KOW - The Best Use for a Spare 5 Points?

 Back in the 'before times" when I played WHFB, there was a Dwarf item - the Oathstone - that when deployed meant the unit couldn't move but had no flanks. Stunty generals used to use it to anchor their lines. As a proud and particularly devious Rat War Chief, I hated that item!

In my continued search through the KOW artefact list while tinkering with my Ratkin list, I came across the Staying Stone. This seems to reprise this hated item and isn't race locked.

"This Stone's Not For Turning"

Staying Stone (5 points)

The unit gains +1 to its Wavering stat value

For a Ratkin general with a spare 5 points in his pocket, this looks like an absolute bargain. The ability to reduce the potential of a Wavering result - particularly on Horde units - is immeasurable. But let's try 😉

Hopefully the table is self-explanatory but just in case, I'll run through an example.

If you normally would Waver on a roll of 7 or 8 then with the Stone you only Waver on an 8. This effectively takes all the dice outcomes of 7 out of the equation (6/36 or 16.7%). By having the Stone in this particular instance you have increased your chance of a non-damaging roll from 41.7% to 58.3%....pretty good value for 5 points. The headline value drops away as you increase/decrease the required roll, however I'd argue that at the benefit of reducing a disadvantageous outcome is enormous at higher levels.

But as with everything context is important. For me, it feels "right" that the item is best used on a unit I know is going to be in the fight. In this situation I "know" I am likely to get some value - particularly if the unit has high Nerve values to begin with. So to me the obvious beneficiary is a Horde of Shock Troops who with maximum Rallying benefit become 23/24. That means an enemy has to do at least 11 wounds to put me in "danger" - and even then it is only Double 6. That requires enormous commitment to make a beneficial combat and the Staying Stone makes a meaningful contribution to lasting an extra turn.

Others may see some benefit in placing it on a Character and again I can appreciate the value.

To me, it looks a bargain at 5 points....it's real cost is it takes the Artefact slot.