Void Seer Mordikaar

The Void Seer is a walking contradiction whose very existence throws doubt on the most deeply held skorne beliefs. Mordikaar should not exist—his soul was torn from his dead body and hurled into the Void. By sheer determination and singular occult knowledge, he pulled himself back from the cold chasm to live once again. Now Mordikaar is tainted by the powers of death and annihilation. His very existence is a seeping wound in reality that touches everything around him.

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 : Void Wind

While in Mordikar's Template:Control range, friendly Faction models gain +3 DEF and Poltergeist (see Abilities below). Void Wind lasts for one round.

Abilities

• Template:Elite Cadre (Template:Killing Spree-alt)
• Template:Irregulars
• Template:Poltergeist
• Template:Cull Soul

Weapons

Death Blast
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		10			1			3			13
Template:Magical Weapon Template:Life Drinker
Eidolon
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		0.5				6				11
Template:Magical Weapon Template:Life Drinker

Spells

{{Category: Template:Essence BlastTemplate:HollowTemplate:Host of ShadowsTemplate:Manifest VoidTemplate:Revive }}[[Category: Template:Essence BlastTemplate:HollowTemplate:Host of ShadowsTemplate:Manifest VoidTemplate:Revive ]]

Theme Forces

Mordikaar has a bonded warbeast, Despoiler, he can take in any theme.

• Template:Disciples of Agony
• Template:Masters of War. He gains "Optional Take Down" in this theme
• Template:The Exalted. In this he starts the game with one soul token (which Cull Soul will immediately convert into +1 fury on your first turn).
• Template:Winds of Death

Thoughts on Void Seer Mordikaar

Mordikaar in a Nutshell

Mordikaar is an interesting toolbox warlock that focuses on odd angles. Between Essence Blast's ability to come from wherever the infantry end up, and his ability to make his entire battle group ignore both terrain and free strikes, attacks from the back arc should be extremely common. He also upsets warbeasts and melee warcasters (especially ones with Flashing Blade) and the Protectorate with Manifest Void, and with the Hollow/Essence Blast combination, can provide a startling number of sprays in a single turn - all positioned with finesse to catch as many models as possible. Also his void spirits make him a terror for enemy infantry.

Feat thoughts

Mordikaar's feat is not exactly subtle. A fairly simple DEF buff that bounces enemies away if they miss. Useful with high DEF models. Playing a scenario can really give your opponent a headache.

Spell thoughts

His spells need talking about because they aren't that good - but he's designed to be able to break his fury cap thanks to Soul Collector and either Hollow or getting souls directed to him by a Supreme Guardian.

• Hollow combines with his Soul Collector to let him get more Fury next turn, but is no longer as necessary as it was thanks to the Supreme Guardian.
• Essence Blast works really well with mobile infantry like Praetorian Keltarii to wipe out infantry with a 6" spray from point blank (frequently in the enemy back arc) - or it assassinates. It's his other signature spell.
• Manifest Void is just Mordikaar being annoying for the enemy. A decent enough control spell that completely shuts down some casters but situational.
• Host of Shadows is battlegroup Pathfinder - and can be used to give the Archidon free strike immunity for assassination runs. Useful but situational.
• Revive is a little overpriced - it used to combo very well with Hollow in Mk2 but doesn't do much any more.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• His melee ability stinks. Good thing he can stay in the back lines.
• Hollow is vulnerable to both upkeep removal and remove from play effects. Fortunately thanks to the Supreme Guardian you don't really need it.
• He doesn't seem to like running many other soul collectors- your AG's or extolers won't be getting souls from hollow units, nor will units near void spirits (it could happen).
• Neither Essence Blast nor Hollow work on Immortals ; because of that, it's a very hard proposition to actually play him in The Exalted.
• To play at tournament level he's fairly expensive. He's the only warlock who wants the Void Spirit and you want to field several with him. Also like many warbeasts Despoiler is terrifying with his master (and makes even more Void Spirits) but not used that much in the only theme he's allowed in.

