XP 1.0
There are none living who know the ways of the elves, save perhaps the mighty lizard-priests of the South whose knowledge and power is rumoured to grow far beyond that even of the High Mages of the College of Magic of Altdorf. Those few elves who roam the lands of the Empire are mysterious, their ways impenetrable to us.
There are those who, like Finubar the Proud, openly declare themselves Manfriend and help defend our glorious Empire from the encroaching forces of Chaos - too few of them, unfortunately. Of those, we know what they would have us know - their history and that of their families, and a little of the history of their land - the fabled island of Ulthuan. There are those who stalk the night, warriors who come cloaked in darkness and wielding bows, the death in their eyes revealed in their prey as their life is snuffed out like a candle atop Brass Keep by one, well-placed arrow shot - of those we know little, save that they name themselves "Shadow warriors of Nagarythe" and, as their kindred of Ulthuan reassure us, they seek to do us no harm.
There are those who protect the forests, defending them from touch of Chaos and Man alike. There are also rumours of a fourth breed of elves - a grim race, ruthless and sadistic. They come at night in their low ships with sails of midnight-black, craving the poison that lurks within the now-ruins of Mordheim, the Weyrdstone of which all those who go to the Cursed City and return speak. They leave no witnesses, taking prisoner those who are able-bodied enough to toil under them in slavery, murdering the others.
Of course, such nonsense is only that - rumours, and nonsense, the delusional affabulations of crazed minds that have seen the taint of Chaos from too close. It may be that some elves are more ruthless than others, but they are just that - elves, and their ways are closed to us.
A Druchii warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in a warband may never exceed 12.
Characteristics for Druchii warriors may not be increased beyond the maximum limits shown here:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
A Dark Elf warband may employ the following Hired Swords:
The Dark Elves have been fighting the High Elves for many centuries. The wars between these two races have been very long and bloody affairs. Dark Elves Hate any High Elf warriors including High Elf Hired Swords.
An Elf's senses are far beyond those of other races. During the Exploration phase when checking for artifacts or wyrdstone at the end of the game, add +1 to the number of pieces found by a Dark Elf warband, as long as at least one hero was searching.
Dark Elves may never use black powder weapons, as they find them too crude, noisy and unreliable.
The following lists are used by Druchii warbands to pick their weapons and armour:
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | Missile Weapons | ||
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc | Repeater Crossbow* | 20 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc | Crossbow Pistol | 35 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc | Throwing Knives | 15 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc | Armour | |
| Halberd | 10 gc | Helmet | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc | Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Beastlash (Beastmaster only) | 10 gc | Shield | 5 gc |
| Darksteel blade | 3×price | Buckler | 5 gc |
| Miscelaneous Equipment | Sea Dragon Cloak | 30 gc | |
| Dark Venom | 15 gc |
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | Armour | ||
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc | Helmet | 10 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc | Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc | Shield | 5 gc |
| Halberd | 10 gc | Buckler | 5 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc | Sea Dragon Cloak | 30 gc |
| Missile Weapons | |||
| Repeater Crossbow* | 20 gc |
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | |
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Missile Weapons | |
| Repeater Crossbow* | 20 gc |
| Bow | 10 gc |
| Throwing Knives | 15 gc |
| Armour | |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | |
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Halberd | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Armour | |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Miscelaneous Equipment | |
| Black Lotus** | 5 gc |
* These special prices represent the lower rarity of these items in Naggaroth. When attempting to purchase these items in Mordheim, Dark Elf warbands pay the same prices as other warbands and must roll to find them as normal. No roll is necessary to find these items when first starting a Dark Elf warband.
** See Witch Elves entry below for details.
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
| Noble | × | × | × | × | × | |
| Lordling | × | × | × | × | ||
| Sorceress | × | × | × | |||
| Beastmaster | × | × | × |
Dark Elf leaders are typically drawn from the Dark Elf nobility and lead the warband in search of gold, slaves and arcane artifacts to bring home to Naggaroth. They are cold and ruthless killers and they command the respect of their troops through assassination and terror. They have attained their position of leadership by eliminating those rivals who stood in their way and through their remarkable cunning, they are dangerous foes who embody the merciless traits of the Druchii race.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
A Noble may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Druchii Heroes Equipment list.
