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The Rules

The Core Rules

Soulblight Gravelords

Beneath the pallid yet strangely beguiling appearance of a Soulblight vampire lies an inhuman terror that forever lusts after the taste of blood. Impossibly strong and preternaturally skilled in necromantic sorceries, they lead their resurrected legions against the living, fighting a relentless war in service to their monstrous hunger.

This page contains all of the rules you need to field your Soulblight Gravelords miniatures on the battlefields of the Mortal Realms, from a host of exciting allegiance abilities to a range of warscrolls and warscroll battalions. The rules are split into the following sections.


	Contents Books Designers’ Commentary • Battletome: Soulblight Gravelords Allies Soulblight Gravelords Battle Traits • The Cursed Bloodlines • Endless Legions • The Unquiet Dead • Deathly Invocation • Deathless Minions Soulblight Gravelords Spell Lores • Lore of the Vampires • Lore of the Deathmages Legion of Blood • Battle Traits • Command Traits • Artefacts of Power Legion of Night • Battle Traits • Command Traits • Artefacts of Power Vyrkos Dynasty • Battle Traits • Command Traits • Artefacts of Power Kastelai Dynasty • Battle Traits • Command Traits • Artefacts of Power Avengorii Dynasty • Battle Traits • Command Traits • Artefacts of Power PATH TO GLORY • Soulblighted Territories • Influencing Territories • Summonable Units • Quests • Veteran Abilities • Territories • Heroic Upgrades An Object Lesson MATCHED PLAY • Grand Strategies • Battle Tactics

Books

Book	Kind	Edition	Last update
Soulblight Gravelords
Soulblight Gravelords	Battletome	3	September 2023
Battlescroll: Impending Vermindoom
Battlescroll: Impending Vermindoom	Rulebook	3	April 2024
Dawnbringers Book IV: The Mad King Rises
Dawnbringers Book IV: The Mad King Rises	Expansion	3	February 2024
Warhammer Underworlds: Deathgorge (Zondara Rivenheart)
Warhammer Underworlds: Deathgorge (Zondara Rivenheart)	Warscroll	3	January 2024
Dawnbringers Book I: Harbingers
Dawnbringers Book I: Harbingers	Expansion	3	June 2023
Warhammer Legends: Grand Alliance Death
Warhammer Legends: Grand Alliance Death	Index	3	August 2021

Designers’ Commentary

Battletome: Soulblight Gravelords

Q:	Does the Doomed Minions command trait apply to attacks made by mounts?
A:	No, as per 27.3.1 of the Core Rules –‘artefacts of power and command traits that affect attacks made by friendly models do not affect attacks made by their mounts, unless noted otherwise.’

Q:	If a unit that is destroyed was above its maximum starting size (e.g. from the Pack Alpha heroic action), if I pick that unit with the Endless Legions battle trait, do any of the models that were added to that unit count toward the size of the replacement unit?
A:	No – use the number of models that it had at the start of the battle.

Q:	Can each HERO in my Soulblight Gravelords army use ‘Deathly Invocation’ in my hero phase?
A:	Yes.

Q:	Can a faction terrain feature be set up on top of my opponent’s gravesite? If yes, can my opponent still use that gravesite?
A:	Yes to both.

Allies

DEATH	ALLIES
Soulblight Gravelords	Flesh-eater Courts, Nighthaunt

Soulblight Gravelords Battle Traits


	The Cursed Bloodlines The greatest Soulblight dynasties and legions are mighty beyond measure. You must pick 1 of the following subfactions for your army (core rules, 27.2.1). All SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS units in your army gain the keyword of the subfaction you picked, and you can use the allegiance abilities for that subfaction. If a unit already has a different subfaction keyword on its warscroll, it cannot gain another one. This does not preclude you from including the unit in your army, but you cannot use the allegiance abilities for its subfaction. NAGASH cannot gain a subfaction keyword. LEGION OF BLOOD LEGION OF NIGHT VYRKOS KASTELAI AVENGORII Endless Legions To the Soulblight aristocracy, the dead are mere chattel to be raised and expended. At the end of the movement phase, you can pick 1 friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE unit that has been destroyed and roll a dice. Add 1 to the roll if it is your movement phase. If you pick a SUMMONABLE unit that is not a HERO, on a 4+, a new replacement unit with half of the models from the unit that was destroyed (rounding up) is added to your army. That unit must be set up wholly within 12" of a friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO or gravesite and more than 3" from all enemy units if it is your turn or more than 9" if it is the enemy turn, and it cannot attempt a charge or make pile-in moves in the same turn. Each destroyed unit can only be replaced once – replacement units cannot themselves be replaced. If you pick a SUMMONABLE HERO, on a 4+, you can set up that HERO wholly within 12" of a friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO or gravesite, more than 3" from all enemy units if it is your turn or more than 9" if it is the enemy turn, and with 3 wounds allocated to it. That HERO cannot attempt a charge or make a pile-in move in the same turn. You cannot pick the same HERO to benefit from this ability more than once per battle. The Unquiet Dead Animated by necromancy, the undead rise from their graves, balefire eyes blazing with dark purpose. After territories are determined, you can pick up to 2 points within your territory and up to 2 points anywhere on the battlefield outside your territory to be gravesites. Each gravesite must be more than 1" from all terrain features and objectives. If both players can set up gravesites at the same time, or if one player can set up faction terrain features at the same time as the other player can set up gravesites, they must roll off, and the winner chooses who sets up their faction terrain features or gravesites first. During deployment, instead of setting up a SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE unit on the battlefield, you can place it to one side and say that it is set up in the grave as a reserve unit. You can set up 1 unit in the grave for each unit you have set up on the battlefield. At the end of your movement phase, you can set up 1 or more of the reserve units in the grave on the battlefield, wholly within 12" of a gravesite and more than 9" from all enemy units. Deathly Invocation Powerful practitioners of death magic are able to summon hordes of undead minions in battle. In your hero phase, you can pick up to 3 friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE units wholly within 12" of a friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO. You can either heal up to 3 wounds allocated to that unit or, if no wounds have been allocated to that unit, you can return a number of slain models to it that have a combined Wounds characteristic of 3 or less. Add 1 to the number of slain models that are returned to that unit if it is wholly within 12" of a gravesite. You cannot pick the same unit to benefit from this ability more than once per phase. Deathless Minions The undead are oblivious to injury and empowered by their masters’ presence. Friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS units have a ward of 6+.

