Warcasters are the stars of Warmachine, and Cryx has no shortage of powerful and fun-to-play warcasters. Up next is the Goreshade the Bastard!
IN SHORT: Do you want to try a caster that plays like no other in Cryx? Feel like leaving all the arc nodes at home? Want to stomp around with some extra warjacks? Tired of your opponent’s feat getting you down? Well, search no further! Version 1 of Goreshade has you covered!
STRENGTHS: Goreshade the Bastard has a very powerful spell list. He comes with two great spells for supporting his battlegroup, a spell for removing enemy upkeeps and animi, and he can SHUT DOWN ENEMY FEATS! Wow, just wow. He has two powerful ways to debuff enemies, and he doesn’t need arc nodes the way other Cryx casters depend on them.
Shadowmancer gives Goreshade’s entire battlegroup Stealth and Dark Shroud. This includes him and his companion solo, Deathwalker. With this, it’s possible to have an entire army benefit from Stealth. Many factions have ways to neutralize Stealth, but not a whole army at once! On top of that, anything engaged by the battlegroup is going to be at -2 ARM. Nice! No need to hit the enemy with a debuff spell!
And speaking of easy debuffs, Deathwalker has big debuff aura. Any living enemies within 5” of her are at -2 DEF and -2 STR. Just run Deathwalker up. It’s debuffed! And if she dies, Goreshade can make a new one by killing a living enemy model.
Soul Gate gives Goreshade a powerful tool for relocating warjacks. At the expense of a trooper model in his control area, Goreshade can move a warjack to that location. The warjack cannot activate afterwards, so here’s what I like to do. Hit the enemy hard with the warjack, then teleport it away to safety. Yoink! The enemy has no chance to counterattack.
To compliment his already formidable arsenal, Goreshade has Hex Blast. This POW 13 AOE spell not only causes decent damage, but can clear enemy buffs on a direct hit. It can even clear debuffs inflicting your own troops, just as long as you’re cool with vaporizing a few of them.
And then there is his spell Mage Blight. In Goreshade’s control area, living enemy models cannot cast spells or use feats. Period!
WEAKNESSES: Goreshade can cast a lot of very powerful spells. He just can’t do it all at the same time. Mage Blight costs a massive 5 Focus! Shadowmancer, Soul Gate, and Hex Blast all cost 3 Focus. Even as a 7 Focus caster, there’s only so much he’s going to be able to do in one turn. Picking the right spells for the right situation is key. To top this off, he has no upkeep spells and cannot collect soul tokens. With Goreshade, every Focus counts.
Goreshade is on a medium base, with all the disadvantages that brings. He has access to Stealth through Shadowmancer, but watch out for enemy models that can bypass that defense!
Goreshade’s Feat, Dark Summons, allows him to bring 6 new Bane Thralls into play within 3” of him. These Bane Thralls can then activate freely. This certainly has punch in the right places. However, the feat does not scale with larger games. In smaller games, the added weight of a whole new unit can be devastating. But in larger games, it can easily fall flat.
SYNERGIES: Goreshade works well with a solid combination of powerful warjacks and infantry. Those warjacks are going to need some Focus, but Goreshade needs to be pumping out high-powered spells. Focus efficiency is absolutely essential. Warwitch sirens are excellent additions to help power the warjacks. As an added bonus, they have built in Stealth.
For warjacks, the always-efficient Seether can help with Goreshade’s Focus woes. Warjacks with Reach are also powerful, allowing you to maximize the effects of Dark Shroud. The Desecrator is also a good addition, since it can Accumulate from nearby Bane models, such as those from Goreshade’s feat.
To support Soul Gate, I recommend taking a group of cheap infantry like Mechanithralls. When the time is right, run one to whatever location you want to Soul Gate a jack to.
And speaking of Banes, any of them work well with Goreshade. There are going to be Banes in the army no matter what, so why not take some more? More Bane Thralls are my first choice. They follow the Stealth theme and bring their own Dark Shrouds. This can relieve some of the spell-casting pressure from Goreshade once the two armies lock in melee. On top of that, Bane Lord Tartarus can help any of the Banes kick more butt.
Alternatively, just about any infantry unit in Cryx can benefit from the battlegroup’s Dark Shroud or from Deathwalker running into the midst of their next target.
JUST FOR FUN: Got to bring some pain to the enemy, but can’t reach him? No problem! First, run a model forward in roughly the direction you need to go, somewhere between 9” and 11” from Goreshade. Activate Goreshade and charge your own model. Now feat, and place those Banes 3” further towards the target. For added silliness, have Bane Lord Tartarus Curse the target.
Now charge in with those 6 new Banes. They can reach a target roughly 23” away from Goreshade’s original location! And let’s face it, 6 weapon masters hitting with effective MAT 8 POW 13 charge attacks is scary, scary, scary!
For even more hilarity, run the Deathwalker over to the target. Now they’re effective MAT 10!
SUMMARY: Goreshade the Bastard is a fun warcaster within Cryx. He has a very unique spell list, can support jacks better than most of our casters, and has two effective ways to deliver debuffs. Besides, the guy can teleport jacks around and shut down enemy feats! There’s a reason he’s called the Bastard!
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Blog
Hordes Gargantuans Review: Circle of Orboros
IN SHORT: The Horde Gargantuans rulebook is here, and once again Privateer Press shows their top shelf support for an excellent gaming system.
As with previous releases, every Hordes army gets a host of new additions that mix up the game in exciting ways. In the past, Privateer Press has shown their skill in maintaining game balance while still adding tons of exciting new options. Fortunately, this rulebook does not disappoint. Every main faction gets a new warlock, one of the new gargantuans, and a mix of beasts, units, and solos. The rulebook itself is full color, and the artwork is absolutely gorgeous!
Today, let’s take a look at the new additions to the Circle arsenal!
MORVAHNA THE DAWNSHADOW: Morvahna is back and she’s riding a goat! Okay, granted it’s a really cool looking mountain goat, but it’s still a goat.
As before Morvahna is most comfortable surrounded by lots of infantry. At first glance, she looks like a risky warlock that can either really pay off or blow up in your face. She has no less than 3 abilities that drain her health. Her feat, Blood Sacrifice, returns infantry in exchange for health at a 1 for 1 ratio. These models lose their actions the turn they come back.
Second, Scales of Fate allows friendly attack or damage rolls in her control area to be rerolled. Very powerful, but pricey. This ability costs her d3 damage each time. And last, her weapon has Life Trader, allowing her to gain an additional damage die by suffering 1 damage point. She’s also squishy with DEF 15, ARM 15, a large base, and only 16 damage points. Ouch!