Lordlings are would-be commanders of the Druchii forces, and often serve under a Noble as page or lieutenant. Lordlings accompany raiding parties to the Old World to further their career, seeking to acquire fame, riches and status in the Witch King's court.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
Lordlings may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Druchii Heroes Equipment list.
Dark Elves are strange in that apart from the fell Witch King there are no other male sorcerers - all the other practitioners of magic in the Dark Elf race are female. It is rumoured that any males who do develop an affinity for magic amongst the Dark Elves are immediately put to death to prevent the fulfilling of some dark prophecy.
Dark Elf Sorceresses are mysterious, raven-haired beauties who are grudgingly respected even by the powerful Nobles, and their services are high in demand.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
A Sorceress may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Druchii Heroes Equipment list, but may not cast spells if wearing armour.
Whereas the High Elves have a great affinity with Dragons and Griffons and other noble creatures their malevolent kin have infamous Beastmasters, Dark Elves of particularly cruel renown who breed many vicious beasts and lead them into combat. Unlike the High Elves who treat their beasts as companions, the Dark Elf Beastmasters are very spiteful masters.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
A Beastmaster may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Druchii Heroes Equipment list.
Bought in groups of 1-5.
The Dark Elves are cruel and fierce fighters. This is especially true of the Corsairs - the Black Ark Raiders. They are skilled with sword and axe, as well as the repeater crossbow, the distinct missile weapon of the Dark Elves. Whenever Druchii ships reach foreign shores, the Corsairs are the first to launch raiding parties.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
Corsairs may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Corsairs Equipment list. In addition, they may wear Sea Dragon Cloaks even though they are not Heroes.
The stealthy Dark Elf Shades rely on their repeater crossbows to harass and snipe at the enemy, rather than engaging them head on, as ambush is their preferred style of fighting. These Shades are young and inexperienced scouts that see the expeditions to the Old World as a valuable training opportunity.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
Shades may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Shades Equipment list.
Witch Elves are the lethally beautiful followers of Khaine, the Bloody-Handed god of murder, vengeance and war. Those amongst the devoted who seek to become full-fledged priestesses of Khaine and learn His holy canons are sent on missions for the Temple, to prove their worth in the eyes of their god, and also serve to spy upon those Nobles who are temporarily out of the King's grasp.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
Witch Elves may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Witch Elves equipment list.
The Dark Elves capture and breed many exotic creatures to fight for them, and fights between pets are often staged as a form of entertainment amongst the Dark Elves. Myriads of such animals can be discovered in the Chaos Wastes. Among them is the Slavehound, a fierce breed of wild hounds that resemble wolves more than dogs. The Dark Elves capture and train these creatures to help them in their slave hunting missions all over the Warhammer World.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
| 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Slavehounds are animals and do not need any weapons, save their claws and massive jaws.
Darksteel weapons are forged in the city of Hag Graef, the Dark Crag. They are fashioned from black steel, a rare form of steel found deep within the mountains around the city and are forged using an ancient technique known only to the Dark Elves. Weapons with Darksteel blades have wicked protrusions and serrated edges, which inflict serious damage on an opponent. Any Druchii hero can use a close-combat weapon with a Darksteel blade. Getting it, however, is not that easy, and it costs three times more that usual steel weapon of the same type. Darksteel weapons have all abilities of their usual counterparts (i.e. swords can parry, double-handed weapons strike last).
The Beastmasters make good use of their whips to goad their hounds and creatures into combat.
Dark Elf Corsairs use special cloaks fashioned from the skin and scales of the sea monsters that dwell deep in the oceans depths. These cloaks are tough and resilient, and offer Dark Elves a very good amount of protection.
Dark Elf Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard skill tables available to them:
The Dark Elf is infused with an intense raging thirst for blood and is a whirlwind in hand-to-hand combat, moving from opponent to opponent. The Druchii may make a 4" follow up move if he takes all of his opponents out of action. If he comes into contact with another enemy, this starts a new combat. This new combat takes place in the following turn and the model counts as charging.
