Transmortis University Introduction Lecture

[Graf]

If you want to be evil and attack the player, not the crew, ask to play with a deathclock. This crew might fry their brain when on time pressure! 😂

[MajorUndead]

On 9/18/2020 at 2:24 PM, Graf said:

@Schtook: Positive Results Heals 1. If Schtook has any upgrade, he'll gain fast and therefore the action, he just spend, back. (Doesn't work and is corrected in the guide now)

Yeah that's why I asked, I thought you might mean using it on himself. And as someone else pointed out, you can't target yourself with an attack ^^
Still I wanted to make sure what you meant before answering (but then I got no internet for the whole week end so that's that ).

In any case, very interesting guide!
The movement trick with the undergraduates (push one model put keep in range of another model to push him too), and using a student of sinew to get Vale back are definitly things I want to add to my toolbox (especially since I've never used a student of sinew for now and thought it was a bit too sad they never got out )

[Math Mathonwy]

I see Grave Spirit's Touch recommended for Valedictorian a lot but is it really all that good? It's only Regen 2, basically, at the cost of two stones. Those two Stones could prevent for four usually so you need to get Regen twice just to break even (and Stones have lots of other uses than protecting Vale).

Usually your Vale won't benefit from Regen on the first turn. Oftentimes you activate late and, don't take damage and then activate early turn two, so might not benefit then, either. That means that you would Regen on turns three and four to break even needing to survive to turn five to gain real benefit.

Now, there are some additional considerations - Regen is better if you're taking chip damage one at a time. Also, GST gives you the Upgrade but I end up giving the Summon Upgrade for Vale every game any way so I dunno. Finally, and maybe most importantly, Regen might just dissuade the opponent from attacking Vale altogether until she has activated. But for that to work, it kinda supposes that the opponent makes a mistake, essentially.

Am I forgetting something?

[Graf]

@Math Mathonwy Thank you for your input! You raise valid points. While using only Regen +2 from the upgrade usually would be a bit lackluster, it's important to take the model you give it to and its role in the crew into consideration as well. Valedictorian is a lynchpin melee model for Transmortis and increasing her survivability therefore worth more than, let's say, giving GST to Anna. Both are in the same cost bracket and both good models, but the value of GST changes.

Activations and actions imho are the most important and limited resources in the game. Not dying is a basic requirement for getting your actions. Even if GST gives Vale only a single activation, with her that still are 4 actions and potentially a dead model on your opponent's side and a summon on yours. In her particular case, as she's so mobile and can move into safer spots, it's more likely to mean way more actions than with other models. Malifaux also doesn't care about how wounded a model is, if it has only a single HP left, it's still fully operational offensively. This means your opponent still has to play around her far reaching threat presence, which is a huge deal. I always see my opponents taking a relaxed breath as soon as they get rid of her and that's not without reason.

Having an upgrade on Vale from the get-go isn't a huge thing. But it can safe your bacon. Reliability is an important strength in games with randomizers and I don't know about you, but I've had a bad hands and bads flip at the same time for Peer Review. Also it gives me the option to apply Peer Review during turn #1 on another target and give them and Vale fast. I like to have options.

Does that mean, you have to take GST in each and every situation? No, of course not. Double Necropunks with GST can be really ugly in a fitting pool. The more I developed my playstile with this crew, and were increasingly able to keep Vale safe, the less did I feel the need for GST. I hear a slight whisper more often. I thought my guide reflects that? I may edit and expand on this there. Sometimes I took Vale without anything, especially when points were tight and I would never go below 6 SS for an upgrade with this crew (8SS are debatable). But until now, GST still is my common choice and I recommend anyone, not already a very experienced Transmortis player, to make use of this additional fail-safe until they can get 3-4 turn out of Vale reliably.

[Maniacal_cackle]

I find the same thing with Archie - he CAN get by without GST, but nothing like alpha striking turn 1, taking a hit or two turn two before he runs away, and then coming back in. In his case he's got the extra ~2 health a turn from his fading, but I guess for valedictorian with her tech the principle is the same.

