Inherent traits for Vampire Counts generic lords

[titanopteryx]

The traits that hired generic lords from the vampire counts can have, which are the best and the ones I should look for?

[Zane87]

- Knowledgeable in general is a huge boost for the Counts, no other faction relies on WoM as much or uses it to such a devastating effect, the more the merrier really. Get it on all lords/heros where you don't have a more specialised role in mind

- Devious for those heroes that you want to use to wound/assassinate other agents for early bloodkiss farming. More successful and cheaper (up to free) agent actions in a region, win

- Lore Keeper for those heroes that are mostly just there. So Nekromancer heroes for their income passive. If you have 9 Nekro heroes on a Nekro lord (less micromanaging) all with Lore Keeper, you don't pay anything for buildings in that region. Vamp buildings can be really good but are expensive, so huge win there. Plus faster research speed

- Dread Incarnate for those heroes that are in your army to fight but can't get knowledgeable. So Banshees and Wight Kings. Vampires heavily rely on fear/terror leadership debuffs and routing enemies fast and hard, a local leadership debuff helps a ton

- Master of Black Arts is not terrible. Less miscast chance does help a lot if you are overcasting, which vamps tend to do a lot (Invocation of Nehek almost always, Wind of Death also as well as the better spells from Death/Shadow as well). Having one per army certainly helps.

- If none of the above applies for your army leading lord, I'd take good old strategist for movement bonus instead.

[zefyris]

I mostly favour melee boost oriented traits for lords and hero in armies, as lords and heroes in VC are what do most of the killing job. So making them better at the job or harder to kill while they're doing their job is the way to go.
For necromancers on cart, I actually like to get tanky traits that make them less of an easy to kill target for enemy, because they're very easy to single out for the enemy but have tons of regen so any buff to their melee defense/armour etc is very useful for their survival.
Many troops (including heroes and lord once mounted) have way to provide fear or even terror so I would stay away from traits giving that; and bonus to leadership aren't especially felt as necessary in VC either.

Knowledgeable for lords that you don't plan to use or for non embedded heroes is very good. it's a waste for whatever is directly fighting though.

[titanopteryx]

What are the better spells from Death/Shadow?

[parent child bowl]

Originally posted by titanopteryx:

What are the better spells from Death/Shadow?

Go for Lore of Vampires. Wind of Death is so good, it should be illegal.

[titanopteryx]

What about spells on vampire heroes? Can they learn that?

[ludo]

All Vampire count lord are caster: Master Necromancer and most vampire lord do get the lore of vampire. And all army should have a necromancer on cart for passive heal. Or to use main caster if your lord focus on campaign / melee skill.
Magic is the way to dps, so focus on the best lore and forget the others: Mana is so limited! Train your vampire heros on melee, they can become amazing

If you really want to use some death / shadow, i suggest:

-from Shadow:
The penumbral pendulum, as a weaker but cheaper alternative of WInd of Death.
The pit of shade as a safe cortex. You can cast it on wall
The passive can be useful as all your unit are melee and can need help to reach ranged

-from Death:
Spirit Leech is a great Lord / heros sniper
Domm and darkness is a good way to cause mass break once the ennemy is damaged enougt
Some love to use the Fate of Bijuma. I find it slow, expensive and less powerful than alternative but try it. It is popular for a reason.

Originally posted by titanopteryx:

What about spells on vampire heroes? Can they learn that?

Vampire heros can only learn shadow or death spell. Once again, use Lords or Necormancers are main caster.

[Zane87]

Originally posted by titanopteryx:

What are the better spells from Death/Shadow?

Purple Sun is a great moving Vortex and can be even better than wind of dead, depending on situation. Pit of whatever (forgot the name) is weaker but not moving and can be used on a wall, so also occasionally very useful.

Finally you have stuff like Doom and Darkness which can break an entire Frontline and sometimes even completely win the battle and spirit leech is the best anti Lord/hero spell, also very useful

[Zane87]

Originally posted by ludovic.meyriat:

All Vampire count lord are caster: Master Necromancer and most vampire lord do get the lore of vampire. And all army should have a necromancer on cart for passive heal. Or to use main caster if your lord focus on campaign / melee skill.
Magic is the way to dps, so focus on the best lore and forget the others: Mana is so limited! Train your vampire heros on melee, they can become amazing

If you really want to use some death / shadow, i suggest:

-from Shadow:
The penumbral pendulum, as a weaker but cheaper alternative of WInd of Death.
The pit of shade as a safe cortex. You can cast it on wall
The passive can be useful as all your unit are melee and can need help to reach ranged

-from Death:
Spirit Leech is a great Lord / heros sniper
Domm and darkness is a good way to cause mass break once the ennemy is damaged enougt
Some love to use the Fate of Bijuma. I find it slow, expensive and less powerful than alternative but try it. It is popular for a reason.

Originally posted by titanopteryx:

What about spells on vampire heroes? Can they learn that?

Vampire heros can only learn shadow or death spell. Once again, use Lords or Necormancers are main caster.

I agree with a lot but totally not about the magic part.

Vampire counts can have a ridiculous amount of heroes and knowledgeable is a thing, as is the skill in the magic line that increases WoM reserves by 15. You can easily reach 200 wom midgame and in heroe heavy armies even much more.

And while WoD is dope, there are situations where the in my other post mentioned spells are much better. That plus you want a vampire hereo in every army as well, replenishment passive, very good fighter and caster and you always have a 2nd lore that way (preferably death).

[mastervovan]

Originally posted by Zane87:

Originally posted by titanopteryx:

What are the better spells from Death/Shadow?

Pit of whatever (forgot the name) is weaker but not moving and can be used on a wall, so also occasionally very useful.

wait what?? pit of shades can be used on a wall???

[mastervovan]

Originally posted by ludovic.meyriat:

The pit of shade as a safe cortex. You can cast it on wall

ON A WALL???