Dracomax

Honestly, I find the MR to be a terrible tool against Sonnia. The Df trigger does nothing against burning, and she has too many tools to stack burning. In addition, because she and Samuel can both target without LOS as long as there is burning, and burning is going to be a major thing for them to put out(As a Sonnia player, I'm re-evaluating everburning with the newfound significance of the MR, As aa Ramos Player, I'm Hoping I can trick a Sonnia player into putting it on my Rail Golem). I'm not saying that you haven't been able to take a quadrant with the Mech Rider, or that the Mech Rider isn't good; just that you shouldn't be overconfident with it. You can't guarantee doing so even in later rounds, because quite frankly, Depending on scheme choice, your opponent has no problem with devoting a quarter of their crew to keep getting that one point for strategy/round, or keep you from doing so. And Sonnia has the tools to accomplish it. Don't count on the Mech Rider taking a quadrant without any outside assistance. That being said, the burning problem with the metal gamin can be mitigated in two ways: if you have BET on someone close by, or if you take a (1) interact action to remove burning after the attack.

You know, Somehow, It hadn't occurred to me it wasn't target friendly scheme marker? I honestly thought they were good before, but that makes them even better.

Um, no. no it doesn't claim a quarter by itself for reconnoiter. Reconnoiter requires you have more models in the quadrant than your opponent. Awesome as the Mech rider is, it is still only one model. Two witchlings that survive to the end of the turn(as unlikely as that is for witchlings) will take a quadrant in which you have only a mech rider. If you got the construct drop off(and didn't drop an insignificant construct) You have two models, which can take a quadrant, but is by no means guaranteed to. and those constructs come in heavily injured, so are relatively easy to kill off.

How? I see nothing on the performer itself that lets her discard markers at range.

Depends on the wall and the opponent. Some people like to play them as hard cover, and severe, so as not to be blocking for Seamus purposes(hard cover is also a trait now, so can be placed without blocking trait.) Others like to call it a 1" climb, so essentially +2 inches to go over. I wouldn't make it impassable without reason—barbed spikes or razor wire on the top, for instance. Really, just talk it over before the game with your opponent.

I'm going to assume you downloaded the V2 arsenal cards. Mannequins are not free any more. You want at least one, but if you bring the Mech rider, He can make them. Performers are actually fairly decent this time around, and with mannequins or Colette will put tons of scheme markers down. Mannequins act as scheme markers for abilities and actions which reference scheme markers. Most showgirls have access to at least one of these. In addition, They have this: Which is huge for putting out scheme markers. They are also fairly hard to kill for their cost. Performers Really do most of the same things as last edition, only better, more consistantly, and with style. They still seduce, paralyze, and poison, Only they do it with an attacking stat of 6, and Decent damage. They mostly act as control/debuff models, except where they interact with Colette's abilities.

Well, Bad Juju does say heal to full, so at that point, you could say that it went to negatives, and then all of those, in addition to the wounds from zero to full are healed. It doesn't seem like it applies here.

Is it just me, or does everyone pretty much agree on "Wounds are absolute numbers, and as such cannot be reduced below 0; therefore, when a model heals from killed, it is from 0"? The only real objection I have is to a conversation about a previous version of Jack Daw in the no longer existent wave 2 beta, in which I was told the other way, and I'm willing to concede that the conversation has been obsoleted in whole. So is there anything new being added, or are we arguing just for the sake of argument?

DOn't be intimidated by Mako's crews. Mako does that to just about everyone. Post them up. if nothing else, you will get advice on what you can do better on.

But they can wait a week or so, in order to have something to give people on a regular basis...

Wait, wait wait. Do the Arcanists get big hats out of this? because if so, Ramos has a bald spot that needs covering....

In order to make the choice between them meaningful. Yep. It was actually balanced at that level. and if you don't believe me, bring an elite crew against a summoning crew at 35.... Essentially, the game was built to be playable at lower levels, but balanced best at 50. That's why even weaker models are often 4-5 SS. 8 is about medium cost, and is the bulk of your elites. Which means that in the 7-9 SS area, models have to be balanced, and interesting in different ways. I think guild has some of the neatest models in that range, myself, and already own more of them than I would like to admit...

