Age of Sigmar: You Can’t Keep a Good Duardin Down! – Oaths of the Grimwrath
The new Oaths system for Fyreslayers Grimwrath Berserkers makes them absolute game-changers; not that they need help in that department.
The new Fyreslayers battletome is officially out in the wild, allowing generals to bring the nastiest nudists in the Realms in whole new ways. You can bring Magmadroth hordes, Vulkite spam, or even an army of immovable objects. However, my personal favorite model has always been the Grimwrath Berseker. Now, thanks to the Greyfyrd hero buffs, the new Heroic Action, and the Grimwrath Oaths, he’s even more of a blender than before. Here’s a quick look at the new oath options, and when I think the best time might be to pick them.
I will cut down the priests of Grimnir’s enemies!
This one is probably the most situational, but it is a menace under the right circumstances. It allows the Grimwrath to add 1 to hit and wound rolls as well as damage when it targets a Priest. Against an army that goes hard on Priests, like Idolators or Idoneth, this will make your Berserker the bane of the battlefield. Combined with The Daemon Slayer, this oath can put down even the most well-protected enemy priests. However, if you don’t expect to see many priests, best to leave this one on the shelf.
I will guard them with my life!
This allows the Grimwrath to replace a unit of Hearthguard as a Retinue, which sounds bad at first until you realize the absolute blender you can make. Combining this oath with a Runeson will allow you to delete almost any Monster you face down, potentially in a single turn. If Heroes or Chafe are your worry, have him accompany a Runefather instead and watch the damage stack. For best results, combine this oath with the Amulet of Destiny to keep your Grimwrath in the fight just a little longer.
I will let nothing stand in my way!
If you want a one-dwarf wrecking crew, this is pick for you. It will allow your Grimwrath to run and charge in the same turn, as well as re-rolling both. While he’s still moving at duardin speed, this will allow him to cover the ground much faster, hitting the enemy before they expect him and potentially getting a deadly alpha strike. While he likely won’t survive the attempt, the Grimwrath missile is 100% a viable strategy, and can be used to soften up a choice target or eliminate a jamming unit.
I will prove Grimnir’s might to our allies!
If you bring allies, then Grimmy hits and wounds on a 2. That is pretty incredible, but it does require you to branch out from the Fyreslayers list and potentially hamstring your strategy. Make sure you take the Leader of the Duardrazhal command trait if you pick this oath, since it will allow your duardin allies to take advantage of your runes. That way, your Grimwrath can show off while still empowering your allies, all without weakening your overall army too much.
I will not be stopped!
This used to be bog standard on the Grimwrath, and it’s likely to be the most common choice. It give the Grimwrath a 6+ Ward save, increasing to a 5+ while he’s within 3″ of an enemy (which he likely always will be). A little extra survivability is never a bad thing, and it will allow you to give the Amulet to a different vital hero.
I will strike hard and true in Grimnir’s name!
This one throws a ton of extra damage onto your already formidable Greataxe. For every unmodified 6 you roll to hit, the Grimwrath dishes out a mortal wound on top of normal damage. For extra punch, bring along the Draught of Magmalt Ale, then use the new Heroic action to give him an extra attack. Since he gets to attack twice in the combat phase (unless he kills everything in one go), you’ll be looking at 20 attacks with a potential of 60 damage! Blender, thy name is Grimwrath!
