Tuesday Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Hm.. I know the Showgirls might already fill our 'costumey performer' niche, but what about a sort of traveling circus/carnival crew? Probably Outcasts or Arcanists (just 'cause I like Arcanists), with a ringleader, couple of acrobats, knife-thrower, strongman, fortune teller, etc. All worn travelers, holding themselves together as a tight-knit group that's just a touch sinister. They're not a very good show, really, but their motives are elsewhere anyway. Because I have no real grasp of mechanics at the moment, I can't come up with any in-depth theories on how they'd function in play, except as just a motley sort of group where everyone has different strong suits and weaknesses. The ringleader could probably have some way of helping them connect and work together. But who am I kidding, I just want an excuse to paint circus minis. Wyrd circus minis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Amos Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Can't. $$$$$$$$$$$$. You here me? $$$$$$$$$$$$! $$$$$$$$$$$$! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omenbringer Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I had an idea for a civilised gremlin preacher and crew that I developed a bit. Envisioned him looking sort of like the preacher from poltergeist and playing a bit like Pandora. Built a whole gremlin civilian crew around him. It was sort of a two faced crew that would transition between sober and drunk depending on their WP saves. Each model of the crew had a civilised facade and a darker core. My favorite was the lynch mob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doomofthepeople Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I've always liked the idea of a circus/carny crew, I'm glad the thought isn't uncommon. I would go more with the freakshow aspect, you could have a bearded lady/strong man either combined or as separate heavies. You get the geek, siamese twins and any number of other oddities. They could easily be Outcasts or Arcanists and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to warp them into Neverborns. I also love the shaman idea, really anything along those lines would be cool. Honestly I would like to see either of those but I'm probably going to buy whatever comes out anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elazar Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Ten Thunders definitely needs a crew. QFT Try as I might though I can't help but picture them dancing like the Axe Gang in Kung Fu Hustle! Edited March 1, 2011 by Elazar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamr Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Those transformation rules are just BEGGING to have more models. I always thought so too... Maybe a doppelganger master for the neverborn - transform into other living models? Also what about a musician crew? I remember reading a story in the writing room section of a guitarist guy who controlled the wind spirits with his playing... sounded awesome to a guitarist like me. From memory he had a little kid with him with a huge flamethrower - anyone else remember the story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Alleycat Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 a Ten Thunders Outcast henchman. Oriental themed special forces. I also think a Arcanist/Neverborn circus gang would be awesome. the knife thrower like the CGS,but perhaps with a slit jugular trigger. The strong man with abilities similar to Bishop,tossing people around. the siamese twins able to seperate...Maybe similar to the twin Cenobites in the hellraiser movies,where if they maneuver onto either side of you they get a special attack to try and absorb you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverEnding Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) I actually had an Idea for a guild henchie, I wrote about him vaguely in a story on the Writing section. Pretty much an assassin dressed as a doctor from the Black Plague who has a thing for fragrant flowers. He takes the image of a dead person traps it in a glass vial and when needed cracks it on the ground to summon a smoke spirit that looks like the dead guy, after they fade each one leaves a certain flowers scent behind. Each vial is one time use and thats all I have right now. Pretty much like a guild Kirai right now...needs more development. He was themed after the idea that justice is blind but that means that it can 'see' in the dark. Nowhere to hide sort of thing. Edited March 1, 2011 by NeverEnding more info added Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.blas Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Here's an idea for a Outcast Henchman/Master. Traveling Salesman. Smooth Talker: this model may hire any living model from any faction at +2 Soulstones, or a non-living model at +3 SS. Fast Talker: Against models with a WP of 4 or less, this model (+) Weapon: Melee 1" Bible 1/2+Slow/4+Slow That's all I've got for now at 3.19 in the morning...oh and if you're wondering, this model is based on the movie Paper Moon (1973). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absolution Black Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Most of these ideas sound good. I like the idea of Indian Shamans and manipulation of spirits and guides. The preacher idea has possiblities too, I would be interested in a crew based on this idea. Obviously religion can be a touchy subject though so it would have to be handled correctly. The circus idea I love, so much weird potential. The siamese twins idea...brilliant! And Plants. Interesting. Are you thinking a race of plant based lifeforms, or simply real plants that have just gone rogue? (Little shop of horrors?) I think Wyrd should stay away from Vampires and possibly werewolves....done to death in recent years, though I guess that it could be argued there is a market for them! Ten Thunders has potential, I would like to see a similar thing to the Bad guys in Big trouble in Little China...they rocked! I wish i could come up with some ideas of my own, but I can't! maybe a cult of some kind, slowly growing in numbers under the guidance of a strong but maybe unhinged leader? I suppose you could use this instead of the preacher route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerousBeans Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'd love some kind of feral necromancer for ressers, like a big fat ghoul king or something similar, along with assorted gribblies of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicpockets Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 How about and Guild master who's a bit of a loner and purely all business (for