Which masters use Ice dancers and Blessed

[Stur]

Im considering expanding my collection, and currently I have just begun playing. No real games yet just 2 missions from the starter set. I currently have Rasputina box + december acolytes and silent ones.

I am going to get Snowstorm but was wondering if Ice dancers and Blessed of december will be used with anyone else than rasputina.

I know that Marcus uses Blessed a lot and that you can use Ice dancers with Colette. But will they generally see much play with any other masters? And are ice dancers good with colette or are there better alternatives?

I currently have no plans for playing Marcus at all and if I get a new crew box in the immediate future it will probably be one of the following

Ironsides

Ramos

Sandeep

With Mei and Kaeris later on in the future. (Lets face it I am hooked and will end up getting them all eventually haha, but the buy order is important :D)

[H4ml3t]

Blessed and the Ice Dancers can definitely see play outside of Rasputina. Blessed is a great Flanker--he can Scheme Run and is also adept at hunting and killing enemy Scheme Runners.

Ice Dancers are strong for 6 pts. They have a decent Ml attack, area control with Ice Patches, movement shenanigans and can drop a Scheme Marker with a (0) and 3+ of Tomes. Lots of potential use for 6 pts.

[spooky_squirrel]

Ice Dancers see use outside of Colette as well. They have the obvious Showgirl/Minion synergy for her, but they don't necessarily add anything to her unless you're running a crew that's exploiting them.

As minions they maximize the benefit from Sandeep's Beacon ability if you need them to do something that's not on their card.

That being said, you can drop them in with most of the masters and use them as independent scheme runners because of how quick they are and their (0). The only master I've run them with that didn't seem like a great idea was G&D Kaeris, because I already had a ton of mobility and scheme marker play, so they didn't add anything new to the crew.

Which ties into the most Malifaux (and least useful) answer to "when would you hire [model]?": when it's the right tool for the job. If you don't need a frozen heart scheme runner to fill a scheme/strategy role, then regardless of master, you probably should not spend the stones on an Ice Dancer as a scheme runner. If you need something that has some killing power, they can do some damage (especially when Bite of Winter is up on a nearby Gamin), but there's no shortage of things that can do some damage that fall into similar cost range.
If you need a scheme runner that's got some survivability and the ability to essentially always do something, then you are definitely looking at the right model here.
 

Similarly, the Blessed sees use when you're needing something that can lope around the field and inflict some damage. I use it over the Cerberus because it's generally more survivable (Eat Your Fill comes up when it's doing its job as a scheme hunter). I've also made use of it in a Ramos Blade and Claw crew, taking advantage of the fact that I've got a ton of minion constructs on the table to place the Blessed (or Luther, in my case) somewhere new, extending its threat and survivability. Like the Ice Dancer, it's generally a reliable tool, because it's hard to actually stop a Frozen Heart model from doing what it wants/needs to do (barring manipulative and similar abilities that don't rely on paralyze/horror).

[WWHSD]

It seems like any model that can fulfill its role without needing any specific synergies can find themselves useful in crews run by most masters. You may find something that can fill the role better for a particular master but if you are working with a limited model pool than havjng the "optimal" model in every situation isn't your biggest concern.

[dancater]

Basically 

The Blessed of December is a solid, fast moving and reasonably dangerous model which also as a Beast is a great shape-shift option for Myranda, regardless of whether you take it (or her) with Marcus.  The question becomes (1) do you need this type of model for the game (opponent/scheme/strat/terrain) (2) is there a better model for a particular master due to a synergy which does more or less the same for more or less the cost.

Rasputina and Marcus the Blessed is first class

For Sandeep, Colette its good, each of these masters has some synergy support but are more universal in there interaction with models.  However there are good Academic and Showgirl models in the same range so its an option only.

For Mei, Ramos the lack of being a construct hurts and there are great construct models which largely cover the same slot the Blessed does, it won't be a detriment, the Blessed does what it does and needs minimal support.... But it won't help either master nor get much direct help from them synergy wise.

For Ironsides basically the same as not M&SU which is Ironsides big buff, still it runs well with her as the scalpel to Toni's tar pit.  Also really useful for Toni to have a hitter model that does not benefit from staying near so the Blessed is a great roaming weapon for her.

For Kaeris probably the 'least' ideal match as you add speed and solo to a master which runs speed and solo by default.  The Blessed brings not much to Kaeris and gives what Kaeris does not really need.   Better options but having said this the Blessed still give its points.

The Ice Dancer is a premier fast moving scheme runner that needs minimal support and can handle or avoid most opponents in her role and points range.  Being FH and immune to horror is a huge and sometimes overlooked positive as well.

Almost an essential Rasputina model to give Raspy much needed scheme-y speed.

Solid with Colette and a Showgirl, but not essential as Colette does not want for speed and schemes, so an addition piece not a gap filler.

For Sandeep and Ironsides you don't get synergy and each have good models in the range with synergy having said that each really likes having a independant fast scheme runner and that is the Ice Dancer++.

Mei and Ramos again really like constructs and there are great metal monsters right in the Dancers price range, having said that while several construct do scheme well the Dancer is particularly good and again largely independent, each master could benefit a great deal from her and won't regret including them.

Marcus and Kaeris are probably the least immediate benefit, for Marcus there are a pleathora of Beasts with synergy and that can fill the Dancers role.  For Kaeris there is not Burnign synergy and she or the Firestarter (a common Kaeris take) usually run fast flank and then the Kaeris crew relies on other hitters.  But still the Dancer will do work.

So in short each model, the Blessed and Dancer, are great pieces which do what they are meant to efficiently and well within a cost effective range and without demanding support.  While they bring great additional synergy to certain crews this is a bonus, alone in any crew they will still do the work required of them and do it well.

Two of the better all-around models in the Arcanist faction.  

[Stur]

Thanks a lot for all the advice! Always nice to see a helping community. Greatly appreciated!

Guess I will just go for the Dancers and Blessed since they do not seem like a waste of money

[dancater]

Nope not a waste of money, both are very good value for points and perform important tasks.

Synergy is a bonus not a requirement to make these models valuable.