Dalamar suggested an alternative in this thread, and I thought it might be fun to start a new thread, building on his idea. So, without further ado, my challenge to you is: build your own Widowmaker. I list Dalamar's design below, and give my first suggestion for my Widowmaker build below that:
Dalamar wrote:Ignores Armor Saves.
Attacks made with the Widowmaker can never wound worse than on 4+, regardless of target's T.
Any successful ward saves taken to protect from damage caused by the Widowmaker must be re-rolled.
Heroic Killing Blow.
This weapon grants the wielder the Frenzy special rule. Unlike regular frenzy, this "death frenzy" grants the wielder +2 attacks but they must test to restrain from frenzy at a -3 modifier to their Ld.
This weapon also grants the Frenzy special rule to all units within 12" (friend or foe).
So, here is my suggested version
- Gives +D3 additional attacks each round
- Gives +D3 strength each round
- Ignores ward saves and regeneration
- Every wound inflicted gives one wound back to the wielder. This cannot take the wielder above their starting wounds.
- Causes terror
- Provides unbreakable to all friendly units and models within 12"
Attacks from the blade roll to hit and wound as normal, with armor saves allowed as normal.
This would reflect well the blade's daemon killing focus (ward saves and regen saves are a very daemonic/magical thing), as well as represent the blade's fluctuating power (Tyrion would be lifted from anywhere between S6 and S8 each turn). The life force replenishment component would reflect the fact that whoever wields the blade gains a vitality and stamina unknown to any other mortals - as shown by Aenarion's near never-ending endurance and zeal during the original chaos invasion. 1 wound back for every wound inflicted might be too powerful, so maybe one wound back for every two wounds inflicted (with totals rounded down), but that might be too complex. The terror element would reflect the sheer power of the blade and the panic it causes in all who see it, while the unbreakable element would reflect the blade's ability to forge a sense of invulnerability by those who fight around the bearer of the blade (again, explaining Aenarion's original hardened core of followers, who continued with him throughout all of the horrors of the war, even when the other elves became disillusioned or lost hope). I also think this would all make the blade quite unique, rather than being a tweaked Ghal Maraz or Hellebron's blade.
Any thoughts on that? What other designs do people suggest?