any), Impetous.
Wizard
A Wizard Hero must have all the compulsory abilities of his race (ie. if he is a Savage Orc he must buy Frenzy), bought at two times the base cost.
A Wizard has access to up to three specified spell lists from the following: Fire, Metal, Shadow, Beasts, Heavens, Light, Life, Death (or any other appropriate Lore). He may be given access to additional spell lists at a cost of +5 pts per lists.
Equipment
This lists the available equipment choices for your Hero. Sometimes a Hero is given a choice of equipment from several categories (close combat weapons, missile weapons, etc.), in which case he can only have one piece of equipment from each category. Note that pistols often belong to two categories.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise each individual Hero chooses his own equipment, though you may of course add stricter limitations of your own.
Assassin
An Assassin may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race.
- Additional hand weapon (+4 pts)
- Repeater crossbow (+10 pts); Throwing knives/stars (+5 pts); Blowpipe (+10 pts)
Beastmaster
A Beastmaster may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race. All Beastmaster Heroes may take a whip (for rules, see the Create a Beast section above).
- Great weapon (+4 pts); Additional hand weapon (+4 pts); Whip (+6 pts); Lance (+4 pts); Spear (+2 pts)
- Light armour (+2 pts)
- Heavy cloak (+2 pts); Sea Dragon Cloak (+6 pts)
A Beastmaster Hero may ride any mount available to his race, at the cost for Heroes listed under Mounts. If allowed to he may take barding for his mount as a cost of +4 pts. A Beastmaster Hero may be mounted on an appropriate Monster mount, though not a Monster with 5 or more wounds.
Berserker
A Berserker may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race.
- Great weapon (+4 pts); Flail (+2 pts); Additional hand weapon (+4 pts)
Engineer
An Engineer may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race.
- Longbow (+10 pts), Crossbow (+10 pts), Pistol (+7 pts or +14 pts for a brace), Handgun (+10 pts)
- Light armour (+2 pts)
An Engineer Hero may ride any mount available to his race, at the cost for Heroes listed under Mounts. If allowed to he may take barding for his mount as a cost of +4 pts.
Fighter
A Fighter who has all the allowed special abilities of a chosen unit type in his army may be armed with their combination of equipment, at a cost of two times that which the normal troopers pay for it. Alternatively he may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race.
A Battle Standard Bearer may only choose armour (not shields) and mounts as equipment. He may not ride a monster.- Additional hand weapon (+4 pts); Great weapon (+4 pts); Halberd (+4 pts); Pistol (+7 pts per pistol, up to 2); Spear (only if mounted, +2 pts); Lance (only if mounted, +4 pts)
- Pistol (+7 pts per pistol, up to 2); Bow (+8 pts); Longbow (+10 pts); Crossbow (+10 pts); Repeater crossbow (+10 pts); Handgun (+10 pts); Throwing spears/javelins: (+8 pts); Blowpipe (+8 pts)
- Light armour (+2 pts); Heavy armour (+4 pts); Superheavy armour (+8 pts); Warpaint (+8 pts)
- Shield (+2 pts)
- Heavy Cloak (+2 pts); Sea Dragon Cloak (+6 pts)
A Fighter may ride any mount available to his race, at the cost for Heroes listed under Mounts. If allowed to do so he must take barding for his mount, unless he has taken all of the allowed abilities of a cavalry unit in his army which does not have the option for barding. The price for barding is +4 pts. A Fighter Hero may be mounted on an appropriate Monster mount (not a Large Monster).
Priest
A Priest may be equipped with any equipment from the list below which is also commonly available to his race.
- Great weapon (+4 pts); Additional hand weapon (+4 pts)
- Light armour (+2 pts); Heavy armour (+4 pts)
- Shield (+2 pts)
A Priest may ride any mount available to his race, at the cost for Heroes listed under Mounts. If allowed to do so he may have barding for his mount at a cost of +4 pts.
Wizard
A Wizard may ride any mount available to his race, at the cost for Heroes listed under Mounts. If allowed to do so he may have barding for his mount at a cost of +4 pts. He may have no other equipment.
Magic Items
A Hero has a quota of 50 pts for magic items. The categories he can choose from are listed below. If a character can not have a mundane version of something (if applicable) he can not take a magical version of it. So a character that can not take a regular shield may not take a magical shield.