To counterbalance this, she has two abilities that help her regenerate health. Imperishable Conviction gives her 1 damage point for each friendly killed in her control area. Carnivore gives a friendly model or unit +2 to MAT. Any living models they kill means d3 damage points for Morvahna.
Is this enough? I’d say that’s up to player skill more than anything else. Liberal use of Scales of Fate can be absolutely devastating under the right circumstances (say, an assassination run), but if the attack goes south, it can leave Morvahna very vulnerable.
RAZORWING GRIFFON: It slices! It dices! It’s a trampling light warbeast!
The Razorwing Griffon has a slew of rules that make it appealing to trample with this light warbeast. The very fact that it can trample at all is novel, though I picture it swooping over its enemies while slicing their heads off.
First, it tramples over anything, regardless of base sizes or obstructions. Second, it adds the POW of its weapons to the trample, which gives it P+S 12. Third, it has Amuck, which means all those trample attack rolls are going to be boosted.
And if you can’t trample, it has 3 P+S 12 attack. For 5 points? Yeah, I’d buy that.
RIP HORN SATYR: At 9 points, the Rip Horn is the most expensive Satyr to date. It also hits the hardest and has the best ARM. Basically, there’s not much to this guy. He’s a solid beat stick. Nothing too flashy. He has the typical Satyr Hard Head rule, so slams from this guy are going to hurt. His animus, Bulldoze, helps him get to the target of your choice, and Aggressive gives him a little extra Fury efficiency. SPD is excellent for a heavy. Just point him at a target and smash it to bits.
THARN BLOOD PACK: Here’s a new type of heavy infantry for Circle, and they’re built for offense. They have high SPD, MAT, and RAT scores, but their DEF and ARM aren’t too great. However, they have the potential to put out a lot of attacks.
First, they can shoot and then charge thanks to Assault & Battery (Order). Next, they share the Lord of the Feast’s Heart Eater rule, allowing them to collect corpse tokens from living enemy models and use those tokens to buy melee attacks or to boost rolls, including ranged attack rolls. Did I mention those ranged attacks are POW 13? Imagine boosting a few of those, eh?
Given that this unit relies on corpse tokens to maximize its effectiveness, and is kind of squishy, I think they’re a little tricky to get the most out of.
WARPBORN ALPHA: At 3 points, this unit attachment is pricey, but he greatly enhances his unit of Warpborn Skinwalkers. First, they hit harder thanks to Tactics: Rapid Strike. Every Skinwalker gets an extra attack! Second, they have some added resilience thanks to Granted: Blood Drinker. When they kill living enemy models, they get to heal a little. The Warpborn Alpha is a fantastic addition to this unit, and really helps bring it to the next level.
Finally, I assume the lack of Reach on his Pole Axe is simply a typo and will be corrected in a future FAQ.
WOLDWRATH: Now that is a health spiral! And ARM 20 too! Nice!
Okay, let’s get this out of the way. Spell Ward is a double-edged sword. You’re either upset Circle buffs can’t affect it or you’re glad enemy spells bounce off its stone hide. Me, I think Spell Ward is worth it because it’s a powerful denial tool. There are a lot of absolutely nasty spells out there that can really cripple a gargantuan’s effectiveness.
Imagine Warwitch Deneghra’s Crippling Grasp on this model, dropping its SPD, DEF, STR, and ARM. Not a pretty sight. Now let out a sigh of relief, because this guy can’t be targeted by enemy spells. Gargantuans are prime debuff targets, but not the Woldwrath!
Its animus is also pretty neat. Magic attack rolls against models within 10” of the Woldwrath gain an additional die, which can then be boosted for a total of four attack dice. Many warlocks and especially Druids can benefit from this synergy. Extra accurate Force Bolt rolls? Bring it on!
On top of this, its ranged attack can put down electric POW 10 AOE’s, and its fists will knock down nearby targets. You don’t even have to hit your target. Just hit something near them. This is great for setting up assassination runs. All in all, I really like this gargantuan.
SUMMARY: Privateer Press continues to release exciting new models for every faction at roughly the same time. They have shown a strong commitment to game balance and to supporting owners of all factions. The releases in this rulebook are a fine example of their dedication to the game and to the fans.
All in all, Gargantuans is another top-notch release for a top-notch game.
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Hordes Gargantuans Review: Trollbloods
IN SHORT: The Horde Gargantuans rulebook is here, and once again Privateer Press shows their top shelf support for an excellent gaming system.
As with previous releases, every Hordes army gets a host of new additions that mix up the game in exciting ways. In the past, Privateer Press has shown their skill in maintaining game balance while still adding tons of exciting new options. Fortunately, this rulebook does not disappoint. Every main faction gets a new warlock, one of the new gargantuans, and a mix of beasts, units, and solos. The rulebook itself is full color, and the artwork is absolutely gorgeous!
Today, let’s take a look at the new additions to the Trollbloods arsenal!
HUNTERS GRIM: Trollbloods get a warlock unit! Plus, anything with a bowler hat gains extra cool points in my book. I love these Trollblood models!
Grim’s feat is excellent for ranged-heavy Trollblood armies. Any Cygnar player with Rangers knows the power of Mark Target. Toss in Snipe for extra range, mix and serve. With a few models forward marking targets and the rest of the battle-line holding back with Snipe, Grim’s feat turn can be absolutely devastating!
The guns of the Hunters Grim are pretty nice too. Grim’s Headhunter lets warbeasts charge enemy models for free. Muggs can knock enemies down, and Krump can lay down large POW 10 traps to keep the team safe. Nice!
Once the range drops, Grim’s spell list has some neat tricks. Mirage gives a model or unit Apparition, which can help the target close faster or disengage from melee. Mage Sight can let his battlegroup ignore Stealth, cloud effects, and forests. Good stuff. But I think Mortality is the best. This debuff will drop DEF and ARM by 2 for a whole unit. Just picture that with the Mountain King’s spray attack on feat turn. A 10” spray attack at effective RAT 9 POW 18? Yes, please!
Overall, the Hunters Grim look like a flexible addition to the Trollbloods team. They have support for both warbeasts and infantry as well as a potent feat with ranged armies.
NIGHT TROLL: Wow, this guy is one freaky-looking troll! Can’t wait to see the model!
For 4 points, this light warbeast brings some interesting stuff to the table. Its claws can paralyze living models, reducing their DEF to 7 among other maladies. It comes with Stealth and Eyeless Sight, stock. And it has an interesting animus, Beguile. Basically, living enemy models within 5” of him have to advance towards him.
