Idoneth Deepkin
From out of blackness they come, emerging from the depths of the realms’ seas upon a surging tide of magic. These merciless raiders do not seek merely to slaughter or enslave, however, for they are the Idoneth Deepkin – they have come to take their victims’ very souls.
This page contains all of the rules you need to field your Idoneth Deepkin miniatures on the battlefields of the Mortal Realms, from a host of exciting faction rules to a range of warscrolls. The rules are split into the following sections:Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Last update | |
 Idoneth Deepkin | ||||
| Idoneth Deepkin | Faction Pack | 4 | November 2024 | |
 Sons of Behemat | ||||
| Sons of Behemat | Faction Pack | 4 | January 2025 | |
 Sylvaneth | ||||
| Sylvaneth | Faction Pack | 4 | January 2025 | |
 Battle Profiles & Rules updates | ||||
| Battle Profiles & Rules updates | Rulebook | 4 | January 2025 | |
 Cities of Sigmar | ||||
| Cities of Sigmar | Faction Pack | 4 | December 2024 | |
 Gloomspite Gitz | ||||
| Gloomspite Gitz | Faction Pack | 4 | December 2024 | |
 Fyreslayers | ||||
| Fyreslayers | Faction Pack | 4 | November 2024 | |
 Warhammer Underworlds Legends | ||||
| Warhammer Underworlds Legends | Warscroll | 4 | November 2024 | |
 Stormcast Eternals | ||||
| Stormcast Eternals | Battletome | 4 | September 2024 | |
Faction Rules
Battle Traits
Idoneth Deepkin armies can use the following abilities:
 Once Per Battle (Army), Deployment Phase |
ETHERSEA VOYAGERS: The Idoneth spend their entire lives in the ocean depths, emerging for one reason only: to enact raids on the land-dwelling races.
Declare: Pick a friendly regiment led by an IDONETH DEEPKIN HERO. No units in that regiment can have already been deployed.
Effect: Set up those units in reserve travelling the ethersea. They have now been deployed.
Effect: Set up those units in reserve travelling the ethersea. They have now been deployed.
| KEYWORDS | DEPLOY |
| Your Movement Phase |
RAIDERS FROM THE DEEP: The Idoneth Deepkin are merciless reavers, as cold and cruel as the abyssal depths that they call home. They surge forth on a tide of ocean magic, striking out across the lands in search of souls to raid.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN unit that is travelling the ethersea to use this ability.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
| Passive |
TIDES OF DEATH: The Idoneth Deepkin destroy their enemies like the relentless tides of a perilous sea, building up their attack to a crashing crescendo and then receding to leave nothing but death in their wake.
Effect: A different effect applies to friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN units each battle round, as shown below. For the fifth battle round onwards, repeat the sequence, starting with ‘Low Tide’.
Battle Round 1:
Low Tide: For the rest of the battle round, subtract 1 from hit rolls for shooting attacks that target this unit and subtract 1 from hit rolls for combat attacks that target this unit if it did not use any CHARGE abilities this turn.
Battle Round 2:
Flood Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit can use a RUN ability and still use SHOOT and/or CHARGE abilities later in the turn.
Battle Round 3:
High Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit has STRIKE-FIRST.
Battle Round 4:
Ebb Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit can use a RETREAT ability and still use SHOOT and/or CHARGE abilities later in the turn. In addition, for the rest of the battle round, no mortal damage is inflicted on this unit by RETREAT abilities.
Battle Round 1:
Low Tide: For the rest of the battle round, subtract 1 from hit rolls for shooting attacks that target this unit and subtract 1 from hit rolls for combat attacks that target this unit if it did not use any CHARGE abilities this turn.
Battle Round 2:
Flood Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit can use a RUN ability and still use SHOOT and/or CHARGE abilities later in the turn.
Battle Round 3:
High Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit has STRIKE-FIRST.
Battle Round 4:
Ebb Tide: For the rest of the battle round, this unit can use a RETREAT ability and still use SHOOT and/or CHARGE abilities later in the turn. In addition, for the rest of the battle round, no mortal damage is inflicted on this unit by RETREAT abilities.
Battle Formations
You can pick 1 of the following battle formations for a Idoneth Deepkin army. Each battle formation grants a different ability you can use in the battle.
Namarti Corps
 Passive |
SURGE FORWARD: The Namarti are the lowest caste in Idoneth society, but when formed into a Namarti Corps and led to battle by their Akhelian masters, they strike swiftly and with devastating effect.
Effect: You can re-roll run rolls and charge rolls for friendly NAMARTI units while they are wholly within 12" of a friendly AKHELIAN unit.
