retnab Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Okay, so just like the other thread on models, I'm wondering what everyone considers our "take in >90% of lists" upgrades and "take in <10% of lists" upgrades. What's the cream of the crop and the dregs at the bottom? IMO, it'd be: Arcane Reservoir Seize The Day Imbued Energies (sometimes x2) Challenge the Crowd Grab & Drop Seismic Claws Vapormancy Field Generator Under Pressure Cold Nights Shattered Heart To Behold Another World The Philosopher's Stone Armor of December Sub Zero Nothing Up My Sleeve Message From the Union Born of Fire Purifying Fire Price of Progress Thunderous Smash Combat Mechanic Electric Summoning Child of December Enlightened Soul To Command Another Plane Smoke and Mirrors Open Current People's Challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adran Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Well its hard to judge 1 masters upgrades against anothers, but I would place Marcus' original 2 limited upgrades as probably the best 2 upgrades in the game. But because the are both so good, neither make 90% of Marcus lists. (although the mlexpert, +2 damage and +3 walk is the more popular one). ( don't have the new one so can't be certain if it is as good). Arcane resevoir and Imbued energies are always strong picks. I have never picked Seize the day, and I don't think l I ever want to. I rate Philosphers stone as a better upgrade, (Our stone is actually a good upgrade if you can afford the spot, its (0) discarrd the upgrade draw 2 cards is very good as long as you can spare the (0) action). Sandeeps limited depend on if I want to fight or scheme, so I would have thought they were about comparable. Grab and drop is a great upgrade with strong theme, but Carlos means I now value Purifying fire almost as much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinn Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I don't think Challenge the Crowd is anywhere near good enough to be autotake now that Ironsides has two new upgrades to take up two of her slots and with adrenaline being a condition, Armor +1 being a condition, and the Oxfordian Mages being incredible for 15SS, Warding Runes is hard to justify not taking as it blocks most cleanses (almost all) and gives the Ox. buffs. Now on to upgrades you never take: Skinwalker Both of Colette's new upgrades (they are so bad, they seem like they were designed with pre-nerf Colette's power level in mind) You've covered most of the actually horrible ones, I only disagree with a few of your assessments. To Command Another Plane is amazing simply for the to attacks 3 Gamin upgrade. I guess that might just be a meta to meta difference, depending on how much killing goes on. In GG2018 killing seems somewhat prevalent, especially at range for the Public Execution strategy, so I expect this upgrade to be even more effective there. 1 hour ago, Adran said: I have never picked Seize the day, and I don't think l I ever want to. Well, my opponents hate when I take it, which is good enough for, me and it has good synergy with the Union Steamfitter to conveniently draw the face card I flipped for initiative into my hand on turns where initiative matters less. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelich Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 +1 to sieze the day being amazing, I take it more often than Arcane Reservoir. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWHSD Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I'm a huge fan of Well Rehearsed. If I'm bringing an Enforcer that's not a Mage, it probably has this upgrade. If I'm bringing Mages and nothing else has Well Rehearsed it's a toss up over whether one Mage gets it instead of Doom Ward. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retnab Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Yeah for Sandeep's limited that's very much a playstyle thing, the Visions just works much better with my playstyle than the Commands. I'm surprised the Philo Stone is getting love, I've never heard anything positive about it. Drawing 2 cards from a one-use 0 that takes a slot seems a bit excessive to me, which masters would you use it with @Adran? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydranixx Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I've Philosopher's Stone a few times with Mei Feng since she has no innate (0). I suppose that since she has fairly good stats and a good Df trigger, its passive ability might even come up one game in ten but so far all I've done is ditched it as she's about to combo off. Arcane Reservoir is probably 95% of the time a better choice, but since it's also twice the price and gives only 1 extra card per turn, I think there's a tiny, tiny niche for PS on Mei. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's great, but 2 cards is 2 cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adran Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 11 hours ago, retnab said: I'm surprised the Philo Stone is getting love, I've never heard anything positive about it. Drawing 2 cards from a one-use 0 that takes a slot seems a bit excessive to me, which masters would you use it with @Adran? Mei is one that would get it if I get the slot. Marcus, Tina, Ramos and Ironsides have "situational" (0) actions so I consider it with them (dependign on what upgrades I've added) Keris and Marcus can get instinctual, which makes it a little less costly. I will agree that its the slot that is its biggest problem. if it wasn't restricted to leaders, then i would be happy to pay 1 stone for 2 cards most of the time. I don't use it all that often, but its in the possible list quite a lot of the time. We probably have the best of the stones, because its (0) action is a wothwile effect for its cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katadder Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 Well I always take a few of your negatives: Raspy has armour and child of december as it's always handy to have a back up to escape if snowstorm dies or if raspy gets transported by lilith to the other side of a building. Also being immune to blasts and pulses protects you from your own crews deaths and being able to put negatives on people is a nice setup for a low crow devour from the wendigo. That and 9 damage to a model is also nice off a zero. Sub zero is useful in high count minion forces and has been used to successfully stop the viks before. Price of progress on mei Feng is nice for card cycling when going after all the minions and has helped my mei stay alive more than once (but is most likely upgrade to drop for her wave 5 ones) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitruvian Man Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 One of my personal favorite upgrades that I almost never see discussed is Recharge soulstone. The ability to have a fairly consistent flow of soulstones during a game is an incredible advantage. Throw it on Joss, and now everytime he kills a living model costing 4 or more, he gets a stone back, which is super useful for feeding your master. Its a combo that's almost never failed me, though don't bring it against ressers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retnab Posted October 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 Agreed, I don't take it all the time but on some models Recharge is great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWHSD Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 2 hours ago, retnab said: Agreed, I don't take it all the time but on some models Recharge is great I was all sad when they cut the scheme (or was it a strat?) form GG18 that scored when you spent a soul stone when an enemy was killed near your master or henchmen. Arcanists were going to be in a good spot for that with Recharge Soulstone, Soulstone Miners, and Oxfordian Mages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.