Army Rules

Eternal Hatred : Grants Hatred, and gives its benefits every round, not just the first.
Awesome rule, Black Guard and several characters have it.
Hekarti's Blessing : +1 when casting Dark Magic Spells.
Murderous Prowess : Re-rolls all to wound rolls of 1 when making close combat
attacks(does not affect a model's mount). Every model in the army (save warbeasts) has this.
Always Strikes First : A model with this special rule always strikes first in close combat
regardless of initiative. In addition, if the model's initiative is equal to or higher than his
enemy's, he can re-roll misses when striking in close combat. If the enemy's model has this
rule too, the attacks are made simultaneously (meaning you'll still be going first unless you're
up against other elves), and neither model benefits from the re-rolls normally granted by this
rule.

Unit Analysis
Lords & Heroes
Named Characters
Malekith, the Witch King: It's good to be the King. Malekith costs 510 points vanilla
(which is obviously meant to JUST keeping him out of games under 2000 (what a
tease!) But thankfully The End Times changed that) but you get your money's worth
for him. He's a Highborn with higher WS, S and T. He's also a level 4 Wizard (who
has to use Dark Elves' special lore), magic armor that gives a 2+ ward against
mundane attacks and makes him immune to multiple wounds and being killed
outright, a magic weapon that lets him break enemy magic items (allowing him to get
rid of those pesky magic weapons that can harm him), a shield that gives him Magic
Resistance (2) and causes magic spells aimed at him that are dispelled to rebound on
the caster unit for D6 S6 hits, a crown that gives him an extra power and dispel dice
per phase and his inspiring Presence is 18' instead of 12' (24' on his Black Dragon).
And he still has hatred and comes with Immune to Psychology. Inhale. He costs a
bucket-load but can easily turn entire games around. His mount options include Cold
One (mediocre), a Cold One Chariot with a 3+ save (quite good for smaller points
games) and a Black Dragon. The combination of killer stats, great special rules and
magic items and being a powerful caster in his own right make him more than worth
his rather expensive entry cost in a casual game. No longer lives with his mom. Do
note that against magical weapons he has no Ward save. At all. This won't usually
come into play in close combat thanks to Destroyer and ASF, but against ranged
magics that aren't dispelled (irresistible force comes to mind) or against Dwarfs with
too many magical cannons he can find himself getting pretty fucked up.
Morathi, the Hag Sorceress: Morathi is a little schizo about her role. Her abilities
and stat increases seem to indicate that she's intended for combat, which is the exact
opposite place from where you want her. She's more expensive than an upgraded
Supreme Sorceress, but a much better than a generic Supreme Sorceress on Dark
Pegasus (regardless of the fact that she's over 100 points more). Her enchanting beauty
rules is decent. In all fairness, Dark Magic is a good damage lore, Morathi has the
mobility and ability to abuse it (usually getting +7 to cast any spell with it), and she's
 reasonably cheap for all her goodies at 375 points. If you're taking a Supreme
Sorceress on Pegasus, forget her and take Morathi.
Crone Hellebron: Hellebron is a fundamentally ideal combat lord. Okay, she costs
~155ish skaven slaves and comes with little protection (ie she has no saves unless
mounted). But she has I9, 4A base, combined with paired weapons (+1A) witches
brew (gives her and her unit +2A) and cry of war (+D3A) for anywhere from 8 to 10
S10 attacks combined with ASF which means she's almost guaranteed to re-roll hits
(and wounds thanks to murderous prowess) which equates to her being essentially
guaranteed to wipe out an entire rank. Any hit against her rolling a one cause an S4 hit
on her attacker, Oh and she and any unit she's with gets +4 to dispel rolls for any spells
cast at them. Yeah. She can also take a Cauldron of Blood. Put her in a unit of Witch
Elves, Sisters of Slaughter or with a unit of black guard with a cauldron of blood
within 6" (which gives the aforementioned ability to re-roll all failed to wound rolls)
and send them charging into the enemy; that equates to your Black Guard unit having
4A each, at S4, ASF, Eternal Hatred and re-rolling failed to wound rolls. Malekith just
pooped a little. If you take her, keep her in a unit, she is the prime example of a glass
cannon.
Malus Darkblade: You've read his books, now put him on the tabletop. He costs
nearly 300 points and is a Lord choice now, so gained the appropriate stat boosts. has a
couple nifty abilities. Using Tz'arkan makes him more powerful, but makes him attack
his own unit on hit rolls of one; remember, with Eternal Hatred he can re-roll failed hit
rolls, so this mitigates the damage somewhat. Spite is still the best cavalry mount in
Warhammer Fantasy with no stupidity for him or his unit and gets eternal hatred.
Should be seriously considered for any cold one heavy army.
Shadowblade: Almost double what a properly kitted out Assassin would cost. Took a
hit since he can no longer hide among the enemy. Even if you get him to reveal
himself when he needs to, where he needs to, if he gets killed he could just as easily
damage your own unit, which keeps him from being set up like a regular Assassin.
Does come with all 3 poisons so has killing blow, +1 to wound and gives -1 to enemy
leadership per wound caused but unless you're after a fluffy army, you're much better
off with a generic assassin (or two).
Tullaris Dreadbringer: Now a hero, Costs a little over double Master but he can
easily make that back since he gives every model in any unit he joins frenzy for FUN
times and also causes Fear. His sword also triggers killing blows on a 5 or 6. This guy
in an Executioner unit makes sword masters wish they were this awesome, so take him
if you're going heavy on Executioners.
Kouran Blackhand: Like Tullaris is now a hero, Just shy of 200 points for a Master
statline, but with WS9! His Crimson death no longer always strikes at S6 but gives +2
strength (so you're free to buff his strength beyond S6, not that you need to). his
armour now only activates when he's hit, but does slap his attacker at S5 (though given
how he only has 2 Wounds it isn't likely to cause that much damage, since if they hit
they're likely to Wound his T3). Also stick him in black guard they become
UNBREAKABLE. He's overcosted, stick with regular Masters. Black Guard are likely
to stay with Ld9 and Stubborn, more so if they're within the General's Ld10 or given
the Standard of Discipline to make them Ld10 and if there's also a BSB in range then
the chances of them breaking are so low that it's not even worth worrying about.
 Lokhir Fellheart: An effective enough combat hero, if a bit on the pricey side. He can
no longer get an absurd number of attacks and the extra hundred points for no stat
upgrades means he's limited. Also with his new rules he can attack any character in the
same combat without moving to them. So can more easily hide from the nastier lords
while still attacking them. A master is probably better though he can do incredibly
with a big corsair unit and shadow magic buffs (but for his cost you could just get
more Masters who will do the same job better, or get a Dreadlord who can do the same
job but also better). Like a Fleetmaster he can make a unit he joins Unbreakable but
only if he's in a challenge or kills a character, which is what he's suited for with ASF,
Hatred High Elves and re-rolling failed wound on the offense, with a 2+ armour save,
regeneration and terror on the defense.
Generic Characters
While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are
examined based on their role in your army.
NOTE: No Master or Highborn's Armor Save should EVER be worse than 3+. It costs less
than 15 points to give them Heavy Armor and Sea Dragon Cloak which instantly gives them a
leg up on 99 percent of most enemy heroes and lords.
Dreadlord: Your workaday combat lord. He's cheap and effective and can be highly
nasty when given the right equipment. There are many equipment options that will be
covered in the equipment section. Better than the High Elf equivalent in close combat,
as they have better access to armor saves and re-roll wounding rolls of 1 while sharing
ASF. Overall, he's cheap with some good stats (WS7 and I8 is nothing to sneer at) and
he can be quite effective in the right circumstances. Just don't put him in fights he can't
win.
