8th Ed. Best lore for Slann

[Unleashed]

What's your favourite lore to use with a Slann?

Are there any special tricks you like to do?

I'm tempted by Life, but it seems tough to pass up the opportunity for High mixed with Life through swapping out the bad spells.

 

[Mr Phat]

There are no bad spells in high magic.

 

[Unleashed]

Maybe, but there are some I don't like. The nuke spell is one of the least attractive big spells to me, such high casting value for strength 4. I'd prefer to swap that out. Same with tempest.

 

[Scalenex]

My favorite "lore" is Wandering Deliberations. My play style favors lots of small spells over a few big ones. That said I try not to use the same Slann build twice in a row.

 

[Rettile]

High Magic is my favourite lore on the Slann because of the lore attribute: I always try to swap convocation, tempest and soul, and often I swap unforging and drain magic too. I think hand of glory and walk between the worlds are game changing spells, and aphotheosys is perfect when you have multiwounded models. In a competitive environment using High Magic is like having the chance to change the lore on the Slann on each game even if it's not always easy, and this is very useful since the Slann suddenly becomes perfect against every opponent army. Moreover, the Slann can be loremaster having access to 8 spells, both utility and damage: you could take deliberation for the same purposes, but I don't like it for several reasons, for example all the magic missles are flaming (lots of high elves in my meta), and you usually have heavens or beasts on skinks already. I know low casting values + a lv 4 wizard is good, but I prefer throwing a single good spell than 2 average spells. Finally, I always had a loremaster Slann in the previous book, and I think I'm addicted. I used to love lore of life, but without loremaster I don't like it: you have to roll throne of vines, dwellers, flesh to stone and regrowth to make it worth, but often you'll need earthblood too, while I don't like rolling numbers 1 and 4. Light is good, but once again I think you would need loremaster: we NEED numbers 2 and 6, while other spells can be very good or very meh, and we cannot use n°5 with a light council. I don't like fire. I never take beasts on a Slann because skinks can have wyssan and Slanns cannot use Kadon, moreover n°1 sucks and usually there aren't lots of characters to buff in an army including a Slann: amber spear is good but skinks can roll it as well. Metal is interesting: low casting values, n°6 is often as good or better if compared to life's dwellers, but this lore is too situational IMO. If glittering would stack with standard scaly skin it would be amazing, but it doesn't, and n° 4 sucks. Heavens is a great support lore, but leave it to skinks and Tetto. Shadow is good and I often use this lore, but numbers 4 and 5 are almost useless against high initiative armies. This lore gives lots of mobility to the Slann thanks to the lore attribute and n°1, but it fits better on a lone Slann (which I don't like). Buffs and debuffs are wonderful, but you could not roll them, and taking High Magic you'll have hand of glory which is equal to miasma (and try swapping something for miasma and using both these spells in the same combat). Death is a good lore expecially thanks to the extra range provided by skink priests, and I'm going to try this lore ASAP, but for now High Magic is my lore

 

[Mr Phat]

Maybe, but there are some I don't like. The nuke spell is one of the least attractive big spells to me, such high casting value for strength 4. I'd prefer to swap that out. Same with tempest.

I get a notion that you think you can swap without casting them?
I hope you know that is not the case?


I think both spells are quite awesome for what they do with the attribute.

I think tempest is the only mediocre spell in high, and even that one has multiple uses.

How I do:

Cast Tempest turn one on a ballistic or low T unit, swap it
- you now either diffused a units shooting for a turn, or cleared chaff
- you are now rolling for a spell that will suit the rest of the game

^this is what Tempest does

you should now be in range for a Fiery Convocation. If not with the slann, then through a skink vassal
(direct damage)
It is one of those spells people neglect because of S4. The power of it is not S4 but the fact that it potentially can put
12*(Models in the unit) S4 to a unit per game.

The force of it is not S4, its the abundance of S4 hits.
Do the math, even a knightbus with a 1+ armour save will on average roll two 1's on their save per model during the game.

