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

===Elites===
*'''[[Genestealer Hybrids]] Metamorphs''': In 7th edition, these guys were your light can opener and elite infantry blenders alike, 8th ed doesn't really change that, but it does change how useful their wargear is. Coming with autopistol, blasting charges, rending claws and Metamorph talons with the option to take hand flamers and 1 of 3 exclusive melee weapons. With CA2019, they now cost the same as a naked Acolyte.  
**'''Metamorph Talon''': Basic CCW with +1 to hit and an extra attack. If you have a Primus nearby these are somewhat redundant as statistically the rending claws have the same effect but have more potential.
***These give an extra attack in addition to the rending claw, so go nuts with 3 rending claw attacks and a fourth attack with +1 to hit. Having two of them gives an extra two. Decide if you'd rather have 3 rending claw attacks, or 5 CCW's hitting on 2s.
**'''Metamorph Whip''': These are actually pretty decent. If the bearer dies before he fights in the fight phase, he gets to make his attacks with a weapon of his choice before being removed. Generally used as a fall back plan if they end up getting charged as they are as squishy as a 4 point guardsman.  Note that this option is cheaper than the metamorph talon, so the cheapest possible loadout is Autopistol + Rending Claw + Metamorph Whip.  
**'''Metamorph Claw''': Effectively power mauls. Might be worth it, but you are replacing Rending claws with it and for a cost for the same general effectiveness but less potential.  With the Twisted Helix creed, you're one +1S buff away from S8, which can come in handy in certain situations.   Watch as your drown your opponents MEQs and Tanks with waves of S8 crab claw attacks *'''queue "Crab Rave" song'''*. 
**'''Chapter Approved 2019''':  With the points update, these models are no longer outclassed by Acolytes.  While the Acolytes will have access to the God Tier Rock Saws, these guys will pack a bit more punch with a bit more utility for same points as naked Acolytes (after you trade the Talon for the Whip).  The Acolytes get 2 rending claw attacks + 1 ccw attack, while the Metamorphs will get 3 rending claw attacks.  This is on top of them being able to get their attacks should they die before their turn in combat.  This makes them a great candidate for the Hand Flamer bomb strategy.  Your opponents will have to think twice about charging into your blob of meat blenders  parked in their face since each model will be guaranteed their attacks regardless of who fights first.  Of course, they're still incredibly vulnerable to small arms fire (but so are the acolytes, so not really a strike against the Metamorphs).

*'''[[Genestealer Aberrants]]''': The melee blender to end all melee blenders. Take your pick of Heavy Power Hammers or Power Picks. The Hammers are exactly like Thunder Hammers, on a Strength 5 model so you'll be wounding Bikes and Custodes on 2s. Heavy Power Hammers are expensive, making the unit 32 points per model. Power Picks on the other hand, are your cheaper anti infantry option: Making the Aberrants clock in at 25 points each, the power pick is a S User AP-2 weapon with D3 damage - decent on its own, but the real beauty is that for each attack made with the power pick, the attacking model can also make an attack with its Rending Claw. Essentially this puts your Aberrants up to 4 attacks per model, with two different AP and damage profiles. With the proper support, these guys will shred their victims. 
**Defensively, Aberrants are not T5, even though you'd expect them to be. They're T4, and while they have the same 5+ save as all your units, they also have a 5+ FNP AND an ability which reduces incoming damage by 1 to a minimum of 1. As two wound models, being able to ignore autocannons and the like is very handy.
**Aberrants need support in order to be properly utilized. They should always have a Primus on hand to give them that critical +1 to hit buff, especially since they can't get a cult icon. If you're using Power Hammers, the Primus cancels out the -1 to hit from the hammer. If you're using Picks, congrats, your stuff hits on 2s now. The Abominant, sadly, is a bit too expensive to be worth it. If you have 50 or so points left over after building your list, consider a Biophagus with Alchemicus Familiar - he randomly gives your Aberrants a buff of +1 Strength, +1 Toughness, or +1 attack, any of which can easily send your Aberrants over the top into MVP territory, for only 35 points plus the small chance of killing one. For extra insurance, a 12 point Familiar lets him roll twice and pick, if you want one result in particular(probably Attacks, unless you need to clear a huge T3 horde with those picks).
***One in every five Aberrant models can be upgraded to an Aberrant Hypermorph. The Hypermorph gets an additional attack and access to an AP-1 Chainsword, but the real reason you take him is for the Heavy Improvised Weapon. It doubles the number of attacks your Hypermorph gets(usually to 6!), at AP-1 and Damage 2, this guy can clear out characters and squads of Primaris Marines all on his own. Pretty much always worth the points.