Supreme Sorceress: Supreme Sorceresses (and Sorceresses for that matter) excel at
one thing: Blasting the almighty crap out of everything. You can fling absurd amounts
of dice around if you're unafraid of miscasts and have access to some impressively
destructive Lores. The Dark Elves signature Lore consists of almost nothing but ways
to blast the shit out of people. Aside from that, They can now use all eight Battle Lores
(Fuck Yeah!). To keep in the spirit of the fluff, Death is good for some targeted hero
killing and Shadow can home unit Synergy, if you're willing to throw a lot of dice at it.
Bringing a Level 4 Supreme Sorceress will almost always pay off. Life is good for
several things, such as those Toughness 7 Witch Elves, but that doesn't feel like Dark
Elves (well this codex is Matt Ward's work...). In closing, a very versatile offensive
caster and just as good a choice for general as the Dreadlord, though with different
uses.
High Beastmaster: Comes in at over double a Dreadlord in points. With one less A
and I, light armour, cloak and spear, but lets one beast per turn within 3" gain +D3
attacks and must take a manticore or a scourgerunner chariot for free. May take the
usual 100 points of magic Wargear but has no standard options. His points costs are
intimidating, but functionally he's only 10 points more than a Dreadlord on a
Manticore, and the free Manticore with +2D3 attacks (get Blind Rage) can definitely
help him earn his points back, even against the enemies elites as 8 (or 9 if he gets
Frenzy) S5 attacks + Thunderstomp + Killing Blow is nothing to sneer at, and that's all
before the Beastmaster attacks!
 Black Ark Fleetmaster: He's a Lord worth ~75ish skaven slaves and has a sword for
a leg. Needless to say a kick to the crotch from this guy is to be avoided at all costs.
Seriously though, Master stats with +1 wound. Whenever he is in a challenge (and
alive) or kills an enemy character at all he makes his unit unbreakable for the turn. It's
a cool rule, and he's got a nice flavor, but he's just not worth the points. Take a
Dreadlord for less points and get more usefulness out of him. More for fluff and fun
games and seems really out of place as a lord choice (especially when you consider
that his rough equivalent, the Sea Helm is a cheap Hero).
Sorceress: Sorceresses are cheap and effective. Level 1s can bring a small effective
spell to the table (Notable Dark Magic's signature spell is one that shooting heavy
armies HATE!) and bringing a level 2 could provide valuable support when things go
tits up for your Supreme Sorceress, especially if you're willing to for alternate Lores
(Fire works well for basic Sorceresses). Not as powerful as a Supreme but well worth
taking. Remember, they can now use all eight Battle lores.
Master: Masters are among the best cost for ability heroes in the game. For 70, plus
an extra 10 for the Sea Dragon Cloak and Heavy Armor, you'll get a guy with M5,
WS/BS6, S4, T3, W2, I7, A3, LD9 and a 3+ armor save, plus ASF and Murderous
Prowess. A Master is a great choice to add some oomph to a unit and probably the
better choice for a BSB since you can very easily have him have a 2+ Armor save,
without a mount or magic equipment.
Death Hag: Death Hags cost 15 points more than a master for 2 hand weapons,
Frenzy, Poisoned Attacks aaaand...the loss of any kind of saves beyond a 5++, which
only comes from a Cauldron of Blood. Not batting 1000 here. Gifts of Khaine are
more expensive for them but they can take a single Magic Weapon up to 50 points.
o Cauldron of Blood: 190 point chariot, gives the unit you put it in a 6++(5++
for witch elves), lets all friendly units with murderous intent within 6 re-roll
all failed to wound. and has a bound spell that makes a unit frenzied(+2
attacks instead of 1 if they were already frenzied). The kit can also make a
Bloodwrack Shrine and gives you Hellebrone. So you can make a Cauldron of
Blood (a chariot), a Bloodwrack Medusa (Monstrous beast) as an independent
unit and Hellebrone (a special character)... all for just $80. I suppose it's
rather pathetic we've gotten to a point where $80 AUD seems like a good deal
for three models, but we are talking a good deal by GW's ridiculous standards.
Assassin: When kitted out right, Assassins can end the life of any Hero and some
Lords. Its frankly ABSURD WS and I mean that it can put the whammy on anyone
dumb enough to get into close combat with it. And here's the kicker: because of the
Hidden rule, people don't know if they're getting into combat with it. Very good in
either your rank units (to help them hold up when a powerful unit tries to use them) or
in your flank units (to up your kill count when you charge). An example of a good
Assassin is additional hand weapon and Potion of Strength; other combinations will be
discussed later. Assassins often end up on suicide detail after a round of combat or
two, so don't throw too many points into them. Oh and don't forget to write down what
unit it's in, or people will accuse you of cheating. When you can spare the points,
always take one.
Mount Options:
 Dark Steed: The cheapest option. M9 and Fast Cavalry will put him out away from the
rest of the army, except for Dark Riders and Doomfire Warlocks, but why would you
want a character to join them? Because you're awesome and gave him a Ring of Hotek
and a posse of 14 other Dark Riders or 5 Doomfire Warlocks.
Cold One: The traditional mount of a Highborn/Master and with good reason. M7 is
quite reasonable, stupidity is unlikely to cause problems at LD9 and S4 and +2 to
armor saves are always nice. If you want a mounted hero without shelling out for a big
expensive mount, this is where to go.
Dark Pegasus: Pegasi used to be in kind of a weird position, but since the FAQ hit,
they've got significantly better, since they become one model and inherit the Pegasus'
toughness. You NEED to make sure your rider has a good armor save and probably a
ward too, or it'll get to shot to death (so don't give it to Sorceresses).
Manticore: Don't have the points for a Black Dragon, but want something big and
scary? Then come on down to Clar Karond's KAROND KAR'S Manticore Emporium.
The in between option and a damned good one at that. If you want people to cry
cheese, try mounting your Master on one of these. Can now be given a 4+ scaly skin
save and can be upgraded with a Blind fury rule. it gains +D3 attacks each combat
phase but enemies get +1 to hit (worth it).
Black Dragon: The Dark Elves best mount, a middle tier Dragon (better than Sun
Dragons and Manticores but not as good as Star Dragons and Greater Daemons) who's
effectiveness is often linked to how good the rider is. A powerful mount, perhaps a
tiny bit overpriced, but worthwhile. We will cover what items to take and not take
later, but a remember that your Dragon is huge and scary, so it will be getting shot at
by everyone who doesn't want to see it crashing into their lines. Keep it out of sight of
cannons.

Core Units
Dreadspears: Basic Spearmen...well Spearelves. Good M, WS, I and LD, average
everything else, Spears, Shields, Light Armor. 9 points a pop. With ASF and
Murderous Prowess, they can be a pretty nasty unit, especially on the defense.
Probably going to be one of your mainstay units if you focus on offense and best in
units of 50-60.
Bleakswords: Same stats as Spearmen, but Swords and Shields instead of Spears and
Shields. Better in smaller units, and not as generally useful as Dreadspears, but still a
pretty solid unit. A 5+ armour save followed by a 6+ ward save can give them okay
durability, but they're not going to stand against everything, elites and generally
everything S4 and up will crush them provided they're able to strike back.
Darkshards: The other mainstay core unit, and again they kick ass. Between good
range, armor piercing and multiple shots, these guys shred light to medium armored
units like they're not even there. Have them concentrate fire with Bolt Throwers and
Shades (if you have them) to damage your enemies important units. You always give
them shields, as they will be absorbing a lot of S3 and S4 return fire.
Black Ark Corsairs: Don't let the 9 points cost fool you, they need to take either an
extra hand weapon or a Handbow for an extra 2 points. But that's not so bad, as they're
back to being a reliable core choice again. With 2 hand weapons and a 4+ armor save,
they're rock solid and can be quite difficult to damage under a lot of circumstances (in
 fact they're slightly tougher than Bleakswords but with an extra attack if you get them
another hand weapon). They work in either smaller aggressive units of 15-20 or in
hordes of 40+ depending on which weapon choices you want to get.
