Views on Knight Venator

[Dracothjay]

Just wondering everyone's views on Knight Venator?

Does he have a place in a 2K list? Is he worth taking at all? Who likes him and who doesn't? 

[chord]

2 hours ago, Dracothjay said:

Just wondering everyone's views on Knight Venator?

Does he have a place in a 2K list? Is he worth taking at all? Who likes him and who doesn't? 

I've been running him along with a loremaster. I use hand of old on the venator, (re-roll failed attack/wound rolls).  That spell plus his 30" range help me control sections of the board. And if any wizard pops their up he can take them out..

For being on a 2K list I think it would depend on the rets of the list and the battleplan.

[rokapoke]

The issue I have with the Venator is that the Star-Fated Arrow tends to underperform. When it hits, it REALLY hits... however, I have a tendency to fail either the 2+ to hit or the 3+ to wound. If I get both through, your opponent can still make the save with a paltry -1 rend, so the once-per-game ability is often useless.

That said, his potential is so high that I often push him into my lists. Like I said, when it hits, it REALLY hits.

[Turragor]

I like the unit. It's a fast hero with good range and okay peppering ranged. It's actually much tankier than people expect, still a stormcast after all!

 

[Vespan]

I can think of many better ways to invest 120 points. Apart of that one special shot (which is indeed very strong, but somehow unrieliable) he seems avarage.

[Nico]

The new Gaunt Summoner.

4 Fanatics.

[EmmaFrost23]

I fully believe the Knight Venator is a 220 point model because you'll always want the loremast around to cast Hand of Glory. With an 18" range for the spell you can still keep Loremaster in cover while the Venator assassinates pesky wizards and smaller heroes. That coupled with the fact that the Star-Eagle still gets 3 attacks even when you use the Star-fated Arrow with an increased chance of getting the -3 rend with the reroll makes him a huge threat. If you have a Stardrake in your list as well you'll be casting Hand of Glory on a 4 (but that's already 720/820 points).

 

Of course this combination has an expiration date as eventually SE will get their own Allegiance Abilities and may limit the use of other factions in your list but for the time being you're always going to want a Loremaster with your Venator.

 

[Siegfried VII]

If you pay 100pts for the loremaster you can pay another 20 and get a second Knight Venator with a second Star Fated Arrow which I believe makes up for a better combination.

Other than that I have used him on many battles and as others have already said he is hit or miss. He either gives me a great advantage or he does nothing. The problem is that there are many rolls in order to make his one-shot really worth it. You need to hit, you need to wound, the opponent must fail the save roll and even then a d6 roll for damage can go south and you can do just 4 or 5 damage.

Perhaps if one invests on 3 of them to maxomize the damage chances?...

[Dracothjay]

Well i used him today in a 4 way battle at 1500 points. Chaos, sylvaneth and high elves were on the table and I brought a punchy SE list. Turn 1 went to me and in the shooting phase I one shotted his chaos general on juggernaut. Left him speechless and I though he was worth the 120 points. 

[AaronWilson]

I don't think he's a terrible option for 120 points, but it's not like he's going to clear your opponents board. He can do some reliable wounds to 4+ save units, can put pressure on characters and doesn't cost a bombshell.

[Dracothjay]

Exactly right. As stated previously, if he works, he's devastating. I one shotted my opponents khorne General last game with him, so he earns his points back and some! After his special shot was used, he was just around the board whittling units and laying wounds on. And don't forget if you roll a 6 to wound with celestial talons, -3 rend so that's pretty much a garuanteed wound.

[Turragor]

I view him like I view the vex - ret combo (though he's much less of a threat and much less of a cost):

He has the threat and reach to make your opponent change the way they play with certain units otherwise they make themselves vulnerable (a calculated risk). 

Depending on what you want to do on the board he can definitely be worth it.

[chord]

I wish some of the allegiance artifacts for order had bonuses to missile weapons

[Nico]

Quote

some of the allegiance artifacts for order had bonuses to missile weapons

Much of the rest of the forum is talking about how shooting is probably overpowered because after 15 odd armies GW finally made an army where you can stack buffs onto shooting units (other than TK - who were nerfed over a year ago)....

[Double Misfire]

2 hours ago, Nico said:

Much of the rest of the forum is talking about how shooting is probably overpowered because after 15 odd armies GW finally made an army where you can stack buffs onto shooting units (other than TK - who were nerfed over a year ago)....

Coughcoughcough, Runelords and 26" Quarrellers.

[Nico]

More than one type of buff stacking - write me when 40 Duardin models with 80 wounds and a 6+ ward can move 20 inches in one turn, fire 120 shots plus a further 40 exploding attacks and then fire 320 the next turn.

As good as Duardin are - you literally know where you stand - predictable range and squishy - you can send your cavalry into range when you get a chance of a double turn, or you can shoot them with longer ranged shooting. With Savage Orruks, the cavalry will hardly dent the unit (unless they are called Fulminators).