Total War: WARHAMMER Wiki

The Lore of Dark Magic is a lore of magic introduced in Total War: Warhammer II.

Lore Attribute[]

Spiteful Conjuration[]

As the spellcaster summons the Winds of Magic, black darts of malice will flit through the air to pierce their enemies.
Passive AbilityThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Dark Magic
Type Hex (Area)
Target Enemies
Armour -15
Effect range Map-wide
Duration 18 seconds
Affected units Affects enemies in range(all)
Enabled if Casting
Triggers when casting spell

Wrath of the Wood[]

At the most opportune moment, arrows are willed to fly fast and true by the very wood from which they are carved.
Passive AbilityThis ability targets allies or self
Lore of Dark Magic
Type Augment (Area)
Target Self, Allies
Armour-Piercing Missile Damage +12%
Base Missile Damage +12%
Effect range Map-wide
Duration 8 seconds
Affected units Affects allies in range(all)
Enabled if Casting
Triggers when casting spell
Available to Wood Elves only

Spells[]

Power of Darkness[]

The caster's draws on unstable power from the Realm of Chaos to charge their spells.
SpellThis ability targets allies or self
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 4 Winds
Type Augment of the Winds
Uses 2
Target Self
Damage Per Second 16-33
Power Recharge +80%
Reserves Per Second +0.70
Range 200 metres
Duration 20 seconds
Cooldown 28 seconds
Affected units Affects allies in range(max: 1)
Causes damage to self

Chillwind[]

A freezing gale is conjured and sent to assail the target with ice and hail.
SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 5 Winds
8 Winds (Overcast)
Type Wind
Target Ground, Enemies
Damage 16 (100%)
Duration 1 second
Radius 6 metres
Movement Speed 60m/s
Contact Frostbite!
Range 150 metres
Duration 3 seconds
Cooldown 29 seconds
Miscast Chance 50% (Overcast)
Additional effect on Frostbite
Small, foward-moving area of effect
Good against armour
Strong vs multiple units
Frostbite! (10s)
Speed: -25%

Frostbite! (20s) (Overcast)
Reload Skill: -20 (Overcast)
Speed: -45% (Overcast)

Word of Pain[]

As the caster utters a forbidden name, their enemies are wracked with waves of agony.

SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 8 Winds
12 Winds (Overcast)
Type Hex
Target Enemy
Accuracy -30
Melee Attack -40
Melee Defence (Overcast) -40 (Overcast)
Range 200 metres
Duration 40 seconds
Cooldown 44 seconds
Miscast Chance 50% (Overcast)
Affected units Affects enemies in range(max: 1)
Additional effect on melee defence

Bladewind[]

A swirling maelstrom of swords spin and slash their way across the battlefield in search of blood.
Spell
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 11 Winds
15 Winds (Overcast)
Type Vortex
Target Ground, Enemies
Damage Per Second 18 (22%)
Duration 7 seconds
14 seconds (Overcast)
Radius 10 metres
Movement Speed 2m/s
Range 150 metres
Duration 7 seconds
14 seconds (Overcast)
Cooldown 38 seconds
Miscast Chance 50% (Overcast)
Extended effect duration
Large, randomly-moving area of effect
Strong vs multiple units

Doombolt[]

The sky opens and a bolt of burning, pure Chaos black lightning hurtles towards the foe.
SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 9 Winds
14 Winds (Overcast)
Type Bombardment
Target Enemy
Ranged Damage 672 (100%)
1008 (100%) (Overcast)
Explosive Damage 132 (100%)
Range 200 metres
Duration 7 seconds
Cooldown 47 seconds
Miscast Chance 50% (Overcast)
Increased armour-piercing damage
Causes major magical damage
Medium strike area
Good against armour
Strong vs single combatant
Strong vs single unit

Soul Stealer[]

Tendrils of solidified darkness writhe outwards, draining the lifeforce from foes and renewing the caster's own vigour.
Spell
Lore of Dark Magic
Cost 16 Winds
Type Direct Damage (Area)
Target Self, Enemies
Self
Heal Per Second
+0.80%
Enemies
Damage Per Second
37-75
Range 100 metres
Effect range 35 metres
Duration 12 seconds
Cooldown 54 seconds
Affected units Affects allies in range(max: 1)
Affects enemies in range(all)
Causes damage to combatants
Strong vs character
Absorbs hitpoints from enemies
Strong vs single combatant

Weak vs multiple combatants

Units[]

Daemons of Chaos[]

Unit
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Dark Elves[]

Unit
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Tzeentch[]

Unit

(Formless Horror: Malekith)

(Formless Horror: Morathi)
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(Formless Horror: Ariel)
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(Formless Horror: The Blue Scribes)
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Warriors of Chaos[]

Unit
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Wood Elves[]

Unit
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Videos[]

How to use the Lore of Dark Magic

Strategy[]

Click here to add a strategy!

The Lore of Dark Magic is a offensive and heavily damaging lore that focus more on direct damage to debuffs. The Lore attribute reduced armour mapwide, so useful in certain matchups (Dwarfs, Chaos, some Empire armies, and potentially Lizardmen). 2 spells Doombolt and Soulstealer are very effective at damaging elite units and single entity. Chillwind and bladewind are best vs multiple units of infantry and cavalry but Chillwind's pure ap damage makes it decent vs any non monstrous infantry or cavalry. Consider bringing dark magic as a secondary caster even to just use power of darkness, it can also be combined with the beasts or death lore attribute to give stacking bonuses to winds or recharge.

  • Power of Darkness is a good way of gaining Winds of Magic and can be useful for whipping up more magic at the cost of damaging a unit. put on a regen unit for best effect, or on a lord with access to Soulstealer.
  • Chillwind is a lightly damaging spell, but is super cheap to cast. Useful for damaging lightly armoured archer lines or infantry. Overcast slows the enemy down and increases their reload time, further encouraging its use against archers.- Chillwind actually does pure AP damage about 66% as much as shadows pendulum spell does even. use against any infantry or cavalry other than high health monstrous units.
  • Word of Pain basically neuters the combat effectiveness of an enemy, -44 Melee attack will drop most units to 0 Melee attack. Overcast makes their defence weak as well.
  • Blade Wind is a typical Vortex spell, looks cool, but is overcosted a bit and the rest of the lore is generally more efficient.- its actually one of the cheapest vortexes, but has lower ap damage than most. plus the lore attribute bonus means it will do slightly better vs armor than expected.
  • Doombolt is a great spell for damaging Characters or other elite units. It is very hard to dodge and will reliably do solid damage.
  • Soul Stealer is probably the most powerful spell in this Lore. It damages all the enemies in an area and heals the caster. This is great on Malekith and Morathi for the ability to heal themselves, something they cannot do otherwise. It is especially painful in blob fights where the enemy bunches up on a target. One great strategy is take Malekith on his dragon, land charge into a vulnerable enemy. Then when your opponent capitalizes on your landing by sending elite units to deal damage, cast soul stealer to heal back up. Word of Pain also works to nullify their damage.

Notes[]

  • Bladewind is the shortest lasting vortex spell in the game at 7 Seconds (Overcast doubles it to 14 seconds)
Magic