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.

I was reading the thread on Chaos Lords and ... keeping in mind I don't quite follow the thread this is what I always thought about spikey bits/master crafting

Extra Attack:  15 pts
Master Crafting: 15 pts
Spikey Bits:  10 pts

When you attack you can figure that you are probably going to miss at least once.  MC/SB let you reroll this miss so in effect count as +1 attack.  MC is the same price as extra attack so extra attack will be statistically better in the long run because every once in a while you won't miss.  Spikey bits are 10 pts so are more efficient since they are only 2/3 the price of an extra attack. 

So adding them to an HQ is at least worth it to increase their attack power, especially if they have an expensive weapon like lightning claws or a thunderhammer -- assuming having your lord wipe out everything in one combat phase is tactically viable.

Now, an interesting question is whether or not it's worth it to give mastercrafted or spikeybits to a vet/champ.  I would say yes because the lord/commander is often "good enough" whereas your vet with the powerfist can make a big difference with his powerfist.  This would be countered by the fact that the vet will generally hit on 4+ when the lord would hit on 3+ making it statistically more killing efficient when on the lord but then it might be more tactically viable to have a more powerful vet.

In my space marine army I have a vet w/ lightning claw/storm bolter who only has 2 attacks when he's not charging.  I have been known to give him mastercrafted because by god you want that lightning claw to hit.  In the end I generally don't simply because my preference is for wounds over wargear.

I think that it really depends on the army and what you're doing with it. It seems that a lot of players are just tossing power fists and plasma pistols onto champions to take out inconvenient vehicles or HQ models. In such an army - especially if it's a shooty army - it isn't worth an extra 25 points per champion if he isn't expected to be ripping a lot of stuff up anyway. In an army where the champions are expected to do a lot more damage, such as most Khornate forces or infiltrating nurgle armies, it makes sense to load up the champions and use them to chew up enemies in melee.

I personally swear by Spiky bits, for ten points you get a re-roll that can be used on daemon weapons. while master crafting costs 15 points and you have to individually master craft items, this means that you are paying 30 points so you can re-roll one miss per weapon. but this can be used on guns.
I would never really take either on an aspiring champion. for the 15 points spent on just master crafting the weapon would be better spent on another undivided marine with bolter in a shooty squad.
With chosen AC's it's best to just give them spiky bits, power swords, bolt/Pls pistols and Mutation to taste for a total cost of 67 points for a lot of attacks with one re-roll.