Knowing how to kit out your Wizard is hard. There’s arguments to be made for every Lore of Magic — and when you add Magic Items into the equation — it’s pretty easy to end up in analysis paralysis when putting a list together.
I’ve been testing out several Wizard builds with my Empire of Man lists, trying to find the one that fits best. While there are a bunch of viable options that work well in different lists, the most effective for me has been the ‘Spellslinger Wizard’.
What is the Spellslinger Wizard Build?
Wizard Lord [207 pts]
Hand weapon, Level 4 Wizard, Empire Warhorse (Optional), Arcane Familiar, Wizard’s Staff, Daemonology
Special Rules: Magical Attacks, Magic Resistance (-1)
| Model | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| Wizard Lord | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Empire Warhorse | 8 | 3 | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | 1 | – |
I keep taking this Wizard build in almost every game, so wanted to come up with a fun and accurate name for it to use with my friends.
I took “Spellslinger” from a Magic: The Gathering Deck Archetype. A lot of these decks revolved around throwing a bunch of spells at the enemy in quick succession, dealing a bunch of damage and winning quickly — which is exactly how I like to run it in Warhammer: The Old World.
The Spellslinger Build revolves around using two magic items on a Level 4 Wizard Lord:
Arcane Familiar (15pts)
The owner of an Arcane Familiar knows spells from two Lores of Magic, rather than the usual one. When determining the spells the Wizard knows, you must roll for each Lore separately. Duplicate spells are re-rolled as normal. The Wizard may discard one randomly generated spell as normal, replacing it with the signature spell of the same Lore of Magic.
Wizard’s Staff (20pts)
0-1 per Wizard. The bearer of the Wizard’s Staff gains a +1 modifier to their Casting roll when attempting to cast an Assailment spell or a Magic Missile.
Using the Arcane Familiar, you want to pick one spell in Daemonology, and three in Battle Magic. This has to be declared when you write your list, so make sure it’s clear to your opponents.
In Daemonology, you’ll be taking the signature spell: The Summoning.
The Summoning
Type: Magic Missile
Casting Value: 9+
Range: 18″
The target enemy unit suffers 2D6 Strength 4 hits, each with an AP of -1.
In Battle Magic, you’re primarily looking to roll a 1 for Fireball.
Fireball
Type: Magic Missile
Casting Value: 8+
Range: 24″
The target enemy unit suffers 2D6 Strength 4 hits, each with an AP of -. This spell has the Flaming Attacks special rule.
With a ~50% chance of getting it (I think re-rolling duplicates increases your odds slightly? But don’t quote me on that) you’ll end up with two of the best Magic Missiles in the game being cast at a +5.
This turns your L4 Wizard into a ranged killing machine.
…But What if I Don’t Roll Fireball!?
If you don’t roll Fireball, it’s not the end of the world! Battle Magic is an extremely versatile lore of magic, and you’ll likely find some use for all of the spells in there.
Personally, I really like Pillar of Fire and Arcane Urgency.
Pillar of Fire is great for zoning and killing your opponents units as they near your army, while Arcane Urgency means you can move 18 inches and still shoot. It’s really great for if you’re running your Wizard solo or in a mobile unit.
What Mount Should I Use?
Typically, I run this Wizard on an Empire Warhorse. I’ll bunker him with a group of knights, fire off a bunch of spells — then when the enemy gets close I’ll move him out of the unit and find another unit or spot to shoot from. This will also give your Knights their ability to counter-charge back, as they lose it when the Wizard is in the unit.
I can see this being extra annoying on a Pegasus, or even a flying carpet. That extra mobility will give you some great vantage points to find the best targets. Just make sure to position yourself so the opponent can’t shoot you off the board on turn one.
I would personally be unlikely to run this Wizard in an infantry block. The Summoning is only 18″ range so you need some mobility to get in range early in the game.
___
Thanks for reading, fellow Empire players! If you like this build and want to try it out — let us know how it goes. Or maybe you’ve tried it already, and you call it something else! If you have any alterations or other builds you’d like to share, head to the Rank & Flank Discord and show us!
Leave a Reply