Which Master is the best compliment to Yan Lo?

[yanlosbeard]

I already own Yan Lo and the various Ancestor models, plus a mixture of Resser scheme runners. 

I was wondering which Master you would consider to be the best compliment to Yan Lo, in terms of either model overlap or covering the Strategies & Schemes that Yan Lo is worst at?

I was considering Reva, because she will make great use of Yin and the Carrion Emissary. Her ranged attack style also seems somewhat different to Yan Lo's more melee-orientated approach. Having said that would a summoner (e.g. Molly or Kirai, who will make use of Izamu and/or the Punk Zombies I own for Toshiro) be a better choice? 

[Ludvig]

None of the resident ressers seem to bite so I'll throw in a wild opinion.

Yan Lo also jokingly known as Yan Blow is not super popular among competition-minded players. I'm not sure if you're getting good mileage out of him or how you're playing him. Which schemes and strats are you having trouble with?

I think a summoner is more different from Yan's play style and they are usually strong in interference. That being said Reva is considered a fairly strong generalist so I'm pretty sure just changing to her would also make you feel more powerful.

Any master you're liking the feel of more than others?

[mojopin]

Also Seamus crew box will fit with your models, Yin and carrion will work well, and you´ll get belles wich are amazing with everything :). But well, reva is a good choice too

[yanlosbeard]

@Ludvig: I'm not really fond of Seamus or Nicodem. Everyone else is pretty much fair game. I own the Tara, Molly and Reva boxes; plus Dr Dufresne. So I have plenty of other Master options available. To be honest I am really new to the game. Whilst I love Yan Lo's aesthetics, I have only played one game with him and found myself undone with the complexities of keeping track of upgrades, Chi, and his huge number of possible actions during his activation. As a result he is now back in the shelf. I was kinda hoping for someone to suggest an easier Master to learn with, that I could keep in my case to cover Yan Lo's weaknesses in the longer term.

[Ludvig]

I only play against ressers so you'll havr to take thia with a grain of salt buthere goes:

I don't think Reva is too hard to grasp and she is flexible and strong. I think sheis less dependent on specific models in her crew than the others.

McMourning is really straightforward in my eyes, you want to load up poison on something and expunge them to get a flesh construct which soon overwhelms your oppponent. 

Molly is decently easy to at least play at a basic level. You sunmon in punk zombies and slice and dice people to death while also causing black blood damage when they kill you (which they will because she dummons at really low wounds usually). I think Molly has a few bad pools since she brings in so squishy summons.

Ll of the above can probably find a place for Yin and thr Emissary and I wouls pick up doxies and necropunks more or less regardless of whom I went with.

[Adran]

I don't know what I would say were Yan Lo's weaknesses, so I'm not sure what to suggest as a master to cover them. 

If you are trying to avoid complexity to learn, then I would suggest Reva or McMorning. 

Tara has lots of AP and activation issues as well as bury mechanics, and Molly has summoning, which is quite decision intensive. They're not impossible to learn with, but then neither is Yan lo. 

[Kihraxz]

@yanlosbeard  having played against Yan Lo and Played Yan Lo (in both factions) I found this. Yan Lo is incredibly good at anything that does not require killing, especially Armor.  So if you are looking for an compliment for Yan Lo's Schemes you need look no further than Reva (who doesn't care what you take in your crew) or Seamus who gains the benefits of many of the spirits available and Chiaki and Yin. (Datsue Bae. Hanged etc)

If your are looking for a Crew overlap. Kirai would be your best choice as she makes use of Izamu (as you said) and Chiaki. 

[Paddywhack]

Reva and McMourning are pretty straightforward (Reva more so). They kill things and don't have to rely on their crew as much, though McMourning does benefit more from certain models. They are both pretty killy.

Yan Lo is considered a bottom tier master and can be hard to play with. He is fun, but can be difficult to make competitive. Hopefully the new upgrades in the next book will change that. Right now, Lightning Dance can seem like the 'must do' thing, but it is actually difficult to get off and not leave Yan Lo stranded and in danger. Don't use that first - look at his other abilities. He can heal very well, which helps keep his crew alive. He isn't the strongest hitter, but if you can get Hunpo assault an attack on all models in range with a  to attach and Damage can be very nasty, especially if your opponent bunches up at all. I don't usually take his spear as Ml5 is meh. I prefer his Ca8 attack (with Chi) even if the damage track is a little lower. typically, with Ca8 against a Df5-6 and a  to attack and damage you can pretty easily get a moderate or severe damage. Handing out Armour 2 at the right moment to a few of your models can really put a damper in your opponent's turn as well, though I don't always have enough Chi to do it.

Don't let his complexity deter you - he is a lot of fun. 

Yan Lo's crew has to be able to get the job done more on their own, with Yan Lo offering some support and at the right moment a key Lightning Dance or two. I find Toshiro is good if you take minions to help boost them as well as offering some summoning. Izamu is good if you want to go the Ancestor route (everyone hates killing Izamu only to see him brought right back). Yin can be helpful, though I don't always use her with him (she is indispensable with Reva though). Otherwise pick what you like. He has some synergy with Spirits with the right upgrade, but you are trading 2 master AP to get up to 3 spirit AP. Sometimes it will be a good trade, but not something I usually plan on really.

If you have Molly and McMourning I'd give them a go first. Molly loves her punk zombies and belles, both of which could be useful for Yan Lo. She can be a bit tricky too as her summoning is a bit different. She is an up in your face master though and can be a brutal once you get used to her. McMourning likes Sebastion, Flesh constructs, Guild Autopsies, and Nurses. All good with Yan Lo if needed (Sebastion is a good henchman if you are facing a lot of shooting, Flesh constructs are good roadblocks due to their wounds - with Yan Lo healing them they can be ridiculous, Autopsies aren't anything special but are cheap, and Nurses are great with any master). McMourning I feel is also a bit easier to get a hang of too. His poison shenanigans can take a bit of understanding, but overall is easier to get a grasp on than some other masters.  Tara is actually quite a complex master. Try her out, but don't get frustrated too quickly - she does have a higher learning curve.

If you want o buy something, get Reva. She's an easy master to learn, very competitive, and her box set is great. You will use Shield-bearers with any master and Vincent actually can work quite well with Yan Lo if you are going for a spirit heavy list. If Izamu doesn't kill what he attacks, Vincent can shoot into combat and ignore him (or any friendly Spirit). Don't forget, Yan Lo can turn any friendly into a spirit for the turn as well. That can surprise some opponents who think they are safe from shooting. 

Don't give up on Yan Lo just yet! He can difficult to learn, but is a blast to play, even if you don't always win.

[thatlatinspeakingguy]

I agree with most people here that Reva is probably the best choice for you at the moment.