[Cyric the Mad]

Magic Items
Written by Skarsgard, with contributions by DavidVC04 and Churchic

Common Magic Items

• Sword of Striking
  Could be good in the hands on a character designed to take out rank and file troops. Potentially hitting on a 2+ is very alluring.

• Sword of Battle
  Not happy with your Alter Highborn having only 6 attacks on the charge, why not make it 7? As the Wood Elves have other ways of getting an extra attack, this item probably isn’t that viable.

• Sword of Might
  The addition to strength and the ability to combine with a shield can give you almost the same killing power as a great weapon wielder with an armour save bonus.

• Biting Blade
  Very cheap way of reducing opponent armour save and getting a magic weapon into the list. The only problem with it is that for a mere 10 pts more you can have a Sword of Might and get a strength bonus.

• Enchanted Shield
  Due to it not being able to combine with magic armour anymore this item is competing with all the magical armour is the Wood Elf list. Still a good way of improving your armour save if you’re not using a greatweapon or magic armour.

• Talisman of Protection
  Fairly expensive for what it does. Wood Elves have no shortage of items granting ward saves so this item is competing with a lot of good items that don’t cost too much more.

• Staff of Sorcery
  The bonus to dispel is a lot to pay for. For the same price you can get two scrolls and almost guarantee a dispel. However, a list with a lot of dispel dice may consider this item.

• Dispel Scroll
  Pretty much a must for any list. The chance to get rid of that spell that is about to wipe out half your army is too good to pass up.

• Power Stone
  This item can give magic heavy armies extra punch for those magic phases where you want to overwhelm your opponent. Not really a good idea for a list light on magic offense.

• War Banner
  Effectively another guaranteed wound towards combat resolution. Works really well on a unit of Wild Riders.

Magic Weapons

• Spirit Sword
  Advantages: Can kill low leadership multi wound models quickly.
  Disadvantages: Can potentially backfire, a bad roll can cost you your highborn.
  Uses: Great against creatures like Ogres and Trolls. Can only be used by Lord level character. Best used by an Alter character that can deliver the Spirit Sword to where it is needed.

• Daith’s Reaper
  Advantages: Allows re rolls of the hits and armour saves. Can be used by Hero or Lord level character.
  Disadvantages: Not so good against characters and heavily armoured, high toughness units.
  Uses: Great against rank and file troops with light to medium armour. Will work best on Lord level character as you can get other items that boost the number of attacks available.

• The Bow of Loren
  Advantages: Allows the character to fire more than one shot, can be combined with magic arrows (unless explicitly stated otherwise)
  Disadvantages: Still only strength 3 and really needs magic arrows to work to full effect, hence requiring a Highborn for it to be best used.
  Uses: Alter Highborn is by far the best user of this bow, combined with Arcane Bodkins or other magic arrows it can be a menace to heavy armour units. Combined with Starfire Arrows the Highborn can force a panic check on a unit of any size.

• Blades of Loec
  Advantages: Re rolls to wound and can be used by Wardancer Kindred.
  Disadvantages: Can only be used by Wardancer Kindred.
  Uses: Hero or Lord level Wardancers can use this to enhance their killing power as it can be combined with the Dances of Loec.

• The Dawnspear
  Advantages: Can protect models in the unit from counterattack by making them harder to hit, counts as a spear.
  Disadvantages: Need to wound to get the benefit.
  Uses: Best for mounted characters. As you need to wound to get the benefit it is best used against rank and file troops which are a lot easier to kill. Wildriders as a combat unit probably benefit best from this weapon.

• The Spear of Twilight
  Advantages: Potential to kill heavily armoured, multi wound models (not monsters) with one blow.
  Disadvantages: Need to roll a 6. Less useful against rank and file troops.
  Uses: Hero or Lord level characters can use it well, Alters are probably best with it as they get the extra attack, can be combined with the Helm of the Hunt for even more attacks.

• The Callach’s Claw
  Advantages: Can add additional negative modifiers to enemy leadership check if they lose combat.
  Disadvantages: Will only be strength 4 and requires you to win the combat in the first place to get the benefits of the weapon.
  Uses: Probably best against light armoured units with low leadership to start with. Hero or Lord level characters can use it.

• The Hunter’s Talon
  Advantages: Can pick out any enemy character and as a magical attack can affect ethereal creatures. User can fire at a separate target to his unit.
  Disadvantages: Still only a strength 3 attack.
  Uses: Perfect for a sit back leadership boost character, even better if combined with A Pageant of Shrikes as then you have 2 attacks that can target characters. Both Hero and Lord level characters can use it.

