Malign Sorcery is coming to Age of Sigmar and this magic supplement will have an effect on your army. Don’t miss the top 5 changes that are coming to AoS Second Edition!
With preorders going up on June 16th for all things Sigmar let’s look at something that’s going to affect every single army to date.
Malign Sorcery has 13 fantastic endless spell models, Path to Glory and Skirmish rules, 2 Matched Play battleplans, spells based on realm location, and a whopping 84 artifacts!
Arcane Bolt / Mystic Shield Changes
Arcane Bolt now just deals a single mortal wound or D3 if the casting roll was a 10+ instead of always doing a D3 mortal wounds. This makes sense as a casting cost 5 spell is basically an instant cast and doing D3 mortal wounds was better than some unique spells. Mystic Shield was changed from adding one to save rolls to re-rolling save rolls of 1. This is a nerf in that it was easy to get a unit with a 4+ save in cover and then cast mystic shield on them to go down to a 2+. Also, a lot of units are already re-rolling save rolls of 1 so this makes a 6-casting cost spell much less viable.
- Basically, a nerf to the easy to cast spells to make them less useful than a lot of the unique spells being offered now. However, if you get a hero down to 1 mortal wound, Arcane Bolt is still very easy to cast to finish them off. Mystic Shield is not as good anymore with the re-rolling 1’s for saves as the +1 bonuses to save rolls really helped against units without rend. However, it is still solid to cast on a unit that might already have a decent armor save.
Unbinding Spells
Unbinding at 30” inches rather than 18” makes the magic phase so much more interesting. It also adds some stability to those armies like Blades of Khorne that have unbinding options, but lack casters themselves. It really makes things more fun in that your engaging in turn 1 in the magic phase, rather than just sitting back and letting your opponent get their combos off without any resistance.
- Any model that can do something after unbinding or cause mortal wounds to a casting wizard, this really helps. For example, the Curseling can attempt to unbind a spell, and if successful he can immediately cast it without an unbind roll from your opponent.
Summoning
Every army that could summon in the previous edition is being updated to be able to summon units by generating points instead of paying reinforcement points. The mechanics are going to vary by army, but in general, will follow the theme of the army. After that, there is a chart in the new general’s handbook that lists a table for the point costs to summon a specific unit for your faction.
- This is a tricky one as I can see some powerful builds with this, in that your essentially getting free models on the board. No matter how hard or how long it takes to acquire enough points to summon a unit they are still a tough to pill to swallow for armies that cannot do the same. Also, I am curious if enemy wizards can attempt to stop the summoning with an unbinding roll, in the current iteration it is considered a spell with a casting roll so it can be unbound, but if there is no casting roll in the new system then there is no way to stop the summoning.
Endless Spells
For those new to the party here is a brief on endless spells. Casted like a normal spell, if successfully cast and not unbound you resolve the effects of the spell. However, it remains on the board, and starting with the next BATTLEROUND, the player taking the second turn gets to move the first endless spell. On top of that the endless spells according to the GW podcast, cost anywhere between 20-100 points to take. We have not seen all the endless spells yet, but those they have previewed are below:
- Aether Pendulum: “Scything Blade” After this model has moved, each unit that has any models it passed across, and each other unit that is within 1” of it at the end of its move, suffers D6 mortal wounds.
- Balewind Vortex “Not included in supplement set” This warscroll will be updated to become an endless spell.
- Chronomantic Cogs: A single model endless spell with a casting value of 7. If successfully cast set up the model wholly within 12″ of the caster. “Mechanisms of Time” In their controlling players hero phase, a single Wizard within 9’ of this model may choose to do one of the following things. Speed Up Time: Add 2’ to the Move characteristics of all units on the battlefield. In addition, add 2 to charge rolls for all units on the battlefield. Slow Down Time: The wizard manipulating the cogs can cast an additional spell in this hero phase. In addition, re-roll failed save rolls for that wizard.
- Emerald Lifeswarm: A single model endless spell with a casting value of 6. if successfully cast set up the model wholly within 15″ of the caster. This model can move up to 10″ and can fly. “Bounteous Healing” After this model is set up or after it has moved, pick 1 unit within 1″ of it. You can either heal D3 wounds that have been allocated to the unit, or if no wounds are currently allocated to the unit you may return a number of slain models equal to a combined Wounds characteristic equal to or less than the roll of a D3.
- Geminids Of Uhl-Gysh: Tendrils of Shadow and Light: After the Shadow Geminid has moved, each unit that is passed over suffers D3 mortal wounds. In addition, subtract 1 (to a minimum of 1) from the Attacks characteristic of melee weapons used by any of those units until the end of the battle round. After the Light Geminid has moved, each unit that is passed over suffers a D3 mortal wounds. In addition, subtract 1 from all hit rolls made by those units until the end of the battle round.
