New McMourning

[twelvepeers]

Once you summon the Mindless Zombies, they already act as Corpse Markers. More importantly, they are Corpse Markers that can move on their own activation, and Corpse Markers you can stack Poison on.

Once they are summoned, you stack Poison +3 on the Mindless Zombies, which means they will trigger Horrendous Corpse when they are killed, which drops a Scheme Marker or Corpse Marker. That is how they replace themselves every turn.

[Maniacal_cackle]

2 hours ago, Paddywhack said:

 

Sadly, I expect MCM2 and Plastic Surgery to be on the Errata block within a year. There is just too much potential for abuse and too many variables for future models to consider. I'm not sure how they'll change it, but it probably is too good to last. 

If we see the same pattern as ES got, then it will be about March 2023 for the first changes for titles.

So... There will be a lot of time to do this probably xD

[Paddywhack]

27 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

So... There will be a lot of time to do this probably xD

Probably, but if it ends up being particularly awful I can see it happening sooner. I'm not saying it's totally crazy yet, but I know there's a lot of knee-jerk reaction to him. I don't think he's as bad as what some other crews can do - but I'm open to seeing more data.

[Maniacal_cackle]

16 minutes ago, Paddywhack said:

Probably, but if it ends up being particularly awful I can see it happening sooner. I'm not saying it's totally crazy yet, but I know there's a lot of knee-jerk reaction to him. I don't think he's as bad as what some other crews can do - but I'm open to seeing more data.

I imagine it may be like nexus where they address it through the main rules (perhaps further nerfs to summons for example).

[twelvepeers]

I don't think any of this is particularly awful. Most of these tactics revolve around synergy between multiple models.

[Meddlesome]

So I built a list and did a thing, and might have gone full madman resulting in 6 upgrades going out on the 3rd activation. 

Requirements:
3 stones 
1 (one) 5 of crows
6 (six) moderate or better flips (6+)
Corpse Curator
Canine Remains
Gravedigger

Activation #1 - Corpse Curator

1. (Bonus action) Cursed Sludge with crow trigger
2. Drop a scheme and pick it up to draw a card with Reduce Reuse Recycle

Activation #2 - Canine Remains

1. (Bonus action) Carrion away the corpse from Gravedigger's Recent Funeral ability, have Reduce Reuse Recycle duplicate the corpse
2. Drop a scheme and pick it up to draw a card with Reduce Reuse Recycle

Activation #3 - Dr McMourning Insanitary 

1.  Desperate plot (stone number 1 for mask), pick up one corpse 
Quick reflexes pick up the second corpse

2. Desperate plot (stone number 2 for mask) bump into Corpse Conductor (down to 4 hp)
Quick reflexes bump into Corpse Conductor (down to 2 hp)

3. Desperate plot (stone number 3 for mask) pick up sludge -> RRR another sludge down where you need it
Quick reflexes pick up the sludge and RRR to draw a card

4. Bonus plastic surgery something (projectile vomit on the chihuahua seems fun) 

Notes

If you don't want the skin upgrade you get from tearing down the sludge marker, you can just as easily leave a scheme marker in place instead, which would reduce the activation order to Canine Remains first, then McMourning 2nd. It seems like extra arms and legs are top priority, and the other 2 are nice to haves/damage shields.

If you only want to get arms and legs out, you don't need canine remains and can pocket the additional 3 stones for more list flexibility/stones to use in the game. The free corpse from gravedigger + RRR will prevent you from killing your own Corpse Conductor. 

McMourning 2 Be A Better You (Aggressive)
Size: 50 - Pool: 5
Leader:
  Dr McMourning
    The Whisper
Totem(s):
  Zombie Chihuahua
Hires:
  Corpse Conductor
    Grave Spirit's Touch
  Kentauroi 2
    Grave Spirit's Touch
  Canine Remains
  Nurse
  Gravedigger
  Rogue Necromancy
References:
  Flesh Construct

Edited November 19, 2021 by Meddlesome
Dredge up can't target the same marker more than once per turn. Changed turn 1 actions to drop/remove a scheme for a card instead

[Meddlesome]

Been doing more thinking (and some card flips to test reliability) and found a way to do this cheaper and fully in KW. This build/change will remove all benefits from Gravedigger (which are pretty good with this title imho), to give you 3 more stones to hire with or use during the game.

