I try to gather here all the rules that I've found that will trigger anything between raised eyebrow and epic RAW-lawyering.
If you find other rules which surprised you, please add below.
Thanks.
EDIT: Sensible issues highlighted. I summarized the tough rules issues
here.
Army wide rules:-
Hatred (HE). Is it all units from HE AB? Is it "ethnic" high elves? Debated here:
Hatred: High Elves- ASF: Vs other ASF troops, all attacks are simultaneous, ignore the I.
BRB p.66:
ASL+ASF do cancel out, model strikes at I.
In case an ASF/ASL model fights an ASF model, as the ASL does cancel model's ASF, it is not a case of ASF vs ASF.
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Eternal hatred: Army wide??? In fact, it is not only for BG, but also 3 special characters: Malekith, Malus, Kouran.
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RHB shoot at 12” but now have penalty for long range.
Thanks to quick to fire, you can move (not double-move) and shoot with no penalty, and S&S at any distance.
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SDC is improved in melee, provide scaly skin 5+.
Dreadlords & Masters can get it, Beastmaster & Fleetmaster have it built-in for 4+ total AS.
Magic: Hekarti’s blessings, +1 to cast Dark Lore: not available to warlocks.
Attribute when rolling double and triple, additional hits do
not cumulate. E.g. 2/2/3/3/3 gives only 3D6 hits.
PoD: if it wounds, ward saves are still allowed.
Spell #5 is direct damage, i.e. centre of template must be in sorceress front arc, and template must not touch any unit in combat or allied unit – but may aim empty location. Now, after deviation, it is no longer restricted, so it may move out of range, out of LOS, on combat, on allies, it will suck out life all the same.
Spell #6 Vortex needs to be set in front arc, too. It deviates less than other vortexes.
Magic objects:Chillblade autowounds. It does not specify autohit.
Cloak of Twillight won't protect you from miscast damage (it's not a spell) but it will protect you from Power of Darkness wound and badly scattering Black Horror.
Ring of Hotek affects only enemy wizards. Either the caster or the target need to be within 6”.
The English edition requires some thorough reading, but the French edition is crystal clear.
Note: It says attempts to cast. So even a spell that does not go off can force a miscast.
Gem of Spite seems only useful for a Death Mage on Pegasus using default spell.
The rebound of the
Black Amulet only works in challenges (but isn't much cheaper). So if you get mobbed by some goblins, don't expect to take any extra down with you...
- Please do not imagine what could happen with two opposing DE armies, each with such item. No, dooon't... too late, you're trapped in perpetual rebouncing "Wound tennis".
Tome of Furion: You select one spell and randomize the other spells. Note that if you randomize the very spell that you happened to have chosen, RAW allow you to keep it twice, despite common sense understanding. Note that it does not go as far as allowing you to switch a spell randomized twice for the selected one. See
Duplicating spells via Tome of Furion for more.
Lords & heroes.Note that all
special characters became cheaper except Malus who became lord and Kouran & Tullaris who became heroes.
Malekith still may use CO or COC. His general's Ld bubble is 6" wider than other generals, which is excellent with all these Ld6 or Ld2 monsters.
Note that he gets +1PD or DD. His dragon has better stats than regular ones.
Morathi still must ride her Pegasus, which has better stats that regular ones. She no longer may get magic objects.
Having guaranteed access to Death signature is huge for a mobile Ld10 caster.
Note that Sulephet does not benefit from the model's Murderous Prowess: it specifically excludes mounts.
Hellebron has effectively 7+D3 attacks, S10. She may ride manti or COB or nothing.
Malus has been promoted lord. Spite has been upgraded too, instead of removing stupidity as previously, he forces stupid tests to autopass => they remain ItP! However, Malus needs to be with COK to become ItP thanks to their stupidity. Other rules have been marginally changed.
Dreadlord changes are small.
Beastmaster is better than dreadlord on Manti thanks to his special rule, but gets less equipment.
On a S-runner, with his BS7, he needs 0+ to hit so may afford move & shoot and long distance for no penalty.
To be compared to scroungerunner's natural BS4.
Fleetmaster , one may wonder why take him rather than a dreadlord, except for fluff. Similar cost, lesser stats, much lesser equipment. Cannot even use our Black Amulet in challenges.
Supreme sorceress got 40 pts cheaper.
Shadowblade has improved dramatically and has become cheaper, with 5++ and all gimmicks. But no longer deployment inside enemy.
Lokhir improved armour save to 2+, contrary to fleetmasters. He may hit a character not in base contact but in same melee (watch you, sorcerers). Cheaper, too.
