Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Tyranids (section)

===Bio-Artefacts (Relics)===
====Universal====
*'''Miasma Cannon''': Replaces a heavy venom cannon. Compared to the heavy venom cannon, it gains the ability to auto-hit anything within 8", and always wounds non-{{W40Kkeyword|vehicles}} on a 2+. 
** Effectively Hive Tyrant only, as it's the only character that can take a venom cannon to start with, and should always be paired with Wings so you can get into auto-hitting range faster. 
**Better than the basic version against T5+ non-{{W40Kkeyword|vehicles}}, and of course against anything within 8", but not nearly as good as a Venomthorn Parasite in general, due to the Hive Tyrant's already good BS and the fact that the Venomthorn is like a *1.5 multiplier, which would require at least a T10 target for this to meet or a T18 one to beat, and good luck finding those.  Don't take this unless you've already handed out a Venomthorn.
*'''Reaper of Obliterax''': Replaces a lash whip and bonesword or the monstrous version. Same stats as the normal one, but on a wound roll of 6+ it doubles its damage. With Toxin Sacs on the monstrous version, that's a whopping 7.
** Because this upgrades a weapon that isn't free, cost matters, but the strength of the underlying weapon really doesn't, since the special ability triggers only when you're definitely wounding regardless of strength. As a result, this is actually best on a Behemoth Warlord (for more damage) or Gorgon (for more reliability) Tyranid Prime; the difference is clearest in the Behemoth case, where you're spending 102 points minimum on WS2+ A4 S5 AP-2 D1, increasing to D4 on 6s, as opposed to 158 minimum on WS2+ A4 S6 AP-2 D3, increasing to D8 on 6s.
*** Note on calculating damage: Because of the order of operation, the damage is first multiplied. After that, you add the extra damage. So you are 'just' dealing 8 damage at max. Nevertheless, if you want something dead, use Adrenaline Surge for attacking a second time or Voracious Appetite to increase the chance of dealing high damage.
*** Just an idea: Give this to a winged Hive Tyrant with adrenal glands, toxin sacs and the '''{{W40Kkeyword|Behemoth}}'''-Warlord Trait. You get a high chance for a Turn 1 Charge and the opportunity to kill the enemies bigger threats - for example a Land Raider or ,if you're lucky, a superheavy
*'''Ymgarl Factor''': It's back! at the beginning of each fight phase, randomly gain +1T, +1A, ''or'' +1S. The stat returns to normal after the fight phase. 
** Generally not worth it, due to its random nature and the fact that it only last a fight phase - you have only a 2/3 chance of rolling a stat that might help you kill things better in melee, and if you roll strength, it might do nothing at all.
***This and the Norn Crown are the two Relics that don't require any existing equipment. If your warlord has an odd loadout, or is a Zoan, this can be a good Relic just because of a lack of better choices. 
*'''Maw Claws of Thyrax''': Enhances a model equipped with rending claws or monstrous rending claws. If you slay a model in the fight phase, you can re-roll ''all'' failed to-hit rolls in melee for the rest of the game.
**Because monstrous rending claws are ''cheaper'' than rending claws, absolutely superb on a Hive Tyrant.  (An odd statement given that MoRCs are only available to Broodlords &  Tyrants which are considerably more expensive than a Prime + RCs, lol, but the point stands.)
**Overkill on a Broodlord, rerolling ones only after a successful fight is not worth.
*'''Norn Crown''': Models within 30" do not suffer the penalties from Instinctive Behaviour. Probably the weakest choice here, but could be useful if you don't plan on using many synapse units (e.g. you run Hydra and want to save your Troops slots for more Gaunts).
**Note that it doesn't grant immunity to morale, like synapse would, so really only useful on units that have no moral issues (like single model monster units). Main value is if you need to space out your giant ranged bugs, but don't want to take penalties when shooting at further targets. The Tyrannofex's rupture cannon, for example, has 48" of range, but he's only BS5+ if he's not in synapse and not targeting the closest unit.

