Here’s a look at how to play the new Skaven for 4th Edition Age of Sigmar as we run down the latest rules and updates.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar is getting a shiny new 4th edition, and Games Workshop is dropping some exciting updates for all the factions, too! Time to see what those near-endless warriors of the Skaven can do on the tabletop and how to destroy the Realms of Sigmar once and for all!
4th Edition Age of Sigmar Skaven Faction Rules
Skaven Rules Summary:
- The Skaven possess battle traits that make them elusive adversaries. These traits allow them to swiftly withdraw from combat and unleash a relentless tide of warriors onto the battlefield using gnawholes.
- The Moulder Clan has introduced fearsome new Rat Ogors with enhanced close combat abilities and a destructive fury triggered by warpstone infusion.
- The Pestilens, Skryre, and Clan Verminus contribute unique forces to the Skaven Battle Formations, specializing in deadly experimental weaponry, corrupting the land, and inspiring other units of the Claw-horde.
- Unique ratfolk born with the ability to harness aether energy can unleash powerful spells and summon a Warp Lightning Vortex, which causes Mortal Wounds and slows the enemy.
- Notable characters like Lord Skreech Verminking and units like Rat Ogors and Warp Lightning Cannons bring unique abilities and strengths to the Skaven faction.
- Gnawholes serve as entry points for deploying reserves and provide a means to replenish The Endless Vermintide, the Skaven swarm, while offering strategic and deceptive movement tactics.
AoS 4th Edition Skaven Rules
Here is the latest on the Skaven rules for the 4th Edition Age of Sigmar from Warhammer Community.The grand scheme to elevate the Great Horned Rat into the pantheon of Chaos Gods has surprisingly succeeded. The Skaven are now rising to power, spreading into the eight realms through corrupted portals from Blight City called gnawholes.
Battle Traits
The Skaven, infamous for their cowardice and self-preservation, are experts in strategic retreats. They possess the ability to swiftly withdraw from combat, making them elusive adversaries. During the catastrophic invasion of Blight City into the Mortal Realms, the Skaven can utilize Gnawholes to unleash a relentless tide of warriors onto the battlefield, creating a daunting presence for their enemies to contend with.
These festering tunnels can be strategically placed, allowing a cunning Clawlord to unleash a surprise assault, known as The Lurking Vermintide, by transporting warriors into charge range using the Gnawhole Ambush.
Furthermore, their conspiratorial nature ensures that the Skaven are always three clawsteps ahead, enabling them to maneuver and reposition themselves during the enemy hero phase, maintaining a constant element of surprise.
Battle Formations
The Moulder Clan has brought forth fearsome new Rat Ogors to join the ranks of the Fleshmeld Menagerie. These Prized Creations have been infused with warpstone, enhancing their close combat abilities, granting them a Ward (5+), or triggering a destructive fury within them. Be careful, as a third of the time you hurt your own units, but when it goes off, they will get much stronger.
Additionally, the Pestilens, Skryre, and Clan Verminus contribute unique forces to the Skaven Battle Formations, specializing in deadly experimental weaponry, corrupting the very land, and inspiring your rank-and-file Clanrats, Stormvermin, and other units of the Claw-horde.
Arcana & Incantations
In a rare occurrence that happens only once in a few years for the Skaven, unique ratfolk are born with the ability to harness the aether energy permeating the realms. Using unstable warpstone chips, these jittery wizards unleash powerful spells and have the capacity to summon a tumultuous Warp Lightning Vortex.
These swirling masses of warp energy hamper the movement of enemy units, and lash out with emerald bolts that fry foes with mortal damage.
This is quite strong as it slows the enemy, inflicts Mortal Wounds, and is just a big triangle on the battlefield!
4th Edition AoS Skaven Rules Warscrolls
Lord Skreech Verminking
Lord Skreech, a Terrifying Monstrosity, possesses a gaze that can weaken enemy infantry with chilling efficacy. Referred to as the Thirteen-Headed One, Skreech wields extraordinary powers, enabling units from one of the Great Clans to be infused with strength within a 13-inch radius; each ability can be invoked once in battle.
Then, the Dreaded Thirteenth spell is no joke, as it inflicts mortal wounds while bringing your Clan Rats back to life! Lastly, it has a decent amount of health, deals a lot of damage, and has a decent move.
Rat Ogors
Rat Ogors possess immense physical strength, fearlessness, and a penchant for violence, unlike the Skaven masses. In addition to their mutations, the Clans Moulder packmasters have augmented them with warpfire weapons.
This lethal combination enables packs of Rat Ogors to erupt into a frenzied melee with Unleashed Warp-Fury, while simultaneously bombarding their adversaries with searing green blasts using the Shoot in Combat ability.
Warp Lighting Cannon
Most Skaven believe that it’s much safer to engage enemies from a distance rather than up close. However, not all Skaven have experienced the terror of a malfunctioning Clans Skryre war machine exploding in their face. Despite the high rate of friendly casualties, Warp-Lightning Cannons are highly prized tools, coveted by both Warlock Engineers and Clawlords.
This is a serious piece of artillery, but it is very randomized! If you’re near a Syryre Hero, you could theoretically get 18 attacks with this and deal all kinds of mortal wounds. Not having to wound and just doing mortal wounds is amazing, but you also have the option to blow yourself up as well.
Gnawhole
Gnawholes serve as entry points for deploying your reserves deep into the battlefield and provide a means to replenish The Endless Vermintide, your swarm. Additionally, Tunnels Through Reality offers opportunities for even more strategic and deceptive movement tactics.
Skaven Spearhead
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Much like the Stormcast Eternals, the Skaven have two complete Spearheads to choose from – the current Warpspark Clawpack and the new Gnawfeast Clawpack.
Despite not having literal Gnawholes, the new Spearhead is still sneaky. Thanks to The Lurking Vermintide and Gnawhole Ambush, you have plenty of ways to position your troops – which is super handy on the smaller Spearhead board.
“Spearhead” is a standalone game that’s just right for diving into epic battles in Age of Sigmar. It’s small enough to fit on a kitchen or coffee table, and you only need one Spearhead box to get the games going for the 4th Edition.
The best part? You can snag free downloads with different rules, warscrolls, and objectives.
With the updates and changes announced by Games Workshop, there’s a lot to look forward to as you prepare to command the near-endless warriors of Skaven on the tabletop.
- New 4th Edition AoS Rules Changes & Release Date
- GW Reveals New AoS Stormcast & Skaven Models For 4th Edition
- Skaventide Starter Set Price & Contents
Skaventide & Guide To 4th Edition Warhammer AoS Rules Changes Release Date
What do you think about all the new AoS Skaven rules?
About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
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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!
