Unless you're a master psyker, in which case you get eaten by daemons. Today, we take a look at the Pyromancy discipline, and I'll highlight each power's strengths, and their best useage in the battles of thr 41st millenium.
Flame Breath
The primaris power of the discipline. Essentially, it is a heavy flamer shot with soul-blaze, and so is best used up close, and against horde forces and packed squads, like orks and tyranids. It's not so useful for long-range psykers, and should only be swapped for if you think it will get some use.
Fiery Form
This power has reaped the biggest rewards for me personally. +2 to strength, soul-blaze and a 4+ invulnerable save is always beneficial in combat. Having a strength 10 sorcerer (starting at str 8 with a power fist) has spelt death for even toughness 5 heroes such as ork bosses. Even if you are a ranged fighter, it's still useful if you're expecting a charge from a skilled close-quarters combatant.
Fire Shield
This power is entirely defensive, but beneficial in open battlefields. a 4+ cover (except against melta weapons) is always welcome, and because it targets you, it cannot force a deny the witch save. It also offers an offence in defence too, through 2d6 'hammer of wrath' style attacks. This can weaken the attackers, but don;t expect much against high save or toughness foes, as it is only AP-.
Inferno
A nice little power for mid-range fights, it offers a small-blast ability for your psyker. No strength, but the blast does ignore cover, so is very useful against low armoured foes who rely on cover. Taking their one saviour away from them can help rack up kills.
Spontaneous combustion.
Whilst this power requires a good roll to be totally effective, it's still very good against single-wound models, even against high armour models like Terminators. Ignoring armour saves gives this power a chance to do some damage to the elite, and being a focused witchfire allows the chance to pick off unit leaders. And the 'combustion' side of it helps too. If you kill the model targeted, you place a blast marker over the model killed, thus increasing the damage. These hits do not ignore armour, so the main strength in this power is the initial attack.
Sunburst
This power has potential, but you have to be really, really close. a 6" range means you need to be pretty much within enemy territory. But it affects ALL units in a 6" circle, causing 2d6 hits per unit, causing blind. Blind itself might not achieve much, but it can help in any reaction combats.
Molten beam
The only power that has any use against vehicles (bar perhaps Fiery form), but it does the job quite well. Essentially it's a better Meltagun shot. The 'Beam' rule means it can pass through to the next tank or model (if sucessful in damage,) causing a strength 7 melta shot to the next model, then strength 6, and so on. Lined up right, and you could cause serious damage to walker and tank formations, like Killa Kans, sentinels, and artillery companies.
Overall, this discipline is effective at blasting the foe at short to mid-range, so long as you can take the heat...
This power has reaped the biggest rewards for me personally. +2 to strength, soul-blaze and a 4+ invulnerable save is always beneficial in combat. Having a strength 10 sorcerer (starting at str 8 with a power fist) has spelt death for even toughness 5 heroes such as ork bosses. Even if you are a ranged fighter, it's still useful if you're expecting a charge from a skilled close-quarters combatant.Fire Shield
This power is entirely defensive, but beneficial in open battlefields. a 4+ cover (except against melta weapons) is always welcome, and because it targets you, it cannot force a deny the witch save. It also offers an offence in defence too, through 2d6 'hammer of wrath' style attacks. This can weaken the attackers, but don;t expect much against high save or toughness foes, as it is only AP-.
Inferno
A nice little power for mid-range fights, it offers a small-blast ability for your psyker. No strength, but the blast does ignore cover, so is very useful against low armoured foes who rely on cover. Taking their one saviour away from them can help rack up kills.
Spontaneous combustion.
Whilst this power requires a good roll to be totally effective, it's still very good against single-wound models, even against high armour models like Terminators. Ignoring armour saves gives this power a chance to do some damage to the elite, and being a focused witchfire allows the chance to pick off unit leaders. And the 'combustion' side of it helps too. If you kill the model targeted, you place a blast marker over the model killed, thus increasing the damage. These hits do not ignore armour, so the main strength in this power is the initial attack.
Sunburst
Molten beam
The only power that has any use against vehicles (bar perhaps Fiery form), but it does the job quite well. Essentially it's a better Meltagun shot. The 'Beam' rule means it can pass through to the next tank or model (if sucessful in damage,) causing a strength 7 melta shot to the next model, then strength 6, and so on. Lined up right, and you could cause serious damage to walker and tank formations, like Killa Kans, sentinels, and artillery companies.
Overall, this discipline is effective at blasting the foe at short to mid-range, so long as you can take the heat...