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Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/High Elves

2020-10-05T16:56:48Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Why Play High Elves */

==Why Play High Elves==
Because you like Elves. And winning. High Elves win a lot. They have a BRUTAL magic phase (which if used properly completely offsets any perceived weakness of the High Elves), solid infantry choices, a variety of savage monstrous mounts, excellent movement and one of the best archer units in the game. Oh and did we mention that they have Always Strikes First, to a man, which combined with their high Initiative means you are essentially always getting rerolls <strike>and according to their FAQ, this is unaffected by Great Weapons.</strike> It is now only normal ASF, which means Great weapons strike at normal Initative, for once thank you Matt Ward. Let's also not forget the fighting in extra ranks. Between the extra ranks of attacks and the re-rolling misses, this army is designed to land lots of hits in close combat.

<s>Don't think they're a cinch to play though, they're not THAT [[Warhammer/Tactics/Daemons of Chaos| overpowered]]</s> (unless you use High magic or Life magic or Teclis or Banner of the World Dragon etc.). Low Toughness, light armor and high cost units means that they have to be played well (except the ridiculous ward saves and ability to heal units making them virtually indestructible). But if you play them properly you will utterly destroy the competition (because they dominate every phase of the game, have great special rules and magic items that are like cheating). An army for people who like gorgeous models and want to play a <s>tactically fulfilling</s> army without being hideously underpowered (aka being hideously overpowered). If winning because your army is just better than all other armies at everything is your thing, then this is the army for you.

==Army Rules==

*'''Martial Prowess:''' One of the cornerstones of why High Elves hit like a ton of bricks. Fighting and shooting in extra ranks is huge. Other armies at one point or another have to decide between more attacks or a decent rank bonus. High Elves can have all models attacking and still have 2-4 ranks!

*'''Valour of Ages''': When fighting their dark cousins, High Elves counter their hatred with re-rolling failed panic, fear and terror tests. It's a nice rule, who hasn't lost that one critical morale test in a game before? I would however say that hatred is superior. Valour of ages unfortunately does not allow re-rolls of failed break tests, so you're anyway going to field a BSB, and he already has panic, fear and terror covered. Still, your vanguard and scouts or anything else not in the BSB-bubble can benefit.

*'''Lileath's Blessing:''' A bonus of +1 to casting results for using High Magic across the board. High Magic is a very versatile and powerful lore, really drawing from the eight rulebook lores. And the spells already have relatively low casting values, so Lileath's Blessing means that you can easily cast 2-3 spells each turn to get that nice Ward Save bonus for your mage and his unit.

==Unit Analysis==
===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
'''Note:''' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

'''- Lords -'''

* '''Tyrion, the Defender of Ulthuan:''' Tyrion is an expensive close combat beast, and that's what you want him to be. Between ASF, WS9, I10, 4 attacks, S7 (4 base +3 from Sunfang, and a magical Flaming Attack at that) and a breath weapon, he can pretty much wreck an entire unit on his own and with his 1+ armor, 4+ ward, and Magic Resistance (2) he will just not die (and even if he does, the engagement necklace from the Everqueen means one wound that would kill him is negated on a 2+, essentially giving him +1 wound, or a one time immunity to killing blow. He loses his magic resistance after use, meaning that last wound is slightly more vulnerable). However, he's kinda stuck in the role of the hammer, and at that level of points you can take someone on a Dragon and he can't do TOO much that a tricked out Prince couldn't do just as well for less (that dragon can't join a unit though, which makes Tyrion worth considering far more than he was in 7th edition). He's fun, but competitive lists tend to prefer generic options or the Everqueen. Something of note is that he can join a unit of Silver Helms or Dragon Princes which really ruins someones day in larger games (remember that now with Silver Helms being core, your anvil can suddenly drop onto the heads of the enemy rather than just hold them in place in an all cavalry list). His super-horse also has +1 M,WS,S,I and A. Be aware, he has taken a VERY SLIGHT nerfing (ie; his immunity to fire is now on a 2+ ward save meaning if he rolls a one he gets roasted. As cavalry he's no longer immune to killing blow so KB units such as Grave Guard can suddenly wreck his day again. He's also 10 points dearer). Weiging in at 410 points, he'll eat up a big chunk of your Lords points, but with the changes due to the End Times, you can now field him and the Everqueen in a 2000 pt game (and hopefully they don't start banging mid-game). One final change to him in this edition: he no longer HAS to be General of the army he's in, but if he is his inspiring presence has a range of 18". If your strategy is wedge Tyrion in your enemy's ass while a mage hides in a bunker and faps to the scene, you might wanna keep him as a minion but if your whole strategy is to run your enemy down with a wall of equine death he should be the one in charge.

* '''Teclis, the Loremaster of Hoeth:''' All those lifeline steroid pills must be getting to him, he got nerfed again. Not nearly as badly as last time, but he's weaker. He is still a powerful mage because he can either know all spells in High Magic, or have one spell (of your choice) from each normal Lore. The Moon Staff is now a one use item that either lets you add an extra die to each cast attempt from him for a turn OR negate a miscast from him (after use Teclis reduces his Strength and Toughness to 1 for the rest of the game, which is pretty funny but bad news). The scroll he carries is still nice, letting him auto-dispel an enemy (non-IF) spell as well as having a D6 roll-off against the mage who cast the spell, with a win resulting in them losing that spell for the rest of the game. Despite his ''awesome'' sword, he is still a cripple of an elf with no save to speak of so at least cram him into something that won't see cc and can protect him at the same time (not easy). The War Crown of Saphery, which used to let him dispel a miscast each turn and thus overpower him more than almost anyone else in the game, now grants him an additional wizard level making him one of the four Level 5 wizard options in the game. All together Teclis has gone from being mandatory in a "best possible" High Elf list to being an expensive character who's return on his points is questionable. Still, he's not terrible and is great for picking spells now that the magic item that used to let you do that is gone from the game. If you are using Storm of Magic rules, Teclis is still the powerhouse he once was and is just as facerollingly unfair as before.

* '''Alarielle the Radiant:''' The Everqueen is back people, and she is a Lord level wizard who can choose how many of her four spells are rolled from High Magic, Life Magic, and Light Magic. Mostly a defensive character, she uses her female status to make her unit protective of her to the point that they are immune to Fear and Terror (which is fair play if you ask me) and all her units' attacks count as magical. Also she heals one friendly character within 12" for 1 wound each round during the movement phase, but needs to target anyone else if available before herself since she's nice and all. Her and her unit get a 5+ ward save against non magical attacks too, which is jolly decent of her. She has only one attack but against the Forces of Destruction it's Heroic Killing Blow on top of her elven ASF. It would be really laughable if... lets say she slays a Greater Demon with this, but highly unlikely. She has Lileath's Blessing like other High Elf casters so she'll add +1 to High Magic spells if you're looking to bump up that Ward Save with Shield of Saphery via High Magic spam. She also has a nifty little passive called Chaos Bane since her very existence makes Daemons take SAN checks (so the Everqueen is more or less the God Emperor of Fantasy in all the ways Sigmar isn't) which means that during the beginning of her Magic Phase, before you roll for winds, every unit with the Daemonic rule within 12" of her takes D6 hits at strength 4 calculated as per shooting. Seems nice, but it comes with the drawback that she casts at a -D3 to any spells since Daemons give her a sad. She's got a one use item called the Stave of Avelorn which lets her cast a spell a second time regardless of whether she bummed it up or not. Finally, taking her gives Nobles, Lothern Sea Helms, and Handmaidens of the Everqueen special options. The Noble or Lothern Sea Helm you would use as your Battle Standard Bearer (which you are always going to have) can take the Banner of Avelorn for 40 points, which gives you +4 on every cast of Life and Light magic that targets the unit the Banner is in (that last part if very important, remember it when deciding where the BSB will march) which is very nice if you're looking to get off two of the best defensive/counter lores without losing many power dice each casting. The Handmaiden can take the Horn of Isha, which is a one use item used at the start of the Movement Phase that gives all the models in the unit that used it a +1 To Hit bonus on shooting or melee (so one turn of those arrows from the amazons get a little bit pointier) for 50 points. With all the rules the Queen is toting, she is High Elves' new Teclis but on defense rather than offense. She's also right alongside Teclis in Storm of Magic overpowering. Keep in mind she's not a /win overpowered goddess. Lists that use the Everqueen should have one giant horde to stick her in with multiple wound characters in it. Even a unit of Spearmen with the Everqueen can be buffed to Phoenix Guard levels on the cheap. Everqueen lists are vulnerable to flank charges however, so keep that in mind if you decide your Special choice should be the Alarielle horde. A Sea Helm in the unit with her will solve that issue pretty quickly however.

* '''Alith Anar, the Shadow King:''' Alith used to be overshadowed by the other Lord level choices available, but this edition has him in his own role and if it's what you need he's perfect. He's got a glorious bow granted to him by a goddess (functions as a Bolt Thrower (so subtract the price of one from his cost to figure out what ELSE you're getting from him) that he can shoot even if he moves, and ignores Armor saves) and has a nice statline. Hatred isn't as useful in 8th, but against Dark Elves it's always nice to put just a little more pain on them; speaking of, if you know you will be fighting Dark Elves he's Khaine's gift (one without drawbacks!) to elfkind due to his ranged attack causing -1LD to Dark Elf units he hits until the end of the phase. Since Bow of the Seafarer was removed in 8th edition you can no longer kit out a Prince to be a better shooty lord, so Alith has taken on that role entirely by himself and as a result a more viable option in competitive lists. Alith causes a -1 To Hit for whatever tries to shoot a unit he's joined, and the unit also has Swiftstride so think about where you're putting him (advancing wave of White Lions that you just CANNOT shoot is nice, as is Shadow Warriors you can't catch). Keep in mind that if you deploy him outside of your deployment zone you may want someone else to be your general, otherwise his inspiring presence is wasted for half the game.

* '''Elatharion the Grim, Warden of Tor Yvresse:''' He's nice, but perhaps too expensive for his own good. Hatred VS Orcs and Goblins isn't very useful unless you will actually be playing against them, and his extra boost in personal combat against Grom the Paunch of the Misty Mountain even less so. He's also a Level 2 caster who can grab any lore from the Rulebook (Beasts and Death work well), but that's a job you generally want to split between combat Lords and Wizards (never mind that, for his cost, you can grab a Prince AND a level 2 Mage, with 35 points left for equipment before Eltharion becomes the cheaper pick). He can also ride his enhanced personal Griffin Stormwing and get a free lance. Stormwing has stats exceeding a Sun Dragon and has ASF plus the 5+ Ward Save Eltharion's helmet grants him (How the fuck does that work? Magic. Elf magic.) but has no Scaly Skin which is a big deal when a Sun Dragon is only 40 points more. He's really a good enough Lord who's mostly overshadowed by how much you're paying for him and how other choices crunch better. On the plus side, his badass sword (+2 strength, no armor saves allowed), badass helmet (+1 armor save and 5+ ward save), and finally the badass medallion (gives Magic Resistance (1)) make him an easier pill to swallow if you're going for a themed list. Consider him on foot instead of simply throwing him on the gryphon if you do want him. '''Alternate View''' Compared to other sources, based on the princes profile he should be worth around 391 points (compared to his 295). Still, your mileage may vary if he's point effective or whether a vanilla prince with a few upgrades would be better. '''Even More Alternate-er View''' To achieve an equivalent level of power on vanilla Lords and Heroes would actually come to almost 450 points (Excluding his griffon), so he's a cheap way to have a wizard and a combat beat stick, especially in a low point game. Plus everyone loves a good sword-swinging wizard (Let's call him pointy-eared Gandalf).

'''- Heroes -'''

* '''Caradryan, Captain of the Phoenix Guard:''' Caradryan is a good fighting hero that got 5 points cheaper in 8th but lost 2 points of his magic resistance. Mark of Asuryan was changed from dealing D6 no armour save wounds to the single model that killed him to instead dealing D3 no armour save wounds to the unit or the same to a single enemy in a challenge (so his aftermath special ability has been halved in exchange for it being able to affect the unit when he cops it outside of a challenge). His magic weapon is FANTASTIC against trolls and other regenerating monsters due to having Flaming Attacks, it also hits on +1 strength and causes Multiple Wounds (D3) against anything. He himself is not too expensive, especially since he discourages tricked out Lords/Heroes from coming after him due to his dying ability. Not the greatest Hero in the world, but really fun and a god-tier bodyguard. Also, has the option to now ride a named Frostheart Pheonix, Ashtari. Costs 10 points more than a generic but with an additional attack and is thus a GREAT option. Combine that with his dying ability and you've essentially got a flying tank that weakens things around it carrying a nuke (one that doesn't hurt your own men), and it's on a dead man's trigger.

* '''Korhil, Captain of the White Lions:''' Korhil's main advantages are as follows: He's cheap (but 10 points costlier in 8th) and he's Stubborn and thus grants this to any unit he joins. Those two reasons are reason enough to take him, especially if you want to dump him in a large Spearmen unit. He lost Woodsman, gained Forest Strider which is the same thing by another name. It lets his unit waltz through deadly Forests like they're a peaceful park. He's reasonably killy on his own merits with S4, with +2 strength from his magic weapon, with Killing Blow, with ASF, with an extra hand weapon. Pelt got a slight nerf, grants +1 close combat and +2 shooting to his armor, and instead of being immune to poison in all forms they have to roll To Wound to hit him. Not someone who will turn the game around, but he certainly helps if your strategy is an elfhorde and you didn't bring along Alarielle. See his bio in the fluff section for themed lists, basically he can show up anywhere High Elves are as long as the Phoenix King approves of whatever your army is doing. NEVER FORGET his axe DOESN'T have ASL unlike white lions, so you still get your re-rolls. Korhil may also be mounted on a Lion Chariot, upping his Armour Save by +1 and making the chariot stubborn and a very deadly force on the charge. Plus, the chariot does not have to take a dangerous terrain test when moving through a forest, which is quite huge for a chariot.

====Generic Characters====
'''Note:''' While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''- Lords -'''

* '''Prince:''' Princes personify everything about the High Elves: Fast as hell, kickass in close combat, can take a variety of special stuff, about as hard as wet tissue. Be sure to give this guy an armor or ward save, or else he will get his ass killed. Aside from that, he's a brutal close combat Lord (WS7, I8, ASF) and properly kitted out there's very little this guy can't kill. Dragon Armor lol's at flaming attacks and breath weapons but is now 20 points (minus the 6 you'd be spending on Heavy Armor, since you ARE taking one or the other); you do get a 6+ ward with it though. As an alternative to Dragon Armor you can take a Lion Cloak alongside the Heavy Armor for just 6 points, giving your Prince a +2 armor save against shooting. If you have the points and you aren't already taking a magic item with a ward save then Dragon Armour is the better option, though a Prince should have a better ward than 6+. Look for the variety of killy options down in the magic weapons.

* '''Archmage:''' A fantastic caster. Access to all 8 Lores, plus High Magic, means he can literally be designed to do whatever you want, though the preferred option in an unclear situation is Lore of Life. Also remember that as long as he's on the board (along with his little brother the Mage) you get +1 to their casts for High Magic through Lileath's Blessing for a total of +5 when channeling it through a Level 4 Archmage. Like with the Prince, he has access to some of the best magic equipment in the game. High Elves are good at magic, and this guy proves it.

* '''Loremaster of Hoeth:''' A new Lord choice and mostly the same as a Swordmaster. But is also a level 2 Mage with ALL 8 normal magic Signature Spells. This gives him great diversity, and he is also not bad in combat (but frail, as he only has a 5+ armour save). Think about it: the Signature Spells are nowhere near bad (ok, most of them are not) and you're getting all of them! Three magic missiles, a direct damage spell, two augments and two hexes. Having all of the lore attributes at your fingertips is useful, like casting Spirit Leech to get more power dice from killing someone. He gets to take as much magic gear as the Archmage and Prince does, meaning you pick how you want to use him and kit him out like one or the other. Also, Deflect Shots for a 6+ ward against non-magical non-template ranged attacks. He's a pretty solid choice, but he costs a metric ton to bring to the table and he's not as good on defense as a level 4 Archmage, so he'll probably only see field in big games. Also, put this guy near a wizards tower whenever you can. It's painfully hilarious. In Storm of Magic, this guy is double hilarity - he gets ALL the spells! It is also worth noting that under the new rules from End Times, the Loremaster of Hoeth knows all the spells from all 8 lores. (Please correct me if I am mistaken, but I am 99% sure that as he is mentioned as THE example, this is the case).

* '''Anointed of Asuryan:''' Yes, you read that right. The head of the Phoenix Guard is somehow a hero while a generic version of him is a Lord, go figure. Anyway, the Anointed is a Lord choice Phoenix Guard member with magic resistance and option to ride a Phoenix (no one else can, other than Caradryan who is his named counterpart). Since he already has a 4+ Ward save a heavy armor and a halberd he needs nearly no equipment at all. If you want, you can turn him into the most tanky (still T3 though) High Elf with the Armour of Silvered Steel and the Dawnstone, giving him a re-rollable 2+ Armour Save, followed by a 4+ Ward Save with MR2, which is pretty insane and still leaves enough points for Potion of Strength, Khaine's Ring of Fury / Ruby Ring of Ruin or the Reaver Bow. When he rides a Flamespyre Phoenix it will return from the dead more often and will even ease the burden on the Phoenix in case of shooting (since he will absorb a few hits). Much, much, MUCH more importantly, he gives everyone in any unit he joins a 6+ Ward Save and Immune to Psychology, which makes him really good in big units of Spearmen, White Lions and the like. On foot, he's a better option than the Prince. In terms of mounts, you take the Anointed if you want one of the Phoenixes (I would say go with the Flamespyre) and the Prince if you want the Dragons.

'''- Heroes -'''

* '''Noble:''' A great fighter for his points, but if you have the points you really should be taking a Prince (who's only 70 points more). The main reason you take a Noble is because he can be a BSB or if you're low on points (either overall or in the Lord choices) in which case, he'll serve. He's best as a BSB and you DEFINITELY want a BSB. In 8th with Lothern Sea Helms also being an option as a Battle Standard Bearer there are now conceivable lists where you might not take a Noble. As a nice little bonus for those who are low on points, the armor types (Heavy, Dragon, and Lion Cloak) are cheaper on a Noble than a Prince.

* '''Mage:''' Unlike the Noble vs. Prince the difference in points between the Mage and Archmage is big that you might want a Mage instead, he can do everything the Archmage can but at level two. If you're in the mood it's always nice to have a backup Mage with a different lore to deal with situations your Archmage can't. Never a bad idea.

* '''Dragon Mage:''' That's right, we even have HEROES riding Dragons. The Dragon is fairly squishy (for a Dragon) and the model as a whole runs on the pricy side, but the Hero Level Dragon and the sheer power of the Mage on top make up for a lot of that. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is actually worthwhile in this edition and the Mage himself can put out an incredible amount of firepower. Note that you should never ever use the actual amount of dice you need; Figure out how much you need and then take one less, it'll give you more mileage. Can be a game breaker at lower points, but tends to get irrelevant once it becomes possible to grab a Prince on Star Dragon. Also, beware as they can only take the Lore of Fire. As Dragon Mages now have access to Dragon Armour, they have access to Magic Armour. Dragon Mage Dragon Armour + Enchanted shield makes for a 2+ Wizard, and if you've got a squishy wave of elven melee doom and a Dragon Mage advancing on a position, your opponent is just picking size or numbers for what dick will end up in his ass.

* '''Handmaiden of the Everqueen:''' The main Valkyrie in a horde of Amazons. You will only play this character with a group of maidens as she gives them (and only them) Quick to Fire. Put the Reaver Bow on her for 3 BS7 S5 quick-to-fire shots. She's kind of expensive for her stats, so she should only be brought if you've got a big unit of Sisters with her name on it. Can take a Horn of Isha if you take the Everqueen, which you should take anytime you aren't taking the Reaver Bow.

* '''Sea Helm:''' A new hero for the High elves who allows his unit to, after passing a leadership test, reform directly after they were charged, as long as they didn't Stand and Shoot or Flee that turn. This means no more easily flanking your units, and taking into account that every High Elf Unit can strike out of 3 rows to the front, this - for measly 100 Points - becomes really important. He can also be a Battle Standard Bearer if you're taking him anyway and don't want to bother with the Noble. Be careful using the Sea Helm as your BSB as he does not have the defensive options that the Noble has. A BSB Noble can get heavy armor and a shield, not to mention dragon armor and the lion cloak, a noble can get 4+/6++ easily without using any magic items. The Sea Helm however has light armor and a shield, that is all. If you're taking a BSB Sea Helm, give him a mundane standard and pump his defenses with his magic item allowance. But seeing as any special ranked unit (aka any unit you want to put him in barr a 50-block of spearmen) has a magic standard allowance of at least 50 points (banner of the world dragon costs 50 points), this isn't much of a problem.

====Mounts====

* ''Elven Steed:'' It's a horse, it goes fast and makes them the tiniest bit less killable. Available for Princes, Archmages, Nobles, and Mages. Since Ithilmar Barding stopped subtracting from movement, you should probably always upgrade to Ithilmar Barding. It adds armor save and DOES NOT make the M9 steed any slower. There's no reason not to pay a few measly points for that.

* ''Great Eagle:'' Useable by Princes, Archmages, and Nobles. Eagles are the halfway point between Horses and Monsters and they're quite cheap at 50 points. You can put a Noble with the Reaver Bow on one of these for a fast, shooty unit that is tougher (a Great Eagle is your only chance of getting a T4 character) and has an extra wound, or an Archmage to get on your opponent's flank and vortex him back to the stone age. For a better Eagle you have to spend 15 points more, which if you're taking one you probably should.

* ''Griffon:'' Useable by Princes and Nobles. Good news they're cheaper than Sun Dragons (150 points vs 235), but with upgrades to make the Griffon viable it comes to a grand total of 195 points. The only difference being the Sun Dragon has one more wound... and a flame attack... and a 3+ AS which makes Dragons durable where Griffons are saveless. Still, Dragons don't have ASF or Devastating Charge, plus Griffons have a +1 Strength on the turn they charge. It's iffy, but offensive lists requiring a nice hard flank to something that isn't a horde have a need for a well geared Prince on a Griffon. Not to mention that neat Island of Blood mini has just been gathering dust on your shelf...

* ''Tiranoc Chariot:'' Option for Princes, Archmages, Nobles, or Mages. Not a good option really, there's potential in that it crunches better than an Eagle for a Reaver Bow war machine hunter, but still iffy. With a unit of 3 though you can replace any Reavers, Shadow Warriors, and Eagle-riding Lords or Heroes. Still, there's complex strategies that can make great use of them, like 2v2 and scenario games.

* ''Sun Dragon:'' Option for Princes and Archmages. The mini-Dragon. Still a Dragon, still kick-ass. Good for if you're short on points, since the 70 point upgrade from Sun to a Moon Dragon matters.

* ''Moon Dragon:'' The medium Dragon, same power level as most Dragons in the game. A good all around choice.

* ''Star Dragon:'' The highest tier of Dragon and probably the most brutal Monstrous Mount in the game. With WS7, S7, T7 7 wounds, 6 attacks, a Strength 4 breath weapon and a 3+ armour save, this guy, with a properly tricked out rider, can probably rip the head off of anything stupid enough to get in its way without tipping the odds. It can tear apart almost anything. Giants, K'daii Destroyers, and other dragons will all be killed if faced by a Star Dragon. Beware the I2 though and be aware that everyone and their dog will be gunning for it. Don't let it get bogged down in a head on collision with a large unit; yes it probably can't do any real damage to the Star Dragon, but it'll be stuck there all game and probably get flanked. Have him charge down small units, flank big units in conjunction with a frontal assault, hunt down enemy monsters. Unless it gets hit by a cannonball, something is going to die when a Star Dragon gets involved. WORD OF WARNING: Some combat Lords from melee-heavy armies (Warriors of Chaos, Ogres, Daemons, Bretonnia etc) have weapons and gifts and things that are designed to bring down dragons, and a Bretonnian Lord with a Sword of Swiftstride and Heroic Killing Blow can cut the head off a Star Dragon before it can lift a claw.

* ''Skycutter of Lothern:'' Your mount option for the Sea Helm and the Sea Helm alone, but don't take it, because his main power is buffing your troops and he's good at it. Not a terrible choice though if you really want to buzz enemies without worrying too much about terrain checks or being shot at. Putting him on one gives it a 4+ Ward Save against shooting, and allows you to reroll dangerous terrain tests. Taking a second Sea Helm and putting him on one replaces two crew members, meaning you're only getting the shooting attack of one crewman, and the Sea Helm if you spend the 4 points to give him a bow, or outfit him with a Reaver Bow (the only way to really make this a remotely viable option). If you want a Skycutter, take it as a <s>Rare choice</s> (hilariously they're a special choice now, go elves!), not a mount.

* ''Flamespyre Phoenix:'' So finally the High Elves get their coverbeast to play. It's flaming hot, doesn't fear fire and comes with average stats for a Monster. It only has a 5+ ward save, but this is more than a Giant or a Dragon has against cannons. It gets stronger with better winds of magic (albeit on a chance of 1/9 it get's weaker) and can make flying attacks like the chaosmantas, even more so with all of its attacks being magical. Since it's a Phoenix it can be reborn by rolling a dice at the end of the turn it was killed, on a 6 it come back with D3+2 wounds, on 3 to 5 it blows up and you can try again at the end of the next turn (can be your opponents turn), with a roll of 1 or 2 the Pheonix is dead. When it's ridden by an Anointed, (the only mount he can ride, and the only one that can ride it) the roll has a +1 modifier which is beautiful. It lacks the power to really take out a big unit on its own but can take out war machines and kill off survivors. With an Anointed it gets powerful enough to flank units and at least have a chance, so this is how you want to take it.

* ''Frostheart Phoenix:'' Frostheart Phoenixes are great to have, but putting an Anointed on one doesn't really do anything for it besides get him into combat and waste his unit buffing so if you're taking one, take one as a Rare option.

===Core Units===

* '''Archers:''' A good unit overall. Longbows and high BS give them a good range and a solid ability to damage small lightly armored units (don't count on them to do too much to heavy armor). They work really well in 2 or so groups of 10, especially when combined with Repeater Bolt Throwers (you should generally concentrate fire). High WS, I, and LD along with Always Strikes First allows them to resist attempts by small units of light cavalry (it'll take more than a unit of Mounted Yeomen to deal with these) but you shouldn't be counting on them to do combat duties. Players are split on whether to take Light Armor: On a 10 man unit, taking Light Armor could deny you an 11th model, but if you want to keep your model count low, Light Armor does make them marginally more survivable. Don't bother with Command beyond Musician. Just a side note, Archers having Longbows is superior in range to Lothern Sea Guard having simple Bows, and this can make a world of difference when trying to outrange certain weapons such as Dark Elf Repeater Crossbows

* '''Spearmen:''' Spearmen got a definite boost in 8th, with the new rules for Always Strikes First and the rank rules (allowing them to strike in 4 Ranks, 3 on the charge). A common formation for them is 5 ranks of 6 for a total of 30 models, giving you a total of 24 attacks (25 with Champion) and 7 wounds required before they start losing attacks for a total of 295 points with Command. Although if you're feeling saucy, you could take a 565 points, 60 man Horde which gets a total of 50 attacks on the front. Ultimately, there's always room for these fantastic infantry units in your army. The anvil of most "hammer and anvil" strikes for High Elf armies. With 8th, First Among Equals was dropped so now only Spearmen can take a 25 point max magic standard.

* '''Lothern Sea Guard:''' Lothern Sea Guard used to get a bad reputation, which is no longer deserved. They cost the same as an Archer upgraded to have Light Armor so 11 points per mini, but get free Spears to go with it, and can take a shield for an extra point. The only reason that isn't the best thing ever is because they have regular Bows instead of Longbows, and thus have diminished range. As such they are often derided as overpriced, but they're a solid defensive unit that can pump out a shooting round on par with the archers and do as well as the Spearmen in melee. With 8th edition, they can no longer take a magic banner as that is now reserved for Spearmen alone. The addition of the Sea Helm to the game has taken away their main weakness however. Before, you had to play it smart to get as many shots as you could in, then reform to take a charge. With the Sea Helm, one easy Leadership check and you're ready to stab the heck out of the enemy (in 4 ranks!) the very moment they begin their charge so as a result a list where your entire Core is one GIANT horde of Lothern Sea Guard escorted by a Sea Helm is the basis for any defensive list. Just remember that the Sea Helm's reforming rule only works if you elect to hold, losing you a stand and shoot. In any case, the high price of each Lothern Sea Guardsman makes every single loss taken slightly more costly than if an equivalent Spearmen had bought the farm (3 point difference, so every third LSG you take is one less Spearman). Take and use with discretion.

* '''Silver Helms:''' LET THE JOYOUS NEWS BE SPREAD! THEY ARE BACK AS CORE! In the previous edition, they were not worth taking due to them soaking up Special options. Now however, you can have a highly mobile force. Here's what you need to know; their stats are the same as Spearmen, but the have a Movement score of 9 compared to the 5 of Spearmen. Silver Helms have Heavy Armor compared to the Spearmen's Light Armor. Finally, Spearmen are only 9 points and come with a Shield, whereas Silver Helms are a whopping 21 points and spend an extra two for that Shield, bringing them to 23 points total each. Is that worth it? When you want a chaff unit that can take a hit or two, sure. In a pure offensive, speed based list - HELL yes! A Noble (on horseback obviously) bearing the Banner of the World Dragon, with your Archmage (also on horseback, duh) spamming any spell he can think of into the enemy, both these fine elves in a very large unit of Silver Helms that is acting as a fast moving steamroller. Flank the enemy with some Reavers, or skip the foreplay and go right to the reaming with Dragon Princes on a charge. Throw Tyrion into the mix for an army worthy of the High Elf race. Do note however, that a list that isn't purely offensive probably shouldn't have Silver Helms in it. An Avelorn themed list where the Sisters of Avelorn mop up the enemy isn't half bad (could be much better) but for the most part keep them as your core in cavalry lists only. Oh, and Bretonnian players won't stop bitching about Silver Helms until they get an update, so we should be cool with the mon'keigh right around the time of the Horus Heresy (sorry, that was mean. Funny, but mean).

* '''Ellyrian Reavers:''' Also back as Core for 16 points a pop. The primary role for Ellyrian Reavers in a High Elf army is as chaff to end an opponent's march, then harass casters and warmachines. The fact they (in a unit of 5 with no upgrades) can do that more durably than a Great Eagle makes them really worth it when you aren't using a horde of Core, and you need your Rare slots for Sisters of Avelorn or Bolt Throwers. Not really worth it in most lists outside that role, their strength is the Wood Elf tactic of shooting and running. They can flank too, so if your list uses a massive horde of one Special option as a wall of doom with a Sea Helm shouting orders to them then some Reavers on the sides aren't half bad. Still, the vanilla Reaver only carries Light Armor and a Spear, with all stats but their Movement (9) equal to Spearmen. They're paying a full 7 points more for that horse, and they don't get a shield for it. If they drop the spears and take bows instead, you spend one extra point per mini (so they lose out on the charge). For a full 3 points, they can still shoot and take spears (so figure out what you want to use them for, then stick with it). Their champion, the Harbinger, has a higher BS so if you aren't taking bows there's literally no reason to spend the extra points on him. They do have a nice purpose, they're really fast moving, have those bows and/or spears, and a few units of 5 will make an artillery happy enemy have to pick between using those cannons to defend themselves, or hit your main force. Perhaps the best use of Reavers however is against enemies with NO ranged options. Nothing sadder than a game where your opponent realizes there's not a damn thing he can do to win because he can't reach your Reavers.

===Special Units===

* '''While your Core units are used to create the core (ha) of your army, this is where you get the guys who do most of the damage. Don't be afraid to shamelessly spend absurd amounts of points (in fact, the full limit you can usually) in your special choices. If you need something dead, and you're not in a big enough game to bring a Star Dragon, this is where you look.

* '''Swordmasters of Hoeth:''' In any (literally any) other army, they'd be a Blue Chip unit, something to never leave home without. After all, 2 WS6 S5 attacks in 3 ranks at 13 points a pop, a magic standard up to 50 points, and with ASF canceling out ASL from great weapons for normal I5 attacks? What's not to like? Well you see, in the High Elves book, there are three primary Special options and Swordmasters are slightly the lowest when you crunch survivability and damage. At T3 and only 5+ armour and one Wound, they are as hard to wound as tissue paper and everyone knows it. But, if we're being entirely fair to the unit and taking them on their own terms, they're not all bad and with some strategy (or magic (AND magic is best of course)) you can make them into trap versions of Brock Fucking Samson. If you're careful with them, small units of them can make devastating flanking units, with most players taking them as bare 15 man units or 21 man 7-across units. They can cause some ridiculous damage under a lot of circumstances, but just be careful with them, one good Magic Missile or enemy shooting phase can mean you spent all those points on nothing (but now in 8th, they can deflect arrows like Jedi via get a 6+ save to non-magical non-template shooting attacks). There is also one way to make them really REALLY good. Run a 30+ man horde. Stick a Lore of Life level 4 Archmage or Alarielle in. Enjoy your opponent's tears while your T7, regenerating, regrowthing unit pumps out 40 S5 attacks to the front. Keeping up a 3+ ward save on the Swordmasters through High magic spam isn't half bad either (a Battle Report where this is maintained the entire game and going up against a horde army is a form of pornography to a High Elf player). All it will have cost you is a few power dice to make that happen.

* '''Phoenix Guard:''' Phoenix Guard are not only the best unit in the High Elf army, they are probably in the top 3 best units of the game, period. 15 points for WS5, S3 (S4 because of halberds), I6, LD9, Fear causing, Heavy Armored, ASF, and an extra rank of attacks. Wait that doesn't sound good? Oh they also have a 4+ Ward Save, standard. Yeah, there you go. These guys can get hit in the face by a cannon ball and just shrug it off, and they've got enough killing power to actually give back. Be sure to give them a solid bit of static CR, because LD9 does not make them immune to failing their break test (BSB works well and will be difficult to kill inside that unit). Either put them in horde formation, or make them very deep to take away steadfast. There is no High Elf army that doesn't have room for these lads (other than the full cavalry list).

* '''White Lions of Chrace:''' White Lions are the middle child, the jack of all trades, the bard if you will of the three Special choice High Elf infantry. Better than Swordmasters due to durability and costing the same amount of points, and deal more damage than Phoenix Guard and two points cheaper. They are inferior to the respective masters in terms of raw damage, or survivability. Still, they do pump out S6 I5 attacks with the usual extra rank, they are more resistant to shooting than Swordmasters (with a +2 to their Armor against non-magical shooting), they treat forests as if they're an open meadow, and best of all they're Stubborn to the last man, which means even a rank of 5 can hold out against LOTS of static CR. They end up truly being the jack of all trades of the three, operating just as well as a defensive ranked unit as an offensive charging unit. Also with S6 from Great Weapons (swinging at I5 due to ASF negating ASL), 3 ranks of them is enough to make most monsters cry (send them up against that Giant your opponent is so proud of and watch him cry as they hack out his kneecaps while singing a jolly tune about how they're hacking away his kneecaps). Take them in big units with the Banner of Eternal Flame and you're ready for anything. They're very good as far as heavy infantry goes, and well worth your time. If your strategy revolves around Swordmasters or Phoenix Guard, White Lions are worth considering as a secondary choice to flank.

* '''Dragon Princes of Caledor:''' Dragon Princes hit harder than any unit has a right to with two attacks and while heavy cavalry has generally fallen out of favor these guys remain popular due to the ubiquity of flaming attacks and breath weapons (although they are no longer immune, they merely get a 2+ ward save against it). Therefore, if your Daemons of Chaos opponent likes Tzeentch and its flaming attacks (Warpflame, Anon, not Flaming anymore), take these guys and see him cry. If you're playing a defensive list, they're probably not worth your time, but offensive lists can generally find a place for them. On the charge there's not much that can hit harder, and while they're no Blood Knights they can certainly keep going in melee. Still, stick with prodding the enemy flank as your goal with them. Uniquely, the Drakemaster (unit champion) can take a magic armour in addition to the usual magic weapon. It may be worth it to turn him into a mini Noble by giving him, for example, the Star Lance and the Enchanted Shield; he has three attacks after all, like a naked Noble. In fact, he's a prince himself...

* '''Shadow Warriors:''' Previously, Shadow Warriors were the Elven equivalent of Beastmen. As of new Army book however they are better shots than archers while only being 3 points more, and get Scouting and Skirmish so they have become useful at War Machine hunting and taking out annoyances like Spirit Hosts. Put a Noble with Shadow Armour and The Reaver Bow in the unit to give them that little extra fire power cheaply (or just give the Reaver Bow to a Shadow-walker [the unit champion] to do it even more cheaply). Throw Alith Anar in with them and you've got Elven Vietcong. Generally speaking, Shadow Warriors still don't have much of a place in your army. Reavers are better at putting the hurt on enemies and getting away, and Special is not the category you really want to put ranged options into. Still, a HUGE horde of Spearmen taking up your Core and Phoenix's eating up your Rare slots leave Shadow Warriors as your Special of choice to still get a ranged attack.

* '''Tiranoc Chariot:''' These aren't bad on their own terms but when compared to the other major option for Chariots, which is better in nearly every applicable way other than not having a ranged attack, Tiranoc Chariots get a thumbs down. Still, Tiranoc Chariots aren't bad and if you're in the mood for a cheap chariot (70 points), this is for you. They are very adaptable with longbows, spears, and very good movement. It should be noted that High Elf Chariots are among the most reasonably priced (money wise) units that GW has, and if you get a Chariot but use it as a White Lion one you get extra horses to put Lords or Heroes on. Apparently nobody has noticed that you can take these in units of three. Well, you can take these in units of three, so they're not that bad compared to the other chariots in the army. Note that a character on a chariot still can't join a unit of Tiranoc chariots. Tomb Kings can only do it because they have a special rule for that.

* '''White Lion Chariot:''' This is what Tiranoc Chariots suffer when compared to. With 2 S4 crew that hit at S6, 4 S5 Lion attacks and an extra armor save, White Lion Chariots are pretty brutal when they hit right. As with all Chariots, if you're playing defensively they won't help much, but they really work fantastically on the charge. Each one costs 120 points, down 20 points from 7th edition.

*'''Lothern Skycutter:''' It's a flying Tiranoc chariot with an extra crewman but each one has a bow compared to the longbow of the Tiranoc. The Roc (not an Eagle, a Roc) hits harder and has an extra attack, and all this comes at only 25 more points than the Chariot. But that's not why you take a Lothern Skycutter. Three words: Flying Bolt Throwers! It's a 25 point upgrade to have one of the crew man it, and it's what you're looking for in this choice. Unlike the regular Bolt Thrower however, this one is a bit different. For one, there's only one type of fire, a single bolt which has half the range of an ordinary Bolt Thrower with 1 Strength less, same D3 wounds and ignoring armor saves, BUT can be fired whether it moves or not. It's beautiful, isn't it? While your Eagles and/or Shadow Warriors have things stuck on the enemy's side of the map, just park out of range of a charge and make them bleed. Unfortunately with moving and only a range of 24 (and therefore at long range when over 12 inches) odds are you're gonna need a 5+ to hit, so you might not get as much mileage out of that Bolt Thrower as you want. Consider carefully. Note that if you're gonna take a single Tiranoc Chariot, you might consider an Bolt Thrower-less Skycutter, if you can find 25 points. For those points you get 1 more crewman (and thus 1 more spear attack/bow shot) 1 higher armor, plus 2WS and 1S on your mount. Probably worth those points.

===Rare Units===

* '''Repeater Bolt Thrower:''' None of the Rare Choices are precisely blue chip units, but Repeater Bolt Throwers are an alternative answer for high toughness and 2+ armour saves if you haven't brought along White Lions. It does have good range, and it is your only war machine, and now that each one is 30 points cheaper it's a lot less painful setting up a defensive position on your side of the map. It does however depend upon lots of protection to be effective as it is a primary target for magic and shooting, and only has two wounds. T7(!) can offset a lot of that though, and combined with Archers they can cause a lot of damage, or with Lothern Seaguard to pump out some hits and be ready for when the enemy reaches you. They're more resistant to shooting than Eagles and can probably cause more damage long-term. Not a great unit, but if you're in the mood, they don't generally hurt. Concentrate fire to bring down big things like monsters and characters, volley fire to eliminate enemy chaff and infantry blocks.

* '''Great Eagle:''' Used to be the only chaff the High Elf army had, but now you've got Reavers and Silver Helms as options in this respect as well. At a mere 50 points (65 after upgrades), it's easy to field a couple eagles in any game higher than 1500. These guys are still the champions of war machine hunting, redirecting, and mage hunting, but they die easier than Silver Helms and it's hard to argue with the Reavers having a ranged attack on top of that role so the primary use of the Great Eagle is now to do the same role but save points (a group of 5 Reavers without bows would cost 80 points and with bows would cost 95 points, a group of 5 Silver Helms with Shields would cost 115, and all 3 choices fulfill the same role to different capacities). With T4 and W3, they're kinda survivable, but don't expect them to survive through the end of the game. They are the ultimate sacrificial units in the chaff slot, and can usually slow down other units and kill at least their points worth, with their two S4 attacks coupled with ASF and Armor Piercing. A unit of Shadow Warriors can fulfill it's role to an extent as well, but Eagle are still preferred.

* '''Sisters of Avelorn:''' The amazons are closing in. This is the strongest shooting unit in game, the Phoenix Guard of PEWPEW. They have flaming arrows that hit at S4 and cause a -1 armor save when you fire on the Destruction-aligned armies, and all that with BS 5. Volley Fire is an option as well. For 14 Points this is a deal and they can shoot out of 3 rows and reduce everything in 24 inches to a burning pile of whatever. When coupled with a Handmaiden giving them fast shooting they are even better, because running without penalty to shoot is always a boon. If you've taken the Horn of Isha, you get one turn of every ranged attack having +1 To Hit to make those arrows even stronger. (Also, they're sexy.) Still they are only as tough as normal archers so don't except them to take much punishment. Protect them with Spearmen, Phoenix Guard, White Lions, or keep them out of harm's way and fire ahead of the Silver Helms.

* '''Flamespyre Phoenix:''' If you're taking the Flamespyre Phoenix, you should really scroll up and read the section for it as a mount for an Anointed of Asuryan. That's really how you want to play it, otherwise the Frostheart is what you are looking for.
** '''Alternate Opinion:''' Taking an Anointed on a Flamespyre Phoenix is actually a massive waste of the Anointed. You are paying an extra 210 points for a rider who is completely useless when the Phoenix is doing flyby burning, which is how you should usually be using it. An Anointed isn't gonna help the Phoenix fight anything except stuff the Phoenix is already qualified to fight, so you're basically paying those 210 points (plus any magic items you want to give him) to get +1 to his resurrection rolls. Never mind that A: when the Phoenix bites it so does the Anointed, B: you're wasting the Anointed ability to grand a 6++ and ItP to a unit and C: it means that the 225 points for the Phoenix come from Lord choices instead of Rare, which is bad because you need your Lord points. Just take the Flamespyre alone and concentrate on flyby and charging smaller units.

* '''Frostheart Phoenix:''' When you get old, you get cold more often it seems, this is especially true if you were a fricking blazing Phoenix, since you become a freezing Phoenix. It is tougher and stronger than its younger version but can't drop napalm and loses its "I'll be back" ability. So it costs a fraction more and if you want to have your monster stay alive instead of maybe coming back to life this is your choice. Has 5+ natural armor, which is decent. Causes Terror, which is great. Its chilling aura is insane. It bestows ASL, but more importantly it also gives -1S to all UNITS in base contact. For all intents and purposes (almost) it has T7 in combat and if it assists another elven unit that unit will experience the joy of Pseudo T4... an insanely good monster. Although it can pull chaff duty, that's really not where you want it unless you're just looking for more time to fill the enemy with arrows and bolts. Frosthearts should be with your main force, hitting whatever needs to be weakened the most after it's already in a fight with your anvil force.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The key to getting a nice cheap army is the Island of Blood. For one hundred dollars, (OR 55€) you get a decent number of elves, and some Skaven as well that can either be painted and glued to the base underneath your elves's feet or simply re-auctioned to a Skaven player. Did I mention the rulebook, templates, and artillery dice? Buy two of these treasure troves, then sell the Skaven packaged with the rulebook. With that alone, you can probably recover the costs of the boxes. After that, you get 20 Lothern Sea Guard, 20 Swordmasters, 10 Reavers, 2 Mages, and 2 Princes on Griffons (but those can also be run as Princes or Nobles on Eagles or even as just a regular Great Eagle if that's how you're going to go about it). That's the perfect start to any high elf army. After that, start browsing ebay. Search Warhammer High Elves by ending soonest, crunch the numbers so you know Games Workshop's price per model, then factor in shipping. Figure out what you can proxy (High Elf Island of Blood Mage+Spearman/Lothern Seaguard Arm holding the spear with a computer printout of a flag glued to it=Noble bearing a Battle Standard for example). Remember if there's something decent you need with a shipping price you're not thrilled over ($3 for a Korhil mini, but with $4 shipping making it not too great a deal) to check in the seller's other auctions, so you can net a combined shipping discount (that $4 shipping feels much better when you're getting a dragon for $20 and some Eldar you can greenstuff to look medieval for $2 along with said Korhil). With patience, you can assemble a High Elf army at a fraction of the price buying new would have cost, and you can even get some of the nifty old metal minis to be proud of!

===Army Composition===

A High Elf army must either be defensive or offensive, having a mix between the two means that your opponent is only ever facing half of your army at any one time. The good news is, however, that once the focus of your army has been chosen there is still a lot to choose from and a lot to tinker with. Whichever approach you take you need to think about what you are going to do if the enemy has the same plan, or at least refuses to do what you want. While your awesome defensive army with lethal flank charges and such might be awesome when your opponent foolishly charges his whole army towards your block of spearmen, if you're playing against a dwarf gunline who's plan is to just never move then you're going to have problems. All lists need to have a plan for handling war machines (which are to be expected from every opponent) and some number of units to help you control the enemy movement. A few great eagles and a unit of reavers can find a place in almost any army for exactly this reason. Yes, your army needs to be focused but it also needs to be realistic. You need to be able to get some units out on the flanks to clog up charge lanes or divert shooting while your combat dudes jog across the board. If you don't do this then even the best defensive list will get outmaneuvered and the best offensive list will get pulled out of position by enemy chaff. You don't want to spend a lot of points on these units, but they need to be there unless you have an extremely good reason not to have them.

==Magic Items==
===Vaul's Forge===

'''Magic Weapons:'''

* ''The Blade of Leaping Gold:'' Mostly useless, 70 points is not worth it for +3 attacks when what are need are stronger ones. The any-roll-of-a-six-to-wound-ignores-armour-saves thing fails to offset its points cost.

* ''Star Lance:'' 30 points, better than a lance. Excellent for a kick-ass charge, good on a dragon or a griffon as all you will be doing is charging. Getting the Giant Blade from the rulebook will give you that strength in following rounds of combat however.

* ''The Reaver Bow:'' Great with Shadow Warriors or Sisters of Avelorn champions, 25 points for 3 shots at the wielders strength +1 which means they will be strength 5 from a Noble or Prince.

'''Magic Armour:'''

* ''Armour of Caledor:'' 50 points for Dragon Armour that bestows a 2+ armour save. Good unless you are mounted or planning on getting a ward save better than 6+.

* ''Shadow Armour:'' Only works on foot, this gives a 5+ armour and gives you Scouts and Strider for 25 points. Strider is nice in itself, but unless you're going with Shadow Warriors he'll be on his own if you use Scouts.

* ''Shield of the Merwyrm:'' 15 points for a shield (+1 armour save as usual) which grants 4+ parry save, even with a magic weapon. A cheap 4+ very conditional Ward save in close combat, but with the usual restrictions: Not if your weapon requires two hands, not if you're mounted, not to the flank or rear, not against impact hits or (thunder)stomp and you will still be vulnerable to spells. Still a very good choice, especially for a hero (e.g. BSB) in a unit.

'''Talismans:'''

* ''Golden Crown of Atrazar:'' A 2+ Ward against the first wound suffered. Nice way to spend ten points as it essentially buys you another wound if you lack a save.

'''Enchanted Items:'''

* ''Moranion's Wayshard:'' 50 points for Ambushers that is also applied to a unit of up to 30 Spearmen or Archers that the model is in. A unit that can hold its own behind enemy lines? Yes please.

* ''Khaine's Ring of Fury:'' Soul Quench as a bound spell with 3 to cast for 25 points. The best thing about this is the Ward save you get at the end, but a cheap magic missile is good too.

* ''Gem of Sunfire:'' Used at the start of a turn, this one-use item gives the bearer +1 to all wound rolls for magic, shooting and close combat IF they are also flaming attacks. It can be worth the 20 points if you are under the Banner of Eternal Flame, or are using the Lore of Fire or Lore of Metal.

* ''Cloak of Beards:'' 10 points to cause Fear is brilliant. Against Dwarfs it causes Terror instead and blows up their magic items, but gives them Hatred against you. Of course with the new Army Book and Ancestral Grudge, there's a 1/3 chance his army will Hate your entire army and another 1/3 chance that his army will hate your characters, so most of the time it'll have no downside.

'''Arcane Items:'''

* ''Book of Hoeth:'' 55 points to re-roll one dice for casting and dispel attempts that are not 6s. Gives you a surprisingly good magic edge, might seem pricey but why should your Prince get his toys and your Archmage be left with nothing?

'''Magic Banners:'''

* ''Banner of the World Dragon:'' 50 points for a 2+ Ward save against magic, magic weapons and magic attacks for the unit, which includes miscast effects. Ward then had the balls to make this banner give stubborn to dragons within 12 inches. See [[Talk:Warhammer/Tactics/8th_Edition/High_Elves#The_Banner_of_the_World_Dragon|discussion page]] page for opinions on this item being game-breakingly overpowered.

===Rulebook Items===

'''Magic Weapons:'''
* ''Giant Blade:'' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a High Elf damage dealer. Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

* ''Sword of Bloodshed:'' Just like Blade of Leaping Gold, it's just doubling up on a strength. 60 points is too much for that.

* ''Obsidian Blade:'' 50 points to ignore armor, great for tailoring your list but as a list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

* ''Ogre Blade:'' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Giant Blade or if you need those 20 points for something else.

* ''Sword of Strife:'' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

* ''Fencer's Blades:'' WS 10 for 35 points, but you can't use a shield with it. The Prince has a WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. Noble and Sea Helm have WS6, better but still not good. Handmaiden shouldn't be in close combat, but in theory if she gets there her WS5 can benefit from this (Reaver Bow should be on her instead of course). Some people have suggested sticking these on a Mage or Archmage since they can't use shields anyway and this can get them out of trouble, but that's debatable. It might be worth it on a Dragon Mage, since they usually end up in combat.

* ''Sword of Anti-Heroes:'' There should be a Mary Sue joke here, but let's go straight into the stats. +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

* ''Spellthieving Sword:'' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. That being said, if you can manage to get into it with a named character (especially the likes of Morathi or Malekith) you could put some pain on them. Problem generally is that most casters who can't kill in one turn (such as Vampires, Chaos Warriors or Ogre Kingdom casters) you are going to want more strength or attacks or more survivability against. Even if this does work there's no guarantee you get a spell that matters.

* ''Sword of Swift Slaying:'' Grants Always Strikes First. Yeah. Because that's what High Elves are lacking alright.

* ''Sword of Battle:'' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

* ''Berserker Sword:'' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Extra attack and Immune to Psychology. Neither of which are things High Elves need. Keep scrolling.

* ''Sword of Might:'' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice. Personally, I'd just pay a few points for a Halberd instead. Unless you REALLY need the magical attacks.

* ''Gold Sigil Sword:'' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Keep scrolling.

* ''Sword of Striking:'' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, but Strength is still better.

* ''Biting Blade:'' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

* ''Relic Sword:'' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

* ''Shrieking Blade:'' Bearer causes Fear. It's not bad, useless for anyone in a Phoenix Guard bunker, but it's nice as an anti-horde measure.

* ''Tormentor Sword:'' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

* ''Warrior Bane:'' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

'''Magic Armour:'''

* ''Armour of Destiny:'' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. It's like it came straight from our list. It's okay, not mandatory, but not a bad selection.

* ''Trickster's Helm:'' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Stick it on someone designed to just not fucking die, make him stand in front of Alarielle so she can heal a wound every turn, and you've proxied Tyrion on foot.

* ''Armour of Silvered Steel:'' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. If you already took Armor of Caledor, worth looking at, but why are you taking 2 damage-taking characters?

* ''Armour of Fortune:'' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny.

* ''Helm of Discord:'' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Turns your character into a challenge god. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

* ''Glittering Scales:'' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

* ''Shield of Ptolos:'' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Lion Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

* ''Spellshield:'' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

* ''Gambler's Armor:'' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Stick with Dragon Armour. Costs the same on a Prince and half the price on a Noble and has an improved save against breath weapons and fire. The only time this is a better option than Dragon Armour is if you want to combine with a lion cloak.

* ''Dragonhelm:'' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. If you took the Lion Cloak but still want the fire resist, here you go.

* ''Enchanted Shield:'' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

* ''Charmed Shield:'' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

'''Talismans:'''

* ''Talisman of Preservation:'' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to it's 45 point cost.

* ''Obsidian Lodestone:'' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Banner of the World Dragon just isn't enough. (If you take Banner of Avelorn instead, this is far more worth considering.)

* ''Talisman of Endurance:'' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

* ''Obsidian Amulet:'' Magic Resistance (2). Eh, not bad. Not great either.

* ''Dawnstone:'' Reroll failed Armor Saves. That 1+ to hit on your Prince? Yep. Now they're going to have to get snakeeyes to hurt him. Oh fuck this is so worth the points it hurts.

* ''Opal Amulet:'' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

* ''Obsidian Trinket:'' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

* ''Talisman of Protection:'' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

* ''Seed of Rebirth:'' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

* ''Dragonbane Gem:'' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice if you took Lion Cloak.

* ''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:'' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailor lists only really.

* ''Luckstone:'' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

'''Magic Standards:'''

* ''Rampager's Standard:'' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry.

* ''Wailing Banner:'' Unit causes Terror. Emulate Phoenix Guard on your non-Phoenix Guard. Pretty good.

* ''Ranger's Standard:'' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

* ''Razor Standard:'' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Swordmasters in close combat under this are beyond description.

* ''War Banner:'' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, but if that's the plan here's a way to bump up your victory chances.

* ''Banner of Swiftness:'' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling for Walk Between Worlds from the lore of High Magic, getting a 1+ Ward Save while you're at it and putting a better flag over your unit.

* ''Lichborne Pennant:'' Magic Resistance (1). Not bad for a mage bunker.

* ''Standard of Discipline:'' +1 Leadership, but disregard the general's inspiring presence. Do you really need Leadership 10 on anything? If Alith Anar is your general and he bites it this can help, but really it's not worth it.

* ''Banner of Eternal Flame:'' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want (except Sisters of Avelorn, since they already have it's effects).

* ''Gleaming Pennant:'' One use, reroll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

* ''Scarecrow Banner:'' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only, but that moment that a giant dragon <s>runs shrieking from a scarecrow on top of a flag being woven around by a spearman you know you've experienced the joys of Warhammer Fantasy.</S> (Most Dragons cause Terror, all cause Fear at the very least, leaving your Fear-causing unit to instead take a Fear test.) Useful against anything smart enough to Fly but not insane enough to cause Fear (Mostly just eagles then?)

'''Arcane Items:'''

* ''Book of Ashur:'' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. As it is it's a mon'keigh's bad transcribing of the Book of Hoeth.

* ''Feedback Scroll:'' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

* ''Scroll of Leeching:'' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like other High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

* ''Sivejir's Hex Scroll :'' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat.

* ''Power Scroll:'' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

* ''Wand of Jet:'' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

* ''Forbidden Rod:'' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. But... Banner of the World Dragon protects. (Anyone with the Arcane Items page in front of them probably won't let that slide. I know I wouldn't.)

* ''Trickster's Shard:'' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once (turn 1 Walk Between Worlds on everything makes this viable). At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

* ''Earthing Rod:'' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Obviously you don't want this if you're running Banner of the World Dragon. Otherwise it's not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Archmage.

* ''Dispel Scroll:'' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. All armies consider this to be a staple, but it's a bit less important for us since there's other options.

* ''Power Stone:'' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Great for if you got a shit winds roll a turn you really need to crank out a spell.

* ''Sceptre of Stability:'' Misspelled name, one us item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

* ''Channeling Staff:'' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

* ''Scroll of Shielding:'' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like an Archmage or a Prince on a Dragon.

* ''Staff of Sorcery (FAQ'ed)'': Bearer adds +1 to every dispel attempt for 35pts. Only worth taking on a level 2 or level 4 mage, costs the same as a wizard level but "only" adds +1 to your dispel attempts. Still, dispelling with +5 can really shut down a magic phase. Likewise, if you're mainly after countermagic, level 2 mage plus Staff of Sorcery saves you 30pts from a level 3 mage (and leaves your Lords allowance for a Prince on Dragon).

'''Enchanted Items:'''

* ''Wizarding Hat:'' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. But if you really want a wizard on a Star Dragon for some strange ass reason...

* ''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:'' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. This MAKES a defensive list with Sisters of Avelorn holding it. For any other troop type it's not great. But in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

* ''Arabyan Carpet:'' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on an Eagle or Gryphon.

* ''Crown of Command :'' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. You should probably nut up and bring Korhil instead, but if you already are and want a second unit to be Stubborn it's not bad.

* ''Healing Potion:'' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead. Or bring Alarielle.

* ''Featherfoe Torc:'' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith or other High Elves.

* ''Ruby Ring of Ruin:'' Bound spell with Fireball. Take the High Elf magic item version of it if you're going to bother since it does pretty much the same thing and will give the users unit a ward save.

* ''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:'' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership but themself. Since most High Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Great at discouraging people from fucking with a unit that can't deal in melee or you don't want to keep in melee (Sticking this on a Lothern Sea Helm among Core is pretty great, or ANYONE running with Lothern Seaguard since this can win an extra turn of shooting for them).

* ''Potion of Strength:'' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Prince, Noble, or anyone with the Reaver Bow.

* ''Potion of Toughness:'' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Archmage or Mage stuck in close combat, or a Prince who's going into a suicide charge.

* ''The Other Trickster's Shard:'' All Ward Save rolls have to be rerolled in base contact, both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one however.

* ''Ironcurse Icon:'' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

* ''Potion of Foolhardiness:'' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

* ''Potion of Speed:'' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

==Magic==
The new High Magic is probably one of the most aggressive lores in the entire game now, Soul Quench makes Fireball lovers cry.
Fiery Convocation is, in a game version promoting the use of hordes, extremely powerful; except against ogres and full knight Brets (giving Bretonnians at least one advantage in the modern game) and once it's been cast, your opponent will probably need to abort his next magic phase to dispel it if he cares about his burning minions. High Magic also has Apotheosis, which heals a wound and grants Fear to the target making your badasses into glorious bastards. Walk Between Worlds makes a unit Ethereal and get 10 more inches of movement to deliver a unit directly wherever it needs to be. Hand of Glory is a nice augment, Arcane Unforging is anti-character in the best way, and finally Drain Magic lets you undo whatever spells your opponent is using to manipulate the field of battle (goodbye undead augments).

For the rest of the lores, usual stuff applies. Lore of Life is a consistent favorite (nothing like watching those 5 Phoenix Guard he worked so hard to kill get back up) as is Lore of Shadow. High Elves aren't really set up for offensive Magic outside Dragon Mages so you should generally go with support spells to protect your expensive units, rather than offensive spells.

An important thing to remember is that you should not be building your list around using magic to support this or that unit, you should be putting magic into your list in order to augment the units that are already good. T7 Swordmasters might be awesome, but imagine how awesome that would be on a unit that doesn't need the support to be that good. Plus there are always factors that might get in the way of you casting a spell when you need to, so don't take a unit assuming you can make it better by augmenting it with magic; Take a unit that's already awesome without the magic.

===Magic Tactics===
In this section, I'll list the multiple ways to use specific Lores in conjunction with our units. Some Lores of Magic are flexible and unique, while some are more focused on specific strategies and units to make them work. Either way, you'll find use of them here. In the modern game buffs and hexes are generally the order of the day, offering a lot of value for the dice invested. Especially for high elves who have incredibly powerful units, buffs can send your dudes into the stratosphere. Direct damage spells are still worthwhile but the really powerful ones have either short range, are only effective against specific units or have high casting cost so you need to pick lores that your mages can realistically get good mileage out of depending where you put them and what you expect them to achieve and don't just think in terms of getting the mage a high body count. While getting fifteen kills with dwellers is really cool, something much more boring like +1T for a big block of spearmen can have a much more lasting impact in the game by blunting the enemy charge and allowing you to set up your flank charges and you opponent is much less likely to go all in dispelling a minor augment.

There are two styles of magic that exist for High Elves in my opinion: Balanced and Specific.

Balanced Lores provide buffs and hexes that cover a large area of High Elf weaknesses. These lores include High Magic, Lore of Metal, Shadow, and Light. Specific Lores depend on certain army builds to bring out their true potential. These Lores include Life, Death and Beasts. I'll explain more below.

'''High Magic - Balanced'''

This is a very balanced lore that's designed to assist the High Elves take on any foe. With TWO signature spells this is very versatile. The biggest spell: Fiery Convocation, burns down entire hordes if left unchecked and Arcane Unforging is a direct damage that wounds like a Metal Lore spell but also randomly destroys a magic item on 2+; use this on Banner of Barrows, Flag of Blood Keep, Ghal Maraz ect cetera. Walk Between World makes a unit move 10/20 inches as if Ethereal in the Remaining Move Phase, good for putting a Phoenix behind enemy lines. Oh, and did we mention the Lore Attribute of High Magic? +1 to your Ward save for the Mage and unit every time a spell is successfully cast. YOUR FREAKIN WARD SAVE! This means that a Level 4 Wizard running High Magic can grant most units at least a 5+ during each magic phase and you only need one spell to give Phoenix Guard the magical 3+. March them across the field and watch your opponent cry as everything and their dog tries to kill it with only 3-4 casualties a turn.

'''Lore of Shadow - Balanced'''

Our most powerful lore in my opinion. It's almost as if this Lore was designed with High Elves in mind because it complements our army perfectly:
1. Elite troops with high WS and I can be dealt with Miasma.
2. High armor troops can be destroyed by Mindrazor. No. Mindrazor does NOT make your strength equal to your leadership. You only use leadership when rolling to wound. It does NOT mention using leadership to modify enemy armor. So while it is very useful for felling tough foes, you use regular strength for getting through armor.
3. High strength can be robbed of their power with Enfeeble.
4. High toughness units can be dispatched easier with Withering on them.
5. Expensive, multi-wound models with low initiative can be destroyed with Pit of Shades.

I highly recommend this Lore as your go to lore for balanced play.

'''Lore of Light - Balanced'''

This is another very balanced Lore and very powerful against the Undead and also Daemons now that their stinking Standard of Sundering is finally out of the game. So yeah, TK, VC and DoC hate this lore. Army-wide Pha's Illumination and Speed of Light makes your entire army WS10 I10 and -1 to hit. This gives you fantastic combat potential and great protection vs. melee and shooting alike. Timewarp also allows your entire to surge forward and get into combat insanely early. Once they're in combat, the army-wide buffs allow you to win combat and take less casualties. All your units will hit things on 3s with re-rolls and you'll most likely be hit on 6s. Sadly, this doesn't help High Elves as much as other armies as you already tend to have Always Strikes First, decent WS and decent I. It still helps, just not as much compared to say Tomb Kings who have terrible WS and I.

If you decide to go Light, having a Lv.1 Wizard with Light is also suggested. This gives you the ability to inflict fantastic damage with Burning Gaze and Banishment for very low casting values. As for most balanced Lores, feel free to take whatever.

'''Lore of Metal - Balanced'''

This Lore gives you the power to break through armored units as they were butter. If you knew you were going against an army with multiple, heavily-armored targets such as <S>Brettonian</S> Bretonnian Knights, this Lore is fantastic. Another great thing about Lore of Metal is the army-wide 5+ Scaly Skin. This makes your Light Armor, Shield Spearmen pack on a 3+ armor save. Heavy armor units such as White Lions, Sword Masters and Phoenix Guard also share that lovely 3+. With this in mind, I want to talk about a very specific spell and army-build:

A large unit of Sword Masters with Enchanted Blades of Aiban absolutely annihilate things in combat. WS6 with +1 to hit means you'll most of the game on 2s. With ASF, re-rolls and Armor Piercing S5, you'll walk through troops and elites alike. Even Spearmen with Enchanted Blades plow through units like they were butter. Give it a try, I promise good results.

'''Lore of Death - Specific'''

For this Lore, you mainly want to focus on the destructive capabilities of character sniping. These spells allow you to pick out BSBs, Generals and other important targets that could ruin the opposing army. VC Generals, TK Hierophants, Bretonnian BSBs, the list goes on. It goes without saying that the army-wide -1S and T allow your troops to inflict more damage and take less in return. Lastly, we have Purple Sun. That thing just embarrasses Lizardmen, certain undead armies and Dwarfs. And Ogre Kingdoms. The signature spell is particularly useful for High Elves given their higher leadership values.

'''Lore of Life - Specific'''

I really like this Lore and I almost placed it in the balanced section, but I want to highlight some key builds that I like a lot. For one, Dwellers is a no brainer for most players: It picks off characters, completely wrecks enemies with Elf-stats and destroys entire units of Skaven. Throw dice at a large target with low S and watch it disappear from the game: Cheesy archer spam builds beware! This, is a very defensive Lore for the most part. You have Regen, protection from Miscast, and awesome +4 Toughness (if you have throne of vines) to any unit of choice. Let's not forget Regrowth! Which unit in particular?

A giant unit of Sword Masters with T7 and Regen can mow through most units in the game. They are already incredibly powerful in close combat because of WS6, S5 and 2A, but now give them the T7 and Regen and things just get ridiculous. Use a small Phoenix Guard bunker with a Life Mage and Book, and spam these spells on a giant horde of SM w/ Standard of Balance and Amulet of Light. People will most certainly hate you.

'''Lore of Beasts - Specific'''

If the base unit spell for +1S +1T, the +3T to all characters in 12" is also pretty awesome. Unlike the Lore of Life though, this Lore focuses a lot on damage from characters than defense. Don't get me wrong, Curse of Anraheir can still hex someone down to -1 to hit. Combine this with tough Elven warriors and things look a lot brighter. Take what you would normally take and spam Wyssan's Wildform on everything. Then walk up a bunch of Princes and Nobles with +S magic weapons and hit Savage Beast of Horrors. Can you imagine the amount of carnage you can inflict with multiple characters wielding +3S and +3 attacks? I'm not sure how effective it'll be, but it'll sure make my Prince a little scarier. Or take Korhil, put him on a Lion Chariot, cast the Beast on him, chuck him at whatever and RAPETRAIN IT! Believe me, I've done this before.

==Tactics==

'''Knowing your Enemy'''

The first piece of advice I have for newer players is knowing your enemy. There is nothing more important than this piece right here. You look across the table and you see a bunch of units you don't know, you already know this game is going to head into disaster. Very few players have the ability to asset threat, damage and power on the fly so its best you go into battles prepared. Key units like the Skaven Doomwheel, the Bloodthirster or the horde unit of Khorne Marauders with Great Weapons, all of these are important pieces on the battlefield. The best thing to do in these situations is to point across the table and ask. If the player you're playing with is a gentleman, and it's a friendly game, I hope he can tell you what each unit does. In a tournament setting, forget about it. Fantasy already takes a day and a half to set up, so it's best you do your research ahead of time.

Think of it like this: Every game you play is a test of skill and generalship. Any good general takes the time to learn about his enemy and so should you. That's why I buy every army book GW prints. Not only is it superb shitter material, but it's also valuable information on what kind of ridiculous combos, units or special characters that might show up on the battlefield.

'''Understanding Your Army'''

I almost think that knowing your enemy and understanding your army works hand in hand. If you think about it, you spend all this time making up your army list and for what? Each army list is designed to accomplish a certain thing on the battlefield. Playing for fun is one thing, but you're also playing so your troops are victorious. This is why army design is crucial and how you can make the best out of your army composition.

Keep in mind that this is not advice on how to min-max your army, it's about making your army work for you. As a general of any given army, you must find a medium where you're comfortable with the units you've taken, and you understand fully how they work. The best way to do this is by assigning battlefield roles. Take Sword Masters for example, what do they do best? They generate CR by ripping up lowly troops in combat but they die as fast as a swift breeze. What's the job of Spearmen? Or Skavenslaves? To hold the line and await reinforcements, using their superior numbers and ranks to tie the enemy down.

To be a successful general, you must know your units like the back of your hand. Understand each unit's functionality and purpose, but most importantly, understand why you put them in your army in the first place.

The greatest threat to most units in a High-elf army is long combats, if you cannot break a unit you will need to minimize the amount of damage they can do back to you in the following turns. Remember your troops hit rather hard but tend to die very easily.

'''Deployment'''

I've seen many games where games are lost on deployment alone. Picture for a second that your opponent puts down a unit of heavily armored Chaos Knights after you put your White Lions down far away from them. If those White Lions were your only defense against heavy armor, then I'd say you're in a world of shit once those Knights come crashing on your flank.

That's why you see players taking units whose sole purpose is to give them an edge in deployment. Some might be good enough to be used as re-directors or warmachine hunters too. These units are also known as chaff. Chaff is important because it allows you put these units down anywhere you want for the most part. They pretty much always go in the same place or have outrageous movement speed that they can relocate and not be troublesome for the movement of your army. Eagles can be used as chaff, Sabretusks and Fellbats for example, all can act as chaff for your army.

The key to deployment is matching your opponent's units pound for pound. You don't want to put down a unit that doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell against another unit he put down right off the top. Your unit must have support, or is capable of holding the line against whatever he puts down or your side is just going to fold. The best example is the Knights scenario I presented above. You want to be able to match your opponent in deployment, or be superior to him in deployment. I call these "drops". If your army has greater or equal to the number of drops he has (total # of units he can put down during deployment), you're in a good place. This minimizes on the chance your army will be out-deployed. The person with more chaff will have more chaff that he can put down, forcing you to put down your last unit of White Lions so he can purposely drop a power unit on your flank. Unless your army is designed to fight uphill battles, you should never let this happen.

If you know you're going to be out-deployed, you should analyze which units on his side you don't want in your flanks and deploy your answers last. This is where knowing your enemy comes into place.

'''Analyzing The Threats'''

To be successful on the battlefield and during deployment, you must first analyze threat. You must understand which units on the other side of the table can cause you most harm. This is huge. Keep in mind that army scale does not equate to the harm they can cause in combat. The best example of this is a giant unit of Skaveslaves vs. a small unit of Sword Masters. The craziest thing to assume is that the unit of Skavenslaves is going to do a lot of damage on the battlefield. Sure, there's a whole bunch of them, but their fighting prowess equates to dried fish where your Sword Masters preform like a hot knife through butter.

One of the things that 8th Ed. has going for it is big creatures. If it's a big monster on the other side of the table, this is probably worrisome. If a unit is carrying Great Weapons, it's probably going to do a lot of damage. If a unit is carrying Great Weapons and is in horde formation, it's probably something you should deploy smartly against because that thing is going to fuck your shit up if you play dumb. The most pronounced threats on the battlefield are normally the ones your opponent has heroes and lords going into it. It's either going to be a caster bunker, or a frontline unit that'll do solid bits of damage.

