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So, I've been mulling this over lately, and I'm having a hard time figuring out what I want to do with my Weirdboyz. It's no secret that they are my favorite unit in the entirety of 40k. With our new book, we gained access to a new set of Psychic powers, which are in many ways far better than our old books. We've also gained access to Daemonology as a secondary tree which is also REALLY good. Santic shares a power with our unique set of powers (Da Jump = Gate of Infinity), but Santic also has some decent alternate options for us as well.

Let's take a look at Waaagh powers:

Frazzle - the Ork specific Primaris power. A medium ranged (24'') witchfire at S6 Ap3, Assault 1/Blast. A pretty decent power in itself. While Orkish BS of 2 might make it scatter a little, having a Power Armor busting Psychic power is not bad, especially getting it for free if we select all powers from this list. And only 1 Warp Charge!

'Eadbanger - A focussed witchfire with medium range( 24"), that forces the targeted model to take a toughness test. Failure results in a wound with no cover or armor saves allowed. I find this power to be a bit 'meh'. I've honestly never gotten it to do a wound every time I've rolled it and tried using it. It IS only 1 Warp Charge, so I suppose any extra cheap attempt to snipe out a Sargent or something is nice.

Warpath - The only blessing our table has, that grants the unit +1 attack (if they have 'Ere We Go!) until the beginning of the next friendly Psychic phase. That will give Slugga Boyz 5 attacks on the charge :I Or allow Shoota Boyz to hit with the same effectiveness as unbuffed Slugga Boyz. Only 1 Warp Charge to do, it's a really handy power!

Da Jump - My personal favorite power. Deep Striking! I always got excited rolling this, even if it often times means certain doom for the unit of Boyz he is taking with him. A 1 Warp Charge Blessing that can let you drop anywhere as per normal Deep Strike rules. Useful! It's only major drawback is, if you roll doubles on your scatter, the unit can only fire Snap Shots. Could be bad for that blob of Shoota Boyz, dropping their usefulness by half. :(

Killbolt - A short ranged (18") Beam attack that resolves at S10, Ap 2 and is assault 1. 2 Warp Charges means it can be a little tricky to pull off, but the payoff could be HUGE. While the range isn't ideal, we have to remember any unit under the Beam gets hit...including our own. So position is everything! At most, I could see this power hitting maybe 2 or 3 guys each time. Not terrible considering the strength of the power...but that range...

Power Vomit - As Orky as it gets. A Template witchfire resolved at S7 and Ap 2, Assault 1. 2 Warp Charges to pull it off, but having a super duper heavy flamer attack can be really nice, especially to soften up a rather durable unit (Such as termies) before the charge (if you don't toast them all!).

Da Krunch - Medium ranged (24") Witchfire that can be either stupid funny or sadly ineffective. It's a S2D6, Ap 4, Assault 1/Large Blast/Barrage. If the roll for its strength is 11 or 12, it gets resolved at S10, but after the attack, you get to make another one following the same rules, repeating each time you roll an 11 or 12 for strength (or until the original target is killed, then the cycle ends). It's hilarious, it's Orky, it's 2 Warp Charges. :p

In the end, it isn't a TERRIBLE psychic table. We get a lot of witchfires, which in the right situations allow for some serious damage. An extra round of shooting, if you will. And all mildly easy to succeed at, none of our powers exceeding 2 Warp Charges. But, does it really compare to the bonuses that Santic can give us? Let's look...

Banishment - The Primaris power. So, this power right away is pretty useless, as it can only work on a unit that contains the Daemon special rule. And even then, it lowers their invul by 1, but never allowing it to be worse than 6+. Really only good if you know you're facing Daemons and want to stack this power to drop their Invul quickly to really focus out a Prince or something. With a 24" range, it isn't too far reaching. Only 1 Warp Charge though.

Gate of Infinity - Deep Strike! Same as with Da Jump, only 1 Warp Charge to perform, though you don't have to worry about only firing Snap Shots.

Hammerhand - This power alone is the big reason why Orks need to consider this tree. A blessing that requires only 1 Warp Charge, but gives the unit +2 strength. This is HUGE. A unit of Slugga boyz that are going to be swinging 4 attacks at S6? This is NUTS. Boyz that can now wound a Riptide on 4's? HUGE.

Sanctuary - A 1 Warp Charge Blessing that improves the unit's invul save by +1. While at first, this may not seem to be that big a deal, but think of it this way. Our Boyz will virtually ALWAYS be denied our Armor save. Without investing in a Big Mek, we now have a 6+ Invul that will rarely be denied from us. If you happen to tag a Big Mek along for the KFF, you're unit now has a 4+ Invul to shooting and a 6+ invul to CC, which is not too shabby to be fair. Expensive...but nice. (3+ invul to shooting if you took the Mega Forcefield) If you happen to be facing Daemons, well, they now have trouble around the unit because Sanctuary makes all terrain 12" (including open) around the unit dangerous for Daemon units.

Purge Soul - 1 Warp Charge 24" Focussed Witchfire that pits the Weirdboy and his target off into a Leadership test. If the opposing model loses, they take a wound with no armor or cover allowed. Might be more useful than 'Eadbanger, but both feel pretty situational, or that it will fail due to most other armies having superior Leadership.

Cleansing Flame - 2 Warp Charges, 9" range, S5 Ap4, Assault 2D6, Ignores cover and Soulblaze. So, a Heavy Flamer that doesn't use the template itself. Not too shabby, especially considering the 2D6 assault and Soulblaze (Despite Soulblaze usually not doing TOO much, but extra potential wounds is nothing to sniff at). Requires one to get very close, perhaps usable before charge to soften a unit a little without promising to obliterate it like the Power Vomit.

Vortex of Doom - Here we go. 3 Warp Charges, 12" Range, SD, AP1, Assault 1, Blast, Vortex. The power Orks would love to be able to channel all day, every day! BOOM! A risky power due to the 3 Charges meaning more chances to Perils while casting it. Oh, and speaking of Perils, you ALSO Perils if you FAIL to cast it! The definition of high risk vs high reward! It's short range also means you got to get a bit too close for comfort, and will also mean you aren't getting a charge in on the unit you cast it on...possibly leaving the Weirdboy's unit wide open for attack...

Both sets of powers seem highly useful to the Orks. It's tough for me to decide which powers to pick from. I suppose I could use both, as I have 2 Weirdboyz, but having 4 chances (2 powers per) to get Hammer Hand...might be too tempting to pass up.

Well to paraphrase what you said, HAMMERHAND ALL THE WAY!

The problem I have with the waaagh powers are that a lot of them are witchfires, which could get a bit harder to pull off against more psyker savy armies. If you usually run two weirdboyz you could probably roll on sanctic until you get hammerhand and then try to get the +1 attack on the waaagh table. That would be some pretty spicy sauce for a maxed out boyz blob or anything really. That would be pretty awesome having 150 strength 6 attacks on the charge. Then just throw in a boss with da lukky stikkk for ws5 and a painboy and you gotz a pretty daunting unit on the table that can control the board like-a-boss!

 flaming tadpole wrote:
Well to paraphrase what you said, HAMMERHAND ALL THE WAY!

The problem I have with the waaagh powers are that a lot of them are witchfires, which could get a bit harder to pull off against more psyker savy armies. If you usually run two weirdboyz you could probably roll on sanctic until you get hammerhand and then try to get the +1 attack on the waaagh table. That would be some pretty spicy sauce for a maxed out boyz blob or anything really. That would be pretty awesome having 150 strength 6 attacks on the charge. Then just throw in a boss with da lukky stikkk for ws5 and a painboy and you gotz a pretty daunting unit on the table that can control the board like-a-boss!

If only we had the ability to pull off this combo ALL the time XD Weirdboys would be my Go-To HQ XD

Yeh, this is why I keep dismissing wierdboyz ... HQ slots are a precious and crowded commodity, and using one on a character when you have no idea how useful he will be until the game starts is... painful.

If I had a spare slot, then I'd get one cos they are fun and fluffy. But I'm usually looking into getting a second FOC just to unlock more space for HQ's.

Though Mogrok's bossboys come with a wierdboy, so I may end up with one anyway sometimes.

Niiru wrote:
Yeh, this is why I keep dismissing wierdboyz ... HQ slots are a precious and crowded commodity, and using one on a character when you have no idea how useful he will be until the game starts is... painful.

If I had a spare slot, then I'd get one cos they are fun and fluffy. But I'm usually looking into getting a second FOC just to unlock more space for HQ's.

Though Mogrok's bossboys come with a wierdboy, so I may end up with one anyway sometimes.

I like to play goofy lists, and either way, the potential for Weirdboyz is pretty good. I don't run them as often because Painboy/Warbosses are pretty much auto include HQs by this point. But once in a while...I love to use these guys, just because.

If Psychic powers could be purchases, things would be so much better. But, the broken combos would be only that much more common. (I'm looking at you, Invisibility...such a BS power)

Oh i agree, i also tend towards fun lists rather than waac competitivness.

If they bring back the wierdboy character that could turn an enemy character into a squig, i would run him in every game!

As it is, i tend to lean towards shokk guns :p

I've run a wierdboyin a few games. 2 times in horde detachment and 1 time in double cad.

Game one vs IG and CSM - got flamer and a toughness test thing. Did basically nothing and missed with Frazzle 2 times out of 2.

Game two vs CSM - got Da Jump and Da Krunch. Jumped to a vital point turn 1 and Crunched a bunch of cultists + glanced a helbrute. The jump itself put me on a point that allowed me score dominate and controle point X, so got a hell lot of points out of it in the end.

Game three vs Space wolves got warpath and Da Jump. Stunned a rhino with Frazzle and killed a marine or two with it. Got Da Jump Denied. Didn't do much in the end but the potential of Da Jump kept the enemy at bay.

So far i can say that a wierdboy is fun to have.
Frazzle is handy but don't expect to kill much.
Da Jump is absolutely worth it.
Da krunch has a potential to wreck the enemy in one go but it's super rare to be simultaniously in range + cast + hit + roll high enough on 2d6.
Haven't gotten the beam yet but i feel it can be devastating. Short ranged though.
Flamer is not that great as you're almost never in range. Across 3 games i had just one opportunity to use it - and it was against a rhino which it bounced off. Can potentially be good vs mellee-oriented opponents, however, what mellee-oriented opponent would get into flamer range without charging you in the first place. And the wierdboy is generally hidden inside the unit.
Warpath could be handy vs mellee-oriented armies and to buff your PK vs hard stuff. But won't get much use otherwise.

Haven't tried daemonology or sanctic yet. Auto-perils put me off this idea.

I want to try and get da jump with a squad of burna boyz in a wagon

Only the squad jumps - not a wagon.

 flaming tadpole wrote:
I want to try and get da jump with a squad of burna boyz in a wagon

That can't be cast while Embarked.


Santic has some nice options, but suffering Perils on ANY double, combined with Ld7 kills the idea off for me.
Waaagh! powers all the way when I run my Wierdboy.

Sanctic is too dangerous for a fool like a Weirdboy.

 koooaei wrote:
Only the squad jumps - not a wagon.

oops, well so much for all my hopes and dreams.

You can persuade an opponent to pick promethium pipe relay cause it's so cool and stuff and than SUDDENLY da jump behind it with 15 burna boyz and flame everything to deff.

 koooaei wrote:
You can persuade an opponent to pick promethium pipe relay cause it's so cool and stuff and than SUDDENLY da jump behind it with 15 burna boyz and flame everything to deff.

Hehehe! True evil.

You'd be emidiately announced a worthy blood axe kommanda.

Without allies orks have no way to abuse the psychic phase like other armies do. Even if you take 2 weird boyz I find that unless they hide in a trukk or somesuch the whole game, they end up killing themselves from failing to cast on such a small amount of dice.

I just fielded a Weirdboy in a 500 pt game. He was my only HQ and my warlord.

I rolled Da Krunch and Da Jump.

Da Krunch won the game for me. I was facing Tau and was able to avoid his first round of shooting. Moved my trukk up 6 inches and rolled 6,6 for the first blast, 6,5 for the second and then 4,3 for the third.

I got three blasts off and annihilated a full squad of fire warriors. Which at 500 points was about a third of his army.

But I have played with weridboys before and while the powers all seem to work in different levels, they have always done well for me. Power Vomit is always amazing when I get it. Frazzle is marginally successful, but usually doesnt do much. The big winners are Killbolt, Power Vomit, Da Krunch, and Da Jump.