Post by justanotherhivemind on Mar 6, 2019 0:20:26 GMT
I wanted to make a comprehensive Tier list for out units after CA. I put this in the Tyranid sub-reddit but felt it might be useful here as well. I will update the list as people share their thoughts and experiences on the units and as when the new FAQ comes. This is made with pure Nids in mind. Thank you to anyone who wants to contribute! Tiers will be 1-5.
Tier 1: Your must haves.
Tier 2: Commonly used units.
Tier 3: These are sometimes included and can be great with proper support.
Tier 4: These models are very Niche. Some only used to fill out cheap detachments. Maybe used in very specific circumstances.
Tier 5: Little to no competitive use.
TIER 1
Troop
- Genestealers - If a squad of 20 charges a t4 unit you usually don't even have to roll... just remove that unit from the table. 4 attacks per model when 10 units or more? With a 5 up invul!? A free Acid Maw (Power Sword) upgrade for every 4 models?! Yeah this is a must have. They're great in any hive fleet aside from Kronos.
- Ripper Swarms - The deep striking objective holders! These guys win games on their own.
Elite
- Hive Guard - These are arguably the best shooting unit in the Tyranid Codex. Hive Guard are the best unit to deal damage to t7-t8 units. Take them in 1 squad of 6, keep them out of line of sight, and give them an HQ to babysit. Single Minded Annihilation lets them shoot twice. They don't even need line of sight.
TIER 2
HQ
- Hive Tyrant - This bug is one of the few "big bugs" to have an invul save and tons of utility.
- Malanthrope - This creepy bug is a little expensive, but it's arguably better than Venomthropes as it's a character.
- Neurothrope - Our best backfield synapse! It's affordable, a psycher, hard to shoot at due to the character keyword, and a must have for any army that tuns Hive Guard (which you probably should be)
- Old One Eye - This bad MF can't be shot at and hit with a nasty S14 attack.
Troop
- Hormaguants - With a 6" Pile in and Consolidate these quick little Gaunts can bog down the enemy gunline and even kill some Guardmen. When used correctly they can ruin your opponents plans with very little effort.
TIER 3
HQ
- Tyranid Prime - With the point drop it has a place as our cheapest HQ, but really unless you're running warriors he doesn't have much to offer outside of being cheap. It's a damn shame we can't put a Venom Canon on it. If you don't need the Psychic powers of a Neurothrope this would be worth it.
Troop
- Tyranid Warriors - These generalists are a little expensive for what they do. They can't melee as well as Genestealers and that can't shoot as cheaply as Devigants. They can be good at both, and do provide synapse. I think they really suffer from a high point cost for what they offer. They can be great in the right circumstances.
Elite
- Deathleaper - It can be good with the right build. It had some success with Nick Rose at LVO in a GSC soup list. Might be a good option against the Imperial Assassins.
- Pyrovore - With the point drop they can really cause a problem for your opponent. They're even better with Jormungandr or a Trygon. You can also just run them up in Kraken. We need a plastic kit!
- Tyrant Guard - These guys can be great can openers with Crushing Claws or a way to keep your Hive Tyrant/Swarmlord alive. They're a bit expensive, but they certainly have their place in this meta. Recently used at LVO.
- Venomthrope - If these units weren't easy to target, or were 5 points cheaper they would be much higher on this list. You really need at least 5 to make good use of them. For that price you may as well run a Malanthrope who fulfills a HQ slot. They can be fantastic in Jormungandr.
- Zoanthrope - These are great if you need more smite on your team. They're best when deep striking into enemy territory with Jormungandr. They also have a 3 up unvul save. They're a bit expensive but they can fill a role.
Fast Attack
- Gargoyles - These are fantastic if you have the points for them. They make great screening units. These would be great in Hive Fleet Hydra.
- Raveners - These guys can be fantastic in Jormungandr. Probably the best way to take them.
Heavy Support
- Biovore - These are awesome units. The only downside is they're resin models! Can we get a plastic kit please?
- Exocrine - After the point drop we can use this as a great support to Hive Guard. Use it to deal with MEQ and TEQ units. Best used in a Kronos detachment.
- Tyrannofex - After the point drop this can be a solid anti-tank monster. It’s also a fantastic heavy flamer with Acid Spray especially in Jormangundr (It becomes a T8 with a 2+ save). It turns into a model that can stand on its own. Synapse doesn’t mater since Acid Spray auto-hits making it very hard to charge.
TIER 4
Elite
- Lictor - You pretty much only use this for a cheap detachment unit or a cheap and cheerful distraction unit.
Fast Attack
- Mucolid Spore - Good for a cheap brigade detachment.
- Spore Mines - Good for a cheap brigade detachment.
Heavy Support
- Trygon/Trygon Prime - This bug has fallen from favor after the deep strike beta rules, but they can still be useful as a transport or to attack light vehicles.