• The Sword of a Thousand Winters
  Advantages: Can reduce the combat effectiveness of multi wound creatures.
  Disadvantages: Have to wound the creature in the first place and requires failure of toughness test which is fairly unlikely for most multi wound creatures.
  Uses: Ironically very good against Wood Elf characters, their lack of armour and low toughness makes them prime targets. Mages are the best target of this weapon as they can be fairly easy to wound and generally have a low toughness.

• Rageth’s Wildfire Blades
  Advantages: Very cheap, give you an extra attack and burning attacks.
  Disadvantages: Cannot benefit from shield.
  Uses: Great against Forest Spirits and other creatures with limited ward saves. Good for Scout Kindred characters as they cannot use a great weapon anyway.

• Asyendi's Bane
  Advantages: Re roll to hits, including spites
  Disadvantages: Only strength 3, if missed you can potentially wound the user.
  Uses: Best use of this weapon has been on a BSB with the Hail of Doom Arrows. This is a now a legal tactic.

Magic Armour

• The Oaken Armour
  Advantages: Grant regeneration ability.
  Disadvantages: As a Light Armour it prevents you from getting other magic armour. It cost is also prohibitive.
  Uses: Best on Lord level characters, Wildrider Highborn is best candidate as the regeneration can help against attacks that bypass the Forest Spirit save.

• Railarian’s Mantle
  Advantages: Grants a true ward save for the character.
  Disadvantages: Must be within 6” of a wood to get the benefit so very limited considering how expensive it is. Also counts as light armour so prevents you from using other magic armours to improve your save.
  Uses: Best for Lord level character that will be sitting back around a forest and sniping at enemy units. For example, one that uses The Hunter’s Talon and a Pageant of Shrikes.

• Armour of the Fey
  Advantages: Armour save and a ward save for a relatively small price.
  Disadvantages: The ward save is limited to magical close combat attacks. Once again, prevents use of other magic armours.
  Uses: Best on Hero or Lord level Wildriders as their Forest Spirit save is negated by magic weapons and the Armour of the Fey can then be used.

• The Helm of the Hunt
  Advantages: Provides armour save bonus and combat bonus for small price.
  Disadvantages: The bonuses only apply on the turn you charge.
  Uses: Very versatile item can be used by Hero and Lord level characters. Most commonly given to a character with a great weapon and the Hail of Doom Arrows.

• Brairsheath
  Advantages: Makes a character hard to hit with shooting.
  Disadvantages: Need to stay in woods for best benefit. No effect against weapons that don’t need to roll to hit or hit on unmodified numbers. For example cannons and Tomb King archers. Characters on foot only.
  Uses: Best used by a Lord level character with the Bow of Loren as you can stay relatively safe from shooting and snipe more effectively.

Talismans

• The Rhymer’s Harp
  Advantages: Grants bearer and unit a ward save and movement advantages.
  Disadvantages: Can only be used by Lord level character and only viable on certain units.
  Uses: Works best on Lord with a unit of Eternal Guard as it makes them more survivable. Of limited use on any other unit, can be used on large Glade Guard unit but not recommended.

• Amaranthine Broach
  Advantages: Grants a good ward save fairly cheaply. Can be combined with Armour of the Fey and other magical armour’s that grant ward saves.
  Disadvantages: Ward save limited, cannot be used against magical attacks.
  Uses: Best on a character going up against rank and file troops as enemy characters may have magic weapons.

• Amber Pendant
  Advantages: Makes enemy models strike last, so even if armed with a great weapon and charged, the character will get the jump on the enemy unit. This pendant also negates Always Strike First. Don't screw up and let a chariot charge you, but don't be afraid of High Elves. Combined with the Annoyance of Netlings and a Great Weapon, it's almost unfair.
  Disadvantages: Can only be used by a model on foot, but an alter more than makes up for that limitation.
  Uses: Hero or Lord level characters can use this item to get attacks in first and protect themselves or their unit from attack. Alter Highborns with greatweapons are a good candidate for this item as is any character armed with a greatweapon.

• Stone of the Crystal Mere
  Advantages: Provides a true ward save to the bearer and their mount.
  Disadvantages: If the save is failed the item no longer works.
  Uses: Any character wishing to have a true ward save. Characters mounted on monsters can make their mounts more survivable. No effect on Elven Steeds. Particularly nasty in conjunction with a Dragon.

