Ring of Hotek

[redshirt2375]

Okay fellow Dark Elf players who've actually been playing in 8th Ed, is the Ring worth it?

I'm still struggling with my list, trying to keep it fluffy yet somewhat effective so building the Heros is proving tough.

Would I be better off taking one or two lvl 2's or is the Ring still somewhat decent protectiong?

I'm actually looking at even taking the ring plus a caster (or 2) just for some added offence and magic defence.

*Note: I'm trying to get max Comp for the upcoming tournament in the off chance I can go which is why I'm trying to stay away from Lord Choices

[stonecutter]

The ring is still 25 points worth of awesome but it is limited somewhat now. The FAQ clarified that the CASTER must be within 12" in order for the ring to cause a miscast on a double. It no longer provides the 24" bubble of protection over your entire army. Still, it will tone down your opponent's casting if you can get the ring and keep it within 12" of their most powerful caster since a miscast is far worse than it used to be.
As for what to bring, a couple 2nd levels will give you good offence with a variety of spells (say metal and shadow) and they can toss unlimited dice at any spell so you are likely to get spells off when you have a good winds of magic phase. Lacking a 4th level is most painful during the dispel part of the game as you only get +2 and this generally means you need to toss at least one more dispel die at everything your opponent casts if they are 4th level. If you bring a dispel scroll and the RoH you will likely be OK as the RoH will limit the killer spells (unless you are facing Teclis, who really doesn't care about the first miscast every turn!!).

[redshirt2375]

Thanks.

Well since I know Matt has no intention of running Teclis very often (due to his broken nature in 8th) I shouldn't have to worry too much about seeing him hitting the table too often.

[Jack Shrapnel]

I think the ring of Hotek is still a very strong item... perhaps not as over the top as it was before, but it's still a very good item for it's cost. especially if you're looking at a lower magic army, I would say that this would provide a measure of magical protection (which is essential in 8th ed.) along with the mandatory scroll.

[thesanityassassin]

Haha, Teclis is most definitely reserved for 'Ard Boyz or anyone who decides to be a really big jerk at an event I'm playing ringer in.