Playtest Rules Changes – v1.6.2

Hello everyone. Today we saw the release of version 1.6.2 of the Playtest Rulebook (which you can download here as usual) so I decided to start a new section to follow the main rules changes.

As announced by game designer Tuomas Pirinen, this was mainly a balance patch for three factions in the game: The Cult of the Black Grail, the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent and the Trench Ghosts variant for the Heretic Legion. The core rules of the game and the other remaining factions haven’t been changed. As we are approaching the final draft of the rules, we are also starting to see some polishing on wording and descriptions and some minor but always welcome clarifications.

TROLL-SIZED DISCLAIMER: As always I would like to remind you that Trench Crusade is still a Work-in-progress project and the rulebook is in playtest phase. While many of the rules are consolidated now that we are approaching to the official release, changes might and will happen, potentially including the reversal of some of the changes described below or changes to parts of the rules that are affected by the current update but haven’t been reviewed yet. As always my advice is: be patient, attempt to play Rules-as-Written but don’t be too strict, accept that the intention of the rules may be different and could be changed in the future, so in doubt agree with your opponent on the course of action that makes most sense, and refrain from abusing an unclear rule just for gaining an unfair advantage.

Note: I will list here only those changes who have a gameplay effect or provide additional clarification. Terminology changes and rules streamlining are not listed. Also, don’t expect me to go too much into detail on the impact these change have for the game, I don’t feel confident enough yet to make evaluations.

Cult of the Black Grail

The main star of v1.6.2 is the Cult of the Black Grail, which has been struggling of late, especially in the final stages of a campaign, where its lack of options to several of its models caused it to hit models and equipment limits fairly quickly, preventing a significant and interesting growth of the warband after a certain point.

In addition, the core mechanic of the faction, INFECTION MARKERS, weren’t really easy to spread, in particular during the early stages of a match, so some changes were made to facilitate the initial wave of infection, upon which slower warriors could capitalize on later.

Armoury and Equipment Changes:

• Viscera Cannon: LIMIT increased from 1 to 2.
• Added the following weapons: Shotgun (10 ducats), Machine Gun (50 ducats, Amalgam only LIMIT:1).
• Plague Blade: Cost reduced from 15 to 10 ducats.
• New Equipment
  • Compound Eyes Helmet – 10 ducats (ELITE and Heralds only, LIMIT: 3, Headgear): Counts as a Combat Helmet. Additionally, this model increases its Ranged characteristic by +1 DICE.
  • Grail Devotee – 15 ducats (2 Glory Points if your Warband has one already, ELITE only, LIMIT:2): A single model may be accompanied by up to two Grail Devotees. For each Devotee a model is accompanied by, it rolls injuries with a flat +1 bonus with all of its attack ACTIONS. Note that although Grail Devotees can be represented by a model, they are not treated as models for any rules purposes.
• Infested Rifle: Clarified that its reduction to armour applies to the armour modifier of the target as a whole, not to any piece of armour or shield individually.
• Viscera Cannon: Now inflicts 1 additional BLOOD MARKER (instead of INFECTION MARKERS as it previously did) for each BLOOD MARKERS (up to 3) the attacker decides to suffer.
• Black Grail Shield: Clarified that its effect resolves when the carrier is the target of a ranged attack, so it can trigger even on attacks that hit automatically (negating the attack on a Critical Success). The Black Grail Shield’s ability can be used each time the user is the target of a ranged attack.

Warband Creation Rules Clarification: When creating a warband, you choose whether its leader is a Lord of Tumours or a Plague Knight. If you chose a Lord of Tumours, the warband can have up to one Plague Knight, otherwise it can have up to two Plague Knights but can not have a Lord of Tumours anymore.

Changes to Black Grail Models

• Lord of Tumours: Beelzebub’s Touch (changed): If a melee attack by the Lord of Tumours hits the target and causes at least one BLOOD MARKER or INFECTION MARKER, the Lord of Tumours inflicts an additional INFECTION MARKER on the target. Additionally, the Lord of Tumours is never considered unarmed and any of its empty hands count as Trench Clubs
• Plague Knight: Clarified that it cannot be fielded unless equipped with a suit of armour.
• Corpse Guard: Maximum number increased from 2 to 3.
• Hounds of the Black Grail: Disease Carrier (new ability): If an enemy model is Activated while in Melee Combat with a Hound, that model suffers one INFECTION MARKER.
• Amalgam:
  • Cost reduced from 150 ducats to 140.
  • Gained the keyword STRONG (limited to 2 arms only).

Changes to the Dirge of the Great Hegemon Variant

• Clarified that the Executor counts as a Plague Knight (for the Hegemon’s Will ability)
• Bereaved: Cost reduced from 35 ducats to 30.
• Urn of Bitter Ashes: now affects all models within 3″ of the carrier (previously it affected models fully within 3″ of it).

Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent

The Court saw several balance changes and clarifications to Goetic Powers. with the addition of a new universal power that allows any Court warband to play around Yoke Fiends, a complete overhaul of Morphean Mind and Belly of the Beast and minor but significant changes to other powers and spells, in particular Burning Inferno, which now is clearly described as a Ranged Attack ACTION. A first glimpse of the Greed abilities has been shown with the corresponding Aura for the Desecrated Saint, while one of the most oppressive models in the game (or at least perceived as such), the Hunter of the Left-Hand Path was toned down a notch due to the cost increase of two of its Goetic abilities.

Equipment Changes:

• Bow of Lethe: Clarified that its optional effect is chosen before the injury roll.

Goetic Magic Changes:

• Now there is a clear terminology distinction between Goetic Powers, which are passive abilities and require no BLOOD MARKERS for their effect to take place and Goetic Spells, denoted by the keyword GOETIC (X), which are ACTIONS that require the expenditure of BLOOD MARKERS to be used and automatically succeed without the need of an ACTION roll. Each individual Goetic Spell can be used once per activation of the model.
• Burning Inferno (universal spell): Now counts as a Ranged Attack ACTION, therefore it is subject to all the limitations of Ranged Attacks (e.g. cannot be used while in Melee Combat or with another Ranged Attack ACTION in the same activation).
• Slavemaster (New universal spell) – 10 ducats, ELITE only. As a GOETIC (1) spell, this model can command any Yoke Fiend within 12” to do one of the following:
  • Move: The Yoke Fiend takes a Standard Move ACTION of up to 6”.
  • Ranged Attack: The Yoke Fiend takes a Ranged Attack ACTION with any Ranged weapon it has.
  • Melee Attack: The Yoke Fiend takes a Melee Attack ACTION.
  • Sacrifice: The Yoke Fiend kills itself (it is removed from the board immediately as a casualty)
• Envious Eyes (Envy power): Clarified that it allows a Sorcerer to be equipped with a Ranged Weapon even if normally it can only equip Melee Weapons.
• Coveted Position (Envy spell): Clarified that it can only be used if both models’ bases fit the new position.
• Call of Flesh (Lust spell): Additional effect: the targeted model must use its Move Action to Retreat if in Melee Combat with a model different than the one casting the spell, and if Downed it must Stand Up before moving.
• Light of Samael (Pride spell): Clarified that it can only affect a single target. Renamed from Light of the Morningstar presumably to avoid confusion with the Desecrated Saint’s Aura of Pride which mentions the Light of the Morningstar as well.
• Morphean Mind (Sloth power):
  • Cost increased to from 5 ducats to 15.
  • No longer restricted to Praetor or Sorcerer
  • LIMIT increased from 1 to 2
  • Effect changed to “No more than one BLOOD MARKER at a time can be used to negatively affect an ACTION or RISKY ACTION this model takes.”
• Daemonium Meridianum (Sloth power): Clarified that Dangerous Terrain in the area of effect of the power counts as both Dangerous and Difficult Terrain.
• Belly of the Beast (Gluttony power)
  • No longer restricted to Praetor or Sorcerer
  • Effect changed to “Whenever an enemy model inflicts one or more BLOOD MARKERS on this model with a melee attack, that model suffers one BLOOD MARKER.”

Note: Greed Powers and Spells were planned for this update, but they were unintentionally left out. They will be added in the upcoming v1.6.3

Changes to Court Models

• Hunter of the Left-Hand Path:
  • Shadow Walker: Cost increased from 1 BLOOD MARKER to 2
  • Left-Hand Path: Cost increased from 1 BLOOD MARKER to 2 (successive uses of the spell during the same Move still cost 1 BLOOD MARKER each as before). The terrain elements through which the Hunter moves must be at least 2″ wide.
• Hell Knight: Armour added to the equipment options (so it now can take a Trench Shield)
• Desecrated Saint:
  • Clarified that it can make a Melee Attack ACTION once per Activation with each melee weapon it is equipped with.
  • No longer ignores Off-Hand penalties when making melee attacks (warning: this can be an unintended change, to be confirmed)
  • Aura of Greed (New): When an enemy model declares a Charge, they must Charge the Desecrated Saint if it is visible, not in cover and within 12” of the Saint. The charging model must be able to reach this model without Climbing, Jumping or crossing Dangerous Terrain.

Trench Ghosts

Finally, Trench Ghosts received a few, significant debuffs, aimed at rebalancing their win-loss rate in playtest matches, that was perceived as too skewed.

• Battlefield Looters: The ability has been removed, so they can no longer increase the LIMIT of a single item from their armoury by 1.
• Semi-Corporeal: The -1 DICE penalty on injury rolls against models in a Trench Ghost warband now only applies to Ranged Attacks. Melee Attacks roll injuries as normal.
• Slow: In addition to reducing their Dash movement by half, now models in a Trench Ghost warband have a base movement of 5″ and suffer -1 DICE to melee attacks against retreating enemy models.

And that’s all for today. Further updates have been announced in the near future, with 1.6.3 expected soon so stay tuned!