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SO I have played orks for AGES but always wanted to make a nid force. Mainly for fun, but I want it to be competitive too without JUST spamming flyrants.

So I want a monstrous creature list with just a couple of ripper swarms for troops for example.

here are some MCs that i am thinking of including:

3 flyrants
3 ripper swarms
1 (OR 2??) demiceron
1 barbed hierodule

models I like but am unsure of they are any good include:
tyrannofex
exocrine
carnifex(s)
malanthrope (I know it isnt a MC)
mawloc

so what else is good in terms of MCs?

The dimachaerons and heirodules aren't really worth the points.

I would run a Tyrannofex, dakkafexes (carnifexes with twin-linker devourers with braiinleech worms), a mawloc or two, and a Living Artillery Node (the Exocrine is very good, as are Biovores).

If you want to be competitive, then you need some number of flyrants. I'd suggest two, if you don't want to go full flyrant spam. The new FAQ rules do nerf MC's a little.

Tyrannocytes.
If you want footslogging monstrous creatures, many (most) are short ranged bruiser, and dropping them in at close quarters gives them a chance to do their thing.

A smattering of ripper swarms and Toxicrenes should be sufficient to survive turn 1, and then you can field a massed spore drop in the middle of your opponent's lines.

Tyrannofex are very nice for this - two flamer templates, one a torrent, and virtual immunity to small arms fire, whilst devourer-armed carnifex can dakka away at infantry or light vehicles whilst lining up Living Battering Ram charges for turn 3.

MC's have taken a beating. They just arent that scary anymore. The only nid MC that is really tough these days is the T-fex with it's 2+ and 6 wounds. To many things can punch right through 3+ save, especially on the competitive side thanks to all the PA lists. That said I love my nid MCs, nothing feels quite as good as hunting down full squads of Grey Hunters with melee-fex.

Exocrines with a VSG are probably cheaper and better than the Barbie for heavy guns. A pair on a Sky Shield can really be a pain, effectively a BS4, 4++, plasma battery with 12 shots or 2 pie plates.

Toxicrene is probably as good and cheaper than the Dima for a lot of lists.

Mawlocs are solid and good for a pie plate every other round. 2 Mawlocs will give you a plate on 2,3,4,5,6,7 if you burrow one on turn 1 and the other on turn 2.
Podded t-fex and c-fex should make a mess of things when they land.

barnowl wrote:
MC's have taken a beating. They just arent that scary anymore. The only nid MC that is really tough these days is the T-fex with it's 2+ and 6 wounds. To many things can punch right through 3+ save, especially on the competitive side thanks to all the PA lists. That said I love my nid MCs, nothing feels quite as good as hunting down full squads of Grey Hunters with melee-fex.

Exocrines with a VSG are probably cheaper and better than the Barbie for heavy guns. A pair on a Sky Shield can really be a pain, effectively a BS4, 4++, plasma battery with 12 shots or 2 pie plates.

Toxicrene is probably as good and cheaper than the Dima for a lot of lists.

Mawlocs are solid and good for a pie plate every other round. 2 Mawlocs will give you a plate on 2,3,4,5,6,7 if you burrow one on turn 1 and the other on turn 2.
Podded t-fex and c-fex should make a mess of things when they land.

Mawlocs can't burrow on turn 1. Still might be a good idea to have one start on the board and burrow turn 2 with another starting in reserve, they work best with Lictors running around for a no scatter Deep Strike bubble.

Exocrines would be amazing if it wasn't for the short range, at 24" they really struggle to be useful early in the game.

 Imateria wrote:

barnowl wrote:
MC's have taken a beating. They just arent that scary anymore. The only nid MC that is really tough these days is the T-fex with it's 2+ and 6 wounds. To many things can punch right through 3+ save, especially on the competitive side thanks to all the PA lists. That said I love my nid MCs, nothing feels quite as good as hunting down full squads of Grey Hunters with melee-fex.

Exocrines with a VSG are probably cheaper and better than the Barbie for heavy guns. A pair on a Sky Shield can really be a pain, effectively a BS4, 4++, plasma battery with 12 shots or 2 pie plates.

Toxicrene is probably as good and cheaper than the Dima for a lot of lists.

Mawlocs are solid and good for a pie plate every other round. 2 Mawlocs will give you a plate on 2,3,4,5,6,7 if you burrow one on turn 1 and the other on turn 2.
Podded t-fex and c-fex should make a mess of things when they land.

Mawlocs can't burrow on turn 1. Still might be a good idea to have one start on the board and burrow turn 2 with another starting in reserve, they work best with Lictors running around for a no scatter Deep Strike bubble.

Exocrines would be amazing if it wasn't for the short range, at 24" they really struggle to be useful early in the game.

Always for get that change, as I don't tun them myself.