Dracomax

I wouldn't say 50% is the standard, but you should have at minimum 25% and average 33% in terrain, with a mix of severe, obscuring/dense, and blocking. If you can lure a model 18" in one activation, then you really need to consider that you should have more severe terrain.

Well, speaking of copyright issues: DO I have the right to print a copy of the Pdf, or would you prefer that I not do so? Can I share the pdf in part or whole with the group so that I can game, or should I keep it on media I own? Really, I'm just kind of looking for direction as to how far you feel comfortable with allowing me to share it for purposes of gameplay, given that the physical books are not available yet. I understand that there is some reluctance on the part of any publisher to let those rights even be slightly abridged, justifiably, and want to do right by Wyrd.

Also, Sonnia has Melee range of 2", so it rarely ever gets you out of engagement, especially given that the enemy usually gets a move immediately after the austringer does that. That being said, with the engagement range, it is possible to get her out of engagment range enough to make the enemy use an AP on a walk if they have range 1. Unfortunately, this just means they charge. It's a decent move given that Sonnia has fairly low movement, but for disengaging, it is not great.

Honestly, focusing just on belles, it sounds like the best choice is to move in such a way that you accept you'll lose a model a turn, but in the mean time, you get 3-4 models ganging up on belles. I don't particularly like a 5SS model having a higher attack than all but maybe 2-3 masters, but I think it is yet to be seen if it is game breaking. I appreciate the argument of "the fact that other good models exist is not justification for Belles to be overpowered" but I also don't think you can look at a model totally in a void. You have to look at it in context of the crews it is used in, and the VP denial/gaining it is capable of. I think it might be a problem for those games that require models be in a certain place. I don't think an inherent rare number for all models is a good fix. First, I really think if a model is balanced, you could have a crew consisting entirely of it and not have broken interactions; If the model becomes broken at a certain number, then the model itself should have a given rare number specifically set to avoid it. Just because someone doesn't like seeing 8 spiders or 6 belles is not in itself a reason to limit it. ANd quite frankly, the balance point is going to be different for every model. Second, I think that doing so will actually hurt certain summoning masters with limited summoning selections, such as Levi or Ramos, and would go against both the design philosphy and balance of those models. These models were balanced with the expectation they would have larger numbers of these models on the board. Being tired of seeing it doesn't mean it is broken or needs to be fixed. That being said, I could see some justification for tweaks if they prove to be unbalancing to the game. But mostly, I have a problem with it because it smacks of "you are playing the game wrong. Play it the way I want you to."

Unfortunately, part of the problem could be your meta. Sometimes one tactic can become overwhelming in a meta, but when brought to a different meta gets shut down routinely. A single city, given consistent results, is probably cause to talk about it, but if it isn't being seen in multiple areas, it probably won't be changed. there were several large metas which never had problems with Dreamer, and the "Filth List" didn't even exist until over a year after all models in it came out. It's going to take a few major tournaments being won by belle spam, most likely, before it can be proven to the devs that an errata is needed. Doesn't mean we shouldn't present our cases when we feel something is overpowered; it's one of the better ways to get multiple metas to test it, for one thing. It just means that any change will likely be at least 6 months or a year down the road. Keep posting and keeping track of batreps, though. More evidence means more chance of things moving.

Just to make a general point: 8 is considered high for a master. The Statrocks were modified to keep them from ever giving a master a 9 in a stat. at 5SS, an attack at 8 is really quite high—Most masters don't get that. I'm not saying it should be changed, just pointing out that a 5SS model has a better chance to hit with an attack than an unmodified Lady Justice...

Keep in mind that with the right upgrades, SOnnia can get more witchlings, as long as things are on fire. Honestly, I don't run Sonnia heavy with upgrades most of the time, and I rarely bring more than 2 witchlings. The closest I get to a beatstick with Sonnia is usually the Gaurdian, and that just because he has ludicrous range to stop walks, and can take it. Sam isn't there to finish off models. he's there to apply killing to whatever Sonnia didn't get. When you have 2 targets burning at opposites ends, or took most of Sonnia's activations to kill 1 -4 models, Sam gets the other burning model. I think single source he actually deals more than Sonnia. The Specialist brings scheme denial to your crew, as well as another decent shoot attack which puts burning over large areas consistently. However, he is a bit slow and a bit light defensively. Really, it's going to depend on your style. I think the Specialist is a good add to the crew, but not really mandatory. Some games will be better for him than others.

