8th Ed. HELP provide a points cost for my custom TK Slann, Ra'nubis!

[Killer Angel]

I've been meaning to ask you about that. How can the entries be sent to you? I know you can't post pictures directly to the forum as you can over here. I used to have photobucket until they started charging money. Would it be possible to DM the pictures to you on this forum?

I am nearly finished with my Chaos Marauder unit filler (on a 75mm x 75mm base). I'd love to enter him into the contest.

I was with photobucket too.... now I'm using Imgur.
But yeah, no problem: PM me your pictures and I'll provide to post them.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I was with photobucket too.... now I'm using Imgur.
But yeah, no problem: PM me your pictures and I'll provide to post them.

AWESOME! Thank you!

 

[Warden]

I was thinking about doing the math but @Killer Angel already did, looked legit to me. If I get time to compare your proposed rules to the Lizardmen book I will do so too.

My question would be how does this Tomb-Lizard synergize with a Tomb King army?

Reason for this: just because a slann costs a certain # of points in a Lizardman army doesn't mean he should cost the same in a Tomb Kings army. If he brings something so valuable to the Tomb Kings that could potentially make in super-OP, I would be inclined to bump up his points cost a bit. Then again, for any home-made rules I would be inclined to err on the side of over-costed versus under-costed, just to make sure things stay civil in friendly games.

The Ra'nubis story is one part of a series of background stories that make up my own 8th edition world. Ultimately I have a tale of four very different Slanns who eventually prevent the End Times...

• Tlama'tini - The Wise, a 2nd generation and most senior Slann of the lost city of Itchtaca
• Zwei'helix - The Time Slann (complete with his very own Lore of Time... which I have almost finished!), 4th generation Slann
• Vokul'nax - The Fallen Slann, The Kin Slayer, The Demi-God - Tzeentchian Slann (a conversion that I have half started!), 3rd generation Slann
• Ra'nubis - The Rogue Slann, 5th generation Slann

Taken together, it forms the basis of why the Old World persists in my own little gaming universe. There are supplementary characters as well... some for whom I have developed rules/backgrounds/conversions.

I am very interested in hearing more about this , seems like there is a wealth of potential material here.

Spoiler

Lost city of Itchaca? Sounds like Ithaca, I think that is Greek/also a city in the state of New York?

A Lore of Time? I am interested in this too -> my own temple-city lore has a bit on the Great Calendar (pulling some stuff from the real-world Mayan calendar), so I am interested in what direction you take with this too

A corrupted slann? Also interesting; what could make him fall to the dark powers that are so anathema to the rest of the race? What just-as-planned-plan did Tzeetch create to actually pull this off???

And a rogue slann too? Who dies and gets ressurected as a minion of the undead undead-haters?????? I always thought that the idea of Ula'up in the book was cool (I think his name was "Voyager on the Raindrops of Destiny" or something), he travelled the world and saw lots of cool stuff. Kinda rogue compared to the rest of his race too, but he returned once in a while. What makes a Slann go rogue? Did he think he was doing the right thing in his own mind? Pursuing a greater good that ultimately spelt his downfall?
​

So many questions! I am looking forward to your future additions to the Fluff section!

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

My question would be how does this Tomb-Lizard synergize with a Tomb King army?

Reason for this: just because a slann costs a certain # of points in a Lizardman army doesn't mean he should cost the same in a Tomb Kings army. If he brings something so valuable to the Tomb Kings that could potentially make in super-OP, I would be inclined to bump up his points cost a bit. Then again, for any home-made rules I would be inclined to err on the side of over-costed versus under-costed, just to make sure things stay civil in friendly games.

This is an excellent point and something I tried to consider when creating my rules for Ra'nubis (whether or not I was successful or not is a different story, and I love any feedback in regards to it). Here are some of the considerations I made:

Magic: In terms of magic, Ra'nubis doesn't overshadow what TK special characters can already do. Arkhan the Black is a level 5 wizard and can shift 3 dispel dice to power dice. Grand Hierophant Khatep has loremaster, so the precedence is set for Ra'nubis to also have the ability. The main magical bonus Ra'nubis brings to the table is that he is better at healing via the lore attribute.