Remember what I said about battlefield roles? Your opponent does the same thing with his army. He knows what his frontline units are, which ones do the most damage and which ones are designed to hold the line. You know his primary sources of damage and these are the ones that should be generating the highest amount of threat in your mind. You might run into scenarios where certain units don't want to be in combat at all. These are often caster bunkers or vulnerable Magelords who would hate to have an Eagle pick out his eyes. Knowing the weak points of his army can prove to be a great advantage to you during deployment and when you're playing the game. Again, understanding how the opposing army works helps greatly here.

'''Understanding Favorable Scenarios'''

Hesitation can lose you a game, but so can your ability to underestimate your troops.

Here are some examples:
A scary dragon on the battlefield is not so scary when you shoot him with a billion arrows.
Knights actually do quite poorly against White Lions.
A small unit of Sword Masters into the side of Skavenslaves really fucks up their shit.
A Spearmen unit, given enough ranks can hold a charge from most, if not all, point equivalent units in the game.

A lot of this might seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many times players second guess themselves on the battlefield. Know your army, know what each unit is designed to do (which is surprisingly easy for High Elves because everyone's so specialized), and know which scenarios go in your favor on the battlefield when paired up against any given opponent.

At the end of the day, you should always apply a unit's actual battlefield role to do battle. You should always be thinking: The only reason I'm bringing X unit is to fight against Y units. In a game of rock-paper-scissors and random surprise Mindrazors; it still works in your favor when you know what counters what.

'''Predicting Combat'''

This is definitely more in the lines of advanced players, but after so many battles, players start seeing the same numbers. A unit of 7x2 Sword Masters hits a unit of Skavenslaves. Aside from a ton of rats dying horribly, how many Sword Masters did you lose and how much CR did you generate? What about Spears? Even if you didn't charge but was instead charged by a unit of Empire Halberdiers, how many Spearmen died and how much CR did you generate via kills, ranks and standard? What about that beefy lord-class character sitting in a relatively weaker unit? I bet he can do some serious work. I'm not saying go out there and mathhammer the life out of everything in the game, but you should have an idea how your units will perform on the battlefield.

The battlefield is a pretty unpredictable place, especially when shit like magic is involved. However, successful players have a good idea of what to expect when they throw their units into combat. For the most part, players only throw their units into combat they can win. This is why predicting combat outcomes are so important. A unit of Spearmen charging a horde unit of Marauders w/ Great Weapons in the front might not be the best choice alone, but what if you plan your magic phase to get Withering off on the unit? What if you decide to combo charge with your Spears and Sword Masters on the flank so you can use your magic elsewhere? The combat res generated from the combined charge "should" win you combat.

You see how predicting combat drastically changes the way you play the game? By assessing the battlefield and seeing the game on a larger level, you are able to make plays ahead of time. The key to being a successful general is being able to see multiple instances of this at once and analyzing which ones generate the highest amount of success with the lowest number of risk. Your ability to capitalize on this is what will take you from good, to great.

'''Lesser of Two Evils'''

Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made in order for victory for be secured. Sometimes, you just have to choose. Imagine yourself in a scenario where no matter what you do, something bad is going to happen to your army. This might be a loss of a flank, a loss of a key unit or letting a horrible spell go through. If your opponent plays it right, there should be scenarios where all of these happen at the same time. Take note here for a second about what I just said. A well-played game of Warhammer is when you make your opponent sweat over the choices he has to make. No matter what choice he makes, something bad should happen to his army. That's when you know you've made a good play.

If you have to choose, always go with the play that'll guarantee you the greatest chance of victory in subsequent rounds. This is a lot harder than it looks because you have to first let that flank fall, or that unit be destroyed so you can strike back in a manner most decisive. This is why predicting combat and understanding favorable scenarios is important. In a situation like this, always put yourself in the opponent's shoes. Think from his perspective and predict what he would do after he successfully pulled off a big play. Predict what he does and counter it to the best of your advantage. Think to yourself: If he wins big on combat there and I flee, will he pursue or will he reform? If he pursues, do I have anything that can hit him in the flank or catch him in a bad spot? If he reforms, do I have anything that can strike decisively and win combat on that unit next turn?

Don't get yourself caught up in the moment. Understand that the 300 odd points of Spearmen you just fed your opponent can equate to you combo-charging his General's bunker and send it into the oblivion, then it's well worth it. If sacrifice has to be made, it has to make its points back and more. If not, then the sacrifice is not worth it.

'''Magic Superiority'''

The first thing to understand is that a small advantage is still an advantage. This is how you should analyze the winds of magic. A successful magic phase is all about analyzing which spells your opponent can afford to let go and which spells he can't. With an Lv.4 Wizard, you have access to a good amount of viable spells. The spells your opponent can let go are often the spells you want to take advantage of. That's when why you draw a big winds round, you cast moderately but still vital spells that plink at his dispel dice. These should be all moderately dangerous to the outcome of the fight in question (which will be his main focus).

Use smaller castings of hexes and augments, because a slight advantage (what he sees, and analyzes as less important), is still an advantage (huge for High Elves). A clever mage will be able to feint the significance of a fight and get off multiple spells a turn. If your opponent lets it all go because he's anticipating Mindrazor, that's his problem because now his unit is now -WS, -T and you ASF with a better combat result. Mindrazor isn't even needed at this point. If he throws dice trying to dispel your other hexes, that's less dice he has available when you actually do throw down the MR. This goes hand in hand with what I said about anticipating combat results. How badly your troops need your magic will save a lot of unneeded dice.

Redirecting focus: Say you have a unit engaged in combat and you anticipate a victory, or at least a draw result. You concentrate magic on another area of the battlefield that your opponent isn't focused on. This breaks his concentration and draws a big cloud of WTF? over his head. This happens when you see something crucial your opponent doesn't, as often times or not, players get tunnel-visioned in the combat they're in but don't grasp the wider vision of the battlefield. Hexing incoming Knights on your turn with -WS or -S will make much more of a difference than watching Sword Masters narrowly win combat vs. a flanking unit of Clanrats.

'''Baiting and Feinting'''

Fleeing from a battlefield is not always a sign of cowardice. It can also be used to bait an opponent out of position or force him into a position he doesn't want to be in. The best example of this could be a unit of Spears fleeing from a charge of Bretonnian Knights. God knows you don't to take that charge in the face so you opt to flee with your Spearmen. He now has two choices: Take a Ld. test to charge something else, or roll for the Spears. Say that you have a unit of White Lions or Sword Masters next to the Spears. Does he really want to re-direct into the Lions or SM? Or does he want to risk the charge and risk exposing his flank to the Lions?

You see what you just did here? A simple flee can put your opponent in a rock and a hard place (especially if the charge is long). Both scenarios equally suck for him so he might opt to charge at all. This is also good for you because it gives you the chance to charge his Knights next turn! And if he doesn't opt to charge, your Spears will still be there to assist in the main battle. Warhammer can be a game of cat and mouse, so it's best to know all the options available to you before you commit. If you plan on charging something, know all the possible reactions your opponent can take before investing. You don't want to be in the same shoes as the above player.

'''Eagles are an Elves' Best Friend'''

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Eagles are my MVP. First off, they are probably one of the most annoying pieces of chaff ever. They're great in the deployment phase when you can just put one down and stare into your opponent's soul. They're great ingame because they can fly boldly into your opponent's charge lanes and take one from the team; forcing them to charge them and re-position. Eagles buy you time, buy you movement and allow you to re-position your army while the Eagle re-positions your opponents. They allow you to chase down enemy chaff or flankers, help pressure warmachines and provide you with flank and rear charge CR should they survive mid-game. They act primarily as re-directors (a Frenzied unit's worst nightmare) and are the true workhorse of most High Elf armies.

'''Counter-charges and Flanking'''

Sometimes, the good ol' hammer and anvil is something even the experienced players forget. The concept of a counter-charge is simple: Unit #1 is a unit that can take hits - in the case of High Elves, a giant block of Spears with Steadfast CR up the ass. This is known as the anvil. Unit #2 is a unit that hits hard as fuck but dies to a soft breeze. Sword Masters are an popular choice for a hammer. Your opponent charges your Spearmen because it's the only viable target and you hold knowing that your Sword Masters (who are conveniently placed on your flank), will have a flank charge next round. Magic is invested in keeping the Spearmen alive and steadfast while the Sword Masters charge their flank next turn. Heads start rolling and combat heavily swings your way, winning you the day.

Flanking is also quite simple: Place something that has good threat range on the far sides of your army and use them as CR generators. I normally like using Dragon Princes for this type of role. Put 5 of these guys down on a wide-flank and they can be used to reliably add CR to any combat mid-field. Flanking can also be used to bypass some of your opponents' attention to hit warmachines and other units chilling in their backfield. Lastly, flanking is also good for having additional CR in combat. An Eagle charging from the far flank gives you 2 CR for just having the balls to be there. It's pretty much free CR.

'''Winning combat, now what?'''

So now that you've won combat, you have to think about what to do next. Unfortunately, most players think about this step immediately after the combat resolves. I want you to take a step back and think about what can happen even before you charge. If you charge now, and win a victory over your opponent, can you overrun into an important caster bunker in back? Does your opponent have anything that can crush your overrun if you choose to do so? Is your unit stretched too far and out of range of your BSB? Is he out of his BSB? If you push the advantage, will your advantage be negated if he engages the rest of your army while your best unit is out of position? Winning combat is important for sure, but what happens after is even more important. You must be in a favorable situation to benefit from it: The result of a successful charge should net you more success in the subsequent turns than harm.

Keep in mind that you don't have to keep going after you wiped out a unit. Check to see if the unit has been mauled enough that the only way he can rally is if he rolls double 1s. Sometimes the position you're in begs you to combat reform and stay still. If you commit anymore, you might go from crushing victory to outright defeat. Never lose sight of the bigger picture and don't over extend yourself. Unless you're Stubborn, or have a unit that's incapable of losing combined charges in the next round of combat, it's best to wait for the rest of your army. You want to be in magic support range, you want to be in BSB range and you want to be in support charge range of other units. Don't forget this.

Another thing to keep in mind is Line of Sight. If your unit can surge forward enough after winning combat that'll take him out of LoS (and thus enemy charges), this is a great advantage. It allows you to drive deep in the enemy lines and force him to turn around or suffer a rear charge from you in the subsequent turns. This also allows your main force to advance and catch him in a vice. Surely this is a good thing as even the most lackwit of generals know that enemy forces running in their backfield is bad.

'''Lost combat, now what?'''

So your beautiful charge turned into a crushing defeat, what now? Obviously, this means your unit will be running back to your lines like a whipped dog. Don't worry, you can now look into the future and analyze why you lost combat and how you can regain the momentum in the next phase of the game. Maybe something completely unpredictable happened in the magic phase that killed your opportunities in combat? This is the single biggest factor in how combats can sway. This is also something I want you to remember: Magic can greatly skew the outcome of any combat you're invested in. Think about this before you charge, and understand what magic lores he has that can shift momentum in his favor. In order for you to succeed in combat, you must dispel the magic he will use to turn combat in his favor. This is not negotiable.

After losing combat, you need to analyze several things:

Did he Overrun? If so, are you in a position where you can take advantage of his over-extension?
Did he Combat Reform? If so, are you able to counter-attack next turn?
What made you lose combat? Was it some beefy character or was it magic that turned the tides?
How do you not lose combat again? Neutralize the beefy character (or avoid him completely) and dispel the magic that sways combat his way.
Is your fleeing unit useless? Treat the game as if you're 1 down, but don't forget about the fleeing unit. Even if he's below 25%, you can still test for double 1s.

'''When ahead, stay ahead'''

The philosophy behind this concept is simple: Don't do anything stupid that'll throw away your lead. What happens most of the time when players start winning is they start playing careless. This is a sure way to lose your lead and put you behind in a game where you're almost guaranteed to win. A great example of this would be killing your opponent's Dragon Lord and 1-2 Hydras with your Warmachines first turn before they even get to do anything and still managing to lose the game. I don't know how this happens, but players get lost the ecstasy of great plays (or luck) and think now that the main threats are gone that the game is in their hands. This is the wrong way to approach a lead.

The more appropriate way to take advantage of a lead is to think: How do I get further ahead? You want to be in a position where your next step is to eliminate any and all possible ways the opponent can swing the game around. You put yourself in his position and you think to yourself: I just lost my Dragon Lord and my Hydras, so what can I do now to walk away from the table like a man? Once you think about the situation from your opponent's mindset, you counter it and deny him of it. With no victory options in sight, your opponent will have no choice but to fold.

'''Post-game Analysis'''

Now that the game is won (or lost), you can look back and see what you can do to improve. Human beings are meant to improve; we're a race of learners and adapters. No matter how badly you just massacred your opponent or how crushing your defeat, there's always something to take away from the game. The most important part here is that you must learn from your game to improve. If you won the game, think about the scenarios you could have done better. If you lost the game, think about why you lost and which units caused the most problems. Think about all the topics that were covered above. There must be something you could have done better in the never-ending list of becoming a better general.

It's important that you discuss the game with your opponent. Talk about how the battle could have gone differently if you did this, or that. How his game could have changed if he did this, or that. Not only does this give you a better perspective on the game (and your opponent's army), but also the player you're playing against. Share your thoughts with your opponent and let him share his with yours. Criticism and advice should be taken with an open mind. It helps broaden your perspective on other general's opinions and makes you a better-rounded player overall.

==See Also==
* [[High_Elves_(Warhammer)|High Elves]]

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Wood Elves

2020-10-05T06:07:49Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Rare Units */

==Why Play Wood Elves==
Wood Elves have been redone and almost completely rewritten. Everything has been turned on its head and old Wood Elf players have to adapt to the new changes. However they have recently not only reclaimed the title of being the fastest army but being arguably the best shooting army too. Wood Elves appear to be of equal parts of light and dark outlooks. They are the middle ground for elves. This is shown by them having magic arrows which are keyed to wounding forces of order and destruction respectively and with their best wizards having access to High and Dark magic. Wood Elves still have access to their old free wood.

Wood Elves are an army almost completely made up of trees, bowmen, or fast cavalry. They rely on speed, shooting and picking their fights. Wood elves still lack war machines but have in exchange a megaton of poisoned weaponry.

The name of their game is speed and maneuverability. By the end of turn 2 you can be behind the enemy lines, ready to unleash deadly co-ordinated flank charges, and against slower armies you can quite simply run circles around your enemided as some of the best archers in the game, the wood elves' possible greatest strength is not in their shooting, but in their prowess fighting in forests. They combine the best of both High Elves & Dark Elves when defending areas of wood. They are formidable in combat but lack staying power. You will need to use your maneuverability to ensure that you win the first combat resolution. If the elves get bogged down, they will quickly end up on the losing side.

Lastly, they have the widest variety of spells to chose from amongst the three Elf factions.

The Wood Elves require perhaps the most skill and nuance to play well, but this directly translates into them also being one of the most rewarding armies to play. Plus they're bad ass vengeful guardians of the forest, so that's pretty cool too.

Be warned that they aren't a good starter army.

In short, play Wood Elves if you want to play an army that requires a lot of skill, strategy and tactical thought to do well. You can't rely on Armor nor Warmachines or crazy shenanigans. Only a quick aim, a steady eye and a hungry forest will aid you in Athel Loren.

''(Matt Ward did have a hand in working on this book. However, GW decided to stop putting author's name in the book, most likely to preserve Watt Mard's tender feelings. What is known is that this was his last army book with GW and after having a hand in End Times:Nagash and End Times:Khaine he has now left).''

==Army Rules==

Wood Elves have four new army rules. They are the following:

'''Blessings of The Ancients''': Any model with this special rule (IE your wizards) gets a +1 to all casting attempts if they are inside a forest. ONLY when they're in a forest.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Durthu''', and '''Drycha'''''

'''Ambush of the Worldroots''': You may place a single forest (of any type, you decide) anywhere on your half of the table. It must be placed before any units are deployed. It ''must'' be wholly within your half of the table. If it can't fit, move the other terrain pieces to make room. If it still can't fit, or you're in a scenario where you don't have a deployment zone, you don't get a forest.

''See '''Army Composition & Tactics''' for ideas and recommendations on how to use this rule''

'''Forest Spirit''': Models with this rule has Forest Strider, Magical Attacks and Immune to Psychology special rule and a 6+ ward save. A weaker save, but no longer mundane like in the previous army book. Mounts do not get the ward save.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Unicorns''', '''Great Stags''', '''Dryads''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Tree Kin''', '''Treemen''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Forest Dragons''', '''Durthu''', '''Hounds of Orion''', '''Drycha''' and '''Ceithin-Har'''''

'''Forest Stalker''': Models with this rule have the Forest Strider special rule. If at least half of a unit with this rule is inside a forest, it will be able to do the following:

* They may fire with one more rank. For the purpose of Volley Fire, this means a full three ranks may shoot, before you have to round down the following ranks.

* They may fight in close combat with one extra rank than normal, just like High Elves. This is cumulative with other similar effects.

* They may reroll to wound any rolls of 1 in close combat, just like Dark Elves. Their mounts, however, may not.
**''Basically, in terms of special rules, all your elves are worse than high elves and dark elves in the open, but equal to both of them combined while in forests. (In truth Eternal Guard is more effective than Spearelves/Dreadspears, Glade Guard beats HE Archers and Glade Riders are Ellyrian Reavers on steroids; but they all cost much more. Model for model - WE are better. Point for point - WE are worse.)''

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Glade Lord''', '''Glade Captain''', '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Eternal Guard''', '''Glade Guard''', '''Deepwood Scouts''', '''Glade Riders''', '''Warhawk Riders''', '''Wildwood Rangers''', '''Wardancers''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Sisters of the Thorn''', '''Wild Riders''', '''Waywatchers''', '''Waystalker''', '''Orion''', '''Araloth''' and '''Naestra & Arahan'''''

==Unit Analysis==
===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
'''Note:''' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

* '''Orion, The King of the Woods:''' Orion is what in general is refered to as a Glass Cannon: Incredibly expensive, requires a massive tax on your resources, can be incredibly powerful and yet is very fragile. Orion costs 600 points. He can also beat in almost anyone's face (9,8,8,6,5,5,9,5,10), comes with a Bolt Thrower and machine gun and is Unbreakable and Frenzy, regains a wound on a 6 at the start of each of your turns. Also comes with two War Beasts (for 20 pts) that share his Frenzy and Unbreakable rule. Here's the downside: He's only T5 with a 5+ Ward and MR 2, making him somewhat less durable than a Treeman, but more durable against spells. He's a Monster, so he has Thunderstomp too, however, he doesn't have the Large Target rule. He will drop like a fly to high volume S4 and above attacks. He also has Always Strikes First but will have trouble winning combats against large units (he'll probably tie or grab a minor win on round 1 and then start losing from then on, not that it matters so much anymore). Not great but has potential. He is basically a Greater Daemon with leafy clothing that gives units within 6" of him Devastating Charge (Everyone of your units gets DC. Including mount)) every turn. Charge him along with your Wild Riders or Warhawk Riders into something. Anything. Then watch the mother hurt of ALL the People's Elbow decend upon your foe. Nothing bar the Dice Gods will stop you. That, or Phoenix Guard. Giggle like an Elf if you get to fight in a forest.

* '''Drycha:''' Orion is fighty, the Twins are shooty, Drycha is weird. She's rather expensive for a Hero, at 255 points, but she doesn't come with nearly enough stuff to justify this. For starters, she's a Level 2 caster and only has access to Lore of Shadows. While she's reasonably fighty (she gets +2 attacks per lost wound, no life shenanigans), T4, 3 wounds and only a 6+ Ward means she's easy to drop. She needs units with the Forest Spirit rule to be effective, but while her kinda ganky Deep Strike ability seems fun, you're only guaranteed d3+1 Woods max (IE the one you brought, sitting in your half of the table, and the acorn of eternity if you buy it) it's probably easier to just have them join her from the front. Don't bother.

* '''Araloth, Lord of Talsyn:''' This is Skaw the Falconer reborn. Sadly, Matt Ward clearly hates him and has not only changed his name but made him the only Wood Elf whose sole purpose is to be repurposed for conversions. 260pts for a 4++, stubborn, unbreakable on his own (don't let him go on his own EVER), Glade Lord with a 6+ armour (Seriously. He doesn't even have Light Armour, even though his model is wearing it. Wild Riders, meanwhile, [[Derp|go around bare chested and count as wearing them]]), armed with an amazing-looking spear that is...a regular Asrai Spear, and who comes with a bird. At least 60pts overpriced. The bird is a free S4 hit on one model within 18", and functions like a weird Killing Blow that causes blindness instead of death (somehow it makes the model worse in combat but not at shooting... go figure). Cute, I guess? This model's only use is to troll Tomb Kings, but with End Times taking away crumble he can't even do that anymore. Don't buy the model to play Wood Elves.
**''Note: Actually, I have found skaryn to be a pretty effective character hunter. The six to wound comes up much more often than you might think (one in three chance of any sort of wound blinding a T 4 model) and if your opponent skimped on armour for that bsb then they just became a lot less effective. Also, this guy combined with a waystalker or two can make a trolltastic wizard sniping team. Still overpriced, but not entirely useless.

* '''Durthu:''' Once again a recycled character from the far distant past which is bad. At first his stats don't look bad; Ws 7, str 6, t6, w6, 6 attacks, frenzy, hatred. But he only has a 3+ armour with a 6++ ward save and is flammable. The greatest of the Treemen can die from a single flamming bolt thrower if it gets lucky, let alone a flaming cannonball. To add salt into the wound he is only a level 1 Lore of Beasts wizard, has a pretty hand weapon of no significance save fluff, and a 2d6 str 2 killing blow ranged attack (which is awesome since he has BS7). All of this is for 385 pts. If you have already ordered the Treemen kit make a basic Treeman instead and convert a Wraithknight/Wraithlord. If you really want to play with him, get him into combat, any combat, as quickly as you can and either get '''The Savage Beast of Horrors''' to make him eat Greater Daemons/Monsters or go with the default '''Wyssan's Wildform''' to make him do 7 WS7 (rerollable to hit) S7 attacks. 666 is the name of the Beast, but 777 is carved on the Tree.

* '''Naestra and Arahan, The Sisters of Twilight:''' Anyone who makes a 'Twins are hot' joke gets kicked out of Athel Loren. As for the girls, they can be hilarious. You don't only take them to win, you take them to [[troll]]. For 275 points you get the pair on the back of Gwindalor the Great Eagle and for a few 220 more can have them ride the forest dragon Ceithin-Har. Why you ever would take them on a dragon is a mystery since the eagle gives them more wounds and t4 thanks to it being monstrous cavalry, while also allowing them to reroll failed to hits. Their Dragon is 80pts cheaper than the glade lord's since gwindalor is clearly 80pts. They have the Always Strikes First, Forest Stalker, Conjoined Destiny, and Sisters of Twilight special rules. The Conjoined destiny rule means that they must always stay together if their mount dies and that if one of them dies then she is revived at the end of her phase with all of her wounds, while the Sisters of Twilight makes Naestra gain a +1 to wound forces of destruction units in combat and Arahan gain a +1 to wound forces of order in combat. They also have 2 special bows. Naestra has a str 5 d6 wound long bow which gives her mount a wound back if she wounds with it and Arahan has a bow which fires 2d6 str 1 poisoned shots. Between them have good shooting and survival thanks to their previous rules and weapons and stats: M5, WS 6, BS 6, str 4, t 3, w2, 3 attacks, i7 and Ld9. These compete badly with the waystalker, lvl 1 spellsinger and BSB in the Heroes section so chose wisely. Pitty you can't take these guys on foot though...
**''Alright, someone explain this to me. Since N&A are now MC on Big G, isn't the Conjoined Destiny rule quite worthless if you get shot? Since the three birds are counted as one model, have practically no saves AND you have to use the profile with the most wounds (which is 3 for Big G), how does this work? Are they able to survive a cannon ball to the face, or does the entire model die after 3 wounds?
***''To counter that which is below, if you stick near 5 Warhawk riders you can get a 4+ look out sir, you can seriously boost your survivability. So long as one twin survives then your foes cannon ball was for naught.
***''A single cannonball won't kill them - and certainly it won't kill Gwindalor, since, according to MC rules, it can't be targeted (yes, this means that the rule that lets the mount regain wounds is useless for G). When N&A are hit, you have to randomize, according to their rules. Then you wound, then the sister that was hit probably dies; then she pops back to full life if the other hasn't been killed by the end of the shooting phase. In melee, you have to allocate attacks, as you would do with two normal characters. N&A can indeed take risks that would be suicidal for other wood elven characters. Quite worthy of the points you pay to field them.''
''

====Generic Characters====
'''Note:''' While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

* '''Glade Lord:''' 145 point generic combat lord, reasonably fighty but you'll pale in comparison to most other Lords. (Basically, he is identical to High Prince or Dark Dreadlord, but the army's style and racial items work against making him a similar meatgrinder) He can be kitted out in a variety of ways to be more fighty and can be given magic arrows which is a plus, he also dishes out a LD10 bubble. He also got an extra point of BS, probably to compensate for the loss of free moving and shooting. One new rule, The Arrow of Kurnous, lets him deal a auto str 3 hit on your opponent's general if they are within 36" of a character with the rule and in line of sight. If your foe has a caster lord as his general then I guess it will force him to deploy further back so not bad. Should not be your first Lord choice, but is by far not the worst. One popular choice is to give him Daith's Reaper and the Armour of Destiny for a stabtastic warboss.

* '''Spellweaver:''' This should be your first Lord choice. Level 4 at 220 points now (or 185 at level 3), a variety of magic items to make her better, the only character who can take the Acorn of Eternity (technically, the Glade Lord can take it too, but naked combat lord suffers much more than naked wizard lord) and most importantly, access to all rulebook lores and Dark and High Magic. Plus she can buy an Asrai Longbow for 5pts, which means that while she's hanging in the back with your Glade Guard, she can ping off the odd casualty herself, which is hilarious by the by. If you want a Lord choice, this is the one you should go for in (almost) every situation.

* '''Treeman Ancient:''' While Treemen are alright, Treemen Ancients fail for many reasons. First off, they're 290 points, don't get spites any more, are lvl 2 life wizards only (who can upgrade to level 4) have a 3+ 6++, can buy magic levels, can tree whack and have the kind of melee stats that make cherubs cry. Ws4, Str5, A3, I2. I guess old age shows? Also, being an old coot, he gets the 75mm long side of his base pointed forwards for some insane reason. The best thing that can be said about them is probably that they are large targets with Ld 10. Actually, against anything that hasn't got a particularly threatening shooting phase, the ancient will be basically immortal unless it gets killed in combat. 3+, 6 wounds, 6T and lore of life means that light shooting will be almost useless against it, and even bolt throwers will struggle to down him.

* '''Glade Captain:''' This is the 75 point generic combat and battle standard bearer character for wood elves. And actually comparing him to other non-elf race's characters he isn't too bad. He can't buy anything armour-wise better than a shield and light armour but then he is a wood elf and he does have some decent combat stats and a bow to make up for it. Also he shares the Arrow of Kurnous with your general so you are not punished for taking a caster lord. Overall, while not having as much access to armour as the Dark Elf Master, this hero is a decent battle standard bearer, especially if you spend a few points to make him tougher. Consider adding a dragon helm, helm of the hunt or any cheap magic armour to make him less squishy. Keep in mind, that most Wood Elf lists are quite mobile (if not outright full-cavalry) and have good Ld, so BSB might not be the best investment.

* '''Shadow Dancer:''' Your Wardancer character. Worth consideration. For 100pts you get a ws8 s4 I8 a4 (two hand weapons) Always Strike Firsts combat character, with the amazing new wardancer dances. You have a 25 points magic weapon/item allowance and for 60pts become a lore of shadow wizard. Sadly she doesn't have a way of moving any more quickly, without switching her across the battlefield with lore of shadows lore attribute and also doesn't have a better save than a 6++, unless you use one of the dances to give you a 3++ for 1 turn. Hit hard, hit fast.
** '''Note:''' For those enterprising gentle...elves, a Shadow Dancer can be used as a pretty nifty rank breaker for a close combat army. Use the Dance of the Woven Mist to rob a horde of their rank bonus and watch them lose instantly.
* NEVER put her into Wardancer unit, their dances do not stack. Put her with Eternal Guard or, better, with Dryads - her attacks and dances will help them overcome their downsides.
** Good items to give her are Glittering Scales (most core will hit her on 6+, with most elites hitting on 5+), Bow of Loren (making her pretty shooty) or Helm of the Hunt (making her [[RAPE|RAPE]] things on the charge).
*** Arguably, making her a level 1 wizard is a pretty bad choice, as you can no longer take magical armor. This leaves you with 25 points to either make her your walking dispell scroll slot or give her the Bow of Loren. Also, as she is only a level 1, you get one spell, and there is no grantee you can actually get it off (On the other side, give her Mystifying Miasma and watch a unit of Chosen get slaughtered at M1 by your archers with starfire arrows). Unless you are really in need of saving points, you are probably better off buying a Level 2 Spellsinger if you want the Lore of Shadow.

* '''Waystalker:''' Is a hero version of the Waywatchers. Just think of this guy as the replacement for the waywatcher kindred hero (sadly there is no replacement for the alter kindred). He has bs 7, a bow and a 25pts weapons allowance. Bow of Loren is an option that allows you to fire 2 ignores armour shots which can also be combined with the Savage Beast of Horrors from the Beasts lore to grant 5 ignores armour sniper shots that do suffer from multiple shots penalty (though with BS7 will you care). You can also use the spell Birona's Timewarp from lore of light to increase attacks by 1 (and double movement) but, this is probably not the best use of that spell. An interesting combo if you're going to be running with the beasts lore. The guy is dirt cheap, only 110 points with the bow of loren, 90 without. With sniper on top of that, the Waystalker can pick enemy heroes out of units with up to 5 armor ignoring attacks! (But, he would suffer -1 to hit from multiple hits AND -1 to hit from sniper, plus possibly other -1 from moving or long range etc.) So keep this in mind because even with 7 BS, if you have too much modifier on your hit chance, all the armor ignoring attacks in the world won't mean a thing.

* '''Spellsinger:''' One word. Amazing, when compared to the old wizards. Five points cheaper than the high elf equivalent (80 points), +35 for a level 2, and 5 points for a bow. Now has access to all battle rule book lores but not to the Wood Elf specific lores (ie the opposite of its sixth edition form). Shame. Take a dispel scroll and the lore of shadow or fire on this hero since their spells are the most effective at level 1/2. (Or lore of beasts and get the signature spell)

* '''Branchwraith:''' The Branchwraith has 2 advantages: 1, she's fairly effective (WS6, S4, T4, I7, A3, 6+ Ward). 2, she's cheap. She is 75pts and a level 1 Lore of Life wizard. She's a cheap way of beefing up a Treekin or Dryad unit. It is also of note that if you're taking the Lore of Beasts for your casters, and you're running a Branchwraith, you can use 2 of the spells to buff her up to insane levels.

====Mounts====

* ''Elven Steed:'' You know it, you love it. M9 Forest Strider, 20pts for lords, half that for heroes, and allows you to keep pace with all your cavalry. Take it for your mages to hide with your cavalry.

* ''Great Stag:'' 65 points. Really, why aren't you taking it? Better stats than it's closest cousin (IE the Eagle), you can still join units, you get a monstrous mount. One of the better mounts. [The reason not to take it, is that you don't get look-out-sir when joining units (because no units you can join are MC)(Also, this thing doesn't have fast cavalry special rule while all your cavalry units do.]

* ''Great Eagle:'' Worth taking to make your models more mobile for 50 pts. I wouldn't take it on every hero but on a lvl 1 mage without the scroll or the bsb it should be worth some consideration.

* ''Unicorn:'' 60 points. Unicorns are weird. They seem to be designed to deliver a Hero/Lord directly into combat, but it's only available to Casters and all it really does for them is make them a tiny bit more durable. A mage on a unicorn may be able to scare away some chaff. It gives you movement 10 and still can skewer some models but is outshone by the elven steed easily. Magic Resistance (2) may seem nice, but it is better to just put your mounted wizard with Sisters of the Thorn and give them Lichebone Pennant or give the wizard the Obsidian Amulet for half the cost of the unicorn.

* ''Forest Dragon:'' It's a 300 point Dragon, what do you want? Considering that this funky-looking dude with wings is a green, environmental-friendly lizard who smokes faeries, makes others stupefied and dumb when they inhale (presumably from forcing the enemy to second hand smoke whatever herbs the elves use to mellow out the dragon), and is a beast when he thinks you're going after his stash, he's actually just that little bit better than most Dragons. Also, there's only one poser who's cool enough to hang with him, and that's the Glade Lord (who, if you don't kit out for combat, really '''''is''''' a poser; the GL has same statline like Prince and Dreadlord, and his dragon is tiny bit stronger than Black/Moon Dragon for same points, so it's not a much worse investment than any other Elf Lord of Dragon. Plus, Helm of the Hunt). Still, if you are running MSU, a dragon equal a giant target with "SHOOT ME!" written all over it in dwarven runes.

===Core Units===
Currently, all Wood Elf Core units are kind of sub-optimal and are no no-brainers. But on the other hand, none of them are precisely duds either, and most can find uses (and you might as well, since you HAVE to take them). Tailor your tactics and choose wisely. Ironically, our Core units now feel more like Specials, role-wise.

* '''Dryads:''' Why Matt Ward! Dryads went from being overpowered to good to one of the weaker units in the game is the initial impression, but in reality Dryads are just trash if you try to use them in their old role. (People tend to judge them based on their old profile, understandably.) They can't take anything other than a champion and cost 330 for 30 of them - then again, they cost as much as Witch Elves and cheaper than Plague Monks, while fulfilling the same role. The Dryads can still be good, and do have a place in combat armies (which are a thing these days and we now have 10 lores of magic to back them up. Seriously, you can make them tough or strong - they work well with either buff). Most armies would kill for toughness 4 core with a ward save and 2 attacks. For 11pts you get WS 4, S3, T4, A2, I5, Ld8, hatred, immune to psychology and a 6++ save (in the forest). Though they have no armour save to mitigate the lower ward save (though they can now take it against magical attacks), and no more skirmisher, they are basically our assassins, crashing into enemy flank and tearing it shreds, while taking not so much damage in return. They are not so useful in a shooty or cavalry army, but if you are running a combat wood elf army, which can actually do well in this book, dryads and eternal guard are what you're gonna take.

* '''Eternal Guard:''' 11 points WS 5 armour piercing, ASF, stubborn, elven spearmen, who can fight better in forests. They can also buy shields too for an extra point and have a 5+ armour save. Considering that the more well protected units in the wood elf army get just a 4+ and 6++, these guys have a pretty good save. Don't get me wrong, their save will be laughed at by every army out there, (apart from beastmen) but for wood elves, it's respectable. At the first glance their cost - 270 points for 20 of them with shields and a full command squad and 390 for a horde - is a high one, but comparing them to other spearelves, for measly 3 points they gain Stubborn, Armor Piercing, +1WS and +1LD, making them an incredible anchor - almost unbreakable when within BSB range. Also, you don't take them in such big units - small units (10-15) can hold off pretty long even against elites. Many people don't like them, since these generally do not fit in with the traditional Wood Elves' Hit and Run or Run and Shoot style of play. Also, they are incredible in the now-viable melee Wood Elf lists and are one of the better places to hide your wizards.Also so durable because of ws5 If you don't kill all of them then you'll have to face them again.

* '''Glade Guard:''' Glade Guard are of debatable worth. For 12 points you get a bs 4 model with no armour, an armour piercing long bow, the option to take full command and a magic standard worth 25 points. In forests they get to reroll ones to wound in close combat and can fire and fight in 1 extra rank. They also can buy any of the magic arrows (discussed in magic arrows section). It is up to you whether you chose to deploy them in multiple small units or in one horde, though generally msu is better since they will have more time to fire. All in all, Deepwood Scouts do same job better for just 1 point more (except of course, they won't fill up your manditory 25% core).

* '''Glade Riders:''' Out of all the core choices, this is perhaps the only unit which has been priced correctly. For 19pts you get m9 fast cavalry with a Asrai Bow and Asrai Spear, who have to ambush (Being forced to ambush can sometimes be an issue, keep this in mind when taking Riders.), that can take the magic arrows. They can also take a magic banner worth up to 25pts which is neat (I would recommend Gleaming Pennant - cheap and nice for fast cavalry). Generally you will want to take these in multiple small units that can come up behind the opponents and cause havoc. In a pinch they also make good warmachine hunters. A downside of this unit is that you cannot depend on them to act early in the game, since they can only move onto the board from turn 2 onward. If you have a treeman that you don't want to get hit by artillery that could kill him in one phase, you may not want to use these guys as warmachine hunters. However, it can be incredibly fun in friendly games and is inevitable in full cavalry lists.
** ''And no, they cannot choose Vanguard deployment over Ambush deployment, because you Vanguard-move ''after'' you have deployed - which you don't with Ambush. Feel free to Vanguard-move in the model case, waiting for your ambush roll.''

===Special Units===

* '''Deep Wood Scouts:''' Don't let their fancy new name fool you. These are the Glade Scouts of the past, simply moved and renamed. For 1 point more than a Glade Guard they gain scout and skirmish and still keep the option to buy magic arrows. They can also buy a full command interestingly and can be taken in units as small as 5. Pity that you can only have so many special unit duplicates. Whenever you feel the urge to buy glade guard that don't contribute to your core allowance, choose Deepwood scouts instead. If anything they are one less unit you have to deploy at the start of a game before the roll off thanks to scout. As a side note; 12 of these armed with '''poisoned arrows''' will kill a warmachine each turn, on average, without a modifier.

* '''Sisters of the Thorn:''' The Wood Elf alternative to Dark Elf Warlocks. While wildriders rock out with their cock out and kill and get killed in a blaze of gory glory, the sisters are more subtle and indirect with their attack. For 26 points they get a 4++, T3, BS5 and a poisoned javelin. They can buy full command and a 50pts banner. They also count as a lvl 2 wizard with the Shield of Thorns and Curse of Anraheir spells, with a +1 to cast with equal to your rank bonus (maxing out at +3). You can pull some crazy stunts with these Druidic Elven Nuns, but they are pricy, have one good spell and one mediocre with great lore attribute, though both will be difficult to cast with less than 3 dice. One thing that is really good about them is that despite their massive cost, they are tough, they do look awesome and they are one of two cavalry units you can deploy your mounted characters in and that they don't have frenzy when compared to the Wild Riders. They are an awesome retinue for a mounted Spellweaver. Get them a Lichebone Pennant and you can laugh at both enemy spells and any miscasts (Edit: as per the errata, MR doesn’t help with miscasts). They also can help/substitute a Lifeweaver or a Branchwraith, providing healing with Shield of Thorns (with thorns themselves being just a little bonus). They ain't a no-brainer, but can be very effective with proper application.
** ''Doomfire Warlocks:'' These guys are often bench-marked a against SotT. For just one point less you get a Dark Elf version of the sisters in the rare units (or more correctly, the sisters are a Wood Elf version of the warlocks since the DE book came out first). These guys don't throw poisoned javelins and they don't get the lore of life attribute on one of their spells. If you find yourself in a friendly game where you two decide to do unbound lists (somehow), the sisters are probably worth considering over warlocks.

* '''Treekin:''' Treekin are the younger brother of Treemen and not the force they once were. With the unit size limit removed, treekin can now be taken in hordes and with a 20 point reduction, they won't eat up as much of your points. Compared to an O&G troll for the same price, treekin suffer from a distinct lack of S5(that the troll has), but they also benefit from a distinct lack of stupidity(that the troll has). Overall treekin are evenly matched with river and stone trolls as they should be for the same point cost. They are the best of the forest spirits the wood elves have to offer but still are no longer a must-take. For 45 points you get S4, T5, 3 wounds, 3 attacks, Stomp, 4+ armor, 6++ Ward, cause fear, and flammable. Beware they are vulnerable to Great Weapons, fire and high volumes of S4 attacks and have trouble overcoming large amounts of static combat res, so be careful to not send them into battles they can't win (unless you have the lore of light unbreakable spell or other buffing spells to improve armor or toughness).
** ''Additional Thought:'' Proper use of these guys is against large S3 units (Spearelves of all flavors, Clanrats, Empire Spearmen, Skeletons...the list goes on). Your archers won't be able to bring the unit down to size very effectively, and most of your CC units will just bounce off, but Treekin have enough attacks (2 ranks have 18 attacks) and high enough toughness to grind them into powder. It's a niche, but it's one not filled very effectively elsewhere in the army. Combine with a flank charge from your Wild Riders for great success.

* '''Wardancer Troupe:''' Wardancers are still a reasonably good unit let down by a few flaws and a fairly high cost of entry. They cost 15 points a pop and with T3 and a 6+ Ward, they're still about as hard as tissue paper, but that's par for the course with Wood Elves and Skirmishers in general. They no longer gain +1 S on the charge and have 3 new dances. The first gives you armor piercing and killing blow, second one gives you +1 attack, another gives you a 3++ and the final dance [[AWESOME|strips your foe of their rank bonuses]]. What lets these guys down is the fact that because they're not Scouts, they have to start in your deployment zone, and M5 does not let them cross the board very quickly, as well as being unable to repeat any of their dances the turn after it is used. To overcome this take a small unit of 5 and hang them back, then proceed to laugh as you charge them into an on-going combat and win it by a landslide due to the -3 combat res. If the dice gods are high that day and the combat goes on for another turn, your shadow dancer can do a different dance if it is not in the wardancer unit (which it should never be).
** Keep in mind, both War Dancers and Shadowdancer are very useful due to disruption dance and are located in very contested sections. Choose well, whom will you use (unless you use both).
*** As a side note, any models in the squad '''(not the whole squad - you can choose)''' can replace two weapons with an Asrai Spear. Which is kinda useless, since if you are taking more than 5 Wardancers in a single squad, you are doing it wrong.
**''It is also highly disappointing that taking a musician does not do more to help the unit of dancers. How did Matt Ward not see the connection between music and dancing?''
***''He must like dubstep. It would explain a lot of things.''

* '''Warhawk Riders:''' You think your Glade Riders are fast? Think again. These guys are one of the best units in the Army Book, acting troubleshooters, since they can bring down War Machines like they're not there, punch out shooting units, ping wounds off lightly armored units and even help out in large combats (this is only for emergencies though). For 45 points you are getting fast flying monstrous cavalry with the Asrai Bows, W3, T<s>4</s>3(sadly, only the W of the mount are used, not the T), Asrai Spears, and killing blow on the charge. They deal out 1 str 4 AP with ASF as well as 2 str 4 AP killing blow hits and a stomp. They do however, lack protection with T3 and only a 6+ armor save. Still, possibly the best flying unit in the game with the exception of the frost phoenix and pegasus knights. Take as many units of 3 as you can. Also they make Great Eagles look very sad and useless.

* '''Wild Riders of Kurnous:''' While they may be quite fragile for cavalry, Wild Riders of Kurnous move like an arrow and hit like a ton of bricks (glass bricks). Similes aside, they are the only fast cavalry in the game with the potential to get a 4+ 6++ and they eat monsters(or damn near anything) for breakfast. For 26 points you get a WS5, S4, T3, model on stagback with light armour, which can buy a shield for 2 extra points, Full Command for 30, and a magic banner up to 50pts. In combat they dish out 3 str 5 AP, ASF and 2 str 4 attack on the charge, thanks to frenzy (which also applies to the mounts) asrai spears for +1 strength on the charge and devastating charge for an extra attack on the charge. Conveniently they also have fear, <s>which is always nice when facing something else with terror</s> You do know that Frenzy makes you Immune to Psychology, right? A unit of 5 on the charge with a champion will cause an average of 12 wounds with -3 to armour and 4 Wounds with -1 to anything at T3 with less than WS5 - that unit is looking a lot less threatening with 15 less guys now isn't it. Also have a lot more staying power than most other cavalry, retaining 4 st4 attacks per model until you lose frenzy. That's better than having lances. Also, they keep their spears in following rounds, so their attacks still have AP. Bear in mind, they're reliant on a 4+ 6++ (one of the best saves the wood elves get is still not that good), so don't get them charged, or they will die in troves. ''Ironically enough, they are no longer Forest Spirits, but their new models actually look like forest spirits, unlike their older models of regular elves.'' (Don't let them get charged, they suddenly hurt a lot less. 2 S4 armor piercing attacks per is just "ok"). These units are not very useful in a head-on charge due to the enemy stepping up (unless you wipe out the entire unit!) but, they are excellent at charging from the rear. However, due to frenzy, it might be difficult to get behind the enemy without being forced the charge them head-on in the first place (they have nice Ld but if you are concerned, include a Glade Lord or Glade Captain BSB).

* '''Wildwood Rangers''' New to the Wood Elf Army Book, 11 points per model gets you light armor, Eternal Guard stats, immune to psychology, and a great weapon. They are slightly more resilient than Gnoblars but do carry a Great Weapon. What makes these guys special is that if they're in combat with a unit that causes fear or terror they get an extra attack (good against Chaos, Undead and Ogres). On the upside they are better than Great Swordsmen(In forests and against fear causers), but are worse than almost every other race's Great Weapon elites (however also cheaper per model). With the End Times bringing undead-summoning for everyone, these fellers become more useful, easily clearing freshly-summoned shamblers with their special rule. Also, if the WE use the fear causing forest for the free WE forest, placing these guys in it is awesome. Not only do they get fear, but enemies that engage them (and step foot into the forest) gain fear as well, which is not only completely useless against them due to immune to psychology, it also means they get to use that +1 attack! These guys can hit hard, but sadly they are difficult to keep alive. High initiative and ASF cancelling out the great weapons' ASL means your best bet to keep these guys alive is to fight low I enemies and kill before you get killed. If your enemy has a strong ranged threat, leave these guys at home. No point in giving away free victory points.

===Rare Units===
*'''Great Eagle:''' They would be reliable, cheap and versatile for 50pts. However, Warhawk costs 5pts less, has KB and a rider (who can shoot), and only loses 1WS. Take Eagles only if you are full on Warhawks, otherwise Hawks will give you much more for less points. Also they can't be upgraded like High Elf eagles. Don't bother. If you insist on using your Great Eagle models, stick a Glade Rider or Glade Guard with spear on it back and have yourself a Warhawk.
** Counterpoint: you would want to take a great eagle instead of a warhawk if you had less than 135pts to spend on flying dudes. Warhawks need to be taken in units of at least 3, and have enough whoopass to draw more attention from the enemy than the eagle. A pair of eagles is great for topping off the last hundred points in your list. Place one of these between your enemy death star and your death star so your death star can get the charge next turn. The eagle is one of the cheapest chaff units in the game (um, dire wolves, anyone? Also, those undead hounds fill core requirements while this beast competes with your best unit [waywatchers] for rare points). Skaven could probably field a unit of slaves for less than 50pts, but those slaves won't give you the same coverage as an eagle.

* '''Treeman:''' The best that can be said about this unit is that it is priced correctly at 225, but it is nowhere near the monster it was in the past. It is still quite tough with T6, W5 and a 3+ scaly skin and 6++ ward (in the forest). It also has 5 attacks at WS6 S5 in combat with the option to swap them all for a tree whack which deals d6 armour ignoring wounds to a model if your enemy fails his initiative test (each wound must be saved seperately in case of ward saves). Also, Thunderstomp. It also appears that the strangle roots have become a better ranged attack. Str 5 d6+1 attacks may not seem like much but every little counts I guess. Despite its low range, this is the highest strength ranged attack available for this army (outside of casting Lore of Beasts signature spell multiple times on Sisters of the Thorn). This army desperately lacks ranged hits above S3 and even just getting 2 or 3 for 20 points can really help against that high toughness, high armor save enemy general that thought he could ride solo because WE don't have war machines.
ALTERNATE OPINION: Strangleroots are 20pts for an average of 3.5 S5 shots a turn, which against something anything glass cannon, like Witch Elves or Swordmasters, can easily make back its points. While the treeman is not amazing and necessary for most armies, sadly it is the best value monster we have and, perhaps, our best monster killer. If this is the best monster killer you've got, your list may not have enough Hagbane Tips.
**Side note: The current Treeman model is mounted on a 50X100 mm chariot base. The 50mm short side goes at the front/rear based on the way you are supposed to assemble the model. This can be seen in GW images in their online store. I believe that the base is 75x50mm with the longer side being the front and the 50mm sides being his flanks.

* '''Waywatchers:''' This is <s>potentially</s> the best unit in the Army Book, so place your bets now on how 9th ed will nerf these guys (9th? We wish). For 20pts you get a BS5 skirmishing scouting archer who can chose whether to add the multiple fire 2 rule to his bow or to ignore armour saves with his shooting. They also come with 2 hand weapons for some mild protection against chaff units in combat, but don't expect them to be able to take the enemy head on with T3 and no armour. Everything they do is very wood elfy. They shoot well, avoid the enemy well and die easily if the enemy puts any real firepower on them. Take a unit of 5 and annoy the living hell out of your opponents. For 100pts you can thin out the enemy if they ignore them, or distract what ever the enemy sends to stomp these guys down. It actually isn't a bad idea to fill your rare allocation up with these. Keep in mind, their bows are still S3 only, so pick your targets carefully and use Withering (lore of shadows) or you're going to be sorely disappointed. Calculation of disappointment can be seen on the talk page. These guys are best at picking off heavily armored units with non-exceptional toughness. They are also useful at unleashing a small group of arrows into the foe. If facing a high toughness enemy, Deepwood Scouts with poison arrows will probably do the job better.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===

The battalion set was a good value. You could get a fairly decent army out of it. ''It is still mighty cool if you manage to find it at some backwater hobby shop (I even managed to get one with discount "'cos no one wanted it for long time" from, apparently, completely ignorant shop assistant).
The battalion shared models with regular kits, so following old guidelines still apply.

From the Glade Guard sprues, you can build Waywatchers. If you have some spare High Elf or Dark Elf spearmen/warriors, giving them a Glade Guard head can turn them into Eternal Guard. You get a ton of heads with the Glade Guard, so you're spoilt! Especially now, when they look like High Elves.

The Glade Riders you can build as Wild Riders with the spears. Or even Sisters of the Thorn.

For your Lords/Heroes choices, you can build them out of the sprues provided. You can make a mounted Glade Lord or Captain (even a BSB), as well as a Waystalker and, with a bit of imagination, a Spellweaver.

Otherwise, for the Spellweaver, the Dark Elves' plastic Sorceress is a good alternative if you don't want old/metal models.

You could make a Treeman with the LotR Ent as it's cheaper, but the two have different dimentions, so be warned.
It is taller, but can fit on a 50x50mm base that you can buy seperatly.(and still be cheaper than a treeman.)
Especially now, when Treemen are taller, slimmer and look more like -Men, than Tree-.

Dryad bits are awesome in making Wild Riders, Sisters of the Thorn and characters. Their back-branches make pretty cool saplings to add foresty clutter on elf bases. You can also glue the extra dryad arms together to make treekin looking things. It will take some patience but you can build three or four sleek looking treekin from a box of a dozen dryads. The ghetto treekin don't look as tough or macho as the GW treekin, so it is easier to picture them as just strength 4 instead of the strength 5 they used to have.

If you want Dryads and Treemen (though they've been nerf-sawed) - you should hurry to grab the Guardians of the Deepwood box, which contains three Treemen and 36 Dryads - and is actually cheaper than cost of those models combined. Either GW are trying to be kinder, or their head manager made a typo. Most likely the latter. Hurry, it is limited edition and stuff.

If you are OK with using mediocre models made from shitty resin, D&D Treant and Roc miniatures make pretty good Treeman or Great Eagle/Warhawk. Be advised, D&D resin is crappy and bendy, but they come pre-painted. The Guardians of the Galaxy Heroclix version of Groot could fill the roll of your treeman easily.

==Equipping Your Army==

'''Asrai Bow''': Just like an ordinary Longbow. 30" range, but now comes with AP.

'''Asrai Spear''': Follows the same rules as regular spears, except for having AP.

Basicly, all Wood Elf spears and bows have AP. Because inch-thick armor is of little use when there's an arrow sticking out of your eye and a spear in your throat.

===Magic Items===

No more Spites, no more Kindreds. Matt Ward, after having given High Elves a meta changing item and Dark elves at least some decent ones, he decided to balance out his previous mistakes by not giving Wood Elves any good items. He even made sure to prevent broken combos this time. It's especially surprising as Wood Elves are reputed to be Matt Ward's favourite elf faction.

'''The Spirit Sword:''' 85 points for ignoring armour saves (as if Wood Elves didn't have enough of this already), and if you cause an unsaved wound on a character/champion/monster, you and your foe both take a leadership test. For each point you beat your opponent by, it causes a wound. If you lose the test nothing happens(Though it can hurt the wielder if you want to use the more amusing 6th ed rules for the sword). I guess it is neat and will kill monsters like hell, but this weapon is overpriced and relies on you hitting/wounding your target. Rely on the rulebook's magic items instead.

'''Daith's Reaper:''' This weapon would be amazing for almost any race but Wood Elves. For 50pts you can reroll to hit and to wound and force your opponent to reroll successful armour saves. Considering you can only take this on a hero who is likely to get to hit rerolls from ASF and that 8th favours ward saves rather than armour saves, this weapon is only slightly better than useless. Buying great weapon or sword of +1 str wound be a far better/cheaper alternative.

'''The Bow of Loren:''' For 20 points you get a bow that fires your character's attacks +1 shots. You can use it on the Waystalker to get 2, armour ignoring, sniping shots or on the Glade Lord to fire 5 bs7 shots. This can actually be increased further through augment magic that increases attacks (lore of beasts). Note that these are Multiple Shots (so -1 to hit and can't stack with Waystalker multiple shots and don't get any bonus attacks from extra hand weapon). The best that can be said about this bow is that it is properly priced. All other races ranged magic items aren't though...

'''Helm of the Hunt:''' For 20pts you get a dragon helm which instead of giving you a 2++ vs flaming attacks, gives you the devastating charge special rule and +1 ws on the charge. Cute I guess for Wood Elves but is it really worth it? Basically, it allows you to make a Wild Rider Noble from older editions (especially with Wild Riders wearing noticeable horned helms now)

'''Acorns of Ages:''' This is the item that Wood Elves have been waiting for. For 100pts you get d3 forests in addition to the starting one, which all have to be the same type and are deployed like drop pods, since they scatter but can't land on other terrain. Lots of tactics are circulating around this item, Drycha/Moonstone of Hidden Ways for teleporting units or almost deep striking treemen. See Talk page for tactics and stuff. As for the item - if nothing else, it's fluffy. The problem is only a couple lords even have the points to carry the thing, and it then leaves them with no points for anything else. Unless your strategy depends on having many forests (Drycha, Moonstone of Hidden ways), it is probably better to pass on this one.

'''Moonstone of Hidden Ways:''' This item's potential power is immense, while it's actual usefulness is varied. For 40pts you can teleport your unit at the end of a movement phase, from one forest to another. The only restriction on what can be teleported is whether it can fit wholly inside the forest. The "forest walking" unit can't be placed in another forest that is too small and counts as having marched. While interesting this item makes you a sitting duck for 1 turn and either relies on the luck of the terrain deployment table or the Acorns of Ages. Buy another gimmick.

'''Hail of the Doom Arrow:''' If only this item was 5 points cheaper so Waystalkers could take it (This does prevent the abuse from being able to hail of the doom arrow snipe combo - <strike>almost</strike> guaranteed dead wizard. Seems like it could have been fixed better with a 'cannot be used in conjunction with the sniper special rule' as opposed to just making it too expensive to take). For 30pts, you get a 1 use str 4 armour piercing arrow that causes 3d6 hits. Some people swear by these things since they can instantly mince lightly armoured units though there are dissenting opinions. Still it is the best magic item Wood Elves have. Sadly, Asyndi's Bane was removed as a magic item, so you can no longer use the HoDA to take out an enemy unit and the guy who fired the arrow in the same turn.

'''Calaingor's Stave:''' Such a depressing item. For 20 points you get the privilege of swapping a spell for Tree Singing. Tree Singing is cast on a 8+ now and can move an empty forest d6+1 inches, which is not much more than the forest moves by being accidentally bumped. If the forest is partially occupied, then instead you can deal 2d6 str4 hits on an enemy unit that is at least partially within the forest. You can improve the spell so that, when cast on a 16+ it affects all forests within 12". If the spell could be cast more than once, was given as an additional spell, had a lore attribute, could be cast on all forests on the board instead of those within 12", cast on a 4+, to name a multitude of reasons, then it would be worth taking. Otherwise, unless you wish to move the destination forest of the moonstone of hidden way's unit or Drycha's helpers, it is the worst magic item in the game. If you really want your eternal guard to hit in an extra rank, its usually easier to move yourself to the forest than to move the forest to you.

'''The Banner of the Eternal Queen:''' For twice the cost of the Banner of the World Dragon, this banner provides Magic Resistance 3 and for 1 turn the ability to be unbreakable. No thanks. The traditional overpriced banner does not fail to disappoint me even if you don't compare it to the Banner of the World Dragon.

'''The Banner of the Hunter King:''' Another banner which gives to it's unit vanguard and, that allows you to reroll the first failed charge of the game for 75pts. Dwarfs get these rules for 35pts and 15pts respectively. Also almost everything that can take this banner has Vanguard already. Competes with Calaingor's Staff for being the worst magic item ever. Well, at least Calaingor's staff only costs 20 points where this costs 75. Worst magic (or even mundane) item ever.

====Enchanted Arrows====

(Note, all arrows have AP and volleyfire, 30 inch range). All of these are available to Glade Guard, Deepwood Scouts, Glade Riders, Glade Lords and Glade Captains.
They replace the profile of regular bows wielded by models and count as magical attacks. <s>Note, that until we get a FAQ, they are ''not'' Asrai Longbows and prevent using Hail of Doom Arrows!</s> The enchanted arrows are Enchanted Items which do not prevent you from holding a second Enchanted item. As such they are NOT weapons, and do not prevent you from using the HODA. The WE book specifically says "Each type of enchanted arrow replaced the profile of the Asrai longbow with the one shown in its entry." <s>In other words, you don't have asrai longbow anymore, you have Arcane Bodkins, Starfire Shafts, Hagbane Tips, Swiftshiver Shards, Moonfire shot, or Trueflight Arrows instead. This would technically disable HoDA even though you are replacing the bow with arrows.</s> Correction: the profile of the bow is replaced, not the bow itself. "if a model has enchanted arrows, he must use them when shooting with an Asrai Longbow." The model still has the bow, which means it can still use HoDA.

'''Arcane Bodkins:''' 5 pts per model, confers ap -3 instead of normal armour piercing. Expensive for what they do. I prefer to do more wounds than reduce armour saves but these arrows kill cavalry like nobody's business. All the same, if your plan is to screw over enemy armour, just use Waywatchers instead. For three more points waywatchers can spite that guy with a 1+ re-rollable armour save while the arcane bodkins have a 50/50 chance of being saved. And they can also fuck up light infantry like nobody's business, if no heavy cavalry presents itself.

'''Hagbane Tips:''' 3 points per model, confers poison attacks. Amazing. This will probably be your go-to magic arrow, since wood elves have troubles vs monsters or anything with high toughness since they have S3. It is nice to have Skink-like firepower on the move at 30" (With BS4+ throughout <s>most</s> ALL of the shooting units, your problems will probably lie in wounding. Might as well turn those 6's to hit into wounds, and save yourself the possibility of connecting a hit that won't wound anything).

'''Trueflight Arrows:''' 3 points per model, confers no penalty to shooting whatever you do. This is probably going to be the second most used arrow. Best taken on your Glade Guard as they will suffer the most penalties (move and shoot, long range, volley fire, etc.). These should be your first choice against Skaven and their shenanigans. As these only help you hit when WE issue is wounding, they are best used in combination with magic that either reduces toughness (death or shadow) or gives +1 to wound (fire).
*''As of now there are many opinions about the merits of these arrows which should be shared on the talk page.

'''Moonfire Arrows:''' 4 points, confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Order. Great against warmachines, which almost all Forces of Order have. BUT against war machines, poison is still better (and cheaper) unless buffed by magic. Still, in addition to putting a hurt on those war machines, this arrow can also screw with any lore of life wizards (which many Forces of Order armies have access to) that thought they'd be using that signature spell. Especially if brought in as a surprise on scouts/ambushers (which is where you want them anyway to reach those war machines quickly).

'''Starfire Arrows:''' 4 points per model confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Destruction. Great against monsters and repeater bolt throwers. The better choice of the "...fire Arrows" duo as almost everything with Regen in the game is from a Forces of Destruction army. If you buy a unit of 10-12 of this instead of the flaming banner you can make OK monster hunters out of them. If you want, bring a small number of archers with flaming arrows and a larger poison arrow unit if you want to use that poison without the pesky regeneration saves. Alternatively, since enchanted arrows are not a magic weapon, they can still benefit from the Banner of Eternal Flame. Hagbane Tips + BoET kills regenerating/flaming monsters like no one's business. Just watch out for characters with Dragonbane Gem or Dragonhelm.

'''Swiftshiver Shards:''' 4 points per model confers multiple shot, making your Glade Guards into Dark Elf repeater crossbowmen. Interesting, but Waywatchers have this basic and do this better than any of the other unit. One recommendation is to fill your core with a big block of swiftshiver shard glade guard (fun to say) and then buff them with hand of glory from the high magic. Your swiftshiver shard glade guard should eviscerate anything that is not protected by the high elf banner of game breaking. Use Arcane Unforging if you can to destroy that banner and drink your High Elf opponent's tears when they realize they might actually have to use strategy to win for once.

==Magic==

Wood elves have gone from being, magically, the least diverse race with the least choice of all when it came to spells, to the most. All Wood Elf wizards now have access to ALL rulebook lores, which is amazing for them, and the Spell Weavers are the only models who now have access to the new Wood Elf specific lores, the Lore of High and Dark Magic. Yes both are directly stolen from the High and Dark elves (this is confirmed by the fluff) but have different lore attributes (this can be seen as good and bad). As such a Spellweaver can now choose 10 lores with a chance to pick 3/4 of 72 different spells.

The following overviews are in my eyes, in the order of importance. However that is up to debate and which most important is dependant on your list and situation.

====Lore of Life====

This Lore is really good for Wood Elves as you can restore wounds on your best units (ie:Warhawks and arguably Treekin). It provides you with a way to give your Glade Guard saves, revive your most expensive units, kill your foes with a characteristic test, and has a safety net for you, if you miscast. It is best taken on a lvl 3/4, so you can get throne of vines up and not have to worry about any more miscasts.

====Lore of Shadow====

The Lore of Shadow allows you to switch and save the most important characters while debuffing your foes. It helps your shooting by reducing your opponent's toughness and weakens them in combat by reducing their strength, weapon skill and intiative. Withering is the must-have spell for Wood Elves (unless you run a LOT of poisoned arrows), as it solves their greatest weakness - Str 3 bows. By using Melkoth's Mysitifying Miasma you can slow down your foes, giving you more time to fire. It can make one your heroes fly but that isn't as useful as the others. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball and a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. Finally it comes with a buff that allows you to shred through tougher units. It is useful since it works on any wizard of any level. The Lore attribute can be good but it is very situational.
Some calculations can be seen in the Talk page.

====Lore of High Magic====

This Lore is really quite neat. It has a wide variety of cheap to cast spells which give you a better shorter ranged fireball as a signature spell, a buff the complete opposite of the MMM importantly buffing your BS, a spell which dispels all effects (very useful against any foe dependant on magic) as a signature spell, a small blast, the ability to redeploy one of your units 10", to dismantle magic items and to deal a str 4 hit to all your foes in one unit. Matt Ward has also given a good lore attribute which stacks well with it's multiple low level spells. Every time you successfully cast a spell you gain a counter. If you suffer an unsaved wound, then the counter nullifies the wound. Great if you are hiding your General anywhere, but especially with the sisters of the Thorn. I feel it is very much like a proactive version of the lore of life, preventing damage rather than repairing it.

====Lore of Metal====

The Lore of Metal is mostly aimed at helping armies like the wood elves deal with heavily armoured foes. It can debuff your foe's armour, pick off standards, has a 5+ pit of shades which causes stupidity and can give your troops a 5+ scaly skin save and +1 to hit (almost everything has armour piercing already). It isn't bad but the other lores often help more. Especially since nearly all the elves have armor piercing and (one of) their best units can outright ignore armor. The scaly skin is nice though since the wood elves are lacking when it comes to armor.

====Lore of Beasts====

The Lore of Beasts lets you run train on things that you normally would not be able to run train on. Arguably, it has the best signature spell of the 8 base Lores. +1 Strength and Toughness make even glade guard dangerous in hand to hand. They are still rubbish, but they may hurt someone. If applied to Treekin, they will each have Dragon-like stats, and go from being 'decent' to 'good' super fast. It really shines on wild riders and warhawks, though, since it takes them from squishy, to survivable, and from dangerous to just death. High initiative Strength 5 will scare anything. The +1S also gives your army an option at S4 ranged hits if cast on a unit of Sisters of the Thorn. It will also give you the amber spear which helps you deal with monsters and a couple of character buffing spells which can help your shadow dancers. Curse of Anraheir has great synergy with all the forests you might bring along (Acorn of Ages). Making a third of an enemy unit that follows you into a forest die is pretty great.

====Lore of Heavens====

The Lore of Heavens is a mixed bag.You get 2 of the spells with the largest areas of affect and potentially the biggest damage output in the game, 1 high strength magic missile, 2 debuffs which synergise well, preventing your foe from ever getting poisoned or killling blow attacks or -1 to hit and a 50/50 chance to put warmachines out of commision for one turn, a buff which makes you reroll all ones (which Wood Elves do in woods anyway) and a very situational knock back spell. Also it's lore attribute turns all of it's spells into lvl 1 fireballs when cast at something with wings. Not bad but it is often outshone. Still, can be used as a monster-hunter lore (since its damage spells inflict low number of very strong hits).

====Lore of Death====

The Lore of Death is good for situations when the enemy has some tough (literally) Lord or Hero, who laughs off your S3 sniping shots and has a chance to wreck your game - like a T4 Grey Seer with the Dreaded 13th ratifying your MSUs. Doom and Darkness also has nice synergy with Fear of your Dryads, Treekin, Treemen, and Wild Riders, and might actually cause an enemy to fail a panic test caused by shooting (giving you a rare opportunity to win with the thing your army is meant to do), while Soulblight does a fine job equalizing some S4 T4 brutes with your fragile elves. The Black Sun of Xereous kills half of everything that isn't elves (great with death's lore attribute). Between those three spells you are bound to get something great on a high level wizard. The character sniping spells are cool but just take waystalkers instead. Just a pity you can't cast Aspect of the Dreadnight on enemies (to exploit Wildwood Rangers' special rule). But, there is always a free mysterious forest which you can make cause fear (making your enemy step into it on the other hand is a bit more difficult...).

====Lore of Fire====

The Lore of Fire is best for level 1s since it comes with the best guaranteed magic missile in the game. If you lose your lvl 4 then go and pump all your dice into a super fireball. Beyond that the only spell of great use for wood elves is the Flaming Sword of Rhuin, which you sadly can't guarantee.

====Lore of Dark Magic====

Pity you can't take it on a level 1. On a level 4 it isn't bad but is beaten by almost all the other lores.

*'''Power of Darkness''':
**'''''Augment'''''. While it does give your unit a much needed strength bonus and extra power dice it will eventually wear you down ( you take a wound with no armor saves if you roll a 3 for power dice) unless you protect yourself with a decent ward save. Often, you'd be best served not getting bogged down in combat. For a stupid elf trick, use when your caster is with Sisters of Thorn and watch those javelins get nasty.

*'''Doombolt''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Always take it. It gives you a much needed high strength shooting attack.

*'''Chillwind''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Is an easy spell to cast, is good against low toughness units and will help you against other shooting armies.

*'''Word of Pain''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Good against shooting/high WS armies that seek to match you prowess. The boosted version will save a lot of your elves in combat, ''especially'' since you don't have much, if any, armor.

*'''Bladewind''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Is a good choice for big blocks of infantry, like the always pleasant Slavebus or Zombietrain or even some tougher units.

*'''Shroud of Despair''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Simply fantastic when you get into combat. No Inspiring Presence and no Hold Your Ground! for you enemies. This will make breaking enemies easier, which is good, because you don't wanna hang around for Round 2.

*'''Soul Stealer''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Once again, great against big horde units/busses/trains. If you get this off, place the 3" template anywhere of the wizard within 18". You can go nuts with '''Power of Darkness''' and never worry about it, if it lands right.

*'''Arnzipal's Black Horror''':
**'''''Magical Vortex'''''. Oh baby. This thing is crazy. Like warpstone-laced cocaine. No wonder Ariel got hooked on this Dark Magic stuff... Anyway, should you get this off, pop it down and sing ''"Snitches's gonna die/This bitch is gonna fly/My wizard's rollin' high/Or she's gonna fry"''. It will then travel anywhere between 6"-40" in the form of a 3" template in a straight line (of your choice) depending on your wizards magic lvl and how much you roll on the arty dice. Everything hit must pass a strength check or die (ward save allowed). As with arty rolls, should you misfire, place it on top of your wizard and scatter it D6. It ''Remains in Play''. Every turn, it jollies around randomly, spreading more laughter and happy thoughts with another arty roll. Misfire and it will stop working. Boost it and you get to use the large 5 incher, then pray to Isha that you don't screw up. Not as powerful as the '''Lore of Death''' version, but still good fun.

It's lore attribute is best likend to that of the '''Lore of Fire'''. Everytime you cast it on an enemy unit, it creates a vengeance counter (on the unit) which activates when damage is next applied through a spell to that unit. It causes d3 extra hits when it does so, for each counter on the unit. If you can take 2 lv 3/4 mages then this is a good secondary lore but beyond the Storm of Magic I doubt it will see much use. Try it out and see how useful it is to you.

====Lore of Light====

It's quite good against Undead and Daemons and could still be considered against Elf armies. Against most other armies, it sadly won't be of much use, as many of the other lores gives you better options. High strength flaming attacks, superb WS, exellent skirmisher [[Troll|trolling]] and M10 A4 Unbreakable Tree Kin is nice when playing the mirror match, but again, other lores give you a better selection of choices all-round. Alternative take: -1 to be hit is nice considering your high weapons skill. Double movement can make your waywatchers/glade riders uncatchable. Unfortunately, you cannot guarantee getting either of these spells. On a level 4 wizard it is highly likely you will either get one of these or roll doubles, however. It's definitely not the best option, but it is far from useless with the right spells.

==Army Composition & Tactics==

Build your tactics around your army.
Basically Wood Elves need to ambush, pick their fights carefully, and throw multiple units into every combat they fight if they want to win. One unit on its own is not going anywhere unless it's Wild Riders vs a monster or if the unit is charging the enemies flanks or rear.

Currently, there are four main methods of building your army:

*A) '''Shooty army.'''
**Don't get charged and keep on shooting. Circle around your foes, slow them down, and don't be afraid to sacrifice a unit if it saves your army.

*B) '''Fast combat army.'''
**You could take an entire horse army. Very hard to use but pays great dividends. This army should always get to choose when and how it fights. Abuse the Wood Elves' superior movement to ridiculous levels.

*C) '''Infantry army.'''
**Units of 5 or 6 Treekin have high Strength and Toughness, multiple wounds, good weapons skill and nearly 20 attacks per turn. Spearelf units are expensive but good for holding characters and is now stubborn even without a glade captain or lord. The enemy will need to kill everyone, so they are not going anywhere for some turns. However, without serious magical buffing, this army will die to anything stronger than a stiff breeze.

*D) '''Hybrid army.'''
**A mix of any of the above.

