Predicting Witch Hunters

So taking an idea from a friend, here is what I am prediciting for the Witch Hunter keyword before I use them (although I have played one game with them before). Worth nothing I am predicting how I will like them, rather than a danger planet style tier list. That means it's entirely subjective and I can't be wrong, take that The Internet!

So scores out of 5, scores in brackets when summoned if different to regular score.  I will probably return to this blog to round out my thoughts as we go. 

Sonnia Criid                        🔥🔥🔥
Sonnia Criid, Unmasked     🔥🔥
Purifying Flame                  🔥🔥🔥
Samuel Hopkins                  🔥
Witchling Thralls                🔥🔥 (🔥🔥🔥)
Witchling Handler              🔥🔥🔥
Hex bow                             🔥🔥🔥🔥
Spelleater                           🔥🔥
Tharelian Queller               🔥🔥
Witchling Stalker               🔥(🔥🔥🔥)
Sanctioned Spellcaster       🔥

Sonnia Criid 🔥🔥🔥

You play Witch Hunters because you want to. Let’s be honest they’re not in a great spot either mechanically or with the current Gaining Ground. But all the same I want to give them a run out. Last time I played Sonnia she was stat 8 and had pyrotechnics.  I will sorely miss both these things. Df & Mv 4 is rough.

Her main gun is ok. Just ok. There’s an argument to be made that the DCU has a better gun but there we go. Hitting for min 2 with 2 burning is effectively min 3 with the way burning works out, it’s just delayed a bit. Seeking flames should be good if I can get burning out through other sources. Obviously ignore Los would be nice here too but you can’t have everything.  Smothering Flames looks like a thing everyone will forget too often. My enjoyment of the head of the Witch Hunters is going to hinge largely on Scorch the soul. Bloody love summoning me.

Sonnia Criid, Unmasked 🔥🔥

Not a summoner. That immediately makes her worse off in my book.  Like I know Sonnia C isn't primarily a summoner but she still can summon. Bloody love summoning me. Then there is her Flameburst attack. Lordy.  I absolutely hate it.  Or rather I hate that when she drops pyre markers they don't count as blast markers, this means not only am I not doing blast damage but also I can't place them like blast markers either.  On the occasions I do get that 5bb both markers have to go in contact with the target for some reason.  Why does the Mysterious Emissary get to count its markers as blasts but our girl here doesn't? Whole of the front of her card I like however, but is it enough to be fun?

Both Tactical actions are solid, I would prefer confiscated lore be a fast action or had one of the triggers built in, literally either would be fine.  

Burn Them Out I feel is the abilty that decides whether or not S2 is any good.  Three solid triggers with implications for both friendly and enemy targets and obvious synergy with Enraged by the Mage (Sadly OPA).  I would like Burn Them Out considerably more if it could also target Pyre Markers. Why are they so static? 

Unmasked Sonnia feels a tad confused, I don't really get her role? Also I have to hire Witchlings now, which I don't like.  Lastly the model is just ponk, some of the fire is upside down and is just a T-pose.  Looks like Iggys older sister. 

Purifying Flame 🔥🔥🔥

It's a significant totem I can summon back when it dies. Did I mention I love summoning? It's got extra movement, it sets people on fire, it blows up, you ignore friendly fire when shooting at combats that it's in.  I think i'll be fine just dive bombing these at people as an annoyance, or doing some schemeing or setting my folks on fire.  Only thing it doesn't do is drop pyre markers but for it's cost (free) it is absolutely fine. 

Samuel Hopkins 🔥

Nope, don't like him. Do not like him at all. I can see what he's meant for, he's meant to put burning on targets for Sonnia to hit but there's no guarantee he will with a gun. Front of card abilities are all fine, but much like Francisco in Family, discarding cards when you're not drawing cards is a high price. I just can not get over Df5 & Wp5 on a 9 cost Henchy, that is just poor. Any model that costs more 9ss needs to have a significant impact on the game and I am just not sure that he will. 

