Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia

Hoarluk Doomshaper has remained focused on the fundamental connection between all trolls. He has merged his mind with the most violent and powerful of these creatures and thereby tapped into reserves no shaman has ever known. Not only has he unlocked unimagined regenerative powers, he has gained insight into the primal nature that binds warbeast to warlock and can employ this lore against his enemies.

Basic Info

• This model is a Warlock.

Warlock Rules A warlock is an Independent Model. a Leader model. a Battlegroup Controller controls warbeasts. Warlocks use Fury Manipulation Uses ARC to determine how many fury points it gains each turn. Begins the game with a number of fury points equal to its ARC. Cannot exceed its ARC stat in fury points as a result of leeching. Can spend fury points only during its activation (unless a special rule states otherwise) for the following: Buy additional attacks Boost attack rolls Boost damage rolls Shake some effects Can leach fury points from warbeasts in its battlegroup in its control range. Spirit Bond allows the warlock to gain a fury for each of its dead battlegroup warbeasts. Reaving allows the warlock to pull fury points from a warbeast in its battlegroup when it dies.

Feat: Scroll of Grimmr

Doomshaper and friendly Faction warbeasts in his battlegroup beginning their activaitons in his Template:CTRL range gain +3 SPD and can charge or make slam or trample power attacks without being forced. Scroll of Grimmr lasts for one turn.

Abilities

• Template:Tough
• Template:Attuned Spirit
• Field Marshal [ [[:Category:{{{ability}}}|{{{ability}}}]] ]

[[Category:{{{ability}}}]] (Template:Overtake-alt)

• Template:Hyper-Regeneration

Weapons

• Willbreaker - 2" reach, P+S 13 melee weapon
  • Template:Magical Weapon
  • Template:Powerful Attack

Spells

{{Category: Template:AgitationTemplate:Hex BlastTemplate:Primal ShockTemplate:Psycho SurgeryTemplate:Wild Aggression }}[[Category: Template:AgitationTemplate:Hex BlastTemplate:Primal ShockTemplate:Psycho SurgeryTemplate:Wild Aggression ]]

Theme Forces

• Trollbloods
  • Template:Band of Heroes. In this theme he gains "Optional Take Down".
  • Template:Kriel Company
  • Template:Power of Dhunia. In this theme he can start the game with friendly upkeeps in play.
  • Template:Storm of the North. In this theme he can upkeep spells on (almost) any friendly model for free.
  • Template:Vengeance of Dhunia. In this theme he gains Attuned Spirit [Trollblood/Minion Warbeast].

• Other Factions
  • Minion players can also use this warlock in the Vengeance of Dhunia and he gains Attuned Spirit as mentioned above.

Thoughts on Doomshaper2

Doomshaper2 in a nutshell

Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia (henceforth referred to as Doomie2) is a warbeast-focused warlock who can manage a decent-sized battlegroup. His feat gives his beasts an impressive threat range, allowing them to attack from vectors that would normally be unavailable. Additionally, he has a few good beast support spells. Wild Aggression does quite a bit to fix any low MAT beasts in his battlegroup, while Hex Blast can be used offensively or defensively to remove troublesome upkeeps (remember, the upkeeps are dropped on hit, not damage!)

Maximising his feat & spells

In the Power of Dhunia theme so you will start with upkeeps in play. Put Wild Aggression not on Mulg, but an Earthborn or Brawler, as that will be the most likely of your dire trolls to go in first. The rest of his spells are actually more about reacting to the situation at hand. When it comes to what to use proactively, Doomie 2 would rather top off the Krielstone and cast animi, especially (but not only) Rage.

His feat is, of course, all about getting a big alpha strike so that his expensive dire trolls don't have to take the first hit.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Squishy.
• He can sometimes be so straightforward that he's too predictable.
• The turn after your alpha strike you might have some frenzies unless you double up on whelps.

Tricks & Tips

• Use your charges to set up the overtake. Either for the pinball or for the chain-destruction.
• Shoot your own guys in the back with Hex Blast if you need to get rid of upkeeps.

List Building Advice

Strategy

With the ability to get alpha strikes with your warbeasts via his feat (providing free charges), a free cast of Rage via attuned spirit, and the ability to attrition the way only trollbloods with psycho-surgery and a krielstone can, Doomshaper's "Hit hard and fast into a ground-and-pound brawl" should be obvious.

His army is always on edge because he's old and cranky. He's pretty clearly a warbeast warlock - but he specifically wants heavies. His Attuned Spirit and field marshal only work with Dire Trolls (not gargantuans).

Theme thoughts

Doomshaper does things for his battle group and likes a large battle group. Power of Dhunia offers him some fury efficiency in being able to upkeep for free turn one and getting a discount on animi but lack proper troop support, so it's less optimal than you think.

Template:Header With reduced animus costs this is typically the theme Doomshaper wants to live in.

• Horgle1 - can run a Pyre Troll for you, casting flaming fists and reducing strain on Doomy.

• Rök - Rök is golden with Doomshaper thanks to being a Northkin Dire Troll, so he can take Wild Agression for free and Primal can be cast for free by Doomy. He also has Berserk to combo with the Field Marshal: Overtake.
• Take Northkin Battle Bears to force the opponent into the middle of the board then use Doomy's Field Marshall to Pac-Man through the enemy.
• Bumbles is another ambush thread that the enemy will have to respect and he can camp a far away flag for you.

Template:Header The theme benefit of Attuned spirit is redundant as long as you have a Dire Troll-only battle group. Thankfully the chances of that are slim as Pyre Troll animi are always worth casting.

• Access to Farrow Warbeasts is great on a beast caster, it’s not quite Dr Arkadius level but a Road Hog becomes super speedy on feat turn while Wild Aggression and Rage on a berserk Battle Boar shred infantry.

• Boomhowler3 - Bloodthirst and Feat = super speed
• The Krielstone - The Trollblood staple.
• Runebearer - Spell Slave or Hamonious Exaltation for fury efficiency and an ever so useful CTRL range increase.
• Troll Whelps - the main Trollblood Fury management.
• Dhunian Knot - (K)not really proper fury management but they certainly help, puppet strings on beasts can be really handy and if Prayer Circle makes it through CID they can protect old man Doomy or give him an additional die on Primal Shock or Hex Blast attack rolls (drop lowest).

Battlegroup

• Mulg the Ancient is his per Warbeast that he can take in any theme. The big guy loves Overtake, and is generally pretty good. Arcane Vortex and the ability to arc a Hex Blast or animus in a pinch can be very helpful.
• Dire Troll Mauler - With a great Chain Attack, the Mauler gains more than possibly any other beast from Wild Aggression. It also comes with a superb animus that works really well with the free casting. Rage is so important to Doomie 2's lists that you really should run two Maulers in case one dies.
• Troll Axer - Gets to Thresher with Wild Aggression, which can be terrifying. It also comes with an excellent animus and loves to Overtake. Rush will often be more important for threat extension than Pathfinder. This is the only light warbeast that is a must-have for him.
• Earthborn Dire Troll - If you have nothing better to use attuned spirit on at least you can be slightly safer with earths blessings turn 1.

Other

Trivia

Released in Hordes: Metamorphosis (2009)