The Fae - the wonderous fae...

[Kedronis]

Hi all,

I've been playing Titannia for a bit now, starting to get work out the ups and downs of her crew. 

I've already begun to develop my own thoughts and I feel I'm ready to jump into the mire of public opinion and ask:

"What do you folk think of the models in the Fae keyword?"  

"Are there models you don't leave home without?"

"Are there any versatile models you've found fit Titannia really well?"

  

[MajorUndead]

The mysterious emissary works very well with Titania.
Having severe terrain everywhere helps to use several abilities or bonuses on the emissary's card, and adding even severe +hazardous terrain on the board makes underbrush makers even harder to avoid.

I don't have much time right now to give more info on all stuff (plus I'm really not that experience in Titania or even the game in general, I only started about a year ago and don't play that often).
I may try to talk about my thoughts on other models later though

[Ogid]

Unexperienced player here, this is theoryfaux, but I'm happy to share my thougths:

On 9/19/2019 at 11:36 AM, Kedronis said:

"What do you folk think of the models in the Fae keyword?"  

Very cool keyword, it gives NVB a tanky, grindy mele crew. Very sturdy but also killy, annoying with all the severe terrain and the concealment. But they are slow and lack healing.

• Ranged beaters: Titania, Aeslin.
• Mele beaters: Rougarou, Killjoy and Titania* (her spell works better than his mele, but she likes to sit quite near to trigger life leech and protect his beater with CD)
• Supports: Gorar (schemes and mold), Knights (tanking/taunt/underbrush/secondary beater?), Bultigins (schemes), Waldgeist (schemes?/underbrush/secondary tank?)

On 9/19/2019 at 11:36 AM, Kedronis said:

"Are there models you don't leave home without?"

I'd say Titania and Gorar :P.

Aeslin is very very good, she will be an staple, knights are really solid too, so 1 or 2 of these and 1 Bultugin for schemes is usually worth it; the rest is optional. Both the rider and the Emissary are models to consider in every game.

On 9/19/2019 at 11:36 AM, Kedronis said:

"Are there any versatile models you've found fit Titannia really well?"

• The Emissary and the Rider are both awesome with Titania; in fact the emissary looks almost like designed for his crew with all that synergy with her markers (ignoring concealment, getting positive flips, extending mele range...)
• I have mixed feelings with Serena, her bonus action (healing) will help the crew a lot; but any other thing is anti-synergistic with the crew (ranged affected by concealment, slowed by the underbrush markers, no other nightmares to use her mele attack, very low number of Wp attacks to heal...); I'd only consider her if i'd also include a model able to carry her (rider or a mature neph for example)
• Wrath: Same than above, the underbrush are hard for him; but he may force enemies to attack the knights and he is a decent beater by himself.
• Wicked dool: 3 points non-insignificant with Stealth... a nice back up schemer for your half of the table and a potentially good ritual holder.
• And that's all, all other versatiles doesn't look good with her unless you are willing to apply the Serena treatment and babysit them with the rider...

But some OOK looks legit with her: Note that none of these are necessary to play fae; but if you are a NVB player and own other masters, these could be nice once on a while to adapt to the enemy or to change the playtstile when facing someone who know your tricks well.

Models:

• Razorspine Rattler/Young Neph: A bit pricy over your runner, but these may drop 2 scheme marker per turn if needed and are more sturdy/dangerous in close combat; not sure if they would worth it over 2 Bults tho.
• Black Blood Shaman: Stab something, get a corpse, Spam Focus, get a mature Neph in turn 2 (or 1 if you also include Nekima)
• Bad Juju: Good synergy with the markers (heal, ambush), as slow and tough as fae and a decent beater.
• Azde: A bit squishy... but putting him right next to Titania could be huge boost for her survability (distracted to anyone who charges her/stunned to anyone who start the activation near...); and with all the injured fae handles healing back with his drink blood could be easy.
• Grootslang: Fun model who works well with underbursh markers. Worse than a pair of bultungins for pure scheming, but can show up in the middle of the board after dropping some schemes and join the party. Not sure if it would work that well tho.
• Candy: I don't usually recommend models with bad synergy with the markers, but i'll do an exception with her. The heals are very welcome, but the best way to use her would be throwing her in the middle of the other team (using rider or other model who can carry her) and let corrupted inocence and dissarming do its thing; She is tankiest than she looks, very disruptive and dangerous.

