Abyssal War Charm
Cost: 8m, 1wp
Min: War 5, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keyword: Combo-OK, Obvious, War
Duration: Until disengaged
Prerequisites: Hive-Mind Horror Tactics, Hardened Killer Training Style
This Charm enhances an enveloping close combat attack by a complementary unit the Abyssal leads, removing the usual -2 external penalty and allowing envelopment of units with equal Magnitude.
If the attack succeeds, the enveloped unit’s commander must sacrifice a number of health levels equal to the Abyssal’s Essence from her unit to order a disengage attempt, regardless of whether that attempt succeeds. Additionally, whenever the enveloped unit loses Magnitude as a result of damage, all members lost in the decrease die rather than escaping. This benefit does not affect the resolution of damage against the unit but prevents remnants from being gathered together as reinforcements by any rally action later in the scene.
If a deathknight commander successfully envelops a unit of mortals with a unit of walking dead or hungry ghosts, the monsters replenish their ranks by feasting on would-be deserters and the dying to infect them with the unholy power of this Charm. The corpses or lower souls of the slain infected thus rise to join the Abyssal’s Abyssal Command. For every two health levels of damage the enveloped unit suffers while this Charm remains active, the Abyssal Command heals one level of lethal or bashing damage. This cannot increase the unit’s health levels above maximum or raise its Magnitude. The first time in a battle that a unit composed of mortals witness the undead feasting, the players of their commanders must check for rout at difficulty 3. Even allies panic when confronted with such monstrosity.