Flyer
- Harpy - With the points drop it can be a good way to deal with other Swarm armies (With Stranglethorn Cannon), but it doesn't do anything our other units can't do better.
Dedicated Transport
- Tyrannocyte - With the point drop it can be good with a group of Devigants or dropping a Monster.
Fortification
- Sporocyst - It can be a great distraction unit and has been good in every game I've used it. Not amazing but pretty good. If you have the points and want a way to spread synapse and give you opponent something to think about turn 1 check it out.
TIER 5
HQ
- Tervigon - Even after the point drop it's still more affordable to run more Gants. It can only respawn fleshbore gants, it doesn't have an invul, and if it dies it can kill your own gants. It really needs a rule change.
Elite
- Haruspex - This guy doesn't fulfill any role we need... He needs a rule update. I don't see how anyone could take this in any competitive list. Maybe if he had an invul save? He can't do anything a Carnifex can't do better and cheaper.
- Malceptor - I love this model!! Unfortunately it's a bit expensive for it's lack of attacks and customization. It doesn't help that it's fulfilling a similar role to a Hive Tyrant without being an HQ and only knowing one Psychic Power. If he was say 140 points weapons included I think he would see more play.
Fast Attack
- Dimachaeron - Overpriced, poor rules, no invul save, and doesn't do anything a Carnifex can't do better.
- Meiotic Spore - Really not doing much for us.
- Tyranid Shrikes - Warriors with wings that aren't troops. I wish they were just warrior upgrades.
- Sky-slasher Swarms - May as well run Ripper Swarms.
Heavy Support
- Mawloc - With the deep strike beta rules this guy needs a rule change.
- Toxicrene - This Nid doesn't know what it wants to do. It should be a tank killer, but it ends up being more of a TEQ killer (and it's not great at that either). It also has trouble making it into combat. This bug needs a rule change. It's basically a glorified Carnifex with no options.
Flyer
- Hive Crone - This doesn't do anything we need. If it was harder to hit like most flying vehicles it might be worth it, but it's basically a flying vehicle hunter.
Lord of War
- Tyranid Barbed Hierodule
- Tyranid Harridan
- Tyranid Hierophant Bio-Titan
- Tyranid Scythed Hierodule
Tier 1: Your must haves.
Tier 2: Commonly used units.
Tier 3: These are sometimes included and can be great with proper support.
Tier 4: These models are very Niche. Some only used to fill out cheap detachments. Maybe used in very specific circumstances.
Tier 5: Little to no competitive use.
HQ
- Broodlord - After the 45 point drop this bug is a fantastic budget forward synapse provider especially if you are running Genestealers!
- Swarmlord - After the massive 50 point drop it's fantastic for any list that wants to get in your opponents face asap.Troop
- Genestealers - If a squad of 20 charges a t4 unit you usually don't even have to roll... just remove that unit from the table. 4 attacks per model when 10 units or more? With a 5 up invul!? A free Acid Maw (Power Sword) upgrade for every 4 models?! Yeah this is a must have. They're great in any hive fleet aside from Kronos.
- Ripper Swarms - The deep striking objective holders! These guys win games on their own.
Elite
- Hive Guard - These are arguably the best shooting unit in the Tyranid Codex. Hive Guard are the best unit to deal damage to t7-t8 units. Take them in 1 squad of 6, keep them out of line of sight, and give them an HQ to babysit. Single Minded Annihilation lets them shoot twice. They don't even need line of sight.
TIER 2
HQ
- Hive Tyrant - This bug is one of the few "big bugs" to have an invul save and tons of utility.
- Malanthrope - This creepy bug is a little expensive, but it's arguably better than Venomthropes as it's a character.
- Neurothrope - Our best backfield synapse! It's affordable, a psycher, hard to shoot at due to the character keyword, and a must have for any army that tuns Hive Guard (which you probably should be)
- Old One Eye - This bad MF can't be shot at and hit with a nasty S14 attack.
Troop
- Hormaguants - With a 6" Pile in and Consolidate these quick little Gaunts can bog down the enemy gunline and even kill some Guardmen. When used correctly they can ruin your opponents plans with very little effort.
- Termagants - These are our cheapest troop choice per model and they are a staple of almost every Tyranid army. With Devourers they become affordable Shock Troops and can really put the hurt on your opponent given the right matchup.
Heavy Support
- Carnifex (And all it's various options) - These are your Swiss Army Knife unit. They can do anything you kit them out for.
- Carnifex (And all it's various options) - These are your Swiss Army Knife unit. They can do anything you kit them out for.
HQ
- Tyranid Prime - With the point drop it has a place as our cheapest HQ, but really unless you're running warriors he doesn't have much to offer outside of being cheap. It's a damn shame we can't put a Venom Canon on it. If you don't need the Psychic powers of a Neurothrope this would be worth it.