Witch Elves: Witch Elves are the first in the series of nasty flanking units, AND
NOW THEY'RE CORE UNITS, KICKASS! The benefit is you can stock up on these
lethal ladies and still have points free to allocate to Special units. They have an
absurdly high volume of attacks (40 poisoned attacks for 2 ranks of 10), high
Initiative, ASF and cheap. As for upgrades, you can't go wrong with Witchbrew. Be
careful with them though, they're about as hard to shoot to death as Goblins (more
resistant to Panic though, thanks to Frenzy) but thanks to 8th ed they're no longer
easily led out of position. Use them by all means, but be careful. Also, there's the fact
that they are half-nude women sooo... yeah, I guess at $60 for a ten pack ($70 in Aus),
sex must really sell. These are also counterparts to the Corsairs, the Corsairs not
hitting quite as hard, but being the most durable of all the core Infantry.
Dark Riders: Actually they are incredible now. 20 points each once you get shields
and crossbows. And you don't lose Fast Cavalry when you buy shields. SO move 9, 4+
armour, with spears and crossbows and of course the Vanguard move. You can
easily get away with taking nothing but these guys for your core choice as they can
outmaneuver damn near everything.

Special Units
Shades: Lots of players have mixed opinions about Shades. While they might seem
expensive they are really mobile with decent stats and scout rules (they can even
march and shoot). In low point games they will pretty much win your battles for you.
Shades should be used as machine and lone wizard hunters. They can also be used to
harass enemy flanks, but sending them into combat is a dicey proposition, since the
enemy can split their attacks, but it can help turn important combats around. 5 man
units will generally fail, but 10 man units can do wonders against the right opponents.
Harpies: Harpies got a serious kick in the cooch in this version. They can panic units
now and their job as warmachine hunters/charge blockers is done better by Shades and
Dark Riders. Their only real use is if you need maneuverable chaff, otherwise skip
them.
Executioners: Chaos Warriors getting you down? Bretonnians resisting all your
attempts to move them? Need someone with high Strength to knock out a monster?
Then take Executioners. High Strength and Killing Blow make these guys a powerful
unit. Be careful where you put them though, at T3, with a 5+ save, they can be very
easy to shoot to death. With the update, ASF cancels out Great Weapons, allowing
them to strike at S6 at I5. Oh and re-rolls of 1 to wound is pretty brutal for a unit that'll
be wounding anything T4 or below on a 2+. So yeah, these guys are now some of your
best shock troops.
Cold One Knights: A good enough flanking unit when the chips are down and can
even charge smaller units head on in a pinch. Cheap Heavy Cavalry is always
welcome. They're 30 points a model, but the riders gained ASF and Murderous
Prowess while the mounts gained an extra attack so it sort of balances out. It helps that
their models are GORGEOUS (they ride fucking DINOSAURS) and they have an
exceptionally brutal statline, with LD9 more than making up for Stupidity. Be careful
though, Heavy Cavalry took the hard end of the Nerfstick in 8th edition, so don't send
 them straight into a ranking enemy unit. Also, Stupidity makes a unit Immune to
Psychology, so don't forget it. Take in small units for flanking and they'll reward you
with your enemies' blood and your opponents tears.
Cold One Chariots: Quite good as far as Chariots go. It's highly resistant to damage
and while, once in a while Stupidity will prevent you from making that charge you
need to, it's low cost and high LD keep that from happening too often or hurting too
much when it does. Keep it someplace it can't be charged and use it to flank in a tight
moment. Not precisely the Black Coach as far as Chariots go, but can be extremely
useful. Also, it's a chariot pulled by DINOSAURS.
Black Guard: The only Rank choice that isn't a core choice. They're easy to damage
unfortunately, but they hit hard (15 always rerollable S4 attacks for 2 ranks of 5) and
they. Do. Not. Break. They cost 15 points a model now, but gain ASF and can re-roll
failed wound rolls of 1 with Murderous Prowess, so they hit even harder than before.
They also have no upper limit to unit size to sweeten the pot. For a 15 point magic
banner from the main rulebook they can be LD10 Stubborn or take a flaming banner
on them and they WILL take off an abomination or a hydra on the charge. A great
anvil unit, apart from T3 and 5+ armor, buff them if you can. If you can fit them in and
already have executioners, do it.
Reaper Bolt Thrower: Often ignored, but a solid choice in it's own right. As all Bolt
Throwers it's good at taking out Heavy Cavalry and low wound monsters. Unlike all
other Bolt Throwers (except for High Elves, who have the same exact unit) it can also
be pretty good at taking out infantry. Stick it next to your Repeater Crossbowmen and
help them shred units one at a time. Almost mandatory to only-refuse-them-if-you-
want-to-lose in any Dark Elf army.
War Hydra: Any bitch-fest about Dark Elves will bring up these guys. 160 points. It's
attacks are equal to 3 plus it's remaining wound total. So at full wounds it's pumping
out 8 attacks, and a thunder-stomp after that. 5 wounds. S and T 5. Thunderstomp. Can
buy a breath weapon with S4 and a Ranged attack with 8" range with number of shots
and S being its remaining wounds. Lost its regen but now rolls a dice at the end of
your turn for each lost wound and regains it on a 4+. This thing EATS. UNITS. Your
ultimate flanking unit that can also double as a frontline unit and you can take 2 in a
1500 point game if you want to drink your opponent's tears. Any unit charged by this
should roll for anal circumference. The Dark Elf solution to hordes, use them against
infantry to bring the pain, and take one whenever you can. 3 of these also running
straight down the centre could be very useful in an all horse list. . . or most lists for
that matter!
Scourgerunner chariot: Lighter chariot ridden by 2 beastmasters and pulled by
horses. Comes with a ravager harpoon. A S7 bolt thrower that can be fired on the
move, but no multi shot and it doesn't ignore armour (though at S7 it's not likely
anyone'll get a save from it unless you try to penetrate ranks with the thing). If it
causes an unsaved wound to a monster it gets dragged D6" towards the chariot. If it
goes over 3" it takes a second wound with no saves. Note, many of the monsters you
want to kill with it are more maneuverable as they can fly. It cannot stand and shoot
with the harpoon, but a Beastmaster can make it BS7. As is, it's overpriced for what it
does and competes with other much better choices (for one of these you can get two
Reapers which can do the same job but better). Leave it out unless it's a fluffy army,
and even then its use is only recommended to veteran Dark Elf players who'll use it to
get some flank shots.
Rare Units
Doomfire Warlocks: Warlocks cursed by Malekith, Fast Cav with 2 poisoned A each
and a 4+ ward, unless the attacker is a Slaanesh unit (Daemons and marked warriors)
in which case they only get their 6+ mounted save because slaanesh wants them. The
unit knows the Doombolt and Soulblight spells at a LVL of 2. and gains +1 to cast for
each rank of 5. up to a max of +3. At only 25 points a model, any army can do with a
unit of these unless versing Chaos armies of Slaanesh, especially if you want a Dark
Steed mounted Sorceress. Units of 5 are ideal.
Sisters of Slaughter: They're pretty much Dark Eldar Wyches transplanted into
Warhammer Fantasy, without the fancy weapons or combat drugs. More easily shot to
death than Witch Elves (as they lack Frenzy unless buffed by a Cauldron of Blood or
joined by a Death Hag with Witchbrew, and Witch Elves get a better Ward Save from
the Cauldron), though they get a 6+ armour save and 4+ ward save against close
combat attacks. Alright for tarpitting elite units in combat, but not as good on the
offensive as Witch Elves, their Trial of Blades rule has potential but lacks the punch
against heavily armoured units. They also have the ability to negate the rank bonus for
combat results and parry saves, but they're still outshone by Witch Elves.
