Warhammer - Lizardmen 1.63 out now!

Thanks for your patience with this update folks – as I mentioned on the Discord at the end of September, I've been pretty sick for the past two months – got hit with a case of a really bad cold and stress-induced panic attacks on top. Turns out trying to juggle work, baby and Warhammer rules at the same time while being ill was a bad idea! Fortunately I am pretty much recovered by now and back to normal.

Anyway, on to the Lizardmen update: I had expected this to be a pretty quick affair before I received  another 15 pages of feedback to go through, which took quite a while to research. Full disclosure – this is a controversial update, and I'm sure there will be people who will absolutely hate it.

First up – I've decided to remove High Magic. I wanted to do this last year when I introduced the Lore of Geomancy as the Lizardmen unique lore, but was persuaded to keep it then. However, I feel the game is better without it for them – for starters, High Magic has been a High Elf unique lore up until 8th edition, when GW decided to put it in both the Lizardmen and Wood Elf books. I decided to remove it and Dark Magic from Wood Elves, and instead give them back Lore of Athel Loren – very few people took issue with that. In the case of the Lizardmen, they have already received Geomancy last year, so consider this a delayed replacement. 

Furthermore, the High Magic spells were designed and named around High Elves - not the Slann. This also ensures that the Elf books and Lizardmen all have one unique lore each, rather than High Elves being the worst one off in that regard. However, I've included the Contemplations lore attribute as a new Discipline, and updated Wandering Deliberations to allow the Slann to pick from all lores at once – essentially emulating the essence of High Magic, so it's not a complete loss in that department.

Secondly, I've removed the Spawn-kin special rule, which I also wanted to do last year. I know "everyone" wanted to keep it, but the rule just does not work (much like City Guard for Dark Elves, which was removed for the same reason). GW tried it in 5th ed, removed it in 6th and 7th ed, brought it back for 8th ed – and then removed it again for TOW. Neither I nor anyone else have been able to suggest a way to make it work that does not require adding even more exceptions and essentially breaking it further from the main rules – not to mention it just generally allowing you to put a Special Unit in Core without restrictions. So, until such a time where the rule could be put back in a functional way without breaking the game, consider it gone. However, I have included the Skirmish Screen special rule from 6th/TOW as somewhat of a replacement – so again, not a complete loss.

Thirdly, I've decided to bump the Skinks to Toughness 3. Yes, they have always been Toughness 2 since 5th ed – but it also makes them non-functional as a close combat unit. At Toughness 3, they will be able to play on the same field as Goblins and the like, rather than being as easy to wound as a Jungle Swarm. It also puts them on par with other Infantry in general stat-wise – almost everything is at least S/T3. This also meant a sizeable points increase for Skink Skirmishers and Chameleons, which several people felt were too cheap.

Fourth, I've removed a total of four special characters. None of them have any particularly interesting rules or items, or fill a unique role. Only Inxi-Huinzi even had an official model, and he had neither unique rules nor magic items. Thus, they are removed from the game, but you can pretty much emulate them with generic character choices if you wish.

The rest of the update on the other hand, is mostly buffs and fixes. Saurus Warriors and Temple Guard cost a bit more so they actually pay for their Cold-blooded rule now, and are more on par with other elite infantry. 

Hope you enjoy most of the update, and thanks to my Patreons for your continued support! Next update will be Grand Cathay, which will feature quite a bit of changes now that they are officially out in TOW. I've already done most of the work there, so it will likely be out in around a week or two.

 
Patch notes:

• Every time a spell from the Lore of Geomancy is successfully cast on an enemy unit or a unit suffers one or more unsaved Wounds from it, that unit suffers -1 to its Movement value until the start of the caster's next Magic phase. 
• Replaced Part the Waters with Gravitic Redirection. Gravitic Redirection is a direct damage spell with a range of 12". All models in the target unit suffers a Wound on the roll of a 4+ which Ignores Armour Saves.
• Entomb: While the spell is in effect, the target cannot move, shoot or be damaged in any way.
• Assault of Stone scatters D3".
• The Great Leveller does not affect the caster.
• Removed Lore of High Magic.
• Contemplations is a Disciple of the Old Ones.
• Wandering Deliberations: The Slann Mage-Priest may choose their spells from a combination of any of the eight Winds of Magic in the Warhammer rulebook. Costs 25 pts.
• Transcendent Healing costs 20 pts.
• Reservoir of Eldritch Energy costs 10 pts.
• Removed limitation on characters not being allowed to join units without the same Blessed Spawnings.
• Tepok: Models with this Blessed Spawning have the Magic Resistance (2) special rule.
• New Magic Item: Shield of Chaqua
• Coronal Shield: All close combat attacks directed against the bearer of this shield must re-roll successful rolls To Hit.
• Zoetic Dial costs 20 pts.
• Crystaline Skull: Each time the bearer of this item successfully casts a spell, add +1 Power Dice to the pool (to a maximum of 3 per Magic Phase).
• Rod of the Storm is power level 5.
• The Tetragon of Tectonic Displacement is power level 5.
• Prism of Amyntok is power level 5.
• The Horn of Kygor costs 25 pts.
• Blood Statuette of Spite is no longer one use only, has range 12", costs 35 pts.
• Curse-Charm of Tepok costs 15 pts.
• Huanchi's Blessed Totem is power level 5.
• Wardrum of Xahutec: All friendly units within 12" of the bearer of this item do not need to pass a Leadership test in order to march, regardless of the proximity of enemy units. In addition, they gain +1 Leadership when attempting to Rally.
• Increased the cost of great weapons.
• Increased cost of armour for characters.
• Increased Toughness of all Skinks by 1.
• Adjusted the cost of Skink Chief missile weapons.
• Skink High Chief costs 80 pts.
• Skink Chief costs 45 pts.
• Skink High Priest costs 165 pts.
• Skink Priest costs 65 pts.
• A Skink High Chief mounted on a Stegadon does not add their default Natural Armour save to the model's overall save.
• Skink Attendant is an optional upgrade. They increase the Unit Strength of the model by 1.
• A Slann carrying the Battle Standard may still be the Army General.
• Added Temple Guard Palanquin as a mount option for Slann.
• Kroxigor Ancients can take war gauntlets. Have Natural Armour (3+). Costs 170 pts.
• Saurus Warriors cost 13 pts. Spears cost 1 pt.
• Skink Cohorts cannot take Kroxigors. Costs 4 pts.
• Skink Skirmishers cost 8 pts. Slings are free.
• Temple Guard costs 18 pts.
• A Slann who is in base contact with a model with the Guardians special rule is considered to be the same Troop Type as them for the purpose of resolving missile attacks.
• Kroxigors have Natural Armour (4+).
• Skirmish Screen: Kroxigors can move through friendly units of Skinks that are in Skirmish formation as if they were Open Terrain (note that they must end their Movement at least 1" apart as normal).
• Chameleon Skinks cost 11 pts. Slings are free.
• Terradon Riders cost 22 pts.
• Ripperdactyl Riders cost 30 pts.
• When fighting in close combat against a unit with a blot toad marker, Ripperdactyls gain another level of Frenzy and the Hatred special rule.
• Salamanders cost 70 pts.
• Shoot Barbs has Rapid Fire.
• Instinctive Defence: If charged, a Razordon must Stand and Shoot if it is able to do so. However, when calculating the number of shots fired, the Razordon can re-roll the artillery dice.
• Solar Engine is an Arcane Item, not an innate bound spell.
• Arcanadon has Movement 6, costs 210 pts.
• Power of the Ancients: Arcane Item. This item contains a Bound Spell (power level 5). This is a direct damage spell with a range of 24". Place the small round template anywhere within 24" of the Arcanadon – it then scatters D3". All models under the template suffer a Strength 4 hit with the Flaming Attacks special rule.
• Added Howdah upgrade: The Dread Saurian is ridden by 6 Skinks (Lizardmen) who are equipped with blowpipes and have the Jungle Poisons and Natural Armour (6+) special rules.
• Lord Mazdamundi has Natural Armour (3+).
• Lord Kroak has Arcane Might. Costs 500 pts.
• Supreme Shield of the Old Ones: Lord Kroak has a 3+ Ward Save.
• Standard of the Sacred Serpent: Magic Standard. All enemy units in base contact with Lord Kroak or his unit takes D6 Strength 3 hits at the start of your Shooting phase.
• Shield of Sotek: Tehenhauin has a 5+ Ward save.
• Prophet of Sotek: In addition, Skink Cohorts with this upgrade may replace their shields with great weapons for +2 points per model. 
• Minor Shield of the Old Ones: Tetto'eko has a 5+ Ward Save. Costs 230 pts.
• Tehenhauin costs 325 pts.
• Tiktaq'to costs 145 pts.
• Itzi-Bitzi costs 90 pts.
• Oxyotl has the Jungle Poisons special rule. May take Magic Items up to a total of 25 pts. Costs 100 pts.
• The Golden Blowpipe of P'Toohee has range 18".
• Master Predator: If Oxyotl remained stationary in his preceding Movement phase, enemies cannot draw Line of Sight to him unless they are within 6", and all shots made from the Golden Blowpipe of P'Toohee may re-roll failed To Wound rolls.
• Removed Lotl-Botl.
• Removed Inxi-Huinzi.
• Removed Itzi-Bitzi. Moved his magic items to the army pool.
• Removed Ten-Zlati.