BSB: The ability to be both a BSB and Hierophant is something that TK can not normally do. However, the BSB ability is actually much less important to TK than it is to Lizardmen. Most TK lists don't even feature a BSB. So this might actually be the reverse of your point, if only to a very small degree.

Survivability: This is were your point is absolutely spot on. One of the weakness of TK is that they really need to keep their hierophant alive (to avoid army wide crumbling). Typically, TK hierophants are extremely squishy (Arkhan is a bit of an exception with T5). Ra'nubis is extremely durable in contrast to a typical TK hierophant, as his Slann status grants him increased toughness, wounds and a built in ward save (although TK hierophants can access the ward save via magic items). Additionally, Ra'nubis has the one time ability of a 2+ save against anything, the ability to heal from combat (although a limited one) and a one time ability to regain d3 wounds. So this is what might be considered more valuable to TK than to Lizardmen (losing a Slann is pretty devastating to our Lizards but not to the same extreme as TK and their hierophant).

I am very interested in hearing more about this , seems like there is a wealth of potential material here.

Most of the stuff I have come up with is unwritten and resides purely in my mind. I've come up with it purely as a backdrop to my personal wargaming. I have a lot of material, but have only written and finalized a small portion of it. Putting all of it to page, would be a monumental task and a huge time drain (and I have to start painting some models for my new paint blog!... isn't that correct? @Crowsfoot ). What I am interested in doing is coming up with a finalized set of rules for all of my characters and a short write up (1-2 pages) in the style you would find in a WFB army book.

Lost city of Itchaca?

This is actually one of the few things I have actually completed a write up on (many years ago... as part of my first custom character). I wrote it during the last days of 7th edition, which explains the format/layout. I've attached a copy for you if you are interested.

A corrupted slann? Also interesting; what could make him fall to the dark powers that are so anathema to the rest of the race? What just-as-planned-plan did Tzeetch create to actually pull this off???

And a rogue slann too? Who dies and gets ressurected as a minion of the undead undead-haters??????

What makes a Slann go rogue? Did he think he was doing the right thing in his own mind? Pursuing a greater good that ultimately spelt his downfall?

They actually both learn the same devastating truth (although they learn it through different means).

Tzeentch uses this to twist the mind and ambitions of Vokul'nax towards the path of Chaos. Vokul'nax is attempting to manipulate Tzeentch and Tzeentch is attempting to manipulate Vokul'nax. Such a game of deception would clearly interest Tzeentch. Either way, Vokul'nax comes to believe (either rightly or wrongly) that there is a pathway that he can follow to achieve godhood.

Ra'nubis on the other hand pieces together clues to uncover the same truth as Vokul'nax did (with the exception of the pathway to godhood), but he is armed with one more bit of information and instead continues to follow the trail of bread crumbs.

So it is the same stimuli that sends them on their very divergent paths. Vokul'nax becomes obsessed with power, while Ra'nubis becomes obsessed with uncovering truth. These pathways are a direct result of their own individual personality traits.

A Lore of Time?

I have all but one spell finished.

 

[Crowsfoot]

@NIGHTBRINGER your doing ok, 2 models painted this year that is a vast improvement.

Your blog needs content so you have to paint now

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

@NIGHTBRINGER your doing ok, 2 models painted this year that is a vast improvement.

Hurrah I'm getting better!

 

[n810]

I was kinda ballparking it *, as he seems at least as powerful as 7th edition Lord Kroak who was at the time
the most expensive model in Warhammer at 500 points, Perhaps you could add some weakness to lower his points ?

Seriously Golden Scarab of the Undying is statistically similar to giving him 9 wounds!