• Glamourweave
  Advantages: True ward save against shooting and magic missiles. Also forces enemy models attacking in close combat to pass a Leadership test or hit the bearer on 6’s.
  Disadvantages: No ward save in close combat.
  Uses: Characters using ranged weapons or ones that cant join units are good candidates for this item. Especially an Highborn with the Bow of Loren, Briarsheath and the Glamourweave.

• Stone of Rebirth
  Advantages: Effectively a 5/6 chance of getting an extra wound.
  Disadvantages: One use only and then it expires. Fairly expensive for what it does.
  Uses: Recommended for Lord level characters only as the cost of the items means that a Hero level character will have limited uses.

• The Fimbulwinter Shard
  Advantages: Makes the bearer and mount harder to hit in combat.
  Disadvantages: Forest spirits too close to the bearer suffer from stupidity, which in a Wood Elf army could be disastrous.
  Uses: Combat characters with monstrous mounts benefit most from this item. Especially ones mounted on flyers as they can avoid getting too close to Forest Spirits and still be effective. Not good for Wildrider characters.

• Merciw’s Locus
  Advantages: Attackers get no weapon based strength bonus when fighting the bearer.
  Disadvantages: The bearer doesn’t get the benefit either.
  Uses: This item is best used by a character using a magic weapon that provides not strength bonus, Daith’s Reaper as an example. Attacking greatweapon wielding units like Greatswords is the best use. Can give you the edge against charging cavalry, especially with the Daith’s Reaper.

Enchanted Items

• Wraithstone
  Advantages: Reduces enemy leadership.
  Disadvantages: Very high cost and relatively short range for the effect.
  Uses: In conjunction with a Terror causer can cause panic in enemy ranks. Can be used in conjunction with a Blight of Terrors or a Treeman/Dragon to achieve this. A Dragon rider with the Wraithstone increases the chances of enemies fleeing from his mount.

• Hagbane Arrows
  Advantages: A magical attack that can potentially kill an enemy model outright.
  Disadvantages: Requires a successful wounding and failure of a toughness test for it to work. This makes it usefulness limited. It is also one of the most expensive magical arrows.
  Uses: Best used against low toughness, multiwound models. The Wood Elf Alter characters are probably the best target for this arrow.

• Moonstone of the Hidden Ways
  Advantages: Allows a unit to effectively re-deploy during the game and outmaneuver enemy units.
  You can legally use it at the end of opponent's move phase and can remove a unit from combat with it.
  Disadvantages: Requires two sets of trees in advantageous positions to be of use. Unit must be fully inside the woods. One use only.
  Uses: Wardancers characters can use this item to get their units behind enemy lines. Can be used to get Glade Guard into a good position but effectiveness depends on the size of the woods available.

• Hail of Doom Arrow
  Advantages: Can get a lot of strength 4 shots at the enemy forces, the attacks are magical.
  Disadvantages: One use only and random number of arrows is generated.
  Uses: Best on Noble and Highborn characters due to superior ballistic skill. Can be used to wipe out a depleted unit or remove a small fast unit from the game. Ideally, wipe out a small unit with unit strength greater than 5 to force panic checks in the enemy forces.

• Starfire Arrows
  Advantages: Can force panic checks with only one casualty, magical attack.
  Disadvantages: Not really effective against heavy armour or high toughness troops. Very limited against mutli wound creatures.
  Uses: For best results combine with the Bow of Loren and use the character to snipe at units by themselves and force panic checks.

• The Horn of the Asrai
  Advantages: Can force and enemy unit into a disadvantageous charge.
  Disadvantages: Requires failure of Leadership test and the unit must be in charge range to be affected. Also, one use only.
  Uses: Ideal on a fast moving unit that can get close to the enemy forces and can get away quickly i.e. Glade Riders with a character attached. Can also be used by characters in Eternal Guard units to force charges. A great item to pull enemy unit out of position and can really annoy units that have move or fire weapons.

• Arcane Bodkins
  Advantages: Enemy gets no armour save against this arrow, magical attack.
  Disadvantages: Only a strength 3 attack so of limited use against high toughness models.
  Uses: Best use when combined with the Bow of Loren to get more attacks. Great at taking out cavalry and similarly high armoured units.\

• Elynett’s Broach
  Advantages: Bearer and unit get to re roll psychology tests.
  Disadvantages: None really apart from the fact that Wood Elf units tend to have fairly high Leadership as is.
  Uses: Good to keep those large units from fleeing from Terror tests and panic checks.