Tullaris gives frenzy to own unit, even if not Execs.
Kouran upgrades only BG. His
armour hits back "immediately", i.e. the hit back is resolved at same I as the incoming hit.
Sorceresses cost 20pts less and chose among 9 Lores but lost use of unlimited PD.
Death Hag's witchbrew: if a DH gives witchbrew to a non-frenzied unit, herself does not get any benefit. Double-frenzy is a mass distraction only.
Discussion
hereOn the other hand, RAW seems to bestow
Inextinguishable Frenzy for Hellebron, Tullaris and DH, even if they lost a combat, and
Perpetual Frenzy for any unit they touch, till they lose combat, even after they have left the unit.
Assassin deployment remains as before.
Assassins have lost
scout rule. Models that are neither represented through an actual model nor through a marker on the table do not effect the game in any way. So as Long as you do not deploy the assassin unhidden, he is not deployed at all, he is not on the table and he cannot steal scouting rules from Scouts. But when deployed inside a scouting unit, the 'sass may well charge in turn 1!
Please note that this has also negative effects on DE assassins, as they cannot use Magic items as Long as they are not part of the game. This is especialy nasty if he is equipped with a potion of strengh. Those potions must be used at the beginning of a round, so if you reveal the assassin at the beginning of a Close combat, he must not use his potion.
They are ItP Ld8, which is little use except when alone, but if alone, they are as good as dead anyway.
Assassin has thrown weapon: 6”, quick to fire, S as thrower. As sass have BS9, needs to roll more than -2 on D6, so +4 modifiers won’t change anything.
Poisons: no longer replace the regular poisons, it stacks. Poisons work with thrown weapons & RHB (12” and 2 shots); but only manbane is useful at distance, making S4 shots; KB, however, is NOT effective at distance (BRB p.72); and Ld reduction is hard to use against a character you cannot shoot inside a unit.
Also, a strange combo found by Gerner, manbane does effect wounds made by Ruby Ring of Ruin. They get +1 to wound.
Sass may take magic objects. Note that
magic armours are available!

See
Hashishin loadouts for a few samples. But remember, a magic weapon does not get any poison.
EDIT: Note that there is no longer any limitation in how many assassins may hide in a single unit.
Mounts:DS got fast cav for all characters! Vanguarding characters? Nice! Cost slightly increased to reflect that.
Lord/hero on dark steed, heavy armour, sea dragon cloak, shield = 1+, still fast cav.
Dragon has hatred (HE), suprisingly, but not other DE racial traits.
Its breath no longer triggers a Ld test, but causes -1 BS and WS.
Manticores did not change at all.
Manti gets 50pts cheaper and can buy improvements, 4+ or +D3A. Could get D3A more from Beastmaster, total 4+2D3+ possible frenzy. Still KB.
Only
COC became 30 pts more expensive (as mount, while as unit, it went only +15 pts) - must be because of mounts getting 2A.
COB is a chariot, therefore D6+1 impact and swiftstride. Also, dangerous terrain becomes very dangerous.
- Despite being a chariot, it may march and
join units as a character (only 1 chariot per unit, must be in unit’s front centre) (may even join fast cav, COK, medusa, other characters, but not RBT, COC, monsters or flyers - consequences are debated
here). Models behind it are in the 6th rank and do not get supporting attacks. It is not considered as a character in a unit, therefore no Look out, Ma’am (and it is a large target). See
herefore detail.
- The COB itself has 6+/4++, the DH on it has 5++, the unit surrounding it has 6++ (or 5++ if WE). MR(1). 5 wounds. Don’t forget it causes terror. The 2 WE are exactly like regular WE, except that being mounted, they do not benefit from AHW (and neither the DH and Hellebron when on a COB), see BRB p.91.
- The DH is a character on a chariot, no more no less. Shooting randomizes, 5-6 on D6 goes to DH. Templates touch both. If chariot is destroyed, the DH remains. If the DH is killed, the COB remains.
- Strength of Khaine: RAW speaking,
COB makes reroll to wound even for magic spells and for shooting, the only requirement is to have murderous prowess - but
RBT themselves do not have it, only their servants. Note that
mountssuch as pegasus, CO and DS would get the COB's reroll, too. Note that it fits not the fluff, so chances are high that this rule has been overviewed. Many players will play SoK only in melee and not for mounts, despite RAW clearly more relaxed.
Note that Life #5 Regrowth specifically does not work on characters nor on mounts (last-but-two sentence). But Lifebloom Lore attribude works.
