GW revealed new rules for the Darkwater models for AoS; here are the full breakdowns, Regiment of Renown abilities, and how each hero plays on the table.
Games Workshop has officially dropped new Darkwater rules for the Order heroes from the box set, meaning they are not tournament legal but fully usable in casual and narrative AoS games.
If Legends is not your thing, the models still work perfectly as stand-ins for standard units in your Cities of Sigmar, Sylvaneth, or other Order armies.
Lore-wise, the Heroes of Darkwater have escaped the Jade Abbey and re-emerge as the Heroes of the Jade Abbey Regiment of Renown, available to Order factions in Age of Sigmar.
Let’s get into the latest Grotmas entry and its new rules!
Heroes of the Jade Abbey Regiment of Renown
In this Darkwater rule, the seven heroes can be taken together as a single Regiment of Renown, or you can cherry-pick just one or build a custom mix.
Eligible factions
Cities of Sigmar, Daughters of Khaine, Fyreslayers, Idoneth Deepkin, Kharadron Overlords, Lumineth Realm-lords, Seraphon, Stormcast Eternals, and Sylvaneth
Points
Each hero adds to the regiment’s cost, starting around 110 points and scaling up to 150 depending on the character.
Darkwater Rules: Regiment Abilities
Stronger Together (Passive)
As long as each hero is wholly within 6″ of another hero from the regiment, all of their melee weapons gain +1 Attack. This pushes the regiment toward tight, aggressive hero blobs rather than spreading out.
Waters of the Everspring (End of Any Turn)
Heal one wound to every hero in the regiment. Simple, reliable sustain that stacks well with their defensive rules.
Individual Heroes: Darkwater Rules Breakdown
Edmark Valoran, the Manticore Knight
Edmark is your classic front-line bully, swinging his Knightly Battleaxe while soaking punishment for the rest of the team. Shield of the Manticore reduces Rend against nearby friendly Infantry Heroes, making clustered Jade Abbey heroes much harder to crack.
Bren Tylis, the Renegade Saint
Bren brings a flexible melee profile and the kind of survivability that wins late-game moments. Yondara’s Guidance gives her a chance to refuse death outright, then patch herself back up afterward. Well Travelled lets her disappear and redeploy once per battle, making her excellent for pressure plays or last-minute objective grabs.
Inara Sion, the Cleansing Blade: Darkwater Rules
Inara’s Barrier of Water Darkwater rules limits how enemies can move toward her, buying space and disrupting charges. Sacred Amphora adds a once-per-battle 2D3 heal, keeping key heroes standing when things get ugly.
Drolf Ironhead, the Grizzled Explorer
Drolf is a tough duardin scrapper who refuses to stay where the enemy expects him. Runic Axes spike in damage when he is surrounded, rewarding aggressive positioning and counterpunching. Expert Ranger lets him reposition through terrain, making him ideal for flanks, surprise angles, and sneaky objective control.
Jacobus Vyne, the Jade Wizard
Jacobus anchors the regiment’s magical game and thrives around terrain features. Verdant Growth weakens enemy shooting near key terrain, helping the regiment survive incoming fire. He can also summon Wisper, extending his influence across the battlefield and turning positioning into a real problem for opponents.
Wisper
Wisper functions like a living extension of Jacobus Vyne’s magic rather than a standalone threat. It allows Jacobus to measure spell and shooting range from the manifestation instead of himself, dramatically improving reach and flexibility.
Drasher Vorn, the Rampaging Beast
Drasher is pure violence wrapped in fur and bad decisions. Ebon Claw lets him convert allocated damage into extra attacks, which can snowball brutally in the right fight. Fury of the Wildlands locks him into combat but boosts his hit rolls after kills, turning him into a high-risk wrecking ball that demands respect or removal.
Final Thoughts on New Darkwater Rules
The Darkwater rules for these heroes are firmly in Legends territory, but they are far from throwaway. As a Regiment of Renown, they reward tight positioning, aggressive melee play, and layered hero synergies. Casual games, narrative campaigns, and Path to Glory tables are exactly where this warband shines.
If you want tournament legality, proxy the models.
If you want a flavorful hero deathball with real teeth, the Heroes of the Jade Abbey are absolutely ready to hit the table.
Warhammer Quest Darkwater Pre-Order!