Kharibdyss: The Dark Elves get a deep-sea monster in their army. It's got a high
strength of 7 and if all its attacks hit against a single model it does an additional D6 S7
hits, at WS5 this may happen a lot. Alongside I4 and poisoned attacks, this makes it a
better monster killer than the Hydra. Also has Abyssal Roar meaning that enemies in
base contact re-roll successful Leadership tests, making it a great unit for flank charges
as well, making enemies re-roll successful break tests (drools)... unless they have Fear,
Terror or Immune to Psychology. A bargain at 160 points. Note it only has a 4+ Scaly
Skin and T5 with 5 wounds protecting it, so not as good on the defensive. Worth
taking, especially if your opponent has lots of monsters or is playing Ogre Kingdoms.
It would be great if it had the Aquatic or Strider (water) rule but logically that means it
would out-swim its handlers and escape/turn and eat them the moment it entered
water.
Bloodwrack Medusa: A monstrous creature which if you meet it's gaze makes you
bleed to death from every pore and orifice on your body, represented by a shooting
attack with Killing Blow and every enemy model in base contact takes a Killing Blow
hit at the same time as Impact this. As awesome as that is, it somehow works on
undead despite the facts that they either don't need or have any blood, while some also
don't even have eyes or physical bodies (How does a skeleton or a ghost bleed to
death). It's low, LOW leadership (2!) means if it loses Frenzy it's even more cowardly
than a Goblin and with frenzy it's easy for the enemy to lead around unless it's near the
general. At 90 points with no save, it's not worth the hassle when competing with the
amazing Doomfire Warlocks and the impressive Kharibdyss unless you're up against a
very low I army (like Undead or Dwarfs).
Bloodwrack Shrine: A really weird chariot that does a lot of different things, some of
which are of limited value. It can join units like a Cauldron of Blood but it's point cost
is very similar to a Kharibdyss or Hydra, so it is best to consider those monsters as it's
competition for a slot in your army. It is slightly slower than a Hydra or Kharibdyss
but it has swiftstride. In close combat it gets impact hits, but lacks Thunderstomp. It
has a solid toughness of 6 with 5 wounds making it pretty hard to kill. It puts out 3
WS5 s4 attacks and 2 WS4 S4 attacks on the charge (owing to the spears of the 2
shrinekeepers), all with ASF and Murderous Prowess. It gives all friendly MODELS
 within 6" +1 Ld and all enemy MODELS within 6" -1 Ld. This is important to note
since if an enemy unit extends out of that 6 inch bubble they will not care about the
leadership penalty since some models in the unit will be unaffected. The shrine also
has the same shooting attack as a lone BloodWrack Medusa which is less useful on the
shrine given it's higher point cost and greater combat ability/utility. It also has the
"Avert Your Gaze" special rule like the solo Medusa models. This rule is way better on
the Shrine than the lone Medusas because of the Shrine's much better
toughness/wounds and large base size. This ability pairs very well with miasma from
the lore of shadow which is a good lore to consider for dark elves under any
circumstances. A super secret troll technique involving the Shrine is to run one with a
unit of 10-15 Sisters of Slaughter with a standard bearer with a war banner and a
champion. Run the unit with only 2 sisters (champ and banner) and the shrine in the
front rank. Your opponent is unlikely to be able to get much combat resolution. You
will have 3 ranks, a banner, and a war banner for 5 static combat resolution in addition
to any wounds you do. You cancel your opponent's rank bonus and they also will take
their break test, should they lose combat, on a -1 LD from the Shrine. Alternative troll
build is to run 1+ armor Dreadlords or Masters in the 2 front spots and have a life
caster or 2 to heal the shrine up.

Building Your Army

Buying Your Army
The army is expensive as fuck. If you buy a Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine, always
make the Cauldron of Blood. You get Hellebrone (a special character), the Death Hag (a
Hero), the Bloodwrack Medusa (a monstrous beast) and the Cauldron. Spearmen and
Crossbowmen got dearer, so be careful with core units. Also, Witch Elves, Executioners and
Black Guard became WAY overpriced because of the excuse that it's a double kit, since
they're plastic models that cost as much as they did when made of metal.
Cold One Knights are still fairly reasonably priced, and the Hydra got cheaper while also
gaining the option of making the Kharibdyss. Bolt Throwers are as expensive as they ever
were, but still a good unit.
To save money with a Dark Elves army, you'll have to get creative.
Buy some basic High Elf models from GW (or Mantic--but only if you like owning ugly ass
minis), remove their more High Elven bits and replace them with Dark Elf bits or spikes.
Then paint them in Dark Elf colors and in the fluff pass them off as defectors from Ulthuan
(or Athel Loren) gone over to Naggaroth (For example; Spearmen become Dreadspears,
Glade Riders become Dark Riders).
Corsairs are good for conversions and can be used to make other units.
For example, take a box of Corsairs (using Aus prices that's $55). Take two away and
use them to buff an existing Corsair unit. As for the remaining 8, take 5 Corsairs and
with some modeling putty and tools convert 5 of them into Shades. Take the Standard
Bearer and give him the same treatment, he becomes a BSB Master. Another Corsair
can become either a Master on foot, a Dreadlord on foot or a Fleetmaster. The final
Corsair, with the same method, can be converted into an Assassin. Buying GW's
Shades, two Masters and an Assassin model would cost $125, but with this idea you
save $70! (NOTE: IF you're already into conversions you won't have to worry about
buying modeling putty or tools, and get them from crafting stores, not GW). Since
 Warhammer is more expensive with Aus prices, imagine how much cheaper this
method would be for gamers in the US or UK (prices in other parts of the world vary
but fall between these price ranges).
Alternate take, buy some dark eldar. They are currently one of the cheapest armies of 40k and
they have great kits that you can convert with relative ease.

Army Composition
Dark Elf Warriors and Crossbowmen are a mainstay of the army. Whenever possible,
give your Crossbowmen shields, for that better armor and parry. With Dark Riders as a
Core Unit, a fast army is once again an option for Dark Elves.
Black Guard and Warriors make great supporting Ranked units, and Black Guard
make good flank protectors being hard to shift. Witch Elves and Executioners are great
flanking infantry, to be used against Hordes and armored elites respectively. Cold One
Chariots and Cavalry are good too and are generally cheaper, but they don't generate
as much static CR.
War Hydras are brutal, under any circumstances but are best charging on the flanks.
The Kharibdyss is a good flank charger as well, especially against hordes where it can
use its Abyssal Roar to good effect. It also makes a decent monster hunter in a pinch.
If you want to take advantage of the fact that Dark elves are a fast and maneuverable
army, fill core with dark riders, crossbow men and small units of Witch Elves OR a
large unit Witch Elves supported by dark riders (always take dark riders). Don't bother
filling up on spearmen and sword men as they are expensive in points and real life
money, and are pretty weak compared to the suggested units.
For special take Executioners, they are effective both in small units (15-20) or in large
hoards (30+) they combine high strength initiative 5 attack with killing blow and can
mash through most units before they can even strike, it is useful to attach a
Master/Dreadlord for some added punch, give him a magic weapon to avoid ethereal
bullshit holding you up the entire game. Also almost every army will benefit from
having between 2-4 repeater bolt throwers, use these to remove small units that will
try and redirect your frenzied units. Cold one Knights and cold one chariots are a
similar unit, good for a flank charge, not fully reliable due to stupidity but that is
somewhat mitigated by their high leadership. Hydras are almost an auto-include
(cheap powerful monster who can grow back its wounds). Lastly shades with great
weapons are excellent war machine and wizard hunters, being able to deliver highly
accurate shots on turn 1 before hitting hard with I5 S5 attacks.
For your rare choices Doomfire Warlocks we debatably the best fast cav in the game.
The combination of a 4+ ward save and 2 S4 poisoned attacks for the cheap cheap
price of 25 points is incredible, not to mention the fact that each unit is a LVL 2 wizard
with 2 very effective offensive spells (don't forget you can channel with these units for
some extra magic phase rape).
