CHRONICLES OF TACTICA III EXPEDITIONARY HIEROPHANT
Welcome back to Chronicles of Tactica, an article series where we delve into individual models in the Eldfall Chronicles range and explore their use on the skirmish tabletop. We will continue by rotating through the available factions, and next in line is one of the two current leader options for the Helian League: the Expeditionary Hierophant!
PROFILE CHARACTERISTICS & PLAYSTYLE
The Expeditionary Hierophant is another pricey model, sporting a high cost of 23 points and limited to one per party. While the Clan Champion offers unparalleled fighting prowess for a similar price, the Expeditionary Hierophant serves as the engine and centerpiece of your death star formation.
As a Mage, the Hierophant has access to Mana, which isn’t crucial for her but does allow some niche rerolls for Spells. The Vitalist Class, however, is key, enabling automatic success on all Healing Spells, of which there are several on her list. The Hierophant’s stats are not extraordinary, but her INT of 15 is the second highest in the game, and her ARM of 4 is impressively high for a caster. However, with an AG of only 11 and 1 HP, she is not built to take hits, so you’ll need to use your party’s tools (or her spell list) to protect her.
Her equipment includes the remarkable Staff of Light, which provides rerolls for spellcasting during the active turn, making her an extremely reliable caster. However, her true strength lies in her spell repertoire. With access to Hieromancy IV, she has a staggering eight Spells at her disposal. These can be roughly divided into defensive and offensive categories.
On the defensive side, she boasts powerful Healing Spells like Curative Miracle, protective Spells such as Protective Barrier (which can even cancel a Crit!), the anti-Spell Warding Barrier, and the useful panic button Blinding Light. On the offensive side, she has just one Spell, but it’s all she needs. Smite is one of the strongest in the game, featuring Casting Aura RCH, Targetless, Large Circular AOE, Burning, and Armor-Piercing Traits, making it difficult to avoid. Adding Clairvoyance to the mix ensures there is no hiding from this destructive incantation!
On the tabletop, the Hierophant acts as the centrepiece of your party, protecting members with her defensive tools, serving as both an artillery piece and an “ambulance” by blasting enemies with deadly Smites and healing teammates. However, she requires support from her team to stay safe from opposition tactics.
LEADER & STRATAGEMS
As a leader, she has access to only two Stratagems, but they are powerful. The first provides a straightforward +4 to M for your party. This may seem innocuous until you realize that the PW of Smite is based on the Hierophant’s M, making this boost significant. Her second Stratagem is one of the most powerful abilities in the game, allowing her to heal any model on the board regardless of LoS or distance and to revive Incapacitated models during the Strategic phase, ensuring they receive their AP in the Upkeep phase.
TOP UPGRADES
- First Aid,
- Gift of Longevity,
- Glyphscribe: Reduce Weight.
The first in line when talking about our favorite Upgrades is First Aid. We think it’s crucial to add a bit of insurance because if the Hierophant is taken out, it usually spells game over. First Aid gives you one “get out of jail free” card, forcing your opponent to commit even more resources to eliminate her.
Gift of Longevity boosts the stat you’ll use most often with +1 INT, enhancing the reliability of your Hierophant.
Glyphscribe: Reduce Weight is more offensively oriented. Choosing Inscribe Armor provides +1 SPD and +1 AG, addressing mobility weaknesses and increasing dodging reliability. The +1 AG also improves RCH for casting Smite, covering more of the table.
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