The Daughters of Khaine Bloodkindred are an army of Age of Sigmar of which most models can also be used as an Order warband for Age of Sigmar: Warcry.
They are brutal and thrive in bloodshed.
It’s also the warband with most options so if you are in for a blood bath, this is the warband for you.
What changed in the new edition for the Daughers of Khaine Bloodkrinded Warband?
Apart from some point changes and Leader wounds going down, there were really small updates on the profiles, most notably the Doomfire Warlocks range reduced to 10″ but gained an extra melee attack (and the Master obtained also an extra missile attack). The Khinerai Heartrender became cheaper and a bit weaker.
Small changes also on the abilities, most notably the introduction of Killing Stroke, available to the new addition in the Leader’s roster: the High Gladiatrix.
The FAQ restricted Killing Stroke only to the High Gladiatrix.
Background and Lore of the Daughters of Khaine Warband
The Daughters of Khaine are a mysterious aelves order led by Morathi, an ancient sorceress self-proclaimed Oracle of Khaine.
Morathi’s history predates the Mortal Realms when she was eventually ingested by Slaanesh during the end of the Old World.
She managed to free herself from Slaanesh’s belly and ended up in the Mortal Realms where she met Sigmar and her son Malerion.
Here she helped the other gods to imprison Slaanesh and retrieve the aelves’ souls still inside him in exchange for a portion.
She then moulded those souls in her personal handmaidens and revived the cult of Khaine claiming that Khaine was shattered in fragments and by worshipping him and gathering the fragments he could be revived.
All a lie to give Morathi the power she needs for her own agendas: to become a God herself. Objective that she achieved at the beginning of the period called Broken Realms.
The cult of Khaine is centred on bloodshed, sacrifices and murder, weeding out the weak and honouring their god at every kill.
Only the women have enough strength to participate in the military as the men are used for the most menial jobs and their soul used as a power source for Morathi’s magic.
Coming out of the realm of shadow, Ulgu, not everything is as it seems…
The Eightpoints are an important centre of Morathi machinations. Where the Shadowstalkers prowl the undergrounds to retrieve the varanite realmstone that was used by Morathi to achieve godhood, the Bloodkindred are there just for the pleasure of spread the bloodshed.
But how do they play on the tabletop?
Let’s take a look at their fighters and abilities.
Overview and Points for the Fighters in the Daughters of Khaine Warband
Note: if you haven’t read the basic rules for Warcry before reading this article, it might be helpful to know that the game’s abilities are activated by using 6 dice that you roll at the start of your turn.
If two of the dice show the same value, they can be used to activate a Double ability. If three show the same value, they can be used for a Triple ability, and so on.
So, when this article refers to an ability being a Double, a Triple or a Quad, it refers to this system. It might sound a bit confusing, but takes no time to get used to when you start playing
Bloodwrack Medusa: 270 points
The Bloodwrack Medusa is an interesting leader option with the highest Wound characteristic (35), Toughness 4 (top average of the warband) and 7″ Movement (in par with the other Melusai).
To add even more to her survivability her melee weapon has 2″ range allowing her to hit without direct retaliation.
On top of that her ability, Bloodwrack Stare, allows her to prevent move or disengage actions to a nearby fighter. Chances are high as you need only one 3+ on 2 dice. And for each 6 you can allocate up to 6 damage to the same fighter.
Her weapon profile is also on par with her high cost: 4 Attacks at Strength 4 for 3/5 damage. Values that can be raised in many different ways, for example with a Double using Bathe in Blood, adding 1 to Attack and Strength when targeting an injured fighter.
Hag Queen: 130 points
The Hag Queen is a support fighters that for a Double, with Witchbrew, can provide up to +6 to the Strength of a nearby fighter (3″). Only for melee attacks although. Even a low Double, like a 2 or 3, is more than enough to transform any fighter in this warband in a dangerous whirlwind of blades.
Better used on fighters with many attacks, like the Sister of Slaughter with Kruiplash and Knife or a Blood Sister, to increase the chances of hitting.
It’s a cheaper version of Slaughter’s Strength, that costs a Triple and is available to all fighters, allowing the use of another ability, for example from a leader or Bathe in Blood, adding 1 attack.