- Malevolent Maelstrom: No hints yet.
- Prismatic Palisade: No hints yet.
- Purple Sun of Shyish: Single model endless spell with a casting value of 8, if successfully cast set up this model within 6’ of the caster. When this model is cast the player who cast it can immediately make a move with it. It has a move of 9’ and can fly if the battle is in Shyish the move is 12 instead. “End Given Form” After this model has moved any units that have models it passed across, and each unit within 1’ at the end of its move must roll a dice for each model in the unit. For each 6+ one model in the unit is slain unless they have 6 or more wounds in which case they suffer 2D6 mortal wounds. Subtract 1 from the Bravery of all units while they are within 6’ of this model.
- Quicksilver Swords: Single Mode endless spell with a casting value of 6, if successfully cast set up this model within 10″ of the caster. When this model is cast the player who cast it can immediately make a move with it. It has a move of up to 8″ and can fly. “Dancing Blades” After this model has moved you can pic 1 unit within 6″ of it and roll 12 dice. (15 if taking place in Chamon the Realm of Metal) For each roll of 6+ (5+ against Chaos) that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.
- Ravenak’s Gnashing Jaws: “Ravening Hunger” After this model has moved, each unit that has any models it passed across, and each other unit within 1’ at the end of its move, suffers D3 mortal wound. In addition, subtract 1 from their bravery until the end of the battle round.
- Soulsnare Shackles: No hints yet.
- Suffocating Gravetide: A single model endless spell with a casting value of 6, if successfully cast set it up wholly within 4″ of the caster. When this model is cast the caster can move it immediately up to 8″ (12″ in Shyish the Realm of Death) it can fly “Pulled to the Grave” After this model has moved, each unit that has any models it passed across suffers D3 mortal wounds. In addition, subtract 1 from their bravery until the end of the battle round. “Roiling Barricade” When a missile weapon targets a unit that has all of its models within 1″ of this model the target unit receives the benefit of cover if the attacking unit is closer to this model than it is to the target unit.
- The Burning Head: No hints yet, but a burning head makes me think DPS and bravery check.
- Umbral Spellportal: A single endless spell that consists of 2 models with a casting value of 5, if successfully cast set up the first Spellportal within 12 of the caster and the second within 18 of the first. If within the Realm of Ulgu the second can be set up anywhere on the board instead of within 18 of the first. “Arcane Passage” If a wizard casts a spell while they are within 1” of a Spellportal model, the range and visibility of the spell can be measured from the other Umbral Spellportal model. If an Endless Spell finishes a move within 6” of an Umbral Spellportal model, remove it from the battlefield and set it up again anywhere within 6” of the other Umbral Spellportal model.
Realm Artifacts and Realm Spells
Depending on what realm your army is from, (I believe you may choose) you can select from 84 different artifacts and items that are dedicated to the various realms. On top of that if you choose for your battle to be fought in one of the realms not only do you enhance certain spells, but you also gain access to “Realm Spells” which can drastically alter the game.
- Without seeing all the spells and artifacts it is hard to comment on them, but I like more choices. I just hope they are mandatory within matched play games, so, for example, I could see a neat rule being before the start of the game you both roll a D6, the player that rolls lower is defending their realm from the attacker’s realm and thus it takes place there.
General Book Details
The path to glory and skirmish rules are always welcome additions to the game, and it seems that the campaigns in this book center around the endless spells. Along with that is lore, maps, stories etc. all going into each individual realm and fleshing them out as places of interest to have battles in. Finally, there are two matched play battleplans, that can be used along with the endless spells points table.
- World building is always a good thing especially in a setting as crazy as Age of Sigmar where there are no real rules or laws. Magic seems almost commonplace so dedicating chunk of the book to it makes sense to me, as well as moving the narrative after the Malign Portents forward. Having the path to glory and skirmish games that revolve around the endless spells is a neat idea and offers a new take on the game. Hopefully, the matched play games are used in all settings and tournaments as well.
Final Thoughts
I really like this supplement or really let’s call it an expansion to Age of Sigmar. It is going to shake up the meta and add so many options that you will not need to be pigeonholed into one style of army. Also, it is adding one major thing that Age of Sigmar has been lacking and that is a direction in terms of lore and the realms. They have always been an afterthought with the players but the new supplement is hopefully bringing them to the forefront of the battles.
My only fear is they will be optional and a lot of players will ignore them in matched play in the same way that some ignore the special terrain rules. Overall though I’m stoked to get my hands on this sweet box of magical goodies.
More Thoughts on Age of Sigmar
About the Author: Travis Perkins