How I do:
cast it on the main block, swap it.
You now either achieved one of the following:

A. The target receives X*S4 hits EVERY magic phase for the rest of the game (X= the amount of models in the unit). These hits are free for you. Think of it of a 9th spell that autocasts each turn
(it remains even after you swap, and you rarely needs to cast it more than once.)

B. The target receives X*S4 hits every magic phase until your opponent dispells it.
For him to succeed he must invest a whole lot of dice, as the casting power is 19 (this is a strenght, not a weakness for a remains in play). This means you laid the hurt on one of his units, and potentially locked down his magic phase by taking his dice.

C. Same as B, except if he fails to dispell he wasted an entire turn of dice with no effect.

Mutual for all 3 is that you swapped for another spell which you are casting on top of everything.

____

.... but to answer OP

I think Wandering Deliberations is the best lore for Lizardmen. It synergizes so well with everything we need and already have. Buffs, de-buffs and a bunch of magic missiles for vassals, where some are great against canned opponents.

I always tend to miss it when I dont take it

 

[GCPD]

Wandering Deliberations, High Magic, Death, Light, Life and Heavens are all solid choices, I think (while the latter all suffer from a lack of Loremaster, this is made up for how useful they are for Lizardmen).

 

[Unleashed]

Maybe, but there are some I don't like. The nuke spell is one of the least attractive big spells to me, such high casting value for strength 4. I'd prefer to swap that out. Same with tempest.

I get a notion that you think you can swap without casting them?
I hope you know that is not the case?

Yeah, I get it - just didn't think the spell was that useful. I didn't pay too much attention to it though, and now you mention it, the 19+ is great magical defence.

I'd still be tempted to swap it out after one casting, but as you mention, that's probably all you need.

 

[Mr Phat]

Maybe, but there are some I don't like. The nuke spell is one of the least attractive big spells to me, such high casting value for strength 4. I'd prefer to swap that out. Same with tempest.

I get a notion that you think you can swap without casting them?
I hope you know that is not the case?

Yeah, I get it - just didn't think the spell was that useful. I didn't pay too much attention to it though, and now you mention it, the 19+ is great magical defence.

I'd still be tempted to swap it out after one casting, but as you mention, that's probably all you need.

It really is.
If your opponent have more than one combat block that is a fitting target, then he left out pts somewhere else.
This means that by crippling one block, you should in theory have advantage on the rest of the board.

Plus you are of course rolling for a spell to deal with the other one.
I agree that tempest usually feels like a "cast just to swap" spell, but if you treat it as

"Choose a signature spell or get lucky rolling what you need + get these possitive side effects"
Then its actually quite strong.
I dont think that elves would choose it...ever...its good because of OUR attribute.

 

[Pinktaco]

My suggestion below isn't the best or most competitive and it has flaws in it, but I find it interesting so there's that.

I really like Beast, however it is much more dependable on your overall build than a lot of the others.

With Beast you get:

- 1 good monster killing magic missile (amber spear).
- A very good augment (wyssans).
- A good hex that can make big units hold their ground for a turn (Anraheir).
- Several augment spells for our fighter characters.
- Both flock of doom and tranformation are.. not the best in my opinion.

So taking beast and getting savage beast of horror on 3 scar vets in a bus is just brutal (21 (+ 3-4 PF) S10 attacks). You can still augment your suarus (be it warriors or templeguards), try and take out large monsters and stop big scary units.

All spells have a medium casting value, with the expeption of boosted version so with a lvl 4 they aren't particularly hard to cast. You can then continue to go all out with both the book of ashur and an engine of the god, making you able to cast your augments on a bus as a "lvl 7" mage. Tthis would mean that you can "safely" cast Wyssan's, Pann's, Amber Spear, Anraheir and savage beast with 2 dice - rolling snake eyes/double sixes being the only issue.

