Total War: WARHAMMER II – The Shadow & The Blade Steam

The Shadow & The Blade is the latest Legendary Lordpack for
Total War: WARHAMMER II. Introducing Malus Darkblade and
Deathmaster Snikch both with their own objectives, mechanics, units
and playstyle.

• Two richly themed and unique Legendary Lords lead their own
  factions: Malus Darkblade leads Hag Graef  for the Dark Elves,
  and Deathmaster Snikch leads Clan Eshin for the Skaven.
• Each Legendary Lord brings their own unique faction mechanics,
  quest-chains, legendary items, skill-trees and campaign
  narrative.
• Adds new powerful units and heroes for both Dark Elves and the
  Skaven.
• Lethal chariots and pain-wracked Medusae for the sadistic
  warmongers of Hag Graef.
• Cunning stealth magic, warp-infused weapon teams and deadly
  covert infantry for the assassin-inspired units of Clan Eshin.
• Features new elite Regiments of Renown to lay catastrophic
  waste to your enemies across the New and Old Worlds.
• Both Lords can be used in campaign, custom and battle modes.
  And are also playable in Mortal Empires, the massive free campaign
  available to owners of both Total War: WARHAMMER and Total War:
  WARHAMMER II.

Tz’arkan, the Drinker of Worlds, escaped from his
eternal prison within the Chaos Wastes, only to end up bound
inseparably with the with the very being who freed him, the violent
and cruel Malus Darkblade. Sensing the potential of this Daemonic
entity, the Nightlord of Clan Eshin has dispatched his most trusted
assassin, Deathmaster Snikch, to track down the Daemon and uncover
its true power.

Malus Darkblade (Hag Graef)

Unique faction mechanics

Possession

In order to counteract his possession by Tz’arkan, Malus must
continually drink an elixir that slows the Daemon’s influence over
his mind. While the elixir is costly to consume, his master
Malekith will gladly provide him with the recipe, but only if he
helps him in his bid to control the Vortex.

Despite the obvious danger in allowing the Drinker of
Worlds to take control of his mind, there are situations in
battle when Malus might benefit from letting the possession
overcome him momentarily; greatly amplifying even his legendary
viciousness. However, managing such an addiction to seemingly
endless power, confronts Malus with desperate challenges throughout
his campaign, as he seeks to wrestle back control of his very soul.
  

Darkblade’s Expedition

Malus starts the game in control of the mighty city of Hag
Graef, while also in command of an expedition force supported by a
Black Ark, on the other side of the world.

In the opening stages of this campaign, the player is faced with
a dilemma to either retain control of Hag Graef or give up the city
in return for a hefty sum.

With an offer Darkblade will find difficult to refuse, you’ll
need to choose between two distinct campaign starts. Juggling the
machinations

Tz’arkan’s Whispers

Malus Darkblade is the embodiment of hate and ruthlessness,
qualities spurred by the evil brutality of the Daemon Tz’arkan. As
Malus struggles in a constant inner-fight with the Daemon, it will
attempt to influence him to perform acts of unthinkable slaughter
and cruelty. As part of a new mission system, Malus can follow the
Daemon’s dark whispers in return for unique and powerful rewards in
the form of items, followers and other treasures.

New units and characters

Malus Darkblade (Legendary Lord)

In battle, Malus is a heavily armoured close-quarters combatant
who excels at dealing armour piercing damage thanks to his powerful
Warpsword of Khaine. He rides a ferocious Cold One, called Spite,
into battle and instils fear upon his enemies, making him a
terrifying opponent on the battlefield.

Malus has the unique yet costly ability to transform into the
Daemon Tz’arkan, the Drinker of Worlds.This ability
refills his health, augments his stats and significantly alters his
abilities in battle.

High Beastmaster (Lord)

The Dark Elves have long been experts at bending beasts and
animals to their will, and the High Beastmasters are those that
show even greater talent and aptitude. In particular, Beastmasters
have considerable anti-large capabilities, making them a powerful
tool when facing enemies that bring numberous large units into
battle.

Master (Hero)

Dark Elf Masters are the lesser nobles of Dark Elf society.
Adept with both spear and shield, these Heroes are capable of
inflicting great damage to large targets, but are also capable of
soaking up the most gruesome of blows thanks to their high melee
defence and Guardian ability which protects nearby characters.

Scourgerunner Chariot

Quick and deadly, these war machines tear across the battlefield
looking to hunt down new prey to kill or
enslave. Equipped with powerful harpoons, they are a dedicated
monster-hunting unit, capable of bringing down even the mightiest
of beasts.

Bloodwrack Medusa

Bound in pain-wracked serpentine bodies, the Bloodwrack Medusa
is a terrifying sight to behold on the battlefield. These writhing,
horrid monsters are best positioned behind the front line to
maximise their powerful ranged attacks to
decimate foes. However,  they can match their ranged skill
with ruthless melee capabilities, granting them a useful hybrid
role while also causing fear and terror to enemy units.

Bloodwrack Shrine

Propelled by Dark Magic, the Bloodwrack Shrine grinds along the
battlefield, inspiring allies and demoralising foes with its
passive Aura of Agony and Aura of Ardour abilities. From her
elevated position, the Medusa riding it has a far greater vantage
point from which to cast her deadly gaze.

