Love wielding the best magic? Then these are the Warhammer: The Old World core spells for you!
Battles in the Old World are spread over many phases, with some having more direct effects that others. One thing runs throughout all these phases, magic. Magic is a major part of games in the Old World. Depending on your build and lists it can play an important supporting rule or it can be the central gimmick of your army. It’s a powerful force that can often change the course of games. Over time magic has gotten some changes. It’s still very good, and as time has passed, people have found new ways to use spells and combo them. So today I wanted to look at five of the spells I think are the best in the game.
N.B. For this list I am just going to look at core rule book spells that can be used by several armies. Some armies have very powerful bound spells or signature spells, but since they are locked behind an army its harder to compare them.
5. Steed of Shadows
We start off with Steed of Shadows. Movement spells can be very powerful if used properly. Travel Mystical Pathways used to be very abusable, but is less so now. However of them all I think Steed of Shadows is the most generically useful one. This spell lets you turn a slow plodding infantry unit into a speed freak unit that can rush up the table. Now you can’t charge with it, but it does give you a 12 inch fly move for one turn, with marching that’s 24 inches and in march column that’s a 36 inch run for a unit, generally giving it 3x its normal move. This is very very powerful for positioning and getting units into proper position. Demonology also have a lot of other greats spells, but this one can take a big infantry block and makes it an offensive threat.
4. Spectral Doppelganger
Next up on the list we have old Spectral Doppelganger, which is to me the best general assailment spell in the game. Now placing this one is a little hard, as assailments aren’t normally all that great in my eyes. Moreover you really need to build a combo to get the most out of the spell. The spell lets the caster do 2d6 auto hits in combat. So even without any kind of buffs that’s not horrible and pretty high up there on the assailment chart. 2d6 S3 or S4 hits ain’t nothing.
Of course where it shines is with a powerful weapon, since the attacks get to use that weapon. This opens up some really crazy options, with multi-wound attacks, killing blow or monster slayer. A well built character who has cast Doppelganger basically instantly becomes the most deadly combatant in any fight. (It’s also a bit of rules nightmare with several FAQs).
In the past I would have ranked this one a lot higher, however its now a lot harder to pull off with the drop in casting bonus and allowing enemy wizards in combat to dispel Assailments. It’s dropped down, but it remains one of the very few offensive spells that with the right build can really turn a game. So it is making the list!
3. Glittering Robe
I think Glittering Robe is a spell that often used to get overlooked because it’s a signature spell. A lot of times players are going to just go grab an army signature, but I think that’s its a mistake to ignore this spell. It is one of the most generically useful spells in the game, as there is basically no instance where a -1 to be hit isn’t good. The fact that it works in combat and vs shooting is great. It’s also a range self spell so can be cast in combat, and with a 8+ to cast is pretty reliable to get off even with a lvl 1/2. The way this adds to the durability of a unit is pretty crazy.
I think there is an argument that several armies can benefit from taking a cheap lvl 1 and defaulting to Glittering Robes, which you can always take, and then just throwing them in a unit to buff it. You can even combo it with the Bedazzling Helm to give a character a -2 to be hit (Wood Elves can get a -3, but that’s maybe overkill!). That can be a real game changer. A lot of the more competitive armies have started bringing this along.
2. Battle Lust (Dark Magic)
Second to last we have one of my favorites, Battle Lust. This is to me the best offensive buff spell in the game. I don’t know if its the best spell in the game, but its in the running.
It effectively gives a whole unit +1 attack and allows them to re-roll hits for the turn. That is a massive buff to any units damage output. Sadly mounts don’t benefit from the +1 attack, but they do get Hatred. Hatred also just makes a unit much more reliable. There is basically no combat unit that won’t be improved by this (unless they already have Frenzy and Hatred). But of course larger, and more powerful units, such as heavy cav, will benefit from it the most. Because you chose when to cast it and it only lasts until the end of the turn you avoid most of the downsides of being Frenzied while still getting the benefits.
It’s also a spell with a decent casting range. This does mean it can’t affect units in combat. It’s also slightly less powerful than some range-self spells, Demonic Vessel might offer a little more raw power for instance. However Battle Lust is more flexible. With it you can keep your caster out of combat, and put it on the unit you need it on. You are also a lot more able to keep your caster out of enemy dispel range, while still being able to throw it on a friendly unit. Used right this spell can swing a battle. In fact I’ve had it swing many for me.
1. Earthen Ramparts
Last up we have Earthen Ramparts (FAQ’d to cast on a 9+), a spell that is heavily debated. The base effect of getting a 5+ Ward is nice, but not unique and comes with the downside of not being able to charge or march. Being cast at range does give it a wider possible effect, and let you keep the wizard out of combat, but also means its can’t be cast on a unit in combat. All that would place it as a pretty mid spell.
However it also has the effect as making you count as being behind a low linear obstacle if charged. And this has led to a lot of debates, and several FAQs, which still somehow haven’t quite settled the matter. The key question is if the units count as being in base to base, since they are, or count as not being in base to base due to the non-existent LLO. If they are in base to base contact the spell remains pretty mid.
However most events and community FAQs, have ruled that with this you count as if you are not in base to base with the enemy. This means that all models in each unit only get 1 attack and you couldn’t use stomps or impact hits. That makes the spells actually pretty amazing especially when cast on 1 attack infantry, can make them basically immune to monsters. With this ruling in place it has become a game defining spell for a number of builds. Throwing this onto a unit makes it able to survive well above what it normally could. It makes a lot of current meta death star builds viable. It’s crazy how much effect this one spell has had.
Let us know what you think the best spells are, down in the comments!
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Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers Warhammer: The Old World, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe mourned over loss of WFB for its entire hiatus, but has been reborn like a gaming phoenix with Warhammer: The Old World.
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