Scythean

The warlocks that serve the dragon Everblight can call upon a myriad of dragonspawn, each a perfect engine of draconic destruction. Terrifying in its brutal simplicity, the sickle-armed Scythean is another ancient breed created to single-mindedly destroy any who oppose its master’s will.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Eyeless Sight
• Template:Pathfinder
• Template:Soulless
• Template:Murderous

Weapons

• Scything Claw (x2) - 2" reach, P+S 17 melee weapons.
  • Template:Thresher
• Bite - 1" reach, P+S 15 melee weapon.

Animus

{{Category: Template:Slaughterhouse }}[[Category: Template:Slaughterhouse ]]

Theme Forces

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

Thoughts on Scythean

Scythean in a nutshell

Member of the Carnivean-chassis, the Scythean is your best choice when it comes to mowing down infantry units - mainly those enhanced by Tough and/or multiple health boxes. While the Ravagore is your favoured choice for ranged duels, and the Carnivean can stand its ground both at range and up close, the Scythean lives to tear into infantry formations. Between Murderous and Thresher, he's pretty stellar in this aspect - even before buffs, a boosted attack can easily hit the most elusive (DEF 18+) targets, which is the realm of Sorscha1 with a War Dog + Wind Rush, dueling Kayazy Eliminators under Damiano's Sure Foot or Caine2 under Bullet Dodger.

Its 10" threat range plus 2" reach is respectable (though not extraordinary in the faction), and its excellent animus makes sure that even if the target survives, it cannot heal from the blows. Without suitable targets however, this 16 pts beast must work hard to bring its points back. Against heavy targets it has a much harder time, compared to the Carnivean, who has answer for more situations. The Scythean is by no means a must-have choice in your list, but can be a decent assassin, and a reasonably competent beat-stick, if used well. If you want a pure tank, consider the Carnivean for only 1 point more.

Combos & Synergies

Scytheans don't have too many explicit or special combos. Obviously the usual things that make a beast better (STR/MAT buffs, Hellmouth drags, Slipstream) apply to the Scythean as they would any other heavy beast. Consider them high on the priority list when utilizing Forsaken/Shepherds/Leeching, as you usually want full control of your Scythean.

• Absylonia1 - She likes a few, selected warbeasts in her battlegroup, and her spells make the Scythean a true terror against enemy warriors. Beside Abby, Proteus and the Scythean's animus, you have a decent amount of Grievous Wounds to mess with the enemy's healing tools.
• Absylonia2 likes a diverse battlegroup, which means there's space for him in her list, and she can fix his all its shortcomings (SPD and MAT). What she especially likes about a Scythean though is his animus. For just 1 fury, she can safely play into factions like Trollbloods or lists/casters like Irusk1 that rely on Tough checks, as she can ensure she gets to trigger Alpha Hunter.
  • This can be extended to Rhyas1 and Saeryn & Rhyas, Talons of Everblight. While they can ignore tough with Decapitate, it's still a critical effect so having a guaranteed source of Grievous Wounds can help them cut down a lot of foes, or wound hard targets with less fear of retaliation. Less useful than on Abby2, but something to think about.
• Kallus2 - With two initials and thresher they can set a lot of things on fire for his feat, which also lets them zoom across the battlefield. Overrun also fixes their speed problems handily.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Typical weaknesses of its chassis - slow(ish) speed and not much defense to talk about for a heavy in its point class
• Excellent against tough infantries - but strictly average against anything else. When the meta game shifts against said infantries, it shifts against the Scythean as well.
  • In such cases it’s difficult to justify the Scythean when the Carnivean is just 1 point more has a spray and hits better into harder targets (due to potentially 4 initials and then chain attack)
• As you can have only one friendly animus on yourself in play, you will have to choose between Slaughterhouse and the Naga's Wraithbane - even if sometimes you'd like to have both.

Tips & Tricks

- Almost every warcaster/warlock is a warrior model - thus affected by Murderous. Keep that in mind if your Scythean with crippled Mind can lay its claws on them.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Primal Mk2 (2010)

Other Legion models

Index Legion