The "build" is similar to the Book of Ashur + Wandering Deliberation build, where you can safely cast spells by casting 1-2 dice towards the various spells, the difference being that you're now locked with one particular lore and it's more character oriented. Also, losing your stegadon to a cannon ball would make this less effective quite quickly.

 

[Putzfrau]

death, wandering, life, light

in that order.

 

[JWK47]

Death, Wandering, Metal, Shadow

 

[Putzfrau]

Dunno why but I always forget about metal.

 

[GCPD]

Metal is okay, but it has a few problems. The best spell in the lore is without a doubt Searing Doom, which you can get with WD anyway. Glittering Scales sadly doesn't stack with any of our Saurus (because FU Saurus, I guess?). Golden Hounds is a poor man's Spirit Leech. Enchanted Blades and Final Transmutation are good, but without Loremaster I wouldn't want to risk only 2 good spells in a whole Lore.

 

[JWK47]

Metal is okay, but it has a few problems. The best spell in the lore is without a doubt Searing Doom, which you can get with WD anyway. Glittering Scales sadly doesn't stack with any of our Saurus (because FU Saurus, I guess?). Golden Hounds is a poor man's Spirit Leech. Enchanted Blades and Final Transmutation are good, but without Loremaster I wouldn't want to risk only 2 good spells in a whole Lore.

I agree that it's not what it used to be when we had Loremaster. I wouldn't dismiss Hounds so quickly though, it's quite good against single models such as Steam Tanks, WoC chariots etc... Furthermore if you're playing cav bus lists you can cast it on a character and then use the LOS's to flick those wounds onto the rank and file.

Cheers. Jeff

 

[Mr Phat]

... Furthermore if you're playing cav bus lists you can cast it on a character and then use the LOS's to flick those wounds onto the rank and file..... Jeff

This ^
I know a certain army, that has a certain Bus tactic going on right now who would hate to give up several rank and file models to a single spell.....hint...its us.

 

[Eladimir]

Loremaster High is my favourite as I tend to play in the tournament scene.
Flexible so I toss out tempest first turn rest of the dice on the laser beam. Or if I have enough dice the number 6 flame spell.

Swap for death snipes or searing doom depending.


Heres a question in a tourney I don't usually take the time to roll for the spell in the lore and just take the signature to save some time. What do you guys do?

 

[Putzfrau]

I don't think high is the best tournament option in general. Takes too long to get the spells you want. If you want death snipe and searing doom take wandering. There's really no situation, IMO, where high is the best choice.

If I were to use it I'd roll on the table just to see what I got. Why not?

 

[Professor_Skink]

I've played a lot of games with the same list in order to prep for upcoming tournaments and have used high lore master in each one and I have to say it is fantastic, for me at least. Soul quench has cleared whole units of chaff in one go that are out of the skinks' ways, drain magic is just a headache for elves de-buffing and buffing units, apotheosis has saved many an ancient steg and bastiladon from cannons. Hand of glory has turned rippers into fantastic hitters on WS 5 or 6, walk between worlds gets me better shooting with salamanders, tempest can hurt low toughness armies and swappable for searing doom and death as already stated, arcane unforging gets rid of the banner of the broken dragon, and fiery has won me several games over the last few months. All of the guys in my gaming circle live in fear of fiery, and with the slann's abilities he can survive a lot more now without as many penalties.
If you can't tell I love the lore
I've made it work well and I know it isn't for everyone, but I've won games by huge margins without even swapping out spells. I personally think this lore goes with the lizard men very well, does anyone else think so?
Of course i like the other lores, back wen we had lore master light was fantastic for us, but know I think 8 spell swappable high magic works really well.

 

[Pinktaco]

I think it's absolutely made with lizzies in mind. I Mean come on.. Improved WS and initiative on elfs? Walk between world's and the heal are also great for us, since it's not uncommon for us to have several monsters or combat characters who can all enjoy that.