- Assassin: Magic Weapons, Talismans, Enchanted Items
- Beastmaster: Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Talismans, Enchanted Items
- Berserker: Magic Weapons, Talismans, Enchanted Items
- Engineer: Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Talismans, Enchanted Items
- Fighter: Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Talismans, Enchanted Items, Magic Banners (Battle Standard Bearers only)
- Priest: Magic Weapons, Magic Armour, Talismans, Enchanted Items
- Wizard: Magic Weapons, Talismans, Arcana, Enchanted Items
Create a Big Guy Hero
This category covers Heroes that fall in between normal US1 characters and monstrous characters, such as Ogre or Centigor heroes.
Stats
Choose stats for your character. The numbers in the parentheses list the maximum increase allowed compared to a normal trooper, though a character does not have to take an increase if you don't want him to.
Stat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Movement (+0) +10 pts +15 pts +20 pts Weapon skill (+2) -10 pts 0 +10 pts +20 pts +30 pts Ballistic skill (+0) (1) Any: Free Strength (+1) +20 pts +35 pts +50 pts Toughness (+1) +15 pts +30 pts Wounds (+1) +15 pts +40 pts +65 pts Initiative (+2) As WS: Free Attacks (+2) -10 pts 0 +10 pts +20 pts Leadership (+1) -10 pts -5 pts 0 pts +5 pts +10 pts (1) Big Guy Heroes may not have a BS better than 4.
Big Guy Heroes with less than 3 Wounds should be mounted on a 25 x 50 mm base and have a Unit Strength of 2. They count as cavalry with the exceptions listed for centauroids. One of their attacks is automatically a 'Trample' attack, see the section on centauroids.
Other Big Guy Heroes should be mounted on 40 mm square bases and have a Unit Strength of 3.Big Guy Heroes with 2 Wounds count as a single Hero choice.
Big Guy Heroes with 3 Wounds count as two Hero choices.
Big Guy Heroes with 4 Wounds count as a Lord choice.Nature
Choose a nature for your character.
Warm-blooded: Free
This is the norm. Warm-blooded creatures have no additional special rules.Cold blooded: +10 pts
Cold-blooded creatures roll an additional D6 for Leadership tests and discard the highest one.Undead: +15 pts
Cause Fear
Immune to Psychology
Cannot march or move at double pace
May only choose Hold as a charge reaction
Does not take Break tests but units suffer one additional Wound for each point combat is lost byDaemonic: +10 pts
Cause Fear
Immune to Psychology
Daemonic aura (5+ Ward save vs. non-magical attacks)
Instability (see Hordes of Chaos army book)Additional optional abilities
Aquatic: +5 pts
The character is Aquatic.Bloodgreed: -5 pts
The character may never Overrun (not even if otherwise forced to by abilities such as Frenzy or Hatred), but pursue 3D6 inches.Braindead: -5 pts
The character always strike last, even when charging.
Do not pay for Initiative, but automatically have Initiative 0.Cause Fear: +10 pts
The character causes Fear.Cause Terror: +35 pts
The character causes Terror.
Characters that cause Fear only.Construct: +10 pts
The character takes one less wound from losing a combat.
Undead characters only.Drunken: Free
The character is Drunken.
May not be combined with Frenzy, Stupid or Unbreakable.Fly: +30 pts
The character can Fly.Foul Stench (or similar): +40 pts
Enemy models suffer a -1 to hit penalty when attempting to strike the character in close combat.Frenzy: +20 pts
The character is Frenzied.
May not be combined with Drunken, Stupid or Unbreakable.Great Horns / Tusks: +10 pts
The character receives a +1 Strength bonus on the turn it charges.
The character may not take any weapon options.Killing Blow: +25 pts
The character has the Killing Blow ability.Magic Resistance: +20 pts for MR(1) / +40 pts for MR(2)
The character has a Magic Resistance.Poison: +20 pts
The creature has Poisoned attacks.Regenerate: +50 pts
The character can Regenerate.Scaly Skin: +5 pt (6+ save) / +10 pts (5+ save) / +15 pts (4+ save)
The character has a scaly skin armour save.Stupid: -15 pts
The character suffers from Stupidity.
Living characters only.
May not be combined with Drunken, Frenzy or Unbreakable.Vile Excretions (or similar): +10 pts (2 Attacks) / +5 pts (3+ Attacks)
Instead of making all its normal attacks the character may elect to instead make a single attack that hits automatically and ignores armour saves.Wizard: +40 pts per level
The character is a Wizard and has access to one appropriate spell lore.
Creatures with Leadership 6 may be level 1 Wizards while creatures with Leadership 7 or more may be level 1 or 2 Wizards (Cold-blooded creatures count as having two points more Leadership than they actually have for this purpose).Limitations of equipment
Big Guy Heroes select equipment at three times the cost of what a normal troop would pay.
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