'''Ambush of the Worldroots'''

''To once again clarify, for future reference, the precise wording of the rule is "'''This forest is not mysterious terrain - declare it's type when you place it'''"

''With "Mysterious" being a fancy word for "Type of your choice".''

*The most obvious tactic for this is to chuck one in the middle of your Glade Guard. However, for an interesting option, to cater towards more close combat orientated armies, you can stick it between your big unit of Eternal Guard, etc and the most likely enemy deployment to mitigate a lot of return shots and hopefully force a fight in the woods. Or simply hamper the enemies movement towards you, forcing them to trudge through the forest or having to split around it

*Pick a Venom Thicket since your entire army (except Eagles) ignores Forest DT tests, but do notice that a Venom Thicket won't grant Poisoned Attacks to your shooting attacks. The rulebook specifically states that Poisoned Attacks from Venom Thicket only applies to close combat attacks.

*Abyssal Wood imposes no penalties and serves as a perfect place to station your Glade Guard, Eternal Guard or Wildwood Rangers. Fear will grant them an edge in melee (which all WE badly need), and luring an enemy far enough into the Abyssal Wood will give it Fear as well - directly empowering your Rangers when hacking them. An Abyssal Wood with a bunch of Rangers stationed in it (with just enough space to accommodate an enemy unit) can be quite effective in a choke-point.

*The other woods should NEVER be considered for two reasons:
**1) Strider only stops Dangerous Terrain checks, so Abyssal Wood/Venom Thicket are the only forests you can survive in while still doing damage to your enemies.
**2) You don't really want to use your guaranteed forest as barrier. You want to stand in it and gain bonuses distilled from HElf and DElf tears.

'''Tips'''

''Many of these tips might seem redundant, but one extra reminder is better than forgetting a small detail that might help you later ''

*With the introduction of Enchanted Arrows and generally improved shooting units, Wood Elves favour a mix between Shooting and Fast Combat armies. As a general rule, avoid putting any more points into core than necessary, always take a Level 4 wizard, 2 Great Eagles, some Waywatchers, and try to avoid any foot based combat unit. This is not to say that you should never take footsloggers, but most of your units will have neither the toughness nor the saves to match other armies.

*Most, if not all of your army has M5 or more. Use this maneuverability to it's utmost to ensure that you stay alive and pick your fights with care.

*Remember that units fighting in forests lose their steadfast rule (this goes for your units as well). This could make a difference when fighting big blocks of Skavenslaves or other similar units that relies on keeping your units tied up until help arrives. Eternal Guards (Stubborn LD9) can shine here, even in relative few numbers. It should also be noted that skirmishers gain stubborn in forests.

*Beware of Monsters or units with high toughness! Unless you have units with Poisoned Attacks, Wild Riders (S5 on the charge), magically buffed units (result being S5 or higher), or Wildwood Rangers, it's gonna be difficult to wound most of the time when you're in combat. Almost every other Army has access to Warmachines to pick off your Treemen/Treeman Ancients, but you won't have the same luxury.

*[[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|DISTRACTION FAERIE]]: You need at least one of these. Either a Treeman, a Forest Dragon or some Waywatcher. Why? Because you need something that is gonna rob your enemy of his reason and make all his Empire/Skaven/Bolt Throwers/Leadbelchers warmachines go "''Huuuurr... Dat's a purdy unit yoo's got there mate... Be a real shame if sumfink hap'n to it, roight?'', so that the rest of your army survives and gets into position.
**''Bear in mind that against Dwarfs this will be less of a distraction and more 220 points of free victory points for their Flaming Cannon.

*Having trouble filling those pesky core points and don't want to give the enemy a 220 point treeman to knock down with cannons? Glade Guard can deal with warmachines after just a few rounds due to their Ambusher rule. Combine with poison arrows to really specialize in WM hunting. Since they can't charge the turn they enter, shoot at one machine and charge remaining machines the following turn. Not terribly reliable since poor rolls can delay your ambushers, but usually an amazing core unit solution to some of the only things that might challange the Wood Elves' superiority in the shooting phase.

*What's that? Having trouble with High Elves and their ''Banner of The World Dragon'' on a beefy cav unit you say? What you're actually saying is that you don't have enough Waywatchers in your army, am I right?

*Seriously consider the ''Recipe for Success''
**You will need the following:
***1) 5 Wild Riders
***2) 1 Forest
***3) Flank Charge on the Enemy

Mix it all together, add command, a War Banner if you like it thick and put it in the oven for about 1 Magic and 1 Shooting Phase at 200 and ''voilà'': 16 Fear-causing ASF S5 AP attacks (reroll 1s to wound) + 10 S4 attacks with no enemy parry saves, supporting attacks or step up (so Always Strikes First actually helps you kill the enemy before they kill you. Also note that flanking does not remove steadfast, so unless you get your enemy within the forest, they may not run as easily). The cost? 160-195 points. (Add more Wild Riders to really hurt those 40+ man units)

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Wood Elves

2020-10-05T05:57:51Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Special Units */

==Why Play Wood Elves==
Wood Elves have been redone and almost completely rewritten. Everything has been turned on its head and old Wood Elf players have to adapt to the new changes. However they have recently not only reclaimed the title of being the fastest army but being arguably the best shooting army too. Wood Elves appear to be of equal parts of light and dark outlooks. They are the middle ground for elves. This is shown by them having magic arrows which are keyed to wounding forces of order and destruction respectively and with their best wizards having access to High and Dark magic. Wood Elves still have access to their old free wood.

Wood Elves are an army almost completely made up of trees, bowmen, or fast cavalry. They rely on speed, shooting and picking their fights. Wood elves still lack war machines but have in exchange a megaton of poisoned weaponry.

The name of their game is speed and maneuverability. By the end of turn 2 you can be behind the enemy lines, ready to unleash deadly co-ordinated flank charges, and against slower armies you can quite simply run circles around your enemided as some of the best archers in the game, the wood elves' possible greatest strength is not in their shooting, but in their prowess fighting in forests. They combine the best of both High Elves & Dark Elves when defending areas of wood. They are formidable in combat but lack staying power. You will need to use your maneuverability to ensure that you win the first combat resolution. If the elves get bogged down, they will quickly end up on the losing side.

Lastly, they have the widest variety of spells to chose from amongst the three Elf factions.

The Wood Elves require perhaps the most skill and nuance to play well, but this directly translates into them also being one of the most rewarding armies to play. Plus they're bad ass vengeful guardians of the forest, so that's pretty cool too.

Be warned that they aren't a good starter army.

In short, play Wood Elves if you want to play an army that requires a lot of skill, strategy and tactical thought to do well. You can't rely on Armor nor Warmachines or crazy shenanigans. Only a quick aim, a steady eye and a hungry forest will aid you in Athel Loren.

''(Matt Ward did have a hand in working on this book. However, GW decided to stop putting author's name in the book, most likely to preserve Watt Mard's tender feelings. What is known is that this was his last army book with GW and after having a hand in End Times:Nagash and End Times:Khaine he has now left).''

==Army Rules==

Wood Elves have four new army rules. They are the following:

'''Blessings of The Ancients''': Any model with this special rule (IE your wizards) gets a +1 to all casting attempts if they are inside a forest. ONLY when they're in a forest.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Durthu''', and '''Drycha'''''

'''Ambush of the Worldroots''': You may place a single forest (of any type, you decide) anywhere on your half of the table. It must be placed before any units are deployed. It ''must'' be wholly within your half of the table. If it can't fit, move the other terrain pieces to make room. If it still can't fit, or you're in a scenario where you don't have a deployment zone, you don't get a forest.

''See '''Army Composition & Tactics''' for ideas and recommendations on how to use this rule''

'''Forest Spirit''': Models with this rule has Forest Strider, Magical Attacks and Immune to Psychology special rule and a 6+ ward save. A weaker save, but no longer mundane like in the previous army book. Mounts do not get the ward save.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Unicorns''', '''Great Stags''', '''Dryads''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Tree Kin''', '''Treemen''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Forest Dragons''', '''Durthu''', '''Hounds of Orion''', '''Drycha''' and '''Ceithin-Har'''''

'''Forest Stalker''': Models with this rule have the Forest Strider special rule. If at least half of a unit with this rule is inside a forest, it will be able to do the following:

* They may fire with one more rank. For the purpose of Volley Fire, this means a full three ranks may shoot, before you have to round down the following ranks.

* They may fight in close combat with one extra rank than normal, just like High Elves. This is cumulative with other similar effects.

* They may reroll to wound any rolls of 1 in close combat, just like Dark Elves. Their mounts, however, may not.
**''Basically, in terms of special rules, all your elves are worse than high elves and dark elves in the open, but equal to both of them combined while in forests. (In truth Eternal Guard is more effective than Spearelves/Dreadspears, Glade Guard beats HE Archers and Glade Riders are Ellyrian Reavers on steroids; but they all cost much more. Model for model - WE are better. Point for point - WE are worse.)''

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Glade Lord''', '''Glade Captain''', '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Eternal Guard''', '''Glade Guard''', '''Deepwood Scouts''', '''Glade Riders''', '''Warhawk Riders''', '''Wildwood Rangers''', '''Wardancers''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Sisters of the Thorn''', '''Wild Riders''', '''Waywatchers''', '''Waystalker''', '''Orion''', '''Araloth''' and '''Naestra & Arahan'''''

==Unit Analysis==
===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
'''Note:''' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

* '''Orion, The King of the Woods:''' Orion is what in general is refered to as a Glass Cannon: Incredibly expensive, requires a massive tax on your resources, can be incredibly powerful and yet is very fragile. Orion costs 600 points. He can also beat in almost anyone's face (9,8,8,6,5,5,9,5,10), comes with a Bolt Thrower and machine gun and is Unbreakable and Frenzy, regains a wound on a 6 at the start of each of your turns. Also comes with two War Beasts (for 20 pts) that share his Frenzy and Unbreakable rule. Here's the downside: He's only T5 with a 5+ Ward and MR 2, making him somewhat less durable than a Treeman, but more durable against spells. He's a Monster, so he has Thunderstomp too, however, he doesn't have the Large Target rule. He will drop like a fly to high volume S4 and above attacks. He also has Always Strikes First but will have trouble winning combats against large units (he'll probably tie or grab a minor win on round 1 and then start losing from then on, not that it matters so much anymore). Not great but has potential. He is basically a Greater Daemon with leafy clothing that gives units within 6" of him Devastating Charge (Everyone of your units gets DC. Including mount)) every turn. Charge him along with your Wild Riders or Warhawk Riders into something. Anything. Then watch the mother hurt of ALL the People's Elbow decend upon your foe. Nothing bar the Dice Gods will stop you. That, or Phoenix Guard. Giggle like an Elf if you get to fight in a forest.

* '''Drycha:''' Orion is fighty, the Twins are shooty, Drycha is weird. She's rather expensive for a Hero, at 255 points, but she doesn't come with nearly enough stuff to justify this. For starters, she's a Level 2 caster and only has access to Lore of Shadows. While she's reasonably fighty (she gets +2 attacks per lost wound, no life shenanigans), T4, 3 wounds and only a 6+ Ward means she's easy to drop. She needs units with the Forest Spirit rule to be effective, but while her kinda ganky Deep Strike ability seems fun, you're only guaranteed d3+1 Woods max (IE the one you brought, sitting in your half of the table, and the acorn of eternity if you buy it) it's probably easier to just have them join her from the front. Don't bother.

* '''Araloth, Lord of Talsyn:''' This is Skaw the Falconer reborn. Sadly, Matt Ward clearly hates him and has not only changed his name but made him the only Wood Elf whose sole purpose is to be repurposed for conversions. 260pts for a 4++, stubborn, unbreakable on his own (don't let him go on his own EVER), Glade Lord with a 6+ armour (Seriously. He doesn't even have Light Armour, even though his model is wearing it. Wild Riders, meanwhile, [[Derp|go around bare chested and count as wearing them]]), armed with an amazing-looking spear that is...a regular Asrai Spear, and who comes with a bird. At least 60pts overpriced. The bird is a free S4 hit on one model within 18", and functions like a weird Killing Blow that causes blindness instead of death (somehow it makes the model worse in combat but not at shooting... go figure). Cute, I guess? This model's only use is to troll Tomb Kings, but with End Times taking away crumble he can't even do that anymore. Don't buy the model to play Wood Elves.
**''Note: Actually, I have found skaryn to be a pretty effective character hunter. The six to wound comes up much more often than you might think (one in three chance of any sort of wound blinding a T 4 model) and if your opponent skimped on armour for that bsb then they just became a lot less effective. Also, this guy combined with a waystalker or two can make a trolltastic wizard sniping team. Still overpriced, but not entirely useless.

* '''Durthu:''' Once again a recycled character from the far distant past which is bad. At first his stats don't look bad; Ws 7, str 6, t6, w6, 6 attacks, frenzy, hatred. But he only has a 3+ armour with a 6++ ward save and is flammable. The greatest of the Treemen can die from a single flamming bolt thrower if it gets lucky, let alone a flaming cannonball. To add salt into the wound he is only a level 1 Lore of Beasts wizard, has a pretty hand weapon of no significance save fluff, and a 2d6 str 2 killing blow ranged attack (which is awesome since he has BS7). All of this is for 385 pts. If you have already ordered the Treemen kit make a basic Treeman instead and convert a Wraithknight/Wraithlord. If you really want to play with him, get him into combat, any combat, as quickly as you can and either get '''The Savage Beast of Horrors''' to make him eat Greater Daemons/Monsters or go with the default '''Wyssan's Wildform''' to make him do 7 WS7 (rerollable to hit) S7 attacks. 666 is the name of the Beast, but 777 is carved on the Tree.

* '''Naestra and Arahan, The Sisters of Twilight:''' Anyone who makes a 'Twins are hot' joke gets kicked out of Athel Loren. As for the girls, they can be hilarious. You don't only take them to win, you take them to [[troll]]. For 275 points you get the pair on the back of Gwindalor the Great Eagle and for a few 220 more can have them ride the forest dragon Ceithin-Har. Why you ever would take them on a dragon is a mystery since the eagle gives them more wounds and t4 thanks to it being monstrous cavalry, while also allowing them to reroll failed to hits. Their Dragon is 80pts cheaper than the glade lord's since gwindalor is clearly 80pts. They have the Always Strikes First, Forest Stalker, Conjoined Destiny, and Sisters of Twilight special rules. The Conjoined destiny rule means that they must always stay together if their mount dies and that if one of them dies then she is revived at the end of her phase with all of her wounds, while the Sisters of Twilight makes Naestra gain a +1 to wound forces of destruction units in combat and Arahan gain a +1 to wound forces of order in combat. They also have 2 special bows. Naestra has a str 5 d6 wound long bow which gives her mount a wound back if she wounds with it and Arahan has a bow which fires 2d6 str 1 poisoned shots. Between them have good shooting and survival thanks to their previous rules and weapons and stats: M5, WS 6, BS 6, str 4, t 3, w2, 3 attacks, i7 and Ld9. These compete badly with the waystalker, lvl 1 spellsinger and BSB in the Heroes section so chose wisely. Pitty you can't take these guys on foot though...
**''Alright, someone explain this to me. Since N&A are now MC on Big G, isn't the Conjoined Destiny rule quite worthless if you get shot? Since the three birds are counted as one model, have practically no saves AND you have to use the profile with the most wounds (which is 3 for Big G), how does this work? Are they able to survive a cannon ball to the face, or does the entire model die after 3 wounds?
***''To counter that which is below, if you stick near 5 Warhawk riders you can get a 4+ look out sir, you can seriously boost your survivability. So long as one twin survives then your foes cannon ball was for naught.
***''A single cannonball won't kill them - and certainly it won't kill Gwindalor, since, according to MC rules, it can't be targeted (yes, this means that the rule that lets the mount regain wounds is useless for G). When N&A are hit, you have to randomize, according to their rules. Then you wound, then the sister that was hit probably dies; then she pops back to full life if the other hasn't been killed by the end of the shooting phase. In melee, you have to allocate attacks, as you would do with two normal characters. N&A can indeed take risks that would be suicidal for other wood elven characters. Quite worthy of the points you pay to field them.''
''

====Generic Characters====
'''Note:''' While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

* '''Glade Lord:''' 145 point generic combat lord, reasonably fighty but you'll pale in comparison to most other Lords. (Basically, he is identical to High Prince or Dark Dreadlord, but the army's style and racial items work against making him a similar meatgrinder) He can be kitted out in a variety of ways to be more fighty and can be given magic arrows which is a plus, he also dishes out a LD10 bubble. He also got an extra point of BS, probably to compensate for the loss of free moving and shooting. One new rule, The Arrow of Kurnous, lets him deal a auto str 3 hit on your opponent's general if they are within 36" of a character with the rule and in line of sight. If your foe has a caster lord as his general then I guess it will force him to deploy further back so not bad. Should not be your first Lord choice, but is by far not the worst. One popular choice is to give him Daith's Reaper and the Armour of Destiny for a stabtastic warboss.

* '''Spellweaver:''' This should be your first Lord choice. Level 4 at 220 points now (or 185 at level 3), a variety of magic items to make her better, the only character who can take the Acorn of Eternity (technically, the Glade Lord can take it too, but naked combat lord suffers much more than naked wizard lord) and most importantly, access to all rulebook lores and Dark and High Magic. Plus she can buy an Asrai Longbow for 5pts, which means that while she's hanging in the back with your Glade Guard, she can ping off the odd casualty herself, which is hilarious by the by. If you want a Lord choice, this is the one you should go for in (almost) every situation.

* '''Treeman Ancient:''' While Treemen are alright, Treemen Ancients fail for many reasons. First off, they're 290 points, don't get spites any more, are lvl 2 life wizards only (who can upgrade to level 4) have a 3+ 6++, can buy magic levels, can tree whack and have the kind of melee stats that make cherubs cry. Ws4, Str5, A3, I2. I guess old age shows? Also, being an old coot, he gets the 75mm long side of his base pointed forwards for some insane reason. The best thing that can be said about them is probably that they are large targets with Ld 10. Actually, against anything that hasn't got a particularly threatening shooting phase, the ancient will be basically immortal unless it gets killed in combat. 3+, 6 wounds, 6T and lore of life means that light shooting will be almost useless against it, and even bolt throwers will struggle to down him.

* '''Glade Captain:''' This is the 75 point generic combat and battle standard bearer character for wood elves. And actually comparing him to other non-elf race's characters he isn't too bad. He can't buy anything armour-wise better than a shield and light armour but then he is a wood elf and he does have some decent combat stats and a bow to make up for it. Also he shares the Arrow of Kurnous with your general so you are not punished for taking a caster lord. Overall, while not having as much access to armour as the Dark Elf Master, this hero is a decent battle standard bearer, especially if you spend a few points to make him tougher. Consider adding a dragon helm, helm of the hunt or any cheap magic armour to make him less squishy. Keep in mind, that most Wood Elf lists are quite mobile (if not outright full-cavalry) and have good Ld, so BSB might not be the best investment.

* '''Shadow Dancer:''' Your Wardancer character. Worth consideration. For 100pts you get a ws8 s4 I8 a4 (two hand weapons) Always Strike Firsts combat character, with the amazing new wardancer dances. You have a 25 points magic weapon/item allowance and for 60pts become a lore of shadow wizard. Sadly she doesn't have a way of moving any more quickly, without switching her across the battlefield with lore of shadows lore attribute and also doesn't have a better save than a 6++, unless you use one of the dances to give you a 3++ for 1 turn. Hit hard, hit fast.
** '''Note:''' For those enterprising gentle...elves, a Shadow Dancer can be used as a pretty nifty rank breaker for a close combat army. Use the Dance of the Woven Mist to rob a horde of their rank bonus and watch them lose instantly.
* NEVER put her into Wardancer unit, their dances do not stack. Put her with Eternal Guard or, better, with Dryads - her attacks and dances will help them overcome their downsides.
** Good items to give her are Glittering Scales (most core will hit her on 6+, with most elites hitting on 5+), Bow of Loren (making her pretty shooty) or Helm of the Hunt (making her [[RAPE|RAPE]] things on the charge).
*** Arguably, making her a level 1 wizard is a pretty bad choice, as you can no longer take magical armor. This leaves you with 25 points to either make her your walking dispell scroll slot or give her the Bow of Loren. Also, as she is only a level 1, you get one spell, and there is no grantee you can actually get it off (On the other side, give her Mystifying Miasma and watch a unit of Chosen get slaughtered at M1 by your archers with starfire arrows). Unless you are really in need of saving points, you are probably better off buying a Level 2 Spellsinger if you want the Lore of Shadow.

* '''Waystalker:''' Is a hero version of the Waywatchers. Just think of this guy as the replacement for the waywatcher kindred hero (sadly there is no replacement for the alter kindred). He has bs 7, a bow and a 25pts weapons allowance. Bow of Loren is an option that allows you to fire 2 ignores armour shots which can also be combined with the Savage Beast of Horrors from the Beasts lore to grant 5 ignores armour sniper shots that do suffer from multiple shots penalty (though with BS7 will you care). You can also use the spell Birona's Timewarp from lore of light to increase attacks by 1 (and double movement) but, this is probably not the best use of that spell. An interesting combo if you're going to be running with the beasts lore. The guy is dirt cheap, only 110 points with the bow of loren, 90 without. With sniper on top of that, the Waystalker can pick enemy heroes out of units with up to 5 armor ignoring attacks! (But, he would suffer -1 to hit from multiple hits AND -1 to hit from sniper, plus possibly other -1 from moving or long range etc.) So keep this in mind because even with 7 BS, if you have too much modifier on your hit chance, all the armor ignoring attacks in the world won't mean a thing.

* '''Spellsinger:''' One word. Amazing, when compared to the old wizards. Five points cheaper than the high elf equivalent (80 points), +35 for a level 2, and 5 points for a bow. Now has access to all battle rule book lores but not to the Wood Elf specific lores (ie the opposite of its sixth edition form). Shame. Take a dispel scroll and the lore of shadow or fire on this hero since their spells are the most effective at level 1/2. (Or lore of beasts and get the signature spell)

* '''Branchwraith:''' The Branchwraith has 2 advantages: 1, she's fairly effective (WS6, S4, T4, I7, A3, 6+ Ward). 2, she's cheap. She is 75pts and a level 1 Lore of Life wizard. She's a cheap way of beefing up a Treekin or Dryad unit. It is also of note that if you're taking the Lore of Beasts for your casters, and you're running a Branchwraith, you can use 2 of the spells to buff her up to insane levels.

====Mounts====

* ''Elven Steed:'' You know it, you love it. M9 Forest Strider, 20pts for lords, half that for heroes, and allows you to keep pace with all your cavalry. Take it for your mages to hide with your cavalry.

* ''Great Stag:'' 65 points. Really, why aren't you taking it? Better stats than it's closest cousin (IE the Eagle), you can still join units, you get a monstrous mount. One of the better mounts. [The reason not to take it, is that you don't get look-out-sir when joining units (because no units you can join are MC)(Also, this thing doesn't have fast cavalry special rule while all your cavalry units do.]

* ''Great Eagle:'' Worth taking to make your models more mobile for 50 pts. I wouldn't take it on every hero but on a lvl 1 mage without the scroll or the bsb it should be worth some consideration.

* ''Unicorn:'' 60 points. Unicorns are weird. They seem to be designed to deliver a Hero/Lord directly into combat, but it's only available to Casters and all it really does for them is make them a tiny bit more durable. A mage on a unicorn may be able to scare away some chaff. It gives you movement 10 and still can skewer some models but is outshone by the elven steed easily. Magic Resistance (2) may seem nice, but it is better to just put your mounted wizard with Sisters of the Thorn and give them Lichebone Pennant or give the wizard the Obsidian Amulet for half the cost of the unicorn.

* ''Forest Dragon:'' It's a 300 point Dragon, what do you want? Considering that this funky-looking dude with wings is a green, environmental-friendly lizard who smokes faeries, makes others stupefied and dumb when they inhale (presumably from forcing the enemy to second hand smoke whatever herbs the elves use to mellow out the dragon), and is a beast when he thinks you're going after his stash, he's actually just that little bit better than most Dragons. Also, there's only one poser who's cool enough to hang with him, and that's the Glade Lord (who, if you don't kit out for combat, really '''''is''''' a poser; the GL has same statline like Prince and Dreadlord, and his dragon is tiny bit stronger than Black/Moon Dragon for same points, so it's not a much worse investment than any other Elf Lord of Dragon. Plus, Helm of the Hunt). Still, if you are running MSU, a dragon equal a giant target with "SHOOT ME!" written all over it in dwarven runes.

===Core Units===
Currently, all Wood Elf Core units are kind of sub-optimal and are no no-brainers. But on the other hand, none of them are precisely duds either, and most can find uses (and you might as well, since you HAVE to take them). Tailor your tactics and choose wisely. Ironically, our Core units now feel more like Specials, role-wise.

* '''Dryads:''' Why Matt Ward! Dryads went from being overpowered to good to one of the weaker units in the game is the initial impression, but in reality Dryads are just trash if you try to use them in their old role. (People tend to judge them based on their old profile, understandably.) They can't take anything other than a champion and cost 330 for 30 of them - then again, they cost as much as Witch Elves and cheaper than Plague Monks, while fulfilling the same role. The Dryads can still be good, and do have a place in combat armies (which are a thing these days and we now have 10 lores of magic to back them up. Seriously, you can make them tough or strong - they work well with either buff). Most armies would kill for toughness 4 core with a ward save and 2 attacks. For 11pts you get WS 4, S3, T4, A2, I5, Ld8, hatred, immune to psychology and a 6++ save (in the forest). Though they have no armour save to mitigate the lower ward save (though they can now take it against magical attacks), and no more skirmisher, they are basically our assassins, crashing into enemy flank and tearing it shreds, while taking not so much damage in return. They are not so useful in a shooty or cavalry army, but if you are running a combat wood elf army, which can actually do well in this book, dryads and eternal guard are what you're gonna take.

* '''Eternal Guard:''' 11 points WS 5 armour piercing, ASF, stubborn, elven spearmen, who can fight better in forests. They can also buy shields too for an extra point and have a 5+ armour save. Considering that the more well protected units in the wood elf army get just a 4+ and 6++, these guys have a pretty good save. Don't get me wrong, their save will be laughed at by every army out there, (apart from beastmen) but for wood elves, it's respectable. At the first glance their cost - 270 points for 20 of them with shields and a full command squad and 390 for a horde - is a high one, but comparing them to other spearelves, for measly 3 points they gain Stubborn, Armor Piercing, +1WS and +1LD, making them an incredible anchor - almost unbreakable when within BSB range. Also, you don't take them in such big units - small units (10-15) can hold off pretty long even against elites. Many people don't like them, since these generally do not fit in with the traditional Wood Elves' Hit and Run or Run and Shoot style of play. Also, they are incredible in the now-viable melee Wood Elf lists and are one of the better places to hide your wizards.Also so durable because of ws5 If you don't kill all of them then you'll have to face them again.

* '''Glade Guard:''' Glade Guard are of debatable worth. For 12 points you get a bs 4 model with no armour, an armour piercing long bow, the option to take full command and a magic standard worth 25 points. In forests they get to reroll ones to wound in close combat and can fire and fight in 1 extra rank. They also can buy any of the magic arrows (discussed in magic arrows section). It is up to you whether you chose to deploy them in multiple small units or in one horde, though generally msu is better since they will have more time to fire. All in all, Deepwood Scouts do same job better for just 1 point more (except of course, they won't fill up your manditory 25% core).

* '''Glade Riders:''' Out of all the core choices, this is perhaps the only unit which has been priced correctly. For 19pts you get m9 fast cavalry with a Asrai Bow and Asrai Spear, who have to ambush (Being forced to ambush can sometimes be an issue, keep this in mind when taking Riders.), that can take the magic arrows. They can also take a magic banner worth up to 25pts which is neat (I would recommend Gleaming Pennant - cheap and nice for fast cavalry). Generally you will want to take these in multiple small units that can come up behind the opponents and cause havoc. In a pinch they also make good warmachine hunters. A downside of this unit is that you cannot depend on them to act early in the game, since they can only move onto the board from turn 2 onward. If you have a treeman that you don't want to get hit by artillery that could kill him in one phase, you may not want to use these guys as warmachine hunters. However, it can be incredibly fun in friendly games and is inevitable in full cavalry lists.
** ''And no, they cannot choose Vanguard deployment over Ambush deployment, because you Vanguard-move ''after'' you have deployed - which you don't with Ambush. Feel free to Vanguard-move in the model case, waiting for your ambush roll.''

===Special Units===

* '''Deep Wood Scouts:''' Don't let their fancy new name fool you. These are the Glade Scouts of the past, simply moved and renamed. For 1 point more than a Glade Guard they gain scout and skirmish and still keep the option to buy magic arrows. They can also buy a full command interestingly and can be taken in units as small as 5. Pity that you can only have so many special unit duplicates. Whenever you feel the urge to buy glade guard that don't contribute to your core allowance, choose Deepwood scouts instead. If anything they are one less unit you have to deploy at the start of a game before the roll off thanks to scout. As a side note; 12 of these armed with '''poisoned arrows''' will kill a warmachine each turn, on average, without a modifier.

* '''Sisters of the Thorn:''' The Wood Elf alternative to Dark Elf Warlocks. While wildriders rock out with their cock out and kill and get killed in a blaze of gory glory, the sisters are more subtle and indirect with their attack. For 26 points they get a 4++, T3, BS5 and a poisoned javelin. They can buy full command and a 50pts banner. They also count as a lvl 2 wizard with the Shield of Thorns and Curse of Anraheir spells, with a +1 to cast with equal to your rank bonus (maxing out at +3). You can pull some crazy stunts with these Druidic Elven Nuns, but they are pricy, have one good spell and one mediocre with great lore attribute, though both will be difficult to cast with less than 3 dice. One thing that is really good about them is that despite their massive cost, they are tough, they do look awesome and they are one of two cavalry units you can deploy your mounted characters in and that they don't have frenzy when compared to the Wild Riders. They are an awesome retinue for a mounted Spellweaver. Get them a Lichebone Pennant and you can laugh at both enemy spells and any miscasts (Edit: as per the errata, MR doesn’t help with miscasts). They also can help/substitute a Lifeweaver or a Branchwraith, providing healing with Shield of Thorns (with thorns themselves being just a little bonus). They ain't a no-brainer, but can be very effective with proper application.
** ''Doomfire Warlocks:'' These guys are often bench-marked a against SotT. For just one point less you get a Dark Elf version of the sisters in the rare units (or more correctly, the sisters are a Wood Elf version of the warlocks since the DE book came out first). These guys don't throw poisoned javelins and they don't get the lore of life attribute on one of their spells. If you find yourself in a friendly game where you two decide to do unbound lists (somehow), the sisters are probably worth considering over warlocks.

* '''Treekin:''' Treekin are the younger brother of Treemen and not the force they once were. With the unit size limit removed, treekin can now be taken in hordes and with a 20 point reduction, they won't eat up as much of your points. Compared to an O&G troll for the same price, treekin suffer from a distinct lack of S5(that the troll has), but they also benefit from a distinct lack of stupidity(that the troll has). Overall treekin are evenly matched with river and stone trolls as they should be for the same point cost. They are the best of the forest spirits the wood elves have to offer but still are no longer a must-take. For 45 points you get S4, T5, 3 wounds, 3 attacks, Stomp, 4+ armor, 6++ Ward, cause fear, and flammable. Beware they are vulnerable to Great Weapons, fire and high volumes of S4 attacks and have trouble overcoming large amounts of static combat res, so be careful to not send them into battles they can't win (unless you have the lore of light unbreakable spell or other buffing spells to improve armor or toughness).
** ''Additional Thought:'' Proper use of these guys is against large S3 units (Spearelves of all flavors, Clanrats, Empire Spearmen, Skeletons...the list goes on). Your archers won't be able to bring the unit down to size very effectively, and most of your CC units will just bounce off, but Treekin have enough attacks (2 ranks have 18 attacks) and high enough toughness to grind them into powder. It's a niche, but it's one not filled very effectively elsewhere in the army. Combine with a flank charge from your Wild Riders for great success.

* '''Wardancer Troupe:''' Wardancers are still a reasonably good unit let down by a few flaws and a fairly high cost of entry. They cost 15 points a pop and with T3 and a 6+ Ward, they're still about as hard as tissue paper, but that's par for the course with Wood Elves and Skirmishers in general. They no longer gain +1 S on the charge and have 3 new dances. The first gives you armor piercing and killing blow, second one gives you +1 attack, another gives you a 3++ and the final dance [[AWESOME|strips your foe of their rank bonuses]]. What lets these guys down is the fact that because they're not Scouts, they have to start in your deployment zone, and M5 does not let them cross the board very quickly, as well as being unable to repeat any of their dances the turn after it is used. To overcome this take a small unit of 5 and hang them back, then proceed to laugh as you charge them into an on-going combat and win it by a landslide due to the -3 combat res. If the dice gods are high that day and the combat goes on for another turn, your shadow dancer can do a different dance if it is not in the wardancer unit (which it should never be).
** Keep in mind, both War Dancers and Shadowdancer are very useful due to disruption dance and are located in very contested sections. Choose well, whom will you use (unless you use both).
*** As a side note, any models in the squad '''(not the whole squad - you can choose)''' can replace two weapons with an Asrai Spear. Which is kinda useless, since if you are taking more than 5 Wardancers in a single squad, you are doing it wrong.
**''It is also highly disappointing that taking a musician does not do more to help the unit of dancers. How did Matt Ward not see the connection between music and dancing?''
***''He must like dubstep. It would explain a lot of things.''

* '''Warhawk Riders:''' You think your Glade Riders are fast? Think again. These guys are one of the best units in the Army Book, acting troubleshooters, since they can bring down War Machines like they're not there, punch out shooting units, ping wounds off lightly armored units and even help out in large combats (this is only for emergencies though). For 45 points you are getting fast flying monstrous cavalry with the Asrai Bows, W3, T<s>4</s>3(sadly, only the W of the mount are used, not the T), Asrai Spears, and killing blow on the charge. They deal out 1 str 4 AP with ASF as well as 2 str 4 AP killing blow hits and a stomp. They do however, lack protection with T3 and only a 6+ armor save. Still, possibly the best flying unit in the game with the exception of the frost phoenix and pegasus knights. Take as many units of 3 as you can. Also they make Great Eagles look very sad and useless.

* '''Wild Riders of Kurnous:''' While they may be quite fragile for cavalry, Wild Riders of Kurnous move like an arrow and hit like a ton of bricks (glass bricks). Similes aside, they are the only fast cavalry in the game with the potential to get a 4+ 6++ and they eat monsters(or damn near anything) for breakfast. For 26 points you get a WS5, S4, T3, model on stagback with light armour, which can buy a shield for 2 extra points, Full Command for 30, and a magic banner up to 50pts. In combat they dish out 3 str 5 AP, ASF and 2 str 4 attack on the charge, thanks to frenzy (which also applies to the mounts) asrai spears for +1 strength on the charge and devastating charge for an extra attack on the charge. Conveniently they also have fear, <s>which is always nice when facing something else with terror</s> You do know that Frenzy makes you Immune to Psychology, right? A unit of 5 on the charge with a champion will cause an average of 12 wounds with -3 to armour and 4 Wounds with -1 to anything at T3 with less than WS5 - that unit is looking a lot less threatening with 15 less guys now isn't it. Also have a lot more staying power than most other cavalry, retaining 4 st4 attacks per model until you lose frenzy. That's better than having lances. Also, they keep their spears in following rounds, so their attacks still have AP. Bear in mind, they're reliant on a 4+ 6++ (one of the best saves the wood elves get is still not that good), so don't get them charged, or they will die in troves. ''Ironically enough, they are no longer Forest Spirits, but their new models actually look like forest spirits, unlike their older models of regular elves.'' (Don't let them get charged, they suddenly hurt a lot less. 2 S4 armor piercing attacks per is just "ok"). These units are not very useful in a head-on charge due to the enemy stepping up (unless you wipe out the entire unit!) but, they are excellent at charging from the rear. However, due to frenzy, it might be difficult to get behind the enemy without being forced the charge them head-on in the first place (they have nice Ld but if you are concerned, include a Glade Lord or Glade Captain BSB).

* '''Wildwood Rangers''' New to the Wood Elf Army Book, 11 points per model gets you light armor, Eternal Guard stats, immune to psychology, and a great weapon. They are slightly more resilient than Gnoblars but do carry a Great Weapon. What makes these guys special is that if they're in combat with a unit that causes fear or terror they get an extra attack (good against Chaos, Undead and Ogres). On the upside they are better than Great Swordsmen(In forests and against fear causers), but are worse than almost every other race's Great Weapon elites (however also cheaper per model). With the End Times bringing undead-summoning for everyone, these fellers become more useful, easily clearing freshly-summoned shamblers with their special rule. Also, if the WE use the fear causing forest for the free WE forest, placing these guys in it is awesome. Not only do they get fear, but enemies that engage them (and step foot into the forest) gain fear as well, which is not only completely useless against them due to immune to psychology, it also means they get to use that +1 attack! These guys can hit hard, but sadly they are difficult to keep alive. High initiative and ASF cancelling out the great weapons' ASL means your best bet to keep these guys alive is to fight low I enemies and kill before you get killed. If your enemy has a strong ranged threat, leave these guys at home. No point in giving away free victory points.

===Rare Units===
*'''Great Eagle:''' They would be reliable, cheap and versatile for 50pts. However, Warhawk costs 5pts less, has KB and a rider (who can shoot), and only loses 1WS. Take Eagles only if you are full on Warhawks, otherwise Hawks will give you much more for less points. Also they can't be upgraded like High Elf eagles. Don't bother. If you insist on using your Great Eagle models, stick a Glade Rider or Glade Guard with spear on it back and have yourself a Warhawk.
** Counterpoint: you would want to take a great eagle instead of a warhawk if you had less than 135pts to spend on flying dudes. Warhawks need to be taken in units of at least 3, and have enough whoopass to draw more attention from the enemy than the eagle. A pair of eagles is great for topping off the last hundred points in your list. Place one of these between your enemy death star and your death star so your death star can get the charge next turn. The eagle is one of the cheapest chaff units in the game. Skaven could probably field a unit of slaves for less than 50pts, but those slaves won't give you the same coverage as an eagle.

* '''Treeman:''' The best that can be said about this unit is that it is priced correctly at 225, but it is nowhere near the monster it was in the past. It is still quite tough with T6, W5 and a 3+ scaly skin and 6++ ward (in the forest). It also has 5 attacks at WS6 S5 in combat with the option to swap them all for a tree whack which deals d6 armour ignoring wounds to a model if your enemy fails his initiative test (each wound must be saved seperately in case of ward saves). Also, Thunderstomp. It also appears that the strangle roots have become a better ranged attack. Str 5 d6+1 attacks may not seem like much but every little counts I guess. ALTERNATE OPINION: Strangleroots are 20pts for an average of 3.5 S5 shots a turn, which against something anything glass cannon, like Witch Elves or Swordmasters, can easily make back its points. While the treeman is not amazing and necessary for most armies, sadly it is the best value monster we have and, perhaps, our best monster killer. If this is the best monster killer you've got, your list may not have enough Hagbane Tips.
**Side note: The current Treeman model is mounted on a 50X100 mm chariot base. The 50mm short side goes at the front/rear based on the way you are supposed to assemble the model. This can be seen in GW images in their online store. I believe that the base is 75x50mm with the longer side being the front and the 50mm sides being his flanks.

* '''Waywatchers:''' This is potentially the best unit in the Army Book, so place your bets now on how 9th ed will nerf these guys (9th? We wish). For 20pts you get a BS5 skirmishing scouting archer who can chose whether to add the multiple fire 2 rule to his bow or to ignore armour saves with his shooting. They also come with 2 hand weapons for some mild protection against chaff units in combat, but don't expect them to be able to take the enemy head on with T3 and no armour. Everything they do is very wood elfy. They shoot well, avoid the enemy well and die easily if the enemy puts any real firepower on them. Take a unit of 5 and annoy the living hell out of your opponents. For 100pts you can thin out the enemy if they ignore them, or distract what ever the enemy sends to stomp these guys down. It actually isn't a bad idea to fill your rare allocation up with these. Keep in mind, their bows are still S3 only, so pick your targets carefully and use Withering (lore of shadows) or you're going to be sorely disappointed. Calculation of disappointment can be seen on the talk page. These guys are best at picking off heavily armored units with non-exceptional toughness. They are also useful at unleashing a small group of arrows into the foe. If facing a high toughness enemy, Deepwood Scouts with poison arrows will probably do the job better.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===

The battalion set was a good value. You could get a fairly decent army out of it. ''It is still mighty cool if you manage to find it at some backwater hobby shop (I even managed to get one with discount "'cos no one wanted it for long time" from, apparently, completely ignorant shop assistant).
The battalion shared models with regular kits, so following old guidelines still apply.

From the Glade Guard sprues, you can build Waywatchers. If you have some spare High Elf or Dark Elf spearmen/warriors, giving them a Glade Guard head can turn them into Eternal Guard. You get a ton of heads with the Glade Guard, so you're spoilt! Especially now, when they look like High Elves.

The Glade Riders you can build as Wild Riders with the spears. Or even Sisters of the Thorn.

For your Lords/Heroes choices, you can build them out of the sprues provided. You can make a mounted Glade Lord or Captain (even a BSB), as well as a Waystalker and, with a bit of imagination, a Spellweaver.

Otherwise, for the Spellweaver, the Dark Elves' plastic Sorceress is a good alternative if you don't want old/metal models.

You could make a Treeman with the LotR Ent as it's cheaper, but the two have different dimentions, so be warned.
It is taller, but can fit on a 50x50mm base that you can buy seperatly.(and still be cheaper than a treeman.)
Especially now, when Treemen are taller, slimmer and look more like -Men, than Tree-.

Dryad bits are awesome in making Wild Riders, Sisters of the Thorn and characters. Their back-branches make pretty cool saplings to add foresty clutter on elf bases. You can also glue the extra dryad arms together to make treekin looking things. It will take some patience but you can build three or four sleek looking treekin from a box of a dozen dryads. The ghetto treekin don't look as tough or macho as the GW treekin, so it is easier to picture them as just strength 4 instead of the strength 5 they used to have.

If you want Dryads and Treemen (though they've been nerf-sawed) - you should hurry to grab the Guardians of the Deepwood box, which contains three Treemen and 36 Dryads - and is actually cheaper than cost of those models combined. Either GW are trying to be kinder, or their head manager made a typo. Most likely the latter. Hurry, it is limited edition and stuff.

If you are OK with using mediocre models made from shitty resin, D&D Treant and Roc miniatures make pretty good Treeman or Great Eagle/Warhawk. Be advised, D&D resin is crappy and bendy, but they come pre-painted. The Guardians of the Galaxy Heroclix version of Groot could fill the roll of your treeman easily.

==Equipping Your Army==

'''Asrai Bow''': Just like an ordinary Longbow. 30" range, but now comes with AP.

'''Asrai Spear''': Follows the same rules as regular spears, except for having AP.

Basicly, all Wood Elf spears and bows have AP. Because inch-thick armor is of little use when there's an arrow sticking out of your eye and a spear in your throat.

===Magic Items===

No more Spites, no more Kindreds. Matt Ward, after having given High Elves a meta changing item and Dark elves at least some decent ones, he decided to balance out his previous mistakes by not giving Wood Elves any good items. He even made sure to prevent broken combos this time. It's especially surprising as Wood Elves are reputed to be Matt Ward's favourite elf faction.

'''The Spirit Sword:''' 85 points for ignoring armour saves (as if Wood Elves didn't have enough of this already), and if you cause an unsaved wound on a character/champion/monster, you and your foe both take a leadership test. For each point you beat your opponent by, it causes a wound. If you lose the test nothing happens(Though it can hurt the wielder if you want to use the more amusing 6th ed rules for the sword). I guess it is neat and will kill monsters like hell, but this weapon is overpriced and relies on you hitting/wounding your target. Rely on the rulebook's magic items instead.

'''Daith's Reaper:''' This weapon would be amazing for almost any race but Wood Elves. For 50pts you can reroll to hit and to wound and force your opponent to reroll successful armour saves. Considering you can only take this on a hero who is likely to get to hit rerolls from ASF and that 8th favours ward saves rather than armour saves, this weapon is only slightly better than useless. Buying great weapon or sword of +1 str wound be a far better/cheaper alternative.

'''The Bow of Loren:''' For 20 points you get a bow that fires your character's attacks +1 shots. You can use it on the Waystalker to get 2, armour ignoring, sniping shots or on the Glade Lord to fire 5 bs7 shots. This can actually be increased further through augment magic that increases attacks (lore of beasts). Note that these are Multiple Shots (so -1 to hit and can't stack with Waystalker multiple shots and don't get any bonus attacks from extra hand weapon). The best that can be said about this bow is that it is properly priced. All other races ranged magic items aren't though...

'''Helm of the Hunt:''' For 20pts you get a dragon helm which instead of giving you a 2++ vs flaming attacks, gives you the devastating charge special rule and +1 ws on the charge. Cute I guess for Wood Elves but is it really worth it? Basically, it allows you to make a Wild Rider Noble from older editions (especially with Wild Riders wearing noticeable horned helms now)

'''Acorns of Ages:''' This is the item that Wood Elves have been waiting for. For 100pts you get d3 forests in addition to the starting one, which all have to be the same type and are deployed like drop pods, since they scatter but can't land on other terrain. Lots of tactics are circulating around this item, Drycha/Moonstone of Hidden Ways for teleporting units or almost deep striking treemen. See Talk page for tactics and stuff. As for the item - if nothing else, it's fluffy. The problem is only a couple lords even have the points to carry the thing, and it then leaves them with no points for anything else. Unless your strategy depends on having many forests (Drycha, Moonstone of Hidden ways), it is probably better to pass on this one.

'''Moonstone of Hidden Ways:''' This item's potential power is immense, while it's actual usefulness is varied. For 40pts you can teleport your unit at the end of a movement phase, from one forest to another. The only restriction on what can be teleported is whether it can fit wholly inside the forest. The "forest walking" unit can't be placed in another forest that is too small and counts as having marched. While interesting this item makes you a sitting duck for 1 turn and either relies on the luck of the terrain deployment table or the Acorns of Ages. Buy another gimmick.

'''Hail of the Doom Arrow:''' If only this item was 5 points cheaper so Waystalkers could take it (This does prevent the abuse from being able to hail of the doom arrow snipe combo - <strike>almost</strike> guaranteed dead wizard. Seems like it could have been fixed better with a 'cannot be used in conjunction with the sniper special rule' as opposed to just making it too expensive to take). For 30pts, you get a 1 use str 4 armour piercing arrow that causes 3d6 hits. Some people swear by these things since they can instantly mince lightly armoured units though there are dissenting opinions. Still it is the best magic item Wood Elves have. Sadly, Asyndi's Bane was removed as a magic item, so you can no longer use the HoDA to take out an enemy unit and the guy who fired the arrow in the same turn.

'''Calaingor's Stave:''' Such a depressing item. For 20 points you get the privilege of swapping a spell for Tree Singing. Tree Singing is cast on a 8+ now and can move an empty forest d6+1 inches, which is not much more than the forest moves by being accidentally bumped. If the forest is partially occupied, then instead you can deal 2d6 str4 hits on an enemy unit that is at least partially within the forest. You can improve the spell so that, when cast on a 16+ it affects all forests within 12". If the spell could be cast more than once, was given as an additional spell, had a lore attribute, could be cast on all forests on the board instead of those within 12", cast on a 4+, to name a multitude of reasons, then it would be worth taking. Otherwise, unless you wish to move the destination forest of the moonstone of hidden way's unit or Drycha's helpers, it is the worst magic item in the game. If you really want your eternal guard to hit in an extra rank, its usually easier to move yourself to the forest than to move the forest to you.

'''The Banner of the Eternal Queen:''' For twice the cost of the Banner of the World Dragon, this banner provides Magic Resistance 3 and for 1 turn the ability to be unbreakable. No thanks. The traditional overpriced banner does not fail to disappoint me even if you don't compare it to the Banner of the World Dragon.

'''The Banner of the Hunter King:''' Another banner which gives to it's unit vanguard and, that allows you to reroll the first failed charge of the game for 75pts. Dwarfs get these rules for 35pts and 15pts respectively. Also almost everything that can take this banner has Vanguard already. Competes with Calaingor's Staff for being the worst magic item ever. Well, at least Calaingor's staff only costs 20 points where this costs 75. Worst magic (or even mundane) item ever.

====Enchanted Arrows====

(Note, all arrows have AP and volleyfire, 30 inch range). All of these are available to Glade Guard, Deepwood Scouts, Glade Riders, Glade Lords and Glade Captains.
They replace the profile of regular bows wielded by models and count as magical attacks. <s>Note, that until we get a FAQ, they are ''not'' Asrai Longbows and prevent using Hail of Doom Arrows!</s> The enchanted arrows are Enchanted Items which do not prevent you from holding a second Enchanted item. As such they are NOT weapons, and do not prevent you from using the HODA. The WE book specifically says "Each type of enchanted arrow replaced the profile of the Asrai longbow with the one shown in its entry." <s>In other words, you don't have asrai longbow anymore, you have Arcane Bodkins, Starfire Shafts, Hagbane Tips, Swiftshiver Shards, Moonfire shot, or Trueflight Arrows instead. This would technically disable HoDA even though you are replacing the bow with arrows.</s> Correction: the profile of the bow is replaced, not the bow itself. "if a model has enchanted arrows, he must use them when shooting with an Asrai Longbow." The model still has the bow, which means it can still use HoDA.

'''Arcane Bodkins:''' 5 pts per model, confers ap -3 instead of normal armour piercing. Expensive for what they do. I prefer to do more wounds than reduce armour saves but these arrows kill cavalry like nobody's business. All the same, if your plan is to screw over enemy armour, just use Waywatchers instead. For three more points waywatchers can spite that guy with a 1+ re-rollable armour save while the arcane bodkins have a 50/50 chance of being saved. And they can also fuck up light infantry like nobody's business, if no heavy cavalry presents itself.

'''Hagbane Tips:''' 3 points per model, confers poison attacks. Amazing. This will probably be your go-to magic arrow, since wood elves have troubles vs monsters or anything with high toughness since they have S3. It is nice to have Skink-like firepower on the move at 30" (With BS4+ throughout <s>most</s> ALL of the shooting units, your problems will probably lie in wounding. Might as well turn those 6's to hit into wounds, and save yourself the possibility of connecting a hit that won't wound anything).

'''Trueflight Arrows:''' 3 points per model, confers no penalty to shooting whatever you do. This is probably going to be the second most used arrow. Best taken on your Glade Guard as they will suffer the most penalties (move and shoot, long range, volley fire, etc.). These should be your first choice against Skaven and their shenanigans. As these only help you hit when WE issue is wounding, they are best used in combination with magic that either reduces toughness (death or shadow) or gives +1 to wound (fire).
*''As of now there are many opinions about the merits of these arrows which should be shared on the talk page.

'''Moonfire Arrows:''' 4 points, confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Order. Great against warmachines, which almost all Forces of Order have. BUT against war machines, poison is still better (and cheaper) unless buffed by magic. Still, in addition to putting a hurt on those war machines, this arrow can also screw with any lore of life wizards (which many Forces of Order armies have access to) that thought they'd be using that signature spell. Especially if brought in as a surprise on scouts/ambushers (which is where you want them anyway to reach those war machines quickly).

'''Starfire Arrows:''' 4 points per model confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Destruction. Great against monsters and repeater bolt throwers. The better choice of the "...fire Arrows" duo as almost everything with Regen in the game is from a Forces of Destruction army. If you buy a unit of 10-12 of this instead of the flaming banner you can make OK monster hunters out of them. If you want, bring a small number of archers with flaming arrows and a larger poison arrow unit if you want to use that poison without the pesky regeneration saves. Alternatively, since enchanted arrows are not a magic weapon, they can still benefit from the Banner of Eternal Flame. Hagbane Tips + BoET kills regenerating/flaming monsters like no one's business. Just watch out for characters with Dragonbane Gem or Dragonhelm.

'''Swiftshiver Shards:''' 4 points per model confers multiple shot, making your Glade Guards into Dark Elf repeater crossbowmen. Interesting, but Waywatchers have this basic and do this better than any of the other unit. One recommendation is to fill your core with a big block of swiftshiver shard glade guard (fun to say) and then buff them with hand of glory from the high magic. Your swiftshiver shard glade guard should eviscerate anything that is not protected by the high elf banner of game breaking. Use Arcane Unforging if you can to destroy that banner and drink your High Elf opponent's tears when they realize they might actually have to use strategy to win for once.

==Magic==

Wood elves have gone from being, magically, the least diverse race with the least choice of all when it came to spells, to the most. All Wood Elf wizards now have access to ALL rulebook lores, which is amazing for them, and the Spell Weavers are the only models who now have access to the new Wood Elf specific lores, the Lore of High and Dark Magic. Yes both are directly stolen from the High and Dark elves (this is confirmed by the fluff) but have different lore attributes (this can be seen as good and bad). As such a Spellweaver can now choose 10 lores with a chance to pick 3/4 of 72 different spells.

The following overviews are in my eyes, in the order of importance. However that is up to debate and which most important is dependant on your list and situation.

====Lore of Life====

This Lore is really good for Wood Elves as you can restore wounds on your best units (ie:Warhawks and arguably Treekin). It provides you with a way to give your Glade Guard saves, revive your most expensive units, kill your foes with a characteristic test, and has a safety net for you, if you miscast. It is best taken on a lvl 3/4, so you can get throne of vines up and not have to worry about any more miscasts.

====Lore of Shadow====

The Lore of Shadow allows you to switch and save the most important characters while debuffing your foes. It helps your shooting by reducing your opponent's toughness and weakens them in combat by reducing their strength, weapon skill and intiative. Withering is the must-have spell for Wood Elves (unless you run a LOT of poisoned arrows), as it solves their greatest weakness - Str 3 bows. By using Melkoth's Mysitifying Miasma you can slow down your foes, giving you more time to fire. It can make one your heroes fly but that isn't as useful as the others. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball and a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. Finally it comes with a buff that allows you to shred through tougher units. It is useful since it works on any wizard of any level. The Lore attribute can be good but it is very situational.
Some calculations can be seen in the Talk page.

====Lore of High Magic====

This Lore is really quite neat. It has a wide variety of cheap to cast spells which give you a better shorter ranged fireball as a signature spell, a buff the complete opposite of the MMM importantly buffing your BS, a spell which dispels all effects (very useful against any foe dependant on magic) as a signature spell, a small blast, the ability to redeploy one of your units 10", to dismantle magic items and to deal a str 4 hit to all your foes in one unit. Matt Ward has also given a good lore attribute which stacks well with it's multiple low level spells. Every time you successfully cast a spell you gain a counter. If you suffer an unsaved wound, then the counter nullifies the wound. Great if you are hiding your General anywhere, but especially with the sisters of the Thorn. I feel it is very much like a proactive version of the lore of life, preventing damage rather than repairing it.

====Lore of Metal====

The Lore of Metal is mostly aimed at helping armies like the wood elves deal with heavily armoured foes. It can debuff your foe's armour, pick off standards, has a 5+ pit of shades which causes stupidity and can give your troops a 5+ scaly skin save and +1 to hit (almost everything has armour piercing already). It isn't bad but the other lores often help more. Especially since nearly all the elves have armor piercing and (one of) their best units can outright ignore armor. The scaly skin is nice though since the wood elves are lacking when it comes to armor.

====Lore of Beasts====

The Lore of Beasts lets you run train on things that you normally would not be able to run train on. Arguably, it has the best signature spell of the 8 base Lores. +1 Strength and Toughness make even glade guard dangerous in hand to hand. They are still rubbish, but they may hurt someone. If applied to Treekin, they will each have Dragon-like stats, and go from being 'decent' to 'good' super fast. It really shines on wild riders and warhawks, though, since it takes them from squishy, to survivable, and from dangerous to just death. High initiative Strength 5 will scare anything. The +1S also gives your army an option at S4 ranged hits if cast on a unit of Sisters of the Thorn. It will also give you the amber spear which helps you deal with monsters and a couple of character buffing spells which can help your shadow dancers. Curse of Anraheir has great synergy with all the forests you might bring along (Acorn of Ages). Making a third of an enemy unit that follows you into a forest die is pretty great.

====Lore of Heavens====

The Lore of Heavens is a mixed bag.You get 2 of the spells with the largest areas of affect and potentially the biggest damage output in the game, 1 high strength magic missile, 2 debuffs which synergise well, preventing your foe from ever getting poisoned or killling blow attacks or -1 to hit and a 50/50 chance to put warmachines out of commision for one turn, a buff which makes you reroll all ones (which Wood Elves do in woods anyway) and a very situational knock back spell. Also it's lore attribute turns all of it's spells into lvl 1 fireballs when cast at something with wings. Not bad but it is often outshone. Still, can be used as a monster-hunter lore (since its damage spells inflict low number of very strong hits).

====Lore of Death====

The Lore of Death is good for situations when the enemy has some tough (literally) Lord or Hero, who laughs off your S3 sniping shots and has a chance to wreck your game - like a T4 Grey Seer with the Dreaded 13th ratifying your MSUs. Doom and Darkness also has nice synergy with Fear of your Dryads, Treekin, Treemen, and Wild Riders, and might actually cause an enemy to fail a panic test caused by shooting (giving you a rare opportunity to win with the thing your army is meant to do), while Soulblight does a fine job equalizing some S4 T4 brutes with your fragile elves. The Black Sun of Xereous kills half of everything that isn't elves (great with death's lore attribute). Between those three spells you are bound to get something great on a high level wizard. The character sniping spells are cool but just take waystalkers instead. Just a pity you can't cast Aspect of the Dreadnight on enemies (to exploit Wildwood Rangers' special rule). But, there is always a free mysterious forest which you can make cause fear (making your enemy step into it on the other hand is a bit more difficult...).

====Lore of Fire====

The Lore of Fire is best for level 1s since it comes with the best guaranteed magic missile in the game. If you lose your lvl 4 then go and pump all your dice into a super fireball. Beyond that the only spell of great use for wood elves is the Flaming Sword of Rhuin, which you sadly can't guarantee.

====Lore of Dark Magic====

Pity you can't take it on a level 1. On a level 4 it isn't bad but is beaten by almost all the other lores.

*'''Power of Darkness''':
**'''''Augment'''''. While it does give your unit a much needed strength bonus and extra power dice it will eventually wear you down ( you take a wound with no armor saves if you roll a 3 for power dice) unless you protect yourself with a decent ward save. Often, you'd be best served not getting bogged down in combat. For a stupid elf trick, use when your caster is with Sisters of Thorn and watch those javelins get nasty.

*'''Doombolt''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Always take it. It gives you a much needed high strength shooting attack.

*'''Chillwind''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Is an easy spell to cast, is good against low toughness units and will help you against other shooting armies.

*'''Word of Pain''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Good against shooting/high WS armies that seek to match you prowess. The boosted version will save a lot of your elves in combat, ''especially'' since you don't have much, if any, armor.

*'''Bladewind''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Is a good choice for big blocks of infantry, like the always pleasant Slavebus or Zombietrain or even some tougher units.

*'''Shroud of Despair''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Simply fantastic when you get into combat. No Inspiring Presence and no Hold Your Ground! for you enemies. This will make breaking enemies easier, which is good, because you don't wanna hang around for Round 2.

*'''Soul Stealer''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Once again, great against big horde units/busses/trains. If you get this off, place the 3" template anywhere of the wizard within 18". You can go nuts with '''Power of Darkness''' and never worry about it, if it lands right.

*'''Arnzipal's Black Horror''':
**'''''Magical Vortex'''''. Oh baby. This thing is crazy. Like warpstone-laced cocaine. No wonder Ariel got hooked on this Dark Magic stuff... Anyway, should you get this off, pop it down and sing ''"Snitches's gonna die/This bitch is gonna fly/My wizard's rollin' high/Or she's gonna fry"''. It will then travel anywhere between 6"-40" in the form of a 3" template in a straight line (of your choice) depending on your wizards magic lvl and how much you roll on the arty dice. Everything hit must pass a strength check or die (ward save allowed). As with arty rolls, should you misfire, place it on top of your wizard and scatter it D6. It ''Remains in Play''. Every turn, it jollies around randomly, spreading more laughter and happy thoughts with another arty roll. Misfire and it will stop working. Boost it and you get to use the large 5 incher, then pray to Isha that you don't screw up. Not as powerful as the '''Lore of Death''' version, but still good fun.

It's lore attribute is best likend to that of the '''Lore of Fire'''. Everytime you cast it on an enemy unit, it creates a vengeance counter (on the unit) which activates when damage is next applied through a spell to that unit. It causes d3 extra hits when it does so, for each counter on the unit. If you can take 2 lv 3/4 mages then this is a good secondary lore but beyond the Storm of Magic I doubt it will see much use. Try it out and see how useful it is to you.

====Lore of Light====

It's quite good against Undead and Daemons and could still be considered against Elf armies. Against most other armies, it sadly won't be of much use, as many of the other lores gives you better options. High strength flaming attacks, superb WS, exellent skirmisher [[Troll|trolling]] and M10 A4 Unbreakable Tree Kin is nice when playing the mirror match, but again, other lores give you a better selection of choices all-round. Alternative take: -1 to be hit is nice considering your high weapons skill. Double movement can make your waywatchers/glade riders uncatchable. Unfortunately, you cannot guarantee getting either of these spells. On a level 4 wizard it is highly likely you will either get one of these or roll doubles, however. It's definitely not the best option, but it is far from useless with the right spells.

==Army Composition & Tactics==

Build your tactics around your army.
Basically Wood Elves need to ambush, pick their fights carefully, and throw multiple units into every combat they fight if they want to win. One unit on its own is not going anywhere unless it's Wild Riders vs a monster or if the unit is charging the enemies flanks or rear.

Currently, there are four main methods of building your army:

*A) '''Shooty army.'''
**Don't get charged and keep on shooting. Circle around your foes, slow them down, and don't be afraid to sacrifice a unit if it saves your army.

*B) '''Fast combat army.'''
**You could take an entire horse army. Very hard to use but pays great dividends. This army should always get to choose when and how it fights. Abuse the Wood Elves' superior movement to ridiculous levels.

*C) '''Infantry army.'''
**Units of 5 or 6 Treekin have high Strength and Toughness, multiple wounds, good weapons skill and nearly 20 attacks per turn. Spearelf units are expensive but good for holding characters and is now stubborn even without a glade captain or lord. The enemy will need to kill everyone, so they are not going anywhere for some turns. However, without serious magical buffing, this army will die to anything stronger than a stiff breeze.

*D) '''Hybrid army.'''
**A mix of any of the above.

'''Ambush of the Worldroots'''

''To once again clarify, for future reference, the precise wording of the rule is "'''This forest is not mysterious terrain - declare it's type when you place it'''"

''With "Mysterious" being a fancy word for "Type of your choice".''

*The most obvious tactic for this is to chuck one in the middle of your Glade Guard. However, for an interesting option, to cater towards more close combat orientated armies, you can stick it between your big unit of Eternal Guard, etc and the most likely enemy deployment to mitigate a lot of return shots and hopefully force a fight in the woods. Or simply hamper the enemies movement towards you, forcing them to trudge through the forest or having to split around it

*Pick a Venom Thicket since your entire army (except Eagles) ignores Forest DT tests, but do notice that a Venom Thicket won't grant Poisoned Attacks to your shooting attacks. The rulebook specifically states that Poisoned Attacks from Venom Thicket only applies to close combat attacks.

*Abyssal Wood imposes no penalties and serves as a perfect place to station your Glade Guard, Eternal Guard or Wildwood Rangers. Fear will grant them an edge in melee (which all WE badly need), and luring an enemy far enough into the Abyssal Wood will give it Fear as well - directly empowering your Rangers when hacking them. An Abyssal Wood with a bunch of Rangers stationed in it (with just enough space to accommodate an enemy unit) can be quite effective in a choke-point.

*The other woods should NEVER be considered for two reasons:
**1) Strider only stops Dangerous Terrain checks, so Abyssal Wood/Venom Thicket are the only forests you can survive in while still doing damage to your enemies.
**2) You don't really want to use your guaranteed forest as barrier. You want to stand in it and gain bonuses distilled from HElf and DElf tears.

'''Tips'''

''Many of these tips might seem redundant, but one extra reminder is better than forgetting a small detail that might help you later ''

*With the introduction of Enchanted Arrows and generally improved shooting units, Wood Elves favour a mix between Shooting and Fast Combat armies. As a general rule, avoid putting any more points into core than necessary, always take a Level 4 wizard, 2 Great Eagles, some Waywatchers, and try to avoid any foot based combat unit. This is not to say that you should never take footsloggers, but most of your units will have neither the toughness nor the saves to match other armies.

*Most, if not all of your army has M5 or more. Use this maneuverability to it's utmost to ensure that you stay alive and pick your fights with care.

*Remember that units fighting in forests lose their steadfast rule (this goes for your units as well). This could make a difference when fighting big blocks of Skavenslaves or other similar units that relies on keeping your units tied up until help arrives. Eternal Guards (Stubborn LD9) can shine here, even in relative few numbers. It should also be noted that skirmishers gain stubborn in forests.

*Beware of Monsters or units with high toughness! Unless you have units with Poisoned Attacks, Wild Riders (S5 on the charge), magically buffed units (result being S5 or higher), or Wildwood Rangers, it's gonna be difficult to wound most of the time when you're in combat. Almost every other Army has access to Warmachines to pick off your Treemen/Treeman Ancients, but you won't have the same luxury.

*[[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|DISTRACTION FAERIE]]: You need at least one of these. Either a Treeman, a Forest Dragon or some Waywatcher. Why? Because you need something that is gonna rob your enemy of his reason and make all his Empire/Skaven/Bolt Throwers/Leadbelchers warmachines go "''Huuuurr... Dat's a purdy unit yoo's got there mate... Be a real shame if sumfink hap'n to it, roight?'', so that the rest of your army survives and gets into position.
**''Bear in mind that against Dwarfs this will be less of a distraction and more 220 points of free victory points for their Flaming Cannon.

*Having trouble filling those pesky core points and don't want to give the enemy a 220 point treeman to knock down with cannons? Glade Guard can deal with warmachines after just a few rounds due to their Ambusher rule. Combine with poison arrows to really specialize in WM hunting. Since they can't charge the turn they enter, shoot at one machine and charge remaining machines the following turn. Not terribly reliable since poor rolls can delay your ambushers, but usually an amazing core unit solution to some of the only things that might challange the Wood Elves' superiority in the shooting phase.

*What's that? Having trouble with High Elves and their ''Banner of The World Dragon'' on a beefy cav unit you say? What you're actually saying is that you don't have enough Waywatchers in your army, am I right?

*Seriously consider the ''Recipe for Success''
**You will need the following:
***1) 5 Wild Riders
***2) 1 Forest
***3) Flank Charge on the Enemy

Mix it all together, add command, a War Banner if you like it thick and put it in the oven for about 1 Magic and 1 Shooting Phase at 200 and ''voilà'': 16 Fear-causing ASF S5 AP attacks (reroll 1s to wound) + 10 S4 attacks with no enemy parry saves, supporting attacks or step up (so Always Strikes First actually helps you kill the enemy before they kill you. Also note that flanking does not remove steadfast, so unless you get your enemy within the forest, they may not run as easily). The cost? 160-195 points. (Add more Wild Riders to really hurt those 40+ man units)

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Wood Elves

2020-10-05T05:42:07Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Mounts */

==Why Play Wood Elves==
Wood Elves have been redone and almost completely rewritten. Everything has been turned on its head and old Wood Elf players have to adapt to the new changes. However they have recently not only reclaimed the title of being the fastest army but being arguably the best shooting army too. Wood Elves appear to be of equal parts of light and dark outlooks. They are the middle ground for elves. This is shown by them having magic arrows which are keyed to wounding forces of order and destruction respectively and with their best wizards having access to High and Dark magic. Wood Elves still have access to their old free wood.

Wood Elves are an army almost completely made up of trees, bowmen, or fast cavalry. They rely on speed, shooting and picking their fights. Wood elves still lack war machines but have in exchange a megaton of poisoned weaponry.

The name of their game is speed and maneuverability. By the end of turn 2 you can be behind the enemy lines, ready to unleash deadly co-ordinated flank charges, and against slower armies you can quite simply run circles around your enemided as some of the best archers in the game, the wood elves' possible greatest strength is not in their shooting, but in their prowess fighting in forests. They combine the best of both High Elves & Dark Elves when defending areas of wood. They are formidable in combat but lack staying power. You will need to use your maneuverability to ensure that you win the first combat resolution. If the elves get bogged down, they will quickly end up on the losing side.

Lastly, they have the widest variety of spells to chose from amongst the three Elf factions.

The Wood Elves require perhaps the most skill and nuance to play well, but this directly translates into them also being one of the most rewarding armies to play. Plus they're bad ass vengeful guardians of the forest, so that's pretty cool too.

Be warned that they aren't a good starter army.

In short, play Wood Elves if you want to play an army that requires a lot of skill, strategy and tactical thought to do well. You can't rely on Armor nor Warmachines or crazy shenanigans. Only a quick aim, a steady eye and a hungry forest will aid you in Athel Loren.

''(Matt Ward did have a hand in working on this book. However, GW decided to stop putting author's name in the book, most likely to preserve Watt Mard's tender feelings. What is known is that this was his last army book with GW and after having a hand in End Times:Nagash and End Times:Khaine he has now left).''

==Army Rules==

Wood Elves have four new army rules. They are the following:

'''Blessings of The Ancients''': Any model with this special rule (IE your wizards) gets a +1 to all casting attempts if they are inside a forest. ONLY when they're in a forest.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Durthu''', and '''Drycha'''''

'''Ambush of the Worldroots''': You may place a single forest (of any type, you decide) anywhere on your half of the table. It must be placed before any units are deployed. It ''must'' be wholly within your half of the table. If it can't fit, move the other terrain pieces to make room. If it still can't fit, or you're in a scenario where you don't have a deployment zone, you don't get a forest.

''See '''Army Composition & Tactics''' for ideas and recommendations on how to use this rule''

'''Forest Spirit''': Models with this rule has Forest Strider, Magical Attacks and Immune to Psychology special rule and a 6+ ward save. A weaker save, but no longer mundane like in the previous army book. Mounts do not get the ward save.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Unicorns''', '''Great Stags''', '''Dryads''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Tree Kin''', '''Treemen''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Forest Dragons''', '''Durthu''', '''Hounds of Orion''', '''Drycha''' and '''Ceithin-Har'''''

'''Forest Stalker''': Models with this rule have the Forest Strider special rule. If at least half of a unit with this rule is inside a forest, it will be able to do the following:

* They may fire with one more rank. For the purpose of Volley Fire, this means a full three ranks may shoot, before you have to round down the following ranks.

* They may fight in close combat with one extra rank than normal, just like High Elves. This is cumulative with other similar effects.

* They may reroll to wound any rolls of 1 in close combat, just like Dark Elves. Their mounts, however, may not.
**''Basically, in terms of special rules, all your elves are worse than high elves and dark elves in the open, but equal to both of them combined while in forests. (In truth Eternal Guard is more effective than Spearelves/Dreadspears, Glade Guard beats HE Archers and Glade Riders are Ellyrian Reavers on steroids; but they all cost much more. Model for model - WE are better. Point for point - WE are worse.)''

