GoldenWG Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I know, overly dramatic title. Over the last few months I have played in a number of events and I have found that I am more and more leaving Yu in the bag. The main reason for this is I typically find the Emassiary with the master specific upgrades a better all around choice. The overall benefits are that the Emassiary can push and make fast with a single AP that does not require cards and that when needed the Emassiary can dish out damage. The amount of times the Emassiary has double focused at start of activation, pushed Izamu made it fast, then took a shot doing six damage has blown a numbers of games open for me. I always prefer the Emassiary with McCabe, Mei fang, yan Lo. These masters benefits immensely form their specific upgrades. Yu ends up with Misaki and Lynch. This is due to the benefits of pushing leaders and his 0 action taking advantage of these masters' powerful 0s. Have others found similar usage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rurouni Benshin Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I agree with your sentiments on the 0 actions. If a Master doesn't have a 0 action that's used often or is a part of their synergy make up, then Sensei Yu's uses are marginalized considerably. That said, having both the Emissary and Sensei Yu has it's benefits as well, depending on 1) The Master being used and 2) the strategy and scheme pool of the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbonn Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Sensei is great with Yan, I've actually taken both emmisary and sensei with Yan. It really depends on what schemes you are going to run. Wandering river style is pretty baller for several schemes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWG Posted July 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 The two together is interesting. In my opinion, that is a lot of support. Typically when I build crews I have a master with 2-5 points of of upgrades. The uber support piece in n Yu or Emassiary, a 10 point power model, Izamu or the dawn serpent in McCabe, then 4-6 3 to 8 points models to fill out the crew, finalizing with 5-7 stones. If inwould take both support pieces I am typically giving up that power beater of several little guys. I agree there are cases wher both are useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutter Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I even stopped using the Sensei with Lynch, because Lynch's upgrade allows that extra push for a (0). So, yeah, I agree, the Shadow dragan has firmly taken the Sensei's place in my crews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigHammer Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I have started using him a bit less in favour of a couple of cheaper models for more activations, with the Emissary the main reason he sits off. That said, I love using him in crews with Misaki, McCabe and Yan Lo still, and in certain types of game he's still a shoe-in for Shenlong too. Disciple has always been his defining trait for me, and having masters with access to powerful (0) actions is pretty excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yvarre Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I still like getting an extra master AP... I'm waiting til I get the Emissary from Gencon to field it, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomjoad Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I recently had McCabe toss the Badge to the Lone Swordsman, then had the Emissary push him and give him fast, then had him nimble, charge, reactivate, charge, and killed two Oxfordians clear across the board on turn 1...so, yes, I think the Emissary is going to replace Yu in a lot of lists. I am not above running them both together though, tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_havoc Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Yu is still better at running schemes and, as mentioned, can add Fast to a Master. So, I don't think the Emissary is the death of him. Both are great but not sure I'd run them together. That's a lot of points to spend on support models! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomjoad Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 1 minute ago, chris_havoc said: Yu is still better at running schemes and, as mentioned, can add Fast to a Master. So, I don't think the Emissary is the death of him. Both are great but not sure I'd run them together. That's a lot of points to spend on support models! The Emissary can add a lot of offensive punch too; besides, I like my crews to be way heavier on the support/defense/scheme running side than most people go for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_havoc Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I'd rather take two or three minions and one of them, than both. More bodies on the table is better in my view, I don' disagree that scheme runners aren't great as he bigger percentage of a crew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWG Posted July 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 When I think about it on a master by master basis I brake it down like this: McCabe-Emassiary because of the free upgrade and the fact that with the upgrades everywhere anyone can be made fast. Mei Fang-Emassiary because of the drop scrap marker in a summing list and the zero push is nice. The Emassiary can also make Tashiro fast which means he can summon three times with the right list. misaki-Yu- the long push and the second stalk is her bread and butter Shenlong- I have found neither because he can do it himself. Yan Lo-Emassiay I like the Emassiary because of the melee boost but I can see Yu's usefulness Lynch-Yu I really like coping Mullgian and extra AP for lynch, the Emassiary is also good. Brewmaster-YOLO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitt_Happens Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Other than once on vassal, I've not taken the Emissary. By the time I started looking at him