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Two quick questions about the Rune Priest runic weapon. I attempted to google this before posting, but I couldn't find definitive conclusions. Forgive me.

1) I listened to an argument in which player A attempted to claim that the rune staff's psychic denial had to work on the same rules as "deny the witch" rolls - i.e. that it can only be used to resist a psychic attack directed at the unit. Player B claimed rules as written meant the roll applied regardless of who the power would target, including the ability to shut down buffs. Having read the entry, im assuming that B is correct. Confirmation would be wonderful.

2) The much longer debate: Does the runic weapon count as "an unusual force weapon" and thus is a category in and of itself, or does the model determine its stats - the choice of modeling it as a staff giving it different properties than as if it were modeled as an axe or sword? I have gone through about three forum threads on the topic from google, and its mostly bickering. Has there been an official answer?

Thanks in advance.

 Barbarus wrote:
1) I listened to an argument in which player A attempted to claim that the rune staff's psychic denial had to work on the same rules as "deny the witch" rolls - i.e. that it can only be used to resist a psychic attack directed at the unit. Player B claimed rules as written meant the roll applied regardless of who the power would target, including the ability to shut down buffs. Having read the entry, im assuming that B is correct. Confirmation would be wonderful.

Yes, it works on any psyker in range, not just on attacks directed at the Rune Priest's unit. That's because it target's psykers using a power within range, not the power being used.

2) The much longer debate: Does the runic weapon count as "an unusual force weapon" and thus is a category in and of itself, or does the model determine its stats - the choice of modeling it as a staff giving it different properties than as if it were modeled as an axe or sword? I have gone through about three forum threads on the topic from google, and its mostly bickering. Has there been an official answer?

It's a force weapon that has additional special rules. So it's an unusual force weapon.

No, there has been no official answer on this. As usual for a new edition, after the initial spurt of enthusiasm and promise of regular updates, GW's interest in supporting their product appears to have waned.

Only the specific Rune weapons of the Space Wolve's Rune Priest get the special rules (which B was correct) however I dont think the model matters, My Termie Runepriest (metal casting) has a Runic Axe in his hands, while Njal has a staff.

The Battle Force comes with a few different runic looking weapons to be used for your various rune priests.

If used by another unit (say a Wolf Priest or Lone Wolf) it acts as a normal Force Weapon.

Kavik_Whitescar wrote:
If used by another unit (say a Wolf Priest or Lone Wolf...

How would that happen...?

It was just for the sake of argument I dont have a codex infront of me and I generally dont use too many runic weapons, can only the RP take them? I thought another unit could in the codex.

So that is to confirm:

A Rune Axe is not S+1 AP2 Unweildy, and a Force Stave does not have S+2, AP4 Concussive -- regardless of how it is modeled, a runic weapon is S-User, AP3.

Correct?

What Insaniak said is how I have seen it being played in multiple locations by multiple people. So I as well agree that he is correct and I have read my friends space wolves codex and I admit its powerful and annoying but I believe that's how it operates.

Kavik - given only Rune Priests get access to the Runic Force weapon, your question is moot

It is, without any doubt, an unusual force weapon. T here only needs to be an official "answer" if you are looking for them to change the rule (i.e. make it "as modelled", or similar), as ther is no ambiguity. It has a special rule (wounds daemons on X) therefore it is an unusual force weapon.

 Barbarus wrote:
So that is to confirm:

A Rune Axe is not S+1 AP2 Unweildy, and a Force Stave does not have S+2, AP4 Concussive -- regardless of how it is modeled, a runic weapon is S-User, AP3.

Correct?

Yes, how the weapon is modeled is irrelevant, it's just an unusual force weapon.

 Barbarus wrote:
So that is to confirm:

A Rune Axe is not S+1 AP2 Unweildy, and a Force Stave does not have S+2, AP4 Concussive -- regardless of how it is modeled, a runic weapon is S-User, AP3.

Correct?

Corrrect. As it has a special rule, it is NOT a normal FW, but an unusual one, and has one single stat line no matter the model.

 Barbarus wrote:
So that is to confirm:

A Rune Axe is not S+1 AP2 Unweildy, and a Force Stave does not have S+2, AP4 Concussive -- regardless of how it is modeled, a runic weapon is S-User, AP3.

Correct?

except for Njal of course who has a force stave as per SW FAQ so he gets the S+2, AP4 concussive with an even better denial and wounding daemons. But he is Njal so...

One thing to note though - even if you have a Rune Weapon, Wolf Tail Talisman and the standard Deny The Witch you can still only attempt to stop a power once.

Q: Can I attempt to use a Rune Priest’s runic weapon, a Wolf Tail Talisman and make a Deny the Witch roll to nullify an enemy psychic power?
A: No. You can only make a single attempt to prevent an
enemy psychic power, so choose your method carefully.

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3440040a_Space_Wolves_v1.3_September_13.pdf