Warhammer Army Project: Magic Items
With new armybooks having less magic items than 8e, better get used to the BRB ones.
General Guidelines
This information is mostly covered in BRB, but it may be still worth repeating.
- You can have only one magic item of each type per hero. Special characters are an exception to this rule.
- You can have only one copy of each item in your army.
- A character can only use Magic armor if they can take the Mundane version of the armor.
- A hero, who can become a wizard (such as Shadowdancer, Warlock Engineer, etc.) cannot purchase Arcane items until they gain at least 1 magic level.
- Magic weapons and magic shields, whether paired together, or separately with mundane equipment DO GRANT A PARRY SAVE.
- Magic helm/shield does NOT replace mundane body armor, but it does stack on.
Item List
Magic Weapons
- Dragon Blade:' 60pts for hits to be multiplied by 2. This means that one hit into a unit can kill two people if they both end up wounding.
- Giant Blade: 45pts for +3 Stregth. With a 15pt reduction from 8e this can now be put on Heroes. Strong as always on a high attack high WS Elf Lord.
- Sword of Bloodshed: 45pts for +3 Attacks. Similar story for above but should be used on characters with a high base strength so they can murder even more chaff. Doombull's favorite.
- Obsidian Blade: 40pts for ignoring armor saves. 10 pts cheaper than 8e but still borderline useless. For 5 more points you can get a giant blade and be better off most of the time. Only reason to take would be if you are against some Knight fetish player playing High Elves, Bretonnia or Empire that fields an army exclusively made up of +1 or +2 barded t3 knights.
- Ogre Blade: 30pts for +2 Strength. 10pts less than 8e. With the changes to GW making them strike at -2i and losing 1str in subsequent rounds of combat this can be a hard sell (except they can still carry a shield WHICH NOW GRANTS A PARRY SAVE).
- Sword of Strife: 30pts for +2 Attacks. Similar story to the above. However, with additional handweapons allowed to be combined with magic weapons now it seems a little overpriced.
- Bone Blade 30pts for multiple wounds d3... 1/3 of the time this does nothing.
- Fencer's Blade: 25pts for WS10 and is a paired weapon. 10pts cheaper than 8e. May be good for low-WS combat lords/heroes, though prevents from using a shield. Really shines on mage characters, drastically improving their chance to survive in melee, and also allows them to occasionally kill something too, which is hilarious.
- Sword of Anti-Heroes: 30pts for +1S & +1A for each enemy character in base contact with the wearer or his unit. Ideal for Chaos Lords and Blood Dragon Vampires as they need to be issuing challenges and should be pursuing characters anyway. The rules as written increase the user's strength and attacks, so pair with an additional hand weapon for a free extra strength attack.
- Sword of Swift Slaying: 25pts for ASF. Considering how rare ASF is now this is more useful. If you could take this on a great weapon this would be the cats pajamas.
- Blade of Seagold: 25pts for Armor Piercing (3). Really should just fork over the 5 pts for an Ogre Blade.
- Relic Sword: 20pts to always wound on +3 (8e was 10pts to always wound on +5). Can be viable against a Dwarf Lord with the Master Rune of Adamant or Templeguard with a Throne of Vines buffed Flesh to Stone.
- Sword of Fortitude: 20pts for Immune to Psych for the bearer and unit.
- Parrying Blade: 20pts for +5 parry save. Combined with a mundane shield gives the wearer a +4 word in most close combat situations.
- Sword of Striking: 20pts for +1 to hit. Not a bad choice against some asshat rocking glittering scales.
- Sword of Battle: 15pts for +1A. Cheap and a little extra kill power, wouldn't bother with it on anything bigger than a hero.
- Sword of Might: 15pts for +1S. Nice, I guess, if you want to give your hero some extra punch and magic attacks, general out done by many other weapons but it is economical if you have plenty of attacks base or expect ethereals.
- Berserker Sword: 15pts 5pts cheaper than 8e. Frenzy which cannot be lost. +1A is not that great and downsides of berserker rage are not really worth the ItP (if the char has good Ld, he doesn't care for ItP that much, if the char has bad Ld, he will suffer from frenzy badly). Skip.
- Sword of Striking: 15pts for +1 to hit. Actually, very nice. Due to how WS works (WS10 and WS3 hit WS2 on same roll), independent "to hit" modifiers are very nice.
- Biting Blade: 5pts for Armor Penetration. If you really want that 1ArP, just scoop 10pts more and get Sword of Might. Skip. Alternate Take: Could be useful in small games or on a budget character, especially if you find yourself going against high armor opponents like dwarfs.
- Shrieking Blade: 10pts for causing Fear. Given how fear works in current edition it is actually it is playable and competitive on single heroes destined to hunt ethereals or vs moral manipulation armies. Those have fear themselves so with Blade you don't worry about Ld bubble even with low-Ld heroe.
- Tormentor Sword: 5pts for granting Stupidity to a character/monster wounded by this. Once again, would be neat as special rule, useless as an item. As above, playable only on Ethereal hunter.
