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10: DARK ELDAR


As said before, for me to really like bad guys and want to play them requires that they be well written . I'm not so sure Dark Eldar are. But they DO have vastly improved rules and models over their previous incarnation, and heck, even the previous incarnation was probably the most competitive of the third edition codices at the start of fifth edition. It just took more finesse than most codices-- but since it's an Eldar codex, that's expected of it anyway so that's hardly a criticism.

The fluff doesn't really present them to be a huge galactic threat-- they suffer just like the Tau in that regard, only unlike the Tau they don't seem to be intending to expand much. Maybe the fifth edition codex will change that, maybe they'll be more awesome then. But until then, they're kinda stuck in the limbo of evil ninja pirate bondage elves. In space. Which is actually pretty awesome. Dark Eldar make for very interesting enemies, but they suffer much like most of the third edition codices in that they just don't have all that much fluff, which means they don't have that much for me to judge from, and less characterization than they deserve. That which is there isn't all that impressive, though, for aforementioned reasons.

Their playstyle, however, redeems all of that, as do their new models (those two-handed swords are just badass, and Lelith is a great female model and hopefully a sign of things to come for future female models). They're actually DIFFERENT from other armies, which is more than I can say for the many MEQ armies which are basically "like C:SM, but...". Fast, fragile, and hard hitting, with plenty of fun special rules, they're quite interesting on the tabletop even if they lack a bit in the lore.

It's a bit unfair rating Dark Eldar right now, what with a new codex coming out in a month, but hey, I don't feel like waiting a month to finish this. Suffice it to say, Dark Eldar are cool enemies. And if the codex doesn't suck, and has a good amount of well-written fluff, then I might even be tempted to collect a small army.

Indeed, is very unfair. At least you could have used the cover of the last codex.... I hope this one will be just provisional.

No, I don't intend to go back and change this later.

Not much fluff on DE thats for sure. Some fluff on when they turned to 'the dark side' and after that they eat soals and do their nasty stuff. Its a little hard to make fluff on characters that just want to kill, kill, kill.

Personally I believe the dark eldar are one of those armies you dont' collect over fluff, but off the look and play-style. Its why I play norm Eldar afterall and works fine for me.

If the Codex Dark Eldar was to be better, hopefully they put in lots of info on characters. Also fluff on things they have done after The Fall. Maybe various battle history with other races etc.

Shame on you.

I found the dark elder codex hidden in my game store's bathroom, and it is very good.

coolyo294 wrote:I found the dark elder codex hidden in my game store's bathroom

Is this intended as a hint? like the book only worth to be readed while you´re sitting there.

However, I agree. They didn´t put precissely lot of effort to transmit the stylish evilness that already existed in the fantasy dark elves. But despiting that, its not their current fluff which I love but the whole concept of the race and all their possibilities regarding stories about how their society work.

I'm actually trying to reconcile the deldar fluff with the awesomeness of the models. Fluff usually comes first for me but I just had to have these guys. Cool rules and cooler models.

IMO the pure hedonist archetype is not only the most boring but most morally repulsive of all character/race types. Same goes for the survival of the fittest/social darwinism/might-makes-right types.

So I've been trying to come up with some interesting background for my soon to be kabal without deviating from EVUHL SPESS EHLFS!!11 I'd like to throw out what I've got cooked up but I don't want to butt into the thread.

I really wish people would stop saying "deldar" because when I sound it phoenetically in my mind it sounds a single consonant away from "dildo"

To be fair, the current dex has very little fluff. I don't know how anyone who hasn't read the new book can really judge their upcoming fluff (assuming GW actually sharpens their origins and cultural details).

Melissia wrote:I really wish people would stop saying "deldar" because when I sound it phoenetically in my mind it sounds a single consonant away from "dildo"

lol... I honestly don't know why people can't decide between DE and Dark Eldar, instead there seems to be necessity to make only one smaller, it's the 40k forum, people know which DE is being mentioned.



and Nice work so far!


added:

I can't justify this in its own post, but just for Monster, and asimo77...
A place just for people who need a laugh

Well I'm sure dark eldar have plenty of dildos lying around so it fits.

DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDARDELDAR DELDAR DELDAR DELDAR

Call me immature, but any time the word dildo comes up in conversation I can't help but chuckle.

I think my kabal's new motto is "If it doesn't fit, you make it fit!"

asimo77 wrote:IMO the pure hedonist archetype is not only the most boring but most morally repulsive of all character/race types. Same goes for the survival of the fittest/social darwinism/might-makes-right types.

