Halflingspy Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Hello, fellow rebels! Recently, myself and other writers on my gaming news site have jumped in to talk about our favorite faction in a bit of detail. As someone that's been playing Malifaux for three years, I find myself still an Arcanist fan through and through. Not wanting to miss a chance to talk about how awesome they are, here is the article about it! It's split up into talking about their story, and then generalized information about the crews. Now, posting here, I know a generalize overview of the Masters in the game probably isn't needed, but I'm curious about why other people play Arcanists, and how they view them. Are they a criminal organization, or are they the underdog heroes? In the article, I make a claim reaching for the idea that the Arcanists are probably the closest that we get to a good guy faction in the game. Agree, Disagree?http://www.spritesanddice.com/2015/06/malifaux-factions-embrace-freedom-with.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clockwork Top Hat Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't see the arcanists as "good guys" in the same way I don't see the but certainly the ones I love the most and want to win. I like the freedom fighters/anarchist feel and I love magic - and they are after all the arcanists. I love some of the tricks they can pull off and their models rule! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zFiend Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 The good guys are obviously Rezzers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clockwork Top Hat Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 *sees the corpse popping up out of the ground* (1) Immolate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgraz Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I find myself still an Arcanist fan through and through. Careful my friends....someone saying this while sporting a Wastrel Avatar is obviously a Guild spy. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't see the Arcanists as good guys, far from it. I only really find Colette and Mei Feng sympathetic, Rasputina and Ramos are grade A assholes, the others are more middle ground. The closest thing to a central organization, the M&SU, is set up to give Ramos power and influence. It protects worker only so far as it doesn't interfere with Ramos' other interests. It's still my favourite faction, but I have no illusions about the virtues of its Masters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirial Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 The great thing about Malifaux is that no one is really a good guy and even the obvious bad guys have some very relateable motives. Shady characters all around. A hive of scum and villainy, to be sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjoewoo Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Except for Seamus, he just wants to have lady friends. And fun in the Necropolis. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zFiend Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Except for Seamus, he just wants to have lady friends. And fun in the Necropolis. I agree. Seamus is clearly the good guy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Barrows Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Gremlins would be the closest to a good guy faction. They for the most part just want to keep their land. Yet, they are willing to maintain mutual benefiting relations with the humans. Ramos, he doesn't want freedom. He wants control himself. Maybe he wouldn't be as bad the Guild, but the sake of the people is certainly not his first concern. Does it have good people? Definitely. Like the Guild, I would consider most of the Masters "good guys." But as long as Ramos is charge, I don't think the Arcanists can be considered the good guys. EDIT: On topic for the other part, I love the Arcanists playwise. Every Master I have run has been great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fog Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 Ramos is truly the only leader who could properly lead the people of Malifaux. Don't believe me? Just ask him yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadeton Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 Fluff-wise, I agree that the Arcanists are as close as it gets to a "good" Faction from my own ideological context. Even then, their methods are questionable at best.The basic setup of a labour union set up to minimise worker exploitation under an oppressive totalitarian regime, including "freedom fighter" elements, is a sympathetic position to me. Unfortunately, Ramos is the epitome of corrupted union officialdom, seeking nothing more than personal power with a callous disregard for those he's supposed to protect.Kaeris, Ironsides and Mei Feng are morally grey, being little more than thugs for the union. They have interesting personal stories but I don't think I'd call them good people.Colette does seem like a good person, even though she's a former criminal. She looks after her showgirls and does what she needs to survive. Marcus has sort of excused himself from moral standards.I have a lot of sympathy for Rasputina, and I think hers is the most powerful personal story of any of the Masters. She's done terrible things, but only because she's been placed in terrible situations where "good" outcomes were impossible. Her choices may not be the ones I would have made in her situation, but I can understand why she made them. She's compelling, but I would avoid her at all costs. She's a fantastic character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Barrows Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 I think Mei Feng fits in the villain category. She is a secret agent for a criminal organization engages slavery (of Gremlins), "protection" rackets, etc. She might care for her specific people she leads, but I don't remember her giving a shit about anyone else. *shrugs* I could be wrong. Maybe I missed something. Ironsides I would fit into