ArmyC
03-06-2011, 09:22 PM
These changes, I believe, will make each unit in the codex balanced and useful, in line with the fluff, and competitively balanced in the 5th edition meta.
Fleet of Foot Eldar roll 2D6 for fleet and pick the highest result. Eldar ought to be faster on foot than other races.
Exarch Abilities Exarchs grant +1 WS to their unit when they charge. This goes to the skill of Aspect Warriors and the keen ability of an Exarch to employ his disciples.
Shuriken Catapults Range 18 (Guardians, Jet Bikes, Vehicles, etc.) 12 range on a line troop weapon is a joke and is not found in any other technologically advanced race. Penal colony roops have 24" range for crimony sake..
Farseer Mind War No cover saves. Hey, it is brain waves. Guide Target an enemy unit within 24. Eldar units may reroll failed to hit rolls against this unit during the shooting phase. This makes guide a nice compliment to doom, and just as useful. Eldritch Storm range 36 S6 AP- large blast, pinning, vehicles are hit on rear armor and spun in a random direction, etc. This is a huge upgrade but, how will this ability compete with fortune and doom otherwise? Even so, this will not be the most powerful psychic ability around, and because serpents have no firing slots, the model has to be exposed to use it. I would love for a seer to be able to integrate an eldritch storm in unison with a tank shock. Maybe zapping the unit they contact..
Phoenix Lords gain a 4+ invulnerable save, Asurmen gains a 3+, and make a squad of their Aspect which they join scoring. Asurmen already pays for this ability, so his save should improve.
Wraith Lords - The 2nd weapon is not twin linked. Wraith lords may target separate units with each weapon. The 2nd unit targeting ability might well link to a Spiritseer being close by, or a 2nd test for wraith sight.
Dark Reapers Reaper Launcher 2nd firing mode, 36 range S7 AP2 Hvy1. The 2nd mode is equal to a plasma weapon, and grants them some transport killing ability.
Avatar Inspiring Presence - Eldar units with line of sight to an Avatar gain stubborn. Wailing Doom has 18 range. Increase the Avatars save to 2+. This bursts the 12 fearless bubble, which is better for tactics. Wailing doom is equal to a fire pike and less than a multi-melta. That seems fair for a living God. A save that is less than that of a storm shield terminator also seems fair.
Warp Spiders 18 range, Surprise Assault grants infiltrate. Again the 12 range on modern weaponry is crazy. Warp jump is unpredictable, and can kill people. Deep striking is a given now, but even so, these guys are so fast they should not deep strike. Thus infiltrate/outflank seems right. It is as if they warp jump right before the battle started.
Shining Spears Laser Lance and Star Lance have range 18. An easy fix to get these guys to be worth their points in close combat is daunting. I went for a change of roles. They now can act as fast flankers able to pop transports at a safe distance. They are still very expensive.
Warlocks- Conceal requires units targeting this unit to use the night vision rules for shooting. Conceal cannot affect units mounted on jet bikes or transports. Conceal requires the Warlock to pass a Psychic check. This is quite a change but consider the units that are helped. Guardians, wraithguard, and support platforms now have a fighting chance to shoot once before they die.
Support Weapon Platform Guardian unit attachment. D-Cannon 36 range. Vibro Cannon If one Vibro cannon hits, the entire unit takes an AP- hit that wounds on a 4+. If 2 cannons hit, reroll wounds. If 3 cannons hit, reroll failed saves. Shadow Weaver gains the monofilament rule. These have to get out of the crowded heavy section to gain use. The D cannon is inaccurate with a BS 3 blast, and the shadow weaver is brought in line with the night spinner, yet is small blast, and lacks rending. The Vibro cannon will see action vs. hordes. This fills a role that required the Fire Prism before, which again opens up the heavy slot.
Falcon BS 4 it just needs it. More on that below.
Falcon, Fire Prism, Night Spinner, and Wave Serpent get spirit stones for free. This is a poor mans answer to a general cost reduction for these vehicles primarily driven by expensive weaponry.
Vypers Scout, BS 4, they are still fragile and not worth the point cost of any upgrade to keep them alive. The scout and BS 4 rules are designed for them to succeed at their mission before they die. I would like a different vehicle equipment package for them, so they can gain maybe a 5+ invulnerable any turn they move, or some such. They look like they should be the fastest machines in the game. Also, with a designated gunner, separate from the pilot, ballistic accuracy should increase, as with the Falcon and equal to the Fire Prism.
Swooping Hawks They may deploy by deep strike first turn. They may deep strike in unit coherency, rather than in deep strike formation. This change is subtle but I think will be effective. If they use their sky leap ability constantly, this will keep them on the table a turn longer. It equates to how drop pods can arrive 1st turn. Deploying in unit coherence speaks to their ability to control their descent, and elegantly allows them to use their haywire grenade ability effectively, granting them another role. It makes them more survivable without changing any of their stats.
__________________
Thanks for reading this far. Yes the Eldar codex is playable. Yes some players are excellent with it. Still, I would like to be able to use more of my models, and it would be great, if Eldar could field several types of lists.