Double Master:

• Nekima: Probably Titania + Nekima would be a nice pair; Titania is tough, but she will die when focused; add to that Nekima beneficing from Titania's aura and putting some extra serious damage and you have a potential very nasty combo. As both fly and have 3 action, they could attack from a different angle than the rest of fae if needed.
• Dreamer: It's cheap for a master (12+1) and incorporeal (so no affected by the markers), he may summon 2 Insidious Madness (also incorporeal, quite tanky minions, adds a way to attack Wp, not bad schemers). The only big problem is getting the summons out, Fae attacks in Df mostly (you'll need challenge or roar); so getting the models in the table won't as easy as in his own crew.
• Euripides + Primordial: Not 100% sold but it might work well. The totem has arcane reservoir, is incorporeal, may drop schemes and can make Euripides incorporeal. Euripides may create ice pilars to restrict even more the movement of your enemies or create cover/block LoS to your crew, deal some indirect damage/distract... and then just smash things with his huge fist.
• Pandora: This is more a reactive pick and you will need to find a way to get her right into the action because she is affected by the markers; but versus the right enemies (mostly crews which will bubble a lot or rely heavily in putting states on themselves), she can be game changing.
• Marcus (+ PsicoBunny?): It's cheesy but it could work. He is unimpeded, give a little of extra card draw, may put upgrades on the Rougarous and in a pinch he isn't that bad beater by himself. Rougarous with armor, disguise, some minor extra heal, an onslaught trigger and extra charges are a force of nature to fear. That threat could put some pressure out of Titania (and Gorar is able to be replaced by a new one if one of the 2 are killed)

Hope it helps!

[Hawkoon]

The Fae crew ia a bit of a toolbox crew. You have a big variety of models doing different things. You got Rougarou and Killjoy for decent beaters, Knights and waldgeists are quite tanky, Bultungin are fast (but squishy) schemers. Aeslin is aeslin, and Titania herself is quite powerful. There aren't really any staples in this keyword as they have all such different roles, and I tend to hire the crew more or less based on strat/schemes/opponent every game.

When it comes to non-keywords I often include the effigy w/upgrade or the emissary, and I have found The hooded rider to be quite useful as well when you need mobility.

[katadder]

Titanias crew is great, although you will find she does alot of the heavy lifting (along with aeslin and the emissary).

Dont fall into the trap of putting your underbrush just outside their DZ to slow them down, you want them near where the action is. Also aeslin is good for moving models into the underbrush for Titania to get her plus flips as Aeslin has built in into the thorns trigger.

I always put inhuman reflexes on titania as she likes to be in the middle of things using her lifeleech and generally killing stuff. supported with a couple of autumn knights with challenge and their df6 with a nice resistance trigger is good. 

I rarely make any extra underbrush markers apart from with titania but thats only if I have the mask in hand so she can teleport up a bit faster than walking. 

I have tried bultungin but they are too squishy for their abilities so get taken down very quickly, my usual crew is:

Neverborn, 50 SS
Soul Stone Cache: 4
[Masters]
 - Titania, Leader
   + Inhuman Reflexes
[Henchmen]
 - Aeslin
[Enforcers]
 - Gorar
 - Mysterious Emissary
[Minions]
 - Autumn Knight
   + Ancient Pact
 - Autumn Knight
   + Ancient Pact
 - Rougarou
 

[msgfree]

4 hours ago, katadder said:

Titanias crew is great, although you will find she does alot of the heavy lifting (along with aeslin and the emissary).

Dont fall into the trap of putting your underbrush just outside their DZ to slow them down, you want them near where the action is. Also aeslin is good for moving models into the underbrush for Titania to get her plus flips as Aeslin has built in into the thorns trigger.