I'm going to put him on the table to try him out, but I am in no way looking forward to it and I have zero expectations for him. Maybe if he had Sonnia's Seeking Flame ability, or Run and Gun? Outshone by his own Minions.

Witchling Thralls 🔥🔥 (🔥🔥🔥)

Probably the most defined model in the keyword in terms of role.  This is your beater, it want's to run forward and hit your enemy in the face. It probably won't get there sadly due to the traditional average stats.  I do find it funny that the beater in the anti-trigger keyword relies on triggers to hit min 3, but still it's baked in at least. Mental note, don't take these in the mirror match. 

No Love for Witchlings has the look of being useful should he ever reach the enemy. Aetheric Blast should have the tome built in, Absorb the Flame should be a fast action.  Proc'ing Drawn to Pain to trigger in Sonnia2 to get the extra attack looks hilarious but highly, highly unlikely sadly.  Feels overcosted by 1ss.  Summoning them will probably be a win more moment.

Witchling Handler 🔥🔥🔥

I am looking forward to using this one and I’ve gone through her abilities here but why does Goad Witchling only affect minions? Why not the Totem too?  Seems silly to me.  I also really think they need something to push Witchlings about with, the Handler needs more handling to her I think. 

Hex Bow 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Look they just do everything you want them too. Ignore everything but LOS and cover, including Incorporeal and very easy access to anti armour with Expert Marksman or their own triggers.  They spread burning about, they’re AP efficient with Heat of Battle and Run and Gun, they get rid of scheme markers. Target practice even combos with Run and Gun (absolute table flip moment when an opponent first used this against me).  And if that wasn’t enough you can probably get another shot of Sonnia or force your opponent to discard. I’ll take one of these over Hopkins I reckon. Best bow boy.

Spelleater 🔥🔥

I absolutely love Spelleaters. When I played Cadmus. I’m not sure I’m going to have the same love for them in Witch Hunter.  For a start they’re quite static, whilst this fits with Cadmus’ catchers mitt playstyle I’m not sure it’s the same in Witch Hunter and it’s certainly not suited to GG4.  For a start We are Legion is practically useless you take two and you’re not going to. I like being able to strip suits away from models that need them to defend themselves or gain bonuses from doing so, hey Transmortis. The discard equals burning or poison will combo nicely with counterspell but I’m not sure how frequently the positioning requirement will be met though.  I have a feeling down to the last drop won’t be as useful as I’m used to in Cadmus as there won’t be as big a scrum.  For ranged attacks I’ll be taking Hex Bows, and I’m not sure what utility Spelleaters bring outside of niche situations.

Thalarian Queller 🔥🔥

In second edition they were artificers that made friendly models damage become irreducible. Now, none of that seems true. Sadly.

Mage brand is the obvious thing of value, slapping Adversary on an enemy and pushing a Witchling Thrall in to them looks like it has value in Sonnia2, I’ve no idea how likely it is. Feels unlikely.

I guess their aura is a Null rod kind of an artificer effect? Still I’d like more artificer to them. Give their push to Handlers and give these analyse weakness maybe?  I Didn't Start the Fire is a flippless fast ation to turn burning into a scheme marker.  That does look to be useful in this GG, but I also want to turn burning into...

Witchling Stalkers 🔥 (🔥🔥🔥)

I’m not hiring one. I’m not. I will absolutely blow up a model for one though. Two model swing? Glorious.  Summoned models can scheme just fine (did I mention I like Summoning?) Is this a risky strategy? yes. Still gonna though. All that said I might hire one if I need more condition removal than the Steward can handle by himself. 

Sanctioned Spellcaster 🔥

They can get Fast pretty easy due to the amount of Stone users kicking about and that is probably the best thing about them other than they are 4ss and significant.  They can put down scheme markers for Hex Bows to get an extra AP from. They'll die if sneezed on and nobody will attend their funeral.

So that's it for the currently available keyword, yes there is also Ashbringers and Hot Rod but I don't have the models yet and the cards aren't in the app.  That of course, could all change over the coming month.  I will do another one of these to see how things change.