Troop
- Tyranid Warriors - These generalists are a little expensive for what they do. They can't melee as well as Genestealers and that can't shoot as cheaply as Devigants. They can be good at both, and do provide synapse. I think they really suffer from a high point cost for what they offer. They can be great in the right circumstances.
Elite
- Deathleaper - It can be good with the right build. It had some success with Nick Rose at LVO in a GSC soup list. Might be a good option against the Imperial Assassins.
- Pyrovore - With the point drop they can really cause a problem for your opponent. They're even better with Jormungandr or a Trygon. You can also just run them up in Kraken. We need a plastic kit!
- Tyrant Guard - These guys can be great can openers with Crushing Claws or a way to keep your Hive Tyrant/Swarmlord alive. They're a bit expensive, but they certainly have their place in this meta. Recently used at LVO.
- Venomthrope - If these units weren't easy to target, or were 5 points cheaper they would be much higher on this list. You really need at least 5 to make good use of them. For that price you may as well run a Malanthrope who fulfills a HQ slot. They can be fantastic in Jormungandr.
- Zoanthrope - These are great if you need more smite on your team. They're best when deep striking into enemy territory with Jormungandr. They also have a 3 up unvul save. They're a bit expensive but they can fill a role.
Fast Attack
- Gargoyles - These are fantastic if you have the points for them. They make great screening units. These would be great in Hive Fleet Hydra.
- Raveners - These guys can be fantastic in Jormungandr. Probably the best way to take them.
Heavy Support
- Biovore - These are awesome units. The only downside is they're resin models! Can we get a plastic kit please?
- Exocrine - After the point drop we can use this as a great support to Hive Guard. Use it to deal with MEQ and TEQ units. Best used in a Kronos detachment.
- Tyrannofex - After the point drop this can be a solid anti-tank monster. It’s also a fantastic heavy flamer with Acid Spray especially in Jormangundr (It becomes a T8 with a 2+ save). It turns into a model that can stand on its own. Synapse doesn’t mater since Acid Spray auto-hits making it very hard to charge.
Elite
- Lictor - You pretty much only use this for a cheap detachment unit or a cheap and cheerful distraction unit.
- The Red Terror - He's great if you're running a lot of Raveners. Great in Jormungandr if you only want to bring a few models with it (such as Zoanthropes).
Fast Attack
- Mucolid Spore - Good for a cheap brigade detachment.
- Spore Mines - Good for a cheap brigade detachment.
Heavy Support
- Trygon/Trygon Prime - This bug has fallen from favor after the deep strike beta rules, but they can still be useful as a transport or to attack light vehicles.
Flyer
- Harpy - With the points drop it can be a good way to deal with other Swarm armies (With Stranglethorn Cannon), but it doesn't do anything our other units can't do better.
Dedicated Transport
- Tyrannocyte - With the point drop it can be good with a group of Devigants or dropping a Monster.
Fortification
- Sporocyst - It can be a great distraction unit and has been good in every game I've used it. Not amazing but pretty good. If you have the points and want a way to spread synapse and give you opponent something to think about turn 1 check it out.
HQ
- Tervigon - Even after the point drop it's still more affordable to run more Gants. It can only respawn fleshbore gants, it doesn't have an invul, and if it dies it can kill your own gants. It really needs a rule change.
Elite
- Haruspex - This guy doesn't fulfill any role we need... He needs a rule update. I don't see how anyone could take this in any competitive list. Maybe if he had an invul save? He can't do anything a Carnifex can't do better and cheaper.
- Malceptor - I love this model!! Unfortunately it's a bit expensive for it's lack of attacks and customization. It doesn't help that it's fulfilling a similar role to a Hive Tyrant without being an HQ and only knowing one Psychic Power. If he was say 140 points weapons included I think he would see more play.
Fast Attack
- Dimachaeron - Overpriced, poor rules, no invul save, and doesn't do anything a Carnifex can't do better.
- Meiotic Spore - Really not doing much for us.
- Tyranid Shrikes - Warriors with wings that aren't troops. I wish they were just warrior upgrades.
- Sky-slasher Swarms - May as well run Ripper Swarms.
Heavy Support
- Mawloc - With the deep strike beta rules this guy needs a rule change.
- Toxicrene - This Nid doesn't know what it wants to do. It should be a tank killer, but it ends up being more of a TEQ killer (and it's not great at that either). It also has trouble making it into combat. This bug needs a rule change. It's basically a glorified Carnifex with no options.
Flyer
- Hive Crone - This doesn't do anything we need. If it was harder to hit like most flying vehicles it might be worth it, but it's basically a flying vehicle hunter.
Lord of War
- Tyranid Barbed Hierodule
- Tyranid Harridan
- Tyranid Hierophant Bio-Titan
- Tyranid Scythed Hierodule
