Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Keeper of Secrets
The Keeper of Secrets is the new Meta Hotness. You mix a cheap, decent statline, good powers, and great daemon synergies. Embrace the Dark Prince!
Remember all those rumors we used to have about the Greater Daemons coming out in Plastic? The last one was the Keeper of Secrets and while not always the best it was always one of the fastest Greater Daemons around. You mix a cheap points cost, decent statline, good Exalted powers, and a super cool new friend named Be’lakor and you start to see a really synergistic monster mash list.
In the ever-shifting meta of 40K, armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not, but a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. Today let’s start by taking a look at one of the hottest units currently running around the tabletop.
Keeper of Secrets
The Greater Daemons are always meant to be giant monsters of destruction. The Keeper of Secrets (Soylent Green is made out of People!) was always one of the weaker ones initially. They never flew, were close combat focused, and didn’t have the most interesting options. The new kit brought an updated data slate that thankfully also stayed cheaper than the others. On top of that they also got a Named one to allow you to take 4 of the creepy monsters of desire and despair. There is always discussion on ways to get these monsters moving as quickly as you can into your opponents line.
Why Are They Good?
They move fast, have a lot of attacks, built in 6+ FNP with wargear. Add in getting a wound reroll, making you -1 to hit them in close combat, and throwing out spells. Finally, they hit very hard on top of everything else. These monsters are cheap too, which also helps out. They also get a built in Locus if they are all Slaanesh that makes them even faster with an advance and charge option. Oh and there are Exalted powers you get to utilize too. Go ahead and pay for all of them because you can 2 random ones and the majority are good. 4+ invulnerable saves, faster movement, and exploding 6’s are all some of the things you can luck out on. Oh and they have some spells too that are helpful to throw out as needed.
Sample List
Jony Velazquez got 4th place at this years Wargames Con with his heavy stompy Keeper of Secrets and friends list. It goes very fast, tries to force you to make bad decisions, and crushes you in waves of creepy claws. Everything has a lot of attacks, default FNP, and has methods to get FNP on their other new friend Be’lakor. The monsters get their, the fiends keep you in place, and the Daemonettes score missions. Oh and those Harpies are great at getting things like Engage or dropping a Banner as needed.
++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Chaos – Daemons) [59 PL, -2CP, 1,150pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Chaos Allegiance: Slaanesh
Detachment Command Cost
+ HQ +
Be’lakor [19 PL, 380pts]: Pall of Despair, Penumbral Curse
Keeper of Secrets [12 PL, -1CP, 240pts]: Celerity of Slaanesh, Delightful Agonies, Hysterical Frenzy, Shining aegis, Silverstrike, Warlord
. Exalted Keeper of Secrets: 3. Blessing of the Dark Prince
Keeper of Secrets [12 PL, -1CP, 240pts]: Hysterical Frenzy, Phantasmagoria, Shining aegis, The Forbidden Gem
. Exalted Keeper of Secrets: 2. Quicksilver Reflexes
+ Troops +
Daemonettes [4 PL, 70pts]: Alluress
. 9x Daemonette: 9x Piercing claws
Daemonettes [4 PL, 70pts]: Alluress
. 9x Daemonette: 9x Piercing claws
Daemonettes [4 PL, 70pts]: Alluress
. 9x Daemonette: 9x Piercing claws
+ Elites +
Fiends [4 PL, 80pts]
. 2x Fiend: 2x Dissecting claws, 2x Vicious barbed tail
++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (Chaos – Daemons) [43 PL, 8CP, 850pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)
Chaos Allegiance: Slaanesh
Detachment Command Cost [-2CP]
+ Stratagems +
Rewards of Chaos (1 Relic) [-1CP]
+ HQ +
Keeper of Secrets [12 PL, -1CP, 240pts]: Exalted Keeper of Secrets, Hysterical Frenzy, Shining aegis, Symphony of Pain
Shalaxi Helbane [13 PL, 250pts]: Delightful Agonies, Hysterical Frenzy, Shining aegis
+ Troops +
Daemonettes [4 PL, 70pts]: Alluress
. 9x Daemonette: 9x Piercing claws
+ Elites +
Fiends [6 PL, 120pts]
. 3x Fiend: 3x Dissecting claws, 3x Vicious barbed tail
Fiends [4 PL, 80pts]
. 2x Fiend: 2x Dissecting claws, 2x Vicious barbed tail
+ Fast Attack +
Furies [2 PL, 45pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. 5x Fury: 5x Daemonic claws
Furies [2 PL, 45pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. 5x Fury: 5x Daemonic claws
++ Total: [102 PL, 6CP, 2,000pts] ++
Using the Keeper of Secrets
This list is not about sneaking around the tabletop. It is designed to go as fast as it can, and get mixed into combat. Hopefully it will win thru the sheer power of the Keepers and friends. The idea really comes in that you keep your opponent locked in a zone. Then everything else int he list moves out and holds objectives as needed. It is not the most elegant list. But it will let you quickly burn thru your turns as you lick your lips in anticipation for the wanton death and slaughter.
STAB STAB STAB!
Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments!
