A first Kirai turn

[Alviaran]

So, in the vast majority of cases, how does one go about a first turn with Kirai? Looking her over, I'm seeing I can end up dropping to one wound (or 2 if I absorb Spirit and Don't Blink) before healing flips and sacrifice three models to toss two models out there as well. My initial thoughts:

Move Seishin into position up the field and out activate the opponent. Cast In The Spirit World and move up field fast, summon Ikiryo and a Shikome (saccing two Seishin for the Evolve and a third to Absorb Spirit so I have a Wd to give up to one of the Don't Blink triggers) and drop the models on the enemy's head while finally moving back via Swirl to also probably slingshot Datsue-Ba (planned to be one of the only two models I don't activate before Kirai, the other being Lost Love to Soothe her). Hopefully, I plop an angry Shikome, Ikiryo and Datsue-Ba on their doorstep before they can react.

Is this right? Should I be focusing on something else on my first turn with Kirai? Should I be setting something up? Am I being too reckless? Or is this kind of willy-nilly near killing of myself exactly what I should expect to do with Kirai? I've already seen the whole Absorb herself and come back at 6 wounds bit and I can't wait to pull that little trick. But am I putting myself too close to death at the start?

Thanks, from a new Kirai and Malifaux player who is desperately painting to start playing. (Of course I chose a crew that is 17 models total...just in what I have now)

[Calmdown]

Is tough to give you a template in Malifaux but my games normally look something like this:

Move/Pass some Seishin, making sure theyre safe.

Move some other stuff, somewhere in here will be a Shikome or Gaki that will be Kirai's ItSW target.

(most opponents are out of activations now) > make sure there is a Seishin near your ItSW target to eat/evolve if needed, drag them at end of an activation you need to.

Move something fast (Shikome) way out front when it is safe to do so

Kirai:

Eat a Seishin unless you already have a mask and crow for ItSW and Summon Ikiryo (wasting wounds is way less relevant than wasting ap on a failed cast)

ItSW to your target

Swirl in your second Shikome or other big hitter for your first one at moved up

Summon Ikiryo (costs 5 wds generally with Dont Blink, the cool name of which is sadly lost on most Americans I fear)

Soothe Spirit yourself

You know have an angry Ikiryo and big hitter of some kind in their face.

Ideally activate lost love and try to heal Kirai some more.

[Alviaran]

I am assuming Don't Blink is a Doctor Who reference. At least, I really hope so.

[Stryder]

My first turn usually goes like this:

1. Lost Love: Defensive Stance, Pass

2. Seishin: Defensive Stance, Pass

3. Seishin: Defensive Stance, Pass

4. Gaki: Attack Desperate Merc, deal weak/moderate(3) damage, Walk

5. Insidious Madness: Defensive Stance, Walk

6. Insidious Madness: Defensive Stance, Walk

7. Desperate Merc: Walk, Walk

8. Seishin (In base with Kirai): Walk, Walk

9. Seishin (In base with Kirai): Walk, Walk

10: Kirai: In the Spirit World, Evolve Spirit (Summon Shikome completely within 5", towards her target opponent), Heal Self, Summon Ikiryo (within 12", so she can pull Shikome towards her prey). Bounce 1 Seishin into base.

11: Datsuie-Ba: Guide Spirits on self, Weigh Sins on Desperate Merc (Summon Gaki, place Seishin as close to Shikome as possible, Gaki picks up corpse counter, Kirai makes a healing flip). Heal Kirai (Note, if Guide Spirits fails, Walk instead and do Weigh Sins)

12: New Seishin: Spiritually Empower on Shikome

13: New Gaki: Walk, or something...

14: Ikiryo: Call Spirits (pulling Shikome and anyone else you want to), Move and attack etc.

15: Shikome: Nimble into prey and rip them apart.

Then turn 2...

Sac Madness for Initiative. Smash stuff with Shikome some more.

Note that this tactic of diving in can be risky, but it can end games quickly if you can pull it off. However, it is highly dependant on what you have in your hand.

[sinistercats]

Maybe the trigger should have been Don't Even Blink...? But I think most people do get it.

[DeleteAccount]

For me it's a similar affair, though I do a variant which is based on placing kirai a lot more back. Repeat the usual waste activations seishin shenanigans while empowering my shikome. When ready, spirit port kirai to whatever model I have in possition, though not too far ahead. Summon Ikirio with don't blink, swirl in shikome, have shikome eat it's prey, Ikirio moves forward and lets Shikome retreat. I've also been thinking of adding a belle to the list to have even more control of where my shikome ends.

