For a few weeks now, we’ve been asking the playtesting team for some tips on using every faction in the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar. The Idoneth Deepkin are no exception, so read on to learn all about the soulless, outcast aelves of the deep and dangerous seas.
Who Are the Idoneth Deepkin?
The story of these aelves is a tragic one. Teclis formed the Idoneth from souls prised from the belly of Slaanesh, but their corrupted spirits didn’t live up to the Archmage’s dreams. Unable to adjust to their new lives, the Idoneth fled from the powerful gaze of the god of magic, hiding in the inky depths of the seas.
Having weak and withered souls drives the Idoneth Deepkin to perform desperate raids. They use powerful magic to wrest the life-forces from their prey, transplanting the stolen souls into particularly afflicted aelves in an attempt to ensure the survival of their race.
During these raids, the troubled aelves bring the oceans with them in the form of the ethersea. This magical essence allows the beasts of the deep to swim through the air.
The Idoneth Deepkin forces crash upon their victims like a tidal wave of destruction, withdrawing like the ebbing tide when their grim work is complete. It’s worth mentioning they sometimes bring along deadly crabs too.
If you’re intrigued, we can’t blame you – check out The Court of the Blind King, a novel that takes you under the sea to learn more about this strange and sinister race of aelves. If you’d prefer a quick primer, this interview with Ben Johnson about the Idoneth Deepkin is well worth a watch.
To get to the bottom of this unfathomable army, we asked the playtesting team for some suggestions on how to make the most of the Idoneth Deepkin. James Tinsdale (maybe you read his write-up for the Nighthaunt?) was happy to take a deep dive.
James: In the new edition, the Idoneth Deepkin continue to evolve, gaining access to a raft of new abilities. Isharann and Akhelian Heroes like the Tidecaster and High King Volturnos can now stick around for longer, thanks to Heroic Recovery.
Being a Priest, the Isharann Soulscryer can take advantage of Heroic Willpower in addition to unbinding enemy spells and banishing invocations. This provides more magical defence than ever before.
As the new edition moves towards great Monster battles, the Akhelian Leviadon gains additional benefits from the monstrous rampage rules. This grants the army the ability to threaten terrain and reduce enemy commands being issued. These tactics really suit the shock impact the Idoneth Deepkin are looking to take advantage of.
The new way in which command points are distributed during each battle round also provides the army with more flexibility than ever before. Now each fresh tide comes with a wave of possibilities.
Biggest Winners
One of the best things about the new edition is figuring out how it will impact your collection or help you lean towards a new army based on their play style. James gave us some tips by telling us why he likes these three units.
Namarti Thralls
James: The new edition revitalises the fantastic Namarti Thralls, who excel at everything from Monster hunting to mowing down hordes. Utilising the new Rally command ability to replenish their numbers, alongside an Isharann Soulrender’s Lurelight ability, large units of Namarti Thralls become a persistent threat.
The unit regeneration allows Namarti Thralls to contribute to battle tactics* such as Conquer while not being at the forefront of the attack until you use the High Tide ability. When the unit does get stuck in, their Sweeping Blows allow them to defend or take objectives with relative ease.
Couple this with the All-out Attack command ability issued by the unit’s champion, and you have a huge counter-attack your opponent won't see coming.
Morrsarr Guard
James: At the forefront of every Idoneth Deepkin force are the Morsarr Guard. One of the most aggressive units in the game just gained great new delivery systems. Each unit’s Prince can issue an All-out Attack command ability which, when combined with the Eidolon of Mathlann’s ability, Drench With Hate, makes them an extremely efficient unit.
The Morsarr Guard are poised to cement their place as one of the best spearhead units in the game, charging out from the sea of nightmares ready to harvest souls for their Namarti brethren.
Namarti Reavers
James: Namarti Reavers are a fantastic supporting unit. Taking advantage of Unleash Hell, they can combine their ability with their whisperbows’ Storm Fire – giving them three shots each into a charging unit. The Namarti Reavers are potent when they work in concert with units like Ishlaen Guard.
Thank you for the stellar advice, James. Taking their place among the aelven races of the Mortal Realms, the Idoneth Deepkin are preparing to reap a bumper crop of souls in the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Make sure you’re ready to ride the wave – grab a Start Collecting! Idoneth Deepkin box plus some Namarti Reavers to stick it to your enemies. If you’re thinking about how to paint them up, this stunning army offers up some inspiration.
Thirsty for more information about how each faction will fare in the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar? Set a reminder to check back tomorrow to take a look at what’s new for the braying Beasts of Chaos.
* Battle tactics are turn-by-turn objectives in matched play games – achieve them to net victory points.