Blight Archon

Template:Legbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

When the infernals invaded Caen, and the gods of man and wild sent their Archons to defend their mortal worshippers, Everblight watched with anger and disgust. He raged at the audacity of the gods to think they could create divine creatures with a skill greater than his own. He retched at the crude flesh work of the Infernals Masters and felt embarrassed for them in their pitiful goal of mere soul collection.

With righteous anger, Everblight set about creating a new race to lead his Legion into battle against the imposters and his own Archons to stand defiant against the machinations of ancient cosmic powers. In this endeavor, Everblight succeeded. Blight Archons are the culmination of Everblight's work: perfect creations that inspire his mortal soldiers, control his dragonspawn, and reduce his enemies to melted slag.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Assault
• Template:Eyeless Sight
• Template:Flight
• Template:Corrosion Immunity
• Template:Divine Manifestation
• Template:Lesser Warlock
• Template:Meltdown
• Template:Soul Ward
• Template:Veteran Leader

Weapons

Toxic Breath
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		SP 10			1			Template:-			12
Warroom says it is SP 10, the card database says it is RNG 10 (no spray) as of 2021.09. The database version is probably an error. Template:Continuous Corrosion Template:Corrosion Damage Template:Magical Damage
Blighted Talon (×2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				5				13
Template:Continuous Corrosion Template:Magical Damage

Spells

{{Category: Template:Crimson BalletTemplate:Dragon's BloodTemplate:Impending Doom }}[[Category: Template:Crimson BalletTemplate:Dragon's BloodTemplate:Impending Doom ]]

Theme Forces

• Template:Children of the Dragon
• Template:Oracles of Annihilation
• Template:Primal Terrors
• Template:Ravens of War

Thoughts on Blight Archon

Blight Archon in a nutshell

One of the Legion's best solos, the Archon has it all: impressive combat potential, outsourced battlegroup management backed by a decent spell list and easy-to-utilize support. Eyeless Sight and Flight also make it blend in nicely into the faction's overall theme. Coupling it with the fact that it can go into any of the currently available theme forces it is a highly advised first purchase for Legion players.

Ability thoughts

• Veteran Leader: Another tool in the Legion's arsenal to make your attacks connect.
  • Nearly all the infantry in Primal Terrors and Children of the Dragon will benefit from this ability, but Ravens of War less so.
  • Regardless of theme, there's a good chance your main warlock is Blighted so will benefit.
  • Special shoutout to Oracles of Annihilation where your Minions become Blighted.
• Meltdown: Legion boasts an impressive array of corrosion spells and attacks, and stripping Immunity: Corrosion from the enemy lets you maximise on these.
  • Most prominently the Virtues as well as both Bethaynes. In particular the Virtue Champion's aura which stops continuous corrosion from expiring.
  • The Ravagore's blight patches also suddenly become threatening for immune troops.
  • It does not get around Alchemically Treated
• Lesser Warlock:
  • Although it's practically a warlock note that enemy abilities that specify "non-warlock model" (such as the Blight Bringer spell) will affect the Blight Archon too. On the other hand it's CTRL range will remain unaffected by Severius1's feat for example.
  • It inflates the Archon's cost since you must have at least a single warbeast under its control, but since it can handle them pretty well you can go anywhere from low-budget with just a single Harrier for Mark Target in Ravens of War, to mid-range commanding a pair of Raeks for solo hunting, or all-out with an expensive heavy to cause mayhem.

Spell thoughts

• Crimson Ballet - In a faction that is famous of its hard-hitting yet fragile beasts, this is pure gold. Warbeasts can conduct previously unimaginable piece trades.
  • Even Golab, who can spend a fury to gain Sprint, would rather have Crimson Ballet and spend that precious Fury on buying/boosting attacks.
  • Don't forget it affects the Archon too if you occasionally have to deal with flankers.
• Draconic Blessing - An on-demand ARM buff; this alone could justify bringing the Archon.
  • It usually goes on naturally tough models or those who already have means to get other ARM buffs or Rapid Healing.
  • In a pinch you can put it on your Warlock or your Archon if you feel threatened.
• Impending Doom - This joins the long list of the Legion's threat range manipulation tools, from the Hellmouth to the animi of the Angelius the Seraph or the Afflictor, the list goes on and on.
  • Considering that this might put your Archon into a dangerous position which threatens to lose control over your battlegroup, consider its casting carefully (probably pulling models away from scenario or an important model from an aura).
  • It also comes handy if your Archon needs to get stuck in but the target cannot be charged - just walk up, cast ID and pull in the unfortunate victim.