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Glade Lord''', '''Glade Captain''', '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Eternal Guard''', '''Glade Guard''', '''Deepwood Scouts''', '''Glade Riders''', '''Warhawk Riders''', '''Wildwood Rangers''', '''Wardancers''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Sisters of the Thorn''', '''Wild Riders''', '''Waywatchers''', '''Waystalker''', '''Orion''', '''Araloth''' and '''Naestra & Arahan'''''

==Unit Analysis==
===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
'''Note:''' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

* '''Orion, The King of the Woods:''' Orion is what in general is refered to as a Glass Cannon: Incredibly expensive, requires a massive tax on your resources, can be incredibly powerful and yet is very fragile. Orion costs 600 points. He can also beat in almost anyone's face (9,8,8,6,5,5,9,5,10), comes with a Bolt Thrower and machine gun and is Unbreakable and Frenzy, regains a wound on a 6 at the start of each of your turns. Also comes with two War Beasts (for 20 pts) that share his Frenzy and Unbreakable rule. Here's the downside: He's only T5 with a 5+ Ward and MR 2, making him somewhat less durable than a Treeman, but more durable against spells. He's a Monster, so he has Thunderstomp too, however, he doesn't have the Large Target rule. He will drop like a fly to high volume S4 and above attacks. He also has Always Strikes First but will have trouble winning combats against large units (he'll probably tie or grab a minor win on round 1 and then start losing from then on, not that it matters so much anymore). Not great but has potential. He is basically a Greater Daemon with leafy clothing that gives units within 6" of him Devastating Charge (Everyone of your units gets DC. Including mount)) every turn. Charge him along with your Wild Riders or Warhawk Riders into something. Anything. Then watch the mother hurt of ALL the People's Elbow decend upon your foe. Nothing bar the Dice Gods will stop you. That, or Phoenix Guard. Giggle like an Elf if you get to fight in a forest.

* '''Drycha:''' Orion is fighty, the Twins are shooty, Drycha is weird. She's rather expensive for a Hero, at 255 points, but she doesn't come with nearly enough stuff to justify this. For starters, she's a Level 2 caster and only has access to Lore of Shadows. While she's reasonably fighty (she gets +2 attacks per lost wound, no life shenanigans), T4, 3 wounds and only a 6+ Ward means she's easy to drop. She needs units with the Forest Spirit rule to be effective, but while her kinda ganky Deep Strike ability seems fun, you're only guaranteed d3+1 Woods max (IE the one you brought, sitting in your half of the table, and the acorn of eternity if you buy it) it's probably easier to just have them join her from the front. Don't bother.

* '''Araloth, Lord of Talsyn:''' This is Skaw the Falconer reborn. Sadly, Matt Ward clearly hates him and has not only changed his name but made him the only Wood Elf whose sole purpose is to be repurposed for conversions. 260pts for a 4++, stubborn, unbreakable on his own (don't let him go on his own EVER), Glade Lord with a 6+ armour (Seriously. He doesn't even have Light Armour, even though his model is wearing it. Wild Riders, meanwhile, [[Derp|go around bare chested and count as wearing them]]), armed with an amazing-looking spear that is...a regular Asrai Spear, and who comes with a bird. At least 60pts overpriced. The bird is a free S4 hit on one model within 18", and functions like a weird Killing Blow that causes blindness instead of death (somehow it makes the model worse in combat but not at shooting... go figure). Cute, I guess? This model's only use is to troll Tomb Kings, but with End Times taking away crumble he can't even do that anymore. Don't buy the model to play Wood Elves.
**''Note: Actually, I have found skaryn to be a pretty effective character hunter. The six to wound comes up much more often than you might think (one in three chance of any sort of wound blinding a T 4 model) and if your opponent skimped on armour for that bsb then they just became a lot less effective. Also, this guy combined with a waystalker or two can make a trolltastic wizard sniping team. Still overpriced, but not entirely useless.

* '''Durthu:''' Once again a recycled character from the far distant past which is bad. At first his stats don't look bad; Ws 7, str 6, t6, w6, 6 attacks, frenzy, hatred. But he only has a 3+ armour with a 6++ ward save and is flammable. The greatest of the Treemen can die from a single flamming bolt thrower if it gets lucky, let alone a flaming cannonball. To add salt into the wound he is only a level 1 Lore of Beasts wizard, has a pretty hand weapon of no significance save fluff, and a 2d6 str 2 killing blow ranged attack (which is awesome since he has BS7). All of this is for 385 pts. If you have already ordered the Treemen kit make a basic Treeman instead and convert a Wraithknight/Wraithlord. If you really want to play with him, get him into combat, any combat, as quickly as you can and either get '''The Savage Beast of Horrors''' to make him eat Greater Daemons/Monsters or go with the default '''Wyssan's Wildform''' to make him do 7 WS7 (rerollable to hit) S7 attacks. 666 is the name of the Beast, but 777 is carved on the Tree.

* '''Naestra and Arahan, The Sisters of Twilight:''' Anyone who makes a 'Twins are hot' joke gets kicked out of Athel Loren. As for the girls, they can be hilarious. You don't only take them to win, you take them to [[troll]]. For 275 points you get the pair on the back of Gwindalor the Great Eagle and for a few 220 more can have them ride the forest dragon Ceithin-Har. Why you ever would take them on a dragon is a mystery since the eagle gives them more wounds and t4 thanks to it being monstrous cavalry, while also allowing them to reroll failed to hits. Their Dragon is 80pts cheaper than the glade lord's since gwindalor is clearly 80pts. They have the Always Strikes First, Forest Stalker, Conjoined Destiny, and Sisters of Twilight special rules. The Conjoined destiny rule means that they must always stay together if their mount dies and that if one of them dies then she is revived at the end of her phase with all of her wounds, while the Sisters of Twilight makes Naestra gain a +1 to wound forces of destruction units in combat and Arahan gain a +1 to wound forces of order in combat. They also have 2 special bows. Naestra has a str 5 d6 wound long bow which gives her mount a wound back if she wounds with it and Arahan has a bow which fires 2d6 str 1 poisoned shots. Between them have good shooting and survival thanks to their previous rules and weapons and stats: M5, WS 6, BS 6, str 4, t 3, w2, 3 attacks, i7 and Ld9. These compete badly with the waystalker, lvl 1 spellsinger and BSB in the Heroes section so chose wisely. Pitty you can't take these guys on foot though...
**''Alright, someone explain this to me. Since N&A are now MC on Big G, isn't the Conjoined Destiny rule quite worthless if you get shot? Since the three birds are counted as one model, have practically no saves AND you have to use the profile with the most wounds (which is 3 for Big G), how does this work? Are they able to survive a cannon ball to the face, or does the entire model die after 3 wounds?
***''To counter that which is below, if you stick near 5 Warhawk riders you can get a 4+ look out sir, you can seriously boost your survivability. So long as one twin survives then your foes cannon ball was for naught.
***''A single cannonball won't kill them - and certainly it won't kill Gwindalor, since, according to MC rules, it can't be targeted (yes, this means that the rule that lets the mount regain wounds is useless for G). When N&A are hit, you have to randomize, according to their rules. Then you wound, then the sister that was hit probably dies; then she pops back to full life if the other hasn't been killed by the end of the shooting phase. In melee, you have to allocate attacks, as you would do with two normal characters. N&A can indeed take risks that would be suicidal for other wood elven characters. Quite worthy of the points you pay to field them.''
''

====Generic Characters====
'''Note:''' While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

* '''Glade Lord:''' 145 point generic combat lord, reasonably fighty but you'll pale in comparison to most other Lords. (Basically, he is identical to High Prince or Dark Dreadlord, but the army's style and racial items work against making him a similar meatgrinder) He can be kitted out in a variety of ways to be more fighty and can be given magic arrows which is a plus, he also dishes out a LD10 bubble. He also got an extra point of BS, probably to compensate for the loss of free moving and shooting. One new rule, The Arrow of Kurnous, lets him deal a auto str 3 hit on your opponent's general if they are within 36" of a character with the rule and in line of sight. If your foe has a caster lord as his general then I guess it will force him to deploy further back so not bad. Should not be your first Lord choice, but is by far not the worst. One popular choice is to give him Daith's Reaper and the Armour of Destiny for a stabtastic warboss.

* '''Spellweaver:''' This should be your first Lord choice. Level 4 at 220 points now (or 185 at level 3), a variety of magic items to make her better, the only character who can take the Acorn of Eternity (technically, the Glade Lord can take it too, but naked combat lord suffers much more than naked wizard lord) and most importantly, access to all rulebook lores and Dark and High Magic. Plus she can buy an Asrai Longbow for 5pts, which means that while she's hanging in the back with your Glade Guard, she can ping off the odd casualty herself, which is hilarious by the by. If you want a Lord choice, this is the one you should go for in (almost) every situation.

* '''Treeman Ancient:''' While Treemen are alright, Treemen Ancients fail for many reasons. First off, they're 290 points, don't get spites any more, are lvl 2 life wizards only (who can upgrade to level 4) have a 3+ 6++, can buy magic levels, can tree whack and have the kind of melee stats that make cherubs cry. Ws4, Str5, A3, I2. I guess old age shows? Also, being an old coot, he gets the 75mm long side of his base pointed forwards for some insane reason. The best thing that can be said about them is probably that they are large targets with Ld 10. Actually, against anything that hasn't got a particularly threatening shooting phase, the ancient will be basically immortal unless it gets killed in combat. 3+, 6 wounds, 6T and lore of life means that light shooting will be almost useless against it, and even bolt throwers will struggle to down him.

* '''Glade Captain:''' This is the 75 point generic combat and battle standard bearer character for wood elves. And actually comparing him to other non-elf race's characters he isn't too bad. He can't buy anything armour-wise better than a shield and light armour but then he is a wood elf and he does have some decent combat stats and a bow to make up for it. Also he shares the Arrow of Kurnous with your general so you are not punished for taking a caster lord. Overall, while not having as much access to armour as the Dark Elf Master, this hero is a decent battle standard bearer, especially if you spend a few points to make him tougher. Consider adding a dragon helm, helm of the hunt or any cheap magic armour to make him less squishy. Keep in mind, that most Wood Elf lists are quite mobile (if not outright full-cavalry) and have good Ld, so BSB might not be the best investment.

* '''Shadow Dancer:''' Your Wardancer character. Worth consideration. For 100pts you get a ws8 s4 I8 a4 (two hand weapons) Always Strike Firsts combat character, with the amazing new wardancer dances. You have a 25 points magic weapon/item allowance and for 60pts become a lore of shadow wizard. Sadly she doesn't have a way of moving any more quickly, without switching her across the battlefield with lore of shadows lore attribute and also doesn't have a better save than a 6++, unless you use one of the dances to give you a 3++ for 1 turn. Hit hard, hit fast.
** '''Note:''' For those enterprising gentle...elves, a Shadow Dancer can be used as a pretty nifty rank breaker for a close combat army. Use the Dance of the Woven Mist to rob a horde of their rank bonus and watch them lose instantly.
* NEVER put her into Wardancer unit, their dances do not stack. Put her with Eternal Guard or, better, with Dryads - her attacks and dances will help them overcome their downsides.
** Good items to give her are Glittering Scales (most core will hit her on 6+, with most elites hitting on 5+), Bow of Loren (making her pretty shooty) or Helm of the Hunt (making her [[RAPE|RAPE]] things on the charge).
*** Arguably, making her a level 1 wizard is a pretty bad choice, as you can no longer take magical armor. This leaves you with 25 points to either make her your walking dispell scroll slot or give her the Bow of Loren. Also, as she is only a level 1, you get one spell, and there is no grantee you can actually get it off (On the other side, give her Mystifying Miasma and watch a unit of Chosen get slaughtered at M1 by your archers with starfire arrows). Unless you are really in need of saving points, you are probably better off buying a Level 2 Spellsinger if you want the Lore of Shadow.

* '''Waystalker:''' Is a hero version of the Waywatchers. Just think of this guy as the replacement for the waywatcher kindred hero (sadly there is no replacement for the alter kindred). He has bs 7, a bow and a 25pts weapons allowance. Bow of Loren is an option that allows you to fire 2 ignores armour shots which can also be combined with the Savage Beast of Horrors from the Beasts lore to grant 5 ignores armour sniper shots that do suffer from multiple shots penalty (though with BS7 will you care). You can also use the spell Birona's Timewarp from lore of light to increase attacks by 1 (and double movement) but, this is probably not the best use of that spell. An interesting combo if you're going to be running with the beasts lore. The guy is dirt cheap, only 110 points with the bow of loren, 90 without. With sniper on top of that, the Waystalker can pick enemy heroes out of units with up to 5 armor ignoring attacks! (But, he would suffer -1 to hit from multiple hits AND -1 to hit from sniper, plus possibly other -1 from moving or long range etc.) So keep this in mind because even with 7 BS, if you have too much modifier on your hit chance, all the armor ignoring attacks in the world won't mean a thing.

* '''Spellsinger:''' One word. Amazing, when compared to the old wizards. Five points cheaper than the high elf equivalent (80 points), +35 for a level 2, and 5 points for a bow. Now has access to all battle rule book lores but not to the Wood Elf specific lores (ie the opposite of its sixth edition form). Shame. Take a dispel scroll and the lore of shadow or fire on this hero since their spells are the most effective at level 1/2. (Or lore of beasts and get the signature spell)

* '''Branchwraith:''' The Branchwraith has 2 advantages: 1, she's fairly effective (WS6, S4, T4, I7, A3, 6+ Ward). 2, she's cheap. She is 75pts and a level 1 Lore of Life wizard. She's a cheap way of beefing up a Treekin or Dryad unit. It is also of note that if you're taking the Lore of Beasts for your casters, and you're running a Branchwraith, you can use 2 of the spells to buff her up to insane levels.

====Mounts====

* ''Elven Steed:'' You know it, you love it. M9 Forest Strider, 20pts for lords, half that for heroes, and allows you to keep pace with all your cavalry. Take it for your mages to hide with your cavalry.

* ''Great Stag:'' 65 points. Really, why aren't you taking it? Better stats than it's closest cousin (IE the Eagle), you can still join units, you get a monstrous mount. One of the better mounts. [The reason not to take it, is that you don't get look-out-sir when joining units (because no units you can join are MC)(Also, this thing doesn't have fast cavalry special rule while all your cavalry units do.]

* ''Great Eagle:'' Worth taking to make your models more mobile for 50 pts. I wouldn't take it on every hero but on a lvl 1 mage without the scroll or the bsb it should be worth some consideration.

* ''Unicorn:'' 60 points. Unicorns are weird. They seem to be designed to deliver a Hero/Lord directly into combat, but it's only available to Casters and all it really does for them is make them a tiny bit more durable. A mage on a unicorn may be able to scare away some chaff. It gives you movement 10 and still can skewer some models but is outshone by the elven steed easily. Magic Resistance (2) may seem nice, but it is better to just put your mounted wizard with Sisters of the Thorn and give them Lichebone Pennant or give the wizard the Obsidian Amulet for half the cost of the unicorn.

* ''Forest Dragon:'' It's a 300 point Dragon, what do you want? Considering that this funky-looking dude with wings is a green, environmental-friendly lizard who smokes faeries, makes others stupefied and dumb when they inhale (presumably from forcing the enemy to second hand smoke whatever herbs the elves use to mellow out the dragon), and is a beast when he thinks you're going after his stash, he's actually just that little bit better than most Dragons. Also, there's only one poser who's cool enough to hang with him, and that's the Glade Lord (who, if you don't kit out for combat, really '''''is''''' a poser; the GL has same statline like Prince and Dreadlord, and his dragon is tiny bit stronger than Black/Moon Dragon for same points, so it's not a much worse investment than any other Elf Lord of Dragon. Plus, Helm of the Hunt). Still, if you are running MSU, a dragon equal a giant target with "SHOOT ME!" written all over it in dwarven runes.

===Core Units===
Currently, all Wood Elf Core units are kind of sub-optimal and are no no-brainers. But on the other hand, none of them are precisely duds either, and most can find uses (and you might as well, since you HAVE to take them). Tailor your tactics and choose wisely. Ironically, our Core units now feel more like Specials, role-wise.

* '''Dryads:''' Why Matt Ward! Dryads went from being overpowered to good to one of the weaker units in the game is the initial impression, but in reality Dryads are just trash if you try to use them in their old role. (People tend to judge them based on their old profile, understandably.) They can't take anything other than a champion and cost 330 for 30 of them - then again, they cost as much as Witch Elves and cheaper than Plague Monks, while fulfilling the same role. The Dryads can still be good, and do have a place in combat armies (which are a thing these days and we now have 10 lores of magic to back them up. Seriously, you can make them tough or strong - they work well with either buff). Most armies would kill for toughness 4 core with a ward save and 2 attacks. For 11pts you get WS 4, S3, T4, A2, I5, Ld8, hatred, immune to psychology and a 6++ save (in the forest). Though they have no armour save to mitigate the lower ward save (though they can now take it against magical attacks), and no more skirmisher, they are basically our assassins, crashing into enemy flank and tearing it shreds, while taking not so much damage in return. They are not so useful in a shooty or cavalry army, but if you are running a combat wood elf army, which can actually do well in this book, dryads and eternal guard are what you're gonna take.

* '''Eternal Guard:''' 11 points WS 5 armour piercing, ASF, stubborn, elven spearmen, who can fight better in forests. They can also buy shields too for an extra point and have a 5+ armour save. Considering that the more well protected units in the wood elf army get just a 4+ and 6++, these guys have a pretty good save. Don't get me wrong, their save will be laughed at by every army out there, (apart from beastmen) but for wood elves, it's respectable. At the first glance their cost - 270 points for 20 of them with shields and a full command squad and 390 for a horde - is a high one, but comparing them to other spearelves, for measly 3 points they gain Stubborn, Armor Piercing, +1WS and +1LD, making them an incredible anchor - almost unbreakable when within BSB range. Also, you don't take them in such big units - small units (10-15) can hold off pretty long even against elites. Many people don't like them, since these generally do not fit in with the traditional Wood Elves' Hit and Run or Run and Shoot style of play. Also, they are incredible in the now-viable melee Wood Elf lists and are one of the better places to hide your wizards.Also so durable because of ws5 If you don't kill all of them then you'll have to face them again.

* '''Glade Guard:''' Glade Guard are of debatable worth. For 12 points you get a bs 4 model with no armour, an armour piercing long bow, the option to take full command and a magic standard worth 25 points. In forests they get to reroll ones to wound in close combat and can fire and fight in 1 extra rank. They also can buy any of the magic arrows (discussed in magic arrows section). It is up to you whether you chose to deploy them in multiple small units or in one horde, though generally msu is better since they will have more time to fire. All in all, Deepwood Scouts do same job better for just 1 point more (except of course, they won't fill up your manditory 25% core).

* '''Glade Riders:''' Out of all the core choices, this is perhaps the only unit which has been priced correctly. For 19pts you get m9 fast cavalry with a Asrai Bow and Asrai Spear, who have to ambush (Being forced to ambush can sometimes be an issue, keep this in mind when taking Riders.), that can take the magic arrows. They can also take a magic banner worth up to 25pts which is neat (I would recommend Gleaming Pennant - cheap and nice for fast cavalry). Generally you will want to take these in multiple small units that can come up behind the opponents and cause havoc. In a pinch they also make good warmachine hunters. A downside of this unit is that you cannot depend on them to act early in the game, since they can only move onto the board from turn 2 onward. If you have a treeman that you don't want to get hit by artillery that could kill him in one phase, you may not want to use these guys as warmachine hunters. However, it can be incredibly fun in friendly games and is inevitable in full cavalry lists.
** ''And no, they cannot choose Vanguard deployment over Ambush deployment, because you Vanguard-move ''after'' you have deployed - which you don't with Ambush. Feel free to Vanguard-move in the model case, waiting for your ambush roll.''

===Special Units===

* '''Deep Wood Scouts:''' Don't let their fancy new name fool you. These are the Glade Scouts of the past, simply moved and renamed. For 1 point more than a Glade Guard they gain scout and skirmish and still keep the option to buy magic arrows. They can also buy a full command interestingly and can be taken in units as small as 5. Pity that you can only have so many special unit duplicates. Whenever you feel the urge to buy glade guard that don't contribute to your core allowance, choose Deepwood scouts instead. If anything they are one less unit you have to deploy at the start of a game before the roll off thanks to scout. As a side note; 12 of these armed with '''poisoned arrows''' will kill a warmachine each turn, on average, without a modifier.

* '''Sisters of the Thorn:''' The Wood Elf alternative to Dark Elf Warlocks. While wildriders rock out with their cock out and kill and get killed in a blaze of gory glory, the sisters are more subtle and indirect with their attack. For 26 points they get a 4++, T3, BS5 and a poisoned javelin. They can buy full command and a 50pts banner. They also count as a lvl 2 wizard with the Shield of Thorns and Curse of Anraheir spells, with a +1 to cast with equal to your rank bonus (maxing out at +3). You can pull some crazy stunts with these Druidic Elven Nuns, but they are pricy, have one good spell and one mediocre with great lore attribute, though both will be difficult to cast with less than 3 dice. One thing that is really good about them is that despite their massive cost, they are tough, they do look awesome and they are one of two cavalry units you can deploy your mounted characters in and that they don't have frenzy when compared to the Wild Riders. They are an awesome retinue for a mounted Spellweaver. Get them a Lichebone Pennant and you can laugh at both enemy spells and any miscasts (Edit: as per the errata, MR doesn’t help with miscasts). They also can help/substitute a Lifeweaver or a Branchwraith, providing healing with Shield of Thorns (with thorns themselves being just a little bonus). They ain't a no-brainer, but can be very effective with proper application.
** ''Doomfire Warlocks:'' These guys are often bench-marked a against SotT. For just one point less you get a Dark Elf version of the sisters in the rare units (or more correctly, the sisters are a Wood Elf version of the warlocks since the DE book came out first). These guys don't throw poisoned javelins and they don't get the lore of life attribute on one of their spells. If you find yourself in a friendly game where you two decide to do unbound lists (somehow), the sisters are probably worth considering over warlocks.

* '''Treekin:''' Treekin are the younger brother of Treemen and not the force they once were. With the unit size limit removed, treekin can now be taken in hordes and with a 20 point reduction, they won't eat up as much of your points. Compared to an O&G troll for the same price, treekin suffer from a distinct lack of S5(that the troll has), but they also benefit from a distinct lack of stupidity(that the troll has). Overall treekin are evenly matched with river and stone trolls as they should be for the same point cost. They are the best of the forest spirits the wood elves have to offer but still are no longer a must-take. For 45 points you get S4, T5, 3 wounds, 3 attacks, Stomp, 4+ armor, 6++ Ward, cause fear, and flammable. Beware they are vulnerable to Great Weapons, fire and high volumes of S4 attacks and have trouble overcoming large amounts of static combat res, so be careful to not send them into battles they can't win (unless you have the lore of light unbreakable spell or other buffing spells to improve armor or toughness).
** ''Additional Thought:'' Proper use of these guys is against large S3 units (Spearelves of all flavors, Clanrats, Empire Spearmen, Skeletons...the list goes on). Your archers won't be able to bring the unit down to size very effectively, and most of your CC units will just bounce off, but Treekin have enough attacks (2 ranks have 18 attacks) and high enough toughness to grind them into powder. It's a niche, but it's one not filled very effectively elsewhere in the army. Combine with a flank charge from your Wild Riders for great success.

* '''Wardancer Troupe:''' Wardancers are still a reasonably good unit let down by a few flaws and a fairly high cost of entry. They cost 15 points a pop and with T3 and a 6+ Ward, they're still about as hard as tissue paper, but that's par for the course with Wood Elves and Skirmishers in general. They no longer gain +1 S on the charge and have 3 new dances. The first gives you armor piercing and killing blow, second one gives you +1 attack, another gives you a 3++ and the final dance [[AWESOME|strips your foe of their rank bonuses]]. What lets these guys down is the fact that because they're not Scouts, they have to start in your deployment zone, and M5 does not let them cross the board very quickly, as well as being unable to repeat any of their dances the turn after it is used. To overcome this take a small unit of 5 and hang them back, then proceed to laugh as you charge them into an on-going combat and win it by a landslide due to the -3 combat res. If the dice gods are high that day and the combat goes on for another turn, your shadow dancer can do a different dance if it is not in the wardancer unit (which it should never be).
** Keep in mind, both War Dancers and Shadowdancer are very useful due to disruption dance and are located in very contested sections. Choose well, whom will you use (unless you use both).
*** As a side note, any models in the squad '''(not the whole squad - you can choose)''' can replace two weapons with an Asrai Spear. Which is kinda useless, since if you are taking more than 5 Wardancers in a single squad, you are doing it wrong.
**''It is also highly disappointing that taking a musician does not do more to help the unit of dancers. How did Matt Ward not see the connection between music and dancing?''
***''He must like dubstep. It would explain a lot of things.''

* '''Warhawk Riders:''' You think your Glade Riders are fast? Think again. These guys are one of the best units in the Army Book, acting troubleshooters, since they can bring down War Machines like they're not there, punch out shooting units, ping wounds off lightly armored units and even help out in large combats (this is only for emergencies though). For 45 points you are getting fast flying monstrous cavalry with the Asrai Bows, W3, T4, Asrai Spears, and killing blow on the charge. They deal out 1 str 4 AP with ASF as well as 2 str 4 AP killing blow hits and a stomp. Possibly, the best flying unit in the game with the exception of the frost phoenix and pegasus knights. Take as many units of 3 as you can. Also they make Great Eagles look very sad and useless.

* '''Wild Riders of Kurnous:''' While they may be quite fragile for cavalry, Wild Riders of Kurnous move like an arrow and hit like a ton of bricks (glass bricks). Similes aside, they are the only fast cavalry in the game with the potential to get a 4+ 6++ and they eat monsters(or damn near anything) for breakfast. For 26 points you get a WS5, S4, T3, model on stagback with light armour, which can buy a shield for 2 extra points, Full Command for 30, and a magic banner up to 50pts. In combat they dish out 3 str 5 AP, ASF and 2 str 4 attack on the charge, thanks to frenzy (which also applies to the mounts) asrai spears for +1 strength on the charge and devastating charge for an extra attack on the charge. Conveniently they also have fear, <s>which is always nice when facing something else with terror</s> You do know that Frenzy makes you Immune to Psychology, right? A unit of 5 on the charge with a champion will cause an average of 12 wounds with -3 to armour and 4 Wounds with -1 to anything at T3 with less than WS5 - that unit is looking a lot less threatening with 15 less guys now isn't it. Also have a lot more staying power than most other cav, retaining 4 st4 attacks per model until you lose frenzy. That's better than having lances. Also, they keep their spears in following rounds, so their attacks still have AP. Bear in mind, they're reliant on a 4+ 6++ (one of the best saves the wood elves get is still not that good), so don't get them charged, or they will die in troves. ''Ironically enough, they are no longer Forest Spirits, but their new models actually look like forest spirits, unlike their older models of regular elves.'' (Don't let them get charged, they suddenly hurt a lot less. 2 S4 armor piercing attacks per is just "ok"). These units are not very useful in a head-on charge due to the enemy stepping up (unless you wipe out the entire unit!) but, they are excellent at charging from the rear. However, due to frenzy, it might be difficult to get behind the enemy without being forced the charge them head-on in the first place.

* '''Wildwood Rangers''' New to the Wood Elf Army Book, 11 points per model gets you light armor, Eternal Guard stats, immune to psychology, and a great weapon. They are slightly more resilient than Gnoblars but do carry a Great Weapon. What makes these guys special is that if they're in combat with a unit that causes fear or terror they get an extra attack (good against Chaos, Undead and Ogres). On the upside they are better than Great Swordsmen(In forests and against fear causers), but are worse than almost every other race's Great Weapon elites (however also cheaper per model). With the End Times bringing undead-summoning for everyone, these fellers become more useful, easily clearing freshly-summoned shamblers with their special rule. Also, if the WE use the fear causing forest for the free WE forest, placing these guys in it is awesome. Not only do they get fear, but enemies that engage them (and step foot into the forest) gain fear as well, which is not only completely useless against them due to immune to psychology, it also means they get to use that +1 attack! These guys can hit hard, but sadly they are difficult to keep alive. High initiative and ASF cancelling out the great weapons' ASL means your best bet to keep these guys alive is to fight low I enemies and kill before you get killed.

===Rare Units===
*'''Great Eagle:''' They would be reliable, cheap and versatile for 50pts. However, Warhawk costs 5pts less, has KB and a rider (who can shoot), and only loses 1WS. Take Eagles only if you are full on Warhawks, otherwise Hawks will give you much more for less points. Also they can't be upgraded like High Elf eagles. Don't bother. If you insist on using your Great Eagle models, stick a Glade Rider or Glade Guard with spear on it back and have yourself a Warhawk.
** Counterpoint: you would want to take a great eagle instead of a warhawk if you had less than 135pts to spend on flying dudes. Warhawks need to be taken in units of at least 3, and have enough whoopass to draw more attention from the enemy than the eagle. A pair of eagles is great for topping off the last hundred points in your list. Place one of these between your enemy death star and your death star so your death star can get the charge next turn. The eagle is one of the cheapest chaff units in the game. Skaven could probably field a unit of slaves for less than 50pts, but those slaves won't give you the same coverage as an eagle.

* '''Treeman:''' The best that can be said about this unit is that it is priced correctly at 225, but it is nowhere near the monster it was in the past. It is still quite tough with T6, W5 and a 3+ scaly skin and 6++ ward (in the forest). It also has 5 attacks at WS6 S5 in combat with the option to swap them all for a tree whack which deals d6 armour ignoring wounds to a model if your enemy fails his initiative test (each wound must be saved seperately in case of ward saves). Also, Thunderstomp. It also appears that the strangle roots have become a better ranged attack. Str 5 d6+1 attacks may not seem like much but every little counts I guess. ALTERNATE OPINION: Strangleroots are 20pts for an average of 3.5 S5 shots a turn, which against something anything glass cannon, like Witch Elves or Swordmasters, can easily make back its points. While the treeman is not amazing and necessary for most armies, sadly it is the best value monster we have and, perhaps, our best monster killer. If this is the best monster killer you've got, your list may not have enough Hagbane Tips.
**Side note: The current Treeman model is mounted on a 50X100 mm chariot base. The 50mm short side goes at the front/rear based on the way you are supposed to assemble the model. This can be seen in GW images in their online store. I believe that the base is 75x50mm with the longer side being the front and the 50mm sides being his flanks.

* '''Waywatchers:''' This is potentially the best unit in the Army Book, so place your bets now on how 9th ed will nerf these guys (9th? We wish). For 20pts you get a BS5 skirmishing scouting archer who can chose whether to add the multiple fire 2 rule to his bow or to ignore armour saves with his shooting. They also come with 2 hand weapons for some mild protection against chaff units in combat, but don't expect them to be able to take the enemy head on with T3 and no armour. Everything they do is very wood elfy. They shoot well, avoid the enemy well and die easily if the enemy puts any real firepower on them. Take a unit of 5 and annoy the living hell out of your opponents. For 100pts you can thin out the enemy if they ignore them, or distract what ever the enemy sends to stomp these guys down. It actually isn't a bad idea to fill your rare allocation up with these. Keep in mind, their bows are still S3 only, so pick your targets carefully and use Withering (lore of shadows) or you're going to be sorely disappointed. Calculation of disappointment can be seen on the talk page. These guys are best at picking off heavily armored units with non-exceptional toughness. They are also useful at unleashing a small group of arrows into the foe. If facing a high toughness enemy, Deepwood Scouts with poison arrows will probably do the job better.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===

The battalion set was a good value. You could get a fairly decent army out of it. ''It is still mighty cool if you manage to find it at some backwater hobby shop (I even managed to get one with discount "'cos no one wanted it for long time" from, apparently, completely ignorant shop assistant).
The battalion shared models with regular kits, so following old guidelines still apply.

From the Glade Guard sprues, you can build Waywatchers. If you have some spare High Elf or Dark Elf spearmen/warriors, giving them a Glade Guard head can turn them into Eternal Guard. You get a ton of heads with the Glade Guard, so you're spoilt! Especially now, when they look like High Elves.

The Glade Riders you can build as Wild Riders with the spears. Or even Sisters of the Thorn.

For your Lords/Heroes choices, you can build them out of the sprues provided. You can make a mounted Glade Lord or Captain (even a BSB), as well as a Waystalker and, with a bit of imagination, a Spellweaver.

Otherwise, for the Spellweaver, the Dark Elves' plastic Sorceress is a good alternative if you don't want old/metal models.

You could make a Treeman with the LotR Ent as it's cheaper, but the two have different dimentions, so be warned.
It is taller, but can fit on a 50x50mm base that you can buy seperatly.(and still be cheaper than a treeman.)
Especially now, when Treemen are taller, slimmer and look more like -Men, than Tree-.

Dryad bits are awesome in making Wild Riders, Sisters of the Thorn and characters. Their back-branches make pretty cool saplings to add foresty clutter on elf bases. You can also glue the extra dryad arms together to make treekin looking things. It will take some patience but you can build three or four sleek looking treekin from a box of a dozen dryads. The ghetto treekin don't look as tough or macho as the GW treekin, so it is easier to picture them as just strength 4 instead of the strength 5 they used to have.

If you want Dryads and Treemen (though they've been nerf-sawed) - you should hurry to grab the Guardians of the Deepwood box, which contains three Treemen and 36 Dryads - and is actually cheaper than cost of those models combined. Either GW are trying to be kinder, or their head manager made a typo. Most likely the latter. Hurry, it is limited edition and stuff.

If you are OK with using mediocre models made from shitty resin, D&D Treant and Roc miniatures make pretty good Treeman or Great Eagle/Warhawk. Be advised, D&D resin is crappy and bendy, but they come pre-painted. The Guardians of the Galaxy Heroclix version of Groot could fill the roll of your treeman easily.

==Equipping Your Army==

'''Asrai Bow''': Just like an ordinary Longbow. 30" range, but now comes with AP.

'''Asrai Spear''': Follows the same rules as regular spears, except for having AP.

Basicly, all Wood Elf spears and bows have AP. Because inch-thick armor is of little use when there's an arrow sticking out of your eye and a spear in your throat.

===Magic Items===

No more Spites, no more Kindreds. Matt Ward, after having given High Elves a meta changing item and Dark elves at least some decent ones, he decided to balance out his previous mistakes by not giving Wood Elves any good items. He even made sure to prevent broken combos this time. It's especially surprising as Wood Elves are reputed to be Matt Ward's favourite elf faction.

'''The Spirit Sword:''' 85 points for ignoring armour saves (as if Wood Elves didn't have enough of this already), and if you cause an unsaved wound on a character/champion/monster, you and your foe both take a leadership test. For each point you beat your opponent by, it causes a wound. If you lose the test nothing happens(Though it can hurt the wielder if you want to use the more amusing 6th ed rules for the sword). I guess it is neat and will kill monsters like hell, but this weapon is overpriced and relies on you hitting/wounding your target. Rely on the rulebook's magic items instead.

'''Daith's Reaper:''' This weapon would be amazing for almost any race but Wood Elves. For 50pts you can reroll to hit and to wound and force your opponent to reroll successful armour saves. Considering you can only take this on a hero who is likely to get to hit rerolls from ASF and that 8th favours ward saves rather than armour saves, this weapon is only slightly better than useless. Buying great weapon or sword of +1 str wound be a far better/cheaper alternative.

'''The Bow of Loren:''' For 20 points you get a bow that fires your character's attacks +1 shots. You can use it on the Waystalker to get 2, armour ignoring, sniping shots or on the Glade Lord to fire 5 bs7 shots. This can actually be increased further through augment magic that increases attacks (lore of beasts). Note that these are Multiple Shots (so -1 to hit and can't stack with Waystalker multiple shots and don't get any bonus attacks from extra hand weapon). The best that can be said about this bow is that it is properly priced. All other races ranged magic items aren't though...

'''Helm of the Hunt:''' For 20pts you get a dragon helm which instead of giving you a 2++ vs flaming attacks, gives you the devastating charge special rule and +1 ws on the charge. Cute I guess for Wood Elves but is it really worth it? Basically, it allows you to make a Wild Rider Noble from older editions (especially with Wild Riders wearing noticeable horned helms now)

'''Acorns of Ages:''' This is the item that Wood Elves have been waiting for. For 100pts you get d3 forests in addition to the starting one, which all have to be the same type and are deployed like drop pods, since they scatter but can't land on other terrain. Lots of tactics are circulating around this item, Drycha/Moonstone of Hidden Ways for teleporting units or almost deep striking treemen. See Talk page for tactics and stuff. As for the item - if nothing else, it's fluffy. The problem is only a couple lords even have the points to carry the thing, and it then leaves them with no points for anything else. Unless your strategy depends on having many forests (Drycha, Moonstone of Hidden ways), it is probably better to pass on this one.

'''Moonstone of Hidden Ways:''' This item's potential power is immense, while it's actual usefulness is varied. For 40pts you can teleport your unit at the end of a movement phase, from one forest to another. The only restriction on what can be teleported is whether it can fit wholly inside the forest. The "forest walking" unit can't be placed in another forest that is too small and counts as having marched. While interesting this item makes you a sitting duck for 1 turn and either relies on the luck of the terrain deployment table or the Acorns of Ages. Buy another gimmick.

'''Hail of the Doom Arrow:''' If only this item was 5 points cheaper so Waystalkers could take it (This does prevent the abuse from being able to hail of the doom arrow snipe combo - <strike>almost</strike> guaranteed dead wizard. Seems like it could have been fixed better with a 'cannot be used in conjunction with the sniper special rule' as opposed to just making it too expensive to take). For 30pts, you get a 1 use str 4 armour piercing arrow that causes 3d6 hits. Some people swear by these things since they can instantly mince lightly armoured units though there are dissenting opinions. Still it is the best magic item Wood Elves have. Sadly, Asyndi's Bane was removed as a magic item, so you can no longer use the HoDA to take out an enemy unit and the guy who fired the arrow in the same turn.

'''Calaingor's Stave:''' Such a depressing item. For 20 points you get the privilege of swapping a spell for Tree Singing. Tree Singing is cast on a 8+ now and can move an empty forest d6+1 inches, which is not much more than the forest moves by being accidentally bumped. If the forest is partially occupied, then instead you can deal 2d6 str4 hits on an enemy unit that is at least partially within the forest. You can improve the spell so that, when cast on a 16+ it affects all forests within 12". If the spell could be cast more than once, was given as an additional spell, had a lore attribute, could be cast on all forests on the board instead of those within 12", cast on a 4+, to name a multitude of reasons, then it would be worth taking. Otherwise, unless you wish to move the destination forest of the moonstone of hidden way's unit or Drycha's helpers, it is the worst magic item in the game. If you really want your eternal guard to hit in an extra rank, its usually easier to move yourself to the forest than to move the forest to you.

'''The Banner of the Eternal Queen:''' For twice the cost of the Banner of the World Dragon, this banner provides Magic Resistance 3 and for 1 turn the ability to be unbreakable. No thanks. The traditional overpriced banner does not fail to disappoint me even if you don't compare it to the Banner of the World Dragon.

'''The Banner of the Hunter King:''' Another banner which gives to it's unit vanguard and, that allows you to reroll the first failed charge of the game for 75pts. Dwarfs get these rules for 35pts and 15pts respectively. Also almost everything that can take this banner has Vanguard already. Competes with Calaingor's Staff for being the worst magic item ever. Well, at least Calaingor's staff only costs 20 points where this costs 75. Worst magic (or even mundane) item ever.

====Enchanted Arrows====

(Note, all arrows have AP and volleyfire, 30 inch range). All of these are available to Glade Guard, Deepwood Scouts, Glade Riders, Glade Lords and Glade Captains.
They replace the profile of regular bows wielded by models and count as magical attacks. <s>Note, that until we get a FAQ, they are ''not'' Asrai Longbows and prevent using Hail of Doom Arrows!</s> The enchanted arrows are Enchanted Items which do not prevent you from holding a second Enchanted item. As such they are NOT weapons, and do not prevent you from using the HODA. The WE book specifically says "Each type of enchanted arrow replaced the profile of the Asrai longbow with the one shown in its entry." <s>In other words, you don't have asrai longbow anymore, you have Arcane Bodkins, Starfire Shafts, Hagbane Tips, Swiftshiver Shards, Moonfire shot, or Trueflight Arrows instead. This would technically disable HoDA even though you are replacing the bow with arrows.</s> Correction: the profile of the bow is replaced, not the bow itself. "if a model has enchanted arrows, he must use them when shooting with an Asrai Longbow." The model still has the bow, which means it can still use HoDA.

'''Arcane Bodkins:''' 5 pts per model, confers ap -3 instead of normal armour piercing. Expensive for what they do. I prefer to do more wounds than reduce armour saves but these arrows kill cavalry like nobody's business. All the same, if your plan is to screw over enemy armour, just use Waywatchers instead. For three more points waywatchers can spite that guy with a 1+ re-rollable armour save while the arcane bodkins have a 50/50 chance of being saved. And they can also fuck up light infantry like nobody's business, if no heavy cavalry presents itself.

'''Hagbane Tips:''' 3 points per model, confers poison attacks. Amazing. This will probably be your go-to magic arrow, since wood elves have troubles vs monsters or anything with high toughness since they have S3. It is nice to have Skink-like firepower on the move at 30" (With BS4+ throughout <s>most</s> ALL of the shooting units, your problems will probably lie in wounding. Might as well turn those 6's to hit into wounds, and save yourself the possibility of connecting a hit that won't wound anything).

'''Trueflight Arrows:''' 3 points per model, confers no penalty to shooting whatever you do. This is probably going to be the second most used arrow. Best taken on your Glade Guard as they will suffer the most penalties (move and shoot, long range, volley fire, etc.). These should be your first choice against Skaven and their shenanigans. As these only help you hit when WE issue is wounding, they are best used in combination with magic that either reduces toughness (death or shadow) or gives +1 to wound (fire).
*''As of now there are many opinions about the merits of these arrows which should be shared on the talk page.

'''Moonfire Arrows:''' 4 points, confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Order. Great against warmachines, which almost all Forces of Order have. BUT against war machines, poison is still better (and cheaper) unless buffed by magic. Still, in addition to putting a hurt on those war machines, this arrow can also screw with any lore of life wizards (which many Forces of Order armies have access to) that thought they'd be using that signature spell. Especially if brought in as a surprise on scouts/ambushers (which is where you want them anyway to reach those war machines quickly).

'''Starfire Arrows:''' 4 points per model confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Destruction. Great against monsters and repeater bolt throwers. The better choice of the "...fire Arrows" duo as almost everything with Regen in the game is from a Forces of Destruction army. If you buy a unit of 10-12 of this instead of the flaming banner you can make OK monster hunters out of them. If you want, bring a small number of archers with flaming arrows and a larger poison arrow unit if you want to use that poison without the pesky regeneration saves. Alternatively, since enchanted arrows are not a magic weapon, they can still benefit from the Banner of Eternal Flame. Hagbane Tips + BoET kills regenerating/flaming monsters like no one's business. Just watch out for characters with Dragonbane Gem or Dragonhelm.

'''Swiftshiver Shards:''' 4 points per model confers multiple shot, making your Glade Guards into Dark Elf repeater crossbowmen. Interesting, but Waywatchers have this basic and do this better than any of the other unit. One recommendation is to fill your core with a big block of swiftshiver shard glade guard (fun to say) and then buff them with hand of glory from the high magic. Your swiftshiver shard glade guard should eviscerate anything that is not protected by the high elf banner of game breaking. Use Arcane Unforging if you can to destroy that banner and drink your High Elf opponent's tears when they realize they might actually have to use strategy to win for once.

==Magic==

Wood elves have gone from being, magically, the least diverse race with the least choice of all when it came to spells, to the most. All Wood Elf wizards now have access to ALL rulebook lores, which is amazing for them, and the Spell Weavers are the only models who now have access to the new Wood Elf specific lores, the Lore of High and Dark Magic. Yes both are directly stolen from the High and Dark elves (this is confirmed by the fluff) but have different lore attributes (this can be seen as good and bad). As such a Spellweaver can now choose 10 lores with a chance to pick 3/4 of 72 different spells.

The following overviews are in my eyes, in the order of importance. However that is up to debate and which most important is dependant on your list and situation.

====Lore of Life====

This Lore is really good for Wood Elves as you can restore wounds on your best units (ie:Warhawks and arguably Treekin). It provides you with a way to give your Glade Guard saves, revive your most expensive units, kill your foes with a characteristic test, and has a safety net for you, if you miscast. It is best taken on a lvl 3/4, so you can get throne of vines up and not have to worry about any more miscasts.

====Lore of Shadow====

The Lore of Shadow allows you to switch and save the most important characters while debuffing your foes. It helps your shooting by reducing your opponent's toughness and weakens them in combat by reducing their strength, weapon skill and intiative. Withering is the must-have spell for Wood Elves (unless you run a LOT of poisoned arrows), as it solves their greatest weakness - Str 3 bows. By using Melkoth's Mysitifying Miasma you can slow down your foes, giving you more time to fire. It can make one your heroes fly but that isn't as useful as the others. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball and a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. Finally it comes with a buff that allows you to shred through tougher units. It is useful since it works on any wizard of any level. The Lore attribute can be good but it is very situational.
Some calculations can be seen in the Talk page.

====Lore of High Magic====

This Lore is really quite neat. It has a wide variety of cheap to cast spells which give you a better shorter ranged fireball as a signature spell, a buff the complete opposite of the MMM importantly buffing your BS, a spell which dispels all effects (very useful against any foe dependant on magic) as a signature spell, a small blast, the ability to redeploy one of your units 10", to dismantle magic items and to deal a str 4 hit to all your foes in one unit. Matt Ward has also given a good lore attribute which stacks well with it's multiple low level spells. Every time you successfully cast a spell you gain a counter. If you suffer an unsaved wound, then the counter nullifies the wound. Great if you are hiding your General anywhere, but especially with the sisters of the Thorn. I feel it is very much like a proactive version of the lore of life, preventing damage rather than repairing it.

====Lore of Metal====

The Lore of Metal is mostly aimed at helping armies like the wood elves deal with heavily armoured foes. It can debuff your foe's armour, pick off standards, has a 5+ pit of shades which causes stupidity and can give your troops a 5+ scaly skin save and +1 to hit (almost everything has armour piercing already). It isn't bad but the other lores often help more. Especially since nearly all the elves have armor piercing and (one of) their best units can outright ignore armor. The scaly skin is nice though since the wood elves are lacking when it comes to armor.

====Lore of Beasts====

The Lore of Beasts lets you run train on things that you normally would not be able to run train on. Arguably, it has the best signature spell of the 8 base Lores. +1 Strength and Toughness make even glade guard dangerous in hand to hand. They are still rubbish, but they may hurt someone. If applied to Treekin, they will each have Dragon-like stats, and go from being 'decent' to 'good' super fast. It really shines on wild riders and warhawks, though, since it takes them from squishy, to survivable, and from dangerous to just death. High initiative Strength 5 will scare anything. The +1S also gives your army an option at S4 ranged hits if cast on a unit of Sisters of the Thorn. It will also give you the amber spear which helps you deal with monsters and a couple of character buffing spells which can help your shadow dancers. Curse of Anraheir has great synergy with all the forests you might bring along (Acorn of Ages). Making a third of an enemy unit that follows you into a forest die is pretty great.

====Lore of Heavens====

The Lore of Heavens is a mixed bag.You get 2 of the spells with the largest areas of affect and potentially the biggest damage output in the game, 1 high strength magic missile, 2 debuffs which synergise well, preventing your foe from ever getting poisoned or killling blow attacks or -1 to hit and a 50/50 chance to put warmachines out of commision for one turn, a buff which makes you reroll all ones (which Wood Elves do in woods anyway) and a very situational knock back spell. Also it's lore attribute turns all of it's spells into lvl 1 fireballs when cast at something with wings. Not bad but it is often outshone. Still, can be used as a monster-hunter lore (since its damage spells inflict low number of very strong hits).

====Lore of Death====

The Lore of Death is good for situations when the enemy has some tough (literally) Lord or Hero, who laughs off your S3 sniping shots and has a chance to wreck your game - like a T4 Grey Seer with the Dreaded 13th ratifying your MSUs. Doom and Darkness also has nice synergy with Fear of your Dryads, Treekin, Treemen, and Wild Riders, and might actually cause an enemy to fail a panic test caused by shooting (giving you a rare opportunity to win with the thing your army is meant to do), while Soulblight does a fine job equalizing some S4 T4 brutes with your fragile elves. The Black Sun of Xereous kills half of everything that isn't elves (great with death's lore attribute). Between those three spells you are bound to get something great on a high level wizard. The character sniping spells are cool but just take waystalkers instead. Just a pity you can't cast Aspect of the Dreadnight on enemies (to exploit Wildwood Rangers' special rule). But, there is always a free mysterious forest which you can make cause fear (making your enemy step into it on the other hand is a bit more difficult...).

====Lore of Fire====

The Lore of Fire is best for level 1s since it comes with the best guaranteed magic missile in the game. If you lose your lvl 4 then go and pump all your dice into a super fireball. Beyond that the only spell of great use for wood elves is the Flaming Sword of Rhuin, which you sadly can't guarantee.

====Lore of Dark Magic====

Pity you can't take it on a level 1. On a level 4 it isn't bad but is beaten by almost all the other lores.

*'''Power of Darkness''':
**'''''Augment'''''. While it does give your unit a much needed strength bonus and extra power dice it will eventually wear you down ( you take a wound with no armor saves if you roll a 3 for power dice) unless you protect yourself with a decent ward save. Often, you'd be best served not getting bogged down in combat. For a stupid elf trick, use when your caster is with Sisters of Thorn and watch those javelins get nasty.

*'''Doombolt''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Always take it. It gives you a much needed high strength shooting attack.

*'''Chillwind''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Is an easy spell to cast, is good against low toughness units and will help you against other shooting armies.

*'''Word of Pain''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Good against shooting/high WS armies that seek to match you prowess. The boosted version will save a lot of your elves in combat, ''especially'' since you don't have much, if any, armor.

*'''Bladewind''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Is a good choice for big blocks of infantry, like the always pleasant Slavebus or Zombietrain or even some tougher units.

*'''Shroud of Despair''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Simply fantastic when you get into combat. No Inspiring Presence and no Hold Your Ground! for you enemies. This will make breaking enemies easier, which is good, because you don't wanna hang around for Round 2.

*'''Soul Stealer''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Once again, great against big horde units/busses/trains. If you get this off, place the 3" template anywhere of the wizard within 18". You can go nuts with '''Power of Darkness''' and never worry about it, if it lands right.

*'''Arnzipal's Black Horror''':
**'''''Magical Vortex'''''. Oh baby. This thing is crazy. Like warpstone-laced cocaine. No wonder Ariel got hooked on this Dark Magic stuff... Anyway, should you get this off, pop it down and sing ''"Snitches's gonna die/This bitch is gonna fly/My wizard's rollin' high/Or she's gonna fry"''. It will then travel anywhere between 6"-40" in the form of a 3" template in a straight line (of your choice) depending on your wizards magic lvl and how much you roll on the arty dice. Everything hit must pass a strength check or die (ward save allowed). As with arty rolls, should you misfire, place it on top of your wizard and scatter it D6. It ''Remains in Play''. Every turn, it jollies around randomly, spreading more laughter and happy thoughts with another arty roll. Misfire and it will stop working. Boost it and you get to use the large 5 incher, then pray to Isha that you don't screw up. Not as powerful as the '''Lore of Death''' version, but still good fun.

It's lore attribute is best likend to that of the '''Lore of Fire'''. Everytime you cast it on an enemy unit, it creates a vengeance counter (on the unit) which activates when damage is next applied through a spell to that unit. It causes d3 extra hits when it does so, for each counter on the unit. If you can take 2 lv 3/4 mages then this is a good secondary lore but beyond the Storm of Magic I doubt it will see much use. Try it out and see how useful it is to you.

====Lore of Light====

It's quite good against Undead and Daemons and could still be considered against Elf armies. Against most other armies, it sadly won't be of much use, as many of the other lores gives you better options. High strength flaming attacks, superb WS, exellent skirmisher [[Troll|trolling]] and M10 A4 Unbreakable Tree Kin is nice when playing the mirror match, but again, other lores give you a better selection of choices all-round. Alternative take: -1 to be hit is nice considering your high weapons skill. Double movement can make your waywatchers/glade riders uncatchable. Unfortunately, you cannot guarantee getting either of these spells. On a level 4 wizard it is highly likely you will either get one of these or roll doubles, however. It's definitely not the best option, but it is far from useless with the right spells.

==Army Composition & Tactics==

Build your tactics around your army.
Basically Wood Elves need to ambush, pick their fights carefully, and throw multiple units into every combat they fight if they want to win. One unit on its own is not going anywhere unless it's Wild Riders vs a monster or if the unit is charging the enemies flanks or rear.

Currently, there are four main methods of building your army:

*A) '''Shooty army.'''
**Don't get charged and keep on shooting. Circle around your foes, slow them down, and don't be afraid to sacrifice a unit if it saves your army.

*B) '''Fast combat army.'''
**You could take an entire horse army. Very hard to use but pays great dividends. This army should always get to choose when and how it fights. Abuse the Wood Elves' superior movement to ridiculous levels.

*C) '''Infantry army.'''
**Units of 5 or 6 Treekin have high Strength and Toughness, multiple wounds, good weapons skill and nearly 20 attacks per turn. Spearelf units are expensive but good for holding characters and is now stubborn even without a glade captain or lord. The enemy will need to kill everyone, so they are not going anywhere for some turns. However, without serious magical buffing, this army will die to anything stronger than a stiff breeze.

*D) '''Hybrid army.'''
**A mix of any of the above.

'''Ambush of the Worldroots'''

''To once again clarify, for future reference, the precise wording of the rule is "'''This forest is not mysterious terrain - declare it's type when you place it'''"

''With "Mysterious" being a fancy word for "Type of your choice".''

*The most obvious tactic for this is to chuck one in the middle of your Glade Guard. However, for an interesting option, to cater towards more close combat orientated armies, you can stick it between your big unit of Eternal Guard, etc and the most likely enemy deployment to mitigate a lot of return shots and hopefully force a fight in the woods. Or simply hamper the enemies movement towards you, forcing them to trudge through the forest or having to split around it

*Pick a Venom Thicket since your entire army (except Eagles) ignores Forest DT tests, but do notice that a Venom Thicket won't grant Poisoned Attacks to your shooting attacks. The rulebook specifically states that Poisoned Attacks from Venom Thicket only applies to close combat attacks.

*Abyssal Wood imposes no penalties and serves as a perfect place to station your Glade Guard, Eternal Guard or Wildwood Rangers. Fear will grant them an edge in melee (which all WE badly need), and luring an enemy far enough into the Abyssal Wood will give it Fear as well - directly empowering your Rangers when hacking them. An Abyssal Wood with a bunch of Rangers stationed in it (with just enough space to accommodate an enemy unit) can be quite effective in a choke-point.

*The other woods should NEVER be considered for two reasons:
**1) Strider only stops Dangerous Terrain checks, so Abyssal Wood/Venom Thicket are the only forests you can survive in while still doing damage to your enemies.
**2) You don't really want to use your guaranteed forest as barrier. You want to stand in it and gain bonuses distilled from HElf and DElf tears.

'''Tips'''

''Many of these tips might seem redundant, but one extra reminder is better than forgetting a small detail that might help you later ''

*With the introduction of Enchanted Arrows and generally improved shooting units, Wood Elves favour a mix between Shooting and Fast Combat armies. As a general rule, avoid putting any more points into core than necessary, always take a Level 4 wizard, 2 Great Eagles, some Waywatchers, and try to avoid any foot based combat unit. This is not to say that you should never take footsloggers, but most of your units will have neither the toughness nor the saves to match other armies.

*Most, if not all of your army has M5 or more. Use this maneuverability to it's utmost to ensure that you stay alive and pick your fights with care.

*Remember that units fighting in forests lose their steadfast rule (this goes for your units as well). This could make a difference when fighting big blocks of Skavenslaves or other similar units that relies on keeping your units tied up until help arrives. Eternal Guards (Stubborn LD9) can shine here, even in relative few numbers. It should also be noted that skirmishers gain stubborn in forests.

*Beware of Monsters or units with high toughness! Unless you have units with Poisoned Attacks, Wild Riders (S5 on the charge), magically buffed units (result being S5 or higher), or Wildwood Rangers, it's gonna be difficult to wound most of the time when you're in combat. Almost every other Army has access to Warmachines to pick off your Treemen/Treeman Ancients, but you won't have the same luxury.

*[[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|DISTRACTION FAERIE]]: You need at least one of these. Either a Treeman, a Forest Dragon or some Waywatcher. Why? Because you need something that is gonna rob your enemy of his reason and make all his Empire/Skaven/Bolt Throwers/Leadbelchers warmachines go "''Huuuurr... Dat's a purdy unit yoo's got there mate... Be a real shame if sumfink hap'n to it, roight?'', so that the rest of your army survives and gets into position.
**''Bear in mind that against Dwarfs this will be less of a distraction and more 220 points of free victory points for their Flaming Cannon.

*Having trouble filling those pesky core points and don't want to give the enemy a 220 point treeman to knock down with cannons? Glade Guard can deal with warmachines after just a few rounds due to their Ambusher rule. Combine with poison arrows to really specialize in WM hunting. Since they can't charge the turn they enter, shoot at one machine and charge remaining machines the following turn. Not terribly reliable since poor rolls can delay your ambushers, but usually an amazing core unit solution to some of the only things that might challange the Wood Elves' superiority in the shooting phase.

*What's that? Having trouble with High Elves and their ''Banner of The World Dragon'' on a beefy cav unit you say? What you're actually saying is that you don't have enough Waywatchers in your army, am I right?

*Seriously consider the ''Recipe for Success''
**You will need the following:
***1) 5 Wild Riders
***2) 1 Forest
***3) Flank Charge on the Enemy

Mix it all together, add command, a War Banner if you like it thick and put it in the oven for about 1 Magic and 1 Shooting Phase at 200 and ''voilà'': 16 Fear-causing ASF S5 AP attacks (reroll 1s to wound) + 10 S4 attacks with no enemy parry saves, supporting attacks or step up (so Always Strikes First actually helps you kill the enemy before they kill you. Also note that flanking does not remove steadfast, so unless you get your enemy within the forest, they may not run as easily). The cost? 160-195 points. (Add more Wild Riders to really hurt those 40+ man units)

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Wood Elves

2020-10-05T05:32:36Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Enchanted Arrows */

==Why Play Wood Elves==
Wood Elves have been redone and almost completely rewritten. Everything has been turned on its head and old Wood Elf players have to adapt to the new changes. However they have recently not only reclaimed the title of being the fastest army but being arguably the best shooting army too. Wood Elves appear to be of equal parts of light and dark outlooks. They are the middle ground for elves. This is shown by them having magic arrows which are keyed to wounding forces of order and destruction respectively and with their best wizards having access to High and Dark magic. Wood Elves still have access to their old free wood.

Wood Elves are an army almost completely made up of trees, bowmen, or fast cavalry. They rely on speed, shooting and picking their fights. Wood elves still lack war machines but have in exchange a megaton of poisoned weaponry.

The name of their game is speed and maneuverability. By the end of turn 2 you can be behind the enemy lines, ready to unleash deadly co-ordinated flank charges, and against slower armies you can quite simply run circles around your enemided as some of the best archers in the game, the wood elves' possible greatest strength is not in their shooting, but in their prowess fighting in forests. They combine the best of both High Elves & Dark Elves when defending areas of wood. They are formidable in combat but lack staying power. You will need to use your maneuverability to ensure that you win the first combat resolution. If the elves get bogged down, they will quickly end up on the losing side.

Lastly, they have the widest variety of spells to chose from amongst the three Elf factions.

The Wood Elves require perhaps the most skill and nuance to play well, but this directly translates into them also being one of the most rewarding armies to play. Plus they're bad ass vengeful guardians of the forest, so that's pretty cool too.

Be warned that they aren't a good starter army.

In short, play Wood Elves if you want to play an army that requires a lot of skill, strategy and tactical thought to do well. You can't rely on Armor nor Warmachines or crazy shenanigans. Only a quick aim, a steady eye and a hungry forest will aid you in Athel Loren.

''(Matt Ward did have a hand in working on this book. However, GW decided to stop putting author's name in the book, most likely to preserve Watt Mard's tender feelings. What is known is that this was his last army book with GW and after having a hand in End Times:Nagash and End Times:Khaine he has now left).''

==Army Rules==

Wood Elves have four new army rules. They are the following:

'''Blessings of The Ancients''': Any model with this special rule (IE your wizards) gets a +1 to all casting attempts if they are inside a forest. ONLY when they're in a forest.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Durthu''', and '''Drycha'''''

'''Ambush of the Worldroots''': You may place a single forest (of any type, you decide) anywhere on your half of the table. It must be placed before any units are deployed. It ''must'' be wholly within your half of the table. If it can't fit, move the other terrain pieces to make room. If it still can't fit, or you're in a scenario where you don't have a deployment zone, you don't get a forest.

''See '''Army Composition & Tactics''' for ideas and recommendations on how to use this rule''

'''Forest Spirit''': Models with this rule has Forest Strider, Magical Attacks and Immune to Psychology special rule and a 6+ ward save. A weaker save, but no longer mundane like in the previous army book. Mounts do not get the ward save.

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Unicorns''', '''Great Stags''', '''Dryads''', '''Branchwraiths''', '''Tree Kin''', '''Treemen''', '''Treeman Ancients''', '''Forest Dragons''', '''Durthu''', '''Hounds of Orion''', '''Drycha''' and '''Ceithin-Har'''''

'''Forest Stalker''': Models with this rule have the Forest Strider special rule. If at least half of a unit with this rule is inside a forest, it will be able to do the following:

* They may fire with one more rank. For the purpose of Volley Fire, this means a full three ranks may shoot, before you have to round down the following ranks.

* They may fight in close combat with one extra rank than normal, just like High Elves. This is cumulative with other similar effects.

* They may reroll to wound any rolls of 1 in close combat, just like Dark Elves. Their mounts, however, may not.
**''Basically, in terms of special rules, all your elves are worse than high elves and dark elves in the open, but equal to both of them combined while in forests. (In truth Eternal Guard is more effective than Spearelves/Dreadspears, Glade Guard beats HE Archers and Glade Riders are Ellyrian Reavers on steroids; but they all cost much more. Model for model - WE are better. Point for point - WE are worse.)''

''The full list of models that have this rule is: '''Glade Lord''', '''Glade Captain''', '''Spellweaver''', '''Spellsinger''', '''Eternal Guard''', '''Glade Guard''', '''Deepwood Scouts''', '''Glade Riders''', '''Warhawk Riders''', '''Wildwood Rangers''', '''Wardancers''', '''Shadowdancers''', '''Sisters of the Thorn''', '''Wild Riders''', '''Waywatchers''', '''Waystalker''', '''Orion''', '''Araloth''' and '''Naestra & Arahan'''''

==Unit Analysis==
===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
'''Note:''' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

* '''Orion, The King of the Woods:''' Orion is what in general is refered to as a Glass Cannon: Incredibly expensive, requires a massive tax on your resources, can be incredibly powerful and yet is very fragile. Orion costs 600 points. He can also beat in almost anyone's face (9,8,8,6,5,5,9,5,10), comes with a Bolt Thrower and machine gun and is Unbreakable and Frenzy, regains a wound on a 6 at the start of each of your turns. Also comes with two War Beasts (for 20 pts) that share his Frenzy and Unbreakable rule. Here's the downside: He's only T5 with a 5+ Ward and MR 2, making him somewhat less durable than a Treeman, but more durable against spells. He's a Monster, so he has Thunderstomp too, however, he doesn't have the Large Target rule. He will drop like a fly to high volume S4 and above attacks. He also has Always Strikes First but will have trouble winning combats against large units (he'll probably tie or grab a minor win on round 1 and then start losing from then on, not that it matters so much anymore). Not great but has potential. He is basically a Greater Daemon with leafy clothing that gives units within 6" of him Devastating Charge (Everyone of your units gets DC. Including mount)) every turn. Charge him along with your Wild Riders or Warhawk Riders into something. Anything. Then watch the mother hurt of ALL the People's Elbow decend upon your foe. Nothing bar the Dice Gods will stop you. That, or Phoenix Guard. Giggle like an Elf if you get to fight in a forest.

* '''Drycha:''' Orion is fighty, the Twins are shooty, Drycha is weird. She's rather expensive for a Hero, at 255 points, but she doesn't come with nearly enough stuff to justify this. For starters, she's a Level 2 caster and only has access to Lore of Shadows. While she's reasonably fighty (she gets +2 attacks per lost wound, no life shenanigans), T4, 3 wounds and only a 6+ Ward means she's easy to drop. She needs units with the Forest Spirit rule to be effective, but while her kinda ganky Deep Strike ability seems fun, you're only guaranteed d3+1 Woods max (IE the one you brought, sitting in your half of the table, and the acorn of eternity if you buy it) it's probably easier to just have them join her from the front. Don't bother.

* '''Araloth, Lord of Talsyn:''' This is Skaw the Falconer reborn. Sadly, Matt Ward clearly hates him and has not only changed his name but made him the only Wood Elf whose sole purpose is to be repurposed for conversions. 260pts for a 4++, stubborn, unbreakable on his own (don't let him go on his own EVER), Glade Lord with a 6+ armour (Seriously. He doesn't even have Light Armour, even though his model is wearing it. Wild Riders, meanwhile, [[Derp|go around bare chested and count as wearing them]]), armed with an amazing-looking spear that is...a regular Asrai Spear, and who comes with a bird. At least 60pts overpriced. The bird is a free S4 hit on one model within 18", and functions like a weird Killing Blow that causes blindness instead of death (somehow it makes the model worse in combat but not at shooting... go figure). Cute, I guess? This model's only use is to troll Tomb Kings, but with End Times taking away crumble he can't even do that anymore. Don't buy the model to play Wood Elves.
**''Note: Actually, I have found skaryn to be a pretty effective character hunter. The six to wound comes up much more often than you might think (one in three chance of any sort of wound blinding a T 4 model) and if your opponent skimped on armour for that bsb then they just became a lot less effective. Also, this guy combined with a waystalker or two can make a trolltastic wizard sniping team. Still overpriced, but not entirely useless.

* '''Durthu:''' Once again a recycled character from the far distant past which is bad. At first his stats don't look bad; Ws 7, str 6, t6, w6, 6 attacks, frenzy, hatred. But he only has a 3+ armour with a 6++ ward save and is flammable. The greatest of the Treemen can die from a single flamming bolt thrower if it gets lucky, let alone a flaming cannonball. To add salt into the wound he is only a level 1 Lore of Beasts wizard, has a pretty hand weapon of no significance save fluff, and a 2d6 str 2 killing blow ranged attack (which is awesome since he has BS7). All of this is for 385 pts. If you have already ordered the Treemen kit make a basic Treeman instead and convert a Wraithknight/Wraithlord. If you really want to play with him, get him into combat, any combat, as quickly as you can and either get '''The Savage Beast of Horrors''' to make him eat Greater Daemons/Monsters or go with the default '''Wyssan's Wildform''' to make him do 7 WS7 (rerollable to hit) S7 attacks. 666 is the name of the Beast, but 777 is carved on the Tree.

* '''Naestra and Arahan, The Sisters of Twilight:''' Anyone who makes a 'Twins are hot' joke gets kicked out of Athel Loren. As for the girls, they can be hilarious. You don't only take them to win, you take them to [[troll]]. For 275 points you get the pair on the back of Gwindalor the Great Eagle and for a few 220 more can have them ride the forest dragon Ceithin-Har. Why you ever would take them on a dragon is a mystery since the eagle gives them more wounds and t4 thanks to it being monstrous cavalry, while also allowing them to reroll failed to hits. Their Dragon is 80pts cheaper than the glade lord's since gwindalor is clearly 80pts. They have the Always Strikes First, Forest Stalker, Conjoined Destiny, and Sisters of Twilight special rules. The Conjoined destiny rule means that they must always stay together if their mount dies and that if one of them dies then she is revived at the end of her phase with all of her wounds, while the Sisters of Twilight makes Naestra gain a +1 to wound forces of destruction units in combat and Arahan gain a +1 to wound forces of order in combat. They also have 2 special bows. Naestra has a str 5 d6 wound long bow which gives her mount a wound back if she wounds with it and Arahan has a bow which fires 2d6 str 1 poisoned shots. Between them have good shooting and survival thanks to their previous rules and weapons and stats: M5, WS 6, BS 6, str 4, t 3, w2, 3 attacks, i7 and Ld9. These compete badly with the waystalker, lvl 1 spellsinger and BSB in the Heroes section so chose wisely. Pitty you can't take these guys on foot though...
**''Alright, someone explain this to me. Since N&A are now MC on Big G, isn't the Conjoined Destiny rule quite worthless if you get shot? Since the three birds are counted as one model, have practically no saves AND you have to use the profile with the most wounds (which is 3 for Big G), how does this work? Are they able to survive a cannon ball to the face, or does the entire model die after 3 wounds?
***''To counter that which is below, if you stick near 5 Warhawk riders you can get a 4+ look out sir, you can seriously boost your survivability. So long as one twin survives then your foes cannon ball was for naught.
***''A single cannonball won't kill them - and certainly it won't kill Gwindalor, since, according to MC rules, it can't be targeted (yes, this means that the rule that lets the mount regain wounds is useless for G). When N&A are hit, you have to randomize, according to their rules. Then you wound, then the sister that was hit probably dies; then she pops back to full life if the other hasn't been killed by the end of the shooting phase. In melee, you have to allocate attacks, as you would do with two normal characters. N&A can indeed take risks that would be suicidal for other wood elven characters. Quite worthy of the points you pay to field them.''
''

====Generic Characters====
'''Note:''' While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

* '''Glade Lord:''' 145 point generic combat lord, reasonably fighty but you'll pale in comparison to most other Lords. (Basically, he is identical to High Prince or Dark Dreadlord, but the army's style and racial items work against making him a similar meatgrinder) He can be kitted out in a variety of ways to be more fighty and can be given magic arrows which is a plus, he also dishes out a LD10 bubble. He also got an extra point of BS, probably to compensate for the loss of free moving and shooting. One new rule, The Arrow of Kurnous, lets him deal a auto str 3 hit on your opponent's general if they are within 36" of a character with the rule and in line of sight. If your foe has a caster lord as his general then I guess it will force him to deploy further back so not bad. Should not be your first Lord choice, but is by far not the worst. One popular choice is to give him Daith's Reaper and the Armour of Destiny for a stabtastic warboss.

* '''Spellweaver:''' This should be your first Lord choice. Level 4 at 220 points now (or 185 at level 3), a variety of magic items to make her better, the only character who can take the Acorn of Eternity (technically, the Glade Lord can take it too, but naked combat lord suffers much more than naked wizard lord) and most importantly, access to all rulebook lores and Dark and High Magic. Plus she can buy an Asrai Longbow for 5pts, which means that while she's hanging in the back with your Glade Guard, she can ping off the odd casualty herself, which is hilarious by the by. If you want a Lord choice, this is the one you should go for in (almost) every situation.

* '''Treeman Ancient:''' While Treemen are alright, Treemen Ancients fail for many reasons. First off, they're 290 points, don't get spites any more, are lvl 2 life wizards only (who can upgrade to level 4) have a 3+ 6++, can buy magic levels, can tree whack and have the kind of melee stats that make cherubs cry. Ws4, Str5, A3, I2. I guess old age shows? Also, being an old coot, he gets the 75mm long side of his base pointed forwards for some insane reason. The best thing that can be said about them is probably that they are large targets with Ld 10. Actually, against anything that hasn't got a particularly threatening shooting phase, the ancient will be basically immortal unless it gets killed in combat. 3+, 6 wounds, 6T and lore of life means that light shooting will be almost useless against it, and even bolt throwers will struggle to down him.