Soulblight Gravelords Spell Lores

Lore of the Vampires

VAMPIRE WIZARDS (including Unique units) only.

Soulpike

Should the foe move too forcefully, they risk impaling their souls on a forest of purple-black spears conjured by the caster.

Soulpike is a spell that has a casting value of 6 and a range of 24". If successfully cast, pick 1 enemy unit within range and visible to the caster. Until your next hero phase, if that unit makes a charge move, roll a number of dice equal to the charge roll for that charge move. For each 4+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, you can pick 2 different enemy units within range instead of 1.

Vile Transference

The caster siphons the animus from nearby enemies and uses it to rejuvenate their ageless form.

Vile Transference is a spell that has a casting value of 6 and a range of 9". If successfully cast, pick 1 enemy unit within range and visible to the caster. Roll a number of dice equal to that unit’s Wounds characteristic. For each 5+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound and you can heal 1 wound allocated to the caster.

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, the target suffers 1 mortal wound and you can heal 1 wound allocated to the caster for each 4+ instead of each 5+.

Spirit Gale

The wizard calls forth spectral winds that tear the souls of the foe from their bodies.

Spirit Gale is a spell that has a casting value of 7. If successfully cast, pick up to 3 different enemy units on the battlefield to suffer 1 mortal wound.

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, pick up to 6 different enemy units on the battlefield to suffer 1 mortal wound instead.

Lore of the Deathmages

MORTARCHS and DEATHMAGES WIZARDS (including Unique units) only.

Fading Vigour

The wizard saps the vitality from the foe until they can barely raise their weapons.

Fading Vigour is a spell that has a casting value of 6 and a range of 18". If successfully cast, pick 1 enemy unit within range and visible to the caster. Subtract 1 from the Attacks characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons (to a minimum of 1) until your next hero phase.

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, subtract 2 from the Attacks characteristic instead of 1 (to a minimum of 1).

Prison of Grief

Victims of this curse relive their tragedies, their will to fight replaced by self-pity.

Prison of Grief is a spell that has a casting value of 6 and a range of 12". If successfully cast, pick 1 enemy unit within range and visible to the caster. Until your next hero phase, the strike-last effect applies to that unit.

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, the range of this spell is 24" instead of 12".

Waste Away

The wizard causes the muscles of the foe to atrophy, robbing them of their strength.

Waste Away is a spell that has a casting value of 6 and a range of 18". If successfully cast, pick 1 enemy unit within range and visible to the caster. Until your next hero phase, subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks made with melee weapons by that unit and subtract 1 from the Damage characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons (to a minimum of 1).

If the unmodified casting roll for this spell is 9+ and this spell is not unbound, you can pick 2 different enemy units within range instead of 1.

Legion of Blood

Battle Traits

Unparalleled Expertise

The courtiers of Queen Neferata and her inner circle are expected to excel in all manner of disciplines, be they martial or mystical.

If a friendly LEGION OF BLOOD VAMPIRE HERO is within 3" of any enemy units, it is bloodthirsty. If a friendly LEGION OF BLOOD VAMPIRE HERO is more than 3" from all enemy units, it is empowered.

Add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of melee weapons used by a unit that is bloodthirsty. Add 1 to casting, dispelling and unbinding rolls for a unit that is empowered.

The Coven of Nulahmia

A foe marked for death by the Legion of Blood cannot hope to escape their fate; Neferata’s agents will have prepared hexes and curses against them far in advance, rendering their demise a certainty.

At the start of the hero phase, you can carry out 1 of the heroic actions below with a friendly LEGION OF BLOOD VAMPIRE HERO instead of any other heroic action you can carry out with that HERO.

LEGION OF BLOOD HEROIC ACTIONS

Premeditated Bloodshed: Pick 1 friendly LEGION OF BLOOD VAMPIRE HERO. Until the end of this turn, ward rolls cannot be made for wounds and mortal wounds caused by attacks made by this HERO.

Immortal Majesty: Pick 1 friendly LEGION OF BLOOD VAMPIRE HERO. Until the end of this turn, your opponent must spend 2 command points instead of 1 to issue the All-out Defence and Inspiring Presence commands to enemy units within 12" of that HERO.

Command Traits

Instruments of Neferata’s Will

LEGION OF BLOOD general only.

Tailored Downfall

Everything, living or dead, has its weaknesses, and Neferata’s generals excel in exploiting these vulnerabilities.

After deployment but before the first battle round begins, you can pick 1 enemy HERO on the battlefield. The strike-last effect applies to that unit while it is within 3" of this general.

Game Hunter

Charged with laying low a bestial nuisance, this general is an instrument of monstrous death.

After deployment but before the first battle round begins, you can pick 1 enemy MONSTER that is not a HERO. The Attacks characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons is 1 while that unit is within 3" of this general.

Doomed Minions

The tactics of the enemy have been studied extensively by this general and appropriate ripostes devised.

After deployment but before the first battle round begins, you can pick up to D3 enemy units that are not HEROES or MONSTERS. Attacks made with melee weapons that target that unit score a hit on an unmodified hit roll of 2+ while that unit is within 3" of this general.

Artefacts of Power

Treasures of the Bloody Court

LEGION OF BLOOD HERO only.

