Expanding Outcasts?

[Wolfpact]

So, I am officially in love with playing Parker, and though my black heart still has fondness for the Neverborn I find I'm in a pretty good place with them collection-wise (for the record: Pandora's box, Lynch's Box, Beckoners, Teddy, Doppelganger) with no Masters or figures really calling out to me, and have begun to plot what to pick up when the Black Friday sale hits. 

 

* * *

My Current Outcast Roster

- Parker Barrows

- Doc Mitchell

- Mad Dog Brackett

- Sue

- Johan

- Big Jake

- Bandido (x3)

 

* * *

I know for a fact I'll be ordering Von Schill's Hired Guns box set, both for flavor and the fact I see nothing but praise for both the Trapper and the Librarian - and though I see their reception less universally warm, I really do like Von Schill himself and the look of the Specialist.  On that angle, I'm also strongly considering Lazarus - because he seems immensely fun and useful, looks like a great deal of entertainment to build and pose, and again I love his flavor.

 

And let it be said, if by some fortune the Dead Outlaws are available, I'm definitely snatching them up; I've also had the HodgepodgeEffigy come highly recommended for Parker.

 

Moving onto the less-certain things, for one I'd like thoughts and feedback on the Viktorias' Hired Swords. I already have a good few melee scrappers and killers - Teddy, the Illuminated, Brawler Pandora herself, Lynch with his nuking potential; that said Ronin look like they'd be really useful for Parker, and the Student of Conflict can be a Merc totem for other Masters; not sure if the box itself is really what I need right now or if just picking up a box of Ronin separately might be better?

 

And here's the interesting one - Tara and her Herald of Obliteration box and thematic additions. I've seen it said that Tara is a bit on the weak side,and that she's overly complicated - but the fact I started Outcasts with Parker probably makes it plain that I have a slight complexity addiction and love a lot of sideways options and shenanigans. Still, is she weak? I confess I might actually run her more in Resurrectionist than Outcast so as to use The Forgotten Marshal, and that honestly a part of the draw to her is that I'm a huge lover of all things Weird West and thus love the look and feel of the Death Marshals but otherwise have little to no real interest in playing Guild; I've heard it said that Void Wretches are some of the premiere scheme-runners for us as Outcasts?

 

Though only sort of partly Outcasts, I've always been interested in the Crossroads Seven - and since they play well with Jack Daw and his Guilty as Charged set and I hear Envy in particular is really great with Parker both those intrigue me as well.

 

Plus I'm sure I probably overlooked something or someone else highly notable; after putting aside for all four of the books and shipping I'm probably looking a ta budget somewhere in the $150 USD range, so.. advise me please, more experienced Outcasts!

[asrian]

Glad you're enjoying Parker. One correction for the above, Mysterious Effigy is Neverborn. Hodgepodge is Outcast.

If I were you and wanted to expand with the above, I'd go with Viks Box, Von Schill box, Hannah, and Hodgepodge. That should meet your budget, give you two crews and plenty of mercs to hire into your Neverborn crews if needed. 
 

Von Schill is another generalist master like Parker, but more defense oriented. He lacks Parker's scheme tricks, but gains more armor, healing in the crew as well as a bubble like hard to kill and wp boost to those around him.

Viks are a very in your face killy crew. The sisters are basically whirling dervishes of destruction. They tend to die fast (glass cannons), but usually not before they take most of the opponent's crew down with them, or at the least key models. Taelor, who comes with the crew box, is a very solid, if slow, beater and an absolute nightmare against summoners due to gaining free charges on a 0AP action. The Ronin are solid minions who I'd hire in just about any crew, but who work very well in Parker's for extra SS gain if needed.

Hodgepodge is good for cover saves plus he hands out, on a 0AP, a condition to the crew leader that if they kill someone they can discard to gain a SS. This is good for any master really and I've used him with Viks, Von Schill, and Parker to good effect. He's also just an all around solid little minion.

Hannah is an ace henchman. She allows you to draw an extra card per turn (7 cards in hand instead of 6), can do blasts in close combat, can copy cast actions (such as Librarian heals, or Vik of Blood buffs). Best of all she's a Merc, so can again be hired in any crew. I enjoy giving her the I Pay Better upgrade which allows her or any other merc within 10 to discard a card to gain Focus. You won't use it every turn, nor probably on multiple models a turn, but it does come in handy for key mercs to gain needed  when called for without using AP to gain focus.

[Wolfpact]

Oops! Corrected that. Having your teeth out will leave a soul a mite prone to mistypes

 

And yeah, I've heard VS and the 'Korps are the kings of take and hold due to healing and durability.

[asrian]

A lot of Outcast players I see tend to go more for Viks or Levi for sheer brutality, or Hamelin for activation/scheme control, but I like Von Schill. True he won't murder everything or easily drop/deny scheme scenarios, but I'm comfortable taking him in any strat/scheme and at least knowing he has a chance to succeed due to he and his crew's versatility.

[daniello_s]

 

Oops! Corrected that. Having your teeth out will leave a soul a mite prone to mistypes

 

And yeah, I've heard VS and the 'Korps are the kings of take and hold due to healing and durability.

Untill they meet stuff which ignores Armour like Kirai and her gang or McMourning and his Poison shenanigans. Not to mention Hanged who shuts down their healing like no one else

[Wolfpact]

I really like Levi's aesthetic but am holding off n him for now, to let his errata have a chance to get updated - and as said, I have a fine collection of killers at the time.

 

Hamelin does intrigue me, heard he's a really great controller, but he and Levi I hear are both remarkably cost-intensive to get started up, and I moved to Outcasts in part to go with less-vicious, less NPE masters - I have two regular opponents (the nephews) who all started with me, and both were not having a great time playing Pan or Lynch, so sheer nastiness is not a high priority for me.

 

(And if I'm being perfectly honest, the biggest love I have for the Outcasts is their aesthetic. Weird West Body Horror Dieselpunk Samurai Cowboys with shades of both Poe and Barker? )

[asrian]

That's just nature of the beast though for any crew. Parker is a wonderful example. Ranged attack crew, can hit up close...and then he comes up against Kirai and Incorporeal (1/2 damage) or Mei Feng and her Vent Steam  of Doom.

[asrian]

And to be honest, @daniello_s, if I was playing any Outcast crew (or Neverborn for that matter) and my opponent declared Ressers, I'd likely hire Johan straight off just to deal with condition removal.  

[Wolfpact]

Heh, another thing is yeah, 'Born and Outcasts seem(to my uneducated inexperience) to actually cover each others' weak spots a bit - when I need range and schemes, Outcasts; when I need melee brutality and control, put on the mask.

[daniello_s]

 

And to be honest, @daniello_s, if I was playing any Outcast crew (or Neverborn for that matter) and my opponent declared Ressers, I'd likely hire Johan straight off just to deal with condition removal.  

Problem arises when your opponent knows Johan and will try to eliminate him ASAP so you have a choice, either keep him far away from the main slaughter but safe or to keep him closer so he can do him job but be really vulnerable