tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831276194138109948.post4830490842020106893..comments2024-03-28T10:14:58.693+00:00Comments on The Good the Bad and the Insulting: The Uselessness of Shadowswords - A Warhammer 40,000 Power ProblemBellariushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02652722543111095280noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831276194138109948.post-20674152667141820872016-06-21T11:05:37.052+01:002016-06-21T11:05:37.052+01:00Maybe they could also do something that would chan...Maybe they could also do something that would change its role, let's say they could take a page from Forgeworld and let it have Phosphex shells.<br /><br />For people unaware, Phosphex weapons release a mist that burns with a green flame that eats its way through pretty much everything, and burns forever unless you expose it to a vacuum, even burning in sub-zero temperatures and underwater (if there's anything around it, it can use that as fuel). Luckily the fire doesn't spread out after the initial exposure, but unfortunately it's also attracted to movement. Anyone near the fire will suddenly find themselves being chased by an armour eating flame that cannot be extinguished by any normal means (ironically that's one of the few ways of dealing with it, 'shepherding' it to somewhere else since it can only move, not spread).<br /><br />In terms of gameplay this means that you usually fire a lower Strength shot (much like how Plasma is S7 AP2, with only the titan exception, Phosphex is S5 AP2 with 3+ Poisoned) after the template is fired, you can move it an extra 2" provided it covers more models than before, and the template stays there after it's fired. For the rest of the game that template is now Dangerous Terrain, and can move 2" in the controlling players direction so long as that means covering more models than before (so it's essentially dangerous terrain that chases after the opponent). Beef it up for a larger template, maybe have the dangerous terrain test ignore armour saves, or maybe make it much faster (granted it's not supposed to chase you all that quickly, however once it's on you, you can't get it off) and I think you could make the Shadowsword good again.<br /><br />Now granted you'd need to establish how they got Phosphex weapons back, or maybe you won't need to and either say that they're limited (so you'd buy Phosphex by the shell, gaining only as many shells as you paid for) or you could go the 'We don't care' route, and just give them the ability to fire unlimited shells without worrying about questions as to how the Imperium still has so many left (I still think there's gotta be hundreds of STC's the Imperium keeps quiet about to replace all of their 'irreplaceable' machines since they always seem to spares have on hand after 10k years).<br /><br />At the very least it'll get around the question of power creep, since it's not the first vehicle to gain this ability.grdaathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722216755745063033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831276194138109948.post-21093335481788397542016-06-20T14:51:14.810+01:002016-06-20T14:51:14.810+01:00The problem is that it does not do much (or anythi...The problem is that it does not do much (or anything at all) to a Gargantuan or Super Heavy five out of 6 times.<br /><br />The one thing that would save the shadowsword would be a +2 on the D table vs Super Heavies or Gargantuan Creatures.stangevishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18324148952104235034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831276194138109948.post-90544995192825264292016-06-19T16:50:44.345+01:002016-06-19T16:50:44.345+01:00Exactly, and i'll agree that Vortex would be a...Exactly, and i'll agree that Vortex would be an exceptionally good way to beef it up until someone goes "well, I guess space marine lascannons should have that as well then!"<br /><br />It's the same with sadly every other alternative, like having the shot pass through multiple units at a time until it hits something with a void shield, or leveling terrain. Until there's some definite restraint or way to establish them without this escalating, it's sadly going to keep being a problem.Bellariushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02652722543111095280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1831276194138109948.post-86018278353341602512016-06-18T09:06:50.459+01:002016-06-18T09:06:50.459+01:00I think they could be made useful again if they we...I think they could be made useful again if they were given the option to upgrade to have the Vortex special rule. Granted you'd need a good explanation as to how they could do that, and it would certainly start a trend of "who else can get vortex?" But at the very least it would temporarily make the Shadowsword decent again, not to mention that trend will probably happen regardless.grdaathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722216755745063033noreply@blogger.com