some unknown reason) - think Christian Bale's character in Equilibrium. He could have exclusive minions/foot soldiers with the same cold, sinister characteristics, and be able to use Guild assets. Abilities wise it would be based on being able to manipulate the fabric of Mailfaux itself (in a quasi-matrix/inception type of way) with skills such as being able to stop ranged attacks in the same way "dispell magic" works, disappear and reappear in combat to dodge hits (a la nightcrawler in X-Men) by discarding a card/on a flip, and moving solid scenery around himself (imagine him charging down and enemy and moving the wall they're hiding behind out of the way, or his troops running up the field and him moving cover in front of them as they go) Could be a cool hit and run list which you have to try an pick off whilst they bear down on you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudders Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) I hadn't thought about this too much but reading through the suggestions I like the idea of a human settler turning against humans and working with the Neverborn for some deliciously dark and disturbed reason! The Carnival sounds good too - I dabbled in Mordheim (GW Game) years ago when it first came out and they had a troupe called the Carnival of Chaos. I love the idea of something like that rolling around in Malifaux, although Collodi's history is somewhat along those lines with the travelling entertainment - maybe some way to flesh him out somehow?? Edited March 1, 2011 by rudders Damn typos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James. Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 For me it would have to be the travelling "snake oil" sales man! All western fiction ends up with a guy travelling around selling his "get well medicine" or medicine to make you more powerful and so on. I think a great twist for him (or her) would be to travel to Malifaux and all of a sudden his secret remedies do exactly what his claims say. He could be an average stat master that can boost certain aspects of himself each turn with his various potions. They could work just like 0 spells or something, allowing him to free up his 1/2 actions for other things. He would be a doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type character. Because of the abuse of the potions if he flips a black joker for anything he does, he immediately turns into something akin statwise to LCB under the opponents control for a turn, running around murdering your own crew, until at the end of the closing phase he turns back to his usual self... James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicpockets Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 For me it would have to be the travelling "snake oil" sales man! All western fiction ends up with a guy travelling around selling his "get well medicine" or medicine to make you more powerful and so on. I think a great twist for him (or her) would be to travel to Malifaux and all of a sudden his secret remedies do exactly what his claims say. He could be an average stat master that can boost certain aspects of himself each turn with his various potions. They could work just like 0 spells or something, allowing him to free up his 1/2 actions for other things. He would be a doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type character. Because of the abuse of the potions if he flips a black joker for anything he does, he immediately turns into something akin statwise to LCB under the opponents control for a turn, running around murdering your own crew, until at the end of the closing phase he turns back to his usual self... James. Love it - "Dr ?????????, Master of Potions" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaane Feinwong Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 For me it would have to be the travelling "snake oil" sales man! All western fiction ends up with a guy travelling around selling his "get well medicine" or medicine to make you more powerful and so on. I think a great twist for him (or her) would be to travel to Malifaux and all of a sudden his secret remedies do exactly what his claims say. He could be an average stat master that can boost certain aspects of himself each turn with his various potions. They could work just like 0 spells or something, allowing him to free up his 1/2 actions for other things. He would be a doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type character. Because of the abuse of the potions if he flips a black joker for anything he does, he immediately turns into something akin statwise to LCB under the opponents control for a turn, running around murdering your own crew, until at the end of the closing phase he turns back to his usual self... James. Or maybe...Sweeney Todd? Traveling Barber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waferthinninja Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 How about a Time Traveller in an H.G. Wells style steampunk time machine? His minions could be pretty much anything, gathered from the annals of time, from dinosaurs to medieval knights. His powers would obviously be to manipulate time. The time machine would have limitations, and wouldn't be accurate enough to go back to the recent past (i.e. within the timeframe of the game), but you could do things like go back in time and cut down a tree or blow up a building so its not there in the present, or "teleport" minions by taking them to the past and put them somewhere. His ultimate power would be to travel back and ensure someone was never born. I'm not sure its a particularly practical suggestion, it probably raises waaaay too many problems, but time travel is cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James. Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Or maybe...Sweeney Todd? Traveling Barber? Sweeney Todd could be his henchman! I now want this crew James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waferthinninja Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Or how about a Wyrd take on a Ninja clan? I'm guessing they would be Outcasts. Their schtick would be remaining unseen until they are ready to strike - either via the Harmless ability (as per Ronin) or some new stealth mechanism. They would excel at assassinating Masters, perhaps having abilities to prevent soulstone use, but would be flimsy in a stand up fight. There are a whole host of ninja tools and abilities to draw on for inspiration - smoke bombs, kites, wall walking, shuriken, caltrops. Ninjas are cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicpockets Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 but you could do things like go back in time and cut down a tree or blow up a building so its not there in the present, or "teleport" minions by taking them to the past and put them somewhere. His ultimate power would be to travel back and ensure someone was never born. Trouble is - only the winner can go back in time and change things. Just ask Wild Stallions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicpockets Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Dear Wyrd, please make the potion man a real character in the game as the idea is awesome. He could be a stand alone mercenary similar to when you introduced Jack Daw :nod: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakshaani Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 As much as I would love a Werewolf crew, it seems a little too generic for Malifaux. Vampires too. I can tell you firsthand that there will be no Pirate crews, either. I wouldn't be so sure of that... Goblin Pirate Cap'n. You just -know- a crew will follow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakshaani Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 As for me? Well, I have a whole pile of stuff, with masters, minions, 'named' minions, and so on per crew. BUT, some highlights... "Baron" Horace Chamberlain (Guild) His father a dirt-poor immigrant, his father a hard-working train man, Baron (He -hates- being called Horace!) started work as a telegraph man, then gradually worked his way up with bold stock investments and ruthless business skills to eventually found his own railway, Hephaestus Rail, and a steel company, Hephaestus Forge, eventually joining the Guild (Which, you might not recall, is made up of magicians -and- merchants!) for rights to Malifaux. He runs the trains that spread out from the city of Malifaux to the small mining communities, sells tools at high prices, and is all too happy to sell manacles. Utterly non-magical, he comes with deep pockets, to hire mercs cheaper, a hatred for unions, and a desire to bring Progress to the Neverborn, whether they want it or not. (Designed as a master, would likely be a Henchman these days, with a Hephaestus Rail elite forces. Should have rail workers as dirt-cheap melee types, mechanics who can repair constructs, and, of course, steam-powered machines.) Res can work a nice Victorian Vampire master, who would have a few lesser vamps and 'yes master' humans on tap ... yeah, it's kind of done, but it still sells, so maybe you can trick the vampire fans into playing ... or at least buying the minis. Can also run with a "Johnny Reb" idea, with an undead Confederate officer who raises skeletal soldiers. Gives you some neat cavalry, a chance to use an actual cannon, and the idea of "Ghost Soldiers" is always fun. Arcanists is where I'd put a "Native Shaman" sort, someone that's gone native (ish) and works with, not against, the planet. Should come with a warchief (henchman), a daughter (totem), a named warrior, a generic 'brave', a cavalry type (But riding what, who knows), and topped off with some kind of 'mutant' brave who's been exposed to too much Neverborn energy. Natural rivalry with the Guild! Neverborn mostly need someone that's flipped ... a human that's been exposed to some kind of book or seduced by unearthly desires or whose mind simply shattered. A "Fallen Priest" would be the natural pick, but you absolutely have to introduce a 'Good Guy' priest to balance it out since, well, religion = touchy subject. Probably a blood cultist, so he could work with Lilith. Outcasts need more 'generic' masters, and badly. They don't interact well with one another (by design!) so should get the most love out of a new batch... so, I'm going to push 'em over five. First and foremost, yes, they need a "Ten Thunders" master, full of lightning, thunder, and Japanese awesome. He'd get some samurai and ninjas because, hey, they make everything better. It'd give Sonia Crid someone to hunt. Next, a small gang of, well, actual outlaws. Black hats, pistols, a scarred-up knife-fighter, an exposives guy ... some sort of "Black Jack Sullivan" type with his brothers as a criminal counterpart to the Ortegas. Yes, we have the Goblin crew, but, we really need a gunfight between two human bands, cops vs robbers. It's always fun! Lastly, you need something Victorian, to hit all the flavors. Some sort of secret society types, a small conspiracy circle, with some kind of outlawed renegade Guild member behind it. Chant in high Latin, wear robes, have nifty symbol-based magic, draft out of high society but hire 'thugs' to keep the place safe ... the bad guy from the new Sherlock Holmes movie, in essence. Not a Guild member, since he's gone rogue, not an Arcanist, since he doesn't want to tear down society just raise himself to the ruling position, and not a Neverborn (But he may well summon and tame them!) .... he's just an Outcast. ... This post is far, far too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wodschow Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'd definitely like to see another master from the Three Kingdoms, ... Ten Thunders definitely needs a crew. Definitely this. Those transformation rules are just BEGGING to have more models. And this. I don't support the idea of neither Werewolves nor Vampires though. Maybe Avatars will be transformations.. We'll have to wait and see I guess. Really curious as to how they'll work. I'd like to see something even more steampunk'ery than Ramos aswell (more steamy and crude than Ramos/Hoffman). But maybe we have enough constructs already.. (Kaeris is still screaming for Smoldering Heart ones..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Footman Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Lo-Phang, the Little Emporer, Outcast/Arcanist: An immigrant from the Three Kingdoms, Lo-Phang came to Malifaux initially with the rail crews. Over time, he built an empire of opium dens, massage parlours, and prostitution rings in the city. Smuggling opium in from Earthside and smuggling out Soulstone. Lo-Phang was a practitioner of traditional asian medicine back in the Three Kingdoms, when he went through the breach, his magic potential opened up. Now, he enhances his opium with alchemy and ground soulstone, creating Soulpiates, a very popular drug with the magic crowd. He commands an assortment of unemployed samurai, ninjas, martial arts masters, railroad workers, prostitutes, geisha's and mages, and does not accept failure from any of them. The Guild has tried to catch Lo Phang and put a stop to his criminal enterprises, but he always slips past them. kind of trying for a Lo-Pan/Triads/opium smuggler theme master. I don't know if he'd be arcanist or outcast though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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