Amulet of Screams

The bearer of this amulet can flood the foe’s mind with the tormented howling of damned souls, leaving them exposed to their sorcery.

Roll a dice each time an enemy unit within 18" of the bearer successfully casts a spell that is not unbound. On a 3+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds after the effect of that spell has been resolved.

Orb of Enchantment

To glance into the swirling depths of this crystal orb is to become hypnotised by alluring visions and half-glimpsed futures.

Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, you can pick 1 enemy HERO within 3" of the bearer and roll a dice. On a 3+, that HERO cannot be picked to fight in that phase.

Cloak of Mists and Shadows

Woven with dark magic, this cloak endows the wearer with ethereal form.

Ignore modifiers (positive and negative) to save rolls for attacks that target the bearer.

Legion of Night

Battle Traits

Ageless Cunning

Mannfred von Carstein and his minions are creatures of cruel opportunism. Upon scenting weakness, they will strike from an unexpected angle, emerging from a pall of midnight to lay waste to their foes.

Once per turn, during the enemy charge phase, after an enemy unit finishes a charge move, you can pick 1 friendly LEGION OF NIGHT unit within 12" of that enemy unit and more than 3" from all enemy units. That unit can attempt a charge.

Swift Form

Whether transforming into a bestial creature or dissipating into dark mist, this vampire can cover ground with terrible swiftness.

At the start of the hero phase, you can carry out this heroic action with a friendly LEGION OF NIGHT VAMPIRE HERO instead of any other heroic action you can carry out with that HERO.

LEGION OF NIGHT HEROIC ACTION

Swift Form: Pick 1 friendly LEGION OF NIGHT VAMPIRE HERO more than 3" from all enemy units. Remove that unit from the battlefield and set it up again on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units. That HERO cannot move in the following movement phase.

Into the Jaws of Death

The undead behemoths of Mannfred’s legion are chosen not only for their fury but also for their predatory instincts and penchant for dealing honourless deaths.

At the end of the charge phase, you can carry out this monstrous rampage with a friendly LEGION OF NIGHT ZOMBIE DRAGON or LEGION OF NIGHT TERRORGHEIST instead of any other monstrous rampage you can carry out with that unit.

LEGION OF NIGHT MONSTROUS RAMPAGE

Into the Jaws of Death: Pick 1 enemy unit within 6" of this unit that made a charge move in this phase and roll 2D6. Add 3 to the roll if that enemy unit is within 1/2" of this unit. If the roll is greater than the unmodified charge roll for that charge move, this unit can attack with its Pestilential Breath or Death Shriek in this phase and must target that enemy unit.

Command Traits

Rulers of the Night

LEGION OF NIGHT general only.

Above Suspicion

This general is almost trusted by the Mortarch of Night and given greater leniency for enacting their wicked schemes.

During deployment, instead of setting up this general on the battlefield, you can place them to one side and say that they are set up in ambush as a reserve unit. If you do so, at the end of your movement phase, you can set up this general on the battlefield more than 9" from all enemy units.

The Bait

When this general marches to war, ranks of revenants are raised to do their bidding. These undead are expected to distract the enemy’s attention long enough for the vampires to strike.

While this general is on the battlefield, add 1 to save rolls and ward rolls for attacks that target friendly LEGION OF NIGHT SUMMONABLE units in the first battle round.

Unbending Will

This general and their minions are a force of unliving conquest like no other.

Models in friendly LEGION OF NIGHT SUMMONABLE units count as 2 models instead of 1 for the purposes of contesting objectives while they are wholly within 12" of this general.

Artefacts of Power

The Vaults of Carstinia

LEGION OF NIGHT HERO only.

Shard of Night

This black leather brigandine was crafted from the hide of an abyssal stalker and grants the wearer that creature’s shadowy aura.

Ignore negative modifiers to save rolls for attacks made with missile weapons that target the bearer.

Chiropteran Cloak

This bat-winged cloak is covered with razor-sharp claws. Feasting upon blood drives it into a frenzy, causing it to lash and tear at nearby foes.

If the unmodified hit roll for an attack made with a melee weapon that targets the bearer is 1, the attacking unit suffers 1 mortal wound after all of its attacks have been resolved.

Morbheg’s Claw

This blackened talon is said to belong to Morbheg, father of Terrorgheists.

In your hero phase, if the bearer is more than 3" from all enemy units, you can say that they will carve sigils into the ground using Morbheg’s claw. If you do so, add 2 to casting rolls for friendly LEGION OF NIGHT WIZARDS wholly within 12" of the bearer until your next hero phase. However, the bearer cannot make a normal move, run, retreat or attempt a charge until your next hero phase.

Vyrkos Dynasty

Battle Traits

The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack

The Vyrkos are renowned for the arcane and animalistic curse threaded through their souls, a trait that appears magnified in the presence of their dynastic kin.

In the combat phase, after a friendly VYRKOS HERO has fought for the first time in that phase, you can pick 1 friendly VYRKOS unit that has not yet fought in that combat phase, that is within 3" of an enemy unit and that is wholly within 12" of that friendly VYRKOS HERO. That unit fights immediately.

Designer’s Note: If the unit you pick to fight immediately is a VYRKOS HERO, after that unit has fought, you cannot then use this ability to pick another friendly VYRKOS unit to fight immediately.

An Infamous Lineage

The Vyrkos are a close-knit brood, and the most powerful and charismatic of their number are legends among the dynasty. The formidable will of these vampires is as a beacon to lesser undead, drawing them to fight.

At the start of your hero phase, you can carry out 1 of the heroic actions below with a friendly VYRKOS VAMPIRE HERO instead of any other heroic action you can carry out with that HERO.

