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Hi, I'm looking for a few opinions on a semi custom character for my homebrew chapter.
Little background. I run them straight from the Dark Angels rules. So far no issue at all, they just have a different paint job and are almost entirely older, non DA models. WYSIWYG is pretty important to me so all are ‘legal’ DA proxies.

Up until recently, I never had anything other than index compliant generic characters but my sons are getting into 40k and demand SUPERHEROES.
I started with Belial, he’s simply a snazzy Termi with TH/SS, a big banner and bionic legs, a straight stand in rules wise.

Azrael was similar. However, I recently acquired a Cataphractii Capt with combi melta and chainfist. He’s pretty awesome and stands out rather boldly. It didn’t sit right with me to play him as a lesser character, (particularly since DA appear not to have any Cats, for whatever reason).
So, I want to run him as Azrael, but then I run into WYSIWYG. Fluff wise it’s no issue ofc, he’s not Azrael, he’s Tobis Trjane.

Question is, how would you run/cost him? Clearly a competitive no-no but for fun/fluff games, I still want him to be fair, valued correctly and yet remain ‘special'.
Currently, I use him as equipped but with Azraels special rules. Sometimes I forgo the Termi deep strike and Cat Capt 3++ and cost him at 180, same as Azzy. Other times, I’ll add 10/20 points and use the DS and/or 3++.
Does this seem fair? Or would you do different?

Obviously, opponent approval is everything but my sons just put up with whatever I decide, (although mostly they give me the Orks and take the supermen for themselves, lol).

As an extra, would you like to see some more freedom in building custom characters, beyond the simple 3CP CM upgrade and varying load outs?
Say a separate custom character builder, with a range of ability types to choose from, special weapons and other gear, all costed and limited accordingly. Even if it was only for narrative play.

I don't have a Space Marine codex so I can't help you with the cost. How much does a Terminator Librarian cost? Then add a few points if its stats are beneath Azrael, etc.

Regarding freedom? Sure, but it's a death knell if you introduce it to Matched Play --- so in reality it already exists. No one is stopping you from kit-bashing, re-costing and creating your own characters. While it's unfortunate that GW is going away from creating your own characters/models (huge mistake in my opinion) playing with like-minded friends solves all of this.

Want a character to have a jump pack? Cool, pay the cost difference (i.e. 1 power or whatever points) and use it. Not going to ruin my game. As long as you don't try to game the system I see zero issue with it.

 Elbows wrote:

Regarding freedom? Sure, but it's a death knell if you introduce it to Matched Play --- so in reality it already exists. No one is stopping you from kit-bashing, re-costing and creating your own characters. While it's unfortunate that GW is going away from creating your own characters/models (huge mistake in my opinion) playing with like-minded friends solves all of this.

Absolutely true and why we have some great games at home, my boys think the Lego Gorkanaut I built is great
Also agreed on the disaster it would be in a WAAC environment. I think it's a good thing that GW has come out with the '3 ways to play' (fanfare). I just think it'd be nice to see them go a bit further with their support the custom build, narrative roots of the hobby. I did note that there may be a custom vehicle creator in the offing but also that it will probably be limited to a few different types of Land Raider or something...
For general units, point costing things that vary from the codex is not too difficult, with the way things are broken down now. But special characters are pretty opaque. Examples are everywhere, from Mad Dok Grotsnik costing only 9pt more than a regular painboy, to Belial being only 7pt more than a Deathwing Ancient. The difference in utility is huge for such a minor increase.
I think it's neat that you can upgrade a Capt to CM with CPs and add relics, but I'd much prefer to pay points again, it just makes the actual value of these things clearer.

I would tell your sons that only nerds use fancy heros with op equipment! I real hero is a hard vet who defied all the odds without girly mans special powers!

 lolman1c wrote:
I would tell your sons that only nerds use fancy heros with op equipment! I real hero is a hard vet who defied all the odds without girly mans special powers!

Lol. I try to make that point with sluggas and choppas!

I'd take the basic cost of Azzy, add the difference between the cost of a regular Captain and a Cataphractii Captain, then add the Combi/Chainfist cost, and maybe a few extra points on top of that. Given that you're making Az more resilient/giving him extra abilities, seems fair to pay a bit extra.

Thats an extra 93pt without adding a bit more on top :O
I do agree he'd have to be more expensive but the way I see it, Az's combi MC bolter/plas and explpding 6s sword is roughly equiv to combi melta and chainfist, in terms of general effectivenes. While the Cat armour only adds +1 to his invuln at the expense of 2" movement. Tho the extra DS ability is probably quite a force multiplier on such a good character... Still, a 100 point bump is considerable! I'd rather bend the fluff from WYSIWYG to a straight copy.
Thanks for your input tho

 Cuz05 wrote:
Thats an extra 93pt without adding a bit more on top :O
I do agree he'd have to be more expensive but the way I see it, Az's combi MC bolter/plas and explpding 6s sword is roughly equiv to combi melta and chainfist, in terms of general effectivenes. While the Cat armour only adds +1 to his invuln at the expense of 2" movement. Tho the extra DS ability is probably quite a force multiplier on such a good character... Still, a 100 point bump is considerable! I'd rather bend the fluff from WYSIWYG to a straight copy.
Thanks for your input tho

Sorry, I don't have the SM Index, but is Azzy's equipment (combi-weapon and fancy sword) included in his base cost? If so, yeah, don't worry about adding on the extra cost of the combi-melta/chainfist; I think you're right that they're roughly equivalent, and given that this isn't required to be perfectly balanced, 'roughly equivalent' is good enough!