The Shadeborn Review: Shadows Reclaimed
Welcome back to Path to Glory, where we step once more into the darkness. This time, it’s the Shadeborn who emerge from the Gloomspike, blades glinting and eyes burning with purpose. As always, thank you to Games Workshop for sending us a review copy of Warhammer Underworlds: Spitewood.
Once masters of assassination and misdirection, the Shadeborn return with their signature flair for precision and subtlety. Their tactics once revolved around punishing the wounded, striking from cover, and dancing through shadows unseen. The question is: can their reimagined design keep pace in the fast, lethal world of second edition?
Warscroll: Whispers of the Hunt
The Shadeborn still draw strength from the suffering of their prey. A fighter inspires when they attack a damaged enemy: simple, thematic, and rewarding for setting up the kill. It’s a fitting continuation of their legacy and, with this edition’s abundance of two-hit fighters, a condition you’ll trigger often. And as we’ll see, the warscroll gives you more than a few ways to make sure something on the board is bleeding.
Shademark
A familiar rule returns: whenever they’re in cover, the Shadeborn become harder to hit. The loss of printed cover hexes on newer boards makes this trickier to manage, but delving remains an option. Combined with the warband’s once-per-round defensive tricks, it keeps that feeling of elusive deadliness that defined them before.
Gloomweb Hex
This once-per-game ability introduces something entirely new, reducing enemy save dice if they’re standing on or near feature tokens. While it won’t help against the single-die save crowd, it’s a nasty surprise for elites who rely on consistent defense. Even limited to once per game, this can turn a key swing in your favor.
Dark Lamprey
Now this is how you start the killing. Ping any enemy within three hexes for one damage, perfect for triggering your inspirations. The inability to tag vulnerable targets is a mild restriction, but the power-step timing more than makes up for it. This is the Shadeborn’s most reliable engine for setting the tempo early, and it’s fantastic.
Impenetrable Darkness
Every Shadeborn fighter gains cover for a round, and thus rerolls for it too. Used well, this can flip entire turns. Timing is everything: pop it early to survive aggro matchups or hold it for a midgame swing to nullify an enemy push. Against a swarm or hammer warband, a single turn of near-invulnerability can change the course of the match.
Shadow Ambush
Their once-iconic reposition has been trimmed to a one-use ability, but it’s still solid. Whether you use it to dart into position, snatch a token, or close a gap on a wounded foe, it keeps the Shadeborn’s identity intact. While less flexible than before, the smaller boards of second edition mean even one such burst can secure an early advantage.
Fighters: Blades in the Dark
Slythael
Your leader is lethal and elegant, 4 Move, 4 Health, 2 Dodge, and Flight. Her signature weapon (Range 2, 2 Hammers, 2 Damage, with both Cleave and Ensnare) makes her a nightmare for nearly any opponent. Inspiration grants her a third attack die, which is no small thing. Combined with Dark Lamprey and her defensive tricks, Slythael becomes a duelist who can dictate the pace of every engagement.
Drusylla
Slightly less graceful but no less deadly, Drusylla loses some of Slythael’s precision and resilience, trading 2 Dodge for 1. Her Range 2, 3 Swords, 2 Damage weapon remains solid, and the Grievous bonus on inspiration keeps her relevant. She’s fragile, though, worth 2 bounty and best played from just behind your front line. Think of her as your opportunist: stepping in when your enemy’s guard is down.
Sylarc
Sylarc brings both bow and blade. His melee attack (2 Hammers, 2 Damage) holds up well in close quarters, while his Range 3 option gives him flexibility. When inspired, his bow gains Ensnare, turning him into a dangerous flanker. His best role? Soften targets for your other fighters to finish and inspire from. Don’t overextend him early, but use him to shape the flow of battle.
Valyssa
Your lone 1-glory fighter may be the least imposing, but she’s no pushover. Her Range 1, 3 Swords, 2 Damage attack becomes 3 Swords with Crit-Grievous once inspired: perfect for exploiting wounded foes. The secondary Cleave attack is rarely worth using, but it gives her tactical flexibility in token-heavy matchups. Think of her as the finisher: small, quick, and precise.
Verdict: The Shadows Strike True
The Shadeborn are a return to form: faster, tougher, and brimming with counterplay. Every fighter hits respectably hard, and their universal Move 4 and 4 Wounds make them surprisingly resilient for a finesse warband. They shine in aggressive control builds: Pillage and Plunder if you want board pressure, Blazing Assault or Reckless Fury if you prefer straight aggression.
While they lack the limitless mobility of their first incarnation, the smaller boards of Spitewood mean they don’t need it. With Dark Lamprey fueling early inspiration, Impenetrable Darkness stalling enemy momentum, and Slythael leading with precision strikes, they feel like true masters of the ambush once again.
They may not dominate the meta, but they absolutely command the table. Best of luck in the shadows while pursuing your Path to Glory.
