The Master with the most Breadth of Playstyle

[Ratty]

I would say Zoraida wins, She has good defence and can use her opponents models as well as her own. Levi no matter what he takes is still limited by the way he dies and resurrects and the fact he has to protect the Waifs.

[Wodschow]

OKay..

Leveticus doesn't share models with the other Outcasts, but like I just said he shares alot with Ressurectionists and maybe Hoffman/Ramos depending on what minions you pick up.

The minions Zoraida takes that aren't Neverborn can't be used at all by the other Neverborn Masters either - you could of course stay entirely within the Neverborn range, but then the crew variety is greatly diminished and you could just aswell pick Pandora or Lilith who can also both act largely independent of their crews.

Switching to another Masters from Zoraida isn't easier than it is from Leveticus. Switching to Zoraida is easy though if you have another Neverborn crew - likewise with Leveticus if you have a Ressurectionist crew (other than Kirais).

I'm still going to say that for (2) Perdita is one of the Masters that can act most varied with a locked crew. Kirai is another good one.

For the combination of (1) and (2) the answer is probably Zoraida - but she'll still fulfill the same role within your given crew - not much variety in the micromanagement of her - that is my impression anyway.

[Ratty]

Well your initial post wanted Masters good at all play styles and Resurrectionists all have one major hole in there crews and that is ranged combat. Sure there are some options with Mercs and some stuff in book 2 but overall its a pretty big gap. Its a gap they can handles since they can play the attrition and summon game.

.

I would also say Kirai fills this hole by being able to move in fast fire off models directly into combat and then being able to pull out, therefore being able to play a slightly different ranged game.

But I would agree that in general Ressurectionists are not as all round as someone like the Guild or Outcasts.

The question really is whether your after a Master that can fight any battle by selecting a crew to deal with the issues. Or a Master that can adapt to fight any battle after crews are selected.

Zoraida is a good bet for the first, though some crews like Pandora can deal with most comers too (not due to Breadth of playstyle but due to the fact they bring the enemy down to the same level).

Some crews can change style once they have started playing. Kirai can notably do this. But Nicodem can do it to a certain extent as he can summon most undead to do what he needs, though his speed is still a limitation.

[hippieshopper]

I think...besides what was stated here...that the Ressers can fill that spot.

Nico is definitely up there...yes we all lack ranged combat but I was under the assumption that he just meant playstyles regarding strategies.

Because he can both take and summon 90% of all things Undead, he has a wide plethora of dudes at his fingertips while he himself, while nigh un-killable in the right state, is NOOOOT a melee monster.

Kirai too, even though she doesn't have outstanding range...she makes up for it with her teleporting goonies.

Sowwy, just gotta give my Undead homies some love.

[Xango]

OK i have to step in, without adding minions, if you want pure abilities and the game play of the crew right out of the box, nobody and i mean... nobody can argue that Zoraida, Big Z for the rest of you disrespectful children! is the most versatile master, if you do a scheme/mission analysis one by one, Zoraida will come in the first 5 in each and everyone of them, 1st in some, i have played (and i repeat, box vs box) treasure hunt against pandora, ramos, marcus, rasputina and lady j, Zoraida has won everytime, not that good in other missions or schemes, but overall, she`s the queen of versatility.

[tadaka]

Breaking it down in my honest opinion as I wrote this I would put this as a draw. I see this breaking down in 2 ways. What they can do through the crew and what they bring to the table by themself.

Crew.

Both levi and Z have tons of options for models and have options that can do any thing you want them to do. Melee range, fast, hard hitting you name it they have the crew for the job. What I find intresting in this is the models they can take have very little crossover.

Master

Levi.

Ranged killing (Wins hands down he is a beast at at doing the job himself)

Movement (levi can get where he needs to but Z is faster)

Melee ( God help any thing levi gets his hands on)

Summoning (only 2 options basicly totem and a low cost minion, Levi is able to make a powerhouse in the deso engine but this is more of a side effect)

Crew buffing(limited here but adding a raven to some models is very very nice)

Debuffs(Nothing of note)

Deck manipulation (Probably single best spell in game)

Big Z (AKA saggy boobs)

Ranged killing (Depends on if you put obey here or else where. Over all between obey and poison every turn not bad for damage but no where close to levi)

Movement (levi can get where he needs to but Z is faster)

Meleee ( I dont think any one fears her in this department)

Summoning (About same as levi can make a small minion and her totem. I call this a draw as desolation engine is nice when you can pull it off but her totem is better.)

Crew buffing(I give this one to her Obey can basicly be used to give fast and hex can be a nice buff by removing things you dont want.)

