A 2 drop that Chaos wanted for Zarathur! Which is very nice. The card holds less use with Ku'gath however...

It's Action ability make it a nice card, but still is limited at the same planet. To make real use out of it you still probably want to deploy it where Zarathur goes, downgrading it to an Combat Action.

All in all not a bad card though for Chaos, not bad at all. But no Tactical Squad Cardinis.

3/5

Why Nurgle units are better with Zarathur is beyond me.

It being an any phase action does allow it to ping a number of 2 Command units (Incubus, Trailblazer, Recon Drone) as well as the common 1 for 1s (Pirate, Trader). At the very least you'll burn through enemy shields every go until they kill it or let their capper die. If it's the latter it can then hold command with its hammer as a bonus.

I agree with Killax that it is much stronger with Zarathur despite being Nurgle though.

Such an amazing card, its ability being an "Action" means that nobody will play a pirate on that planet since it will get zapped to death.

Do consider you may be paying 2 to deal with a 1 cost capper (ex: pirate) and by exhausting the unit you're essentially surrendering command if the enemy gets to shield his unit. Depending on circumstances, he may get to replace the invested card and gain even more.

Basically, what you have to determine is whether you prefer to play this unit and have your opponent burn a shield every turn but winning command on X planet, or alternatively, simply play your own command unit to tie with your opponent, in which case he wouldn't invest shields but wouldn't gain extra cards/resources either.

Such an amazing card, its ability being an "Action" means that nobody will play a pirate on that planet since it will get zapped to death.

Well the cost to do so does leave it tapped. While the Action is quite good it can be worth it to shield it's effect once and move in with a Warlord to get rid of this.

Again I do like it but not so much because of it's ability being an Action. About 70% of the time you'll use it as an Combat Action with Zarathur as amping the damage up to 2 is much more effective.

Nontheless the card is still good but not incredible. Again a TAC would have been much more powerfull with Zarathur as this.

TAC on Chaos would be too powerful, to be honest. Still, these guys can be a nice answer against ranged or generally fragile but hard-hitting units. Put Dire Mutation into the formula and even big units will die before getting to deal damage.

TAC on Chaos would be too powerful, to be honest. 

I think many would have said the same if someone suggested Klaivex Warleader for Dark Eldar, to be honest with you...

But yes, Zarathur became the king of pingers, Ork Kannon, Dire Mutation and Rotten Plaguebearers, put them into your Zarathur deck! (In the same context, you can't go wrong with Ork Kannon and Dire Mutation in Ku'gath either).

Ome thing I'd note is that there's an action window at the end of the Command Phase, so if you commit Zarathur to its planet you can still get the damage boost, and get it in before the Combat Phase even begins.

Do consider you may be paying 2 to deal with a 1 cost capper (ex: pirate) and by exhausting the unit you're essentially surrendering command if the enemy gets to shield his unit. Depending on circumstances, he may get to replace the invested card and gain even more.

 

Basically, what you have to determine is whether you prefer to play this unit and have your opponent burn a shield every turn but winning command on X planet, or alternatively, simply play your own command unit to tie with your opponent, in which case he wouldn't invest shields but wouldn't gain extra cards/resources either.

You're doing it wrong. If you deploy the Plaguebearer to the same planet as a wimpy capping unit, you only trigger his ability early if the opponent would win it anyways. If you trigger the ability in deploy phase to kill a lone Void Pirate then of course you're getting the worse end of the deal because you made a dumb mistake. Against another 1 command unit you take the draw on command this turn, THEN blast the enemy capper in the action window at the end of the command phase. If they shield, you maintain the deadlock. If they don't shield, you gained the advantage next turn.

@ VonWibble, Majestaat and Sokhar, I think it all works honestly as different set ups allow for different options for this card. It's flexability makes it good, which is further improved by Zarathur into making it really good.

Ome thing I'd note is that there's an action window at the end of the Command Phase, so if you commit Zarathur to its planet you can still get the damage boost, and get it in before the Combat Phase even begins.

Yep. 

This card has very nice versatility. You can put it on a planet with their econ cards and actually kill them without committing your warlord, or you can do 2 damage if you committ it with your warlord. It's solid and has a lot of uses, so it can adapt to what you need. More firepower, or more board control.