u/123Harry321

Made a custom omnisian axe head for the librarian to channel the machine spirit through.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I didn’t love the hair so it removed it.

I recently saw a post on PlayWyrd’s Instagram showing the game boards they set up for an event. I was surprised by how light they were on terrain. I normally play with a couple more buildings, but after seeing those tables, I decided to leave some terrain off for tonight’s game.
The matchup was Savage versus Witch Hunters. The Witch Hunters took the win by playing aggressively and pushing all of the Boundary Dispute markers together down one side of the board. It made for a fun game and definitely had me thinking differently about how much terrain I actually need on the table.
I’m curious what everyone else prefers. Do you like denser boards, or do you find lighter terrain makes for better games?

Witchling Handler

For 7 SS, you get 9 Health with DF 5 and WP 5, but the real strength of this model is its utility.

Defensively, the Handler isn’t especially durable, with no way to reduce incoming damage. Drawn to Power lets you spend a Soulstone to be placed into base contact with a Strategy Marker, making it a great emergency button when the Handler is about to die. Counterspell is another fantastic defensive tool, shutting off enemy triggers on opposed duels within 6”. It makes opponents think twice before sending an important melee model into your front line.

Mobility is one of the Handler’s biggest strengths. While it only has Move 6, Goad Witchling gives every friendly minion that activates within 6” a free 4” move, including the Handler itself. Between just four nearby minions, that’s 16” of extra movement generated every turn. It’s a huge effect, and you’ll often deploy around getting the most value from it.

Offensively, the Handler’s signature spell, Immolate, is fine. It’s a Stat 6, Range 8 attack, and if the target already has Burning and you get a raise, the damage jumps to an impressive 4. You can’t rely on that spike every activation, but when it happens, your opponent definitely feels it. It also has a Stat 6 sword that deals 2 damage with decent triggers, and if you get a raise, you can stack an additional trigger onto the attack.

Finally, the Handler can spend a Soulstone to transform an engaged Witchling Stalker into a Witchling Thrall. The biggest challenge is that your opponent gets a chance to respond before the Thrall activates if it’s the one to charge in, so it can be difficult to pull off safely. Because of that, I usually find the threat of the ability is stronger than the ability itself, discouraging opponents from charging your Stalkers in the first place.

Overall, I almost always include one Witchling Handler in my Witch Hunters crews. The combination of movement support, Counterspell, and utility makes it an easy include, but I rarely find room for a second.

How do you use the Witchling Handler? Do you stick to one, or have you found success running two?

Here’s my go-to raven mini for D&D. I got it from WarpMiniatures.

I first found Warpminiatures because of their gnome army set, and I’ve since printed a massive legion of them. They also make a fantastic collection of cute and silly fantasy creatures, so I definitely recommend checking out their page if you’re looking for a bit of whimsy.

This mini comes out whenever my party needs to talk to a wise, talking bird or gets pestered with a reminder from their employer.

Here’s my go-to raven mini for D&D. I got it from WarpMiniatures.

I first found Warpminiatures because of their gnome army set, and I’ve since printed a massive legion of them. They also make a fantastic collection of cute and silly fantasy creatures, so I definitely recommend checking out their page if you’re looking for a bit of whimsy.

This mini comes out whenever my party needs to talk to a wise, talking bird or gets pestered with a reminder from their employer.

Director Rodriguez

For 10 SS, you get 13 Health attached to an absolute melee monster.

Defensively, he’s sitting at DF 6 and WP 5. Aegis will prevent a large amount of damage over the course of a game and his health total. Hard to Kill is just the icing on the cake. Against models making two 3 damage attacks per activation, it takes three uninterrupted activations to bring him down. He also has Flameborn, so when he catches Burning from being in base contact with Burning models, he’ll heal instead.

His mobility is also excellent. Move 6 paired with Hovering Flames, his signature ability, lets him pass a TN 6 duel to move 5” through models while handing out Burning to everything he moves through.

