OneLittleThunder

"This model may cheat damage flips made against it..."? /head a splode

Interesting. You could swap in a Wandering River Monk and use the same Ace of Tomes to make him spew out Scheme Markers whenever he's hit (though he would take some damage in the process, as he's only DF 5). Handy for things like Covert Breakthrough and Set Up.

The relevant part of Promising Disciple reads: If a friendly Shenlong discards an Upgrade, this model may immediately attach it ignoring all restrictions. If this model has more than one Limited Upgrade attached, it must immediately discard one of them. So yes, the two-slot limit is ignored as long as he's taking Shenlong's castoffs, but no, Yu cannot have more than one Limited upgrade. Also, note that this includes things like Recalled Training if Shenlong discards (uses) one of those...

Although if Shenlong uses Monk of Many Styles, Yu does not have to discard anything to pick up the upgrade Shenlong discards (assuming Yu has Promising Disciple attached).

Excellent! I shall endeavor to swing by.

Where are you folks in the dealer's room (booth #)? I have a friend scouting for me and he can't find Wyrd in the listings... EDIT: Nevermind, found 'em. D1003, just outside the vendor hall proper.

Oiran have the following Ability: Appealing: Other friendly Living models within 4 of one or more models with this Ability gain +1 Wp. Obviously, the "other" in there means that an Oiran does not benefit from its own Appealing bonus. But if there is a second Oiran in range, do the two Oiran grant their bonuses to each other? I think the question comes down to whether "other" in the Ability description means "other than this model" or "other than this type of model." Thoughts?

Welcome to Malifaux! I'd agree that the Oiran are an unnecessary add if you want to use them for Lures; as @Skitt_Happens said, the Beckoners should be plenty for that. That said, Oiran can be useful and surprisingly durable scheme runners, especially with Hidden Agenda, but if you plan to use them just for scheme running, I'd argue that 10 Thunder Brothers are a better choice. You might even consider swapping a Beckoner for a Performer; they're cheaper (even with the mercenary "tax"), and have some nice extra abilities (Don't Mind Me is great for Strategies like Headhunter, and Seduction is a fantastic way to get rid of unwanted enemy Scheme markers). Plus, there may be times when you want the opponent to take a Push rather than a regular move. It's easy to focus everything around Brilliance synergy, but I haven't found it to be that important; my main use for Brilliance is having Lynch give it to an enemy model via Play for Blood, then delete that model with some combination of Final Debt and his handgun. Not saying the Brilliance approach doesn't work, but as a new player, you should be aware that it's not necessary for Lynch to shine. If you haven't yet, I'd highly recommend listening to the Schemes and Stones episode about 10T Lynch; it gave me a lot of great ideas and information. Before We Begin also has a good episode on him. Both of these are good tactical podcasts and I recommend adding them to your listening list if you're into that sort of thing. 8-)

I'm going to be in Colorado Springs for work July 10-15, and was wondering if there was any local Malifaux activity I could get in on. I'd love to get a game or two in; otherwise, I'm gonna be stuck going outside and looking at beautiful scenery and stuff.

Here's hoping she's got the ability to do a little summoning of those Oni...we could use a proper summoner in the faction. Not crazy about the art, but am looking forward to seeing what she does.

Don't forget McCabe with a pack of Guild Hounds...

Sorry; Burn Like Fire specifies an enemy model. Otherwise, filth.

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but it seems slightly counterintuitive, so I want to confirm it with those that know better. A model gains the Reactivate condition. After it has taken its second activation, does it still have the Reactivate condition (until the end of the turn)? I believe the answer is yes. There is nothing that indicates that Reactivate goes away after it is "used." It seems odd because, if a player is using counters to mark conditions, the counter is usually (in my experience) removed after (or at the start of) the second activation to indicate that the model has been activated twice. But I believe the condition itself should persist; the option to activate the model twice in a turn has been used, but the condition remains until end of turn as usual. For those wondering why it would matter: Shenlong's attack ability, Burn Like Fire, lets him end the Defensive, Focused, Fast, and Reactivate conditions on a target enemy model and apply any ended conditions to himself. While it would certainly be better for him to do this before the enemy model reactivates, it seems that he could do it even after both enemy activations if desired. Is this correct?

