Yet another Leveticus list

[Sir Andersen]

Messing around with a starting Leveticus list. By that I mean (once I finalise the list) that I will buy the models for this particular list, play it, and then expand my (outcast + pariahable) collection tweaking it from there.

I currently play Neverborn 3 and have a few models there, so not really much cross-applicability.

 

For my first list I don't want to dive in and go crazy with Pariah. I see loads of potential fun there, but for now let's stick with just the Outcasts.

I want to go abomination heavy, but also not hire any abominations (unless I just happen to end up sitting on 4 spare SS). That means Leveticus' and Alyce's main jobs will be "summoning Abominations" and "killing things to summon Abominations".

I need my 3 anchors. Alyce goes first. A construct would be nice, as I like scrap better than I do corpses. Some tough ranged support maybe? And definitely a beatstick.

What I've come up with so far is this:

6  - Pool: 7
5  - Leveticus (From Ash, Desolate Soul, Tally Sheet)
0  - Hollow Waif
0  - Hollow Waif
14 - Rusty Alice (From Dust, Desolate Soul)
11 - Lazarus (Oathkeeper)
6  - Freikorps Trapper
6  - Johan

 

This leaves me with 2 stones left over (or my count is off). I COULD stick an upgrade on Johan, but the only one that really seems attractive here is Oathkeeper, which then leaves me with 1 SS I literally cannot spend (all upgrade slots filled, already maxed out SS pool).

The easy fix would be to switch the Trapper for a Hans, which was actually the previous incarnation of this crew, but I really like the Trapper better as he can also be in position to do a bit of scheming.

 

Speaking of which, yes I realise this list has no dedicated scheme runners. Abominations can serve (poorly) as that if need be, but really the idea is that I'll pick whichever schemes available I think I can pull off the best with this particular list. It's made to be a playable list, but "this stuff is cool" IS being weighted slightly higher than optimisation. I will probably never see the inside of a tournament, and our casual games lean more toward slightly house-ruled story encounters than standard ones.

 

So what do I do? I really don't want a SS going to waste. I really like the elements I currently have in the crew. Only thing I can think off is to drop 2 from my pool and get a 4-stone model. Maybe the Effigy?

But between keeping Alyce alive and needing suits galore for all my summoning and murder-summoning, I reel like a 5 pool is scary. Is it? I'm a complete beginner here. Is 5 pool plenty? Is it stupid and suicide? Am I overthinking this?

[KrazyIvan]

Personally I am not a fan of From Ash and From Dust. I'd much rather spend resources on getting Abominations out through Desolate Soul. The problem with From Ash and From Dust is that both require cards, and the combo limits Levi's mobility since he needs to chillax around Rusty to get the most out of it. That keeps him from doing what he does best: teleporting all over the board and finishing off models.

The other reason for my heavy preference of Desolate Soul is just how good of a tarpit a 4SS Abomination is. If you cross off an enemy model near other opposing models they're more likely to spend AP dealing with it than not, which is a secondary form of board control that I think folks overlook sometimes. Abominations restrict zero actions, strip suits, and cause passive damage...none of which your opponent wants anywhere near their stuff.

I'm also not a huge fan of using Burn Out on Laz without two ways of healing him. He has a lot of wounds, and I like to be able to heal 4-5 on him reliably each turn after Burn Out. Luckily Friekorps Librarians are available to you. Having the Librarian also brings some healing that should make you more comfortable running 4-5 stones (incidentally, I tend use stones in my Levi crew to proc Desolate Soul or for card draw more than anything else).

If it were me I'd modify your basic list like so:

• Levi - Desolate Soul, Tally Sheet
• Hollow Waif
• Hollow Waif
• Rusty Alyce - Desolate Soul, I Pay Better (you have a ton of mercs in this list)
• Lazarus
• Friekorps Librarian
• Johan
• Friekorps Trapper
• 6 SS pool

That gives you a total of 5 anchors, 8 activations, and a solid group of models. The Trapper can function as you scheme runner. You have 4 models with a Flurry-type action covering SH, MI and CA actions. Finally everyone on the list except for Levi, the Waifs, and Rusty can benefit from I Pay Better.

