40K: The Impending FAQ – Changes Ahead
The end of March is quickly approaching – so where is the GW 40K FAQ – and more importantly, what do you want to see?
Games Workshop announced that they were going to release FAQs twice a year to address issues in Warhammer 40,000. The first one had a self-imposed deadline of March to hit. Well March is almost over and we still don’t have an FAQ. The good news is that there is still lots of time left in March for GW to put the FAQ out and they have been pretty good about sticking to their schedule. But after the results of Adepticon, folks are starting to wonder what that FAQ has in store…
With that in mind, we’re taking a moment to talk about some of the changes we think are on the way. This isn’t an all encompassing list as there are probably lots of little things that might need tweaks based on what actual changes happen. So let’s dive in.
Dark Reaper Change
We’ve heard lots of things about what possible changes are in the works. Could it be a points increase? A change to the number of minimum Dark Reapers in a unit? Perhaps a tweak to their damage output? We don’t know what it’s going to be but we do know that something is going change for the Dark Reapers directly. Indirectly, there are other changes that could also have an impact…
Cross-Detachment Stratagem Limitations
We’ve seen what unchecked stratagem access looks like. There are quite a few “Soup” lists that use and abuse their access to the different stratagems they get access to. We think this is a change that needs to happen in some way – there needs to be a tightening-up of how stratagems work across armies with multiple detachments from multiple factions. One idea we’ve seen floated was limiting stratagems to the detachment that unlocked them.
HQ Limitations
Did anyone else think it was suspicious that T’au Commanders were the ONLY HQ in the game that was non-unique and limited to 0-1 per detachment? I wonder if there are OTHER armies that are about to get the same treatment. Will we see a sharp decline in the flapping of leathery wings in the near future (looking at you Flyrants)? I don’t know. As a Tyranid Player myself, I don’t want to see that – but it might be necessary for the greater good of the game. There are handful of other HQ choices out there that would also make sense getting limited, but that’s more from a lore-perspective. We’ll see if this was just a one-shot thing or if that rolls out across the board.
Alternatively, what if the FAQ reverses the T’au Commander limit. Maybe that’s an easier fix. Then again, the errata for the T’au should be dropping soon, too…
Smite Change
We know a change to Smite is coming. Most players are already using the “beta” rules that were released. But the question is still “how will this work for armies that have a unique Smite” – it’s not like Grey Knights Smite Spam is crushing it right now…Do they need to get kicked while they are down? We’ll probably find out soon enough.
Character Changes Ahead
Packs of Characters have been an issue for a while and we’re looking forward to seeing this get addressed in some form in the FAQ. Characters can’t block for other Characters and that’s a step in the right direction.
Tweaks to Artefacts, Stratagems, Psychic Powers
There are a handful of Artefacts, Stratagems, and Psychic Powers that cause problems for various reasons. They might be too good, too efficient, or just over-shadow the other options so much why would NOT take them. Those need to get looked at. The FAQ could be a great place to make those adjustments.
What’s NOT Going To Be In The FAQ
Massive Point Changes
Games Workshop has already established that Chapter Approved is going to be where they make those yearly points adjustments. We’re not expecting to see a ton of point changes in the FAQ, except in EXTREME cases or Errata. Those types of things are what Chapter Approved is for.
What changes are you expecting with the impending GW Warhammer 40k FAQ?
