Lizardmen

Lizardmen
Overview
Type	Major race
Ruler	Depends on subfaction
Playable Factions	Hexoatl Last Defenders Tlaqua Cult of Sotek Spirit of the Jungle Itza
Territory
Climates	Prefers Jungle, Savanna and Desert
Startinglocation	Depends on subfaction
Distinct features
Geomantic Web:: Settlements are linked by a network which boosts the power of commandments Blessed Spawnings:: Periodic missions allow access to powerful Blessed variants of certain units Rites: Lizardmen rites give faction-wide bonuses, and allow special units to be recruited Rampage:: Lizardmen have beasts suitable for every task, though some are so ferocious they may lose control and charge ahead Lord Kroak:: Lizardmen factions can recruit the powerful unique hero Lord Kroak

The Lizardmen are a playable race introduced in Total War: Warhammer II. They are playable in multiplayer and custom battles. In the campaign, they have 6 playable sub-factions.

Lizardmen are not a single race but a society of different cold-blooded creatures who dwell in temple-cities that tower over the southern jungles. They march to war alongside mighty reptilian beasts which resemble dinosaurs. Despite their frightening appearance, the Lizardmen see themselves as guardians of a divine order, and are ancient enemies of Chaos.

How they play

A summary of Lizardmen gameplay:

• Units: In battle, Lizardmen have strong melee units, powerful magic users, and many monsters. However, their ranged units are just average.
• Blessed Spawnings: These are elite Lizardmen units in limited supply, similar to Regiments of Renown.
• Rampage: Overall, Lizardmen have good leadership. However, many of their units can potentially rampage and go out of control in battle.
• Rites: Lizardmen can perform several rites in campaign to bolster themselves or recruit Slann Mage-Priests.
• Astromancy Stance: A unique army stance which increases map vision and ambush chance.
• Geomantic Web: Lizardmen settlements are linked by the magical Geomantic Web which makes their commandments more powerful.
• Lord Kroak: Lizardmen factions can embark on a quest to recruit the unique hero Lord Kroak.

Background

To the south of the world, in much warmer, jungle climes, live the Lizardmen. These reptilian champions of order are not one race but a collective of various cold-blooded creatures all dedicated to bringing the Great Plan of the Old Ones to fruition. The Old Ones were a godlike race - worshipped by the Lizardmen - who travelled the stars and terraformed the world in ages past, before the ancient enemy invaded.

The Lizardmen are led by the Slann Mage-Priests, who in turn are served by the adaptable Skinks, the labouring Kroxigors and the fearsome warrior-caste, the mighty Saurus. It is the Saurus that form the bulk of the Lizardmen armies for they are spawned for that sole purpose – bringing war to those deigned as enemies by the Mage-Priests.

Being cold-blooded, Lizardmen reside in the warmer climates, mainly across the jungle-continent of Lustria and the Southlands. Hidden within the undergrowth are the temple-cities where the Slann contemplate and the other reptilian castes live to serve the Old Ones’ will. Shining brightest of all the ancient temple-cities is Hexoatl, the City of the Sun. Though Itza is the First City, Hexoatl has eclipsed it in importance due to its status as home to Lord Mazdamundi, the most active of all the remaining Slann Mage-Priests. Due to its location and history, the City of the Sun is the most fortified and martial of all the temple-cities. Whereas the boundaries of most other cities simply merge with the jungle, Hexoatl has mighty walls and serried ranks of Saurus patrol its plazas. Until recently, even the Norse trespassers of Skeggi and its surrounding colonies avoided Hexoatl, although that has changed of late.

In Battle

Lizardmen forces led by Kroq-Gar.

Unit Roster

Main article: Lizardmen unit roster

In battle, Lizardmen combine lines of slow but tough Saurus infantry, backed up by more skittish weaker and faster Skinks. They also have lots of monsters. Their spellcasters are some of the game's most powerful and versatile. Lizardmen overall are tough, fairly damaging and unlikely to break. However their mobility is average at best, and their ranged options are outclassed by races like High Elves, Dwarfs and The Empire. Though it is worth noting that some ranged Lizardmen units have poison or fire attacks.

Lizardmen spellcasters have access to the Lore of High Magic, Lore of Light, Lore of Heavens and Lore of Beasts.

Blessed Spawnings

Main article: Blessed Spawnings

Blessed Spawnings, also called Special Spawnings are elite Lizardmen units in limited supply, similar to Regiments of Renown. Blessed Spawnings are only available in campaign.

Rampaging units

Many Lizardmen units have the potential to rampage after staying in battle too long. Normally this trait is only found on wild or feral units in other races, but many Lizardmen line units such as Saurus Warriors can rampage. When a unit rampages, it gains stat bonuses and will automatically charge/engage the nearest enemy unit in melee. The player loses control while it is rampaging. Units will not break and flee while rampaging.

Cold-Blooded

All Lizardmen characters have an ability called Cold-Blooded which increases the leadership of a unit, and stops it rampaging if it is doing so.

In the Campaign

Lizardmen are a normal, non-horde faction who occupy settlements and control provinces. The exception to this is Nakai the Wanderer who operates as a horde faction while giving settlements that he has conquered to the Defenders of the Great Plan Faction (his vassal).

Playable Factions

In campaign, Lizardmen have six playable factions, each with their own starting position and led by different legendary lords. See individual pages for details and strategies.

	Hexoatl, led by Lord Mazdamundi
	Last Defenders, led by Kroq-Gar
	Tlaqua, led by Tiktaq'to
	Cult of Sotek, led by Tehenhauin
	Itza, led by Gor-Rok
	Spirit of the Jungle, led by Nakai the Wanderer

Vortex Rituals

In the Eye of the Vortex campaign, Lizardmen compete to control the Great Vortex by using Rituals. Nakai the Wanderer does not participate in the race for the Great Vortex and has a separate campaign.

Geomantic Web

Main article: Geomantic Web

The Geomantic Web is network of magical energy that links Lizardmen settlements together and increases the strength of Lizardmen commandments. The Geomantic Web is strengthened by certain buildings, and by owning whole provinces.

Rites

Main article: Lizardmen rites

Lizardmen can perform several rites to spawn armies of monsters, allow them to recruit Slann Mage-Priests or give other bonuses.

Buildings

Main article: Lizardmen buildings

Technology

Main article: Lizardmen tech tree

Inventory

• Lizardmen items
• Lizardmen followers
• Lizardmen banners

Stances

Special stances: Astromancy

Common stances: March, Encamp, Ambush, Channelling.

Post-battle options

Lizardmen post-battle options are as follows:

• Release Captives
• Exterminate
• Kill & Eat

Commandments

Main article: Geomantic Web

Climate preferences

Lizardmen have the following climate preferences for settlements:

• Habitable: Savannah, Desert, Jungle
• Unpleasant: Temperate, Mountain, Magical Forest, Island
• Uninhabitable: Wasteland, Frozen, Ocean, Chaotic Wasteland

Chaos Invasion

During a Chaos Invasion, the AI Lizardmen factions gain the Shield of Civilization trait along with certain other races.

Minor Factions

The following non-playable NPC factions are grouped as part of the Lizardmen race.

• Sentinels of Xeti
• Southern Sentinels
• Teotiqua (Mortal Empires campaign only)
• Tlaxtlan
• Xlanhuapec (Eye of the Vortex campaign only)
• Zlatlan