So in conjecture with my last post, I thought it only fair to also list the virtues that I think don't quite cut the mustard. Again with my usual disclaimers, it is my opinion, but it is also my opinion supported by fact and my blog. So nah, nah, nah! So, without further ado, what virtues should you be taking only if you want to truly fuck with your opponent's mind and tank your list building reputation.
#5: Virtue of the Joust
For 25 points, the knight re-rolls all failed to-hits when charging and using a lance. This is basically like having Hatred for a single round. Granted, for Bretonnians it's the most imperative round in which you well and truly want to make as many attacks as is possible, but that doesn't really excuse this virtue. Like a lot of things in the Bretonnian book, you have to pay more points that you would usually like to. Myself and most Bretonnain players have accepted that is something you simply have to do to play Bretonnians. But paying 25 points for Hatred for one character is ridiculous even without having to over-pay for everything anyway. Now, if it allowed the whole lance to doe this, then I would have no problem and may have made it unto the Top 5 Favorite Virtues List. However, it does not. It's not that the virtue is bad, it's simply that there are much better ones for a much more reasonable price that are much more utilitarian. Sorry Virtue of the Joust, you're just not cut out for competitive Bretonnian play.
#4: Virtue of the Penitent
For 40 points, the Knight is Stubborn, however he may not join any units, take any magical items, or ride either a Royal Pegasus and/or a Hippogryph. Stubborn is good, stubborn is very good especially for Bretonnia. I can even except not being able to join units. It fits with the fluff and I think it's a neat aspect. However, my acceptance of this virtue end here. Why can't he do those things?! The whole point of being Stubborn, as a lone character, is to load up on as many goddamned magical killing items as is possible and take the really cool, but vulnerable, monstrous mount so you can fly into an enemy's flank and then tear them a new asshole! If, he could take the items and mounts, I would be much more tolerant of this virtue, but as it is, it's just laughable. Unless you want to have a lone character (Paladin only) as the cheapest possible sticky chaff, then I see absolutely no reason why you should take this virtue. I think that if you do put this on a Lord, other Bretonnian players should be legally able to shoot you. Stupid virtue, stupid restrictions, should be wiped out completely, made 5 points or less, or modified and then reduced slightly in cost.
#3: Virtue of Audacity
For 30 points the knight may re-roll failed to-hit and to-wound rolls against enemies with a higher Strength then himself. This is perhaps the most ingenious idea for a virtue with the most ridiculous payoff. I think Bretonnian knights should have a virtue that benefits them fighting a more powerful opponent. It fits in with their fluff, it allows humans to compete with supernatural monstrosities, and it just seems really cool. But just re-rolling failed to-hits and to-wounds is horrible. Absolutely underwhelming. For 30 points, I think perhaps getting ASF in addition to re-rolls would be a lot more useful. Or +1 Attack for ever point of S difference between the two models and re-rolls would also be a lot more useful. However, they both would be fair. Again, almost everything in this book is overcosted, I understand that. But even by the standards in which it was written, somebody had to know that this was complete bullshit. This is definitely a virtue that needs to be re-tooled in the new book. While the Virtue of the Penitent is horrible all around, this is even worse. Why? Because it has such unique potential and then becomes horrible. Seriosuly, GW, if you're reading this. A for effort, F for execution. Try it again, but for the love of God, GET IT RIGHT!!!
#2: Virtue of Empathy
For 10 points, you get a knight who as the option to be fielded on foot. If he's not the army's General, units with the Peasant's Duty may use his leadership if he's within 12" rather than just the normal 6". Oh yeah, cause I've always wanted to take a Bretonnian knight on foot before! There are three conditions that must be met. First, this had better be put on your BSB, otherwise it's just not usable. Second, you better have a metric fuck-ton of Peasants in your army and a Grail Reliquae. Thirdly, you must under no circumstances field this knight on foot. If there is one saving grace to this virtue, it's the price. Even by 8th edition standards this is pretty well priced for what it does, in my opinion. I once fielded a list that included two Trebuchets, a block of fifty Men-At-Arm with full command, two groups of twenty Peasant Bowman with stakes and braziers, and a Grail Reliquae with as many Pilgrims as I could take. This all being tied in with a Questing Knight BSB with this virtue. It was relatively enjoyable to see what Peasants could actually do, and more often then not, could not do. If you're a fluff fanatic that absolutely MUST have an all Peasant army, then this is your virtue. I wouldn't mind seeing it again in the new book, but I would never take it. To me, it's one of those fluffy options GW likes to throw in their new books. Much like the 8th edition Anvil of Doom, fluffy and fun, but not in the least bit competitive.
#1: Virtue of the Ideal
Never hard of this one? There's a reason why. For 35 points your knight receives the following modifications to his stat line: +2WS, +1 Initiative, +1 Attack. He may not be the army's General and any units within 6" (even Peasants using his Leadership) suffer a Leadership decrease of -1. Why, for 35 points, does it even have the potential to have negative effects? This has got to be the most laughable virtue in the entire list. No amount of stat modification is worth a negative effect on Leadership for Bretonnians. Our combat outside the charge rely on high Leadership values to keep us sticking around and preventing us from loosing a free army-wide ward save. We need as much Leadership as we can get in grinding situations. This could be a +2 to all stats and I still don't think you'd see it ever. What makes this my least favorite virtue, because much like Flock of Doom in my Top 5 Least Favorite Spells From the BRB list, it's the only virtue with absolutely no potential. The negative effects of this virtue so outweigh it's stat increases, that's akin to taking 35 points to roll at -1 Leadership. A complete waste of ink. In the new book, I think it's savable. Perhaps if you could hybrid this with Virtue of the Penitent, it would make sense. A lone knight with the stat increases that can't ride anything but a horse, can't use magic items, is stubborn, and can't join units would be an effective chaff tool. So much so that you might see one in every Bretonnian army, much like Dark Riders are to Dark Elves. As it is, nothing is right with this virtue. If this virtue didn't make it into the next book, I might throw myself a little party.
So that's it, the last list I will be doing on Bretonnian Virtues until the next book. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and please comment below if you want to see more or less of what you're currently seeing on the blog. Until next time, peace!
No comments:
Post a Comment