I'm curious to see what other people might come up with without using the Gravedigger/what type of versatility this lends the crews in different strat/scheme pools. 

Changes

1. Instead of hiring Gravedigger, hire in a second canine remains
2. Corpse curator now requires Grave Spirit's Touch
3. McMourning2's turn is delayed by 1 activation (Now happening on activation 4 instead of 3). So if this is a little too much durdling on turn 1 for you, you may want to keep this in mind.

Activation #1 - Canine Remains 1

1. Carrion away off the Corpse Curator (curator down to 4hp)
2. Drop/pick up a scheme to draw a card with RRR
3. Drop corpse marker in base at end of activation

Activation #2 - Corpse Curator

1. Regen +2 at top of turn (back to max hp)
2. Bonus action and cheat in a 5 of crows to drop a Sludge
3. Drop/pick up a scheme marker to draw a card with RRR

Activation #3 - Canine Remains 2

1. Carrion away one of the corpses on the ground
2. Drop/pick up a scheme marker to draw a card with RRR
3. Drop additional (now 3rd) corpse marker into base at end of activation

Activation #4 - Dr. McMourning Insanitary

No changes.

 

Results/thoughts

I've found that you'll likely want to stone on Turn 1 to fish for a 5 of crows to get that sludge marker/search for moderate masks. You'll want to draw as many cards as you can before having to flip for anything to reduce your chances of flipping the Black Joker, so maybe put Corpse Curator in Activation #3 slot instead. This'll also give you a couple turns to fish for that 5 of crows if you don't have it yet. Don't feel overly attached to severes on turn 1. You're more interested in getting suits and moderates to keep this engine going.

McMourning really needs The Whisper to stack his first 3 flips for Desperate Plot. Remember, only the 1st and 3rd cards require masks, so put those moderates down in the middle. This hasn't happened to me yet, but if you intuition the Black Joker, you can use RRR to draw a card after your first flip, so stack accordingly and draw the BJ to prevent your plots from going awry!

Oddly enough this is very consistent. Even scarier, I've ended up with a hand full of severes about 50% of the time. 

 

[Maniacal_cackle]

On 8/30/2021 at 1:18 PM, Maniacal_cackle said:

Just played McMourning on leylines, and sweet googly moogly he is powerful.

Note that summoners are just broken on leylines anyway, so take this with a grain of salt, but...

• Summoned 17 stones of models (2 flesh constructs, 1 canine remains).
  • Took 2 master AP and one Hench AP.
• In ONE turn, I took 5-6 pouncing strike attacks by using plastic surgery.
  • Rogue Necro landed 3 with flurry
  • Mcmourning copied and landed 2-3 more
  • Turns out positive flips are pretty overwhelming (but I also had 3 masks in hand).
• I drew some cards, but not as much as I expected. The corpse engine was a bit clunky at times as I used up all markers turn 1.
• The upgrades are pretty insane. +4 health for rogue necro is SO good, and the effects of the upgrades is super strong.

I went to a lot of effort turn 1 to setup the summon engine. I'm not sure it is worth delaying the absolutely monstrous killing power of McMourning 2. Honestly he feels more deadly than McMourning 1 which feels very backwards to me... If they were to edit his card to make plastic surgery other model only, that could make sense. He is a combat god around anything with a good attack.

That said, you do have to setup the attacks, and when Rogue Necromancy died, his power level dropped too.

And of course, the 2 flesh constructs + canine remains scored like 4 points between them xD But that's more a commentary on how broken summoners on leylines are.

Dammit maniacal_cackle!!! What was your list for this pool???

[Paddywhack]

4 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

In ONE turn, I took 5-6 pouncing strike attacks by using plastic surgery.

