It's Yan Lo Pan time

[newsun]

So I'm about to play my sixth master in 10t and Yan has got the go ahead.

So what are your tips and tricks you use with him?

Who do you like in a list with him?

Any go to strats or schemes? Any you avoid with him?

Currently planning this as my first trial...

Yan

-Reliquary

-another 1pt upgrade

Ototo

- call the thunder

Shadow emissary

-conflux

Yin

-0pt upgrade for emissary pushes

Chiaki

- Pull of the grave

Terracotta

Shadow effigy

Soul porter

[Tokapondora]

Yan is pretty much who Misdirection was made for, so count on that Terracotta warrior to spend one of your cache to load that up turn one. And if you're gonna take a big beater like Ototo, you might as well go for Izamu and be left with an army your opponent isn't even gonna try taking down. I personally quite like Fortify the Spirit with that, just so you'll have a defensive trigger on 50% of your cards, but if your list is this tight to begin with you can leave it out. Depending on the schemes I might actually leave the Shadow Effigy just so I could give Yan Misdirection, Fortify or the Khakkhara and some more cache.

For schemes I naturally tend to bring Yan when placement is crucial. And crushing things. Just realise that your crew will, right around turn 2, have a space on the board they're gonna be standing for the rest of the game. In this regard I tend to prefer Yu to the Emissary, because he can drag enemies in, heal Yan if he ever does get hurt, and reposition your crew last minute if you do need a sudden change of plans. 

It's important to realise that Yan is a master that's really easy to play wrong. Despite what his supporty card may hint at, you have you play him aggressively. He is the wrench you're throwing in your opponent's plans and you're gonna have to throw it with some force. Make your opponent play to your tune and pace, and be sure you're the one determining the play's positioning. 

[Rathnard]

My standard Yan Lo setup was something like this:

 

Yan Lo w. Brutal Khakkara, Misdirection and Recalled Training/Fortify Spirit/Reliquary (depending on mood)

Soul Porter

Yin

Shadow Emissary w. Ancestral Conflux

Tengu

Chiaki

Earth Samurai

Komainu

 

Is been a while since I pulled him out so I've probably made some mistakes. But that's basically the jist of it. 

The way it'd work is that Yan Lo would pile on his upgrades and get in the enemies face, while Yin ties up the problem models and the shadow emissary/Samurai provide the muscle

[Dogmantra]

Take it with a grain of salt because Yan Lo is my 4th master in my second faction, but I never did find Reliquary to be worthwhile, especially because it takes an upgrade slot and stops you doing the silliest trick, which is Recalled Training every turn.

Yan Lo + Terracotta Warrior. Start with two upgrades + Recalled Training. Each turn (after 1) you ditch Recalled Training and then spend 1 Chi to attach Ash Ascendant. Terracotta Warrior then swaps it out (preferably as late as possible just so you get use out of Impossible to Wound) for another Recalled Training. Repeat next turn.

It doesn't matter how bad people think Yan Lo is when everything he does is Ca8 with s.

[Tokapondora]

1 hour ago, Dogmantra said:

Take it with a grain of salt because Yan Lo is my 4th master in my second faction, but I never did find Reliquary to be worthwhile, especially because it takes an upgrade slot and stops you doing the silliest trick, which is Recalled Training every turn.

Yan Lo + Terracotta Warrior. Start with two upgrades + Recalled Training. Each turn (after 1) you ditch Recalled Training and then spend 1 Chi to attach Ash Ascendant. Terracotta Warrior then swaps it out (preferably as late as possible just so you get use out of Impossible to Wound) for another Recalled Training. Repeat next turn.

It doesn't matter how bad people think Yan Lo is when everything he does is Ca8 with s.

The whole point of Reliquary is to make sure you're not gonna have to use it. An Izamu that won't stop being slingshot into your ranks is scary enough, but if it then gets up to 4 healing a turn and perhaps a ress if you do get it down turns pretty much all the already sturdy Ancestors into such gigantic AP drains that they're best left alone. Without the Reliquary it might be worth stretching out a bit to kill it but if that can, at any point, be turned into lolimback people tend to be that bit more hesitant. Which in turn should be netting you VPs. An RT is definitely nice but unless you're also taking the BK it's not really worth the 's at Ca8, and then you're already two upgrades down. And while I don't tend to lack Chi I hardly have enough laying around that I can RT every turn. 

At least against opponents who knows how big a hassle a new Yinzamu can be I've always found not taking Reliquary a mistake. 

[Nikodemus]

I've played quite a bit against Resser/10T Yan Lo during GG2017.

