Parker - Dead Man Walking

[Burnin4tor]

On 8/15/2021 at 2:51 AM, Morgan Vening said:

"My name is Zippigo Montoya. You killed my balloon. Prepare to die."

I want Zipp 2 to fully embrace the swashbuckling pirates life. And part of that, is a Mandy Patinkin homage.

Well you got the right movie at least!

[OctaBit]

So what is the benefit of Stare down? What do you gain from changing drop it to an after resolving trigger?

[Adran]

24 minutes ago, OctaBit said:

So what is the benefit of Stare down? What do you gain from changing drop it to an after resolving trigger?

You don't need to win the duel to drop the marker. 

As an after resolving trigger, even if you lose the duel you will get the trigger to happen, and the scheme marker placed in line of sight. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

11 hours ago, Adran said:

You don't need to win the duel to drop the marker. 

As an after resolving trigger, even if you lose the duel you will get the trigger to happen, and the scheme marker placed in line of sight. 

Just not within line of sight of Parker is the common complaint. So it seems to be designed so that your models can ping enemies, but also the enemy will never drop the scheme marker within LOS of parker.

[PiersonsMuppeteer]

49 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

Just not within line of sight of Parker is the common complaint. So it seems to be designed so that your models can ping enemies, but also the enemy will never drop the scheme marker within LOS of parker.

You likely get some passive board control from them just avoiding ping damage. You can also move your models so that in LoS of the attacking model is also in LoS of Parker. Parker2 crew doesn’t seem to care about cover if generating ping, so it’s a little easier to force the opponent to drop it where you want. With the success of the attack being incidental to getting the trigger, I think you will get a few more attacks through on units with cover since the damage has a negative flip.

[Azahul]

What board control are you gaining by your opponent placing the markers on the far side of the model to Parker? It doesn't seem like they're giving up much, except maybe making it easier to set up a Life of Crime. I guess they don't want a model standing with blocking terrain on the far side of it to Parker?

Similarly, assuming a Height 2, 30mm target, there is no position on the board where another Bandit can stand and attack the target and they will be forced to drop a marker in LOS of both Parker and the other Bandit, not without additional models blocking LOS. But setting this up is likely dictating your board position far more than the opponent's. 

[PiersonsMuppeteer]

7 minutes ago, Azahul said:

What board control are you gaining by your opponent placing the markers on the far side of the model to Parker? It doesn't seem like they're giving up much, except maybe making it easier to set up a Life of Crime. I guess they don't want a model standing with blocking terrain on the far side of it to Parker?

Similarly, assuming a Height 2, 30mm target, there is no position on the board where another Bandit can stand and attack the target and they will be forced to drop a marker in LOS of both Parker and the other Bandit, not without additional models blocking LOS. But setting this up is likely dictating your board position far more than the opponent's. 

They have to be out in the open to guarantee being able to place it on the opposite side of Parker and still be in LoS of the attacking model, so you can give opponents lose-lose choices in where they position models. If you can make the position you want look like the lesser evil, control achieved. I guess you could use your models to block LoS, but I was thinking using blocking terrain to limit the far side of parker from being in LoS to the attacking model.

[Maniacal_cackle]

Okay, tried new Parker vs new Lady Justice on wedge leylines.

It wasn't a 'typical' experiment as Lady Justice is one of those crews that completely warps the game (since suddenly the game becomes about burying/reburying/position shenanigans), but here's some thoughts.

My list:

• Parker & Doc
• Hodgepodge Emissary
• Mad Dog
• Wokou Raider
• Pearl
• Scavenger
• 8 stones

Parker DMW (Dead Man Walking) is as powerful as I thought. The most important thing on his card is the 6 damage severe and the crow trigger, so let's talk about that.

• Should always throw focus onto Parker (Scavenger?) when possible, because this unlocks straight flips on a large number of models in the game (such as Guild Lawyers)
  • I one-shot a Guild Lawyer turn 1 and it was the best feeling in the worldl.
• Spam attacks. The more you attack, the more likely you are to get to cheat second. If your opponent has to cheat first, they have to worry about you having high crows in your hand (or even really like a 9 of crows will unlock the trigger sometime).
• This is SO much hand pressure on your opponent. Typically they just have to shrug and let some of your attacks hit.
• Blow-it-to-hell for cover elimination and less minus flips to damage is so important.
• You can also unlock straight flips just by getting 6 higher than your opponent - they can't cheat everything.
• 5% of the time you'll just flip two severes off the top on a neg flip.
• Spam spam spam!