Battlegroup thoughts

As mentioned, you can tailor your battlegroup whatever suits your points or playstyle. They might miss out on the warlock's battlegroup bonuses, but it is often amply compensated.

• If you need a few support beast who would not really benefit from their warlocks' abilities, consider the outsourcing of Naga Nightlurkers, Mekanoshredders, Nephilim Bloodseers or Harriers under the Archon's care.
• Raek - A trusty workhorse (erm, work-dragon-cat?) to hunt solos on the flank, then sprint back to do something meaningful next turn. The same applies to the Afflictor with the added benefit of occasionally popping out an Incubus from the target to further contest/score scenario elements.
• Zuriel - An excellent but expensive beast, he likes to dig deep into enemy lines to best utilize his plentiful attacks and sprays. Sprint can keep him safe from retaliation without needing to rely on his Dodge animus. Golab is also an excellent choice for Finisher, and Crimson Ballet ensures that you can spend all your FURY to cause damage instead of spending it on your animus.
• Proteus and Angelius - 2 quality heavies with great movement shenanigans, they may live to strike in another round once committed, killed something and then run back to safety. Proteus' drag ability is self evident and he can be a really hard nut to crack with Unyielding + Draconic Blessing. The Angelius can truly go nuts between Impending Doom and its animus, easily getting the target into places they never wanted to be the first place. That is especially true under Rhyas1's feat where you can teleport behind a target you damaged.

Combos & Synergies

Warlocks

Due to the sheer versatility the Archon can slot into basically any warlock's list. It is even more pronounced if your warlock is FURY-strapped, like all the Lylyth incarnations. The following warlocks have special interactions with them worth of note:

• Vayl1 - Incite is an universal attack and damage fixer, and with her feat you can ensure your warbeast can run back to safety even if they failed to trigger Sprint (or dig deeper into enemy lines)
• Vayl2 - She already has the deepest toolbox when it comes to movement tricks with Boundless Charge, Slipstream and Full Steam. You may turn the tables around, and relegate her to support duties with the animi-providing warbeasts, and let the Archons do the heavy lifting with the best heavy brawler warbeasts under their care, then fall back with Crimson Ballet after charging in from downtown.
• Bethayne2 - You cannot choose the Archon as feat target, but you can absolutely do it with its warbeast(s). From then you can double-transfer damage, first from the archon to your beast, then from the beast onto another feat target.

Non-warlocks

• Oracles' Minions choices are all getting Blighted tag as theme benefit, so the possibilities are aplenty. RAT7 Croak Raiders to oil up everything, MAT7 Snapjaw or Swamp Horror, MAT9(!) Primal Archon, just to name a few. Even Shamblers will reach a MAT where they don't have to CMA in order to hit the broad side of a barn.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• It's the most expensive Archon thanks to the mandatory warbeast(s) it has to take
• As every Archon, it is vulnerable to Stationary and Shadow Bind effects. Fortunately, this one can shake those.
• One of the flimsiest Archons if there are no transfer targets around. Watch out for spells and feats that counter transfers, as well as running your beasts hot, or having them tagged with Fury-adding abilities.
• The Blight Archon is It is not Blighted, thus won't benefit from another Blight Archon's Veteran leader aura. It also won't spread corrosion in the Oracles theme.
  • The following models also won't be able to use the Veteran Leader bonus: Striders (including Fyanna2, Virtues, Kallus1, Kallus2, Grotesques, Bethayne1 in morphed form and Bethayne2, the Throne of Everblight, the Forsaken, Hellmouths and your warbeasts.

Tricks & Tips

• Watch out for mirror matches - you will both strip each other's corrosion immunity.
• Impending Doom has a fix 5" distance on it, meaning it will be halved on rough terrain. Also check for Anti-Push abilities.
• Both the spray and the Claws are magical weapons - keep that in mind in case you must deal with Incorporeal models.

Other

Trivia

Released 2020.09