Isharann Council
| Passive |
WISDOM OF THE DEEP: The Isharann are born with a talent for harnessing arcane forces. This power is only amplified when these aelves convene an Isharann Council and head to war.
Effect: Add 1 to casting rolls, ISHARANN ritual rolls and lurelight rolls for friendly Isharann units while they are within the combat ranges of any other friendly ISHARANN units.
Akhelian Beastmasters
 Passive |
FEROCIOUS PREDATORS: With the aid of the Embailors, the Akhelian Beastmasters are able to seize control of their creatures’ predatory consciousness and turn them into truly terrifying weapons of war.
Effect: Add 1 to hit rolls for combat attacks made with Companion weapons by friendly AKHELIAN units.
Soul-raid Ambushers
| Once Per Turn, End of Your Turn |
FADE LIKE MIST: The Soul-raid Ambushers are experts in hit-and-run tactics, riding the currents of the ethersea to strike the foe from new directions.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN INFANTRY or CAVALRY unit wholly within 3" of a terrain feature.
Effect: Remove that unit from the battlefield and set it up in reserve travelling the ethersea (see the ‘Raiders from the Deep’ ability).
Effect: Remove that unit from the battlefield and set it up in reserve travelling the ethersea (see the ‘Raiders from the Deep’ ability).
Heroic Traits
Champions of the Tides
HERO only Passive |
ANCIENT PRIDE: This champion fights with the stubborn skill of a thousand Idoneth souls.
Effect: If the unmodified hit roll for a combat attack that targets this unit is 1-3, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends.
| Passive |
HUNTER OF SOULS: This hero seeks neither glory nor territory; their only interest is the capture of potent souls.
Effect: This unit’s melee weapons have Anti-HERO (+1 Rend).
 End of Any Turn |
NIGHTMARE LEGACY: The repressed horror of the Idoneth’s long incarceration emanates from this dark-visaged warrior in palpable waves of doom.
Declare: Pick a visible enemy unit that had any damage points allocated to it this turn by an ability used by this unit to be the target.
Effect: Subtract D6 from the target’s control score for the rest of the turn.
Effect: Subtract D6 from the target’s control score for the rest of the turn.
Artefacts of Power
Relics of the Abyss
HERO only| Passive |
ARMOUR OF THE CYTHAI: This gleaming panoply was given by Teclis to the ancestors of the Idoneth. Upon the command of its bearer, it can radiate the power of Hysh – a fitting property for a gift from the Great Illuminator.
Effect: Other than the Companion weapon ability, weapon abilities for attacks that target this unit have no effect.
| Once Per Turn, Any Movement Phase |
DELICIOUS MORSELS: This hero carries with them rare crustaceans favoured by Allopexes and Fangmora Eels.
Effect: Heal (D3) each friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN CAVALRY unit within this unit’s combat range.
| Passive |
DRITCHLEECH: Incredibly rare, these worms feed upon magic and are capable of draining arcane energies.
Effect: Subtract 1 from casting rolls for enemy WIZARDS while they are within 18" of this unit.
Spell Lore
Lore of the Deeps
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
STEED OF TIDES: The wizard conjures a watery elemental to transport comrades through the ethersea.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible friendly Idoneth Deepkin unit wholly within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Remove the target from the battlefield and set it up again on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Remove the target from the battlefield and set it up again on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL, UNLIMITED |
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
ARCANE CORRASION: The spellcaster pushes forth a wave of aetheric energy that picks particles up off the ground and hurls them at the foe, dulling their weapons.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy unit within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Rend characteristic of the target’s melee weapons until the start of your next turn.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Rend characteristic of the target’s melee weapons until the start of your next turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
| Your Hero Phase | 7 |
PRESSURE OF THE DEEP: The wizard enfolds their victims in a shimmering bubble of crushing force.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible enemy unit within 18" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Roll a dice for each model in the target unit. For each 5+, inflict 1 mortal damage on the target.
Effect: Roll a dice for each model in the target unit. For each 5+, inflict 1 mortal damage on the target.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
3.1 Regiments
Armies are made up of one or more regiments, each of which is led by a HERO. You must have at least 1 regiment in your army, and you can include a maximum of 5 regiments. To add a regiment, pick 1 HERO from your faction, then pick up to 3 non-HERO units to accompany them.Each HERO’s battle profile lists which units can be added to their regiment, and each non-HERO unit’s battle profile lists any relevant keywords it has. The battle profiles of some HEROES (such as named characters) may say that they can be added to the regiment of another HERO.