*(Judging by the poll I'm currently the low bidder)

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I was kinda ballparking it *, as he seems at least as powerful as 7th edition Lord Kroak who was at the time
the most expensive model in Warhammer at 500 points, Perhaps you could add some weakness to lower his points ?

*(Judging by the poll I'm currently the low bidder)

A top hat for you good sir! Thank you for the input!!!


So far we've got 500, 530 and 550. A very nice tight group, so I'll probably go with something in the vicinity of 530.

As for being expensive, I don't really mind at all. I want the character to be epic! These characters I'm creating are my stand ins for the Archaon, Settra and Mazdamundi type characters. My goal is to create characters that fall between the 500-700 point range. As long as they are points fairly I'm happy!

 

[Krox_v.2]

Surprised to have been tagged in this. My interests have shifted away to D&D and MtG recently, mainly since my group of Warhammer buddies has shrank further. I voted for 550, based on Killer Angel's breakdown, which seems reasonable to me.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Surprised to have been tagged in this. My interests have shifted away to D&D and MtG recently, mainly since my group of Warhammer buddies has shrank further.

My apologies. I had seen that you had commented on a few 8th edition topics in the not too distant past, so I tagged you. Sorry to hear that your gaming group dissipated. Out of curiosity what is MtG?

I voted for 550, based on Killer Angel's breakdown, which seems reasonable to me.

Perfect, thank you so much for your vote, it's very much appreciated!
In recognition, I award you a top hat :

 

[Krox_v.2]

MtG=Magic the Gathering. The Ixalan set caught my interest so I'm working on building several dinosaur decks. Don't get me wrong, I'm still into Warhammer 8th edition, it's just that life continues to keep getting in the way, what with divorces, children, sicknesses, funerals/deaths and so on, it's been 3 years since I last got a game in.

 

[n810]

I just bought a bunch of Ixalan myself.

 

[Killer Angel]

Firstly there was Amonkhet, now Ixalan. Simil-Khemri and simil-Lustria.
Love it!

 

[Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl]

MtG=Magic the Gathering. The Ixalan set caught my interest so I'm working on building several dinosaur decks. Don't get me wrong, I'm still into Warhammer 8th edition, it's just that life continues to keep getting in the way, what with divorces, children, sicknesses, funerals/deaths and so on, it's been 3 years since I last got a game in.

I just bought a bunch of Ixalan myself.

Firstly there was Amonkhet, now Ixalan. Simil-Khemri and simil-Lustria.
Love it!

I sense a slight thread derailment here to a non-Warhammer subject, @NIGHTBRINGER...

 

[Chicken Lips]

Sorry, Nightbringer, I just saw this thread! After reading the comments and analysis', I believe that he'd probably be closer to 530. I voted for 550 since that was the closest point value listed. Don't forget, Flammable is a negative. Most people forget about that. Also, being a BSB isn't that much of a boon for a TK army. The scarabs are a nice touch.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Sorry, Nightbringer, I just saw this thread! After reading the comments and analysis', I believe that he'd probably be closer to 530. I voted for 550 since that was the closest point value listed. Don't forget, Flammable is a negative. Most people forget about that. Also, being a BSB isn't that much of a boon for a TK army. The scarabs are a nice touch.

Awesome... thanks for the insights. You are blessed with three top hats!



I agree with your assessment of being a BSB in a TK army and the flammable special rule. I'm glad you liked the scarabs.


You guys have all been a huge help.

 

[Lord-Marcus]

I see no model. What heresy is this?

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I see no model. What heresy is this?

Are you really surprised?... he is down the list. I have other things to attend to.

 

[Lord-Marcus]

Are you really surprised?... he is down the list. I have other things to attend to.

Such as? Surely a slaan is rated higher than mere lords

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Such as? Surely a slaan is rated higher than mere lords

Yes... which is why he is lower down on the list. I have to get the model just right! He has to reach the peak of my skill. It will be a tough conversion to make his custom palanquin. The base model will be Kroak of course... that part is easy.