• Rogue Necro landed 3 with flurry
• Mcmourning copied and landed 2-3 more
• Turns out positive flips are pretty overwhelming (but I also had 3 masks in hand).

Rogue getting it three times sounds super lucky. Could happen any game, but not often. Surprised you didn't use a Nurse for a couple more  

I do think Plastic Surgery should likely be 'Other'. Letting McM have access to just about any Action could lead to a lot of headaches down the road, not just now. The other, less appealing option, would be to change Plastic Surgery so you don't get Triggers too. Just the Action. Then some of these abuse cases would disappear while still leaving room for a wide variety of Actions to steal/use. 

8 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

• The upgrades are pretty insane. +4 health for rogue necro is SO good, and the effects of the upgrades is super strong.

Yes! They are awesome. RN actually has a chance to stay around a bit and Flurry feels like it should have been on his card all along. They help everything stay alive a bit longer. I never have much luck with Kentauroi, but at least with upgrades they don't die as quickly for me. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Just now, Paddywhack said:

Rogue getting it three times sounds super lucky. Could happen any game, but not often. Surprised you didn't use a Nurse for a couple more   

It's a little bit lucky, but also you tend to cheat second and I had saved masks from the previous turn. Even 8+ masks are enough to pounce unless your opponent is cheating a severe with many models.

[Paddywhack]

Just now, Maniacal_cackle said:

It's a little bit lucky, but also you tend to cheat second and I had saved masks from the previous turn. Even 8+ masks are enough to pounce unless your opponent is cheating a severe with many models.

True, but I've had games with no good masks in hand, even with McM's extra card draw. 

[Maniacal_cackle]

50 minutes ago, Paddywhack said:

True, but I've had games with no good masks in hand, even with McM's extra card draw. 

Yeah, but on average your highest flip will be a mask 25% of the time roughly, and when you throw in cheats and stones, 3-4 should be doable a lot.

5-6 is definitely high end. But not THAT high end if you include stoning for suits.

[LinenMusician]

Yesterday finally tried new McMourning and oh, he is so great at adopting to things happening during the game.

It was Corner Corrupted Ley Lines, schemes were catch and release, hidden martyrs, breakthrough, research mission and detonate chages. Me and my opponent both took martyrs and research mission, but i feel like i could take anything drom this pool to score (and it feels great😅).

My crew was McM2 with wisper, chihuahua, sebastian, rogue necromancy, nurse, kentaroi with GST, canine remains and gravedigger, 5 stones. Opponent played Euripides 2 with primordial magic cyclops (ancient pact), 2 geryons (inhuman reflexes both), the damned and gigant (ancient pact).

Some thoughts and highlits: Amount of markers you can have with RRR is amazing, summoned 2 corpse constructs during the game, could have third, but it wasn't needed. Gravedigger is great - 1 corpse at the start of the game and 1 more each turn. First turn overplayed myself and blocked rogue necromancy with summoned corpse construct, so RN had to move around it. Second turn rogue necromancy made 4 attacks (2 ap both with pouncing strike) which resulted into killing geryon and primordial magic, nice. Those upgrades are great tool for surviving (just dont forget about it as i have few times, poor nurse and kentaroi😥) - necromancy has 2 hp, gets hitted by 2, discards upgrade, voila, its still in htk and ready to fight. And this crew can be realy killy what is great. Sebastian with legs seems prety well - stat 7 and + for damage flip from charge is awesome.

Ended up wining 7-5 win and falling in love with MCM2, will definetly play him again (and again and again😅)

Photo is middle of turn 4 as i remember

 

[Maniacal_cackle]

Awesome!

[Paddywhack]

Upcoming page has been updated and McM2 is tentatively scheduled for a MAR release.  

[Arlos896]

Hey weird question about corpse curator. Can it be treated as a scrap or corpse marker for the purposes of say research mission or death beds? 

[LinenMusician]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:24 AM, Arlos896 said:

Hey weird question about corpse curator. Can it be treated as a scrap or corpse marker for the purposes of say research mission or death beds? 

He cannot because he treats so for friendly models not for schemes