* '''Glade Captain:''' This is the 75 point generic combat and battle standard bearer character for wood elves. And actually comparing him to other non-elf race's characters he isn't too bad. He can't buy anything armour-wise better than a shield and light armour but then he is a wood elf and he does have some decent combat stats and a bow to make up for it. Also he shares the Arrow of Kurnous with your general so you are not punished for taking a caster lord. Overall, while not having as much access to armour as the Dark Elf Master, this hero is a decent battle standard bearer, especially if you spend a few points to make him tougher. Consider adding a dragon helm, helm of the hunt or any cheap magic armour to make him less squishy. Keep in mind, that most Wood Elf lists are quite mobile (if not outright full-cavalry) and have good Ld, so BSB might not be the best investment.

* '''Shadow Dancer:''' Your Wardancer character. Worth consideration. For 100pts you get a ws8 s4 I8 a4 (two hand weapons) Always Strike Firsts combat character, with the amazing new wardancer dances. You have a 25 points magic weapon/item allowance and for 60pts become a lore of shadow wizard. Sadly she doesn't have a way of moving any more quickly, without switching her across the battlefield with lore of shadows lore attribute and also doesn't have a better save than a 6++, unless you use one of the dances to give you a 3++ for 1 turn. Hit hard, hit fast.
** '''Note:''' For those enterprising gentle...elves, a Shadow Dancer can be used as a pretty nifty rank breaker for a close combat army. Use the Dance of the Woven Mist to rob a horde of their rank bonus and watch them lose instantly.
* NEVER put her into Wardancer unit, their dances do not stack. Put her with Eternal Guard or, better, with Dryads - her attacks and dances will help them overcome their downsides.
** Good items to give her are Glittering Scales (most core will hit her on 6+, with most elites hitting on 5+), Bow of Loren (making her pretty shooty) or Helm of the Hunt (making her [[RAPE|RAPE]] things on the charge).
*** Arguably, making her a level 1 wizard is a pretty bad choice, as you can no longer take magical armor. This leaves you with 25 points to either make her your walking dispell scroll slot or give her the Bow of Loren. Also, as she is only a level 1, you get one spell, and there is no grantee you can actually get it off (On the other side, give her Mystifying Miasma and watch a unit of Chosen get slaughtered at M1 by your archers with starfire arrows). Unless you are really in need of saving points, you are probably better off buying a Level 2 Spellsinger if you want the Lore of Shadow.

* '''Waystalker:''' Is a hero version of the Waywatchers. Just think of this guy as the replacement for the waywatcher kindred hero (sadly there is no replacement for the alter kindred). He has bs 7, a bow and a 25pts weapons allowance. Bow of Loren is an option that allows you to fire 2 ignores armour shots which can also be combined with the Savage Beast of Horrors from the Beasts lore to grant 5 ignores armour sniper shots that do suffer from multiple shots penalty (though with BS7 will you care). You can also use the spell Birona's Timewarp from lore of light to increase attacks by 1 (and double movement) but, this is probably not the best use of that spell. An interesting combo if you're going to be running with the beasts lore. The guy is dirt cheap, only 110 points with the bow of loren, 90 without. With sniper on top of that, the Waystalker can pick enemy heroes out of units with up to 5 armor ignoring attacks! (But, he would suffer -1 to hit from multiple hits AND -1 to hit from sniper, plus possibly other -1 from moving or long range etc.) So keep this in mind because even with 7 BS, if you have too much modifier on your hit chance, all the armor ignoring attacks in the world won't mean a thing.

* '''Spellsinger:''' One word. Amazing, when compared to the old wizards. Five points cheaper than the high elf equivalent (80 points), +35 for a level 2, and 5 points for a bow. Now has access to all battle rule book lores but not to the Wood Elf specific lores (ie the opposite of its sixth edition form). Shame. Take a dispel scroll and the lore of shadow or fire on this hero since their spells are the most effective at level 1/2. (Or lore of beasts and get the signature spell)

* '''Branchwraith:''' The Branchwraith has 2 advantages: 1, she's fairly effective (WS6, S4, T4, I7, A3, 6+ Ward). 2, she's cheap. She is 75pts and a level 1 Lore of Life wizard. She's a cheap way of beefing up a Treekin or Dryad unit. It is also of note that if you're taking the Lore of Beasts for your casters, and you're running a Branchwraith, you can use 2 of the spells to buff her up to insane levels.

====Mounts====

* ''Elven Steed:'' You know it, you love it. M9 Forest Strider, 20pts for lords, half that for heroes, and allows you to keep pace with all your cavalry. Take it for your mages to hide with your cavalry.

* ''Great Stag:'' 65 points. Really, why aren't you taking it? Better stats than it's closest cousin (IE the Eagle), you can still join units, you get a monstrous mount. One of the better mounts. [The reason not to take it, is that you don't get look-out-sir when joining units (because no units you can join are MC)]

* ''Great Eagle:'' Worth taking to make your models more mobile for 50 pts. I wouldn't take it on every hero but on a lvl 1 mage without the scroll or the bsb it should be worth some consideration.

* ''Unicorn:'' 60 points. Unicorns are weird. They seem to be designed to deliver a Hero/Lord directly into combat, but it's only available to Casters and all it really does for them is make them a tiny bit more durable. A mage on a unicorn may be able to scare away some chaff. It gives you movement 10 and still can skewer some models but is outshone by the elven steed easily. Magic Resistance (2) may seem nice, but it is better to just put your mounted wizard with Sisters of the Thorn and give them Lichebone Pennant or give the wizard the Obsidian Amulet for half the cost of the unicorn.

* ''Forest Dragon:'' It's a 300 point Dragon, what do you want? Considering that this funky-looking dude with wings is a green, environmental-friendly lizard who smokes faeries, makes others stupefied and dumb when they inhale (presumably from forcing the enemy to second hand smoke whatever herbs the elves use to mellow out the dragon), and is a beast when he thinks you're going after his stash, he's actually just that little bit better than most Dragons. Also, there's only one poser who's cool enough to hang with him, and that's the Glade Lord (who, if you don't kit out for combat, really '''''is''''' a poser; the GL has same statline like Prince and Dreadlord, and his dragon is tiny bit stronger than Black/Moon Dragon for same points, so it's not a much worse investment than any other Elf Lord of Dragon. Plus, Helm of the Hunt). Still, if you are running MSU, a dragon equal a giant target with "SHOOT ME!" written all over it in dwarven runes.

===Core Units===
Currently, all Wood Elf Core units are kind of sub-optimal and are no no-brainers. But on the other hand, none of them are precisely duds either, and most can find uses (and you might as well, since you HAVE to take them). Tailor your tactics and choose wisely. Ironically, our Core units now feel more like Specials, role-wise.

* '''Dryads:''' Why Matt Ward! Dryads went from being overpowered to good to one of the weaker units in the game is the initial impression, but in reality Dryads are just trash if you try to use them in their old role. (People tend to judge them based on their old profile, understandably.) They can't take anything other than a champion and cost 330 for 30 of them - then again, they cost as much as Witch Elves and cheaper than Plague Monks, while fulfilling the same role. The Dryads can still be good, and do have a place in combat armies (which are a thing these days and we now have 10 lores of magic to back them up. Seriously, you can make them tough or strong - they work well with either buff). Most armies would kill for toughness 4 core with a ward save and 2 attacks. For 11pts you get WS 4, S3, T4, A2, I5, Ld8, hatred, immune to psychology and a 6++ save (in the forest). Though they have no armour save to mitigate the lower ward save (though they can now take it against magical attacks), and no more skirmisher, they are basically our assassins, crashing into enemy flank and tearing it shreds, while taking not so much damage in return. They are not so useful in a shooty or cavalry army, but if you are running a combat wood elf army, which can actually do well in this book, dryads and eternal guard are what you're gonna take.

* '''Eternal Guard:''' 11 points WS 5 armour piercing, ASF, stubborn, elven spearmen, who can fight better in forests. They can also buy shields too for an extra point and have a 5+ armour save. Considering that the more well protected units in the wood elf army get just a 4+ and 6++, these guys have a pretty good save. Don't get me wrong, their save will be laughed at by every army out there, (apart from beastmen) but for wood elves, it's respectable. At the first glance their cost - 270 points for 20 of them with shields and a full command squad and 390 for a horde - is a high one, but comparing them to other spearelves, for measly 3 points they gain Stubborn, Armor Piercing, +1WS and +1LD, making them an incredible anchor - almost unbreakable when within BSB range. Also, you don't take them in such big units - small units (10-15) can hold off pretty long even against elites. Many people don't like them, since these generally do not fit in with the traditional Wood Elves' Hit and Run or Run and Shoot style of play. Also, they are incredible in the now-viable melee Wood Elf lists and are one of the better places to hide your wizards.Also so durable because of ws5 If you don't kill all of them then you'll have to face them again.

* '''Glade Guard:''' Glade Guard are of debatable worth. For 12 points you get a bs 4 model with no armour, an armour piercing long bow, the option to take full command and a magic standard worth 25 points. In forests they get to reroll ones to wound in close combat and can fire and fight in 1 extra rank. They also can buy any of the magic arrows (discussed in magic arrows section). It is up to you whether you chose to deploy them in multiple small units or in one horde, though generally msu is better since they will have more time to fire. All in all, Deepwood Scouts do same job better for just 1 point more (except of course, they won't fill up your manditory 25% core).

* '''Glade Riders:''' Out of all the core choices, this is perhaps the only unit which has been priced correctly. For 19pts you get m9 fast cavalry with a Asrai Bow and Asrai Spear, who have to ambush (Being forced to ambush can sometimes be an issue, keep this in mind when taking Riders.), that can take the magic arrows. They can also take a magic banner worth up to 25pts which is neat (I would recommend Gleaming Pennant - cheap and nice for fast cavalry). Generally you will want to take these in multiple small units that can come up behind the opponents and cause havoc. In a pinch they also make good warmachine hunters. A downside of this unit is that you cannot depend on them to act early in the game, since they can only move onto the board from turn 2 onward. If you have a treeman that you don't want to get hit by artillery that could kill him in one phase, you may not want to use these guys as warmachine hunters. However, it can be incredibly fun in friendly games and is inevitable in full cavalry lists.
** ''And no, they cannot choose Vanguard deployment over Ambush deployment, because you Vanguard-move ''after'' you have deployed - which you don't with Ambush. Feel free to Vanguard-move in the model case, waiting for your ambush roll.''

===Special Units===

* '''Deep Wood Scouts:''' Don't let their fancy new name fool you. These are the Glade Scouts of the past, simply moved and renamed. For 1 point more than a Glade Guard they gain scout and skirmish and still keep the option to buy magic arrows. They can also buy a full command interestingly and can be taken in units as small as 5. Pity that you can only have so many special unit duplicates. Whenever you feel the urge to buy glade guard that don't contribute to your core allowance, choose Deepwood scouts instead. If anything they are one less unit you have to deploy at the start of a game before the roll off thanks to scout. As a side note; 12 of these armed with '''poisoned arrows''' will kill a warmachine each turn, on average, without a modifier.

* '''Sisters of the Thorn:''' The Wood Elf alternative to Dark Elf Warlocks. While wildriders rock out with their cock out and kill and get killed in a blaze of gory glory, the sisters are more subtle and indirect with their attack. For 26 points they get a 4++, T3, BS5 and a poisoned javelin. They can buy full command and a 50pts banner. They also count as a lvl 2 wizard with the Shield of Thorns and Curse of Anraheir spells, with a +1 to cast with equal to your rank bonus (maxing out at +3). You can pull some crazy stunts with these Druidic Elven Nuns, but they are pricy, have one good spell and one mediocre with great lore attribute, though both will be difficult to cast with less than 3 dice. One thing that is really good about them is that despite their massive cost, they are tough, they do look awesome and they are one of two cavalry units you can deploy your mounted characters in and that they don't have frenzy when compared to the Wild Riders. They are an awesome retinue for a mounted Spellweaver. Get them a Lichebone Pennant and you can laugh at both enemy spells and any miscasts (Edit: as per the errata, MR doesn’t help with miscasts). They also can help/substitute a Lifeweaver or a Branchwraith, providing healing with Shield of Thorns (with thorns themselves being just a little bonus). They ain't a no-brainer, but can be very effective with proper application.
** ''Doomfire Warlocks:'' These guys are often bench-marked a against SotT. For just one point less you get a Dark Elf version of the sisters in the rare units (or more correctly, the sisters are a Wood Elf version of the warlocks since the DE book came out first). These guys don't throw poisoned javelins and they don't get the lore of life attribute on one of their spells. If you find yourself in a friendly game where you two decide to do unbound lists (somehow), the sisters are probably worth considering over warlocks.

* '''Treekin:''' Treekin are the younger brother of Treemen and not the force they once were. With the unit size limit removed, treekin can now be taken in hordes and with a 20 point reduction, they won't eat up as much of your points. Compared to an O&G troll for the same price, treekin suffer from a distinct lack of S5(that the troll has), but they also benefit from a distinct lack of stupidity(that the troll has). Overall treekin are evenly matched with river and stone trolls as they should be for the same point cost. They are the best of the forest spirits the wood elves have to offer but still are no longer a must-take. For 45 points you get S4, T5, 3 wounds, 3 attacks, Stomp, 4+ armor, 6++ Ward, cause fear, and flammable. Beware they are vulnerable to Great Weapons, fire and high volumes of S4 attacks and have trouble overcoming large amounts of static combat res, so be careful to not send them into battles they can't win (unless you have the lore of light unbreakable spell or other buffing spells to improve armor or toughness).
** ''Additional Thought:'' Proper use of these guys is against large S3 units (Spearelves of all flavors, Clanrats, Empire Spearmen, Skeletons...the list goes on). Your archers won't be able to bring the unit down to size very effectively, and most of your CC units will just bounce off, but Treekin have enough attacks (2 ranks have 18 attacks) and high enough toughness to grind them into powder. It's a niche, but it's one not filled very effectively elsewhere in the army. Combine with a flank charge from your Wild Riders for great success.

* '''Wardancer Troupe:''' Wardancers are still a reasonably good unit let down by a few flaws and a fairly high cost of entry. They cost 15 points a pop and with T3 and a 6+ Ward, they're still about as hard as tissue paper, but that's par for the course with Wood Elves and Skirmishers in general. They no longer gain +1 S on the charge and have 3 new dances. The first gives you armor piercing and killing blow, second one gives you +1 attack, another gives you a 3++ and the final dance [[AWESOME|strips your foe of their rank bonuses]]. What lets these guys down is the fact that because they're not Scouts, they have to start in your deployment zone, and M5 does not let them cross the board very quickly, as well as being unable to repeat any of their dances the turn after it is used. To overcome this take a small unit of 5 and hang them back, then proceed to laugh as you charge them into an on-going combat and win it by a landslide due to the -3 combat res. If the dice gods are high that day and the combat goes on for another turn, your shadow dancer can do a different dance if it is not in the wardancer unit (which it should never be).
** Keep in mind, both War Dancers and Shadowdancer are very useful due to disruption dance and are located in very contested sections. Choose well, whom will you use (unless you use both).
*** As a side note, any models in the squad '''(not the whole squad - you can choose)''' can replace two weapons with an Asrai Spear. Which is kinda useless, since if you are taking more than 5 Wardancers in a single squad, you are doing it wrong.
**''It is also highly disappointing that taking a musician does not do more to help the unit of dancers. How did Matt Ward not see the connection between music and dancing?''
***''He must like dubstep. It would explain a lot of things.''

* '''Warhawk Riders:''' You think your Glade Riders are fast? Think again. These guys are one of the best units in the Army Book, acting troubleshooters, since they can bring down War Machines like they're not there, punch out shooting units, ping wounds off lightly armored units and even help out in large combats (this is only for emergencies though). For 45 points you are getting fast flying monstrous cavalry with the Asrai Bows, W3, T4, Asrai Spears, and killing blow on the charge. They deal out 1 str 4 AP with ASF as well as 2 str 4 AP killing blow hits and a stomp. Possibly, the best flying unit in the game with the exception of the frost phoenix and pegasus knights. Take as many units of 3 as you can. Also they make Great Eagles look very sad and useless.

* '''Wild Riders of Kurnous:''' While they may be quite fragile for cavalry, Wild Riders of Kurnous move like an arrow and hit like a ton of bricks (glass bricks). Similes aside, they are the only fast cavalry in the game with the potential to get a 4+ 6++ and they eat monsters(or damn near anything) for breakfast. For 26 points you get a WS5, S4, T3, model on stagback with light armour, which can buy a shield for 2 extra points, Full Command for 30, and a magic banner up to 50pts. In combat they dish out 3 str 5 AP, ASF and 2 str 4 attack on the charge, thanks to frenzy (which also applies to the mounts) asrai spears for +1 strength on the charge and devastating charge for an extra attack on the charge. Conveniently they also have fear, <s>which is always nice when facing something else with terror</s> You do know that Frenzy makes you Immune to Psychology, right? A unit of 5 on the charge with a champion will cause an average of 12 wounds with -3 to armour and 4 Wounds with -1 to anything at T3 with less than WS5 - that unit is looking a lot less threatening with 15 less guys now isn't it. Also have a lot more staying power than most other cav, retaining 4 st4 attacks per model until you lose frenzy. That's better than having lances. Also, they keep their spears in following rounds, so their attacks still have AP. Bear in mind, they're reliant on a 4+ 6++ (one of the best saves the wood elves get is still not that good), so don't get them charged, or they will die in troves. ''Ironically enough, they are no longer Forest Spirits, but their new models actually look like forest spirits, unlike their older models of regular elves.'' (Don't let them get charged, they suddenly hurt a lot less. 2 S4 armor piercing attacks per is just "ok"). These units are not very useful in a head-on charge due to the enemy stepping up (unless you wipe out the entire unit!) but, they are excellent at charging from the rear. However, due to frenzy, it might be difficult to get behind the enemy without being forced the charge them head-on in the first place.

* '''Wildwood Rangers''' New to the Wood Elf Army Book, 11 points per model gets you light armor, Eternal Guard stats, immune to psychology, and a great weapon. They are slightly more resilient than Gnoblars but do carry a Great Weapon. What makes these guys special is that if they're in combat with a unit that causes fear or terror they get an extra attack (good against Chaos, Undead and Ogres). On the upside they are better than Great Swordsmen(In forests and against fear causers), but are worse than almost every other race's Great Weapon elites (however also cheaper per model). With the End Times bringing undead-summoning for everyone, these fellers become more useful, easily clearing freshly-summoned shamblers with their special rule. Also, if the WE use the fear causing forest for the free WE forest, placing these guys in it is awesome. Not only do they get fear, but enemies that engage them (and step foot into the forest) gain fear as well, which is not only completely useless against them due to immune to psychology, it also means they get to use that +1 attack! These guys can hit hard, but sadly they are difficult to keep alive. High initiative and ASF cancelling out the great weapons' ASL means your best bet to keep these guys alive is to fight low I enemies and kill before you get killed.

===Rare Units===
*'''Great Eagle:''' They would be reliable, cheap and versatile for 50pts. However, Warhawk costs 5pts less, has KB and a rider (who can shoot), and only loses 1WS. Take Eagles only if you are full on Warhawks, otherwise Hawks will give you much more for less points. Also they can't be upgraded like High Elf eagles. Don't bother. If you insist on using your Great Eagle models, stick a Glade Rider or Glade Guard with spear on it back and have yourself a Warhawk.
** Counterpoint: you would want to take a great eagle instead of a warhawk if you had less than 135pts to spend on flying dudes. Warhawks need to be taken in units of at least 3, and have enough whoopass to draw more attention from the enemy than the eagle. A pair of eagles is great for topping off the last hundred points in your list. Place one of these between your enemy death star and your death star so your death star can get the charge next turn. The eagle is one of the cheapest chaff units in the game. Skaven could probably field a unit of slaves for less than 50pts, but those slaves won't give you the same coverage as an eagle.

* '''Treeman:''' The best that can be said about this unit is that it is priced correctly at 225, but it is nowhere near the monster it was in the past. It is still quite tough with T6, W5 and a 3+ scaly skin and 6++ ward (in the forest). It also has 5 attacks at WS6 S5 in combat with the option to swap them all for a tree whack which deals d6 armour ignoring wounds to a model if your enemy fails his initiative test (each wound must be saved seperately in case of ward saves). Also, Thunderstomp. It also appears that the strangle roots have become a better ranged attack. Str 5 d6+1 attacks may not seem like much but every little counts I guess. ALTERNATE OPINION: Strangleroots are 20pts for an average of 3.5 S5 shots a turn, which against something anything glass cannon, like Witch Elves or Swordmasters, can easily make back its points. While the treeman is not amazing and necessary for most armies, sadly it is the best value monster we have and, perhaps, our best monster killer. If this is the best monster killer you've got, your list may not have enough Hagbane Tips.
**Side note: The current Treeman model is mounted on a 50X100 mm chariot base. The 50mm short side goes at the front/rear based on the way you are supposed to assemble the model. This can be seen in GW images in their online store. I believe that the base is 75x50mm with the longer side being the front and the 50mm sides being his flanks.

* '''Waywatchers:''' This is potentially the best unit in the Army Book, so place your bets now on how 9th ed will nerf these guys (9th? We wish). For 20pts you get a BS5 skirmishing scouting archer who can chose whether to add the multiple fire 2 rule to his bow or to ignore armour saves with his shooting. They also come with 2 hand weapons for some mild protection against chaff units in combat, but don't expect them to be able to take the enemy head on with T3 and no armour. Everything they do is very wood elfy. They shoot well, avoid the enemy well and die easily if the enemy puts any real firepower on them. Take a unit of 5 and annoy the living hell out of your opponents. For 100pts you can thin out the enemy if they ignore them, or distract what ever the enemy sends to stomp these guys down. It actually isn't a bad idea to fill your rare allocation up with these. Keep in mind, their bows are still S3 only, so pick your targets carefully and use Withering (lore of shadows) or you're going to be sorely disappointed. Calculation of disappointment can be seen on the talk page. These guys are best at picking off heavily armored units with non-exceptional toughness. They are also useful at unleashing a small group of arrows into the foe. If facing a high toughness enemy, Deepwood Scouts with poison arrows will probably do the job better.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===

The battalion set was a good value. You could get a fairly decent army out of it. ''It is still mighty cool if you manage to find it at some backwater hobby shop (I even managed to get one with discount "'cos no one wanted it for long time" from, apparently, completely ignorant shop assistant).
The battalion shared models with regular kits, so following old guidelines still apply.

From the Glade Guard sprues, you can build Waywatchers. If you have some spare High Elf or Dark Elf spearmen/warriors, giving them a Glade Guard head can turn them into Eternal Guard. You get a ton of heads with the Glade Guard, so you're spoilt! Especially now, when they look like High Elves.

The Glade Riders you can build as Wild Riders with the spears. Or even Sisters of the Thorn.

For your Lords/Heroes choices, you can build them out of the sprues provided. You can make a mounted Glade Lord or Captain (even a BSB), as well as a Waystalker and, with a bit of imagination, a Spellweaver.

Otherwise, for the Spellweaver, the Dark Elves' plastic Sorceress is a good alternative if you don't want old/metal models.

You could make a Treeman with the LotR Ent as it's cheaper, but the two have different dimentions, so be warned.
It is taller, but can fit on a 50x50mm base that you can buy seperatly.(and still be cheaper than a treeman.)
Especially now, when Treemen are taller, slimmer and look more like -Men, than Tree-.

Dryad bits are awesome in making Wild Riders, Sisters of the Thorn and characters. Their back-branches make pretty cool saplings to add foresty clutter on elf bases. You can also glue the extra dryad arms together to make treekin looking things. It will take some patience but you can build three or four sleek looking treekin from a box of a dozen dryads. The ghetto treekin don't look as tough or macho as the GW treekin, so it is easier to picture them as just strength 4 instead of the strength 5 they used to have.

If you want Dryads and Treemen (though they've been nerf-sawed) - you should hurry to grab the Guardians of the Deepwood box, which contains three Treemen and 36 Dryads - and is actually cheaper than cost of those models combined. Either GW are trying to be kinder, or their head manager made a typo. Most likely the latter. Hurry, it is limited edition and stuff.

If you are OK with using mediocre models made from shitty resin, D&D Treant and Roc miniatures make pretty good Treeman or Great Eagle/Warhawk. Be advised, D&D resin is crappy and bendy, but they come pre-painted. The Guardians of the Galaxy Heroclix version of Groot could fill the roll of your treeman easily.

==Equipping Your Army==

'''Asrai Bow''': Just like an ordinary Longbow. 30" range, but now comes with AP.

'''Asrai Spear''': Follows the same rules as regular spears, except for having AP.

Basicly, all Wood Elf spears and bows have AP. Because inch-thick armor is of little use when there's an arrow sticking out of your eye and a spear in your throat.

===Magic Items===

No more Spites, no more Kindreds. Matt Ward, after having given High Elves a meta changing item and Dark elves at least some decent ones, he decided to balance out his previous mistakes by not giving Wood Elves any good items. He even made sure to prevent broken combos this time. It's especially surprising as Wood Elves are reputed to be Matt Ward's favourite elf faction.

'''The Spirit Sword:''' 85 points for ignoring armour saves (as if Wood Elves didn't have enough of this already), and if you cause an unsaved wound on a character/champion/monster, you and your foe both take a leadership test. For each point you beat your opponent by, it causes a wound. If you lose the test nothing happens(Though it can hurt the wielder if you want to use the more amusing 6th ed rules for the sword). I guess it is neat and will kill monsters like hell, but this weapon is overpriced and relies on you hitting/wounding your target. Rely on the rulebook's magic items instead.

'''Daith's Reaper:''' This weapon would be amazing for almost any race but Wood Elves. For 50pts you can reroll to hit and to wound and force your opponent to reroll successful armour saves. Considering you can only take this on a hero who is likely to get to hit rerolls from ASF and that 8th favours ward saves rather than armour saves, this weapon is only slightly better than useless. Buying great weapon or sword of +1 str wound be a far better/cheaper alternative.

'''The Bow of Loren:''' For 20 points you get a bow that fires your character's attacks +1 shots. You can use it on the Waystalker to get 2, armour ignoring, sniping shots or on the Glade Lord to fire 5 bs7 shots. This can actually be increased further through augment magic that increases attacks (lore of beasts). Note that these are Multiple Shots (so -1 to hit and can't stack with Waystalker multiple shots and don't get any bonus attacks from extra hand weapon). The best that can be said about this bow is that it is properly priced. All other races ranged magic items aren't though...

'''Helm of the Hunt:''' For 20pts you get a dragon helm which instead of giving you a 2++ vs flaming attacks, gives you the devastating charge special rule and +1 ws on the charge. Cute I guess for Wood Elves but is it really worth it? Basically, it allows you to make a Wild Rider Noble from older editions (especially with Wild Riders wearing noticeable horned helms now)

'''Acorns of Ages:''' This is the item that Wood Elves have been waiting for. For 100pts you get d3 forests in addition to the starting one, which all have to be the same type and are deployed like drop pods, since they scatter but can't land on other terrain. Lots of tactics are circulating around this item, Drycha/Moonstone of Hidden Ways for teleporting units or almost deep striking treemen. See Talk page for tactics and stuff. As for the item - if nothing else, it's fluffy. The problem is only a couple lords even have the points to carry the thing, and it then leaves them with no points for anything else. Unless your strategy depends on having many forests (Drycha, Moonstone of Hidden ways), it is probably better to pass on this one.

'''Moonstone of Hidden Ways:''' This item's potential power is immense, while it's actual usefulness is varied. For 40pts you can teleport your unit at the end of a movement phase, from one forest to another. The only restriction on what can be teleported is whether it can fit wholly inside the forest. The "forest walking" unit can't be placed in another forest that is too small and counts as having marched. While interesting this item makes you a sitting duck for 1 turn and either relies on the luck of the terrain deployment table or the Acorns of Ages. Buy another gimmick.

'''Hail of the Doom Arrow:''' If only this item was 5 points cheaper so Waystalkers could take it (This does prevent the abuse from being able to hail of the doom arrow snipe combo - <strike>almost</strike> guaranteed dead wizard. Seems like it could have been fixed better with a 'cannot be used in conjunction with the sniper special rule' as opposed to just making it too expensive to take). For 30pts, you get a 1 use str 4 armour piercing arrow that causes 3d6 hits. Some people swear by these things since they can instantly mince lightly armoured units though there are dissenting opinions. Still it is the best magic item Wood Elves have. Sadly, Asyndi's Bane was removed as a magic item, so you can no longer use the HoDA to take out an enemy unit and the guy who fired the arrow in the same turn.

'''Calaingor's Stave:''' Such a depressing item. For 20 points you get the privilege of swapping a spell for Tree Singing. Tree Singing is cast on a 8+ now and can move an empty forest d6+1 inches, which is not much more than the forest moves by being accidentally bumped. If the forest is partially occupied, then instead you can deal 2d6 str4 hits on an enemy unit that is at least partially within the forest. You can improve the spell so that, when cast on a 16+ it affects all forests within 12". If the spell could be cast more than once, was given as an additional spell, had a lore attribute, could be cast on all forests on the board instead of those within 12", cast on a 4+, to name a multitude of reasons, then it would be worth taking. Otherwise, unless you wish to move the destination forest of the moonstone of hidden way's unit or Drycha's helpers, it is the worst magic item in the game. If you really want your eternal guard to hit in an extra rank, its usually easier to move yourself to the forest than to move the forest to you.

'''The Banner of the Eternal Queen:''' For twice the cost of the Banner of the World Dragon, this banner provides Magic Resistance 3 and for 1 turn the ability to be unbreakable. No thanks. The traditional overpriced banner does not fail to disappoint me even if you don't compare it to the Banner of the World Dragon.

'''The Banner of the Hunter King:''' Another banner which gives to it's unit vanguard and, that allows you to reroll the first failed charge of the game for 75pts. Dwarfs get these rules for 35pts and 15pts respectively. Also almost everything that can take this banner has Vanguard already. Competes with Calaingor's Staff for being the worst magic item ever. Well, at least Calaingor's staff only costs 20 points where this costs 75. Worst magic (or even mundane) item ever.

====Enchanted Arrows====

(Note, all arrows have AP and volleyfire, 30 inch range). All of these are available to Glade Guard, Deepwood Scouts, Glade Riders, Glade Lords and Glade Captains.
They replace the profile of regular bows wielded by models and count as magical attacks. <s>Note, that until we get a FAQ, they are ''not'' Asrai Longbows and prevent using Hail of Doom Arrows!</s> The enchanted arrows are Enchanted Items which do not prevent you from holding a second Enchanted item. As such they are NOT weapons, and do not prevent you from using the HODA. The WE book specifically says "Each type of enchanted arrow replaced the profile of the Asrai longbow with the one shown in its entry." <s>In other words, you don't have asrai longbow anymore, you have Arcane Bodkins, Starfire Shafts, Hagbane Tips, Swiftshiver Shards, Moonfire shot, or Trueflight Arrows instead. This would technically disable HoDA even though you are replacing the bow with arrows.</s> Correction: the profile of the bow is replaced, not the bow itself. "if a model has enchanted arrows, he must use them when shooting with an Asrai Longbow." The model still has the bow, which means it can still use HoDA.

'''Arcane Bodkins:''' 5 pts per model, confers ap -3 instead of normal armour piercing. Expensive for what they do. I prefer to do more wounds than reduce armour saves but these arrows kill cavalry like nobody's business. All the same, if your plan is to screw over enemy armour, just use Waywatchers instead. For three more points waywatchers can spite that guy with a 1+ re-rollable armour save while the arcane bodkins have a 50/50 chance of being saved. And they can also fuck up light infantry like nobody's business, if no heavy cavalry presents itself.

'''Hagbane Tips:''' 3 points per model, confers poison attacks. Amazing. This will probably be your go-to magic arrow, since wood elves have troubles vs monsters or anything with high toughness since they have S3. It is nice to have Skink-like firepower on the move at 30" (With BS4+ throughout <s>most</s> ALL of the shooting units, your problems will probably lie in wounding. Might as well turn those 6's to hit into wounds, and save yourself the possibility of connecting a hit that won't wound anything).

'''Trueflight Arrows:''' 3 points per model, confers no penalty to shooting whatever you do. This is probably going to be the second most used arrow. Best taken on your Glade Guard as they will suffer the most penalties (move and shoot, long range, volley fire, etc.). These should be your first choice against Skaven and their shenanigans. As these only help you hit when WE issue is wounding, they are best used in combination with magic that either reduces toughness (death or shadow) or gives +1 to wound (fire).
*''As of now there are many opinions about the merits of these arrows which should be shared on the talk page.

'''Moonfire Arrows:''' 4 points, confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Order. Great against warmachines, which almost all Forces of Order have. BUT against war machines, poison is still better (and cheaper) unless buffed by magic. Still, in addition to putting a hurt on those war machines, this arrow can also screw with any lore of life wizards (which many Forces of Order armies have access to) that thought they'd be using that signature spell. Especially if brought in as a surprise on scouts/ambushers (which is where you want them anyway to reach those war machines quickly).

'''Starfire Arrows:''' 4 points per model confers flaming and +1 to wound versus Forces of Destruction. Great against monsters and repeater bolt throwers. The better choice of the "...fire Arrows" duo as almost everything with Regen in the game is from a Forces of Destruction army. If you buy a unit of 10-12 of this instead of the flaming banner you can make OK monster hunters out of them. If you want, bring a small number of archers with flaming arrows and a larger poison arrow unit if you want to use that poison without the pesky regeneration saves. Alternatively, since enchanted arrows are not a magic weapon, they can still benefit from the Banner of Eternal Flame. Hagbane Tips + BoET kills regenerating/flaming monsters like no one's business. Just watch out for characters with Dragonbane Gem or Dragonhelm.

'''Swiftshiver Shards:''' 4 points per model confers multiple shot, making your Glade Guards into Dark Elf repeater crossbowmen. Interesting, but Waywatchers have this basic and do this better than any of the other unit. One recommendation is to fill your core with a big block of swiftshiver shard glade guard (fun to say) and then buff them with hand of glory from the high magic. Your swiftshiver shard glade guard should eviscerate anything that is not protected by the high elf banner of game breaking. Use Arcane Unforging if you can to destroy that banner and drink your High Elf opponent's tears when they realize they might actually have to use strategy to win for once.

==Magic==

Wood elves have gone from being, magically, the least diverse race with the least choice of all when it came to spells, to the most. All Wood Elf wizards now have access to ALL rulebook lores, which is amazing for them, and the Spell Weavers are the only models who now have access to the new Wood Elf specific lores, the Lore of High and Dark Magic. Yes both are directly stolen from the High and Dark elves (this is confirmed by the fluff) but have different lore attributes (this can be seen as good and bad). As such a Spellweaver can now choose 10 lores with a chance to pick 3/4 of 72 different spells.

The following overviews are in my eyes, in the order of importance. However that is up to debate and which most important is dependant on your list and situation.

====Lore of Life====

This Lore is really good for Wood Elves as you can restore wounds on your best units (ie:Warhawks and arguably Treekin). It provides you with a way to give your Glade Guard saves, revive your most expensive units, kill your foes with a characteristic test, and has a safety net for you, if you miscast. It is best taken on a lvl 3/4, so you can get throne of vines up and not have to worry about any more miscasts.

====Lore of Shadow====

The Lore of Shadow allows you to switch and save the most important characters while debuffing your foes. It helps your shooting by reducing your opponent's toughness and weakens them in combat by reducing their strength, weapon skill and intiative. Withering is the must-have spell for Wood Elves (unless you run a LOT of poisoned arrows), as it solves their greatest weakness - Str 3 bows. By using Melkoth's Mysitifying Miasma you can slow down your foes, giving you more time to fire. It can make one your heroes fly but that isn't as useful as the others. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball and a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. Finally it comes with a buff that allows you to shred through tougher units. It is useful since it works on any wizard of any level. The Lore attribute can be good but it is very situational.
Some calculations can be seen in the Talk page.

====Lore of High Magic====

This Lore is really quite neat. It has a wide variety of cheap to cast spells which give you a better shorter ranged fireball as a signature spell, a buff the complete opposite of the MMM importantly buffing your BS, a spell which dispels all effects (very useful against any foe dependant on magic) as a signature spell, a small blast, the ability to redeploy one of your units 10", to dismantle magic items and to deal a str 4 hit to all your foes in one unit. Matt Ward has also given a good lore attribute which stacks well with it's multiple low level spells. Every time you successfully cast a spell you gain a counter. If you suffer an unsaved wound, then the counter nullifies the wound. Great if you are hiding your General anywhere, but especially with the sisters of the Thorn. I feel it is very much like a proactive version of the lore of life, preventing damage rather than repairing it.

====Lore of Metal====

The Lore of Metal is mostly aimed at helping armies like the wood elves deal with heavily armoured foes. It can debuff your foe's armour, pick off standards, has a 5+ pit of shades which causes stupidity and can give your troops a 5+ scaly skin save and +1 to hit (almost everything has armour piercing already). It isn't bad but the other lores often help more. Especially since nearly all the elves have armor piercing and (one of) their best units can outright ignore armor. The scaly skin is nice though since the wood elves are lacking when it comes to armor.

====Lore of Beasts====

The Lore of Beasts lets you run train on things that you normally would not be able to run train on. Arguably, it has the best signature spell of the 8 base Lores. +1 Strength and Toughness make even glade guard dangerous in hand to hand. They are still rubbish, but they may hurt someone. If applied to Treekin, they will each have Dragon-like stats, and go from being 'decent' to 'good' super fast. It really shines on wild riders and warhawks, though, since it takes them from squishy, to survivable, and from dangerous to just death. High initiative Strength 5 will scare anything. The +1S also gives your army an option at S4 ranged hits if cast on a unit of Sisters of the Thorn. It will also give you the amber spear which helps you deal with monsters and a couple of character buffing spells which can help your shadow dancers. Curse of Anraheir has great synergy with all the forests you might bring along (Acorn of Ages). Making a third of an enemy unit that follows you into a forest die is pretty great.

====Lore of Heavens====

The Lore of Heavens is a mixed bag.You get 2 of the spells with the largest areas of affect and potentially the biggest damage output in the game, 1 high strength magic missile, 2 debuffs which synergise well, preventing your foe from ever getting poisoned or killling blow attacks or -1 to hit and a 50/50 chance to put warmachines out of commision for one turn, a buff which makes you reroll all ones (which Wood Elves do in woods anyway) and a very situational knock back spell. Also it's lore attribute turns all of it's spells into lvl 1 fireballs when cast at something with wings. Not bad but it is often outshone. Still, can be used as a monster-hunter lore (since its damage spells inflict low number of very strong hits).

====Lore of Death====

The Lore of Death is good for situations when the enemy has some tough (literally) Lord or Hero, who laughs off your S3 sniping shots and has a chance to wreck your game - like a T4 Grey Seer with the Dreaded 13th ratifying your MSUs. Doom and Darkness also has nice synergy with Fear of your Dryads, Treekin, Treemen, and Wild Riders, and might actually cause an enemy to fail a panic test caused by shooting (giving you a rare opportunity to win with the thing your army is meant to do), while Soulblight does a fine job equalizing some S4 T4 brutes with your fragile elves. The Black Sun of Xereous kills half of everything that isn't elves (great with death's lore attribute). Between those three spells you are bound to get something great on a high level wizard. The character sniping spells are cool but just take waystalkers instead. Just a pity you can't cast Aspect of the Dreadnight on enemies (to exploit Wildwood Rangers' special rule). But, there is always a free mysterious forest which you can make cause fear (making your enemy step into it on the other hand is a bit more difficult...).

====Lore of Fire====

The Lore of Fire is best for level 1s since it comes with the best guaranteed magic missile in the game. If you lose your lvl 4 then go and pump all your dice into a super fireball. Beyond that the only spell of great use for wood elves is the Flaming Sword of Rhuin, which you sadly can't guarantee.

====Lore of Dark Magic====

Pity you can't take it on a level 1. On a level 4 it isn't bad but is beaten by almost all the other lores.

*'''Power of Darkness''':
**'''''Augment'''''. While it does give your unit a much needed strength bonus and extra power dice it will eventually wear you down ( you take a wound with no armor saves if you roll a 3 for power dice) unless you protect yourself with a decent ward save. Often, you'd be best served not getting bogged down in combat. For a stupid elf trick, use when your caster is with Sisters of Thorn and watch those javelins get nasty.

*'''Doombolt''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Always take it. It gives you a much needed high strength shooting attack.

*'''Chillwind''':
**'''''Magic Missile'''''. Is an easy spell to cast, is good against low toughness units and will help you against other shooting armies.

*'''Word of Pain''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Good against shooting/high WS armies that seek to match you prowess. The boosted version will save a lot of your elves in combat, ''especially'' since you don't have much, if any, armor.

*'''Bladewind''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Is a good choice for big blocks of infantry, like the always pleasant Slavebus or Zombietrain or even some tougher units.

*'''Shroud of Despair''':
**'''''Hex'''''. Simply fantastic when you get into combat. No Inspiring Presence and no Hold Your Ground! for you enemies. This will make breaking enemies easier, which is good, because you don't wanna hang around for Round 2.

*'''Soul Stealer''':
**'''''Direct Damage'''''. Once again, great against big horde units/busses/trains. If you get this off, place the 3" template anywhere of the wizard within 18". You can go nuts with '''Power of Darkness''' and never worry about it, if it lands right.

*'''Arnzipal's Black Horror''':
**'''''Magical Vortex'''''. Oh baby. This thing is crazy. Like warpstone-laced cocaine. No wonder Ariel got hooked on this Dark Magic stuff... Anyway, should you get this off, pop it down and sing ''"Snitches's gonna die/This bitch is gonna fly/My wizard's rollin' high/Or she's gonna fry"''. It will then travel anywhere between 6"-40" in the form of a 3" template in a straight line (of your choice) depending on your wizards magic lvl and how much you roll on the arty dice. Everything hit must pass a strength check or die (ward save allowed). As with arty rolls, should you misfire, place it on top of your wizard and scatter it D6. It ''Remains in Play''. Every turn, it jollies around randomly, spreading more laughter and happy thoughts with another arty roll. Misfire and it will stop working. Boost it and you get to use the large 5 incher, then pray to Isha that you don't screw up. Not as powerful as the '''Lore of Death''' version, but still good fun.

It's lore attribute is best likend to that of the '''Lore of Fire'''. Everytime you cast it on an enemy unit, it creates a vengeance counter (on the unit) which activates when damage is next applied through a spell to that unit. It causes d3 extra hits when it does so, for each counter on the unit. If you can take 2 lv 3/4 mages then this is a good secondary lore but beyond the Storm of Magic I doubt it will see much use. Try it out and see how useful it is to you.

====Lore of Light====

It's quite good against Undead and Daemons and could still be considered against Elf armies. Against most other armies, it sadly won't be of much use, as many of the other lores gives you better options. High strength flaming attacks, superb WS, exellent skirmisher [[Troll|trolling]] and M10 A4 Unbreakable Tree Kin is nice when playing the mirror match, but again, other lores give you a better selection of choices all-round. Alternative take: -1 to be hit is nice considering your high weapons skill. Double movement can make your waywatchers/glade riders uncatchable. Unfortunately, you cannot guarantee getting either of these spells. On a level 4 wizard it is highly likely you will either get one of these or roll doubles, however. It's definitely not the best option, but it is far from useless with the right spells.

==Army Composition & Tactics==

Build your tactics around your army.
Basically Wood Elves need to ambush, pick their fights carefully, and throw multiple units into every combat they fight if they want to win. One unit on its own is not going anywhere unless it's Wild Riders vs a monster or if the unit is charging the enemies flanks or rear.

Currently, there are four main methods of building your army:

*A) '''Shooty army.'''
**Don't get charged and keep on shooting. Circle around your foes, slow them down, and don't be afraid to sacrifice a unit if it saves your army.

*B) '''Fast combat army.'''
**You could take an entire horse army. Very hard to use but pays great dividends. This army should always get to choose when and how it fights. Abuse the Wood Elves' superior movement to ridiculous levels.

*C) '''Infantry army.'''
**Units of 5 or 6 Treekin have high Strength and Toughness, multiple wounds, good weapons skill and nearly 20 attacks per turn. Spearelf units are expensive but good for holding characters and is now stubborn even without a glade captain or lord. The enemy will need to kill everyone, so they are not going anywhere for some turns. However, without serious magical buffing, this army will die to anything stronger than a stiff breeze.

*D) '''Hybrid army.'''
**A mix of any of the above.

'''Ambush of the Worldroots'''

''To once again clarify, for future reference, the precise wording of the rule is "'''This forest is not mysterious terrain - declare it's type when you place it'''"

''With "Mysterious" being a fancy word for "Type of your choice".''

*The most obvious tactic for this is to chuck one in the middle of your Glade Guard. However, for an interesting option, to cater towards more close combat orientated armies, you can stick it between your big unit of Eternal Guard, etc and the most likely enemy deployment to mitigate a lot of return shots and hopefully force a fight in the woods. Or simply hamper the enemies movement towards you, forcing them to trudge through the forest or having to split around it

*Pick a Venom Thicket since your entire army (except Eagles) ignores Forest DT tests, but do notice that a Venom Thicket won't grant Poisoned Attacks to your shooting attacks. The rulebook specifically states that Poisoned Attacks from Venom Thicket only applies to close combat attacks.

*Abyssal Wood imposes no penalties and serves as a perfect place to station your Glade Guard, Eternal Guard or Wildwood Rangers. Fear will grant them an edge in melee (which all WE badly need), and luring an enemy far enough into the Abyssal Wood will give it Fear as well - directly empowering your Rangers when hacking them. An Abyssal Wood with a bunch of Rangers stationed in it (with just enough space to accommodate an enemy unit) can be quite effective in a choke-point.

*The other woods should NEVER be considered for two reasons:
**1) Strider only stops Dangerous Terrain checks, so Abyssal Wood/Venom Thicket are the only forests you can survive in while still doing damage to your enemies.
**2) You don't really want to use your guaranteed forest as barrier. You want to stand in it and gain bonuses distilled from HElf and DElf tears.

'''Tips'''

''Many of these tips might seem redundant, but one extra reminder is better than forgetting a small detail that might help you later ''

*With the introduction of Enchanted Arrows and generally improved shooting units, Wood Elves favour a mix between Shooting and Fast Combat armies. As a general rule, avoid putting any more points into core than necessary, always take a Level 4 wizard, 2 Great Eagles, some Waywatchers, and try to avoid any foot based combat unit. This is not to say that you should never take footsloggers, but most of your units will have neither the toughness nor the saves to match other armies.

*Most, if not all of your army has M5 or more. Use this maneuverability to it's utmost to ensure that you stay alive and pick your fights with care.

*Remember that units fighting in forests lose their steadfast rule (this goes for your units as well). This could make a difference when fighting big blocks of Skavenslaves or other similar units that relies on keeping your units tied up until help arrives. Eternal Guards (Stubborn LD9) can shine here, even in relative few numbers. It should also be noted that skirmishers gain stubborn in forests.

*Beware of Monsters or units with high toughness! Unless you have units with Poisoned Attacks, Wild Riders (S5 on the charge), magically buffed units (result being S5 or higher), or Wildwood Rangers, it's gonna be difficult to wound most of the time when you're in combat. Almost every other Army has access to Warmachines to pick off your Treemen/Treeman Ancients, but you won't have the same luxury.

*[[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|DISTRACTION FAERIE]]: You need at least one of these. Either a Treeman, a Forest Dragon or some Waywatcher. Why? Because you need something that is gonna rob your enemy of his reason and make all his Empire/Skaven/Bolt Throwers/Leadbelchers warmachines go "''Huuuurr... Dat's a purdy unit yoo's got there mate... Be a real shame if sumfink hap'n to it, roight?'', so that the rest of your army survives and gets into position.
**''Bear in mind that against Dwarfs this will be less of a distraction and more 220 points of free victory points for their Flaming Cannon.

*Having trouble filling those pesky core points and don't want to give the enemy a 220 point treeman to knock down with cannons? Glade Guard can deal with warmachines after just a few rounds due to their Ambusher rule. Combine with poison arrows to really specialize in WM hunting. Since they can't charge the turn they enter, shoot at one machine and charge remaining machines the following turn. Not terribly reliable since poor rolls can delay your ambushers, but usually an amazing core unit solution to some of the only things that might challange the Wood Elves' superiority in the shooting phase.

*What's that? Having trouble with High Elves and their ''Banner of The World Dragon'' on a beefy cav unit you say? What you're actually saying is that you don't have enough Waywatchers in your army, am I right?

*Seriously consider the ''Recipe for Success''
**You will need the following:
***1) 5 Wild Riders
***2) 1 Forest
***3) Flank Charge on the Enemy

Mix it all together, add command, a War Banner if you like it thick and put it in the oven for about 1 Magic and 1 Shooting Phase at 200 and ''voilà'': 16 Fear-causing ASF S5 AP attacks (reroll 1s to wound) + 10 S4 attacks with no enemy parry saves, supporting attacks or step up (so Always Strikes First actually helps you kill the enemy before they kill you. Also note that flanking does not remove steadfast, so unless you get your enemy within the forest, they may not run as easily). The cost? 160-195 points. (Add more Wild Riders to really hurt those 40+ man units)

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dark Elves

2020-10-05T04:06:39Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Dark Magic */

==Why Play Dark Elves==

Do you want your Elves to take the next logical step in their belief of 'we're better than everyone' over to 'so we should be allowed to kill them?' Do you want to troll your enemy mercilessly and drink their tears? Then Dark Elves are for you.

In the long long ago, in the before time, in 6th edition, Dark Elves were a finicky and difficult army. Limited unit choices, overpriced and underpowered units and difficult to use tactics made them a favorite of smart and tactical players. Then came the 7th edition update and they rocketed up to being the 2nd best army in the game (behind Daemons) and while the 8th edition book has balanced things a bit, they remain a powerhouse army.

Dark Elves are not for people who expect all their units to have the toughness of Lizardmen or Dwarves, or the hitting power of Chaos Warriors or Ogres. Yes, the Dark Elves have units that hit like a ton of bricks (Hydra most notably) but they are the minority. Dark Elves excel at having cheap infantry with good stats and lightning quick attacks. You will have to combine units, weaken enemy elites, whittle away at them and receive a lot of charges as Dark Elves. But don't mistake them for weak: your enemy will do that and then they will LOSE.

==Army Rules==
'''Eternal Hatred :''' Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first. Awesome rule. Black Guard and several characters have it.

'''Hekarti's Blessing :''' +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.

'''Murderous Prowess :''' Re-rolls all To Wound rolls of 1 when making close combat attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save Warbeasts) has this.

'''Always Strikes First :''' A model with this special rule Always Strikes First in close combat regardless of Initiative. In addition, if the model's Initiative is equal to or higher than his enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously, and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this rule.

==Unit Analysis==

===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
* '''Malekith, the Witch King:'''No longer lives with his mom. It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla (which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000. What a tease! Thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S(5!)and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ Ward against mundane attacks and makes him immune to Multiple Wounds and being killed outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic Resistance (2) and causes spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra Power and Dispel die per Phase and his Inspiring Presence is 18" instead of 12" (24" on his Black Dragon). And he still has Hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. Do note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. You might avoid those in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF (although it is far from guaranteed, as you have a ''50% chance'' of destroying ''one randomly determined'' magic item, and opponents who also have ASF have at least one round of attacks with their magic weapon), but against undispelled magic he only has a 5+ ward against (MR 2). To make matter worse, against Dwarfs with too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up since he won't have any save of any kind. In short, he's much tougher than your average mage, but he still is no tank. He is very good in [[Storm of Magic]] though, thanks to how much people spam magic and how well he shuts all that down.

* '''Morathi, the Hag Sorceress:''' Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her Enchanting Beauty rule is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore. Morathi has the mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.

* '''Crone Hellebron:''' Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat Lord (or rather Lady). Okay, she costs ~155ish Skaven Slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless mounted). But she has Initiative 9, 4 Attacks base, combined with Paired Weapons (+1 Attack) Witches Brew (gives her and her unit +2 Attacks) and Cry of War (+D3 Attacks) for anywhere from 8 to 10 Strength 10 Attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll Hits (and Wounds thanks to Murderous Prowess) which equates to her being essentially guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a 1 causes an Strength 4 hit on her attacker. Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to Dispel rolls for any spells cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of Black Guard with a Cauldron of Blood within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed To Wound rolls) and send them charging into the enemy. That equates to your Black Guard unit having 4 Attacks each, at Strenth 4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed To Wound rolls (But a lot of those 4 attacks are wasted, as supporting attackers only make 1 attack). Malekith just pooped a little. If you take her keep her in a unit: she is the prime example of a glass cannon.

* '''Malus Darkblade:''' You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. Has a couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack his own unit on hit rolls of one( remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit rolls so this mitigates the damage somewhat). Spite is still the best Cold One mount in Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets Eternal Hatred. Should be seriously considered for any Cold One heavy army.

* '''Shadowblade:''' Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin. Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better off with a generic Assassin (or two).

* '''Tullaris Dreadbringer:''' Now a Hero. Costs a little over double of a regular Master but he can easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins Frenzy for FUN times (reminder, supporting attacks only get 1 attack even with your extra frenzy attack, so you can't abuse this with 50 Dreadspears or Black Guard or something) and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy in an Executioner unit makes Sword Masters wish they were this awesome, so take him if you're going heavy on Executioners.

* '''Kouran Blackhand:''' Like Tullaris he is now a Hero. Just shy of 200 points for a Master statline, but with WS9! His Crimson Death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2 strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). His armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit they're likely to Wound his T3). Stick him in Black Guard they become UNBREAKABLE. However, he's overcosted so stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10. If there's also a BSB in range then the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.

* '''Lokhir Fellheart:''' An effective enough combat Hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier Lords while still attacking them. A Master is probably better though he can do incredibly with a big corsair unit and Shadow Magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF, Hatred of High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save, regeneration and terror on the defense.

====Generic Characters====
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''NOTE:''' No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a leg up on 99 percent of most enemy Heroes and Lords.

*'''Dreadlord:''' Your workaday combat Lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat, as they have better access to Armor Saves and re-roll Wounding rolls of 1 while sharing ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't win. Bear in mind he can take all the repeater weapons, so if you plan on sticking him in some block of Bleakswords or Executioners, pick up a crossbow, because he can move and fire both shots and still be hitting on 2s, so you can earn your points back quite easily (you need to kill 1 average infantryman with it to earn back your points, which you can do easily). If you're running a cavalry Dreadlord, I'd go with a repeater handbow, as you can use it with a shield and still get that sweet 1+ save on a cold one with heavy armour and a sea dragon cloak, while getting free shots in. As for the brace, I wouldn't recommend dropping a point of save for whats likely 1 more casualty per turn. As for melee equipment, for infantry I'd go sword and board vs Elves, Empire, Skaven and great weapon against pretty much anything else. Chillblade is fantastic against Ogres by the way. For cavalry, lance, and throw him in a unit of Cold One Knights. In any case, remember a ward save because of killing blow and try for 1+ armour as much as possible. Honourable mention to Giant Blade from the rulebook, but only against other elves, as you can wound more or less anything that isn't a dragon on 2s (and you wound dragons pretty decently too), while still keeping ASF so their heroes don't get ASF rerolls against you.

*'''Supreme Sorceress:''' Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at one thing: blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts of dice around if you're unafraid of Miscasts and have access to some impressively destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, Sorceresses can now use all eight Battle Lores (Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted Hero killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it. Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, although that doesn't feel like Dark Elves (well this <s>codex</s> armybook is Matt Ward's work..., also you could just say they're an exiled Wood Elf or something). In closing, a very versatile offensive caster and just as good a choice for General as the Dreadlord, though with different uses.

*'''High Beastmaster:''' Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A and I, light armor, cloak and spear, but lets one Beast per turn within 3" gain +D3 attacks and must take a Manticore or a Scourgerunner Chariot for free. May take the usual 100 points of magic items but has no standard options. His point costs are intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all before the Beastmaster attacks!

*'''Black Ark Fleetmaster:''' He's a Lord worth ~75ish Skaven Slaves and has a sword for a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs. Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a Challenge (and alive) or kills an enemy Character at all he makes his unit Unbreakable for the turn. It's a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a Dreadlord for less points and get more use out of him. More for fluff and fun games and seems really out of place as a Lord choice (especially when you consider that his rough High Elf equivalent, the Sea Helm, is a cheap Hero).

*'''Sorceress:''' Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective spell to the table (notably Dark Magic's Signature Spell is one that shooting heavy armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores (Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle Lores.

*'''Master:''' Masters are among the best cost for ability Heroes in the game. For 70 points, plus an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5, WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save, without a mount or magic equipment.

*'''Death Hag:''' Death Hags cost 15 points more than a Master for 2 hand weapons, Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
**'''Cauldron of Blood:''' 190 point Chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++ for Witch Elves), lets all friendly units with Murderous Prowess within 6 inch re-roll all failed To Wound rolls, and has a Bound Spell that makes a unit Frenzied(+2 attacks instead of 1 if they were already Frenzied). The kit can also make a Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebron. So you can make a Cauldron of Blood (a Chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous Beast) as an independent unit and Hellebron (a Special Character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.

*'''Assassin:''' When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some Lords. It has frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that. It can put the whammy on anyone dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in either your ranked units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength. Other combinations will be discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points, always take one.

====Mounts====
* Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.

* Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is quite reasonable, Stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to Armor Saves are always nice. If you want a mounted Hero without shelling out for a big expensive mount, this is where to go.

* Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit they've gotten significantly better since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus' toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good Armor Save and probably a Ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).

* Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon but want something big and scary? Then come on down to <s>Clar Karond's</s> KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium. The in-between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule: it gains +D3 attacks each combat phase but enemies get +1 To Hit (worth it).

* Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) whose effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not to take later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary so it will be getting shot at by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of cannons.

===Core Units===
* '''Dreadspears:''' Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average everything else. Spears, shields, light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit especially on the defense. Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in units of 50-60.
* '''Bleakswords:''' Same stats as Spearmen, but swords and shields instead of spears and shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a pretty solid unit. A 5+ Armor Save followed by a 6+ Ward Save can give them okay durability, but they're not going to stand against everything. Elites and generally everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back. Very good tarpit with Flesh to Stone or Glittering Robe, as it mitigates their shitty toughness and armour respectively.

* '''Darkshards:''' The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good range, Armor Piercing and Multiple Shots, these guys shred light to medium armored units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemy's important units. You should always give them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is great on these guys, as it gives them +1 to wound. This means you can wound T3 infantry on 3s and Ogres, Saurus etc on 4s. Also, flaming attacks. This doubles the amount of wounds they inflict on flammable units (e.g. Treekin) and negates regeneration saves (e.g. Trolls), so if you see Chaos or Greenskins or Wood Elves, this is worth considering, as with the armour piercing and the wounding on 4s with FSoR you can shred through whole units of them.

* '''Black Ark Corsairs:''' Don't let the 9 point cost fool you: they need to take either an extra hand weapon or a handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad as they're back to being a reliable Core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ Armor Save, they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra Attack if you get them another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.

* '''Witch Elves:''' Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special choices. They have an absurdly high volume of attacks (30 Poisoned Attacks for 2 ranks of 10, remember supporting attackers only get 1 attack, think about this when using Corsairs, Black Guard, Sisters, etc), high Initiative, ASF and are cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus), sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not hitting quite as hard but being the most durable of all the Dark Elf Core infantry.

* '''Dark Riders:''' Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. So move 9, 4+ armor, with spears and crossbows... and of course the Vanguard move. You can easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your Core choice as they can outmaneuver damn near everything. Don't take a full army of them against Dwarves or Wood Elves though, you will get shot to pieces. Fantastic against Skaven due to low movement speed but watch out for Warp Lightening Cannons or Plagueclaw Catapults.

===Special Units===
* '''Shades:''' Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and Scout rules (they can even march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you. Shades should be used as warmachine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition since the enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponent.

* '''Harpies:''' Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can Panic friendly units when they flee now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip them.

* '''Executioners:''' Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a Monster? Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ Save, they can be very easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 To Wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll be Wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your best shock troops.

* '''Cold One Knights:''' A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can even charge smaller units head-on in a pinch. Cheap heavy cavalry is always welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous Prowess while the mounts gained an extra Attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful though, heavy cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send them straight into a ranked enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you with your enemies' blood and your opponent's tears. Good with Enchanted Blades of Aiban as it means they hit even elite units on 3s and have -4 rend. This means use against Dwarves and Chaos and drink tears.

* '''Cold One Chariots:''' Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage and while once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you need to, its low cost and high Ld keep that from happening too often or hurting too much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely useful. Also, [[Awesome|it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS]][silly warmbloods, still not as cool as the Lustrians].

* '''Black Guard:''' <S>The only ranked choice that isn't a Core choice.</S>(what about Executioners?) They're easy to damage unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and they. Do. Not. Break! They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll failed Wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before. They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic banner from the main rulebook they can be Ld10 Stubborn or take a Flaming banner on them and they WILL take off an Abomination or a Hydra on the charge. A great anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ Armor. Buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and already have Executioners, do it. Earth Blood and Flesh to Stone from Life, Wyssan's Wildform from Beasts, or Glittering Robe from Metal can help them survive.

* '''Reaper Bolt Thrower:''' Often ignored, but a solid choice in its own right. As with all Bolt Throwers, it's good at taking out heavy cavalry and low Wound Monsters. Unlike all other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.

* '''War Hydra:''' Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. Its Attacks are equal to 3 plus its remaining Wound total. So at full Wounds it's pumping out 8 Attacks and a Thunderstomp after that. 5 Wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can buy a Breath Weapon with S4 and a Ranged Attack with 8" range, with number of shots and S being its remaining Wounds. Lost its Regeneration but now rolls a die at the end of your turn for each lost Wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS! Your ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a 1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this should roll for [[anal circumference]]. The Dark Elf solution to hordes. Use them against infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list... or most lists for that matter! I recommend a Life or Beasts caster with them, Flesh to Stone makes them T7, which is fantastic making sure great weapons don't kill them, and the Lore of Beast's signature spell gives them the S and T of a midtier dragon. Birona's Timewarp is also an excellent spell to use on a Hydra, giving it a 12" movement range and ASF, as well as an extra attack. If you need speed and have trouble with I4+ things (Bear in mind, the Hydra is I4, so while ASF will mean Elves don't get rerolls against it, they still hit first), this is a great spell.

*'''Scourgerunner Chariot:''' Lighter Chariot ridden by 2 Beastmasters and pulled by horses. Comes with a Ravager Harpoon: a S7 Bolt Thrower that can be fired on the move, but no Multi-Shot and it doesn't ignore Armor (though at S7 it's not likely anyone'll get a Save from it unless you try to Penetrate Ranks with the thing). If it causes an unsaved Wound on a Monster it gets dragged D6" towards the Chariot. If it goes over 3" it takes a second Wound with no Saves. Note, many of the monsters you want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot Stand And Shoot with the harpoon, but adding a Beastmaster Character can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army, and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to get some flank shots.

===Rare Units===
* '''Doomfire Warlocks:''' Warlocks cursed by Malekith. Fast Cav with 2 poisoned attacks each and a 4+ Ward, unless the attacker is a Slaaneshi unit (Daemons and marked warriors) in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because Slaanesh wants them. The unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2 and gains +1 to cast for each rank of 5 up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a unit of these (unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh) especially if you want a Dark Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.

* '''Sisters of Slaughter:''' They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ Armor Save and 4+ Ward Save against close combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the offensive as Witch Elves. Their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch against heavily armored units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.

* '''Kharibdyss:''' The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7 hits. At WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and Poisoned Attacks, this makes it a better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges as well. Making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear, Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms. It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered water. Use Timewarp on it. It will give your rerolls against any monsters (or anything, but you should be fighting monsters with this guy), meaning you get an easier Feast of Bones, and you'll anything not an elf first.

* '''Bloodwrack Medusa:''' A monstrous creature were if you meet its gaze [[Grimdark|makes you bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body]]. This is represented by a shooting attack with Killing Blow. Every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow hit at the same time as Impact Hits. As awesome as that is, [[Derp|it somehow works on undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to death?)]]. Its low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).

* '''Bloodwrack Shrine:''' A really weird Chariot that does a lot of different things, some of which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but its point cost is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as its competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss but it has Swiftstride. In close combat it gets Impact Hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It has a solid Toughness of 6 with 5 Wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3 WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2 shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the shrine given its higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the "Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on the Shrine than the lone Medusae because of the Shrine's much better Toughness/Wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with Miasma from the Lore of Shadow which is a good lore to consider for Dark Elves under any circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a War Banner and a champion. Run the unit with only 2 Sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a War Banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's Rank Bonus and they also will take their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a Lore of Life caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.

Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever were, but still a good unit.

To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.

Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes. Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan (or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears, Glade Riders become Dark Riders).

Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
* For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary but fall between these price ranges).

Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

===Army Composition===
*Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible, give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
*Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate as much static CR.
*War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks. The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
*If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
*For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include (cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
*For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game. The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for some extra magic phase rape).
*For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
**For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much)(Then again, most of your army's Ld9 she won't need to add much).
**Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6 attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

===Magic Items===

* '''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Hydra Blade''' Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier. If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of 1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow (for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of Ogre Kingdoms armies.

'''Chillblade''' Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which, if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character, then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.

* '''Talismans:'''

'''The Black Amulet''' Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.

'''Ring of Hotek''' Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6 without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.

* '''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Black Dragon Egg''' Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.

'''Cloak of Twilight''' 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.

* '''Arcane Items:'''

'''The Gem of Spite''' Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts. Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound. A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.

'''The Sacrificial Dagger''' Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of ''(and as many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can she)''. Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic ''(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in)'', just be careful you don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.

'''Tome of Furion''' The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25 points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth without it.

* '''Magic Standards:'''

'''Banner of Nagarythe''' Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors (including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous version was still better.

===Rulebook Items===

*'''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Giant Blade:''' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

'''Sword of Bloodshed:''' Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.

'''Obsidian Blade:''' 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

'''Ogre Blade:''' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.

'''Sword of Strife:''' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

'''Fencer's Blades:''' WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+ armour save and the swords, and they’re especially useful against High Elves; hitting even Tyrion on 3’s. A Master can take them, though they’re better on a Dreadlord.

'''Sword of Anti-Heroes:''' +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

'''Spellthieving Sword:''' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.

'''Sword of Swift Slaying:''' Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves army book this is useless.

'''Sword of Battle:''' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

'''Berserker Sword:''' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.

'''Sword of Might:''' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.

'''Gold Sigil Sword:''' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff if you have the points to spare.

'''Sword of Striking:''' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more Strength is still better.

'''Biting Blade:''' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

'''Relic Sword:''' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

'''Shrieking Blade:''' Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.

'''Tormentor Sword:''' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

'''Warrior Bane:''' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

*'''Magic Armour:'''

'''Armour of Destiny:''' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.

'''Trickster's Helm:''' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.

'''Armour of Silvered Steel:''' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means for much less points.

'''Armour of Fortune:''' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.

'''Helm of Discord:''' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

'''Glittering Scales:''' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

'''Shield of Ptolos:''' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

'''Spellshield:''' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

'''Gambler's Armor:''' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.

'''Dragonhelm:''' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.

'''Enchanted Shield:''' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

'''Charmed Shield:''' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

*'''Talismans:'''

'''Talisman of Preservation:''' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and can’t afford the Black Amulet, take this.

'''Obsidian Lodestone:''' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isn’t enough. Pricry, though it has potential.

'''Talisman of Endurance:''' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

'''Obsidian Amulet:''' Magic Resistance (2). Viable.

'''Dawnstone:''' Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+ armour saves without magic items.

'''Opal Amulet:''' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

'''Obsidian Trinket:''' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

'''Talisman of Protection:''' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

'''Seed of Rebirth:''' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

'''Dragonbane Gem:''' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if you’re facing lore of metal.

'''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:''' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailored lists only really.

'''Luckstone:''' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

*'''Magic Standards:'''

'''Rampager's Standard:''' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry, especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.

'''Wailing Banner:''' Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in 8th edition. There's better standards for you.

'''Ranger's Standard:''' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

'''Razor Standard:''' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close combat under this will cut through any armour, though they’re good enough this is only recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.

'''War Banner:''' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.

'''Banner of Swiftness:''' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch Elves or Cold One Knights.

'''Lichborne Pennant:''' Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.

'''Standard of Discipline:''' +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence. Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring Presence bubble anyway.

'''Banner of Eternal Flame:''' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want.

'''Gleaming Pennant:''' One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

'''Scarecrow Banner:''' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be charged by fliers anyway.

*'''Arcane Items:'''

'''Book of Ashur:''' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. It's decent though overpriced.

'''Feedback Scroll:''' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

'''Scroll of Leeching:''' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

'''Sivejir's Hex Scroll:''' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on them is pretty lulzy.

'''Power Scroll:''' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

'''Wand of Jet:''' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

'''Forbidden Rod:''' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.

'''Staff of Sorcery:''' Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.

'''Trickster's Shard:''' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

'''Earthing Rod:''' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.

'''Dispel Scroll:''' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. Always welcome.

'''Power Stone:''' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.

'''Sceptre of Stability:''' One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

'''Channeling Staff:''' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

'''Scroll of Shielding:''' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if she’s in the army.

*'''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Wizarding Hat:''' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. Don’t bother.

'''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:''' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

'''Arabyan Carpet:''' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or Manticore.

'''Crown of Command :''' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.

'''Healing Potion:''' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead.

'''Featherfoe Torc:''' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if you’re planning to turn against him) or High Elves.

'''Ruby Ring of Ruin:''' Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and it’s a nice surprise from a non-mage character.

'''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:''' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune to Fear.

'''Potion of Strength:''' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.

'''Potion of Toughness:''' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into a suicide charge.

'''The Other Trickster's Shard:''' All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.

'''Ironcurse Icon:''' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

'''Potion of Foolhardiness:''' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

'''Potion of Speed:''' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

===Magic===
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;

* Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the [[High Elves|Dark Elves wussy cousins]]). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound, which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the highest-level wizard you have.

* Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a +2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves), while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12" bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer. The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have, including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen, or somehow treemen..., aren't safe from this lore).

* Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light) and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power dice. Very good against Undead and Daemons, not only because of the Lore attribute but due to all of them having nasty combat units you want to Net and Light of Battle helping you deal with Fear.

* Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.

* Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure. It should be mentioned that Mindrazor is only helpful when rolling to wound in close combat. As your I does not actually replace your S, you may still have to deal with armor saves.

* Heavens: Mixed, I wouldn't blind pick it. Lore attribute is mostly useless, but the signature spell is a great debuff against anything you don't want hitting you (read: Cannons). Also, it stops anything that doesn't roll to hit on a 4, meaning you can walk into flame cannons and have half a chance of waltzing right up to it (don't rely on this though, because half the time you will get cooked). Harmonic Convergence is bad, you usually reroll anyway due to ASF, you rerolls wound on more or less everything, rerolling saves is good but a lot of things can take them off. Good on a Hydra though, as it throws out lots of attacks, and will likely take a lot of saves due to how much people will try and kill it, and it also gets the rerolls it doesn't get as it lacking MP. Wind Blast is situational, but might save you from a charge, but don't rely on it. Curse of the Midnight Wind is fun, a good 'fuck you' button to an elite unit, but I recommend using it on something you're charging Witch Elves into, as it help your elves get through it's armour save, and Witch Elves getting hit and wounded less is fantastic. Urannon's Thunderbolt is great for killing war machines and chipping down monsters. Comet is unreliable, but holy hell if you get an overcast comet between multiple enemy units, they're in fucking trouble. Do not rely on this though, as enemies can move out of it. Also, it hits your own units. If a bunch of people charge a tarpit, feel free though. As for Chain Lightening, it's good against multiple units of elite units, but does too little hits to kill hordes. Basically, take this lore if you want fun hexes or a small number of high strength hits.

