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The Spyrer

RAW ✔️ The Book of Desolation, p28

A Spyrer is a noble of the Imperial House equipped with the most advanced technology that can be found on Necromunda, making them capable of taking on a Malstrain Genestealer and winning. As such, there are a number of special rules that apply to a Spyrer.

Reflex Enhancers​

During the Ready Gang step of the Priority Phase, all Spyrers gain one extra Ready marker; if an effect would prevent them from gaining a Ready marker, they gain one fewer Ready markers. Each time a Spyrer activates, they only remove one Ready marker – this means they will be able to activate twice each round. Any effect that removes Ready markers only removes one Ready marker from a Spyrer.

Master of the Hunt​

All Spyrers have a suite of special rules granted to them by their hunting rigs:

  • When a Spyrer is hit by a ranged attack, they are only placed Prone and Pinned if the attack damages them (e.g., they lose a Wound or suffer a Flesh Wound).
  • A Spyrer may never be Captured for any reason, any time they are they instead are considered to have suffered Superficial Damage.
  • Spyrers do not suffer side effects from chems and can never become addicted to them.
  • A Spyrer never needs to check if they become Broken as a result of a friendly model being taken Out of Action.
  • Spyre Hunting Party gangs take Bottle checks on a D3 instead of on a D6.

Kill Count​

Each Spyre hunting rig records all that happens to the Spyrer, verifying their kills and unlocking functions of the hunting rig and its weaponry as their Kill Count ticks up, making them an ever more dangerous foe. In addition to gaining XP, each time a Spyrer takes an enemy fighter Out of Action, increase the Spyrer's Kill Count by one.

All Spyre Hunters can perform the Suit Evolution post-battle action:

Suit Evolution: If a Spyrer's Kill Count is at least four, reduce their Kill Count by four, and either clear all Spyrer Hunting Rig Glitches (resetting their Glitch Count to zero and removing all negatives caused by the glitches), or increase power to their hunting rig as follows. If the Spyrer's Kill Count is still at least four, they may perform this action again.

To increase power to the hunting rig, roll a D6 on the Power Boost table, apply the result to the Spyrer and increase their credit cost by the amount shown:

Power Boost Table​

D6ResultCost increase
1Combat Neuroware: The hunting rig links up additional neuroware which sharpens the Spyrer's fighting skills. Increase the Spyrer's WS or BS characteristic by 1 to a maximum of 2+.+20 credits
2Heightened Reactions: The hunting rig's reflexes sharpen significantly so that they react with incredible speed. Increase the Spyrer's Initiative characteristic by 1 to a maximum of 2+.+10 credits
3Improved Motive Power: The hunting rig's power output for movement is boosted, increasing its speed. The Spyrer's Movement characteristic is increased by 1 to a maximum of 8".+10 credits
4Thickened Armour: The hunting rig's armour thickens and hardens, providing greater protection to the Spyrer. Increase the Spyrer's armour save by 1 to a maximum of 2+.+15 credits
5-6Hunting Rig Augmentation: The hunting rig improves the power supply to one of its systems and brings additional functions online. Pick one weapon or piece of Wargear carried by the Spyrer and increase its Augmentation level by one. If the new Augmentation would increase a characteristic beyond its maximum, increase the Augmentation level by an additional one.+20 credits

If a roll on the Power Boost table would increase a characteristic beyond its maximum, treat the result as Hunting Rig Augmentation instead.

Spyrer Hunting Rig Glitches​

When a Spyrer is taken Out of Action, instead of rolling on the Lasting Injury table in the Necromunda Core Rulebook, roll on the Spyrer Hunting Rig Glitches table below.

If, during the Purchase Advancements step of the post-battle sequence, a Spyrer's Glitch Count is higher than their Toughness characteristic, the hunting rig shuts down. Delete the Spyre Hunter and all of their equipment from the gang roster.

D66Hunting Rig Glitch
11Lesson Learned: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence and gains D3 XP.
12-26Superficial Damage: Despite being incapacitated, the Spyrer's hunting rig successfully maintains all systems and preserves the fighter inside. The Spyrer misses the rest of the battle, but recovers in time to perform post-battle actions.
31-36Convalescence: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence.
41Humbled: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Leadership characteristic by 1.
42Anxiety Suppression Damaged: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Cool characteristic by 1.
43Neural Feedback: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Intelligence characteristic by 1.
44Vox Ghosts: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Willpower characteristic by 1.
45Weakened Polymers: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their armour save by 1.
46Gyroscopic Destabilisation: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Initiative characteristic by 1.
51Jammed Articulation: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and a randomly selected weapon suffers -1 to hit.
52Disrupted Ammo Cables: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and a random weapon without the Melee trait reduces its Ammo characteristic by 1, to a minimum of 6+. If the Spyrer has no eligible weapons, treat this result as Cracked Power Cell.
53System Downgrade: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and a random system reduces its Augmentation level by one. If the Spyrer has no systems with Augmentations, treat this result as Cracked Power Cell.
54Cracked Power Cell: The Spyrer increases their Glitch Count by one and at the end of each battle this Spyrer participates in, roll a D6. On a 1, the Spyrer goes into Convalescence.
55Reduced Power Distribution: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces a randomly selected weapon's AP by 1.
56Seized Locomotors: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Movement characteristic by 1.
61Targeting Uplink Disruption: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their BS characteristic by 1.
62Stuttering Servos: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their WS characteristic by 1.
63Damaged Musculature: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Strength characteristic by 1.
64Reduced Plate Density: The Spyrer goes into Convalescence, increases their Glitch Count by one and reduces their Toughness characteristic by 1.
65Multiple Glitches: Roll D3 times on this table.
66Critical Overload: The Spyrer is killed instantly – not even their hunting rig can save them. If the injury was caused by an Attack action, the attacker gains 1 additional XP.