Note that this is not “directly” towards, just towards, so it’s not as powerful as it first sounds, but it is still very potent. Still, I can see this ability really messing with enemy charges. It creates a 5” bubble around the Night Troll, and that can mean a lot of failed charge vectors. Not bad for a 4 point light warbeast.
TROLLKIN WARDERS: These guys are slow, heavy infantry that are going to take a concerted effort to get rid of. If you want to bog down an enemy, these guys look like they’re up to the challenge. As soon as you damage one, their ARM shoots up to 19, among other benefits. They don’t have the same offensive power as, say, Trollkin Champions. But they’re cheaper and are going to stick around much longer. Not bad at all.
TROLLKIN SORCERER: Here’s a 1 point solo that brings some very interesting tools into the mix. He has an attack spell, Ice Bolt. Nothing too exciting there. However, he also has Arcane Antidote and Winter Storm, and these are worth a look!
While the Sorcerer is a solo, it is assigned a client Trollkin unit thanks to its Adjunct rule. Arcane Antidote allows the Sorcerer to clear enemy upkeep spells off his client unit. Very nice, especially against foes like Cryx or anyone who likes to toss around debuff spells.
If the Sorcerer uses Winter Storm, enemy models activating in his command range lose Eyeless Sight, Flight, and Pathfinder. Yikes! That’s going to be nasty against Legion!
All in all, this guy brings some nice abilities to the table for only 1 point. And you can have 2 of him.
FENNBLADE KITHKAR: So here’s a 2 point Fennblade solo. Nothing too flashy. Good offensive abilities. Good defensive abilities. The main synergy with this model is Tactician [Fennblades], which allows nearby Fennblades to ignore other Fennblades for line of sight. Again, nothing too flashy. I could see some potential use out of it, since the Fennblades are medium based models and sometimes a big mob of them can get in the way of each other.
That said, the Fennblade Kithkar is not a part of the unit, so if the Fennblades have a buff spell on them, he won’t benefit from it. Same goes for Fell Calls. So, yeah. Nothing too exciting here. Just a solid solo with good rules and stats.
MOUNTAIN KING: At first I was like, MAT 5? Really? On a 20 point model? What the flip? But then I saw its animus, Amuck. Ahh, now it makes sense.
With Amuck and Kill Shot, this guy can charge forward, Sweep a whole mess of infantry with boosted attack rolls, eat them for health, and then cut loose with a free ranged attack. He may not start with high health, but his regenerative abilities are top notch. Between that and the ARM buffs Trollbloods have at their disposal, the Mountain King is one tough customer to put down.
Just think about this for a moment. +2 ARM from the Krielstone. Maybe another +2 ARM from an Earthborn Dire Troll’s Elemental Communion. Add in double doses of Whelps for munching on, and the aforementioned boosted Sweep attacks. Let’s face it. If the enemy doesn’t kill this guy in one turn, all they did was piss him off!
SUMMARY: Privateer Press continues to release exciting new models for every faction at roughly the same time. They have shown a strong commitment to game balance and to supporting owners of all factions. The releases in this rulebook are a fine example of their dedication to the game and to the fans.
All in all, Gargantuans is another top-notch release for a top-notch game.
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Hordes Gargantuans Review: Legion of Everblight
IN SHORT: The Horde Gargantuans rulebook is here, and once again Privateer Press shows their top shelf support for an excellent gaming system.
As with previous releases, every Hordes army gets a host of new additions that mix up the game in exciting ways. In the past, Privateer Press has shown their skill in maintaining game balance while still adding tons of exciting new options. Fortunately, this rulebook does not disappoint. Every main faction gets a new warlock, one of the new gargantuans, and a mix of beasts, units, and solos. The rulebook itself is full color, and the artwork is absolutely gorgeous!
Today, let’s take a look at the new additions to the Legion of Everblight arsenal!
LYLYTH, RECKONING OF EVERBLIGHT: A battle engine warlock? Why not!
This third versions of Lylyth certainly knows how to shoot. She has Auto Fire [3]. Not d3. Just flat out 3 shots every time, no need to buy more attacks. On top of that, if she kills a living enemy model, she gets to cast one of her spells for free thanks to Blood Boon. Not bad, especially given her low Fury of 5.
Her feat, The Reaping, encourages a lot of shooting in her army list. Directly hit an enemy with a ranged attack in her control area and they have to give up either their movement or action. It doesn’t even have to be damaged by the attack, just hit. Ouch!
Lylyth is also quite a bit tougher to kill this time. Her base ARM is 16, but can go up to 18 thanks to her Escort spell. Add in Wind Wall, which she can trigger with Blood Boon, and non-magical ranged attacks automatically miss. Top it off with Spiny Growth or Tenacity for a very durable warlock.
And speaking of Escort, that spell also gives her warbeasts an extra 2” of movement. ALL OF THEM. More speed for an already speedy faction. With lots of shooting, high speed, and a feat that can leave enemies frozen in their tracks, Lylyth can definitely put up a fight!
AFFLICTOR: This guy is so disgusting and cool at the same time. When it kills living enemy infantry, it spawns an Incubus model. It can do this once per turn. On top of that, when it gets hit by ranged attacks, its animus allows it to pawn the hit onto soulless warriors, such as the Incubus it just created. For 4 points, it’s a nice light warbeast.
NEPHILIM BLOODSEER: This light warbeast brings some interesting tools to the Legion arsenal. It can make any spell more accurate with Telemetry, which can be a huge benefit to several warlocks or models like Hex Hunters. The Bloodseer has to get close to use this, but its fast and it can fly, so it’s not too tough to pull off. It can also cast the animi of warbeasts in its command range, which has a wide range of applications.
The Bloodseer isn’t for every army, but with the right list, it can definitely pull its weight.
WARSPEAR CHIEFTAIN: For 2 points, this unit attachment gives Warspears the Huntsmen and Relentless Charge rules. Select a prey and go to work. He makes Warspears faster, more accurate, and harder hitting. If you use Warspears, I say take him and be done with it. Auto-include. He’s that good.
BEAST MISTRESS: Legion is known for its ability to run large numbers of warbeasts, and the Beast Mistress brings a new set of tools to that already formidable arsenal. Oh yeah, Legion has what is basically a lesser warlock! And they can take 2 of her! Too bad she can only take lesser warbeasts.
The Beast Mistress not only allows for more warbeasts to be fielded, but brings two interesting abilities into the mix. Energize allows her to move models in her battlegroup up to 3”, and Field Marshall [Aggressive] lets them charge for free! Talk about an alpha strike!
She has Flank [lesser warbeast], so a pack of Shredders makes sense.
ARCHANGEL: At first sight, the Archangel is a little underwhelming. It has the lowest ARM and health of any Gargantuan. The range on its Dragon Breath is kind of short. Its attacks hit hard, but not much harder than a Carnivean. Plus, its animus is underwhelming to say the least. So why would anyone take this guy?