So I've been trying to come up with some interesting background for my soon to be kabal without deviating from EVUHL SPESS EHLFS!!11 I'd like to throw out what I've got cooked up but I don't want to butt into the thread.

How about the survival of the Eldar types? A kabal doing its bit to return the Eldar to their rightful place in the galaxy. If you're going to use wracks and grotesques, create them exclusively from lesser races like the orks and humans instead of unlucky dark eldar citizens.

I was thinking something like that though I really don't like the haemoniculus themed units. Here's what I got: since eating a soul has to be an insane mental battle of dominace, two wills wrestling with each other until one is consumed, its sadomasochistic to devour souls, just mentally sadomasochistic not physically.

So my dark eldar believe by consuming the souls of great beings thy have shown the strength of their will (and the weakness of others) and thus their right to inherit the galaxy. So they hunt for great heroes to consume.

I know this sounds like the stuff I was complaining about but I guess the only thing I absolutley cannot stand is the pure hedonism/physical sensation/feels good man junk.

I've never really found the Dark Eldar appealing, for a very strange reason. Their fluff kind of makes them out to be very arrogant and headstrong, which of course fits them perfectly. However, I end up disliking that, as it grates on me greatly when I'm reading about them. Admittedly, they are supposed to be like that; the problem with pre-Fall Eldar was their pride, after all. It's just that they become too much the bad guy in my mind.
Ironic, perhaps, given my fondness for CSM, but to be fair I get a different vibe from them when I read about them.

DE as they stand don't leave much room for unique backgrounds other than pleasure/pain cults and the like. I used to think CSM were only skulls n spikes but after reading up on them they're a pretty diverse bunch. So if you're creative enough you can make some good and believeable fluff for a custom CSM group.

So, you are saying that you like the army's rules and models, but cant stand the fluff or feel and seek to compleately re-write it so that they are noble warriors as opposed to immoral party fiends?

Yet, Slannesh and Crons are upstanding gentlemen in your book?

Eh, it seems like you needed a step-ladder to get on the bandwagon, but whatever floats your boat.

Where did you get them being noble warriors? They try to justify murdering people and stealing their souls through extreme arrogance. Also I never said evil was uninteresting, just pure hedonists.

The custom CSM fluff I came up with is a little more involved and I don't care to go over it in its entirety. They are more based on the idea of hypocrisy than anything else, the slaanesh stuff is really just the aesthetics.

And even then its not sex, drugs, rock n roll, its like pre-heresy emp's children. Obsessed with perfection and such. I used a bunch of DA bits so they have robes, angel imagery, reliquaries, etc. more gothic than tentacles and giant penises.

sniperjolly wrote:So, you are saying that you like the army's rules and models, but cant stand the fluff or feel and seek to compleately re-write it so that they are noble warriors as opposed to immoral party fiends?

Yet, Slannesh and Crons are upstanding gentlemen in your book?

Eh, it seems like you needed a step-ladder to get on the bandwagon, but whatever floats your boat.

Wait, what?
If you're addressing me here, then I've stated my reasons. I never said I found CSM less evil, they're just a different kind of evil, one that appeals to me more. I couldn't care less about "noble warriors," that's what we have the SM for.
If you're talking about Asimo77, then he too has stated pretty good reasons why he personally dislikes them, and again I'm not quite sure what you're getting at here.

Yeah, no damn clue where you got that from, sniperdude.

With the new codex, do DE still eat souls? If so, how do you eat a soul? Im guessing a knife and fork are not required?

They gots them pyramid like thingies that make their physically-challenged Archons hit like Battlewagons.

OoieGoie wrote:With the new codex, do DE still eat souls? If so, how do you eat a soul? Im guessing a knife and fork are not required?

It's a psychic thing.

Although some ketchup/brown sauce helps them go down smoother.

I've got some great soul recipes, each one takes 30 min or less! And they taste just as good as the ones that take all day to simmer!

If souls taste anything like Soul Food, I'm going to jump that bandwagon pretty fast.

Come to think of it, I am pretty hungry right now.
Anyway, so yeah, I have to agree with the ranking of Dark Eldar in this list.
Now, to the kitchen!

Monster Rain wrote:If souls taste anything like Soul Food, I'm going to jump that bandwagon pretty fast.

You gotta pace yourself man, Fried souls go straight to your anti-thighs.