Takung Outcasts in a campaign

[catbat07]

At my LGS we're starting a campaign, and having never played in a campaign before I'm wondering what to take. I would like to grow into Jack or Parker, but can't decide between them and have no idea what to start with. I was thinking of Rusty or Mad Dog. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[apes-ma]

It's really hard to build into Jack since a) you can't hire any key tormented pieces until AFTER you get Jack, and b ) you have to buy each curse for 2scrip, and then if you also want to play with the tormented theme (Twist and Turn and Writhing Torment) then you have to buy those too. That means that the outlay for playing tormented Jack is 12 scrip just in upgrades (2 scrip each for the three curses, and 4 scrip each of twist and turn and writhing torment). Basically that means if you want to play Jack you either have to save a whopping 22 script until you get a master, and then spend it all at once (which, in turn, makes it harder to get the two bounties that you need to hire a master, since eventually you are playing at quite a disadvantage thanks to banked scrip), or you have to spend spare scrip here and there on the curses and pieces after you hire him, which means that for a fairly long while after getting him he isn't really firing on all cylinders (in fact, without a couple of curses and a tormented model or two he is not that good...)

Parker, on the other hand, is much easier to build toward, since he can attach his upgrades during the game, so all you need is something like an oathkeeper and a scout the field (or if you start with mad dog and get crate of dynamite before you get parker) and you can start messing around with his upgrades in-game like normal.

[EnternalVoid]

Well we started a Shifting Loyalty campaign about two weeks ago and I decided to go Outcasts for it.  I started with Rusty Alyce though am not planning to get a master for the advantages it gives on game size control.  But I will agree with apes-ma that Parker is the easier of the two to get rolling in a campaign.  Jack Daw has the advantage of not being easy to kill from the get go so less likely to build up injuries in that regard, but as apes-ma said it might take so long to get him due to banking scrip or get him up to speed someone might have something that can give him trouble by the time you pull him out *Looking at you Off-Hand Fighting and Off-Hand Shooting for those *.  Parker on the other hand can stay back a bit if needs be due to his range and try to avoid some trouble till he feels safer.  After all unlike a normal game of Malifaux you have to consider the long term damage to your crew if you get floored where in a normal game you don't care if everyone is taken out as long as you win.

[catbat07]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was also wondering what I should start with: I'm thinking Rusty (with from the Aether), Mad dog, two bandidos and the effigy. I also could cut something and replace the bandidos with dead outlaws. Would appreciate any help.

[Freman]

I start with Rusty since she's a good all round model, and From the Aether combined with Instinctual upgrade makes her a reasonable summoner if you can spare a seven and ten each turn. Summoned models are good for throwing into the fray because nobody cares if they die. Enchanted weapons, allowing her to ignore incorporeal and armour, are lethal on a model with a min 3 damage track. I grab Desolate Soul for her second bought upgrade as she becomes a summoning machine if you can get the  you need.

Fully upgraded she's better than Leveticus in many ways.

However don't "burn out" Leveticus if there's a ranged model that can hit him before he heals... don't ask me how I know.