Battle Traits

Source: Briar and Bone (August 2024)

Updates

FAQ Update 27/09/24

• Update to Corvus Cabal
• Update to Gloomspite Gitz

Warbands entering the Gnarlwood are comprised of warriors brought together by common purpose, ideology and unique methods of making war - by necessity, their methods must evolve to meet new challenges. Battle traits introduce all-new enhancements to increase the potency of your warbands.

Once both players have picked their warbands and decided which player is the attacker and which player is the defender, the players can agree to use battle traits. Each faction runemark and each Grand Alliance runemark has a corresponding battle trait.

If each fighter in a warband has the same faction and/ or Grand Alliance runemark, then starting with the defender, that player picks one of those runemarks. The warband, and each fighter in that warband, are referred to as having the corresponding battle trait.

Battle traits do not use ability dice, and fighters do not have to spend actions to use a battle trait in the same manner as reactions, unless specified otherwise.

If two or more battle traits would be resolved at the same time (for example, at the start of a battle round or the end of the combat phase) the players whose warbands have those battle traits roll off, and the winner chooses the order in which each of those battle traits are resolved.

Sentinels of Order

Trait Runemark	Trait
Order	Courageous Defenders: When a friendly fighter with this battle trait makes the 'Take Cover' reaction, critical hits become hits on a roll of 3+ instead of 4+.
Cities of Sigmar	Dawnbringer Zealots: At the end of each battle round, pick a friendly fighter with this battle trait that is on the battlefield. You can remove up to D3 damage points allocated to that fighter. Remove 1 additional damage point if that fighter is within 3” of an objective, carrying treasure and/or within 1” of an obstacle.
Daughters of Khaine	Jubilant Bloodletting: When a friendly fighter with this battle trait makes a melee attack action, after the hit rolls have been made, if you scored one or more critical hits and one or more hits and/or critical hits, you can pick a [double], [triple], or [quad] you have. Add 2 to the value of that ability dice, to a maximum of 6.
Fyreslayers	Runic Momentum: After a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses an ability, add 1 to their Move characteristic for the next move action they make this activation.
Hunters of Huanchi	Hidden Hunters: After deployment, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick a friendly fighter with this battle trait from each friendly battle group that is on the battlefield. One at a time, remove those fighters from the battlefield and pick a different battle group. Then deploy that fighter as if it were part of that battle group.
Idoneth Deepkin	Power of the Tides: In battle rounds 1 and 2, add 1 to the Move characteristic of friendly fighters with this battle trait. In battle rounds 3 and 4, add 1 to the Strength characteristic of melee attack actions made by friendly fighters with the battle trait.
Khainite Shadowstalkers	Swarming Shadows: At the end of each battle round, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick two friendly fighters that are within 9” of each other, more than 3” from each enemy fighter and are not carrying treasure. Place each friendly fighter in the position the other fighter was in when they were picked.
Kharadron Overlords	A Good Deal: Once per battle round, after a friendly fighter with this battle trait is targeted by an attack action but before the hit rolls are made, you can make a deal. If you do so, add one wild dice to your opponent's saved wild dice. Then subtract 2 from the damage points allocated to that fighter by each hit and each critical hit from that attack action (to a minimum of 1).
Lumineth Realm-lords	Aetherquartz Reserves: At the start of the first battle round, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick a friendly fighter. That fighter has an aetherquartz reserve. Once per battle, that fighter can use their aetherquartz reserve. When they do so, the next time that fighter uses an ability, you can treat one [double] you have as a [triple], or one [triple] you have as a [quad].
Seraphon	After you pick your warband, pick either Coalesced or Starborne and gain the corresponding battle trait listed below: Coalesced: Friendly fighters with this battle trait can add a 1 to the value of any [triple] spent to use the Tearing bite ability, to a maximum of 6. Starborne: Fighters with this battle trait can make the “Starborn” reaction when they are targeted by melee and ranged attack actions.
Stormcast Eternals Questors Soulsworn	Heroes Without Limits: Fighters with this battle trait can use multiple abilities each activation. Such fighters can use the same ability more than once, and can use multiple abilities when they would normally only be able to use one. Where abilities grant bonus actions, such abilities are used one at a time and are fully resolved before another ability can be used.
Stormcast Eternals	Scions of the Storm: After deployment, you can pick a friendly fighter with this battle trait. If that fighter is on the battlefield, remove them from the battlefield. At the start of the second battle round onwards, starting with the attacker, you can place that fighter on the battlefield more than 5” from each enemy fighter and more than 3” from each objective and treasure token.
Sylvaneth	Spirit Pathways: Once per battle, a friendly fighter with this battle trait can use the 'Walk The Spirit Paths' ability without needing or spending any ability dice, and can use this ability as if they had the Warrior () runemark.
Twistweald	Ravaged by Corruption: At the end of each battle round, you can choose a friendly fighter with this battle trait that is within 1” of one or more enemy fighters and roll a dice. On a 2+, allocate 1 damage point to that friendly fighter If that friendly fighter is not take down, pick one of those enemy fighters. Allocated D3 damage points to that enemy fighter.
Wildercorps Hunters	Point Blank Volley: Once per battle round, before a friendly fighter this with battle trait makes a ranged attack action, you can have them make a point blank volley. When they do so, you can treat the minimum range of that weapon as 1”.
Vulkyn Flameseekers	Friendly fighters with the Berserker () runemark can use the following ability: [Triple] Reborn in Flame: Pick a friendly fighter with the Beast () runemark that has been taken down. Set that fighter up on a platform or the battlefield floor wholly within 3” of this fighter. That fighter no longer counts as being taken down. Remove each damage point allocated to that fighter.
Ydrilan Riverblades	The River Winds Its Way: Add 1 to the Move characteristic of friendly fighters with this battle trait that start a move action within 1” of a terrain feature and on the battlefield floor until the end of that activation.

