Lets talk heralds!

 So with the release of the new Chaos Daemon Codex back in September, alot of the focus was on all of the big boys.

But I want to bring attention to the humble herald and all their variations. 

In this article I'm gonna just go over all the heralds and what I think of them along with some tips and tricks you can play while using them.

I'll just start by saying heralds now have a re-roll 1's to wound aura for same god core units which is amazing!!

Tzeentch:

Fateskimmer:

Probably the most popular of the heralds right now, this guy sits on a burning chariot throwing magic at your opponents while slashing units with his two screamers.

14" move, T6, 9 wounds with that magic 3+ save at range and a 5+ save in combat.

For 5pts you can give him a set of blue Horrors for +1 to cast which is mandatory, and for another 5pts you get 3 str7 ap-4 2 damage shots which isn't too shabby.

Overall this guy is solid and a pretty awesome model. I'll never understand how they can call it a vehicle, which does stop it using Relics unfortunately.

Fluxmaster:

A fateskimmer, but missing his screamers and has no blue Horrors aswell as losing a fair bit on his stats.

He does gain infantry though which allows him to be targeted by Shrouded Step which can pair nicely with him moving 12" up, doing a psychic action and then getting teleported back by Belly.

Changecaster:

The most basic of the Tzeentch heralds, a simple psyker with two casts and again an option for a staff.

He's basicly your choice if you haven't got points for the other two.

The Bluescribes:

Not technically a herald but i've always loved the aesthetic of the Bluescribes. Two Blue Horrors on a disk, these little guys look great on paper but a little lacklustre on the table.

Having a 12" -1 to cast aura which is decent, and any powers failed while a psyker is within 12" of the scribes (excluding psychic actions) are syphoned which means those powers cannot be cast again for the rest of the game. Sounds amazing but then you realise you need to get them right into your opponents face.

While not a psyker, they can roll 2d6 and pick one of the powers from the pandaemoniac discipline that corresponds to one of those numbers and immediately cast it on minimum cast value with it being undeniable. Again sounds amazing but is so random (very Tzeentchy to be fair).  They also get a free Smite if they syphoned any powers in your opponents previous psychic phase with the same caveats as their free cast.

Overall very characterful but not very competitive.

The Changeling:

The coolest looking Tzeentch herald in my opinion, sadly probably the worst rules wise. He's a single cast herald, that can copy the combat stats of an enemy model that is within engagement range.

Meh.....

Slaanesh:

Tranceweaver:

Your basic foot herald, she is the cheapest HQ option in the book at 70pts, is a single cast psyker with one power from soulstain and can give a slaaneshi core unit +1 ap in the combat phase. Solid cheap HQ that can mix it up in combat with certain targets.

Tormentbringer:

Your Slaaneshi herald on one of the three chariots. The chariots gives her a 14" move, T5 with 7 wounds, a -1 at range, changes her herald ability from an ap boost to +1 to hit for core and a 4+ save in combat.

She gets 8 attacks at her standard str4 ap-2 2 damage profile, 4 malefic str4 attacks from the seekers and 6 6" str4 -1 ranged attacks from her whips.

The Seeker chariot gives her 4d6 rolls against each enemy unit she finishes a charge move within engagement range of with every 5+ being a mortal wound, aswell as upping her attacks by two on the charge.

The Hellflayer gives 4 more malefic attacks at str6 -2 2 damage that go to malefic 6 on the charge.

The Exalted chariot does bump her wounds to 12, which makes her targetable and then gives her a wound bracket, with the only main compensation beside more wounds is 4 more seeker attacks.

The Hellflayer is definitely worth some testing and can be a beastly character with the slothful claws Relic added for damage 3 on those 8 basic attacks.

The contorted epitome:

Oh how the mighty fall....

Once an amazing tech piece for Daemon lists, they retain their 2+ fnp vs mortals, but lost her no fall back aura...

She does make enemy units take a 3d6 leadership when within 6" of her in the command phase, and if failed they half their movement and are -1 to hit which isn't bad. 

They still casts two and denies two but no longer has the +1.

Overall they are not bad, just abit of a far cry from their former glory.

Syll'Esske:

While Esske is aDaemon Prince, Syll is still a herald which means they have both the re-rolls hits and wounds of one which is amazing.

6 str4 -2 9" ranged attacks with 6 malefic str4 ap-2 attacks and 6 str7 -3 3 damage attacks makes Syll'Esske a bit of a beatstick. 200pts though is a bit pricey with a 10" move monster with no fly.

Overall I think Syll'Esske is fairly decent but abit pricey for what they do.

Infernal Enrapturess:

The best of the Slaaneshi heralds, for 10pts more than a tranceweaver, you lose the psychic but gain two shooting profiles. One at 6 shots at 18" str5 -1 or one shot at 24" str9 -3 d3+3 damage.

She is also a Warp Locus for Slaanesh which is amazing and in your command phase can return a model back to a slaaneshi core unit or d3 if that unit is infantry. That's a potential 2 d3 Daemonettes back to a squad if you have 5 warpstorm points available for dark Invigoration.

