Games Workshop: Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Malign Sorcery

The cataclysmic necroquake of Shyish has flooded the Mortal Realms with the powers of the aether. Incantations summon forth new conjurations of unprecedented power and frightful sentience, but beware – such endless spells can be treacherous, as likely to turn upon their caster as they are to devastate the enemy. From unleashing disembodied gnashing jaws to devour your foes, to raising prismatic barricades to protect your flanks, doing battle in the time of the Arcanum Optimar is unlike anything that has come before.

The Malign Sorcery boxed set is an expansion for Warhammer Age of Sigmar containing new rules and spells for magic, along with 17 imposing miniatures used to represent Endless Spells, powerful pieces of sorcery that can be unleashed by any wizard. These rules and miniatures can be used alongside the core rules to introduce wildly different and incredibly powerful spells brought about by the Arcanum Optimar – an age of rampant magic. When combined with the Realm of Battle rules found in the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Core Book, this set becomes a gaming toolbox you can use to fight narrative-driven battles in the Mortal Realms.

Contained within the box:

The Book

Malign Sorcery features an 88-page softback book packed with rules and background:

– Magic in the Mortal Realms: a history of magic in the Mortal Realms, tracing the origins of  back to the Age of Myth and presenting detailed information on the differing specialisations of various races, and the magics of the Eight Realms.
– The Learning of Magic: all sorcerers face the same dangers when bending wild powers to their will – the forces Order, Death, Destruction and Chaos deal with these dangers in their own manners, detailed here;
– Concerning Realmstone: this mysterious substance contains enough power to annihilate cities – here is detailed the different realmstones which can be found across the Eight Realms;
– Descriptions of 13 manifestations that herald a new era of magic, which will soon be seen of every battlefield in the Mortal Realms;
– A showcase of the miniatures found in the box, including step-by-step guides and descriptions of effective painting techniques.

Rules

Rules expanding the use of magic in games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar make up the second section of the book:

– Endless Spells: these are the rules for using the miniatures included with Malign Sorcery, magical constructs which remain in play until dispelled or out of bounds. This includes 5 Narrative Battleplans designed for use with this set;
– Skirmish on the Realm’s Edge: the wild magics unleashed by the necroquake grow wilder the closer to the borders between realms an army finds itself – these are rules for fighting skirmishes right where the sorcery is at its strongest. Includes Command Traits, Artefacts, and Leader Spells, Rewards of Battle and Edge of Aqshy scenery rules (for games set within that Realm). Also includes a Skirmish battleplan specifically designed for use with this set;
– Paths to Glory at the Realm’s Edge: rules for playing a Path to Glory campaign under the conditions at a realm’s edge, including Followers Rewards Table and Champions Rewards Table. Also includes 2 Paths to Glory battleplans specifically designed for use with this set;
– Spells of the Realms: 7 sets of spells for use with the Realm of Battle rules from the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Core Book;
– Artefacts of the Realms: Artefacts of Power – weapons and relics – divided between different Mortal Realms for use in games;
– 2 Pitched Battle battleplans specifically designed for use with this set;
– Pitched Battle profiles for the Endless Spells, including minimum and maximum unit sizes, points, and battlefield role.

Miniatures

13 Endless Spells are represented, with 17 push-fit miniatures used to represent the Endless Spells on the tabletop:

– A Purple Sun of Shyish, an enormous spiked orb with a skull face, supplied on purple-coloured plastic;
– Ravenak’s Gnashing Jaws, a huge set of jaws that streak across the battlefield, supplied on red-coloured plastic;
– The Suffocating Gravetide, a large wave of skulls pulling up dirt and rocks in a chaotic tsunami, supplied on red-coloured plastic;
– A set of Quicksilver Swords, 11 blades descending to the ground on pillars of flame supplied on silver plastic;
– An Aethervoid Pendulun, an enormous swinging axe with aetherflames describing its arc, supplied on silver plastic;
– A set of Chronomantic Cogs, sinister clockwork bursting from the ground, supplied on silver plastic;
– An Umbral Spellportal, a pair of spectral mirrors supplied on silver plastic;
– A set of Soulsnare Shackles, 3 miniatures depicting magical shackles flailing through the air, supplied on silver plastic;
– A pair of Geminids of Uhl-Ghysh, two spheres locked in magical orbit, supplied on blue plastic;
– A Burning Head, depicted as a huge flaming skull, supplied on blue plastic;
– A Malevolent Maelstrom, an orb full of skeletons surrounded by magical flames, supplied on blue plastic;
– A Prismatic Palisade, a sturdy cover structure made up of sorcerous crystals, supplied on blue plastic;
– An Emerald Lifeswarm, countless insects swarming forth from a fallen warrior, supplied on blue plastic.

Extras

The box also includes 14 Endless Spell Warscroll cards – these cover each of the miniatures described above with a 14th card covering rules for the Balewind Vortex, available separately. As an added bonus, the entire set comes in a sturdy box with a handle, making it easy to transport to and from games!