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Fire Prisms Just how good are they?

1K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  greymonk 
#1 ·
Hey Guys, I was just looking through the codex again, and I became quite intrested in Fire Prisms. Now I really like the model, and in theory the tank should be able to kill a lot, but I do not want to go out and buy a 40 dollar model and find out it sucks. Now I was thinking of replacing my falcon with the Prism would that be a good choice?
 
#2 ·
The wild fire prism is a social creature, and also something of a prideful bigot. He detests being seen in public without a mate of identical pedigree. Those who keep them in solitary captivity often find the fire prism quickly goes docile and impotent, leading to a regretted investment.
 
#3 ·
Prisms are quick, long range, tough and deadly. The down side? they are costly and they have limited fire power. TIts not that the fire power is really lacking, its just that it takes the form of a single shot.A shot which can miss, and even if it hits a tank, it might not kill it. I do think they are worth it as there shot is flexible. It can be a tank buster or infantry's worst nightmare. I try to keep them at extended range so that can shoot out rival tanks with out having fire returned. They are a fairly safe investment as they are really hard to kill. Plus they are really fun to play. I think every eldar player should have two fire prisms. With ease you can make them convertable from falcon to fire prism so your list has a good variety.
 
#5 ·
Lol you need 2? Since when do you need 2? First off the fire prizm is a GREAT psychological piece. It's a weapon that has range on most things in the game, not only that against any non MEQ it can spell victory, due to 2 shoots being able to effectively neutralize an entire unit.

Not only that with it on the field the enemy sets up to either avoid it or counter it..Which leaves you with 2x the options.

Hell if you're an extremely "a-hole" of a player, you can win matches depending on the mission just by hiding all your vehicles and then popping out to destroy a tank and claim an objective.
 
#6 ·
You NEED 2 fire prisms just like you NEED a exarch with Dire avengers or you NEED holofields with a falcon. Having 2 fire prisms gives you much more flexibility over just having one. It's not just the linked shot but also having the ability to hide a prism from enemy fire whilst simultaneously threatening two targets at once. There's an excellent prism tactica regarding geometry with 2 fire prisms that you cannot pull off with one.

On the point of whether or not that fire prisms are worth taking over falcons, I feel that there's things that either tank can do better than the other. A pair of prisms will kill many more tacticals than 2 falcons, as well as having the ability to instagib a daemon prince, whereas two falcons will easily bring down a MC in a single turn while two prisms wills struggle. Play with both variations and see which one you like better.
 
#7 ·
so. thats the same with every unit. having 2 squads of reapers gives you more flexebility. Having 2 wraithlords gives you more flexebility. but 2 is still better if you can afford it but they function perfectly well without it.
 
#8 ·
so. thats the same with every unit. having 2 squads of reapers gives you more flexebility. Having 2 wraithlords gives you more flexebility. but 2 is still better if you can afford it but they function perfectly well without it.
It is even more tactically flexible in the case of the prism due to the linked shot. With 2 on the board you have the choice of 2 separate weaker shots or 1 combined stronger shot. I believe that in games of 1500 points or more there should be multiple prisms or none at all.
 
#9 ·
i agree with that but it is still by no meany mandatory to have 2 or none. they can still be devestating with only one
 
#10 ·
i agree with that but it is still by no meany mandatory to have 2 or none. they can still be devestating with only one
I think that "devastating" is a strong word to use for one fire prism. They can be effective as a single but not nearly as effective as they can be in multiple, especially in an all-comers tourney list where the majority of opponents are MEQs. The ability to lay down a large blast AP3 high strength template is a glorious thing and will cause your opponents to play around it.
 
#11 ·
ok good point. effective is better word and you win 2 is very much required
 
#13 ·
I only use 1 fire prism...

I personally prefer to spend 160 points than 320 when I go for something like that. The concept of using 320 points to what? drop a blast weaker than 100 odd point basilisk just doesn't appeal to me. Rork's tactica has made me appreciate the use of a pair of them to flush out enemies trying to hide but I still like my lone prism.

Blasts are at their best when things deep-strike, huddle up in cover or get out of a transport. MEQ's very rarely do any of these things, except terminators but 2 prisms won't help you against them any more than 1.

Tau on the other hand ferquently drop 24 fire warriors packed together behind a devilfish arrowhead, a lone prism will blast these to hell, a 2nd prism will do even more damage of course dropping the 2nd blast but then you can spend those points on something else.
Eldar and or dire avengers do something similar.

So what will our 2nd prism let us do?

blast MEQ's, the Imperial Guard and Space Marines get 2 demolisher cannons for our 1 wimpy little blast. This is not a good use of the prisms unless you really have a golden opportunity.

Fry Imperial vehicles and monoliths. I'm not sure if we can combine beams against a monolith, thats always confusing, admittedly this is useful for killing vehicles. But then why not have 1 fire prism and a wraithlord /w lance and missile?

Prism's have 2 roles. Killing tanks and blasting grouped up guys. The 2nd Prism rarely lets you do this any more than normal. After all 2 S9 shots are better in many, many situations than 1 S10 shot, even with twin-linked and ap1. I've never understood why people want to combine 3 prisms when 3 small blasts are at least as good as 1 large blast.
 
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