For your Lords and Heroes always take a LVL 4 Sorceress and a mounted Master with
BSB. Stick the Sorcerers on a horse and put her in a unit of fast cav and do the same
thing with your BSB (in a different unit that is).
 o For your general you can possibly add a Dreadlord (always mount him with
lance and sea dragon cloak) or you can just use the sorceress Lord as your
general (though given that most of your army's Ld9 she won't add much).
o Lastly the Death Hag can be equipped with the cauldron of blood, if you need
a Death Star that can chew through almost any unit in the game: mount a Death
Hag on cauldron of blood, give her fencers blades (for added protection) and
put her in a unit of 30 Witch Elves in a 30 x 10 formation. This unit can put out
a stunning 50 ASF, initiative 6, poisoned attacks (60 if you use the cauldrons
bound spell for ultra frenzy) combined with the death hags 5 attacks and the 6
attacks from the witchelves on the caouldren AND the D6 impact hits from the
cauldron on the charge. FOR A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 77 ATTACKS
TOTAL. 71 of which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound. That. Is. Brutal.

Magic Items
Magic Weapons:
Hydra Blade Now adds +D6 attacks. In addition, causes a leadership test with a -2 modifier.
If passed nothing happens. If failed, the wielder has -5 to their weapon skill (to a minimum of
1) but gains the Heroic Killing Blow rule until the end of the round. At 100 points, it takes
your full magic item allowance and isn't worth it. Mathwise it's only marginally better than
the Sword of Bloodshed and it doesn't fix the main problem most Elves have, they don't have
too little attacks, they have too little strength (not to mention HKB isn't likely to happen even
at the Ld8 you'll be testing at, and isn't worth it when it does). If you take it, make sure
someone in the army has the Lore of Light (for the spell Speed of Light) or Lore of Shadow
(for Mindrazor), which would make this a viable option for a offensive lord and the BANE of
Ogre Kingdoms armies.
Chillblade Now wounds automatically. Any unsaved wounds cause a toughness check which,
if failed, cause -3 to the attacks characteristic of the model. Costs the same. Better against
high toughness opponents than the previous version, but worse against low toughness
opponents. It is, in theory, a very versatile weapon and could be incredibly useful because one
of your key weaknesses is strength, and if they are a low toughness highly offensive character,
then there's a good chance that they will completely lose offensive power, and generally you
will be going first so you can just DOMINATE.
Talismans:
The Black Amulet Same as the previous version, except it only rebounds wounds in a
challenge and costs 60 points. Use only on a character intended for challenges.
Ring of Hotek Now costs 50 points. Grants Magic Resistance (3), makes any enemy wizard
casting spells at the wearer or a unit within 6' miscast on a double 1 as well as a double 6
without making the double 1 Irresistible force. Surprisingly not as cheesy or prone to
backfiring as the previous version. Worth taking if you can spare the points.
Enchanted Items:
Black Dragon Egg Similar to the previous version, except it's 50 points, now grants S6 as
well and the breath weapon is S2 with no armor saves. Still good, but pricey.
Cloak of Twilight 3+ ward save against shooting attacks and spells. Gives the wearer Killing
Blow and Multiple wounds (D3) in the first round of any close combat. For 50 points, a good
item, but make sure it's used to its fullest potential on a combat character, preferably a
Dreadlord or an Assassin. Putting it on a model with the Chillblade is downright cruel, and
capable of killing a Dragon in one turn as even though you won't be using Killing Blow, auto-
wounding at D3 Wounds is pretty much guaranteed to kill the opponent anyway.
Arcane Items:
The Gem of Spite Inflicts a S6 hit on every enemy wizard in 12 when the bearer miscasts.
Any wounds can be mitigated but your opponent must sacrifice a dispel dice for each wound.
A good item for a close-range Sorceress, especially a Supreme Sorceress.
The Sacrificial Dagger Now only grants 1 extra power dice on a 4+ which must be rolled if
successful and then proceedes into the dispel attempts and spell resolution, but if failed can be
attempted again with another sacrifice of the unit in which the sorceress is part of (and as
many times as wished until she is the last one standing - she can't sacrifice herself now can
she). Same points cost and quite a nice boost to help pimpslap the enemy with dark magic
(not to mention more chance of the dark magic lore attribute kicking in), just be careful you
don't go overboard on sacrifices and hamper the unit's effectiveness. For max use have a
sorceress in a large squad - this will provide plenty of corpses and will also help keep her
even more safe from harm. The previous version was slightly better as that extra dice kicked
in automatically instead of on a 4+, though you could still do multiple sacrifices.
Tome of Furion The Seerstaff left the High Elves and migrated to the Dark Elves. For 25
points, a wizard can choose one of their spells instead of rolling for them if they're using the
Lore of Dark Magic. If you're taking a wizard who's using Dark Magic, don't leave Naggaroth
without it.
Magic Standards:
Banner of Nagarythe Makes all models in the unit with it and any Shadow Warriors
(including Alith) within 12' unbreakable. Now costs only 100 points, though the previous
version was still better.

Rulebook Items
Magic Weapons:
Giant Blade: 60 points is a lot, but +3 Strength is something great for a Dark Elf damage
dealer, though honestly it's completely outdone by the Chillblade (still might be worth it if
you've already bought the Chillblade for somebody else). Note that despite it sounding like a
slow weapon that would negate your ASF, it doesn't.
Sword of Bloodshed: Too expensive for what it does. While it can put the hurt on hordes, a
Dreadlord should not be fighting chaff and it lacks the punch to hurt the rare hordes of elites.
Obsidian Blade: 50 points to ignore armour, great for tailoring your list but for an all-comers
list you intend to stick to through thick and thin you don't want it.
Ogre Blade: +2 Strength, 40 points. Take if it you already took the Chillblade, Giant Blade or
if you needed the 20 points you'd spend on the Giant Blade for something else.
Sword of Strife: +2 attacks, 40 points. Once again, you don't need more attacks you need
stronger ones.
Fencer's Blades: WS 10 and an extra attack for 35 points. The Dreadlord already has WS7,
and thus this isn't that great when you could bump up his Strength or even his Attacks. If you
still want them then the swords work well for defensive Dark Elves as they can still have a 2+
armour save and the swords, and theyre especially useful against High Elves; hitting even
Tyrion on 3s. A Master can take them, though theyre better on a Dreadlord.
Sword of Anti-Heroes: +1 STR and +1 Attack for each character in base contact with the
bearer and his unit. Could be good, could be great in a tailored list.
Spellthieving Sword: For each wound a caster receives from this weapon, they lose a random
spell. Generally speaking facing a wizard in close combat means a dead wizard. It can really
shine on an Assassin if they can take it. Otherwise, not really worth it.
Sword of Swift Slaying: Grants Always Strikes First. Ever since the 8th edition Dark Elves
army book this is useless.
Sword of Battle: +1 Attack for 20 points, keep scrolling.
Berserker Sword: Bearer has Frenzy and cannot lose it. Dark Elves do not need this as
psychology can be mitigated with Death Hags or fear/terror causing mounts.
Sword of Might: +1 Strength close combat for 20 points and you can use a shield, it's nice.
Gold Sigil Sword: Makes your attacks 10 Initiative in close combat. Maybe for a cheap buff
if you have the points to spare.
Sword of Striking: +1 to hit. Fairly nice, with ASF that means you're usually getting 2+ to hit
with re-rolls, though since the 3+ to hit and re-rolls isn't that much worse getting more
Strength is still better.
Biting Blade: Armor piercing. 10 points. Inferior to Strength, not bad though.
Relic Sword: Attacks with it always wound on a 5+ unless the result needed was lower. Not
worth your time.
Shrieking Blade: Bearer causes Fear. Unnecessary as characters can just take a fear-causing
mount, and most would need a weapon to help them kill things. Sorceresses and the lord
version can get some mileage from this if they have to be on foot.
Tormentor Sword: Grants Stupidity to a monster or character hit by it. Only really useful
against armies loaded up on those options, so it's a tailoring list option that's questionable
otherwise. 5 points to spend if you've got it though.
Warrior Bane: Whatever gets hit by it loses an Attack to a minimum of one. 5 points, great
for tailoring against other Elves.
