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Icon wh main lore metalThe Lore of Metal is a lore of magic introduced in Total War: Warhammer.

Lore Attribute[ | ]

Icon rarity common small Metalshifting[ | ]

Armour is little defence against a skilled alchemist, under his command metal turns into an arcane lightning rod, attracting hostile magic.
Wh main lore passive metalshifting Passive AbilityThis ability targets allies or self
Lore of Metal
Type Icon spell area of augmentsAugment (Area)
Target Self, Allies
Icon Stat Damage Base Base Weapon Damage +12%
Modifier icon armour piercing Armour-Piercing Weapon Damage +12%
Effect range Map-wide
Duration 13 seconds
Affected units Affects allies in range(all)
Enabled if Casting
Ua arrow increase 1 Triggers when casting

Spells[ | ]

Icon rarity common small Searing Doom[ | ]

A spray of sizzling silver slivers rain from the sky to impale the caster's enemy.
Wh main spell metal searing doom SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Metal
Cost 6 Winds
10 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell bombardmentBombardment
Target Ground, Enemies
Ranged Damage 36 (33%Modifier icon armour piercing ranged) Modifier icon magical
Explosive Damage 30 (100%Icon Stat Explosive Armour Piercing Damage)
Range 200 metres
Duration 9 seconds
Cooldown 30 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Increased number of missiles
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Wider strike area
Ua arrow increase 1 Causes moderate Modifier icon magicalmagical damage
Ua arrow increase 1 Large strike area
Ua arrow increase 1 Strong vs a single unit

Ua arrow decrease 1 Weak vs a single combatant

Icon rarity common small Plague of Rust[ | ]

The enemy target's armour begins to rust, disappearing in clouds of tiny flakes and weakening his defensive abilities.
Wh main spell metal plague of rust SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Metal
Cost 4 Winds
6 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell hexHex
Target Enemy
Icon stat armour Armour -30
-60 (Overcast)
Range 200 metres
Duration 44 seconds
Cooldown 28 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Affected units Affects enemies in range(max: 1)
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Greater effect on Icon stat armourarmour

Icon rarity uncommon small Gehenna's Golden Hounds[ | ]

Blowing on a glimmering golden whistle, the Wizard summons the spirit of Gehenna’s metal hounds to hunt down his prey.
Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Spell
Lore of Metal
Cost 8 Winds
12 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell vortexVortex
Target Ground, All
Damage Per Second 15 (33%Modifier icon armour piercing) Modifier icon magical
Duration 13 seconds
26 seconds (Overcast)
Radius 7 metres
10 metres (Overcast)
Movement Speed 3m/s
2m/s (Overcast)
Range 150 metres
Duration 13 seconds
26 seconds (Overcast)
Cooldown 45 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Affects units if Grounded
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Extended effect duration
Ua arrow increase 1 Large, randomly-moving area of effect
Ua arrow increase 1 Strong vs multiple units

Ua arrow decrease 1 Weak vs a single combatant

Icon rarity uncommon small Glittering Robe[ | ]

The Alchemist conjures a gaudy cloak of shimmering scale to improve his allies’ defensive stance.
Wh main spell metal glittering robe SpellThis ability targets allies or self
Lore of Metal
Cost 6 Winds
12 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell augmentAugment
Icon spell area of augmentsAugment (Area) (Overcast)
Target Self, Ally
Allies (Overcast)
Icon stat armour Armour +60
Range 200 metres
Effect range (Overcast) 35 metres (Overcast)
Duration 44 seconds
Cooldown 42 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Affected units Affects allies in range(max: 1)
Affects allies in range(all) (Overcast)
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Added effect area

Icon rarity rare small Transmutation of Lead[ | ]

The enemies’ weapons become heavy, cumbersome, and almost impossible to wield in battle.
Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Metal
Cost 11 Winds
16 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell area of hexesHex (Area)
Target Enemies
Icon Stat Damage Base Base Weapon Damage -30%
-60% (Overcast)
Melee character Melee Attack -24
Range 200 metres
Duration 50 seconds
Cooldown 28 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Affected units Affects enemies in range(all)
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Greater effect on Weapon Damage Charactermelee damage