First, this dragon has Ride-by Attack. It can move, attack, then move again. This effectively means its ranged attack is anywhere from an okay 10” to an insane 16”! And we’re talking d3+1 POW 14 AOE’s every turn, too! Without spending 1 Fury and with Critical Fire!
For protection, a 2 point Shredder could be considered an auto-include. Add Tenacity on the Archangel, and suddenly this gargantuan is at DEF 12 and ARM 19. Respectable, but not fantastic. But we’re not done yet! Absylonia can boost its DEF, Bethayne can boost its DEF against living enemies, and Epic Thagrosh can give it more ARM, while many of the warlocks have more offensive enhancements to give it. Heck, prime Thagrosh can even bring it BACK FROM THE DEAD!
With Absylonia, that’s DEF 14 on a model that cannot be knocked down, has 46 hit boxes, and can move AFTER it blasts your face off. Yikes!
With that being said, I think the Archangel is going to be trickier to use than other gargantuans, which have much more straight forward play styles. The Archangel isn’t unplayable, but it’s definitely not an easy model to use.
SUMMARY: Privateer Press continues to release exciting new models for every faction at roughly the same time. They have shown a strong commitment to game balance and to supporting owners of all factions. The releases in this rulebook are a fine example of their dedication to the game and to the fans.
All in all, Gargantuans is another top-notch release for a top-notch game.
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Hordes Gargantuans Review: Skorne
IN SHORT: The Horde Gargantuans rulebook is here, and once again Privateer Press shows their top shelf support for an excellent gaming system.
As with previous releases, every Hordes army gets a host of new additions that mix up the game in exciting ways. In the past, Privateer Press has shown their skill in maintaining game balance while still adding tons of exciting new options. Fortunately, this rulebook does not disappoint. Every main faction gets a new warlock, one of the new gargantuans, and a mix of beasts, units, and solos. The rulebook itself is full color, and the artwork is absolutely gorgeous!
Today, let’s take a look at the new additions to the Skorne arsenal!
MAKEDA & THE EXALTED COURT: Makeda is back for a third go, and this time she brought friends. Makeda and her two Exalted Guardians form one of the rulebook’s new warlock units. The main point here is the Exalted Guardians are part of Makeda’s battlegroup, activate with her, and benefit from her feat, Dance of Death.
At first glance, Makeda looks tailored to run more beasts than the average Skorne warlock. She doesn’t have any spells that support infantry, but her Feat benefits from plenty of warbeasts. Under her feat, every enemy model destroyed by her battlegroup means 1 extra fury for Makeda or 1 less fury for a warbeast. That’s a scary proposition when you consider what Molik Karn or a Bronzeback can do!
I can see her advancing into the thick of it with Vortex of Destruction up. Thanks to this spell, every damage roll against a model she engages is going to be auto-boosted. She really doesn’t have much need to spend a lot of Fury each turn, not even to buy extra attacks. She just has to engage what she wants to die. And if she’s running a lot of beasts, that means plenty of transfers. Combine that with the unit’s Battle-Driven rule (which makes them tougher if any of them are damaged, among other benefits), and the Exalted Guardian’s Shield Guard rules, you’ve got one lady who is not going down easily.
Time and playtesting will be the final judges, but overall this new version of Makeda looks very solid and a lot of fun.
REPTILE HOUNDS: Skorne now has access to a 2 point lesser warbeast. Reptile Hounds are clearly meant to be run in packs, since they benefit from Flank [other Reptile Hounds]. Alone, they’re not too impressive with only a P+S 8 attack. Put them in a group, support them with some beast handlers, and suddenly you have a swarm of 2 point ankle-biters hitting with MAT 7 P+S 10 attacks that get extra damage dice.
Not too bad, and it’s always nice to have something cheap to transfer damage to. Why cripple a Bronzeback when you can throw away a Reptile Hound?
DESPOILER: Now here’s an interesting fellow, a character Rhinodon. The Despoiler is an expensive warbeast at 10 points. He’s squishier than and doesn’t hit as hard as most Skorne heavies, but he comes with some unique abilities for the faction. His animus, Arcane Suppression, can help shut down enemy magic. He allows the warlock one free upkeep, always nice. And he makes Void Spirits when he kills living infantry, once a turn. So, cool. Free solos.
In most Skorne armies, he’s competing with several great options around the same price, so he’s hard to judge without first playing him. However, put him with Mordikaar, and he gains a whole new level of ridiculousness. He gets Dark Shroud! Not only does that make him hit like a Gladiator (a faster version with Reach), but he debuffs enemy ARM just by walking up to them! Not to mention those Void Spirits he creates now get boosted attack rolls.
This guy is going to be very popular with Mordikaar.
CATAPHRACT INCINDIARII: Skorne continues to expand its repertoire of nasty shooting. Each Incindiarii launches a 3” AOE ranged attack that sets things on fire. Not Critical Fire, mind you. Continuous Fire! Oh, yeah! On top of that, they have good RAT, can make Combined Ranged Attacks, and have typical Cataphract robustness. All in all, a nice unit. Skorne doesn’t have much that can support them, other than Epic Hexeris’ Black Spot spell, which is ridiculously good with any shooting.
MORTITHEURGE WILLBREAKER: The new options this 2 point solo brings to Skorne are almost too numerous to count. Ancillary Attack is simple and straight forward. Want the Cannoneer to shoot twice a turn? Ancillary Attack. Need another hit from the Gladiator to finish off the enemy heavy? Ancillary Attack.
The other ability is Puppet Master. The power of this ability cannot be understated. Try casting it on a warbeast, then go for the caster kill. Did you roll poorly when you couldn’t afford to? Do over! That’s just one of the many options this power brings to Skorne.
On top of these two abilities, the Willbreaker is a Beast Master, allowing it to force your warbeasts. And Skorne can take 2 of them in an army? Wow, just wow.
MAMMOTH: The Skorne gargantuan is an impressive beast. With solid stats and high durability, it takes a strong commitment to bring this bad boy down. The Mammoth can pound enemies at range with up to 3 blast templates, and when the distance closes, its large number of high P+S attacks will turn most enemies into pulp. On the way there, it can shove enemies out of the way with Bulldoze, plus it has a powerful animus with Counterblast, which can be used defensively to great effect.
Oh, yes. The Mammoth is one solid beasty. Did I mention the model looks absolutely wicked?
SUMMARY: Privateer Press continues to release exciting new models for every faction at roughly the same time. They have shown a strong commitment to game balance and to supporting owners of all factions. The Skorne releases in this rulebook are a fine example of their dedication to the game and to the fans.