* Beasts: It's good, but overshadowed by some other choices. Wildheart is situational and not great even then, but a decent boost. Wyssan's is always useful, Flock of Doom can chip artillery nicely and for nothing, Pann's is great if you're running a combat lord, same with Savage Beast. Curse of Anraheir will fuck up anything with low initiative and is also nice for the -1 to hit. Transformation of Kadon will get you a free hydra, or a manticore (use against cavalry, it has killing blow) or a Horned Dragon, which is a discount Black Dragon, but still a dragon. If you overcast it, you can get a Mountain Chimera or a Great Fire Dragon, both of which are amazing. Don't ever use the base version of the spell, overcast it, especially as wounds are carried over, the two overcast monsters have 8 and 10 wounds respectively, meaning even if you're on your last life, you'll probably have 6 and 8 wounds on a giant fucking monster. Both of which will shred more or less anything. However, don't ever cast this early, get some spells out and cast if your wizard is injured. It's a waste to take a wizard and cast 0 spells. Just to bring it back up, +1S +1T is a great signature spell!

* Fire: Fireball is always useful, Fire Cloak is meh but cheap, Flaming Sword is pretty good, especially against anything with Flammable or Regen, Burning Head is good if you can flank an enemy line, but its best in high point games and against massive hordes. Piercing Bolts is usually a worse fireball, unless against large hordes. Flame Cage is also good against hordes, auto strength 4 hits or you don't move is great against anyone trying to tarpit your Kharibdyss. As with every vortex, Flame Storm has the potential to do massive damage, it's a good alternative against hordes, its better than Dwellers Below against low strength units but Fire doesn't have the flexibility of Life, and its better than Purple Sun against Elves or Humans or Goblin or Skinks or Skaven, but not against Dwarves, Chaos, Orcs, Undead or Saurus, or anything with multiple wounds

Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to its technique of blasting the crap out of things. Fire is less popular, but its low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2 Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
*A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.

====Dark Magic====
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything.
It's sometimes difficult to cast but some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only have one round of combat anyway.

'''Attribute'''
Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is. Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.

'''Spells'''

*'''Spell 0 - Power of Darkness'''
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1 strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save. For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.

*'''Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT'''
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it when you can.

*'''Spell 1 - Chillwind'''
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute, probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).

*'''Spell 2 - Word of Pain'''
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3. So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot, cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.

*'''Spell 3 - Bladewind'''
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and then slapped in the face.

*'''Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair'''
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12 inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a few units at once.

*'''Spell 5 - Soul Stealer'''
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea, it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.

*'''Spell 6 - Arnizipal's Black Horror'''
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army and cast power of darkness first if you are going to give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

==Tactics==

[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls, the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.

Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).

Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.

Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it, instead of trying to spread it around.

You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights, Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and <s>Harpies for chaff</s>(they're infantry).

Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In larger games you can bring Malekith as well.

Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.

They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.

I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if you're aggressive then you can send them all running.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dark Elves

2020-10-05T03:59:57Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Magic */

==Why Play Dark Elves==

Do you want your Elves to take the next logical step in their belief of 'we're better than everyone' over to 'so we should be allowed to kill them?' Do you want to troll your enemy mercilessly and drink their tears? Then Dark Elves are for you.

In the long long ago, in the before time, in 6th edition, Dark Elves were a finicky and difficult army. Limited unit choices, overpriced and underpowered units and difficult to use tactics made them a favorite of smart and tactical players. Then came the 7th edition update and they rocketed up to being the 2nd best army in the game (behind Daemons) and while the 8th edition book has balanced things a bit, they remain a powerhouse army.

Dark Elves are not for people who expect all their units to have the toughness of Lizardmen or Dwarves, or the hitting power of Chaos Warriors or Ogres. Yes, the Dark Elves have units that hit like a ton of bricks (Hydra most notably) but they are the minority. Dark Elves excel at having cheap infantry with good stats and lightning quick attacks. You will have to combine units, weaken enemy elites, whittle away at them and receive a lot of charges as Dark Elves. But don't mistake them for weak: your enemy will do that and then they will LOSE.

==Army Rules==
'''Eternal Hatred :''' Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first. Awesome rule. Black Guard and several characters have it.

'''Hekarti's Blessing :''' +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.

'''Murderous Prowess :''' Re-rolls all To Wound rolls of 1 when making close combat attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save Warbeasts) has this.

'''Always Strikes First :''' A model with this special rule Always Strikes First in close combat regardless of Initiative. In addition, if the model's Initiative is equal to or higher than his enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously, and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this rule.

==Unit Analysis==

===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
* '''Malekith, the Witch King:'''No longer lives with his mom. It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla (which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000. What a tease! Thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S(5!)and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ Ward against mundane attacks and makes him immune to Multiple Wounds and being killed outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic Resistance (2) and causes spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra Power and Dispel die per Phase and his Inspiring Presence is 18" instead of 12" (24" on his Black Dragon). And he still has Hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. Do note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. You might avoid those in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF (although it is far from guaranteed, as you have a ''50% chance'' of destroying ''one randomly determined'' magic item, and opponents who also have ASF have at least one round of attacks with their magic weapon), but against undispelled magic he only has a 5+ ward against (MR 2). To make matter worse, against Dwarfs with too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up since he won't have any save of any kind. In short, he's much tougher than your average mage, but he still is no tank. He is very good in [[Storm of Magic]] though, thanks to how much people spam magic and how well he shuts all that down.

* '''Morathi, the Hag Sorceress:''' Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her Enchanting Beauty rule is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore. Morathi has the mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.

* '''Crone Hellebron:''' Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat Lord (or rather Lady). Okay, she costs ~155ish Skaven Slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless mounted). But she has Initiative 9, 4 Attacks base, combined with Paired Weapons (+1 Attack) Witches Brew (gives her and her unit +2 Attacks) and Cry of War (+D3 Attacks) for anywhere from 8 to 10 Strength 10 Attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll Hits (and Wounds thanks to Murderous Prowess) which equates to her being essentially guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a 1 causes an Strength 4 hit on her attacker. Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to Dispel rolls for any spells cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of Black Guard with a Cauldron of Blood within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed To Wound rolls) and send them charging into the enemy. That equates to your Black Guard unit having 4 Attacks each, at Strenth 4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed To Wound rolls (But a lot of those 4 attacks are wasted, as supporting attackers only make 1 attack). Malekith just pooped a little. If you take her keep her in a unit: she is the prime example of a glass cannon.

* '''Malus Darkblade:''' You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. Has a couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack his own unit on hit rolls of one( remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit rolls so this mitigates the damage somewhat). Spite is still the best Cold One mount in Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets Eternal Hatred. Should be seriously considered for any Cold One heavy army.

* '''Shadowblade:''' Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin. Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better off with a generic Assassin (or two).

* '''Tullaris Dreadbringer:''' Now a Hero. Costs a little over double of a regular Master but he can easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins Frenzy for FUN times (reminder, supporting attacks only get 1 attack even with your extra frenzy attack, so you can't abuse this with 50 Dreadspears or Black Guard or something) and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy in an Executioner unit makes Sword Masters wish they were this awesome, so take him if you're going heavy on Executioners.

* '''Kouran Blackhand:''' Like Tullaris he is now a Hero. Just shy of 200 points for a Master statline, but with WS9! His Crimson Death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2 strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). His armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit they're likely to Wound his T3). Stick him in Black Guard they become UNBREAKABLE. However, he's overcosted so stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10. If there's also a BSB in range then the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.

* '''Lokhir Fellheart:''' An effective enough combat Hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier Lords while still attacking them. A Master is probably better though he can do incredibly with a big corsair unit and Shadow Magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF, Hatred of High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save, regeneration and terror on the defense.

====Generic Characters====
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''NOTE:''' No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a leg up on 99 percent of most enemy Heroes and Lords.

*'''Dreadlord:''' Your workaday combat Lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat, as they have better access to Armor Saves and re-roll Wounding rolls of 1 while sharing ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't win. Bear in mind he can take all the repeater weapons, so if you plan on sticking him in some block of Bleakswords or Executioners, pick up a crossbow, because he can move and fire both shots and still be hitting on 2s, so you can earn your points back quite easily (you need to kill 1 average infantryman with it to earn back your points, which you can do easily). If you're running a cavalry Dreadlord, I'd go with a repeater handbow, as you can use it with a shield and still get that sweet 1+ save on a cold one with heavy armour and a sea dragon cloak, while getting free shots in. As for the brace, I wouldn't recommend dropping a point of save for whats likely 1 more casualty per turn. As for melee equipment, for infantry I'd go sword and board vs Elves, Empire, Skaven and great weapon against pretty much anything else. Chillblade is fantastic against Ogres by the way. For cavalry, lance, and throw him in a unit of Cold One Knights. In any case, remember a ward save because of killing blow and try for 1+ armour as much as possible. Honourable mention to Giant Blade from the rulebook, but only against other elves, as you can wound more or less anything that isn't a dragon on 2s (and you wound dragons pretty decently too), while still keeping ASF so their heroes don't get ASF rerolls against you.

*'''Supreme Sorceress:''' Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at one thing: blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts of dice around if you're unafraid of Miscasts and have access to some impressively destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, Sorceresses can now use all eight Battle Lores (Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted Hero killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it. Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, although that doesn't feel like Dark Elves (well this <s>codex</s> armybook is Matt Ward's work..., also you could just say they're an exiled Wood Elf or something). In closing, a very versatile offensive caster and just as good a choice for General as the Dreadlord, though with different uses.

*'''High Beastmaster:''' Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A and I, light armor, cloak and spear, but lets one Beast per turn within 3" gain +D3 attacks and must take a Manticore or a Scourgerunner Chariot for free. May take the usual 100 points of magic items but has no standard options. His point costs are intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all before the Beastmaster attacks!

*'''Black Ark Fleetmaster:''' He's a Lord worth ~75ish Skaven Slaves and has a sword for a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs. Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a Challenge (and alive) or kills an enemy Character at all he makes his unit Unbreakable for the turn. It's a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a Dreadlord for less points and get more use out of him. More for fluff and fun games and seems really out of place as a Lord choice (especially when you consider that his rough High Elf equivalent, the Sea Helm, is a cheap Hero).

*'''Sorceress:''' Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective spell to the table (notably Dark Magic's Signature Spell is one that shooting heavy armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores (Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle Lores.

*'''Master:''' Masters are among the best cost for ability Heroes in the game. For 70 points, plus an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5, WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save, without a mount or magic equipment.

*'''Death Hag:''' Death Hags cost 15 points more than a Master for 2 hand weapons, Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
**'''Cauldron of Blood:''' 190 point Chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++ for Witch Elves), lets all friendly units with Murderous Prowess within 6 inch re-roll all failed To Wound rolls, and has a Bound Spell that makes a unit Frenzied(+2 attacks instead of 1 if they were already Frenzied). The kit can also make a Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebron. So you can make a Cauldron of Blood (a Chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous Beast) as an independent unit and Hellebron (a Special Character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.

*'''Assassin:''' When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some Lords. It has frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that. It can put the whammy on anyone dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in either your ranked units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength. Other combinations will be discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points, always take one.

====Mounts====
* Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.

* Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is quite reasonable, Stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to Armor Saves are always nice. If you want a mounted Hero without shelling out for a big expensive mount, this is where to go.

* Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit they've gotten significantly better since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus' toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good Armor Save and probably a Ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).

* Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon but want something big and scary? Then come on down to <s>Clar Karond's</s> KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium. The in-between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule: it gains +D3 attacks each combat phase but enemies get +1 To Hit (worth it).

* Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) whose effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not to take later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary so it will be getting shot at by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of cannons.

===Core Units===
* '''Dreadspears:''' Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average everything else. Spears, shields, light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit especially on the defense. Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in units of 50-60.
* '''Bleakswords:''' Same stats as Spearmen, but swords and shields instead of spears and shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a pretty solid unit. A 5+ Armor Save followed by a 6+ Ward Save can give them okay durability, but they're not going to stand against everything. Elites and generally everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back. Very good tarpit with Flesh to Stone or Glittering Robe, as it mitigates their shitty toughness and armour respectively.

* '''Darkshards:''' The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good range, Armor Piercing and Multiple Shots, these guys shred light to medium armored units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemy's important units. You should always give them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is great on these guys, as it gives them +1 to wound. This means you can wound T3 infantry on 3s and Ogres, Saurus etc on 4s. Also, flaming attacks. This doubles the amount of wounds they inflict on flammable units (e.g. Treekin) and negates regeneration saves (e.g. Trolls), so if you see Chaos or Greenskins or Wood Elves, this is worth considering, as with the armour piercing and the wounding on 4s with FSoR you can shred through whole units of them.

* '''Black Ark Corsairs:''' Don't let the 9 point cost fool you: they need to take either an extra hand weapon or a handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad as they're back to being a reliable Core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ Armor Save, they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra Attack if you get them another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.

* '''Witch Elves:''' Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special choices. They have an absurdly high volume of attacks (30 Poisoned Attacks for 2 ranks of 10, remember supporting attackers only get 1 attack, think about this when using Corsairs, Black Guard, Sisters, etc), high Initiative, ASF and are cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus), sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not hitting quite as hard but being the most durable of all the Dark Elf Core infantry.

* '''Dark Riders:''' Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. So move 9, 4+ armor, with spears and crossbows... and of course the Vanguard move. You can easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your Core choice as they can outmaneuver damn near everything. Don't take a full army of them against Dwarves or Wood Elves though, you will get shot to pieces. Fantastic against Skaven due to low movement speed but watch out for Warp Lightening Cannons or Plagueclaw Catapults.

===Special Units===
* '''Shades:''' Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and Scout rules (they can even march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you. Shades should be used as warmachine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition since the enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponent.

* '''Harpies:''' Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can Panic friendly units when they flee now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip them.

* '''Executioners:''' Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a Monster? Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ Save, they can be very easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 To Wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll be Wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your best shock troops.

* '''Cold One Knights:''' A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can even charge smaller units head-on in a pinch. Cheap heavy cavalry is always welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous Prowess while the mounts gained an extra Attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful though, heavy cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send them straight into a ranked enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you with your enemies' blood and your opponent's tears. Good with Enchanted Blades of Aiban as it means they hit even elite units on 3s and have -4 rend. This means use against Dwarves and Chaos and drink tears.

* '''Cold One Chariots:''' Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage and while once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you need to, its low cost and high Ld keep that from happening too often or hurting too much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely useful. Also, [[Awesome|it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS]][silly warmbloods, still not as cool as the Lustrians].

* '''Black Guard:''' <S>The only ranked choice that isn't a Core choice.</S>(what about Executioners?) They're easy to damage unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and they. Do. Not. Break! They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll failed Wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before. They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic banner from the main rulebook they can be Ld10 Stubborn or take a Flaming banner on them and they WILL take off an Abomination or a Hydra on the charge. A great anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ Armor. Buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and already have Executioners, do it. Earth Blood and Flesh to Stone from Life, Wyssan's Wildform from Beasts, or Glittering Robe from Metal can help them survive.

* '''Reaper Bolt Thrower:''' Often ignored, but a solid choice in its own right. As with all Bolt Throwers, it's good at taking out heavy cavalry and low Wound Monsters. Unlike all other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.

* '''War Hydra:''' Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. Its Attacks are equal to 3 plus its remaining Wound total. So at full Wounds it's pumping out 8 Attacks and a Thunderstomp after that. 5 Wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can buy a Breath Weapon with S4 and a Ranged Attack with 8" range, with number of shots and S being its remaining Wounds. Lost its Regeneration but now rolls a die at the end of your turn for each lost Wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS! Your ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a 1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this should roll for [[anal circumference]]. The Dark Elf solution to hordes. Use them against infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list... or most lists for that matter! I recommend a Life or Beasts caster with them, Flesh to Stone makes them T7, which is fantastic making sure great weapons don't kill them, and the Lore of Beast's signature spell gives them the S and T of a midtier dragon. Birona's Timewarp is also an excellent spell to use on a Hydra, giving it a 12" movement range and ASF, as well as an extra attack. If you need speed and have trouble with I4+ things (Bear in mind, the Hydra is I4, so while ASF will mean Elves don't get rerolls against it, they still hit first), this is a great spell.

*'''Scourgerunner Chariot:''' Lighter Chariot ridden by 2 Beastmasters and pulled by horses. Comes with a Ravager Harpoon: a S7 Bolt Thrower that can be fired on the move, but no Multi-Shot and it doesn't ignore Armor (though at S7 it's not likely anyone'll get a Save from it unless you try to Penetrate Ranks with the thing). If it causes an unsaved Wound on a Monster it gets dragged D6" towards the Chariot. If it goes over 3" it takes a second Wound with no Saves. Note, many of the monsters you want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot Stand And Shoot with the harpoon, but adding a Beastmaster Character can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army, and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to get some flank shots.

===Rare Units===
* '''Doomfire Warlocks:''' Warlocks cursed by Malekith. Fast Cav with 2 poisoned attacks each and a 4+ Ward, unless the attacker is a Slaaneshi unit (Daemons and marked warriors) in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because Slaanesh wants them. The unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2 and gains +1 to cast for each rank of 5 up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a unit of these (unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh) especially if you want a Dark Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.

* '''Sisters of Slaughter:''' They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ Armor Save and 4+ Ward Save against close combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the offensive as Witch Elves. Their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch against heavily armored units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.

* '''Kharibdyss:''' The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7 hits. At WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and Poisoned Attacks, this makes it a better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges as well. Making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear, Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms. It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered water. Use Timewarp on it. It will give your rerolls against any monsters (or anything, but you should be fighting monsters with this guy), meaning you get an easier Feast of Bones, and you'll anything not an elf first.

* '''Bloodwrack Medusa:''' A monstrous creature were if you meet its gaze [[Grimdark|makes you bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body]]. This is represented by a shooting attack with Killing Blow. Every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow hit at the same time as Impact Hits. As awesome as that is, [[Derp|it somehow works on undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to death?)]]. Its low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).

* '''Bloodwrack Shrine:''' A really weird Chariot that does a lot of different things, some of which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but its point cost is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as its competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss but it has Swiftstride. In close combat it gets Impact Hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It has a solid Toughness of 6 with 5 Wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3 WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2 shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the shrine given its higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the "Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on the Shrine than the lone Medusae because of the Shrine's much better Toughness/Wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with Miasma from the Lore of Shadow which is a good lore to consider for Dark Elves under any circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a War Banner and a champion. Run the unit with only 2 Sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a War Banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's Rank Bonus and they also will take their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a Lore of Life caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.

Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever were, but still a good unit.

To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.

Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes. Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan (or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears, Glade Riders become Dark Riders).

Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
* For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary but fall between these price ranges).

Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

===Army Composition===
*Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible, give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
*Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate as much static CR.
*War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks. The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
*If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
*For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include (cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
*For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game. The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for some extra magic phase rape).
*For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
**For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much)(Then again, most of your army's Ld9 she won't need to add much).
**Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6 attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

===Magic Items===

* '''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Hydra Blade''' Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier. If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of 1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow (for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of Ogre Kingdoms armies.

'''Chillblade''' Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which, if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character, then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.

* '''Talismans:'''

'''The Black Amulet''' Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.

'''Ring of Hotek''' Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6 without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.

* '''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Black Dragon Egg''' Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.

'''Cloak of Twilight''' 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.

* '''Arcane Items:'''

'''The Gem of Spite''' Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts. Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound. A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.

'''The Sacrificial Dagger''' Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of ''(and as many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can she)''. Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic ''(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in)'', just be careful you don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.

'''Tome of Furion''' The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25 points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth without it.

* '''Magic Standards:'''

'''Banner of Nagarythe''' Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors (including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous version was still better.

===Rulebook Items===

*'''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Giant Blade:''' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

'''Sword of Bloodshed:''' Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.

'''Obsidian Blade:''' 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

'''Ogre Blade:''' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.

'''Sword of Strife:''' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

'''Fencer's Blades:''' WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+ armour save and the swords, and they’re especially useful against High Elves; hitting even Tyrion on 3’s. A Master can take them, though they’re better on a Dreadlord.

'''Sword of Anti-Heroes:''' +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

'''Spellthieving Sword:''' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.

'''Sword of Swift Slaying:''' Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves army book this is useless.

'''Sword of Battle:''' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

'''Berserker Sword:''' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.

'''Sword of Might:''' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.

'''Gold Sigil Sword:''' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff if you have the points to spare.

'''Sword of Striking:''' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more Strength is still better.

'''Biting Blade:''' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

'''Relic Sword:''' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

'''Shrieking Blade:''' Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.

'''Tormentor Sword:''' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

'''Warrior Bane:''' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

*'''Magic Armour:'''

'''Armour of Destiny:''' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.

'''Trickster's Helm:''' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.

'''Armour of Silvered Steel:''' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means for much less points.

'''Armour of Fortune:''' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.

'''Helm of Discord:''' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

'''Glittering Scales:''' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

'''Shield of Ptolos:''' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

'''Spellshield:''' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

'''Gambler's Armor:''' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.

'''Dragonhelm:''' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.

'''Enchanted Shield:''' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

'''Charmed Shield:''' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

*'''Talismans:'''

'''Talisman of Preservation:''' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and can’t afford the Black Amulet, take this.

'''Obsidian Lodestone:''' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isn’t enough. Pricry, though it has potential.

'''Talisman of Endurance:''' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

'''Obsidian Amulet:''' Magic Resistance (2). Viable.

'''Dawnstone:''' Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+ armour saves without magic items.

'''Opal Amulet:''' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

'''Obsidian Trinket:''' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

'''Talisman of Protection:''' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

'''Seed of Rebirth:''' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

'''Dragonbane Gem:''' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if you’re facing lore of metal.

'''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:''' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailored lists only really.

'''Luckstone:''' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

*'''Magic Standards:'''

'''Rampager's Standard:''' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry, especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.

'''Wailing Banner:''' Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in 8th edition. There's better standards for you.

'''Ranger's Standard:''' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

'''Razor Standard:''' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close combat under this will cut through any armour, though they’re good enough this is only recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.

'''War Banner:''' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.

'''Banner of Swiftness:''' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch Elves or Cold One Knights.

'''Lichborne Pennant:''' Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.

'''Standard of Discipline:''' +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence. Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring Presence bubble anyway.

'''Banner of Eternal Flame:''' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want.

'''Gleaming Pennant:''' One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

'''Scarecrow Banner:''' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be charged by fliers anyway.

*'''Arcane Items:'''

'''Book of Ashur:''' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. It's decent though overpriced.

'''Feedback Scroll:''' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

'''Scroll of Leeching:''' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

'''Sivejir's Hex Scroll:''' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on them is pretty lulzy.

'''Power Scroll:''' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

'''Wand of Jet:''' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

'''Forbidden Rod:''' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.

'''Staff of Sorcery:''' Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.

'''Trickster's Shard:''' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

'''Earthing Rod:''' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.

'''Dispel Scroll:''' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. Always welcome.

'''Power Stone:''' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.

'''Sceptre of Stability:''' One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

'''Channeling Staff:''' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

'''Scroll of Shielding:''' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if she’s in the army.

*'''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Wizarding Hat:''' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. Don’t bother.

'''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:''' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

'''Arabyan Carpet:''' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or Manticore.

'''Crown of Command :''' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.

'''Healing Potion:''' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead.

'''Featherfoe Torc:''' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if you’re planning to turn against him) or High Elves.

'''Ruby Ring of Ruin:''' Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and it’s a nice surprise from a non-mage character.

'''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:''' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune to Fear.

'''Potion of Strength:''' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.

'''Potion of Toughness:''' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into a suicide charge.

'''The Other Trickster's Shard:''' All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.

'''Ironcurse Icon:''' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

'''Potion of Foolhardiness:''' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

'''Potion of Speed:''' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

===Magic===
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;

* Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the [[High Elves|Dark Elves wussy cousins]]). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound, which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the highest-level wizard you have.

* Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a +2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves), while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12" bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer. The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have, including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen, or somehow treemen..., aren't safe from this lore).

* Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light) and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power dice. Very good against Undead and Daemons, not only because of the Lore attribute but due to all of them having nasty combat units you want to Net and Light of Battle helping you deal with Fear.

* Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.

* Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure. It should be mentioned that Mindrazor is only helpful when rolling to wound in close combat. As your I does not actually replace your S, you may still have to deal with armor saves.

* Heavens: Mixed, I wouldn't blind pick it. Lore attribute is mostly useless, but the signature spell is a great debuff against anything you don't want hitting you (read: Cannons). Also, it stops anything that doesn't roll to hit on a 4, meaning you can walk into flame cannons and have half a chance of waltzing right up to it (don't rely on this though, because half the time you will get cooked). Harmonic Convergence is bad, you usually reroll anyway due to ASF, you rerolls wound on more or less everything, rerolling saves is good but a lot of things can take them off. Good on a Hydra though, as it throws out lots of attacks, and will likely take a lot of saves due to how much people will try and kill it, and it also gets the rerolls it doesn't get as it lacking MP. Wind Blast is situational, but might save you from a charge, but don't rely on it. Curse of the Midnight Wind is fun, a good 'fuck you' button to an elite unit, but I recommend using it on something you're charging Witch Elves into, as it help your elves get through it's armour save, and Witch Elves getting hit and wounded less is fantastic. Urannon's Thunderbolt is great for killing war machines and chipping down monsters. Comet is unreliable, but holy hell if you get an overcast comet between multiple enemy units, they're in fucking trouble. Do not rely on this though, as enemies can move out of it. Also, it hits your own units. If a bunch of people charge a tarpit, feel free though. As for Chain Lightening, it's good against multiple units of elite units, but does too little hits to kill hordes. Basically, take this lore if you want fun hexes or a small number of high strength hits.

* Beasts: It's good, but overshadowed by some other choices. Wildheart is situational and not great even then, but a decent boost. Wyssan's is always useful, Flock of Doom can chip artillery nicely and for nothing, Pann's is great if you're running a combat lord, same with Savage Beast. Curse of Anraheir will fuck up anything with low initiative and is also nice for the -1 to hit. Transformation of Kadon will get you a free hydra, or a manticore (use against cavalry, it has killing blow) or a Horned Dragon, which is a discount Black Dragon, but still a dragon. If you overcast it, you can get a Mountain Chimera or a Great Fire Dragon, both of which are amazing. Don't ever use the base version of the spell, overcast it, especially as wounds are carried over, the two overcast monsters have 8 and 10 wounds respectively, meaning even if you're on your last life, you'll probably have 6 and 8 wounds on a giant fucking monster. Both of which will shred more or less anything. However, don't ever cast this early, get some spells out and cast if your wizard is injured. It's a waste to take a wizard and cast 0 spells. Just to bring it back up, +1S +1T is a great signature spell!

* Fire: Fireball is always useful, Fire Cloak is meh but cheap, Flaming Sword is pretty good, especially against anything with Flammable or Regen, Burning Head is good if you can flank an enemy line, but its best in high point games and against massive hordes. Piercing Bolts is usually a worse fireball, unless against large hordes. Flame Cage is also good against hordes, auto strength 4 hits or you don't move is great against anyone trying to tarpit your Kharibdyss. As with every vortex, Flame Storm has the potential to do massive damage, it's a good alternative against hordes, its better than Dwellers Below against low strength units but Fire doesn't have the flexibility of Life, and its better than Purple Sun against Elves or Humans or Goblin or Skinks or Skaven, but not against Dwarves, Chaos, Orcs, Undead or Saurus, or anything with multiple wounds

Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to its technique of blasting the crap out of things. Fire is less popular, but its low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2 Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
*A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.

====Dark Magic====
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything.
It's sometimes difficult to cast but some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only have one round of combat anyway.

'''Attribute'''
Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is. Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.

'''Spells'''

*'''Spell 0 - Power of Darkness'''
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1 strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save. For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.

*'''Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT'''
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it when you can.

*'''Spell 1 - Chillwind'''
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute, probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).

*'''Spell 2 - Word of Pain'''
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3. So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot, cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.

*'''Spell 3 - Bladewind'''
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and then slapped in the face.

*'''Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair'''
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12 inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a few units at once.

*'''Spell 5 - Soul Stealer'''
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea, it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.

*'''Spell 6 - Arnizipal's Black Horror'''
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army if you are going to give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

==Tactics==

[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls, the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.

Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).

Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.

Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it, instead of trying to spread it around.

You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights, Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and <s>Harpies for chaff</s>(they're infantry).

Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In larger games you can bring Malekith as well.

Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.

They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.

I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if you're aggressive then you can send them all running.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dark Elves

2020-10-05T03:50:34Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Magic */

==Why Play Dark Elves==

Do you want your Elves to take the next logical step in their belief of 'we're better than everyone' over to 'so we should be allowed to kill them?' Do you want to troll your enemy mercilessly and drink their tears? Then Dark Elves are for you.

In the long long ago, in the before time, in 6th edition, Dark Elves were a finicky and difficult army. Limited unit choices, overpriced and underpowered units and difficult to use tactics made them a favorite of smart and tactical players. Then came the 7th edition update and they rocketed up to being the 2nd best army in the game (behind Daemons) and while the 8th edition book has balanced things a bit, they remain a powerhouse army.

Dark Elves are not for people who expect all their units to have the toughness of Lizardmen or Dwarves, or the hitting power of Chaos Warriors or Ogres. Yes, the Dark Elves have units that hit like a ton of bricks (Hydra most notably) but they are the minority. Dark Elves excel at having cheap infantry with good stats and lightning quick attacks. You will have to combine units, weaken enemy elites, whittle away at them and receive a lot of charges as Dark Elves. But don't mistake them for weak: your enemy will do that and then they will LOSE.

==Army Rules==
'''Eternal Hatred :''' Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first. Awesome rule. Black Guard and several characters have it.

'''Hekarti's Blessing :''' +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.

'''Murderous Prowess :''' Re-rolls all To Wound rolls of 1 when making close combat attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save Warbeasts) has this.

'''Always Strikes First :''' A model with this special rule Always Strikes First in close combat regardless of Initiative. In addition, if the model's Initiative is equal to or higher than his enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously, and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this rule.

==Unit Analysis==

===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
* '''Malekith, the Witch King:'''No longer lives with his mom. It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla (which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000. What a tease! Thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S(5!)and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ Ward against mundane attacks and makes him immune to Multiple Wounds and being killed outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic Resistance (2) and causes spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra Power and Dispel die per Phase and his Inspiring Presence is 18" instead of 12" (24" on his Black Dragon). And he still has Hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. Do note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. You might avoid those in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF (although it is far from guaranteed, as you have a ''50% chance'' of destroying ''one randomly determined'' magic item, and opponents who also have ASF have at least one round of attacks with their magic weapon), but against undispelled magic he only has a 5+ ward against (MR 2). To make matter worse, against Dwarfs with too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up since he won't have any save of any kind. In short, he's much tougher than your average mage, but he still is no tank. He is very good in [[Storm of Magic]] though, thanks to how much people spam magic and how well he shuts all that down.

* '''Morathi, the Hag Sorceress:''' Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her Enchanting Beauty rule is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore. Morathi has the mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.

* '''Crone Hellebron:''' Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat Lord (or rather Lady). Okay, she costs ~155ish Skaven Slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless mounted). But she has Initiative 9, 4 Attacks base, combined with Paired Weapons (+1 Attack) Witches Brew (gives her and her unit +2 Attacks) and Cry of War (+D3 Attacks) for anywhere from 8 to 10 Strength 10 Attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll Hits (and Wounds thanks to Murderous Prowess) which equates to her being essentially guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a 1 causes an Strength 4 hit on her attacker. Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to Dispel rolls for any spells cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of Black Guard with a Cauldron of Blood within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed To Wound rolls) and send them charging into the enemy. That equates to your Black Guard unit having 4 Attacks each, at Strenth 4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed To Wound rolls (But a lot of those 4 attacks are wasted, as supporting attackers only make 1 attack). Malekith just pooped a little. If you take her keep her in a unit: she is the prime example of a glass cannon.

* '''Malus Darkblade:''' You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. Has a couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack his own unit on hit rolls of one( remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit rolls so this mitigates the damage somewhat). Spite is still the best Cold One mount in Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets Eternal Hatred. Should be seriously considered for any Cold One heavy army.

* '''Shadowblade:''' Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin. Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better off with a generic Assassin (or two).

* '''Tullaris Dreadbringer:''' Now a Hero. Costs a little over double of a regular Master but he can easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins Frenzy for FUN times (reminder, supporting attacks only get 1 attack even with your extra frenzy attack, so you can't abuse this with 50 Dreadspears or Black Guard or something) and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy in an Executioner unit makes Sword Masters wish they were this awesome, so take him if you're going heavy on Executioners.

* '''Kouran Blackhand:''' Like Tullaris he is now a Hero. Just shy of 200 points for a Master statline, but with WS9! His Crimson Death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2 strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). His armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit they're likely to Wound his T3). Stick him in Black Guard they become UNBREAKABLE. However, he's overcosted so stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10. If there's also a BSB in range then the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.

* '''Lokhir Fellheart:''' An effective enough combat Hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier Lords while still attacking them. A Master is probably better though he can do incredibly with a big corsair unit and Shadow Magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF, Hatred of High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save, regeneration and terror on the defense.

====Generic Characters====
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''NOTE:''' No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a leg up on 99 percent of most enemy Heroes and Lords.

*'''Dreadlord:''' Your workaday combat Lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat, as they have better access to Armor Saves and re-roll Wounding rolls of 1 while sharing ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't win. Bear in mind he can take all the repeater weapons, so if you plan on sticking him in some block of Bleakswords or Executioners, pick up a crossbow, because he can move and fire both shots and still be hitting on 2s, so you can earn your points back quite easily (you need to kill 1 average infantryman with it to earn back your points, which you can do easily). If you're running a cavalry Dreadlord, I'd go with a repeater handbow, as you can use it with a shield and still get that sweet 1+ save on a cold one with heavy armour and a sea dragon cloak, while getting free shots in. As for the brace, I wouldn't recommend dropping a point of save for whats likely 1 more casualty per turn. As for melee equipment, for infantry I'd go sword and board vs Elves, Empire, Skaven and great weapon against pretty much anything else. Chillblade is fantastic against Ogres by the way. For cavalry, lance, and throw him in a unit of Cold One Knights. In any case, remember a ward save because of killing blow and try for 1+ armour as much as possible. Honourable mention to Giant Blade from the rulebook, but only against other elves, as you can wound more or less anything that isn't a dragon on 2s (and you wound dragons pretty decently too), while still keeping ASF so their heroes don't get ASF rerolls against you.

*'''Supreme Sorceress:''' Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at one thing: blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts of dice around if you're unafraid of Miscasts and have access to some impressively destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, Sorceresses can now use all eight Battle Lores (Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted Hero killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it. Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, although that doesn't feel like Dark Elves (well this <s>codex</s> armybook is Matt Ward's work..., also you could just say they're an exiled Wood Elf or something). In closing, a very versatile offensive caster and just as good a choice for General as the Dreadlord, though with different uses.

*'''High Beastmaster:''' Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A and I, light armor, cloak and spear, but lets one Beast per turn within 3" gain +D3 attacks and must take a Manticore or a Scourgerunner Chariot for free. May take the usual 100 points of magic items but has no standard options. His point costs are intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all before the Beastmaster attacks!

*'''Black Ark Fleetmaster:''' He's a Lord worth ~75ish Skaven Slaves and has a sword for a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs. Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a Challenge (and alive) or kills an enemy Character at all he makes his unit Unbreakable for the turn. It's a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a Dreadlord for less points and get more use out of him. More for fluff and fun games and seems really out of place as a Lord choice (especially when you consider that his rough High Elf equivalent, the Sea Helm, is a cheap Hero).

*'''Sorceress:''' Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective spell to the table (notably Dark Magic's Signature Spell is one that shooting heavy armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores (Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle Lores.

*'''Master:''' Masters are among the best cost for ability Heroes in the game. For 70 points, plus an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5, WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save, without a mount or magic equipment.

*'''Death Hag:''' Death Hags cost 15 points more than a Master for 2 hand weapons, Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
**'''Cauldron of Blood:''' 190 point Chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++ for Witch Elves), lets all friendly units with Murderous Prowess within 6 inch re-roll all failed To Wound rolls, and has a Bound Spell that makes a unit Frenzied(+2 attacks instead of 1 if they were already Frenzied). The kit can also make a Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebron. So you can make a Cauldron of Blood (a Chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous Beast) as an independent unit and Hellebron (a Special Character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.

*'''Assassin:''' When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some Lords. It has frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that. It can put the whammy on anyone dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in either your ranked units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength. Other combinations will be discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points, always take one.

====Mounts====
* Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.

* Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is quite reasonable, Stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to Armor Saves are always nice. If you want a mounted Hero without shelling out for a big expensive mount, this is where to go.

* Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit they've gotten significantly better since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus' toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good Armor Save and probably a Ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).

* Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon but want something big and scary? Then come on down to <s>Clar Karond's</s> KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium. The in-between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule: it gains +D3 attacks each combat phase but enemies get +1 To Hit (worth it).

* Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) whose effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not to take later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary so it will be getting shot at by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of cannons.

===Core Units===
* '''Dreadspears:''' Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average everything else. Spears, shields, light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit especially on the defense. Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in units of 50-60.
* '''Bleakswords:''' Same stats as Spearmen, but swords and shields instead of spears and shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a pretty solid unit. A 5+ Armor Save followed by a 6+ Ward Save can give them okay durability, but they're not going to stand against everything. Elites and generally everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back. Very good tarpit with Flesh to Stone or Glittering Robe, as it mitigates their shitty toughness and armour respectively.

* '''Darkshards:''' The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good range, Armor Piercing and Multiple Shots, these guys shred light to medium armored units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemy's important units. You should always give them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is great on these guys, as it gives them +1 to wound. This means you can wound T3 infantry on 3s and Ogres, Saurus etc on 4s. Also, flaming attacks. This doubles the amount of wounds they inflict on flammable units (e.g. Treekin) and negates regeneration saves (e.g. Trolls), so if you see Chaos or Greenskins or Wood Elves, this is worth considering, as with the armour piercing and the wounding on 4s with FSoR you can shred through whole units of them.

* '''Black Ark Corsairs:''' Don't let the 9 point cost fool you: they need to take either an extra hand weapon or a handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad as they're back to being a reliable Core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ Armor Save, they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra Attack if you get them another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.

* '''Witch Elves:''' Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special choices. They have an absurdly high volume of attacks (30 Poisoned Attacks for 2 ranks of 10, remember supporting attackers only get 1 attack, think about this when using Corsairs, Black Guard, Sisters, etc), high Initiative, ASF and are cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus), sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not hitting quite as hard but being the most durable of all the Dark Elf Core infantry.

* '''Dark Riders:''' Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. So move 9, 4+ armor, with spears and crossbows... and of course the Vanguard move. You can easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your Core choice as they can outmaneuver damn near everything. Don't take a full army of them against Dwarves or Wood Elves though, you will get shot to pieces. Fantastic against Skaven due to low movement speed but watch out for Warp Lightening Cannons or Plagueclaw Catapults.

===Special Units===
* '''Shades:''' Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and Scout rules (they can even march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you. Shades should be used as warmachine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition since the enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponent.

* '''Harpies:''' Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can Panic friendly units when they flee now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip them.

* '''Executioners:''' Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a Monster? Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ Save, they can be very easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 To Wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll be Wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your best shock troops.

* '''Cold One Knights:''' A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can even charge smaller units head-on in a pinch. Cheap heavy cavalry is always welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous Prowess while the mounts gained an extra Attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful though, heavy cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send them straight into a ranked enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you with your enemies' blood and your opponent's tears. Good with Enchanted Blades of Aiban as it means they hit even elite units on 3s and have -4 rend. This means use against Dwarves and Chaos and drink tears.

* '''Cold One Chariots:''' Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage and while once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you need to, its low cost and high Ld keep that from happening too often or hurting too much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely useful. Also, [[Awesome|it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS]][silly warmbloods, still not as cool as the Lustrians].

* '''Black Guard:''' <S>The only ranked choice that isn't a Core choice.</S>(what about Executioners?) They're easy to damage unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and they. Do. Not. Break! They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll failed Wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before. They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic banner from the main rulebook they can be Ld10 Stubborn or take a Flaming banner on them and they WILL take off an Abomination or a Hydra on the charge. A great anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ Armor. Buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and already have Executioners, do it. Earth Blood and Flesh to Stone from Life, Wyssan's Wildform from Beasts, or Glittering Robe from Metal can help them survive.

* '''Reaper Bolt Thrower:''' Often ignored, but a solid choice in its own right. As with all Bolt Throwers, it's good at taking out heavy cavalry and low Wound Monsters. Unlike all other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.

* '''War Hydra:''' Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. Its Attacks are equal to 3 plus its remaining Wound total. So at full Wounds it's pumping out 8 Attacks and a Thunderstomp after that. 5 Wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can buy a Breath Weapon with S4 and a Ranged Attack with 8" range, with number of shots and S being its remaining Wounds. Lost its Regeneration but now rolls a die at the end of your turn for each lost Wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS! Your ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a 1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this should roll for [[anal circumference]]. The Dark Elf solution to hordes. Use them against infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list... or most lists for that matter! I recommend a Life or Beasts caster with them, Flesh to Stone makes them T7, which is fantastic making sure great weapons don't kill them, and the Lore of Beast's signature spell gives them the S and T of a midtier dragon. Birona's Timewarp is also an excellent spell to use on a Hydra, giving it a 12" movement range and ASF, as well as an extra attack. If you need speed and have trouble with I4+ things (Bear in mind, the Hydra is I4, so while ASF will mean Elves don't get rerolls against it, they still hit first), this is a great spell.

*'''Scourgerunner Chariot:''' Lighter Chariot ridden by 2 Beastmasters and pulled by horses. Comes with a Ravager Harpoon: a S7 Bolt Thrower that can be fired on the move, but no Multi-Shot and it doesn't ignore Armor (though at S7 it's not likely anyone'll get a Save from it unless you try to Penetrate Ranks with the thing). If it causes an unsaved Wound on a Monster it gets dragged D6" towards the Chariot. If it goes over 3" it takes a second Wound with no Saves. Note, many of the monsters you want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot Stand And Shoot with the harpoon, but adding a Beastmaster Character can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army, and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to get some flank shots.

===Rare Units===
* '''Doomfire Warlocks:''' Warlocks cursed by Malekith. Fast Cav with 2 poisoned attacks each and a 4+ Ward, unless the attacker is a Slaaneshi unit (Daemons and marked warriors) in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because Slaanesh wants them. The unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2 and gains +1 to cast for each rank of 5 up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a unit of these (unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh) especially if you want a Dark Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.

* '''Sisters of Slaughter:''' They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ Armor Save and 4+ Ward Save against close combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the offensive as Witch Elves. Their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch against heavily armored units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.

* '''Kharibdyss:''' The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7 hits. At WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and Poisoned Attacks, this makes it a better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges as well. Making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear, Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms. It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered water. Use Timewarp on it. It will give your rerolls against any monsters (or anything, but you should be fighting monsters with this guy), meaning you get an easier Feast of Bones, and you'll anything not an elf first.

* '''Bloodwrack Medusa:''' A monstrous creature were if you meet its gaze [[Grimdark|makes you bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body]]. This is represented by a shooting attack with Killing Blow. Every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow hit at the same time as Impact Hits. As awesome as that is, [[Derp|it somehow works on undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to death?)]]. Its low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).

* '''Bloodwrack Shrine:''' A really weird Chariot that does a lot of different things, some of which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but its point cost is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as its competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss but it has Swiftstride. In close combat it gets Impact Hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It has a solid Toughness of 6 with 5 Wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3 WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2 shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the shrine given its higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the "Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on the Shrine than the lone Medusae because of the Shrine's much better Toughness/Wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with Miasma from the Lore of Shadow which is a good lore to consider for Dark Elves under any circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a War Banner and a champion. Run the unit with only 2 Sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a War Banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's Rank Bonus and they also will take their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a Lore of Life caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.

Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever were, but still a good unit.

To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.

Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes. Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan (or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears, Glade Riders become Dark Riders).

Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
* For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary but fall between these price ranges).

Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

===Army Composition===
*Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible, give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
*Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate as much static CR.
*War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks. The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
*If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
*For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include (cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
*For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game. The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for some extra magic phase rape).
*For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
**For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much)(Then again, most of your army's Ld9 she won't need to add much).
**Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6 attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

===Magic Items===

* '''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Hydra Blade''' Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier. If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of 1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow (for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of Ogre Kingdoms armies.

'''Chillblade''' Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which, if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character, then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.

* '''Talismans:'''

'''The Black Amulet''' Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.

'''Ring of Hotek''' Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6 without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.

* '''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Black Dragon Egg''' Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.

'''Cloak of Twilight''' 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.

* '''Arcane Items:'''

'''The Gem of Spite''' Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts. Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound. A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.

'''The Sacrificial Dagger''' Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of ''(and as many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can she)''. Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic ''(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in)'', just be careful you don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.

'''Tome of Furion''' The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25 points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth without it.

* '''Magic Standards:'''

'''Banner of Nagarythe''' Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors (including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous version was still better.

===Rulebook Items===

*'''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Giant Blade:''' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

'''Sword of Bloodshed:''' Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.

'''Obsidian Blade:''' 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

'''Ogre Blade:''' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.

'''Sword of Strife:''' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

'''Fencer's Blades:''' WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+ armour save and the swords, and they’re especially useful against High Elves; hitting even Tyrion on 3’s. A Master can take them, though they’re better on a Dreadlord.

'''Sword of Anti-Heroes:''' +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

'''Spellthieving Sword:''' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.

'''Sword of Swift Slaying:''' Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves army book this is useless.

'''Sword of Battle:''' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

'''Berserker Sword:''' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.

'''Sword of Might:''' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.

'''Gold Sigil Sword:''' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff if you have the points to spare.

'''Sword of Striking:''' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more Strength is still better.

'''Biting Blade:''' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

'''Relic Sword:''' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

'''Shrieking Blade:''' Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.

'''Tormentor Sword:''' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

'''Warrior Bane:''' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

*'''Magic Armour:'''

'''Armour of Destiny:''' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.

'''Trickster's Helm:''' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.

'''Armour of Silvered Steel:''' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means for much less points.

'''Armour of Fortune:''' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.

'''Helm of Discord:''' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

'''Glittering Scales:''' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

'''Shield of Ptolos:''' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

'''Spellshield:''' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

'''Gambler's Armor:''' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.

'''Dragonhelm:''' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.

'''Enchanted Shield:''' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

'''Charmed Shield:''' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

*'''Talismans:'''

'''Talisman of Preservation:''' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and can’t afford the Black Amulet, take this.

'''Obsidian Lodestone:''' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isn’t enough. Pricry, though it has potential.

'''Talisman of Endurance:''' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

'''Obsidian Amulet:''' Magic Resistance (2). Viable.

'''Dawnstone:''' Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+ armour saves without magic items.

'''Opal Amulet:''' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

'''Obsidian Trinket:''' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

'''Talisman of Protection:''' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

'''Seed of Rebirth:''' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

'''Dragonbane Gem:''' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if you’re facing lore of metal.

'''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:''' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailored lists only really.

'''Luckstone:''' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

*'''Magic Standards:'''

'''Rampager's Standard:''' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry, especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.

'''Wailing Banner:''' Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in 8th edition. There's better standards for you.

'''Ranger's Standard:''' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

'''Razor Standard:''' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close combat under this will cut through any armour, though they’re good enough this is only recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.

'''War Banner:''' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.

'''Banner of Swiftness:''' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch Elves or Cold One Knights.

'''Lichborne Pennant:''' Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.

'''Standard of Discipline:''' +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence. Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring Presence bubble anyway.

'''Banner of Eternal Flame:''' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want.

'''Gleaming Pennant:''' One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

'''Scarecrow Banner:''' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be charged by fliers anyway.

*'''Arcane Items:'''

'''Book of Ashur:''' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. It's decent though overpriced.

'''Feedback Scroll:''' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

'''Scroll of Leeching:''' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

'''Sivejir's Hex Scroll:''' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on them is pretty lulzy.

'''Power Scroll:''' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

'''Wand of Jet:''' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

'''Forbidden Rod:''' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.

'''Staff of Sorcery:''' Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.

'''Trickster's Shard:''' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

'''Earthing Rod:''' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.

'''Dispel Scroll:''' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. Always welcome.

'''Power Stone:''' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.

'''Sceptre of Stability:''' One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

'''Channeling Staff:''' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

'''Scroll of Shielding:''' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if she’s in the army.

*'''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Wizarding Hat:''' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. Don’t bother.

'''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:''' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

'''Arabyan Carpet:''' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or Manticore.

'''Crown of Command :''' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.

'''Healing Potion:''' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead.

'''Featherfoe Torc:''' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if you’re planning to turn against him) or High Elves.

'''Ruby Ring of Ruin:''' Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and it’s a nice surprise from a non-mage character.

'''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:''' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune to Fear.

'''Potion of Strength:''' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.

'''Potion of Toughness:''' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into a suicide charge.

'''The Other Trickster's Shard:''' All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.

'''Ironcurse Icon:''' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

'''Potion of Foolhardiness:''' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

'''Potion of Speed:''' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

===Magic===
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;

* Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the [[High Elves|Dark Elves wussy cousins]]). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound, which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the highest-level wizard you have.

* Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a +2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves), while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12" bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer. The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have, including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen, or somehow treemen..., aren't safe from this lore).

* Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light) and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power dice. Very good against Undead and Daemons, not only because of the Lore attribute but due to all of them having nasty combat units you want to Net and Light of Battle helping you deal with Fear.

* Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.

* Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure.

* Heavens: Mixed, I wouldn't blind pick it. Lore attribute is mostly useless, but the signature spell is a great debuff against anything you don't want hitting you (read: Cannons). Also, it stops anything that doesn't roll to hit on a 4, meaning you can walk into flame cannons and have half a chance of waltzing right up to it (don't rely on this though, because half the time you will get cooked). Harmonic Convergence is bad, you usually reroll anyway due to ASF, you rerolls wound on more or less everything, rerolling saves is good but a lot of things can take them off. Good on a Hydra though, as it throws out lots of attacks, and will likely take a lot of saves due to how much people will try and kill it, and it also gets the rerolls it doesn't get as it lacking MP. Wind Blast is situational, but might save you from a charge, but don't rely on it. Curse of the Midnight Wind is fun, a good 'fuck you' button to an elite unit, but I recommend using it on something you're charging Witch Elves into, as it help your elves get through it's armour save, and Witch Elves getting hit and wounded less is fantastic. Urannon's Thunderbolt is great for killing war machines and chipping down monsters. Comet is unreliable, but holy hell if you get an overcast comet between multiple enemy units, they're in fucking trouble. Do not rely on this though, as enemies can move out of i. Also, it hits your own units. If a bunch of people charge a tarpit, feel free though. As for Chain Lightening, it's good against multiple units of elite units, but does too little hits to kill hordes.

* Beasts: It's good, but overshadowed by some other choices. Wildheart is situational and not great even then, but a decent boost. Wyssan's is always useful, Flock of Doom can chip artillery nicely and for nothing, Pann's is great if you're running a combat lord, same with Savage Beast. Curse of Anraheir will fuck up anything with low initiative and is also nice for the -1 to hit. Transformation of Kadon will get you a free hydra, or a manticore (use against cavalry, it has killing blow) or a Horned Dragon, which is a discount Black Dragon, but still a dragon. If you overcast it, you can get a Mountain Chimera or a Great Fire Dragon, both of which are amazing. Don't ever use the base version of the spell, overcast it, especially as wounds are carried over, the two overcast monsters have 8 and 10 wounds respectively, meaning even if you're on your last life, you'll probably have 6 and 8 wounds on a giant fucking monster. Both of which will shred more or less anything. However, don't ever cast this early, get some spells out and cast if your wizard is injured. It's a waste to take a wizard and cast 0 spells.

* Fire: Fireball is always useful, Fire Cloak is meh but cheap, Flaming Sword is pretty good, especially against anything with Flammable or Regen, Burning Head is good if you can flank an enemy line, but its best in high point games and against massive hordes. Piercing Bolts is usually a worse fireball, unless against large hordes. Flame Cage is also good against hordes, auto strength 4 hits or you don't move is great against anyone trying to tarpit your Kharibdyss. As with every vortex, Flame Storm has the potential to do massive damage, it's a good alternative against hordes, its better than Dwellers Below against low strength units but Fire doesn't have the flexibility of Life, and its better than Purple Sun against Elves or Humans or Goblin or Skinks or Skaven, but not against Dwarves, Chaos, Orcs, Undead or Saurus, or anything with multiple wounds

Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to its technique of blasting the crap out of things. Fire is less popular, but its low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2 Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
*A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.

====Dark Magic====
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything.
It's sometimes difficult to cast but some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only have one round of combat anyway.

'''Attribute'''
Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is. Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.

'''Spells'''

*'''Spell 0 - Power of Darkness'''
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1 strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save. For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.

*'''Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT'''
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it when you can.

*'''Spell 1 - Chillwind'''
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute, probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).

*'''Spell 2 - Word of Pain'''
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3. So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot, cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.

*'''Spell 3 - Bladewind'''
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and then slapped in the face.

*'''Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair'''
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12 inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a few units at once.

*'''Spell 5 - Soul Stealer'''
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea, it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.

*'''Spell 6 - Arnizipal's Black Horror'''
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army if you are going to give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

==Tactics==

[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls, the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.

Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).

Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.

Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it, instead of trying to spread it around.

You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights, Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and <s>Harpies for chaff</s>(they're infantry).

Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In larger games you can bring Malekith as well.

Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.

They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.

I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if you're aggressive then you can send them all running.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dark Elves

2020-10-05T03:43:39Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Army Composition */

==Why Play Dark Elves==

Do you want your Elves to take the next logical step in their belief of 'we're better than everyone' over to 'so we should be allowed to kill them?' Do you want to troll your enemy mercilessly and drink their tears? Then Dark Elves are for you.

In the long long ago, in the before time, in 6th edition, Dark Elves were a finicky and difficult army. Limited unit choices, overpriced and underpowered units and difficult to use tactics made them a favorite of smart and tactical players. Then came the 7th edition update and they rocketed up to being the 2nd best army in the game (behind Daemons) and while the 8th edition book has balanced things a bit, they remain a powerhouse army.

Dark Elves are not for people who expect all their units to have the toughness of Lizardmen or Dwarves, or the hitting power of Chaos Warriors or Ogres. Yes, the Dark Elves have units that hit like a ton of bricks (Hydra most notably) but they are the minority. Dark Elves excel at having cheap infantry with good stats and lightning quick attacks. You will have to combine units, weaken enemy elites, whittle away at them and receive a lot of charges as Dark Elves. But don't mistake them for weak: your enemy will do that and then they will LOSE.

==Army Rules==
'''Eternal Hatred :''' Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first. Awesome rule. Black Guard and several characters have it.

'''Hekarti's Blessing :''' +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.

'''Murderous Prowess :''' Re-rolls all To Wound rolls of 1 when making close combat attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save Warbeasts) has this.

'''Always Strikes First :''' A model with this special rule Always Strikes First in close combat regardless of Initiative. In addition, if the model's Initiative is equal to or higher than his enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously, and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this rule.

==Unit Analysis==

===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
* '''Malekith, the Witch King:'''No longer lives with his mom. It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla (which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000. What a tease! Thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S(5!)and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ Ward against mundane attacks and makes him immune to Multiple Wounds and being killed outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic Resistance (2) and causes spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra Power and Dispel die per Phase and his Inspiring Presence is 18" instead of 12" (24" on his Black Dragon). And he still has Hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. Do note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. You might avoid those in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF (although it is far from guaranteed, as you have a ''50% chance'' of destroying ''one randomly determined'' magic item, and opponents who also have ASF have at least one round of attacks with their magic weapon), but against undispelled magic he only has a 5+ ward against (MR 2). To make matter worse, against Dwarfs with too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up since he won't have any save of any kind. In short, he's much tougher than your average mage, but he still is no tank. He is very good in [[Storm of Magic]] though, thanks to how much people spam magic and how well he shuts all that down.

* '''Morathi, the Hag Sorceress:''' Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her Enchanting Beauty rule is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore. Morathi has the mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.

* '''Crone Hellebron:''' Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat Lord (or rather Lady). Okay, she costs ~155ish Skaven Slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless mounted). But she has Initiative 9, 4 Attacks base, combined with Paired Weapons (+1 Attack) Witches Brew (gives her and her unit +2 Attacks) and Cry of War (+D3 Attacks) for anywhere from 8 to 10 Strength 10 Attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll Hits (and Wounds thanks to Murderous Prowess) which equates to her being essentially guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a 1 causes an Strength 4 hit on her attacker. Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to Dispel rolls for any spells cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of Black Guard with a Cauldron of Blood within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed To Wound rolls) and send them charging into the enemy. That equates to your Black Guard unit having 4 Attacks each, at Strenth 4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed To Wound rolls (But a lot of those 4 attacks are wasted, as supporting attackers only make 1 attack). Malekith just pooped a little. If you take her keep her in a unit: she is the prime example of a glass cannon.

* '''Malus Darkblade:''' You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. Has a couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack his own unit on hit rolls of one( remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit rolls so this mitigates the damage somewhat). Spite is still the best Cold One mount in Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets Eternal Hatred. Should be seriously considered for any Cold One heavy army.

* '''Shadowblade:''' Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin. Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better off with a generic Assassin (or two).

* '''Tullaris Dreadbringer:''' Now a Hero. Costs a little over double of a regular Master but he can easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins Frenzy for FUN times (reminder, supporting attacks only get 1 attack even with your extra frenzy attack, so you can't abuse this with 50 Dreadspears or Black Guard or something) and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy in an Executioner unit makes Sword Masters wish they were this awesome, so take him if you're going heavy on Executioners.

* '''Kouran Blackhand:''' Like Tullaris he is now a Hero. Just shy of 200 points for a Master statline, but with WS9! His Crimson Death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2 strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). His armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit they're likely to Wound his T3). Stick him in Black Guard they become UNBREAKABLE. However, he's overcosted so stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10. If there's also a BSB in range then the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.

* '''Lokhir Fellheart:''' An effective enough combat Hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier Lords while still attacking them. A Master is probably better though he can do incredibly with a big corsair unit and Shadow Magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF, Hatred of High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save, regeneration and terror on the defense.

====Generic Characters====
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''NOTE:''' No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a leg up on 99 percent of most enemy Heroes and Lords.

*'''Dreadlord:''' Your workaday combat Lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat, as they have better access to Armor Saves and re-roll Wounding rolls of 1 while sharing ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't win. Bear in mind he can take all the repeater weapons, so if you plan on sticking him in some block of Bleakswords or Executioners, pick up a crossbow, because he can move and fire both shots and still be hitting on 2s, so you can earn your points back quite easily (you need to kill 1 average infantryman with it to earn back your points, which you can do easily). If you're running a cavalry Dreadlord, I'd go with a repeater handbow, as you can use it with a shield and still get that sweet 1+ save on a cold one with heavy armour and a sea dragon cloak, while getting free shots in. As for the brace, I wouldn't recommend dropping a point of save for whats likely 1 more casualty per turn. As for melee equipment, for infantry I'd go sword and board vs Elves, Empire, Skaven and great weapon against pretty much anything else. Chillblade is fantastic against Ogres by the way. For cavalry, lance, and throw him in a unit of Cold One Knights. In any case, remember a ward save because of killing blow and try for 1+ armour as much as possible. Honourable mention to Giant Blade from the rulebook, but only against other elves, as you can wound more or less anything that isn't a dragon on 2s (and you wound dragons pretty decently too), while still keeping ASF so their heroes don't get ASF rerolls against you.

*'''Supreme Sorceress:''' Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at one thing: blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts of dice around if you're unafraid of Miscasts and have access to some impressively destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, Sorceresses can now use all eight Battle Lores (Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted Hero killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it. Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, although that doesn't feel like Dark Elves (well this <s>codex</s> armybook is Matt Ward's work..., also you could just say they're an exiled Wood Elf or something). In closing, a very versatile offensive caster and just as good a choice for General as the Dreadlord, though with different uses.

*'''High Beastmaster:''' Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A and I, light armor, cloak and spear, but lets one Beast per turn within 3" gain +D3 attacks and must take a Manticore or a Scourgerunner Chariot for free. May take the usual 100 points of magic items but has no standard options. His point costs are intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all before the Beastmaster attacks!

*'''Black Ark Fleetmaster:''' He's a Lord worth ~75ish Skaven Slaves and has a sword for a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs. Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a Challenge (and alive) or kills an enemy Character at all he makes his unit Unbreakable for the turn. It's a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a Dreadlord for less points and get more use out of him. More for fluff and fun games and seems really out of place as a Lord choice (especially when you consider that his rough High Elf equivalent, the Sea Helm, is a cheap Hero).

*'''Sorceress:''' Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective spell to the table (notably Dark Magic's Signature Spell is one that shooting heavy armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores (Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle Lores.

*'''Master:''' Masters are among the best cost for ability Heroes in the game. For 70 points, plus an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5, WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save, without a mount or magic equipment.

*'''Death Hag:''' Death Hags cost 15 points more than a Master for 2 hand weapons, Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
**'''Cauldron of Blood:''' 190 point Chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++ for Witch Elves), lets all friendly units with Murderous Prowess within 6 inch re-roll all failed To Wound rolls, and has a Bound Spell that makes a unit Frenzied(+2 attacks instead of 1 if they were already Frenzied). The kit can also make a Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebron. So you can make a Cauldron of Blood (a Chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous Beast) as an independent unit and Hellebron (a Special Character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.

*'''Assassin:''' When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some Lords. It has frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that. It can put the whammy on anyone dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in either your ranked units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength. Other combinations will be discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points, always take one.

====Mounts====
* Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.

* Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is quite reasonable, Stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to Armor Saves are always nice. If you want a mounted Hero without shelling out for a big expensive mount, this is where to go.

* Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit they've gotten significantly better since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus' toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good Armor Save and probably a Ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).

* Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon but want something big and scary? Then come on down to <s>Clar Karond's</s> KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium. The in-between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule: it gains +D3 attacks each combat phase but enemies get +1 To Hit (worth it).

* Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) whose effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not to take later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary so it will be getting shot at by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of cannons.

===Core Units===
* '''Dreadspears:''' Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average everything else. Spears, shields, light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit especially on the defense. Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in units of 50-60.
* '''Bleakswords:''' Same stats as Spearmen, but swords and shields instead of spears and shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a pretty solid unit. A 5+ Armor Save followed by a 6+ Ward Save can give them okay durability, but they're not going to stand against everything. Elites and generally everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back. Very good tarpit with Flesh to Stone or Glittering Robe, as it mitigates their shitty toughness and armour respectively.

* '''Darkshards:''' The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good range, Armor Piercing and Multiple Shots, these guys shred light to medium armored units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemy's important units. You should always give them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is great on these guys, as it gives them +1 to wound. This means you can wound T3 infantry on 3s and Ogres, Saurus etc on 4s. Also, flaming attacks. This doubles the amount of wounds they inflict on flammable units (e.g. Treekin) and negates regeneration saves (e.g. Trolls), so if you see Chaos or Greenskins or Wood Elves, this is worth considering, as with the armour piercing and the wounding on 4s with FSoR you can shred through whole units of them.

* '''Black Ark Corsairs:''' Don't let the 9 point cost fool you: they need to take either an extra hand weapon or a handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad as they're back to being a reliable Core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ Armor Save, they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra Attack if you get them another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.

* '''Witch Elves:''' Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special choices. They have an absurdly high volume of attacks (30 Poisoned Attacks for 2 ranks of 10, remember supporting attackers only get 1 attack, think about this when using Corsairs, Black Guard, Sisters, etc), high Initiative, ASF and are cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus), sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not hitting quite as hard but being the most durable of all the Dark Elf Core infantry.

* '''Dark Riders:''' Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. So move 9, 4+ armor, with spears and crossbows... and of course the Vanguard move. You can easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your Core choice as they can outmaneuver damn near everything. Don't take a full army of them against Dwarves or Wood Elves though, you will get shot to pieces. Fantastic against Skaven due to low movement speed but watch out for Warp Lightening Cannons or Plagueclaw Catapults.

===Special Units===
* '''Shades:''' Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and Scout rules (they can even march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you. Shades should be used as warmachine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition since the enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponent.

* '''Harpies:''' Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can Panic friendly units when they flee now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip them.

* '''Executioners:''' Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a Monster? Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ Save, they can be very easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 To Wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll be Wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your best shock troops.

* '''Cold One Knights:''' A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can even charge smaller units head-on in a pinch. Cheap heavy cavalry is always welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous Prowess while the mounts gained an extra Attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful though, heavy cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send them straight into a ranked enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you with your enemies' blood and your opponent's tears. Good with Enchanted Blades of Aiban as it means they hit even elite units on 3s and have -4 rend. This means use against Dwarves and Chaos and drink tears.

* '''Cold One Chariots:''' Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage and while once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you need to, its low cost and high Ld keep that from happening too often or hurting too much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely useful. Also, [[Awesome|it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS]][silly warmbloods, still not as cool as the Lustrians].

* '''Black Guard:''' <S>The only ranked choice that isn't a Core choice.</S>(what about Executioners?) They're easy to damage unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and they. Do. Not. Break! They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll failed Wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before. They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic banner from the main rulebook they can be Ld10 Stubborn or take a Flaming banner on them and they WILL take off an Abomination or a Hydra on the charge. A great anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ Armor. Buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and already have Executioners, do it. Earth Blood and Flesh to Stone from Life, Wyssan's Wildform from Beasts, or Glittering Robe from Metal can help them survive.

* '''Reaper Bolt Thrower:''' Often ignored, but a solid choice in its own right. As with all Bolt Throwers, it's good at taking out heavy cavalry and low Wound Monsters. Unlike all other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.

* '''War Hydra:''' Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. Its Attacks are equal to 3 plus its remaining Wound total. So at full Wounds it's pumping out 8 Attacks and a Thunderstomp after that. 5 Wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can buy a Breath Weapon with S4 and a Ranged Attack with 8" range, with number of shots and S being its remaining Wounds. Lost its Regeneration but now rolls a die at the end of your turn for each lost Wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS! Your ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a 1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this should roll for [[anal circumference]]. The Dark Elf solution to hordes. Use them against infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list... or most lists for that matter! I recommend a Life or Beasts caster with them, Flesh to Stone makes them T7, which is fantastic making sure great weapons don't kill them, and the Lore of Beast's signature spell gives them the S and T of a midtier dragon. Birona's Timewarp is also an excellent spell to use on a Hydra, giving it a 12" movement range and ASF, as well as an extra attack. If you need speed and have trouble with I4+ things (Bear in mind, the Hydra is I4, so while ASF will mean Elves don't get rerolls against it, they still hit first), this is a great spell.

*'''Scourgerunner Chariot:''' Lighter Chariot ridden by 2 Beastmasters and pulled by horses. Comes with a Ravager Harpoon: a S7 Bolt Thrower that can be fired on the move, but no Multi-Shot and it doesn't ignore Armor (though at S7 it's not likely anyone'll get a Save from it unless you try to Penetrate Ranks with the thing). If it causes an unsaved Wound on a Monster it gets dragged D6" towards the Chariot. If it goes over 3" it takes a second Wound with no Saves. Note, many of the monsters you want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot Stand And Shoot with the harpoon, but adding a Beastmaster Character can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army, and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to get some flank shots.

===Rare Units===
* '''Doomfire Warlocks:''' Warlocks cursed by Malekith. Fast Cav with 2 poisoned attacks each and a 4+ Ward, unless the attacker is a Slaaneshi unit (Daemons and marked warriors) in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because Slaanesh wants them. The unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2 and gains +1 to cast for each rank of 5 up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a unit of these (unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh) especially if you want a Dark Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.

* '''Sisters of Slaughter:''' They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ Armor Save and 4+ Ward Save against close combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the offensive as Witch Elves. Their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch against heavily armored units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.

* '''Kharibdyss:''' The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7 hits. At WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and Poisoned Attacks, this makes it a better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges as well. Making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear, Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms. It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered water. Use Timewarp on it. It will give your rerolls against any monsters (or anything, but you should be fighting monsters with this guy), meaning you get an easier Feast of Bones, and you'll anything not an elf first.

* '''Bloodwrack Medusa:''' A monstrous creature were if you meet its gaze [[Grimdark|makes you bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body]]. This is represented by a shooting attack with Killing Blow. Every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow hit at the same time as Impact Hits. As awesome as that is, [[Derp|it somehow works on undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to death?)]]. Its low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).

* '''Bloodwrack Shrine:''' A really weird Chariot that does a lot of different things, some of which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but its point cost is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as its competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss but it has Swiftstride. In close combat it gets Impact Hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It has a solid Toughness of 6 with 5 Wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3 WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2 shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the shrine given its higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the "Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on the Shrine than the lone Medusae because of the Shrine's much better Toughness/Wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with Miasma from the Lore of Shadow which is a good lore to consider for Dark Elves under any circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a War Banner and a champion. Run the unit with only 2 Sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a War Banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's Rank Bonus and they also will take their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a Lore of Life caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.

Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever were, but still a good unit.

To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.

Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes. Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan (or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears, Glade Riders become Dark Riders).

Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
* For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary but fall between these price ranges).

Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

===Army Composition===
*Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible, give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
*Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate as much static CR.
*War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks. The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
*If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
*For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include (cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
*For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game. The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for some extra magic phase rape).
*For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
**For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much)(Then again, most of your army's Ld9 she won't need to add much).
**Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6 attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

===Magic Items===

* '''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Hydra Blade''' Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier. If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of 1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow (for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of Ogre Kingdoms armies.

'''Chillblade''' Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which, if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character, then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.

* '''Talismans:'''

'''The Black Amulet''' Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.

'''Ring of Hotek''' Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6 without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.

* '''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Black Dragon Egg''' Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.

'''Cloak of Twilight''' 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.

* '''Arcane Items:'''

'''The Gem of Spite''' Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts. Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound. A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.

'''The Sacrificial Dagger''' Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of ''(and as many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can she)''. Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic ''(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in)'', just be careful you don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.

'''Tome of Furion''' The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25 points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth without it.

* '''Magic Standards:'''

'''Banner of Nagarythe''' Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors (including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous version was still better.

===Rulebook Items===

*'''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Giant Blade:''' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

'''Sword of Bloodshed:''' Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.

'''Obsidian Blade:''' 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

'''Ogre Blade:''' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.

'''Sword of Strife:''' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

'''Fencer's Blades:''' WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+ armour save and the swords, and they’re especially useful against High Elves; hitting even Tyrion on 3’s. A Master can take them, though they’re better on a Dreadlord.

'''Sword of Anti-Heroes:''' +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

'''Spellthieving Sword:''' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.

'''Sword of Swift Slaying:''' Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves army book this is useless.

'''Sword of Battle:''' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

'''Berserker Sword:''' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.

'''Sword of Might:''' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.

'''Gold Sigil Sword:''' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff if you have the points to spare.

'''Sword of Striking:''' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more Strength is still better.

'''Biting Blade:''' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

'''Relic Sword:''' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

'''Shrieking Blade:''' Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.

'''Tormentor Sword:''' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

'''Warrior Bane:''' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

*'''Magic Armour:'''

'''Armour of Destiny:''' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.