[Trample]

Regen is great with GST but it is so fantastic on minions with the added terrifying. There is so much more value there. I do take GST on the Valedictorian sometimes, but I really like it on Necropunks and Students of Viscera (perhaps an underappreciated transmortis model in their own right) are great with it too. If you have GST on two undergraduates Von Schtook can get fast on both of them plus the Valedictorian turn one for one heck of an alpha strike!

[Cranky Old Man]

I prefer Gst on a minion as well but I will take it on a henchman now and again and sometimes even a master. The terrifying boost is just so good. Necropunks, Dead Doxies, Shieldbearers, Draugr, Hanged and Rabble risers can do great things with gst.

[Maniacal_cackle]

Just now, Cranky Old Man said:

I prefer Gst on a minion as well but I will take it on a henchman now and again and sometimes even a master. The terrifying boost is just so good. Necropunks, Dead Doxies, Shieldbearers, Draugr, Hanged and Rabble risers can do great things with gst.

One issue I always have which is probably just a stupid mental obstacle is I don't like upgrading cheap models. A rabble riser for instance is appealing specifically because it is cheap. A rabble riser for 6 stones can do some useful stuff. But paying 8 stones, suddenly I'm in the realm of having to ask if that rabble riser is really so useful as to be one stone less than Archie? Or are two shieldbearers with GST really worth as much as Bete + shieldbearer? Etc.

I probably just need to try it out more xD

[Cranky Old Man]

I too had the same thought but then I tried various minions with upgrades and the value is exponential because of the minion only abilities. My only caveat is that the minion needs to be one with some defensive tech already or the regen will never get used!

[Maniacal_cackle]

1 minute ago, Cranky Old Man said:

I too had the same thought but then I tried various minions with upgrades and the value is exponential because of the minion only abilities. My only caveat is that the minion needs to be one with some defensive tech already or the regen will never get used!

True, I certainly love Killer Instinct for the Deadly Pursuit upgrade! And Neverborn upgrades are fantastic on minions as well. I'll have to experiment more

[Wyamphri]

I cant take a doxy without slapping on a GST, it's just so nasty....unless theres alot of ruthless, then it's only meh xD

[Math Mathonwy]

7 hours ago, Graf said:

@Math Mathonwy Thank you for your input! You raise valid points. While using only Regen +2 from the upgrade usually would be a bit lackluster, it's important to take the model you give it to and its role in the crew into consideration as well. Valedictorian is a lynchpin melee model for Transmortis and increasing her survivability therefore worth more than, let's say, giving GST to Anna. Both are in the same cost bracket and both good models, but the value of GST changes.

Activations and actions imho are the most important and limited resources in the game. Not dying is a basic requirement for getting your actions. Even if GST gives Vale only a single activation, with her that still are 4 actions and potentially a dead model on your opponent's side and a summon on yours. In her particular case, as she's so mobile and can move into safer spots, it's more likely to mean way more actions than with other models. Malifaux also doesn't care about how wounded a model is, if it has only a single HP left, it's still fully operational offensively. This means your opponent still has to play around her far reaching threat presence, which is a huge deal. I always see my opponents taking a relaxed breath as soon as they get rid of her and that's not without reason.

I was maybe being unclear - I wasn't doubting GST on Vale as being useful, I was more wondering whether it's actually better than having those two extra Stones so if Vale is threatened, you can use those for prevention but if she is not, you can do something else useful with them (unlike GST). Stones also don't require Vale to activate to get the benefit from them keeping you alive which can be huge in saving her bacon from a more concentrated attack.

[Graf]

@Math MathonwyOkay, if "Upgrade or SS?" is your question, let me specify: It depends. Let's assume, you've build your whole crew already. Now look at your SS pool.

6-7SS left: No, definitly not worth it

9-10SS left: Yes, definitly worth it as you gain GST, the benefit any upgrade brings and enough SS to still be able to stone

8SS left: Largely personal preference. I would factor the other parts of my list and the damage potential of my opponent into the decision. If I have a solid heals in the list, I would go for the stones. Same if my opponent has high threat range damage dealer, that are hard to avoid (sth. like LJ, Vics or gunlines). Retrieval models (Sinew, Undergrads) present mean going for the upgrade. Also, I have to decide at this point before the game, if I may want to apply Peer Review on another model. Depening on this decision, I may take the upgrade or not.