- Warrior Bane: 5pts. A monster of character who takes wounds from this weapon loses 1A per wound taken. Last item in the trio of "would be a nice special rule but is a shitty item" weapons. It doesn't affect attacks from, say Sword of Strife ('cos those are granted and not a character's own stat). And third one to collection of cheap weapons for cheap chaff/ethereal hunter. Has a lot of potential as an anti vampire/chaos lord weapon on a tanked out lord or champion.
Magic Armour
WARNING It cannot be stressed enough, but you cannot take everything on this list on every character. If your character cannot wear heavy armour, any magical heavy armour will be out of your reach. Likewise, you cannot select any shields if your character cannot use them.
- Armour of Destiny: 50pts for Heavy Armour with a +4 Ward. For some characters can be cheaper than a Talisman of Preservation and upgrading to heavy armour. For most it will be more expensive. Since heavy armour gives a +4 save now, it is marginally better than 8e. However, with the new rules alot of armybooks cannot take it.
- Armour of Fortune: 35pts for medium armour with a +5 ward. Cant even take this on Oldbloods....
- Trickster's Helm:35pts for 6+ and rerolling wounding hits. Can only be recommended on Lord with a high toughness. Put this on a Chaos Lord with Mark of Nurgle and the Dawnstone and laugh as strength 4 attacks reroll 6's to wound and +2 armor save.
- Armour of Resilience:30pts for Heavy Armour and +1T??? Pass.
- Armour of Silvered Steel: 25pts for a +2 save that cannot be improved. 20pts cheaper than 8th. Can be justified for someone w/o barding or shield. Alot of characters have Heavy Armour or fullplate armour included in their cost. This is only a point of two better for 25 pts... Hard to justify when an enchanted shield and talisman of endurance is equal in price, which would provide the same armour and a +6 ward/ +5 parry.
- Glittering Scales: 25pts for the same old cheese, now one of the only armors Lizardmen and Wood Elves can bring to the field.
- Shield of Ptolos: 20pts for a shield, which grants 1+ armor save against shooting. Dogshit item in 8e and the 5pt discount doesnt change the consensus.
- Helm of Discord: 20pts for a helm which makes a single character in a unit in base contact with wearer's unit to check Ld each turn. If a character fails his Ld test, he cannot attack and is hit (not wounded) automatically that turn. Not reliable, not cheap, but can be funny in friendly games. 10pts cheaper than 8e makes the meme more worth it.
- Gambler's Armor: 20pts for medium armor with 6+ ward. Really cheap, grants a tiny bit of protection. Could be nice if you need 3rd char with 6++ save.
- Dragonhelm: 10 points for a helmet with a 6+ save and Immunity to fire. You have the Dragonbane Gem for half the price and the only drawback is a +1 to your save.
- Enchanted Shield: Double the bonus a shield gives to Armour saves for 10 points.
- Charmed Shield: 5 points for a shield that can negate only one hit on a 2+.
Talismans
- Talisman of Preservation: 45 points for a 4++ ward save. You'll definitely want this on a character without armour.
- Obsidian Lodestone: 30 points to Resist Magic on 4+
- Talisman of Endurance: 30 points grants a 5++ save.
- Obsidian Amulet: 10 points off the Lodestone to Resist on a 5+.
- Dawnstone: 25 points lets you re-roll Armour saves. While it seems useful, the number of armour penetrating items that exist will make it so that your nice heavy armour+shield save will drop down to a 5+ with a good hit.
- Talisman of Protection: Half the price of the Endurance amulet and get a 6++ Ward.
- Opal Amulet: For 15 points, you get a one-time 2++ Ward.
- Obsidian Trinket: 10 points nets you a 6+ Resist Magic.
- Seed of Rebirth: You get a 6+ Regen for 10 points.
- Dragonbane Gem: 5 points for immunity to fire.
- Lucky Trinket: For 5 points you get to re-roll one save or any kind.
Magic Standards
WARNING As you can probably guess, these are only available to your BSBs and whatever elite units that can grab magic standards. Don't forget that for the latter, your allowance will be very slim.
- Battle Banner: A hefty 70 points, but it adds +d6 to battle resolutions.
- Banner of Might: 55 points lets the unit add +1 to hit on the first turn of combat. Stack with high-powered weapons for some real alpha-striking.
- Wailing Banner: 50 points to give a unit Terror. Not quite as devastating as it used to be, but it might help break mobs.
- Standard of Shielding: 40 units nets a unit a 6++ ward save against missiles.
- Rampager's Standard: 35 points to re-roll charge distances. A must for cavalry.
- Razor Standard: 30 points adds Armour Piercing 1 to all attacks.
- Dread Banner: Half the price of the Wailing Banner for only Fear.
- Ranger's Standard: 25 points nets you Strider. As in you don't worry about ANY terrain.
- Standard of Arcane Warding: 20 points nets a unit Resist Magic 5+
- War Banner: 20 points for +1 Combat Resolution.
- Banner of Valour: 20 points to never worry about panic ever again.
- Banner of Swiftness: 20 points to add Swiftstride, which is kinda redundant on cavalry.
