Meliondor Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Hi! We are playing Malifaux for some time now and it gets more and more "serious". Since we know the rules, the models, the missions and so on winning becomes part of the game. Now I want to know, if I am missing something improtant for my guild, that could help me winning. Malifaux is unique in the way the army is build. You draw for your mission and then choose your master + his army. This means that a collection of different models is nescessary. Currently my plan is the following: My favorite Scheme options: If I get the option to play schemes, that do not involve sheme markers or too much movement, then I take them. Then I choose normally Perdita + her Family or Sonnia if I expect to see models with low arm and many good targets for AoEs. Ok scheme options: If I can choose schemes, that allow me to go to the middle of the board and hold it (so I do not need to cross the middle line) I either choose Hoffmann + his Deathball of constructs (it is too small for a deathstar) or Perdita with a more melee oriented build (Franc + Diestro, Judge, Peacekeeper, Austringers to shoot into melee and disengage my models) Worst scheme options: Stuff where I have to move to the enemy side of the board. I prefer staying back and shooting. This is where I use Lady Justice. A watcher on one flank, hunter or guild dogs on the other. She walks forward in the middle of board together with Franc and tries to take down everything alone ;-). Depending on point size Judge / Peacekeeper / Death Marshall ... will go with her. This are the game I feel the least comfortable with. I like defending my own side of the table, assasination, keeping a model alive, plant explosives against melee opponents, interacting with enemy melee models...anything that does not force me to interact with the middle of the board or even the wrong side of the table... So am I missing some great master here or some options for competetive gaming ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tapdancer Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 For competitive play McCabe is a must. Look up old episodes of malifools podcast when Joel explains how to use him. His speed and flexibility makes him an amazing competition master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirial Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 For competitive play McCabe is a must. Look up old episodes of malifools podcast when Joel explains how to use him. His speed and flexibility makes him an amazing competition master. This. He will help you a lot with those "get to the other side" Schemes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valhallan42nd Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Molly, Green McMourning, Tara, and Kirai. Heh. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirial Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Molly, Green McMourning, Tara, and Kirai. Heh. The most zFiendish answer since Aaron stopped zFiend himself from giving those answers! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thstringer Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 See Joel and Mario talking McCabe on Before We Begin. I don't think there are any guild masters that can't be played competitively. Lucius and LJ are the two I hear discussed as not competitive most often, and I think they both have room in their builds for great play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunarSol Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 I think Perdita and McCabe are probably the go to generalist options to play Guild competitively. They're strong in a lot of situations and give you a strong base to build around. Sonnia is probably the next most important tool to have with a lot of strong, flexible answers between her Counterspells, blasts, and summons. The others all have their strengths, but tend to be a little more specialized or have specific things they really struggle against. I'd probably tier them something like this: McCabe/Perdita Sonnia Justice/Hoffman/McMourning Lucius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thstringer Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 So, what you are saying is that I can use Lucius to dark horse surprise people because they won't be used to facing him? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myyrä Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 So, what you are saying is that I can use Lucius to dark horse surprise people because they won't be used to facing him?You can, but I would not recommend bringing him if you expect heavy shooting from your opponent or the schemes are less than ideal for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralvorkraft Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Bring him, but only if you're willing to spend six months bashing your head against the brick wall that is his card before you start winning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lusciousmccabe Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I quite like him, but I find he's not very flexible and the games where he excels tend to be quite boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunarSol Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I'm pretty sure his strongest ability is the ability to bring Beckoners. Tannen is situationally fantastic and the Doppleganger provides some unique tricks, but is somewhat shackled with Lucius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lusciousmccabe Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I've only ever been disappointed when hiring Beckoners. Lure in Guild sounds awesome, then you realise you've dropped 7/8 points for that and very little else while there's plenty of Lure-esque effects in Guild already that come on better models. Plus, Lucius crews already struggle with too much supporting models, so I'd often cut the Beckoner just to make room for more stuff to be supported. I think cross-faction hiring is generally a bigger thing for Neverborn Lucius because he synergises better with Guardsmen than Mimics anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralvorkraft Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Honestly I think Neverborn Lucius is crazy powerful (Illuminated, Silurids, Austringer, Riflemen, Lawyer, that'll do nicely) and I've always found him to be extremely flexible. He suffers against crews that can wipe out a substantial chunk of minions in one activation, but he also doesn't have any really key models to take out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunarSol Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I've only ever been disappointed when hiring Beckoners. Lure in Guild sounds awesome, then you realise you've dropped 7/8 points for that and very little else while there's plenty of Lure-esque effects in Guild already that come on better models. Plus, Lucius crews already struggle with too much supporting models, so I'd often cut the Beckoner just to make room for more stuff to be supported. I think cross-faction hiring is generally a bigger thing for Neverborn Lucius because he synergises better with Guardsmen than Mimics anyway. Fair enough. I suppose in my head its the place where I confuse "most powerful" with "most compelling reason to take him over someone else". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralvorkraft Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I would say his most powerful abilities are "Commanding Presence" and "That's What Lackey's Are For" with honorable mentions for "Hidden Sniper" and "Devil's Deal." "Lackey's" is one of the most powerful repositioning tricks in the game, and it gives you a scheme marker for free (not that you probably need it, but they're nice to have). Commanding Presence means that you can use that trick without sacrificing any AP - I usually have Lucius taking 2 walk actions an activation unless there's really something that he alone needs to do (which is basically never the case). Hidden Sniper has a nice damage spread for a (0) and can complete your schemes for you or block theirs. "Devil's Deal" helps to mitigate the cost of Lucius', well, everything, and lets you pick when and where your minions die. I'll use it to deny distract/CO/Plant Explosives if I don't have other options, kill off something with Finish the Job, kill off a Performer to get reactivate on something, etc. I treat Issue Command as a nice bonus if the cards and board state are right. Otherwise I don't mess with it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lusciousmccabe Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Fair enough. I suppose in my head its the place where I confuse "most powerful" with "most compelling reason to take him over someone else". What about his awesome dress sense, is that not compelling enough? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunarSol Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 What about his awesome dress sense, is that not compelling enough? That is, admittedly, the primary reason I own him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralvorkraft Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 For all that I've come to love the way he plays, you run him because he is fabulous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowNot2Wargame Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Once you pause the 'he's better in neverborn' (illuminated anyone?) And also 'I can only stand back and fire riflemen with him alongside dashel', then Lucius can be great. Favourite with him is Sergeants playing subuteo with scheme markers for plant explosives. Also like executioner with him as 'what lackeys are for' can really save a whole turn of manouvering with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowNot2Wargame Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Coming back to the topic... I learnt the game with 'Dita and when I don't know what to do then I'll take her. Close 2nd's are macmourning and McCabe. Perdita when its all very killy, McCabe when its schemy, and then MacMourning when I need something in between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralvorkraft Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 I run Lucius all over the board, he's always got things to do, places to be. Ryle has become my go-to non-minion beefcake model and he fills the role quite nicely. I don't like the executioner models or else I would absolutely run one - I just can't get over wondering how they eat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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