Jump to content

November 23rd - Aionus


Lucidicide

Recommended Posts

I love the design and concept.

At 12ss plus merc tax, I think he's a tough sell for Gremlins but like Bishop, Killjoy and Lazarus he might be one of the rule-of-cool mercs that I'll pick up anyway. A Stitch in Time's interesting in that higher value models would have more valuable AP but you'd have to question discarding higher value cards. I wonder if that means he's best with mid-cost models.

Also, am I imagining it or is there some sort of translucent artifact around each of his wound markers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont know if I agree Vidd, I think he can do some good work in a Som'er summon Factory build where his high cost is somewhat mitigated by summoning and his card hunger can be fed on low cost minions. Definitely not an auto include or broken in the list but a worthwhile consideration, especially against crews that feature Bury tricks.

Edited by Omenbringer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's got a story in Chronicles coming up that'll give some hints on his background ..

 

Tell me more, tell me more!  (Like does he have a car?)

I am interested in finding out more about Aionus as a character. His abilities certainly indicate being related to Tara and company. He has no characteristics other than his station and being a mercenary and the "Beyond Your Magic" certainly indicate certain interesting facets to his background. Going to be see where they take the story next.

I believe there was a statement that Aionus was developed, at least in part, to celebrate Wyrd's anniversary. I dunno if they're going to give him any more of a backstory than, say, Bete Noire, where it's "there are things beyond anyone's ken in Malifaux". I'd be happy to be proven wrong, though!

Yeah, I'm looking forward to understanding where this crazy old man is from.  Or if his clock he's riding is a character companion, or just there for the model's sake of coolness :P  There is a lot about this guy that is fairly inspirational, so I hope the story follows suit.  He could have plenty of explanations, so I'm excited to see what happens.

 

*Which is rather stating the obvious as otherwise I wouldn't have let him out in the wild like that.

L. o. L.

I love the design and concept.

At 12ss plus merc tax, I think he's a tough sell for Gremlins but like Bishop, Killjoy and Lazarus he might be one of the rule-of-cool mercs that I'll pick up anyway. A Stitch in Time's interesting in that higher value models would have more valuable AP but you'd have to question discarding higher value cards. I wonder if that means he's best with mid-cost models.

Also, am I imagining it or is there some sort of translucent artifact around each of his wound markers?

I certainly value the "rule of cool", and Mercs often fulfill that with sweet, powerful niche abilities.  I have to say this guy is definitively cool, I'd buy him based on the model (Especially after that boss-as-hell one the guy did up for the showcase of him, so jealous) alone.  Having a set of rules that are not worthless is just icing on the proverbial cake.

Although that's a bad analogy, because I do typically eat cakes based on the icing they have, so him being a solid model is more like a decent cake, and the model is a mouth-watering icing I want to cram down my gullet.  :P

Also, as far as you imagining things, I went and looked at it, it looks like it's just early formatting.  It's probably boxes around the bullet holes that represent wounds from an early edit of the cards layout // finalization I guess?  I didn't even notice the fact that that card has "Monday Preview" printed behind it, I wasn't really concerned with the minor details of the card as much as seeing what he did :P

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For A Stitch In Time, does that mean you can discard any non-Black Joker to give Hungering Darkness Fast?

No because he is 0 Cost and it has to be at least 1.  

With Jakob recycling Aces, that would had be nice :D

Anyway, a buried model reduced to 0 wound is killed, right?
What about Hungering Darkness buried via The Rising Sun upgrade?
The upgrade Eternal Darkness ability says "
When a friendly Hungering Darkness model in play is killed (not sacrificed), it is not killed."
Since while buried a model is not in play, I suppose that if Huggy is killed while buried, it's gone for good, isn't it?

 

More generally speaking, love the stats. I agree with the general consensus that it looks like a neat, interesting and in many ways powerful model, without being broken.
Oh, and it's on a 40mm base. I think I can fit a resin Tardis on that...

Edited by Gabbi
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leveticus, too? Wow, this seems hard to counter. Not any experience with him (not to speak with him against Aionus), but old man is just 8Wd this seems to completely shut down him. Or not? Opinions from Leveticus players?

Well, maybe not. Aionus needs two successful Ca attacks, of which at least one inflicting severe. And until turn 3 it cannot perform 3 Ca attacks (unless given Fast in some other way). Maybe it's not the-end-of-the-world for Levi, after all. Still something to worry about.

Edited by Gabbi
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The miniature is very nice and the stats are awesome.

I think it is difficult to balance a Mercenary 12/13SS model. It always has the risk of being too powerful or not enough, which, due to its impact on the game, can be problematic.

From a Theoryfaux stand-point, he seems to be fairly priced but only the table will say if it is true. Maybe the damage potential on a buried models is a bit high, especially since it can be duplicated by a doppleganger. On turn 3 that is potentially 5 attacks on a usually high game value buried model, ignoring armour and incorporeal.

Changelings also love this attack on buried models :p.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leveticus, too? Wow, this seems hard to counter. Not any experience with him (not to speak with him against Aionus), but old man is just 8Wd this seems to completely shut down him. Or not? Opinions from Leveticus players?

Well, maybe not. Aionus needs two successful Ca attacks, of which at least one inflicting severe. And until turn 3 it cannot perform 3 Ca attacks (unless given Fast in some other way). Maybe it's not the-end-of-the-world for Levi, after all. Still something to worry about.

Same thing than the Dreamer. It need to change order activation. If you burry levi in the begining of the turn, it's... bad against Aionus. If you burry levi after activation of Aionus...

Remember one thing, this model is exepensive. Really. So Except if oppenents uses a lot of invocations.... Okay, I thinks Levi Versus Hamelin with Aionus is a very bad matchup for the necromancer (with all rats, Aionus will activate after....). But remember Malifaux is a game where the lists vary widely. You haven't to use only one master.