In melee with Strength 4 and 2/4 damage she is on par with most other Bloodkindred but she is also quite fragile with Toughness 3 and 18 Wounds, making her a better support option as a Hero rather than the main leader.
Slaughter Queen: 160 points
The Slaughter Queen is another support Hero since her Toughness 3 and 18 Wounds will not let her survive long.
Her Quad, Orgy of Slaughter, is however lethal especially if combined with Bathe in Blood for an extra attack and Strength. She can add up to 3 to the damage of critical hits in melee (range 3″ or less) for friendly fighters within 8″. As she affects only critical hits, the use could be limited, but the 8″ range is quite wide and with the many attacks, you are bound to score a critical hit or two.
She has 5 Attacks at Strength 4 for 2/4 damage guaranteeing quite some damage even before she uses her ability.
Melusai Ironscale: 280 points
The Ironscale is the veritable leader of the Melusai. She is also quite expensive with 32 Wounds (surpassed only by the Medusa), Toughness 4, Movement 7″ and 2 weapon profiles.
In melee she has 2″ range with 5 Attacks at Strength 4 for 2/4 damage and at 7″ range she has only 2 attacks at Strength 3 but for 3/6 damage.
As the Blood Sisters, she is able to Turn to Crystal an enemy within 6″ for a Double. However, you allocate damage only on a 4+ for each of the 2 dice you roll with a change of critical hit on a 6 (for the value of the ability). If you have a low Double and an injured enemy nearby, it’s better to use Bathe in Blood as you have better chances to do more damage.
However, as all leaders, if she can take down an enemy, the best option is to just use Sacrifice to Khaine to add +1 to the Attack of all other friendly fighters within 6″.
High Gladiatrix: 195 points
The High Gladiatrix is the latest addition to the warband. She has one of the strongest attacking profiles of the warband, with 5 attacks for 2/5 damage at 2″ range. The range in particular gives her extra survivability to avoid immediate retaliation, especially considering her 20 wounds on Toughness 3.
She is a good offensive option if you need a cheap-ish leader that can do some damage and has high chances to trigger Sacrifice to Khaine. She has access to an exclusive ability, Killing Stroke, that allocates 3 damage on a 3+ to an engaged enemy at the cost of a Double.
Blood Sisters
- Gorgai: 255 points
- Blood Sister: 155 points
The Melusai have the lower body of a snake that makes them quicker than their simple human counterpart (movement 7″) and more tanky.
All Blood Sisters can use the Turned to Crystal ability that for a Double allows them to roll 2 dice and for each 4 or 5 do 1 damage, for each 6 do as much damage as the value of the ability.
An incredibly lucky shot could do as much as 12 damage before you do any action with your model.
The Gorgai is the leader of the Blood Sisters, the Melusai armed with spear.
She is quite resilient with 25 wounds and toughness 4 but as all Daughters what she excels in is the ability to do damage: 6 Attacks at Strength 4, 2” range and damage 2/4.
With her in the mix, it’s now more likely you can activate the Sacrifice to Khaine ability for that extra attack to all other Daughters in range.
A good alternative to the Ironscale, slightly cheaper.
The Blood Sister lowers a bit her weapon profile but keeps the constant: lots of attacks with high damage on critical: 5 Attacks for 1/4 damage.
Blood Stalkers
- Krone: 230 points
- Blood Stalker: 170 points
The Blood Stalkers are the ranged version of the Melusai.
Their trademark ability is the Heartseekers: for a Triple you can add the value of this ability to the damage if you score at least a critical in the next action.
With only 3 attacks on the Krone, the leader, it becomes a gamble if the ability will do something or not.
Independently from this ability, she has a range of 3-20” with damage 2/5 perfect for striking the enemies from afar.
But remember that keeping your leader further from the front line means that the Sacrifice for Khaine ability may be more difficult to trigger as the 6” bubble is from the leader and does not affect ranged attacks.
If she is too close or engaged, she has to use the melee profile with 2 attacks at strength 3 with damage 1/2, same as the Blood Stalker.
Bathe in Blood, Slaughter’s Strength and Onslaught cannot be used with the ranged attack.
The Krone is a good leader but not too synergistic with the rest of the warband. The Stalker instead is a good ranged option that can be essential in the Bloodkindred.
