Yep, you guessed it right, today is all about the latest girl in Everblight haram, Kryssa. She has been bullied around quite a lot since she came out, and I believe that needs to change, first because she's a blighted nyss being and therefore bullying her is like bullying Everblight himself, but also because, heck, she might be alright after all. Let now dive into it!
Her principal competition as a Warlock is Bethayne. As a matter of fact, this is the main reason Kryssa is downgraded. People always compare their feats and spell list, and Bethayne seems to come out on top in both department. I, for one, believe otherwise. Let start by looking at their feats: Kryssa's one is simple, plus 3 STR for everyone in 12" (the Continuous Fire is anecdotic because you can't realistically rely on it, and usually stuff die on Kryssa's feat). That's a good feat right there ! Now the Bethayne's one, warrior models gain Flank [Friendly Faction Warbeast]. A lot of people say it's better, because of the MAT bonus and that a dice is 3,5 instead of just 3. But the thing is, only warrior models get the bonus, and have you see a lot of those around recently ? You probably haven't, because there is just so much infantry hate in the game at the moment that almost no one (except Cephalyx) brings infantry units, Legion includes. I played against Bethayne the other day, and only 3 models had the bonus, while in the same situation, two of his beast would have had to bonus if it was Kryssa plus the 3 warrior models. And trust me, my opponent didn't waste his feat, because it was the only turn where he could hope to do so damage in melee before I completely remove his chances. Just think how strong epic Absylonia feat his, but now instead of Flight and Range 2, it's one more STR on every model. Personally, I would give the Feat part to Kryssa, just for the reason that our Beasts also have the bonus, which makes for a better combine arm then Bethayne.
Now the Spell List: they both have Cloak of Ash, so no need to discuss that one (they both like it equally). Invocation of Blood compete with Quickness has movement shenanigan, but while Quickness is more versatile, Invocation is more powerful. Venoms and Howling Flames are about the same, but the Bethayne's spray is a bit better because it costs less and she always has a good arc node. Tactical supremacy is a good spell, as is Disintegration, but they have very different roles. Overall, I would give the Spell List to Bethayne, because she has more good spells and also more Fury to manage them. Now if we look the warlock as a whole, Bethayne needs several beasts with a long melee range to trigger his feat, but she only provides 20 warbeast points, and she also wants a good chunk of infantry to pull the feat. Also, she's the squishiest of the squishy, won't do work by herself, and while Belphy has some game, you pay for him with fewer warbeast points. On the other hand, Kryssa has 31 warbeast points, which is plenty to take whatever she wants, and she wants about anything really (except what's in the Battle Box, that's just... argh !!). She can do some work by herself, even if it's only to use in last resort, and she can take a couple of hits. That's why, overall, in the current meta, I would place Kryssa equal if not over Bethayne as a warlock.
Now people might say: "U don't know what you're talking about ! Kryssa can't even do a soufflé !".
That's why I have decided to test her out on Sunday night against the Piggys of a local player.
Here's the list I made up for her:
Kryssa's Flying Circus
Kryssa, Conviction of Everblight
- Succubus
- Angelius
- Angelius
- Seraph
- Neraph
Max Blighted Nyss Swordmen
- Abbot & Champion
Blackfrost Shard
Blighted Nyss Warlord
Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Helion
Spell Martyr
Fuel Cache
I know it's probably not optimum. I'm very unsure about the Spell Martyr, I think he will just be shot off the board in no time, but I figured out that a Shepherd couldn't keep up with the battlegroup. The objective is to make out the most out of her feat, with P+S 17 Armour Piercing attacks, most probably charging for free (the Sorceress will also be the main target for the Succubus cloud since the cloud will stick to her and will also help her survive). That's all very theoretical, but we will see. If all go along the plan, the Swordmen will be defence 16, and the Blackfrost will have Tactical supremacy, so they can go more forward while casting and moving back. My main concern is Alten Ashley, because he can really ruin my day but 3 of my beasts can simply walk and boost a shot at him, so I should be okay.
***
So now I'm after the game. Here's the debriefing.
Helga
- War Hog
- War Hog
- Battleboar
Max Brigand
- Warlord
Min Bog Trog Ambusher
Min Bog Trog Ambusher
Razorback Crew
Razorback Crew
Bog Trog Mist Speaker
Totem Hunter
Gobber River
Gobber River
Effigy of Valour
The scenario we played was Extraction, and my opponent won the roll-off and choose his table edge. On his side of the table, there was a hill on the left and a wall and a forest on the right. On my side, there was a house and a wall on the left and a rough terrain on the right. Straight in the middle, a forest. I setup my battlegroup a mostly in the middle toward the right, and the Swordmen on the left, with the Blackfrost in the middle, behind my lines. My opponent place Helga in the middle, with the Battleboar behind her and both of them surrounded by Brigand. There were a War Hog and a Razorback Crew on each flank, with 4 Gobber on the left flank and 2 others Gobber with the Totem Hunter on the right. One unit of Bog Trog was also in the middle, in AD, and the other in ambush. His prey were Kryssa for the Totem Hunter and an Angelius for the Brigands.
My first turn, I ran forward, staying out of the Razorback range, so he couldn't aim. I cast Ashen Veil on the Swordmen and Tactical Supremacy on the Blackfrost. His first turn, he also ran forward, going pass the middle of the board with his Bog Trog, on which he cast Defender Wards. On my second turn, some of Swordmen charged forward, killing a Gobber and a couple of Bog Trog. My Seraph killed another Gobbo and the Totem Hunter, while an Angelius casually killed two Bog Trog. Kryssa arced a Howling Flame through the Spell Martyr. I missed his Warlord but killed 2 Brigands, another Bog Trog and but some damaged on a War Hog. The Blackfrost killed the last Bog Trog with an Ice Bolt. On his second turn, the other Bog Trog unit entered on the right side of the table and ran to engage my Sorceress which was touching the flag. He got some lucky roll to hit on my Swordmen with the left Gobbos and killed two of them. The Brigands moved forward and took a couple of shot into the preyed Angelius, but he stayed fully operational. The Razorback shooted my Neraph. His warbeasts all moved forward. On my turn three, the Blackfrost cast an Ice Cage and the Kiss on the left War Hog, the Seraph put Flare on the right War Hog and killed the Warlord and then Kryssa feated. My Swordmen charged the Brigands to open up the charge lane for my flying Circus, and also killed the left Razorback. First, the Neraph charged the damaged War Hog, which was under the Kiss, and kill him. Second, an Angelius charged his Battle Boar, and under the feat I got a lucky roll of 14 on the Armour Piercing attack and one-shooted the pig. Third, the other Angelius charged his last War Hog and killed him too. On my opponent third turn, without any Warbeasts left alive and only 2 Brigands, he tried to kill Kryssa with Helga, but since Helga was behind his objective, he would have needed to cast both Dash and Cyclone then charged Kryssa with 2 Fury, while I was also camping 2. Plus, he also had to open up the charge lane, because a DEF 16 Swordmen was in the way. He decided to instead give me the game.
Overall, Kryssa did exactly what I was expecting her to do. She hit so hard that my opponent could come back in the game. Her main weakness was also very apparent: she's a very "easy" target after her feat because she needs to be forward and in the middle to make the most of it. I was thinking that maybe a should change the Neraph for a Protector, thus giving her that most needed protection against retaliation after the feat, but losing the Neraph, which is a melee beast (and kind of good with the Kiss, the Feat and the Sorceress), for a support beast, I'm not sure it his worth. Well, time will tell, as I plan to play that list again, since I had great fun with it.
Thanks for reading !
See you next week !
