This review has been updated for Clash of Kings 2022 because it is a new review, there is no need to put changes in red, it’s all changes!
Hi everyone, welcome to another Dash28 army review newly updated for Clash of Kings ’22. Steve Forster, also known as DiceDadSteve runner of the It’s Always Sunny UB tournaments, took a crack at the update. He quickly realized stylistically, he had a lot of differences from our previous Forces of the Abyss review, and so wrote a whole new updated review! Because of that none of this text will be red, since it is all changed.
If you are interested, our previous Forces of the Abyss army review was written by the amazing Todd Serpico, you can find that review here, this is a great chance to see two different perspectives on the same army.
If you want to check out our other tiered reviews, you can find them here.
Tier Rankings:
Trying to rank units in Kings of War is not a perfect science. By pure design, many units are meant to work in combination with other choices in the army and can be hard to judge on their own. For this exercise, it’s assumed the unit is being used to its utmost potential within the army. This is not just a math problem to determine the most cost-effective unit but to also see how they compare in scope, role, and impact across not just a single army but all Kings of War armies. For the most part, units will be treated as one entry; however, if an option or size drastically improves a unit it will be separately mentioned.
S Tier: Reserved for units that are widely acknowledged as either being significantly undercosted or having a combination of rules that perform well above units in similar roles. These units are often called “auto includes” as any list stands to be made better with their inclusion. Expect these units to be addressed in future CoK book updates.
A Tier: These units are some of the best the army has to offer. They excel in their specific roles and commonly help form the core of most competitive lists. While not auto include, they are great in almost any army they are taken in and will be seen frequently.
B Tier: These units have a mix of strengths and weaknesses that make them very playable but balanced. These units work great with specific roles in mind; however, their weaknesses mean they do not help every list. In a perfect world, all units would fit into this category.
C Tier: C tier units may still shine in niche lists and roles; however, they will feel underpowered when compared to similar units in other armies. Decidedly suboptimal, you could make them work but frequently will see other things that are just better. You will rarely see many lists take these units.
D Tier: Units that need some considerable love and attention. You will struggle to find any role for this unit that another unit couldn’t do better. Very often you will see these units labeled as “unplayable”.
Army special rule– Sacrificial Imp. Once per game, a unit with the Sacrificial Imp may re-roll failed Regeneration rolls. An interesting choice, the max cost is 15 points on horde options, which allow your anchor units to grind a little longer.
- The Formation!
Kah’Za’ah’s Torment– 1 Regiment of Lower Abyssals, 1 Horde of Lower Abyssals, 1 Despoiler Champion for 45 points (10 each for the Lower Abyssal units, 25 for the Despoiler Champion). The Despoiler Champion (Kah’Za’ah) gains Inspiring and Aura Life Leech 2 (Infantry Only). The Lower Abyssal units “explode” when they are routed, each enemy unit in base contact with them when they are routed suffer D3+1 Piercing 1 hits then gain the Frozen special rule. I think there are some cool combinations you can get with the formation (Crystal Pendant?) and the Despoiler Champion supports other Infantry units (Succubi) very well.
S Tier
Abyssal Fiend– Arguably the best Titan in the game and one of the best value units as well. For 175 points, you get Me 3+, De 5+, 7 Attacks with Crushing Strength 2 and Vicious (Melee), Brutal, and Inspiring. It also gets Fireball 10, which now has Shattering. I typically run 2 in all of my lists even with the sexy new Chroneas competing in the Monster/Titan slot.
Abyssal Warlock– Speaking of value units, we’ve arrived at the Abyssal Warlock! For the base point cost of 90, you get a Large Infantry Hero with Inspiring and 5 18” Piercing 1 shots with Steady Aim. It has base access to Bane Chant 2 for 20 points, Veil of Shadows 2 for 25 points, Drain Life 6 for 30 points, and Bloodboil for 30 points. It’s also Spellcaster Level 2, so it gets upgraded access to the Library of Arcane Knowledge spells. They’re great for objective play since they are Unit Strength 1 as well.
A Tier
Manifestation of Ba’el– One of the main themes for competitive play in 3rd Edition has been the prevalence of “mini-dragons”- 50 mm square flying units with around 7 attacks with some combination of Crushing Strength 2 and Vicious. Ba’el is arguably the best of this archetype. For 265, you get the aforementioned 7 attacks hitting on 3+ with Crushing Strength 2, Vicious (Melee), and Brutal, but Ba’el get Stealthy, Regeneration 5+, Inspiring, and Lightning Bolt 7. The addition of the Lightning Bolt let’s Ba’el contribute the entire game while it gets into position.
