PART I
Alright, I deicded to present my fandex in four parts. This is first part and it will cover special rules, warlord traits and psychic powers.
Tyranid Special Rules:
SYNAPSE CREATURE - here everything stays the same, 12" range and fearless.
INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIUOR - here I would change IB tables only. I like 3 types of IB, the table would look like this:
1 – cannibalistic hunger, burrow and hide, survive
2-5 – devour, prowl, seek cover
6 – kill, destroy, stalk
So all it's done here is simply reducing negative effects of IB to roll of „1”. On 2-5 units are still able to move and sufer restrictions in either shooting or assaulting phase only.
SHADOW IN THE WARP - there are many good ideas, how to make enemy psykers less effective. My favourite is this one:
Enemy psyker will suffer +2 modificator to the result of harness the warp roll. I don't know if I speak clear here, so psyker will harness the warp on 6+ instead on standard 4+. If psyker harness the warp on 3+ (like eldar seer council) it will now pass it on 5+ instead. Libarius conclave would harness the warp on 4+ (instead of 2+), while within 12" range of one or more synapse creatures.
In this case we harm psykers, but new GW formations like seer council and librarius conclave are still more effective than regular psykers.
LIVING TIDE - this is the new tyranid special rule that I want to introduce. Well it's not really new, because we already know it from endless swarm, skyblight and sporefield formations. It goes like this:
Every time a unit with living tide special rule is destroyed (all models from that units excluding any attached ICs), You immediately roll a die (living tide test), on 4+ the destroyed unit is put back into ongoing reserves. The new unit is identical as destroyed unit, it has same number of models, same weapons, upgrades and share all the special rules it used to have (like outflank from hive commander for instance) and award further VP when destroyed (kill points). New unit will arrive from reserves next turn using standard method, deepstrike (if it is possible) or outflank (if it is possible).
Tyranid Warlord Traits:
Here I would drop certain upgrades and make them warlord traits:
1. Hive Commander - warlord and single unit from troops slot gain infiltrate special rule. This is combination of actual hive commander and cunning foe (HFD). Apart from outflank the chosen troops unit may also infiltrate.
2. Old Adversary - warlord and every friendly unit within 6" gain preferred enemy special rule. This is old adversary from 5th edition.
3. Synaptic Lynchpin - warlord adds 6" to its synapse range. This trait wa quite useful in my opinion.
4. Indiscribable Horror - warlord has fear special rule. Furthermore enemy units must pass all fear tests on 3d6 ld test instead usual 2d6. Maybe it's not the best warlord trait, but failing the fear test means WS1, which can be helpful.
5. Alien Cunning - while warlord is alive, You may choose to reroll seize the initiative and all reserve rolls.
6. Counter-Psyker - warlord's 'synapse creature' special rule grants both fearless and adamantium will.
These would be warlord traits. I think they are better than what we had in 6th edition codex (and HFD), however, there will be no more upgrades like these ones.
Tyranid Psychic Powers:
As for psychic powers, the easiest way to fix most issues would be access to BRB powers, but that is not very fluffy. I went for 2 psychic tables: mental and biologic (also behavioural).
MENTAL POWERS:
0. Dominion - just like it is now, blessing with +6" to synapse range. Targets psyker. WC 1
1. Spirit Leech - witchfire that targets a non-vehicle enemy unit within 18". When hit, that unit must take a ld test on 3D6. If the test is failed, the enemy unit suffers 1 wound for each point the test was failed by, with no armour or cover saves allowed. Add 1 dice to your warp charge pool for each wound inflicted by spirit leech. These additional dice can only be used by the unit that manifested spirit leech, but can be used to manifest any other psychic power. WC 1
2. Hypnotic Gaze - malediction, 24". Affected enemy unit may not fire overwatch and its Initiative is reduced to I1, until the start of their next turn. This is fixed horror power. Pinned units may not fire overwatch and there are no penlaties for charging through difficult terrain. However hypnotic gaze can affect fearless units. WC 1
3. Warp Shield - blessing that targets friendly units within 24". Grants 5++. If targeted unit already has 5++ or better, it may add +1 to its inv save (to mximum of 2++) instead. This is the power we lack in our dex - the inv save. Now maleceptor could have 4++ and zoanthropes could have 2++. WC 1
4. Aura of Despair - blessing that targets psyker. While in effect all enemy units within 12" of the psyker, suffer -3 modificator to their ld. Vehicles are unaffected. This power compensate old shadow of the warp, but affects all units, not psykers only. WC 1
5. Psychic Scream - nova 12". Every enemy unit must take 3d6 ld test (vehicles are traeted as ld10). If the test is failed, the enemy unit suffers 1 wound for each point the test was failed by, with no armour or cover saves allowed. Vehicles suffer glanicng hits with no cover saves for each point the test was failed. This is combination of psychic scream and psychic overload. WC 2
6. Warp Blast - this power has 3 modes of shooting:
-18" S5 AP3 Large Blast - WC 1
-18" S10 AP2 Lance - WC 2
-18" S D AP1 - WC 3
The range has been reduced to 18" for blast option, but it's now large blast and 1 WC cheaper. We also would have access to D strength psychic power.
BIOLOGICAL POWERS
0. Aggressive Behaviour - blessing that targets single friendly unit within 24". The targeted unit gains zealot special rule. This is game changer imo. Hatred helps with overall WS3 and fearless removes the obligatory babbysitter synapse creature. WC 1
1. Catalyst - just like it is now, blessing that confers fnp to psyker and friendly unit within 12". WC 1
2. Digestive Denial - malediction that targets enemy unit within 12". Affected unit may not use cover saves. WC 1
3. Onslaught - blessing that targets friendly unit within 18". Targeted unit may run and either shoot or charge. Here onslaught is more universal, can improve both shooting and CC units WC 1
4. Paroxysm - malediction 24". Reduces both WS and BS to WS1 and BS1. Back to old 5th edition paroxysm. WC 1
5. Sharp Claws and Fangs - blessing that target friendly unit within 18". All models in that unit gain rending special rule with their CC attacks. If models already have rending special rule, the "rending effect" happens on 5 and 6 instead. This power is also very important as now our little guys like rippers, hormagaunts, termagants can wound WK. Units with rending would cause auto wounds with AP2 on 5s and 6s. WC 1
6. Living Ammunition - blessing that targets friendly unit within 12". All ranged weapons have shred special rule. WC 2
These are my fandex special rules, warlord traits and psychic powers. Feel free to comment
Next part will be: weapons, biomorphs and bio-artefects.