I always put inhuman reflexes on titania as she likes to be in the middle of things using her lifeleech and generally killing stuff. supported with a couple of autumn knights with challenge and their df6 with a nice resistance trigger is good. 

I rarely make any extra underbrush markers apart from with titania but thats only if I have the mask in hand so she can teleport up a bit faster than walking. 

I have tried bultungin but they are too squishy for their abilities so get taken down very quickly, my usual crew is:

Neverborn, 50 SS
Soul Stone Cache: 4
[Masters]
 - Titania, Leader
   + Inhuman Reflexes
[Henchmen]
 - Aeslin
[Enforcers]
 - Gorar
 - Mysterious Emissary
[Minions]
 - Autumn Knight
   + Ancient Pact
 - Autumn Knight
   + Ancient Pact
 - Rougarou
 

What are you're thoughts on Killjoy? This crew is on my build table, and I'm wondering how essential KJ is.

Edit: Also, what are you thoughts on upgrading Rougarou with Inhuman Reflexes?

[Fixxer]

10 minutes ago, msgfree said:

What are you're thoughts on Killjoy? This crew is on my build table, and I'm wondering how essential KJ is.

I think Killjoy is great into reckoning with Claim Jump in the pool. He can be good in bluffing or scoring this based on what your opponent expects. He is slow and expensive, so if his role isnt to dictate where the fighting is going to happen and my opponent can ignore him, then I tend to leave him behind. He's great and really synergizes with the crew when he can go to a spot and score points by being there. He has a lot of healing, terrifying, and can dish out some damage, so the opponent HAVING to engage/kill/bury him to deny Claim Jump can be a real problem. Especially because you can obscure the center from range with underbrush and move models away with "into thorns" if you have to get that distance for the first CJ VP.

Reckoning scoring at the end of the turn based on how many models were killed means that killing Killjoy wont count as he heals and buries..(6 a timing). This can be a real problem in a reckoning game. 

Doesnt have to be a reckoning game, but Claim Jump has to be in the pool for me to really consider hiring him. 

 

[Ogid]

KJ seems a real beast in close combat, and even with only df4 drink blood with that dmg track, eat your fill and juggernaught would make him durable... but he isn't slower than a knigh, so he should be able to follow the crew no problem. And what's more, as he isn't a minion, a rougarou may roar him forward without giving him slow!

The big problem with KJ is when you are versus crews with easy access to obey; a obey to a ritual holder would force that holder to kill himself; in those cases KJ could decide not to put the rituals... or hire 2 dolls as holders.

[msgfree]

23 minutes ago, Ogid said:

The big problem with KJ is when you are versus crews with easy access to obey; a obey to a ritual holder would force that holder to kill himself; in those cases KJ could decide not to put the rituals... or hire 2 dolls as holders.

Edit: deleted cause I misread your comment.

Edited September 19, 2019 by msgfree
mistake

[katadder]

Not a fan of killjoy mostly because if his method of returning.

Also would love inhuman reflexes on the rougarou but cant afford it without dropping an ancient pact so depend which I find is most useful. Personally prefer the +1 init and card draw.

[msgfree]

2 hours ago, katadder said:

Not a fan of killjoy mostly because if his method of returning.

What about it don't you like? I'm just trying to wrap my head around all the models in the Fae keyword

[katadder]

He kills something to return so unless it's the Gorar hes just become alot more expensive. When you consider the grave golem has a similar return but just has to have a corpse marker and hits as hard

[msgfree]

9 minutes ago, katadder said:

He kills something to return so unless it's the Gorar hes just become alot more expensive. When you consider the grave golem has a similar return but just has to have a corpse marker and hits as hard

Ok, got it. You don't find that it's ever a valid tactic?

[Maniacal_cackle]

Don't think of KJ's demise as him coming back.

Think of it as upgrading a weaker model when he dies. It is not as strong as say demise(eternal) or grave golem, but his other abilities make him pretty impressive.

That said, the versatile options may be better?

[Ogid]

36 minutes ago, katadder said:

He kills something to return so unless it's the Gorar hes just become alot more expensive. When you consider the grave golem has a similar return but just has to have a corpse marker and hits as hard

Kj has a lot more stuff than the golem in his kit...