Well of Souls– The first of the trendy Clash 2022 upgraded units: The Well of Souls! The stat line remains the same: Sp 8, Me 4+, De 5+, Ht 5, US 1, Att 10, Ne -/20 and it still boasts Fly, Nimble, Strider, Crushing Strength 2, Inspiring, and the Soul Drain ability, which allows the Well to take up to 20 points of damage from Core units within 6” of it. With Clash 2022, the Well gets a 10-point price drop (from 300 to 290) and an increase to Life Leech 5! It’s the only unit in the game with Life Leech greater than 3. As we will see, Force of the Abyss already had some healing and regeneration, but the bump to the Well greatly adds to the healing theme.
Chroneas– The trendy Clash 2022 upgraded unit number 2- the Chroneas! Prior to Clash 2022, these beasts were in the formidable shadow of the Abyssal Fiend in the Monster/Titan slot, and for good reason (see above!). With Clash 2022, the Chroneas gets small points increase (225 from 215), but goes to Me 3+ and gets the “Temporal Rupture” special rule- for every point of damage dealt by the Chroneas in the Melee Phase, heal one point of damage on one of your Core units within 6”, up to 3 points of damage healed this way. With the D6+6 Crushing Strength 3 attacks with Strider, the Chroneas will reliably heal 3 damage per turn with this special rule. Don’t forget, it still brings Cloak of Death as well!
Abyssal Horsemen– One of the premiere heavy cavalry units in the game- Abyssal Horsemen! Compared to the standard Knight unit, Abyssal Horsemen have 18 attacks (as opposed to 16) and Crushing Strength 1, Thunderous Charge 1 (as opposed to Thunderous Charge 2). They also have Fury and Regeneration 5+. The big drawback (and one of the reasons I don’t often bring them) is the 14/16 Nerve.
Succubi– Succubi are in a unique spot, much like other “berserker” type units, they bring a large volume of attacks hitting on 3+ with little-to-no Crushing Strength and low defense. The Succubi are a step above because they get both Ensnare, Stealthy, and Fury base and have the option to get Pathfinder for 15 and 20 points for the Troop and Regiment option, respectively. With the plethora of special rules, easy access to Bane Chant, Succubi can be a great second-line unit.
Seductress– The hero-level Succubi is one of the few individuals in the game that gets Sp 10 and Fly off the rack. For 130 points, you get the aforementioned Sp 10, Me 3+, De 4+, Ht 2, Att 5, Ne 11/13 with the Fly, Individual, Crushing Strength 1, Stealthy, Ensnare, Duelist, and Fury special rules. They are a great hero/war engine hunter without any items, but slap the Gnome Glass Shield on them and they can be an excellent nuisance unit.
Zaz’u’Szu the Betrayer– We first met Zaz’u’Szu in the Halpi’s Rift book and they’re back for Clash 2022 with some minor tweaks. For 115 points, you get the same profile as an Abyssal Warlock with an increased 12/14 nerve. They come with Lightning Bolt 4, Bane Chant 2, Inspiring and the Betrayer special rule: before casting a spell, you can nominate a Core unit within 6” to be Zaz’u’szu’s sacrifice. You can then add up to 4 dice to the Lightning Bolt and Bane Chant spells, but the sacrificial unit takes a point of damage for each hit. The early game increased Lightning Bolt helps contribute to the rest of your shooting and/or clearing of chaff, and the late game nearly-guaranteed Bane Chant is invaluable.
Abyssal Ghouls– Abyssal Ghouls bring a fantastic cheap unlock to the list. At the Regiment level, 90 points gets you a De 4+ unit with 14/16 Nerve and Fury. Don’t expect them to do much in combat, but they are great for objective play and getting in the way.
Gargoyles– Gargoyles still remain one of the best chaff units in the game. In the Forces of the Abyss list, there is an option to increase a single troop to “Ba’su’su’s Vile Brood,” which increases their nerve to 10/12 and gives them Crushing Strength 1 for 25 points (you also have to take Ba’su’su as well, so that’s another 210 points). I can’t see ever taking the upgrade, base Gargoyles are fine as is.
Flamebearers– Flamebearers continue to unlock with the Clash 2022 update, so they will continue to be an A-tier unit. 10 Piercing 1 shots hitting on 4+ with Steady aim for 155 points provides a nice firing battery. Don’t sleep on the Troop choice either.
Tortured Souls– Tortured Soul Regiments are an A-tier choice. For 120 points, you get Sp 8, Me 4+, De 4+, US 2, Att 9, Ne -/14 with Fly, Life Leech 2, Crushing Strength 1 and Thunderous Charge 1, a fantastic “Thicc Chaff” choice. The reason I don’t have the unit in the A-tier is that the Horde option is still somewhat suboptimal. (Editor – I shifted these to A Tier, as we try to think of them in terms of optimized formation for us)
B Tier
Lower Abyssals– The standard Forces of Abyss main line troops. The big change in Clash 2022 is that the Crushing Strength 1 upgrade is now free, which gives them some sneaky punch, especially with the multiple sources of Bane Chant. They can still take the Sacrificial Imp upgrade, so once per game, they can re-roll their 5+ Regenerations. I typically take a horde as an anchor to my main line.
