Misaki, Tips and tricks for beginners

[Gearome]

Hello everyone! I'm a very inexperienced player, who plays mostly Bayou, Thunders, and a splash of outcasts. In thunders, I really only own Lynch and Misaki and I'm absolutely loving them so far! Does anyone have any tips to help improve my play with a Last Blossom Crew?

Thanks Everyone!

[regleant]

Of course it would help to first know what models you have access to in order to build out strategy ideas. Notwithstanding...

For Misaki herself, the hardest thing I've had to balance is when to use her for scheme running and when to use her to kill something. Overall, I found her crew to be quite mobile, from Turn 1 to Turn 5, with lots of Speed 7 models and Agile to ensure you get to where you want. If you want to be irritating to your melee-based opponent, there are a lot of Extended Reach options. 

Running Misaki, I've been able to dictate the pace of the game more than any other Master that I've tried and can keep my opponent on the defensive.

 

Specific tips?

• Don't forget her bonus action. Abandon Honor is quite powerful without the Trigger. The trigger itself is icing.
• When against swarms, her and Shang can lay out a ton of Shockwaves (stone for a Ram to get the 2nd Shockwave marker). This is sure to get onto your opponent's nerves, especially against a group of low-health models.
• Research Mission is your friend. You already bring along a marker type for scoring.
• Misaki is very soft, herself. So if you are going to keep her on the table for long, be sure she is in a safe spot. Otherwise, it's better to bring her in later in the turn.

[Ogid]

This thread's title is a big clickbait XDD.

Misaki is great, killy but very versatile.There are a few threads you can check to get ideas, like these 2 for example: 

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/149374-last-blossom-misaki-tactica/

https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/150938-last-blossom-firing-squad/

But some quick advice:

• Minako brings 2 summons that are great scheme runners; use them.
• Ototo's smoke bomb give him a very impresive range while extending Misaki's threat range.
• Mind Stunned (Misaki's bonus action) may disable some defensive tech, don't overlook that.
• Double to damage (charge through and Focused) will go through Hard to Wound (in non-SS users); that's important as her min 2 may be a problem versus these. Execute is very powerful, keep an eye on the other player's resources.
• Bring a decent cache and stone Critical Strike in critical attacks.

And a few useful shenanigans:

• If a Torakage is threatened, create a shadow marker with him; that will scare some models and that will let Misake come to the rescue if needed.
• First turn bury misaki, use her 2 shadows to summon Katashiros, unbury her in the deployment zone walk and focus; then give her extra Focused with a Tanuki (that will make her more dangerous on later turns)
• Yamaziko aura apply to all duels, great with Tanukis or versus things like Terrifying or lots of shockwaves.
• A Terracota may resurrect Shang and copy Ototo's and Misaki's tactical actions.

[regleant]

26 minutes ago, Ogid said:

This thread's title is a big clickbait XDD.

And a few useful shenanigans:

• If a Torakage is threatened, create a shadow marker with him; that will scare some models and that will let Misake come to the rescue if needed.
• First turn bury misaki, use her 2 shadows to summon Katashiros, unbury her in the deployment zone walk and focus; then give her extra Focused with a Tanuki (that will make her more dangerous on later turns)
• Yamaziko aura apply to all duels, great with Tanukis or versus things like Terrifying or lots of shockwaves.
• A Terracota may resurrect Shang and copy Ototo's and Misaki's tactical actions.

Clickbait indeed.

Can you explain how you unbury Misaki if you are eating both of her Shadow Markers for Katashiros? You use Ototo, or Shang?

Torekage have Agile and MV 7, they can just leave combat any time they want, anyway.  I love them for scheme running.

I like the idea for Terracota warrior... I just bought them, and am interested to try.

 

[Ogid]

2 hours ago, regleant said:

Can you explain how you unbury Misaki if you are eating both of her Shadow Markers for Katashiros? You use Ototo, or Shang?

Core rules: if she has no shadow markers left, she may unbury on her deployment zone (rules to prevent models getting permaburied); but Shang (using the healing) is another good option.

Using core rules Shang can be positioned in another flank to give her more threat range; using shang she won't have to activate to unbury, so stacking Focused with Tanukis will be easier. Both are good options.

