This section contains the rules and background for some of the most destructive artefacts of the Skaven that pose a great threat to any who oppose the Children of the Horned Rat. In fact, the items are often dangerous to any who dare to wield the weapon as well. These may be used in addition to the magic items found in the Warhammer rulebook.
Magic Weapons
In the dim days of Skaven history, the Ratmen waged war against Nagash. To aid in their efforts to destroy this vile Necromancer, they forged this wicked sword, blending Gromril stolen from Karak Azgal with Warpstone. Incantations of doom were heaped upon the cursed blade. Death itself was bound to its cutting edge and any with eldritch sight can see the aura of power and ruin that surrounds the wicked creation. The result of their horrid labours was this long-bladed sword. Its blade is carved with baleful runes of doom and destruction. The weapon exudes power and malice, and those Skaven who use this weapon in battle are almost always consumed by the sword's hate. So deadly is the Fellblade that even its wielder will eventually succumb to its effects.
Warlord only. This foul sword gives the bearer Strength 10 and the Multiple Wounds (D6) special rule, and successful Ward Saves taken against wounds inflicted by the bearer in close combat must be re-rolled. Roll a D6 at the end of each of the wielder's turns; on a 3+ there is no effect. On a roll of 1-2 the wielder suffers 1 wound with no armour save allowed.
The Blade of Corruption has long been a treasured artefact from the days when Clan Pestilens haunted the lands of Lustria. The Skaven whisper that this weapon was forged in the earliest days of Skaven history and was cooled in the blood of Slann. This sword has been left for 13 days in the dreaded Cauldron of One Thousand Poxes. A vile weapon, it has a long wavy edge and drips a foul green fluid from its tip. Seething with the foul energies of pestilence, this blade, wielded by the favourite disciples of the Horned Rat brings corruption and death to those unfortunate enough to be struck by it.
The wielder of this sword always wounds on at least a 3+, regardless of the enemy's Toughness. For each wound suffered (after saves), the enemy model must pass a Toughness test or suffer an additional Wound, with no saves allowed.
Note that if Spinetail is included in your army, no other model may be given the Blade of Corruption from Warhammer: Skaven.
The Dwarf Slayer is an ancient blade fashioned by the Skaven when they battled against the Dwarfs for control of the World's Edge Mountains. Against Dwarfs, it inflicts horrendous wounds. Its curved blade is deeply etched with epithets and curses against the Dwarfish race, and each engraving is filled with the dried blood of countless stout folk.
All attacks made with this weapon are resolved at +1 Strength and have the Multiple Wounds (2) special rule. Against all models from Warhammer: Dwarfs, all hits have the Armour Piercing (1) special rule and the wielder may re-roll all failed rolls To Wound.
Magic Armour
Many suits of Dwarf-forged gromril have fallen into the clutches of the Skaven. These mastercrafted pieces of plate are often recrafted to make a patchwork protection with other pieces of scavenged armour. This is an ancient, decaying suit of armour, held together with the power of dark sorcery.
Medium armour. The first time the wearer is wounded by a Strength high enough to completely cancel his armour save, or is not permitted an armour save for any reason, the Wound is discounted, but the armour is completely destroyed.
Talismans
The Warpstone Amulet radiates disharmony, hostility and confusion, so that anyone who attacks its bearer becomes dazed and bewildered.
The Amulet confers to the bearer the Ward Save (4+) special rule. At the end of each of your turns, roll a D6. On the result of 1, the character succumbs to the mutating power of the warpstone and suffers a Wound with no saves allowed.
Arcane Items
Warpscrolls are powerful magic items inscribed upon the hide of living creatures using a special ink made from warpstone and the blood of an enemy slain through treachery. The ink causes agony and eventual death, but to be fully effective the hide must he flayed from the creature while it is still alive, and then cured using finely ground warpstone powder. When the potent spell upon the warpscroll is cast its victims suffer rapid and irreversible aging, shrivelling and dying in seconds. As their words are read aloud, the parchment crumbles to dust.
One use only. Bound Spell (power lever 6). The Warpscroll contains a direct damage spell with a range of 24". It inflicts a Strength 3 Hit on all models in the unit. If the unit suffers any casualties from the spell, they must also take a Panic test.
Enchanted Items
Skalm is a tar-like, foul smelling substance that Skaven smear on wounds and stumps to 'fix-quick' serious wounds and increase the rate of healing. It contains warpstone powder which burns and mutates the flesh around the wound leaving ugly twisted scars. Enough of the substance is even rumoured to prolong a Skaven's life -perhaps explaining the unnatural longevity of the current members of the Council of Thirteen. Only the strongest Skaven use Skalm... the weak are torn apart and devoured by their kin.
One use only. Skalm can be used at the beginning of any phase in either player's turn. The bearer recovers all Wounds suffered up to that point in the battle.
Skavenbrew is a bubbling concoction of warpstone dust, rare marsh herbs, mutant fungi and blood milked from all manner of foul creatures, used to improve the fighting abilities of slaves and clanrat warriors. The leader of a Skaven regiment will often carry a flask of Skavenbrew that he can give to his troops before going into battle. The effects of the brew are unpredictable: some steel the drinker to fearsome danger or instil him with killing fury; others drive the drinker into a frenzy of activity so strenuous that he eventually drops dead of exhaustion.
One use only. At the start of the game, a character carrying Skavenbrew can force a single unit of Clanrats or Stormvermin in base contact to guzzle the vile liquid. Skavenbrew only affects the unit, but no character models would be so unwise as to drink the potion. Roll a D6 and consult the table below:
D6 | Result |
1 | Gone Bad. The unit takes D6 Strength 3 automatic hits with the Ignores Armour Saves special rule. The Skavenbrew has no additional effect. |
2-3 | Inspired Hatred. The unit is subject to Hatred. |
4-5 | Frenzied. The unit is subject to Frenzy. |
6 | Rabid. The unit's metabolism is driven hyperactive, ramping up to a feverish pitch. The unit is subject to both Frenzy and Hatred. At the start of Skaven player's subsequent turns, the unit will take D6 automatic wounds as some of the ratmen collapse, hearts or brains bursting with fury. |
Magic Standards
The Sacred Standard is a ragged banned of flayed skin carried at the head of the Skaven army. Rendered in pigments distilled from blood and warpstone, this hide banner has become a tapestry of dread and evil. The runes seem to twist and move so that it can be read, in any language -"Gaze into the eyes of the Great Horned Rat and despair". No one can behold this ghastly symbol of death without a sense of foreboding.
All enemy units within 12" of this banner suffer a -1 penalty to their Leadership and enemy units in base contact with the bearer of this banner must re-roll any successful Leadership tests.
This ancient and tattered banner has the power to wrack the sky with storms, tearing the heavens apart with its fury.
One use only. The banner can be activated at the beginning of any player's turn. Within 24" of the banner, no model may use the Fly special rule and units are at -2 to be Hit with non-magical missile attacks. All non-magical missile attacks that do not use Ballistics Skill to hit need to roll a 4+ on a D6 before they can attempt to fire if they are within 24" of the banner. Roll a D6 at the beginning of each following player turn - the effects of the banner will end on a D6 roll of 4+.