Noob Malifaux PRIMER: Basic gameplay mechanics - the CARDS

[nerdelemental]

The game of Malifaux introduces key new concepts in miniature game play. Specifically unique is the abandonment of dice and the introduction of a deck of cards based exactly off of a standard deck of cards you'd use to play your mother a game of "Go Fish". It includes two Jokers that are designated one Red and one Black.

The fictional background of Malifaux is both reminiscent of our American Wild West and this new world has a lot of spirituality manifesting as its magic and the Masters that manipulate the magics are very in touch with manipulating fate. Thus, the core new concept of the game is born: the Fate Deck. Each player comes to the table with their personal deck of cards. The cards fate deals you are the numbers most players will be familiar with on their old dice rolls and are used very similarly with several exceptions. Here, also mirroring some of those romantic "duels at high noon" are duels between players to try to successfully strike the other and each player has a Master representing the ability to manipulate fate.

Here's a quick example:

Say my model, Perdita, is trying to shoot your model, Ramos, with her pistol. As in most games, you look at Perdita's Combat score of 7 with the gun and compare it to Ramos' Defense of 2. Both players are now in the duel and each player will take the top card of his Fate Deck and reveal it and each card value gets added to the relevant stat (Ace=1, 2-10 standard, Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13, Black Joker=0, Red Joker=14). As long as Perdita equals the defense total of Ramos' duel she will tag him with her Peacekeeper pistol. Imagine the flips go something like this: Perdita flips a 6 so her total is 13 and Ramos flips a 4 so his total is 6. She's popping caps in his ass. It's what she does.

Now that's the easy version. However, players control fate more than most don't forget, so there are several ways that manipulation comes into play! The first and most important is the Control Hand. Each player draws cards at the beginning of the turn (6 for normal sized games). Each player has the option to Cheat Fate by using a card he controls to replace the card that fate dealt him. So, in the example above, the Ramos player knows that Perdita means bidness so he does not want her to pop caps or anything in his ass. Looking at his hand, he knows the 13 and 11 he's holding are better than the 4 he flipped naturally, but the 11 would only bring the total to a tie which would still go to Perdita and he wants no part of that. Dropping the 13 means he won't have access to it when he's on the attack, but he wants to be sure he's still around to attack so he cheats fate and plays the 13 out of his hand to replace the 4 (it's discarded and gone) and his new total for the duel is 15 and he breathes a sigh of relief because he's winning now! But, Perdita has a chance to cheat fate with a card from her Control Hand, too, and with her stellar combat stat, she only needs to drop an 8 or better to win again (8+7combat = 15 and ties go to attacker).

There's even more to it than that, but that's the core concept of every basic duel in the game. My attack stat against your defense stat with the addition of a card from both players that can be cheated.

Your deck gets reshuffled between turns and you draw a fresh control hand at the beginning of each turn.

Edited September 2, 2009 by nerdelemental

[dboeren]

Thanks for the explanation!

And don't worry about losing stealth mode. Unless you've made a bad reputation on other forums you've got more to gain by being known than by being hidden.

[AoM]

Ban PG_BobbyBrady!!!!

[capcap]

Sounds like a good primer. This will be a good link to send out to help people better understand the basics of the game.

[Scorpio]

nerd, loving these primers. Thanks for the hard work!

[Jestor]

I agree with what ^^ he said

I am probably going to steal some of these and pass them onto the clubmates.