It’s been a while since we’ve had a really large balance change tackling bodyguard stats, with much of recent focus being on adjusting warlord rules and traits. While this season has no trait changes, there is one significant Warlord rule change, as well as four minor changes. Following that we have 7 warlord stat changes and 56 bodyguard changes. We’ve also avoided any card nerfs for the last few seasons however with that being the case several cards are quite clearly at the front of the pack and so we’ve got a few nerfs this season too.
So as mentioned we will start by looking at the warlord rule changes. One of which is a complete rework with a brand new rule!
Special Rule Changes:
Gloguthrox the Foul – Death Guard Lord of Contagion
Previous Rule: Disgustingly Resilient – “When the Warlord attacks, your currently deployed Chaos cards gain +12 Wounds.”
New Rule: Nurgle’s Rot – “When a friendly Chaos card is destroyed, the card that destroyed it is infected by Nurgle’s Rot and has all its attack stats reduced by 10%”
This is quite a significant rule change, but fits with the same attrition theme as before and links nicely to the Death Guards new rule Contagion, which is fitting for the Lord of Contagion! Worth noting is this rule does stack, and is limited to a maximum of 5 stacks.
Kaptin Badrukk – Da Freeboota King: Da Rippa
Previous Rule: “When one of your Ork cards destroys an enemy card, that Ork card attacks for 50% of its ranged attack”
New Rule: “When one of your Ork cards destroys an enemy card with a Ranged attack, that Ork card attacks for 60% of its ranged attack”
This should solve some of the frustration when fighting Badrukk where previously there was no escape from his special rule while also preserving current deck builds effectiveness being compromised. Overall this is not intended to be a nerf, but instead to make him a more interesting warlord to play and a less frustrating opponent.
Urien Rakarth – Drukhari Sculptor of Torments: Power From Pain
Card Destroyed Buff: +8 -> +7 Wounds
Watch Captain Artemis – Deathwatch Watch Captain: Suffer Not The Alien To Live
Deployment Damage: -15% -> -20% Wounds
Brother-Lieutenant Tolmeron – Blood Angels Primaris Lieutenant: Tactical Precision
Deployment Buff: +15% -> +20% Ranged
Warlord Stat Changes:
Fury of the Craftworld – Avatar of Khaine
Cost Change: 79 -> 73 (Down 6)
Stat Change: +30 Base Wounds
Urien Rakarth – Drukhari Sculptor of Torments
Stat Change: +12 Base Melee
Zephyrblade – Craftworld Saim-Hann Autarch
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range, +5 Base Melee
Skulltaker – Khorne’s Immortal Champion
Stat Change: +25 Base Wounds
Gloguthrox the Foul – Death Guard Lord of Contagion
Cost Change: 17 -> 23 (Up 6)
Kaptian Badrukk – Da Freeboota King
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range, +10 Base Melee
Boss Snikrot – Da Green Ghost
Stat Change: +25 Base Wounds
If that wasn’t enough to go through we now have our large bulk of bodyguard changes to go through too! So without too much preamble here they are!
Bodyguard Stat Changes:
Aeldari:
Amallyn Shadowguide – Asuryani Ranger
Stat Change: +10 Base Range
Klaivaulch – Craftworld Saim-Hann Wraithblade
Stat Change: +5 Base Melee
The Spectre’s Smile – Harlequin Death Jester
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds, +15 Base Range
Hythnamene Veilblood – Drukhari Wych Cult Succubus
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +10 Base Melee
Ather Akhia – Fire Dragon Aspect Warrior
Stat Change: +5 Base Range
Kaethr Stryxx – Drukhari Scourge
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Thielle – Dire Avenger Aspect Warrior
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Kaevi Firehand – Craftworld Alaitoc Windrunner
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Necrons:
Emberresh the Suneater – Transcendent C’Tan
Cost Change: 75 -> 77 (Up 2)
T’au:
Shas’la Ghovah – Vior’la Sept TX4 Piranha
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +4 Base Range
Shas’vre Jesol – T’au Sept XV8 Crisis Battlesuit
Stat Change: +9 Base Range
Shas’nel Kos’ul – T’au Sept Cadre Fireblade
Cost Change: 13 -> 11 (Down 2)
Stat Change: +5 Base Range
Kor’vesa #6604931 – Vior’la Sept MV8 Missile Drone
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Shas’la Meion – T’au Sept Firesight Marksman
Cost Change: 6 -> 5 (Down 1)
Shas’la Kaus – Vior’la Sept Fire Warrior
Cost Change: 6 -> 5 (Down 1)
Stat Change: +5 Base Wounds
Shas’ui D’Tano – Vior’a Sept Breacher
Stat Change: +6 Base Range
Servants of the Emperor:
‘Dominator’ – Astra Militarum Valkyrie
Cost Change: 78 -> 72 (Down 6)
Dejedris Garamach – Vindicare Assassin
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds, +15 Base Range
Commissar Chellik – Officio Prefectus Commissar
Cost Change: 9 -> 7 (Down 2)
Teppa-Nyxos-511 – Mechanicus Pteraxii Sterylizor
Stat Change: +10 Base Range
Dos Drax – Mechanicus Serberys Sulphurhound
Stat Change: +15 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Space Marines:
Brother Nero – Ultramarines Primaris Outrider
Stat Change: +10 Base Melee
Iron Chaplain Furnous – Iron Hands Chaplain
Stat Change: +10 Base Melee
Captain Karludo – Iron Ravens Captain
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, + 5 Base Range, +5 Base Melee
Agrax Agatone – Salamanders Captain
Stat Change: +5 Base Range, +10 Base Melee
Primaris Lieutenant Octavian – Ultramarines Primaris Lieutenant
