Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Genestealer Cults (section)

===Melee===
*'''Rending Claws:''' Start here, most of your units get them. S:user, AP5, ''Rending.'' They only count as one weapon no matter how many arms your model has. But thankfully in most cases you can fill those extra hands with other weapons to gain your bonus +1 attack.
*'''Scything Talons:''' These are mostly just to give your Purestrain Genestealers an extra Attack. Upgrade half the unit and let the cheaper models take the brunt of the enemy shooting, while the heavy hitters bring up the rear.
*'''Bonesword:''' Str User, AP3, rolls of 6 to wound are instant death. Good against MEQ Multiwound models.
**'''Lashwhip & Bonesword:''' Same as above, but also add +3 to Initiative for the added whip. Still counts as one weapon despite being a pair.
*'''Metamorph Weapons:''' Available to your Metamorph Hybrids. All are S:user, AP5, but each version comes with specific rules. Note that the rules say "A model equipped with...", so you can still use your Rending Claws to Attack with these benefits.
**'''Claw:''' Gain +2 Strength. The most utilitarian option. Higher strength lets them threaten tougher vehicles and makes wounding easier. A solid all-rounder choice.
**'''Talon:''' Gain +1 WS, but increases to +2 WS if you have a pair. You sacrifice your Rending Claws for the second talon, so it's not usually a good idea. That said, with an Icon and a pair of talons you can push the squad's WS up to the crucial WS7. That will make any WS3 unit hit them on a 5+, so it can be situationally worth it against armies with bad armor saves and average weapon skill like the Imperial Guard or Daemons of Nurgle.
**'''Whip:''' A lash whip without the Bonesword. Gives you +3 Initiative. Great for dealing with high initiative armies like Eldar or the followers of Slaanesh. They can also be really useful against other I4 armies, as your gribblies are not very tough and getting their hits in before the enemy hits back can do a lot to keep them alive in melee.
*'''Power Maul:''' S+2 AP4 and Concussive. Useful against Imperial Guard, Eldar of all kinds, Orks, Necrons, and Daemons since all Daemons have are invulns and S5 can even harm the tough MCs if you can survive against them.
*'''Power Pick:''' +2 Str, AP3, and unwieldy. This is not a specialist weapon, so it grants +1 attack when stacked with the Aberrant's rending claws. Don't think too hard about a pick doing more damage with less penetration than an axe instead of the other way around, because gameplay reasons?
*'''Power Hammer:''' ''Almost'' a Thunder Hammer, but not quite. It still strikes last, but it's still Concussive. It doesn't double the users strength but adds +3, which on Aberrants is still S8, so it might as well be a Thunder Hammer. Unfortunately, it's a ''Two-Handed'' weapon, so there is no way to ensure you get the extra close combat attack.
*'''Heavy Rock Saw:''' Str x2, AP2, Two-handed, Unwieldy, ''Armourbane''. A discount, two-handed Chainfist. This is your primary way of dealing with Imperial Knights, Soul Grinders, and Land Raiders.
*'''Heavy Rock Cutter:''' Str x2, AP2, Two-handed, Unwieldy, ''Snip''. If you take a wound and somehow the model survives it, then pass a toughness test or be removed from play. Gives you a lucky chance to get rid of those Eternal Warriors or T5 multi-wound roadblocks. Bear in mind harder opponents are more likely to pass the test.
*'''Heavy Rock Drill:''' Str x2, AP2, Two-handed, Unwieldy, ''Pulverise''. Instead of attacking normally, you can instead make a single attack at S10 AP1. Good if you don't get the charge or against those wraithknights or Land Raiders where S8 might not cut it, though if you're targeting vehicles with an AV of 12 or less, the extra attacks will serve you better. They're also a bit more reliable at dealing with T5 toughies. If you find yourself using these, it's recommended you keep a Primus nearby. Hatred can mean the difference between annihilating a squad of Ogryn in a single assault phase or getting pummeled into the ground because your one attack missed. They're also 5 points cheaper than the other options, so they're a bit easier to bring in larger numbers.