Deth Wizards

What is Deth Wizards

Deth Wizards is a “necromantic dark fantasy mini-agnostic solo/co-op skirmish miniatures wargame” from Snarling Badger Studios, designed by Adam Loper and Vince Venturella.

You play the villain. You’re a necromancer, and the studio’s pitch is simple: “Build your undead horde and bring darkness to the land of Deth.” The necromancers are immortal beings of great power, and the Heroes of Deth are the ones reacting to your schemes. Beat a hero and you can raise them as one of your own undead.

It’s miniatures-agnostic. Build your horde “from any models you like,” whether that’s skeletons, zombies, ghouls, ghosts, or vampires.

How it plays

Pick a legacy. There are six necromantic legacies: War Reaper, Controller, Monster Master, Spirit Caller, Stitcher, and Dread Horde Master. A Dread Horde Master leads a legion of simple undead. A War Reaper wears armour and fights shoulder to shoulder with the minions.
Build the necromancer. On top of the legacy there are more than 30 Necromantic Powers and 21 special abilities. Powers cost Necromantic Energy and roll a pool of ten-sided Power Dice.
Raise the horde. There are 19 different undead to raise, recruit, and create. Minions carry a Rating, Durability, Movement, Offense, Defense, and Resist, and your necromancer runs a Lair you can expand.
Story Play. Eleven missions, and you pick which one to run and in what order: rob graveyards, assault arcane colleges, kill the king, or try for your own dark apotheosis. The heroes answer back. They come as Paladins, Priests, Rangers, Rogues, Warriors, Wizards, and Villagers.
Skirmish play. Face other necromancers to see who is the true master of the dark arts.
Mix the modes. The designers say solo, co-op, and versus are woven in equally. A campaign can jump between them while your necromancer advances and the horde grows.

How to start

Grab the free sheets. The Necromancer sheet, Minion sheet, Power sheet, and FAQ are free on the Deth Wizards page.
Get the rulebook. It’s 108 pages. The PDF is $13, or $20 plus shipping for the PDF and a printed book, both through WargameVault.
Dig out some minis. One necromancer, a handful of undead, and some heroes to fight. Anything goes. The studio’s model guide lists the most of each hero type a single scenario can call for. Ten-sided dice and a tape measure cover the rest.
Want an official necromancer? Knucklebones Miniatures made one figure for each legacy, as STLs on MyMiniFactory or printed through Only Games.
Add the deck later, if you want. The Add-On Deck is 43 tarot-sized cards: 19 Necromantic Minions, seven Heroes, three Lairs, and 14 Lair Expansions. It’s $18 plus shipping printed with a free PDF, or $10 for the PDF alone. The studio says it’s optional and not required to play.