With the release of the Adepta Sororitas Codex, it should come as no surprise that Morvenn Vahl is our next Supreme Commander. Who better to face the previous Supreme Commander, Abaddon, than Morvenn Vahl, a paragon of the Emperor? We will see Vahl’s faith in the Emperor rewarded with the introduction of the new Battle Tokens system and, more specifically, her own rule: Miracle of Faith.

Coming in at 84 points, Vahl is one of the most affordable Supreme Commanders, with only Shadowsun being more cost-effective so far. This affordability serves her well, given that her rule works best with a large number of bodyguards, especially considering the variety of cards available to Servants of the Emperor. With 400 Wounds, 112 Melee, and 88 Range, she proves to be a decent fighter in her own right, offering good versatility between Ranged and Melee, much like the existing Warlord version. She also shares the same traits: Fear and Inspiring Presence. However, as Supreme Commander, her traits are reversed, with Inspiring Presence as her primary trait and Fear as her secondary. This not only makes her a bit more aggressive but also synergises with her Warlord rule, providing further damage boosts and, importantly, protection.

Without further ado, let’s examine this new rule, our first example of a Battle Tokens rule:

Miracle of Faith

When any card is destroyed, you gain a Faith Token. When any card attacks, there’s a chance to trigger a Miracle ([10]% per Faith Token). When a Miracle occurs, if the target is a friendly card, the attack is reduced by [75]%. If the target is an opponent’s card, the attack is increased by [75]%. Each time a Miracle is triggered, remove [1] Faith Token. You start with [2] Faith Tokens and gain [2] more when Morvenn Vahl is deployed.

Let’s break this down into bullet points for easier reference:

• When any card is destroyed, you gain a Faith Token.
• When any card attacks, there’s a chance to trigger a Miracle (10% per Faith Token).
• When a Miracle occurs, if the target is a friendly card, the attack is reduced by 75%. If the target is an opponent’s card, the attack is increased by 75%.
• Each time a Miracle is triggered, remove 1 Faith Token.
• You start with 2 Faith Tokens and gain 2 more when Morvenn Vahl is deployed.

We teased the top level of this new rule mechanic in a recent blog post, but we can cover it again here in more detail using Vahl as an example.

How do Battle Tokens work?

The core of Battle Tokens focuses on generating Tokens from a specific event. The number of Tokens held determines the chance of triggering a powerful effect.

Tokens can be generated in various ways: playing a card, making an attack, at the end or start of a turn, or, in this case, when a card is destroyed. Each token gives a stacking percentage chance for an event to trigger, which is 10% per Token for Vahl. Additionally, there can be fixed points when additional Tokens are generated. For Vahl, you start with 2 Tokens and gain 2 more when she is deployed.

The effect itself can vary, but in Vahl’s case, it can affect any attack, boosting friendly attacks or reducing enemy attacks by 75%. You can see how this allows for a whole range of new mechanics for Warlord Rules and Modifiers that can be exciting, impactful, and thematic. This could include anything from a powerful psyker channelling the ebb and flow of the Warp to surviving on a hostile Death World or battling on a world during an Exterminatus.

For Vahl, you benefit from both the removal of your own and your opponent’s cards, and the effect can be both defensive and offensive. This means there is potential for many triggers throughout a battle, but by the same token, it means that when and where the effect lands is less reliable.

There are strategies to manipulate the odds, such as using cards with only one attack type to minimise the chances for triggers on certain cards. Alternatively, you could build a deck with fewer, more valuable cards, generating fewer tokens but ensuring each Miracle will be impactful.

Vahl is, therefore, very flexible in how you build around her, and at a low cost for a Supreme Commander, there’s more room than usual to experiment.

The rule itself riffs off the iconic Miracle Dice in the tabletop game and the Sisters’ ability to cause divine miracles on the battlefield in the lore.

So, may the Emperor be with you, and I hope you start making plenty of your own Miracles throughout this Season!