'''Trickster's Helm:''' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.

'''Armour of Silvered Steel:''' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means for much less points.

'''Armour of Fortune:''' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.

'''Helm of Discord:''' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

'''Glittering Scales:''' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

'''Shield of Ptolos:''' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

'''Spellshield:''' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

'''Gambler's Armor:''' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.

'''Dragonhelm:''' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.

'''Enchanted Shield:''' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

'''Charmed Shield:''' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

*'''Talismans:'''

'''Talisman of Preservation:''' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and can’t afford the Black Amulet, take this.

'''Obsidian Lodestone:''' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isn’t enough. Pricry, though it has potential.

'''Talisman of Endurance:''' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

'''Obsidian Amulet:''' Magic Resistance (2). Viable.

'''Dawnstone:''' Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+ armour saves without magic items.

'''Opal Amulet:''' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

'''Obsidian Trinket:''' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

'''Talisman of Protection:''' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

'''Seed of Rebirth:''' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

'''Dragonbane Gem:''' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if you’re facing lore of metal.

'''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:''' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailored lists only really.

'''Luckstone:''' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

*'''Magic Standards:'''

'''Rampager's Standard:''' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry, especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.

'''Wailing Banner:''' Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in 8th edition. There's better standards for you.

'''Ranger's Standard:''' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

'''Razor Standard:''' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close combat under this will cut through any armour, though they’re good enough this is only recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.

'''War Banner:''' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.

'''Banner of Swiftness:''' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch Elves or Cold One Knights.

'''Lichborne Pennant:''' Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.

'''Standard of Discipline:''' +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence. Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring Presence bubble anyway.

'''Banner of Eternal Flame:''' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want.

'''Gleaming Pennant:''' One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

'''Scarecrow Banner:''' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be charged by fliers anyway.

*'''Arcane Items:'''

'''Book of Ashur:''' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. It's decent though overpriced.

'''Feedback Scroll:''' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

'''Scroll of Leeching:''' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

'''Sivejir's Hex Scroll:''' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on them is pretty lulzy.

'''Power Scroll:''' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

'''Wand of Jet:''' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

'''Forbidden Rod:''' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.

'''Staff of Sorcery:''' Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.

'''Trickster's Shard:''' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

'''Earthing Rod:''' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.

'''Dispel Scroll:''' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. Always welcome.

'''Power Stone:''' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.

'''Sceptre of Stability:''' One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

'''Channeling Staff:''' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

'''Scroll of Shielding:''' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if she’s in the army.

*'''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Wizarding Hat:''' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. Don’t bother.

'''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:''' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

'''Arabyan Carpet:''' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or Manticore.

'''Crown of Command :''' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.

'''Healing Potion:''' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead.

'''Featherfoe Torc:''' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if you’re planning to turn against him) or High Elves.

'''Ruby Ring of Ruin:''' Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and it’s a nice surprise from a non-mage character.

'''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:''' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune to Fear.

'''Potion of Strength:''' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.

'''Potion of Toughness:''' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into a suicide charge.

'''The Other Trickster's Shard:''' All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.

'''Ironcurse Icon:''' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

'''Potion of Foolhardiness:''' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

'''Potion of Speed:''' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

===Magic===
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;

* Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the [[High Elves|Dark Elves wussy cousins]]). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound, which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the highest-level wizard you have.

* Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a +2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves), while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12" bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer. The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have, including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen aren't safe from this lore).

* Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light) and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power dice. Very good against Undead and Daemons, not only because of the Lore attribute but due to all of them having nasty combat units you want to Net and Light of Battle helping you deal with Fear.

* Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.

* Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure.

* Heavens: Mixed, I wouldn't blind pick it. Lore attribute is mostly useless, but the signature spell is a great debuff against anything you don't want hitting you (read: Cannons). Also, it stops anything that doesn't roll to hit on a 4, meaning you can walk into flame cannons and have half a chance of waltzing right up to it (don't rely on this though, because half the time you will get cooked). Harmonic Convergence is bad, you usually reroll anyway due to ASF, you rerolls wound on more or less everything, rerolling saves is good but a lot of things can take them off. Good on a Hydra though, as it throws out lots of attacks, and will likely take a lot of saves due to how much people will try and kill it, and it also gets the rerolls it doesn't get as it lacking MP. Wind Blast is situational, but might save you from a charge, but don't rely on it. Curse of the Midnight Wind is fun, a good 'fuck you' button to an elite unit, but I recommend using it on something you're charging Witch Elves into, as it help your elves get through it's armour save, and Witch Elves getting hit and wounded less is fantastic. Urannon's Thunderbolt is great for killing war machines and chipping down monsters. Comet is unreliable, but holy hell if you get an overcast comet between multiple enemy units, they're in fucking trouble. Do not rely on this though, as enemies can move out of i. Also, it hits your own units. If a bunch of people charge a tarpit, feel free though. As for Chain Lightening, it's good against multiple units of elite units, but does too little hits to kill hordes.

* Beasts: It's good, but overshadowed by some other choices. Wildheart is situational and not great even then, but a decent boost. Wyssan's is always useful, Flock of Doom can chip artillery nicely and for nothing, Pann's is great if you're running a combat lord, same with Savage Beast. Curse of Anraheir will fuck up anything with low initiative and is also nice for the -1 to hit. Transformation of Kadon will get you a free hydra, or a manticore (use against cavalry, it has killing blow) or a Horned Dragon, which is a discount Black Dragon, but still a dragon. If you overcast it, you can get a Mountain Chimera or a Great Fire Dragon, both of which are amazing. Don't ever use the base version of the spell, overcast it, especially as wounds are carried over, the two overcast monsters have 8 and 10 wounds respectively, meaning even if you're on your last life, you'll probably have 6 and 8 wounds on a giant fucking monster. Both of which will shred more or less anything. However, don't ever cast this early, get some spells out and cast if your wizard is injured. It's a waste to take a wizard and cast 0 spells.

* Fire: Fireball is always useful, Fire Cloak is meh but cheap, Flaming Sword is pretty good, especially against anything with Flammable or Regen, Burning Head is good if you can flank an enemy line, but its best in high point games and against massive hordes. Piercing Bolts is usually a worse fireball, unless against large hordes. Flame Cage is also good against hordes, auto strength 4 hits or you don't move is great against anyone trying to tarpit your Kharibdyss. As with every vortex, Flame Storm has the potential to do massive damage, it's a good alternative against hordes, its better than Dwellers Below against low strength units but Fire doesn't have the flexibility of Life, and its better than Purple Sun against Elves or Humans or Goblin or Skinks or Skaven, but not against Dwarves, Chaos, Orcs, Undead or Saurus, or anything with multiple wounds

Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to its technique of blasting the crap out of things. Fire is less popular, but its low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2 Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
*A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.

====Dark Magic====
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything.
It's sometimes difficult to cast but some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only have one round of combat anyway.

'''Attribute'''
Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is. Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.

'''Spells'''

*'''Spell 0 - Power of Darkness'''
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1 strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save. For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.

*'''Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT'''
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it when you can.

*'''Spell 1 - Chillwind'''
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute, probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).

*'''Spell 2 - Word of Pain'''
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3. So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot, cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.

*'''Spell 3 - Bladewind'''
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and then slapped in the face.

*'''Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair'''
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12 inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a few units at once.

*'''Spell 5 - Soul Stealer'''
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea, it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.

*'''Spell 6 - Arnizipal's Black Horror'''
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army if you are going to give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

==Tactics==

[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls, the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.

Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).

Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.

Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it, instead of trying to spread it around.

You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights, Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and <s>Harpies for chaff</s>(they're infantry).

Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In larger games you can bring Malekith as well.

Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.

They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.

I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if you're aggressive then you can send them all running.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dark Elves

2020-10-05T03:35:56Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Core Units */

==Why Play Dark Elves==

Do you want your Elves to take the next logical step in their belief of 'we're better than everyone' over to 'so we should be allowed to kill them?' Do you want to troll your enemy mercilessly and drink their tears? Then Dark Elves are for you.

In the long long ago, in the before time, in 6th edition, Dark Elves were a finicky and difficult army. Limited unit choices, overpriced and underpowered units and difficult to use tactics made them a favorite of smart and tactical players. Then came the 7th edition update and they rocketed up to being the 2nd best army in the game (behind Daemons) and while the 8th edition book has balanced things a bit, they remain a powerhouse army.

Dark Elves are not for people who expect all their units to have the toughness of Lizardmen or Dwarves, or the hitting power of Chaos Warriors or Ogres. Yes, the Dark Elves have units that hit like a ton of bricks (Hydra most notably) but they are the minority. Dark Elves excel at having cheap infantry with good stats and lightning quick attacks. You will have to combine units, weaken enemy elites, whittle away at them and receive a lot of charges as Dark Elves. But don't mistake them for weak: your enemy will do that and then they will LOSE.

==Army Rules==
'''Eternal Hatred :''' Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first. Awesome rule. Black Guard and several characters have it.

'''Hekarti's Blessing :''' +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.

'''Murderous Prowess :''' Re-rolls all To Wound rolls of 1 when making close combat attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save Warbeasts) has this.

'''Always Strikes First :''' A model with this special rule Always Strikes First in close combat regardless of Initiative. In addition, if the model's Initiative is equal to or higher than his enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously, and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this rule.

==Unit Analysis==

===Lords & Heroes===
====Named Characters====
* '''Malekith, the Witch King:'''No longer lives with his mom. It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla (which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000. What a tease! Thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S(5!)and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ Ward against mundane attacks and makes him immune to Multiple Wounds and being killed outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic Resistance (2) and causes spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra Power and Dispel die per Phase and his Inspiring Presence is 18" instead of 12" (24" on his Black Dragon). And he still has Hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. Do note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. You might avoid those in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF (although it is far from guaranteed, as you have a ''50% chance'' of destroying ''one randomly determined'' magic item, and opponents who also have ASF have at least one round of attacks with their magic weapon), but against undispelled magic he only has a 5+ ward against (MR 2). To make matter worse, against Dwarfs with too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up since he won't have any save of any kind. In short, he's much tougher than your average mage, but he still is no tank. He is very good in [[Storm of Magic]] though, thanks to how much people spam magic and how well he shuts all that down.

* '''Morathi, the Hag Sorceress:''' Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her Enchanting Beauty rule is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore. Morathi has the mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.

* '''Crone Hellebron:''' Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat Lord (or rather Lady). Okay, she costs ~155ish Skaven Slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless mounted). But she has Initiative 9, 4 Attacks base, combined with Paired Weapons (+1 Attack) Witches Brew (gives her and her unit +2 Attacks) and Cry of War (+D3 Attacks) for anywhere from 8 to 10 Strength 10 Attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll Hits (and Wounds thanks to Murderous Prowess) which equates to her being essentially guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a 1 causes an Strength 4 hit on her attacker. Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to Dispel rolls for any spells cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of Black Guard with a Cauldron of Blood within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed To Wound rolls) and send them charging into the enemy. That equates to your Black Guard unit having 4 Attacks each, at Strenth 4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed To Wound rolls (But a lot of those 4 attacks are wasted, as supporting attackers only make 1 attack). Malekith just pooped a little. If you take her keep her in a unit: she is the prime example of a glass cannon.

* '''Malus Darkblade:''' You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. Has a couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack his own unit on hit rolls of one( remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit rolls so this mitigates the damage somewhat). Spite is still the best Cold One mount in Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets Eternal Hatred. Should be seriously considered for any Cold One heavy army.

* '''Shadowblade:''' Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin. Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better off with a generic Assassin (or two).

* '''Tullaris Dreadbringer:''' Now a Hero. Costs a little over double of a regular Master but he can easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins Frenzy for FUN times (reminder, supporting attacks only get 1 attack even with your extra frenzy attack, so you can't abuse this with 50 Dreadspears or Black Guard or something) and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy in an Executioner unit makes Sword Masters wish they were this awesome, so take him if you're going heavy on Executioners.

* '''Kouran Blackhand:''' Like Tullaris he is now a Hero. Just shy of 200 points for a Master statline, but with WS9! His Crimson Death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2 strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). His armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit they're likely to Wound his T3). Stick him in Black Guard they become UNBREAKABLE. However, he's overcosted so stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10. If there's also a BSB in range then the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.

* '''Lokhir Fellheart:''' An effective enough combat Hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier Lords while still attacking them. A Master is probably better though he can do incredibly with a big corsair unit and Shadow Magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF, Hatred of High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save, regeneration and terror on the defense.

====Generic Characters====
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

'''NOTE:''' No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a leg up on 99 percent of most enemy Heroes and Lords.

*'''Dreadlord:''' Your workaday combat Lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat, as they have better access to Armor Saves and re-roll Wounding rolls of 1 while sharing ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't win. Bear in mind he can take all the repeater weapons, so if you plan on sticking him in some block of Bleakswords or Executioners, pick up a crossbow, because he can move and fire both shots and still be hitting on 2s, so you can earn your points back quite easily (you need to kill 1 average infantryman with it to earn back your points, which you can do easily). If you're running a cavalry Dreadlord, I'd go with a repeater handbow, as you can use it with a shield and still get that sweet 1+ save on a cold one with heavy armour and a sea dragon cloak, while getting free shots in. As for the brace, I wouldn't recommend dropping a point of save for whats likely 1 more casualty per turn. As for melee equipment, for infantry I'd go sword and board vs Elves, Empire, Skaven and great weapon against pretty much anything else. Chillblade is fantastic against Ogres by the way. For cavalry, lance, and throw him in a unit of Cold One Knights. In any case, remember a ward save because of killing blow and try for 1+ armour as much as possible. Honourable mention to Giant Blade from the rulebook, but only against other elves, as you can wound more or less anything that isn't a dragon on 2s (and you wound dragons pretty decently too), while still keeping ASF so their heroes don't get ASF rerolls against you.

*'''Supreme Sorceress:''' Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at one thing: blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts of dice around if you're unafraid of Miscasts and have access to some impressively destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, Sorceresses can now use all eight Battle Lores (Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted Hero killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it. Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, although that doesn't feel like Dark Elves (well this <s>codex</s> armybook is Matt Ward's work..., also you could just say they're an exiled Wood Elf or something). In closing, a very versatile offensive caster and just as good a choice for General as the Dreadlord, though with different uses.

*'''High Beastmaster:''' Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A and I, light armor, cloak and spear, but lets one Beast per turn within 3" gain +D3 attacks and must take a Manticore or a Scourgerunner Chariot for free. May take the usual 100 points of magic items but has no standard options. His point costs are intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all before the Beastmaster attacks!

*'''Black Ark Fleetmaster:''' He's a Lord worth ~75ish Skaven Slaves and has a sword for a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs. Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a Challenge (and alive) or kills an enemy Character at all he makes his unit Unbreakable for the turn. It's a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a Dreadlord for less points and get more use out of him. More for fluff and fun games and seems really out of place as a Lord choice (especially when you consider that his rough High Elf equivalent, the Sea Helm, is a cheap Hero).

*'''Sorceress:''' Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective spell to the table (notably Dark Magic's Signature Spell is one that shooting heavy armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores (Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle Lores.

*'''Master:''' Masters are among the best cost for ability Heroes in the game. For 70 points, plus an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5, WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save, without a mount or magic equipment.

*'''Death Hag:''' Death Hags cost 15 points more than a Master for 2 hand weapons, Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
**'''Cauldron of Blood:''' 190 point Chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++ for Witch Elves), lets all friendly units with Murderous Prowess within 6 inch re-roll all failed To Wound rolls, and has a Bound Spell that makes a unit Frenzied(+2 attacks instead of 1 if they were already Frenzied). The kit can also make a Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebron. So you can make a Cauldron of Blood (a Chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous Beast) as an independent unit and Hellebron (a Special Character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.

*'''Assassin:''' When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some Lords. It has frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that. It can put the whammy on anyone dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in either your ranked units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength. Other combinations will be discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points, always take one.

====Mounts====
* Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.

* Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is quite reasonable, Stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to Armor Saves are always nice. If you want a mounted Hero without shelling out for a big expensive mount, this is where to go.

* Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit they've gotten significantly better since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus' toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good Armor Save and probably a Ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).

* Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon but want something big and scary? Then come on down to <s>Clar Karond's</s> KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium. The in-between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule: it gains +D3 attacks each combat phase but enemies get +1 To Hit (worth it).

* Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) whose effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not to take later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary so it will be getting shot at by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of cannons.

===Core Units===
* '''Dreadspears:''' Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average everything else. Spears, shields, light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit especially on the defense. Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in units of 50-60.
* '''Bleakswords:''' Same stats as Spearmen, but swords and shields instead of spears and shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a pretty solid unit. A 5+ Armor Save followed by a 6+ Ward Save can give them okay durability, but they're not going to stand against everything. Elites and generally everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back. Very good tarpit with Flesh to Stone or Glittering Robe, as it mitigates their shitty toughness and armour respectively.

* '''Darkshards:''' The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good range, Armor Piercing and Multiple Shots, these guys shred light to medium armored units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemy's important units. You should always give them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire. Flaming Sword of Rhuin is great on these guys, as it gives them +1 to wound. This means you can wound T3 infantry on 3s and Ogres, Saurus etc on 4s. Also, flaming attacks. This doubles the amount of wounds they inflict on flammable units (e.g. Treekin) and negates regeneration saves (e.g. Trolls), so if you see Chaos or Greenskins or Wood Elves, this is worth considering, as with the armour piercing and the wounding on 4s with FSoR you can shred through whole units of them.

* '''Black Ark Corsairs:''' Don't let the 9 point cost fool you: they need to take either an extra hand weapon or a handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad as they're back to being a reliable Core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ Armor Save, they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra Attack if you get them another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.

* '''Witch Elves:''' Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special choices. They have an absurdly high volume of attacks (30 Poisoned Attacks for 2 ranks of 10, remember supporting attackers only get 1 attack, think about this when using Corsairs, Black Guard, Sisters, etc), high Initiative, ASF and are cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus), sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not hitting quite as hard but being the most durable of all the Dark Elf Core infantry.

* '''Dark Riders:''' Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. So move 9, 4+ armor, with spears and crossbows... and of course the Vanguard move. You can easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your Core choice as they can outmaneuver damn near everything. Don't take a full army of them against Dwarves or Wood Elves though, you will get shot to pieces. Fantastic against Skaven due to low movement speed but watch out for Warp Lightening Cannons or Plagueclaw Catapults.

===Special Units===
* '''Shades:''' Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and Scout rules (they can even march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you. Shades should be used as warmachine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition since the enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponent.

* '''Harpies:''' Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can Panic friendly units when they flee now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip them.

* '''Executioners:''' Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a Monster? Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ Save, they can be very easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 To Wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll be Wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your best shock troops.

* '''Cold One Knights:''' A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can even charge smaller units head-on in a pinch. Cheap heavy cavalry is always welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous Prowess while the mounts gained an extra Attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful though, heavy cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send them straight into a ranked enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you with your enemies' blood and your opponent's tears. Good with Enchanted Blades of Aiban as it means they hit even elite units on 3s and have -4 rend. This means use against Dwarves and Chaos and drink tears.

* '''Cold One Chariots:''' Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage and while once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you need to, its low cost and high Ld keep that from happening too often or hurting too much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely useful. Also, [[Awesome|it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS]][silly warmbloods, still not as cool as the Lustrians].

* '''Black Guard:''' <S>The only ranked choice that isn't a Core choice.</S>(what about Executioners?) They're easy to damage unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and they. Do. Not. Break! They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll failed Wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before. They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic banner from the main rulebook they can be Ld10 Stubborn or take a Flaming banner on them and they WILL take off an Abomination or a Hydra on the charge. A great anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ Armor. Buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and already have Executioners, do it. Earth Blood and Flesh to Stone from Life, Wyssan's Wildform from Beasts, or Glittering Robe from Metal can help them survive.

* '''Reaper Bolt Thrower:''' Often ignored, but a solid choice in its own right. As with all Bolt Throwers, it's good at taking out heavy cavalry and low Wound Monsters. Unlike all other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.

* '''War Hydra:''' Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. Its Attacks are equal to 3 plus its remaining Wound total. So at full Wounds it's pumping out 8 Attacks and a Thunderstomp after that. 5 Wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can buy a Breath Weapon with S4 and a Ranged Attack with 8" range, with number of shots and S being its remaining Wounds. Lost its Regeneration but now rolls a die at the end of your turn for each lost Wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS! Your ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a 1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this should roll for [[anal circumference]]. The Dark Elf solution to hordes. Use them against infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list... or most lists for that matter! I recommend a Life or Beasts caster with them, Flesh to Stone makes them T7, which is fantastic making sure great weapons don't kill them, and the Lore of Beast's signature spell gives them the S and T of a midtier dragon. Birona's Timewarp is also an excellent spell to use on a Hydra, giving it a 12" movement range and ASF, as well as an extra attack. If you need speed and have trouble with I4+ things (Bear in mind, the Hydra is I4, so while ASF will mean Elves don't get rerolls against it, they still hit first), this is a great spell.

*'''Scourgerunner Chariot:''' Lighter Chariot ridden by 2 Beastmasters and pulled by horses. Comes with a Ravager Harpoon: a S7 Bolt Thrower that can be fired on the move, but no Multi-Shot and it doesn't ignore Armor (though at S7 it's not likely anyone'll get a Save from it unless you try to Penetrate Ranks with the thing). If it causes an unsaved Wound on a Monster it gets dragged D6" towards the Chariot. If it goes over 3" it takes a second Wound with no Saves. Note, many of the monsters you want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot Stand And Shoot with the harpoon, but adding a Beastmaster Character can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army, and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to get some flank shots.

===Rare Units===
* '''Doomfire Warlocks:''' Warlocks cursed by Malekith. Fast Cav with 2 poisoned attacks each and a 4+ Ward, unless the attacker is a Slaaneshi unit (Daemons and marked warriors) in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because Slaanesh wants them. The unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2 and gains +1 to cast for each rank of 5 up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a unit of these (unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh) especially if you want a Dark Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.

* '''Sisters of Slaughter:''' They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ Armor Save and 4+ Ward Save against close combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the offensive as Witch Elves. Their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch against heavily armored units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.

* '''Kharibdyss:''' The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7 hits. At WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and Poisoned Attacks, this makes it a better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges as well. Making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear, Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms. It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered water. Use Timewarp on it. It will give your rerolls against any monsters (or anything, but you should be fighting monsters with this guy), meaning you get an easier Feast of Bones, and you'll anything not an elf first.

* '''Bloodwrack Medusa:''' A monstrous creature were if you meet its gaze [[Grimdark|makes you bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body]]. This is represented by a shooting attack with Killing Blow. Every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow hit at the same time as Impact Hits. As awesome as that is, [[Derp|it somehow works on undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to death?)]]. Its low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).

* '''Bloodwrack Shrine:''' A really weird Chariot that does a lot of different things, some of which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but its point cost is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as its competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss but it has Swiftstride. In close combat it gets Impact Hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It has a solid Toughness of 6 with 5 Wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3 WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2 shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the shrine given its higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the "Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on the Shrine than the lone Medusae because of the Shrine's much better Toughness/Wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with Miasma from the Lore of Shadow which is a good lore to consider for Dark Elves under any circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a War Banner and a champion. Run the unit with only 2 Sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a War Banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's Rank Bonus and they also will take their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a Lore of Life caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

==Building Your Army==
===Buying Your Army===
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.

Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever were, but still a good unit.

To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.

Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes. Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan (or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears, Glade Riders become Dark Riders).

Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
* For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary but fall between these price ranges).

Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

===Army Composition===
*Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible, give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
*Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate as much static CR.
*War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks. The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
*If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
*For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include (cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
*For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game. The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for some extra magic phase rape).
*For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
**For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much).
**Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6 attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

===Magic Items===

* '''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Hydra Blade''' Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier. If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of 1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow (for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of Ogre Kingdoms armies.

'''Chillblade''' Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which, if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character, then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.

* '''Talismans:'''

'''The Black Amulet''' Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.

'''Ring of Hotek''' Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6 without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.

* '''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Black Dragon Egg''' Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.

'''Cloak of Twilight''' 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.

* '''Arcane Items:'''

'''The Gem of Spite''' Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts. Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound. A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.

'''The Sacrificial Dagger''' Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of ''(and as many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can she)''. Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic ''(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in)'', just be careful you don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.

'''Tome of Furion''' The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25 points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth without it.

* '''Magic Standards:'''

'''Banner of Nagarythe''' Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors (including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous version was still better.

===Rulebook Items===

*'''Magic Weapons:'''

'''Giant Blade:''' 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.

'''Sword of Bloodshed:''' Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.

'''Obsidian Blade:''' 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.

'''Ogre Blade:''' +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.

'''Sword of Strife:''' +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need stronger ones.

'''Fencer's Blades:''' WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7, and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+ armour save and the swords, and they’re especially useful against High Elves; hitting even Tyrion on 3’s. A Master can take them, though they’re better on a Dreadlord.

'''Sword of Anti-Heroes:''' +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.

'''Spellthieving Sword:''' For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.

'''Sword of Swift Slaying:''' Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves army book this is useless.

'''Sword of Battle:''' +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.

'''Berserker Sword:''' Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.

'''Sword of Might:''' +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.

'''Gold Sigil Sword:''' Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff if you have the points to spare.

'''Sword of Striking:''' +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more Strength is still better.

'''Biting Blade:''' Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.

'''Relic Sword:''' Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not worth your time.

'''Shrieking Blade:''' Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.

'''Tormentor Sword:''' Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.

'''Warrior Bane:''' Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great for tailoring against other Elves.

*'''Magic Armour:'''

'''Armour of Destiny:''' Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.

'''Trickster's Helm:''' +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.

'''Armour of Silvered Steel:''' 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points. Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means for much less points.

'''Armour of Fortune:''' Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.

'''Helm of Discord:''' +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).

'''Glittering Scales:''' Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly good.

'''Shield of Ptolos:''' +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.

'''Spellshield:''' Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.

'''Gambler's Armor:''' Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.

'''Dragonhelm:''' +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.

'''Enchanted Shield:''' It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield gives. 5 points. It's a great option.

'''Charmed Shield:''' One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.

*'''Talismans:'''

'''Talisman of Preservation:''' 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and can’t afford the Black Amulet, take this.

'''Obsidian Lodestone:''' Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isn’t enough. Pricry, though it has potential.

'''Talisman of Endurance:''' 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.

'''Obsidian Amulet:''' Magic Resistance (2). Viable.

'''Dawnstone:''' Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+ armour saves without magic items.

'''Opal Amulet:''' One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.

'''Obsidian Trinket:''' Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.

'''Talisman of Protection:''' 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.

'''Seed of Rebirth:''' Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points on survivability. Otherwise, no go.

'''Dragonbane Gem:''' 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if you’re facing lore of metal.

'''Pidgeon Plucker Pendant:''' Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies. Tailored lists only really.

'''Luckstone:''' Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.

*'''Magic Standards:'''

'''Rampager's Standard:''' Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry, especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.

'''Wailing Banner:''' Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in 8th edition. There's better standards for you.

'''Ranger's Standard:''' Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death across the map with impunity. A nice choice.

'''Razor Standard:''' Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close combat under this will cut through any armour, though they’re good enough this is only recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.

'''War Banner:''' +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.

'''Banner of Swiftness:''' +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch Elves or Cold One Knights.

'''Lichborne Pennant:''' Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.

'''Standard of Discipline:''' +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence. Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring Presence bubble anyway.

'''Banner of Eternal Flame:''' Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever you want.

'''Gleaming Pennant:''' One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership? Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.

'''Scarecrow Banner:''' Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be charged by fliers anyway.

*'''Arcane Items:'''

'''Book of Ashur:''' 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this. It's decent though overpriced.

'''Feedback Scroll:''' Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and let you work the winds unopposed.

'''Scroll of Leeching:''' Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.

'''Sivejir's Hex Scroll:''' One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on them is pretty lulzy.

'''Power Scroll:''' According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.

'''Wand of Jet:''' One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.

'''Forbidden Rod:''' One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.

'''Staff of Sorcery:''' Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.

'''Trickster's Shard:''' One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell, you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.

'''Earthing Rod:''' One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.

'''Dispel Scroll:''' 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell. Always welcome.

'''Power Stone:''' One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.

'''Sceptre of Stability:''' One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty neat for 15 points against another big magic army.

'''Channeling Staff:''' Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.

'''Scroll of Shielding:''' One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if she’s in the army.

*'''Enchanted Items:'''

'''Wizarding Hat:''' Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just take a level 2 mage. Don’t bother.

'''Fozzrik's Fold Fortress:''' 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one. Take it if you base your strategy around it.

'''Arabyan Carpet:''' Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or Manticore.

'''Crown of Command :''' 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins. Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.

'''Healing Potion:''' One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of Life attribute to heal instead.

'''Featherfoe Torc:''' Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if you’re planning to turn against him) or High Elves.

'''Ruby Ring of Ruin:''' Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and it’s a nice surprise from a non-mage character.

'''Terrifying Mask of EEE!:''' Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune to Fear.

'''Potion of Strength:''' One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn, great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.

'''Potion of Toughness:''' One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into a suicide charge.

'''The Other Trickster's Shard:''' All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.

'''Ironcurse Icon:''' 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.

'''Potion of Foolhardiness:''' One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.

'''Potion of Speed:''' One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?

===Magic===
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;

* Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the [[High Elves|Dark Elves wussy cousins]]). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound, which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the highest-level wizard you have.

* Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a +2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves), while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12" bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer. The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have, including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen aren't safe from this lore).

* Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light) and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power dice. Very good against Undead and Daemons, not only because of the Lore attribute but due to all of them having nasty combat units you want to Net and Light of Battle helping you deal with Fear.

* Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.

* Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure.

* Heavens: Mixed, I wouldn't blind pick it. Lore attribute is mostly useless, but the signature spell is a great debuff against anything you don't want hitting you (read: Cannons). Also, it stops anything that doesn't roll to hit on a 4, meaning you can walk into flame cannons and have half a chance of waltzing right up to it (don't rely on this though, because half the time you will get cooked). Harmonic Convergence is bad, you usually reroll anyway due to ASF, you rerolls wound on more or less everything, rerolling saves is good but a lot of things can take them off. Good on a Hydra though, as it throws out lots of attacks, and will likely take a lot of saves due to how much people will try and kill it, and it also gets the rerolls it doesn't get as it lacking MP. Wind Blast is situational, but might save you from a charge, but don't rely on it. Curse of the Midnight Wind is fun, a good 'fuck you' button to an elite unit, but I recommend using it on something you're charging Witch Elves into, as it help your elves get through it's armour save, and Witch Elves getting hit and wounded less is fantastic. Urannon's Thunderbolt is great for killing war machines and chipping down monsters. Comet is unreliable, but holy hell if you get an overcast comet between multiple enemy units, they're in fucking trouble. Do not rely on this though, as enemies can move out of i. Also, it hits your own units. If a bunch of people charge a tarpit, feel free though. As for Chain Lightening, it's good against multiple units of elite units, but does too little hits to kill hordes.

* Beasts: It's good, but overshadowed by some other choices. Wildheart is situational and not great even then, but a decent boost. Wyssan's is always useful, Flock of Doom can chip artillery nicely and for nothing, Pann's is great if you're running a combat lord, same with Savage Beast. Curse of Anraheir will fuck up anything with low initiative and is also nice for the -1 to hit. Transformation of Kadon will get you a free hydra, or a manticore (use against cavalry, it has killing blow) or a Horned Dragon, which is a discount Black Dragon, but still a dragon. If you overcast it, you can get a Mountain Chimera or a Great Fire Dragon, both of which are amazing. Don't ever use the base version of the spell, overcast it, especially as wounds are carried over, the two overcast monsters have 8 and 10 wounds respectively, meaning even if you're on your last life, you'll probably have 6 and 8 wounds on a giant fucking monster. Both of which will shred more or less anything. However, don't ever cast this early, get some spells out and cast if your wizard is injured. It's a waste to take a wizard and cast 0 spells.

* Fire: Fireball is always useful, Fire Cloak is meh but cheap, Flaming Sword is pretty good, especially against anything with Flammable or Regen, Burning Head is good if you can flank an enemy line, but its best in high point games and against massive hordes. Piercing Bolts is usually a worse fireball, unless against large hordes. Flame Cage is also good against hordes, auto strength 4 hits or you don't move is great against anyone trying to tarpit your Kharibdyss. As with every vortex, Flame Storm has the potential to do massive damage, it's a good alternative against hordes, its better than Dwellers Below against low strength units but Fire doesn't have the flexibility of Life, and its better than Purple Sun against Elves or Humans or Goblin or Skinks or Skaven, but not against Dwarves, Chaos, Orcs, Undead or Saurus, or anything with multiple wounds

Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to its technique of blasting the crap out of things. Fire is less popular, but its low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2 Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
*A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.

====Dark Magic====
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything.
It's sometimes difficult to cast but some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only have one round of combat anyway.

'''Attribute'''
Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is. Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.

'''Spells'''

*'''Spell 0 - Power of Darkness'''
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1 strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save. For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.

*'''Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT'''
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it when you can.

*'''Spell 1 - Chillwind'''
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute, probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).

*'''Spell 2 - Word of Pain'''
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3. So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot, cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.

*'''Spell 3 - Bladewind'''
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and then slapped in the face.

*'''Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair'''
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12 inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a few units at once.

*'''Spell 5 - Soul Stealer'''
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea, it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.

*'''Spell 6 - Arnizipal's Black Horror'''
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army if you are going to give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

==Tactics==

[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls, the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.

Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).

Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.

Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it, instead of trying to spread it around.

You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights, Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and <s>Harpies for chaff</s>(they're infantry).

Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In larger games you can bring Malekith as well.

Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.

They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.

I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if you're aggressive then you can send them all running.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Daemons of Chaos

2020-10-04T22:24:45Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Daemonic Gifts */

==Why Play Daemons of Chaos==
There are a number of reasons to play daemons of chaos, so we'll deal with the minor ones first. The Daemons are pure, concentrated evil - destruction incarnate, really. And, since they're supposed to be shards of whichever God spawned them, playing as, say, Daemons of Nurgle means you are playing AS Nurgle. Kickass. They have some pretty slick models and a lot of options in the army, however, many people have swarmed to Daemons of Chaos because of their broken reputation in 7th edition.

Well, with the release of the 8th edition army book, those days are effectively over. Daemons are one of the trickiest armies to play now simply due to the amount of randomness thrown into the new book. The first big change comes from the Reign of Chaos table which is consulted when you roll for winds of magic. The effects of this table can help you for the turn (giving you an upgrade to your Ward Save, bombing enemy units, or giving you free lesser daemons or heralds) or extremely cripple you (docking your ward save or destroying your own units). The other one is the inclusion of Daemonic Gifts which are all random and disallows the use of core rulebook magic items except banners, though you may swap out your roll for a magic weapon. Daemons haven't been made ''bad'' per say, but they have become quite unpredictable for both the player and the opponent; and with the possibility of hindering your own units by random chance, their competitive strength has now become questionable.

Note that a popular choice with this army is magnetizing the models to both the square and round bases (Or simply using the round movement trays of whatever they seek best), so that you can have two armies in one. This gives you an advantage and disadvantage, the first is you have an army that can be used in both games. This seems pointless as we all know GW don't intend to raise prices, for risk of upsetting their [[just as planned|loyal]] fanbase.

Another option is just to use circle bases for anything that moves with a movement tray as they fit in perfectly AND rank up better *cough* Bloodletters *cough*, and for the bigger stuff the WHFB bases are usually smaller than their 40k counter parts so just sticky tack them on.

==Unit Analysis==
DISCLAIMER: Nothing from here on is updated to 8th edition! Needs a lot of work!

At first, Daemon units might seem frail with their lack of armour and few available options... until you look at their stat lines and their special rules. The power of the Daemons lies here and access to Daemon gifts only buffs them further. That said, these are not the [[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Chaos Daemons|40K Chaos Daemons]] and so you don't get to deep strike your entire army. In fact, you deep strike none of it - you setup just as other armies. Remember that supposed frailty issue we were murmuring about earlier? Turns out Daemons can at least be shot at to keep them at bay, with almost nothing to contribute with in the shooting phase. Although unlike other armies, they all get ward saves against it.

'''Important Note:''' Each of the 4 gods (Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh) all grant their respective daemons a unique trait.

'''Daemons of Khorne:''' Grants +1S on the charge for the turn and Hatred (Daemons of Slaanesh)
'''Daemons of Nurgle:''' Enemy models suffer -1 to hit in CC vs Daemons of Nurgle and Hatred (Daemons of Tzeentch)
'''Daemons of Tzeentch:''' Grants a re-roll of channeling and ward save results of 1 (O.O) and Hatred ( Daemons of Nurgle)
'''Daemons of Slaanesh:''' Grants Armour Piercing and Hatred (Daemons of Khorne)

===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
Like the ones from 40K, only better and considerably so. There are three Greater Daemon and four herald characters.

''Note:'' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

*'''Be'lakor, the Dark Master:''' The Dark Master is a very frightening tool for you, with his best value being in trolling. Aside from being a flying Daemon Prince, he's also a Level 4 Loremaster of Shadow with a 4++ Ward (And shots take an additional -2 to hit him), making him a very mobile monstrosity. This power gets boosted more if he makes an enemy unit fail a Panic or Break test, where he gains d3 more power dice to spend, which CAN take him over the power pool limit, but which only he can use. Enemy units within 12" have -1 Ld. Melee-wise, he's pretty decent, with an armor-ignoring magic sword, as well as all his daemonic attacks. If you're keeping him in combat, you're not using him right. Note, the -2 to hit only applies in the Shooting phase, so you won't benefit from that if your opponent chooses to stand and shoot against a charge (not that you should be charging a shooty unit head-on, given his lack of armor save). One of your few Ld 10 characters.

*'''Skarbrand, the Exiled One:''' 610 pts. for the angriest sonnova bitch of a Bloodthirster ever! He also has three stats maxed out to 10 (WS, BS and I) whilst bypassing armour and getting +1A with his axes. He also has S5 breath weapon while bestowing friendly and non-friendly units with hatred and is frenzied himself. Keep in mind that unlike other bloodthirsters, Skarbrand does not fly .

*'''Kairos Fateweaver:''' 565 pts. for the greatest magic user in the game - seriously, even compared to Slann! Nagash has rules now! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!' He's a level 4 wizard that knows no less than 15 spells that you may CHOOSE, not roll for, you CHOOSE which spells you want before the game begins. You get 4 from Life, Metal, Light and Heavens; 4 from Death, Beasts, Shadow and fire; and all spells from Lore of Tzeentch. Only problem is you have to choose each turn which set you're using, though you always have Tzeentch. His stat line is god-awful for his cost, apart from a 4+ ward save (coupled with a spell or two from the Lore of Life, this can make him extremely hard to kill), but you're taking this guy for the magic phase rape.

*'''Ku'gath, the Plaguefather:''' 625 pts. for a nigh-indestructible monstrous, stone-thrower with S5, ignores armour and a misfire just means no shots that turn. He also rides a Palanquin of Nurglings, but the real cool feature is, again, the fact that he hurls Nurglings fit to burst from sucking his fatass off! Can effectively neutralize war machines that would otherwise be shooting at him.

*'''Isabella the Accursed''': That's right, you finally have a Lords model that isn't huger than all hell, and it's the resurrected corpse of [[Isabella von Carstein]]. Issy's now a Level 3 Vampires/Daemon!Nurgle Wizard, makes undead units she wounded in combat take d3 additional unsaveable wounds, and enemies in base contact during the Magic Phase takes an armour-ignoring S1 hit. Her statline adds +1 WS/T, becomes Initiative 8 (Wait...we sure this is Nurgle?) and A6. Oh, and she replaces her chalice with a new Plague Chalice that becomes a grenade. After placing the small blast on herself, she moves it in a direction ahead of her 3d6 inches and anyone who touches it must now test Toughness or take an unsaveable wound. Oh, and she has Hatred (Undead), so totally throw her in front of Mortarch Vlad.

Alternate Take: This character is pure, undiluted shit in a Daemon army, as she lacks Daemonic Alignment; she cannot join any friendly units, and is a nice 300+ pts lone character in an edition in which that is suicide. Skip. Skip for miles. Avoid like the plague (of Nurgle)

*'''U'zhul Skulltaker:''' RAPE INCARNATE! Essentially a herald of Khorne with a Lesser Locus, a WS and I of 9, flaming attacks, magic resistance, a 3+ armour save and heroic killing blow in duels! Great for hiding in a unit of Bloodletters or Bloodcrushers - just watch out for those always strikes first characters and dragonhelm/dragon armour, they can still fuck him up.

*'''The Masque of Slaanesh:''' Although better than her 40K incarnation, still not really worth it as she cannot join units. Pretty good in close combat with her unnatural reflexes and awesome at disrupting units with her eternal dance.

*'''Epidemius:''' The Nurgle version of Skulltaker, with T5, virulence locus, and gives continuous buffs to Nurgle units in your army. Pretty sweet if you have the points to spare and essential if playing an all Nurgle army. You may want to think about buying the Kazyk the Befouled model to use instead of the Epidemius one. It looks better and, even though it's Forgeworld, is actually cheaper than the GW Epi model!

*'''The Blue Scribes:''' A tougher herald that randomly generates bound spells. Not really worth it.

* '''The Changeling:''' special character that can shore up the lack of close combat ability in a squad of horrors. Basically a herald with -1A and Van Horstman's Speculum, he swaps stats (WS,S,T,I and A but not wounds so be careful) with an enemy in base contact/a challenge.(Unfortunately... nope, this guy got a huge nerf bat as he doesn't switch stats... he only copies them... so most of the time he will be destroyed by geared up characters as he doesn't copy items... only stats...)

* '''Karanak, Hound of Vengeance:''' Born & bred to rape wizards. Can nominate one character before battle to re-roll to hit and to wound against with his 4 S5 I6 attacks at WS7. His special toy is a brass collar (see Flesh Hounds) that causes a S10 hit against any wizard within 12" before they get bent over by their miscast roll. He also gives his unit frenzy. You're going to pay for all of this, however, since Karanak costs twice what you would pay for a bare bones generic herald. Is he worth it? Ask yourself two questions: is your opponent undead or does he have pointed ears? If you answered yes to either laugh as Karanak takes a chunk out of Teclis'/vampire general's/hierophant's crotch.

====Generic Characters====

NOTE: You can always swap out results for magic ''weapons'' (or one of the Hellforged Artifacts, if using the Exalted Gifts chart), when rolling on the Gifts chart.

*'''Bloodthirster:''' You know him, you love him, Khorne's greater daemon retains his throne as one of the most killiest characters in the game. On top of the usual daemon awesomeness, he comes with two hand weapons, heavy armour, can fly, has magic resistance (2), and 10s in WS, BS, with I9, on top of Thunderstomp. Like last edition, this guy is susceptible to shooting, given that he will attract ALL war machine and general ranged attacks from your opponent, because if he doesn't, he has to face a fucking Bloodthirster in close combat and get [[rape|raped]]. This guy is also the only greater daemon that can't use magic, which has the strange ability of making him the potentially cheapest of the lot - you don't even have to buy this guy much, but if you must, you can purchase up to 100 points worth of Daemonic Gifts, keeping him just under the 501 point mark when loaded out.
**'''Unfettered Fury:''' Basically the basic Bloodthirster under End Times Archaon.
**'''Insensate Rage:''' 100 more points for Frenzy, HKB, and a Great Weapon. He'll be epic at cleaning out challenges or monsters, but really, that shouldn't be worth 100 points. It's also not giving you anything more than what you got.
**'''Wrath of Khorne:'''150 more points gives more of a boost. Frenzy, Devastating Charge, Magic Resistance 3, and a S5 Flaming breath weapon. He also gets Hatred (Characters) with a bonus 3" added when charging one and weapons that give +2S on the charge and an extra attack. Issue is that for the cost of a kitted Greater Daemon with Wizard, you're just getting more ways to murder things without any better protection against warmachines.
***'''Alternative take''' : Spending 400 + points (let us be honest, You DO invest quite a bit in this guy) on a totally unreliable glass cannon does not work in DoC, especially with the new Army Book. You do lack the AS to stay long enough in close combat, and no, a 5+ Ward Save is not a reliable defensive mechanism, especially on a costly Lord! Moreover, using BT means no 4 level Wizards for You, which is a shame, considering DoCh no longer holds the advantage of having killy and finely priced units as they used to have. Excluding Beasts of Nurgle. So I do like to ask You, dear readers : Do you really want to pump points into a combat Lord, expensive one may I add, who has little to none defense and acts as the best Glass Cannon WHFB? The price is high : lack of a 4 level Wizard and the possibility of losing this guy to one cannon ball shot (Yes, this may happen to all GD but remember, they are all wizards and do provide You with fine magical support). To sum up, It is yours to decide if you have the balls to use this GD. I do choose a safer option.

*'''Lord of Change:''' Tzeentch's big bad spellcaster. Not as physically imposing as the other Greater Daemons (having less weapon skill, initiative, or attacks); however, what he lacks in combat prowess he makes up in magic and trickery. He is the cheapest by far to raise to level 4, starting with a base level 2. With the new book he no longer knows all the spells of the Lore of Tzeentch, but now he can use the Lore of Metal instead if he chooses to. Metal is a decent lore because it has the tools to answer high armored units (i.e. Searing Doom) and the Banner of the World Dragon (i.e. Final Transmutation.) He's taken a slight hit thanks to there being only two good Daemonic Gifts that apply to a spell caster. Now, even though he's not as combat-ready as his Daemonic counterparts, he is still a monster that flies. Fly around, cast spells, and charge at the right target and at the right time, just like the scheming Tzeentch-playing bastard that you are.

*'''Keeper of Secrets:''' Probably one of the best choices here, solid magic ability, excellent close combat skills and have had a significant point drop (down to 375). Again, the change to Gifts has significantly changed how you use this guy, no more crazy gift combos, but still very good for tearing through infantry or kitted out to be a fairly efficient character killer. As is the norm for monsters, expect your opponent to fire everything they have at it so pray for some good rolls on the gift table.One thing to note is that with some fairly jammy rolling you could end up with things like +1W, no armour saves against his/her/its attacks, regen 1W at end of the phase when you cause wounds in melee, 2+ armour save (that cannot be improved) or +2 attacks thanks to the Daemonic gifts table. Suprisingly, this guy works well with Tzeentchian units. Lore of Shadow can cripple T and M of enemy units, making them greatly less resistant to Warpflame tests. Stick him behind something with many Wounds (Beasts of Nurgle anyone?) and have some T test FUN.

*'''Great Unclean One:''' He's fat, ugly and slow. He also has 6 wounds. Also throws down with poisoned attacks. The Lore of Nurgle is pretty slick for shredding low T/S units but Lore of Death is the first choice lore recommended to put on this guy, but no need to really splurge here. He got an extra point of toughness but that really doesn't mean shit with how 8th edition works. His lowered point cost, now 375, does make him more viable for smaller games though for an extra 75 points he could end up with 2 of the daemonic gifts listed in the keeper of secrets analysis. Of all the GD, he's probably the most well rounded option as he can hold his own in combat fairly well (WS6 and T7), coupled with some luck on the Daemonic Gifts chart you will have a nigh unkillable wizard.

*'''Daemon Prince:''' The other generic lord-level unit. Cheapest by far, clocking in at a basic 250 pts. You HAVE to dedicate them now but Slaanesh is free and the rest are pretty cheap so it isn't a big deal. They can now be pumped to a LvL 4 wizard and take 4+ armour ''and'' wings in addition to their Gift allocation. Slap wings on em and go eat some wizards/warmachines, overall a very solid choice.

*'''Heralds:''' Your generic hero choices that come in 4 flavors as below. Note, all the heralds have access to abilities called "Loci," which makes them share their special power with a unit of troops of that Chaos god. They can also ride mounts or chariots of their gods.
** '''Herald of Khorne:''' Close combat awesome! WS7, S5 and lots of killing blow attacks! His locus powers are either Magic Resist 2 (30 pts), Frenzy (60 pts) or Hatred (75 pts) granted to the Khorne unit he is in. Can also take 50 pts. of gifts. You can also put him on a Juggernaut or chariot. The HoK came out worse than before due to having to buy a Locus and lowered S.
*** *'''Blood Throne of Khorne:''' The only way you can get this thing in. But is it worth it? It's a chariot, has two Bloodletters on board, and the Blood Throne itself can attack (and heal itself if it causes wounds on impact hits!) However, the model looks like a cover from a Lady Gaga album, and I'm left wondering what happened to [[Doomrider]]. Build your kit to make a Skull Cannon instead, and BAM! Free Herald of Khorne in the box! The throne does let all Khornate units within 6" benefit from the herald's locus, but if your opponent has any brain cells he'll aim everything he has at it turn 1. Might be useful if you bring something else that is a bigger fire magnet *cough* Bloodthirster *cough*. *NOTE* you could take 4 of these in place of a Bloodthirster but that is a bit of an iffy idea. '''Alternative Take''' : NOT AS SHIT as You might think, dear Readers. It has a nice armor save, fielding a Herald with it provides him with a 2+ AS, which is awesome, considering most daemons are fucking naked. The Greater Locust of Fury should be Your main and ONLY choice here. It boosts up Bloodletters to a level of medium usefulness and proves a good shooting magnet. The 5+ Ward Save is really handy here. Remember that You can actually park this guy near a unit or 2 of Letters and just push the lane heavily, most opponents will try to avoid them due to the Killing Blow. NOT AS BAD. Still, the model blows.
** '''Herald of Tzeentch:''' Magic awesome! Not much of a stat line, but he comes as a level 1 wizard and can re-roll ward saves and channeling rolls of 1. He has 3 loci: d3+1 blue horror counters (25), random strength each turn (35) (that just sounds like a bad idea), or +1 strength to spells cast by the herald and the unit he joins (50). You could instead put him on a Disc or Chariot of Tzeentch, but you're wasting the locus power. Not much point taking them without some pink horrors to keep him safe.
** '''Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch:''' You know that humble Burning Chariot in the rare slot? Well what if I told you there's a way to take it at half the cost, in a less limited selection slot, and you could put it in a unit of skirmishers? Then my friend you are in luck because someone at GW decided to make a Battlescroll that does exactly that for 90 points. Madness I know, but hey when your friends use Banner of the World Dragon you are free to punish them with this not-war machine hero. No guarantee you will have friends left but at least you killed those elves really well that one game.
** '''Herald of Slaanesh:''' A very cost effective herald, comes with a pretty kickin' rad stat line with armor piercing. Its three loci are: auto-pass dangerous terrain, Look Out, Sir!, and all stat tests except Ld (5), Always Strikes First (50)<--YOU WANT THIS, or you get to choose who answers your herald's challenges and all enemies in b2b are at -3 initiative (60). Can be mounted on steed, seeker chariot or exalted seeker chariot of Slaanesh. Can also be upgraded to Lv1 wizard with access to lore of Slaanesh or Lore of Shadow. Might be worth it since all the daemon lore attributes let you add models to your units.
** '''Herald of Nurgle:''' Still T5, still tougher and stronger than your average Plaguebearer. Can ride a Palanquin, giving him a 50mm base footprint and 4 Wounds! Can get very expensive very fast though, especially if you load him out with the 50 points of Daemonic Gifts and buy casting options for him. Can choose from one of three Loci: Virulence (unit get Poison on a 5+), Fecundity (unit gets Regen), or Contagion (if any model in the unit scores a 6 to Hit for poison, the enemy suffers an additional S4 auto-hit). The curse of the leaper spell allows you to increase a units T by D3 and watch a your opponent cries at your unit of 30 T7, 4+ ward plague bearers thanks to regen save from the second loci. '''Alternative take''' : Consider Fencer's Blades! 10 WS and +1 attack combined with -1 to hit means most rank and file shit will hit You at 6'.

===Core Units===
*'''Bloodletters of Khorne:''' Still have that Magic Resistance, Killing Blow, but 2 points more now too (and come with a modest Scaly Skin save). However, they also dropped a point in Strength, and have to charge to get that point back. They're also toughness 3 and will take a lot of wounds in return. They also only posses 1 attack which does no service to them. They need a Herald to help them. A Herald with the Blood Throne I may add! Lack of good WS when not mounted means he will die like shit at any close combat. Throne provides minimum defense against that and still can grant the Locust on the Bloodletters. AND YES. They need the Frenzy Locust to do anything.

*'''Pink Horrors of Tzeentch:''' A unit of Pink Horrors is a level 1 wizard that takes its one spell from the Daemon Lore of Tzeentch. Best taken in minimum 10-man units, because while they do get a bonus to cast based on their rank bonus, they will know only one spell, and even then you still have to roll for it. You could take one or two minimum-sized units to fill your core requirement, all the while benefiting from their ability to channel dice. One other thing to note is that Horrors do not roll on the miscast table when they miscast, meaning six-dicing that Infernal Gateway does not lead to a chance of power dice being taken away from the pool.

*'''Daemonettes of Slaanesh:''' 11 pts. for M of 6, WS and I of 5 and 2 attacks base with Armour Piercing make for some good fun in small units. You can put the flaming banner on a unit of Daemonettes to give them flaming attacks as they are not equipped with magical weapons like Bloodletters or Plaguebearers (EDIT: Daemonic Attacks under the daemonic special rule states that ALL daemon attacks are magical, including Daemonette attacks). Kitted them out this way, they are not bad at hunting Regenerating units (i.e. Trolls). '''Alternative approach''' : Large blocks, backed up with Lore of Shadows and ASF Locust. They are cheap and have many attacks. 5+ Ward Save means they won't die like shit all the time. Two blocks of 25 or 30 is not AS expensive as You might think :)

*'''Plaguebearers of Nurgle:''' They have poisoned attacks and a crippling initiative of 2 but can be a very daunting prospect when marched in a horde with a Strength and Toughness of 4.( Remember, they cause the enemy models to get a -1 modifier to hit them, they can tie something up for a good while in a horde, then smack them around with poison.) PLAY THEM IN A HORDE WITH EPIDEMIUS AND WAIT FOR YOUR POINTY-EARED OPPONENT TO SOB BEFORE YOUR S5 T5 HORDE OF UNPARALLELED "FUN"

*'''Plague Toads (Forge World):''' For 24 points you get a Monstrous Beast of Nurgle. They have a 5++ ward save and Poisoned Attacks. They move further then Plaguebearers, but they lose Regeneration. Like their cousins, they have low initiative, this time of 1. They have two attacks base, but don't forget that they also have a stomp. They also count as a horde at only 6 wide and the third rank can make its full attacks. All in all, they work out to about the same value as Plaguebearers but with higher movement (being 2 points more than two Plaguebearers trading 1 point of initiative and 2 points of leadership for 2 wounds, two attacks and a stomp attack). You should play them slightly differently to take advantage of them properly, though they do allow you to field a fairly fast Nurgle army when combined with the other choices.

===Special Units===
*'''Bloodcrushers of Khorne:''' These guys got moved from the Rare units to Special, probably because GW noticed they weren't selling and they adjusted them in the book updates. They dropped in price and in strength: Bloodletters will only be hitting at S4 along with the usual Khorne swag in Magic Resistance and Scaly Skin and stuff. However, they did gain a wound in the trade off and as long as they charge (which they should be doing anyways) they get that lost S back. 65 points a model for 1 less point in Strength and 1 more toughness and wound. There are a few rather large downsides however include the fact that their rather pricey, at £33 for 3, and as good as they are at combat they only pump out a max of 10 attacks (7 with killing blow) so you might want think about spending that £33 on something a bit more productive. '''Alternative take''' : Do consider adding a Herald of Khorne with Greater Locust of Fury. It greatly increases their damage potential! ( Both the mount and the rider gain +1 attack). Add a Banner of Swiftness and you get a nice, hard hitting unit, with DECENT numer of attacks (2 per rider, 4 per mount). Sadly, its kinda expensive. Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend NOT using this unit without a Herald backup.

*'''Seekers of Slaanesh:''' Daemonettes on Steeds of Slaanesh with a bit of a buff. Fast Cav, and the Steeds have Poison. But Fiends of Slaanesh still get the job done better. Still, not bad if you're playing on a budget, as they're roughly a third the cost of a Fiend. 9 of them and a herald can be rather fun.

*'''Flesh Hounds of Khorne:''' A cheap little way to wizard snipe your enemy. Magic Resistance (3), M8 and a fistful of high initiative/strength attacks. Not a bad choice.

*'''Furies:''' These birds from hell finally found a home in the Special Unit selection, and you have the option of dedicating the unit to a particular god for 2 points a model. Now we have a fast warmachine-hunting unit that even Dwarfs fear (if taking the Mark of Khorne).

*'''Flamers of Tzeentch:''' Flamers are an oddity in the case that they fulfill a similar role to outriders in the empire book, namely maneuvering to a position on a units flank and pestering that unit until it devotes time and effort into chasing your flamers. Why do I come to this conclusion? Well, it is clearly obvious that you will be paying a premium for flamers, 40 pts. each, and while there are a number of special rules tied to them(I will address them later) they are still only T4 with a 5+ ward save, making them comparable to a slightly singed marshmallow. In addition, their main form of attack has a moderately short range of 18" and the "multiple shots(D6)" special rule, these two factors combine to result in a hefty "Roll to hit" penalty if the flamer unit is doing it's utmost best to stay out of combat. However, with a movement value of 6" it is fairly easy to get into a unit's flank, and from their you can get as close as possible without fear of receiving a charge. If on the odd chance your opponent ignores them you can remain stationary next turn, allowing you to deliver quite a formidable broadside. Luckily, Flamers come with one key special rule that allows them to achieve this, "Skirmishers". This special rule allows the unit to twist a wriggle it's way through small gaps, reform to face a new direction and still move to reduce the number of hits from ranged attacks that will inevitably come it's way. Their major down side, courtesy of [[matt ward|Smurf lover]] , is the rule Warp Flame, it means that if the unit being shot by the flamers takes an unsaved wound it must take a T test, if it fails the test it takes D3 wound with no armour saves and if it passes the unit gets a +1 increase to their FUCKING REGEN saves, that's a stackable 6+ WWWWWAAAAARRRRDDDD save, for the rest of the game.

*'''Screamers of Tzeentch:''' Screamers are a unit designed to pester and harass, with the ability to fly and a formidable amount of attacks and S/T 4, you can easily wipe flak away, but the beauty of this unit is it's ability to inflict reliable damage without a chance of any returning to it. You may elect a single unit the screamers have moved over, and for every screamer in the unit, you will inflict D3 S4 attacks that hit on a 4+. Granted it might not seem great but they sure soften up special units between 10 and 20. When in CC with a large target they have D3 multiple wounds, bear in mind they get 3 CC attacks each, so say bye to that rare monster your enemy invested 200+ points in.

*'''Nurglings:''' They still scout and skirmish, but lost Poison. Best to tie up things in the backfield or screen and hope a bad Instability roll doesn't kill them all. Fun pitting them against 20-30 zombies.

*'''Fiends of Slaanesh:''' Wanna run down your opponents army on a flank charge? Bring some Fiends! S/T4 with 3 armour piercing attacks at I6 and a move of 10. Oh and they come stock with Soporific Musk. Use these creepy fuckers to flank and break basic and armoured infantry regiments with ease.

*'''Beasts of Nurgle:''' WE 60 POINTS NOW. Welcome to the new masters of never dying ever. Still get their d6+1 random attacks, still have 4 wounds, but also have Regen, Slime trail, Poison, and with Attention Seeker, they can take challenges and give them, meaning your solo Greater Daemon rape machine won't get stuck by that chump Skeleton champion over there. Take em home in boxes, take em home in cases. IF YOUR TZEENTCH OVERLORDS TRY TO STOP YOU, JUST THROW IT IN THEIR FACES

*'''Seeker Chariots:''' Scythed chariot with a rather skimpy armour save that does get bolstered by the standard daemon ward save. Crewed by Daemonettes and pulled by Steeds of Slaanesh. For more info look at the Daemonettes and Seekers entries above.

* '''Pox Riders ([[Forge World]])''': Fucking traps. For 11 points more than a regular Plague Toad you get what equals out to one more attack. That's it. You might as well pay the extra two points to get an actual Plaguebearer (which is his own separate wound) or you could pay some more to get another Plague Toad. If you absolutely must use these, use them like a regular Plague Toad and wonder why you spent the extra points on these overcosted abominations.

*'''Putrid Blightkings (End Times)''' : cannot be fielded in a pure Daemon army (Legion of Chaos or Warriors of Chaos only). These are not the droids you're looking for.

===Rare Units===
*'''Soul Grinder:''' This is the only place in the entire book where you'll have artillery support outside of the Skull Cannon, and stone throwers aren't bad to have if you're trying to clear out specific targets in the backfield or just looking to get a couple shots off before combat (remember you can move and shoot). It does compete with all of the other cool choices in the Rare Units, though... though it could find a home in a Warp Forge-oriented list or theme army. <s>T7 makes pointy ears shit thems'elfs'</s> Not really, T5 and T7 are the same to S3. Mind poison. (HE rare archers and DE crossbowelves have S4 ranged attacks, against which T7 does matter. Only the Wood Elves, who are SUPPOSED to be good archers, get shafted with the pathetic S3 range attacks. WE get shafted a lot when compared to the other elves...).

*'''Plague Drones of Nurgle:''' These guys are even bigger bastards than the Beasts of Nurgle. 55 points gives you Monstrous Cavalry at 4, T5, poison, at least 4 attacks from each model, a Stomp, and they Hover. That's right, FLYING MONSTROUS CAVALRY. I've seen people, divided over whether or not the model looks good, but what more do you want from a Rare unit? It's Plaguebearers riding flies from your sister's worst nightmares.

*'''Skull Cannon of Khorne:''' YES PLEASE. Daemons now get a cannon mounted on a chariot, and Ogres wish they had something this cool. T5, Flaming Cannonball, and the chariot itself can attack and heal itself (like the Blood Throne), and IT CAN MOVE AND FIRE. Take two, and wonder what that Hell Pit was over there before it exploded. If you do take a Skull cannon rather than a Blood throne then be careful beacuse the herald of khorne modle doesn't actually fit on to a standard daemon base. (Fits perfectly on juggernaut...)

*'''Burning Chariot of Tzeentch:''' Like the Skull Cannon, the Burning Chariot is another form of war-machine mounted upon "wheels" and permitted to move freely, in this case the wheels are circling air currents as the burning chariot is capable of flying. Of immediate note is it's maneuverability, whilst it does have the fly special rule, it is a chariot, which prevents it from marching the full 20", and as it is a flyer with screamers as steeds, when fleeing or pursuing you must use their movement value of 1". However, it is still capable of moving over units and objects, and it's primary form of attack makes up for its weaknesses. The Burning Chariot has 2 flavours, it can either elect to fire as a fire thrower with a S of D6(pink fire/raspberry ripple), or fire as a cannon grapeshot with a range of 12" BS4 and a S of D6+3(blue fire/Rum and raisin), these two options allow the chariot to tackle any form of unit in the game, and the ability to fly allows the Burning Chariot to get into a suitable range to maximize the damage inflicted, thus eliminating the primary weakness of all fire throwers and grape shots. In addition, when combat is joined, the chariot is perfectly capable of charging into a units rear and causing considerable damage, as not only is the chariot Scythed at S4, but the crew and steeds have 9 S4 I4 attacks between them with the screamers at WS3 and the flamer at WS4, thus allowing the chariot to easily contribute to any combat. However the Burning Chariot is incredibly fragile, especially considering that it costs 150 Pts. at T4 and 4 wounds, any concentrated fire is a serious concern, thus positioning is crucial when using one.

*'''Exalted Seeker Chariot:''' A bigger, badder seeker chariot. Watch as it turns any small block of infantry (less than 30) into little more than a speed bump with 2d6+1 impact hits, 10 armour piercing attacks from the crew and 4 poisoned attacks from those ugly fuckers in the front, all striking before anything slower than those pointy-eared bastards.

*'''Hellflayer of Slaanesh:''' Another Slaaneshi chariot. Same stats as a seeker chariot but the queen/king bitch gets bonus attacks equal to the amount of roadkill made by the impact hits.

==Building Your Army==
The Daemons battle force is a good place to start, otherwise start with a Herald and a block or two core. Bloodletters and Plaguebearers are good starts, expand with a Prince or a greater daemon and some supporting units like Daemonettes, Horrors or special/rare choices.

===Army Composition===
Your core can vary, with Bloodletters being 14 points each you want to put them in fights
that they will win, so like every other army don't have them try to toe off with warriors because
their OP units of characters. Daemonettes are pretty good when used as redirecting units so a
few small units may not be a bad idea. nurgle plague bearers are hit and miss, like Bloodletters
their really hard hitting, and like to stay around, its a good unit to hold flanks. finally for
core there's pink horrors, which are OK, but get worse if you don't have many magic dice, it is,
however possible to run say a 10 man unit or 2, with 2 lvl 2 heralds of Tzeentch nearby, because
the daemon magic lore attributes add daemons to nearby units of the god that the lore is for,
but you get a extra horror on a 4+ instead of a 5+ like the other 2 core that can be bolstered
like that, so you can have a ever growing unit if you keep magic pressure on your opponent. You
also want to sneak Heralds into these units plus a special standard, though that last one is
superfluous.

Take <s>Flamers</s> Beasts and Khannons or you're doing it wrong and either a Daemon Prince or a Greater Daemon (a KOS or LOC is recommended).

A good goal is to build towards one or two gods at first, and add to your collection over time, because every god by itself is fairly reliable (nurgle is arguably the best) when you mix two or more your army will quickly become a honed daemon death machine.

===Daemonic Gifts===
Daemons do not get access to magic items, which in 8th edition can be a bit of setback. However, they may purchase rolls on the Daemonic Gifts table, available to them in their army book and just like magic items, it's easy to go overboard with them. Your Greater Daemons get 100 pts. worth, Daemon Princes 75 and Heralds 50.

Remember that you can swap your gift for a points-equivalent magic weapon from the BRB. What this means is that you can actually tailor your setup based on who you are up against. For example, if you're playing against an army with high armor, you could swap your Greater Gift result for an Obsidian Blade or Ogre Blade.

*'''Exalted Daemonic Gifts:''' These bad boys come in at 75 points per gift,(unlike greater and lesser you may not chose to swap these out for generic magic item of the same value) <s>so only your Greater Daemons might be running these</s>. As such, a bad roll on here will make you feel like you wasted points. After the roll is made, you may choose to keep the roll or opt for the 0 option, just like with deciding magic spells. You cannot have multiples of the same roll, and you cannot buy more than two rolls on a table. 
**0: Hellforged Artifact. Choose from a series of four magic items that may make the game even more [[fun]]:
**1: Aura of Disruption. You get a free dispel dice each time the model is on the board and a dispel attempt is made, like some weird anti-Slann.
**2: Sorcerous Lodestone. When anyone casts a spell, on a 5+, your Daemon regains a wound. If someone miscasts, on a 4+, your Daemon loses a wound. Why? BECAUSE CHAOS
**3: Bringer of the Swarm. For each unsaved wound you do to a unit (and there should be many), a unit of Chaos Furies is made next to you with a number of dudes equal to how many guys wounds you did. If you can't put the unit down, you get NOTHING. <s> These guys count as victory points </s> lol no they don't.
**4: Impenetrable Hide. +2 Toughness. Could be awesome, but everything wounds on a 6 anyway.
**5: Massive Might. +3 Strength. Aren't you already at S6 or higher anyway?
**6: Doubly Blessed. Roll once on this table and the Lesser table and take both, re-rolling results of 6.

*'''Greater Daemonic Gifts:''' These are worth 50 points apiece, and since you can take multiples, you have a better shot at getting what you want. Overall though this table is more or less a trap, because they are either inefficient or downright detrimental to your character's well-being. Only the armor result is really worth it.
**0: Greater Weapon. Choose this and get either a magic weapon from the core rulebook worth up to 50 points, or get a god-specific weapon from the following page.
**1: Unholy Sacrifice. (More expensive, less effective, more self-destructive forbidden rod. Pass). Lose d3 wounds with no possible save to get d3+1 Power dice in your magic phase that turn. In other news, <s>emo Daemons are back, and that 5th Chaos God we don't speak of is trying to get out.</s> Absolutely disgusting as d3 wounds is not worth d3+1 power dice.
**2: Corpulence. +1 Wound. This is not worth it. 50 points for 1 wound is not that efficient. Consider getting a magic weapon instead.
**3: Incorporeal Strike. No armor saves can be taken against this beast. Look at who you're up against. Lotsa armor? Take it. Not so much armor? Exchange it for more attacks or more strength.
**4: Souleater. Remember Soul Stealer from the old book? It's back, but this time you only get one Wound back per combat phase.
**5: Unbreakable Skin. 2+ Armor Save that cannot be improved EVAR. Probably the best one on this table. You want your characters to stay alive, and armor certainly helps in being resilient.
**6: Unholy Flurry. +2 Attacks. Honestly a little underwhelming. Could be worth it on a Bloodthirster because this stacks with his additional hand weapon, giving him 9 attacks in total.

*'''Lesser Daemonic Gifts:''' These are 25 points apiece, and cheap enough to make enemy characters think twice about challenging when a Herald is around. This is the table that you want multiples of, because it has more useful and effective results compared to the Greater one.
**0: Magic Weapon. Same as the Greater Gift, but your max is at 25 points...or you could pick something your god wants you to have. If you have terrible luck, consider getting the ASF sword on your Greater Daemons since they have good strength already, the rerolls would be more beneficial.
**1: Skill Swallower. If you slay a character in combat, increase one of your stats by 1. Your choice! This one unfortunately is not that great on account of the fact that you have to kill a character to get the benefit.
**2: Cleaving Blow. Your guy gets Multiple Wounds (2). Consider what your opponent has. If you're up against Ogres or a monster-heavy army, then this will absolutely wreak havoc.
**3: Crushing Mass. When you charge, your daemon pretends he's an Ogre and gets d3 Impact Hits.
**4: Dark Blessing. You get a Luckstone! Very useful in a cannon-saturated meta. Probably almost always a must-keep. Take note that you get the 2+ ward save on your first WOUND, not your first hit.
**5: Noxious Breath. You get a Wood Elf Dragon Breath Weapon. Not too bad.
**6: Unnatural Swiftness. Always Strikes First, because fuck High Elves. What this also means is that you can swap your other Gift results for a weapon and still get the benefits of ASF.

===Reign of Chaos===
When you roll for Winds of Magic now, you take your roll and consult the table below. Some of these can help you, others can hinder and some can swing either way. Results 5, 6, 8, and 9 don't affect units locked in combat.

* 2- Everything with Daemonic Instability immediately tests for it. Okay, so not only are you going to have a useless magic phase, but now everything in your army is at risk of vanishing.
* 3- As above, but only hits one random character, so not as bad. Losing a Greater Daemon to this would really suck though.
* 4- Your Daemons' Ward Save gets gimped by 1 until your next turn. Watch the fuck out because as soon as your opponent sees this happen they will drop the hammer.
* 5- Tzeentch hurls fire throughout the battlefield. On the roll of a 6, enemy units will take a small pie plate of S4 Flaming Magical hits. Your own Nurgle dudes are at risk of getting hit too though. [[Just as planned]].
* 6- Nurgle spreads his love. Those who embrace his love take D6+3 S3 hits with no armor saves allowed with your own Tzeentch units at risk of being hit as well.
* 7- Jack shit. Nothing happens.
* 8- Slaanesh rubs his nipples and things start dying. Lucky targets including Khornate daemons take a leadership test on 3D6 and take wounds based on the number failed by with no armor saves allowed.
* 9- Khorne makes skulls rain from the sky. More pie plates but these ones scatter 3D6 and are treated as stone thrower shots with the center template being S9 with Multiple wounds D6 and everything else being S3. Oh and Slaanesh might [[just as planned|"accidentally"]] be targeted with these as well.
* 10- Your Daemons' Ward Save is improved by 1 until your next turn. Essentially the opposite of result 4. Your whole army now has Talismans of Preservation for even just a turn. Think on that for a while.
* 11- You see some of those enemy wizards? Well one of them (random choice) has to pass a leadership check or get killed. If he dies, you get a free Herald of your chosen alignment for '''free'''. Best as a Tzeentch one because you immediately generate a spell and you gain an extra channeling chance for the turn (if you need it, you did roll 11 after all). Because otherwise these Heralds have no upgrades.
* 12- A free unit of 2D6 +3 Lesser Daemons shows up '''anywhere''' one inch away from other shit. Despite this being a rare happening, you'll want to have a few extra models in case this happens because if you don't have enough models the unit doesn't enter play at all. But hey, do you see that unit of Skullcrushers about to hit your Pink Horrors' flank? Boom: block of Plaguebearers standing in their way.