Well, it was more of a general qquestion to the forums, since a lot of people seem to just overlook him... The guardian is definitely More body/territory guard than beatstick. 8SS, so expensive, with Df 6 and 8 Wds, but Armor 1 and a Df trigger to make it armor 3. The Guardian has 2 attacks, dealing 1/3/4 and 1/2/3 respectively. One has a trigger to ignore armor, and the other has a trigger and a trigger to do damage on a miss. The big reason you will bring guardian though, is the (0) protect, which allows the guardian to give defensive +2 to any friendly model within 4 until the guardian's next activation(and this includes the guardian) So between being fairly beefy itself, the Guardian has a standing threat range of Ml3 with a 7 attack, and makes one model a round really hard to hit. When it comes to holding territory, or keeping other models back so you can blast with Sonnia(And if you happen to get the guardian with randomization, the Armor 3 trigger means that severe doesn't hurt that much, and then blasts), I don't know that there are many in that price class that are as good, let alone better. It isn't great for every game, but I would consider it in most games.

I have to ask. If you are looking for a tarpit/model to keep other models away from glass cannons, Why aren't you taking a very close look at the Guardian? Seriously, with disengaging, 7Ml with a 3" range. WIth survivability, throw that tomes down for Armor 3, and protect yourself, which gives healing as well. and while the attacks don't do huge damage, they aren't Wiffle bats, either.

I think the question is, what happens when Rider X at, say, 3 wounds, gets hit for 8? Does it reduce to 0, die, get buried, and heal to 1? Does it reduce to -5, die, get buried, and heal to -4, still dead, and Be removed permanently? Or Does it reduce to -5, die, get buried, heal to -4, die, heal to -3, etc. until brought to 1 Wd? WHile I think we can all agree the last is a bit odd...I can see the justification for either of the first two.

If there are a lot of constructs or a summoning faction is announced, and you don't mind Mercs., Taelor is pretty good, too. Honestly, Sonnia is better than you'd expect in melee, but she just doesn't have the survivability for it. Fransisco and Gaurdian can go a long way towards giving it to her. Ml5 isn't going to win any awards, but if you keep those two close to her, they will add to the meatgrinding. (Fransisco makes engaged models cry, and while gaurdian doesn't do a lot of damage, it's still Ml7 with reach 3.)

Who in Cherufe's name ever said that the guild were the good guys? even leaving aside the fact that the governor killed his own son rather than let him hook up with someone "beneath him" and Lucius, said governor's right hand man is a neverborn spy of some sort, and the way witchlings are made is in a ritual which burns the personality and soul out of a human sorcerer who just happened to not be completely under control of the guild. Even leaving all of that aside. Sonnia is still being possesed by an undead god of destruction whose only aim is the destruction of everything. I'm just saying, her judgement, and morality might not be the most even or rational. Also, I don't think Kiljoy is undead anymore. My DMs didn't get bonuses against him.

