Jump to content

mythicFOX

Vote Enabled
  • Posts

    4,167
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    8

Everything posted by mythicFOX

  1. I’m a fan of Hoffman and have been playing him a fair bit. If you need to brawl toe to toe with the enemy he’s one of our best options. The 2” push from Power Transfer, plus power counter bonuses, access to fast, and condition removal, make the crew very efficient from a combat micro-game perspective. The constructs have access to a Swiss-army-knife of aggressive options; precise, prevents triggers, irreducible damage, stunned, execute, and high weak damage packages, this lets us hire the right weapon to take on the enemy. Toss and the 2” push allow the crew to be surprisingly fast out of the gate and catch an opponent napping. At the low end of the batting order both Wardens and Watchers are really useful pieces rounding out a solid crew. The downside is the crew has a challenge projecting it’s power to multiple fronts, chasing down a mobile enemy, and/or redeploying across the board after that initial burst of speed. Ignores armour is a bit of red herring IMO, it’s good against them but hardly earth shattering.
  2. I think it's important to note that power level is not the only reason to errata in and of itself. Generally you look to errata where; The meta revolves around something; you have to either play it, or play to beat it. Something is unpleasant / not fun / non-interactive to play against. Power level can be a root cause of these, but something can be 'OP' without needing to be errata'd (see Rotten Belles in M2e), and not OP but still causing the above issues and get fixed (I'd argue Zoraida in M3e GG0). With Shenlong I'm most concerned about how un-fun the game against him is. Generally because the combination of; threat range, Chi, Drunken Kung Fu , and Irreducible Damage make him quite non-interactive. He does his thing and you can't really interact with it; you can't really cheat to beat an 8 stat, you can't often put him on negative to damage, you can't stone to reduce, you can't use defensive triggers. The areas I'd probably look at are these (not calling for all of them to be changed, I just think this is where the root of any issue with him sits); Drunken Kung Fu interacting with Fury of the Dawn, giving always [+] damage and irreducible / onslaught on the same attack. Charging with Falling Rave Kick giving a 12" threat range for one action. Four Winds Punch being over efficient scheme denial. Masked Agent's Unnerving Presence turning off the Defensive Triggers on leaders, making some keywords almost unplayable vs Thunders. All IMHO - YMMV.
  3. Most recently I'm on the English GT Podium, the Expert Round Table, and going back a ways; Kaeris Deep Dive.
  4. There's a few things going on here in the background; As one of Third Floor Wars resident Arcanists my view is this is mainly Craig having a laugh. Arcanists posted strong early results which drew attention, partly because of the availability of our powerful M3e models to the player base, which was a bit ahead of the other factions. We were the first faction to demonstrate that strong versatile models will be very common in M3e, as we now see in other factions. Had Thunders got there first with Minako Rei and Yasunori, or Outcasts with Midnight Stalker and Prospectors, I'm not sure we'd be hearing as much about Swarms and Miners. These models are genuinely above the power curve, although something always has to be, and prevalence in crew lists doesn't necessarily mean they're a problem at the game level.
  5. Just to contextualize the above a little re the UK meta; We only play single master (what GG0 calls Singles), most of the events listed will be single master, certainly all of the GTs and the Nationals were. This is done because we found the game to be less fun, and the meta less diverse, with multiple masters. Worth noting that a good number of these event will have occurred in a context where models new to M3e which didn't have rules published until recently will not have been available. For example; Nekima's totem, False Witnesses, Agent 47, etc. I expect these hit Neverborn and Guild more disproportionately than the other factions which may be depressing their results.
  6. That's a misleading way of cutting the tournament results (at best). Of the 20 UK M3e tournaments on Malifaux Rankings (http://malifaux-rankings.com), plus this weekend's Nationals; Ten Thunders: 6 Arcanists: 6 Outcasts: 3 Ressers: 2 Bayou: 2 Guild: 1 Neverborn: 1 If you look at the podium places of the four Grand Tournaments which have been held, which are the well attended competitive two day events, it's as follows; Thunders: 5 Arcanists: 3 Outcasts: 2 Ressers: 2 Or if you want to exclude the Welsh GT from the beta period it's; TT 4, Outc 2, Arc 2, Res 1. UK Nationals (7 rounds, >80 players) top 10 were; 4 Thunders, 4 Outcasts, 1 Arcanist, 1 Resser. Now we can argue about the right way to count events, and if we should count from a time when the beta was still tinkering around the edges or not, but I really don't think it's honest to present a narrative that TT aren't doing really well at both local and national levels in the UK.
  7. TLDR: Kaeris. Assuming no knowledge of the opponent, and a broadly average board. Where crews come into conflict on the table is usually determined by the strategy, Reckoning isn't like that. In Reckoning the advantage is usually to a player being attacked, as the attacker has to waste actions and threat potential moving in order to attack. You tend to force a player to attack you in one of two ways: Threatening to win by scoring schemes 'out of conflict', and therefore requiring them to try and disrupt you. Having a better ranged threat than they do. Plan one is a reasonably poor prospect in this pool, so I think we need range. Which brings me round to Kaeris; Kaeris Eternal Flame Fire Golem* (10) Hitting model of choice (10)* Iggy (6) Soulstone Miner (6) Metal Gamin (5+1) Silent One (6+1) + Magical Training on a minion of choice (2) Cache (3) *Diesel Swarm / Captain / Borgmann / Arcane Emissary Some opponents may make swapping the Silent One for more proactive choices a better bet. The Metal Gamin gives you a point of Dig, you can then advance toward the centre threatening Claim Jump (even if you don't have it). Your opponent will have to come to you or be pinged off at range by Kaeris and the Silent One.
  8. For the first turn I tend to use the Eternal Flame, and occasionally Carlos. After that there tend to be a decent number of models on fire to choose from.
  9. Thanks for the update! Glad people were able to help.
  10. Thanks 1) The latter, although I wouldn't say she's bad at it, I just think we have way better choices, her movement tricks are great but I find them too linear. 2) I wouldn't send Howard to chase Zipp, I use him to deny Zipp parts of the board. Zipp finds it risky to operate inside Howard's threat radius. Which is important in games like idols. Miners don't pose the same threat that a tooled up that our Howard does. Stat 5 2/3/4 isn't the same as Stat 6 3/4/5 with execute and trail of gore.
  11. Good call Dave. Thanks for providing a clear update to players so promptly. Also is @Tapdancer on the list twice? (30 & 47)
  12. No worries. 1) Carlos is a good all purpose objective runner and counter schemer; good mobility, don't mind me, can drop two schemes a turn, trigger to pulse delete schemes, decent defensive tech, and a 40mm base to protect objectives. 2) Sandeep summons to make a Golem turn one, with extra summons generally being Wind Gamin to run objectives, or Metal Gamin for the back half of Dig Their Graves. 3) Iggy's misery bubble is made of win, that combined with Arson and reckless in a 6ss body make him and amazing all rounder in the mid ground. Hope that helps!
  13. Third Floor Wars were kind enough to have me and the other players who made the English GT podium on this week's show to talk about the event; Link: https://thirdfloorwars.com/malifaux-path-to-podium-english-gt/ I came second, just missing out on first by 2VP diff. Thought I'd share the lists I used and played against that weekend in case anyone was interested. Any questions please just ask. Round One: Standard, Plant Explosives Dig Their Graves, Hold Up Their Forces, Take Prisoner, Deliver a Message, Claim Jump My Aracnists: Kearis, Eternal Flame, Carlos, The Firestarter, Iggy, Fire Golem, Blessed of December, Soulstone Miner (+MT), and cache 2. Stef’s Thunders: Mai Feng, Forgeling, Metal Golem, Neil Henry, Mechanized Porkchop, Survivor, Torkage, Tanuki, and cache 8. My Schemes: Dig Graves (2), Take Prisoner - Metal Golem (1) Opponent’s Schemes: Deliver a Message (1), Take Prisoner - Fire Golem (1) Win: 5-3 Thoughts: I happened to practice this the week before vs TT Mai, my takeaway is; I don’t like Mei in explosives. Round Two: Wedge, Corrupted Idols Harness the Ley Line, Search the Ruins, Hold Up Their Forces, Assassinate, Vendetta My Aracnists; Sandeep, Banasuva, Kandara, Miss Step, Carlos, Fire Gamin, Wind Gamin, Soulstone Miner (+MT), and cache 4. Rich’s Outcasts; Zipp, Earl, First Mate, Rusty Alice, Merris, Iron Skeeter, Prospector x2, Student of Conflict, and cache 1. My Schemes; Vendetta - Miner on Skeeter (1), Hold up their forces (2) Rich’s Schemes; Search the ruins (1), Hold up their forces (2) Win; 5-4 Thoughts: Key to the game was tech-ing in Howard who could keep Zipp from causing too much trouble. Round Three: Flank, Turf War Detonate Charges, Harness the Ley Line, Search the Ruins, Dig Their Graves, Deliver a Message My Arcanists; Kaeris, Eternal Flame, Carlos, The Firestarter, Steam Arachnid Swarm (+Diesel Engine), Iggy, Wind Gamin, Soulstone Miner (+MT), and cache 4. Grant’s Ressers; Seamus (+ Whisper), Copycat Killer, Archie, Carrion Emissary, Bete Noire, Manos The Risen, Gravedigger, and cache 4. My Schemes; Search the Ruins (2), Dig their Graves (1) Grant’s Schemes; Dig Their Graves (2), Deliver a message (1) Win; 5-4. Thoughts: I'd never played against Seamus before, going forward I'd definitely look to tech in something with Take the Hit. DAY TWO Round Four; Flank, Reckoning Detonate Charges, Take Prisoner, Power Ritual, Outflank, Vendetta My Arcanists; Kaeris, Eternal Flame, Iggy, Fire Golem, Steam Arachnid Swarm (+ Diesel Engine), December Acolyte (+MT), 2x Soulstone Miner, cache 2. Matt’s Arcanists; Hoffman, Mechanical Attendant, Howard (+ SS cache), Joss (+ Diesel Engine), Warden, Medical Automation, 2x Soulstone Miner (+MT), cache 3. My Schemes; Power Ritual (1), Outflank (0) Matt’s Schemes; Power Ritual (1), Outflank (1) Win; 4-2 Thoughts: Game turned on an activation order choice. Acolyte was of limited use. Round Five; Standard - Turf War Breakthrough, Harness the Ley Line, Hold Up Their Forces, Power Ritual, Assassinate. My Arcanists: Sendeep (+MT), Banasuva, Carlos, Kandara, 2x Ice Gamin, 2x Soulstone Miner, Steam Arachnid Swarm (+ MT), and cache 1. Jamie’s Rassers; Prof. Von Schtook (+ Whisper), Research Assistant, Anna Lovelace, The Valedictorian, Sloth, 2x Undergraduate, Bone Pile, and cache 1. My Schemes; Hold Up Their Forces (1), Breakthrough (1). Jamie’s Schemes; Power Ritual (1), Breakthrough (1). Draw; 3-3 Thoughts: Ice was the right choice for flavour. Never take a Fire Golem vs Von Schtook. Round Six; Corner – Plant Explosives Breakthrough, Dig Their Graves, Outflank, Assassinate, Claim Jump My Arcanists; Sandeep, Banasuva, Kandara, Wind Gamin, Fire Gamin, Fire Gamin, Carlos Vasquez, Blessed of December, Soulstone Miner (+ MT), and cache 2. Cleezy’s Ressers; Molly Squidpiddge, Necrotic Machine, Rogue Necromancy, Archie, The Forgotten Marshal (+ Whisper), 2x Crooligan, Dead Rider, and cache 3. My Schemes; Dig Their Graves (2), Outflank (2). Cleezy’s Schemes; Dig Their Graves (0), Outflank (1). Win; 6-2 Thoughts: Mobile beats fighty in corner explosives, hands down.
  14. Playing into potent combat masters at lower points is always rough because you tend to need the points for tools. Against Shen I like to what an extra copy of Magical Training on my master or another soft target. Counterspell makes it more costly for him to get the juicy triggers. I'd be aiming to target Vendetta and Deliver as my schemes but would need to know what your options are like? At 35 I'd be tempted by; Sandeep (+MT), Banasuva, Kandara, Soulstone Miner (+MT), Carlos Vasquez, Fire Gamin, and cache 4.
  15. Start with what you like the look of is always a good bet, as is going in with your eyes open about the objectives based nature of the game. Colette is a tough master to learn the game with but if she’s who you’re interested in the I say go for it. Tip wise: what points to play for and sacrifice is going to be key. Fight the battles you can win.
  16. It can only interact once per activation because it always treats the Interact action as a action.
  17. When you're playing from a limited pool there's certainly nothing wrong with using him. From a competitive efficiency standpoint my current take is this; I like him for Dig and Turf War because you can count burning kills as your own. His push to friendlies is quite useful as well, especially with the tome scheme marker trigger. If you aren't leveraging those effects though he's pretty much worse then a Wind Gamin or Coryphee for the same money.
  18. Aware I answered in Facebook chat as well but whatever. I'm not sure Corner Idols is really Kaeris' game TBH. That said I'd want Amina in my list. Top of my head I'd try this; Kaeris, cache 2, Eternal Flame, Amina (11), Carlos (8), Fire Golem (10), Soulstone Miner (6) + Magical Training (2), Fire Gamin (4), Coryphee / Wind Gamin to taste (7) Amina's aura is a huge pain for Nekima's, plus Obey is great in the strategy, and making soulstones should be easy enough. As @Adran says schemes are awkward for you both. I'd go for Deliver and Vendetta here. If you're more model limited what you have above it fine, although I'd look to get magical training on a gamin somewhere.
  19. This is so close I wrote two versions of my opinion on this to see which convinced me more. Could see a ruling on it going either way. I settled on this one; Each of the rules above talks about "<projectile> Actions", including Gunfighter. In order for the Gunfighter ability to take effect the action being taken must be a <projectile> action. If it's not a <projectile> action then none of the rules, including Gunfighter should apply. I don't see how we can say an action IS a <projectile> action for some abilities while NOT being a <projectile> action for other abilities.
  20. @dannydb I had totally missed that, good spot! That the trigger is after resolving probably makes them worth considering as a tech choice in a few extra match ups (eg; Feng / McMourning) . I'm still not sure they're more than a tech choice. Opponent's will bring condition removal vs Kaeris so I'm not sure the mage is over useful just to ping slow onto people which is probably the most obvious use.
  21. @madaxeman - Frankly I'm not sure he's better than a Wind Gamin, they can escape melee and interact. On Oxfordian Mages I'm with @CD1248, they're definitely worth a tech choice. Without any six stats, or Elemental Transference built in 7ss is a huge ask unless you're able to leverage condition removal and the healing at once and I don't think that level of static play suits Kaeris.
  22. It would help to know what you're finding difficult about each keyword, and what models you have available so we can tune our advice. As a general tip; A lot of games can be won or lost by misreading who should be playing offence; fighting when you should be evading loses games. To figure out who should be on offence ask two questions; 1) Who wins the fight if we just shoved all our models into a scrap in the middle? 2) Who wins if our crews don't attack each other? If you answer 'me' to either question you know how to approach, the game. (If you answer both questions the same then one of you made a big mistake and you already know who's going to win.) Us Arcanists tend to play evasion more than we play offence, we are sneaky soul-stone smugglers after all. To the above and @octavius_'s points I'd expect almost all our masters to be evading vs Dreamer and Yan Lo, and playing offence vs Tara. There are exception though. Of the keywords you've listed I've got the most experience against The Dreamer. My general aim is to position to minimise the number of Stitched hits my crew can take, and in doing that minimise Dreamer's damage output. I look to consider what Armor and Willpower my choices have into a dreamer crew. I also consider Diesel Engine more as it makes Twist Reality less effective against my armor. In game if they've buried summons I'd avoid making any terrifying check you aren't prepared to cheat to win, unless them dropping the model there is good for you. A final point; while you're correct that you don't know an opponent's master when you choose, your own you do know their faction. If there's something I'm concerned about facing from that faction I will consider it when I choose my master. E.g; It's <objectives>, I'd be concerned about my opponent playing <master>, so I'll consider choosing <this master> as that'll be a better match up than my other choices.
  23. Agreed. Although you can still hit the same model twice with two different actions to get it done if needs must. I'm coming around to the Firestarter in Dig Their Graves. Burning deaths then count for the front half of the objective, and he can use light under their feet to get a scheme in position. Similarly I'm liking him more in Turf War as with him in play burning kills count for turning off Turf markers.
  24. The ideal is that a meta game exist for less time than it takes to solve, and that you change the game regularly to force the meta to evolve and keep things fresh. MX's randomized objectives and large keyword pool already create a lot of game to solve, coupled with; new strategies & schemes via gaining grounds in January, and new models released at GenCon in August the game tends to stay fairly fresh. So I suspect there's been limited uptake / longevity in alternate tournament formats is there's already more than enough for players to chew on. On why fixed faction is the standard; Most events publish their objectives in advance, so players are already fixing factions after seeing the objectives. Fixing at the it's the first decision players make each round makes sense. It makes sense from a player identity perspective; I can have Arcanist themed tokens and an Arcanist tee-shirt on. Factions are something that has played into game balance and design. Letting players pick from any keyword each round would seem to just end up with competitive players playing the best three keywords, and a more stagnant meta, IMHO.
  25. I've been playing around with Hoffman quite a bit lately and think there's some real power here. Especially if you really want to throw down and get fighty. Not had enough table time to give concrete opinions but some early thoughts; All of Hoffman's abilities key of Constructs and not Augmented, so the Arcanist suite of powerful versatile and OOK models are great for him. There's a lot of mileage in 'Transfer Power', the ability to get out of combat at will has always been golden in Malifaux. Coupled with The Guardian's toss this gives you a surprising amount of mobility. Hoffman's abilities work best powering up big models, so it's probably best focusing on 1-2 models to stack your power counters on, with the rest just holding one for Transfer Power. My sense is you want; A guardian, two big hitters, and some cheap utility, for example; Hoffman, Mech Attendant, Guardian (+MT), 20ss of hitters (Howard / Joss / Diesel Swarm / Peacekeeper / Emissary), Soulstone Miner, Watcher, 7ss of utility, 2ss cache.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information