Patch 4.2 Shadows of Change Content Additions – Part 2: Tzeentch
Hi everyone,
Before I get into the details on the new additions for Tzeentch, I wanted to talk to you about the release date and where we are as of today. The team are still working flat out to finish things up and we found a few things at the start of this week that we need to address before handing things over to you.
I’m really pleased to say that the team is making great progress through these last few changes and we are still on track to release to you later this month, but the release won’t be this week (which we had originally been trying really hard to hit). I’ll be back later this week with more information on the extra characters and units coming to Kislev, as well as to update you further on the release plans.
Before we dive straight into things, if you haven’t read the last blog entry which focused on Grand Cathay, you can do so here.
Right, onto the fun stuff!
Tzeentch Additions
Listening to your feedback on characters and units which you have shared with us since the release of Shadows of Change, we have focused on improving the melee offering at Tzeentch’s disposal for their Lords and Heroes. Tzeentch armies have always heavily leaned on magic but we understand having those hard-hitting frontline generals and heroes are important in balancing out your armies. This is exactly what we have added to the roster for you in the form of the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch and the Exalted Hero of Tzeentch. We have also taken the opportunity to add a further two new units into the DLC for Tzeentch, which I’ll cover below.
To broaden the connection between Tzeentch and the Beastmen which we first established with the introduction of the Tzaangors in the DLC’s original release, we are now adding Centigors of Tzeentch. Having additional Chaos aligned Beastmen in the Tzeentch roster is something that we always wanted in order to best represent the various forms of Chaos, and the Centigors of Tzeentch will pack quite the bestial punch on the field of battle for you.
We also heard your feedback on the appearance of our Tzaangors in game and your expectations of them having beaks. To be clear, in the Warhammer Fantasy Battles universe, Tzaangors don’t have beaks. Instead, they much more closely resemble the appearance of a classic Gor from the Beastmen roster, which have a brutal and bestial look with teeth and jaw rather than an avian (bird)-like appearance. Rather than being a separate, offshoot species of Beastmen, they are instead Gor who have sworn allegiance to the Lord of Change.
Our second addition comes in the form of the Daemonic flying Changebringers, a classic Tzeentch unit from the Storm of Chaos book released way back in 2004. These Flamers ride Discs of Tzeentch into battle, making them a fast and fearsome opponent. As with all the additions, I’ll cover them in greater detail below.
So, let’s get to it!
Chaos Lord of Tzeentch (Lord)
Having created a variety of Marked characters and units with the release of Champions of Chaos for the Warriors of Chaos to field, we really wanted to come back and flesh out some of the missing cast, giving you the options to create the ultimate Chaos army that you have always wanted.
So just like with those mentioned units, the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch will be available for both Tzeentch and the Warriors of Chaos races.
“Those few who succeed upon the twisting path of Tzeentch become the most otherworldly of all Chaos Champions. They are blessed with both exceptional warrior skills and the arcane powers of the Lord of Magic. This deadly combination makes them cunning leaders and lethal warriors who command their armies with uncanny presence.”
Gameplay Overview
The Chaos Lord of Tzeentch is built for combat. Carrying his trusty halberd it makes him adept at fighting monsters and larger creatures. He can certainly go toe to toe with some of the biggest foes the Warhammer world has to offer. He’s also great at holding his ground through the use of his Expert Charge Defence and Charge Reflection passive abilities.
- Marked by Tzeentch – A master of the mind, the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch benefits from the Mark of Tzeentch, which grants him magical attacks and a barrier by default.
- The True Power – Armed with a heavy suit of Chaos armour, a towering shield and a magical Halberd, the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch is a defensive juggernaut who excels in fighting large targets, especially when mounted on a Disc of Tzeentch (essentially becoming a character-level Doom Knight).
- Disciple of Tzeentch – As a powerful tyrant and fearsome leader, the Chaos Lord of Tzeentch inspires his followers and emboldens their resolve. By using the ”Change or Die!” ability (which is a Tzeentchian twist on “Stand or Die!”), he can improve the Leadership and Damage Resistance of nearby friendly troops. He also makes use of the “Paragon of Change” ability, which recharges the barrier of nearby allies.
Mounts
- Chaos Steed, Chaos Chariot & Disc of Tzeentch
Available to:
- Tzeentch & Warriors of Chaos
Exalted Hero of Tzeentch (Hero)
When we started the process of finding a suitable model to best represent this character, we knew we wanted to do something a little different and special. So, we went back, really far back into the Warhammer archives looking at the various depictions Tzeentch’s champions have taken the form of.
Needing to be a melee focused character one model really stood out, which I’m lucky to say I even have in my collection (and really need to paint); the Tzeentch Champion with two swords from the early 90’s.
“The Exalted Heroes of Tzeentch are ostensibly the most bizarre and macabre of the Lord of Change’s mortal servants. Their armour is typically Tzeentchian, inlaid with bands of gold and bluish-silver and assembled from strangely curving components, but it is the God of Magic’s generous gift of two extra heads that sets His Exalted Heroes apart from others on the battlefield. It is a change that irrevocably affects the mind, splitting a Hero’s mortal personality into three conniving extremes. With eyes sealed shut, the central head jeers the whims of the two other personalities dwelling in the leering cyclopean heads on either side. Yet with a singular will, the creature swings its weapon with Tzeentch-imbued strength.”
