function over form?

[dreadnaughtguy]

Can you pick units and models based solely on look or do you have need to take units in each faction.

for example if I want to use the following units
•Lord Exhumator Scaverous
•Helljack: Slayer
•Bane Knights
•Pistol Wraith

I picked the units based on how they look but will this work or do you need to pick based on function?

[Marshal_Wilhelm]

From my understanding, WM is more about on table experience, rather than fluffiness or recreations. So there will be units that are strong and that you need for winning. If you go for looks, well, unless you are fortunate and have what you think looks cool with what the studio has made strong, chances are you'll be getting bashed on the table.

Handsome doesn't necessarily mean effective. Just like in RL

I have stayed away from Cavalry, some shooting units, Lights and the Battle Engine for RoS, as there are other stronger options out there. If I am going to the club, I at least want to make a fist of it

That said, I have just bought Dahlia and Skarath, who are seen as somewhat 'meh' by the forumites. But I recognise that I have handicapped myself from a pure pwnage! list in doing so.

As long as you know what you are getting yourself into with your choices, then it is harder to get a nasty shock.

[Dais]

Generally you can pick a caster and 25 points of a 35 point list based on looks and just fill in the rest with a few pieces to make it work. There are exceptions and caveats of course, but list building isn't a massive undertaking.
Your Cryx list is ok. It won't lose you games based on composition at least. Scaverous dose like having arc nodes though, so a few bonejacks would make a tremendous addition. Bane Thralls are also made even better by the addition of their officer and standard; and bane lord Tartarus if you want to put the points in. Right now you only have 12 points if you add the full unit of thralls and 9 if you go with the minimum unit so you have room for a few things even at the 15 point level.

I suggest a list that looks something like this for 15 points:
Lord Exhumator Scaverous (*5pts)
* Deathripper (4pts)
* Slayer (6pts)
* Skarlock Thrall (2pts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Pistol Wraith (3pts)
Notice how I added an arc node and skarlock to round out what you chose. Also note that the slayer and deathripper are models you get in the battlebox.

There are many directions you can take your list from there to include the full unit of bane thralls and their attachment if you want to make them a central fixture in your list. At 35 points this is just one of the many viable and well-rounded lists:
Lord Exhumator Scaverous (*5pts)
* Deathripper (4pts)
* Defiler (5pts)
* Slayer (6pts)
* Skarlock Thrall (2pts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Bane Thrall Officer & Standard (3pts)
The Withershadow Combine (5pts)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4pts)
Pistol Wraith (3pts)

[the_puritan]

I definitely buy, paint and play what I want. I want models that look good to show off and I want models that perform for when I go to a tourney.
Sometimes those are the same models, but sometimes I get them for one of the reasons in spite of the other.
Examples: I have a Bloodrunner Master Tormentor when conventional wisdom would keep it on the shelf. I also forced myself to paint up a couple of units of Preatorian Swordsmen because I needed them for a few lists... despite hating them.

[dreadnaughtguy]

ok i wasn't quite clear enough ...

•Lord Exhumator Scaverous
•Helljack: Slayer
•Bane Knights
•Pistol Wraith
•Helljack: Slayer
•Bane Knights
•Pistol Wraith

for 25 pts total

does that work at all or not?

keep in mind this is not what I am trying to do, i just want to know if it even works?

[Mdw005]

Everything "works" in one way or the other. As you play, you figure out things that work well with certain casters and some things that work well with your playstyle. When I started, I built a list off of things I thought looked cool. By the time I overhauled the list, I kept a total of 5 models from the original list. Doesn't mean I don't play the models, but after a while, you realize that some things work better with others.

If you don't care about being competetive, than this is mostly irrelevant. If you are trying to improve, than you want to start learning and piecing together what combos well with what.

-MW-

[thebarbalag]

As above, there is nothing in any faction that you must use. Scaverous is a very powerful 'caster. Bane Knights are great. Slayers are cheap and effective. Pistol Wraiths work and don't need support. Cryx doesn't really depend on synergies the way some factions (Menoth, Pirates, Skorne, etc.) do. Play what you like. This is a skill game more than a silver bullet model game.