You could swap out Lazarus for Ashes & Dust. This will reduce your cache to 3 SS, which you could mitigate by dropping I Pay Better. That will give you a very tanky scheme runner and beat-ish model (I personally don't like A&D as a beater, mind you) who excels at counter-scheme running.

Or you could accept Levi as you main beater, drop Laz, and add in something like Sue or Big Jake and either Hodgepodge Effigy or a Winged Plague. You have lots of options.

[Sir Andersen]

I wasn't planning on using Burn Out on Lazarus. At all. I mean sure, if a situation comes up where it'll probably win me the game I will, but it's not a go to thing. I'll probably happily burn out Abominations because fuck'em, unless it looks like I'll get to bunch up a whole lot of them, they're just there for annoyance anyway. Fire and forget!

The basic plan for Lazarus (barring stuff happening that I need to adapt to) is double-walk forward on turn 1. On turn 2 either use oathkeeper to get into position and fire 3 shots, OR if already in position use oathkeeper to focus and then fire 3 shots. 

 

I have no plans on getting Ashes and Dust initially. It's a cool thing. I will be getting it. But for some reason I just don't feel like having it here in the initial lineup. I can't really argue or defend it beyond that.

 

As for the From Ash/From Dust (no you fool, it's called "From The Aether"!) combo. The plan was to do than on turn 1 (Alyce drops a scrap as her 0, Levy turns it into an abomination). Then Levi starts teleporting all over the place like he's supposed to. However, with the Desolate Warping trigger on both of those, as well as on any Abominations I create, and Abominations being... well not the toughest things ever, there will be a lot of scrap laying around without Leveticus needing to hug Alyce. That's what From Ash/From The Aether are intended for: recycling.

And of course, as with any Leveticus list: I'm not banking on getting a Desolation Engine, but it'll be a fantastic bonus if it does happen, and more importantly the threat that it MIGHT happen pretty much shuts down ANY idea that my opponent can ignore Abominations to focus on more important things.

 

Although I do see your point. Dropping From Ashes/From Dust basically lets me add another model to my list instead. But what about if I just drop 1 of them. That lets me put the Effigy in the list as well. 

I feel like From The Aether (which I had misnamed as From Dust) is a lot less demanding, card wise, than From Ash (it needs a 10 instead of a 9, but doesn't need a suit), and Alyce doesn't have a (0) in the first place. However Leveticus is probably more likely to be popping out in places where he has scrap within 6" to transform. But I also (probably) need most of Leveticus' actions to kill and get of Desolate Warping instead. 

How about something like this?

6  - Pool: 7
3  - Leveticus (Desolate Soul, Tally Sheet)
0  - Hollow Waif
0  - Hollow Waif
14 - Rusty Alice (From Dust, Desolate Soul)
11 - Lazarus (Oathkeeper)
6  - Freikorps Trapper
6  - Johan

4  - Hodgepodge Effigy

 

This leaves me with 2 open Upgrade slots, 1 on Leveticus, 1 on Johan. The big question here for me is: is it worth it to lower my Pool in order to get one or both of those upgrades? I'm really unsure about how much Soulstone is enough. Although I guess (if I can pull it off) the Effigy kinda takes the edge off there.

Would Survivalist on Leveticus be overkill? To my mind it means a fair chance that instead of dying and coming back a waif short, he'll almost die, suicide-summon and still have all his lovely ladies. But is that even necessary? My main opponent DOES tend to play quite killy, as opposed to schemey.