Things to check out about Yan Lo: Before We Begin podcast episode on Yan Lo: http://schemesandstones.podbean.com/e/episode-13-master-spotlight-yan-lo/ Schemes and Stones podcast episode on Yan Lo: http://beforewebegin.podbean.com/e/episode-40-joe-with-yan-lo/ This thread: As for Thunder Archers, they can be very effective IF you can keep the enemy away from them, because if they are engaged, they are useless and die almost immediately. If you have a wall they can hide behind, perfect (since they don't need Line of Sight for their big attack). If you are taking some, make sure someone nearby is carrying the Blot the Sky upgrade, which can significantly increase their damage output.

Ama is great for Frame for Murder; she is so mobile, and hits so hard, that she has to be a priority target for most opponents. She's particularly fun against Gremlins; I frankly don't find Swallow You Whole to be the right choice very often, but the possibility of her instantly killing Francois or Fingers or Trixiebelle can often panic your opponent. Sue is just solid all around. I don't find myself taking him that often since he's not awesome at anything in particular, but the anti-Cast aura is great against Raspy/Wong/Sonnia. And a well-timed Peace in the Valley trigger will make Nicodem all kinds of sad. He also makes a nice combo with Mei Feng for Turf War/Extraction thanks to Ring of Fire. As for the Kamaitachi, I love him in a McCabe crew when I'm not using Guild Hounds. Shenlong also benefits a lot when he doesn't need the Peasants for free scheme markers and extra conditions. Haven't tried him with other masters since I like their inherent totems so well, but I'm curious to see what you think!

@GOTH: Both my files and @Dhampir's web page include both "Classic" and GG2016 Strats and Schemes. @Dhampir: Awesome! Much easier than mine to use on the fly. Nice work!

Dr. Grimwell's Doctor's Orders tactical action reads, in relevant part: (1) Doctor's Orders: This model may discard a card to target a friendly model within 6" and then move the target up to 4" in any direction. "Move" isn't the same as "Push". Should this move be treated like a Walk action with a range of 4" - i.e., the target model can change direction, walk around corners, climb a fence, etc.? Obviously, it's not a Walk action for the purpose of rules that specifically reference Walk actions, so presumably the target model could move out of engagement without suffering a disengaging strike, etc. Is this interpretation correct?

If you haven't checked it out yet, I recommend the latest episode of the Schemes and Stones podcast (http://schemesandstones.podbean.com/e/episode-38-master-spotlight-ramos/). As usual, it's a thorough guide to knowing what Ramos does, along with some tips on how to counter it.

Looks like the deck mats that@BrotherPaulos posted are no longer available at those links. Anyone got a copy, or know where they might be found?

Are you maybe thinking of Kang's "Rousing Speech" ability? That provides a 6" bubble of immunity to Horror Duels...so Pandora wouldn't be able to force any Horror checks against your models in that area (barring Obscene Knowledge), but any other kind of Wp duels that were failed would still cause you to take damage.

NEW MASTERS WHAT?!?

