Intro
Kill! Maim! Burn! Welcome back to another review where we are going to break down the Gorechosen of Dromm. They’re available in the Despoilers and Daemons warband set which I’ve just dubbed “Warbands of Chaos.”
As you can imagine, they’ve been dubbed a “strike” warband which makes total sense since they are worshippers of Khorne. I’m here to tell you why I think they might be really, really good.
Warscroll
Inspire Condition & Blood Tithe Tokens
8 Blood Tithe tokens might sound like a tall order, but for this warband, it’s surprisingly achievable – especially if the board gets punchy early, as it should. Thanks to smaller boards and solid movement options, you can reliably set the stage for pure carnage. So, how do we pile up those sweet tokens?
Well, you earn a Blood Tithe token every time any fighter on the battlefield takes damage. Whether it’s from an attack, a warscroll ability, or a power card, the counters rack up quickly. This mechanic is both effective and gloriously thematic – Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows, only that it flows.
It gets even better. You generate tokens for slaying enemy fighters, which creates some tough choices for your opponent. Charging their heavy-hitting 3-Bounty fighter into the Gorehulk’s waiting arms is a risky move. If they flub the attack, you gain tokens. If they succeed, well, you’re still closer to inspiring. It’s a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario. That said, the best policy is likely to takedown the Gorehulk or Dromm early – but be tactful. A reckless attack might leave your fighters flanked, surrounded, and eating a brutal clapback.
In my test games leading up to Worlds I’ve seen them regularly inspire in the second round – a perfect time to do so as by then, you’ve earned glory, slapped on upgrades, and are ready to dominate the late game.
Call of Blood
Starting strong here with the fact the warband is getting 2 free pushes whenever the opportunity seems best to get in tight with the enemy. Keep in mind that this is not restricted to friendly fighters so you can use this to pull an enemy towards you to land some attacks, preferably while they’re flanked. It’s a very strong ability which can allow you to initiate the onslaught of attacks you’re going to be dishing out but can also be a great way to deny enemy position based scoring – like ripping someone off a treasure token.
You can spend Blood Tithe tokens to extend each push by an additional hex, though it’s often overkill to use it for both. Still, having this option makes it punishing for opponents who try to run or kite you. The flexibility of Call of Blood ensures you’ll be the one dictating the battlefield tempo.
Enrage
I’m gobsmacked that they printed this ability in it’s current state. Forcing any fighter on the battlefield, yours or your opponent’s, to make a charge during the power step is devastating. I like the idea of making them charge you. Sure, you’ll likely eat an attack, but you’ll also gain a Blood Tithe token and, more importantly, throw a wrench in your opponent’s plans. They lose their positioning, gain a charge token, and open themselves up to retaliation.
But here’s where things get spicy. The Gorehulk can charge, swing for 3 damage, and then charge again during the same power step using Enrage. Given that 2 hammers hitting a single shield is a 50/50, you have a 25% chance to obliterate any fighter in the game with a double charge. That’s huge! I won’t spend time here mentioning why this is problematic, that is probably best saved for the podcast. Against squishier warbands, you might score two kills before your opponent even blinks. Ouch.
Timing is everything, though. Holding onto Enrage forces your opponent into a mental chess match, second-guessing every action as it might come undone by a charge. But when the moment’s right, even if it is round 1, unleashing it to nuke a key enemy fighter is going to feel really good for you, while feeling really bad for your opponent.
Final Frenzy
When one of your fighters is about to die, you can burn any number of Blood Tithe tokens to roll a die for each token. For every critical success, your fighter heals one damage. Considering Underworlds often revolves around perfectly calibrated damage, even rolling a single crit can completely nullify your opponent’s activation.
A canny opponent will try to deal more damage than necessary in order to require you to roll more critical successes in order to be vulnerable. But damage is hard to come by in the new edition. So what are the odds, eh?
Well, rolling three dice gives you a ~44% chance for a crit, so with 8+ dice, the likelihood of rolling at least one is quite high. In my games so far, they’ve never whiffed on this ability. It’s feels absolutely backbreaking as you sit there and watch your hardwork unravel before you only for the Gorehulk to tank a hit, heal up, and swing back for massive damage.