Icon rarity rare small Final Transmutation[ | ]

The Wizard unleashes a hail of magical energy, transmuting his foes into Unliving golden statues.
Wh main spell metal final transmutation SpellThis ability targets enemies
Lore of Metal
Cost 17 Winds
26 Winds (Overcast)
Type Icon spell area of direct damageDirect Damage (Area)
Target Enemies
Damage Per Second 66-133
Range 100 metres
Effect range 35 metres
Duration 8 seconds
16 seconds (Overcast)
Cooldown 54 seconds
Miscast chance 50% (Overcast)
Affected units Affects enemies in range(all)
Ua winds of magic upgraded icon Extended effect duration
Ua arrow increase 1 Causes damage to combatants
Ua arrow increase 1 Strong vs character
Ua arrow increase 1 Strong vs a single combatant

Ua arrow decrease 1 Weak vs a single unit

Units[ | ]

Disciples of Hashut Chaos Dwarfs[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation

Wh3 main dae daemon prince 256 Daemons of Chaos[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation
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Grand Cathay Grand Cathay[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation
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High Elves High Elves[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation
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Lizardmen Lizardmen[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation

World Walkers Norsca[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation

(WH1 & WH2 only)
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Reikland The Empire[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust

Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds

Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation

Tzeentch Tzeentch[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation
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(Formless Horror: Archaon the Everchosen)
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(Formless Horror: Balthasar Gelt)

(Formless Horror: The Blue Scribes)
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(Formless Horror: Zhao Ming, the Iron Dragon)
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Warhost of the Apocalypse Warriors of Chaos[ | ]

Unit Wh main lore passive metalshifting Wh main spell metal searing doom Wh main spell metal plague of rust Wh main spell metal gehennas golden hounds Wh main spell metal glittering robe Wh main spell metal transmutation of lead Wh main spell metal final transmutation
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Strategy[ | ]

Click here to add a strategy!

The Lore of Metal is a pretty strong lore that focuses on a variety of damage spells and some decent augments and debuffs.

  • Metalshifting is actually one of the better ones, +12% weapon damage map wide is quite good.
  • Searing Doom is a good bombardment spell for blobs of enemies.
  • Plague of Rust is good if you run into an enemy with way too much armour for your units and can help level the playing field.
  • Gehenna's Golden Hounds is an efficient vortex spell that moves randomly, but does high damage.
  • Glittering Robe is a decent defensive spell, but if your opponent has large amounts of armour piercing damage, it is a bit wasted.
  • Transmutation of Lead actually destroys an enemies damage output for its duration. Very little damage will go through to your units.
  • Final Transmutation is essentially a Fate of Bjuna and equally effective.

Some of the above info is a bit misleading, Final Transmutation is the strongest and most expensive direct damage spell. its acts like Spirit Leech hitting one model in each unit at time doing on average about 2100 damage total across multiple hits if overcasted. every unit or single entity is hit with a more than double strength sprit leach effectively, all are effected separately. If you hit a few valuable targets its damage and efficiency can be much higher than spirit leach even if you only hit 3 or more models. spirit leach does about 116 points of damage per WOM spent, overcast final transmutation does 75 damage per winds of magic per unit affected. So its actually better vs single targets/ elite units even if you only hit two, 3 or more targets and its greatly overtakes it in terms of damage done per winds of magic spent only flensing ruin is nearly as effective overall. Still it is extremely expensive with a longer cooldown.

Trivia[ | ]

  • Ignoring Lores of Magic from DLCs and faction exclusive one (Skaven Spells of Stealth, Lore of Nehekhara, Lore of the Wild) this is probably the least available Lore of magic. Only being available to four factions and only seven real units that can use it.
    • With the release of Total War: Warhammer III, this is no longer the case. The addition of four new factions with access to the Lore of Metal makes it more common than Light, Life, or Heavens.
  • Balthasar Gelt was the only Gold Wizard of the game up until Update 5.0.
Magic
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