Warscrolls in 4th Edition Age of Sigmar will have baseline stats and universal keywords across the whole range, plus the new rules will drop in Faction Packs.
Well, GW promised all the core rules would be changing this edition, and with that, it makes sense that they would have to change the base stats of every unit. They looked at how every unit should interact (how strong or accurate it should be) and ensured each was fairly balanced and somewhat more accurate (as accurate as you can be in a tabletop game).
On top of that, there will be all new universal rules to make the game easier to learn and play, and new factions packs containing all the rules for each army!
Age of Sigmar Baseline Stats, Universal Keywords & Faction Packs!
Here is the latest on the AoS 4th Edition Universal keywords, Baseline stats, and update rules coming in Faction Packs from Warhammer Community.
- GW has redone all the warscrolls for 4th Edition Age of Sigmar with new baseline stats and universal keywords across the whole line.
- The core rules have been changed, and the base stats of every unit have been adjusted to ensure better balance and gameplay.
- New universal rules have been introduced to make the game easier to learn and play.
- Each type of faction or creature has been given specific baseline characteristics that apply across different factions.
- The aim was to ensure that every unit had its own role to play on the battlefield, realized by abilities that define their strengths and unique traits.
- The mechanics of Rend in weapon profiles have undergone changes, and units with Anti-X abilities to counter specific threats are more prevalent.
- Faction Packs will be released in a different order than for 10th Edition 40k, with paid cards first and free rules following.
Amidst numerous alterations, the GW took the opportunity to thoroughly restructure the entire game. This involved evaluating each and every warscroll to reorganize and fine-tune for better balance and gameplay.
New Baseline Stats
One of the key goals for the new edition was to make sure that the rules really reflect the Mortal Realms. This meant ensuring that characteristics are consistently applied, reflecting the lore and the look of the miniature.
Each type of faction or creature was given a specific set of characteristics that would apply across different factions. A regular human hits on a roll of four+ and wounds on a roll of four+; elves are more accurate but not stronger, so they hit on a three+ and wound on a four+, while orcs are not more accurate but are stronger, so they hit on a four plus and wound on a three+.
Exceptional warriors, strong fighters, poorly trained combatants, and weak individuals can alter these basic characteristics, but the archetypes provide a solid foundation. A similar approach was used for heroes, helping to distinguish a combat hero from a priest or wizard.
This should make balancing the game easier for GW, and let’s hope they don’t stray too far from this idea.
After these base characteristics had been determined, the aim was to ensure that every unit had its own role to play on the battlefield. These would be realised by abilities that helped to define their strengths and unique traits.
They dedicated many hours to determining how to effectively represent the Health and Save characteristics. They arranged hundreds of miniatures for comparison, basing the definition of Health mostly on their volume and Save, mainly from how much armor they are wearing. Subsequently, they organized them into groups to help establish the appropriate brackets for each characteristic.
New Weapon Abilities & Universal Keywords
Maintaining internal balance within an army is crucial for ensuring an engaging game. To achieve this, the rules team tailored the units within each army. For instance, they may have given one unit a specialization in holding objectives while another excels in strategic positional play. Additionally, careful consideration was given to particular units that could effectively counter specific threats through the use of chosen weapon abilities.
As a result of the role-determining process, Rend’s mechanics in weapon profiles have undergone changes. Although Rend has decreased overall, units with Anti-X abilities have greater presence, allowing them to inflict more damage against their preferred targets. However, it’s important to note that combat in the Age of Sigmar remains intense, so Rend will still play a significant role. After all, rolling numerous dice only to see no wounds inflicted can dampen the fun.
One last note: Everything will seem less powerful, but the power level should stay about the same since it’s all been reworked. At least, in theory, that is.
Faction Packs
The full Faction Packs contain Battle Traits, Battle Formations, Heroic Traits, Artefacts of Power, and various Lores, as well as the Spearhead Battle Traits, Regiment Abilities, Enhancements, and all the warscrolls you’ll need. You can buy them as physical card packs on launch, and they’ll be available to download for free shortly after.
This is a bit of a strange order from GW; for 10th Edition 40k, they did it the other way around, with free rules first and then paid card packs after. Luckily, you will still be able to get the rules for free; it’s just interesting to see this order. Either way, the rules will be free too long after launch; let’s hope it’s quite soon after.
It’s clear that GW has put a lot of effort into rebalancing the game and making it feel much different than 3rd. Introducing new universal rules and restructuring warscrolls should make balance easier to maintain throughout the edition. The changes to weapon abilities and the introduction of faction packs also add an interesting dynamic to the game.
Overall, these updates promise to enhance the Age of Sigmar experience for both hobbyists and players alike!
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What do you think about the changes so far for 4th Edition AoS?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
