Topic of the Week: Psykers

[Lost Nemesis]

The topic this week is presented by Phalanx, with this PM:

My suggestion would be librarians/ Rune Priests. Their psychic powers add a bit to the game and I'd like to see what people do with them, be it what seems to be the standard SS libby in terminator armour or something like a rune priest with a frost blade and a combi-melta, or if people like to forgo librarians for some other type of psychic defense/offense such as an inq lord with a psychic hood or something.

I have broadened the topic a little bit to incorporate psykers as a whole; whether they are part of your force, such as the Librarians and Rune Priests mentioned above as well as Inquisitors, Grey Knight Grandmasters and special characters, or even if you face against them in games.

How do you employ your psykers? Do you like a key set of powers on your Librarians or Rune Priests, or do you switch it up between battles? Do you like to take Inquisitors, Grandmasters with psychic powers, or any of the available special characters in our codices?

On the flip side, what do you do to counter enemy psykers, such as the new psykers in the Imperial Guard codex, or Farseers, or other Inquisitors and Librarians? Discuss things such as the psychic hood, or allied assassins that make use of psyker status to become more deadly.

All things related to psykers, discuss here!

[Stratigo]

Teleportation. I usually stick my librarian with Sternguard and use them, to teleport around the battlefield. It is a very awesome power.

[SirBludgen]

I like using librarians against demons, make them reroll their invulnerable saves

[realitycheque]

I usually take a Epistolary with Terminator Armour, Storm Shield, Null Field and one other power based on what I want him to do.

Quite often it's Gate of Infinity, but I do have a soft spot for Vortex of Doom.

[A.T.]

Originally Posted by Lost Nemesis

Do you like to take Inquisitors, Grandmasters with psychic powers

Inq psychic powers arn't really on the same level as marine psychic powers, but the unlimited range psychic hood can be very useful and is easily combined with the anti-deepstrike inq.

DH Inqs also have the null rod, for when you absolutely positively don't want something to be affected by psychic powers.

[realitycheque]

As for enemy psykers, mostly I rely on Null Field and lots of bullets. I just treat them as enemy characters and hope my Psychic Hood works.

[omegoku]

I have a hard time getting the most out of my Librarians so they don't see much action.
Favourite build is probably Terminator Armour, Storm Bolter, Vortex of Doom plus another Psychic power.

[LastDinosaur]

I don't use librarians all that often, but when I do I take them without any kind of upgrade. I find the upgrades much too expensive most of the time, especially the epistolary.

The only powers I consider are The Gate of Infinity, Null Zone and occasionally The Avenger.

The librarian is a great support for Sternguard in a droppod army where you've spend a few points on adding locator beacons to some of the pods. This way the Sternguard can jump around safely and rapid fire their bolters, if the enemy assaults you can jump 1" away and fire flamers next turn or just go to another pod faraway from that threat.

Null Zone is useful whenever there's enemies with inv. saves, and the avenger adds a nice template weapon to whatever squad the librarian joins, but both of these powers are secondary.

As to a counter against enemy psykers I don't do anything special and just braces for impact. I like playing with all-comers lists the most, the hood from the occasional librarian is just an extra bonus I think and I wouldn't take him just because of this.
I do however always give an inquisitor lord a psychic hood if I ever field one of these, as the unlimited range is such a useful counter to lash, eldar tricks and now imperial guards psyker battle squads. Even if it doesn't work everytime the reliability of the enemy's psykers is reduced greatly.

[Pingl000]

I haven't gotten to use my Librarian too much but I have seen success with teaming him up with some Sternguard. Smite is underrated.

[MC Bone Giant]

The Rune Priest's Stormcaller power is arguably one of the best in the game. Being able to put a unit or vehicle in cover when it is out in the open? Yes please. Playing apocalypse the other day, I kept my Land Raider Stormcalled while a Stormblade, Macharius Vanquisher and multiple heavy weapon teams tried to damage it turn after turn after turn, but to no avail. The toughness of the LR, coupled with the obscured save meant all that firepower shot was wasted.

When he is not providing cover for vehicles, he wil be providing it for the GH or BC squad he is with so they can get into CC.