So I really like the raw power of Parker. I guess he has some scheme marker synergies? I did like 1-2 damage with those over the course of the game, but I'm sure a better player could probably make a bit of use of it. But yeah, the attacks are really the big thing it seems to me.

Crew building is tricky. Mad Dog 100% auto take for his cover ignoring and general bad-assery. Hodgepodge Emissary feels pretty good there too. I didn't pull off the companion combo, but again, it was a weird game. Hodgepodge adds even more hand pressure to the opponent - would you like to cheat, or suffer damage and a slow? I could see an argument for effigy + fate upgrade over Emissary, depending on stone hunger. Scavenger also seems fantastic for Tools for the Job + Focus for Parker.

The rest of the crew, hand pressure/positive flips seem good? I had Pearl & Wokou Raider for running the leyline, but it felt a bit inefficient. Overall, I didn't know how to play the models and kept tripping over myself/getting in my own way... Wokou raiders seem badass when they get to be in combat.

The crew felt really weak to Parker being engaged by strong, unkillable models. So that's probably a major consideration (perhaps Wokou Raiders getting some attacks in on things helps). The fact that Wokou Raiders can do double positive flips to damage flips is also super nice. The crew just threatens SO many high damage straight flips.

Definitely recommend people give a go to Dead Man Walking if they like the feel of him.

[Maniacal_cackle]

I will say this may be the wrong Gaining Grounds for Parker.

He seems like he'd be so good in Recover Evidence/Public Enemies on a denial-based gameplan.

[Morgan Vening]

12 hours ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

I one-shot a Guild Lawyer turn 1 and it was the best feeling in the worldl

This is the kind of comment I come to the Forums for.

And that ability on the rifle is exactly the reason I'd take this Parker for. With Focus, he can threaten to "deep six", two or three times a turn. It's rarely guaranteed because of the 5 Stat, but as you mention, with the positives being a pseudo +2, your opponent is going to be cheating first more often than not.

Parker having that bluff potential when you've got cards in hand is gonna be fun.

Not Zipp fun, but fun all the same.

[HomelessOne]

Sometimes to spread the tender warmth of the Burning Man you've just gotta put a bullet in a lawyer's face.

[LexLock]

So, without Parker1 is there much point to generating enemy scheme markers?

Life of Crime seems easier with friendly scheme markers, kinda wish we had something with trail of gore or forage.

They should change Parker2's perdition aura to be LoS hazardous, kinda like a reverse Anya.

[Maniacal_cackle]

11 minutes ago, LexLock said:

So, without Parker1 is there much point to generating enemy scheme markers?

Life of Crime seems easier with friendly scheme markers, kinda wish we had something with trail of gore or forage.

They should change Parker2's perdition aura to be LoS hazardous, kinda like a reverse Anya.

Wokou Raiders are the main reason, I think.

Which I thought was a brilliant combo, until I realised they need a tome for it to go off to move the marker

[LexLock]

2 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

Wokou Raiders are the main reason, I think.

Which I thought was a brilliant combo, until I realised they need a tome for it to go off to move the marker

The only 8ss model I trust with stat 5 is Sue, Wokou's seem decent but most of the crew doesn't ignore friendly fire lol.

[Maniacal_cackle]

2 minutes ago, LexLock said:

The only 8ss model I trust with stat 5 is Sue, Wokou's seem decent but most of the crew doesn't ignore friendly fire lol.

I've only played the crew once, but they seem like they have a lot of potential as scheme-runners, or against crews that want to cheat to hit in melee.