Agents of Chaos

Trait Runemark	Trait
Chaos	Aspire to Glory: Once per battle round, add 1 to the damage points allocated by the first critical hit from a melee attack action made by any friendly fighter with this battle trait that has a points cost of 125 or less.
Beasts of Chaos	Beastman Ambush: After deployment, you can pick a friendly fighter from each battle group that is on the battlefield. Remove those fighters from the battlefield. At the start of battle rounds 2, 3, and 4, you can place one of those fighters on the battlefield, more than 6” from each enemy fighter and wholly within 3” of one or more battlefield edges.
Blades of Khorne: Daemons	Blood Calls to Blood: If there are one or more friendly fighters with this battle trait on the battlefield, at the end of each battle round, you can pick an enemy fighter with one or more damage points allocated to them. Roll 2D6. On a roll of 8+, allocate 3 damage points to that fighter.
Blades of Khorne: Bloodbound	No Respite: When a friendly fighter with this battle trait is taken down, before they are removed from play, pick a visible enemy fighter within 1” of them and roll a dice. On a 4+, allocate D3 damage points to that fighter.
Chaos Legionnaires	Master Manipulators: When determining who has the initiative, but not when seizing the initiative, if there is a tie, do not roll off. Instead the player of this warband chooses which tied player has the initiative. If multiple warbands have this battle trait, the players of those warbands roll off, and the winner chooses which tied player has the initiative.
Claws of Karanak	No Claw Unbloodied: Each time an enemy fighters makes a disengage action, roll a dice. On a roll of 2+, allocate 1 damage point to that enemy fighter for each friendly fighter with this battle trait within 1” of that enemy fighter.
Corvus Cabal	Plunging Killers: Add 2 to the Strength characteristic of melee attack actions made by friendly fighters with this battle trait if they finished a move action 2" or more vertically lower than their starting position this activation.
Cypher Lords	Matchless Acrobats: After a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses an ability, roll a dice. On a 5+, add one wild dice to your saved wild dice.
Disciples of Tzeentch: Daemons	Warp Destiny: After the initiative phase, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick two any [double], [triple] or [quad] they have. Swap the values of those ability dice.
Disciples of Tzeentch: Arcanites	Warp Fate: After the initiative phase, starting with the attacker, each player of a warband with this battle trait can roll one dice for each [double], [triple], or [quad] they have. On a 4+, change the value of those ability dice to 6.
Darkoath Savagers	Seeking Glory: After an enemy leader has been taken down by a melee attack action made by a friendly fighter with this battle trait, add two wild dice to your saved wild dice.
Hedonites of Slaanesh: Daemons	Lure of the Missing God: After the initiative phase, you can pick an enemy fighter within 1” of one of more friendly fighters with this battle trait and then roll a dice. On a roll of 3+, until the end of the battle round, that fighter cannot make disengage actions.
Hedonites of Slaanesh: Sybarites	Pain-fuelled Rapture: After a friendly fighter with this battle trait is allocated one or more damage points by an attack action or reaction, you can choose for that fighter to enter a pain-fuelled rapture. If they do so, allocate 3 damage points to that friendly fighter, and then add 2 to the Attacks characteristic of the next attack action made by this fighter in this battle round.