Khinerai Heartrender
- Shryke: 220 points
- Khinerai Heartrender: 150 points
The Khinerai are the half harpies’ souls extracted by Morathi. The Heartrender is the version armed with Javelins, allowing to hit at 8” range.
Khinerai are extremely mobile with 12” flying movement, able to reach any corner required in little time.
They are more fragile than the Melusai, the Shryke being only 15 wounds (10 for the Heartrender) but with Toughness 4.
For a Quad they can charge the enemy with the Death on the Wind ability: first do a bonus move, then a bonus attack.
If the bonus move was more than 6”, then the bonus attack adds +1 Strength reaching 3 attacks at Strength 5 with damage 2/4 (1/4 for the Heartrender).
Their range 8” weapon disqualifies them from Slaughter’s Strength and Sacrifice to Khaine bonus but the Shryke high movement allows her to get into position, kill the wounded enemy and buff all other daughters nearby.
A Hearthrender with 12” flying movement makes for a perfect scout considering also the 8″ ranged attack.
Khinerai Lifetaker
- Harridynn: 210 points
- Khinerai Lifetaker: 150 points
The Lifetaker is the melee focused version of the Khinerai, armed with a sickle.
They keep the same special ability, Death on the Wind for a Quad, a flying movement of 12” and toughness of 4, while increasing the number of attacks.
The Harridynn gets 5 attacks (4 for the Lifetaker) at Strength 3 for 2/4 damage (1/4) but being short range, she can increase both with the different Daughters abilities.
As the Shryke, she can cover quite some distance, picking the injured opponent to finish off in order to activate the Sacrifice to Khaine ability and buff her sisters.
Toughness 4 and 15 wounds make her not the most resilient of leaders, but her output damage can be impressive used in the right moment.
The Lifetaker in melee will probably melt like butter if does not attack first, but she is perfect to pick up the isolated weaker fighters and murder them in the name of Khaine.
Witch Aelves
- Witch Aelf Hag: 95 points
- Witch Aelf with Paired Sciansá: 65 points
- Witch Aelf with Sciansá and Bladed Buckler: 65 points
The leader of the Witch Aelves is the Hag, armed with 2 sacrificial knives or Sciansá. She is the cheapest leader and extremely fragile with Toughness 3 and 12 wounds.
She also has no other ability than the Sacrifice to Khaine but with 4 attacks at strength 3 and damage 1/4 it’s not easy to trigger considering she can’t use 2 abilities in the same activation.
Add more points and you have available better leader options.
The other Witch Aelves profiles depend on the weapon loadout.
The one with Paired Sciansá has 4 attacks at Strength 3 that can become 5 attacks per action at Strength 4 if within 3” of an injured enemy (using Bathe in Blood for a Double).
The one with Sciansá and Bladed Buckler trades one attack (3) for higher Toughness (4).
It’s an interesting trade off because with many models having a Strength characteristic of 3, a Toughness 4 can make a difference, but 8 Wounds make them vulnerable to critical hits.
On the other side, against the stronger opponents 3 or 4 will not make any difference but one attack more with a damage on critical hit of 3, may be more useful.
Considering the low cost, the choice will most likely be aesthetics.
Sisters of Slaughter
- Handmaiden: 125 points
- Sister of Slaughter with Kruiplash and Sacrificial Knife: 80 points
- Sister of Slaughter with Kruiplash and Bladed Buckler: 75 points
One of the cheapest leader, the Handmaiden comes from the same kit as the Witch Aelf Hag, being the leader of the alternative sculpt: the Sisters of Slaughter.
They cost more than Witch Aelves but offer an attack range of 2”, toughness 4 (3 the one without buckler) and higher damage on critical (4).
The Handmaiden is probably not worth her cost and you have better options even if you want to avoid the most corrupted souls and go full human.
The Sisters of Slaughter also have 2 weapon profiles: Kruiplash and Knife versus Kruiplash and Buckler. The Knife provides one extra attack (4), the Buckler extra Toughness (4). The rest (Strength 3 and damage 1/4) is identical.
Doomfire Warlocks
- Master of Warlocks: 160 points
- Doomfire Warlock: 140 points
And here enters the cavalry. Literally.
The only mounted unit of the Bloodkindred comes with 10″ Movement but the limitations of those units (no climbing, doors, etc.).
