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Me and my friend were disputing the ruling of Dimensional Key.
In the description is just simply states that after it is activated I can deep strike without scattering for the rest of the game.

My friend claims that if the unit with the artefact dies, I lose that ability.

Nowhere does it mention that my unit has to be present on the board for this to work, just that for the rest of the game I can deepstrike wherever.

What's the verdict here?

Generally if the model carrying a piece of wargear is killed, that wargear no longer has any effect.

There might be exceptions to that rule but none come to mind.

If the guy I was playing insisted I allow them to DS without scatter even after the Keymaster is dead...well it looks like my Runes will continue to effect enemy psykers...

I don't see anything in the codex text or the rulebook to suggest that it would stop working.

Reading the fluff for it also says that a gate is opened once it's thrust into the heart of a dying warrior, and it doesn't sound to me like it's something the user has to do or concentrate on once it's been done.

Looks legit to me.

On technicality, It isn't wargear it's an Artefact.

And fair enough, it just seems every article I find online that explains this, reckons it continues to work. Obviously just the reviewers opinion, but it'd nice to get it cleared up.

e.g: http://pinsofwar.com/chaos-artefacts-review-part-2/

Namely because the description is just plain. It just states:

When the bearer kills an enemy model in the fight subphase he may immediately unlock the Key's power. From this point on, all enemy models that start any phase within 12'' of the keys bearer treat all terrain as both difficult and dangerous terrain during that phase. Furthermore, any friendly units from this codex that arrive by deepstrike after the key's power has been unlocked do not scatter.

*Shrug*

 Mannahnin wrote:
I don't see anything in the codex text or the rulebook to suggest that it would stop working.

Reading the fluff for it also says that a gate is opened once it's thrust into the heart of a dying warrior, and it doesn't sound to me like it's something the user has to do or concentrate on once it's been done.

Looks legit to me.

So then an Eldar army with a Farseer with Runes of Warding will cause enemy Psykers to roll an extra dice when taking Psychic tests, suffering Pot W on any roll of 12+ even after the Farseer is killed?

The phrasing of Runes of Warding is that the Farseer uses them to cause the effect; the wording sounds like it's an ongoing activity, as opposed to the description of the Key, which describes it as being a one-time act. The descriptions are very different.

 Mannahnin wrote:
The phrasing of Runes of Warding is that the Farseer uses them to cause the effect; the wording sounds like it's an ongoing activity, as opposed to the description of the Key, which describes it as being a one-time act. The descriptions are very different.

All enemy Psykers must roll an extra dice when taking Psychic tests, suffering Perils of the Warp on any roll of 12 or above.

The above is the rule. Unless you are arguing that "A Farseer can use runes of warding to throw up psychic interference to hinder his foe." to be rules, I'm fairly certain that it is fluff.

The rules aren't telling us anything one way or the other, aside from the Key's rules saying "from that point on", rather than "while the bearer is in play" or "while the bearer is alive".

Most of what we have to go on here is the fluff.

 Mannahnin wrote:
The rules aren't telling us anything one way or the other, aside from the Key's rules saying "from that point on", rather than "while the bearer is in play" or "while the bearer is alive".

Most of what we have to go on here is the fluff.

Of course I did say in my initial post:

 Happyjew wrote:
Generally if the model carrying a piece of wargear is killed, that wargear no longer has any effect.

There might be exceptions to that rule but none come to mind.

There isn't a rule to that effect, at least not in the current rulebook. Generally when a given model is generating an effect, we agree that he stops generating that effect when removed from the game.

However the wording on the Key does not indicate that the model is generating the effect. It describes a one-time action which creates an effect for the rest of the game.

 Mannahnin wrote:
There isn't a rule to that effect, at least not in the current rulebook. Generally when a given model is generating an effect, we agree that he stops generating that effect when removed from the game.

However the wording on the Key does not indicate that the model is generating the effect. It describes a one-time action which creates an effect for the rest of the game.

See that's exactly the way I saw it, But my friend sees it the other way.

The wording to me seems that the key is just an unlocked ability for my army for the rest of the game. All he has to do is get in there and unlock the keys ability so they can deepstrike safely. It'd be nice for GW to clear that up.

We have come to an agreement on this purly for the fact I would like a different tactic to come up against(I am this other player). My concern is that no where in the rulebook does it state that it stays, and normall with GW rules, it has to state specifically orther wise to say the effect stays in the game.

This is the way it works on my understanding of the way GW rules work, in that it works like all other wargear/artifacts and that once the bearer is gone, then the effect is gone, unless specifically stated that it stays after the bearer dies.

I would agree that once the bearer is gone then the "effect" goes away as well.

The reason lies in the full text of the description:

When the bearer kills an enemy model in the fight subphase he may immediately unlock the Key's power. From this point on, all enemy models that start any phase within 12'' of the keys bearer treat all terrain as both difficult and dangerous terrain during that phase. Furthermore, any friendly units from this codex that arrive by deepstrike after the key's power has been unlocked do not scatter. "

Emphasis mine.

This artifact does two things; not just one. The first very clearly depends upon the position of the key bearer. So, if the key bearer is dead then the first thing is no longer possible.

The second starts with "Furthermore" which indicates that it is building on the previous sentence and not wholly separate. Which, to me, means that it is also dependent upon the key bearer being alive.

Either way, I can't think of any other item that has effects which depend on the model being alive that also have effects that carry on once the model is dead.

That I understand Clively, which is why I am here to open the debate on the matter. There is a clear divide on this as some people see it exactly how you say, however this sentence simply suggests that after the key is unlocked, the non-scatter deepstriking rule is in play, leading others to see it how I see it. I see it as I first read it, and that impression has stuck.

Furthermore, any friendly units from this codex that arrive by deepstrike after the key's power has been unlocked do not scatter.

Here's my simplified breakdown of how I see the rule and why I see it as I do.

The key's 'power' is unlocked when a unit is slain in close quarters by the keys bearer. The key's 'power' is defined as two points.

- Firstly the ability to restrict movement within a 12" radius of the bearer, forcing them to take terrain tests.
- Additionally, anything that deepstrikes after the keys power has been unlocked do not scatter.

This additional point does not state wether it depends on the bearer being alive or not, infact, it suggests to alot of players that it continues to happen. As mentioned in other threads, almost asif it has opened a warp rift that allows precise deployment at any location. But that's just fluff, so let's take a look at the wording.

The "furthermore" is an indication of an additional effect that is applied after the keys power is unlocked. They could have simply bullet pointed the two effects above as I have done.

It has been worded poorly. If it wasn't intended to continue to work, then why add the 'after the keys power has been unlocked' to the description? Unless to simply prevent confusion of it working prior to the key's power being unlocked. But the "furthermore" in the sentence already indicating that this is a further effect of the key's power being unlocked, which would clear that up anyway.

It's poorly written, but we'll continue to play it as we have been for now. But I would really like to hear more opinions either way.

If it does not continue to work therafter, I would not be taking it in my list as the entire structure of my army depends on wether or not I use this artefact. Let's keep this going because i'd love to hear further interpretations of the rule.