the hero category. She is focused on destroying the Guild for good reasons. She might not be too concerned with what Ramos is trying to build, but I could see her turning against him if she doesn't like what she sees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 What I find damning with Ironsides is that she is Ramos' enforcer. One that explicitly is not only fighting guild, as per her unit entry she's the one that goes to kill anyone who tries to leave the M&SU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Barrows Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 True. I probably see her in a more favorable light. But I still believe she is a bit more on the "good guy" side than simply being a "thug for the Union." It's not like the Union is filled with well-meaning people. *points to the Ice guy from her story* Admittedly, it may be a little different when/if I see her beating down a good person knowing full well the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadeton Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 From another perspective, Mei Feng is a hero fighting against the exploitation of her people by the M&SU from the inside. She's a resistance leader for worker's rights in an organisation that no longer protects them.Ironsides mostly seems to get drunk and pick fights. She's not exactly a productive member of society.Of all the Arcanists, I think Kaeris is the most villainous after Ramos. She's got the stereotypical villain childhood trauma (a lazy but common trope), has no obvious compunctions about killing people and causing massive amounts of property damage, and is to all intents and purposes an assassin that Ramos sends to kill his enemies in spectacular fashion.It's all in how you look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 So of the 1st edition books I've only read the first two, and Marcus only appears briefly there. Does he do anything of note in the other two? Or is his morals a total enigma? Because the whole going to live in nature thing can be noble or scary depending on the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirial Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 He doesn't do much besides save Raspy in Book 1 and discussing science with McM in Book 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjoewoo Posted July 10, 2015 Report Share Posted July 10, 2015 He awes a lady with great healing ability into obedience in the jungle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampers&nd Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 The leaked story from shifting loyalties portrays Mei feng in a very bad light, she is definitely NOT a good guy, admitting lying to her followers about fighting for the people etc. Ironsides is more about people power and is a good guy in the way John Frost was (admittedly more punchy) morally they are fighting for something good but their methods are questionable, as is the person they take orders from. If we go in good old D+D speak: Ramos- Neutral Evil (possibly true neutral but he wants power too much for his own ends for me) Ironsides- Neutral Good (I admit, I'm biased here) Marcus- True Neutral (he really doesn't care) Colette- Chaotic Good (wants the best for herself and her girls) Rasputina- Chaotic Neutral (a bit mental, slightly out of control but she recognises that December is bad and works against it) Mei Feng- Lawful Evil (I may go so far as Lawful neutral- she follows the rules to the letter, even if that means bad things happening) but that's just my take;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 The leaked story from shifting loyalties Where can this be found? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fog Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 I think people are viewing these events through the wrong lens. In Malifaux, life IS cheap. It's another resource and, whether we agree or not, the various masters don't have the luxury of being squeamish. Yeah, Ramos sacrificed two men to Tina's cannibal cult but it wasn't for laughs. He needed to keep them mollified and ensure allegiances that are essential for the Union. He even goes into how the Union would take care of the families of the two unfortunate souls. Morality is a complicated thing and trying to shoehorn people into our modern blank and white categories is a little silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampers&nd Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Bengt- its the section that seems to be from teh end of a story just here- http://wyrd-games.net/community/topic/109235-june-29th-lots-o-goodies/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Thanks. Though I wouldn't call it a "leak" when Wyrd has willingly shared it. As for Alignments my view is more: Ramos: Lawful Evil, he's a bastard so evil for sure. Lawful because while he doesn't want the current ordered society, he do want an ordered society, just with him in charge. Ironsides: Chaotic Neutral or possibly Chaotic Evil. Seems mostly interested in getting revenge, getting drunk, and beating up whoever, in no particular order. Marcus: Too little information. Colette: Neutral Good or True Neutral. While it's obvious she cares for her friends, I don't think it's clear that she cares about anyone else. She doesn't seem very extreme on the lawful chaotic scale either. Rasputina: Chaotic Evil all the way. She leads a band of cannibals and partake in their feasts. If she was less evil at some point she has fallen down the slippery slope by now. Mei Feng: Lawful Neutral. If anything she seems like a punch clock villain in those story pages. Kaeris: Chaotic Neutral or Chaotic Evil. She comes across as a sociopath in the Crossroads story and her school of magic requires rejection of control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solkan Posted July 15, 2015 Report Share Posted July 15, 2015 Unofficial Arcanists motto: "Yeah, we might be jerks. But have you seen the other guys?" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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