• Defensively: He is terrifying, in combat has a lot more wds recovery than the golem (eat your fill + drink Blood) and he has juggernaut... the golem only has Regen+2
• Offensively: KJ may have a  when charging through the markers and has the onslaught trigger... none of the triggers of the golem increase the damage.

Having to kill a model is much weaker than unearth... but he can gain a second activation that turn! If the holder is a knight and he can unbury near of the other crew... well, that won't be pretty for them.

[Maniacal_cackle]

36 minutes ago, Ogid said:

Having to kill a model is much weaker than unearth... but he can gain a second activation that turn! If the holder is a knight and he can unbury near of the other crew... well, that won't be pretty for them.

In practice, no one is going to give you a favourable second activation with him. More to the point is the threat of the second activation discourages killing him, so he has that extra bit of tankiness.

However, tanky guys that hit hard have limited use. But as someone said, something like Claim Jump seems like it'd be a nightmare to push him off of.

[Ogid]

2 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

In practice, no one is going to give you a favourable second activation with him. More to the point is the threat of the second activation discourages killing him, so he has that extra bit of tankiness.

The point of giving the ritual to the Knight is exactly that, forcing a difficult position for the other player; a knight is hard to remove and can be played agressively. So the other player has to kill the knight first (which is more time for KJ, Aeslin and Titania to do their thing); because if he kills KJ first, then he will get a second activation right in their face thanks to the knight.

I guess if the other player has the last activation, he could try to kill it after the knigh has been activated... but that's not always possible.

[LexLock]

Vasilisa + Wicked Dolls are insane in any crew and shore up the Fae's weaknesses in scheming and mobility. I don't think any Fae under 8ss are worth hiring (except the Gorar I guess), Bultungin die more quickly than Wicked Dolls (stealth is great) and Knights just don't threaten anything because they are too slow for scheming/counter-scheming and their damage is meh (mainly because Fae are a 0 card draw crew).

Rougarou hit hard enough to spend precious cards on, are fast and can use intimidating roar to push your slow models (cough, aeslin).

Killjoy's damage is probably worse than the Rougarou but he can come back from a weak model and you can put one of his upgrades on Titania so that she can play with hazardous.

[Ogid]

2 hours ago, LexLock said:

Vasilisa + Wicked Dolls are insane in any crew and shore up the Fae's weaknesses in scheming and mobility. I don't think any Fae under 8ss are worth hiring (except the Gorar I guess), Bultungin die more quickly than Wicked Dolls (stealth is great) and Knights just don't threaten anything because they are too slow for scheming/counter-scheming and their damage is meh (mainly because Fae are a 0 card draw crew).

Rougarou hit hard enough to spend precious cards on, are fast and can use intimidating roar to push your slow models (cough, aeslin).

Killjoy's damage is probably worse than the Rougarou but he can come back from a weak model and you can put one of his upgrades on Titania so that she can play with hazardous.

Wicked dolls are an option versus dangerous gunlines I guess, and with Vasi they can get reused into Stiched after they die... but those are a lot of points in models that are hindered by the markers.  How do you usually use them, leaving a flank open without many underbrush?

I'm surprised with that opinion about the kinghts, they seem awesome control pieces. With Armor and H2W even with a focus the damage roll will probably be at , the damage is average, but they have challenge and parry; putting the other player in the hard position to having to attack them or crippling their hand to attack the targets that worth it.

That idea about putting the ritual into Titania is great! Masters are usually excluded from obey effects, so she will be safe; and the Hazarous underbrush will be great near of her to fight into and use her bonus action (basically doubles its damage)

[katadder]

3 hours ago, LexLock said:

Knights just don't threaten anything because they are too slow for scheming/counter-scheming and their damage is meh (mainly because Fae are a 0 card draw crew).

 

Knights are usually up the centre with titania or holding flanks as they are tough and so can counter scheme that way (had a knight delay tara enough to stop her getting 2 breakthrough vp).

They are some if neverborn toughest models outside of masters and they can hit hard whilst moving people with into the thorns. Also get incidental damage on hitting people back.