To top it off she also has 4 str4 -2 2 damage attacks in combat aswell!

The Masque:

Who doesn't love a dancing Daemon lady right?

She can move straight through models when she moves, advances, charges or falls back. She can also charge after falling back. 

She applies an effect on an enemy unit within engagement range of her to.

Either making that unit -1 to hit it or -1 to wound or giving slaanesh units that target that unit+1 to hit. She's a nice tech piece that is really useful in a Slaanesh heavy list.

Nurgle:

Poxbringer:

Your standard Nurgle herald chassis, a one cast psyker that can give one plaguebearer core unit in the command phase +1 damage on wound rolls of a 6 in melee.

3 attacks at str5 -3 2 damage on a T6 6 wound body.

He's not bad, though Nurgle overall is just quite subpar unfortunately.

Spoilpox Scriviner:

If Plaguebearers were good, then this guy would be solid. He can give a plaguebearer core unit +1 to hit in combat and hand out obsec to that unit, or double obsec if they already are obsec.

Again a T6 6 wound body, his attacks are ok. He gets one malefic str5 -1 3 damage bite. He has a plaguesword but meh. He can sneeze on units in 6" with 6 auto hitting str4 attacks which is pretty funny though.

Note Drones are plaguebearer core, so his abilities to affect them, which has a little potential.

Sloppity Bilepiper:

The jolliest of all the heralds! Running around with his little fleshy bagpipes, he actually got a decent glow up in this codex, but again Nurgle is quite meh overall.

He can buff a Great Unclean One, Nurglings or a plaguebearer core unit with +1 to move, advance and charge rolls.

He can also select an enemy unit within 12" in the morale phase, roll 3d6 and if you beat it's leadership, that unit can't perform actions and loses obsec.

Another good tech piece herald for 80pts, there is a case for squeezing him into an obsec heavy list.

Horticulous Slimux:

Nurgles Gardener, he can't pop trees up anymore sadly.

He can buff a beast or Drone unit in 9" in the command phase giving them re-roll charges and +1 to hit.

He can also seed a terrain feature he is wholly within, making it difficult ground and causing d3 mortal wounds on a 2+ everytime an enemy unit ends any type of move (exluding pile in and consolidation) on that feature.

I really want to try a max beast list with Horty, he is solid as are beasts.

At T7, 9 wounds with a 4+/4+ he is tough as nails, getting 4 str6 -3 2 damage attacks.

Let's not forget about his massive snail, Mulch who gets 2 malefic str7 ap-4 3 damage attacks.

Epidemius:

Oh, Epi what have GW done to you...

His Tally no longer has progressive buffs for Nurgle daemons, now you get a Tally mark for every model a nurgle daemon unit (just legiones daemonica now) kills.

If you have 7 or more marks, you get an extra warpstorm point when you roll for them and then reset the Tally....

Yea he is bad now.

Khorne:

Bloodmaster:

A big bloodletter basicly, 5 attacks at str6 -3 3 damage, giving a Bloodletter core unit in the command phase automatic wounds on a hit roll of a 6+ in melee.

He's OK....

Skullmaster:

Literally a Bloodmaster on a juggernaught, getting the 4 malefic str6 (str7 on the charge) ap-2 1 damage attacks for his daemon rhino.

Rendmaster on blood throne:

A Bloodmaster on a skullcannon without the gun, he can re-roll wound rolls against characters and monsters which is decent.

Unfortunately he can't take Relics because he is a vehicle just like the Fateskimmer...

But 9 wounds at T7 with a 4+/4+ is quite a tough body. Getting his 5 attacks with his blade of blood and then 4 malefic str6 -3 2 damage attacks make him actually a solid beatstick character who can actually take a punch. He can also use the brass Stampede strat, picking an enemy unit within engagement range of him after he made a charge move, causing d3 mortals on a 3-5 or d3+3 on a 6. Not too bad and makes him very good at just slaying characters and monsters.

Karanak:

Like the Bluescribes, he isn't actually a herald but I'm including because he's cool.

A big Three headed khorne dog, he gives out the re-roll wounds of 1 to flesh hounds and flat wound re-rolls vs psykers.

He can deny 2 powers in the psychic phase (and changes the 4+ deny from contempt for sorcery to a 3+ if the caster is within 12" of him). He also picks an enemy character in your first command phase, anytime he wounds that character, he causes 2 mortal wounds and the attack sequence ends.

He's actually pretty solid, giving good psychic defense and is a great character killer.

Skulltaker:

Talking of character killers, Skulltaker gets full hit and wound re-rolls vs characters with 6 attacks at str6 -3 3 damage attacks that ignore invuls!

Anytime he kills a character he adds 3" to his herald aura (re-roll 1's to wound) and his lord of Decapitation aura (+1 to hit in melee for a bloodletter core unit in the command phase).

Skulltaker is really solid, can do serious work in combat and gives out decent buffs.

Overall, there are some powerful herald options that can add alot to any lists.