"We must be ever-vigilant, for if we become unwary and weak the enemies of mankind will devour us utterly. Place your faith in Sigmar to protect you, place your trust in your Emperor to lead you, and put your strength in your sword to deliver you from those who would destroy your Empire."
- —Warrior Priest of Sigmar[3a]
A Warrior Priest of the Cult of Sigmar
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar is a priest or cleric of the Cult of Sigmar who is a member of a warrior-sect whose duty is to both lead and inspire Imperial troops on the field of battle and also to minister to their spiritual needs when facing the foes of the Empire.
Role[]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar
Sigmar is a warrior god, and to pursue his creed is to live a life dedicated to battle for the good of all Mankind. The Cult of Sigmar demands that its followers fight all forms of evil in the mortal world with the strength of their arms as well as their faith and many of its priests accompany the Empire's armies when they march off to war, following and honouring that creed.[1a]
It is thanks to these tireless warriors that a rousing speech by a Warrior Priest of Sigmar has restored the troops' faith, brought hope to a seemingly lost cause, or prevented a mutiny when the words of even the most respected commanders had fallen on frightened and angry ears.[1a]
Throughout the Empire it is considered only right and proper to honour all the gods and even those priests who serve only one deity will still show respect to other gods in appropriate situations or when their portfolio is predominant. But where the older gods are seen to care little for the plight of Men, Sigmar is the patron of the Empire and its people, the reason why the men and women of the Empire often refer to themselves as "Sigmar's People" and venerate the sigil of the Twin-Tailed Comet. This remains true in every province of the Empire, even in those places where Ulric, Taal, and the other gods of the Old World Pantheon are more actively worshipped than the Heldenhammer.[1a]
The High Priest of the Cult of Sigmar is known as the Grand Theogonist, and he is served by two Arch Lectors. Beneath these ecclesiastical officials, all three of whom serve as full Electors of the Empire, are the Warrior Priests. Almost every town and village in the Empire has at least one shrine dedicated to Sigmar and so Warrior Priests of the deity are a common sight wherever the writ of the emperor's law extends.[1a]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar fighting a Chaos Warrior of Khorne.
In battle, the divine power of Sigmar stirs within their hearts and his divine might is theirs to command, allowing them to perform extraordinary miracles in the name of their god, so long as their faith in him remains strong. A Warrior Priest of Sigmar can unleash the Heldenhammer's divine wrath to smite creatures of darkness like Daemons and Undead or even less malevolent beings like Forest Spirits, call upon divine protection for fellow Imperial warriors engaged in battle to enhance their defences or even return a badly wounded comrade from near-death, miraculously healing all their wounds. To see such blatant signs of Sigmar's favour fires the hearts of all Men and leads them to redouble their efforts to defeat the foe.[1a]
Warrior Priests of Sigmar normally wear mail or full plate armour underneath their holy vestments, wield the mighty warhammers that are the favoured weapon of Sigmar, and ride into battle atop powerful Imperial warhorses. Among the most commonly employed divine powers of a Warrior Priest are their prayers.[1a]
Miracles[]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar unleashes the divine powers of Sigmar while fighting a Chaos Chosen of Tzeentch.
Sigmarite Petty Magic[]
The following two prayers are solely taught by the Cult of Sigmar:[2a]
- Blessing of Sigmar - Sigmar's signature weapon, the warhammer, becomes imbued with the god's power with this prayer.[2a]
- Blessing of Unification - The priest's devotional prayers can stir ancient feelings of patriotism and a sense of fraternity in a single Imperial Human within range, making enemies think twice about even considering attacking another Imperial Human or Imperial Dwarf.[2a]
Divine Lore of Sigmar[]
"These men wade into battle with conventional weapons, but can also call powerful magical forces to decimate their enemies."
- —The divine power of Sigmar's Warrior Priests.[5]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar as rendered for Total War: Warhammer.
Each of Sigmar's primary orders within the Cult of Sigmar gives importance to different prayers. The Orders of the Anvil and Torch, the largest orders of the cult, practise defensive rites, focusing upon catechisms that protect the body and mind from harm or influence, which is the portfolio of Sigmar the Anvil.[2b]
Renders of Warrior Priest of Sigmar warhammers for Total War: Warhammer.
The Order of the Silver Hammers follow some of this same doctrine, but also teaches prayers to smite Sigmar's enemies, knowing that the best defence can often be offence, which is the portfolio of Sigmar the Hammer.[2b]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar and his warhammer as rendered for Warhammer: Mark of Chaos.