*'''Purestrain [[Genestealers]]''': The powers-that-be have not smiled upon our Purestrain brethren this codex. Costing 3 points per model more than their equivalents in Codex: Tyranids, Purestrains are Elites rather than Troops. They may have Cult Ambush, but they don't benefit from Cult Creeds. An 8" move and the ability to charge after advancing looks decent on paper, but with only 1 wound, T4, and a 5+ invul, they'll be shot to hell before they can reach the enemy. If you really want some Genestealers in your army, you're probably better off allying them from Codex: Tyranids so they can have a Hive Fleet trait and get you access to their own suite of stratagems,

*'''Kelermorph [[Genestealer Hybrids]]''': Kill-Team's new wave is giving the GSC a new solo model, a genetically modified folk hero. Can target characters like a sniper. Triple-wielding liberator autostub pistols, 2 shots each with S4 AP-1 D2, fired at BS 2+. Plus for every shot that hits you can immediately make one additional hit roll (those hits don't generate more hits though). So we're looking at a potential of 12 shots per shooting phase. While they're flimsy as hell with only a 5+ save and 5++ (I mean, they're still a character, and benefit from Unquestioning Loyalty, so...)  They're meant to be assassins, using their guns to pick off characters amid crowds by simply shooting through them like a sniper and inspiring other cultist infantry to re-roll 1's to hit in shooting if they gun down an enemy model.
**This guy can take out a KNIGHT in one shooting phase if he hits and wounds with everything, and the Knight fails all it's saves... I know it's almost impossible, but if you manage it, you're the real hero here.
**Drop him with a squad of Neophytes or two for a cheap but effective amount of firepower.
**With the Oppressor's Bane Relic, he gets 3 shots instead of 2, with these 3 shots being AP-2 instead. Sadly, this only upgrades one of his three pistols.
**On average, the Kelermorph will fire 6 shots and get 5 hits, netting 5 additional shots which probably also all hit. Ten shots at S4 against a T4 character will net 5 wounds. Assuming this character has a 3+ save, that's an average of 2.5 unsaved wounds, which will mean either 2 or 3. 4 damage is enough to kill a non-Primaris captain and any Marine support character short of that, while 6 damage will kill any Primaris captain as well. In essence, you can expect the Kelermorph to kill you a Lieutenant, Apothecary, Librarian, or the like in one volley, and have a 50% chance of killing a Primaris Captain. The mere threat of this is often enough to back your opponent into a corner just to keep his support hero alive, and once he's conceded board control he's lost.

*'''[[Clamavus]]:''' The Genestealer Cult's preacher-slash-DJ-slash-com hacker. Gives every {{W40Kkeyword|<CULT>}} units within 6" +1 to charge, leadership, and advance. Enemy units also cannot deep-strike within 12" of him, that three inches may not seem like much but it does plug holes in your army and prevents any other special Stratagem or rule from appearing closer than 9" like, say, yourself. He's also the new Primus for your units, in that he's there to make sure your ambush successfully pulls of their charge. Unlike the Primus, he doesn't do anything else considering he's only armed with a pistol. Though he does deal a mortal wound to a unit within 6" on a 6 from dropping his sick beats. Probably the most useful of the new characters, that +1 to charges is incredibly useful coming out of an ambush.
**Stack this with an Iconward with the Vigilus relic banner and your DELIVERANCE BROODSURGE units are hitting the enemy on an 8 to charge with rerolls - a very decent chance.

