As Champions of Chaos slaughter their way across the battlefields of the world, their infamy and skill attract the attention of the Chaos Gods. This is both a blessing and a curse. For the followers of Chaos, physical mutations are regarded as gifts sent from the gods themselves. For such blessings to be bestowed on a warrior shows the favour of the Dark Powers. Often these mutations appear in the form of small aberrations, such as webbed toes or oddly coloured eyes, and sometimes they may be debilitating or crippling.
However, sometimes a mighty warrior’s power will be enhanced by impressive mutations that make them fearful to face in combat. These warriors are regarded as particularly chosen by their patron deities, and will often go on to become mighty chieftains. Mutations can appear in an unfathomable array of forms and appearances. A warrior may become bigger and stronger, whilst his skin may grow tough, leathery or even chitinous, forming natural armour. Others may be blessed with powerful natural weaponry, such as claws and tentacles, or be able to spit acid at their foes. A Champion high in the esteem of his patron Gods may find his limbs filled with daemonic vigour, his skin constantly aflame with magical fire, or a frill of poisonous tendrils pushing out from the skin of his neck. Those who are especially favoured may return time and time again to the Realms of Chaos or to certain holy places along the borderlands where they commune with their gods and receive further gifts of this kind.
Unfortunately, many mutations pleasing to the Chaos Gods are anathema to those they are thrust upon. A favoured warrior is as likely to have his mind reduced to that of a ravenous beast as they are to glow with an aura of diabolic majesty.
Below are Chaos Mutations and Powers that can be bought for Chaos characters. Each can only be chosen once per army (excluding Special Characters) – the Chaos Gods aren't fond of repeating themselves!
The air around the favoured one boils and seethes with raw magical energy. Arrows, bolts and even cannon balls aimed towards him are slowed drastically or even transmuted at the last second into screaming phantasms crying out in praise of Chaos.
Any missile attacks targeting the character or the unit they are with have their Strength value halved, rounding up. This has no effect against Magical Attacks.
The favoured one is surrounded by a coruscating pillar of raw magical power, and his twisted features split open as they roar their deafening battlecry.
The character has the Terror special rule.
This champion breathes not air, but fire, and by roaring they usher forth a searing cone of flames.
The character has a Strength 3 Breath Weapon that has the Flaming Attacks special rule.
The face of the champion is twisted and contorted into an unnatural and terrifying form, often changing to resemble the champion's patron god.
The character has the Fear special rule.
An aura of oppression is radiated by the favoured one, a crackling corona of antipathy that can reduce a brave man's will to that of a craven child.
Any successful Leadership tests taken by an enemy unit in base contact with the character must be re-rolled. This mutation cannot be combined with Fearsome Aura.
The favoured one can dislocate his mouth like that of a snake, stretching it impossibly wide and forming a roiling portal into the Realm of Chaos within his yawning gullet. Woe betide those be catches in his fanged maw, for they face an eternity of torment.
Instead of making his usual attacks, the character can choose to make a special attack against a single Infantry model. If the attack hits, the enemy model must pass an Initiative test. If this test is failed, the victim is swallowed whole and is removed from the game with no saves allowed.
The favoured one's aura crackles with raw power, and his eyes glow with balefire.
All enemy units within 6" of this character suffer -1 to their Leadership.
An extra arm has sprouted from the warrior's body, from his chest, shoulder or even his head, clearly marking them out as one of the gods' favoured.
The character may wield both a weapon that Requires Two Hands and a shield at the same time, benefitting from both pieces of equipment. This mutation cannot be combined with Tentacle.
The champion is possessed of an immortal hunger that can only be satisfied by feeding upon the souls of his slain foes.
Roll a D6 for every unsaved Wound the character inflicts on an enemy unit in close combat. For each result of a 6 rolled, they immediately regain a single lost Wound.
A Chaos Familiar memorises a spell on its master's behalf, constantly rehearsing for its big moment until it is called upon to share its arcane knowledge.
Wizard only. The character knows one extra spell than normal for his level.
The champion's flesh is saturated with a toxic slime that seeps through his skin, poisoning anything they touch.
The character has the Poisoned Attacks and Immunity (Poisoned Attacks) special rules.
The champion's blood has been transformed into a corrosive ichor. Those who wound him find themselves splashed by hissing burning liquid.
Whenever this character suffers an unsaved Wound in close combat, the model that inflicted that Hit suffers a Strength 4 hit, which count towards the combat result.
This champion is surrounded by crackling flames that burn his enemies whilst leaving his own body untouched.
The character has the Flaming Attacks and Immunity (Flaming Attacks) special rules.
The champion's legs end in cloven hooves, giving them a particularly feral, animalistic appearance..
Model on foot only. The Champion gains +1 Movement. This mutation cannot be combined with Serpent Body.
The champion's skull twists and grows until a great set of curving horns sprout from the warrior's brow, often in the shape of their patron deity's sigil. This can be used as a weapon when they charge into the foe.
Model on foot only. The character gets the Impact Hits (1) special rule.
The champion's skin is covered with a thousand reptilian scales, each as tough as Dragonhide.
The character has the Natural Armour (6+) special rule.
A thick tentacle replaces one of the warrior's arms. Strong and muscular, this tentacle is capable of grabbing the weapons of the enemy or squeezing the life from their bodies.
The character may grapple with a single opponent in base contact, forcing them to lose one Attack. However, the character is not allowed to use a shield or any weapon that Requires Two Hands.
The champion can channel the dark strength flowing through his veins to deliver a single blow that can shatter a fortress wall.
Instead of attacking normally, the character can choose to make a single special Attack. If they do so, and the Attack hits, the hit is resolved at double the character's Strength
and has the Multiple Wounds (D3) special rule.