Arcanist Errata

[Jinn]

Arcanists

• Ice Golem (Cost -1)
• Hoarcat Pride (Cost -1)
• The Captain (Cost -1)
• Slateridge Mauler (Cost -1)
• Razorspine Rattler (Cost -1)
• Cojo (Cost -2)
• Patron's Blessing (Cost -1)

(Other beasts)

• Shikome (Cost -1)
• Spawn Mother (Cost -1)
• Wild Boar (Cost -1)
• Dawn Serpent (Cost -1)

(Other infiltration models)

• Mechanized Porkchop (Cost -1) (the app says -2, but I'll take the Errata post over that)

(Johan)

• Johan (Cost +1)

I think that's everything relevant.

So, it seems like Marcus has been buffed a lot, or at least, his thematic crew models have been buffed a lot... Which is a bit weird considering that he is probably the 2nd best Arcanist master at the moment. McMourning is also happy about these changes.

The other big news is The Captain having his cost reduced by 2SS (effectively) which makes him a potentially great hire at 10SS. This might add some interesting potential to, specifically, master models that want to get into the fray, with his 5" push actually able to target them. Move over Angelica (maybe... I mean she's still pretty amazing... maybe I'll hire both...).

I think that some of our masters that are really struggling have been passed over here unfortunately. Kaeris, Colette, and, even with the Porkchop's changes, Mei Feng are probably still going to struggle to some degree in Arcanists (in my opinion, I know some people have success with them). The Captain's changes might have some effect on Kaeris and Mei, these things are hard to predict, but I suppose that with the limitation of trying to focus on SS cost changes you can't really fix masters on a deeper level.

The Ice Golem costs 9SS. I don't think this changes anything about summoning him and his defence is still 2 so I don't think it makes him hireable.

What are your thoughts?

[BFOmega]

The 3 students all went down a SS as well, which is possibly relevant to Sandeep.

[Jinn]

3 minutes ago, BFOmega said:

The 3 students all went down a SS as well, which is possibly relevant to Sandeep.

Good point.

[retnab]

If you change the (Johan) section to Mercs, IIRC these are the list of relevant changes there:

• Burt Jebsen (Cost +1)
• McTavish (Cost +1)
• Taelor (Cost -1)
• Bishop (Cost -1)
• Desperate Mercenary (Cost -1)
• Freikorps Specialist (Cost -1)
• Hans (Cost -1)
• Johan (Cost +1)
• Freikorps Trapper (Cost +1)

A cheaper Hans is nice, same with Taelor with the new Miss that came out.  Johan's price increase is pretty unfortunate for Ramos and Ironsides but oh well.

[Thottbot]

11 minutes ago, retnab said:

If you change the (Johan) section to Mercs, IIRC these are the list of relevant changes there:

• Burt Jebsen (Cost +1)
• McTavish (Cost +1)
• Taelor (Cost -1)
• Bishop (Cost -1)
• Desperate Mercenary (Cost -1)
• Freikorps Specialist (Cost -1)
• Hans (Cost -1)
• Johan (Cost +1)
• Freikorps Trapper (Cost +1)

A cheaper Hans is nice, same with Taelor with the new Miss that came out.  Johan's price increase is pretty unfortunate for Ramos and Ironsides but oh well.

johan is still pretty decent, since if you play ramos or ironsides odds are you'll play a streamfitter, and johan with armor 1 is GOLD worth

[Jinn]

12 minutes ago, retnab said:

If you change the (Johan) section to Mercs, IIRC these are the list of relevant changes there:

Yeah, it was kind of a joke because Johan is basically an honorary Arcanist, at least mechanically. Not so much in the fluff. The other merc changes are interesting though, and with The Captain being buffed Arcanist vs. Arcanist games may result in someone hiring three models with relic hammers if they predict facing a construct crew.

Anyone planning on hiring the specialist with Kaeris for 8SS?

[WWHSD]

I like the point reduction to the Beasts. They’ve all got some interesting stuff going on but weren’t quite good enough to see play outside of Marcus crews and they barely saw play there.

I could definitely see taking Cojo or the Mauler in some other crews to provide some area control.

[Frollo the Wordbearer]

The captain's buff is pretty cool. I always wanted to like him but always felt too much stones.. But now he may has a place in my ironsides' crews, finally. 