Horns of Hashut	A Realm of Fire and Ash: If one or more friendly fighters with this battle trait are on the battlefield, each time an enemy fighter suffers impact damage, subtract 2 from the dice roll, to a minimum of 1.
Iron Golems	We Make War: After the initiative phase, starting with the attacker, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick a [double], [triple], or [quad] they have. Change the value of those ability dice to 6.
Maggotkin of Nurgle: Daemons	Infection Vectors: At the start of each battle round, roll a dice for each enemy fighter within 1” of one or more friendly fighters. On a roll of 5+, allocate 1 damage point to that fighter. Enemy fighters with this battle trait or the 'Disease-ridden' battle trait cannot be affected.
Maggotkin of Nurgle: Rotbringers	Disease-ridden: At the start of each battle round, you can pick one enemy fighter within 1” of one or more friendly fighters and roll a dice. On a 5+, that fighter cannot use abilities or reactions this battle round. Enemy fighters with this battle trait or the 'Infection Vectors' battle trait cannot be affected.
Rotmire Creed	Waiting for the Lord Leech: Enemy fighters that are within 1” of two or more friendly fighters with this battle trait cannot make disengage actions.
Scions of the Flame	Seared Wounds: Each time 1 or more damage points allocated to an enemy fighter would be removed, subtract 1 from the total to be removed, to a minimum of 0.
Skaven	There are Always More: At the end of the battle rounds 2 and 3, you can pick a friendly fighter with this battle trait that is taken down and has a points cost of 70 or less. At the start of the next battle round, you can place that fighter on a platform or on the battlefield floor, more than 6” from each enemy fighter, objective and treasure token, and within 3” of one or more battlefield edges.
Slaves to Darkness	For the Glory of the Dark Gods: While more enemy fighters are taken down than friendly fighters with this battle trait are taken down, add 3 to the value of your ability dice, to a maximum of 6.
Spire Tyrants	Entertain Me!: Once per battle round, a friendly fighter with this battle trait within 1” of one or more enemy fighters can pick one of those enemy fighter to duel. When they do so, each time that friendly fighter makes an attack action that targets that enemy fighter, you can change the Strength characteristic of that attack action to equal the Toughness characteristic of that enemy fighter.
Splintered Fang	Weapons Dripping with Poison: Once per battle round, a friendly fighter with this battle trait can use the 'Poisoned Attacks' ability without needing or spending any ability dice. Treat the value of that ability as 6.
Tarantulos Brood	Eightfold Allies: Once per battle, a friendly fighter with this battle trait can use the 'Creeping Summons' ability without needing or spending any ability dice, and can use that ability as if they had the Hero () runemark.
The Jade Obelisk	Blessings of the Speaker: The first time this battle that a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses the 'Bloody Tribute' ability, you can remove each damage point allocated to one friendly fighter with the Icon Bearer () runemark.
The Unmade	Shared Bliss: Once per battle, after an enemy fighter is taken down by the damage points allocated by the 'Shared Pain' reaction, roll a dice. On a 3+, you gain a [quad] ability dice with a value of 1.
Untamed Beasts	Worthy Prey: At the start of each battle round, if no enemy fighters are your worthy prey, pick an enemy fighter. That fighter is your worthy prey. While that fighter is your worthy prey, abilities that target that fighter are treated as having a value of 6.