====Psychic Awakening: Blood of Baal====
*'''Resonance Barb''': Psyker only. This model can manifest an additional power per turn and deny an extra power. Also, when you take a psychic test, add 1 to the total. Arguably, the best relic for Tyranids flat. Put on a Hive Tyrant and combine with Power of the Hive Mind and Synaptic Channeling to get a quad casting threat with access to the entire psychic school plus their hive fleet power.
**Neurothropes get more mileage out of the Resonance Barb than a Hive Tyrant. All Tyranid Psychic powers other than Unstoppable Hunger are WC 5 or 6. With the +1 to cast from the Resonance Barb, if you failed a WC 5 Psychic Test, you rolled at least a single 1 (You can't get 3 or less between two dice without rolling a 1). Similarly, if you failed a WC 6 test with the Resonance Barb, 83.33% of the time you have rolled at least a single 1. I mention this because Neurothropes have an aura that allows you to re-roll 1's on Psychic Tests, something a Hive Tyrant doesn't get. It almost is equivalent to a re-roll on Tyranid Psychic tests. Oh, on top of this, Neurothropes can heal themselves or other Zoanthropes via Smite damage, and this +1 to cast makes you more likely to hit that tasty D6 damage on Smite, which means the chance of healing more is higher. Lastly, unlike a Hive Tyrant, a Neurothrope has low enough wounds to not get railed by shooting the turn after it drops in, and it also has a good enough invulnerable save to survive the inevitable sniper fire it will attract. All-in-all, it's a better option for a Neurothrope than it is for a Hive Tyrant.
***On the other hand, Neurothropes only know smite plus one psychic power, and can already cast two per turn. The plus one to the psychic test and extra deny is useful, but the extra cast will be wasted every turn unless you pop the new Synaptic Channelling stratagem.
*'''Pathogenesis''': Add 8" to the range of the user's ranged weapons, and it can re-roll a single hit and wound when shooting or firing Overwatch. The Dakkatyrant's new best friend. (alternate option, use it on a tyranid prime or trygon prime to almost double his threat range, well only if you don't have other options to spend a relic)
*'''Xenogenic Acid''': Replaces a model’s toxin sacs. When you make a melee attack, unmodified wound rolls of 5+ inflict an extra mortal wound on top of other damage. It's truly a shame that the Broodlord can't take this because he would murder anything with his 6 attacks that reroll to wound, but we're not space marines so we don't get nice things.
*'''The Venomthorn Parasite''': Upgrades a stranglethorn cannon or heavy venom cannon. When you shoot the cannon, it always does its maximum number of shots
*'''Arachnacyte Gland''': Replaces adrenal glands. When you make a charge roll for this model, roll an extra D6 and discard the lowest die. Also, you get +1 to your Advance rolls. Pairs well with Trygon Prime that needs to make that charge out of deep strike.

====Hive Fleet-Specific====
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Kronos}} - Balethorn Cannon''': Replaces a stranglethorn cannon. Identical to the standard version, save for one very important difference - it ignores ''all invulnerable saves''. While that won't affect TEQs too much since they still get a 3+ from their armor, anything whose invuln save is at least as good as its armour save will definitely notice, especially Tzeentch daemons. That said, this is functionally a 25 point Hive Tyrant only gun which is ''always'' in direct competition with the Miasma Cannon, so it's best to take it against things that will definitely notice losing their invulnerable saves- in addition to the aforementioned Tzeentch daemons, Harlequins and IG with slabshield Bullgryn and Crusaders are good choices to use this on.
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Hydra}} - Slimer Maggot Infestation''': Replaces two deathspitters with slimer maggots. Gains the ability to re-roll failed wound rolls. Nice on a dakkatyrant, but it's a shame Hydra relies more on flooding the board with Gaunts than it does on shooting things.
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Gorgon}} - Hyper-Adaptive Biology''': After the end of the first phase in which the bearer suffers a wound, the bearer gets +1T for the rest of the battle. Could work well when paired with the Adaptive Biology Warlord Trait if you have a way to live through that one phase, which is the same problem the Trait has.
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Behemoth}} - Scythes of Tyran''': Replaces a pair of Monstrous Scything Talons. It gains +1S and +1A, and To-Hit rolls of 6+ generate another attack but loses its rerolls of 1. This means they're functionally the same as the stock pair of Monstrous Sything Talons (1/6 chance of extra attack instead of 1/6 chance of reroll) with +1 Strength, which really only makes  a difference against T6 and T7. The Scythes are a little more bursty with their damage, with a small chance of dealing 6+ wounds ina single Fight phase. The real selling point of these is that it only eats up one weapon slot, allowing you to have a bit of shooting, or double down on attacks with a pair of boneswords or monstrous rending claws. 
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Leviathan}} - Slayer Sabres''': Replaces monstrous boneswords. Same stats, but if it wounds an {{W40Kkeyword|Infantry}} or {{W40Kkeyword|Biker}} ''model'' that is still alive at the end of the fight phase, roll 1d3. If the roll exceeds the model's remaining wound count, it is instantly slain. It's only really useful against ''exactly'' 4 or 5 wound models of unit types which rarely have that number, but becomes much more useful against armies with widespread access to FnP equivalents (read: anything related to Nurgle), which are more likely to survive being wounded.
**Alternative take: What people don’t realise is that these swords are meant for duelling, hell the Implant Attack stratagem might as well have been made for this relic - the generic HQs of other armies actually do typically have 4/5 wounds, and the average of D3 is 2. 3 Damage means 1 unsaved wound and that captain is down to 2 wounds, Implant Attack for another mortal wound leaving them with 1, so on average they die from the Sabres’ ability. If you’re lucky on the D3 roll or get a toxinsac attack through or both you can oneshot 6/7 wound characters as well. That said this use is somewhat niche but they aren’t quite as bad as they seem at first glance.
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Kraken}} - Chameleonic Mutation''': Opponent takes a -1 to hit rolls when shooting ranged weapons at this model. Always good on your monsters, and it stacks with Venomthropes' Shrouding Spores or Malanthropes; one possible way to help keep your Hive Tyrant (or Tervigon) alive. Also stacks with The Horror. Not useful against Space Marines [[butthurt|(effectively against half of all existing armies...)]], because they presumeably will bring their new Oculus Marine thingies, what ignores any covers and any penalties to hit.
*'''{{W40Kkeyword|Jormungandr}} - Infrasonic Roar''': {{W40Kkeyword|Monster}} only. Enemy units within 6" of this model must subtract 1 from LD. Could be good if you want to use Psychic Scream a lot, otherwise meh; the real shame is the type requirement, effectively restricting it to winged Hive Tyrants or Trygon Primes, due to its very low range.