Core units:Corsairs definitively must take a 2pts option, increasing their cost to 11pts effectively. Including the reaver, even if he buys the pair of RHB.
DR: I see no reason for not taking shields.
WE: the only core troop to get 50pts standards (only 1 unit).
DR: no magic standard. DR champ lost its additional attack.
Special units: Harpies: no special rule except fly. May panic other units now. Much more expensive.
Shades &
harpies: only infantry to be 5+.
Shades: no magic standard. Gained FC but the champ lost its additional attack.
COK, BG: only champs able to take a magic weapon (not object).
Execs gained Ld9.
Scrunner is a chariot, the only one with only D6 impact. Crewmember have 2 A each and spears.
Harpoon: when dragging a monster, it does not specify that facing of target is modified, so it must not.
1 RXB each, at BS4. Nothing prevents to use both the bolt thrower and the two RXB, but must be on same target. RAW, Stand & shoot is allowed.
Beware, the harpoon has not the rule "ignore armour saves", therefore armour saves are authorized.
RBT shoots as before, except its 6-shots have AP rather than -2 to AS, and it is NOT multiple shots, RAW it doesn't suffer the -1 to shoot penalty.
They do have the rule murderous prowess, therefore RAW speaking, COB makes reroll to wound thanks to Strength of K.
Hydra’s regen changed dramatically. No handlers in the rules. Ld dropped to 6 when lost the handlers.
It does not reroll anything, no hatred, no murderous prowess. Still 4+, still terror.
Hydra may upgrade either a breath attack or a shooting attack.
Shooting is 8”, S & shot numbers = remaining wounds, flaming. It has BS4, moving, multishots and range penalties do apply, stand & shoot allowed.
Rare units.Warlocks do have poison (not their steeds), and 2 attacks each (3 for champ). No muso, no pennant.
The whole unit is a lvl2, casting originates from any one model. Miscasts (D3 wounds) allow the 4++ (but magic resistance would not help any further against miscasts). Don't forget that the respective lore attributes are applicable (either Death of Dark).
A champion is allowed, but has no use except +1 attack and may challenge.
Warlocks are must-haves in Storm of Magic games. See why
here.Kharibdyss don’t have handlers rules and are not sea creatures despite fluff. Poisoned attacks, by the way, in case it might be useful at S7…
It does not reroll anything, no hatred, no murderous prowess... but it makes opponents reroll Ld tests. Note that a rerolled dice cannot be re-rerolled (BRB p.7) in case the opponent's BSB is in range.
Feast of Bones will rarely be seen, Kharibdyss must first hit with all attacks, and chances are low. See
Golan's stats here.There's a discussion about whether
R&F can be targeted for a nice bone feast overkill. See
Kharibdyss' Feast of Bones against units.
Shrine is a chariot, therefore D6 +1impact and swiftstride. Also, dangerous terrain becomes very dangerous.
Despite being a chariot, it may march, and it
may join units like a character (only 1 chariot per unit, must be in unit’s front centre) (may even join shades, fast cav, COK, medusa, other characters, but not RBT, COC, monsters or flyers). It is not a character, therefore no Look out, Ma’am (and it is a large target). See
herefore detail. Models behind it are in the 6th rank and do not get supporting attacks.
The shrine has 6+, no ward save. Don’t forget it causes terror. The 2 crew are not WE, only 1 A each with lance (+1S on the charge), no poison, no frenzy.
Shrine Ld boost is capped at Ld10, see BRB p.3.
Watch out:
Shrine Ld boost & hex is for models, not for units. If there is a single model in the enemy unit outside of 6", the -LD effect does not apply (since you can use the LD of that model).
The medusa is part of the crew, it cannot be singled out. The medusa has all DE racial rules (ASF…).
Medusa and shrine are different units, so it is possible to get 2 lone medusas in addition to 2 shrines.
Lone medusa M5 T4 W3 Ld2, frenzy, no armour, fear, may be joined by characters.
Shrine medusa M7 T6 W5 Ld8+1, 6+, terror, large, may join units, impact, crew, larger footprint for Gaze’s KB, no frenzy.
Stare is shooting at range 12", S4, KB and multiple shots (4). When rolling to wound, substitute the target's T with it's I value. No armour save allowed. It is a shooting attack that happens to be magical (so long range, multiple shots, move & shoot penalties apply, you cannot double-move and shoot but you can Stand & shoot). Strange as it seems, even a shooting attack which consists merely as looking at peole may not be quick to fire, and get a penalty for moving...
Note about Medusa's Ld2, it is not the end of the world:
- as long as it is frenzied, it is ItP
- it causes fear so fear does not affect her.