Fleet of Foot Eldar roll 2D6 for fleet and pick the highest result. Eldar ought to be faster on foot than other races.
Exarch Abilities Exarchs grant +1 WS to their unit when they charge. This goes to the skill of Aspect Warriors and the keen ability of an Exarch to employ his disciples.
Shuriken Catapults Range 18 (Guardians, Jet Bikes, Vehicles, etc.) 12 range on a line troop weapon is a joke and is not found in any other technologically advanced race. Penal colony roops have 24" range for crimony sake..
Farseer Mind War No cover saves. Hey, it is brain waves. Guide Target an enemy unit within 24. Eldar units may reroll failed to hit rolls against this unit during the shooting phase. This makes guide a nice compliment to doom, and just as useful. Eldritch Storm range 36 S6 AP- large blast, pinning, vehicles are hit on rear armor and spun in a random direction, etc. This is a huge upgrade but, how will this ability compete with fortune and doom otherwise? Even so, this will not be the most powerful psychic ability around, and because serpents have no firing slots, the model has to be exposed to use it. I would love for a seer to be able to integrate an eldritch storm in unison with a tank shock. Maybe zapping the unit they contact..
Phoenix Lords gain a 4+ invulnerable save, Asurmen gains a 3+, and make a squad of their Aspect which they join scoring. Asurmen already pays for this ability, so his save should improve.
Wraith Lords - The 2nd weapon is not twin linked. Wraith lords may target separate units with each weapon. The 2nd unit targeting ability might well link to a Spiritseer being close by, or a 2nd test for wraith sight.
Dark Reapers Reaper Launcher 2nd firing mode, 36 range S7 AP2 Hvy1. The 2nd mode is equal to a plasma weapon, and grants them some transport killing ability.
Avatar Inspiring Presence - Eldar units with line of sight to an Avatar gain stubborn. Wailing Doom has 18 range. Increase the Avatars save to 2+. This bursts the 12 fearless bubble, which is better for tactics. Wailing doom is equal to a fire pike and less than a multi-melta. That seems fair for a living God. A save that is less than that of a storm shield terminator also seems fair.
Warp Spiders 18 range, Surprise Assault grants infiltrate. Again the 12 range on modern weaponry is crazy. Warp jump is unpredictable, and can kill people. Deep striking is a given now, but even so, these guys are so fast they should not deep strike. Thus infiltrate/outflank seems right. It is as if they warp jump right before the battle started.
Shining Spears Laser Lance and Star Lance have range 18. An easy fix to get these guys to be worth their points in close combat is daunting. I went for a change of roles. They now can act as fast flankers able to pop transports at a safe distance. They are still very expensive.
Warlocks- Conceal requires units targeting this unit to use the night vision rules for shooting. Conceal cannot affect units mounted on jet bikes or transports. Conceal requires the Warlock to pass a Psychic check. This is quite a change but consider the units that are helped. Guardians, wraithguard, and support platforms now have a fighting chance to shoot once before they die.
Support Weapon Platform Guardian unit attachment. D-Cannon 36 range. Vibro Cannon If one Vibro cannon hits, the entire unit takes an AP- hit that wounds on a 4+. If 2 cannons hit, reroll wounds. If 3 cannons hit, reroll failed saves. Shadow Weaver gains the monofilament rule. These have to get out of the crowded heavy section to gain use. The D cannon is inaccurate with a BS 3 blast, and the shadow weaver is brought in line with the night spinner, yet is small blast, and lacks rending. The Vibro cannon will see action vs. hordes. This fills a role that required the Fire Prism before, which again opens up the heavy slot.
Falcon BS 4 it just needs it. More on that below.
Falcon, Fire Prism, Night Spinner, and Wave Serpent get spirit stones for free. This is a poor mans answer to a general cost reduction for these vehicles primarily driven by expensive weaponry.
Vypers Scout, BS 4, they are still fragile and not worth the point cost of any upgrade to keep them alive. The scout and BS 4 rules are designed for them to succeed at their mission before they die. I would like a different vehicle equipment package for them, so they can gain maybe a 5+ invulnerable any turn they move, or some such. They look like they should be the fastest machines in the game. Also, with a designated gunner, separate from the pilot, ballistic accuracy should increase, as with the Falcon and equal to the Fire Prism.
Swooping Hawks They may deploy by deep strike first turn. They may deep strike in unit coherency, rather than in deep strike formation. This change is subtle but I think will be effective. If they use their sky leap ability constantly, this will keep them on the table a turn longer. It equates to how drop pods can arrive 1st turn. Deploying in unit coherence speaks to their ability to control their descent, and elegantly allows them to use their haywire grenade ability effectively, granting them another role. It makes them more survivable without changing any of their stats.
__________________
Thanks for reading this far. Yes the Eldar codex is playable. Yes some players are excellent with it. Still, I would like to be able to use more of my models, and it would be great, if Eldar could field several types of lists.