On the other hand Johan at 8 SS feels bad.. Not for the game itself, but.. I feel naked without him. Now, for that price is maybe better take a Shastar Vydia Guard, instead.. (at least with ironsides) 

[dancater]

So does some amazing things for Marcus options with Beasts.

Some little buff option for Raspy with the Golem.

Does a few little things for all the other Arcanists but not very much.

The other points cost changes may help us a tiny amount, notably some renowned nasty models (Nurse, Yasunori, Terracotta Warrior, several Gremlins and some Outcasts got more expensive).  So does seem to do an alright job of increasing the frequency of some "bag-space-holders" compared to "auto-takes", which is good, general improvement in the poor models for points over the over flexible/powerful. 

However, does basically nothing for the Arcanist's current struggling master/crew combos - so Kaeris and Colette are still on the bottom in general subject to some amazing changes to GG 2018 play.  Yes other factions did get some changes which may help a little as well but does not change the internal faction balance, I cry for my Showgirls.

 

[WWHSD]

1 hour ago, Frollo the Wordbearer said:

The captain's buff is pretty cool. I always wanted to like him but always felt too much stones.. But now he may has a place in my ironsides' crews, finally. 

On the other hand Johan at 8 SS feels bad.. Not for the game itself, but.. I feel naked without him. Now, for that price is maybe better take a Shastar Vydia Guard, instead.. (at least with ironsides) 

The change to Johan comes at a bad time for Arcanists with offensive condition removal having some added value in scoring in GG18. He’s our only good source of it. The Medical Automaton has offensive condition removal but its on a trigger that’s not builtin on a 1 inch close attack.

[Freman]

Now Hammertime (Captain, Taelor, Johan) costs one stone less.

[Dereikt]

As to be expected, the errata is a mix of positives, indifferences and disappointments, but for me the disappointments are bigger than the positives.

Captain and Cojo would qualify as indifferences, since they're models I don't use for reasons unrelated to their rules. The out of faction beasts would also be close, in that I'd like to use them so it's nice to have them available cheaper, but I don't much like Marcus. 

I like the cost reductions to Hoarcat prides and the Razorspine, which are models I like but have struggled to quite justify. Its easier to fit the razorspine into lists now, and the Hoarcats might make an interesting alternative to Gamin at 4ss.

I'm a little ambivalent about the Mauler, since I found it consistently worth its 8SS with the 0 cost upgrade, and At 7 it feels a bit too good. 

The Ice Golem is actually a minor disappointment, since this is a model and concept I really like, but with it's defence through merely bad and into the realms of uniquely dreadful, combined with mediocre damage capacity despite being a slow moving melee specialist, 9ss still feels like more than it's worth. 

Mostly though, this errata is a big disappointment that Kaeris got overlooked yet again. With other weak masters getting errata, powerful broken promises upgrades, powerful themed models, and very often all three consecutively, it feels like Kaeris just keeps falling further behind, and increasing numbers of models that can easily remove scheme markers plus much harder scheme marker based schemes mean that her one real strength isn't nearly as much of a strength anymore. At the very least, staying in line with the rest of the errata, she merited a decrease in cost for Gunsmiths, which remain both the only Arcanist model to have genuine synergy with Kaeris and one of the more underpowered ones, or an increase to cache 5, and she really needs more than the simple cost adjustments this errata is mostly limited to. That she got nothing is a much bigger disappointment than the few minor positives.

[retnab]

I just realized my old Henchman Hardcore list can fit an Imbued Energies now!  It's a small victory, but I'm excited  

[Thottbot]

7 hours ago, Freman said:

Now Hammertime (Captain, Taelor, Johan) costs one stone less.

johan costs one more, not less but yes

captains autopick upgrade also went down, so effectively went from 12ss to 10ss  

[katadder]

5 minutes ago, Thottbot said:

johan costs one more, not less but yes

captains autopick upgrade also went down, so effectively went from 12ss to 10ss  

yes but 2 of the relic hammer users went down by 1 so with johans increase thats an overall decrease of a SS for Hammertime

[Thottbot]

4 minutes ago, katadder said:

yes but 2 of the relic hammer users went down by 1 so with johans increase thats an overall decrease of a SS for Hammertime

true, true

[WWHSD]

3 hours ago, katadder said:

yes but 2 of the relic hammer users went down by 1 so with johans increase thats an overall decrease of a SS for Hammertime

The Captain went down by 2 points (assuming that you’ve stapled Patron’s Blessing to him).

