Thoughts on a Lucas McCabe build

[EntrepeNinja]

I'm thinking about a Lucas build that focuses on striking in melee- this would mean it would mostly be good in a turfwar/guard the stash/extraction kind of scenario. Preferably with killy schemes- Murder Protege or Vendetta sort of primarily.

McCabe-
   Badge of Speed, Glowing Sabre, Promises (5 stones)

Kamaitachi

Toshiro
   Command the Graves

Low River Monk
High River Monk x2
Rail Worker x2

It's main focus is to empower the lowly minion into the ranks of ultimate killers. Low Rivers can be swapped out an peppered in for more activations, or more healing or other enforcers or such (like swap out a couple for a lone swordsman or something... Who will get bonuses from Promises, though not Toshiro)

So the basic breakdown is- a high river monk ML 6 with a positive twist from Toshiro is good. Give it a badge of speed and it gets better and faster. Potentially reactivating as well...

And finally, the Rail worker is solid. The melee is pretty good, but Implacable is what's the bomb. You drop a card, and they get super focus. ( to attack and damage until the end of the turn). If you then also give them, say, a glowing saber and reactivate, they can take way more advantage of that ability, as well as a higher ML score and a higher minimum damage. And inside both auras, that's gonna put them at 3 to attack, and 1 to damage. And that's any melee- meaning you can use the Glowing Sabre that way as well.

Low Rivers are also good back up beaters with their ability to stand fast, and then you give them a sword and they're just as blood thirsty as anything. 

 

Haven't had the opportunity to play it yet. But I'm excited to give it a go.

ENinja

[Myyrä]

None of the minions you have chosen have phenomenal damage without the saber and you only have one of those available. I would drop at least two of the minions you have chosen and take some ranged attackers instead, like Katanaka Snipers or Austringers.

[Ten11ths]

Needs more Punk Zombie

[chris_havoc]

None of the minions you have chosen have phenomenal damage without the saber and you only have one of those available. I would drop at least two of the minions you have chosen and take some ranged attackers instead, like Katanaka Snipers or Austringers.

I disagree about the damage. Rail Workers have a significant track. I like the idea of the Flurry Charge with the Glowing Sabre by the High River Monks but the crew does feel a little bit disjointed. I think it's worth trying it out and reporting back about where and if it feels lacking. I think the worry may be that the Rail Workers are slower than everyone else.

[Carcosa]

If you really want to abuse rail workers, try lynch instead.

Don't forget, glowing sabre uses a separate track to the person using it if you want all the funky abilities.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Carcosa

[Ludvig]

If you really want to abuse rail workers, try lynch instead.

Don't forget, glowing sabre uses a separate track to the person using it if you want all the funky abilities.

I think the rail workers are there to use the  to attack and damage which can be brutal with the sabre since it's biggest (only?) drawback is that it has weak 1 (2 with the crit but still). It should allow you some beastly damage flips from that sabre. I'd love to hear how the list does!

[EntrepeNinja]

I'll try and get it on the table then.

[Carcosa]

 

I think the rail workers are there to use the  to attack and damage which can be brutal with the sabre since it's biggest (only?) drawback is that it has weak 1 (2 with the crit but still). It should allow you some beastly damage flips from that sabre. I'd love to hear how the list does!

Oh yes, that is a separate ability, and still works.

[EntrepeNinja]

Yeah that's the main point of the Rail Workers for me- I'm gonna be at massive positives to attack (1 for implacable, one for promises, one for toshiro, maybe, etc) To go for the straight for damage and hope for solid moderate or severe flips. 

Though- and someone brought up Lynch earlier, which makes me think of him s'more...

If Lynch brought the implacable bastards, they can all go implacable for one Ace. Bring a toshiro, and they'll still get the plus flip. Then on top of that, them flipping 3 cards on attacks gives you better chances at catching aces on the attack and dropping them into the hand at no cost... Dayum.

ENinja

[Carcosa]

Yeah that's the main point of the Rail Workers for me- I'm gonna be at massive positives to attack (1 for implacable, one for promises, one for toshiro, maybe, etc) To go for the straight for damage and hope for solid moderate or severe flips. 

Though- and someone brought up Lynch earlier, which makes me think of him s'more...

If Lynch brought the implacable bastards, they can all go implacable for one Ace. Bring a toshiro, and they'll still get the plus flip. Then on top of that, them flipping 3 cards on attacks gives you better chances at catching aces on the attack and dropping them into the hand at no cost... Dayum.

ENinja

This is why I said if you want to abuse the heck out of them, go lynch

Hell, make it the ace of tomes, and trigger metal on metal all the time if you get hit for that sweet armour 3 equivalent

[Mason]

Hell, make it the ace of tomes, and trigger metal on metal all the time if you get hit for that sweet armour 3 equivalent

Lynch only gets the ace back if it's discarded on a friendly model's activation. So if you use the ace of tomes on the opponent's turn as they're attacking you, it won't jump back to his hand.

[Carcosa]

Hell, make it the ace of tomes, and trigger metal on metal all the time if you get hit for that sweet armour 3 equivalent

Lynch only gets the ace back if it's discarded on a friendly model's activation. So if you use the ace of tomes on the opponent's turn as they're attacking you, it won't jump back to his hand.

 

I type corrected

[Eclipse]

Discarded or cheated (after which the aces are technically "discarded" anyway).

