New player Zoraida questions

[Sinsation]

Hi! I've been reading through some of the various Zora threads, but I had a slew of questions and didn't want to derail them so I thought I'd ask here. New to Malifaux, but not to mini wargaming.

1) Zoraida's Hex. This seems like a really potent spell, but is it worth the effort to use this on friendlies early game? I'm thinking if you for instance summoned Killjoy first turn, then used this to remove Out of Control. Likewise, with Papa Loco to remove Careless or Esta Loco, or Hans and his sniper rifle. Should I be casting this spell instead on a first turn conduit target, or not casting it at all?

2) Warpig. Along the same lines, is bringing a warpig and then first turn removing Set'er Off a good idea, or too many soulstones/actions?

3) Hooded Rider. I don't see many threads on him around here, but how useful is he in a Zoraida list? He seems like he could work well with mobility, and while he can't be obeyed, he could have targets psuedo-lured to him through obey, and then eat them up nicely.

4) First turn obey yanking. The thought was along the lines of once your target has been activated, use zoraida to voodoo doll them and then obey them to charge towards you. Then have your voodoo doll charge them even closer, for a good 10+ inches they're now ahead of their crew, and then eat them up good.

5) Bad juju. When he comes in using From the Earth, does he have to immediately activate? Or do you summon him, and then activate him later in the turn? Also, is using your silurids to jump into your opponent's army, and then have bad Juju/Killjoy summon into their disrupted lines and take them apart while they can't retaliate a good strategy, or will they probably just devastate my army quicker?

I think that's it, thanks!

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

1. I usually cast on friendlies and I do so early because it is costly AP wise. In place of conduit it depends on the speed of my opponent faster crews I might summon my doll first than hex later.

2. Depends on scenario. Might be good might be something to wait on.

3. He is great fits the need of many scenarios probably best anti guild choice since he can ignore ranged attacks if you pick that setting. Great in melee with flurry and the flaming damage boost. I use him more though for mobility and objective grabbing since this is game that is lee about killing and more about strategies.

4. Situational, could work but could back fire. Don't underestimate the power of obeying your minions.

5. No experience with juju but he wouldn't immediately activate he would summon in and wait to activate. He would also be slow due to summon. That strategy probably would be a great who met bust most crews could handle that. You are probably going to lose that. Complete objectives first kill second.

Welcome to malifaux.

[micahwc]

If I remember right you place bad juju when you could have activated another model and immediately activated him, although he is slow when he is summoned. After he dies once and is brought back he is placed, and therefore not slow anymore.

I use hex offensively most of the time. Ideally you place your models last and put Zoraida where she has LOS to several different appropriate hex targets. Then, ideally, you go first and conduit to an enemy. Next turn you hex said enemies annoying abilities away. This is how I use soul stones with Zoraida, by making sure the enemy can not resist hex.

I have hexed off the "heart stopper" trigger off of Jack Daw because my opponent talked for days before the game about how cool it was. I have hexed off the essence of power's abillity when fighting Rasputina. I have hexed off some of Nino's abilities. In theory, you could hex "use soulstones" off of a henchmen if they had another master with them. Hex has been one of the best spells in my experience with Zoraida.

Edited May 5, 2011 by micahwc
wrong

[micahwc]

The hooded rider seems to fulfill the same role that Teddy, Bad Juju, and the Mature Nephilim fill. They are all really good at melee. Of the four, only 1 can be obeyed. Therefore, I think that the mature nephilim is usually a better choice when playing with Zoraida.

Bad Juju is good for getting objectives on the far side of the board, and for forcing an enemy to decide which threat to target. Summoning Bad Juju in contact with an evidence marker is classic.

As far as your idea of disrupting the enemy with Sillurids and Bad Juju, I think that it could work in some situations, but will fail in most. It is really easy to overextend Sillurids and it is really tempting to hit your enemy with them by turn 1 or 2. In my experience, this usually fails. They can move 20 inches a turn, but they can't attack a lot if they do. They are great for completing objectives quick, but if you overextend them they will die.

[Sinsation]

Thanks for the responses. Something that seemed weird to me, is it worth it to obey an enemy and then have them summon (alyce, sebastian, etc)?

[Ratty]

Thanks for the responses. Something that seemed weird to me, is it worth it to obey an enemy and then have them summon (alyce, sebastian, etc)?

p55, Models cannot Summon models, whether through Talents or Spells, while controlled by an enemy Crew.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I was looking for that couldn't remember where it was, but I knew that wasn't legal. Thanks Marshal

*tips hat*