 

Or I could (foolishly I think) decide that Soulstone Pool is for chumps, and go with something like this:

1  - Pool: 2
4  - Leveticus (Desolate Soul, Tally Sheet, Survivalist)
0  - Hollow Waif
0  - Hollow Waif
14 - Rusty Alice (From Dust, Desolate Soul)
11 - Lazarus (Oathkeeper)
6  - Freikorps Trapper
7  - Johan (Oathkeeper)

7  - Freikorps Librarian

 

In this list the Librarian is good for healing with the Burn Out, I guess, but (to my mind more importantly) it can also babysit Alyce herself a little bit, to keep her healthy. Which she will need, because now stoning away damage is pretty much off the table.

[Sir Andersen]

Oh crud. I just realised something that may throw this entire list down the toilet (or at least back to the drawing board quite heavily):

The Freikorps Trapper isn't available separately is he? 

 

Call me stingy or poor, but I'm really not relishing the thought of buying a $50 box set for a single model (although if I go with the librarian I guess it's for 2 models. Still pricey IMO)

[apes-ma]

I don't have much to add in terms of Leveticus specifically, but in general an extra activation is normally more impactful on a game than an upgrade! Especially when summoning is not a guarantee. With Leveticus I see the summoning as something to aim for, but not a guarantee. An abomination summoned turn one from scrap in or near your deployment zone is nice as an activation (although only in the long run - you spend an AP and perhaps a card to generate an AP and perhaps a card on the turn you do it), but it's too slow to have much impact on the game. Summoning an abomination off a kill via desolate warping, however, is tonnes better. Your opponent is down a model, and you are up one (two activation swing), and it's also likely to be much nearer their crew, and in position to be a royal pain in the arse.

And you're right - the trapper and librarian (and Freikorps specialist!) are only obtainable in the Von Schill crew box.

[Sir Andersen]

13 minutes ago, apes-ma said:

And you're right - the trapper and librarian (and Freikorps specialist!) are only obtainable in the Von Schill crew box.

[Nikodemus]

1 hour ago, Sir Andersen said:

The Freikorps Trapper isn't available separately is he?

He used to be, back when they sold metal models. You could ask your retailer or look up online if anyone is selling old metal models.

Or you could fall in love with Specialist & Freikorpsmenn. Cheaper box that way.

[daniello_s]

1 hour ago, Sir Andersen said:

How about something like this?

6  - Pool: 7
3  - Leveticus (Desolate Soul, Tally Sheet)
0  - Hollow Waif
0  - Hollow Waif
14 - Rusty Alice (From Dust, Desolate Soul)
11 - Lazarus (Oathkeeper)
6  - Freikorps Trapper
6  - Johan

4  - Hodgepodge Effigy

From Dust is not worthy of taking.

Put Oathkeeper on Johan and last one on Levi or Rusty.

I would also consider removing Desolate Soul from Rusty and then add some cheap scheme runner (depending on encounter of course) like Winged Plague.

Tally Sheet is no longer so juicy on Levi as it was before he was castrated... I mean hit by errata

[Davos]

I'm not a fan of Lazarus.  I think at 10ss cost I think you're much better off running Hannah or Strongarm Suit.  Hannah is a great melee beater, can copy CA actions, and provides an extra card in hand.  Strongarm has an equally strong melee (better actually in my opinion) and a equally strong SH, trading out blasts to be able to target Willpower, which is a great way to slip in damage under the radar on your opponent.  Also, his zero actions can increase his melee dmg OR and this is where I think he becomes truely better, bring his SH to a bleeding 7 value (again, against Willpower).  Lastly, augmented jump lets him tear around the field and murder things, all while he's hiding behind the same Armor +2

[KrazyIvan]

The best thing about Laz is that his rapid fire can hit 3 different targets. Consequently I like him against high activation count crews. Blasts generally ruin their day. 

In this case if the OP isn't planning on using Burn Out I'd  consider dropping Laz completely and hiring either Hannah instead, or two other support models (Sue and a scheme runner probably). Either option is going to get you more utility than Laz alone IMO, especially if you include a Librarian.

Also, I rarely run full stones with Levi...but that's becauseI nearly always bring a Librarian for the heals. I'm generally comfortable running him at 4-5 stones that are almost exclusively used for card draw and + for Desolate Warping.