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I'm just starting to get back into the hobby and a friend is hosting a friendly 1000pt tournament so here's a tentative list for it. We might also be playing City Fight, but I don't know the rules for that off hand and figure if I've got a decent list then extra terrain shouldn't hurt too much (Advice from someone with more knowledge on the subject would be appreciated).

HQ

Farseer 55
Singing Spear 3
Doom 25

Total 83

Elites

5x Fire Dragons 80
Exarch 12
Firepike 18
Tank Hunter 15

Total 125

6x Howling Banshees 96

5x Scorpions 80
Exarch 12
Scorpion Claw 15
Stalker 5

Total 112

Elites Total 333


Troops

9x Dire Avengers 108
Exarch 12
Pwpn & Shimmer Shield 15
Defend 15

Total 150

5x Pathfinders 120

Troops total 270


Heavy Support

Falcon 115
Holofields 35
Spirit Stones 10

Total 160

Wraithlord 90
Bright lance 40
EML 25

Total 155

Heavy Support Total 315

Army Total 1001

My thoughts/concerns on the list:
Is the fire dragon exarch and firepike worth 30 points for 6"? I could drop the exarch and pick up another dragon and still have points left over.

Would Harlequins do a better job than banshees? I could probable try to squeeze a few points here and there to field a squad of 6 with a shadowseer.

Are pathfinders worth their points? 120 for 5 shots, roughly 2 of which will be AP one and of that only one will wound plus another saveable wound or two doesn't seem like it's enough to justify their cost. That said, in buildings they'll get a 2+ cover save and would be dificult to dislodge if I've got a unit to protect them from close combat.

That being said, if I do drop them what should I replace them with?

Nice attempt at a first list. Only major things I'd change are the ones you already mention: the FDs and the Banshees. For the FDs, you can either drop the Exarch or swap its loadout to flamer and Crack Shot (particularly nasty in CoD) so the squad can multitask. I'd definitely be in favour of swapping the Banshees for Harlies. The superiority of Harlies is an old topic that I won't go through again, as is their impending nerf in 5th ed (me, I think they'll still be usable even after the Rending nerf), but it's worth noting that their ability to ignore difficult terrain, usually a nice bonus, is extra nice in CoD.

Pathfinders are worth it in my book. They don't justify their use by killing their points' worth; they justify it by killing some stuff and not dying, or dying only after putting your opponent through more trouble than it was worth. I assume the Scorpions will babysit them?

I'd look into getting the points for a sixth Scorpion (five is rather few for an assault squad, and even numbers are better for scoring) and a sixth Pathfinder (because again, even numbers are better for scoring, and the difference can be significant in a squad this hard to kill at range), but I realise your points are tight. Unfortunately, my next point will make them even tighter: your Falcon will be more expensive, as it must take a heavy weapon. You can always opt for the dirt cheap shuriken cannon, but I've always found the scatter laser worthwhile.

I've taken your suggestions into account but this raises a whole new set of questions:

HQ

Farseer 55
Mind War 20

Total 75

Elites

6x Fire Dragons 96


6x Harlequins 108
Kisses 24

Total 132

6x Scorpions 96

Elites Total 324

Troops

8x Dire Avengers 96
Exarch 12
Pwpn & Shimmer Shield 15
Defend 15

Total 138


6x Pathfinders 144


Troops total 282


Heavy Support

Falcon 115
Holofields 35
Spirit Stones 10
Shurican Cannon 5

Total 165

Wraithlord 90
Bright lance 40
EML 25

Total 155

Heavy Support Total 320

Army Total: 1001

HQ: Had to drop doom to mind war and drop the spear to free up points. Doom doesn't seem like as big of a loss now that the primary close combat troops both are effectivelyS4
First is more of a rules question. Can I pick models out of a unit to mind war? For example, could I mind war the model with a powerfist out of a unit of marines?

Elites: Couldn't find the points for a shadowseer which makes me nervous. Also had to drop the exarch of the scorpions but they're now 6 men strong. I'm half wondering if it'd be worth it to drop the scorps entirely and upgrade to a shadowseer, fill out the dire avengers and give them bladestorm, and upgrade to a scatter laser on the falcon.

Well, the Farseer is too slow for the right use of mindwar.
I'd give him doom in order to support the DA's shooting.

yes you can pick out any model you like in a unit with mind war as long as the unit isnt in a transport but the range isnt too good on it so I agree with giving him doom