Total War: WARHAMMER II - The Shadow & The Blade

The Shadow &amp; 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.&#10;&#10;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.&#10;Each Legendary Lord brings their own unique faction mechanics, quest-chains, legendary items, skill-trees and campaign narrative.&#10;Adds new powerful units and heroes for both Dark Elves and the Skaven.&#10;Lethal chariots and pain-wracked Medusae for the sadistic warmongers of Hag Graef.&#10;Cunning stealth magic, warp-infused weapon teams and deadly covert infantry for the assassin-inspired units of Clan Eshin.&#10;Features new elite Regiments of Renown to lay catastrophic waste to your enemies across the New and Old Worlds.&#10;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.&#10;&#10;Tz&#8217;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 mechanicsPossessionIn order to counteract his possession by Tz&#8217;arkan, Malus must continually drink an elixir that slows the Daemon&#8217;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&#8217;s ExpeditionMalus 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&#8217;ll need to choose between two distinct campaign starts. Juggling the machinations Tz&#8217;arkan&#8217;s WhispersMalus Darkblade is the embodiment of hate and ruthlessness, qualities spurred by the evil brutality of the Daemon Tz&#8217;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&#8217;s dark whispers in return for unique and powerful rewards in the form of items, followers and other treasures. New units and charactersMalus 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&#8217;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<b