I was against Lady Justice, and the fact that his pine-box attackers couldn't cheat to hit my wokou raider was actually really annoying for him xD

[Axelst]

I love the Wokou Raiders with Parker1. While stat 5 is not great, plus flips means the enemy is more likely to cheat first and Life of Crime means the enemy will have to cheat often to avoid being hit. I'm not sure about them in Parker2 though since he doesn't but out nearly as many scheme markers, making Life of Crime harder to use, and his rifle doesn't ignore friendly fire. They do love Pearl for the extra movement she gives them.

[Maniacal_cackle]

3 minutes ago, Axelst said:

I love the Wokou Raiders with Parker1. While stat 5 is not great, plus flips means the enemy is more likely to cheat first and Life of Crime means the enemy will have to cheat often to avoid being hit. I'm not sure about them in Parker2 though since he doesn't but out nearly as many scheme markers, making Life of Crime harder to use, and his rifle doesn't ignore friendly fire. They do love Pearl for the extra movement she gives them.

When I ran him, I had Hodgepodge Emissary + Pearl + Scavenger to produce scheme markers, and it felt like heaps of overkill.

I do like that their positive flips help drain the opponent's hand, so you can get more things off with Parker.

[Zebo]

I think the use for specifically Enemy scheme markers are:

Bandit Raid (Parker1) 

Cashing Out (Parker1) 

Abandon All Hope (Parker2) 

Carry the Loot (Smuggler) 

At Gunpoint (Bandido and Dead Outlaw) 

Ever-Changing Wind (Wokou) 

 

I think the best by large are the ones from Parker1. So changing him for Parker2 basically makes easier for the crew to drop enemy scheme markers, and also quits the most useful shenanigans with them. 

[touchdown]

There's also free loot on wanted criminal

[HomelessOne]

Quote

I one-shot a Guild Lawyer turn 1 and it was the best feeling in the world

 

Quote

Sometimes to spread the tender warmth of the Burning Man you've just gotta put a bullet in a lawyer's face.

I just want to let you guys know, this really happens in Malifaux Burns. We predicted the future.

[RisingPhoenix]

Pearl is an extremely solid model to take in Bandit crews which are somewhat lacking in solid models after the obvious two.  The enemy scheme marker spawning is tech, the gun is good, she has run and gun, and doesn't go down super easy.  For 7 stones, what do I want?  I guess some incidental healing with Hard to Kill synergy?  Sure!  And all for the price of a Convict Gunslinger... wait, they're more?

New Parker is... odd.  6 damage once per turn is pretty good, and I guess he can flip it more than once.  So that's potentially a lot of ranged damage.  Feel like I want to try him before passing judgement. 

Best use for an Enemy Scheme Marker, bar none, is giving Mad Dog fast.  An extra action on Mad Dog > all that random BS.  So we know what they're used for, that's not gonna change. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Mad dog can use any scheme marker, though, right? Are you skipping emissary? Could be reasonable. When I played both and a scavenger, it seemed like overkill.

I also found that Parker 2 plays well with focus, so he is constantly threatening 12 damage even on masters if they don't save high cards.

[Azahul]

I think I like Pearl more with Parker1 than 2, where her marker can be a Soulstone a turn. 2 just doesn't have that many uses for enemy scheme markers, he doesn't need her in support. I could see taking both her and the Emissary in Parker1, but that certainly seems like overkill in Parker2.

[RisingPhoenix]

I think the Emmisary as a staple in Parker lists is more a function of the lack of other things to do with the soulstones than anything.  Parker doesn't make great use of the extra speed or healing aura, and the upgrades are nice, but not even always great for the scheme/strategy.  I can see him in the list sometimes with the right schemes and strategies, but I don't like running him as a generic "take all comers" choice.  Pre-nerf I ran A&D instead, but with the nerf A&D isn't worth it. 

 I could also see Catalan Brawlers (Hold Down and Shoot) coming in as well, so I think Parker is finally getting the build diversity he's needed.

[Azahul]

Eh, weary road is good free Bandit synergy and the Pretty Little Bonnet combos pretty well with Parker's Draw Their Attention (I have frequently charged Parker into melee so that he'll be in range to pick up markers with Cashing Out, then proceeded to land a hit on the first attack, and the Bonnet has allowed me to immediately Interact and now there are two markers in play for Stat 7 attacks for the rest of his activation). The Emissary is a bit more than just a way to use up points.