SCD: Ulk Bonesnappa

Ulk Bonesnappa is a Pandora Prime rare that came in the original Ork starter deck. As a result, many people who started the game had at least one of these in their collection. It’s easy to overlook the card, as it’s not particularly flashy, but it does a couple unique things that make it, in my eyes, one of the best Ork characters in the game.

On the battlefield, Ulk Bonesnappa offers a useful one-time tactic to boost firepower, but it isn’t anything out of this world. What you’re really looking for is the static ability while he’s locked. Very rarely will you find an ability that lets you debuff the firepower of so many opposing units. Even a firepower reduction of 1 is quite potent, and often means the difference between killing or saving several units; being counterattacked becomes less painful as well. It is also worth noting that Bonesnappa’s ability specifically affects flag units, which usually isn’t a huge concern, considering the majority of units in the game are flag units. 

Against armies dedicated to boosting firepower, the debuff may not be as much of a hindrance, but it is a factor opponents must consider: the extra firepower they need to kill a unit may come down to a test they can fail, or a command card they must be forced to play. Especially as an Ork card, Ulk Bonesnappa influences your opponents’ decisions in a way very few other cards will.  

Ulk Bonesnappa’s command line is also one of the best in the game. No other command card will let you remove a unit with such precision, while requiring such an easy test. Only Eldar command lines have the potential to rival this ability to neutralize a unit, and never are they as straightforward as this one. 

Now, the main downside: Ulk Bonesnappa has an atrocious die roll, which is to be expected considering the versatility of the card. Unfortunately, it also means Bonesnappa will be competing for spots with other powerful 1-die cards such as Veteran Skarboyz and Ghazghkull’s Command Gargant. And against decks that are more assault-themed and less reliant on shooting, Ulk Bonesnappa may not pull as much weight as you originally hoped.

Against most opponents, however, Ulk Bonesnappa should find a use and help carve a path to victory for the Waaagh!