The Dreamer Crew - where to start?

[Star Munchkin]

Dear All,

I am completely new to Malifaux and have just ordered my first Crew (The Dreamer and friends) so now I am looking for advice.

I have ordered the following with the purpose of playing 35ss scraps (my friend who got me into this prefers 35ss as opposed to 25ss)

Bad Dreams Box

Daydreams

Teddy

This should allow me to play 35ss with all my models except maybe a Daydream (soul stone cache 6 or 8 depending on whether I take 3 or 2 Daydreams).

My question is this: Where should I start tactics-wise as in what should I focus on learning to do properly first?

[Boardgameguy]

There is the Pull my finger wiki that gives you an overall look at the crew.

Or you can check out the Dreamer pdf tactica here: http://tabletopgeeks.com/malifaux-downloads/

You can listen to the Gamer's Lounge Podcast, they have a specific episode called Dreaming in Malifaux. Can't remember which episode it was.

That is a few starts. Good luck.

[011121]

Dear All,

I am completely new to Malifaux and have just ordered my first Crew (The Dreamer and friends) so now I am looking for advice.

I have ordered the following with the purpose of playing 35ss scraps (my friend who got me into this prefers 35ss as opposed to 25ss)

Bad Dreams Box

Daydreams

Teddy

This should allow me to play 35ss with all my models except maybe a Daydream (soul stone cache 6 or 8 depending on whether I take 3 or 2 Daydreams).

My question is this: Where should I start tactics-wise as in what should I focus on learning to do properly first?

focus on learning what are all the different ways you can bury and unbury your models. He's got a lot of ways to do it. Think carefully about which might be used to actually transport a model (for instance unbury LCB across the field from dreamer then rebury LCB and you've basically moved the dreamer across the board for the cost of a few daydream actions).

Also look for things you can activate then bury the model to keep it from expiring (example- creepy fog).

Of course this is coming from someone who has minimal experience with the dreamer, but that experience has been with the dreamer winning every match.

[Fading Memory]

Another thing to keep in mind is making sure there are nightmares around The Dreamer if you are going to leave him open for attacks. This way he is not as vulnerable. By having one or more close by your opponet has to attack the minion instead of The Dreamer. Alps are great models for this. They were designed to be the "personal bodyguards." Opponents can get :-fate on ranged attacks and have to pass Willpower duels if they activate too close to them. They are definitely worth looking into.

[Calmdown]

Run this to introduce yourself to his mechanics:

Dreamer +2ss (7ss total)

3 Daydreams

4 Alps

3 Stitched

As long as you have a basic knowledge of what the bury/unbury abilities do and how to throw Chompy across the board, you'll win at least 50% of your games even if you poke out both of your own eyes, hack off your limbs, and attack random targets using your tongue to push models around the table. Dreamer is that good. Anyone who says he takes skill and finesse to use probably struggles with Snakes and Ladders.

[Absolution Black]

Run this to introduce yourself to his mechanics:

Dreamer +2ss (7ss total)

3 Daydreams

4 Alps

3 Stitched

As long as you have a basic knowledge of what the bury/unbury abilities do and how to throw Chompy across the board, you'll win at least 50% of your games even if you poke out both of your own eyes, hack off your limbs, and attack random targets using your tongue to push models around the table. Dreamer is that good. Anyone who says he takes skill and finesse to use probably struggles with Snakes and Ladders.

Not a fan then?

[karn987]

Run this to introduce yourself to his mechanics:

Dreamer +2ss (7ss total)

3 Daydreams

4 Alps

3 Stitched

Actually I would not recommend a beginning Dreamer player run this unless your looking to play pure cheese or just an abusive crew. You'll see maybe half of his core mechanics but won't get a good full picture of the crew. Your much better off using what you get in your starter set and making sure to pay special attention to Teddy and Coppelius.

As always, there are many ways to play the game and different Masters. The Dreamer can be played a number of ways also, yet they all revolve around his core mechanic.

The list Calmdown gave makes use of 2 slightly OP models when taken with the Dreamer. That list would generally be considered a cheesy list and doesn't do a great job of showing off the Finesse of the Dreamer. The Dreamer is most dangerous when used with finesse and treated as a scalpel. You pick and chose where to strike and quickly return before they can level a response. But hopefully you will read all about that.

Personally, I would recommend starting with the Tactica PDF and the Pull My Finger wiki and then going from there (Both linked in my signature). Decide what models sound cool to you and build a list from it. You've got a great set of models to start, you could always get another Teddy to and add to the fun. But you do definitely want to go with 2 Daydreams per list in general. They are worth more to you then having that extra 2ss in your Cache.

[Cunning]

Karn your tactica needs updating a bit. I was playing a new dreamer player the other day who had read it. Its description of how Gamble you Life works is wrong. The damage flip is done by whoever won the duel not the controller of the stitched.

[karn987]

Karn your tactica needs updating a bit. I was playing a new dreamer player the other day who had read it. Its description of how Gamble you Life works is wrong. The damage flip is done by whoever won the duel not the controller of the stitched.

Yeah I know. I just need the time! If you are willing to loan me a few spare hours I'd be more then willing to put them to good use

I had someone helping me update them, but they've fallen off the face of the earth it seems. So I'm still looking for someone willing to put the time in and help me get them updated.

[Cunning]

I can lend a bit of a hand although Lilith is more my speciality than the Dreamer.

[011121]

Also did they change does not die since the tacita was written? It said you could bury a stitched to prevent the sacrifice from happening but the ability on the cards I have explicitly says the stitched may not be buried.

[Alviaran]

Also did they change does not die since the tacita was written? It said you could bury a stitched to prevent the sacrifice from happening but the ability on the cards I have explicitly says the stitched may not be buried.

I read through the tactica and hit the same bit. I was wondering about that. Trying to acquire the Dreamer and so I'm doing the research before I dive in.

[karn987]

Yeah they did. Its on the list, just need to get to it.

[E.T.A. Hoffman]

I love running the Lelu and Lilitu. They have always served me well. A typical crew I'll run is:

Dreamer

LCB

3 x Daydreams

2 x alps

Lelu

Lilitu

Coppelious

and a Stitched Together

Personally I always run coppelious. I'll wait a few turns to position the Dreamer right where I want him. Simultaneously activate him and a daydream. Unload my entire crew around my enemy, but always leaving coppelious someplace safe and out of combat. I put him someplace where I can use his paralyses ability on a master or another power character. Turn into Chomby, insta-gib one of my enemies power characters like a executioner or a steamborge, then turn back into the dreamer with the day dream.

[011121]

Yeah they did. Its on the list, just need to get to it.

Not criticizing, the tacita is very helpful, just wanted to be clear I wasn't missing something.