All in all, Gargantuans is another top-notch release for a top-notch game.
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Warmachine Tactics – Cryx: Asphyxious
Warcasters are the stars of Warmachine, and Cryx has no shortage of powerful and fun-to-play warcasters. Up next is the infamous Iron Lich Asphyxious, Version 1.
IN SHORT: If you’re looking for a Cryx warcaster that can put out massive amounts of damage, look no further! Iron Lich Asphyxious has you covered. Fairly tough and surprisingly agile, Version 1 of Asphyxious is a powerful, well-rounded warcaster.
STRENGTHS: Asphyxious is all about doing damage, either in person or through his army. With the best ARM debuff in the game, a potent melee damage buff, a truly terrifying melee attack, and a versatile feat, Asphyxious can bring the pain to your foes in any number of flavors. Let’s step through them, shall we?
Parasite is a massive -3 ARM debuff that can be applied to single models or whole units. When it’s in play, it also give Asphyxious +1 ARM, making him a little tougher. Put this on something you want to die and then smash it to bits!
Scything Touch is a +2 melee damage buff to either single models or units. Yes, a buff spell in Cryx! And a nice one at that! This spell definitely encourages plenty of infantry, especially when you consider Asphyxious and a Skarlock can apply this spell to three whole units!
Like so …
Asphyxious upkeeps Scything Touch on Unit A. Unit A activates. Asphyxious activates and casts Scything Touch on Unit B. Unit B activates. Skarlock activates and casts Scything Touch on Unit C. Unit C activates. That’s a whole lot of models with +2 melee damage!
Asphyxious’ staff Soul Splitter is a P+S 15 magical reach weapon with Sustained Attack. Yikes! Give that a moment to sink in. Once Asphyxious hits his target, every follow-up attack to the same target that turn is an auto-hit. And these aren’t little piddly hits either. These are beefy P+S 15 hits that can be further enhanced by Scything Touch and/or Parasite.
Did I mention this goes well with the Focus refill his feat, Consuming Blight, provides? Want more spells this turn? Check. Want to power up your jacks and keep your Power Field full? Check. Want to wail on a single target with Soul Splitter until your opponent cries? Check and double check. The low POW damage caused by the feat isn’t anything special, but every enemy it takes out is a nice freebie.
On top of all of this, Asphyxious can even Teleport out of trouble. If you’ve committed Asphyxious to an attack that just went south, spend 2 Focus at the end and teleport him behind something solid to avoid the inevitable counterattack. Lastly, he comes stocked with two excellent attack spells, Hellfire and Breath of Corruption.
WEAKNESSES: Asphyxious may be reasonably tough, but he’s a medium base. That means he’s difficult to hide from enemy attacks. Cryx has a lot of great infantry, but most of it is mounted on small bases. His medium base also makes him vulnerable to Armor Piercing weapons. Watch out!
Asphyxious also has no means to lower an opponent’s DEF. Models with high MAT scores and units that are self-sufficient do better with him than those that rely on their warcaster for accuracy. Abilities like the Blood Witches’ Gang or the Raider’s Combined Melee help these units benefit from the extra damage while retaining decent accuracy. That said, I still like taking Mechanithralls with Asphyxious, just for the insane damage potential his spell list grants them.
SYNERGIES: First, take an arc node or two with him. His medium base makes him a tempting target. If you’re slinging spells at the enemy, fire them through the arc nodes and keep Asphyxious safe to the rear.
Any unit can reap the benefits of Parasite and Scything Touch, but those with a lot of attack are even better. The more attacks, the greater the impact of the buff or debuff.
Models that assist with Focus efficiency are always a plus. Warwitch Sirens can help fuel the jacks while Asphyxious pounds the enemy with spells, and the Skarlock is a must-have with this caster.
Try taking the Cankerworm with him. Between Asphyxious’ Teleport spell and the Cankerworm’s affinity with him, the two can ping-pong in an out of combat, inflicting damage while denying the enemy a counterattack target.
JUST FOR FUN: Let’s say an enemy Colossal stands between you and victory. Let’s call it a full-health Khador Conquest. That’s 62 hit boxes and ARM 20. It’s just Asphyxious and the Conquest.
Asphyxious powers up with Scything Touch. He casts Parasite on the Colossal, charges in, and hits. Every hit after that is automatic thanks to Sustained Attack. He pours on the extra attacks, feats to refill his Focus, then keeps wailing on the thing.
On average, Asphyxious will do over 70 points of damage, easily bringing the Conquest down. Yes, that’s right. This guy can take down a Colossal or Gargantuan BY HIMSELF in ONE TURN! I love this guy!
SUMMARY: Don’t let the fact that this is Version 1 of Asphyxious fool you. Iron Lich Asphyxious is powerful, flexible, and fun to play. He’s a worthy addition to any Cryx player’s collection.
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Dungeon Master Messes with Player Sympathy
As a writer, I find being the dungeon master of our local RPG sessions to be a challenging and rewarding experience. In a lot of ways, it’s like writing a novel.
Yeah, like writing. Heh. Like writing on the fly with a captive audience. Like writing where any lovingly-crafted character may be put to death by the “readers”. Like writing where no matter how many signs I put down saying GO RIGHT, the “readers” are still going to go left because, you know, there might be something cool over there.
It’s a lot of fun, and it keeps me on my toes. Every session the players do something I never expected, and so I have to think fast to make it entertaining. Otherwise people aren’t having fun and won’t come back. Also, let’s face it, the best part about being the DM is getting to mess with people, their expectations, and even their sympathies.
Player sympathy is a tricky proposition. How do I get the players to care about an NPC? After all, the same guy who portrays the NPC (namely me) also handles every nightmarish terror trying to shoot, maim, incinerate, or digest the party. Not the best grounds for a trusting relationship.
But I found a fast and easy workaround. So easy, I almost consider it cheating. Almost.
Allow me a moment to set the stage.
We play using a house-modified Pathfinder ruleset. The setting is science fiction spanning the whole solar system, but nothing too crazy. No shields or warp drive or artificial gravity. The party had just escaped captivity while on the Moon and were making their way north across a lunar city.
That’s when they met Pochi. He’s a talking dog.
Yep, I did it. I used a talking animal. I even gave him a Scooby Doo voice. Partly because everyone thought it was funny, and partly because it’s an easy voice for me to perform when sick.
Now, this wasn’t some cuddly, white-haired Maltese with big eyes and a cute, button nose.
No, this was a man-sized dog in power armor with a gun on his back and chainsaw teeth. Something more like this.
