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I've seen lots of people take BSBs with runic armour and weapons, but I think thats missing a great chance to rune up your standard and all the benefits that entails.
I was thinking of using the Master Rune of Valaya which would help dispel either offensive remains in play or spells which the opponent has cast on his men attacking the BSB's unit (or those nearby) which buff them up in some way, as well as that general +2 to dispel. Then pairing that with the Rune of Guarding to give him a save, and putting him in the second or third rank, somewhere a bit out of the way (because you only have to deploy in the front rank, after that you can shift him around and he'll still be giving his bonuses).
Thoughts and opinions?

Remains in Play spells are dispelled with Valaya, but it does nothing against those spells that linger. All those, "Last Until the start of your next magic phase" spells, Valaya doesn't help with.
The +2 to dispel is nice, but not worth 100 points.

T4 with 4+ armor and 5+ ward isn't all that survivable for a 220 point model.

Also, not only do you have to deploy in the front rank if you have space (you displace non-command models), you have to move up as soon as you have space.
The only way to hide a BSB in the 2nd rank, is to fill the front with other characters, musicians, standard bears and unit champions.

For the same cost, you can get 2 rune smiths with +1 to dispel and stealing a power die. That takes a die from the opponent, and gives you 3 more. IMO, and better buy.

-Matt

It just states that they have to be placed in the front rank, not that they must remain. On other boards here it has been said that they only have to be deployed there, and can move back at any time, and everyone seemed to be in agreeance (which seems to be pretty rare here).

The FAQ makes it clear that character models must be moved back into the front rank (or as close to it as possible) as soon as possible:

Q: Can characters change position inside a unit as part of a
normal move?(p97)
A: Yes, as long as they end up in the rank closest to the front of
the unit that has a space in. It is also worth remembering that
even if only the character moves the whole unit will count as
moving that turn. Having a belligerent officer barge his way
through the unit is not conducive to a good round of shooting!

Q: Must a character be moved to the front rank of a unit as soon as
a space becomes available? (p100)
A: Yes.

You need to make your BSB as defensive as possible. Yes, he's that important. If you want a runic banner you can have them on Hammerers and Longbeards up to 50 points.

Hargus56 wrote:You need to make your BSB as defensive as possible. Yes, he's that important. If you want a runic banner you can have them on Hammerers and Longbeards up to 50 points.

Or, you run him in a unit just behind your hammerers, to keep him out of combat.

-Matt

I've pretty much given up on casting spells that aren't gonna go off with IF against my local dwarf player. Runelord on anvil, 3 runesmiths, rune of valaya, steal a die, and a spell eater rune just kinda killed the magic phase.

This is coming from a primary DE player. As such if you hate magic as much as that dwarf, it works well.

Thanks for the help guys. If I wasn't going to give him a runic banner, what would you recommend his loadout to be? Maybe Rune of Warding on a ring, and Master Rune of Gromril and Rune of Preservation on his armour?

I dont understand GW insistence that BSBs with magical standards cant take magic items.

A magic standard is nice, but generally speaking, not game winning.

And then you have an unarmored BSB that dies easily to rank and file.

Question wrote:I dont understand GW insistence that BSBs with magical standards cant take magic items.

A magic standard is nice, but generally speaking, not game winning.

And then you have an unarmored BSB that dies easily to rank and file.

A lot of BSB's can show up with 1+ or 2+ armor. Some are T5, some come with ward saves.
If anything, I'd like to see a banner of any value with no other gear, or up to 50 points of gear which may include a banner.
I'd like the option to pick up some of those cheap banners, without giving up the option for other gear.

-Matt

i prefer to have my thane BSB survive, so 1+ rerollable save for me.

Kura wrote:I've pretty much given up on casting spells that aren't gonna go off with IF against my local dwarf player. Runelord on anvil, 3 runesmiths, rune of valaya, steal a die, and a spell eater rune just kinda killed the magic phase.

This is coming from a primary DE player. As such if you hate magic as much as that dwarf, it works well.

That's a ton of points in magic defense.
Try showing up with no magic. He's got ~500 points of heroes, and the same in lords, who's primary purpose is to stop magic.
You show up with no magic, and you've got an 600-700 point advantage in useful units on the table.

-Matt

That assumes you are tailoring your list against him, and not just bringing an 'all-comers' list to play whoever shows up, of course.

I typically only see those dwarfs in tournaments, in pick up games he uses his OnG (who thank god no longer have the spirit totem and staff of sneaky stealin'). He also plays a warrior priest heavy empire list. Magic phase has never been kind to him.

Back on topic, I believe if you do give him a magic banner, you can pop a rune on there that gives him a ward save? I'd recomend that, and run him like 3" behind your main blocks in order for a LoS.

Well, Dwarves are unique in that we can actually custom-build magic banners to do what we want. Try Hammerers with the Rune of Determination - they literally cannot break, and can still take 30 more points of standard runes.

And if you are running a Strollaz list, a rune of Guarding is quite nice.