Magic Armour:
Armour of Destiny: Heavy Armor with 4+ Ward Save. Not a bad selection and a cheaper
way to get heavy armour with a nice benefit.
Trickster's Helm: +1 Armor, and any wound made against the bearer has to be rerolled. Just
no, you're Toughness 3, nobody has problems wounding you, focus on armour and wards, not
whatever the hell you think you can pull off, and it costs 50 points. Just no. no.
Armour of Silvered Steel: 2+ Armor Save, cannot be improved by any means. 40 points.
Redundant when any Dark Elf character who needs it can get the same from mundane means
for much less points.
Armour of Fortune: Heavy Armor with a 5+ Ward Save. 15 points cheaper than the Armour
of Destiny. A good all-comers choice.
Helm of Discord: +1 Armor, and any enemy character in base contact must pass a Leadership
roll or be stunned and is automatically hit. Your character will dominate challenges. Nice if
that's your plan (or if challenges are your fear).
Glittering Scales: Light Armor, causes -1 to hit the wearer in close combat. Surprisingly
good.
Shield of Ptolos: +1 Save against being shot. Pair it with the Sea Dragon Cloak and you have
nothing to fear from ranged combat. Not bad if you think you'll face it.
Spellshield: Magic Resistance (1). Nifty. Not 20 points nifty, but not terrible.
Gambler's Armor: Heavy Armor with 6+ Ward Save. 20 points. Combines well with a Sea
Dragon Cloak and good for Masters.
Dragonhelm: +1 Armor, +2 Ward against Flaming attacks. A welcome choice.
Enchanted Shield: It's a shield, it grants 2 armor instead of the 1 armor a normal shield
gives. 5 points. It's a great option.
Charmed Shield: One use, first hit you take can be discounted on a 2+. Not bad, not great.
Talismans:
Talisman of Preservation: 4+ Ward Save. Very nice option, but it limits your offensive
choices due to its 45 point cost. Need the protection and cant afford the Black Amulet, take
this.
Obsidian Lodestone: Magic Resistance (3). For when the Ring of Hotek isnt enough. Pricry,
though it has potential.
Talisman of Endurance: 5+ Ward Save. Still okay.
Obsidian Amulet: Magic Resistance (2). Viable.
Dawnstone: Re-roll failed Armor Saves. Worth it, as Dreadlords and Masters can have 1+
armour saves without magic items.
Opal Amulet: One time 4+ Ward Save. Not really worth it.
Obsidian Trinket: Magic Resistance (1). Still not bad, still not good.
Talisman of Protection: 6+ Ward Save. Not bad as a way of finishing off those last 15 points.
Seed of Rebirth: Grants Regeneration 6+. Again, not a bad way of using up those last points
on survivability. Otherwise, no go.
Dragonbane Gem: 2+ Ward against Flaming Attacks. Useful as a 5 point choice, especially if
youre facing lore of metal.
Pidgeon Plucker Pendant: Misspelled name, odd item. 5+ Ward Save from Flying enemies.
Tailored lists only really.
Luckstone: Reroll a single failed Armor Save. 5 points, not a bad place to spend them either.
Magic Standards:
Rampager's Standard: Reroll your charge distance dice if you want. Stick it on cavalry,
especially as the Battle Standard in Cold One Knights, since the BSB makes them re-roll
failed Stupidity or you ignore it if Malus and Spite also in the unit.
Wailing Banner: Unit causes Terror. Pretty shitty thanks to the massive debuff to Terror in
8th edition. There's better standards for you.
Ranger's Standard: Grants Strider. Ignore dangerous terrain. March your horde wall of death
across the map with impunity. A nice choice.
Razor Standard: Grants Armor Piercing. Put it on Special choices. Executioners in close
combat under this will cut through any armour, though theyre good enough this is only
recommended against the heaviest of foes such as WoC and Dwarfs.
War Banner: +1 Combat Resolution. Normally you want to avoid getting stuck in a fight all
game, and this'll help improve your chances of winning in all rounds of combat.
Banner of Swiftness: +1 Movement. There's better choices, really if you want movement you
should be rolling Lore of Shadow or Light. Can be nice to surprise the enemy with Witch
Elves or Cold One Knights.
Lichborne Pennant: Magic Resistance (1). Decent for a unit joined by a sorceress.
Standard of Discipline: +1 Leadership, but disregard the General's Inspiring Presence.
Leadership 10 will ensure the Black Guard never leave and it's fairly useful for preventing
Frenzied units from charging, or if you're going to have a unit outside the General's Inspiring
Presence bubble anyway.
Banner of Eternal Flame: Just like most armies, feel free to take this and stick it wherever
you want.
Gleaming Pennant: One use, re-roll failed Leadership test. Why are you failing Leadership?
Maybe tailored against an undead army, otherwise no.
Scarecrow Banner: Causes Fear on Flying enemies. 5 points, not bad. Tailored list only and
even then don't expect too much as most units that can take it weren't going to charge/be
charged by fliers anyway.
Arcane Items:
Book of Ashur: 70 points for +1 to cast and dispel rolls. If you were playing a VERY large
game and your entire strategy was magic and stalling for magic to work, you might use this.
It's decent though overpriced.
Feedback Scroll: Instead of a dispel attempt, you can use this one-use item to roll a dice for
each power dice used to cast it. Each one that's a 5+ causes a wound that can't be saved. Great
for a tailored list, and worth considering otherwise to take out an opponent's only caster and
let you work the winds unopposed.
Scroll of Leeching: Instead of a dispel use this one-use to add dispel dice equal to the number
used to cast the spell. Great against armies with LOTS of casters (like High Elf armies). Not a
standard gear choice however. Feedback scroll is more useful in many scenarios.
Sivejir's Hex Scroll: One use, replaces dispel. Enemy wizard rolls a d6, must get their level
or lower (so a level 1 mage needs a 1 to resist, a 3 mage needs a 1-3 to resist, Teclis only
suffers a 6 roll) or they turn into a frog. They can't cast spells as a frog, all magic items stop
working, all stats except wounds become 1. Each turn roll a d6, roll of a 4-6 and the mage
becomes a biped again. VERY fun item, and a surprising thing for such a thing is that it's
actually pretty good if you save it for when you can kill that mage in close combat. The image
of turning a mage into a frog then an Assassin just walking up and (literally) stomping on
them is pretty lulzy.
Power Scroll: According to FAQ it now halves the casting value of one spell, no boosting
allowed. Could be fun when you two-dice dwellers or purple sun if the winds are low or your
opponent didn't think those last two dices were dangerous.
Wand of Jet: One use, increases a casting result by d6 after you're done rolling. This can help
cause a IF and miscast too. It's an extra magic dice in the bank for when you need it, and not
bad but there's better options for getting more magic juice.
Forbidden Rod: One use, add d6 more dice to your magic at the beginning of your magic
phase, but the user takes d3 wounds with no armour saves. It can be useful.
Staff of Sorcery: Hidden away in the FAQ. 35 points, gives +1 to dispel. Is alright.
Trickster's Shard: One use, start of magic phase. If an enemy mage tries to dispel a spell,
you roll a d6 and on a 5 or 6 they take one wound. Not great really. It can be useful sort of if
you're rolling a lot of augments at once. At 25 points though, it's kind of a waste.
Earthing Rod: One use, reroll the result on the miscast table once. Not bad if you're gonna be
blasting away with your Supreme Sorceress.
Dispel Scroll: 25 points, auto dispel the enemy spell unless it's an Irresistible Force spell.
Always welcome.
Power Stone: One use. Used prior to casting a spell, adds two more bonus dice out of thin air
to the attempt. Redundant if any wizards in the army are using Dark Magic.
Sceptre of Stability: One use item to increase a dispel result by d6 after you've rolled. Pretty
neat for 15 points against another big magic army.
Channeling Staff: Bearer adds +1 to every channeling attempt. Can net you more power
dice, but not a big use item, especially if the Dark Magic lore is being used. Still, 15 points
isn't much to spend for that kind of thing.
Scroll of Shielding: One use, replaces dispel to grant a single target a 4+ Ward Save against
wounds caused by the spell. Great for protecting something high priority like a Supreme
Sorceress or a Dreadlord on a Dragon. Hellebron will thank you if shes in the army.

Enchanted Items:
Wizarding Hat: Wearer becomes a level 2 Wizard who can use a random spell lore. They
also have stupidity. This is great for armies with crap magic options, but for us you want to
split the magic/killing roles between two characters and at the cost for the hat you could just
take a level 2 mage. Dont bother.
Fozzrik's Fold Fortress: 100 points, so your entire magic item allotment for a Lord. After
deployment zones are agreed but before armies are deployed you can put a Watchtower (or
similar building agreed upon by both players as appropriate, but must be the same basic size
as the Watchtower) in your deployment zone. Not great but in games with objectives, you
might be able to argue your opponent into letting you count this as an objective from turn one.
Take it if you base your strategy around it.
Arabyan Carpet: Infantry or monstrous infantry (no you can't let your horse ride). Has the
Fly rule, cannot join units. At 50 points you may as well just mount up on a Dark Pegasus or
Manticore.
Crown of Command : 35 points to grant Stubborn and thus grant it to a unit the wearer joins.
Not bad and very good on a Dreadlord general.
Healing Potion: One use to drink at the start of your turn, recover d6 wounds. Since you have
very few characters with enough wounds to make it useful, you should rely on the Lore of
Life attribute to heal instead.
Featherfoe Torc: Flying creatures and riders must reroll to hit you and your unit in close
combat. Take it in a tailored list against the likes of Malekith (if youre planning to turn
against him) or High Elves.
Ruby Ring of Ruin: Bound spell with Fireball. Decent and its a nice surprise from a non-
mage character.
Terrifying Mask of EEE!: Wearer causes Terror, but nobody can use their leadership. Since
most Dark Elves have almost max LD and some characters have the same, there's no
downside. Not worth it at 25 points though unless you want the unit the character's in immune
to Fear.
Potion of Strength: One use, used at the start of any players turn. +3 Strength for the turn,
great for a BRUTAL combat phase. Take on a Dreadlord or Master.
Potion of Toughness: One use, start of any player's turn to grant +3 Toughness. This is more
for an Supreme Sorceress or Sorceress stuck in close combat, or a Dreadlord who's going into
a suicide charge.
The Other Trickster's Shard: All successful Ward Saves by models in base contact have to
be re-rolled, that means both friend and foe. Since Ward Saves are common to us, it can be a
detriment. Still good if you don't have one. Combines well with a character on a Manticore, as
now enemies have to re-roll Ward Saves against its Killing Blow attacks.
Ironcurse Icon: 5 points for 6+ Ward against war machines for the bearer and their unit. Not
great, but it's only 5 points so there's no real threat to taking it and it CAN come in handy.
Potion of Foolhardiness: One use, start of turn. Gets Immune to Psychology and Devastating
Charge for a turn. 5 points for a very fucking hard charge, this has potential in a cavalry list.
Potion of Speed: One use, start of turn. +3 Initiative. Cheap, but WHEN THE FUCK WILL
YOU NEED A HIGHER INITIATIVE?
Magic
Dark Elf Sorceress have access to all 8 lores and their specific Lore, Dark Magic. While every
lore has its use, some are particularly good. These are;
Life: Cheesy as it is in a Dark Elf army, this Lore could only be more awesome if it
shat rainbows and was on fire. Throne of Vines lets you ignore all miscasts from Life
wizards on a 2+ (this includes a miscast from casting ToV itself, so go for broke) and
beefs up the rest of your spells, Regrowth brings back dead models, Flesh to Stone
will make your T3 Elves less fragile (especially good for Witch Elves), Shield of
Thorns is a welcome buff, and The Dwellers Below makes all models in a targeted
unit make a Strength test or die with no saves allowed (perfect to get the drop on the
Dark Elves wussy cousins). And every time you successfully cast, you heal a wound,
which can be on any model within 12". Seriously, take this Lore, and take it for the
highest-level wizard you have.
Metal: A good choice, it really comes into its own against enemies with high armor
values (Warriors of Chaos, Bretonnians and so on). Glittering Scales gives one unit a
+2 scaly skin armour save buff, making most Dark Infantry (except corsairs who
already have scaly skin saves) have a 3+ or 4+ armour save (or 5+ for Witch Elves),
while Chariots become 1+. The souped up version gives all friendly units within a 12"
bubble the same effect, so if cast by a sorceress in the middle of your army it can be
fantastic - High Elf archers cry when confronted by 3+ armour saving Dark Elf
infantry hordes. Final Transmutation is great for thinning hordes and dealing with foes
that have silly ward saves, and its stupidity rule can stop entire low leadership armies
in their tracks. Enchanted Blades of Aiban - which gives +1 to hit rolls, AP and magic
weapons - will now be very handy for Executioners, now that they have lost their first
round to hit re-rolls. Plague of Rust is as useful against foes with a 5+ or 6+ save as it
is against those with lower saves, and Transmutation of Lead is an all round debuffer.
The two anti-armour spells - Searing Doom and Golden Hounds of Ghenna - can be
used against the one or two high armour saving throw enemies that most armies have,
including monsters with scaly skin saves (also meaning Lizardmen aren't safe from
this lore).
Light: Not a priority choice but it gives you some of very nice buffs (Speed of Light)
and debuffs (particularly Net of Amyntok). Due to the nearly army-wide Always
Strike First, Speed of Light is preferred to Bjona's Timewarp. Yet Bjona's Timewarp
can be useful for those few units that don't have ASF (Such as the Kharibdyss; You get
an extra attack, but when you get re-rolls to hit, it increases your chances of all attacks
hitting, making a Feast of Bones more likely against enemy monsters. Combine with
Speed of Light for extra cheese), and don't forget it doubles your base movement, so
your charge range just got even better. A very good lore, especially considering the
fact that it's statistically the easiest lore to cast and Dark Elves can gain extra power
dice.
Death: A good choice, with buffs and debuffs, though you've got to be pretty close to
an enemy for the latter. Doom and Darkness synergizes well with your Fear and Terror
causing units, especially the Kharibdyss, while Aspect of the Dreadknight is good for
Cold One Knights/Chariots. Purple Sun of Xereus is great due to the Dark Elves high
initiatives meaning your elves have only a 1 in 6 chance of dying from this if it goes
astray, except your monsters so be careful with them. In addition, the lore attribute
synergizes well with the Dark Elves ability to gain extra power dice.
 Shadow: Has a lot of very good debuffs and can make one guy a flier, the latter being
great for Sorceresses on foot and assassins. It also comes with a semi-cannon ball
initiative test spell sand a blast initiative test spell which can destroy your enemy's
tougher units. The best spell in this Lore is Okkam's Mindrazor, which replaces a unit's
Strength score with its Leadership when rolling to wound, which means that the unit
you cast it on will essentially have at least 8 Strength (except for Harpies and some
monsters) in close combat. The best choice for this spell is Black Guard; Black Guard
with Okkam's Mindrazor EAT UNITS! They become STRENGTH 9, with ALWAYS
STRIKES FIRST, RE-ROLL ALL FAILED ROLLS TO HIT (ETERNAL
HATRED/WARRIOR ELITE), WOUNDING MOST THINGS ON TWOS AND RE-
ROLLING ONES WITH MURDEROUS PROWESS! Nearly anything in combat with
that, from Ironbreakers to Bloodthirsters, will suffer critical existence failure.
Dark Magic remains a popular choice, due to it's technique of blasting the crap out of things.