On the other side they introduce a ranged attack of 10″ maximum in between the Stalkers and the Heartrenders but weaker than both (2 Attacks at Strength 3 for 1/3 damage).
In melee they perform as a Witch Aelf with Paired Sciansá (4 Attacks at Strength 3 for 1/3 damage).
Saves them a bit higher Wounds (18 or 22 for the Master) and the special ability Doomfire Bolt that for a Triple has a chance to allocate as much as 12 damage at 9″ range (2 Wounds for each 4+ rolled).
Apart from that they suffer from being the classic hybrid unit overpriced.
Morgwaeth’s Blade Coven (620 points)
- Morgwaeth the Bloodied: 150 points
- Kyrae: 185 points
- Khamyss: 95 points
- Lethyr: 95 points
- Kyrssa: 95 points
Morgwaeth’s Blade Coven is a Bladeborn warband from Warhammer Underworlds Season 3.
- Daughters of the First Temple (Double, Morgwaeth): a nearby fighter from this Bladeborn warband can perform a bonus attack.
Morgwaeth is an upgraded Hag Queen with access to Witchbrew, that can buff Strength of a nearby fighter, and Daughters of the First Temple that allows a nearby Bladeborn to perform a bonus attack. Interestingly enough, this ability does not specify what type of attack, so Kyrae can use it for a bonus ranged attack.
Apart from the leader, the rest of the crew does not add new abilities, have 2 more wounds than their base version but costs at least 10 points more. Kyrae is a Blood Stalker, Khamyss is a Sister of Slaughter with Kruiplash and Bladed Buckler, Lethyr and Kyrssa are Witch Aelves with Paired Sciansá. Their higher cost is justified (?) by their Toughness increased to 4.
Gryselle’s Arenai (525 points)
- Gryselle the Slaughterer: 185 points
- Retaria, the Entangler: 85 points
- Thrialla, the Lash: 80 points
- Traxia, the Aegis: 85 points
- Kalexis, the Silvered Blur: 90 points
Gryselle’s Arenai is a Bladeborn warband from Warhammer Underworlds Season 7, whose rules are available in White Dwarf 486.
- Peerless Combatant (Double, all Arenai): enemy fighter’s reaction cannot damage this fighter until the end of the round.
- Combination Attack (Triple, all Arenai): perform a bonus attack against an enemy fighter that has been just wounded by a melee attack from this fighter.
- Marshal the Bladestorm (Triple, all Arenai): increase by 1 the Toughness of all Arenai within range of this fighter.
- Acrobatic Display (Reaction, all Arenai)
- When: During an enemy attack action but before hit rolls.
- What: Subtract 1 damage received (to a minimum of 1) for each hit.
Gryselle is an upgraded Slaughter Queen with more wounds and more damage on critical hit. In addition she has access to 3 abilities specific to this Bladeborn warband and 1 extra reactions. And she can still use Daughter’s generic abilities and reaction, plus the Leader ability.
The first ability prevents damage coming from enemy’s reactions, it’s a “counter” from Counter, the universal reaction that punishes the attacker’s misses, and Strike Them Down, another universal reaction that has a chance to damage a disengaging fighter. Not many warbands have offensive reactions.
The first Triple, Combination Attack, allows to finish off an enemy that you were unable to kill on the first attack. It is a good ability, but a bit expensive for a Triple, the good thing is that you can decide after the last attack if to use it or now. The last Triple is essential to give some survivability to the warband as it adds 1 to the Toughness of all Arenai within 6″ of the one activating this ability (doesn’t need to be Gryselle). With 3 fighters with Toughness 3, this seems a good use of a Triple, although for the same Triple, if Gryselle kills an enemy, can add 1 to the melee attacks of all Daughters within 6″.
Retaria and Kalexis give up the the Buckler for a double weapon, as in the Sister of Slaughter equivalent profile, that means Toughness 3 but also 2″ range and 3 attacks at Strength 4 for Retaria, and 1″ with 5 attacks at Strength 3 for Kalexis.
Thrialla and Traxia‘s characteristics start from the other Sister of Slaughter profile, the one with Toughness 4, Thrialla being identical, and Traxia losing 1″ range for 1 more attack (4 at Strength 3).