Stat Change: +5 Base Range, +5 Base Melee
Brother Zephrael – Ravenwing Biker
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Trait Change: Precision Shot -> Scout
Brother Sirras – Ultramarines Reiver
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range, +5 Base Melee
Brother Erastes – Ultramarine Infiltrator
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +8 Base Range
Brother Mhorkar – Legion of the Damned Legionnaire
Stat Change: +7 Base Range
Sergeant Kajurah Swiftwind – White Scars Intercessor
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Melee
Brother Gabriel ‘Broken Knife’ – Dark Angels Deathwing Terminator
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Melee
Brother Ebellius – Blood Angels Terminator
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +12 Base Range
Brother Ramus – Ultramarines Tactical Marine
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +5 Base Range
Brother Gjorn – Deathwatch Blackshield
Stat Change: +11 Base Melee
Edryc Setorax – Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran
Trait Change: Furious Charge -> Target Acquired
Brother Jansen – Howling Griffons Techmarine
Stat Change: +10 Base Wounds, +3 Base Range, +3 Base Melee
Chaos:
Khan’zhar the Red – Wrath of Khorne Bloodthirster
Cost Change: 88 -> 77 (Down 11)
Stat Change: -30 Base Health
Slogoth Poxbelly – Great Unclean One of Nurgle
Stat Change: -10 Base Wounds
Tzax’lan-Tar – Lord of Change of Tzeentch
Stat Change: -30 Base Wounds, -6 Base Psychic, -10 Base Melee
Bzzark the Fly-Borne – Daemon Prince of Nurgle
Stat Change: +6 Base Psychic
Vulgar Thrice-Cursed – The Twisted Lord
Trait Change: Precision Shot -> Regeneration
Hakkon Karnikus – Crimson Slaughter Terminator Lord
Cost Change: 35 -> 30 (Down 5)
Ordrogg – Chaos Ogryn
Cost Change: 18 -> 16 (Down 2)
Horlax the Heartless – Crimson Slaughter Terminator
Stat Change: +8 Base Melee
Orks:
Rukfang’s Squigbuggy – Snakebite Clan Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy
Stat Change: -10 Base Wounds
Ed Zappa – Goff Clan Weirdboy
Stat Change: +5 Base Wounds, +7 Base Melee
Gogbolg’s Bubblechukka – Evil Sunz Clan Mek Gun
Cost Change: 19 -> 17 (Down 2)
Nikkit, Fuggit and Makari – Grot Tank Mini-Waaagh!
Stat Change: +15 Base Wounds
Dur-Thug – Goff Clan Nob
Stat Change: +5 Base Melee
Baddkrasha’s Smasha Gun – Bad Moons Clan Mek Gun
Stat Change: +5 Base Ranged
Gutrog – Evil Sunz Clan Deffkopta
Stat Change: +8 Base Range
Ruknar – Goff Clan Tankbusta
Stat Change: +5 Base Range
Tyranids:
Galam – Genestealer Cults Acolyte Hybrid
Cost Change: 8 -> 7 (Down 1)
Specimen: BH-013-AD-Ψ – Hive Fleet Behemoth Mucolid Spore
Stat Change: +20 Base Wounds
The First Curse – Purestrain Genestealer
Stat Change: +10 Base Melee
Phew! There we are. As you can see quite a significant amount of changes. Overall Necrons and Tyranids are in a very strong position currently and so have had minor attention. Space Marines, Aeldari and T’au can all struggle with decent mid-low cost choices and so there’s been a lot of work put into these areas and the rest have minor changes where needed. It also seemed reasonable that with the arrival of the Keeper of Secrets as the final Greater Daemon that the Bloodthirster be brought to the same spot of 77 cost.
I’m off for a cup of tea after all that.
Every time you give Target Acquired to a card, you are effectively making it useless.
Most disappointed with 0 rework of shields and Swarmlord….
Not beat changes overall (especially with badrukk, artemis and glut) , very SLOOOOW and very late especially with Urien Rakarth +7 is still much (2950 player here with 9 common, 8 rares and 6 epics) but it can be lower to+6 later on.
Kaptin Badrukk look like another buff since 90% of his kills are ranged not meele. And giving him stat buff is cherry on top. It is his third buff in a row…
Gloguthrox – 10%… It is nothing even 20% is nothing, unless contagion is stacking (which I doubt since nothing in game stack) , if not you made him totally useless now especially with another cost increase for chaos warlords. But we will see.
Watch Captain Artemis – 20% you are joking…. 15% is very strong especially by coincidence his damage in 90% land on carda with highest hp pool. If you would change only from base hp to current hp that would be understable. Basically you give him 100/150 dmg per turn before combat that is way to much.
Fury of the Craft world – good change but still useless garbage especially when you compare it to Swarmlord. Eldar need more base attack to be useful in pvp.
Zephyrblade – needed changes but doubt he will be used more often, since every other Eldar WL is better
I won’t say anything about Skull taker or anirlnot since I don’t use them at all
Love the continues support and Updates. We really need a way to filter cards now, especially after all these changes. please work on ways to filter and sort cards better.
Just to make these changes a little bit easier to understand is there anyway you could add pictures of the cards you change. I enjoy this game but it’s pretty difficult to navigate what is getting changed bc I don’t know all the cards names by heart so I have to click back and forth trying to figure out what got buffed or nerfed. If I had pictures next to the change it would save a lot of time.
Awwww congratulations to you dear cousin. Am proud of you Alana Marshal Goldstein
Very interesting topic, appreciate it for putting up. Elna Rolando Arlie