It’s Like Tactics: Keeper of Secrets Review

It all starts with the improvements the Keeper of Secrets got between 2008 and 2013; here are the rules for comparison.

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Compare &  Contrast

• Stat Changes
• Less expensive 200 to 170
• Deamon of Slannesh
• Gained Preferred Enemy
• Deamonic Rewards
• Mastery Level One

--Cosmetic Surgery--

The Keeper of Secrets got some tweaks not really amounting to much. The Keeper of Secrets gained an extra wound and WS9, but still one change looms large; like all Greater Deamons there invulnerable save has taken a hit, but hurt goes to Keeper of Secrets most of all. The Keeper of Secrets has always lacked the defensive capabilities of the other Greater Daemons and not having a 4+ save really hurts.

--The $2 French of whore of Deamons--

Rightfully, the Keeper of Secrets cost was corrected from the overpriced levels in the previous codex. All the savings doesn't prevent cost creep when you factor in Daemonic RewardsA Character has the option to purchase a certain points' worth of Lesser, Greater, and Exalted Daemonic Rewards in any combination-- the nature of those rewards is randomly determined, but being 30 points less does have an advantage: cheap Daemon Princes.

--Speed before Beauty--

The biggest defensive ability the Keeper of Secrets has is being a Daemon of Slaanesh DoS have the Daemon. Fleet, and Rending special Rules. In addition, DoS Run an additional 3 inches and DoS Cavalry Run an additional 6 inches. The run bonus and distance re-rolls means you shouldn't have a problem getting the Keeper of Secrets to assault by turn two, now surviving to turn two is another story.

--Thirsting for Space Elves--

This little added bonus is pretty much a throw away, if it wasn't for Eldar being the current hotness, makes this little fluff induced gift can go a long way to inflicting a ton of pain on a unit like Wraithknights.

--Pain has its own Rewards--

--Telepathic Sensuousness--

The gift of psychic powers for the Keeper of Secrets is a major boon. Telepathy is one of the best disciplines and has a great Primaris power if all else fails. Investing mastery levels into the Keeper of Secrets doesn't necessarily translate into survivability, but can instead translate into a bigger target.

What the Keeper of Secrets can and cannot do is depended on starting placement. You should never have your Keeper of Secrets in the open, ever. What I mean by "in the open" even relates to cover. Don't bring the Keeper of Secrets to a game that doesn't have at least one LOS blocking terrain piece, with all the shooting armies the Keeper of Secrets will be an easy target. It doesn't mean hide for the entire game, just be sure for the first turn your Keeper of Secrets has a chance to live. As a Monstrous Creature the Keeper ignores terrain (for the most part) and when moving out in to LOS try to jump from ruin to ruin if at all possible.

This is now the time where being a Daemon of Slaanesh DoS have the Daemon. Fleet, and Rending special Rules. In addition, DoS Run an additional 3 inches and DoS Cavalry Run an additional 6 inches kicks in. The threat range of a Keeper of Secrets is often hard to judge, even the most experienced players, and the random element makes the Keeper only more dangerous. Once in combat only the Bloodthirster can take more skulls than the Keeper, and if you are lucky enough to get Hallucination becomes down right broken. Choosing targets that guarantee victory are also very important as one Deamonic Instability roll will down a Keeper of Secrets lickidy-split. Thus, avoiding high strength wielding targets with good invulnerable saves is the best idea.

The Keeper of Secrets assault prowess is self-evident, but that alone isn't a compelling enough reason to take it. The biggest for reason taking a Keeper of Secrets is the points savings you make with Daemon Princes. Between the cost efficiency of the Keeper itself and the Daemon of Slaanesh DoS have the Daemon. Fleet, and Rending special Rules. In addition, DoS Run an additional 3 inches and DoS Cavalry Run an additional 6 inches upgrade you can pack a flying circus into as few points as possible. In smaller point games this is critical as you can get more bang for your buck. Contrast with a Fateweaver based circus and you will be saving around 200 points when all said and done. Besides losing Fateweaver in lower point games is more detrimental than a Keeper of Secrets in the same game.

It also gets to the second important thing about using a Keeper of Seeker: keep it cheap. It is tempting to throw a bunch of points at the Keeper of Secrets to boost its defenses. The risks of point investment on units like a Great Unclean One or Bloodthirster can only amplifies an already decent survivability, but with a Keeper of Secrets there are no good guarantees what you will get. There is a big difference between losing a 170 unit with no upgrades and a 260 point one with stuff you couldn't really use. An exception is Hellforged ArtefactsThe Daemon can choose a Hellforge Artefact. Each can be chosen only once per army. If your army already includes all the Hellforged Artefacts, you cannot swap any further Exalted Rewards for this result. because you know exactly what you are getting, and still leaves points for Daemonic RewardsA Character has the option to purchase a certain points' worth of Lesser, Greater, and Exalted Daemonic Rewards in any combination-- the nature of those rewards is randomly determined on more important Daemon Princes. Then there are the psychic powers, where temptation to get Invisibility or Hallucination can override good judgement. Remember we are about maximizing potential; there is no shame with just staying at Mastery Level 1 and taking Psychic Shriek or take a 50/50 chance and go for the AcquiescenceMalediction. Targets 1 enemy unit in 18 inches. Target suffers -5 to Initiative and cannot use Counter-attack or Overwatch power in the Excess discipline.

-- Keeper of Secrets Sample Lists--

Keeper of Secrets Sample List 1

Keeper of Secrets Sample List 2

Keeper of Secrets Sample List 3

Keeper of Secrets Sample List 4

A Word about Allies

The Keeper of Secrets isn't the best of choices for an ally unless you just want a cheap Monstrous Creature to run around. The Keeper of Secrets doesn't give an ally force much of anything it cannot get with another Deamon Prince or Battle Tank.

Remember unlike other Battle Brothers Daemons ICs cannot join with Chaos Space Marine units under any circumstance.

Final Thoughts...

Overall, the Keeper of Secrets is almost there. It would have been nice if the Keeper of Secrets was given something that would really differentiate it from the other Greater Deamons. As it is this was a lost opportunity, the Keeper of Secrets deserves more and having random Preferred Enemy is going special enough... and another thing, it deserves a new plastic model ASAP!