Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound FAQ

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We compiled a list of the most frequently asked Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound questions and their answers to share with you today! If you have a burning Soulbound question that isn't answered below, feel free to post it under the FAQ post on our Facebook or Twitter pages and we will include in future FAQ's.

GOLDEN RULE: If you have a rules question, just think "Does this make the game more fun for everyone and make me feel awesome?". If the answer is yes then you can probably do it!

Q: How does Cleave/Hazards/Spread/other area damage interact with Swarms?

A: Swarms (Soulbound, page 302) are considered a single creature, but they suffer double Damage from area of effects. For example, if 9 Clanrats formed a Swarm they would count as a single creature with 9 Toughness. A Major Hazard deals 3 Damage. If the Swarm enters the Hazard, it instead suffers 6 Damage.

Q: The Underdog/Bulwark Talents are really powerful! I get the benefit if there are more than two enemies in my Zone. What’s going on?

A: While Underdog and Bulwark are good Talents, there has been some confusion around them. You only get the benefit of these Talents when two or more enemies are within Close Range (within arms reach) NOT Short Range (in your Zone).

Q: Can enemies use Flee/Retreat? What can the party do to stop them?

A: Enemies can use Flee and Retreat. If they choose to do so, you have until the end of the round to take them out or incapacitate them or they’ll get away — and probably come back with some friends!

Q: Do I provide a bigger dice pool bonus to allies when I use Mettle when using the Help Action (doubling the weapon skill dice)?

A: You can't use Mettle with the Help action as you are not the one making the Test. If your ally uses Mettle it doubles their training only.

Q: When a wording says "Choose an ally", can you also choose yourself? Are you affected by "allies in your zone"?

A: Yep, you count as your own ally.

Q: If you cast a spell again within the duration, does the effect stack/is the effect cumulative?

A: No, the effects from the same spell don’t stack (Soulbound, page 265)

Q: After spending Mettle to double Training or Focus, can you spend it again to double that? For example, say I have Training (2) and spend Mettle to Double the Training to 4, could I spend another Mettle to double it again to 8?

A: No, you can’t. However, this could be up to the GM. It wouldn’t break the game to do this!

Q: Do creatures/NPCs get to use all the attacks listed in their statblock?

A: No, creatures choose one of their attacks when taking the Attack Action. However, if an enemy has Mettle, they could spend Mettle to make two different attacks. For example, the Magmadroth (Soulbound, page 310) could use its Action to attack with its Claws, and then spend a Mettle to attack with its Lashing Tail. 

Q: During character creation, can you save XP from your Skills to spend later?

A: This is not the intent as your character would be weaker, but as long as your GM is ok with it this is fine.

Q: Do you get the benefits of Talents boosting your dual-wielding abilities even if you assign the whole dice pool to one weapon for an attack (while holding a weapon in the other hand but effectively not attacking with it)?

A: Yes you do gain the benefit even if attacking with one weapon. You're giving up having a shield or two-handed weapon so you get the benefit. It reflects the threat or distraction of the other weapon still making you dangerous.

Q: If I’m using two weapons and attack the same target, do I just roll everything at the same time?

A: No, even if you are attacking one target with two weapons you still make two attacks. You split your dice pool as normal, and apply the target’s Armour twice.

Q: Do you need a free hand to cast spells or pray for miracles?

A: Nope, not unless it's explicitly stated in the spell or Miracle.

Q: If I recover from being Mortally Wounded, am I still Stunned?

A: Being Stunned is a part of being Mortally Wounded. Once you recover, you are no longer Stunned (unless another effect is inflicting the condition, such as a spell).

Q: Since Prone is a condition, does a Miracle like Revitalise (p.93) stand up an ally?

A: Yep, gives them a little boost onto their feet.

Q: Can identical creatures but with different weapons (options in their stat block) form a swarm? If yes, can the characters pick specific ones to kill first?

A: This would be up to the GM honestly. When you are attacking a Swarm, you are indiscriminately wading through them. If you wanted to target specific enemies in the Swarm, I'd recommend increasing their Defence one step (almost like the Called Shot Action).

Q: Which Skill would be best for gathering information or picking up rumours?

A: This depends on how you're going about it. You can use Mind (Guile) to trick people into telling you things, Soul (Guile) to persuade folks, and Soul (Intimidation) to try to scare the info out of people.

Q: Can you hit and harm allies with your own attacks and spells? e.g. "Spread" weapons: 

A: Yes, Spread weapons affect allies within range. If a spell says something like "creatures in the Zone" then it damages all creatures.

Q: Can you use Focus to adjust rolls of 5 to trigger the effect like Crushing Blow or Pierce armor?

A: Yep, you sure can.

Q: Do you benefit from Partial Cover for ranged attacks for allies as well as enemies standing in front you or in Close Range with you?

A: No. The Partial Cover Trait applies to the environment and does not include creatures. However, the GM is free to change this.

Q: Can Stormcast Eternal characters use Soulfire?

