40K Deep Thought: Here’s How to Add Endless Spells to the Grimdark
GW would be foolhardy to not bring “Endless Spells” to 40K, and here’s how to do it.
First up, let’s get a couple of things out right away. Endless Spells are a great idea.
- They add a visual narrative element to spellcasting in AoS where previously it was simply a matter of dice and effects.
- It give your games some really interesting visual twists that pull players into the game – and make for some great after game storytelling.
- It gives GW a big supplement that every player pretty much needs to buy to keep up with the Jonses.
- It gives GW a new category of kit for every faction that can now gain their own Endless Spells.
From a purely business point of view, think about what bringing “Timeless Empyrian” (Endless Spells) to Warhammer 40,000 would do for GW. A master boxed set of Psychic powers with minis for the major factions to use, and the ability to add a new boxed set for each race over time. Do you seriously think Nottingham would turn that down?
So here’s Malign Sorcery with it’s updated rulebook and 13 powers:
What’s Old is New Again
Now let’s step way back to 1994 for when GW released THE EXACT SAME THING but for 40k: Dark Millennium. It was (you guessed it) a supplement for 40K that expanded Psychic powers with a lot more detail, and had a handful of spells with quite powerful effects, and special templates for them. Now this was 1994, so the templates were cardboard, but in 2018, I’m sure plastic would be in order.
My Suggested Powers
So going over the past 30 years of “classic” psychic powers here’s my list of what I would include in such a set for 40k:
The classic vortex of utter destruction. It’s a hemisphere of annihilation and it moves around the table each turn. Stay away!
And old classic returns. I want a plastic ork foot made out of that glowy green necron plastic. It comes down and flattens the baddies with a invigorating “SPLAT”
A large electrical storm that wanders around and spins/shorts out vehicles and big stuff, while merely frying infantry. Farseers are so cruel.
A pair of warp gates you can move or shoot through. They have to stay within X inches of each other and move a bit each turn.
An aura of Feel No Pain, immobile reflecting the will of the Master of Mankind. Imperium Only.
A “chasm” template that moves directly away from the caster in a straight line each turn, messing up whatever it touches. #wilhelmscream
An wandering aura that allows a single enemy unit near it to fire under the opposing army’s control. Tzeentch or Chaos only.
Magnetic Flux
A stationary power that pushes all units directly away to a 6″ radius. Nothing may enter while it is in play.
An aura power that wanders, causing rerolls of all successful psychic tests.
Torrent of Delight (looks a little different than this)
Despised by the stonehearts of the Inquisition, this power was first summoned on Old Earth by the Keeper of Secrets Hi’Tachi. The cyclone of *Magic Wands* forces non <CHAOS> units it passes over to either skip the shooting or fight phase. Chaos Only.
~ You know you’d love it. What say you?