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I'd like this thread to be used as a way for people to propose their own ideas about a Kroot HQ option, to lead a warband of Kroot. So sling your ideas in the replies below.

Here's my stab at it (tell me if you dont think its balanced, I considered making the Shaper-Savant ability a thing which you can purchase for your squads rather than giving it to them outright):


Grand-Shaper - 115 points

WS5, BS4, S3, T3, W4, I4, A4, Ld9, Sv6+

Wargear:
Kroot Armour, Kroot Rifle with Pulse Rounds & Sniper Rounds

Special Rules: Fleet, Furious Charge, Independent Character, Infiltrate, Move Through Cover, Stealth (Forests)
Unique Special Rules: Shaper Savant, Master of the Wild

Shaper Savant:
The Grand-Shaper has an almost supernatural aptitude for guiding the behaviour and feeding tendencies of his hunting pack. Over time, through selective predation, he has managed to guide his kroot to only absorb only the most beneficial traits for their warbands.
All friendly kroot models (including Kroot Carnivores, Kroot Shapers, Kroot Hounds, Krootox Riders, Gnarloc Herd Riders, Goaded Great Gnarlocs, Kroot Goads & Mounted Great Gnarlocs) in the same detachment as the Grand-Shaper gain the Fleet and Furious Charge special rules.

Master of the Wild:
The Grand-Shaper and his unit have the Shrouded special rule as long as they are within a Twisted Copse, or are within 2" of a forest.


____

Or


Grand-Shaper - 75 points

WS5, BS4, S3, T3, W4, I4, A4, Ld9, Sv6+

Wargear:
Kroot Armour, Kroot Rifle with Pulse Rounds & Sniper Rounds

Special Rules: Fleet, Furious Charge, Independent Character, Infiltrate, Move Through Cover, Stealth (Forests)
Unique Special Rules: Shaper Savant, Adaptive Camouflage

Adaptive Camouflage:
This model gets +1 to it's cover save when in Forests (this is in addition to the Stealth rule).

Shaper Savant:
Kroot Carnivore Squads in the same detachment as the Grand-Shaper may each purchase one of the following upgrade:

The entire squad may upgrade to gain only one of the following:
--Furious Charge (+1 point per model)
--Preferred Enemy (+1 point per model)
--Adamantium Will (+2 points per model)
--Fleet (+2 points per model)
--Adaptive Camouflage (+3 points per model)

Eternal Warrior is the big no-no to me. Both on the HQ and giving it out. Eternal Warrior is meant to be something special, something rare and definitely not something to be thrown to every Kroot in an army, even if it will have no effect!

I'd recommend giving 'evolution tree's' which are like Chaos Marks, he chooses one and that will determine how he players and what buff he gives his unit. How about he gives his unit Preferred Enemy against a certain faction? Or he could grant them Furious Charge and Crusader? Heck, he could even be upgraded to be a level 1/2 Psyker and give adamantium will to his Kroot, because there are Psykic Kroot lore wise. I think having the choice between a variety of buffs makes more sense evolution wise then this Kroot some how augmenting the Krootox to withstand a Rail Gun hit!

fair enough. I'll edit it out and add an alternative that takes into account ur path suggestions.

A cool rule would be something like "a taste for the enemy" (its a rubbish name i know). If it or its unit kill an enemy in close combat, or an enemy dies within 3" of the unit they get preferred enemy on that faction.

this could represent the kroot eating them and therefore adapting to them.

If preferred enemy is to simple you could say if its an eldar that dies they get a random psychic power or if its and orc they get FNP etc.

I think I'd change the name. "Grand" is a little broad a word. Something which is more selective. Anything can be grand, but only a chapter master can be a chapter master. It'd be like calling your HQ choice The Leader. Chief Shaper? Gives it a native feel. Shaper Alpha? Maybe a little too wolvesy.

I think I like the second Grand Shaper option better. I prefer the idea of having your Kroot have a selected bonus which comes from the experience of eating the same thing over and over, rather than a single kind of bonus which comes from making sure the Kroot are eating healthy and getting a daily dose of exercise.

I don't see them developing Adamantium Will from this. At first I didn't see them developing Preferred Enemy either, but then I realized that they could get a taste for the meat and that might be Preferred Enemy worthy. I'd add a couple other rules too, like Stubborn or FNP (6+), or even venomous blood from having eaten Tyranid.

Maybe some weapon options too?