VYRKOS DYNASTY HEROIC ACTIONS

Pack Alpha: Pick 1 friendly VYRKOS VAMPIRE HERO. Then, pick 1 friendly VYRKOS SUMMONABLE DEADWALKERS unit within 12" of that HERO and visible to them. You can add D3 models to that unit.

Designer’s Note: This ability allows a friendly VYRKOS SUMMONABLE DEADWALKERS unit to be taken above its maximum unit size.

Kin of the Wolf: Pick 1 friendly VYRKOS VAMPIRE HERO. If you do so, you can add 1 unit of 10 Dire Wolves to your army. The unit must be set up wholly within 9" of the HERO carrying out this heroic action and more than 9" from all enemy units. That DIRE WOLVES unit cannot move in the following movement phase. You cannot carry out this heroic action more than once per battle.

Command Traits

Alpha Predators

VYRKOS general only (including Unique VYRKOS units).

Driven by Deathstench

This general’s predatory instincts have been instilled in their kin, driving them on with terrifying ferocity.

You can re-roll charge rolls for friendly VYRKOS units wholly within 9" of this general.

Hunter’s Snare

Like a wolf prowling at the edge of the firelight, this general bides their time awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike.

For the purposes of contesting objectives, this general counts as a number of models equal to their Wounds characteristic.

Spoor Trackers

So potent is this general’s bestial soul that even shambling Deadwalkers act with increased haste in their presence.

At the start of your hero phase, friendly VYRKOS DEADWALKERS units wholly within 9" of this general can make a normal move of up to 3".

Artefacts of Power

Trophies of the Hunt

VYRKOS HERO general only (including Unique VYRKOS units).

Ulfenkarni Phylactery

Crafted by the chamberlain Torgillius, this item allows the bearer’s minions to shrug off even terminal blows.

Add 1 to ward rolls for friendly VYRKOS SUMMONABLE units for the purposes of the Deathless Minions battle trait while they are wholly within 9" of the bearer.

Terminus Clock

Created by a mad clockwright of Ulfenkarn, this bizarre cogwork piece ticks without rhyme or reason. Whenever its eclectic count ends, however, the power of magic seems to deaden across the field.

At the start of the enemy hero phase, you can say that the bearer will stop the Terminus Clock. If you do so, roll a dice. On a 3+, until the end of that phase, subtract 1 from casting rolls for enemy WIZARDS.

Standard of the Ulfenwatch

This now-tattered banner was once the pride of the Ulfenkarn city guard. To look upon its twisted glory is to be reminded of the conquests of the Vyrkos.

If the bearer is on the battlefield, you can roll a dice each time your opponent spends a command point. On a 4+, you receive 1 extra command point.

Kastelai Dynasty

Battle Traits

Might of the Crimson Keep

Kastelai vampires revel in displaying their martial skills, their fervour increasing as more foes fall before them.

At the end of the combat phase, if any enemy models were slain by attacks made with melee weapons by a friendly KASTELAI VAMPIRE unit in that phase, you can pick 1 relevant ability below to apply to that friendly unit for the rest of the battle. If more than 1 of the abilities below would apply to that unit, you must pick which ability that unit gains. A unit cannot gain the same ability more than once per battle.

If the slain model was a HERO or MONSTER:
Bloodied Strength: Add 1 to the Damage characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons (excluding those of its mounts).

If the slain model had a Wounds characteristic of 3 or more and was not a HERO or MONSTER:
Seized Fervour: Add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons (excluding those of its mounts).

If the slain model had a Wounds characteristic of 2 or less:
Absorbed Speed: Add 1" to that unit’s Move characteristic.

Masters of Retaliation

To many Kastelai, the finest way to test their worth is by deliberately placing themselves in danger and then savagely fighting their way clear.

At the start of the hero phase, you can carry out this heroic action with a friendly KASTELAI VAMPIRE HERO instead of any other heroic action you can carry out with that HERO.

KASTELAI DYNASTY HEROIC ACTION

Masters of Retaliation: Pick 1 friendly KASTELAI VAMPIRE HERO. Until the end of that turn, at the end of each phase, if any wounds or mortal wounds were allocated to that HERO in that phase and that HERO was not slain, roll a dice for each enemy unit within 3" of that HERO. On a 2+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.

Battle-crazed

The warlike fury of the Kastelai runs deep in their reanimated, monstrous mounts.

At the end of the charge phase, you can carry out this monstrous rampage with a friendly KASTELAI MONSTER instead of any other monstrous rampage you can carry out with that MONSTER.

KASTELAI DYNASTY MONSTROUS RAMPAGE

Battle-crazed: Add 1 to wound rolls for attacks made with melee weapons by this unit in the following combat phase.

Command Traits

Lords of the Crimson Keep

KASTELAI general only.

Swift and Deadly

Nothing delights this general more than seeing their undead riders crash into the foe.

You can re-roll charge rolls for friendly KASTELAI units while they are wholly within 12" of this general.

Undead Bladelord

This undead warrior-lord need only observe a martial technique in order to be able to employ it.

Once per turn, if this general is on the battlefield when a friendly KASTELAI VAMPIRE unit gains an ability with the Might of the Crimson Keep battle trait that this general has not already gained, this general gains the same ability.

The Shifting Keep

None can predict where the Crimson Keep will manifest next, but wherever it appears, the carnage this general will wreak will be total.

During deployment, if this general is on the battlefield, instead of setting up a KASTELAI BLOOD KNIGHTS unit on the battlefield, you can place it to one side and say that it is set up in the Crimson Keep as a reserve unit.

You can set up 1 unit in the Crimson Keep for each unit you have set up on the battlefield. At the end of your movement phase, you can set up 1 or more of the reserve units in the Crimson Keep on the battlefield, wholly within 6" of the battlefield edge and more than 9" from all enemy units.

Artefacts of Power

Relics of Red Conquest

KASTELAI HERO only.