[Marc Bowling]

On 9/18/2020 at 10:25 AM, ShinChan said:

 

Also, Valedictorian's thread range is as follows (turn 1, always in a straight line):

• 4 Attacks at 14"
• 3 Attacks at 21"
• 2 Attacks at 28"

 

I'm studying up before starting VS. How does Vale move 14" with 4 attacks? I assume that there is a charge from fast, assuming starting near emissary and assistant that is 7" movement... what about the rest?

[Graf]

2 hours ago, Marc Bowling said:

I'm studying up before starting VS. How does Vale move 14" with 4 attacks? I assume that there is a charge from fast, assuming starting near emissary and assistant that is 7" movement... what about the rest?

I think it includes a Shove aside attack.

€: move, charge/charge attack, attack, flurry, shove aside attack

[ShinChan]

3 hours ago, Marc Bowling said:

I'm studying up before starting VS. How does Vale move 14" with 4 attacks? I assume that there is a charge from fast, assuming starting near emissary and assistant that is 7" movement... what about the rest?

Includes the 2" from Academic Broadcast (Schtook) and the push from Lead the Way (Undergraduate), those are 6" + 7" of movement + 1" of  range.

 

[Giovanni Canzanella]

Thanks for this excellent guide! I'm trying out the Transmortis crew (on Vassal) before buying it, and I have to confess I performed VERY poorly with them so fa 😕 Hopefully your guide will help me to improve, starting with the list building.

In my last game against a Leveticus (I had Symbols of Authority, Claim Jump and Spread them out), I used a list like this:

VS + Assistant 
Valedictorian
Student of Viscera + Killer instinct
Student of Viscera
x2 Undergraduate
Necropunk

I realized, after being defeated 6-4, that the Valedictorian REALLY needs the GST upgrade on her to stay alive (she was slayed at Turn 3).

The Killer Instinct upgrade on Viscera is not that bad...thanks to that, I managed to recover a Symbol that otherwise would have been inaccessible to me. Another Symbol was recovered by an Undergraduate, while VS stood on the backline handing out Focus, Upgrades and pushes.
Sadly, I never managed to Summon something, all of my efforts has been worthless 😕
 

[Graf]

Thank you, it is my pleasure! 🙂

Transmortis is a strong, but certainly not an easy crew to pilot. On Vassal people tend to make less mistakes as well, as they don't loose sight of the big picture as quickly as IRL, in my experience.

Summoning is a tricky topic in Transmortis. It doesn't happen every game. If it happens, it doesn't necessarily means you're going to overpower your opponent. You could try not to think about actually getting your summon, but how you can utilize the threat. Usually opponents react to models with a summoning upgrade by either getting rid of it asap or by avoiding it as much as possible. So what I sometimes try is applying Academic Zeal only shortly before I go in. Let's say I anticipate my Vale strike turn #2. Instead of giving her the upgrade turn #1, I give it to Anna first and move her aggressivly forward. This, of course, is only a distraction. If my opponent reacts with avoiding her, I've secured a nice empty bubble on the battlefield. If my opponent focuses on her, my actual beaters get more room to breathe until it's their (2nd) turn.

Of course, Leveticus is tricky, as he just deletes models from the board while being unkillable himself. Tabletop Talk has a Deep Dive episode for him, maybe you can get more helpful tipps there, than I could give here without knowing enough about your game?

[ShinChan]

4 hours ago, Giovanni Canzanella said:

Thanks for this excellent guide! I'm trying out the Transmortis crew (on Vassal) before buying it, and I have to confess I performed VERY poorly with them so fa 😕 Hopefully your guide will help me to improve, starting with the list building.

In my last game against a Leveticus (I had Symbols of Authority, Claim Jump and Spread them out), I used a list like this:

VS + Assistant 
Valedictorian
Student of Viscera + Killer instinct
Student of Viscera
x2 Undergraduate
Necropunk

I realized, after being defeated 6-4, that the Valedictorian REALLY needs the GST upgrade on her to stay alive (she was slayed at Turn 3).