Few can ever hope to match an Elf's inhuman quickness and agility. An Elf with Fey Quickness can avoid melee or missile attacks on a roll of 6. If the Elf also has Step Aside or Dodge, this will increase to a 4+ in the relevant area. For example, an Elf with Fey Quickness and Step Aside avoids melee attacks on a 4+ and missile attacks on a 6.
The Dark Elf can Infiltrate. This skill is exactly the same as the Skaven skill.
The Dark Elf is proficient in concocting different poisons. If the Hero doesn't search for rare items, he may make D2 doses of Dark Venom instead. The poison must be used in the next battle and cannot be sold or traded to other warbands as the Dark Elves guard their secrets very carefully.
Eyes of this hero are so keen and hands so steady that he can completely omit the penalty for long range if using a crossbow type weapon. Further, if he did not move this turn, he can shoot from repeater crossbow twice per turn without penalty or three times per turn with -1 penalty to hit.
Naggaroth is a harsh land with harsh inhabitants and weaklings are shown no mercy. This elf is able to survive by pure strength of will. If the model gets out of action and result of the Serious Injuries roll is death, make a Leadership test against unmodified Ld of the model (no holy relics etc.). If you succeed, the model will survive but will miss D3 battles instead.
There are numerous legends detailing the excellent eyesight of the Elves, both Druchii and Asur kin. This elf can spot Hidden enemies from twice as far away than normal warriors (i.e. twice his Initiative value in inches).
Like their hated Asur kin, the Dark Elves are accomplished practitioners of magic. However, whereas the High Elves essentially use magic defensively and for the power of good, the Dark Elves utilise the evil powers of Dark Magic - a very destructive force indeed.
| D6 Result | |
| 1 |
DoomboltDifficulty 8Whispering an ancient incantation, the Sorceress conjures a bolt of pure dark energy and unleashes it from her outstretched hand. The Doombolt may be targeted at any enemy model in line of sight. The bolt has an 18" range and causes a Strength 5 hit. If the target model is wounded, then the next closest model within 6" is also hit on a 4+, at -1 Strength from the previous hit. The bolt will leap a maximum of four times or until there are no more targets within range. A model may only be hit once by a single casting of the spell. Take armour saves as normal. |
| 2 |
Word of PainDifficulty 8The Sorceress calls down the wrath of Khaine upon her enemy, causing his resolve to disappear. The spell may be cast at an enemy model within 12". The victim must re-roll all successful hand to hand or missile attacks and all to wound rolls. If the victim wishes to charge, he must pass a successful Leadership test first. Lasts until the beginning of the next Dark Elf turn. |
| 3 |
Soul StealerDifficulty 9At the Sorceress's touch, the essence of life is drained from her enemy and absorbed into her body, giving her renewed strength and vigour. Once successfully cast, the Sorceress has to succeed in at least one to-hit roll in close combat phase against a model in base contact. If the attack is successful and her opponent is struck, he suffers a wound with no armour save possible. The Sorceress feeds on this life-force and adds one wound to her current total. Note: the Sorceress can never have more then one extra wound on her profile from the use of this spell (she may cast it as many times as she wishes to regain lost wounds) and the extra wound is lost once the battle is over. |
| 4 |
Black Blade of KhaineDifficulty 8Summoning Dark Magic, the Sorceress engulfs a weapon in twisted black flames. The Sorceress may choose the hand-to-hand combat weapon of a member of her warband within 6" to be engulfed in flames. A weapon with these flames acts as a normal weapon of its type, but adds a +2 bonus to the user's Strength. Hits inflicted from the weapon ignore armour saves. Lasts until the Sorceress' shooting phase. |
| 5 |
DeathspasmDifficulty 9The Sorceress channels Dark Magic into her enemy, causing him to writhe in excruciating pain. The Deathspasm has a range of 6" and must be cast on the closest enemy model. The affected model must roll on the injury chart. If successfully cast, the casting Sorceress is immediately knocked down. This cannot be prevented by using the Jump Up skill. |
| 6 |
Witch FlightDifficulty 7The Sorceress bends the winds of magic to her will and flies through the air. The Sorceress may immediately move anywhere within 12", and may count as charging. If she engages a fleeing enemy in the close combat phase, she will score 1 automatic hit and then the opponent will flee again. |
Some post-battle rolls clarifications.