Bringers of Death

Trait Runemark	Trait
Death	Deathless Minions: Once per battle round, count the first critical hit from a ranged attack action that targets a friendly fighter with this battle trait that has the Minion () runemark as a hit instead.
Askurgan Trueblades	Worthy Draught: After an enemy fighter with the Hero () runemark and/or that has a Wounds characteristic of 30 or greater has been taken down by a melee attack action made by a friendly fighter with this battle trait, remove D6 damage points allocated to that friendly fighter.
Fleash-eater Courts	Form a Lance: Add 1 to the Move characteristics of friendly fighters with this battle trait that were within 1” of two or more other friendly fighters with this battle trait at the start of their activation. Add 1 to the Strength characteristic of melee attack actions made by friendly fighters with this battle trait while they are within 1” of two or more other friendly fighters with this battle trait.
Nighthaunt	Wave of Terror: Add 1 to the Strength characteristics of melee attack actions made by friendly fighters with this battle trait if they made a move action this activation.
Ossiarch Bonereapers	Ranks Unbroken By Dissent: If a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses an ability that requires the Ossirach Bonereapers () runemark and has a range, add 1” to the range of the ability.
Pyregheists	Pyres of Victory: At the end of each battle round, each player whose warband has this battle trait can roll a dice for each friendly Pyre token on the battlefield. For each roll of 3+, add one wild dice to that player's saved wild dice.
Royal Beastflayers	The Hounds Bay: After an enemy fighter has been taken down by a melee attack action made by a friendly fighter with this battle trait that has the Beast () runemark, pick another fighter in your warband. That fighter can make a bonus move action of up to 3”.
Soulblight Gravelords	Sanguine Glory: Each time a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses the “Thirst for Blood” ability, if that value of that ability is 1 or 2, increase the value of that ability to 3.
Teratic Cohort	Predatory Outriders: Before deployment, you can pick a friendly battle group that is not In reserve. Fighters from that battle group can deploy within 6” of their deployment point, but if they do so, must be deployed more than 6” from each enemy fighter.

Harbringers of Destruction

Trait Runemark	Trait
Destruction	Relentless Destroyers: When a friendly fighter with this battle trait makes a melee attack action, the target cannot add 1 to their Toughness for being in cover.
Bonesplitterz	Primal Beliefs: When a player whose warband has this battle trait makes an initiative roll, before initiative is determined, they can re-roll each result of 1.
Gloomspite Gitz	Da Bad Moon Rises: After the initiative phase, each player whose warband has this battle trait can roll a dice, starting with the attacker. On a 2+, pick 1 of your opponent's or your own [doubles], [triples] or [quads]. Change the value of those ability dice to the result of the dice roll.
Gorger Mawpack	Ravenous Gorging: After an enemy fighter has been taken down by a melee attack action made by a friendly fighter with this battle trait, remove D3 damage points allocated to that friendly fighter.
Ironjawz	Enough Messin': Each time an enemy fighter makes a wait action, each player whose warband has this battle trait can pick one friendly fighter. That fighter makes a bonus move action of up to 3”.
Kruleboyz	Stick 'Em Good and Quick: Once per battle round, pick a friendly fighter with this battle trait. For that battle round, after that fighter's activation, you can pick an enemy fighter that was allocated 1 or more damage points by a melee attack action made by the fighter you picked. Allocated D3 damage points to that enemy fighter.
Kruleboyz Monsta-Killaz	'Orrible Trap: When a friendly fighter with this battle trait uses the Krule Trap reaction, if the enemy fighter has the Monster () runemark, add 2 to the roll.
Ogor Mawtribes	Friendly fighters with this battle trait and the Brute () or Agile () runemarks can make the following action: Devour Corpse: Pick an enemy fighter that is taken down and roll a dice. Remove a number of damage points from this fighter equal to the roll. An enemy fighter cannot be picked as the target of this action more than once per battle.