Age of Sigmar: How to Play Disciples of Tzeentch
Today we take a look at the basics of how to play Disciples of Tzeentch in Age of Sigmar. Change you can believe in!
Servants of the Daemon God of Change and Magic, the Disciples of Tzeentch, are masters of the mystical arts without equal. Combining unorthodox warriors with powerful spellcasting and the ability to alter reality itself, they act out their roles in the ever-changing plans of their duplicitous god. On the battlefield, they give you the tools to outmaneuver your opponent every step of the way with surprising speed and durability, and their ability to shape their own fates makes them a nightmare for even the best-laid plans.
Who are the Disciples of Tzeentch?
The Mortal Realms are home to many nations devoted to the Changer of the Ways. Those places of torment are a kaleidoscopic clash of madness made real where hope turns to screaming terror and impossible beasts are brought to life. Anyone who dares to trespass in such a land is sure to mutate into something foul, to have one’s mind unravel and one’s soul curdle.
The ambitions of the Disciples of Tzeentch go further than the conquest of the realms. The twisted path they walk sees them longing for reality to change, for that which was once solid and reliable to turn into a quicksand of sanity-sapping hideousness. Ultimately, they would see Tzeentch’s own crystalline domain consume the Mortal Realms. In their own perverted minds, to try to outwit the Architect of Fate is futility made manifest, therefore, one is better to serve the inevitable victor of the Great Game.
Why Play Disciples of Tzeentch?
While not the toughest or strongest army in the game, Tzeentch has a lot of special tricks they can bring to the table to make them a real threat for just about anything your opponent can conjure. With powerful spellcasting, surprisingly potent melee and shooting, and plenty of speed to get you out of sticky situations, the Disciples can adapt or build for any situation. Of course, a master strategist like Tzeentch knows the best way to win a game is to fix the rules, so you also have the ability to guarantee important rolls with your Destiny dice.
Strengths
- There is almost no one in the game that magics better than you.
- You have a lot of surprisingly fast units that can secure distant objectives or zoom past screens to the juicier targets.
- Your primary daemon troops can gum up combat harder than zombies if you play them carefully.
Weaknesses
- You are kind of made of paper
- You are a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. Everything you do, someone does better (except magic, maybe?).
Signature Disciples of Tzeentch Rules
Battle Traits
- Masters of Destiny– classic Destiny Dice- pre-roll them and use them when you want.
- Conflagration of Tzeentch/Burning Wyrdflame/Quenching the Flames– these three rules describe the rules for gaining/losing the Burning keywordand its impacts
Battle Formations
- Arcanite Cabal– bonus to unbinding for Arcanites
- Change Host– Once per game teleport with heavy limitations
- Tzaangor Coven– Warflock get 3 extra dice for Rally.
- Wyrdflame Host– Burning units are -1 to wound.
Featured Heroic Trait
- Nexus of Fate– allows you to roll and replace one of your Destiny Dice in each of Hero phases.
Featured Artefact
- Wyrdflame Blade– any damage in combat from this unit comes with the Burning keyword.
Key Disciples of Tzeentch Units
While the Tzeentch army is vast and exciting, these are a few units you’ll always want to consider.
Lord of Change
One of the most powerful spellcasters in the game, as befits a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, and a potent backline Monster for your army. For maximum shenanigans, bring Kairos, the named variant, and manipulate your Battle Tactics.
Kairic Acolytes
While not really the first choice in a Tzeentch army, Kairic Acolytes are a surprisingly durable and potent midline unit. They have a decent melee profile and a good shooting attack (with Wyrdflame!).
Tzaagor Enlightened
A fast and deadly beatstick, these guys are the kings of being underestimated and then ruining your opponent. If you happen to be taking the second turn in a round or are the Underdog, they gain an extra damage on the charge. While they aren’t the murder engines they once were, they can still lay down a metric ton of damage.
Horrors of Tzeentch
The mainstay for most Tzeentch players, the Pink Horrors of Tzeentch, are a potent force on the battlefield. With their ability to spilt into a smaller form and then do it again (or throw out mortal wounds on death), they can gum up an opponent for the entire game, and they’re no slouch in combat.
Screamers of Tzeentch
Your speed daemons and objective grabbers, these sky-sharks will make absolute mincemeat out of the enemy. Their ability to damage units they fly over, coupled with their ridiculously high speed makes them wonderful assassins. Just don’t expect them to weather much return fire with only a 5+ save.
Sample Disciples of Tzeentch Army
Faction: Disciples of Tzeentch
-Battle Formation:
Regiment 1
Kairos Fateweaver
Changecaster
20 Pink Horrors of Tzeentch
10 Kairic Acolytes
Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch
Regiment 2
Tzaangor Shaman
20 Tzaangors
20 Tzaangors
6 Tzaangor Enlightened on Discs
Disciples of Tzeentch Tips
Save for Destiny Dice for important spells, overwhelm your enemy with Mortal Wounds, and use your speed to clean up anything that survives. And remember, even when things go wrong, it was supposed to.
~Just as planned…