Abilities for the Daughters of Khaine Warband
- Bathe in Blood (Double, Everyone): If within 3” of a visible injured fighter, add 1 to Attack and Strength characteristic of this fighter.
- Turned to Crystal (Double, all Blood Sisters and Melusai Ironscale): Pick an enemy fighter in range and allocate some damage depending on 2 dice rolls (up to 12).
- Witchbrew (Double, Hag Queen): Add up to +6 to to the Strength of a nearby fighter.
- Killing Stroke (Double, High Gladiatrix): A chance to do 3 damage to an engaged enemy fighter.
- Heartseekers (Triple, Blood Stalker and Krone): Allocate up to 6 damage to a target fighter if a critical hit is scored in the next ranged attack action.
- Slaughter’s Strength (Triple, Everyone): Add up to 6 to the Attack characteristic of melee attacks.
- Doomfire Bolt (Triple, all Doomfire Warlocks): A chance to allocate up to 12 damage to an enemy within 9″.
- Sacrifice to Khaine (Triple, all Leaders): If the leader takes down an enemy, add +1 to melee attacks of friendly fighters in range.
- Bloodwrack Stare (Triple, Bloodwrack Medusa): A chance to damage and prevent move or disengage actions from a nearby enemy fighter.
- Death on the Wind (Quad, all Khinerai): Perform a bonus move and a bonus attack. Add +1 to the Strength of the bonus attack if you moved 6″ or more.
- Orgy of Slaughter (Quad, Slaughter Queen): Add up to +3 to the damage of critical hits from melee attacks of friendly nearby fighters.
Reaction for the Daughters of Khaine Warband
Introduced in the new season of Warcry, Reactions are things that can be done in certain circumstances, but always during the enemy turn. They cost one action, so they can be used only by fighters that have not activated yet or are waiting. There are 3 universal reactions and one specific to each warband:
Gladiatorial Display (Everyone)
- When: During an enemy melee attack action but before hit rolls.
- What: 4 damage to the attacking fighter if he doesn’t roll any critical hit.
Strategy and Tactics for the Daughters of Khaine
This warband has so many options that can be difficult to choose your fighters.
The main theme of this warband is: they strike first, hit hard and take advantage of the weaker and injured fighters.
The Witch Alves will be instrumental to give you numbers and firepower where less is expected.
Even a simple witch with a Double can become dangerous. Use the weakened and injured opponents at your advantage: if you can, and have plenty of Doubles, try to keep one that already activated within 3” from your fighters and Bathe in Blood the rest of your army as it requires an injured opponent to be within 3”, but not to attack him.
Keep also a weakened opponent in a strategic position if you have a Triple and a leader at striking distance. It can be a gamble if the dice don’t smile at you, but if you succeed in finishing off that enemy at your first activation, you can use the Triple for the Sacrifice to Khaine.
Then any close-by Khinerai Lifetaker or Witch Aelf with an extra Double (Bathe in Blood, assuming they are within 6” of the leader and 3” of an injured enemy) will obtain 6 attacks at Strength 4 for each action.
Alternatively, if you have a Slaughter Queen you can improve the damage of all frenzied units nearby using Orgy of Slaughter for a Quad.
Warcry is a bloody game and you can create combos really easily, just remember to pick first the weakest opponents and then the strongest because with an average Strength of 3 you may struggle with the toughest guys like the Ogor Breacher.
If your problem is not having injured fighters around and only high Toughness opponents, Slaughter’s Strength adds some more firepower to your melee weapons.
Alternatively even a Hag Queen can add up to 6 Strength to a nearby fighter for a Double.
Finally, if you feel Khaine is smiling on you, Gladiatorial Display, can provide any Daughters with an easy way to assign 4 damage to any attacker that fails to score critical hits. It’s a chance, but some low-Strength fighters may use this reaction when attacked by high-Toughness, low-attacks fighters.
Use your mobility, especially the Khinerai, to pick the farthest opponents and the ranged ones that can greatly damage your army. Use the Melusai as your tanks but be careful as they can quickly be surrounded.
The choice of leader is tough with 12 options available. Personally, I would recommend higher wounds count for more survivability and a melee option to be closer to the centre of your army and provide more bonus.