His offense is where Rodriguez really shines. He has a Stat 6, Range 6 attack that deals 2 damage, splashes that damage onto another model within 2”, and gives both models Burning. For a Soulstone, you can target an additional model and teleport into base contact with it, setting up his real damage dealer.

Burning Slam is a Stat 6 melee attack that deals 3 damage while applying Burning. The Tome trigger also drops an Inferno Marker, giving you another way to spread Burning across the enemy crew.

Overall, Rodriguez is the dedicated beater for Witch Hunters while also enabling many of the keyword’s tricks by handing out Burning at every opportunity. I take him in every game. It’s hard to pass on a model that’s this durable while still threatening so much damage.

How has Director Rodriguez performed for you? Do you hire him every game, or have you found matchups where you’d leave him at home?

Guild Lawyer

At 5 SS, the Guild Lawyer comes with 7 Health and Defense 4. There isn’t much to say about their durability. Hard to Kill means they’ll usually take an extra attack to finish off, but with Defense 4, most attacks are still going to connect. They can also reflect damage back at an attacker by spending a Soulstone. In practice, this can stop an opponent from picking off a Lawyer for free with a damaged attacker.

Offensively, they’re solid enough. They have an 8” Stat 5 attack that deals 2 damage with some useful triggers. Every now and then, you’ll be able to sneak in a last activation Scheme Marker with the Tome trigger, which can win games.

The real value of the Lawyer is their utility. Their signature ability hands out Adaptable, enabling triggers across your crew. The standout ability, though, is Clerical Command. It’s a Stat 5 command action that is the bread and butter of how this model functions. At 5 SS, you’re essentially getting a Command on a stick, and that’s always going to be valuable.

The Guild Lawyer is the most iconic Elite minion and perfectly represents the keyword’s identity. They’re not bringing exceptional damage or durability, but they provide incredible control and support. I’ll take at least one Lawyer in every Elite crew.

How do you get the most out of the Guild Lawyer?

Ashbringers
At 5 SS, the Ashbringer is the cheapest Witch Hunter available.
They have decent mobility with Move 6. One Foot in the Grave hasn’t done much for me in Witch Hunters so far. It feels very situational, and I haven’t really found a use case for it yet.
Carry on the Flame is their signature ability, giving a friendly model a 2” move while dropping an Inferno Marker. It’s a strong support tool, although being limited to once per activation does keep it in check.
Defensively, they have 6 Health and Aegis, making them surprisingly durable for their cost. A typical 3 damage attack needs to connect three times to take one down. They also have Trail of Embers, handing out Burning to models that damage them—perfect for setting that rooftop Cyclops alight.
Offensively, they aren’t bringing much raw damage. Their only attack deals 1 damage and is primarily there to spread Burning at Range 6.
Dispose of Evidence simply says, “Draw a card,” while removing an enemy marker. Card draw is always valuable, and the marker removal can occasionally swing a game.
Overall, I don’t think the Ashbringer does anything exceptionally well outside of spreading Burning, and Witch Hunters already have plenty of ways to do that. Because of that, I see them as a situational hire rather than an auto-include.
When do you find yourself taking an Ashbringer?

For 7 SS, you get a fast scheme runner that can reposition both friendly and enemy models with Lead the Witness.
It has solid durability thanks to Threatening Demeanor and 9 Health.
Its Move 6 is backed up by Expert Climber (possibly my favorite keyword in this edition) and Unnatural Speed, the Investigator’s signature ability.
Offensively, it’s perfectly respectable with Verbal Harassment—a Stat 6, 2 damage attack with some great triggers. It also has easy access to Adaptable through Legal Rhetoric, giving it access to triggers at a cost lower than a card.
Overall, I think it’s a great model, and I’ll almost always take one when I’m running Elite.
I’d love to hear what everyone else thinks about the Investigator’s rules and what synergies you’ve found.