Well, if you are looking for detailed advice, it would help to get a batrep up. there are a few tricks you can run with any given master, but any specifics are going to be very hard to give, since every game is so different from the last, and every opponent plays differently. I will say it sounds like you may have either not taken certain things with Lady J, or not applied some of her triggers. She should be able to kill models fairly easily, assuming decent luck. I'd recommend when going up against enemeies that take her down consistently you bring Gaurdian and/or Fransisco. Fransisco gives her +2wp and Df if she starts within 2 of him, and the gaurdian has a (0) that gives her a defensive +2 and can heal on a trigger. Either or both of those greatly enhances her ability to survive through a round or two. Sonnia doesn't need all that many witchlings, and actually, it might be better bringing along the witchling handler and some death martials if you want to go with ranged burning. Her flame wall and reincarnation upgrades are magnificent, as well. Against Lilith and her general crews, armor helps a lot, since they tend not to have much that goes through it. Also, agaisnt her minions, the death martial charge)2 pine boxes) can often bury her bigger models. Dont forget to add in pushes for Lady J charging as well. General advice: You pick strategies and schemes before you pick crew. Make sure you pick crew that is going to be helpful for the strategy and schemes you end up with. Reconnoiter tends to do better with more, weaker models, because model count is the name of the game. Reckoning tends to be best with fewer, much harder models, since you get points by removing the opponents models. Schemes that require marker drops can be completed by models with sepcial abilities. The austringers can give you a push and interact, the death martials drop a scheme marker when they die, etc. Also, having a smaller, faster model for schemes is often useful. Look at watcher, or two guild hounds. Everything you do should be with one of two goals in mind: getting VP for yourself, and denying VP to your enemy. There are four basic ways in which this is done: Interacts:these usually require a 1 action, so you can't move very far and do it. In addition, they generally are not allowed in combat. So getting into combat with models can prevent them from interacting. Territory holding: big, hard to kill models with large melee ranges, often called tarpits, whcih can keep other models form interacting, or easily moving through an area. This lets you protect your own markers, and slow down or stop your opponent. Buffing/debuffing: altering your, or your opponts crew, in order to make it easier or more difficult to carry out plans. Things like paralyze, slow, etc. can really make your opponents plan fall apart, because they lose resources they need. in addition, you can make your own crew better at handling those things which come your way. and killing: it prevents your enemy from getting use out of their model. In addition, there are a few strategies and schemes which require it. Basicially, you need to evaluate your crew for which of those it does, and what you need in those categories to fulfill your objectives. Guild has a lot of tools in those arenas. Make sure you pick your crew for the situation, and don't just bring the same crew because you get how they work. and I know how you feel about luck. I have pretty rotten luck too. Thing is, with Malifaux, you have a lot of control over your luck. you know if you have gone through half the deck and not seen a card over 6, that what is left in the deck is probably pretty good. In addition, you have a lot of opportunities to improve your odds by manipulating the :=fates you get. Don't forget to use Lady J's :=fate on the attack when not charging. and Focus actions to get around cover. Defensive stance is awesom if you have a low card to discard, and focus is pretty darn good all on it's own. Also, soulstones are useful.When you are drawing 2-3 cards on the attack, you have much better odds of Lady J hitting with her 7ml, for instance, or Sonnia on her 9Ca.

Honestly, I usually feel like I can't possibly win in round 3. Then by round 5, I pull ahead. just saying. If you keep on working at it and don't give up, focusing on schemes, even powerful abilities and models can be overcome.

Well, we can't say he didn't warn us not to go there....

Yes. Since the both models are controlled by the active player, he flips for both, and can cheat for both.

Well, I wouldn't so much ignore huggy as focus on non-lethal counters to him; It's still better to have Huggy tied down and not helping out than free, after all. I'd also use tangle shadows to seperate his models. It's a lot easier to deal with one teddy than 2. Not that either is easy, but having both attack one of your models is not fun.

That can't be right. The gremlins don't have a rider. ...Unless you count the dude3 on a chicken, I guess.

Yet, sometimes, you just got to slap a bitch. MOre seriously, I understand where you are coming from. LTP does feel like they are totally saying "You just fail because you suck." I don't think most people here mean it that way, but that is what it feels like. However, that doesn't mean the sentiment is wrong. There are some models people have complained on end about taht can be dealt with well just by changing your tactics, or not always bringing a single crew. (There's a reason my signature is what it is.) Learning to play better solves a lot of problems, and asking for advice against a model is generally more effective at finding counters than complaining about the model. That is not to say that the Mech Rider does not need a bit of tweaking. maybe it does. Justin is planning on doing some more internal playtesting based on this thread, and I guarantee that a lot of the players who have said "I don't think it is OP" are going to be trying it out to see if they are wrong. I also gauruntee that future results in tourneys throughout the next year will be looked at closely to see if this is a case of a model being more powerful than it should be. But as much as you want to say "model X is OP" when it slaughters you, you have to try and game around it, because that really is the only way to determine if it is just perception, or if there is something actually wrong. Sometimes, you just need to learn to play better, or adjust your style. If you don't, you will continue to find nasty surprises.

No. Disengaging happens before the walk begins. As such, any models you are not already engaged with do not get a disengaging strike. You check before each walk, so walking twice means that anyone in range of the second walk would get a disengage.