The IDONETH DEEPKIN and HERO keywords are used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
Hit Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Hit characteristic, the attack scores a successful hit: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified hit rolls of 1 always fail. If an unmodified hit roll for an attack made with a weapon is a 6, that attack is a critical hit.| Critical hits have no effect on their own but often trigger additional effects (see 20.0 Weapon Abilities). | ||
Shooting attacks
Shooting attacks are made with ranged weapons. The target unit(s) must be within a distance equal to the Range characteristic of the weapon being used and visible to the attacking model. Models cannot make shooting attacks if their unit is in combat, unless otherwise specified (see 20.0 Weapon Abilities).Combat attacks
Combat attacks are made with melee weapons. The target unit(s) must be within the combat range of the attacking model and visible to it. The model must attack with all of the melee weapons it is armed with.15.3 Pile-in Moves
Some abilities, such as FIGHT abilities, allow a unit to make a short move called a pile-in move to get into a better position for combat. To do so:If your unit is in combat: Pick an enemy unit your unit is in combat with to be the target of the pile-in move. Each model in your unit can move up to 3". That move can pass through the combat ranges of any enemy units, but each model must end that move no further from the target unit. At the end of the move, your unit must still be in combat with all units that it was in combat with at the start of the move.
If your unit is not in combat: Each model in your unit can move 3" in any direction. That move can pass through and end within the combat ranges of any enemy units.
| ||
19.0 Strike-first and Strike-last
If there are any STRIKE-FIRST units in combat at the start of the phase, other units cannot be picked to use a FIGHT ability until those units have been picked to use a FIGHT ability. After all those STRIKE-FIRST units have fought, the active player picks the next unit to fight.If there are any STRIKE-LAST units in combat, they cannot be picked to use a FIGHT ability if there are any units in combat that do not have STRIKE-LAST and have not yet used a FIGHT ability.
If a unit has STRIKE-FIRST and STRIKE-LAST, treat it as if it had neither.
| There may be situations when a unit that has STRIKE-FIRST is not in combat at the start of the phase, but because of moves such as pile-in moves, it is ‘pulled into combat’ later in the phase. In such cases, STRIKE-FIRST has no effect on that unit because it was not in combat at the start of the phase. Abilities that allow a unit to use a FIGHT ability immediately after another unit do not override the STRIKE-FIRST or STRIKE-LAST constraints, so you could not pick a unit with STRIKE-LAST to fight immediately after a unit with STRIKE-FIRST. | ||
17.2 Mortal Damage
Some abilities inflict mortal damage. If an ability inflicts mortal damage on a unit, add that number of damage points to the unit’s damage pool for that ability (see 18.2 Allocating Damage).
7.0 Combat Range
Each model has a combat range that extends 3" horizontally from its base and any distance vertically from that circle to form a cylinder. The combat range of a unit extends 3" horizontally and any distance vertically from every model in that unit. Units from opposing armies that are within each other’s combat range and that are visible to each other are in combat with each other. When a unit that is not in combat enters the combat range of a visible enemy unit, it moves into combat.
A model is considered to be in combat with an enemy unit if that unit is within the model’s combat range and visible to it’
A model is considered to be in combat with an enemy unit if that unit is within the model’s combat range and visible to it’
| ||
Universal Core Abilities - Movement Phase
| Your Movement Phase |
NORMAL MOVE: The warriors advance across the battlefield.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat to use this ability.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE |
| Your Movement Phase |
RUN: The unit rushes into position.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat to use this ability.
Effect: Make a run roll of D6. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic added to the run roll. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
Effect: Make a run roll of D6. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic added to the run roll. That unit cannot move into combat during any part of that move.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, RUN |
| Your Movement Phase |
RETREAT: The fighters disengage from combat, though at the cost of lowering their defences.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is in combat to use this ability.
Effect: Inflict D3 mortal damage on that unit. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units but cannot end that move within an enemy unit’s combat range.
Effect: Inflict D3 mortal damage on that unit. That unit can move a distance up to its Move characteristic. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units but cannot end that move within an enemy unit’s combat range.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, RETREAT |
14.3 Charge Phase
| Your Charge Phase |
CHARGE: With a mighty battle cry, the warriors charge into combat with the enemy.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat and has not used a RUN or RETREAT ability this turn to use this ability. Then, make a charge roll of 2D6.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
Effect: That unit can move a distance up to the value of the charge roll. That unit can move through the combat ranges of any enemy units and must end that move within 1/2" of a visible enemy unit. If it does so, the unit using this ability has charged.
| KEYWORDS | CORE, MOVE, CHARGE |
The NAMARTI keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
The AKHELIAN keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
6.0 Visibility
A target model is visible to another model (which we’ll call the ‘observing model’) if you can draw a straight line through the air (whether horizontal, diagonal or vertical) from any point on the observing model to any point on the target model that does not intersect any objects except for other models in the observing model’s unit. A target unit is visible to an observing unit if at least 1 model in the target unit is visible to at least 1 model in the observing unit. A model is always considered to be visible to itself.