A: No, Stormcast Eternals are not part of the Binding so can not use Soulfire.

Q: Does Soulfire refill if a Stormcast Eternal makes a Last Stand?

A: Yes! Though the Stormcast isn’t a member of the Binding, their allies are bolstered by their sacrifice.

Q: Does Arkanaut Armor increase in power consumption by 1 for each upgrade, or does the second cost 2 more, the third cost 3 etc.

A: Each additional Arkanaut Armour costs 1 power.

Q: Can you use Mettle outside of combat to double Training or Focus.

A: No. However, in high action cinematic moments at the end of combat (such as leaping from an exploding airship) it is perfectly acceptable to do this. It is up to the GM when “combat time” ends.

Q: Can Shield of Thorns be affected by a weapon with the Rend Trait?

A: Shield of Thorns is magical, so no.

Q:  If an enemy is being Restrained by your whip, can I attack with the whip? Would it be a Free Action to release someone from your whip?

A: No, you must release the whip to attack with the whip again. And yep, a Free Action to release the whip.

Q: Can you use the Tactician Talent on a mount or loyal companion? And would you need to spend an Action to use Tactician, then spend another Action to have the companion make an attack?

A: A mount/loyal companion is an ally so they can benefit from Tactician. Tactician triggers an attack when you use it, so you would not need to use another Action to have the companion attack (you effectively give up your Action to let someone else attack).

Q: If I have the Heavy Hitter Talent, can I use the Crushing Blow Talent with unarmed attacks?

A: Yep! 

Q: Do I get more spell slots as I play, or do I switch what spells I know before each session?

A: Soulbound doesn’t use spell slots — once you know a spell you can cast it at will! When you take the Spellcasting Talent you learn the Arcane Bolt and Mystic Shield spells, and can choose 4 more spells from the Common Spells or your Lore. Later, you can take the Learn Spell Endeavour (Soulbound, page 158) to learn more spells.

Q: If I have the Spellcasting Talent from my Archetype, can I use the Human Species Bonus to learn an additional Lore?

A: No, you would still need to spend additional XP to take another Lore.

Q: To determine Accuracy you use Mind + Ballistic Skill, but it says ranged attacks use Body (Ballistic Skill). Is this a mistake?

A: Nope. Your Accuracy with a ranged weapon uses Mind. This is to reflect you gauging distance, the target’s movements, etc. However, making the attack uses Body (Ballistic Skill), which is to reflect the physical action and reflexes required to fire your weapon.

Q: Do spells ignore Armour?

A: No, not unless the spell specifically states that it does, such as The Amber Spear (Soulbound, page 269).

Q: Do Hazards ignore Armour?

A: No, not unless the Hazard specifically states that it does, such as the Hazard created by the Chainrasp Chill of the Grave Trait (Soulbound, page 331).

Q: Can I move away from an enemy without being attacked? And can I attack enemies if they move away?

A: You can move away from an enemy without risk, unless they have an ability that says otherwise. Enemy’s can move away from you too, unless you have the Opportunist Talent (Soulbound, page 88).

Q: Does the Nullify spell negate the Magical Weapon Trait?

A: No, it just makes the weapon appear non magical to effects such as Witch-Sight.

Q: If a wizard or Blessed character is maintaining a spell/Miracle and get attacked or distracted, should they take some type of check to see if they are able to maintain it?

A: No, they don’t need to concentrate on the spell. Its stays active even if they get hit. However, if they die the spell ends.

Q: How much does it cost to add the Magical Trait to a weapon? If the party knows they are going to fight ghosts and want to prepare what could they do to get glowing gear?

A: A weapon with the Magical Trait would be Exotic (Soulbound, page 101) and would be difficult to find. It would probably cost up to 5 or 10 times the price of a regular version of that weapon. The downtime Endeavour Magical Weapon Weave can add the Magical Trait to a weapon, but is restricted to Branchwyches.

Q: Can Kharadron gear or gear with the Aetheric quality get a Magical Trait?

A: Currently there is no way for Kharadron gear to gain the Magical Trait. However, the future supplement Steam & Steel will expand on this.

Q: How many Free Actions can a character take during their turn?

A: Usually one, but the GM may allow more within reason.

Q: When the hidden character with the Backstab Talent attacks a character with the Combat Ready Talent, do they gain the benefit of Backstab? See also the Observant talent.

A: Combat Ready prevents being Surprised or ambushed at the start of combat, it does not mean you always know where everyone is during combat. For this reason, Backstab would still work. For Observant, your Defence does not decrease but if the Backstab attack hits it still deals double Damage and ignores Armour.

Q: Does the Sever Talent work on larger creatures like Magadroths?

A: Yep! You are essentially slicing at their leg muscles that keep them standing.

Q: If you use the Charge Action twice in one turn, do you get +2 Damage and does your Defence decrease two steps? 

A: You get +1 Damage on your initial Charge, and your Defence decreases one step. Then, you get +1 to your next Charge (not +2), and your Defence decreases another step.

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