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The fluff and purpose of the malanthrope have made me buy one lol. I can't really find a good solid set of rules for one though, so I decided to make my own. Let me know what you think:

It is an HQ choice- Monstrous Creature 210 points

WS-4 BS-3 S-6 T-6 I-5 W-4 A-3 LD-10. Saves- 3+, 3++

Special Rules
-The Malanthropes close combat attacks are poison (2+) that cause instant death.
-Lash Whips
-Hive Commander
-Shadow in the Warp
-Toxic Miasma
-Units arriving via outflanking in an army that contains the malanthrope may reroll the die that determines which side of the board edge the units arrives on (malanthropes only arrive with the swiftest/well executed tyranid rumbles).
-The malanthrope must start the game in reserve no matter what the game type and its reserve rolls may not be modified by any means (Hive Commander, Lictors, etc.). (Since they tend to show up after the war is pretty much over)
-The Malanthrope is a scoring unit in control point missions. Further more if the mission is a kill point game type and the Malanthrope is alive at the end of the game it grants a +1 kill point to the owning tyranid player. (because it has obtained intel on the opposing army)

I know it is very different than what the malanthropes rule set has been, but being a monstrous creature that appears after a swift tyranid victory to capture intelligence. I feel these rules would help give the malanthrope that "stealthy/unknown" feel and it is a prime candidate for deepstriking/outflanking nid lists.

This should be in Proposed Rules. YMDC is for rules interpretations.

#1 this should be in proposed rules

#2 Mostly not bad, but I would remove:

-Units arriving via outflanking in an army that contains the malanthrope may reroll the die that determines which side of the board edge the units arrives on (malanthropes only arrive with the swiftest/well executed tyranid rumbles).

And Change this to a regular 3" like everything else and remove the "grants a +1 kill point" part:

-The Malanthrope is a scoring unit (in control point missions) and can seize objectives within a 6" radius. Further more if the mission is a kill point game type and the Malanthrope is alive at the end of the game it grants a +1 kill point to the owning tyranid player. (because it has obtained intel on the opposing army)

I'm also assuming that Shadow of the Warp is suppose to be Shadow in the Warp.

2+ poisoned, Monstrous Creature, Instant Death, I5

these attributes alone, combined with its t6, w4, and 3++ make it worth a hell of a lot more points than 210

Even with 3 attacks at WS4 its just ridiculous.

If you drop the ID then its not so bad.

Lightcavalier wrote:2+ poisoned, Monstrous Creature, Instant Death, I5

these attributes alone, combined with its t6, w4, and 3++ make it worth a hell of a lot more points than 210

Even with 3 attacks at WS4 its just ridiculous.

If you drop the ID then its not so bad.

It's not that bad, actually, considering it has to come in on turn 2 at the earliest, must foot slog, isn't fleet...

Look at terminators - Only an elites slot, 200 points, 2+ and 3++, S8, 5 wounds, and 15 attacks on the charge at i1 - Or - 200 points, 2+/5++, S4, W5, and 20 attacks on the charge at I4, rerolling to hit and to wound. For an HQ slot, in the tyranids, none the less, it's fine.

I'd personally either keep the scoring at 6" or keep the +1 killpoint, but not both.

Keep the outflank buff.

Thanks for the suggestions I haven't played a game with it yet. Ill probably test it out next week with it the way it is to see if its overpowered for the point cost. I did take out the 6" radius though and made it just a scoring unit for simplicities sake. Any other suggestions, ridicule, or ideas?

Yes think about removing this as well as making the Scoring change:


-Units arriving via outflanking in an army that contains the malanthrope may reroll the die that determines which side of the board edge the units arrives on (malanthropes only arrive with the swiftest/well executed tyranid rumbles).

2/3rds the time the outflankers will arrive exactly where you want them to.

Your ability takes it from 66% to get outflankers exactly where you need them, up to 89%.

That is a huge change in probability.

chrisrawr wrote:

Lightcavalier wrote:2+ poisoned, Monstrous Creature, Instant Death, I5

these attributes alone, combined with its t6, w4, and 3++ make it worth a hell of a lot more points than 210

Even with 3 attacks at WS4 its just ridiculous.

If you drop the ID then its not so bad.

It's not that bad, actually, considering it has to come in on turn 2 at the earliest, must foot slog, isn't fleet...

Look at terminators - Only an elites slot, 200 points, 2+ and 3++, S8, 5 wounds, and 15 attacks on the charge at i1 - Or - 200 points, 2+/5++, S4, W5, and 20 attacks on the charge at I4, rerolling to hit and to wound. For an HQ slot, in the tyranids, none the less, it's fine.

I'd personally either keep the scoring at 6" or keep the +1 killpoint, but not both.

Keep the outflank buff.

Yeah, but he's not playing Space Marines. He's playing Tyranids. If you want to determine a fair cost for that unit, do so by comparing it to units in the codex you want it to be in. Different codexes are balanced differently. There's a reason why Grey Knights don't get missile launchers.


Anyway. Yeah.

A Hive Tyrant with Lash Whip/Bonesword, Hive Comander, Toxic Miasma, and Toxin sacs is something like 225 points. Sure, the Tyrant has a better weapon skill and one more attack, but he also doesn't have a friggin' 3++ save.

Get rid of the 2+ poison, or the Instant Death for his CC attacks. Implant Attack, or some variation of Bonesword would be fine, but a 2+, Instant Death Power Weapon that gets to re-roll failed wounds against T6 or lower is bananas.

For that, plus Re-rolling outflank, Plus Scoring, Plus and Extra Killpoint, I'd put a base cost on him of about 375. Monstrous Creatures with Storm Shields don't exist for a reason. They are ridiculous to kill.

T4 or lower actually. You have to to-wound at the same value as the poison - 2+ = S - T = 2.

Wasnt the Malanthrope updated rules wise in the lastest Apoc/IA book?

Also:

-The Malanthropes close combat attacks are poison (2+) that cause instant death. (This should be a bonesword instead of ID.)

His Str should also be 2 or 3 for those points cost if he is going to be poisoned 2+

It also should not have a 3++, at best a 4++ but only in CC, like the swarmlord.

chrisrawr wrote:T4 or lower actually. You have to to-wound at the same value as the poison - 2+ = S - T = 2.

No. T6 or Lower. If you have Poison (2+), that means you wound things with a toughness value on a roll of 2 or higher. In addition to that, if your strength is equal to or higher than the toughness of the model, you get to re-roll to wound. Check the poison rules.