Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, bear with me here for a moment. My cheese radar is pinging and I think I'm onto something but... well it's late and too good to be true.

First a couple of things about Dynasties taken straight from the rules but paraphrased, no copy paste here:
-The <Dynasty> Keyword is a keyword that you can select for yourself.
-Detachments for Necrons can only include models with the Necron keyword.
-Dynastic Strategems are designed for specific Dynasties ( MEPHRIT, NEPHREKH, NIHILAKH, NOVOKH, SAUTEKH or SZAREKHAN).
-Dynastic Warlord Traits can be selected but ONLY if they are from a relevant Dynasty, and that dynasty is used to replace all instanced of the <Dynasty> keyword.
-If you create an Ancient Dynasty you choose up to one Dynastic Tradition and one Circumstance of Awakening. This creates a custom Dynastic Code.
-Dynastic Codes can be used on your eligible units providing that every unit in the Detachment is from the same Dynasty.
-You choose the Dynasty, and that sets the <Dynasty> keyword.


Is there anything preventing you from either selecting the (for example) Mephrit dynasty for your Dynasty keyword but using a custom Dynastic Code
or alternatively
Since you select your Dynasty keyword, and since Dynastic Warlord Traits, Dynastic Strategems, etc... are all based on the <Dynasty> Keyword that you selected could you name your dynasty Mephrit without actually using the pre-designed Mephrit dynasty?
Also
If the second option is possible,could you do this multiple times creating multiple custom dynasties all named the same thing <Mephrit> but using different Dynastic Codes?

I have been reading and rereading for a while now and I can't find anything that prevents this. As far as I can tell, there is no place that says you cant use a pre-existing Dynasty name as a custom name for a Dynasty. The closest thing I can find is under ancient dynasties where it says if your chosen dynasty does not have an associated Dynastic Code you have to create one. But my theoretical Mephrit dynasty does not have a Dynastic Code, because it's my custom Mephrit Dynasty, not GW's. Also, it seems that the only qualifier to taking Dynasty specific warlord traits and such is that the names of the <Dynasty> keywords match.

One other thing is the BRB says that keywords in angular brackets like <Dynasty> are shorthand for keywords you select yourself. It also says that there are "certain restrictions, as described in the publication that contains that datasheet". There are no restrictions I can find described in the only book that contains Necron datasheets.

Please tell me this isn't possible. I have to have missed something somewhere.

The six dynastic codes are fixed. You cannot use Mephrit with custom dynasties. I guess you want to use the Mephrit stratagem with custom dynasties ? That's not possible.

There used to be an explicit FAQ about this in 8th edition but I'm assuming it now doesn't exist or apply. However, I think the text on p51 does prevent this, probably.

It says "The Dynastic Code they gain depends upon which dynasty they are from, as shown on the following pages". If your <Dynasty> is replaced by Mephrit then it looks like, by RAW, you gain the code associated with that Dynasty, which is detailed on p52-53. Furthermore, the rules on P54 state "If your chosen dynasty does not have an associated Dynastic Code..." the custom rules apply. If you replace <Dynasty> with Mephrit you are required to use the Solar Fury code, at least that's how it reads to me. The missing piece of the equation is what actually counts as choosing your dynasty but I don't think it's a stretch to say swapping out the <Dynasty> keyword would count as choosing your dynasty.

It's not as 100% clear as I would like but I think the wording definitely points to that interpretation.