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Just read Codex Tyranids. Doom of Ma'lantai WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was the designer doing Crystal Meth when he came up with the Special Rules for this one?

Not sure if this is a background question.

Nor am I sure if it is really a "question" at all, in that I don't know what it is in particular you find wrong with it.

The points cost for a potentially 10 Wound, 10 strength Zanothorpe.... Its insane. Just inspecting it's stat line is amazing, then coupled with it's crazy special rules. I mean, it can regenerate wounds per turn.

The background fluff is good, but even so this is a crazily overpowered. I mean after feeding on the Soul energy of a craft world surely it would be more of Psychic Biotitan? Does this really belong on a 40k battlefield, I would expect it on an APOCALYPSE or EPIC 40K? I mean this thing fed on an entire Craftworld..

A single Keeper of Secrets can feed on an entire Craftworld, and has.

I don't have the Tyranid codex on me at the moment, so cannot really comment on the rules behind it.

Whilst it is powerful when it has lots of wounds (built up by causing unsaved wounds) it starts of rather weak, with only 4 wounds and a 5+ save. Any amount of focus fire will destroy it before it can do a thing. It also suffers D3 wounds every time it uses its trademark psychic attack, and so in theory could reduce itself to 1 wound on the first go, and kill itself at any time it has only 3 wounds.

= fail

No biggie.

Nothing major, 3 S8 hits will kill it on average.

It has a 3++ save, but yes, throw some S8 its way and it will quickly go down.

Even 1 S8 hit is enough to bring it down. Doesn't matter if you've vamped him up to S10 W10, a single S8 shot can cause ID if he fails his 3++ save.

Valkyrie wrote:Even 1 S8 hit is enough to bring it down. Doesn't matter if you've vamped him up to S10 W10, a single S8 shot can cause ID if he fails his 3++ save.

Achille's Heel, QFT. A single failed LasCannon, and say goodbye. Especially with a Null Zone going.

Not to mention you get cover saves from your soul being sucked out. Because that makes sense.

It may be made of magical glass, but if you Deep Strike it, it can do some damage. Just be glad it doesnt have a reg Zoanthropes powers aka Warp Lance, otherwise it could pop down, get like 3 extra wounds on average and then pop a LR.

But like I said, its made of magical glass.

One trick pony. Wait no trick, because of hoods and silly SW 3+ Njal rule...

And sitting in the open bed of a rusty pickup truck renders you immune to it's soul-slurpie, even though you could be standing in the bed mooning it


It's basically a one turn bomb to drop on the enemy. If it somehow lives to fight next turn it's a bonus.

And yet it will still die from a single lucky Wraithcannon.

It's also not a Synapse creature either so can still suffer from instinctive behaviour.

Commissar Typhus wrote:It may be made of magical glass, but if you Deep Strike it, it can do some damage. Just be glad it doesnt have a reg Zoanthropes powers aka Warp Lance, otherwise it could pop down, get like 3 extra wounds on average and then pop a LR.

It does, as per the FAQ it has the same powers as a regular Zoanthrope.

Q: Tyranid Special Characters. Are Tyranid Special
Characters considered to be special versions of the
standard creatures of their type for the purposes of
using psychic powers, biomorphs and special rules? For
example, is the Swarmlord considered to be a Hive
Tyrant for the purposes of using Hive Tyrant psychic
powers? Similarly, is Deathleaper considered to be a
Lictor for the purposes of Chameleonic Skin and
Pheromone Trail, is the Doom of Malan’tai considered
to be a Zoanthrope for the purposes of Warp Field, is
Old One Eye considered to be Carnifex for the
purposes of Living Battering Ram and are Ymgarl
Genestealers considered to be Genestealers for the
purposes of Brood Telepathy?
A. Yes in all cases.

Warp Field and Warp Lance are different things.

Lukus83 wrote:Warp Field and Warp Lance are different things.

Yes, indeed

Also the FAQ asks:

Are Tyranid Special Characters considered to be special versions of the standard creatures of their type for the purposes of using psychic powers, biomorphs and special rules?

The Doom is a special Characther version of the Zoanthrope, therefore benefits from the same abilities as the FAQ confirms:

A. Yes in all cases.

I would disagree. DoM may count as a Zoanthrope but nowhere in the codex entry does it say he has the power Warp Lance.

Lukus83 wrote:I would disagree. DoM may count as a Zoanthrope but nowhere in the codex entry does it say he has the power Warp Lance.

No it doesn't admittedly.

Maybe I have interpreted it wrong, with further reading seems to be the case.

I don't play 'Nids very often.

I think the purpose of the FAQ was to allow the DoM to use Warp Field, The Swarmlord to use Hive Tyrant Psychic powers, etc etc.

Lukus83 wrote:I think the purpose of the FAQ was to allow the DoM to use Warp Field, The Swarmlord to use Hive Tyrant Psychic powers, etc etc.

Yeah, I guessed that much, as it states Warp Field in the Special Rules. I think I took the 'it's a special Zoanthrope' to far

I do use the Doom but can honestly say I haven't ever fired Warp Lance though so I don't think I have committed too much of a sin here.

Thanks for the heads up Lukas

No worries. Everyone makes mistakes (I used to think DoM was a synapse creature). And on that note I shall bid you good gaming.

DoM usually works well when something else big with nids so as to not have everything shooting at it. Which I think the best time to use it is in Apoc games

The doom is crazy good. All a nid player has to do is to deep strike it in with a spore pod and then its in range for its ability that makes you roll 3 dice for a leadership test and then lose that many wounds you fail by and the doom gains those wounds. Against any army the doom is just simply crazy good if the nid player uses it right. For its low point value it is just way too good.

Albeezie wrote:The doom is crazy good. All a nid player has to do is to deep strike it in with a spore pod and then its in range for its ability that makes you roll 3 dice for a leadership test and then lose that many wounds you fail by and the doom gains those wounds. Against any army the doom is just simply crazy good if the nid player uses it right. For its low point value it is just way too good.

Try dropping it near Tau, and laugh as firewarriors just dissappear.

It mat die to one ML shot, but its still one heck of a nasty critter

Albeezie wrote:The doom is crazy good. All a nid player has to do is to deep strike it in with a spore pod and then its in range for its ability that makes you roll 3 dice for a leadership test and then lose that many wounds you fail by and the doom gains those wounds. Against any army the doom is just simply crazy good if the nid player uses it right. For its low point value it is just way too good.

I fail to see what this would achieve against my Dark Eldar, which are perpetually within Venoms or Raiders, both of which would be almost impossible for it to destroy immediately after deep striking. Not to mention, a single Blaster or Dark Lance and it's dead. :shrug: