Lucius is pure love for me!
I tend to consider all of his abilities as a bonus, not mandatory.
If I walk i CAN make an horror blablabla... i can, not i have to
and the same for all other synergies
and give him a try with the new thrall from RoF
must have: the ones you like... everyone plays 'cisco, i dont (just an example)
riflemen: don't like them, you need long clear LoS, and this is Malifaux...
killy: executioner and thrall
guild hound: dislike, they are fast, but fragile
SS in runner: all, i tend to play multirole models... every model could be a scheme runner, a beater... ok, almost everyone
stone for card: usually every turn to have more control on fate
rams: as above, everything is a bonus... you have a ram? good, use critical strike, shoot with hidden weapons, and so on.. you don't have rams? no problem, do something else, or use a stone!
3" engage: master queeg! that with Lucius is very good for have the pathfinder set more traps, move traps, move more and so on (yes, card intensive )
pushes and so on: totally agree with 4thstringer
crews synergy: well...
...I simply think that Malifaux is a "game of opinion".. everybody got a personal playstyle, just find your!
an example: every guild player would tell you to play 'cisco and austringers... I do not. I play 'cisco only with family, and austringers... I can't use them... so i've found my own playstyle, focusing on schemes and strats and tryin to use every model at 110%, often in unusual situation (peacekeeper scheme runner) and it works!
my little rusty 2cents.