Grave-sand Shard

By crushing this gem of vitrified grave-sand between the fingers, a Kastelai vampire can draw upon a surge of death magic to reinvigorate their resurrected warriors.

Once per battle round, at the end of the battleshock phase, you can return 1 slain model to each friendly KASTELAI SUMMONABLE unit wholly within 18" of the bearer.

Fragment of the Keep

Kastelai warriors dispatched on far-ranging errantry quests will often be gifted a single brick from the Crimson Keep, increasing their speed in hand-to-hand combat tenfold.

Subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks made with melee weapons by enemy units within 3" of the bearer.

The Red Casket

Only the most battle-crazed vampire knights seek to be sealed into this cursed cuirass, as it transforms them into a whirlwind of mindless, frothing death.

Add 3 to run rolls and charge rolls for the bearer.

Avengorii Dynasty

Battle Traits

Cursed Abominations

The Avengorii dynasty is less a formal warhost and more a menagerie of frenzied necrotic horrors.

Once per turn, at the start of the combat phase, you can pick 1 friendly AVENGORII MONSTER within 3" of any enemy units. Until the end of that phase, use the top row on that unit’s damage table, regardless of how many wounds it has suffered.

Titans of the Grave

The Avengorii are feared across the realms for the ferocious undead creatures they bring to battle. When the scent of blood lies upon the air, these long-dead monsters are pitched into new heights of savagery.

At the end of the charge phase, you can carry out 1 of the monstrous rampages below with a friendly AVENGORII MONSTER instead of any other monstrous rampage you can carry out with that MONSTER.

AVENGORII DYNASTY MONSTROUS RAMPAGES

Maddening Hunger: Pick up to D3 different enemy models within 1" of this unit and roll a dice (roll separately for each model). If the roll is greater than that model’s Wounds characteristic, it is slain.

Unstoppable Nightmare: Until the end of the following combat phase, the first time a different friendly AVENGORII unit within 6" of this unit is destroyed, this unit can fight immediately after the last slain model in the destroyed unit is removed from play.

Command Traits

Twisted Paragons

AVENGORII general only.

Monstrous Might

So crazed and blood-hungry are the beasts under this general's command that only the most titanic blows can hope to faze them.

Subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks made with melee weapons that target friendly AVENGORII MONSTERS wholly within 12" of this general.

Torment-driven Throes

Twisted limbs and tails lash out as this general fights, killing scores and debilitating those who survive.

At the start of the combat phase, you can roll a dice for each enemy unit within 3" of this general. On a 5+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound and the strike-last effect applies to that unit until the end of that phase.

Unhinged Rampager

This general’s ravenous hunger sees them close on the enemy without hesitation.

You can re-roll charge rolls for this general. In addition, at the end of the shooting phase, if any wounds or mortal wounds were allocated to this general in that phase, and this general is more than 9" from all enemy units, this general can move up to D6".

Artefacts of Power

Monstrous Spoils

AVENGORII HERO only.

Breath of the Void Maw

These black shards, said to be crystallised motes of magic that escaped through the realmgate at the heart of the Avengorii’s stronghold, can be shattered against the ground to summon a gale of killing Shyishan energies.

Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, you can pick 1 enemy unit within 6" of the bearer that is visible to them and roll a dice. On a 2+, that unit suffers a number of mortal wounds equal to the roll.

Ghorvar’s Collar

The enchanted flesh-stitched ruff belonging to Ghorvar, the brutal former patriarch of the Avengorii, allowed him to cow any beast with but a glance. Such did not save him from the Mother of Nightmares’ cold wrath, but his most famous relic remains a powerful tool of dominion.

Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, you can say that the bearer will don Ghorvar’s collar. If you do so, the strike-first effect applies to the bearer until the end of that phase.

The Furious Crown

Taken from a champion of Chaos slain on the orders of Lauka Vai, this crown seeks to dominate the wearer by inundating them with waves of fury. For the bestial Avengorii, however, this is little impediment to harnessing its power.

Once per battle, at the start of your charge phase, you can say that the bearer will unleash the fury of the crown. If you do so, after the bearer makes a charge move in that phase, you can pick 1 enemy unit within 1" of the bearer and roll a number of dice equal to the charge roll for that charge move. For each 4+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.

PATH TO GLORY

The following section includes rules for your Path to Glory campaign if you are using a Soulblight Gravelords army.

Soulblighted Territories

When you make an exploration roll, on a 61-66, you can pick a territory from the Soulblight Gravelords Faction Territories table. These territories represent pockets of civilisation that already subsist under the oppression and rule of the cursed bloodlines, and so they work differently to other territories in a Path to Glory campaign. Firstly, you do not have to spend any glory points to control them; you can do so automatically. Secondly, these territories cannot be upgraded.


	As the scion of a proud dynasty, your goal in a Path to Glory campaign is to expand your lineage’s influence across the realms - as well as secure your own power base, of course.

Influencing Territories

In addition to discovering soulblighted territories as described above, you can influence territories you control.

In order to influence a territory, you must complete the ‘Propagate the Curse’ quest. In addition, if you fight a Path to Glory battle using the ‘An Object Lesson’ battleplan, the result may allow you to influence a territory or allow your opponent to undermine your influence over a territory and revert it back to its original form (the victory conditions for the battleplan will explain this in more detail).

Influence: If you choose to influence a territory, at the end of step 6 of the aftermath sequence, pick 1 territory you control. Remove the territory you picked from your roster and replace it with its influenced form from the Soulblight Gravelords Faction Territories table.

Undermine Influence: If your opponent is allowed to undermine your influence over a territory, in step 6 of the aftermath sequence, you are not allowed to make an exploration roll. Instead, your opponent can pick 1 influenced territory on your roster. If they do so, you must remove that territory from your roster and replace it with the territory that corresponds to its original form.