properly, the render was out and I immediately decided I did not want to invest in a proxy. Yu, I recognise as an incredibly powerful piece, but he is still not an auto-include for me. If I have a specific job for him to do, then I weigh up if that job is worth 11ss. He usually appears with Misaki but not always (to which I imagine some people are shouting "then you are sometimes playing it wrong" ... disagree: he has no place in a disguised/smoke and shadows list), often with Mei, occasionally with Lynch and never even tried with McCabe. I guess my point is: no model should be auto-include. I can see strengths for both, but if you are spending 10+ stones on 1 model, you better have a good reason. So either are good in the right situation. Sometimes both will be very effective. Sometimes neither will be just as effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinJ Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 Yu leaving the spotlight is overall a good thing. I love having a very good second support option. Also now your opponent's have something else to lament so you get to hear less complaining about the Sensei! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wake of Godzilla Posted July 13, 2016 Report Share Posted July 13, 2016 I've found space for both in the bag but not on the table. Mostly it comes down to what my crew build is (if its minion heavy I'll take Yu) or if I need to get around some DF triggers. So not dead but now I have choices, which is great design 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inquisitor Wall Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 I have enjoyed using both especially when not using Shenlong. The push and fast from the emissary helps yu save on walks and can give out fast to the master, push the master and drop scheme markers. With Shenlong I would go with one or the other. Yu is a bit harder to kill especially with the ability to gain low river style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InvokeChaos Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Both have their uses I feel, which is awesome because, as mentioned, it's great design for 10T. Both are very versatile. Shadow hits harder, but Yu has a stronger, more consistent set of boosts. Though I will admit that punching people so hard their slow (while ignoring triggers no less) is amazing. And I do love running them together. But yeah, that's a bit of an elite crew growing there. My personal favorites list: Brewie - Yu Mei Fang - Yu (theoryfaux at the moment) Lynch - Emissary Shen - Both Misaki - Yu Yan Lo Pan - Emissary McCabe - Emissary Even split for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokapondora Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Hrm, I'd say Brewie - Yu - The 6" move on Yu to let him keep up and easily reactivatable monks snag this with ease. Also the Emissary upgrade is very meh if you don't play for poison. Mei - Emissary - The lack of any 0's really cripple Yu here. Add to that the Emissary's buff to burning and free scrap and he's got this in the bag. Though it is a bit sad to leave Yu's construct and scrapmarkertossing behind because it really let you position Mei perfectly. Maybe I should try running both... Lynch - Yu - Maybe it's just my luck but I've never felt I could quite rely on my hand in any game. Until today! With just this one humble Sensei you can have fast huggies and suits alike wreak havoc anywhere in a 18" bubble with a shiny array of 13's to boot! You can even prepare your very own "Uberhand" for the next round! The Emissary on the other hand gives a 4" push with at best a 1/4 chance of getting a free card, at worst a chance to cycle 1. Not even a competition. Shen - Both/Switches - Now the Emissary has both an amazing upgrade and his 0 action really facilitates every which way you sway with Shenlong. Yu on the other hand... well... is Yu. Together with Shenlong those dreaded 4xfast/25"push turns annoy anyone in a five mile radius, the ability to cover whatever area of expertise Shenlong dropped along the way... Dunno, leaving either one behind in these matches is pure agony. Misaki - Yu - Intercontinental Ballistic Miss-aki... Need I say more? Also, the Emissary just never quite manages to keep up and I feel if I want my opponent caught between Misaki and my crew I want a slightly more solid beatstick to pose as an actual threat. Yan Lo - Yu - I mean, sure the Ancestor characteristic is nice... But I don't want to waste Yan's card slots on some stick. Nor do I like having to limit the Emissary to 7 Ca when a charging Soul Porter can just as easily get him and Yu to 9. Honestly that really just kills the upgrade for me. Also if I'm going for 10 SS of Ancestor I know who I'd pick. Or 9 SS. Possibly 8. Yu on the other hand is a Mean Lean Healing Machine. Having impossible to wound incorporeal Yan who gets some nice heals hurled at his face is hell to take down. Also I once managed to Soul Porter Yu into a Bone Ascendant and it was the happiest day of my life. Didn't even really matter anymore at that point but god was I satisfied with myself. Maybe I should try making an incorporeal Yu some day... McCabe - Emissary - I mean, giving Yu nimble is fun and all but ultimately the Emissary just brings things that makes McCabe even happier. McCabe already gives enough pushes, his 0 isn't exactly something that makes you proud copying it (though Ive had some hilarious seppuku Yu's throwing wrenches into everybody's plans), and the Emissary gives you free goodies. Also something to hit people with. I can see myself taking the Emissary as an extra with some, but only if I feel I cant take something better and more direct. Yu's 0 copying is just so good. And with the abilities to give a master fast (which especially in Lynch is absolutely terrifying), move any model he wants so minions too, and to move markers around willynilly I often feel the Emissary just lacks that tiny bit of direction I prefer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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