• Dragontooth Arrows
  Advantages: Can cause a model to become stupid of wounded.
  Disadvantages: Only works on multi wound models. Requires wounding attack from a strength 3 arrow.
  Uses: Can be used on units like Ogres. Not effective against most armies.

• Gwytherc’s Horn
  Advantages: Makes bearer and unit Immune to Psychology for a turn.
  Disadvantages: One use only. A lot of Wood Elf units are already Immune to Psychology so fairly limited in use.
  Uses: Some characters are not Immune to Psychology so they are a good candidate for this item in those situations when they simply cannot afford to fail a psychology test. Can preserve large units of Glade Guard, as an example, that may have to face Terror checks the next turn.

Arcane Items

• Wand of Wych Elm
  Advantages: Allows any dispel attempt to be re rolled.
  Disadvantages: Can only be used by a Spellweaver. Need to have a large amount of dispel dice to make it worth while.
  Uses: Best used in a magic heavy army where you will generate a large amount of dispel dice anyway.

• Calaingor’s Stave
  Advantages: Increases the effectiveness of treesinging and allows the user to cas more than one treesinging.
  Disadvantages: None
  Uses: A level 2 or higher caster is required to get the best benefit from this item. It allows the user manipulate the battlefield. In the hands of a level 4 it can be devastating to the enemy as you can cast it up to 4 times.

• Divination Orb
  Advantages: Can give you extra dispel dice in certain situations.
  Disadvantage: Likelihood of the enemy using four or more powerdice is slim and if it does happen the addition of an extra dispel dice may not do anything.
  Uses: In a magic heavy army fighting another magic heavy army it can be of benefit but this would be fairly rare.

• The Deepwood Sphere
  Advantages: Can do a lot of damage to enemy models in woods. Increases effectiveness of the Treesinging spell.
  Disadvantages: Requires caster to be in the same woods as an enemy unit to really hurt them. Most opponents wont go into a wood when playing Wood Elves therefore really affecting the items usefulness.
  Uses: Best used against single wound models, light units sent to kill the user. Forcing units to pursue into woods and then move the caster into the same woods during the movement phase is a good way of overcoming opponent reluctance to get into the woods. A mounted caster could do this best.

• Ranu’s Heartstone
  Advantages: Can prevent a miscast or failed dispel attempt.
  Disadvantages: One use only.
  Uses: Any caster can benefit from this item (apart from Branchwraiths).

Magical Standards

• The Royal Standard of Ariel
  Advantages: Allows bearer and unit to cause fear, in addition grants magic resistance to nearby units.
  Disadvantages: Very expensive and can only be fielded by a BSB.
  Uses: As forest spirit units cause fear as it is the only unit that would realistically benefit from this standard is a large unit of Eternal Guard. The will also give magic resistance to the unit and any nearby flanking units.

• Gaemrath – Banner of Midwinter
  Advantages: Makes a unit unbreakable for those times when you cannot afford to fail.
  Disadvantages: The way the banner is used prevents you being able to charge, so a cagy opponent will simply ignore the unit for a turn. The banner is a one use only as well.
  Uses: Due to its method of use the banner can be difficult to employ in a useful manner. Although the unbreakable rule provides other benefits it pays to be careful when you use it.

• Faoghir – Banner of Dwindling
  Advantages: Enemy units that break from combat roll one less dice to flee.
  Disadvantages: Has no effect on units that “flee” as a charge reaction.
  Uses: Perfect for Wildrider units fighting other fast moving units. Also, anvil units like Eternal Guard can put it to good use. The Eternal Guard hold for a turn and then when their flankers win the fight the enemy unit will find it very hard to get away.

• Saemrath – the Banner of the Zenith
  Advantages: Unit marchblocks all enemy units within 12”.
  Disadvantages: None.
  Uses: A unit of Glade Guard upgraded to Scouts make great use of this Banner as their scouting deployment means they can get close enough to marchblock many units at once.

• Aech – the Banner of Springtide
  Advantages: Unit may Stand and Shoot as a charge reaction even if the enemy would normally be too close.
  Disadvantages: None.
  Uses: Units of Glade Guard can obviously benefit from this. Another sneakier use is a BSB with the Hail of Doom Arrows and Asyendi’s Bane using the stand and shoot reaction from a unit that normally cannot shoot, like Eternal Guard for an example.