Yeah. Not exactly a dog you want jumping into your lap. The first time the party saw him, he ripped an enemy combatant’s throat out.
But they loved him all the same. At one point, Pochi helped the party fight off a group of four very nasty commandos and almost got himself killed. One of the commandos threw his smoldering, horribly-burned carcass off the roof. It landed in front of the party.
Oh, you should have seen their faces when I described the scene! Nobody messes with the dog! The party went after the commandos with reckless abandon and tore them a new one. It was awesome! The battle had emotional punch for them. They CARED. Afterward they discovered Pochi wasn’t quite dead and used most of their healing items to revive him.
Pochi is fine, by the way, just in case you were wondering.
Now, let’s compare this moment to one with a human NPC. In an earlier session, one of the players met a relative on the field of battle. A cousin by the name of Viter to be precise. I set it up so the players could, fairly easily, gain his trust and use his help during the coming battles. I had Viter join in near the end of a fight and help out, reinforcing the fact he was a potential ally. I even took one of the players aside and filled him in on the necessary backstory, stressing that he was on good terms with this NPC.
So what’s the first thing the players try to do? They try to STAB HIM IN THE BACK! I’m not kidding! They didn’t trust this heavily armed dude in front of them, and they wanted him out of the equation.
Let’s recap that, shall we?
Human NPC, just helped fight off an enemy, related to one of the players, ALMOST GETS A KNIFE IN THE BACK!
Talking dog NPC, just ripped a guy’s throat out, not related to anyone (obviously), gets saved by the party.
Huh. Well, whatever works. As long as we’re all having fun, right? And in this case, we are definitely having fun.
Click here to enjoy some of our misadventures.
Warmachine Tactics – Cryx: Mechanithralls
Requested by Frank. Thank you for your support!
Infantry may not be the stars of Warmachine, but that doesn’t make them any less important. From screening high priority targets to overwhelming a foe with sheer numbers, infantry plays a critical role, especially in the armies of Cryx. Today, I’m taking a look at the Mechanithralls.
IN SHORT: Cheap, plentiful, hard-hitting, and a little cross-eyed, the humble Mechanithrall is a mainstay of Cryx infantry.
STRENGTHS: Mechanithralls are dirt cheap. At 3 points for 6 or 5 points for 10, they can outnumber almost anything of equivalent cost. They also hit surprisingly hard. Each Mechanithrall is capable of 2 P+S 11 attacks or performing a single combo strike at P+S 15. That’s pretty amazing, and makes them very flexible.
Like all undead units, they don’t care about causalities. Command checks? Pffft! Those are for the living! Mechanithralls will march blindly into whatever gun-line or meat grinder you send them into.
And while an individual Mechanithrall goes down easily, they have weight in numbers that adds its own degree of resilience. Sure, something like a full unit of 5 Menoth Exemplar Bastions are tough to put down, but for the same cost Cryx can have 16 Mechanithralls!
WEAKNESSES: Mechanithralls die easily. Shoot them, they die. Hack at them, they die. Sneeze on them, they die. Just get used to it. Mechanithralls have low ARM and okay DEF. It’s nothing spectacular.
Mechanithralls also have a low MAT score of 5. Fortunately, this isn’t nearly as bad as most people think. Let’s compare a unit of 10 Mechanithralls to a unit of 6 Bane Thralls (same point cost). Sure, the Bane Thralls have a higher MAT, but the Mechanithralls will have 20 attacks to their 6! Under most conditions, the Mechanithralls will kill more enemy infantry due to their higher number of attacks.
With that said, Mechanithralls do have a low MAT, and do enjoy some debuff love to operate at peak efficiency.
SYNERGIES: Mechanithralls work superbly well with a Necrosurgeon and some Stitch Thralls on the field. For an additional 2 points, the Necrosurgeon can collect the corpses of fallen Mechanithralls or living models (your or the enemy’s) and bring back 3 Mechanithralls … per TURN! Wow! Just remember, this only works if a unit of Mechanithralls is still on the table. If you’re opponent wipes them all out, then that’s it! No new Mechanithralls for you!
Mechanithralls also benefit greatly from DEF debuffs. Fortunately, this is Cryx. We’re spoiled for awesome debuffs in this zombie’s army! Just be aware of warcasters that cannot debuff DEF or buff the Mechanithralls’ MAT. I’m not saying don’t take them, just to be aware of the limitations. It can be a little tricky getting the most out of your Mechanithralls if they keep whiffing against high DEF infantry.
Mechanithralls also like a good ARM debuff. Again, we’re in Cryx. This is not a problem! The high number of attacks Mechanithralls put out helps maximize the use of debuffs. Remember, if you reduce an opponent’s ARM by 2 and hit him with one big attack, that’s 2 extra points of damage. Hit him with 10 smaller attacks, and you’ve done 20 extra points of damage. Ouch!
Finally, take Mechanithralls when fielding Lich Lord Terminus. Mechanithralls go with him like peanut butter and chocolate thanks to his Shadow of Death rule. Mechanithralls with Tough? Yes, please!
JUST FOR FUN: Got a unit of Mechanithralls taking ranged hits? Got a Necrosurgeon flush with corpse tokens? Not quite, but almost in charge range this turn? Try this trick out. Activate the Necrosurgeon first, move her ahead of the Mechanithralls, towards your intended target, and deploy the 3 new Mechanithralls HERE. Remember the Mechanithralls must be within 3” of the Necrosurgeon and inside the unit’s command range. Now activate the Mechanithralls.
Congratulations! You’ve just taken some of your casualties, reanimated them, and deployed them closer to their target. You are now in charge range. Now go smash something!
SUMMARY: Mechanithralls are an excellent addition to almost any Cryx force. Their raw stats may not be spectacular, but don’t let that fool you. With plentiful attacks and the right support, they can drown your enemies in a wave of bodies and devastate their most powerful models. Bring on the undead!
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Warmachine Tactics – Cryx: Deneghra
Warcasters are the stars of Warmachine, and Cryx has no shortage of powerful and fun-to-play warcasters. So let’s start with Deneghra, the warwitch in the Cryx Battlegroup box set and the most likely caster a new player will use.
IN SHORT: Warwitch Deneghra is the best debuff caster in the whole game of Warmachine. Watch out, though! This Goth chick may be nimble, but she isn’t well armored.
STRENGTHS: Deneghra has no less than 4 ways to reduce enemy stats, 2 spells (Crippling Grasp and Parasite), her feat (The Withering), and her melee attack. In conjunction with other debuffs (such as Bane Thrall Dark Shrouds) her debuffing can reach ridiculous levels. Let’s step through them.
