Chaos review #20 ...psyker powers

Psykers, they’re all trash! That is my take on these guys. I guess I'm a witchhunter at heart.  There is only one exception and that is a certain Astral Claw, but he isn’t really a psyker is he.

However, this edition they are all the rage, mostly if they can take the power that is akin to Eldar Fortune (or whatever they will soon have or had in the past). Having an ability to re-roll hits used to be unique, now it is super commonplace with all the psykers and allies running around. Chaos has always and will always have Librarians…I mean Sorcerers and Demons who can take magical warp powers.

It seems every codex will have access to various schools of psyker powers. Chaos has access to the Chaos powers of Tzeencth, Slaanesh and Nurgle. They can also access powers from the main rule book as well. These are Pyromancy, Biomancy and Telepathy. Sadly, they cannot get the cool re-roll to hit power on their psykers.

Well I’ll pass on the rulebook powers because this is a Chaos review. Who cares what basic powers they can take? We want powers granted from the dark gods! Right?!

Quick learning session:

Witchfire=shooting attack, follows all shooting rules (roll for power, roll to hit like a gun)

Beam=draw a line and 1^st model hit takes full strength damage, then second model in line takes -1 strength damage, etc until at strength 0 or max range. Beam is a roll for power only.

Nova= will hit all enemies within range of power. It ignores terrain, combat, line of sight, etc. Nova is a roll for power manifest only.

Malediction= debuff, just roll for power

Blessing=buff, just roll for power

Tzeentch

Primary Power:

Tzeencth’s Firestorm  24” Sd6+1 AP –    assault 1 blast, Inferno           warp charge 1  (witchfire)

Inferno- if a model is killed, then the unit takes D3 S4 AP- auto hits for every model the original blast kills. These D3 auto hits cannot generate additional hits if more models are killed.

Or roll……

1-2  Boon of Mutation                                                                                warp charge 1  (blessing)

choose a character model within 2” of the psyker with this power. This character takes an S4 AP- hit. If they survive, then they roll on the Gift of Mutation chart. They must ignore the Demon Prince result.

3-4 Doom Bolt 18” S8 AP 1 assault 1, Detonate                                       warp charge 1  (beam)

Detonate= if a vehicle is destroyed by this and rolls the explosion result, then roll 2d6 for the explosion range

5-6 Breath of Chaos Template S1 AP 2 assault 1 poison (4+), Corrosion               warp charge 2  (witchfire)

Corrosion= will glance a vehicle on a 4+

Slaanesh

Primary Power:

Sensory Overload -  24" S4 AP4   Assault Blind  ,Concussion, Pinning                        warp charge 1  (witchfire)

Or roll……

1-2 Hysterical Frenzy 

Select a friendly non-vehicle unit within 12" and roll D3. Then consult this little chart..... warp charge 1  (blessing)

1-Swollen Sensorium- unit gains +1 initiative

2- Lunatic Strength- unit gains +1 strength

3-Hyper Fit- unit gains +1 strength +1 toughness

This stuff will last for a turn

3-4 Symphony of Pain                                                                        warp charge 1  (malediction)

Select one enemy unit within 24". That unit is now at -1 WS -1 BS and any sonic weapons that hit them are resolved at +1 strength. The effects of multiple Symphonies of Pain are cumulative. This last for a turn.

5-6 Ecstatic Seizures                                                                          warp charge 2  (witchfire)

24" S * AP-  assault 1 Ecstasy

Ecstasy= every model in unit is automatically hit at a strength level equal to their  base strength (marines take a S4 hit, guardsmen S3)

Nurgle 

Primary Power:

Nurgle's Rot  6" S2 AP5 assault D6+1 poison (4+)                                                           warp charge 1  (nova)

or roll.....

1-2 Weapon Virus                                                                                                         warp charge 1  (malediction)

Select a unit within 24" and that unit's weapons gain the Gets Hot! rule

3-4 Gift of Contagion                                                                                                   warp charge 1  (malediction)

Select a non-vehicle unit within 48" and roll a D3, then consult a little chart   

1- Fly Blown Palsy- unit suffers -1 attack and gains Shrouded   

2-Muscular Atrophy- unit suffers -1 strength and cannot run

3- Liquefying Ague- unit suffers -1 strength and -1 toughness

These last for a turn and multiple results are cumulative

5-6 Plague Wind                                                                                  warp charge 2  (witchfire)

12" S1 AP2 assault 1, large blast, poison (+4)       

I'm not super impressed or let down with these powers. I'm neutral basically because I care so little for this part of the 40K universe. The fact they are randomly rolled is annoying, but it saves on points to buy them I guess. I don't miss Warp Time and Lash o' Submission at all. I'm glad those powers are gone. The ability to stack debuffs is neat, but means you need to invest in a psyker that can cast multiple spells per turn. The same if you roll for a 2 warp charge power and have a psyker that cannot use it. One must plan ahead or settle for the primary powers. If I was forced to choose, then Nurgle seems like the most useful for me.

Now to the unit that can utilize this stuff the most. The Sorcerer.