Old Mk1 Leveticus player returning

[Joasht]

Greetings all!

I started Malifaux some years back, but stopped playing due to the lack of a community in my area.

 

Now I've noticed that the game is in a new edition, has totally new miniatures, and (I assume) entirely different rules. As a returning Mk1 Leveticus player (which still has a fair bit of random undead and constructs), what do I need to purchase to get up to speed?

 

Also, how has he changed? I loved Leveticus in the previous edition because of his bottomless depth and flexibility; everything is fair game to him, in both list building and on the table. What models should I consider getting to accompany him?

 

Thanks!

[YourGitFacedCousin]

Well, I suppose the first thing you'll need is the 2E rule book, believe it's available for about a tenner. Then you'll want the new cards for your old crew. These are available in the faction specific card decks. Then you're on your way!

Where are you playing?

[Joasht]

Malaysia, haha. It's a fair bit away from most people. We have a few people here with sets, but there's no true community.

[AverageBoss]

First you should know that 2nd edition has thus far been split into multiple waves. Wave 1 contained the new rules for roughly half the 1st edition models, there were very few new models. Wave 2 contained the rules for the remaining 1st edition models and a few more new ones. Wave 3 introduced 5 new models for each faction with the exception of Guild and Neverborn who get 8 due to appearing in the new 2 player starter, Wave 3 also has rules for running an extended Malifaux campaign. So far all three waves have been in public beta very shortly after the release of the previous wave. Each wave has been fully released about a year apart. Leveticus himself is in Wave 2. However there are undead, constructs, and Outcasts spread throughout all three waves.

You will want the 2nd edition rulebook. This is available in 2 forms. here is a $40 big version which has the games rules, some new fluff for all the factions, and all the rules for wave 1 miniatures. The 2nd version is the mini which is $15, this has just the game rules and nothing else. Wave 2 and 3 books are in big form only and add tons of new fluff on top of model and campaign rules. These books are Crossroads and Shifting Loyalties respectively, but are completely optional (though nice to have).

Lastly there are the arsenal decks. These contain all the cards for models of specific factions and are split between wave 1 and 2. So there are 14 arsenal decks altogether. You will want the Outcast wave 2 Arsenal deck certainly as that has the cards for Leveticus himself. The others will depend on what models you have. Undead appear in:

Oucast wave 1 (on top of other outcasts),

TenThunders wave 2 (Izamu, Toshiro, and Yin),

Ressers wave 1 + 2

Guild wave 2 (rider).

Constructs show up in:

Arcanists wave 1 + 2

Neverborn Wave 2 (rider)

Guild wave 1 + 2

Ten Thunders wave 2.

To answer your question about playstyle, I unfortunately can't answer as I never even saw Levis rules in 1E. But 2E introduced and upgrades system which can pretty significantly change how models play. Masters like Levi can take 3 upgrades, this means in a mirror match of Levi vs Levi they could be very different from each other. I do know that his take undead and take constructs ability has been remade into two separate upgrade cards. Both are limited, so you only get one or the other. If you were a fan of the 4 horsemen list, it becomes possible again with a model in wave 3, which is the Outcast Emissary. His avatar would have granted this ability, but after two long public betas, avatars were relegated to campaign play only due to the seemingly impossible task of balancing them for normal play.

I hope that answers a few questions and did not overwhelm you.

[MobiusRex]

Welcome back to the 'Faux. Now I'm a newbie that's played a grand total of two games with Leve, so please don't take what I say as gospel;

My only advice from my experience is look to out activate your opponent, otherwise the waifs die. You need to play a quasi elite crew by virtue of needing anchors for you extra lives. No waifs = no resurrection = no channeling = reduced capacity for damage, so for me Leve is all about balance. If you don't have Rusty Alyce and some abominations already then the crew box is a must. As for anchors, I currently use Convict Gunslingers as my collection is still quite small but the pullmyfinger wiki (pretty much exclusively put together by Hateful Darkblack, who if you're looking for advice on Leve will become your Yoda) has a range of more competitive suggestions.

This; http://schemesandstones.podbean.com podcast has an episode focussed on Leve featuring the aforementioned Mr Darkblack (Yoda), I think episode number 9. Between that and the pullmyfinger wiki; https://pullmyfinger.wikispaces.com/M2E+Leveticus you should have a good idea of purchases.

 

[MTox]

Beat to the punch, second all of the above

 

As someone who also played Leve in first edition, head out to the Pull My Finger Wiki and take a read.  The death/rebirth cycle is a little more hamstringing and you have some crew restrictions that you didn't have in 1st (choose between constructs and undead), but it's easy to make the jump back into 2nd with the ol' man.

Edited August 31, 2015 by MTox

[MobiusRex]

... and also here is the extended tactica; http://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/100735-leveticus-tactica-burnt-offerings/  the pullmyfinger wiki is a condensed version of this and it's put together by - you guessed it - Hateful Darkblack (He pays 5 cents every time I advertise him :P). but seriously though, these guides have made getting to grips with Leve far more smoother for me.

[Joasht]

Thanks guys for the replies!

 

Curious; there seems to be several scheme or mission packs out there; what are they?

Also, is the fate deck still the same as Mk1?

I'm slightly saddened that I can't freely do both Undead and Constructs in this edition as I could in the past; especially since my collection is mostly undead but I liked my constructs too. I'm contemplating getting Lazarus, but what other constructs should I look at getting? The Hoffman starter seems to have some decent stuff in it.

 

Thanks again!

[Dirial]

Note that some models (the Iron Zombies and Flesh COnstructs) are both Undead and Constructs.

The Fate Deck is the same.

I don't know what you mean by mission packs? There's a Scheme&Strategy Deck which includes reference cards. There's Gaining Grounds which includes alternate Strategies. There's Crossroads and the University of Transmortis (and soon Brotherhood of the Rat) which include Story Encounters.

[Joasht]

Oh I meant the Shifting Loyalties Campaign Deck. I happened upon itin an online shop.

 

I decided to pick up the cards as mentioned by you guys, as well as Lazarus, Mechanical Rider and the Hoffman starter; mostly because I may have a use for his robots, but also because Guild is easily my second pick anyway.

 

Speaking of Guild, how is Peacekeeper? It's an awesome model (and frankly the resculpt still looks kinda similar to the old one....guess that isn't surprising).

[Sackville]

The Peacekeeper is a good model in faction but with all the other options Levi has I'm not sure when you'd want it over the Mech. Rider, A&D, or Lazarus. It's got an amazing Ml attack but it just seems kind of slow without a third AP or any movement tricks. I've never played with it, though, and maybe I'm underrating the Chain Harpoon.

[Freman]

It's Leveticus.

He's the Pokemon master of Malifaux, because he's gotta catch them all.

Realistically all the models he actually needs are in faction. Lazarus, Ashes and Dust, Void Wretches for scheme running. Everything else is flavour. If you're too enthusiastic buying out of faction models you're going to end up with playable Resurrectionist, Guild and Arcanist forces... like I did.

Be careful.

[Dirial]

In Shifting Loyalties, rules for campaigns have been published, and the campaign decks includes the upgrades a model can get in a campaign. You cannot use them in normal games.

And the Chain Harpoon is a Schnitzel!