In a broader sense, anything with blasts can help a lot, especially if they ignore Armor. Hitting something near the Steam Arachnids and bouncing damage off onto them is a good way to get around their annoying Df 6. Some ideas to consider: Mei Feng: Hire Willie - his Armor-ignoring blasts are tailor-made for taking out clumps of spiders. Giving Mei or Kang Hard Worker helps everyone else get around the armor as well. Metal Gamin can also use Magnetism pretty effectively against Ramos' crew. Mei's own ability to bounce back and forth damaging different targets will also be useful, and Thunderous Smash can help clear out the Scrap markers left behind. Sparks can also consume those Scrap markers to good effect. Be careful with the Emberling, though, as the Scrap markers he creates can help your opponent. Shenlong: High River Style gives some very effective blasts, and Burn Like Fire is great for stealing the Reactivate that the Brass Arachnid hands out (or the Reactivates from Mechanical Rider, Joss, etc.). He also hands out Focus like candy, which combines well with the Shadow Emissary (see below). Yan Lo: Terracotta Curse can help pin the spiders in place (and/or drain your opponent's hand), and Hunpo Assault will let you clobber a lot of them at once, particular with Brutal Khakkhara (and the Emissary's buff to that attack). Lots of cheap minions dying around Yan Lo can mean lots of Chi, so he can get Ash Ascendant faster. Freikorps Specialist: Can burn out Scrap markers, has good ranged blasts, and the Freikorps Suit means he's immune to the Steam Arachnids' self-destruct pulse (as well as any blasts you may use on nearby Arachnids). Hannah: Big base, big range, big blasts. The Freikorps Suit means she's immune to the Steam Arachnids' self-destruct pulse (as well as any blasts you may use on nearby Arachnids). Kang: Handy to have even without Mei Feng. His blasts don't do too much, but his attack and damage bonus against Constructs is very useful against Ramos. He can also carry Hard Worker, which can help Rail Workers become a real threat to armored opponents. Lazarus: Lots of nice blasts, at range and up close, and Ramos' constructs may give Lazarus some useful actions to Assimilate. Shadow Emissary: Can set up a big chunk of your crew to do Blasts with Dragon's Breath; particularly nice with Shenlong, who hands out a lot of Focus. Taelor: Getting anywhere Ramos usually means lots of free charges, and Relic Hammers are always dynamite against Constructs. Thunder Archers: Like @Paradigmsaid, can be very effective, especially with Kang and Blot the Sky, but only if you can keep them out of a close fight. Toshiro: Command the Graves can turn Scrap markers into more activations for you rather than your opponent.

Yep, the only advantage to Guard the Soul is the range (though I suppose the fact that it happens during an opponent's activation might occasionally be relevant). As for the scrap marker, yes, it's just because he's a Construct. See pp. 56-57 of the little rule book. Only Living or Undead models drop Corpse markers; Constructs drop Scrap markers. If a model is eligible to drop either (like a Rail Worker, who is a Living Construct), the controller decides which one it drops when killed.

That I cannot help you with...unless you live near Atlanta or enjoy Vassal.

Totally understood. So with that, the choice of Komainu and 2 Punks vs. Komainu, 1 Punk and the Emissary vs. 2 Punks and a Sniper will always come down to "it depends." I think you're confusing me with @SaintScythus(not a problem, since we all look alike on the internet anyway). I think you will find that Chi generation is a little faster than you expect, especially when Yan Lo gets into the middle of things; the 8" Harvest Chi bubble gives Chi when either side kills an enemy model in almost a quarter of the board, so it can add up quickly. That said, I don't focus on Hunpo Assault as much as Scythus does; it gives you an 8" place (which Lightning Dance can more or less do anyway, since you want to be in a cloud of enemy models) and a handful of melee attacks (unlikely to be more than 2 in most cases) for 2 AP. It may save you 1 AP a turn if that's (teleport and attack) is what you wanted to do anyway, but I don't feel like it's usually worth the 3 Chi and spending a turn's 0 action (which could be another upgrade or a crucial heal). I honestly think the best use for it is if you need to do an 8" teleport when there's not an enemy nearby (for a last-turn Entourage, maybe). Other than that, I'd rather keep the 3 Chi and the flexibility...but as always, that's just me. You'll find what works for you - don't be afraid to experiment. For what it's worth, my upgrade cycle usually looks something like this: Turn 1: Discard a card and get Ash Ascendant. Turn 2: Discard a card and wound something (or have something nearby die), then get Spirit Ascendant. Yan Lo is now a tanking machine. Later turns: Use Chi for casting attacks and heals. If the situation warrants it, pick up Bone Ascendant but don't feel obligated. I know you've heard the Schemes and Stones episode on Yan Lo (excellent choice) - you might find the Before We Begin episode on him useful as a different perspective. But - and I can't stress this enough, because I make the same mistakes - don't worry too much about your list being "right" or optimized or ideal, just experiment and find your path.