Or you take two snipers to kill grandpa on the clock. And remember, you can decide to not bury Levi as Aionus is still alive. ^^

In fact, I really think Aionus is powerfull (for now I don't think broken but I don't play him for now). Really. And it will change the game play of some masters. BUT

It's expensive, really. So aionus controllers have to choice to remplace other henchman in their lists... so lost some synergies. Or remove some minions so less activations (ok, I'm repeat, Hamelin doen't care :p).

it is strong against levi and the dreamer? You can play another master. I'm not sure it's the same against Lucius with snipers... or against Hamelin in fact.

And... I don't think we'll see him in every encounters. ^^ So for the majority of time, no change. And the little case, new challenge. ^_^

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe the damage potential on a buried models is a bit high, especially since it can be duplicated by a doppleganger. On turn 3 that is potentially 5 attacks on a usually high game value buried model, ignoring armour and incorporeal.

Changelings also love this attack on buried models :p.

if the doppelganger gets its trigger isn't that 6? IIRC the doppelganger uses the copied ability as part of the (0) action on its trigger, then twice as (1)'s? (I don't have the card)
But isn't that more of about the doppelganger and changeling using any high cost models abilities? Iv faced a doppelganger copying Angel Eyes, was bad
But only time will tell

Edited by Pete Zero
couldnt resist ending on a weak pun
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe the damage potential on a buried models is a bit high, especially since it can be duplicated by a doppleganger. On turn 3 that is potentially 5 attacks on a usually high game value buried model, ignoring armour and incorporeal.

Changelings also love this attack on buried models :p.

if the doppelganger gets its trigger isn't that 6? IIRC the doppelganger uses the copied ability as part of the (0) action on its trigger, then twice as (1)'s? (I don't have the card)
 

Yes I think it can go up to 6.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buried models do not get to do things on death, so Hungering Darkness, Bad juju, Leveticus and Bete are fair game to kill at last.

Hungering Darkness, Bete and the Dreamer become way too easy to kill. Leveticus and Bad Juju aren't that difficult either on a model that can pack I Pay Better himself. The attacks on buried models that have been balanced as such, easy to kill anyway this seems a bit too much on this level. Df6, 12 wounds and that damage track on a CA. Dreamer is so easy to kill it's not even funny. In a faction that packs Obedient Wretch and I Pay Better as well as Oathkeeper.. Sure very balanced and not broken at all. Yuuuup. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buried models do not get to do things on death, so Hungering Darkness, Bad juju, Leveticus and Bete are fair game to kill at last.

This was news to me! :o Has there been an errata, or is it simply a rule I have overlooked?

No, its in the rule book.I want to say page 48 in a box about killing buried models, but I might be wrong. 

When a Model is Vulnerable to a more expensive model part of its time, I personally don't think its a hugely unfair set up. Bete probably suffers the most, but they all only go and get buried when they would otherwise have been killed. So your Upgrade at least has given them a second set of duels they have a chance to survive through. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buried models do not get to do things on death, so Hungering Darkness, Bad juju, Leveticus and Bete are fair game to kill at last.

This was news to me! :o Has there been an errata, or is it simply a rule I have overlooked?

No, its in the rule book.I want to say page 48 in a box about killing buried models, but I might be wrong. 

"Dead & Buried" section on page 47 (in the big book, look for "Buried" in the index for the manual).

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buried models do not get to do things on death, so Hungering Darkness, Bad juju, Leveticus and Bete are fair game to kill at last.

Hungering Darkness, Bete and the Dreamer become way too easy to kill. Leveticus and Bad Juju aren't that difficult either on a model that can pack I Pay Better himself. The attacks on buried models that have been balanced as such, easy to kill anyway this seems a bit too much on this level. Df6, 12 wounds and that damage track on a CA. Dreamer is so easy to kill it's not even funny. In a faction that packs Obedient Wretch and I Pay Better as well as Oathkeeper.. Sure very balanced and not broken at all. Yuuuup. 

He is very costly and has no other defenses than Df6 and those 12 Wounds plus SS prevention (well, and that Ca damage halving, but that isn't likely to be too huge an obstacle except maybe in some very specialized Rasputina crews and such). I don't think he is worth it as a pure support piece so to get full use out of him, he likely can't hang back.

Now, I do agree that Bete especially is very much hard-countered by him and Bete isn't a model that needed to be hard-countered. But I feel that the rest can work around him. I mean, sure, he is nasty and you need to adjust to him but you also need to adjust when facing an Imbued Energies Langston with Reactivate or whatever.

Edit: Also note that I Pay Better is in part competing for the same Resources as his Fast giving ability.

Edited by Math Mathonwy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is very costly and has no other defenses than Df6 and those 12 Wounds plus SS prevention (well, and that Ca damage halving, but that isn't likely to be too huge an obstacle except maybe in some very specialized Rasputina crews and such).

I agree with you Math that his balancing point is his cost though vehemently disagree that he is somehow easy to kill. What you have listed isn't exactly fragile. His Df 6 is on par with most of the attack values, so even flips most times in opposed duels. 12 Wounds is top tier for most models in the game so again a player is going to have to devote some effort to kill him. Access to SS is also a pretty significant thing given all the things he can do with them. The Ca halving is basically further icing on an already beautiful cake.

I dont think he is broken in most cases though I do think he is a pretty hard counter to a few models in the game (that have already been mentioned), and a substantial benefit to a crew that is already a bit above the power curve. I think the negative sentiment is justified by how hard a counter he can be for models built around the bury mechanic. I have never really been a fan of the Bury mechanic though.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information