The Killer Instinct upgrade on Viscera is not that bad...thanks to that, I managed to recover a Symbol that otherwise would have been inaccessible to me. Another Symbol was recovered by an Undergraduate, while VS stood on the backline handing out Focus, Upgrades and pushes.
Sadly, I never managed to Summon something, all of my efforts has been worthless 😕
 

Against Leveticus you really want to try to hunt the Hollow Waifs if you can, which should be much of a problem with a fast Valedictorian  with 2 Undergraduates.

You didn't bring any healing (at least not for Vale, since you can't heal her with the Students of Viscera), so maybe you could switch 1 Student for Sloth (and get 1ss extra). Sloth really helps to keep the Valedictorian alive and he will stop some healing mechanics of the Amalgams. Other than that, you can try to fit more models that can get Stunned onto enemy models, since Outcast does not have many condition removal and Stunned really shuts down Amalgan (no Unmade, so way less ping damage, no triggers for Leveticus means he's damage is 2/3/4 with Stat of 5).

[Graf]

31 minutes ago, ShinChan said:

You didn't bring any healing (at least not for Vale, since you can't heal her with the Students of Viscera), so maybe you could switch 1 Student for Sloth (and get 1ss extra). Sloth really helps to keep the Valedictorian alive and he will stop some healing mechanics of the Amalgams.

While generally true, in this situation, I disagree about Sloth . Any Levi player worth their salt won't put Waifs anywhere near where you can put Vale and still be in range for Sloth. If one goes for Sloth, serious retrieval tech would be mandatory as well in this match-up and I'm not confident you can sacrifice the points (Sinew) or the models (Undergrads) so easily against Amalgam.

[Giovanni Canzanella]

30 minutes ago, ShinChan said:

You didn't bring any healing (at least not for Vale, since you can't heal her with the Students of Viscera), so maybe you could switch 1 Student for Sloth (and get 1ss extra).

Totally true. Not knowing the crew so well, I was sure that Student of Viscera could heal the Valedictorian...then I noticed the Living only and I was like

"Ooohhhh s***t..."

Furthermore, I noticed that the second student of Viscera was not really helpful (terminated in Turn 3, not a single VP claimed by him). Next occasion, I will definitely bring Sloth, or at least a Carrion Effigy with upgrade

[ShinChan]

1 hour ago, Graf said:

While generally true, in this situation, I disagree about Sloth . Any Levi player worth their salt won't put Waifs anywhere near where you can put Vale and still be in range for Sloth. If one goes for Sloth, serious retrieval tech would be mandatory as well in this match-up and I'm not confident you can sacrifice the points (Sinew) or the models (Undergrads) so easily against Amalgam.

If the Amalgam player puts the Waif too far, when Leve dies, he will spend a couple of actions just getting into position again, which is totally worth it. You don't even have to go kill them with Vale (which you could), but you can use Vale as a delivery system for the Undergraduates (with fast ideally) and use 1 of them to kill a Waif. Actually, a good Leveticus player will keep the Waifs not far from Leveticus and would bring Arik, to prevent the Valedictorian to fly (and to summon) and pray, since there are many things with Transmortis that counter Leveticus.

@Giovanni Canzanella Actually, the best resurrectionist pick against Leveticus is probably Manos. With his anti-demise, he'll be able to force Leve to play differently and his Extended Reach will help a lot to stay alive. He's also a great pick for Symbols of Authority due to his Leap.

[Maniacal_cackle]

Do people not use Manos (or Datsue Ba) against Levi?

The mere existence of that anti-demise bubble means Levi has to be a lot more careful I would think.

Our Outcast player hasn't assembled his Levi crew yet, so haven't played against him.

[Graf]

Most of my local tournaments exclude OOK choices, so this wasn't my first thought, as I usually have to make due without. But demise-hate definitly is the easiest and probably best answer, especially Manos.

@ShinChanI didn't mean "at the opposite side of the board" but behind and close to the whole rest of their crew. But Vale as a taxi, landing on their fringes and as a point of origin for an Undergraduate charge, sounds feasible. Looking out for Arik is also a good point! 👍

[Maniacal_cackle]

6 minutes ago, Graf said:

Most of my local tournaments exclude OOK choices

Ooooo, that must be an interesting meta!