Necrarchs, the Soul Stealers
Grade: 2a
Source: (PDF)
Setting: Mordheim
With the destruction of Lahmia the kingdom of Vampires came to an end and the Great Library was burned to the ground. The accumulated knowledge of the ancient Nehekhara was destroyed and many of the disciples of W'soran died in the flames, reluctant to abandon their work. Unfortunately for the world, a handful of Necrarchs fled and survived the pursuit of the armies of the kings of Numas and Zandri, taking with them books, scrolls and other fragments of the dark lore that Nagash had created. They scattered all over the world and hid themselves to patiently wait for the death of their enemies and continue their studies. They built tall towers from where they could study the stars and defend themselves if attacked. News has since spread to these remote strongholds and hidden alcoves of the events occuring in Mordheim, a city ripe for the taking. With the dead calling them forth, the archmages of the Vampire line descend with their minions upon the cursed city to claim its riches, from both those who are dead and those that soon shall be..
Special Rules
Death of the Leader: Should the Necrarch perish, the Thrall shall pick up the mantle of Leader and all conferred bonuses shall be transferred to him. He may immediately roll on the spell list for one spell. You cannot hire another Necrarch, but you may create another Thrall from your current list of Acolyte Heroes. They will retain their current stat-line, but shall gain the benefits of being undead: Immune to Poison & Psychology, causes Fear & suffers No Pain. Should both Necrarch and Thrall be destroyed at once, the evil magics that bind the warband together fade, and all turns to dust.
Racial Maximum
| Race | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Necrarch Vampire | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 10 |
Choice of warriors
A Necrarch Warband must include a minimum of 3 models. You have 500 Gold Crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband is 15.
Heroes
Necrarch: Each Necrarch Warband must have one Necrarch Vampire: no more, no less!
Thrall: You may include a single Thrall.
Acolytes: You may have up to three Acolytes.
Henchmen
Skeletal Warriors: You may include up to 5 Skeletal Warriors.
Zombies: You may have any number of Zombies.
Abomination: You may include a single Abomination.
Waifs: You may include up to 5 Waifs.
Starting Experience
Necrarch starts with 20 experience.
Thrall starts with 8 experience.
Acolytes start with 0 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Necrarch Skill Table
Special Skills
Necrarch Vampire and Thrall Heroes with access to Special Skills may use the following list:
Pupil of Nagash
Delving further into the evil teachings of Nagash, the Necrarch Vampire brings greater darkness to the realm of the living. He may roll immediately on the Scrolls of Nagash for a spell, and choose to do so again instead of a future Skill.
Master of the Black Arts
Such is the power of the Necrarch that the range of all his magical workings is extended by half-again.
Pull of Undeath
So strong is the center of undeath within the Necrarch that he may save his constructs around him from their demise. As long as the Necrarch is within 4 inches of an undead henchman, they may only be taken Out of Action on a roll of a natural 6. Available only to the Leader.
Necrarch equipment lists
Hero Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Mace | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Halberd | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bow | 10 gc |
| Short Bow | 5 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Light armour | 20 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
Miscellaneous Equipment (Heroes Only)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Staff of Damnation | 25 gc |
| Unholy Relic | 15 gc |
| Damned Book | 45 + 3D6 gc |
Henchmen Equipment List
Special Equipment
Staff of Damnation
Cost: 25 gc
Availability: Necrarch only
The preferred weapon of these ancient mages, the Staff of Damnation allows them to bear deadly magic against their foes.
Range: Close Combat
Strength: As user
Special Rules: Two-Handed, Magic-well
Two-Handed: As the Staff of Damnation requires two hands to wield, a model equipped with it may not use a shield, buckler or secondary weapon in close combat. If the model has a shield it will still get a +1 bonus to its armor save against shooting.
Magic-well: A Necrarch Vampire may cast a spell into the Staff of Damnation during his Magic phase instead of casting as normal. Upon a successful casting, the spell is stored within the staff. The spell may be released during a later shooting phase in lieu of casting another spell.