Fighters
We start with the warband’s namesake, Dromm, who is sporting a very impressive stat-line. While 3 move and 1 block aren’t anything to write home about, the 5 health is huge. He’s a beefy boy, hence the 3 bounty he offers when slain. Having 2 different range attacks to start things off is pretty nice. Obviously the 1R/2H/2D is the one you’re going to want to use often but having a 2R/2H/1D attack is nice to help you hit those farther targets while still scoring your aggressive objectives and farming tokens. When he inspires, his attacks morph into a 2R/3H/2D attack with grievous – which is effectively 3 damage in all but a few scenarios. That is scary and very powerful.
Dromm is the classic bruiser – durable, aggressive, and capable of stat-checking most opponents. You really can’t ask for more.
Speaking of raw characteristics, let’s about The Gorehulk. 3 move, 1 block, and 6 wounds seem very, very solid even when offering 3 bounty when slain. Add in the fact that he hits for 3 damage on a 1R/2H attack is eye watering good. He’s one of the few fighters in the game that start with 3 damage and he has the fortitude to stay in the arena for a long time. His other attack is also incredible – 1R/4H/1 D with ensnare. He has the most accurate base attack profile in the game. Throwing ensnare on top of that is just icing for the sake of icing.
When inspired his attack profile gets even better – I know it’s absurd. 2R/2H/3D is crazy good. Why did it need to go to range 2? Make it make sense. The wild thing is, that’s not even the best part. He also has a 1R/5H/1D attack with grievous. FIVE HAMMERS! Every single horde player is crying somewhere out there. My man is hitting you with 5 dice for 2 damage without upgrades. Again, make it make sense.
The Gorehulk is by far, pound for pound, the best fighter in the game. Beware.
Last, and perhaps the least, is Herax. 3 move, 1 block, 4 health is a great profile. He’s also got 2 attacks: 1R/3S/2D and 2R/3S/1D. Both are great and valuable depending on the scenario. Again, he’s got a great profile – better than many other characters worth more than his measly 1 bounty. I totally agree that Dromm and the Gorehulk should be 3 bounty a pop but Herax only being 1 makes me challenge the whole idea that each warband should give up the same amount of bounty – 7. Maybe every warband could be a minimum of 7 but some warbands, like this one, should be worth more. They could’ve easily been 8 (which would have been thematic too for Khorne).
When inspired, Herax becomes even better with his attacks fusing into a single 2R/3S/2D attack that also staggers the enemy fighter. A swinging hammer will do that to you.
The best part about him is that he’s only worth a measly 1 bounty. You can use him to bait enemies as 4 health still means he’s capable of holding his own while the big boys wreak havoc.
Conclusion
Despite the stat refresh in this new edition, it feels like the designers didn’t quite learn their lesson when it comes to balancing raw damage and survivability. Yes, the miniatures are gloriously big and beefy, but these stats are bordering on absurd. Almost every warband took a stat nerf in some capacity, but Dromm and crew are out here flexing on everyone with massive health pools, high damage profiles, and abilities that shrug off attacks like they’re nothing.
This warband is primed to run rampant at Worlds. Why? Because in the early days of any game, or new edition, fighters with raw stats and aggressive playstyles tend to dominate. Think Face Hunter in Hearthstone: cheap, effective, and ruthlessly efficient. Dromm’s warband feels like the Underworlds equivalent. They hit hard, inspire fast, and are incredibly forgiving when played recklessly, which makes them a nightmare to deal with, especially when the meta is still finding its feet.
And let’s not ignore the sheer feels-bad factor this warband brings to the table. Pair them with strike decks like Reckless Fury and/or Blazing Assault, and you’ve got fighters that feel invincible. Final Frenzy and Utter Ignorance ensures they don’t die when they should, while raw accuracy from upgrades and ploys help them hit more often than they should.
As an example, Twist the Knife before a Gorehulk swing means your opponent’s key fighters can vanish in an instant. Add re-rolls, flanked, and extra dice to the mix, and suddenly even the strongest defenses crumble.
In conclusion, this warband isn’t just strong – they’re excessive. While I respect the thematic design, there’s a point where thematic meets something busted – I think Dromm’s warband is skating dangerously close to that line. They’re fun to play, no doubt, but for everyone else facing them? Prepare for frustration. The blood will flow, Khorne will be pleased, and the meta? It might take a while to recover. I guess we’ll find out at the World Championships of Warhammer (which will be ongoing at the time of this article’s release).
Either way, whether you’re on the receiving end of the Gorehulk or not, best of luck on YOUR Path to Glory!
