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Here's a question about model categories courtesy of the Tyranid codex.

Are unique models which aren't independent characters or upgrade characters considered unique (special) characters? Aside from a number of named monstrous creatures in the Tyranid codex, there are a number of named monstrous creatures in the Chaos Daemons codex plus Skulltaker, who loses his IC status on a chariot. And then one has the regular Chaos Daemon heralds which also start out as IC's but can lose the IC rule...

The ability which brings up the question is Death Leaper's "It's after me!" ability with its leadership reduction to one character. Of course, Fateweaver would be the most obvious reason for wondering, but dropping the Doom next to a LD7 herald on chariot would be effective as well.

So, if a model's unique, is it a character? And once an IC always a character?

solkan wrote:Here's a question about model categories courtesy of the Tyranid codex.

Are unique models which aren't independent characters or upgrade characters considered unique (special) characters? Aside from a number of named monstrous creatures in the Tyranid codex, there are a number of named monstrous creatures in the Chaos Daemons codex plus Skulltaker, who loses his IC status on a chariot. And then one has the regular Chaos Daemon heralds which also start out as IC's but can lose the IC rule...

The ability which brings up the question is Death Leaper's "It's after me!" ability with its leadership reduction to one character. Of course, Fateweaver would be the most obvious reason for wondering, but dropping the Doom next to a LD7 herald on chariot would be effective as well.

So, if a model's unique, is it a character? And once an IC always a character?

Nope.

Characters come in 2 forms, Independent and Upgrade.

1 Model units that are not IC's are not Characters. IC's who lose the IC rule would become Upgrade Characters IMO.

Gwar! wrote:Nope.

Characters come in 2 forms, Independent and Upgrade.

1 Model units that are not IC's are not Characters. IC's who lose the IC rule would become Upgrade Characters IMO.

Looking at the Character section of the rulebook, the two relevant passages appear to be "Warhammer 40,000 armies normally include two types of characters: ..." on page 47 near the start of the section, and then the sentence under the Unique subsection for Special Characters it says "Special characters can be either independent or upgrade characters, but each one of them is unique ..." and that could easily be read as either descriptive instead of exhaustive.

solkan wrote:
Looking at the Character section of the rulebook, the two relevant passages appear to be "Warhammer 40,000 armies normally include two types of characters: ..." on page 47 near the start of the section, and then the sentence under the Unique subsection for Special Characters it says "Special characters can be either independent or upgrade characters, but each one of them is unique ..." and that could easily be read as either descriptive instead of exhaustive.

I don't think that's quite right. Sure it says unique, but it is in direct reference to an Independent or Upgrade Character. For example, Tyranid Primes are ICs that are not Unique, but Marneus Calgar is an IC that is Unique. The Swarmlord is a Monstrous Creature period. Though it's composition lists it as unique (meaning you can only field one) its type is not IC. The same holds for the Doom, Deathleaper, and Old One Eye.

-Yad

Sure but page 85 of the Tyranid Codex under "Legendary Creatures" allows you to represent your own "special character" for the Unique characters listed.

Combined with the rules for Unique being Unique characters allows for Unique to be a character type as well.

I have gone into this about the issues it raises with Swarmlord, as well as Sicarius and others.

/shrug

So, Lukas and Arjac are or are not able to be the subject of "Its after me!"?

Brother Ramses wrote:So, Lukas and Arjac are or are not able to be the subject of "Its after me!"?

They are Upgrade Characters...

Brother Ramses wrote:So, Lukas and Arjac are or are not able to be the subject of "Its after me!"?

They are. A Lone Wolf wouldn't be, though.