[Rillan]

Except  Captain it more looks like Arcanists got buff cause Wyrd  had to buff something.  Most of beasts still wont be hired, i will give a chance to Captain, but so far Joss looks much more. Realy dont get it why Wyrd didnt do anything with Mech Rider. I wish this card would be changed but so far it only in my dreams.... Below average damage, kinda shitty summon and short shoot range is disgusting. I expected they change something from those 3. It would be perfect if Arcanists had Pale Rider for 10 SS. 

I was kinda sceptical abous Johan, and now i wont hire it anymore. Thx God Hans got cheaper! 

[Rillan]

23 hours ago, Jinn said:

I think that some of our masters that are really struggling have been passed over here unfortunately. Kaeris, Colette, and, even with the Porkchop's changes, Mei Feng are probably still going to struggle to some degree in Arcanists (in my opinion, I know some people have success with them). The Captain's changes might have some effect on Kaeris and Mei, these things are hard to predict, but I suppose that with the limitation of trying to focus on SS cost changes you can't really fix masters on a deeper level.

Feel your pain bro. Cant say about Mei Feng, but Kaeris and Colette need some help or minor card buff not another upgrade. I would suggest to change Colette WK stat up to 5-6 so she wouldn't be so dependant on others and change her damage line. And for Kaeris highly expected Flaming Halo change. As for me Halo has useless triggers for kinda bad dmg output. Either change triggers on it, either add Burning so we could hit harder. Cause for Fire fury she looks kinda weak and as a mage she is no mach to Sandeep.

[MetaphoricDragn]

I do find myself kinda wishing Shattered Heart got a -1 as well, but I think this is an interesting experiment on Wyrd’s part and I look forward to seeing how it pans out

[retnab]

I'd argue Captain's one of the best changes here for us.  I've found regular use for him at 12ss, and him with Patron's being 10ss total now is great.  I think he fits a bit better here now that he's not as directly competing with Joss (for face-punching anyways).

Hoarcats being 4ss is pretty interesting, our 4ss slot is pretty packed with the Steam Arachnids and all the important Gamin, but vs Gremlins (or with Raspy in a Paralyze crew) I could see them being pretty good and 4ss feels much more expendable to me.

Ice Golem's neat, he's not directly competing with Raspy's Emissary anymore.  Combining this with Frozen Servants and it might actually see regular table time with Raspy!

The Students are a bit meh still, though Viscera only being 7ss now sounds pretty tempting with Sandeep (Vaedictorian still feels like the correct model to hire, but an expendable Viscera could be good too).

Taelor, Bishop, and Hans all going down helps out quite a bit!  I have all of them but haven't really found a reason to bring them, but especially Hans now only being 8 after merc tax is looking pretty good!  Johan going up is tragic for us of course, but he was nearly a must-take in an M&SU crew.

I've never even looked at the Specialist's card, but maybe it'll be good with Kaeris?

[WWHSD]

2 hours ago, retnab said:

The Students are a bit meh still, though Viscera only being 7ss now sounds pretty tempting with Sandeep (Vaedictorian still feels like the correct model to hire, but an expendable Viscera could be good too).

I don’t think the discount on the students will make much of of a difference for Sandeep since they are all kind of situational. It’s probably a big deal with Masters that can summon them though.

[retnab]

Against a bunch of factions yeah, but if you're going against NB or Gremlins or others who are mostly Living then Viscera makes sense at least

[Fictor]

For me, the best upgrade is for Cojo, now in 6ss row is one of the best options, 8wd + HtK + 2Ap action always even in the charge is a great toolbox, in 8ss or if they got a -1ss reduction it's a little bad, but with 6ss I really love him.

Agree with @Rillan after few nerfs Mech Rider must get a little discount...

[WWHSD]

15 minutes ago, Fictor said:

For me, the best upgrade is for Cojo, now in 6ss row is one of the best options, 8wd + HtK + 2Ap action always even in the charge is a great toolbox, in 8ss or if they got a -1ss reduction it's a little bad, but with 6ss I really love him.

Agree with @Rillan after few nerfs Mech Rider must get a little discount...

I think 6SS puts him in a good place. If he goes in and disrupts your opponent for a turn but dies right away you probably got your 6 stones worth from him. 

His zero action that pushes enemies is awesome. It doesn’t need a flip and just automatically works. It also doesn’t target anything so terrifying and manipulative don’t keep him from pushing.