	Should fortune - and the Undying King - favour you, you may discover locations that have already known the touch of the Soulblight curse. The Soulblight Gravelords Faction Territories table lists a number of such territories along with their original forms, which correspond to several territories from the Core Book.

Summonable Units

SUMMONABLE units are not recorded on your order of battle. Instead, when you pick your army for a battle, you can include up to 3 SUMMONABLE units for each MORTARCH that you include in your army, up to 2 SUMMONABLE units for each VAMPIRE HERO that is not a MORTARCH that you include in your army, and up to 1 SUMMONABLE unit for each other SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO that you include in your army.


	Lesser undead have only a sliver of personality and are raised and discarded with contemptuous disinterest by practitioners of necromancy.

Quests

When you pick a quest, you can pick from the following quests in addition to those in the Core Book.


	QUEST Champions of Undeath The vampires and wight lords of the realms are amongst the most terrible of all undead, their power growing as they gorge on Shyishan energies. Pick 1 VAMPIRE LORD or WIGHT KING that does not have a mount on your order of battle. At the end of each Path to Glory battle, add 1 quest point to the progress section of your quest log for each enemy unit that was destroyed by an attack made by that unit. Once you have gained 3 or more quest points, you complete this quest. When you complete this quest, you can pick an eligible heroic upgrade for that VAMPIRE LORD or WIGHT KING for a reduced amount of renown points.


	QUEST Propagate the Curse The more undead champions there are in victory’s wake, the easier it is to blight a land with morbid magic. At the end of each Path to Glory battle, add 1 quest point to the progress section of your quest log for each friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO on the battlefield. Once you have gained 6 or more quest points, you can fight Path to Glory battles using the ‘An Object Lesson’ battleplan. If you win a major victory or minor victory when using that battleplan, you complete this quest. The rewards for completing this quest are listed in the battleplan.


	QUEST The Revenant Legions Undead warlords think little of expending their minions en masse. Occasionally, however, some of these resurrected regiments will attain their own notoriety. At the end of a Path to Glory battle, you complete this quest if you won a major victory. When you complete this quest, in the next Path to Glory battle you fight against an opponent using a Path to Glory army, before deployment, you can give each friendly DEATHRATTLE SKELETONS and DEADWALKER ZOMBIES unit 1 veteran ability that can only be used in that battle.


	QUEST Mass Graves A vampire or wight who can secure some former site of slaughter has access to nearly limitless reserves of soldiery. At the end of a Path to Glory battle, you complete this quest if you won a major victory and the model picked to be your general was not slain. When you complete this quest, in the next Path to Glory battle you fight against an opponent using a Path to Glory army, at the end of your movement phase, you can summon 1 DEADWALKER ZOMBIES or DEATHRATTLE SKELETONS unit and add it to your army. That unit must be set up wholly within 12" of a friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS HERO or gravesite and more than 3" from all enemy units. Units set up in this way cannot attempt a charge or make pile-in moves in the same turn.

Veteran Abilities

Each time a SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS unit on your Path to Glory roster gains a veteran ability, you pick from the following veteran abilities in addition to those in the Core Book.

SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS VETERAN ABILITIES

Ruinous Charge: When worthy prey is sighted, these prideful vampires waste no time in trampling anything that lies between them and their target.

BLOOD KNIGHTS only. This unit can use this veteran ability once per battle when it uses its Riders of Ruin ability. Instead of rolling to determine whether an enemy unit suffers mortal wounds, that enemy unit automatically suffers 3 mortal wounds.

Eager for Bloodshed: So great is these Vargheists’ need for fresh gore that they will launch truly reckless aerial dives to get at their foes.

VARGHEISTS only. This unit can use this veteran ability once per battle when it is set up on the battlefield after circling high above as a reserve unit. This unit can be set up more than D6" from all enemy units instead of more than 9" from all enemy units.

Corpsemaster Seneschal: The elder Corpsemaster who maintains this unwholesome cart has power enough to spur lesser undead into battle.

CORPSE CART only. Once per battle, 1 friendly SUMMONABLE unit wholly within 12" of this unit can receive a command without the command being issued and without a command point being spent.

Horrors of the Deep Graves: Some of the Zombie Dragons and Terrorgheists that accompany a Gravelord host can reach an enormous size.

ZOMBIE DRAGON and TERRORGHEIST only. Add 2 to the Wounds characteristic of this unit.

Warriors of Elder Ages: Within these skeletal warriors, a flicker of their old martial pride sometimes rises to the fore, seeing them lurch into battle with terrible haste.

DEATHRATTLE only. This unit can use this veteran ability once per battle when it is picked to fight in the combat phase. When it does so, this unit is eligible to fight in the combat phase if it is within 6" of an enemy unit instead of 3", and it can move an extra 3" when it piles in.

March of a Thousand Corpses: Just as the living dare to hope that the last of these Deadwalkers has fallen, the revenants stagger to their feet once more, groaning with mindless hunger.

DEADWALKERS only. This unit can use this veteran ability once per battle, at the end of the movement phase. You can return any number of slain models to this unit.

Territories

When making an exploration roll, if the roll is 61-66, that roll will correspond to a territory on the table below. Alternatively, you can pick 1 result from the Territories table in the Core Book that corresponds to a roll of 21-42.

ORIGINAL FORM

The name in brackets after the name of each territory in this table is the original form of the territory. This is important if your opponent chooses to undermine your influence over the territory.

SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS FACTION TERRITORIES (D66)

61-62 BLEAK EXPANSE (OLD KEEP) Grim boneyards, corpse-infested peat bogs and crumbling mausoleums stretch for miles all around: fine sources of undead minions with which to reinforce your hordes.

Add 3 to the number of SUMMONABLE units you can include in your army.

63 OUTPOST OF UNDEATH (ANCIENT ROADS)
Fellow undead have a claim on this region, though they do not seem opposed to your presence. With cunning politicking and shows of force, you may be able to forge an alliance.