2 hours ago, regleant said:

Torekage have Agile and MV 7, they can just leave combat any time they want, anyway.  I love them for scheme running.

Yes, they are quick, however they are also fragile and there are fast and hitty models able to hunt them down; but very rarely those will be able to challenge Misaki. That hunter model is left with the choice of remove the shadow marker or try to kill the Torakage and risk getting counterkilled by an angry Misaki right after. It's not for every game, but worth to keep in mind.

2 hours ago, regleant said:

I like the idea for Terracota warrior... I just bought them, and am interested to try.

Glad to help! I tried one a few times and It's legit; but they are very slow so be sure to deploy them forward and centered or they will be moving half of the game.

[regleant]

43 minutes ago, Ogid said:

Core rules: if she has no shadow markers left, she may unbury on her deployment zone (rules to prevent models getting permaburied); but Shang (using the healing) is another good option.

 

Sorry, you are wrong on that. The core rules say "A buried model can only be returned to the table with an unbury effect." Full stop. The further text you quote about the deployment zone is only if there is no room to place the model from the unbury effect. Quite simply, yes, models can become perma-buried.

 I would love to be wrong on this, but there are other effects in the game that bury models which also have specific Unbury criteria. 

[Ogid]

22 minutes ago, regleant said:

Sorry, you are wrong on that. The core rules say "A buried model can only be returned to the table with an unbury effect." Full stop. The further text you quote about the deployment zone is only if there is no room to place the model from the unbury effect. Quite simply, yes, models can become perma-buried.

 I would love to be wrong on this, but there are other effects in the game that bury models which also have specific Unbury criteria.

Then you are going to love this

That part doesn't say anything about room, but the model not being able to get placed.

In this case Misaki's "From Shadow" is an unbury effect, and Misaki cannot get placed because there is no shadow marker and the player decided (may ability) to not use Shang ability to unbury next to it; then instead of the unbury failing, that last rule let her unbury in the deployment zone.

AFAIK, the only way to get "permaburied" is if that's how it's designed; like Thoon's Frozen Trophy, which has ways to get around it because permabury would break the game.

[regleant]

My money is that you are incorrect, and I don't see how you are triggering the Unbury effect without the Shadow Marker. Nonetheless, only one way to resolve it. I posted to the Rules Forum:

 

[Cursed25]

15 hours ago, regleant said:

My money is that you are incorrect, and I don't see how you are triggering the Unbury effect without the Shadow Marker. Nonetheless, only one way to resolve it. I posted to the Rules Forum:

 

Ogid is right! The removal of the shadow marker is not a cost! (not in itallic) so her unbury will happens no matter what! Since there's no shadow marker she can't be placed so she can unbury in her own DZ!

[Ogid]

On 9/17/2020 at 4:06 AM, regleant said:

Misaki is very soft, herself. So if you are going to keep her on the table for long, be sure she is in a safe spot. Otherwise, it's better to bring her in later in the turn.

While Misaki isn't the tankiest master out of there, she isn't an easy prey either. I'd recommend OP to test her limits.

Extended reach and range 2 work as defensive mechanisms that will make most models only able to attack her once, she should be wary of models with pushes, jumps or ways to attack her several times even after wasting 1 AP reaching her (and of course, don't engage unactivated beaters with reach 2!). She also has high defensive stats, so cheating defensively she should be able to at least tie dangerous duels to put the other player at  (even with Focused) when needed (and her crew has both card draw and Arcane Reservoir, so getting the upper hand should be easy versus most crews)

Being able to bury at the start of the turn is another very good defensive mechanism as it makes her immune to back to back activations from dangerous enemy beaters that got in position (plus this also gives Shang time to patch her in a very safe position versus most crews); and she may also disable dangerous triggers with the stunned from her bonus which kinda counts. On top of that she may also get extra defensive tech from upgrades if needed.

@Gearome Tip toeing around will only take you to one point, there is one time to be safe and other to go bananas and both are needed to perform well with her; my advice is: play her agressive and risk getting her killed in a few games to learn how far you can push your luck with her (and bring a decent cache while doing so!)

[Gearome]

Sorry about the clickbaity title! I only just realized it now. It's been a long week. :`(

Thanks for all the useful tips everyone! I'm excited to be playing her soon!

