Which masters settle for fewer than 3 upgrades?

[hydranixx]

Arcanist upgrades are awesome. Are there any situations where your Master plays fewer than 3 upgrades?

[bertmac]

I used to go light with Kaeris just arcane resevoir and a limited. Blinding flame is good if you want too move people otherwise i can just go with 2 or if i have a spare ss throw on the initiative upgrade.

Mei sometimes I take arcane res and seismic claws other times just vapormance and ar.

Marcus again ar and trail of the gods unless you are taking something with pack leader. Although i have also played him with 2 of his other upgrades.

They all really depend what you are up against and what the strats and schemes are.

[Adran]

When I play Kaeris, Colette and Ramos I might not max out on upgrades on the master. Also when I have 3 non master models that want imbued energies , as otherwise 1 ss to give my master an extra AP is a good choice (well a crutch for me anyway). 

Its hard not to put Arcane reservoir on my master. 

 

[Wifstrand]

I've enjoyed just going for December's Pawn and Shattered Heart on Rasputina. She can use Cold Nights as well, but I don't consider it mandatory.

[angyi]

I almost always play Kaeris with Blinding Flame and a limited upgrade, and Ramos with Combat Mechanic and Arcane Reservoir. On the other hand, the only master who _needs_ all 3 upgrades is Ironsides IMO. The others are perfect with just 2. (A different question is that Marcus has stellar upgrades for 1 SS each, so I have no reason not to buy 3 of them. But he doesn't _need_ all 3.)

[hydranixx]

I feel like every time you could stay with only 2 upgrades, you may as well just take Philo Stone too.

It seems better than using a ss from your cache for your control hand, and you can use it any turn you require extra cards to work with.

[Bengt]

4 hours ago, hydranixx said:

I feel like every time you could stay with only 2 upgrades, you may as well just take Philo Stone too.

It seems better than using a ss from your cache for your control hand, and you can use it any turn you require extra cards to work with.

Had it been just discard upgrade at the start of activation to draw cards, sure. But now it costs a (0) action which seriously cuts down on the number of masters it is worthwhile for.

[retnab]

For me whenever I have a spare slot on my master I used to do Arcane Reservoir (I still do for Ramos and Mei Feng) but nowadays I do Seize The Day. Getting to go first most turns makes quite the difference to how many models you lose in a turn from my experience. I basically always take 3 upgrades on my master though, the only times I haven't are with Colette and Kaeris (never less than 2 though).

[decker_cky]

If you aren't maxing out otherwise, how are you not popping seize the day on your master for 1ss? It's a spectacular upgrade for 1ss (it's paid itself off if you would have stoned for initiative once, and then makes stoning for initiative two cards rather than one. 

 

IMO, there's always at least one specific upgrade you want, then even if you don't want any more specific upgrades, arcane reservoir and seize the day are good enough that you should never have less than the full three on your master.

 

[Adran]

On 01/08/2016 at 6:11 AM, decker_cky said:

If you aren't maxing out otherwise, how are you not popping seize the day on your master for 1ss? It's a spectacular upgrade for 1ss (it's paid itself off if you would have stoned for initiative once, and then makes stoning for initiative two cards rather than one. 

 

IMO, there's always at least one specific upgrade you want, then even if you don't want any more specific upgrades, arcane reservoir and seize the day are good enough that you should never have less than the full three on your master.

 

I spent 5 years losing about 90% of my initiative flips. I play as if I'm going to lose them now, so I'll never take seize the day. 

[osoi]

As others have said when I run Kaeris its generally with 2 upgrades only. Mei Feng sometimes goes in with 2 as well and I cant see myself filling up all 3 spots on Colette when I start running her.

 

Arcane Reservoir is good but it is not an auto include for me, the cost of 2 stones sometimes nets me more benefit than the extra card in hand.

 

I like Seize the Day but generally only take it if I playing against Neverborn or Gremlins where they are likely to include the Doppleganger or Trixiebelle. The + flip on initiative is great but I often try and play as if I will lose initiative and when I do win it, it is a nice bonus

[decker_cky]

I find that I'm burning stones for cards several times per game regardless. If I'm going to do that, I might as well invest those stones at the front end and actually get to keep the card (handy with all the discard effects around). 

I like arcane reservoir enough that if I take it, I'll still strongly consider Hannah for the 8 card hand (Hannah obviously is otherwise still very good value). 

----

With seize the day, even if you lose, you generally just burned two below average cards from the deck. If you win, you get to take the initiative, or if your opponent has something like a doppleganger, they're burning a high card from their hand (if I'm willing to spend 2ss for +1 card, -1 high card from my opponents hand must be worth at least that much). All of those potential effects combine to make an upgrade well worth the investment.

[hydranixx]

I agree with decker; there's usually 1-2 crucial, game deciding initiative flips per game. Seize the Day is invaluable, and a bargain for only 1ss. I also like Reservoir, but I don't want to rely on it every game. 2ss is a costly investment if you auto include it. I think I'll try a few games without it and see how I fare. 

[Adran]

6 hours ago, hydranixx said:

I agree with decker; there's usually 1-2 crucial, game deciding initiative flips per game. Seize the Day is invaluable, and a bargain for only 1ss. I also like Reservoir, but I don't want to rely on it every game. 2ss is a costly investment if you auto include it. I think I'll try a few games without it and see how I fare. 

And if you play in a way that there are 1 or 2 crucial initiative flips, then its well worth it. I've been forced to learn to play in a way that means I don't expect critical initative flips. Its a lower risk set up, but can still work. 

If you are likely to spend 1 stone per game on initiative, then its a worth while investment.  But unless I am going to force myself to always use sieze the day, Tara doppleganger or Trixe, I don't want to un-teach myself to not rely on going first.