*'''[[Genestealer Locus]]:''' Your new bodyguard character allowing you to transfer wounds from another character to him on a 2+, unfortunately, you can't pull a hot potato on the wound by using other units or with another locus. Also, remember the difference, the normal rule is done on a failed saving throw but this one happens when a wound is lost. Armed with Locus blades which are S4 AP-3 D1 that increases to D2 when you charge, get charged, or did a Heroic Intervention. He also has a hypermorph tail for an extra AP-1 attack. Speaking of heroic intervention, the Locus can also perform one at 6" in your opponents turn and can choose to move towards the nearest enemy character instead of an enemy model and always fight firsts. He has 4 wounds and the standards GSC statline but with a 5++ and a 6" -1 leadership aura which can useful if you plan on using the Mental Onslaught combo, though sneaking him into range is rare.

*'''[[Sanctus]]:''' A nasty little assassin with either a ap-2 D2 dagger that always wounds on a 2+ except for Vehicles and Titanic units or a S4 ap-1 D3 damage sniper rifle that causes perils on psykers who suffer an unsaved wound from it plus a extra mortal wound on a 6+ roll to wound. He comes with a camo cloak for an additional +1 in cover and a soulsight familiar which allows him to ignore cover.
**He has the ability to use the perfect ambush stratagem for FREE!!, guaranteeing he can get to his target, or take it out in the opponent's movement phase.
**Special mention should be given to the relic he can take on his sniper rifle (Gift From Beyond). The Relic Sniper rifle forces perils on any model that loses a wound, be it Mortal or regular. With said relic, there is a 50/50 chance to force perils (Before FNP variants at least) and that doesn't include the regular save. This relic is brutal against any Psyker, with special mention to Thousand Sons and Eldar. If the Psyker is standing too close to anyone else too...

*'''[[Nexos]]:''' Your armchair general of CP farming, should get plenty of use given GSC proclivity to burn through their command points like crazy. Also lets you shuffle a blip marker around after he's been set up, which can be handy if your opponent gets the first turn and you need to adjust something. It's a 6+ to get a command point whenever you or your opponent uses a Stratagem, but gets better if you have certain characters. It goes to a 5+ if its your stratagem and you have a Primus on the field, and goes to a 5+ for your opponent's stratagems if you have a Clamavus. He should always start on the board, out of line of sight, and hopefully sitting on an objective.
** Worth considering to put as part of a {{W40Kkeyword|Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor}} detachment, even if every other unit of that detachment goes underground, that way you can Vect on the first turn.
** Obviously gains value the more command points you have so is best used in a double battalion or brigade list.
**Remember that you can only gain 1 CP per battle round since the April 2019 update.  Still, with the amount of CP's you'll be spending it seems pretty likely that you'll get that as long as he's around.

*'''[[Biophagus]]:''' A budget Fabius Bile for your Aberrants, he's responsible for corrupting the masses and actually creating your favourite tankbuster Frankensteins. At the end of your movement phases he can attempt to give any of your Aberrant squads (or Abominants) a random buff of either +1 Strength, +1 Toughness or +1 Attack depending on the result of a D3 roll. All of these buffs are fantastic, but be warned; before he buffs the squad the good doctor has to roll a D6, and on a roll of 1 a model in the unit is slain, but the buff will still go off nonetheless (woe betide the player that instakills his Abominant with this). Be sure to keep CP for a re-roll handy if you don't want to lose a mutant.
** For 12 points he can give himself his own little Igor in the form of an Alchemicus Familiar, which allows him to roll 2D3 instead of one for his enhancements once per game and pick what result he wants.
***His Injector Goad gives him 3 S4 AP0 Dd3 attacks, and always wounds on a 2+ unless his target is a vehicle or titanic. While you should never willingly put him too close to danger, considering the unit he's dedicated to buffing you might not have a choice. It has an added bonus against characters, however; if you wound with the Goad, roll a d6 and compare to the target's current Wound counter. If it is higher than the Wound counter, that character suffers an additional d3 Mortal Wounds; very nice against weak buff characters such as Guard officers, Cadre Fireblades, and enemy Genestealer Cult gene-sect members.