Back to the game: recommended additions to Swampfiend Zoraida?

[Zwergenkrieger]

Hi all,

I´m about to come back to Malifaux after some years of absence. I plan on taking part in some tournaments in the next few months and therefore I like to get some advice on Swampfiend Zoraida, because my Swampfiend collection is rather big:

 

Zoraida

Primordial Magic

Vodoo Doll

Bad Juju

McTavish

3 Silurids

2 Waldgeists

Will o the wisps (still in box)

Bayou Gator

 

So I like to ask:

1. Which additional purchases should I make? Is Lillith a good addition as a second master?

2. Any advice on crew buildings and synergies I should have a look on?

3. Any strategies / themes Zoraida does well?

4. Are Bandersnatch and Widow Weaver good additions to Zoraida (though not being Swampfiend)? I really like their sculpts.

 

[Ludvig]

1. Lilith is an excellent master, very satisfying to play and I believe considered both flexible and strong. You probably want Zoraidas new upgrades, they add powerful things to her. Apart from that I think you have a big enough collection to play around and figure out what you like. Assemble the wisps though.

2. Wisps have some great actions to copy on Zoraida herself and McTavish likes shooting anything near a swampfiend. Zoraida can hire Iggy or a nurse to apply conditions through the voodoo doll.

3. She can really shut people down with conditions and also make them charge their own friends etc. 

4. Pass. Someone else will have to tell you this, don't own either model. 

[thatlatinspeakingguy]

ad 1: I think Iggy is a must with Zoraida, since he has the best damage/ss cost ratio via hemmed condition. Doppleganger to copy McTavish shooting and to cheat initiative is also something to be considered.

ad 2: there's nothing spectacular in the synergy between the models you already have, except that McTavish likes to have swampfiends around. What I would consider being a synergistic core of Zoraida's crew is Zoraida with her new upgrades, at least one Wisp, Iggy, McTavish and Dopplenganger. Wisp summons doll, Iggy deals 8 damage for his 5 ss on turn one, McTavish shoots and Zoraida with Dopplenganger provide even more shooting.

ad 4: there is a gimmicky list that utilizes Widow Weaver with her generic upgrade to create Teddy from scraps left by Voodoo Dolls, but I can't believe it's good. On the other hand, WW is a solid model in itself, it has some synergy with Zoraida (Web Markers, Conditions) but can also work independently from the rest of the crew.

[feagaur]

1.  Lilith is great and will expand your gaming experience. Not sure the box will offer much for Zoraida though. If you're looking to get some more models then the spawn mother and gupps are a must really. especially as you have wisps already. You can be pumping out a gupp a turn with it and is superb against a shooty list. I'd also get hold of a nurse, iggy, at least 1 teddy (see 4.) and definately the widow weaver. Also, mustn't forget the Doppleganger (which I always do) a great piece that will add to any list.

2. I generally play 3 different crews with Zoraida (though with the new upgrades thats going up to 4). Theres the swampfiend list that uses spawn mother and wisps to pump out gupps which help McTavish get some decent attacks in. Then theres the build-a-bear list where you take the wisps with Zoraida and Widow weaver with fears given form on them. With the wisps you can create 2 voodoo dolls a turn which when they pop up in the fears given form auras take 6 damage and die dropping scrap markers. So in Turn 2 you have 4 scrap markers which a wisp (using Widow Weavers upgrade) creates a teddy. I usually add Stitched together in there too for more scrap and lots of dirty attacks. My 3rd crew is a lure/pounce crew where I take Baby Kade, Lelu, Lilitu and doppleganger along with the nurse. You have 3 different sources of lure there and 3 pounces. The nurse can also pump up there damage putting Baby Kade on a possible min damage 7 (with his trigger and having the opponent model engaged with Lilitu's 4" engagment too). YOU can also add rougarou in to that too. But Ive not tried that yet. The 4th will be an obey crew. Take the emissary with her conflux so that once he's hit things Zoraida won't need line of site to get obeys off. And as she can now get charges off the obeys its going to be lots of fun. I'd take the widow weaver in this too to lower peoples WP and then fill with a beater or two (preferably Mature Nephilim so you can use charge through) and some scheme runners and you're sorted.

3. Depending on the crew you take she can do well in a few schemes. The swampfiend list is good for Reckon or Interference. The build-a-bear and lure lists work well in squatters rights and extraction type strategys. And the swampfiend can work quite well in headhunter, especially against shooty crews and if you take Juju.

4. Widow weaver is almost a must for me. She works really well with Zoraidas main attacks by lowering WP. Handing out poison and paralyze will also help with Zoraidas new upgrade too. And then theres the build a bear. I've tried it a few times and it works quite well, but WW will become a big target once the opponent figures out what you're doing!

 

I think in the end though Zoraida is the sort of master that can utilise most models and can play lots of different styles. She's such fun playing around with but can be annoying to get to grips with at times and she can occasionally feel like she's not doing anything for the crew. I love her though.

[Vorschlag]

1) Lilith provides you with a different play style and while I don't like her flexibility and the ability to adapt to a scheme pool and strategy wins games.

In my opinion outside of swampfiends you will want stitched together, teddy, wicked dolls and widow weaver......I'm sure you can see where that's going.

Then there's nurse and Iggy for condition dumping and possibly a warpig and hog whisperer.

For swampfiends Zoraidas new upgrade makes wild boars worth considering.

Spawn mother and gupps creates a summoning engine when you have a spare wisp.

 

2)walgiest can provide terrain to go with McTavish's aura.

Walgiest also hand out slow and bound & rooted which while situational can be useful with condition dumping on the doll.

McTavish likes swampfiends as does juju.

If you want to play condition spam run wisps and a nurse, maybe Iggy.

Paralyse can be pulled off three times a turn on separate hem targets with the right set up, this increases to four with Vasilisa.

Gupps and silurids and wonderful with fickle winds of fate for shuffling scheme markers to score or deny due to leap.

For doll damage you look to Iggy as mentioned above but summoning a doll into engagement range of two models with fgf also pops it nicely and when used with wisps gives you 2 scrap a turn with no ap spent outside of the summons.

Granted it's only 12 damage .... but you can always condition dump before activating the doll to fail the fgf duels.

Alternatively A stitched together never fails gamble your life against a voodoo doll.

3) repulsive gives late activation zoraida denial ability when in a control area x strategy.

It also allows you to push models away that might stop you scoring vp from markers.

Fickle winds of fate allows you to score or deny scheme marker based schemes.

Obey can also be used to move models into/out of scoring positions or in drastic cases drop or remove a scheme marker.

Ease of condition application can deny frame for murder.

4) bannersnatch don't know.

Widow weaver certainly is...remember those two scrap markers and convenient fgf aura...

[Vinil]

One word for Widow Weawer. She can use Exhale Terror on Woodoo doll to put paralyse and draw a card for Inhale Terror aura. And deal some damage as a bonus.