Damned Book
Cost: 45 + 3D6 gc
Availability: Rare 11
Penned in the blood of elven maidens and written upon the flesh of virgins, the Damned Book perverts space about it.
Range: n/a
Strength: n/a
Special Rules: Cursed Aura
Cursed Aura: A model bearing the Damned Book causes all enemy models within 2 inches to suffer a -1 penalty to hit in close combat.
Heroes
1 Necrarch Vampire
110 gold crowns to hire
Ancient and purely evil, the Necrarch exists solely to destroy life. As Mordheim has fallen into the grasp of insanity, the Necrarch Vampires converge upon its ripe bounty so that they may benefit from the demise of the living.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
Weapons/Armour: A Necrarch Vampire may be armed from the Necrarch Hero Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6 inches of the Necrarch Vampire may use his Leadership instead of their own.
Cause Fear: Vampires are terrifying Undead creatures and thus cause Fear.
Wizard: Necrarch Vampires have one spell randomly generated from the Necromancy spell list.
Immune to Psychology: Vampires are not affected by psychology (such as fear) and never leave combat.
Immune to Poison: Vampires are not affected by any poison.
No Pain: Vampires treat a Stunned result on the Injury chart as Knocked Down.
0 – 1 Thrall
60 gold crowns to hire
Taken into the fold due to their promise with the dark arts, Thralls serve their masters with undying devotion. While lesser Vampires, they still possess great speed and strength, and the ability to possibly overthrow the shadow of their undead lords.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: A Thrall may be equipped from the Necrarch Hero Equipment List.
SPECIAL RULES
Cause Fear: Vampires are terrifying Undead creatures and therefore cause Fear.
Immune to Psychology: Vampires are not affected by psychology (such as fear) and never leave combat.
Immune to Poison: Vampires are not affected by any poison.
No Pain: Vampires treat a Stunned result on the Injury chart as Knocked Down.
0 – 3 Acolytes
35 gold crowns to hire
Chosen from the wretched stock available to them, the Necrarchs elevate a select few to the position of Acolyte. These individuals provide aid within the tower itself, be it with experiments or the preparation of sacrifices.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Acolytes may equip themselves with weapons and armor from the Henchmen equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Vassal: The Acolyte has given himself over to his dark lord. At a whim, the Necrarch can see what the Acolyte sees, hear what he hears, and even speak through his slave. As long as the Necrarch has line of sight to an Acolyte, and the Acolyte is not engaged in hand-to-hand combat, he may use it as a casting point for a spell. Upon a critical failure of a casting (rolling double 1's) regardless of skills such as Mind Focus or the like, the Acolyte must roll on the Injury table and add +1.
Henchmen
0 – 5 Skeletal Warriors
20 gold crowns to hire
Dragged from the grave, these unfortunate warriors serve their dark lords. Marching relentlessly, they draw close to Mordheim, a city as welcoming as any to warriors such as they.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Skeletal warriors may be equipped with weapons and armor chosen from the Henchmen Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Cause Fear: Skeletal Warriors are terrifying Undead creatures and therefore cause Fear.
May not Run: Skeletal Warriors are slow Undead creatures and may not run (but may charge normally).
Immune to Psychology: Skeletal Warriors are not affected by psychology.
Immune to Poison: Skeletal Warriors are immune to poisons.
No Pain: Skeletal Warriors treat Stunned results as Knocked Down.
No Brain: Skeletal Warriors do not gain experience.
Zombies
15 gold crowns to hire
Zombies are the most common of the Undead: creatures animated by the will of their Necromantic masters. Reinforced by their dark magics, a Necrarch’s zombie minions are much more menacing.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Zombies never carry any equipment, and do not suffer any penalties for this.
SPECIAL RULES
Cause Fear: Zombies are terrifying Undead creatures and therefore cause Fear.
May not Run: Zombies are slow Undead creatures and may not run (but may charge normally).
