Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm curious. I bought a KoS over the Thirster because I like the model alot more. Unfortunately I haven't used him much because I never have any luck with him as he usually gets killed before he gets all (or even most) his points back as he's the first thing to get targeted by cannons, bolt throwers, etc.

The Thirster seems pretty strait forward, just point and click; charge into an enemy unit and watch it die. Plus, he can fly, has more attacks, and can get a 3+ armor save. I'm guessing there's probably a more subtle way you're supposed to use the Keeper that I must be missing. It seems like you're supposed to use him for flank charges and to hunt war machines, but even that it seems like a Thirster can do that much better because he flies and gets an armor save.

I'd love to start using my Keeper again, so any advice I can get would be much appreciated.

He/she casts spells and can make a unit charge or flee which is huge. All I know is I respect a Slaanesh army way more than a khorne one.

Check out Therion's report where he brought a Keeper in his Demon army. Quite educational. When in combination with the Masque and Great Icon of Despair, it's pretty hard for anything nasty to even get to swing on the Keeper.

RZ

Keepers are safest in combat. Also since they are large targets they can cast some of their spells over the unit they are engaged with. If your opponent has war machines you should consider using your furies to take them out, or at least block their shooting. It is really fun to take a keeper close to a important unit, like knights, lower their leadership by 3-5, and have them force charge/flee from you. If they are ItP they can't even flee. Then you are ASF, with very high Initiative, you kill somethings either in normal combat or challenge. They have to pass a leadership test, sometimes 2, just to attack back. They will usually lose combat and you will usually run them down (and if you don't break them, you are safe in combat). Since they charged you, it is then your turn again. If you do it right you will either behind their fire arcs, or ready to charge something else. And you have a terror bomb with masque and banner of despair.

Notabot187 summed it up pretty well.

The BT is ridiculously undercosted but the KOS has many more uses, rather than just charging the enemy line.

Just cause everyone is ripping on the thirster here are its pros:
With eternal hatred it racks up a very consistent +5 kills a turn. The keeper is far more open to missing and will only average 3.5.
The thirster flys and cannot be march blocked, the keeper moves 10 (prety fast).
The thirster has MR2 and access to a 3+ save. The keeper goes down to massed light fire far easier.
The thirster can carry dispell scrolls, the keeper has dispell dice.

Nothing wrong with the thirster, its is the penultimate flying monster after all. Its just that the keeper is nearly as good in combat, can be a good wizard, and has a cheesy forced move option. It's options of gifts means it doesn't have to kill as much to win and overrun. Add in the usual sorcerer of tzeetch bsb and pink horrors, and you still get a scroll and a ton of dispel. It does more for the army than the bloodthirster does, but it requires a different play style entirely.

If the thirster is the penultimate flying monster, what's the ultimate flying monster? A star dragon I guess? I would have thought money would be on the BT. Or are we not understanding that word in the same way?

RZ

Its been summed up pretty well so far


and no, the ultimate "monster" would be a skink with blowpipe
my little greater daemon / giant / big thing hunters

Lol, i used the wrong word. So much for trying to think of something better than ultimate!

The Bloodthirster has its uses but in the current metagame the Keeper simply does a lot better in nearly every matchup. If you're insistent on taking the BT though, support him with a Siren Herald on steed and a Tz Herald with wings/chariot and the stubborn banner.