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Let's have a little session on the Tainted, remember that building your list is one of the major parts of the game.
So what does the tainted have to offer?
1/12/1 and two special rules.
Firstly 1/12/1 is the same as taking a Baby wraith who would cost 90pts. Both will perform the same role here, tranfixing heroes, black darting banners etc. This means we're paying 30pts for two special rules.
Miasmatic Presence. - stopping heroic moves and standfasts for all warriors within a certain distance. How can this be put to use?
- If your opponent is calling heroic moves then you'll probably be rendering them ineffective, so long as you can get a big enough coverage. However, you're also preventing your own heroics (probably more so due to the placement of the wraith).
- You'll be stopping standfasts. However, many good forces play elves or bodyguard which neuters this slightly. This can also be achieved by transfixing the hero, thus stopping the standfast (and at this point in the game heroes should have no will left). Once again, this special rule effects your own troops and with evil traditionally having lower courage troops they are more likely to flee, making the C6 standfast of the Wraith virtually useless.
Seeping Decay - wounding models in base contacting with the tainted.
- Assuming your tainted is on foot or horse, this is a rather weak special rule. The Ringwraith should not be in combat unless you're tooled for the job. But more on that later.
Survivability
This is the issue with the Tainted. He has 1 fate point and 1 might point. He will die 1/3 times to the first wound he takes. Compare that to ANY other named wraith (with minimum two fate) and the odds of dying to a single wound are 1/4 without might, with two might they survive 35/36 times (with double 1 being the exception).
Combat?
With only a single point of might you can't risk the Tainted on a fellbeast. If you're paying 170pts for a single model with low survivability and only one chance of a heroic move/combat (with no fluffed rolls), well he's just not fellbeast material. Which limits him to horse or foot, both of which waste the seeping decay special rule.
Finally a comparison to the others:
The Shadowlord - he gets a game changing 10pt special rule, more m/w/f.
The Dark Marshal - he gets F6, Banner, more m/f.
The Knight of Umbar - combat mimickery, more m/w/f.
The Undying - more m/w/f and great rules when combined with other spell casters.
The Betrayer - excellent combat wraith, more m/w/f.
Khamul the Easterling - THE combat wraith, flexible, though weak magic, he should be around for a while.
The Witch King - Versatile, you can make him into what you need
Baby wraiths - Cheap and perform the same (if not better) role as the tainted for cheaper.
The Dwimmerlaik - Now I've saved him till last. He has less might and more fate, however his special rule has the potential to shut down heroes massively.
All the wraiths can safely be put on fellbeast, except for perhaps the Dwimmerlaik who would be better suited to an armored horse.
Now, I'm all for challenging myself when playing against weaker opponents. However, the Tainted just doesn't work. I've played against him and he was more of a hinderance to my opponent than a help.
(Sorry for the thread necromancy)
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"Leave Sauron to me."
