Lord Cooper, Huntmaster - anyone got any thoughts on the title?

[apes-ma]

I haven't really seen anyone talking about Cooper's title. Has anyone got any table time with it? How does it play? What's working well? And does Hidden Agenda work as well on this version of cooper as it looks like it does?

[RoivasO]

I've only taken him once (so all this comes with a pinch of salt) but to me Cooper2 seems much more versatile than Cooper1. 

Both are best at pools where you can get the most out of Apex's high damage and mobility. Many models in the keyword are pretty fragile, so they sometimes struggle at "stand here and defend" missions like Guard the Stash". 

Hidden Agenda is amazing on Cooper2. Can really put your opponent in a tight spot as if you win the first duel with Cooper2, you are going to get Sent of Blood one way or the other. 

[hydranixx]

I've played maybe 5 games with Cooper2 and 50+ with Cooper1.

Cooper2 in a vacuum feels like he has higher potential with the crazy combos you can create, maybe even some of the highest potential in the game.

It's theoretically possible to deal 20 damage with a single Lord Cooper2 Hunter Bow action without even seeing Red Joker (Opponent Cheats Fate, so Hidden Agenda pings them for 1, while Cooper's bow hits for 5, each separately procing Scent of Blood, for a potential 2x6 damage from the Damned, pushing the enemy through a Pit Trap each time for another 2x1 damage).

In a slightly more realistic example, I recall killing a full hp Fire Golem with a bunch of Burning (so, it effectively had Armour +2) in 2 melee swings, by Creating a Pit Trap, hitting the skinning knife trigger to push the Golem it onto said Trap, then Scenting to let The Damned take a swing at it with Stat 7 and push it around on the Trap again as part of its melee, then rinsing and repeating.

It was brutal and it was glorious. 

But it also chews through your Control Hand extremely fast. I've never played a more card hungry crew. That game I even escaped with 2 Runaways on the crucial turn 2 when everything was going down, and replenished 9+ cards collectively, and it still only barely felt like it was enough. Even though the keyword has  flips for days, you still have to Cheat some attacking duels, especially with Cooper himself if you want to land the hit to start the combo, and you might need to Cheat to hit some TNs - and then you still need to have cards left over to discard for every Scent of Blood you want to trigger.

With Cooper1, it often feels like you have to find creative ways to spend low cards - anything with a value of 4 or under is basically dead weight in your hand. With Cooper2, it often feels like you need to have a 12 card Control Hand to do everything you want.

Cooper2 is just one Surge or Good for a Laugh trigger away from being really good. If he had Good for a Laugh on his Pit Trap action like Mah does, oh man, he would be amazing to play.

[Mindbadger]

Has anyone tried using Crypsis Corps with him? Obviously Cooper 2 shines with beasts but the +1 to Patient Strike could be powerful if you line it up right or on the right maps. Not sure it's worth focusing on, but wondered if anyone had given it a go?

[hydranixx]

12 hours ago, Mindbadger said:

Has anyone tried using Crypsis Corps with him? Obviously Cooper 2 shines with beasts but the +1 to Patient Strike could be powerful if you line it up right or on the right maps. Not sure it's worth focusing on, but wondered if anyone had given it a go?

The issue I tend to find with Patient Strike is that usually the only enemy models that will walk through it are those that can take a 2/3/4 on the chin and not worry about it, and that won't change if your Corps suddenly becomes Stat 6. That said, if you do hire one or more of them and you can afford to hire Mr Ngaatoro, well his Obey goes quite nicely with them so they can sling out some Stat 6 shots at 24" out of activation before or after placing their Patient Strike markers.