===Magic===
There are 3 Daemon Lores, one each for Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch. The lore attributes for all three are incredibly similar, as they all grant a token to one lesser daemon unit of the corresponding faction(Daemonettes for the lore of Slaanesh, horrors for the lore of Tzeentch etc.) for every wound caused, each token will generate a new lesser daemon on a 5+ with the exception of horrors, which is a 4+. This also effects certain specified daemonic beasts but only on a 6+.

*'''Daemon Lore of Nurgle:''' An odd lore, clearly written for the warriors of chaos and full of garbage spells with a few fantastic gems.
**0. '''Stream of Corruption:''' While on paper this spell is quite powerful, the problem lies in the pitiful range of the template and the inability to cast the spell on a unit the caster is currently engaged in combat with, these two factors will result in the spell seeing very little use in game unless you deem it necassery to take a flying daemon prince of Nurgle.
**1. '''Miasma Of Pestilence:''' A basic, easy to cast buff that applies a debuff of -1 WS and I to any enemy unit in base contact with the target, by doing so you can potentially decrease the number of hits received and increase the number of hits dealt out, making this spell moderately useful, but certainly not powerful.
**2. '''Blades of Putrefaction:''' Applies the "poisoned attacks" special rule to a friendly unit within 18" or upgrades an existing "poisoned attacks" special rule to activate on a 5+. Oddly enough, this spell is best applied to units like Daemonettes, as their high number of attacks and low S will make the most of the special rule, while units like plague bearers will actually rarely make use of it, as the locus of virulence offers the exact same effect in a passive package.
**3. '''Curse of the Leper:''' This is a fantastic spell that can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes at a handy casting value of 10+. It has a range of 18" and acts like a augment to friendly units, giving them +D3 toughness, or as a hex to your opponents units, decreasing their toughness by D3. This spell allows you to apply some much needed protection to your rather squishy units or guarantee a victory in almost any close combat.
**4. '''Rancid Visitations:''' Another very powerful spell with a range of 18", rancid visitations inflicts D6 S5 hits on a single target unit, and unless they pass a toughness test, it will inflict another D6 S5 hits with a additional toughness test, and so it goes, on and on until the unit passes a toughness test, or it is wiped out. Now, it must be made clear that this is not a universal killer, nor is it something that you can rely upon to deliver a consistent amount of damage, it is however, very effective at thinning large units of weak infantry, and can be combed with curse of the leper to tackle even heavy infantry and monsters.
**5. '''Fleshy Abundance:''' THE garbage spell of the lore, as it applies a 5+ regeneration save on a targeted friendly unit or increase a existing regeneration save by +1. The problem lies in all daemon units possessing a 5+ invulnerable save as basic with beasts of Nurgle being the only unit in the book possessing a natural regeneration save and Plague bearers being upgradeable with a herald with a specific(and expensive)locus. With this in mind, you could gear up a Plague bearer unit to become very powerful tank, of course, nobody wants to fight a unit of S/T 4 infantry with a 3+ regeneration save, but there is no reliable way to ensure you possesses the spell that can be done for cheap, the cheapest level 4 wizard is a 395 Pts. Nurgle Daemon prince, and a herald of Nurgle is 125 points at level 1.
**6. '''Plague Wind:''' If Daemons had cheap access to level 4 wizards, this spell might not be too bad, but as you can see from the bullet point above, you do not have access to cheap level 4 wizards, meaning that this spell will suffer from being mainly restricted to a level 1 herald. Plague wind is a magical vortex that inflicts a number of hits on a unit equal to the number of models it passes over, for each hit, the unit must pass a toughness test or suffer a wound with no armor saves. The vortex will move a distance equal to the roll on the artillery dice multiplied by the casters wizard level. Unfortunately the spell is far too similar to "stream of Corruption" to be of any significant use aside from charge blocking, you can however, cast this spell into combat, making it quite a reasonable threat, if at a weighty cost.

*'''Daemon Lore of Slaanesh:''' personally my favourite lore. good all round really. Great for fuckery and shenanigans.
**0. '''Lash of Slaanesh:''' the one truly weak spell in the lore, and it just ''has'' to be the signature, right? It's basically a 24" cannon bounce that does a S3 armor pierce to everyone hit. Not very good, except maybe for some minor thinning of a large unit- also bear in mind the Lore Attribute, so maybe you can add a couple free models to one of your Daemonette units.
**1. '''Acquiescence:''' the first of the awesome fuckery spells. A hex with 24" range (boostable to 48") that gives Random Movement D6 and Always Strike Last to the target until the caster's next Magic Phase. Doesn't sound like much, right? But think about it. The enemy's death star suddenly stalls out like a unit of trolls that forgot to stand near the general. Or those annoying elfs lose their Always Strike First, evening things out a bit (and presumably you have ASF on your Daemonettes, so you get to show them how it feels...). And you can get creative- for example, war machines and handguns are typically "move or fire" weapons. If you have Random Movement, you are ''required'' to move. So cast this on an enemy cannon and buy yourself a little time to move around. Just be aware that Random Move also allows the unit to make a free turn before they make their move, and if the move makes them bump an enemy, they count as having charged- so if you cast this on a unit near you, you might be helping the enemy flank you.
**2. '''Pavane of Slaanesh:''' a direct damage that forces a single target model (can snipe characters in units) to take a Ld test on 3d6 added together, and failure inflicts exactly one wound with no armor save. Not really all that exciting since it's usually easy to pass Ld tests nowadays and the guys you would really want to kill (enemy generals, lords, etc) are going to be well protected... but it can be useful for picking off champions, or killing a Chaos Knight, or doing a wound to a lonely Hero wizard annoying your flank. It can even potentially take a wound off a warmachine that isn't near its general/battle standard. Don't forget the Lore Attribute either- hey, a free Daemonette is a free Daemonette! Same range as Acquiescence, including boosting.
**3. '''Hysterical Frenzy:''' back to the fun stuff. It's 24" and can be cast as a hex on enemies or an augment on friendlies, and remains in play. Gives the unit Frenzy (or an extra attack if they already have it). Additionally causes D6 S3 hits to the target at the end of the caster's magic phases. Obviously it's most useful on your daemons, making them even better in melee, and the D6 S3 hits aren't really worth worrying about unless your target is something like a very small unit of Daemonettes. It can also be used to screw with enemy nuisance units like scouts or fast cav, since Frenzy- by granting Immune to Psychology- disallows Flee reactions, and can potentially force them to charge your daemons (which scouts and fast cav typically ''don't'' want to do). Frenzy also disallows parry saves, so if you don't mind giving away some extra attacks, you can use this spell to negate parry saves, especially against Dwarfs or Tzeentchy Chaos Warriors with their boosted parries.
**4. '''Slicing Shards:''' a magic missile that does D6 S4 armor pierce, and then the target has to pass Ld test or suffer it again. Keep repeating until the test is passed or the unit is destroyed. Not quite as good as Nurgle's Rancid Visitations, since Ld tests are generally pretty easy to pass and S4 isn't all that scary. If you can combine this with Leadership-affecting spells like the next one, Treason of Tzeentch, and Doom and Darkness, it gets more interesting- especially if you can get more than one of those spells in there.
**5. '''Phantasmagoria:''' a hex with 24" range, can hit one unit or be boosted to hit all enemy units. All Ld tests by the target(s) are taken on reverse "Cold Blooded"- roll an extra D6, dropping the lowest. Takes spells like Slicing Shards and makes them a little scarier, and can potentially help deal with things like Steadfast/Stubborn enemies.
**6. '''Cacophonic Choir:''' the big daddy spell, and it's a good'un. Only 12" range, but can be boosted to hit every enemy unit within 12"- plus it's a hex, so you can always cast it into melee. Each target takes 2d6 hits that always wound on 4+ and ignore armor. And if that's not enough, any unit taking any damage from the spell is also affected by Acquiescence. Have your Keeper of Secrets get into the middle of the enemy army (obviously, you don't want to charge a lone Keeper at a death star... be smart) and royally fuck them. However, as with Acquiescence, bear in mind the way Random Movement works and that you may be setting your Keeper up for being charged in the flank. Also make sure, if you cast this boosted, you have a unit of Daemonettes or Fiends nearby so you can possibly take advantage of getting lots of free daemons from the Lore Attribute.

*'''Daemon Lore of Tzeentch:''' Still pretty much a 'shooty' lore, slinging warmachine-like spells and magic missiles left and right. Think of the lore as a less reliable, less consistent shooting phase.
**There are a few things to note about spells from this lore. All the damaging spells (i.e. magic missile and direct damage) have the Warpflame special rule. This rule causes a toughness test to be made on the unit a spell has wounded - if the unit fails, they take d3 wounds with no armor save; if they pass, they get a Regeneration save of 6+, or +1 to any existing Regeneration save. Keep in mind however, that you take a characteristic on the highest value within the unit, so be mindful of where you are aiming your Tzeentchian fires. Also, you take the Warpflame test at the end of the phase and not for each spell- so you can obliterate one enemy with multiple spells in one magic phase and only give up one Warpflame test. Lastly, even though it's called Warp''flame'', not a single spell from the lore counts as "flaming".
**0. '''Blue Fire of Tzeentch:''' Exactly the same as the lowest level Fireball from Lore of Fire, except no Flaming and does random D6 Strength instead of S4 and slightly lower casting value; can be boosted to double the range. Most useful on your Pink Horror units, which can always take this spell if they roll poorly (i.e. did not get Infernal Gateway.) You can use this to secure your flanks from low toughness, low armor fast cavalry.
**1. '''Treason of Tzeentch:''' One of the better spells from this lore- the target unit cannot benefit from the army's BSB or general, and has to use its lowest included value ("haha, your Empire Knights are Ld 5 now!"). You can set up devastating Terror charges with this spell. This spell obviously has great synergy with the Lore of Slaanesh. Same range as Acquiescence, including the boosting.
**2. '''Pink Fire of Tzeentch:''' A teardrop template that has d6 strength and goes a distance equal to a roll on the artillery dice. Arguably better on a highly mobile caster, such as a Lord of Change or a Sorcerer on a Disc, than a footslogger, because you really need a flank to maximize the damage on this spell.
**3. '''Bolt of Change:''' A direct damage spell that acts much like a bolt thrower, but imagine it shooting energy that causes spontaneous mutations on the enemy. Like a bolt thrower, it penetrates ranks, ignores armor, and does d3 multiple wounds. It however has a strength value of d6+4, so it is strictly more reliable than the other spells from this lore. This is a valued spell as it answers the question of highly armored units.
**4. '''Glean Magic:''' You and an enemy wizard roll off, adding your wizard levels to the result. If you lose, aside from being disappointed, nothing happens. Otherwise (win or draw), you get to punch the wizard with a strength 3 Warpflame hit, he loses a wizard level and a random spell, and your caster steals that spell. Tactically speaking, target your opponent's lower level wizards to ensure you win the roll-off. And hey, maybe you steal a fireball or burning gaze spell from a little level 2 wizard... suddenly Warpflame doesn't look quite as irritating (it's still irritating... just slightly less so).
**5. '''Tzeentch Firestorm:''' Rain fabulous fire on your enemies. ''Exactly'' the same as Flame Storm from Lore of Fire in all ways, except it (of course) inflicts hits at random strength (D6) and no Flaming. Best used to blast hordes of low-Toughness units, especially if you can get the large blast with a S4+, but otherwise underwhelming.
**6. '''Infernal Gateway:''' The wizard opens a portal to the Realm of Chaos, exposing the target to the very face of magic itself. It is a direct damage spell that deals 2d6 strength 2d6 hits. If you roll an 11 or 12 on the strength, the hits become 3d6. This is a very powerful spell that ruins large units and utterly destroys small ones. It is also a very potent monster killer. Do not be discouraged by its variable nature as rolling average means that you're still doing 7 strength 7 hits. Keep in mind that it is a direct damage spell, so you only need your target to be in the caster's front arc and do not need line of sight. Aim at warmachines hiding behind units and watch those stone throwers and cannons melt.

==Tactics==

===COME AT ME, BRO!===
Whether you plan on fielding a mono-god army will severely affect how you build your army. Mono-god armies can work very well. Mixed armies will take some time to find your way of using them. In my experience, an all Nurgle army can be almost indestructible, especially with Epidemius giving the whole army continuous buffs. Taking a horde of about 30-50 plague bearers (390-650pts) with a herald with the 5+ poison locus can make this a very daunting prospect. In addition, fielding a unit of 6 Beasts of Nurgle (easily possible in 1000pts) can make for a beastly 3d6+12 attacks unit; 2 of these can get your opponent to instantly give up (even before the game has begun in my case).

If you take a greater daemon then you should, if you can, make them at least level 2. I personally wouldn't bother fielding a greater daemon in any thing under 2000 points, daemon princes however act as a fairly kickass replacement in 1600 battles. The named greater daemons are good but like mention before they tend to be a bit pricy. You should really always be taking a herald and more then often give them some loci or another, just for the added kick.

===Daemon Horde===
Take a core unit 10 wide and 4-5 deep (40-50 models for 480-600 pts.!) and load with one herald. Tactics differ depending on the core choice:

* ''Bloodletters:'' Insert Herald with gifts, an icon, and standard and/or Skulltaker. March out into the middle of the board and be sure to get the charge for the extra S p. Be sure to support the flanks (preferably with BoNs) or your shit will get fucked up. Watch the fuck out for Chariots and Monstrous anything.

* ''Plaguebearers:'' 30 of these bad asses, a level 1 herald hopefully with curse of the leper and the greater locus and *BAM* your unit is tough as nails. Poisoned makes them cause a whole lot of pain for anything tougher than them.

* ''Horrors:'' Insert a Herald with Master of Sorcery and/or standard. I usually start with a unit of ten w/ herald and as they cause unsaved wounds (made easy because of the exulted locus giving +1 S to their spells) they gain more daemons at the expense of the enemies dead.

* ''Daemonettes:'' can work well with a unit of 10-20 running 12" ahead and tying up or Even killing any enemy vanguard, however if you do this it's properly not worth adding the herald if you do that.

==Lists==
As a Daemon player myself(call this guy Steve), I have played many a game. I started off using mixed God lists which fell on their face- no no no, they didn't fall, they were testing gravity. After this I decided to try a mono-god list centred around Nurgle. I have not lost a game since.
I have found that if you just get the minimum requirement or so of core, say a horde of 30-50 Plaguebearers (390-650pts), then beef out the rest of your army with special and rare choices, you're pretty much set (that being said - don't skimp on core...a big enough unit with a herald with a locus can still make it a munchy munchy unit). As for a general, a Great Unclean One with Lv4 Wiz is a solid choice. Epidemius is a must for this army as his constant buffs can make a Nurgle oriented list almost invincible (Remember - you only need to cause 28 unsaved wounds to be able to get all the buffs ((7=+1S)(14=+1T)(21=killing blow)(28=re-roll failed ward saves)). Stick him in a big horde of Plaguebearers, giving them 5+ poison and you'll do fine. Taking a couple of units of 5 or six Beasts of Nurgle can cripple almost any unit your opponent sends your way - they work especially well on the extreme flanks of your army; plant a skull cannon next to them and the field should be yours.

Or you could be that just as planned that guy like me(This is Jacob) and use The End Times list and take half your army as greater demons. It will half your army size, but for me it works well, a Bloodthirster and Lord of change can just fly around and screw over your opponents plans as they either focus that big ass rapelord or the annoying troll laughing at his misfortune. In my list i also forgo the special unit and just line up a chariot and cannon gunline to not only give support to your core but also give your opponent too many targets to focus on.

Or you could have even more fun like myself (Let's call me Theo) and play Legions of Chaos, allowing you to replace your measly T3 Bloodletters with UNKILLABLE VIKINGS, whilst still playing all the fun daemon stuff (Epidemius, Skulltaker et al.). This leaves you with a core with FUNCTIONING ARMOUR SAVES (They actually exist) and special and rare choices that'll leave your opponent bricking themself.

{{Warhammer_Tactics_Races}}
[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]

Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Daemons of Chaos

2020-10-04T22:10:58Z

2606:A000:1128:495A:E12F:F24C:66B5:5237: /* Rare Units */

==Why Play Daemons of Chaos==
There are a number of reasons to play daemons of chaos, so we'll deal with the minor ones first. The Daemons are pure, concentrated evil - destruction incarnate, really. And, since they're supposed to be shards of whichever God spawned them, playing as, say, Daemons of Nurgle means you are playing AS Nurgle. Kickass. They have some pretty slick models and a lot of options in the army, however, many people have swarmed to Daemons of Chaos because of their broken reputation in 7th edition.

Well, with the release of the 8th edition army book, those days are effectively over. Daemons are one of the trickiest armies to play now simply due to the amount of randomness thrown into the new book. The first big change comes from the Reign of Chaos table which is consulted when you roll for winds of magic. The effects of this table can help you for the turn (giving you an upgrade to your Ward Save, bombing enemy units, or giving you free lesser daemons or heralds) or extremely cripple you (docking your ward save or destroying your own units). The other one is the inclusion of Daemonic Gifts which are all random and disallows the use of core rulebook magic items except banners, though you may swap out your roll for a magic weapon. Daemons haven't been made ''bad'' per say, but they have become quite unpredictable for both the player and the opponent; and with the possibility of hindering your own units by random chance, their competitive strength has now become questionable.

Note that a popular choice with this army is magnetizing the models to both the square and round bases (Or simply using the round movement trays of whatever they seek best), so that you can have two armies in one. This gives you an advantage and disadvantage, the first is you have an army that can be used in both games. This seems pointless as we all know GW don't intend to raise prices, for risk of upsetting their [[just as planned|loyal]] fanbase.

Another option is just to use circle bases for anything that moves with a movement tray as they fit in perfectly AND rank up better *cough* Bloodletters *cough*, and for the bigger stuff the WHFB bases are usually smaller than their 40k counter parts so just sticky tack them on.

==Unit Analysis==
DISCLAIMER: Nothing from here on is updated to 8th edition! Needs a lot of work!

At first, Daemon units might seem frail with their lack of armour and few available options... until you look at their stat lines and their special rules. The power of the Daemons lies here and access to Daemon gifts only buffs them further. That said, these are not the [[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Chaos Daemons|40K Chaos Daemons]] and so you don't get to deep strike your entire army. In fact, you deep strike none of it - you setup just as other armies. Remember that supposed frailty issue we were murmuring about earlier? Turns out Daemons can at least be shot at to keep them at bay, with almost nothing to contribute with in the shooting phase. Although unlike other armies, they all get ward saves against it.

'''Important Note:''' Each of the 4 gods (Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh) all grant their respective daemons a unique trait.

'''Daemons of Khorne:''' Grants +1S on the charge for the turn and Hatred (Daemons of Slaanesh)
'''Daemons of Nurgle:''' Enemy models suffer -1 to hit in CC vs Daemons of Nurgle and Hatred (Daemons of Tzeentch)
'''Daemons of Tzeentch:''' Grants a re-roll of channeling and ward save results of 1 (O.O) and Hatred ( Daemons of Nurgle)
'''Daemons of Slaanesh:''' Grants Armour Piercing and Hatred (Daemons of Khorne)

===Lords & Heroes===

====Named Characters====
Like the ones from 40K, only better and considerably so. There are three Greater Daemon and four herald characters.

''Note:'' Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

*'''Be'lakor, the Dark Master:''' The Dark Master is a very frightening tool for you, with his best value being in trolling. Aside from being a flying Daemon Prince, he's also a Level 4 Loremaster of Shadow with a 4++ Ward (And shots take an additional -2 to hit him), making him a very mobile monstrosity. This power gets boosted more if he makes an enemy unit fail a Panic or Break test, where he gains d3 more power dice to spend, which CAN take him over the power pool limit, but which only he can use. Enemy units within 12" have -1 Ld. Melee-wise, he's pretty decent, with an armor-ignoring magic sword, as well as all his daemonic attacks. If you're keeping him in combat, you're not using him right. Note, the -2 to hit only applies in the Shooting phase, so you won't benefit from that if your opponent chooses to stand and shoot against a charge (not that you should be charging a shooty unit head-on, given his lack of armor save). One of your few Ld 10 characters.

*'''Skarbrand, the Exiled One:''' 610 pts. for the angriest sonnova bitch of a Bloodthirster ever! He also has three stats maxed out to 10 (WS, BS and I) whilst bypassing armour and getting +1A with his axes. He also has S5 breath weapon while bestowing friendly and non-friendly units with hatred and is frenzied himself. Keep in mind that unlike other bloodthirsters, Skarbrand does not fly .

*'''Kairos Fateweaver:''' 565 pts. for the greatest magic user in the game - seriously, even compared to Slann! Nagash has rules now! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!' He's a level 4 wizard that knows no less than 15 spells that you may CHOOSE, not roll for, you CHOOSE which spells you want before the game begins. You get 4 from Life, Metal, Light and Heavens; 4 from Death, Beasts, Shadow and fire; and all spells from Lore of Tzeentch. Only problem is you have to choose each turn which set you're using, though you always have Tzeentch. His stat line is god-awful for his cost, apart from a 4+ ward save (coupled with a spell or two from the Lore of Life, this can make him extremely hard to kill), but you're taking this guy for the magic phase rape.

*'''Ku'gath, the Plaguefather:''' 625 pts. for a nigh-indestructible monstrous, stone-thrower with S5, ignores armour and a misfire just means no shots that turn. He also rides a Palanquin of Nurglings, but the real cool feature is, again, the fact that he hurls Nurglings fit to burst from sucking his fatass off! Can effectively neutralize war machines that would otherwise be shooting at him.

*'''Isabella the Accursed''': That's right, you finally have a Lords model that isn't huger than all hell, and it's the resurrected corpse of [[Isabella von Carstein]]. Issy's now a Level 3 Vampires/Daemon!Nurgle Wizard, makes undead units she wounded in combat take d3 additional unsaveable wounds, and enemies in base contact during the Magic Phase takes an armour-ignoring S1 hit. Her statline adds +1 WS/T, becomes Initiative 8 (Wait...we sure this is Nurgle?) and A6. Oh, and she replaces her chalice with a new Plague Chalice that becomes a grenade. After placing the small blast on herself, she moves it in a direction ahead of her 3d6 inches and anyone who touches it must now test Toughness or take an unsaveable wound. Oh, and she has Hatred (Undead), so totally throw her in front of Mortarch Vlad.

Alternate Take: This character is pure, undiluted shit in a Daemon army, as she lacks Daemonic Alignment; she cannot join any friendly units, and is a nice 300+ pts lone character in an edition in which that is suicide. Skip. Skip for miles. Avoid like the plague (of Nurgle)

*'''U'zhul Skulltaker:''' RAPE INCARNATE! Essentially a herald of Khorne with a Lesser Locus, a WS and I of 9, flaming attacks, magic resistance, a 3+ armour save and heroic killing blow in duels! Great for hiding in a unit of Bloodletters or Bloodcrushers - just watch out for those always strikes first characters and dragonhelm/dragon armour, they can still fuck him up.

*'''The Masque of Slaanesh:''' Although better than her 40K incarnation, still not really worth it as she cannot join units. Pretty good in close combat with her unnatural reflexes and awesome at disrupting units with her eternal dance.

*'''Epidemius:''' The Nurgle version of Skulltaker, with T5, virulence locus, and gives continuous buffs to Nurgle units in your army. Pretty sweet if you have the points to spare and essential if playing an all Nurgle army. You may want to think about buying the Kazyk the Befouled model to use instead of the Epidemius one. It looks better and, even though it's Forgeworld, is actually cheaper than the GW Epi model!

*'''The Blue Scribes:''' A tougher herald that randomly generates bound spells. Not really worth it.

* '''The Changeling:''' special character that can shore up the lack of close combat ability in a squad of horrors. Basically a herald with -1A and Van Horstman's Speculum, he swaps stats (WS,S,T,I and A but not wounds so be careful) with an enemy in base contact/a challenge.(Unfortunately... nope, this guy got a huge nerf bat as he doesn't switch stats... he only copies them... so most of the time he will be destroyed by geared up characters as he doesn't copy items... only stats...)

* '''Karanak, Hound of Vengeance:''' Born & bred to rape wizards. Can nominate one character before battle to re-roll to hit and to wound against with his 4 S5 I6 attacks at WS7. His special toy is a brass collar (see Flesh Hounds) that causes a S10 hit against any wizard within 12" before they get bent over by their miscast roll. He also gives his unit frenzy. You're going to pay for all of this, however, since Karanak costs twice what you would pay for a bare bones generic herald. Is he worth it? Ask yourself two questions: is your opponent undead or does he have pointed ears? If you answered yes to either laugh as Karanak takes a chunk out of Teclis'/vampire general's/hierophant's crotch.

====Generic Characters====

NOTE: You can always swap out results for magic ''weapons'' (or one of the Hellforged Artifacts, if using the Exalted Gifts chart), when rolling on the Gifts chart.

*'''Bloodthirster:''' You know him, you love him, Khorne's greater daemon retains his throne as one of the most killiest characters in the game. On top of the usual daemon awesomeness, he comes with two hand weapons, heavy armour, can fly, has magic resistance (2), and 10s in WS, BS, with I9, on top of Thunderstomp. Like last edition, this guy is susceptible to shooting, given that he will attract ALL war machine and general ranged attacks from your opponent, because if he doesn't, he has to face a fucking Bloodthirster in close combat and get [[rape|raped]]. This guy is also the only greater daemon that can't use magic, which has the strange ability of making him the potentially cheapest of the lot - you don't even have to buy this guy much, but if you must, you can purchase up to 100 points worth of Daemonic Gifts, keeping him just under the 501 point mark when loaded out.
**'''Unfettered Fury:''' Basically the basic Bloodthirster under End Times Archaon.
**'''Insensate Rage:''' 100 more points for Frenzy, HKB, and a Great Weapon. He'll be epic at cleaning out challenges or monsters, but really, that shouldn't be worth 100 points. It's also not giving you anything more than what you got.
**'''Wrath of Khorne:'''150 more points gives more of a boost. Frenzy, Devastating Charge, Magic Resistance 3, and a S5 Flaming breath weapon. He also gets Hatred (Characters) with a bonus 3" added when charging one and weapons that give +2S on the charge and an extra attack. Issue is that for the cost of a kitted Greater Daemon with Wizard, you're just getting more ways to murder things without any better protection against warmachines.
***'''Alternative take''' : Spending 400 + points (let us be honest, You DO invest quite a bit in this guy) on a totally unreliable glass cannon does not work in DoC, especially with the new Army Book. You do lack the AS to stay long enough in close combat, and no, a 5+ Ward Save is not a reliable defensive mechanism, especially on a costly Lord! Moreover, using BT means no 4 level Wizards for You, which is a shame, considering DoCh no longer holds the advantage of having killy and finely priced units as they used to have. Excluding Beasts of Nurgle. So I do like to ask You, dear readers : Do you really want to pump points into a combat Lord, expensive one may I add, who has little to none defense and acts as the best Glass Cannon WHFB? The price is high : lack of a 4 level Wizard and the possibility of losing this guy to one cannon ball shot (Yes, this may happen to all GD but remember, they are all wizards and do provide You with fine magical support). To sum up, It is yours to decide if you have the balls to use this GD. I do choose a safer option.

*'''Lord of Change:''' Tzeentch's big bad spellcaster. Not as physically imposing as the other Greater Daemons (having less weapon skill, initiative, or attacks); however, what he lacks in combat prowess he makes up in magic and trickery. He is the cheapest by far to raise to level 4, starting with a base level 2. With the new book he no longer knows all the spells of the Lore of Tzeentch, but now he can use the Lore of Metal instead if he chooses to. Metal is a decent lore because it has the tools to answer high armored units (i.e. Searing Doom) and the Banner of the World Dragon (i.e. Final Transmutation.) He's taken a slight hit thanks to there being only two good Daemonic Gifts that apply to a spell caster. Now, even though he's not as combat-ready as his Daemonic counterparts, he is still a monster that flies. Fly around, cast spells, and charge at the right target and at the right time, just like the scheming Tzeentch-playing bastard that you are.

*'''Keeper of Secrets:''' Probably one of the best choices here, solid magic ability, excellent close combat skills and have had a significant point drop (down to 375). Again, the change to Gifts has significantly changed how you use this guy, no more crazy gift combos, but still very good for tearing through infantry or kitted out to be a fairly efficient character killer. As is the norm for monsters, expect your opponent to fire everything they have at it so pray for some good rolls on the gift table.One thing to note is that with some fairly jammy rolling you could end up with things like +1W, no armour saves against his/her/its attacks, regen 1W at end of the phase when you cause wounds in melee, 2+ armour save (that cannot be improved) or +2 attacks thanks to the Daemonic gifts table. Suprisingly, this guy works well with Tzeentchian units. Lore of Shadow can cripple T and M of enemy units, making them greatly less resistant to Warpflame tests. Stick him behind something with many Wounds (Beasts of Nurgle anyone?) and have some T test FUN.

*'''Great Unclean One:''' He's fat, ugly and slow. He also has 6 wounds. Also throws down with poisoned attacks. The Lore of Nurgle is pretty slick for shredding low T/S units but Lore of Death is the first choice lore recommended to put on this guy, but no need to really splurge here. He got an extra point of toughness but that really doesn't mean shit with how 8th edition works. His lowered point cost, now 375, does make him more viable for smaller games though for an extra 75 points he could end up with 2 of the daemonic gifts listed in the keeper of secrets analysis. Of all the GD, he's probably the most well rounded option as he can hold his own in combat fairly well (WS6 and T7), coupled with some luck on the Daemonic Gifts chart you will have a nigh unkillable wizard.

*'''Daemon Prince:''' The other generic lord-level unit. Cheapest by far, clocking in at a basic 250 pts. You HAVE to dedicate them now but Slaanesh is free and the rest are pretty cheap so it isn't a big deal. They can now be pumped to a LvL 4 wizard and take 4+ armour ''and'' wings in addition to their Gift allocation. Slap wings on em and go eat some wizards/warmachines, overall a very solid choice.

*'''Heralds:''' Your generic hero choices that come in 4 flavors as below. Note, all the heralds have access to abilities called "Loci," which makes them share their special power with a unit of troops of that Chaos god. They can also ride mounts or chariots of their gods.
** '''Herald of Khorne:''' Close combat awesome! WS7, S5 and lots of killing blow attacks! His locus powers are either Magic Resist 2 (30 pts), Frenzy (60 pts) or Hatred (75 pts) granted to the Khorne unit he is in. Can also take 50 pts. of gifts. You can also put him on a Juggernaut or chariot. The HoK came out worse than before due to having to buy a Locus and lowered S.
*** *'''Blood Throne of Khorne:''' The only way you can get this thing in. But is it worth it? It's a chariot, has two Bloodletters on board, and the Blood Throne itself can attack (and heal itself if it causes wounds on impact hits!) However, the model looks like a cover from a Lady Gaga album, and I'm left wondering what happened to [[Doomrider]]. Build your kit to make a Skull Cannon instead, and BAM! Free Herald of Khorne in the box! The throne does let all Khornate units within 6" benefit from the herald's locus, but if your opponent has any brain cells he'll aim everything he has at it turn 1. Might be useful if you bring something else that is a bigger fire magnet *cough* Bloodthirster *cough*. *NOTE* you could take 4 of these in place of a Bloodthirster but that is a bit of an iffy idea. '''Alternative Take''' : NOT AS SHIT as You might think, dear Readers. It has a nice armor save, fielding a Herald with it provides him with a 2+ AS, which is awesome, considering most daemons are fucking naked. The Greater Locust of Fury should be Your main and ONLY choice here. It boosts up Bloodletters to a level of medium usefulness and proves a good shooting magnet. The 5+ Ward Save is really handy here. Remember that You can actually park this guy near a unit or 2 of Letters and just push the lane heavily, most opponents will try to avoid them due to the Killing Blow. NOT AS BAD. Still, the model blows.
** '''Herald of Tzeentch:''' Magic awesome! Not much of a stat line, but he comes as a level 1 wizard and can re-roll ward saves and channeling rolls of 1. He has 3 loci: d3+1 blue horror counters (25), random strength each turn (35) (that just sounds like a bad idea), or +1 strength to spells cast by the herald and the unit he joins (50). You could instead put him on a Disc or Chariot of Tzeentch, but you're wasting the locus power. Not much point taking them without some pink horrors to keep him safe.
** '''Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch:''' You know that humble Burning Chariot in the rare slot? Well what if I told you there's a way to take it at half the cost, in a less limited selection slot, and you could put it in a unit of skirmishers? Then my friend you are in luck because someone at GW decided to make a Battlescroll that does exactly that for 90 points. Madness I know, but hey when your friends use Banner of the World Dragon you are free to punish them with this not-war machine hero. No guarantee you will have friends left but at least you killed those elves really well that one game.
** '''Herald of Slaanesh:''' A very cost effective herald, comes with a pretty kickin' rad stat line with armor piercing. Its three loci are: auto-pass dangerous terrain, Look Out, Sir!, and all stat tests except Ld (5), Always Strikes First (50)<--YOU WANT THIS, or you get to choose who answers your herald's challenges and all enemies in b2b are at -3 initiative (60). Can be mounted on steed, seeker chariot or exalted seeker chariot of Slaanesh. Can also be upgraded to Lv1 wizard with access to lore of Slaanesh or Lore of Shadow. Might be worth it since all the daemon lore attributes let you add models to your units.
** '''Herald of Nurgle:''' Still T5, still tougher and stronger than your average Plaguebearer. Can ride a Palanquin, giving him a 50mm base footprint and 4 Wounds! Can get very expensive very fast though, especially if you load him out with the 50 points of Daemonic Gifts and buy casting options for him. Can choose from one of three Loci: Virulence (unit get Poison on a 5+), Fecundity (unit gets Regen), or Contagion (if any model in the unit scores a 6 to Hit for poison, the enemy suffers an additional S4 auto-hit). The curse of the leaper spell allows you to increase a units T by D3 and watch a your opponent cries at your unit of 30 T7, 4+ ward plague bearers thanks to regen save from the second loci. '''Alternative take''' : Consider Fencer's Blades! 10 WS and +1 attack combined with -1 to hit means most rank and file shit will hit You at 6'.

===Core Units===
*'''Bloodletters of Khorne:''' Still have that Magic Resistance, Killing Blow, but 2 points more now too (and come with a modest Scaly Skin save). However, they also dropped a point in Strength, and have to charge to get that point back. They're also toughness 3 and will take a lot of wounds in return. They also only posses 1 attack which does no service to them. They need a Herald to help them. A Herald with the Blood Throne I may add! Lack of good WS when not mounted means he will die like shit at any close combat. Throne provides minimum defense against that and still can grant the Locust on the Bloodletters. AND YES. They need the Frenzy Locust to do anything.

*'''Pink Horrors of Tzeentch:''' A unit of Pink Horrors is a level 1 wizard that takes its one spell from the Daemon Lore of Tzeentch. Best taken in minimum 10-man units, because while they do get a bonus to cast based on their rank bonus, they will know only one spell, and even then you still have to roll for it. You could take one or two minimum-sized units to fill your core requirement, all the while benefiting from their ability to channel dice. One other thing to note is that Horrors do not roll on the miscast table when they miscast, meaning six-dicing that Infernal Gateway does not lead to a chance of power dice being taken away from the pool.

*'''Daemonettes of Slaanesh:''' 11 pts. for M of 6, WS and I of 5 and 2 attacks base with Armour Piercing make for some good fun in small units. You can put the flaming banner on a unit of Daemonettes to give them flaming attacks as they are not equipped with magical weapons like Bloodletters or Plaguebearers (EDIT: Daemonic Attacks under the daemonic special rule states that ALL daemon attacks are magical, including Daemonette attacks). Kitted them out this way, they are not bad at hunting Regenerating units (i.e. Trolls). '''Alternative approach''' : Large blocks, backed up with Lore of Shadows and ASF Locust. They are cheap and have many attacks. 5+ Ward Save means they won't die like shit all the time. Two blocks of 25 or 30 is not AS expensive as You might think :)

*'''Plaguebearers of Nurgle:''' They have poisoned attacks and a crippling initiative of 2 but can be a very daunting prospect when marched in a horde with a Strength and Toughness of 4.( Remember, they cause the enemy models to get a -1 modifier to hit them, they can tie something up for a good while in a horde, then smack them around with poison.) PLAY THEM IN A HORDE WITH EPIDEMIUS AND WAIT FOR YOUR POINTY-EARED OPPONENT TO SOB BEFORE YOUR S5 T5 HORDE OF UNPARALLELED "FUN"

*'''Plague Toads (Forge World):''' For 24 points you get a Monstrous Beast of Nurgle. They have a 5++ ward save and Poisoned Attacks. They move further then Plaguebearers, but they lose Regeneration. Like their cousins, they have low initiative, this time of 1. They have two attacks base, but don't forget that they also have a stomp. They also count as a horde at only 6 wide and the third rank can make its full attacks. All in all, they work out to about the same value as Plaguebearers but with higher movement (being 2 points more than two Plaguebearers trading 1 point of initiative and 2 points of leadership for 2 wounds, two attacks and a stomp attack). You should play them slightly differently to take advantage of them properly, though they do allow you to field a fairly fast Nurgle army when combined with the other choices.

===Special Units===
*'''Bloodcrushers of Khorne:''' These guys got moved from the Rare units to Special, probably because GW noticed they weren't selling and they adjusted them in the book updates. They dropped in price and in strength: Bloodletters will only be hitting at S4 along with the usual Khorne swag in Magic Resistance and Scaly Skin and stuff. However, they did gain a wound in the trade off and as long as they charge (which they should be doing anyways) they get that lost S back. 65 points a model for 1 less point in Strength and 1 more toughness and wound. There are a few rather large downsides however include the fact that their rather pricey, at £33 for 3, and as good as they are at combat they only pump out a max of 10 attacks (7 with killing blow) so you might want think about spending that £33 on something a bit more productive. '''Alternative take''' : Do consider adding a Herald of Khorne with Greater Locust of Fury. It greatly increases their damage potential! ( Both the mount and the rider gain +1 attack). Add a Banner of Swiftness and you get a nice, hard hitting unit, with DECENT numer of attacks (2 per rider, 4 per mount). Sadly, its kinda expensive. Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend NOT using this unit without a Herald backup.

*'''Seekers of Slaanesh:''' Daemonettes on Steeds of Slaanesh with a bit of a buff. Fast Cav, and the Steeds have Poison. But Fiends of Slaanesh still get the job done better. Still, not bad if you're playing on a budget, as they're roughly a third the cost of a Fiend. 9 of them and a herald can be rather fun.

*'''Flesh Hounds of Khorne:''' A cheap little way to wizard snipe your enemy. Magic Resistance (3), M8 and a fistful of high initiative/strength attacks. Not a bad choice.

*'''Furies:''' These birds from hell finally found a home in the Special Unit selection, and you have the option of dedicating the unit to a particular god for 2 points a model. Now we have a fast warmachine-hunting unit that even Dwarfs fear (if taking the Mark of Khorne).

*'''Flamers of Tzeentch:''' Flamers are an oddity in the case that they fulfill a similar role to outriders in the empire book, namely maneuvering to a position on a units flank and pestering that unit until it devotes time and effort into chasing your flamers. Why do I come to this conclusion? Well, it is clearly obvious that you will be paying a premium for flamers, 40 pts. each, and while there are a number of special rules tied to them(I will address them later) they are still only T4 with a 5+ ward save, making them comparable to a slightly singed marshmallow. In addition, their main form of attack has a moderately short range of 18" and the "multiple shots(D6)" special rule, these two factors combine to result in a hefty "Roll to hit" penalty if the flamer unit is doing it's utmost best to stay out of combat. However, with a movement value of 6" it is fairly easy to get into a unit's flank, and from their you can get as close as possible without fear of receiving a charge. If on the odd chance your opponent ignores them you can remain stationary next turn, allowing you to deliver quite a formidable broadside. Luckily, Flamers come with one key special rule that allows them to achieve this, "Skirmishers". This special rule allows the unit to twist a wriggle it's way through small gaps, reform to face a new direction and still move to reduce the number of hits from ranged attacks that will inevitably come it's way. Their major down side, courtesy of [[matt ward|Smurf lover]] , is the rule Warp Flame, it means that if the unit being shot by the flamers takes an unsaved wound it must take a T test, if it fails the test it takes D3 wound with no armour saves and if it passes the unit gets a +1 increase to their FUCKING REGEN saves, that's a stackable 6+ WWWWWAAAAARRRRDDDD save, for the rest of the game.

*'''Screamers of Tzeentch:''' Screamers are a unit designed to pester and harass, with the ability to fly and a formidable amount of attacks and S/T 4, you can easily wipe flak away, but the beauty of this unit is it's ability to inflict reliable damage without a chance of any returning to it. You may elect a single unit the screamers have moved over, and for every screamer in the unit, you will inflict D3 S4 attacks that hit on a 4+. Granted it might not seem great but they sure soften up special units between 10 and 20. When in CC with a large target they have D3 multiple wounds, bear in mind they get 3 CC attacks each, so say bye to that rare monster your enemy invested 200+ points in.

*'''Nurglings:''' They still scout and skirmish, but lost Poison. Best to tie up things in the backfield or screen and hope a bad Instability roll doesn't kill them all. Fun pitting them against 20-30 zombies.

*'''Fiends of Slaanesh:''' Wanna run down your opponents army on a flank charge? Bring some Fiends! S/T4 with 3 armour piercing attacks at I6 and a move of 10. Oh and they come stock with Soporific Musk. Use these creepy fuckers to flank and break basic and armoured infantry regiments with ease.

*'''Beasts of Nurgle:''' WE 60 POINTS NOW. Welcome to the new masters of never dying ever. Still get their d6+1 random attacks, still have 4 wounds, but also have Regen, Slime trail, Poison, and with Attention Seeker, they can take challenges and give them, meaning your solo Greater Daemon rape machine won't get stuck by that chump Skeleton champion over there. Take em home in boxes, take em home in cases. IF YOUR TZEENTCH OVERLORDS TRY TO STOP YOU, JUST THROW IT IN THEIR FACES

*'''Seeker Chariots:''' Scythed chariot with a rather skimpy armour save that does get bolstered by the standard daemon ward save. Crewed by Daemonettes and pulled by Steeds of Slaanesh. For more info look at the Daemonettes and Seekers entries above.

* '''Pox Riders ([[Forge World]])''': Fucking traps. For 11 points more than a regular Plague Toad you get what equals out to one more attack. That's it. You might as well pay the extra two points to get an actual Plaguebearer (which is his own separate wound) or you could pay some more to get another Plague Toad. If you absolutely must use these, use them like a regular Plague Toad and wonder why you spent the extra points on these overcosted abominations.

*'''Putrid Blightkings (End Times)''' : cannot be fielded in a pure Daemon army (Legion of Chaos or Warriors of Chaos only). These are not the droids you're looking for.

===Rare Units===
*'''Soul Grinder:''' This is the only place in the entire book where you'll have artillery support outside of the Skull Cannon, and stone throwers aren't bad to have if you're trying to clear out specific targets in the backfield or just looking to get a couple shots off before combat (remember you can move and shoot). It does compete with all of the other cool choices in the Rare Units, though... though it could find a home in a Warp Forge-oriented list or theme army. <s>T7 makes pointy ears shit thems'elfs'</s> Not really, T5 and T7 are the same to S3. Mind poison. (HE rare archers and DE crossbowelves have S4 ranged attacks, against which T7 does matter. Only the Wood Elves, who are SUPPOSED to be good archers, get shafted with the pathetic S3 range attacks. WE get shafted a lot when compared to the other elves...).

*'''Plague Drones of Nurgle:''' These guys are even bigger bastards than the Beasts of Nurgle. 55 points gives you Monstrous Cavalry at 4, T5, poison, at least 4 attacks from each model, a Stomp, and they Hover. That's right, FLYING MONSTROUS CAVALRY. I've seen people, divided over whether or not the model looks good, but what more do you want from a Rare unit? It's Plaguebearers riding flies from your sister's worst nightmares.

*'''Skull Cannon of Khorne:''' YES PLEASE. Daemons now get a cannon mounted on a chariot, and Ogres wish they had something this cool. T5, Flaming Cannonball, and the chariot itself can attack and heal itself (like the Blood Throne), and IT CAN MOVE AND FIRE. Take two, and wonder what that Hell Pit was over there before it exploded. If you do take a Skull cannon rather than a Blood throne then be careful beacuse the herald of khorne modle doesn't actually fit on to a standard daemon base. (Fits perfectly on juggernaut...)

*'''Burning Chariot of Tzeentch:''' Like the Skull Cannon, the Burning Chariot is another form of war-machine mounted upon "wheels" and permitted to move freely, in this case the wheels are circling air currents as the burning chariot is capable of flying. Of immediate note is it's maneuverability, whilst it does have the fly special rule, it is a chariot, which prevents it from marching the full 20", and as it is a flyer with screamers as steeds, when fleeing or pursuing you must use their movement value of 1". However, it is still capable of moving over units and objects, and it's primary form of attack makes up for its weaknesses. The Burning Chariot has 2 flavours, it can either elect to fire as a fire thrower with a S of D6(pink fire/raspberry ripple), or fire as a cannon grapeshot with a range of 12" BS4 and a S of D6+3(blue fire/Rum and raisin), these two options allow the chariot to tackle any form of unit in the game, and the ability to fly allows the Burning Chariot to get into a suitable range to maximize the damage inflicted, thus eliminating the primary weakness of all fire throwers and grape shots. In addition, when combat is joined, the chariot is perfectly capable of charging into a units rear and causing considerable damage, as not only is the chariot Scythed at S4, but the crew and steeds have 9 S4 I4 attacks between them with the screamers at WS3 and the flamer at WS4, thus allowing the chariot to easily contribute to any combat. However the Burning Chariot is incredibly fragile, especially considering that it costs 150 Pts. at T4 and 4 wounds, any concentrated fire is a serious concern, thus positioning is crucial when using one.

*'''Exalted Seeker Chariot:''' A bigger, badder seeker chariot. Watch as it turns any small block of infantry (less than 30) into little more than a speed bump with 2d6+1 impact hits, 10 armour piercing attacks from the crew and 4 poisoned attacks from those ugly fuckers in the front, all striking before anything slower than those pointy-eared bastards.

*'''Hellflayer of Slaanesh:''' Another Slaaneshi chariot. Same stats as a seeker chariot but the queen/king bitch gets bonus attacks equal to the amount of roadkill made by the impact hits.

==Building Your Army==
The Daemons battle force is a good place to start, otherwise start with a Herald and a block or two core. Bloodletters and Plaguebearers are good starts, expand with a Prince or a greater daemon and some supporting units like Daemonettes, Horrors or special/rare choices.

===Army Composition===
Your core can vary, with Bloodletters being 14 points each you want to put them in fights
that they will win, so like every other army don't have them try to toe off with warriors because
their OP units of characters. Daemonettes are pretty good when used as redirecting units so a
few small units may not be a bad idea. nurgle plague bearers are hit and miss, like Bloodletters
their really hard hitting, and like to stay around, its a good unit to hold flanks. finally for
core there's pink horrors, which are OK, but get worse if you don't have many magic dice, it is,
however possible to run say a 10 man unit or 2, with 2 lvl 2 heralds of Tzeentch nearby, because
the daemon magic lore attributes add daemons to nearby units of the god that the lore is for,
but you get a extra horror on a 4+ instead of a 5+ like the other 2 core that can be bolstered
like that, so you can have a ever growing unit if you keep magic pressure on your opponent. You
also want to sneak Heralds into these units plus a special standard, though that last one is
superfluous.

Take <s>Flamers</s> Beasts and Khannons or you're doing it wrong and either a Daemon Prince or a Greater Daemon (a KOS or LOC is recommended).

A good goal is to build towards one or two gods at first, and add to your collection over time, because every god by itself is fairly reliable (nurgle is arguably the best) when you mix two or more your army will quickly become a honed daemon death machine.

===Daemonic Gifts===
Daemons do not get access to magic items, which in 8th edition can be a bit of setback. However, they may purchase rolls on the Daemonic Gifts table, available to them in their army book and just like magic items, it's easy to go overboard with them. Your Greater Daemons get 100 pts. worth, Daemon Princes 75 and Heralds 50.

Remember that you can swap your gift for a points-equivalent magic weapon from the BRB. What this means is that you can actually tailor your setup based on who you are up against. For example, if you're playing against an army with high armor, you could swap your Greater Gift result for an Obsidian Blade or Ogre Blade.

*'''Exalted Daemonic Gifts:''' These bad boys come in at 75 points per gift,(unlike greater and lesser you may not chose to swap these out for generic magic item of the same value) <s>so only your Greater Daemons might be running these</s>. As such, a bad roll on here will make you feel like you wasted points. After the roll is made, you may choose to keep the roll or opt for the 0 option, just like with deciding magic spells. You cannot have multiples of the same roll, and you cannot buy more than two rolls on a table. 
**0: Hellforged Artifact. Choose from a series of four magic items that may make the game even more [[fun]]:
**1: Aura of Disruption. You get a free dispel dice each time the model is on the board and a dispel attempt is made, like some weird anti-Slann.
**2: Sorcerous Lodestone. When anyone casts a spell, on a 5+, your Daemon regains a wound. If someone miscasts, on a 4+, your Daemon loses a wound. Why? BECAUSE CHAOS
**3: Bringer of the Swarm. For each unsaved wound you do to a unit (and there should be many), a unit of Chaos Furies is made next to you with a number of dudes equal to how many guys wounds you did. If you can't put the unit down, you get NOTHING. <s> These guys count as victory points </s> lol no they don't.
**4: Impenetrable Hide. +2 Toughness. Could be awesome, but everything wounds on a 6 anyway.
**5: Massive Might. +3 Strength. Aren't you already at S6 or higher anyway?
**6: Doubly Blessed. Roll once on this table and the Lesser table and take both, re-rolling results of 6.

*'''Greater Daemonic Gifts:''' These are worth 50 points apiece, and since you can take multiples, you have a better shot at getting what you want. Overall though this table is more or less a trap, because they are either inefficient or downright detrimental to your character's well-being. Only the armor result is really worth it.
**0: Greater Weapon. Choose this and get either a magic weapon from the core rulebook worth up to 50 points, or get a god-specific weapon from the following page.
**1: Unholy Sacrifice. Lose d3 wounds with no possible save to get d3+1 Power dice in your magic phase that turn. In other news, <s>emo Daemons are back, and that 5th Chaos God we don't speak of is trying to get out.</s> Absolutely disgusting as d3 wounds is not worth d3+1 power dice.
**2: Corpulence. +1 Wound. This is not worth it. 50 points for 1 wound is not that efficient. Consider getting a magic weapon instead.
**3: Incorporeal Strike. No armor saves can be taken against this beast. Look at who you're up against. Lotsa armor? Take it. Not so much armor? Exchange it for more attacks or more strength.
**4: Souleater. Remember Soul Stealer from the old book? It's back, but this time you only get one Wound back per combat phase.
**5: Unbreakable Skin. +2 Armor Save that cannot be improved EVAR. Probably the best one on this table. You want your characters to stay alive, and armor certainly helps in being resilient.
**6: Unholy Flurry. +2 Attacks. Honestly a little underwhelming. Could be worth it on a Bloodthirster because this stacks with his additional hand weapon, giving him 9 attacks in total.

*'''Lesser Daemonic Gifts:''' These are 25 points apiece, and cheap enough to make enemy characters think twice about challenging when a Herald is around. This is the table that you want multiples of, because it has more useful and effective results compared to the Greater one.
**0: Magic Weapon. Same as the Greater Gift, but your max is at 25 points...or you could pick something your god wants you to have. If you have terrible luck, consider getting the ASF sword on your Greater Daemons since they have good strength already, the rerolls would be more beneficial.
**1: Skill Swallower. If you slay a character in combat, increase one of your stats by 1. Your choice! This one unfortunately is not that great on account of the fact that you have to kill a character to get the benefit.
**2: Cleaving Blow. Your guy gets Multiple Wounds (2). Consider what your opponent has. If you're up against Ogres or a monster-heavy army, then this will absolutely wreak havoc.
**3: Crushing Mass. When you charge, your daemon pretends he's an Ogre and gets d3 Impact Hits.
**4: Dark Blessing. You get a Luckstone! Very useful in a cannon-saturated meta. Probably almost always a must-keep. Take note that you get the 2+ ward save on your first WOUND, not your first hit.
**5: Noxious Breath. You get a Wood Elf Dragon Breath Weapon. Not too bad.
**6: Unnatural Swiftness. Always Strikes First, because fuck High Elves. What this also means is that you can swap your other Gift results for a weapon and still get the benefits of ASF.

===Reign of Chaos===
When you roll for Winds of Magic now, you take your roll and consult the table below. Some of these can help you, others can hinder and some can swing either way. Results 5, 6, 8, and 9 don't affect units locked in combat.

* 2- Everything with Daemonic Instability immediately tests for it. Okay, so not only are you going to have a useless magic phase, but now everything in your army is at risk of vanishing.
* 3- As above, but only hits one random character, so not as bad. Losing a Greater Daemon to this would really suck though.
* 4- Your Daemons' Ward Save gets gimped by 1 until your next turn. Watch the fuck out because as soon as your opponent sees this happen they will drop the hammer.
* 5- Tzeentch hurls fire throughout the battlefield. On the roll of a 6, enemy units will take a small pie plate of S4 Flaming Magical hits. Your own Nurgle dudes are at risk of getting hit too though. [[Just as planned]].
* 6- Nurgle spreads his love. Those who embrace his love take D6+3 S3 hits with no armor saves allowed with your own Tzeentch units at risk of being hit as well.
* 7- Jack shit. Nothing happens.
* 8- Slaanesh rubs his nipples and things start dying. Lucky targets including Khornate daemons take a leadership test on 3D6 and take wounds based on the number failed by with no armor saves allowed.
* 9- Khorne makes skulls rain from the sky. More pie plates but these ones scatter 3D6 and are treated as stone thrower shots with the center template being S9 with Multiple wounds D6 and everything else being S3. Oh and Slaanesh might [[just as planned|"accidentally"]] be targeted with these as well.
* 10- Your Daemons' Ward Save is improved by 1 until your next turn. Essentially the opposite of result 4. Your whole army now has Talismans of Preservation for even just a turn. Think on that for a while.
* 11- You see some of those enemy wizards? Well one of them (random choice) has to pass a leadership check or get killed. If he dies, you get a free Herald of your chosen alignment for '''free'''. Best as a Tzeentch one because you immediately generate a spell and you gain an extra channeling chance for the turn (if you need it, you did roll 11 after all). Because otherwise these Heralds have no upgrades.
* 12- A free unit of 2D6 +3 Lesser Daemons shows up '''anywhere''' one inch away from other shit. Despite this being a rare happening, you'll want to have a few extra models in case this happens because if you don't have enough models the unit doesn't enter play at all. But hey, do you see that unit of Skullcrushers about to hit your Pink Horrors' flank? Boom: block of Plaguebearers standing in their way.

===Magic===
There are 3 Daemon Lores, one each for Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch. The lore attributes for all three are incredibly similar, as they all grant a token to one lesser daemon unit of the corresponding faction(Daemonettes for the lore of Slaanesh, horrors for the lore of Tzeentch etc.) for every wound caused, each token will generate a new lesser daemon on a 5+ with the exception of horrors, which is a 4+. This also effects certain specified daemonic beasts but only on a 6+.

*'''Daemon Lore of Nurgle:''' An odd lore, clearly written for the warriors of chaos and full of garbage spells with a few fantastic gems.
**0. '''Stream of Corruption:''' While on paper this spell is quite powerful, the problem lies in the pitiful range of the template and the inability to cast the spell on a unit the caster is currently engaged in combat with, these two factors will result in the spell seeing very little use in game unless you deem it necassery to take a flying daemon prince of Nurgle.
**1. '''Miasma Of Pestilence:''' A basic, easy to cast buff that applies a debuff of -1 WS and I to any enemy unit in base contact with the target, by doing so you can potentially decrease the number of hits received and increase the number of hits dealt out, making this spell moderately useful, but certainly not powerful.
**2. '''Blades of Putrefaction:''' Applies the "poisoned attacks" special rule to a friendly unit within 18" or upgrades an existing "poisoned attacks" special rule to activate on a 5+. Oddly enough, this spell is best applied to units like Daemonettes, as their high number of attacks and low S will make the most of the special rule, while units like plague bearers will actually rarely make use of it, as the locus of virulence offers the exact same effect in a passive package.
**3. '''Curse of the Leper:''' This is a fantastic spell that can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes at a handy casting value of 10+. It has a range of 18" and acts like a augment to friendly units, giving them +D3 toughness, or as a hex to your opponents units, decreasing their toughness by D3. This spell allows you to apply some much needed protection to your rather squishy units or guarantee a victory in almost any close combat.
**4. '''Rancid Visitations:''' Another very powerful spell with a range of 18", rancid visitations inflicts D6 S5 hits on a single target unit, and unless they pass a toughness test, it will inflict another D6 S5 hits with a additional toughness test, and so it goes, on and on until the unit passes a toughness test, or it is wiped out. Now, it must be made clear that this is not a universal killer, nor is it something that you can rely upon to deliver a consistent amount of damage, it is however, very effective at thinning large units of weak infantry, and can be combed with curse of the leper to tackle even heavy infantry and monsters.
**5. '''Fleshy Abundance:''' THE garbage spell of the lore, as it applies a 5+ regeneration save on a targeted friendly unit or increase a existing regeneration save by +1. The problem lies in all daemon units possessing a 5+ invulnerable save as basic with beasts of Nurgle being the only unit in the book possessing a natural regeneration save and Plague bearers being upgradeable with a herald with a specific(and expensive)locus. With this in mind, you could gear up a Plague bearer unit to become very powerful tank, of course, nobody wants to fight a unit of S/T 4 infantry with a 3+ regeneration save, but there is no reliable way to ensure you possesses the spell that can be done for cheap, the cheapest level 4 wizard is a 395 Pts. Nurgle Daemon prince, and a herald of Nurgle is 125 points at level 1.
**6. '''Plague Wind:''' If Daemons had cheap access to level 4 wizards, this spell might not be too bad, but as you can see from the bullet point above, you do not have access to cheap level 4 wizards, meaning that this spell will suffer from being mainly restricted to a level 1 herald. Plague wind is a magical vortex that inflicts a number of hits on a unit equal to the number of models it passes over, for each hit, the unit must pass a toughness test or suffer a wound with no armor saves. The vortex will move a distance equal to the roll on the artillery dice multiplied by the casters wizard level. Unfortunately the spell is far too similar to "stream of Corruption" to be of any significant use aside from charge blocking, you can however, cast this spell into combat, making it quite a reasonable threat, if at a weighty cost.

*'''Daemon Lore of Slaanesh:''' personally my favourite lore. good all round really. Great for fuckery and shenanigans.
**0. '''Lash of Slaanesh:''' the one truly weak spell in the lore, and it just ''has'' to be the signature, right? It's basically a 24" cannon bounce that does a S3 armor pierce to everyone hit. Not very good, except maybe for some minor thinning of a large unit- also bear in mind the Lore Attribute, so maybe you can add a couple free models to one of your Daemonette units.
**1. '''Acquiescence:''' the first of the awesome fuckery spells. A hex with 24" range (boostable to 48") that gives Random Movement D6 and Always Strike Last to the target until the caster's next Magic Phase. Doesn't sound like much, right? But think about it. The enemy's death star suddenly stalls out like a unit of trolls that forgot to stand near the general. Or those annoying elfs lose their Always Strike First, evening things out a bit (and presumably you have ASF on your Daemonettes, so you get to show them how it feels...). And you can get creative- for example, war machines and handguns are typically "move or fire" weapons. If you have Random Movement, you are ''required'' to move. So cast this on an enemy cannon and buy yourself a little time to move around. Just be aware that Random Move also allows the unit to make a free turn before they make their move, and if the move makes them bump an enemy, they count as having charged- so if you cast this on a unit near you, you might be helping the enemy flank you.
**2. '''Pavane of Slaanesh:''' a direct damage that forces a single target model (can snipe characters in units) to take a Ld test on 3d6 added together, and failure inflicts exactly one wound with no armor save. Not really all that exciting since it's usually easy to pass Ld tests nowadays and the guys you would really want to kill (enemy generals, lords, etc) are going to be well protected... but it can be useful for picking off champions, or killing a Chaos Knight, or doing a wound to a lonely Hero wizard annoying your flank. It can even potentially take a wound off a warmachine that isn't near its general/battle standard. Don't forget the Lore Attribute either- hey, a free Daemonette is a free Daemonette! Same range as Acquiescence, including boosting.
**3. '''Hysterical Frenzy:''' back to the fun stuff. It's 24" and can be cast as a hex on enemies or an augment on friendlies, and remains in play. Gives the unit Frenzy (or an extra attack if they already have it). Additionally causes D6 S3 hits to the target at the end of the caster's magic phases. Obviously it's most useful on your daemons, making them even better in melee, and the D6 S3 hits aren't really worth worrying about unless your target is something like a very small unit of Daemonettes. It can also be used to screw with enemy nuisance units like scouts or fast cav, since Frenzy- by granting Immune to Psychology- disallows Flee reactions, and can potentially force them to charge your daemons (which scouts and fast cav typically ''don't'' want to do). Frenzy also disallows parry saves, so if you don't mind giving away some extra attacks, you can use this spell to negate parry saves, especially against Dwarfs or Tzeentchy Chaos Warriors with their boosted parries.
**4. '''Slicing Shards:''' a magic missile that does D6 S4 armor pierce, and then the target has to pass Ld test or suffer it again. Keep repeating until the test is passed or the unit is destroyed. Not quite as good as Nurgle's Rancid Visitations, since Ld tests are generally pretty easy to pass and S4 isn't all that scary. If you can combine this with Leadership-affecting spells like the next one, Treason of Tzeentch, and Doom and Darkness, it gets more interesting- especially if you can get more than one of those spells in there.
**5. '''Phantasmagoria:''' a hex with 24" range, can hit one unit or be boosted to hit all enemy units. All Ld tests by the target(s) are taken on reverse "Cold Blooded"- roll an extra D6, dropping the lowest. Takes spells like Slicing Shards and makes them a little scarier, and can potentially help deal with things like Steadfast/Stubborn enemies.
**6. '''Cacophonic Choir:''' the big daddy spell, and it's a good'un. Only 12" range, but can be boosted to hit every enemy unit within 12"- plus it's a hex, so you can always cast it into melee. Each target takes 2d6 hits that always wound on 4+ and ignore armor. And if that's not enough, any unit taking any damage from the spell is also affected by Acquiescence. Have your Keeper of Secrets get into the middle of the enemy army (obviously, you don't want to charge a lone Keeper at a death star... be smart) and royally fuck them. However, as with Acquiescence, bear in mind the way Random Movement works and that you may be setting your Keeper up for being charged in the flank. Also make sure, if you cast this boosted, you have a unit of Daemonettes or Fiends nearby so you can possibly take advantage of getting lots of free daemons from the Lore Attribute.

*'''Daemon Lore of Tzeentch:''' Still pretty much a 'shooty' lore, slinging warmachine-like spells and magic missiles left and right. Think of the lore as a less reliable, less consistent shooting phase.
**There are a few things to note about spells from this lore. All the damaging spells (i.e. magic missile and direct damage) have the Warpflame special rule. This rule causes a toughness test to be made on the unit a spell has wounded - if the unit fails, they take d3 wounds with no armor save; if they pass, they get a Regeneration save of 6+, or +1 to any existing Regeneration save. Keep in mind however, that you take a characteristic on the highest value within the unit, so be mindful of where you are aiming your Tzeentchian fires. Also, you take the Warpflame test at the end of the phase and not for each spell- so you can obliterate one enemy with multiple spells in one magic phase and only give up one Warpflame test. Lastly, even though it's called Warp''flame'', not a single spell from the lore counts as "flaming".
**0. '''Blue Fire of Tzeentch:''' Exactly the same as the lowest level Fireball from Lore of Fire, except no Flaming and does random D6 Strength instead of S4 and slightly lower casting value; can be boosted to double the range. Most useful on your Pink Horror units, which can always take this spell if they roll poorly (i.e. did not get Infernal Gateway.) You can use this to secure your flanks from low toughness, low armor fast cavalry.
**1. '''Treason of Tzeentch:''' One of the better spells from this lore- the target unit cannot benefit from the army's BSB or general, and has to use its lowest included value ("haha, your Empire Knights are Ld 5 now!"). You can set up devastating Terror charges with this spell. This spell obviously has great synergy with the Lore of Slaanesh. Same range as Acquiescence, including the boosting.
**2. '''Pink Fire of Tzeentch:''' A teardrop template that has d6 strength and goes a distance equal to a roll on the artillery dice. Arguably better on a highly mobile caster, such as a Lord of Change or a Sorcerer on a Disc, than a footslogger, because you really need a flank to maximize the damage on this spell.
**3. '''Bolt of Change:''' A direct damage spell that acts much like a bolt thrower, but imagine it shooting energy that causes spontaneous mutations on the enemy. Like a bolt thrower, it penetrates ranks, ignores armor, and does d3 multiple wounds. It however has a strength value of d6+4, so it is strictly more reliable than the other spells from this lore. This is a valued spell as it answers the question of highly armored units.
**4. '''Glean Magic:''' You and an enemy wizard roll off, adding your wizard levels to the result. If you lose, aside from being disappointed, nothing happens. Otherwise (win or draw), you get to punch the wizard with a strength 3 Warpflame hit, he loses a wizard level and a random spell, and your caster steals that spell. Tactically speaking, target your opponent's lower level wizards to ensure you win the roll-off. And hey, maybe you steal a fireball or burning gaze spell from a little level 2 wizard... suddenly Warpflame doesn't look quite as irritating (it's still irritating... just slightly less so).
**5. '''Tzeentch Firestorm:''' Rain fabulous fire on your enemies. ''Exactly'' the same as Flame Storm from Lore of Fire in all ways, except it (of course) inflicts hits at random strength (D6) and no Flaming. Best used to blast hordes of low-Toughness units, especially if you can get the large blast with a S4+, but otherwise underwhelming.
**6. '''Infernal Gateway:''' The wizard opens a portal to the Realm of Chaos, exposing the target to the very face of magic itself. It is a direct damage spell that deals 2d6 strength 2d6 hits. If you roll an 11 or 12 on the strength, the hits become 3d6. This is a very powerful spell that ruins large units and utterly destroys small ones. It is also a very potent monster killer. Do not be discouraged by its variable nature as rolling average means that you're still doing 7 strength 7 hits. Keep in mind that it is a direct damage spell, so you only need your target to be in the caster's front arc and do not need line of sight. Aim at warmachines hiding behind units and watch those stone throwers and cannons melt.

==Tactics==

===COME AT ME, BRO!===
Whether you plan on fielding a mono-god army will severely affect how you build your army. Mono-god armies can work very well. Mixed armies will take some time to find your way of using them. In my experience, an all Nurgle army can be almost indestructible, especially with Epidemius giving the whole army continuous buffs. Taking a horde of about 30-50 plague bearers (390-650pts) with a herald with the 5+ poison locus can make this a very daunting prospect. In addition, fielding a unit of 6 Beasts of Nurgle (easily possible in 1000pts) can make for a beastly 3d6+12 attacks unit; 2 of these can get your opponent to instantly give up (even before the game has begun in my case).

If you take a greater daemon then you should, if you can, make them at least level 2. I personally wouldn't bother fielding a greater daemon in any thing under 2000 points, daemon princes however act as a fairly kickass replacement in 1600 battles. The named greater daemons are good but like mention before they tend to be a bit pricy. You should really always be taking a herald and more then often give them some loci or another, just for the added kick.

===Daemon Horde===
Take a core unit 10 wide and 4-5 deep (40-50 models for 480-600 pts.!) and load with one herald. Tactics differ depending on the core choice:

* ''Bloodletters:'' Insert Herald with gifts, an icon, and standard and/or Skulltaker. March out into the middle of the board and be sure to get the charge for the extra S p. Be sure to support the flanks (preferably with BoNs) or your shit will get fucked up. Watch the fuck out for Chariots and Monstrous anything.

* ''Plaguebearers:'' 30 of these bad asses, a level 1 herald hopefully with curse of the leper and the greater locus and *BAM* your unit is tough as nails. Poisoned makes them cause a whole lot of pain for anything tougher than them.

* ''Horrors:'' Insert a Herald with Master of Sorcery and/or standard. I usually start with a unit of ten w/ herald and as they cause unsaved wounds (made easy because of the exulted locus giving +1 S to their spells) they gain more daemons at the expense of the enemies dead.

* ''Daemonettes:'' can work well with a unit of 10-20 running 12" ahead and tying up or Even killing any enemy vanguard, however if you do this it's properly not worth adding the herald if you do that.

==Lists==
As a Daemon player myself(call this guy Steve), I have played many a game. I started off using mixed God lists which fell on their face- no no no, they didn't fall, they were testing gravity. After this I decided to try a mono-god list centred around Nurgle. I have not lost a game since.
I have found that if you just get the minimum requirement or so of core, say a horde of 30-50 Plaguebearers (390-650pts), then beef out the rest of your army with special and rare choices, you're pretty much set (that being said - don't skimp on core...a big enough unit with a herald with a locus can still make it a munchy munchy unit). As for a general, a Great Unclean One with Lv4 Wiz is a solid choice. Epidemius is a must for this army as his constant buffs can make a Nurgle oriented list almost invincible (Remember - you only need to cause 28 unsaved wounds to be able to get all the buffs ((7=+1S)(14=+1T)(21=killing blow)(28=re-roll failed ward saves)). Stick him in a big horde of Plaguebearers, giving them 5+ poison and you'll do fine. Taking a couple of units of 5 or six Beasts of Nurgle can cripple almost any unit your opponent sends your way - they work especially well on the extreme flanks of your army; plant a skull cannon next to them and the field should be yours.

Or you could be that just as planned that guy like me(This is Jacob) and use The End Times list and take half your army as greater demons. It will half your army size, but for me it works well, a Bloodthirster and Lord of change can just fly around and screw over your opponents plans as they either focus that big ass rapelord or the annoying troll laughing at his misfortune. In my list i also forgo the special unit and just line up a chariot and cannon gunline to not only give support to your core but also give your opponent too many targets to focus on.

Or you could have even more fun like myself (Let's call me Theo) and play Legions of Chaos, allowing you to replace your measly T3 Bloodletters with UNKILLABLE VIKINGS, whilst still playing all the fun daemon stuff (Epidemius, Skulltaker et al.). This leaves you with a core with FUNCTIONING ARMOUR SAVES (They actually exist) and special and rare choices that'll leave your opponent bricking themself.

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[[Category:Warhammer/Tactics]]