Runebearer Tactica: Carrying the Stones of Success!

Runebearer Tactica:
Carrying the Stones of Success!
by GreenJello



The Runebearer solo, also known as Trollzes because of his resemblance to Moses with the 10 commandments, is a support piece that makes our normally fury starved casters operate more efficiently.

Battlefield Role
He's a support solo for your caster. Once per game he can cast a spell.

Card
Stats
His stats are nothing to write home about. He's a bit slow, and dies fairly easily.

Attached
He cannot be combined with another attached model. Thus he won't work for Borka.

Harmonious Exaltation
This is the main reason to take him. He reduces the cost of a spell by 1 fury. This does work for animi as well, since they're considered spells when cast.

Power Glyphs
Allows him to cast one of the warlocks spells. It does NOT work for any of the animi contributed by the warbeasts in the battlegroup.

Warlocks
As a general rule, Troll warlocks tend to have average or lower Fury stats. Our best is Doomshaper at 7, which means that most of our warlocks would like to save a Fury or two. When you start cycling upkeeps it can get really interesting.

Cycling Upkeeps
The basic idea is that an upkeep spell is upkept during maintence, the unit/model with it uses it, and then it's used on another model/unit.

Example:
Grim1 puts Cross Country on a unit of Kriel Warriors turn 1. Turn 2 he upkeeps it for 1 focus. Kriel Warriors activate, benefit from spell. Runeshaper activates, makes next spell 1 cheaper. Grim1 activates casts Cross Country on Champs. Champs activate and benefit from spell. So for the cost of the spell, 2 fury, we've used it on two units, and can do so again turn 3, positioning permitting.

Super Cycling
With the Runebearer it's possible to Cycle an upkeep spell to 3 units in a turn. Unit 1 starts turn with spell, and activates first. Runebearer activates and uses Power Glyphs to apply upkeep to unit 2. Unit 2 activates, benefits from spell. Finally warlock activates, casts upkeep on unit 3. Unit 3 activates, and benefits from spell.

Grim1
Grim1 has a great spell list, but he cannot cast all of his spells at the same time. With the addition of a Runebearer, it is now possible to cast all of Grim's spells in a turn. Further, the Power Glyphs ability can allow Lock the Target or Marked for Death to be cast by the Runebearer, saving fury, and allowing Grim1 to play further back.

Grim2
Grim2 has even more expensive spells than Grim1, and is forced to make some hard choices on what he wants to do. The Runeshaper can help by allowing adding the cycling on Mirage. He can also be used to Mortality a model/unit while Grim2 stays back. If you do move him up, it's possible to protect him with Krump's Trapper ability.

Grissel1
Doesn't have fury issues. However, she can make use of Power Glyphs to get off Calamity, with it's RNG8, from a safe distance. It's also possible to get the benefit from 2-3 Calamities using the Runebearer and cycling/super cycling.

Grissel2
Also doesn't have fury issues. Using the Runebearer can allow for another boost on her Fell Blasts, or a transfer while casting Inhospitable Ground.

Doomshaper1
Even with 7 fury, Doomshaper's fragile nature, requiring more transfers, and his extensive spell list means that he can get quite a bit of use out of a Runebearer. Note the Runebearer cannot cast Purification. Power Glyphs can be used with Stranglehold or Rampager, while allowing Doomshaper to hang back. Fortune is also a good target for cycling/super cycling.

Doomshaper2
Similar to Doomshaper1, still fragile, and extensive expensive spells. Harmonious exaltation can be the difference between casting 3 and 4 spells with Doomshaper on a particular turn. Wild Aggression is a good candidate for cycling or super cycling.

Gunnbjorn
Gunnbjorn isn't really fury starved, so while the Runebearer can allow him to save a fury, the points are probably better spent elsewhere. OTOH, the Runebear enables Gunny to cast both Rock Wall, Guided Fire, and have 2 Fury to cycle/super cycle Snipe. 

Madrak1
With a very low Fury stat Madrak likes to bring along the Runebearer to help him out. First, he allows Madrak to cast both Surefoot and Carnage in the same turn, assuming Surefoot hasn't been upkept. Second, on feat turn he can be used to cast Surefoot on another target, or back on the same target, freeing up more Fury for Madrak to pacman around the board.

Madrak2
Far less synergy here, since Madrak2's spells are cheaper, and Runebearer can only cast Blood Fury. OTOH, Fury 5, and the ability to cast Blood Fury three times in a turn via super cycling can both be pretty potent combinations.

Borka
Not allowed to take the Runeshaper because the Keg Carrier is already attached.

Calandra
With Calandra's poor defensive stats, and expensive spell list, a Runeshaper is an excellent idea for relieving some of her Fury strain. He can also be used to cast Force Blow, without putting her in harm's way.

Jarl
Jarl's expensive spell list, average Fury stat, and excellent range options, which often want to be boosted means he can get some use from the Runebearer. It can also allow Quicken to be moved to another target using Power Glyphs during a turn when Jarl wants to concentrate his fury on Magic Bullet and ranged attacks.

You can use the Runebearer with Jarl to get two units very far up field turn one. If you have Warders and Fennblades for example, you can have the Runebearer start the turn by putting Quicken on the Warders who then run 12". Jarl goes and casts Quicken on the Fennblades and then advances and casts Tactical Supremacy on the Warders. Fennblades then run 16" under Quicken, and then Warders move 3" at the end of the turn for a total of 15", or 1" behind the Fennblades.