Sanctioned Spellcaster

[Stark]

Hey wyrdos!
Question about sanctioned spellcasters (SS). Yesterday was a situation when SS already activated and do his (0) action Singularity which prevent any push/move in 3"  causing by enemy models. Behind him in 4" stood Orderly. Rotten Belle cast Lure on Orderly. Orderly start moving on the shortest way through the SS . And here we had discustion. I said that when Orderly enter the  he should stop because of wording of the Singularity. But my popponent said that Orderly should continue movent because the similar rule has Anna Lovelace and it says: "models which would be illegally moved or pushed into the  stop at its edge." and SS has not. But if my opponent right, then SS is useless(

Who is right?

[Izzinatah]

Your opponent was correct. Nothing in the wording of Singularity says that a pushed/moved model that moves within 3" of the Sanctioned Spellcaster stops. The aura stops friendlies within 3" from being pushed or moved - the Orderly wasn't within 3" when he was pushed or moved.

This doesn't make the Sanctioned Spellcasters useless. Just position more carefully now that you know how it works.

[spooky_squirrel]

1 hour ago, Izzinatah said:

Yes. The  prevents models from being Pushed or Moved by Actions when they are within 3". A model 4" away can still be Pushed or Moved. The  has no effect, even if the model passes through it. If it were to have an effect, it would say so on the card.

Note that this is pretty consistent. For example, you can walk through a model's Engagement range without having to flip for a Disengaging Strike as long as you start and finish outside of it's Engagement.

And no, the Spellcaster is in no way useless - their (0) Action is useful if your opponent has a lot of Pushes and Lures, but surely you're hiring it for it's damage output....

Their (0) Action is a counter-control piece. For 5 stones you're getting a model that can be obeyed by any friendly master/henchman that can pour out a good volume of attacks with triggers everywhere. They can also be primed like a grenade and put into high-value locations to form a push/pull immune area denial. Useless is not something that comes to mind with them. Their (0) does literally nothing against crews that use only placement effects or don't even bother with out-of-activation movement tricks, yet they still have a role. For Guild they provide Ca damage output. For Sandeep Desai, they provide more counter-control-oriented academics than some of the other options available.

Are they always useful? That depends. For 5 stones they have a role that you might consider hiring them in for, but if you don't need them for that role, then they might not be the right model for the crew you're putting on the table. If, in your local meta, there are one or more control crews that like to use things like Airburst, Mighty Gust, Lure, You Lookin' at Me?, and other similar abilities that screw up your plans by putting your models where you don't want/need them, then they can be useful in every match up that involves facing those crews. 

What it stops is enemy push effects from pulling your battleline apart, knocking your models around, or otherwise screwing up your plans provided the piece being targeted is within 3 of the Sanctioned Spellcaster.  This means that it is up to you to manage your activations and placement in order to make use of the ability. As @Izzinatah said, it's quite consistent. Exceptions to this are very explicitly stated (Anna and her Clockwork Dress is a good example of the language used when a push effect will stop with regards to counter-control abilities).

[Izzinatah]

5 hours ago, Stark said:

But it says: "Until the end of the Turn, friendly models within   3" may not be pushed or moved by the Actions, Abilities, or Triggers of enemy models. " When the Orderly step to the  - start working ability and he can't continue move because this move\push caused by action of enemy model and it breaks sentence of ability.

And yes, spellcaster is pretty useless 'cause it's only one thing that he can do and the his area of  is really small.

Yes. The  prevents models from being Pushed or Moved by Actions when they are within 3". A model 4" away can still be Pushed or Moved. The  has no effect, even if the model passes through it. If it were to have an effect, it would say so on the card.

Note that this is pretty consistent. For example, you can walk through a model's Engagement range without having to flip for a Disengaging Strike as long as you start and finish outside of it's Engagement.

And no, the Spellcaster is in no way useless - their (0) Action is useful if your opponent has a lot of Pushes and Lures, but surely you're hiring it for it's damage output....

[Four_N_Six]

They would have to start within the  for that to work.  Since it started outside the  , then it moves just fine for the entire movement, because it's moving through the aura during the push.

[Ludvig]

A Ca attack on a guild minion is hardly useless, it's also quite nice for a 5ss model. The ability can be very useful if you just position a bit more carefully. Bonus points: pair one up with Abuela and she has free armour until it activates due to her defensive trigger  

[ChirpOTK]

I think the sanctioned spell casters are pretty neat. I feel like they do pretty good damage and have great utility for only 5ss

[Stark]

But it says: "Until the end of the Turn, friendly models within   3" may not be pushed or moved by the Actions, Abilities, or Triggers of enemy models. " When the Orderly step to the  - start working ability and he can't continue move because this move\push caused by action of enemy model and it breaks sentence of ability.

And yes, spellcaster is pretty useless 'cause it's only one thing that he can do and the his area of  is really small.