Gameplay Overview
The Exalted Hero is a melee specialist, using his magical attacks and high weapon strength to get into the thick of the action. He is armed with a mighty halberd to be in keeping with the rest of our Tzeentch roster, rather the dual swords that this character takes inspiration from in its miniature form. He has solid melee defence that will sustain him long into the fight. Just like his Lord counterpart, he is adept at taking a charge with Expert Charge Defence and Charge Reflection passive abilities.
- Marked of Tzeentch – The Exalted Hero of Tzeentch benefits from the mark of Tzeentch, which grants him magical attacks and a barrier by default.
- Anti-Large Specialist – The Exalted Hero of Tzeentch carries a Magical Halberd, which allows him to reliably duel monstrous infantry.
- Opportunist – Always scheming and seeking a path to greater glory, the Exalted Hero of Tzeentch takes command if the lord is slain, bolstering the leadership of the army as he assumes command.
Mounts
- Chaos Steed, Chaos Chariot & Disc of Tzeentch
Available to:
- Tzeentch & Warriors of Chaos
Centigors of Tzeentch (Unit)
As mentioned earlier, our thoughts here were to expand on the connection Chaos has across its many followers, and in this case, Tzeentch. Using the Chaos Marks system, we opted for the Centigors to provide bestial cavalry to add versatility to what is normally quite a missile and magic heavy focused army.
Like with the Tzaangors, these creatures have been developed based on the setting of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. So, no beaks or other things that you might associate with Tzeentch in Age of Sigmar, in keeping our content true to the source material. Just like the Tzaangors this unit will be available to both Tzeentch and Beastmen races to play with and the team and I have plans for how we can improve the offering of further Chaos Marked Beastmen for you in the future.
“Beastmen are creatures of pure Chaos, and so tend to exalt all four Ruinous Powers equally. However, sometimes a she-gor spawns a whelp that is clearly a chosen one of the Changer of Ways, its fur patterned with the Mark of Tzeentch, or its horns curling to form His unholy symbol. These Centigors are as bitter and spiteful as their non-Tzeentchian kin, with a stronger resentment for their own clumsy, awkward nature, and harbouring a deep jealousy of creatures whose minds and bodies are better matched. This feeds their arcane rage and makes them much more dangerous – having been touched by Tzeentch, this is likely no coincidence.”
Gameplay Overview
A fast and hard-hitting unit, the Centigors of Tzeentch carry great weapons offering armour piercing power to take on tougher opponents. Carrying the Mark of Tzeentch grants them magical attacks and barrier.
- Unholy Combination – Combining the Mark of Tzeentch with the Centigor statline makes for a fast, vanguard-deploying, barrier-attuned bestial cavalry unit that benefits from standard Beastmen abilities such as Rowdy and Primal Fury.
- Great Weapons – The Centigors of Tzeentch wield armour piercing Great Axes, which have been magically imbued, making this an effective unit when up against Daemons and Ethereal units.
- Arcane Charge – Initially introduced with the Tzaangors, this ability has also been adopted by the Centigors, offering more synergy with Tzeentchian spellcasters.
Available to:
- Tzeentch & Beastmen
Changebringers (Unit)
Last but by no means least are the Changebringers, a unit of Flamers which fly across the battlefield on Discs of Tzeentch. These horrors will help Tzeentch quickly reach their enemies in battle and keep the pressure on from above.
“Flamers are capable of a fair turn of speed, expelling gaseous ichor through the fungoid ‘skirt’ at their base to bound and leap across the ground with considerable mischievous gusto. A Flamer uses its blazing limbs to hurl bolts of magical flame at the foe. This is not fire in its truest sense, but a roiling cloud of Chaos energy. It does not burn, but warps reality. A Flamer’s victim might briefly feel invigorated, before collapsing into a writhing puddle of flesh.”
Gameplay Overview
A step up from your normal Flamers of Tzeentch, Changebringers have the manoeuvrability, speed and agility to be able to fly across the battlefield, whilst ignoring the terrain and any penalties they may cause. But, if need be, their increased charge bonus will help them with making the first move.
- Shock and Awe – Changebringers are one of the ultimate expression of the chaotic nature of Tzeentch. Flamers of Tzeentch (which are comparatively slow and lumbering units) take to the skies, benefitting from greatly increased manoeuvrability.
- Death from Above – Changebringers can rain down Tzeentchian fire from above, making them one of the best flying missile units in the game.
- Flamers of Tzeentch – Being Flamers of Tzeentch at their core, the Changebringers benefit from the usual hallmarks of this unit. Armour Piercing, Flaming Attacks and Warpflame are all present; however, due their newfound mobility, Changebringers don’t have quite as much of a barrier when compared to their ground-based kin.
Available to:
- Tzeentch & Daemons of Chaos
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Thanks for reading, and I’ll be back later this week with my final blog on the great nation of Kislev and the new characters and units they’ll be receiving as part of Patch 4.2.
—Rich Aldridge (Game Director) & the Total War: WARHAMMER Team
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