Of course, this is based on me not being able to summon something on a desired enemy's head, if I can do that, I won't bother swirling and I'll just summon a shikome to it's face or an Ikirio depending on my faith on it (my beaters are my shikome, my Ikirio have never really done anything too stellar) and maybe swirl Kirai out.

Also, Alviaran, reading your routine it seems you are under the false pretence that you are able to swirl and 2 two summons in a turn, keep in mind that the fast you get from eating a spirit is compensated by doing it.

[Alviaran]

Ah, I forgot Swirl was a (1). I was thinking it was a (0) for some reason. Yeah, I know that Absorb is a wash and is basically just a way to get 2 Wd and 2 cards for the cost of a spirit.

Are you often taking a Shikome in the initial list? The crew I have planned out doesn't start with a Shikome and has me trying to summon it on the first turn instead. My plans were to summon the Ikiryo and the Shikome (with Don't Blink triggers if I Absorb) at the end of my turn so I can out activate the other side.

I guess my overall question is more related to what goals should I be wanting to accomplish on the first turn rather than a specific play by play. Do I really want to play super aggressive and just dump spirits on my opponent's head (while also bringing Kirai near death to where Lost Love might be kicking in on the second turn)? Should I be summoning and healing while staying farther back? Given my usual playstyle, I'm more inclined to the former since Don't Blink can let me summon directly on top of them rather than trying to maneuver in.

Also, on a somewhat related question, in your experience, what is the chances a Shikome can solo a Vik in one round? Or a Slow Ikiryo? Very new so I don't really know from practical experience how the damage output tends to work out, especially if he decides to try damage prevention flips. (I expect if they can solo the Viks my friend will fall for this exactly once, but man, do I want to do it just because).

[DeleteAccount]

Well, in mi case I have 1 initially on my list, I don't like the idea of having a second from the get go just so I can easily summon one with the required prey without needing to wait for one to die. My first turns lately have been incredibly aggressive, though the only model jammed in my enemy's throat is a shikome, usually preying either my grudge or protege targets (these are my usual schemes). Since I've started playing this way (my last 2 games, vs Lady J and Pandora) I've finished both schemes by turn 2. Shikome with prey up will kill most minions in one activation, I've nuked the judge and Candy in one, though Woe's can be a problem if they have an attached sorrow.

Masters I haven't tried yet, though they are in my to do list. Discounting soul stones, an empowered shikome should eat a Victoria with relative ease, the problem are the stones, mostly for reducing damage or making you miss, but the good thing is your first shikome probably made the enemy master blow a few and now you can summon a second to try again.

Do remember though that the shikome will plain bounce from some models, Pandora or other models that require to pass a check to be able to attack them utterly ruin a Shikome alpha strike.

[DeleteAccount]

Mmmm... just noticed I can't edit posts. Oh well, just add that when using shikome take into account if the other guy can summon or bury or something similar. If you target a Punk Zombie only for the enmy master to nuke it and resummon it, it means you lost your target. Same applies to buried, since a buried model is not on the table anymore and makes prey fizzle. So basically, vs the dreamer or similar buty shenanigans, you have to make sure to outactivate the "chaos factor" so you can summon a shikome there with all it's might and it may be preferable (specially vs the dreamer) to not start with one in play (though without prey they are still very solid fighters).

[Alviaran]

Edit button is on the dark bar at the top of the post, right hand side. Almost invisible.

So, if I might ask, what are you running as 35ss list? I don't have the room for the Shikome unless I drop a couple things.

Kirai

-Lost Love

Seishin x5

Gaki

Onryo x2

Datsue-ba

Leaves me on 6 ss total after my cache. I could drop the Gaki and an Onryo I suppose. (I'm also trying to find a way to fit in the 2ss for the Avatar as well)

[DeleteAccount]

Thanks, just now that you told me noticed the insidious little button.

Well, at 25 I'm leaning to

Kirai

- Lost Love

5 seishin

Shikome

and my lastgame I used a gaki, though next one I want to use a rotten belle

At 30 souls I go with 2 Gaki, though in my next game I want to put in a Datsue Ba.

Basically, I don't reach out for Onryo lately, I summon them as needed and datsue-ba has lost some favour with me for the time being, so I've been having a very easy time fitting a shikome in. I still need to play a lot though and experiment at the 35 soul level to see what I like and what I don't. Avatar Kirai will also change things up because of her change in focus where I'll initially go with more competent minions and less support from the get go.