As for the 0 card draw in crew, that's another reason to take knights, they are minions that can safely hold ancient pact.

I know alot of people are against knights but I am loving them

[ShinChan]

On 9/19/2019 at 2:48 PM, katadder said:

Not a fan of killjoy mostly because if his method of returning.

Also would love inhuman reflexes on the rougarou but cant afford it without dropping an ancient pact so depend which I find is most useful. Personally prefer the +1 init and card draw.

I have the same feeling. The crew is really good, but lacks 2 things: healing and card draw. There isn't an easy access to Arcane reservoir, so I follow the same approach as you do, two Knights with Ancient Pact. The miniatures are cool, the initiative bonus is a nice addition, avoiding the Black Joker is one of the most situational "addons", but that's not the real purpose of the upgrade

The Rougarou is not mandatory for me, more a situational pick (not saying it's bad!).

[msgfree]

12 minutes ago, ShinChan said:

The Rougarou is not mandatory for me, more a situational pick (not saying it's bad!).

Out of curiosity, what do your lists normally look like? Who do you use in place of Rougarou?

 

I'm a Fae noob, and a lot of people seem to auto-include Rougarou + Inhuman Reflexes. I'm interested in your perspective. 

[ShinChan]

34 minutes ago, msgfree said:

Out of curiosity, what do your lists normally look like? Who do you use in place of Rougarou?

 

I'm a Fae noob, and a lot of people seem to auto-include Rougarou + Inhuman Reflexes. I'm interested in your perspective. 

Most of my lists start like this:

Soul Stone Cache: 23
[Masters]
 - Titania, Leader
[Henchmen]
 - Aeslin
[Enforcers]
 - Gorar
 - Mysterious Emissary
[Minions]
 - Autumn Knight
   + Ancient Pact

Then I add more stuff based on Strategies and Schemes. I like to add a second Ancient Pact in another minion. I really like the Waldgeist, but they're slow, like real slow, not like the Knights that everyone complains about  But depending on the terrain, they can be really useful. I like the triggers to give Stunning and Slow.

Usually Titania is "escorted" by 2 Knights that will challenge anyone that gets into range. The Emissary and Aeslin are the mid distance ranged thread. The rest of the options really depend on what I'm facing and the terrain. I haven't tried much the Bultulgin, but with Mv 6, at least on paper, they look like decent scheme runner that can annoy (not kill) the enemy scheme runners. I only bring 1 for condition removal when I need it.

I like Wrath, and I think he fits quite well with the crew, but his "Bring It" attack being affected by concealment and without having unimpeded, makes him a not-so-good choice.

I haven't tried the Hooded Rider (I don't own the model, yet), but probably would bring him along with Wrath, which will solve the movement problem and in addition Wrath can set up the field in turn 3 for the Hooded Rider to take advantage of "Revel In Secrets".

 

[Pinocchio]

I'm surprised no one talks about the scheming capabilities of Aeslin.

Whenever I see a scheme that needs a scheme marker or 2 near an enemy model, Aeslin is the model to do it, with the Draw Out Secrets trigger. In fact, out of the whole NB faction there isn't another model that can put scheme markers down next to an enemy model (unless you are doppleganger with don't mind me). I've taken Aeslin out of keyword because of this and I never regret it.

Stone intensive yes, but trade up 1ss for a VP, worth it, even better when you don't have to stone for it. 

[Ogid]

40 minutes ago, Pinocchio said:

I'm surprised no one talks about the scheming capabilities of Aeslin.

Whenever I see a scheme that needs a scheme marker or 2 near an enemy model, Aeslin is the model to do it, with the Draw Out Secrets trigger. In fact, out of the whole NB faction there isn't another model that can put scheme markers down next to an enemy model (unless you are doppleganger with don't mind me). I've taken Aeslin out of keyword because of this and I never regret it.

Stone intensive yes, but trade up 1ss for a VP, worth it, even better when you don't have to stone for it. 

Yep, totally agree here. Aeslin is both a dangerous model with the built in trigger and also has the scheme shenanigans. She also has study to "recicle" the fallen.