Lastly, while the Order of the Cleansing Flames believes they must take Sigmar's purifying fires to their enemies, they also teach warding prayers, designed to protect the members of the order from the foul corruptions of the Ruinous Powers, which is the doctrine of the aspect of Sigmar they name Sigmar the Purifier.[2b]
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning concept art for a Warrior Priest of Sigmar.
The other orders of the Cult of Sigmar use variations upon these themes, with most preferring defensive prayers over the offensive.[2b]
A Warrior Priest of Sigmar
Though they do not possess the might of god-touched warriors such as Chaos Chosen and Grail Knights, some Warrior Priests of Sigmar can beseech Sigmar to imbue them with great strength. However, this surge of vitality is very short lived.[3][4]
A pair of Warrior Priests guarding a Sigmarite temple.
Below can be found some of the more powerful miracles that can be worked by a Warrior Priest of Sigmar:
- Beacon of Courage - The power and majesty of Sigmar fills the priest, making them shine out like a beacon in the night. Any frightened or terrified ally that can see the affected priest is inspired by their faith and bravery.[2b]
- Deny the Heretic - The priest prays over an inanimate object, such as a door or wall, and greatly strengthens it.[2b]
- Comet of Sigmar - The priest throws a fiery missile that takes the form of Sigmar's famed twin-tailed comet. The miniature comet streaks towards an opponent of the priest's choice within range.[2b][2c]
- Hammer of Sigmar - The priest's warhammer is imbued with Sigmar's divine power.[2c]
- Healing Hand - The touch of Sigmar's priest heals the wounds of an injured person.[2c]
- Heart of the Gryphon - The priest's strident prayers embolden Sigmar's chosen, filling them with courage and determination, rendering them fearless.[2c]
- Heed Not the Witch - The priest's prayers beseech Sigmar to protect themselves and others from those who use Dark Magic and are the god's direst enemies.[2c]
- Immaculate Flesh - Denying the power of Chaos with fiery passion, the priest implores Sigmar to protect themselves and others from the Ruinous Powers' perverting ways, making mutation impossible.[2c]
- Soulfire - The purifying flames of Sigmar surround the priest, as his wrath manifests on earth.[1c]
- Vanquish - The priest's urgent prayers cause their allies to redouble their efforts to destroy Sigmar's foes.[1c]
- Word of Damnation - The priest's righteous prayer fills a heretic with hopelessness as they are faced with the prospect of their own damnation.[2d]
- Divine Power - Such is the strength of Sigmar's favour that enemies fail to act in the presence of his divine brilliance, as embodied in the mortal realm by his priest.[5]
- Benediction - The Warrior Priest passes the blessings of the Heldenhammer on to the brave men around him, bolstering their courage and strength in the battle to come.[5]
- Shield of Faith - The Warrior Priest's faith manifests in the form of a shield as hard as castle-forged steel.[5]
Notable Warrior Priests of Sigmar[]
- Volkmar the Grim - Volkmar is the fearsome High Priest or Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar.
- Conrad Gottschalk - Gottschalk is a mighty and pious Warrior Priest known as the "Hammer of Sigmar."
- Wilhelm Hasburg - Hasburg is a mercenary Warrior Priest and companion of the witch hunter Johann van Hal.
- Luthor Huss - Luthor Hass is a renegade, anti-establishment Sigmarite known as the "Prophet of Sigmar."
- The Warrior Priest of Wisborg - This Warrior Priest of Sigmar was a notable foe of Wulfrik the Wanderer.
- Kaslain - Kaslain was a mighty Warrior Priest who served as an Arch Lector of the Sigmarite Cult.
- Brother Gunther - Gunther was a close companion of the captain turned Elector Count Stefan von Kessel.
- Janos Odkrier - Janos Odkrier is a Warrior Priest of Sigmar and a veteran of the Imperial wars against Sylvania who fought during the End Times.
- Victor Saltzpyre - Satzpyre is a former witch hunter who became a Warrior Priest of Sigmar.
Miniatures[]
.jpg "Empire - Warrior Priest of Sigmar (Two Hand Weapon).jpg (74 KB)")
.jpg "Empire - Warrior Priest of Sigmar (Hand Weapon and Shield).jpg (82 KB)")
.jpg "Empire - Warrior Priest of Sigmar (Great Weapon).jpg (68 KB)")
Videos[]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 36
- 2 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Tome of Salvation (RPG)
- 3: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC Game)
- 3a: Warrior Priest Class Description
- 4: Warhammer: Wulfrik (Novel) by C.L. Werner
- 5: Total War: Warhammer (PC Game)
Gallery[]