Reliquary always factors into my decision making. As such I think Izamu and/or Emissary is better choice than Ototo if you want a big, expensive beatstick. Playstyle wise seems he does best as a disruption model with an opportunistic heal/armour buff. Ca8 Lightning Dance is king. One neat trick is to make Shadow Emissary give Chiaki Fast, who then transfers all conditions from herself to Yan Lo giving you a 4AP master. Useful for all sorts of stuff, but one particularly nasty thing you can pull off is to give Yan Lo Brutal Khakkhara and use Hun Po Assault twice per activation. Really forces your opponent to spread out. Goryo are a good model to infiltrate out of ressers, overall solid model that can summon Seishin for activations and Chi fodder.

He seems to do best in kill+interact scenarios thanks to Lightning Dancing single enemies into blobs of friendlies. He's also great at disrupting anything that rewards opponent for good positioning. Headhunter, central strategies, Accusation, Dig Their Graves, all are where I don't like seeing him in. His crews also seem to take a good bit of AP to actually kill between Ascendant upgrades, Instill Youth, naturally resilient Ancestors and Reliquary. Throw in some Komainu or Thunder Brothers and it gets real expensive to remove any models.

[Mutter]

18 hours ago, Dogmantra said:

Take it with a grain of salt because Yan Lo is my 4th master in my second faction, but I never did find Reliquary to be worthwhile, especially because it takes an upgrade slot and stops you doing the silliest trick, which is Recalled Training every turn.

Yan Lo + Terracotta Warrior. Start with two upgrades + Recalled Training. Each turn (after 1) you ditch Recalled Training and then spend 1 Chi to attach Ash Ascendant. Terracotta Warrior then swaps it out (preferably as late as possible just so you get use out of Impossible to Wound) for another Recalled Training. Repeat next turn.

It doesn't matter how bad people think Yan Lo is when everything he does is Ca8 with s.

Could you not give Chiaki Ancient Protection first and then transfer both AP and Fast to Yan Lo?

That way, you could Hunpo Assault twice, possbly with Ml 6 (if Emissary is in the crew as well) and to both attacks and damages, and then be protected for the rest of the turn by Ash Ascendant, Recalled Training and Ancient Protection. That would be one tough old bugger to kill ...

[Nikodemus]

19 minutes ago, Mutter said:

Could you not give Chiaki Ancient Protection first and then transfer both AP and Fast to Yan Lo?

Maybe? I'd have to check Terracotta Warrior's card to be sure. I think it's a bit overkill to put that on Yan Lo if he's got Ash or Spirit already. Better to improve overall crew survivability and put it on a non-Lo frontline model, or on someone who really needs to stay put to score. One game I had to deal with a Thunder Brother on defensive + Ancient Protection sitting on a squat marker. Thing with Yan Lo is that I rarely bother to spend AP in hitting him unless I have things to get through Impossible to Wound and/or Incorporeal. Even if I have I have to account for the fact that he can just Hun Po or Lightning Dance away after I get a few half decent hits in.

For sure Ancient Protection would increase Yan Lo's survivability, but I think you start hitting diminishing returns very quickly considering his other defensive talens. Still, something to consider if Eliminate the Leadership is in the pool and there's 'after damaging' instant death triggers on the opposing team.

[Dogmantra]

2 hours ago, Mutter said:

Could you not give Chiaki Ancient Protection first and then transfer both AP and Fast to Yan Lo?

I'm missing where you're getting fast from but yeah you absolutely could do that with Ancient Protection. You probably want to prioritise the Kamaitachi tho (I'm assuming you're taking that because you'll be getting both upgrade auras off basically every turn)

[Somnicide]

No shenanigans needed for the kamaitachi - it's a minion.

[Dogmantra]

You don't need shenanigans, I'm just saying if you've only got the one action or card to do it

[Mutter]

12 hours ago, Dogmantra said:

I'm missing where you're getting fast from but yeah you absolutely could do that with Ancient Protection.

It's the post right above mone, where Nikodemus suggests using the Emissary and Chiaki to give Yan Lo an easy Fast ...

 

I think it's a bit overkill to put that on Yan Lo if he's got Ash or Spirit already. Better to improve overall crew survivability and put it on a non-Lo frontline model, or on someone who really needs to stay put to score.

In general, I'd agree, but especially in the first round, most other models wouldn't be that critical. And using Yan Lo with Hunpo Assault twice could put him really way out front. Probably wouldn't mind a bit of extra security. Plus, after recent games, I might even consider bringing two Terracottas ...