Tricks & Tips

• Remember you can Essence Blast an enemy with a warbeast. It's not cost-effective but if it will assassinate the enemy caster, who cares? You can also occasionally sling it from your Siege Animantarax - a POW20 spray will surely leave a mark.
• You can go all in on assassination with multiple Archidons in your list. Kill something for sprint, or simply fly behind enemy lines, and unless the enemy destroyed it, now it is a potent Essence Blast target. Rile it hot on Fury, so once it is killed, you can reave the Fury for another Blast. Repeat, until the caster is dead. Might want to knock 'em down for the best result.
• Void spirit can very easily run or teleport themselves to a good spraying position, making them ideal to take supports out.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Mordikaar is a spell assassin with a strong attrition feat and some nice attrition spells. Essence Blast assassinations are fun, and essence blast lets you get a nastily placed spray after the unit has used its attacks for that turn and would die anyway. He also has a great attrition feat - and his void spirits can tear through infantry.

Mordikaar would appear to be a combined arms caster with something for everyone, and a liking for relatively high DEF models.

Theme thoughts

• Masters of War works very well with him; he doesn't mind Praetorian Swordsmen or Keltarii melting as that's extra Fury next turn, and they get very interesting places to Essence Blast from and the Supreme Guardian has ridiculous synergy with him. This is probably the best way to play him. The theme, and as as a consequence Mordikaar, has received massive buffs in the form of both upgrades and cost reductions with the October 2021 rebalance.
• Winds of Death doesn't give you as good targets to Essence Blast but is otherwise pretty good and it's not as if you were doing things with the Slingers when they've got into melee anyway. Very much a secondary choice to Masters of War.
• Disciples of Agony gives him Paingiver Bloodrunners for some very interesting Essence Blasts - and given he can make his battlegroup immune to free strikes Archidons with Rage or Primal can get some strange places and hit hard
• The Exalted has issues in that he is competing for souls with everything and he can't Essence Blast Immortals.

• Supreme Guardian has Direct Spirits, allowing Mordikaar to power up with large stacks of Fury, Hollow being reduced to backup. There is a limit to the number of focus he can practically use, alas. But at least you can throw the spare into Revives, bringing back a third of your casualties each turn while leaving souls on the Guardian itself.
• Praetorian Swordsmen - the Skorne glass cannon shredder with side-step to get into great places to Essence Blast
• Praetorian Keltarii - more survivable than the Swordsmen against shooting, their pillow-fistedness is offset by Parry and Reposition to let them get places to essence blast from
• Praetorian Karax - cheap infantry that protect the rest from blast damage.
• Void Spirit - infantry blender with a terrifying killing spree when used with Mordikaar.
• Immortal Vessel - +2 to hit with Essence Blast. Worth it if you plan to spam.

• Supreme Guardian and Void Spirit - see above
• Venator Slingers - cheap infantry that easily produce souls and by the time they approach melee they've done their work so you might as well sac them to Essence Blasts.

• Paingiver Bloodrunners die and fuel Hollow - or get some really interesting places for Essence Blasts
• Nihilators can give him a stack of Fury for Hollow - and do work themselves.
• The Battle Boar and Beast Handlers makes the Archidon MAT 7 P+S 18 and Mordikaar makes it immune to free strikes.

Battlegroup

File:Despoiler.jpg

Despoiler is his pet warbeast that he can take in any theme.

• Despoiler is his pet warbeast that he can take in any theme. It creates Void Spirits for him while having Dark Shroud. The Spirits can activate the turn they've created, something which is not common with this kind of ability. Dark Arts allows you to upkeep Hollow for free. Arcane Suppression + Manifest Void can make short range spellcasting a bummer, especially for low FURY/FOCUS casters (Madrak, Xerxis, Lylyth, Rhyas, etc). And at 14 points for Mordikaar Despoiler is a steal with that bond (and ensures Mordikaar never takes Aptimus Marketh).

• Titan Cannoneer or Cyclops Raider - Far Strike allow use of his nice AoE blast without being too close to the front - but if he can see the enemy they can see him. And they can do work by themselve too.
• Archidon - at first glance, Host of Shadows does nothing for flying warbeasts. But immunity to free strikes means that the Archidon can simply fly over enemy heads to assassinate casters. Archidons under Mordikaar's feat are also nice. Finally it's big, flexible, and great value for powerful Essence Blasts.
• Basilisk Krea Rather obvious synergy between Krea's Force Aura and Mordikaar's Feat in terms of defensive buffs. And even without the feat, buffs Mordikaar to a respectible 17 def AND 17 arm vs ranged attacks. Helps trigger Poltergeist.

Other

Trivia

Released in Hordes: Metamorphosis (2009)