Fire is less popular, but it's low casting values means that it works well on a Level 1-2
Sorceress (don't bother putting it on a Level 4 though). Death is a solid lore, with a lot of
damaging spells and ways of slicing heroes of out units. Shadow is a powerhouse lore under a
lot of circumstances, but it has very little synergy with the other Lores and unlike Death, Fire
or Dark Magic requires you to devote a Level 4 to it to operate at peak efficiency (as most of
it's powerful spells would require silly numbers of dice for a Level 2 to cast reliably). But if
you've only got 1 Level 4 Wizard, it can work well on it's own. Metal is only useful against a
handful of enemies and is not even exceptionally useful against them.
A pair of Sorceresses with Dark Magic and Fire/Death can knock out small enemy
units that would normally get in the way of things, allowing you to focus your
shooting on more important targets, and a single Supreme Sorceress with Shadow can
boost your center quite a lot, which are the two primary setups for a tournament level
list. If for whatever reason you want to play a defensive list, Lore of Life will save the
day, and Lore of Light will wipe the smiles off the faces of undead or daemon armies.
Dark Magic
It's your Lore and by no means a bad one. It's the dark cousin of the High Elf pussy Lore, but
meaner and more direct in blasting the crap out of anything. It's sometimes difficult to cast but
some really good spells are affordable with a 12 or less, so even a lvl 2 sorceress can get a lot
out of it. Still though the Lore is not easy to use, since many spells have a small range or rely
on buffing the unit the sorceress is in, so it would e best if the sorceress would be near the
frontlines, even if that is not generally advised. But give The Black Amulet to a lvl 4 and take
a few challenges with a bit of luck it can be great, and remember if you did right you will only
have one round of combat anyway.
Attribute Your attribute makes more damage every time you target an enemy unit and roll
doubles or triples, you hit them with 2d6/3d6 S1 armor piercing hits. Read carefully the
damage of the Lore Attribute is taken after the actual spell, this don't seem important but it is.
Imagine Teclis running with a unit of 15 archers. Imagine further you cast the great version of
your second signature Spell on this unit. Now imagine all high elves dead (anyone get a warm
feeling by this words?) but of course Teclis is still standing because he can't be hit by your
spell. But now the archers are dead the Lore Attribute kicks and kicks Teclis right out of game
with a bit of Luck, so never forget the Lore attribute.
Spells
Spell 0 - Power of Darkness
Your first Signature Spell and an old friend to any Dark Elf player. It was awesome before and
now it remains awesome, but in another way. First the whole unit the Sorceress is in gets +1
strength. For Elves this is a very very good thing. And like last edition you get extra power
dice (d3, but you take a wound on 3). As such, always equip your sorceress with a ward save.
For a single lvl 2 it's probably not worth it, but if you have 2 Sorceresses with this spell you
will be dominating the magic phase no matter the winds.
Spell 0.2 - DOOMBOLT
DOOMFUCKINGBOLT is your second Signature Spell is the big brother of the High Elf
Soul Quench (with 2 exceptions). With S5 and a higher casting value, this spell can wreck
whole units by itself. It's a giant dark lightning bolt of FUCKING DOOM, always take it
when you can.
Spell 1 - Chillwind
Your old signature Spell nerfed pretty bad, making 2d6 S2 hits with -1BS when you kill
something. Still against enemies with high toughness, in combo with the Lore Attribute,
probably still worth it. Fortunately an easy spell to cast, good against low toughness units and
will help you against shooting armies (especially Wood Elves, who don't like winter).
Spell 2 - Word of Pain
Now this Spell's gone from good to great. At first it doesn't look so, but look at the greater
version of it (never ever cast the lesser one) it lowers the WS,BS,I AND S of an unit per D3.
So in this single spell you get the Miasma and the Enfeeble in one spell (and perhaps a bit of
damage) for a laughable 12, and it can lower the WS/BS to 0 meaning the unit cannot shoot,
cannot fight in combat and gets automatically hit as well. Always take this.
Spell 3 - Bladewind
Going from anti Warmachine to anti Horde, a good spell especially when used in conjunction
with Word of Pain. Watch your opponent cry as his WS4 T3 infantry gets dropped to WS1 and
then slapped in the face.
Spell 4 - Shroud of Despair
The new spell in this edition and boy it's a good one. A Hexspell targeting every enemy in 12
inches making them unable to use Inspiring Presence or Hold Your Ground!, and even
lowering their leadership if one of the units miss a morale check. Great combos are possible
with the warcry of Khaine, the Kharibdyss and even the Bloodwrack Shrine. Unless you're
playing against Undead or Daemons this spell is always worth considering, as it can break a
few units at once.
Spell 5 - Soul Stealer
Getting weaker but therefore getting a higher range this spell is still good against anything
with high armor, especially if you remember that your Sorceress will be on the frontline and
can make a use of a few wounds she gets with this spell. On a lvl 4 this is always a good idea,
it combines well with Power of Darkness, getting extra dice and restoring wounds.
Spell 6 - Arnizpal's Black Horror
Your magic Black hole, identical to the purple Sun, but with strength tests instead of
Initiative. So its best used against hordes of weak opponents but also good in combination
with your second spell. Be wary of the 1 in 6 chance of rolling a misfire, because this drops
the template on top of your sorceress's head, after which it scatters randomly. Given that
Strength tests are the worst nightmare for most Dark Elf units, it can be worth making sure
your sorceress is casting from a little way away from the rest of your army if you are going to
give this spell a go. Good fun and a nightmare for hordes and low strength armies.

Tactics
The most important rule, never, ever, EVER forget your ASF re-rolls of missed to-hit rolls,
the ones from Eternal Hatred or High Elf Hatred and Murderous Prowess re-rolls of 1s on
your to-wound rolls. NEVER. These re-rolls are your biggest lifesaver.
Say it with me: Rank. And. Flank. Draw your enemies onto your big ranked units (usually
Warriors and Black Guard, though Corsairs and Executioners can work in a pinch), hold out
for a turn and then charge them on the flanks with the big scary units. Dark Elves do this
better than any other army in the game. Their Ranked units have high enough WS, I and LD
to hold out for a little while and their flanking units hit brutally hard. They also have units that
are exceptionally good at drawing enemy units out of position and just generally causing
problems. (Harpies do this job exceptionally well, but Shades and Dark Riders do okay).
Now with army wide Always Strikes First. Playing aggressively is an option, but it can hard
to back up under a lot of circumstances, and should only be attempted if you're battling a
highly defensive list (Dwarves for example). But you will eventually, so you need to know
how to play aggressively. Put frankly, it's why you take Hydras/Cold One
Knights/Chariots/Witch Elves, aside from their uses as flanking units. You're going to need to
charge early and often with your fast units, concentrating them on one flank to try and force it
to collapse so you can sweep across the center. This strategy has a lot issues (mostly that
you're going to have trouble combining charges, and unsupported head on attacks with your
COKs and Chariots are risky) so if you're playing an army that's even slightly aggressive you
should focus on rank and flank, or a variation. But there will be times when your opponent
won't want to charge, so you'd better handle it.
Your shooting units, combined with your magic users can often cause significant damage to
enemy units, but it's best to have them concentrate fire on a single unit to try and devastate it,
instead of trying to spread it around.
You can have all-cavalry armies with mounted characters, Dark Riders, Cold One Knights,
Chariots and Doomfire Warlocks, and Harpies for chaff(they're infantry).
Magic spam is possible with Supreme Sorceresses, Sorceresses and Doomfire Warlocks. In
larger games you can bring Malekith as well.
Dark Elves have many ways they can really mess with the heads of a non-undead or non-
daemonic army, with numerous fear and terror causing units, a spell that cancels the enemy
General's Ld and the Kharibdyss' abyssal howl.
They also have better offensive combat potential than High Elves.
I feel like this is important, a section for fighting High Elves. They are squishy but can hold
out better than you can, But use their defence to multi-charge and just crumble individual
units. Use highly offensive magic to do damage because they will win an augment fight but if
you're aggressive then you can send them all running.
Category:
 Warhammer/Tactics

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