Debuffs(Wins hands down)

Deck manipulation (Good but not as good as levi imho)

Edited February 23, 2011 by tadaka

[tadaka]

OK i have to step in, without adding minions, if you want pure abilities and the game play of the crew right out of the box, nobody and i mean... nobody can argue that Zoraida, Big Z for the rest of you disrespectful children! is the most versatile master, if you do a scheme/mission analysis one by one, Zoraida will come in the first 5 in each and everyone of them, 1st in some, i have played (and i repeat, box vs box) treasure hunt against pandora, ramos, marcus, rasputina and lady j, Zoraida has won everytime, not that good in other missions or schemes, but overall, she`s the queen of versatility.

Box vs box is not a valid way to look at crews. Some boxes are way better then others and hardly a solid measure to go by. Hell look at nico the guy is not even playable out of the box. Levi has 1 waif no desolation engine to go with the spa. Kirai who is very good with a few extra shisin is garbage with just the 1 in the box. Some crews cant even be played for a 25 point game with out loseing points.

[Doctor Amos]

I suppose you might look at all the Strategies and Schemes, looking at where stengths and weaknesses lay. Then, go on a pure numbers binge for models allowed. ...all of which I might do if A.) I weren't lazy and B.) My book weren't in my car.

[Xango]

@Tadaka, you are absolutely right i was trying to point a new player into versatility right out of the box to give him a pointer, Rathnard made an excelent analysis of Zoraida before me, pointing at crew expanding, for him to know that in both ways Zoraida is the best option of what he`s looking for.

[Ratty]

Though I wouldn't count Von Schill as one of the most versitile in the long run. Out of the Box I think he can do far more than Zoraida. He's got range, melee, healing, decent durability. As you expand the Mercs can go most ways. Taelor, Johan & Viks for melee. Hans, Convict Gunner, Trappers for ranged. Jack Daw and Hamelin for control. But I would say Zoraida has the edge once you start expanding your collection.

[tadaka]

I will give you that the levi realy needs more models to work. Z is a great starting point with tons of ways to play just got to get her totem and your good to go.

[Ratty]

I will give you that the levi realy needs more models to work. Z is a great starting point with tons of ways to play just got to get her totem and your good to go.

You say that but there is no ranged attacks in the box set and your limited to 2 unit types. Silurid are good hit an run troops but that is all they can really do, they can't really hold ground as they are quite fragile. Once you start adding things like Hans, Convict Gunslinger or even a bigger hitter which can be obeyed it becomes a bit more interesting. But out of the box Zoraida is very limited.

[Doctor Amos]

If, of course, you are solely concerned of out-of-the boxness. The thread of "which box is da best?" might settle the isue better. Master veratility, however, is the question of the day.

And of couse, Pandora is the ultimate master coming out of the box.

[tadaka]

I dont see how that is any different then any box. Z herself brings lots of options to the table. The crew has a very durable model in juju as well as fast hit and run models in the Slurd. The totem makes the crew a threat at range due to poison and causeing the other crew to attack itself. Imho a crew that brings range threat, speed, debuffs, deck manipulation, and even some ability to recover lost models in juju is a hell of a lot of options to bring to the table from a starter set.

[micahwc]

I would like to give another master up for consideration. Markus. Markus can choose beasts from any faction, which puts his available model count probably the third highest after Levi and Z, and his selection will also improve with further book releases.

Markus can be played in a variety of different ways. He can be offensive, defensive, supportive, or fast. His versatility is his greatest strength.

Unfortunately, Markus' versatility is also his greatest weakness. He can not do anything as well as a dedicated master. If he is offensive than he loses speed and defense, etc.

I think that Markus needs to be considered as one of the (if not the most) versatile master in the game.

[LoboStele]

Ignoring the versatility of the crew selection, I've actually been VERY impressed over the past months at just how versatile I really could be with Colette's box set + Coryphee's/Doves. Strategies requiring the killing of an opponent (Slaughter/Contain Power) can be semi-tricky sometimes, but honestly, the only crew I've had real trouble against was either the Dreamer or Lillith, since some of their attacks can one-shot the various Showgirls. But even in those instances, I've tabled opponents a few times, regardless of the strategies. And if I can table an opponent and kill all his models, then I can CERTAINLY do some of the other things like movement/interact based Strategies.

Is Colette as versatile as Levi, Zoraida, Kirai, etc.? No, I don't think so, necessarily. I think our resident Dreamer expert would probably say something similar about his crew, in that he's exceptionally good at destroying things, but the Dreamer's large movement can be really good for pulling off movement/interact strategies as well.

So I would say that a large portion of how "versatile" a Master/Crew is, is also dependent on how familiar the player is with that crew, and how well they understand how to utilize the crew in the right ways at the right times.