This would make the Melusai (Medusa, Ironscale or Gorgai) perfect choices, but also the ability of the Khinerai to fly over and pick and slaughter an enemy within 12” is a good option. The High Gladiatrix, as the strongest melee leader, thanks to her 2″ range, is another great alternative.
Whichever models you’ll choose it’s going to be bloody and messy, all in the name of Khaine!
Pros and Cons of the Daughters of Khaine
Pros:
+ Extremely fast
+ Many attacks
+ Gets stronger the more damage is dealt
Cons:
– Fragile
– Too reliant on damage on critical hit and many attacks
– Can be expensive to collect
Some thematic warbands for the Bloodkindred
Just for fun here we present few thematic warbands, meant more for fun or narrative context than for competitive play. Note that in narrative play you need to complete a quest that allows you to recruit a Hero before being able to add him to your roster.
Morgwaeth’s Blade-Coven: Hag Queen, 2 Blood Stalker, Sister of Slaughter with Kruiplash and Knife, 4 Witch Aelves with Paired Sciansá and a Khinerai Heartrender. Most of the warband is from the Warhammer Underworld warband. 2 boxes gives you all fighters with the addition of a Khinerai for ranged threat.
Dangerous snakes: Melusai Ironscale, 2 Blood Stalkers, 2 Blood Sisters and one With Aelf with Sciansá. She must be running really fast to cope with the snake-ladies.
How to buy a Daughters of Khaine Warband
Note: all prices used are standard Games Workshop prices. It is possible to get the different things cheaper (check the links for prices).
The Daughters of Khaine is one of the most expensive armies in Age of Sigmar and their Warcry warband is not the less.
Without converting units you will need to buy multiple boxes of the same kit, but to start with, you will need few boxes and choose a leader.
The Melusai Ironscale is currently available in the box set Shadow and Pain, but soon should be released individually.
The other leader options can be assembled from the Blood Cauldron (£45). Arm yourself with magnets and be prepared to assemble the Cauldron with movable units as you can get from a single kit the Bloodwrack Medusa, Slaughter Queen and Hag Queen. Note that the Cauldron is available also in the Start Collecting! box for Daughters of Khaine.
Alternatively some models are available in the Warhammer Underworlds warband making it a good starting point for a Warcry warband, including an Hag Queen.
The first unit box is the Witch Aelves box:
This allows you to prepare either a hag or a handmaiden and then you have 9 more models to assemble either weapon profile of the Witch Aelves (pair of knives or knife and buckler) or of the sisters of slaughter (whip and buckler or whip and knife).
For £35 (Games Workshop retail price) you get the core of your army and a potential leader but for AoS you will need the entire unit to have one single profile and weapon loadout.
The second box is the Melusai:
You will need to choose the leader between the 2 options: sisters with the spear or stalkers with the bow.
The other 4 models can be assembled as a mixture of the two variants. This box is sold for £32. 5 are also available in the Start Collecting! box.
Another box is the the Khinerai one:
As the other boxes, you will choose one leader (either a heartrender with a javelin or a lifetaker with the sickle) and can assemble the other 4 models however you prefer. This box is now sold for £32.5.
The Doomfire Warlocks are sold directly by GW at a cost of £25 for 5 models allowing you to set up a Master and 4 other cavaliers.
You can also get the new Daughters of Khaine start collecting box.
If you are not interested in expanding to an Age of Sigmar army then 3 boxes will give you 3 leaders and 17 other models, more than enough for a long campaign of Warcry!
Tips on painting a Daughters of Khaine Warband
Do you have some sweet looking Daughters of Khaine painted up?
I would very much like to display them right here on this page.
All you have to do is send my some files. You can read more about how to make that happen here.
If you have a Daughters warband chances are you already have an Age of Sigmar army and in the battletome there are described different war covens each with their own colour schemes.
These can be a nice place to start.
The contrast paints from Games Workshop will help you speed up the process and there are different skin tones available.
For a more classic skin tone you can base coat with Rakart Flesh, wash with Reikland Fleshshade and highlight with Pallid Wych Flesh.
For the make-up and the eyes there is an interesting video from Warhammer Community I recommend watching.
In the same channel there are plenty of other tutorials, from painting the wings of the Khinerai to the scales of the Melusai.