As for the build - rail workers are solid, but a little on the slow side and also have no need of the sabre. It is best thrown on either models that have no (or unreliable) melee attacks - Archers, Fuhatsu; or cheap minions - which Low River Monks, Wastrels and Oiran are. More importantly: This might be just my opinion, but never, EVER take McGabe without Luna if you want to win - this bitch wins games! Walk 6, with Nimble and Reactivate if you use the badge is just bonkers (in the good for -us- way ). The high river monks are an interesting idea, never thought of that.

Overall, since you are MG in 10T, your strongest points are flexibility and speed. Choose your schemes and targets wisely and try to mislead the opponent; as they will probably be unable to catch up to you if you change your movements and targets. Also, no matter the master, Pathfinders are almost always GOLDEN (and potentially quite annoying for the opponent, lols ).

[EntrepeNinja]

Overall, since you are MG in 10T

MG?

Yeah, I love the faction, particularly the flexibility. And the variety of masters. The only thing we're really missing is a solid summoning master. Toshiro is pretty nice, but a poor substitute when you're staring down a Nico or a Ramos in a Reconnoiter type scenario... 

As for the matter at hand- I know the game comes down to bring the crew that successfully completes the schemes and strats, but on of my favorite things to do with idle time is parse through cards and look for dirty things. For instance. Sensei Yu- McCabe passes him the badge of speed. He now pushes. He then activates, takes his nimble action. Let's say he's got Wandering River. He targets a model, 0 action to steal mccabe's 0 action. Uses take this. Passes badge of speed to a beater. Izamu? Lone Swordsman? It gets pushed by take this. (4"? I think?) Uses Airburst to push the same beater 5 more inches, and gains focus. Uses Mighty Gust to push them 5 more inches. Gives them fast. Now you have a model that's 14" further than it was. With Nimble. And fast. (And if it was Izamu, also with Melee Expert). @VirtualOnMars Lightning 'Zamu's Final Form.

[Carcosa]

 

MG?

Yeah, I love the faction, particularly the flexibility. And the variety of masters. The only thing we're really missing is a solid summoning master. Toshiro is pretty nice, but a poor substitute when you're staring down a Nico or a Ramos in a Reconnoiter type scenario... 

As for the matter at hand- I know the game comes down to bring the crew that successfully completes the schemes and strats, but on of my favorite things to do with idle time is parse through cards and look for dirty things. For instance. Sensei Yu- McCabe passes him the badge of speed. He now pushes. He then activates, takes his nimble action. Let's say he's got Wandering River. He targets a model, 0 action to steal mccabe's 0 action. Uses take this. Passes badge of speed to a beater. Izamu? Lone Swordsman? It gets pushed by take this. (4"? I think?) Uses Airburst to push the same beater 5 more inches, and gains focus. Uses Mighty Gust to push them 5 more inches. Gives them fast. Now you have a model that's 14" further than it was. With Nimble. And fast. (And if it was Izamu, also with Melee Expert). @VirtualOnMars Lightning 'Zamu's Final Form.

Theoryfaux is a wonderful thing my friend, keeps the brain healthy and young

[chris_havoc]

Oooo.... Lynch with 10T Brothers and Rail Workers would be interesting! Get a whole lot of traction out of a single Ace, let alone more.

Have you play tested yet?

[EntrepeNinja]

That, I have. At least the brothers. I think that Brilliance is the Neverborn Lynch mode. I think Discard Shenanigans are the Thunders Lynch. (Of course, you can infiltrate over enough things to make it work here as well...) But with Brothers, Torokage, Tengu, High RIvers, Rail workers, the Lone Swordsman, the thunders archers, etc etc... All of whom can discard something to gain something- and the ability to discard nothing to gain something is better.

ENinja

[Sackville]

Speaking of Torakage, they seem like they'd also be a good candidate for the Sabre. It raises their Ml and their weak and moderate damage, and they get to swing it with positive flips from Works Best Alone.

[ArcticPangolin]

I'd be curious to see how Desperate Mercenaries go with McCabe too... such a shame that they'd cost more than a Wastrel with Merc tax.

[EntrepeNinja]

@Sackville There's a sweet spot. Outside of 3" for works best alone, and inside of 6 for promises and that sabre is at a double pos.

 

The torokage are also good because you can discard an ace to take three attacks at a target, and push 9" at the same time. (Leaf Step is baller.)

[Vlad]

Hi guys! I'm thinking of buying Relic Hunters box set and some good-looking models from 10T. So I've got the question - is it a good idea to add Fuhatsu and Samurai to McCabe's starting crew? Or it will cause more problems than benefits?

[EntrepeNinja]

I think Fuhatsu and Samurai can work just fine with him. I haven't played with Samurai or Fuhatsu yet, but where McCabe excels is making good models better. He can toss Fuhatsu the Badge or the Elixer or the shirt and give him more speed, or more surviability. Using a promises and having Samrai around give them to their melee and WP I believe, and they've all got free upgrades to make that unlocked. Could be pretty solid. 

[Vlad]

Thank you!

[zFiend]

I haven't actually ever seen anyone pull off anything good from Fuhatsu. He is super easy to lock down and render useless. So I would proxy him for a few games if I was you. It's a bit expensive too as a model both in game and miniature wise.  

[Myyrä]

I haven't actually ever seen anyone pull off anything good from Fuhatsu. He is super easy to lock down and render useless. So I would proxy him for a few games if I was you. It's a bit expensive too as a model both in game and miniature wise.  

Fuhatsu is suddenly not easy at all to lock down if he is swinging a saber at anything trying to engage him. Sure, he is still less dangerous in Ml, but at least he is not useless.