Crippling Grasp is an absolute terror of a spell, reducing SPD, STR, DEF, and ARMof a single model or even whole units. It also prevents running, charging, special attacks, and power attacks. Yikes! Use an arc node to plant this on a big threat, and watch it crawl towards you a few inches at a time for the rest of the game.
The Parasite spell strips 3 ARM from an enemy model or unit and adds 1 ARM to Deneghra. Both are nice. Use this spell to increase your army’s damage output on any target you choose.
Deneghra’s feat, The Withering, is one of my favorites in the game. Every enemy in Deneghra’s control area suffers a supped up version of Crippling Grasp! It can also be stacked with Crippling Grasp for even greater effect! This can be deployed offensively, to add massive damage to your attacks, or defensively, to stop an enemy’s advance and toughen up your own forces. It’s just sick! And versatile!
Deneghra’s spear Sliver inflicts Shadow Bind, reducing an enemy’s DEF by 3 and basically locking them in place. Letting the enemy get that close to Deneghra is not a good thing, but sometimes it can’t be helped. Her low MAT score can make hitting difficult, making her spells much more reliable ways to debilitate her enemies.
On top of all that, Deneghra ignores free strikes (thanks to Parry) and is protected by Stealth. Her other spells can allow friendly units to walk through walls (Ghost Walk), take over enemy models (Influence), knock them on their asses (Scourge), and melt their faces off (Venom).
Sounds unbeatable, right?
Well …
WEAKNESSES: Deneghra is not a tough combatant. Her DEF is good, but her ARM is very low. Stealth can help protect her at range, but always watch out for blasts, sprays, and enemy models that can neutralize Stealth.
Deneghra also relies heavily on her spell list, particularly Crippling Grasp and Parasite. While both are great, they first have to hit the target, and that will often mean boosting. Even then, sometimes you will just roll bad and miss. Plan accordingly.
Also, Deneghra’s debuffs do not hinder shooting very much. Her feat does reduce the RAT scores of enemy models, but that’s it. Gun lines are going to be a problem because they still hit just as hard, if a little cross-eyed. Plan your approaches accordingly. Smart use of terrain and her Ghost Walk spell can go a long way.
SYNERGIES: Everything.
No, seriously. Everything in the Cryx book can be used with her. She can make any model hit harder and more readily, so feel free to experiment. That’s what makes her such a fantastic starting caster. However, I will offer the following advice.
Arc nodes are a must. They extend Deneghra’s threat range with her spells and keep her safe. Take two. Try to keep at least one safe for the late game.
Speaking of spells, the more Deneghra can fire off, the better. That means fewer jacks and more models that enhance Focus efficiency. Models like Warwitch Sirens and a Skarlock Thrall are excellent additions, as are focus efficient jacks like the Seether.
Finally, a little bit of math. If you reduce an opponent’s ARM by 2 and hit him with one big attack, that’s 2 points of extra damage. Hit him with 10 smaller attacks, and you’ve done 20 extra points of damage. The moral of the story?
Take plenty of infantry, and feel free to choose your favorite flavor. It’s supposed to be a game, after all, right?
JUST FOR FUN: Target a Khador heavy warjack. Let’s say, a Juggernaut (ARM 20). Debuff it with The Withering, Crippling Grasp, Gorman Di Wulfe’s Rust attack, and a Bane Thrall’s Dark Shroud. Now hit it with the Ripjaw’s Armor Piercing attack. What’s the target’s effective ARM value? It’s a measly 1!
SUMMARY: Warwitch Deneghra is a fantastic caster. She’s easy to learn and fun to play. Her greatest strength is her wide range of synergies, which allow for a wide variety of effective play lists.
I hope you enjoyed the article. Stay tuned for more Cryx tactics!
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Warmachine Tactics – Cryx: Getting Your Undead Groove On!
So you’ve decided, it’s time to start collecting a Cryx army. But where to begin?
Have no fear! I’m here to help.
NOTICE! These guides are intended for beginner to intermediate players.
STEP ONE! Buy the Cryx Battlegroup. This gives you Warwitch Deneghra, 2 Deathrippers, 1 Defiler, and 1 Slayer. All are excellent models. I’ll go through each briefly.
WARWITCH DENEGHRA: Privateer Press chose her for the Battlegroup for a reason. She is a caster that will work well in very diverse army lists, giving you a solid foundation to expand your collection. Basically, it doesn’t matter which models you take with her. She will make them better. Deneghra isn’t just the best debuff caster in Cryx, she’s the best debuff caster IN THE WHOLE GAME!
2 DEATHRIPPERS: Cheap, 4 point arc nodes. Do not underestimate the humble Deathripper. As with any arc node, these will help keep your caster safe, but the Deathrippers also have some impressive bite. With ridiculous speed and good hitting power, charging a Deathripper or two into combat at the right moment can definitely turn the tide in your favor.
DEFILER: A somewhat pricey arc node with a nice gun. While not a faction specialty, this will help you get use to the shooting rule. Find a clump of infantry, hit them with a debuff spell, and spray away. Watch the enemy wilt under a torrent of acid. Nice!
SLAYER: A cheap, heavy warjack (or helljack, if you prefer our faction term). This guy is a straight forward beat stick. The Slayer can dish out a ton of pain. Just don’t expect him to take many hits. Learn him, use him, love him. If in doubt, put the Slayer in your list. It’s always nice to have a cheap heavy warjack ready to pound face.
With the initial purchase of the Battlegroup of out the way, I recommend a few small games to get the feel for Warmachine’s rules and the flow of the game. The Battlegroup gives you a nice cross section of the Cryx style, including debuffing, melee, ubiquitous arc nodes, and a taste of decent shooting.
From here, it’s time to get a UNIT, a SOLO, and a warcaster ATTACHMENT. I recommend a minimum unit of 6 Bane Thralls, a Warwitch Siren, and a Skarlock Thrall. Let’s take them one at a time.
6 BANE THRALLS: Well-priced death machines. Bane Thralls are absolute terrors to face. They have Stealth, which makes it harder for enemies to shoot them down. They’re Weapon Masters, which gives them an additional die when rolling for damage. And they have Dark Shroud! What is Dark Shroud, you ask? Any enemy model in a Bane Thrall’s melee range has its armor reduced by 2! They’re walking debuffs! How awesome is that? Used smartly, Bane Thralls can make anything else in the Cryx arsenal hit harder. For this reason alone, they are my favorite unit.
WARWITCH SIREN: A versatile, 2-point solo, the Warwitch is a fine addition to any Cryx army. Where the Bane Thralls are all about raw power, the Warwitch gives you access to a host of powerful abilities. This gal can give a Cryx warjack some extra juice, stop an enemy warjack dead in its tracks, melt the faces off an entire formation of enemy infantry, and take over a living enemy model. Not bad for 2 points! The Warwitch finds a place in the majority of lists I play.
