Do you like / dislike subfaction allegiances that lock your trait / artefact choices?

[decker_cky]

I wish there were another way to get command abilities into the game - there are a lot of neat flavourful command abilities that are never seen because subfactions are inevitably better. Tzeentch is particularly bad - theres some amazing command abilities that you'll never see because the subfactions are so strong.

[amysrevenge]

I don't like it how it was done at first.  I played Stormcast as my main army for a few months, and since I was painted as Anvils, I always picked Anvils.  What that means is that I literally have no idea what any of the SCE command abilites and artefacts are - I never once took a single one in dozens of games.

I do like how it's done in the Slaves to Darkness book, where each of the subfactions has its own full list rather than a single item - you're still locked down by the subfaction, but at least you still get a choice.

[bsharitt]

I guess I don't mind too much since I usually forget to use my artifacts and command traits any way. Of course I also forget to use my sub faction abilities too so it's kind of a wash unless it's an army building perk like different battleline, in which case I guess it's a win.

[Marrlfox]

I don't mind artifacts because there are ways to get more but being stuck with a specific command trait means most of the time I don't even read the faction command traits as almost none of them (outside of a few exceptions) are good enough to turn down an army wide buff. Maybe if we could buy a command trait or something I'd mind less but it kills a section of list building for me.

[Casandora Yellow]

21 hours ago, Ahriman said:

 

Several times while planning out my Hallowed Knights army I've wondered why my Lord-Celestant - Lady Cassandora - 

I approve of this name.👍

[NoMaDhOoK]

I don't mind too much. And I can definitely understand that while it limits our freedom, it gives GW more freedom to create more unique subfactions that may not work / be broken if we could mix. 

 

Maybe somewhere in between could work. Where each subfaction could have 3 traits and 3 Artifacts to choose from (that differs between subfactions) . So still somewhat restrictive with a little customization 

Edited January 24, 2020 by NoMaDhOoK

[TheMuphinMan]

I wish the subfactions were more like battalions where they reward you to sticking to a theme. If you meet these conditions in your listbuilding you qualify for this subfaction, kind of like ironjawz/bonesplitterz vs big waagh.

Like if let's say you have a nurgle list with only nurglings, beasts, bilepipers, GUOs, and maybe Twiceborn unlock the "Plague Parade" or whatever subfaction giving the bilepiper prayer-like songs, beast/nurgling battleline, and Twiceborn gets some buff. 

[swarmofseals]

note: I did not read any other responses, so if I repeat something said by someone else I apologize!

I voted mixed opinion. I think it can be a useful balancing mechanism and certainly allows for some more interesting "free" traits, but at the same time I like the Cities of Sigmar version better (where the universal allegiance package is quite lean and most of the abilities come with the faction choice).

I think that part of the problem is really just the way that GW presents the abilities in the books. They present the command abilities and artefact lists separately from the subfaction choice, which leads to a sense of losing something by being forced to take a specific ability or artefact with your subfaction.

Instead, GW could present it as "choose from one of these subfactions, or design your own faction using one of the command abilities and artefacts listed below" that way it's presented as a choice that you gain by designing your own subfaction instead of a choice that you lose by picking an existing subfaction.

[Sapca]

As DoK player there's not really a choice.

There's one or two competitive HagNarr builds. And I think this is bad.

I tried playing Khailebron Shadowhammer Compact, Draichi Ganeth Slaughter Troupe, Khailebron Magic Overload... (never ever even considered The Kraith) but games were 'fun' just in extremely casual setting.

In tiny bit competitive those lists just got stomped and matches were not fun... you know it's bad when you're tabled at end of turn2.

I would love the choice even if it locks CT/Artifact if GW would balance it faster. So Mixed.

[dekay]

I dislike how it's *implemented* given that subfactions are still wildly unbalanced in some books, but I very much like it as a concept - it's one more tool to manage internal balance and those are needed because not everything can be done with points. Restricting options that way makes it much easier for designers to think of all the possibilities.

What I don't like is, as mentioned, that despite it being a good idea it still doesn't work, and that it's sometimes easy to circumvent (If your army is from subfaction X, your Megaboss general must take trait Y... so you just make another character your general) This feels weird. 

[whispersofblood]

12 hours ago, Sapca said:

As DoK player there's not really a choice.

There's one or two competitive HagNarr builds. And I think this is bad.

I tried playing Khailebron Shadowhammer Compact, Draichi Ganeth Slaughter Troupe, Khailebron Magic Overload... (never ever even considered The Kraith) but games were 'fun' just in extremely casual setting.

In tiny bit competitive those lists just got stomped and matches were not fun... you know it's bad when you're tabled at end of turn2.

I would love the choice even if it locks CT/Artifact if GW would balance it faster. So Mixed.

Just as an aside there is a very competitive Kraith build, but it's very different from the traditional.