AoS Named Characters

[Hu3pfka3s3]

So i am a little bit confused about named characters, especially Lord Kroak cause i can't find a reference like in the other battletomes, which characters are named characters and cant take artefacts and command traits?
But im pretty sure that he is a named character. SO where can i find this reference?

 

[Seraphage]

Well you can find his name in his warscroll "lord KROAK" so that's the name you are looking for. Slann is a species of the most powerful wizards of the universe (some of those anyway )
Ex : at Fangs of Sotek batallion the Slann is "Zectoka" and thus could not take artefact.

 

[m0gstar]

You can also reference the points guide which state that some models are "Unique" meaning that they are the named characters, and therefore cannot take command traits or artifacts.

 

[Aginor]

You can also reference the points guide which state that some models are "Unique" meaning that they are the named characters, and therefore cannot take command traits or artifacts.

I actually think that is the only thing we should look at.
What @Seraphage wrote is disputed. I'd like to see a FAQ on that because IMO for that bataillon it is just a fluff text and the Slann can take the artefact. He is not a named character like Kroak.

 

[Killer Angel]

I actually think that is the only thing we should look at.
What @Seraphage wrote is disputed. I'd like to see a FAQ on that because IMO for that bataillon it is just a fluff text and the Slann can take the artefact. He is not a named character like Kroak.

+1
named characters come with their own specific warscroll. If you use the warscroll of a generic Slann, givin it a name, that doesn't make it a named character.

 

[Canas]

Has there actually been a reason for this? I can't think of any artifacts of the top of my head that'd suddenly be increadibly broken when given to a named character. Nor is it the case that these named characters are already wearing artifacts according to their warscrolls. Let alone are briging anything that isn't calculated in their point costs. Yes a kroak is powerfull, but he also has a higher cost than a normal slann and doesn't even have the arcane vassal rule (which frankly is kinda weird)

 

[Aginor]

Well, there are characters that become really scary with artefacts. The official reason for artefacts not being applicable is that named characters already have artefacts (their special weapons) and those are included in their point cost.

Alarielle could have -3 rend on her spear, which would be horrible, but even worse:
With traits and artefacts allowed you could let Alarielle ignore rend and have a permanent 2+ save or a hit penalty for attacks against her. Almost invincible.

Nagash or Gordrakk would also become very scary, almost immune against many threats.

 

[Canas]

Well, there are characters that become really scary with artefacts. The official reason for artefacts not being applicable is that named characters already have artefacts (their special weapons) and those are included in their point cost.

Alarielle could have -3 rend on her spear, which would be horrible, but even worse:
With traits and artefacts allowed you could let Alarielle ignore rend and have a permanent 2+ save or a hit penalty for attacks against her. Almost invincible.

Nagash or Gordrakk would also become very scary, almost immune against many threats.

Meh, frankly that seems more of an issue with specific characters than with named characters in general. At most it's the ridiculous power of certain characters being pushed into the obscene by a specific trait, like your example with alarielle. For a lot of named characters I wouldn't actually expect it to be an issue.... For example, this wouldn't happen with the named characters from the various boxed sets (spire of dawn, the starterset and that one with nurgle stuff), admittadly all more minor characters than a nagash. But still it shows there's some flaw in this rule. Perhaps a better rule could've been "stuff over x points can't get traits/artifacts", would probably stop more abuse while not blocking as many false positives... Though obviously the best would be to just make it warscroll specific...

 

[Aginor]

Yeah.
Most named characters are probably OK but especially wizards like Arkhan or Nagash get disproportionally better with some artefacts so I kinda understand why they did it that way.

 

[Killer Angel]

Ì tend to consider it an heritage of oldhammer. Named characters were listed with specific, unmodifiable equipment, while generic one were customizable

 

[Aginor]

Yeah pretty sure that's where it came from. And I mean: it is kinda simple: if the warscroll has a name it is a hero with special equipment. Arkhan won't throw away his named artefact weapon to carry something else. You would then have to take the ability away (since it is the weapon's ability not Arkhan's) so things would get messy.

 

[Canas]

Yeah pretty sure that's where it came from. And I mean: it is kinda simple: if the warscroll has a name it is a hero with special equipment. Arkhan won't throw away his named artefact weapon to carry something else. You would then have to take the ability away (since it is the weapon's ability not Arkhan's) so things would get messy.

Depends a bit what the specific artifact is, I mean if the special artifact is say a spear and the artifact from his faction is a necklace there isn't much of an issue. Also not all named characters even carry artifacts. For example Kroak doesn't carry any artifact, it's just him on a standard slann throne.

Ah well, missed oppertunity. Though I suppose we can Always make a houserule for the weaker characters to be able to carry stuff while the more ridiculous stuff isn't allowed.

 

[Killer Angel]

Though I suppose we can Always make a houserule for the weaker characters to be able to carry stuff while the more ridiculous stuff isn't allowed.

The "probelm" with this, is that while it's easy to point at an overpowered named character, and to recognize a weak one, the middle line is kinda blurry and each one have its own idea.

 

[Canas]

The "probelm" with this, is that while it's easy to point at an overpowered named character, and to recognize a weak one, the middle line is kinda blurry and each one have its own idea.

True, it'l not be perfect

 

[Killer Angel]

What really hurts it's the loss of the command trait. The artefact, after all, can be given to another hero...

 

[Aginor]

Yeah if you have to decide between Kroak and double teleport that's hard.