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So I have been thinking about this for some time, and we usually just have our own house rule for this when playing in our FLGS, but I'm wondering if there is an official answer for this.

If your Warlord rolls a trait he can't possible use, for example a Tank Commander in an IG army rolling "Implacable Determination" (gives your Warlord and his unit Relentless), what happens then? I know that if you have a Battle Forged list you can reroll your trait, but is there a special rule for when the trait is un-usable?

We just reroll it here in our circle of players, since the trait can actually impact the game quite a bit it's not fair if you get one you can't use. So what do you say? I can't find any concrete answer (I'm not the best at looking for rules, so if it's in plain text in the BRB somewhere, I apologize).

RAW: no re-roll, unless your list is battleforged. No re-roll after the re-roll.
How your group plays it, is entirely up to your group.

This is entirely the problem with the current Warlord Trait system: the chance of getting something awesome against the chance of rolling something useless, or something the guy already has.


The best workaround I've come across while still keeping things random (which you more or less have to unless you're going to add points costs for the Traits) is to allow players to roll first, and then select which table they're going to select from.


Doesn't help anyone who is only allowed to select from a single table, though.

 insaniak wrote:
The best workaround I've come across while still keeping things random (which you more or less have to unless you're going to add points costs for the Traits) is to allow players to roll first, and then select which table they're going to select from.

Aye, we've used that method too. It's certainly a lot better for armies that still don't have their own Warlord traits - those that have a list of their own usually have traits that work for their HQs or even a trait already selected for named HQs.

What I personally find more galling than "can't use" is a trait that makes no sense on your Warlord, like getting a melee trait on someone who desperately wants to avoid melee. It's not useless, just not something you'd ever want.

I do know for something like Tau it says you can reroll but I guess if it doesn't say it you have to have it.

I just posted how I handled it here http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/671989.page

essentially choose 1 trait from each applicable list (dont use tactical table for non-tactical obj games)

then choose traits from any list until you have 6 total, roll on that selection of 6... that way you dont get traits that are useless, but it's still got a random element so you still have the 1 in 6 of getting your "ideal" trait

and since most people play the same or similar lists you can just keep your own warlord trait list for future games

First relentless is applicable: it is just also redundant(the tank commander and his unit now have the rule twice). You have the trait it just doesn't really have an effect.

Second: I don't have my AM book on me but isn't the relentless trait #4? The tank commander rolls a d3; he can never roll that trait.

As far as other warlords rolling traits that grant rules they already have: officially there are very few ways to re-roll the trait(CAD, some other FOC-detatchments, some of the new group of formation detachments), and many that grant a rule the warlord already has also grant it to his unit(so there is still a benefit to be had there. Finally you get into the few that grant a rule just to the warlord(whether the effevts of the rule confer to the unit by nature of the rule or not doesn't matter) and the warlord may already have that rule; in these rare cases you could just view it as I do: now appreciable warlord trait(traits are free after all; effectively not having one is the same as nominating a non-character as warlord)

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS roll them damn Eldar warlord trait that let's me run an extra inch when my warlord is on a jetbike and cannot run.

Half the time I re-roll the same thing.

 Kommissar Kel wrote:
First relentless is applicable: it is just also redundant(the tank commander and his unit now have the rule twice). You have the trait it just doesn't really have an effect.

Second: I don't have my AM book on me but isn't the relentless trait #4? The tank commander rolls a d3; he can never roll that trait.

As far as other warlords rolling traits that grant rules they already have: officially there are very few ways to re-roll the trait(CAD, some other FOC-detatchments, some of the new group of formation detachments), and many that grant a rule the warlord already has also grant it to his unit(so there is still a benefit to be had there. Finally you get into the few that grant a rule just to the warlord(whether the effevts of the rule confer to the unit by nature of the rule or not doesn't matter) and the warlord may already have that rule; in these rare cases you could just view it as I do: now appreciable warlord trait(traits are free after all; effectively not having one is the same as nominating a non-character as warlord)

Ah yes, I forgot about the Tank Commander rolling a D3 instead, but the question still remained. Still, there must be some either non-applicable or redundant (as in getting a rule you already have) examples out there. Now if there was an official answer to this I guess someone would have written it by now, so I'm just gonna assume there is none. Thanks for your suggestions though, they seem interesting!

 alleus wrote:
I know that if you have a Battle Forged list you can reroll your trait, but is there a special rule for when the trait is un-usable?

Just a little side note, being Battle Forged does not allow you to reroll the Trait, the detachment's rules allow for that. True is the fact that most Battle-Forged detachments do provide for it, but if my Warlord is in a Detachment which specifically does not allow for the Warlord Trait reroll, then I do not have access to it.

For example, if my Warlord is in the Reclamation Legion, he does not get to reroll his Trait, even when the army is Battle-Forged. However, if he is in the Royal Court, he can reroll his Necrons Warlord Trait, even if the army is Unbound.

It's also worth pointing out the trait cards may have different rules to the codex.

The one I know of is tau 7th. The book allows a reroll if you get a trait that cannot be used eg no shooting weapons. This of course works once - no rerolling a reroll.

The cards tell you to discard the card and draw again. It eliminates the chance of the same one reoccurring.

nosferatu1001 wrote:
It's also worth pointing out the trait cards may have different rules to the codex.

The one I know of is tau 7th. The book allows a reroll if you get a trait that cannot be used eg no shooting weapons. This of course works once - no rerolling a reroll.

The cards tell you to discard the card and draw again. It eliminates the chance of the same one reoccurring.

That seems to logical to be real! Jk.. I noticed that as well.

While we are talking about worthless traits.. I feel like there are too many traits that are army specific.. yet terrible when compared to some of the BRB traits.

For example.. Tau or FSE, i forget which, has a Once per Game: 12" bubble reroll 1s during shooting phase, whereas, the BRB has a 12" bubble reroll 1s during shooting phase (every phase not just once)

There are a few more that I regularly see as well. Little disappointing when you see that.