What to get?

[Steinwand]

Hello! I recently picked up Malifaux and after much deliberation decided to go with Ulix as my first master. However when looking to expand into the rest of the faction, I've found that I'm not particularly enamored by Gremlins outside of Ulix and pigs. While I do rather like Zoraida and her batch of critters, it's my understanding that those are Neverborn models. Should I try to stick with Gremlins or perhaps look to another faction?

[Cinnamon Bear]

Zoraida is a dual-faction Neverborn/Gremlin Master. One of her upgrades lets her take swampfiend models (everything in her box) regardless of faction.

[Askelada]

In fact that she is dual master, I usually pick more Neverborns models for her crew.

Will O'Wisp! After they come, grandma Z become reall tough.

[Math Mathonwy]

Zoraida also really likes Pigs as her Obey can make great use of their 1 AP Charges.

Her box is really useless for the Gremlin side, though, in that even though you can hire them all due to Zoraida's Upgrade (that allows her to hire Swamp Fiends from other Factions), but Bad Juju can't take his Upgrade which makes him useless and Silurids are severely outmatched by Gremlin Scheme runners.

[Steinwand]

So would it be better to get Somer's box in regards to branching into Gremlins? As much as I'd like Zoraida's box, Neverborn are not high on the list of factions I want to get into.

[Je ne c'est LaCroix]

Zoraida is my most oft used master, I love the old hag, totally agree with Math in that I really don't use any of her box (apart from Voodoo Doll of course which is hilarious every time), and I do find myself using an (expensive) mix of models with her, for example Trixie from the Mah box, Sammy, Gracie and Burt (get these two wherever your subsequent life decisions take you) and I do enjoy the Swampfiends. Minimum here - McTavish and the Waldgeist, perhaps the Gators if you like them although they're not super effective, but fun. Did I mention McTavish? Silurids are definitely useable if you do go with the Z box and are limited on models, I just don't use them. See Roosters (pre-2017 vintage). They also do the Z-Obey-charge trick.

Somer gets a lot of good press around here, but probably you're gonna have to give in to the Bayou Gremlin spamming and a whole multitude of other Gremlins, which goes against your Gremlin-dis-enamourous-ness. You will need slop haulers though either way.

If I do use Z as Neverborn, it's only really as a Swampfiend pile with Juju and so you're not really being very Neverborny.

Also there is right now a single Zoraida and Voodoo Doll on (UK) ebay for 8 of the Queen's pounds.

 

[Steinwand]

I think I might just jump factions after I finish my pigs.

[Phinn]

@Steinwand, which Faction do you fancy then?

[Steinwand]

I'm pretty evenly split on all of them. I'll even come back to Gremlins eventually, they just aren't really what I'm feeling right now. I've been really looking at the Outcasts though as they aren't represented in my group, but Arcanists have also caught my eye.

[Phinn]

Yep, yep, that bunch of redheaded stepchildren The Outcasts and bloody spellslinging scum The Arcanists are OK
Join the glorious Neverborn!

Is it a matter of playstyle or aesthetics?

[Steinwand]

I don't honestly know. I've actually been putting off getting another crew box until I was absolutely sure about it, because it's not so much that I dislike Gremlins as it is that I find it difficult to pass up things like constructs and mad scientists. I might pick up Ophelia because I rather like the Ortega Parody or just get Zoraida to use with my pigs till I can get I nice little Swampfiend collection built and run her as Neverborn.

[Phinn]

You actually do not need a lot of models to run Zoraida as Neverborn.

• The Swamp Hag (Zoraida's Box Set) - Retail Price: 50 USD
• Waldgeists - Retail Price: 18 USD
• And then one these models:
  • Iggy - Retail Price: 11 USD
  • McTavish (Who is a Gremlin Henchman and whom you could use with Ulix as well.) - Retail Price: 18 USD
  • Nurse - Retail Price: 16 USD for a package of 2
• And if you like her playstyle later purchase Will o' the Wisps. In that case I would advise you to purchase Iggy or Nurse as well.

Or you could ask someone who plays Lilith if they would be interested in buying Bad Juju and Silurids and just play Zoraida as a Gremlin Master.
Or, as monsieur LaCroix suggested, purchase her and the Voodoo Doll on eBay for example.

On the other hand, the argument about mad scientists... I do understand
Even though... Gremlins have their own mad scientists, you know

[cryion]

Crazy scientists? taxidermist and sparks. check
Constructs? Skeeters and Mechanized Porkchop. check

You are on the right track.

[Steinwand]

So, after looking at them again, I'm going to get either Zoraida, for a Swampfiend crew, or Ophelia, to go more into Gremlins. I just can't really decide which.

[Frollo the Wordbearer]

I don't have nor play zoraida, but played against her one or two times. She seems quite fun to play. Don't like at all the models in her box, thought.

Ophelia's box has a lot of very cool and good sculpted models (the children are absolutely too big, thoungh) but I didn't enjoy her playstyle: too straightforward for my taste. 

My 2 (useless) cents

[Bisounours]

I'm also a new player that chose gremlins as my first faction and I picked up the Zoraida box cheap on eBay. I have a pretty fair amount of gremlins but I'm not opposed to picking up out of faction models if they can be put to good use by Gremlins Zoraida. Seems like everyone has listed McTavish as a core piece of her lists and pigs have been mentioned too. What else should I look to pick up to play her in gremlins?

[Frollo the Wordbearer]

2 minutes ago, Bisounours said:

I'm also a new player that chose gremlins as my first faction and I picked up the Zoraida box cheap on eBay. I have a pretty fair amount of gremlins but I'm not opposed to picking up out of faction models if they can be put to good use by Gremlins Zoraida. Seems like everyone has listed McTavish as a core piece of her lists and pigs have been mentioned too. What else should I look to pick up to play her in gremlins?

 

I think any model that has an interesting (1) action cuold be quite great: roosters, piglets and war pig have a (1) charge and that's great. Even models with a good gun option and models who can apply conditions to the doll should be fine (Mc tavish and Merris come to mind).

Imho

[Phinn]

1 minute ago, Frollo the Wordbearer said:

 

I think any model that has an interesting (1) action cuold be quite great: roosters, piglets and war pig have a (1) charge and that's great. Even models with a good gun option and models who can apply conditions to the doll should be fine (Mc tavish and Merris come to mind).

Imho

Flaming Bottle unfortunately reads: "Target enemy model..."

To the models the heretic Mr. Frollo the Wordbearer mentioned I would add for example Sammy LaCroix who can apply conditions to the Voodoo Doll and from The Kin (Ophelia's Box Set) Rami LaCroix whom you can Obey to Focus and then when he activates he can go Reckless, shoot with Focus, Focus and shoot again, and then Francois LaCroix who is a great melee beater.

[Omenbringer]

On 12/28/2016 at 9:33 AM, Steinwand said:

So would it be better to get Somer's box in regards to branching into Gremlins? As much as I'd like Zoraida's box, Neverborn are not high on the list of factions I want to get into.

Som'er would be a good step in expanding into the faction. He can run pigs nearly as well as Ulix. He does it in a different way which provides interest.

On 12/28/2016 at 5:09 PM, Je ne c'est LaCroix said:

Somer gets a lot of good press around here, but probably you're gonna have to give in to the Bayou Gremlin spamming and a whole multitude of other Gremlins, which goes against your Gremlin-dis-enamourous-ness. You will need slop haulers though either way.

Som'er gets a lot of good press because he is our most versatile Master. Sure he can run a summon factory but he can also run pigs, an elite build, super solo, support, denial, movement shenanigans, etc. He is the Master that can bring any of our Weapons to the fight and squeeze the best out of them.