Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 stars. Surprisingly strong thanks to Void Darts and well worth considering on either side of the conflict!Background.
When the Librarians returned to their studies - with or without the blessings of their Legion - some turned to the darker arts in order to find an edge in the sprawling conflict. The esoterists are the result of this.
Strengths.
For both loyalists and traitors, this character is a way of gaining access to the Anathema psychic discipline. Within this, both gain the Aetheric Lightning power (zap!) and the new Void Darts power. Void Darts is assault 12 and S=5 in the shooting phase and is potentially game changing against daemons since it wounds on 2+ and successful invulnerable saves must be re-rolled. This is crazy level stuff.
Loyalists gain the Seal the Veil power which weakens daemons in S and T, and they can choose to force the same daemon unit to take perils of the warp as well. Arguably not as strong as void darts?
Traitors meanwhile gain the Breach the Veil power. They choose (and pay) for up to 3 units of daemons from the Ruinstorm army list (not yet released at the time of writing this article for 2e), and place a marker down which functions as a deep strike location for 1 such unit. The marker can scatter based on a failed psychic check which is fine most of the time. This power then is a clear way for every traitor army to gain access to daemons and daemon summoning without having to take another detachment. But see also Void Darts above!
Weaknesses.
For what is paid in point cost, this is a very entertaining unit to possess for any traitor or loyalist army. Void Darts alone make the Esoterist much better than ever just having the aetheric lightning ability. Did we mention it also has deflagrate? It is really amazingly strong. Other than that, the stat line is average. Shrug. Take Void Darts, a squad to keep the character company, and its going to be relatively strong.
Builds.
Legion Esoterist with Psychic Hood (115 points).
This is the baseline build to be inserted in a rhino or drop pod or termite along with a squad to cause havoc.
Legion Esoterist with Jet Bike, Force Weapon, Psychic Hood (145 points).
I like the idea of a screaming Esoterist on a Jet Bike. Race forward on turn 1 and then do some summoning, or get those void darts going!
Legion Esoterist with Psychic Hood, Force Weapon in Cataphratcii Armour (140 points).
Terminator Esoterists can potentially be terrifying. Take a command squad.
2 comments:
How good do you think this character is without playing into daemons as loyalists? I find it tough to judge how good str 5 is without good ap.
Assault 12 with BS=5 generates 10 hits. S=5 against regular marines gives 6.7 wounds. Of these, 2.2 will be unsaved. That is reasonable fire power with only AP4. Compare to a heavy bolter and I'd suggest its points efficient. Regardless of Void Darts, an Esoterist can give Daemons a bad day at the office which can be vital against certain builds that might be faced (e.g., some Word Bearers, and obviously Daemons of the Ruinstorm armies). Hence although on paper it might feel like it favours Traitors, I think Loyalists can get this one to work as well, but I will be the first to admit that they might not be facing off against daemons and thus some of it could be "wasted".
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