Marauder

In the frozen roof of the world - Norsca - live the many and various northern tribes collectively known as the Norse. Born in that frigid, hostile place, Norsemen are universally powerful – gifted with ferocity and strength at arms. Believing themselves to be closest to the gods, they flock to the banners of the great Chaos Champions in the hopes of proving themselves worthy of favor. These brutal Norse warriors are the Marauders – a fanatical throng whose only interest is destruction. Bred for war, dedicated to the gods, endlessly violent. This is all a Marauder knows or cares to be.

Marauder Specialty

As favored warriors of Tzeentch, Marauders are granted the Gift of Change in its purest form. As their bloodlust rises in anticipation of the violence of battle or pillaging, the energy of Chaos itself courses through the Marauder, bringing about dramatic physical changes. Limbs stretch into obscene forms, skin changes to iron or scale or stone, features multiply or disappear. The look of a Marauder mutated and ready to attack is terrifying to behold. Each mutation brings with it an additional, unique gift that aides the Marauder in battle. These gifts help to direct and enhance the destructive force of the Marauder and, in turn, help to earn greater favor (and more horrible gifts) from the Changer of Ways.

Playing as a Marauder

As a Marauder, your only goal is to unleash the pure, destructive might of Change into the world. Feel the power of Chaos course through your body, changing you from a fearsome warrior into something much, much more horrible – and deadly. Once mutated, you will have access to numerous powerful abilities that will enable you to smash, slice, rend and crush your enemies. Each mutation that is granted to you by the Raven God will also bring with it some added benefit. Learn to use these wisely and you will become even more devastating on the battlefield.

Playing against a Marauder

If you happen to find a Marauder in their unchanged form, thank Sigmar for the blessing and attack them immediately. Marauders are warrior-born and make intimidating opponents even without the hand of Tzeentch intervening, but your chances of defeating them are greatly reduced if they have time to mutate before an attack. Once changed, learn to recognize the various (and repulsive) mutations that have overtaken the Marauder, as these will be important clues as to what additional gifts the Lord of Change has granted this particular warrior.

Career Masteries

The Marauder is Tzeentchs favored agent of destruction, and has been granted the simplest and purest gift that the Raven Lord can give: change. The Marauder changes his very blood, bone, and body to reshape himself into a perfect warrior, capable of wreaking havoc and mayhem upon any foes who dare to cross him. He is, by necessity, only lightly-armored, since any more solid protection would merely be rent asunder as his warped and corrupted flesh distorted within it, but he ensures victory by simply slaughtering his enemies before they can react.

There are three different mutations that the Marauder can reshape his body into, each of which serves a specific purpose and offers its own benefits. By changing his very body as needed, the Marauder is capable of dispatching most any enemy, but he must always be aware of the flow of battle and ready to mutate into a different form as necessary. A Marauder who chooses poorly will find his punishment to be swift and immediate, for he is helpless and vulnerable during the few moments that it takes his body to flow into a new form, and a perceptive enemy will leap at the chance to take advantage of this brief window of weakness.

Path of Brutality

The Path of Brutality is focused around the Marauders ability to warp his arm into a sharpened spike of bone. This blade-like appendage can deal horrifying injuries to an enemy, and a player specialized deeply in Brutality will likely be dealing the most damage possible against a single enemy, especially if the foe is distracted by others.

Path of Savagery

The Path of Savagery leads to a Marauder changing their arm into a monstrous claw, capable of tearing at enemies to cripple and hinder them while they quickly bleed to death. While perhaps not dealing as much immediately obvious damage as his other mutations, a master of Savagery kills his enemies in a more insidious way, weakening the target steadily so that they never realize just how much danger theyre in until its already too late.

Path of Monstrosity

The Path of Monstrosity focuses on the Marauder mutating their arm into a hideous club-like bludgeon of flesh and gore. The master of Monstrosity can use the massive bulk of their warped arm to defend themselves somewhat, and can sweep their limb around in broad, arcing swings, capable of damaging several enemies with each single smash.

Class Changes

• Flames of Fate morale 1 now deals 300 damage at rank 40 (down from 900) (link)

• Close Combat is a new archetype tactic for all melee DPS classes. This tactic provides a 25% damage reduction against ranged and magical damage for 2s after using a direct damage, single target, melee ability on an enemy. This reduction does not stack with localized damage reductions such as Detaunt or Guard. (link)

• Thunderous Blow moved to 13 points in Savagery tree with wounds debuff value reduced (link)

• Draining Swipe moved to 5 points in Savagery tree; cooldown reduced to 10s (from 20s), debuff reduced to 5s (from 10s) (link)

• Hulking Brute now additionally adds 160 Initiative (at level 40) for a maximum of 320 stat points as per the other three point tactics, Scything Talons and Corrupted Edge (link)

• Terrible Embrace is now undefendable if behind the target at the end of the channel (link)