I don't know that that is a good argument that it should not be a category unto itself. It just means that Red Joker is not always beneficial.

Honestly, after rereading all the relavant segments, I see a strong argument that Nix would either get the Severe+weak, or it would become just Moderate. It says in the book that Red joker is always staged down to moderate, after all. That being said, I hope it's Italian Meatball with spicy meatsauce, Parmesean, and Onions on Garlic bread with Provel and provelone cheese.

You are good people. I plan on surviving in Malifaux.

Honestly, RIght now I'd be happy with "we're going to cover this in the next FAQ"

And now we have Sonnia's avatar... TN 11 Walk or 1 damage. This needs an official answer.

SO most people don't do basic math? because that is basic math. There is no point at which I would find rounding at each step of an operation to be anything other than bad math. That kind of thing ends up with nations in debt, astronauts lost forever, and Global warming estimates of the seas rising 10 feet by 2020. Also, I'm pretty sure it would give me at least another 10 miles per gallon in gas mileage. If people are not being taught to instinctively round at the end of the operation, we really, really need to fix our education system.

I want to know where Wyrd said that charts clarify but aren't part of the rules. I know that other companies follow that policy, but you can't assume that was Wyrd's policy just because everyone else does it. It's kind of moot anyway, though. The text does say that "The Red Joker Always deals damage equal to the Severe plus Weak Damage." This implies exactly what the chart clarifies, that it is not severe damage + weak damage, but that it is a separate type of damage that is determined by the numbers in the severe and weak damage. OTOH, it also clarifies that when it is staged down, it becomes moderate damage, implying that it is only a special sub-case of severe. In which case Nix gets moderate on a Red Joker. There actually isn't anything I can see that implies that you can separate the weak from the severe in such a way as to end up at moderate+weak. Honestly, I tend to think the intention was for a critical hit to be all one damage total, rather than two separate damage totals that both hit, which is what would have to happen to reduce the Severe—but I can see how the other way could be justified by the rules. I would tend to go with Moderate+weak until there is a specific ruling, because I don't play Nix, and when unsure, tend to go with what hurts me, and it seems in the middle. That doesn't mean I think it is right.

I'm just saying, if theres a lady in the box, I'm working to paralyze the Dm to keep her in the box. and any enemy master who is paralyzed is a good day in my book.

That will either approach your limit, or end the universe as everything becomes undefined.

WHich doesn't help much if you get paralyzed. Of course, current beta aJ might want to try it.

Of course they are man-boobs. teddy is supposed to be a nightmarish version of a child's teddy bear. How do you make it more nightmarish? Man-boobs. QED.

I would assume that you don't round until the last step. I.e. (3/2=1.5)+(1/2=.5) +(1/2=.5)+(1/2=.5)=3

What about undead canons mounted on unliving canoes? Preferably with living skin (ala necronomicon) on the outside of the canoes.

Mostly because even the prey elements in M2E tend to be fairly light. a lot of schemes and most strategies don't discriminate between enemies, or require direct interaction with enemies. I don't know. I can just tell you haw that has turned out when we have done it in the past.

Doppleganger is worth the price if only to let you cheat initiative. Waldgeists are going to be more useful in certain strategies/schemes than others, and against ranged crews. It is really going to depend a lot on the crews you are facing whether you get much use out of them, from what I've seen.

The problem is that technically, this one requires the full mathematical sequence of PEMDAS. As it should be written 1/2 (damage +engagement +sweetbreads) However, because we have the communicative property in math, It can be expressed as 1/2 damage+ 1/2 engagement bonus + 1/2 sweetbreads. So both Doubledragondyl and godlyness can both be right! Isn't math fun?!

Also, I know this is a typo, but now I want undead canons.

It has always been better to buy the starter boxes, but sometimes the budget doesn't quite agree. Unfortunately, Rare 1 models that are sold in boxes are not available outside of boxes. This means that saving money now can cost you later. So consider carefully before buying models individually that come in boxes.