 

[regleant]

On 9/18/2020 at 5:55 PM, Ogid said:

Then you are going to love this

 

Sorry I didn't post sooner - I concede, you are correct. Misaki is even more stupidly awesome than I thought. I've spent the last number of games trying to protect Misaki's markers as my opponent's destroy them. Seems there's little need for that...

[Adran]

6 hours ago, regleant said:

Sorry I didn't post sooner - I concede, you are correct. Misaki is even more stupidly awesome than I thought. I've spent the last number of games trying to protect Misaki's markers as my opponent's destroy them. Seems there's little need for that...

There is still a need to protect the markers a bit. Unburying in the deployment zone with a vastly reduced movement is not what you always want (although there are times its great). 

[Ogid]

14 hours ago, regleant said:

Sorry I didn't post sooner - I concede, you are correct. Misaki is even more stupidly awesome than I thought. I've spent the last number of games trying to protect Misaki's markers as my opponent's destroy them. Seems there's little need for that...

Now you can use that awesomeness for your own benefice

But as Adran say protecting them is still worth it, unburying in the deployment might mean she wastes the full activation just walking towards the action. However eliminating all shadow markers require a huge AP investment, I don't think is worth it.

7 hours ago, Adran said:

with a vastly reduced movement

Not sure about this part tho, that penalty seems tied to she unburing successfuly with "from shadows"

[Adran]

3 minutes ago, Ogid said:

 

Not sure about this part tho, that penalty seems tied to she unburing successfuly with "from shadows"

Did she unbury? Was it due to the From shadows ability? 

I think the movement reduction is tied into the unburying, not into the removal of a shadow marker, although I can see why people may think the otherway.

[Ogid]

1 minute ago, Adran said:

Did she unbury? Was it due to the From shadows ability? 

I think the movement reduction is tied into the unburying, not into the removal of a shadow marker, although I can see why people may think the otherway.

The unbury from shadows doesn't resolve (which is what the card refers as if it does so), she only unburies thanks to that rulebook clause with even changes how and specifies who places her... I lean more towards not penalty.

But I agree it's not clear... it'd be fine either way tho, unburying like that is really niche anyway.

[Adran]

55 minutes ago, Ogid said:

The unbury from shadows doesn't resolve (which is what the card refers as if it does so), she only unburies thanks to that rulebook clause with even changes how and specifies who places her... I lean more towards not penalty.

But I agree it's not clear... it'd be fine either way tho, unburying like that is really niche anyway.

I read it as still the same unbury effect, its just got new rules.

[solkan]

1 hour ago, Ogid said:

The unbury from shadows doesn't resolve (which is what the card refers as if it does so), she only unburies thanks to that rulebook clause with even changes how and specifies who places her... I lean more towards not penalty.

The rulebook clause isn't unburying Misaki, the rulebook clause is dealing with -placement-.  "When Unburying a model, the con- troller of the Unbury effect places the model back on the table as described by the effect. If the model cannot be Placed, the owner of the model instead places it anywhere inside their Deployment Zone."

But that's probably not relevant.  😕

From Shadows:

"At the start of this model's Activation, if it is Buried, Unbury it in base contact with a friendly Shadow Marker, then remove that Marker.  If it does so, [movement penalty]" 

Shang's Flickering Flames:

Quote

When a friendly Misaki Katanaka model Unburies using the From Shadow Ability, it may Unbury into base contact with this model.  If it does so, the friendly Misaki Katanaka model Heals 2, then this model suffers 2 irreducible damage.

If you removed the words "If it does so" in those two abilities, the effects would change to something that happens every time.  Without "If it does so", every time Misaki Katanaka used From Shadow she'd heal 2 and Shang would take damage, whether or not Misaki unburied in base contact with it.  (At least one version of Shang had this issue, so it's not actually hypothetical...)

If you removed the words "If it does so" from From Shadows, Misaki would suffer a movement penalty at the start of her activation.  Period.  Because that's how the rules for resolving effects are:  You start at the beginning, and plow through until you hit the end of the paragraph.

 

[Ogid]

I guess it makes sense... and for what I see that reading seems to have a good amount of people agreeing with it.

I'll play it like that, ty!