Don’t miss the full reveal of the Sylvaneth battletome of warscroll rules, points, battalions, and more for their AoS 2.0 rules release!
Sylvaneth are an older 1.0 faction that desperately needed a book. While they were still popping up near the top of the order at tournaments, it was time for their rules to be spiced up a bit.
Thier battletome is coming soon, and there are some BIG changes ahead! We’ve broken down key new rules that the tree people are getting.
Sylvaneth Battle Traits: Ways of the Wargroves
This table essentially shows the different ways that the Sylvaneth will be working on the table. From 50% of your army popping up in some Wyldwoods to being immune to battleshock tests within certain terrain features, the Sylvaneth are looking versatile at first glance.
Ins & Outs of the Wyldwood
If you’re wondering, you can only include one Sylvaneth Awakened Wyldwood (even though it consists of 3-6 in your army) and they’ve already previewed the new model earlier on. You actually have a lot of options when you place this thing down. Just make sure it’s outside of your enemy’s deployment and 6″ away from any objectives.
Keep in mind there are ways to generate more in game as well…
You really need to be careful about where you’re placing your Wyldwoods if you’re using Forest Spirits from above. While your army can be devastating with 50% coming in from reserves exactly where you want them, if you put the Wyldwood too close to the enemy, you essentially won’t be able to bring anything in. Keep that in mind while you deploy.
We know this is blurry but if you’re wondering how big the Sylvaneth Wyldwood is, it consists of three to Six Citadel Wood models. But each tip has to touch a different Wyldood model. (It’ll essentially be making a big ring). The trees can also attack any enemy units that get to close. Whenever you cast a spell or the enemy finishes a charge within 1″ of the Awakened Wyldwoods, you can slap them with your branches and do D3 mortal wounds. (Even though they only do this on a 5+ and 6+).
Exclusive pictures from Sablednah at Warhammer Fest showing scale
Winterleaf Glade Rules
These Sylvaneth are angry and cold. They bring the winter with them and can really dish out a lot of damage from a few combat tricks. Each Winterleaf unit’s hit roll of a 6+ explodes into two hits which is nice. But the Frozen Kernel artifact can really change the tides of war in your favor. Especially when you’ve got a beefy melee squad in the midst of the enemy. Once per game, you can pick something within 18″ of the bearer and they get to attack twice. yikes.
Gnarlroot Glade Rules
The Gnarlroot on the other hand, capitalize on having Wizards within their ranks. They can reroll hit rolls of 1 with they’re within 12″ of a friendly Wizard. If you like the magic side of AoS, you might want to bring these guys. On top of having the incentive to seed a few Wizards in your list, you’ll also be able to heal friendly units D3 wounds if you successfully cast a spell! Plus, rolling 3D6 to cast or unbind and picking the two highest is an artifact that is too good to pass up in this army. The best part is that the Chalice of Nectar isn’t a one time use artifact!
Sylvaneth Warscroll Battalions
The Household Battalion may be on the smaller side, but you’ll want to save this unit for melee with just the right enemy. A blobbed up Stormcast Ballista squad would be a perfect example. Anything in combat with these guys can’t retreat! You’ll be able to shut down any kind of firepower the enemy might have or just tarpit a scary unit that you don’t have time to deal with yet.
As for the Forest Folk Battalion, You can retreat and charge in the same turn. This Battalion is definitely going to have a more support-role feel. They can leave combat and run interference for a friendly unit by charging another unit that is closing in. You’ll probably lose these guys quick because they just want to pick a fight with everybody.
The Outcasts are just some scary boys that prey on morale. They add D3 units to whatever runs away from a failed enemy battleshock test within 3″.
The Free Spirits get a free 6″ run that doesn’t cost you a CP or anything. And the Lords of the Clan can dish out D3 mortal wounds on a 2+. The coolest thing about this Battalion is that it is literally LOADED with Treelords which are some of the coolest models out there.
Endless Spell Rules
The Gladewyrm can move up to 8″ when it’s summoned and only hates on enemies within 1″. Enemies that get too close can take D3 mortal wounds on a 3+. However, any Sylvaneth units within 6″ can heal D3 wounds on a 3+ as well. Because of the value on both ends of the spectrum, we feel like we’ll definitely be seeing this spell in almost every list.
This spell has some decent range at 15″. Plus it’s not a predatory spell. You just plop it down around your Wizard. At the end of the hero phase, two effects can trigger. Vital Venoms add 3″ to normal moves and charges to each Sylvaneth unit within 8″ on a 2+.
On the flipside, Shielding Swarm gives every Sylvaneth unit within 8″ the ability to reroll saves of 1 on a 2+. You can choose aggressive or defensive playstyles with this spell depending on where you’re at on the table.
Finally, the Skullroot is a spooky tree that moves 8″. This thing preys on the morale of enemy units making D3 more run away when they fail a battleshock test. Pair this with the Outcasts Battalion and you’ll be making 2D3 models run! The Skullroot dishes out D3 mortal wounds to whatever it passes over and can do D6 mortal wounds if it’s close to an Awakened Wyldwood.
Aarielle the OP Queen?
Arielle is still a powerhouse as she was in the old battletome. With her ability to heal D3 wounds to everything within 30″ each turn and having the choice to bring back a unit from a list of options, she’ll be a real supportive lynchpin to the army. She can dish out all the damage and help out all of her friends (which is her strong suit). Where she really falls behind is only having 16 wounds and a 3+ save. If you can get enough stopping power on her early on, your games will be going a lot smoother. She is also now 660 points, going up 60 points from her 2018 Generals Handbook entry.
What do you think about everything that’s been previewed? Do you think the Sylvaneth are in a better spot for the meta now? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