Pick an allied faction. You can add up to 3 allied units from that faction to your roster even if this would exceed your Allied Units limit.

64 OUTPOST OF THE LIVING (LARGE SETTLEMENT)
The mortals who have settled here in the name of Sigmar Soul-thief are a useful source of intelligence and sustenance - once they have been broken to your will.

You receive 3 extra glory points in step 1 of the aftermath sequence.

65-66 CURSED CITADEL (RUINS OF MYTH)
You have discovered a nexus of death magic, the perfect site on which to found a new fortress. In this gloomy paradise, you will feast as never before, your mortal chattel fit only to be drained of blood and raised to serve the Midnight Aristocracy.

You can never have more than 1 territory of this type. Add 1 to the number of territories your stronghold can control, the number of barracks it can have and the number of outposts it can establish.

Heroic Upgrades

During your Path to Glory campaign, you may be able to pick heroic upgrades for your HEROES. A heroic upgrade replaces the warscroll of a HERO with another, more powerful one and represents them becoming a mighty champion in your army.

You can pick a heroic upgrade in step 7 of the aftermath sequence. To do so, consult the table below and pick 1 of the eligible options. Each heroic upgrade lists the warscroll the HERO will be upgraded to, which warscroll is required, the amount of renown points that HERO must have, and the amount of glory points you must spend. Once you have picked a heroic upgrade, replace your HERO’s warscroll on your order of battle with the new one chosen. You can only pick 1 heroic upgrade in each aftermath sequence.

If the new warscroll is a type that is limited on your order of battle - for example, if it is a MONSTER - you will need to have increased your order of battle limits to accommodate it before it can be upgraded.

CORE ENHANCEMENTS

When you pick a heroic upgrade for a HERO, they keep their renown points and any core enhancements that they are still eligible for. If your HERO had any core enhancements that they are no longer eligible for, they lose those core enhancements. If this enables you to pick a new core enhancement for your order of battle, you can do so.

Upgraded Warscroll	Required Warscroll	Required Renown Points	Glory Points Cost
Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon	Vampire Lord	30*	6
Vengorian Lord	Vampire Lord	20*	4
Wight King on Skeletal Steed	Wight King	15*	3
* The Required Renown Points is reduced by 5 if you have completed the ‘Champions of Undeath’ quest with your HERO.


	Battleplan An Object Lesson To the vampires, the living are mere chattel to be feasted upon at leisure, lesser beings who must be shown their place beneath the bootheel of their betters. Those mortals who accept their weakness may be allowed to cling to life; any who resist must instead be mercilessly wiped out. One such defiant outpost lingers within your dynasty’s hunting grounds. You have received the order to raze the settlement to the ground before Hysh’s light next poisons the sky. Vast resources are yours to command in pursuit of this goal. Success will see new lands enter your territory, but should you fail, the punishment will be both inventive and severe... QUEST BATTLEPLAN This battleplan is used with the Path to Glory battlepack in the Core Book. You can use this battleplan if one player is using a Soulblight Gravelords army, has embarked on the ‘Propagate the Curse’ quest and has earned 6 or more quest points. THE ARMIES The player on the ‘Propagate the Curse’ quest is the Soulblight Gravelords player and their opponent is the dauntless defender. The Soulblight Gravelords player must use a Soulblight Gravelords army. THE BATTLEFIELD This battle is fought on the outskirts of a stranded settlement on its last legs, and appropriate terrain features should be used to represent this. This battleplan does not have objectives; therefore, the Soulblight Gravelords player must pick up to 4 points on the battlefield to be gravesites for the purposes of the Unquiet Dead battle trait. FACTION TERRAIN The dauntless defender can set up a faction terrain feature. DEPLOYMENT The Soulblight Gravelords player sets up their army first, wholly within their territory. Then, the dauntless defender sets up their army, wholly within their territory. FIRST TURN The Soulblight Gravelords player takes the first turn in the first battle round. ETERNAL HORDES At the end of each battle round, the Soulblight Gravelords player can return any slain models to each friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE unit that is more than 3" from all enemy units. In addition, at the end of each battle round, for each friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE unit that was destroyed in that battle round, a new replacement unit identical to the unit that was destroyed is added to the Soulblight Gravelords player’s army. Replacement units must be set up wholly within 12" of a gravesite and more than 3" from all enemy units. Each destroyed unit can only be replaced once - replacement units cannot themselves be replaced. DEFIANT TO THE END The dauntless defender does not take battleshock tests for units in their army. RESISTING THE INEVITABLE At the start of each battle round, the dauntless defender rolls 6 dice. These are their defence dice. If 2 of the dice have the same score, it is referred to as a double. If 3 of the dice have the same score, it is referred to as a triple. If 4 or more of the dice have the same score, it is referred to as a quad. At the end of each battle round, any remaining defence dice are discarded. The dauntless defender can use the following abilities if they have sufficient defence dice. Each ability will say if it requires a double, triple or quad. Once an ability has been used, the defence dice required for that ability are discarded. A triple can be used for an ability that requires a double, or a quad for an ability that requires a triple or a double, but after doing so, all of the defence dice must be discarded. [Double] Redoubled Attack: You can use this ability when you pick a friendly unit to shoot or fight. If you do so, add D3 to the Attacks characteristic of that unit’s weapons until the end of that phase. [Triple] Critical Strike: You can use this ability when you pick a friendly unit to shoot or fight. If you do so, until the end of that phase, if the unmodified hit roll or wound roll for an attack made by that unit that targets a SUMMONABLE unit is 6, 1 model in the target unit is slain and the attack sequence ends. [Quad] Bless the Earth: You can use this ability at the start of the combat phase. If you do so, pick 1 friendly unit within 3" of any enemy SUMMONABLE units. Each enemy SUMMONABLE model within 12" of that unit is slain. BATTLE LENGTH Starting from the fourth battle round, at the end of each battle round, roll a dice and add the number of the current battle round to the roll. On a 9+, the battle ends. On any other roll, the battle continues. GLORIOUS VICTORY The Soulblight Gravelords player wins a major victory if more than half of the units in the dauntless defender’s starting army have been destroyed when the battle ends. The dauntless defender wins a major victory if more than half of the units in their starting army have not been destroyed when the battle ends. If neither player has won a major victory, each player must add up the Wounds characteristics of all enemy HEROES slain during the battle. The player with the higher total wins a minor victory. Any other result is a draw. PATH TO GLORY REWARDS AND PENALTIES If the Soulblight Gravelords player wins the battle, they complete the ‘Propagate the Curse’ quest and can influence a territory. If the dauntless defender wins a major victory, they can undermine the Soulblight Gravelords player’s influence over 2 of their territories. If the dauntless defender wins a minor victory, they can undermine the Soulblight Gravelords player’s influence over 1 of their territories.