The Siren of Red Ruin (Bloodwrack Medusa – Regiment of
Renown)

The Siren of Red Ruin is fear incarnate. This unique Medusa can
call upon a damaging area-of-effect
ability which tears apart enemy units in a
radius around her, making for an extremely dangerous foe in
close-combat.

Ravagers of Rakarth (Scorgerunner Chariot – Regiment of
Renown)

The Ravagers of Rakarth are Clar Karond’s
most elite Scourgerunner unit. Always
thirsting for new quarry, this anti-large
chariot is additionally armed with barbed nets that that slow enemy
units in order to increase its killing potential.

The Crows of Khaine (Harpies – Regiment of
Renown)

Harpies are always on the lookout for the next meal and the
Crows of Khaine are the most ravenous. They provide regeneration
abilities in exchange for damage dealt, increasing their
survivability and causing terror in enemy units as they guzzle down
the entrails of their victims.

Deathmaster Snikch

Unique faction mechanics

Shadowy Dealings

Deathmaster Snikch and his agents are the most feared secret
operatives in the world, capable of subterfuge actions that few
others possess. Using any of their Eshin characters, Clan Eshin can
perform numerous Shadowy Dealing actions against their rivals on
the campaign map, with 100% success. Actions have a wide range of
outcomes including the simple theft of items or money, all the way
to spying, inciting rebellions, and assassination,. The Deathmaster
himself is even able to burn down entire cities!

Greater Clan Contracts

Skavendom’s unseen leaders are forever seeking to disrupt and
backstab each other on the Council of Thirteen. When a problem
arises that needs serious attention, the Greater Clans approach
Clan Eshin to do their dirty work. These Clan Contracts allow Clan
Eshin to receive money, food and increased reputation with the
issuing clans, thus granting bonuses and reducing the cost of the
Greater Clans’ specialized units.

New units and characters

Deathmaster Snikch (Legendary Lord)

With unmatched stealth abilities and immense duelling prowess,
Deathmaster Snikch excels at fighting other characters, especially
when they vulnerable and have already taken damage. Armed with his
deadly Weeping Blades, he can instantly reduce a target’s armour by
50% on contact. Snikch also has the Vanguard Deployment and Stalk
abilities, further cementing his role as the foremost Master
Assassin of the Skaven.

Master Assassin (Lord)

Following in Snikch’s example, the Master Assassin excels at
battling opposition characters in close combat but can also rely on
their ranged shuriken attack to take enemies out from a distance.
Their wide range of abilities such as Vanguard Deployment, Stalk
and Concealment Bombs make them lethal ambush commanders to unleash
upon your enemy.

Eshin Sorcerer (Hero)

Masters in the art of silent death, Eshin Sorcerers use the Lore
of Stealth to support their allies from the rear of the
battlefield. This new magic lore has a focus on sneakiness and
controlling the battlefield, meaning they can dictate the tempo and
flow of the battle to their advantage.

Eshin Triads

Only the most devout apprentice assassins ascend to the rank of
Triad. Well-drilled and deadly, these warriors are a versatile
alternative to their Clanrat and Stormvermin brethren and are best
utilised behind the front ranks, excelling at exploiting gaps and
weaknesses in the enemy lines. Whilst their armor isn’t the
strongest, they make up for it with their Vanguard Deployment and
Stalk abilities. Capabilities which enhance their sneakiness on the
battlefield. 

Poisoned-Wind Mortar

These mobile, rat-portable mortars are packed with a payload of
poisoned wind-globes which can be fired at a much greater distance
than their Globadier equivalents. Capable of causing the enemy
damage over time as they choke on the deadly Warpstone gas, this
unit excels at damaging a wide swathe of the enemy at once.

Warp-Grinder Weapon Teams

Drilling into the ground and their enemies alike, the
Warp-Grinder Weapon Teams rely upon powerful active abilities that
create devastating effects on the battlefield. Once they’ve tied
down their enemies with tremor effects, their drills can pierce the
toughest of armours… provided the team can get within range. This
unit can also destroy settlement walls, rending stone asunder with
scant regard for friend or foe.

The Avalanche Mortar (Death Globe Mortars – Regiment of
Renown)

These rare and infernal devices can fire special air-burst
globes from great distances that explode in mid-air and inflict
devastating armor-piercing damage upon all units unfortunate enough
to be caught in their line of fire.

Viskrin’s Death Squad (Death Runner – Regiment of
Renown)

Viskrin’s Death Squad are the elite among their rank and excel
at acts of espionage. Lightly armoured but highly mobile, this unit
is capable of outputting great amounts of armour piercing damage
with their trusty weeping blades as well as making use of their
elite combat agility in order to become even harder for the enemy
to hit in return.

Ishka’s Triads (Eshin Triads – Regiment of
Renown)

Ishka’s Triads follow the teachings of Ishka Fastclaw, who was
once the Nightlord of Clan Eshin. Exhibiting deadly anti-large
capabilities, they have the ability to summon a decoy of themselves
upon the battlefield, making them ideal for deceiving the enemy
while both attacking and retreating.

System requirements