| ||
| In some cases, it might not be immediately clear whether a model is visible. If so, stoop down to get a look from behind the observing model. If any part of the other model is visible, even if it is just the tip of a spear, then that model is visible for rules purposes. | ||
18.1 Ward Saves
Units with the WARD keyword have the ‘Ward Save’ passive ability. The number after the WARD keyword indicates the ward value for the ward save. If a unit had WARD (5+), for example, its ward value would be 5. If a unit has more than one ward save, only the ward save with the lowest value applies to it; the other has no effect.| Passive |
WARD SAVE: Whether through their uncanny reflexes, unnatural toughness or a source of mystical protection, these warriors can avoid otherwise lethal attacks.
Effect: In step 1 of the damage sequence (see 18.0), make a ward roll of D6 for each damage point in this unit’s damage pool. If the roll equals or exceeds this unit’s ward value, remove that damage point from the damage pool.
2.0 Spells
The declare step of each spell will tell you to make a casting roll of 2D6. If the roll does not equal or exceed the spell’s casting value (at the top-right corner of the spell), the spell fails and its effect is not resolved.If the unmodified casting roll includes 2 or more rolls of 1, the spell is miscast: the spell fails, its effect is not resolved, D3 mortal damage is inflicted on the WIZARD that used it, and that WIZARD cannot use any more spells in that phase.
Enemy reactions can only be used if the casting roll equals or exceeds the spell’s casting value. So long as the spell is not unbound (see 4.0), then it is successfully cast: resolve its effect.
EXAMPLE SPELL
| Your Hero Phase | 6 |
MYSTIC SHIELD: The caster's allies are bathed in an unearthly glow that protects them from harm.
Declare: Pick a visible friendly unit wholly within 12" of this WIZARD to be the target. Then, make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
Effect: The target has WARD (6+) this turn.
| KEYWORDS | SPELL |
The ISHARANN keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
Wound Roll
Roll a dice. If the roll equals or exceeds the attacking weapon’s Wound characteristic, the attack successfully wounds: move on to the next step. If not, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends. Unmodified wound rolls of 1 always fail.Companion
Unless otherwise specified, attacks made by this weapon are not affected by friendly abilities that modify hit rolls, wound rolls or weapon characteristics, except for those that apply negative modifiers (e.g. ‘Covering Fire’).The INFANTRY keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
The CAVALRY keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
| Your Movement Phase |
RAIDERS FROM THE DEEP: The Idoneth Deepkin are merciless reavers, as cold and cruel as the abyssal depths that they call home. They surge forth on a tide of ocean magic, striking out across the lands in search of souls to raid.
Declare: Pick a friendly IDONETH DEEPKIN unit that is travelling the ethersea to use this ability.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
Effect: Set up that unit on the battlefield wholly within 9" of a battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.
The HERO keyword is used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
Anti-X (+1 Rend)
Add 1 to this weapon’s Rend characteristic if the target has the keyword after ‘Anti-’ or fulfils the condition after ‘Anti-’. Multiples of this ability are cumulative. For example, if a weapon has both Anti-charge (+1 Rend) and Anti-HERO (+1 Rend), then add 2 to the Rend characteristic of the weapon for attacks that target a HERO that charged in the same turn.32.2 Objective Control
At the start of the first battle round and at the end of each turn, follow this sequence for each objective in an order chosen by the active player:- Starting with the active player, each player determines the control score of each of their units that is contesting that objective. A unit’s control score is the combined Control characteristics of all the models in that unit that are contesting the objective. Some abilities modify a unit’s control score, but it cannot be reduced to less than 1.
- Each player adds up the control scores of all of their units contesting that objective. This is their army control score for that objective.
- The players compare their army control scores for that objective. If one player’s score is higher, that player gains control of that objective. Once a player gains control of an objective, it remains under their control until their opponent gains control of it.
| Sometimes objective markers get accidentally nudged while you are moving models around. This is perfectly fine - just remember to put them back in their proper positions when determining objective control. | ||
21.0 Healing
Some abilities allow you to heal a unit. To heal a unit, remove a number of damage points from the unit equal to the number in brackets after ‘Heal’, e.g. Heal (2).
1.0 Wizards and Priests
WIZARDS are special units that can cast spells, and PRIESTS are special units that can chant prayers. Spells and prayers are powerful abilities that can have a dramatic impact on the battle.
The IDONETH DEEPKIN and WIZARD keywords are used in the following Idoneth Deepkin warscrolls:
Army List
Warscrolls collatedCavalry Hero
Infantry Hero
Monster
Faction Terrain