MATCHED PLAY

If the battlepack you are using says that you must pick grand strategies and battle tactics for your army, you can pick from the following lists as well as those found in the battlepack you are using.

Grand Strategies

After you have picked your army, you can pick 1 of the grand strategies below and record it on your army roster.

VAMPIRIC CONQUERORS

Soulblight Gravelords army only.

Lust for Domination: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if you control more gravesites than your opponent. Control of gravesites is determined in the same way as control of objectives. However, unlike objectives, gravesites do not remain under your control if there are no longer any friendly models contesting them.

Empire of Corpses: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if you replaced 3 or more friendly SUMMONABLE units that were destroyed during the battle.

The Danse Macabre: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are more friendly SUMMONABLE units than enemy units wholly within enemy territory.

Crimson Larder: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are no HEROES from your opponent’s starting army on the battlefield and the only friendly HEROES on the battlefield are VAMPIRES.

Battle Tactics

At the start of your hero phase, you can pick 1 battle tactic from the list below. You must reveal your choice to your opponent, and if your battle tactic instructs you to pick something, you must tell your opponent what you pick. You have until the end of that turn to complete the battle tactic. You cannot pick the same battle tactic more than once per battle.

TERROR OF THE UNDEAD

Soulblight Gravelords army only.

Callous Overlord: Pick 1 friendly SUMMONABLE unit more than 3" from all enemy units. You complete this tactic if that friendly unit is destroyed during this turn.

Cursed Unlife: You complete this tactic if any wounds allocated to your general or to 2 other friendly VAMPIRE units are healed using The Hunger ability during this turn.

The Grasping Dead: Pick 1 friendly SUMMONABLE unit within 3" of any enemy units. You complete this tactic if any enemy models were slain by that friendly unit this turn, and that friendly unit is within 3" of any enemy units at the end of this turn.

The Choicest Vintage: Pick 1 enemy HERO on the battlefield. You complete this tactic if that enemy HERO is slain during this turn by an attack made by a friendly VAMPIRE HERO.

Expand the Grave-empires: You complete this tactic if you control 2 or more objectives wholly outside your territory and each of those objectives is contested by a friendly SUMMONABLE or VAMPIRE unit.

Endless Nightmare: Pick 1 friendly SOULBLIGHT GRAVELORDS SUMMONABLE unit on the battlefield. You complete this tactic if 6 or more slain models are returned to that unit during
this turn.


	Most rules for artefacts of power refer to the bearer. The bearer is the model to which an artefact of power has been given (see section 27.5.2 for some examples).


	You do not have to pick a target for a charge attempt before making the charge roll.


	Reserve units are picked as part of your army before the battle begins, while summoned units are units added to your army once the battle is underway. Models that have been removed from play can be used as part of a summoned unit.


	In most cases, modifiers are cumulative. However, some dice rolls, such as hit and wound rolls, will specify that the roll cannot be modified by more than +1 or -1. When this is the case, add up all the modifiers that apply, and if the total is more than +1 or -1, treat it as being either +1 or -1 as appropriate.


	If a slain model is returned to its unit in the same turn that it is slain, it still counts as having been slain in that battle round for the purposes of battleshock tests.

Soulblight Gravelords

Books

Designers’ Commentary

Battletome: Soulblight Gravelords

Allies

Soulblight Gravelords Battle Traits

The Cursed Bloodlines

Endless Legions

The Unquiet Dead

Deathly Invocation

Deathless Minions

Soulblight Gravelords Spell Lores

Lore of the Vampires

Lore of the Deathmages

Legion of Blood

Battle Traits

Unparalleled Expertise

The Coven of Nulahmia

Command Traits

Instruments of Neferata’s Will

Artefacts of Power

Treasures of the Bloody Court

Legion of Night

Battle Traits

Ageless Cunning

Swift Form

Into the Jaws of Death

Command Traits

Rulers of the Night

Artefacts of Power

The Vaults of Carstinia

Vyrkos Dynasty

Battle Traits

The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack

An Infamous Lineage

Command Traits

Alpha Predators

Artefacts of Power

Trophies of the Hunt

Kastelai Dynasty

Battle Traits

Might of the Crimson Keep

Masters of Retaliation

Battle-crazed

Command Traits

Lords of the Crimson Keep

Artefacts of Power

Relics of Red Conquest

Avengorii Dynasty

Battle Traits

Cursed Abominations

Titans of the Grave

Command Traits

Twisted Paragons

Artefacts of Power

Monstrous Spoils

PATH TO GLORY

Soulblighted Territories

Influencing Territories

Summonable Units

Quests

Champions of Undeath

Propagate the Curse

The Revenant Legions

Mass Graves

Veteran Abilities

Territories

Heroic Upgrades

An Object Lesson

MATCHED PLAY

Grand Strategies

Battle Tactics

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