It's almost like making subtle variations of core rules to introduce variety and uniqueness among factions is exactly the point.
What the new fyreslayer hero gets. The effects seem a bit odd, though decent enough I guess. But the way you build up charges seems a tad awkward.
It does feel a little clunky. I don't really like that 5 models have to die each time to make it work, but I guess it's different.
Well, GW certainly isn't consistent with rules writing. I like that it's flavorful, but at the same time it's just an objectively worse version of the Idoneth's stances, since you have to have 5 models die before you can use it.
They are also objectively different armies that react differently to buffs. Regardless, it's not great and it's natural to compare it to the other buff hero released alongside him, but there's a reason certain armies get easier access to certain buffs than others do.
I wonder what ideas can come out for fighting styles for each type of infantry unit. Like for instance skinks could get a set of fighting styles that focus on more attacks and plus to wounds and the saurus could get something like more to hit and bonus feel no pain. And kroxigor could get a penalty to leadership tests around them or a bonus to saves. Maybe we could give fighting styles to monsters!
...not only that. They have to die each time. I could have seen it if, once charged, the effect would be permanent on the unit that suffered the losses. Remove the n. 3, leave Grit, Wrath, Vengeance: pick one and make it a permanent bonus once you loses models.
There's also the issue of wasting stacks if 6+ models die before you can use the ability again. It just seems oddly clunky without any real advantages in exchange for it. While the Idoneth rule is simple, reliable & easy to use without any clunky nonsense. It's a rather big contrast when they're both released in the same box, and makes you wonder if they're playing favorites with the elves again.
Personally I like the Flamekeeper's ability, nice and thematic, the buffs you can give are generally better than those of the Thrallmaster and usable on more (and better) units, models on your side will be dying anyway so you can just gradually raise your death tally as models in different units near your Flamekeeper die and then give whichever unit you want a sizeable buff, and it appears you can use it in both your turn and the enemy's turn, meaning the charge ability has a use in allowing you to get your unit to charge after running or in the enemy's turn to throw your opponent off guard. The deathblow ability is useless on Vulkites given they already have it, but brutal on Hearthguard Berzerkers, the Ward Save is useful on Vulkites, and allow you to engage troll-face if it can stack with the Hearthguard Berzerkers' 4+ Ward from proximity to characters, and +1 Damage on all melee weapons is always nice, particularly if your ranged Hearthguard have been charged as it can allow them to roleplay as their axe-armed brethren. The only annoyance is that I originally read it as usable in any phase (so you could get a free charge in the movement phase or something else crazy), but no you have to use it in the combat phase.
Bleh, dumb Elves have been blessed in that manner since the Fantasy days. If anything it shows that, alongside GW's recent favouritism toward Soulblight, that the company haven't changed at all since 7th and 8th Edition. The same old faction bias is still there You watch, Warriors of Chaos will come back to game-breaking power at the end of 3rd...
Well we are also clearly in their good graces considering we've literally never had a book that wasn't A tier, in aos or fantasy. So elves, lizardmen, soulblight, warriors of chaos.... doesn't really leave a while lot of armies out of the GW favorites category. They must be generous with their love.
Maybe instead of favorites they just despise certain factions lol. Boc would definitely fit the mold, don't know when they've been good.
A Tier if you choose the boring units GW like (Skinks, Slann, old Kroak), D Tier if you choose any of the more interesting stuff.
Yeah, not true but I'm done trying to convince this forum that lizards aren't a dumpster fire. Skinks are literally the backbone of thr army from a gameplay and lore perspective and slann are the Leaders. So when you say boring stuff you mean the basic building blocks of the army. Yes saurus have always struggled to find a place. No I do not think it's okay to paint the entire army based on one single struggling unit. Also, there were points in time where saurus were decent.
Me, being a player of Fantasy Lizardmen and having read their Fantasy lore inside out: Well it's about time they were improved to be the bosses they've always been, with Skinks being nerfed if necessary. I'm certainly not using my Lizardmen in AoS until they do.