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?

This seems fixed to me... Ooh, actually, in the app this said it no longer ignored reduction... I wonder if this one is the correct one?

They probably want to minimise the need to change text on the cards, so changing the costs is the compromise there. It trades some finesse for way more accessibility. This is a really large errata in regards to the number of models changed.

Just curious, are the caches of the changed henchman being increased?

It's actually even better these days as you can give Sandeep Armor +1 with a Union Steamfitter and then use a mage to push Sandeep up ~18" with three furious casting attacks. Why you would need to push him that far I do not know, but it sure is fun. Also, being able to put Armor +1 on Oxfordians is pretty great too.

Yeah, sorry for the confusion. I posted that just as you posted above me, so I was referring to Mortimer's 2 action.

It is Ca 5 TN 14 Scrap markers aren't very hard to get honestly. Just charge the mobile toolkit with Joss on turn 1 or bring 2 Steamfitters. You can even drop 3 at once with The Beast Within. It's way easier than getting corpses.

Outside of tournaments, couldn't you just ignore errata if it is too annoying for you to want to deal with? If these kitchen table players are playing casually then what is the big deal if they miss an errata? If they want to they can get the errataed versions of their models but it isn't going to be forced on them. Players entering official tournaments will have to be a little less casual about it, that's all.

You're going to want at least the TT upgrades from the first upgrade deck because that has Recalled Training, Misdirection, and a few other goodies. The Shadow Emissary is the best Emissary, so that is a good purchase eventually. Terracotta Warriors are one of the big advantages that the Ten Thunders have over other factions, so get them also.

I don't think anyone expects every single model to ever be equally strong, just for models to have a thing that they do quite well. Even if there is a new worst model, if that model is not worse than models that cost a stone less than it then you will see far less complaining and the game will be in a better state. Just as an example, Gremlins is often considered to have the worst within faction balance and it leaves them with less options. I don't think buffing some of the worst models is a fruitless endeavour because it will leave less of a gap between the worst models and the best models. If High River Monks were buffed a bit then they might see some play over Ten Thunders Brothers in some scheme pools and would give players an option that is good against Frame For Murder or Take One For The Team whilst also being worth 6SS. I don't think models should, or realistically can be, equivalently playable but I do think as many models as possible should at least have a niche.

I'm guessing @dancater forgot just how bad Colette's new upgrades actually are.

I think the Terracotta Warrior deserves a mention in the limited upgrades section. I know there is probably going to be a post about Lynch's crew (Gwyneth Maddox and Illuminated need a mention) but being able to switch between Cheating Bastard and Rising Sun at opportune moments seems very useful.

@dancater I really like the idea of changing actions on a model and Wyrd have been experimenting with it a bit recently. Draugr have a changing Ht stat that also changes what several of their actions do and what abilities they have. Within Arcanists Ferdinand Vogel can change forms for a completely different model with an entirely different role. Also in Arcanists, we have Kandara who changes her upgrade to do different things. Three separate ways of achieving a transforming effect, and Wyrd's new game The Other Side is based around flipping to Glory which changes stats and abilities. I like the idea of changing a model's stat card throughout the game, although the key issue is whether your opponent can reasonably keep track of what your model is capable of. I think Kandara's upgrade mechanic would probably work best for this kind of thing, although I could see Ferdinand Vogel's summoning mechanic working as well.

I'll throw in my 2 cents then. I love Erratas that buff weak models. I think that there are a lot of models that are close to playable and have a relatively unique role. In TT Torakage and High River Monks are weak enough that they are being crowded out by 5SS models and they do unique things. I want to be able to choose almost any model in, a scheme pool that suits them, without feeling as though I am reducing my crews strength by several stones worth. I want some models to be buffed because they seem very cool but will very seldom see table time because they do not work, like Fuhatsu. I don't think model bloat is a problem as long as these buffed models aren't overpowered as many of them are in unique areas of design. Who is Yamaziko going to be pushing out if she is buffed slightly? If Ototo is buffed in damage (and Wp please) is Yan Lo going to hire him over the Emissary or Izamu?

I had an idea for a Colette ability that I like the look of. My Show: Models within 10 of this model may not take actions outside their activations unless they were caused by this model. The aura is probably a touch too large and it might be cleaner if it was just enemy models (you could remove the caused by this model clause) but as it would include disengaging strikes as well as obeys it would encourage placing Colette further up field. Perhaps 8 would be more balanced.

If you want Mei Feng to do her usual combos you'll definitely want Seismic Claws. That's what I'd go for.

I don't think her W5 upgrades did very much to help her out honestly. I think Mei is good in TT because of recalled training and Toshiro (and the Shadow Emissary is actually good...), but compared to that, Arcanists Mei doesn't have that much to offer. Now that the Charm Warder and the Obsidian Statue are coming out, this gap is only going to widen IMO.

Yeah, when they were talking about the riders and mentioned Marcus as one of the masters that had no need for tomes I was rather surprised.

You can only discard Ascendant upgrades for Chi unfortunately. I hadn't thought of using the TCW's ancient protection to get more hits in before. I'm going to see if I can figure out a way to fit a Katanaka Crime Boss and use it to give Izamu Fragile +2 on turn 1, get a bunch of Chi, then heal him back up.

5SS with 3Df and 4Wds means that this would never be playable. Quite a few factions will have access to some good snipers that are taken somewhat consistently and that alone means that this model is going to die immediately in many games. Even without that problem, at Rg 8 with those stats they will often die to a glance from enemy models who just outrange them. The first instance of Big Burta is also completely unusable. A 50/50 chance for this model to be kill itself with every attack? I understand the damage track on Dumb Luck is pretty obscene but having such an extremely swingy model is just unfun imo. My suggestions: up the Df and Wd count to something reasonable and instead of Dumb Luck as a trigger, give your enemy a choice. Something like: (1) Big Burta (Sh 5/ Rst: Df / Rg: 8): Target suffers 2/3/4 damage. This attack ignores cover. GRENAAAADE!: Before flipping damage the target may discard a card to suffer +2 damage from this attack. If the target does not discard a card then instead of its normal damage, this attack deals 2/3/3 damage to the target. Maybe a fun ability like: Shock and Awe: after this model kills an enemy model it gains the Terrifying All (12) ability for the rest of the game. Coming up with models is fun and the core idea of gremlin grenadiers is interesting.

Dashel + Queeg + Guild Sergeant = 1SS Guild Guard... This game doesn't need more spammable 3SS models IMO.

I believe that, as the Armor from the Steamfitter is a condition and the Armor from burning is a condition, they would combine into one condition (having a duration equal to the most recently applied condition) and then he would lose the Armor when he loses his burning, when the turn ends.

I played The Storm Misaki on a table with a bunch of Ht 3+ terrain and it almost doesn't matter given that you need to block LoS between almost all of your models to be truly safe. It is ridiculously difficult space out your models enough to truly avoid the blasts. If Misaki, with a probable 20" threat range after she activates (not including Yu pushes in that range), can attack a model while within LoS of two other models she should be able to get an easy 11 damage attack off with 3+3 of that unreducable, then another possible 11 damage attack after that. That is a lot of damage, and it can go up very easily if your opponent hasn't painstakingly spread out their models just to get you down to the 11ish damage. This would be, perhaps, just very strong in a normal alpha strike situation but if you stack the Charm Warder on top of that it becomes completely busted. You can decide to do this alpha any time in a turn with relatively low risk (especially on top of Risk & Reward healing) due to either a charm of hiding or a charm of vanishing, which, combined with the distance away from their threats you can do this damage, leaves them with no way to really react or punish you.

Just had an idea that may or may not be viable. Banasuva uses his (0) to copy a gamin action or ability on Kandara to copy her (0) action to attach a Kandara upgrade. A Performer is killed/sacrificed next to Banasuva and he gains reactivate. He activates and uses Kandara's (0) to discard his gamin upgrade and attach Human Guise. This is likely not worth it to spend a 5SS model on, although it does free up Sandeep's summoning somewhat and gives the Banasuva reactivate. If you have activation control and a way to get Banasuva into the enemy crew (so maybe a later threat after the performer dies in combat) you could get some value out of the Banasuva using the Mantle of Flames upgrade.

@EnternalVoid & @WWHSD Thanks for the correction then. This makes me even more baffled about the ruling on Laugh Off though. I suppose the difference between the two is the phrase 'due to' which must mean that even an action that caused the current action counts. I really wish Laugh Off worked against Obey though; my last game against Zoraida involved my Bewitched Katanaka Crime Boss charging into and killing my Terracotta Warrior, incidentally these were the only attacks he made that game. Now, back to Colette talk. People probably don't want Prompt to be buffed (I'd prefer other cool abilities as well) but I had an idea that would be a cool improvement to its current form. If Colette got a 3" push in any direction whenever she prompted something she would gain the mobility to actually keep up with her crew. I love the image of Colette's prompt being a dance of friendly models which Colette takes part in.