Warhammer Dark Elves 1.7 (beta) out now!

This ended up both a quicker and larger update than I had planned! While it is light on new units, it does contain quite a bit of changes to the existing rules. The biggest one is arguably the change to the repeater crossbow - in editions past it's main advantage was that it could outshoot nearly every other weapon in terms of shots, but with regular bows also having that ability now, it's looking a lot less special. In order to separate it from regular bows a bit more, make it consistent with other similar repeater weapons and really get the "fill the sky with a rain of bolts" feel; I've changed it accordingly. It now fires 3 shots instead of 2 and also do not suffer -1 to Hit for doing so, meaning it will now score a lot more hits than before. In order to balance this out, it's reduced to Strength 2 (which fits with it shooting smaller bolts quickly compared to a bow or normal crossbow) and is no longer armour piercing. On the whole, it will be on par with the old version in terms of damage output, except that it is slightly better against Toughness 3 and low armour, and slightly worse against Toughness 4 and heavier armour. If you choose to move and shoot, it's better in almost every way compared to the old crossbow.

Most of the other changes are fairly minor, but should help out to better balance the various units in the army. Hope you enjoy most of the changes, and as always, many thanks to my Patreon supporters!

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Patch notes:

• Elven Grace can be used by mounted models. Increased the cost of cavalry.
• Eternal Hatred: Models with this special rule have the Hatred special rule in addition to Hatred (High Elves).
• Repeater Crossbows renamed to Deathrain Crosssbows. Have S2, Multiple Shots (3), Rapid Fire. Are no longer armour piercing.
• Repeater handbows have S2, Multiple Shots (3), Rapid Fire.
• Added 6 new spells to Dark Magic, and rebalanced the old ones.
• Added over a dozen new Magic Items and Gifts of Khaine.
• Dreadlords and Masters have light armour by default.
• Hag Queens and Death Hags have hand weapon by default, can choose additional hand weapon or polearm.
• Sorceresses may use all Winds of Magic.
• Beastmasters may take light armour.
• Disciples of Khaine may take Gifts of Khaine. Have Blessing of Khaine special rule. Cost 100 pts.
• Blood Rites require Ld tests, are not bound spells. Reworked the effects of all Blood Rites.
• Assassins and Melusai Ironscale may take Magic Items.
• High Gladiatrix may take bucklers instead of shields. May take polearm. Have Killing Blow instead of Killing Stroke. Costs 145 pts.
• Manticore's Iron-hard skin gives a 5+ save.
• Removed City Guard.
• Repeater handbows costs 2 pts for Corsairs.
• Corsairs have Slavers: Whenever a unit containing at least 5 models with this special rule breaks an enemy unit in close combat and pursues them, the fleeing unit must re-roll the highest result on their flee roll.
• Dark Riders: Decreased cost of shields. Increased cost of crossbows.
• Decreased cost of light armour for Witch Elves.
• Sister of Slaughters have bucklers, not shields.
• Dance of Death: Models with this special rule have the Dodge (5+) special rule in close combat and can re-roll failed Dodge saves. In addition, at the start of each round of close combat, each unit with this special rule chooses one enemy unit in base contact. That unit gains no Rank Bonus and cannot make Parry saves this turn.
• The Trial of Blades: Models with this rule receive +1 To Hit and To Wound if at least one enemy model in base contact with the unit has a Weapon Skill characteristic of 5+ and/or a Strength characteristic of 4+.
• Executioners costs 15 pts.
• Shades may take a Magic Standard. Cannot take great weapons.
• Khinerai have Fight and Flight: In any close combat phase in which a unit with this special rule does not break or break their enemy, it may choose to disengage from combat instead of doing a combat reform (if the unit lost the combat they must pass a Leadership test just like when attempting to Reform from Defeat). If the unit manages to disengage from combat, the unit will make a Flee move as if it had broken from combat. This Flee move follows the rules for Feigned Flight. After finishing its move, the unit rallies automatically. The enemy unit is not allowed to Pursue, but may make a Combat Reform as normal.
• If a Monstrous Creature or Monster is Hit by this weapon but survives, it must immediately turn and move D6" towards the Scourgerunner Chariot, stopping within 1" of other units or impassable terrain. In its following turn, the target may choose to either suffer 1 Wound with no saves allowed or be forced to keep moving D6" towards the Scourgerunner Chariot instead of moving normally.
• Melusai have Heartshard Glaives: Polearm. All attacks made with this weapon have the Magical Attacks and Killing Blow special rules.
• Melusai have medium armour by default. Can replace Heartshard Glaives with light armour and Heartseeker bows for +2 pts. Have Natural Armour (6+), Vanguard, BS5, S3. Costs 28 pts.
• Khinerai have normal shields, costs 15 pts.
• Medusa have Natural Armour (6+). Have a polearm instead of spear. Costs 60 pts. Stare has Multiple Shots (5).
• Black Guard may take a Magic Standard up to 75 pts.
• New Rare Unit: Shadowstalkers
• Bloodwrack Shrine costs 140 pts. Aura of Agony: Enemy units within 6" suffer a -2 penalty to their Weapon Skill and Initiative and Leadership.
• A unit of Doomfire Warlocks is a Level 1 Wizard that can use spells from the Lore of Shadow, Death or Dark Magic.
• Doomfire Warlocks barding is free. Have a regular 4+ ward.
• Added multiple upgrades to the War Hydra.
• Kharibdyss has the Multiple Wounds (D3) special rule.
• Feast of Bones: Roll a D6 for each unsaved Wound caused by this model. On the roll of a 6+, the Kharibdyss regains 1 Wound lost previously during the game.
• Avatar of Khaine have a 5+ Ward save. Costs 250 points.
• Idol of Worship: All friendly Dark Elves within 12" of an Avatar of Khaine gain +1 Leadership.
• Malekith costs 495 pts.
• Crone Hellebron has light armour.
• Rakarth is a Lord choice, costs 445 pts.
• Lokhir Fellheart has Regeneration (6+), costs 150 pts.
• New Special Character: Krethusa the Croneseer
• New Special Character: Mengil Manhide