Abyssal Guard– The elite Infantry choice in the list. Compared to the Lower Abyssals, they are upgraded to Me 3+, De 5+, and become Fearless. They still keep Regeneration 5+ and the option for CS 1 (lowering to De 4+) and Sacrificial Imps. The Regiment is also Unit Strength 3, so they are great in scenario play.
Molochs– I’m torn on where to place Molochs. On paper, they provide a great offensive output (18 Crushing Strength 2 attacks hitting on 3s), but the drawbacks are the large footprint (the Horde is 150mm x 100mm) and De 4+. The large base footprint makes them harder to screen and deliver via chaff than the other hammer units (Abyssal Horsemen and Succubi). They can also take the Sacrificial Imp upgrade and the Despoiler Champion upgrade has changed in Clash 2022. For 20 points (for the Horde), you get Brutal and Vicious (Melee). I can see trying to have a few hordes as your main line, supported by a couple of Chroneas (Chroneai?) and the Well of Souls.
Mau’ti-bu-su– The Living Legend Seductress entry and the originator of the variable Brutal. For 160 points, you get the same profile as the Seductress and the Terrible Majesty special rule, which is effectively Brutal D3. With the Seductress getting universal Inspiring, I can’t see paying the 30-point premium for the Brutal D3.
Despoiler Champion– The often-overlooked Despoiler Champion is actually a great unit. For 130 points, you get Sp 6, Me 3+, De 5+, Ht 4, US 1, Att 5, Ne -/14 with the Brutal, Vicious (Melee), Crushing Strength 2, Nimble, and Regeneration 5+ special rules. Their issue continues to be the stiff competition in the Hero slot. They are now in the Kah’Za’ah’s Torment formation (see below), so we will probably see them more on the table.
Ba’su’su the Vile– Ba’su’su certainly has fallen from its Second Edition heyday. Its still a great Flying melee hero, however, the 210-price point is hefty, considering you could upgrade to Ba’el for 55 points or save 80 points and take a Seductress.
The Oathbreakers– The brand-new unit in the Clash 2022 book- the Oathbreakers! They have the same profile as an Abyssal Guard regiment with the Crushing Strength 1 upgrade, but for 170 points, they get an additional pip of Nerve (-/17), Rally 1 (Infantry Only), and Vicious (Melee, Heroes only). I can see them making the table for the Rally 1 supporting a Flamebearer block or in the middle of a couple of Succubi Regiments.
C Tier
Hellhounds– Hellhounds are in a weird spot being the light cavalry option in the list. The issue with the Hellhounds is that there a just better options in the list that fill their role, namely Tortured Souls and Gargoyles. I was hoping they would get some sort of bump with Clash 2022, but they are going to continue to be on the shelf. Nice Mantic models though.
Abyssal Champion- Another casualty of there just being better options in the list to fill their role. For 110 points, you get the basic lord-level Individual (Me 3+, De 5+, Att 5, Ne 13/15) with the addition of Regen 5+, Mighty, and Fury. They can take Lightning Bolt 5 for 35 points and Wings for 45 points. The Winged option is interesting, but the same role is filled by the Seductress for 25 points cheaper.
Hellequin Bloodmasque– An interesting combat character that is dirt cheap (85 points) for a mounted Individual with Sp 8, Me 3+, De 5+, Att 3, Ne 11/13 and Regeneration 5+, Crushing Strength 1, Thunderous Charge 1, and Fury. Its cheap enough to slap the Crystal Pendant of Retribution to have a neat “suicide bomber” unit.
Efreet– They still boast Fireball 15 for the pricy 115 points. I was excited for a potential bump in Clash 2022, however, it didn’t come. They are Spellcaster Level 0, so you have to spend the additional points to get them to a Spellcaster level to take the nifty spells. 140 points for Fireball 21 (with the addition of Diadem of Dragonkind) is cute though.
D Tier
Succubi Larvae– The epitome of anvil unit, the Succubi Larvae come in Horde and Legion variants. They bring De 4+ and Ensnare with a Fearless nerve value, but the limited amount of attacks hitting on 6+s make putting an item like Hammer of Measured Force unreliable. Ghouls and Lower Abyssals are just better for their role.
Abyssal Harbinger– The Army Standard Bearer unit in the list, however, Warlocks are 25 additional points and 100 times better. You still won’t be seeing these dudes anywhere except on a collector’s shelf.
Imps– Imps have a very similar stat line to Orclings (which fills a valuable role in the Orc list), however, in the Forces of Abyss list, they are the third-best chaff option.
Archfiend of the Abyss– Clash 2022 took some steps to make the Archfiend an attractive choice- dropped to 305 points, increased the Ne to 17/19, however, much like the pre-Clash 2022 list, Manifestation of Ba’el is still just a better choice. Sorry, big guy.
