Abidan the Keeper

Some few immortals prove exceptional enough to earn esteemed recognition. In life, Abidan was a skilled warrior, though from a family of little standing. In death, he has won glory and honor denied him in life. He was shattered in a clash inside Ios, where he fought back to back with Hakaar the Destroyer. When the extollers recovered his sacral stone and the exalted ancestors spoke his praises, a new, more ornate form was granted him, and so he became the Keeper. Given a special place among the immortals, he fights to safeguard those around him, moving to intercept blows intended for his ancient companions.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct
• Template:Flank
• Template:Immortal Companion
• Template:Shield Guard
• Template:Soul Vessel

Weapons

• Great Sword - 2" reach, POW 6, P+S 13 melee attack
  • Template:Magical Damage

Theme Forces

• Template:The Exalted. Abidan the Keeper gains Immovable Object in this theme.

Thoughts on the Abidan the Keeper

Abidan the Keeper in a nutshell

Abidan is a companion type model that is meant to protect an important piece of your army. Flank makes him being much better at killing heavies than other Exalted solos - and more importantly he's a shield guard who keeps coming back into play. Currently in competitive Exalted lists Abidan is normally taken in preference to a second Ancestral Guardian.

Combos & Synergies

• Ancestral Guardian - can return Abidan to play, provides Abidan with a speed boost from Resonance, and Abidan flanks with one.
• Hakaar - flanks with Abidan, can resurrect him with a soul and gets to move and attack off of his death.
• Supreme Guardian - flanks with Abidan and really appreciates having a shield guard around.
• Zaal, the Ancestral Advocate gives him extra ARM with his feat.
• Supreme Aptimus Zaal & Kovaas can keep handing out souls to his guardians to bring Abidan back again and again.

Drawbacks & downsides

• Like most recursion he's utterly hosed by remove from play effects. That said there aren't too many of these on shooting effects, which are the most likely thing to destroy him.
• He costs almost as much as 4 Immortal grunts and his stats are pretty similar to the base unit.

Tricks & Tips

• Abidan is soul-neutral; he generates a soul and then costs one when returned to play.
• You can sometimes do things with order of activation to get that soul back to the Guardian.
• He can be returned to play by not only a normal Ancestral Guardian, but by a Supreme Guardian or Hakaar the Destroyer too.

Other

Trivia

• Released in the Exalted Expansion (2019.01)