Immune to Psychology: Zombies are not affected by psychology.
Immune to Poison: Zombies are immune to poisons.
No Pain: Zombies treat Stunned results on the Injury table as Knocked Down.
No Brain: Zombies do not gain experience.
0 – 1 Abomination
190 gold crowns to hire
Vile constructs, these twisted beings are torn from the nightmares of men. Made from looted graves, these beasts are powered by the dark magic of their Lords and the wyrdstone found in and around Mordheim.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Abominations do not employ weapons, and suffer no penalties for doing so.
SPECIAL RULES
Cause Fear: Abominations are terrifying Undead creatures and thus cause Fear.
Immune to Psychology: Abominations are not affected by psychology.
Immune to Poison: Abominations are immune to poisons.
No Pain: Abominations treat Stunned results as Knocked Down.
No Brain: Abominations do not gain experience.
Large Target: Abominations are Large Targets as defined in the shooting rules.
Powered: A Necrarch has placed a shard of wyrdstone in the Abomination to bring it life. Should the Abomination be removed from combat, the model who took it down receives a shard of wyrdstone. A new shard is then needed to re-animate the Abomination.
Spare Parts: Thanks to the dark magics of their lords and the manner of their construction, Abominations ignore rolls of 1&2 on the post battle Injury Table; they cannot be destroyed.
0 – 5 Waifs
20 gold crowns to hire
Waifs are the most miserable of human specimens. They are deformed and rejected individuals, shunned by even their fellow man. Vampires often recruit waifs as their servants and treat them with surprising kindness. As a result, waifs are often fanatically loyal to their undead overlords and will do anything to serve and protect them.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: A Waif may be armed with weapons and armor chosen from the Henchmen Equipment list.
Spells – Dreaded Scrolls of Nagash
Written upon the flesh of elven children, these markings burn with eternal evil. Sought by scholars of the Empire and Necromancers alike, these ancient words are borne only upon damned breath. Despair and sorrow have taken written form upon the Scrolls of Nagash.
1 – Soulcage
Difficulty: 9 Wracked with pain unimaginable, the victim shoulders the burden that belongs to the caster. You may choose a single model within 6''. All wounds are transferred to this model at +1 to the Injury Roll. Should a natural 6 be rolled on the Injury chart, not only is the Soulcaged model removed from action, but the caster is treated as Stunned. Only one Soulcage spell may be in effect at a time.
2 – Black Breath
Difficulty: 8 The mage belches forth a toxic wind of death, engulfing all within the embrace of slumber eternal. The spell has a range of 8'', and hits the first model within its path. It causes 2 S4 hits on its target, and one S3 hit on all models within 2''.
3 – Servants Eternal
Difficulty: Auto Calling upon the powers of darkness, the caster summons undying servants to do his bidding. This spell must be used before the game, and may only be used once. When cast, the spell summons D3 Zombies to the caster’s side. The evil that sustains the abominations will fade after the battle, turning their damned flesh to dust. As such, these zombies do not count towards the warband’s maximum size.
4 – Fear of the Ages
Difficulty: 9 Like a wave of pure despair, the mage releases the fear of the ages over those around him. All enemy models within 4'' of the caster suffer a S3 hit. No armour saves are allowed. The servants of Morr, Sigmar and Ulric are especially susceptible to this evil, and suffer a S4 hit instead.
5 – Wall of Despair
Difficulty: 6 The caster weaves about him a wall of pure despair, rendering himself immune to the will of others. The caster is immune to all spells and prayers. Roll at the beginning of each turn during the Recovery Phase. On a roll of 1 or 2, the Wall of Despair disappears.
6 – Claws of Nagash
Difficulty: 10 The withered hands of the caster grow and flash with the dark power of Nagash. The Claws of Nagash grant the caster +1 Weapon Skill, and the caster becomes Frenzied. Test at the beginning of each turn during the Recovery Phase. On a roll of 2 or less, the Claws of Nagash vanish.