Databank Download: Mother Talzin & Nightsister Acolytes Preview

SWP07Mother Talzin & the Night Sisters

Perhaps the most enigmatic and intimidating of the galaxy’s Force using traditions are the Nightsisters of Dathomir, a clan of witches who manipulate the dark side to invoke deadly magick. Today’s Star Wars™: Shatterpoint preview will look at a coven of Nightsisters led by their formidable leader, Mother Talzin found in the Witches of Dathomir Squad Pack!

Referred to reverently within her clan as the Great Mother, Talzin is a major player on the stage of galactic conflict. She would play a major role in pivotal clashes during the Clone Wars, having complex and contentious dealings with individuals such as Count Dooku and Darth Sidious. She is the mother of Darth Maul and feels particular hatred for those who stole him from her in an attempt to control his destiny. She takes any perceived slights on her clan quite seriously, going to great lengths to seek revenge. This matriarch has proven she does not fear either Sith or Jedi.  Mother Talzin has tremendous control over the Force, shaping its energies by the strange methods known only to her coven. Darkness answers her call, and amid the Obscuring Shadows that surround her, it can be difficult to predict the movements of her clan. By her Manipulating Hand she can even play tricks on the mind of an enemy, controlling their movements to place them where it best suits her own plans.

The nature of Mother Talzin’s power is demonstrated in her Life Drain Reactive ability, where she siphons the life force from injuries done to her enemies to partially heal the ally who inflicted the harm. She reserves the Wrath of the Great Mother for those wounding those under her protection, enabling her to Dash into position and retaliate at range. Mother Talzin is a potent supportive leader who rewards tactical play while also serving as a singular threat her foes cannot ignore.

Mother Talzin is never content to sit back and watch while her subordinates fight in her stead. Both her Stances demonstrate she is a potent and aggressive Force wielder. She does not need to wield a lightsaber to enter melee, instead summoning a Conjured Blade of rending energy that she wields with her mind. She can be even more deadly at a slight distance, unleashing dark Magicks.

Talzin’s Wrath Stance is a well-balanced and versatile, though best used in melee, amplifying her Melee stats at the expense of slightly diminished Ranged Attack and Ranged Damage dice. This Stance’s Melee Attack Expertise Chart is strong, with an emphasis on Critical results and the Combat Tree provides decent damage as well as early opportunities to Disarm, Heal, or activate her powerful Manipulating Hand, and at the higher end Heal herself, and to possibly Strain and Expose the foe.

One could argue Talzin’s true power is shown by her Great Mother stance, which greatly augments her ranged Magicks, but still allows her to be lethal in melee as well. While this Stance has a stronger Ranged Expertise Chart and Ranged dice, the Melee ones are only slightly diminished, and the Combat Tree offers devastating damage potential. This tree also offers up to three Shoves, and the options to Pin, Expose, or Reposition, if raw damage is not the priority. This tree can enable her to shift the balance of power on an Objective token or isolate a priority target for destruction. Mother Talzin’s impressive Mystic Defenses are equally potent in either Stance and she is more durable than some might expect from someone so focused on unleashing devastating magick.

Mother Talzin will usually be joined by other Dathomirians, such as her Nightsister Acolytes. These subordinates are skilled skirmishers who rely on the mystical training of their coven to assassinate their foes.

Maneuverability is one of the hallmarks of the Nightsisters, as demonstrated by their Acrobatic Advance, by which they draw on the Force to Jump to better positions while simultaneously proving difficult to hit. Using this ability lets them gain Hunker tokens, which are augmented by the Darkness and Shadows the Acolytes manipulate to obscure their exact positions. Nightsister Acolytes benefit from the Coordinated Fire Reaction ability which can Expose the target during another unit’s attack. Armed with bow and blade, the Acolytes are effective either up close or at a distance, but are deadliest with their bows, with higher Ranged stats in their Shadow Hunters Stance. Their Night Hunter Innate ability makes ranged attacks on enemies already engaged with other members of their clan even more lethal.

The Stance’s Combat Tree is simple but tactically versatile, offering decent damage and options to Pin, Shove, or Expose a foe, or to potentially provide minor Healing and a Jump to either evade or move to a better position. These Nightsisters are aggressive, and their training does not offer substantial defense, particularly in melee, but they prefer to eliminate adversaries before they can be engaged when possible.

That’s our first look at the Nightsisters of Dathomir and their sinister matriarch, Mother Talzin, who together comprise one of the most intriguing Force wielding disciplines in the galaxy. Their combat style is perfectly suited to their nature, letting them stand on equal footing with their many rivals.

Make sure to check back for our next Star Wars: Shatterpoint Unit preview, where we give you a first look at how your favorite characters from the Star Wars galaxy translate into the gameplay of Star Wars: Shatterpoint. Pre-order your own copy of the Witches of Dathomir Squad Pack at your local game store or through the webstore today. Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!