SKARLOCK THRALL: And last, but certainly not least, the Skarlock gives Cryx warcasters basically a free spell a turn. A free friggin’ spell (up to 3 Focus in cost)! Warmachine is a game of resource management, namely the Focus your caster generates, and the Skarlock brings some excellent efficiency to the table. I use the Skarlock in almost every Cryx list I play.
Here’s a sample 15-point list, which is the point level I recommend when starting out a new faction or learning the game from scratch.
Warwitch Deneghra (+5 warjack points)
Slayer Helljack – 6
Defiler Bonejack – 5
(6) Bane Thralls – 5
Warwitch Siren – 2
Skarlock Thrall – 2
With these models, you will have a healthy cross-section of the abilities Cryx brings to the table. Is this the be-all end-all of 15-point army lists? No, but it’s not meant to be. What this list does is give you is a taste of the Cryx play style and of Warmachine as a whole. It has a powerful caster, a heavy jack, a light jack, a unit of infantry, a solo, and a warcaster attachment. And it is wholly made from models that are cheap to obtain (i.e. the Battlegroup) or are models I use again, and again, and again.
I hope you found this article helpful. Please look forward to more Cryx Tactics!
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Warmachine Tactics – Cryx: Are the Undead Right for Me?
So are you thinking about jumping into the rough and tumble game of Warmachine? Have the undead legions of Cryx caught your eye? Do you like the idea of zombie pirates, Goth chicks, and necro-mechanical horrors all in the same army? Not sure where to start?
Maybe you already play Warmachine or Hordes and you’re sick of Cryx crippling your army and raising your casualties to fight against you? Want to taste what it’s like on the other side of the table? Turnabout is fair play, right?
Well, search no further! I’m here to help.
NOTICE! These guides are intended for beginner to intermediate players.
So what can you expect when playing Cryx?
SPEED: Cryx is a fast faction. A Cryx player can often choose when and where the engagement takes place. The ability to strike first and strike hardest should never be underestimated, and in this regard Cryx is only surpassed by one faction, the Legion of Everblight.
DEBUFF MAGIC: Cryx is second to none in the ability to cripple an opponent with magic. Cryx warcasters can strip armor, cripple defenses, sap strength, reduce aim, slow movement, shut down special abilities, deny free attacks, and even pass right through the enemy as if they weren’t there.
MELEE: Cryx is all about getting in close and personal. While the faction does have some decent shooting, the real business end of our game is done man-to-zombie.
ARC NODES: Cryx has access to a diverse selection of cheap arc nodes, the best in the game! This allows our warcasters to project their range of influence far beyond other armies, crippling foes that thought they were out of range while keeping our warcasters safe from harm.
RECYCLING: Cryx is the best faction for taking enemy casualties (already a bad thing) and making it even worse. Everything from creating new soldiers to unleashing additional spells is powered by the faction’s insatiable hunger for soul and corpse tokens dropped by living models. For Cryx, the battle field is also a buffet.
So what are the DOWNSIDES to playing Cryx?
DURABILITY: Cryx models tend to have decent defense and poor armor. In a fair fight, Cryx loses. But that’s why you don’t fight fair. Fortunately, many units have unconventional abilities that make them tougher than their plain stats would have you believe. It may be easy to put a Cryx model down. Getting it to stay down? Well, that’s a different story.
SHOOTING: If a classic gun-line is what you like to play, give Cryx a pass. Cryx has access to some decent guns, but that’s not where the faction shines.
WARJACKS: Don’t get me wrong. Cryx has excellent warjacks, and you will be using them. But as a faction, Cryx focuses more on infantry swarms than on lots of big, mean robots.
CHEAP: Expect to buy more models than other players when fielding a Cryx army. The difference isn’t too huge, but a Cryx army will probably cost a little more money than the offerings of other factions.
Still with me? Still ready to give Cryx a try? All right, then!
Check out the complete list of Warmachine and Hordes articles here.
Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC – Game Review
IN SHORT: Experience one last hurrah with the characters of Mass Effect 3 as you explore new areas within the Citadel and take down a surprising new foe.
WHAT IT IS: A massive amount of new character-based content! Every surviving character in my save file was represented with new scenes and dialogue, some with multiple scenes that clearly have branching content based on past decisions. The player can even throw a party at the end and chose which characters can participate. Oh, and Wrex can be a part of the team! At least for a short time.
WHAT IT IS NOT: Combat heavy. While there are a few hours of new combat to fight through, as well as a very well done boss battle, combat is not the focus of this DLC. The DLC is also not small. On Xbox Live, this is a 4 gigabyte download! Wow!
WHAT I THOUGHT: I’m a big fan of the Mass Effect series. Now, don’t get me wrong. The games are not without their faults, the series not without its missteps. But taken as a whole, it has been one hell of a ride. Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC feels like a love letter from Bioware to the fans, directed at those who wanted more of their favorite characters.
The overall tone of the DLC is light and fun, with various characters competing with each other during combat and enjoying the party afterwards. It contrasts nicely with the grim feel of the main Mass Effect 3 experience. Wrex, in particular, revels in the chance to join a good scrap. The new enemies are similar to fighting Cerberus, but have enough variety in their abilities to keep things interesting. One mission bears some resemblance to Kasumi’s heist DLC from Mass Effect 2, but it’s different enough that it still felt fresh to me.
The focus, however, is definitely on Mass Effect 3’s large cast of characters. With the sheer number of permutations to work through (who lived, who died, what events ended which way), I can only imagine what a nightmare the party scene was to script and program. It’s definitely something I want to replay, just to see what changes a different Shepard character can bring.
I suspect a portion of the new content is going to be hit or miss for some players, depending on how much they like a given character. Fortunately, the scenes are entirely optional, and the player even has control over who is invited to the big party in Shepard’s new apartment. There’s plenty of new story, but it’s not forced on the player if they don’t want it.
On a technical side, I did notice a little weirdness. The sound went a bit funny on me a few times, particularly when a lot of enemies were on screen and biotic explosions were going off. This is something I also heard in the Omega DLC, but not the main game. A few areas had some minor slowdown, but nothing that really detracted from the experience. Overall, the presentation was solid.
So, was it worth $15?
The Mass Effect experience is enlivened by its rich cast of characters, and this DLC gave me exactly what I wanted, more of those great characters. The combat was fun, if brief, but the party afterwards was where it’s at. To me, this is the true ending of Mass Effect series, and it is one I thoroughly enjoyed.
VERDICT: Strongly Recommended.