- Banner of Courage: 15 points lets a unit re-roll break tests.
- Standard of Discipline: 15 points adds +1 to the unit's Ld, but it bans it from ever benefiting from the general's Inspiring Presence.
- Lichbone Pennant: Half the cost of the Arcane Warding standard for Magic Resist 1.
- Banner of Eternal Flame: 10 points for flaming attacks.
- Gleaming Pennant: 5 points lets the unit re-roll one Ld check.
- Banner of Duty: Re-roll rally checks for 5 points.
- Scarecrow Banner: For 5 points you can inspire Fear in flying units. How silly.
Arcane Items
WARNING These are items only available to Wizards.
- Book of Ashur: For 60 points you get to add +1 to all casting and dispel rolls.
- Feedback Scroll: For 35 points, instead of dispelling, you instead get to roll a number of die equal to the number of die the caster used and instantly wound the caster on a 5+.
- Scroll of Leeching: This 35 point scroll doesn't let you dispel anything, but if a spell is cast, you add however many die your enemy used to cast the spell in question into your dispel pool. This might be enough to help you disrupt the endpiece of a magic combo.
- Siveijr's Hex Scroll: This 35-point scroll doesn't dispel, but it does force an enemy wizard to roll under their Wizard Level or else be turned into a useless frog. While this doesn't outright kill them (though this frog is practically 1 in everything but wounds), it can seriously hamper them - just don't take too long as they have a chance every turn to break the curse.
- Destroy Magic Scroll: 35 points gives you not only an instant dispelling of a spell (unless the spell had Irresistible Force), but it also gives you the chance to erase the spell you just dispelled from the opponent's list on a 4+.
- Power Scroll: 35 points to let all doubles count as Irresistible Force and/or miscasts.
- Channeling Staff: For 30 points you add +1 to channel rolls.
- Rod of Power: You can save up to three channeling/dispel die during each magic phase. At the start of any magic phase, you roll a die and if it's more than the number of die in the rod, you add them to the pool - otherwise they go poof.
- Forbidden Rod: Adds +d6 dice to the channeling pool, but you lose d3 wounds.
- Earthing Rod: 25 points to re-roll one miscast.
- Dispel Scroll: Ol' reliable. For 25 points, you get a single item that lets you use 6d6 to dispel a spell.
- Trickster's Shard: For 20 points you get a single-use item that might force an enemy wizard to take an armor-ignoring wound after casting.
- Wand of Jet: 20 points adds +1d6 to a single casting roll, which can contribute to Irresistible Force or miscast.
- Power Stone: 20 points to add +2d6 to a casting roll.
- Luckstone: 20 points for a single do-over for a casting or dispel roll.
- Sceptre of Stability: 15 points to add +1d6 to a dispel roll.
- Scroll of Shielding: For 15 points, you can gain Resist Magic 4+ instead of dispelling.
- Loremaster's Tome: 15 points lets you add one more spell from the lores your wizard typically has.
- Wizard's Staff: 10 points adds an additional die to any casting roll.
Enchanted Items
- Fozzrik's Folding Fortress: It's a hefty 100 points to summon a watchtower of your own after deploying your army.
- Wizarding Hat: You can now make a model a level 2 wizard, but now they have Stupidity. For 75 points, you'd be better off with a legit wizard.
- Crown of Command: You now have Stubborn for 40 pts.
- Ruby Ring of Ruin: 35 points gives you a bound PL4 fireball
- Thunder Orb: This is scary. It's a bound PL4 spell that makes it impossible for any flying units to actually fly and instead have to walk anywhere.
- Healing Potion: 30 points gives you a single-use recovery of d6 wounds.
- Arabyan Carpet: 25 points lets your model fly, but now they can't join anyone.
- Terrifying Mask of EEE!: 25 points for Terror, but this will fuck over anyone who uses their Leadership to compensate for the lackluster morale of the troops.
- Potion of Strength: 10 points gives you +d3S for one turn
- Potion of Toughness: 10 points gives you +d3T for one turn
- Potion of Speed: 10 points gives you +d3A for one turn
- The Trickster's Shard: 15 points to force models in b2b with the holder to re-roll ward saves. Especially trollish against Daemons.
- Ironcurse Icon: This little 5 point trinket grants a 6++ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit.
Tips
Keep an eye out for saving points. If you're playing Bretonnia your Lords and Paladins have heavy armour by default. So a talisman of preservation will serve you identically to the Armour of Destiny for 5pts cheaper. On the same token with saves in general being a little higher, Armour of Silvered Steel is only +2 pts better than Mundane Heavy Armour. Mundane Heavy Armour and a enchanted shield will often serve you better. Really think if an ogreblade is worth it over a great weapon or a lance.
No need to pimp out all of your characters with the full magic allotment, if you need a BSB or an extra point in leadership dont be afraid to throw in a Skaven Chieftan with a great weapon and medium armour to provide a little heft to a unit of Clan Rats.
| Warhammer Army Project Tactics Articles | |
|---|---|
| General Tactics | |
| Forces of Order | |
| Forces of Destruction | |
| Unaligned | |