What's good in a nicodem list?

[*Jack*]

Hi all,

Have a bunch of rezzer models, including nicodems crew, but I've not got round to using him that much. And when I do, his ability to summon anything undead has negated any flaws in my list.

So, in the interest of knowledge, what functions well in a nicodem list? What minions really gel with him?

I prefer to play a mindless-zombie heavy list if possible. Obviously I bolster if I have enough zombies to keep me alive, or key models need the boost, but I find summoning a hoarde of zombies to be a nice way to control the board. I can raise a wall of them infront of me, blocking charge lanes, fire lanes, etc. I dont mind bolstering though, but summoning then turning one of the zombies into a punk zombie or a flesh construct really makes me love the crew.

As I said, I have quite a few rezzer models and wouldnt be opposed to adding more. My thoughts are, bete noire, either rafkin or mortimer, a few cheap objective grabbers, dogs or night terrors (Dont leave corpses ) And either a grave spirit of a vulture (have two painted), then either belles or punks. So, any advice I'd be grateful for

[Calmdown]

My initial reaction to the post title was "definitely not your master"

[SoulG]

For what strategy? Dead Rider + Grave Spirit solves Nicodem's mobility issue at the cost of 1wd on Nico and 2" from Dead Rider's turn 1 movement. Technically you can pelt/summon into your opponent's deployment zone turn 1 that way, cards-willing.

Rafkin is someone else you might want to look into if you like Mindless Zombies. He can heal Nicodem, too!

Datsu-Ba + 4 Dogs works for Recconoiter and Turf War (have her repeatedly kill Mindless Zombies for 2 Gaki/Onryo every turn).

If you need to cap / protect objectives look into Necropunks and Killjoy, or Dogs + Bete Noir. Night Terrors and Killjoy also work but at that point you really want to be playing McMourning or other non-support master.

Belles work very well for Nicodem, I find. +2 CB puts them in a place where they can actually damage things and Belles paired with Punk Zombies and/or 2 Canine Remains does wonders.

On that note, Canine Remains aren't a bad model. Unless you have a specific reason to or a great hand don't just go killing them--let the opponent do that for you. -2 Def is not to be underestimated.

I've heard good things about Ashes and Dust + Nurse.

[rancor709]

Nicodem is one of my primary masters to use and play both casually and competitvely the latter being a challenge I enjoy.

Some points on Nicodem

1. Founding memeber of the slow old man club. As such it takes him time to get places and it often takes additonal models and those models ap's to him where you want him. That is neither efficient or consistent. However it does provide a good challenge and nico can hold his own when movement isn't a top priority or when your opponent has to come to you.

2. Nicodem crew: Crew selection for nicodem is a balancing act between his need for corpse counters as they fuel his ability to summon a flesh construct or rogue necromancy that also provides a card draw, and his defensive ability zombie fodder and the need for mindless zombies should nicodem be in danger. And the offensive and defensive bonus he provides undead within 10". As such crew selection should factor in terrain, strategy, and opponents strategy and faction choice. Additionally it should factor what schemes you are planning on chosing. As such soul g gave a pretty solid run down.

I'll pipe up and say I like a crooked man from time to time as a nice support to old Nico, and really Mortimer is very interesting with him, although card intesensive, but few things in ressers aren't.

3.) Riger Mortis you have a 10" wp resist spell to paralyze a model that cast on a 10+ no suit reguired other than what you come with. This spell is good, although max range in a turn is only 16". Decay a very nice magical ranged attack that generates a blast but with the bonus of any time it hits your friendly undead it heals them, and anything else it wounds, also range 10 again because of nicodems strut its 16" max range double walk and cast.

4.Nicodem has a small stone cache only coming with a cache of 3, optimally you want 8 but I've run him fine at 6-7 but 8 just means you can play around. Initiative flip for a majority of the turns is a nico crews most important flip, I find in most games the games I control initiative I win. I tend to use a lot of stones to make sure its mine its that critical.

5.) Nico is basically an battery to your force, he makes them better with bolster, he can elimante a model or two from doing anything this turn with paralyze and he can heal your own units, however Nico is wearing a bathrobe underneath his trenchcoat. As such he can't take a punch, 12 wds df3 h2w1. Zombie fodder is nice but in practice your opponent who is typically faster can wait till your out of zombies or break your cage and run in at you. This is why intiative is so critical getting nicodems defenses eithe rup through arise or making his crew stronger with bolster and paralzying his closest threats that turn is paramount to success. Nicodem games are a razers edge, if fate is with you, then nicodem is very hard to deal with, if you get the initiative and the cards are kind to you. If however you run into a bad bit of luck, not getting initiative after stoning, not having the suits you need, you'll find nico has a hard time recovering.

Personally I love nicodem and all the oddities and inconsistencies of him. I'm use to being so card dependant I've been playing ressers a long time and you learn to deal with it.

In a competitive and by that I mean tournament setting nicodem is a priority target for opponents, addtionally against the faster style crews you'll see at a tournament or the high mobility set read book 2 masters. Its often a working towards a tie or a small win. Nicodem rarely can prevent opponents from achieving at least some victory points and when differential is used as a scoring method it means your 8-6 win means less than someone taking a 8-2 or an 8-0. Its not saying nicodem can't win, its saying that odds are nicodem wins will be close, which can be problematic in a differential tournament.

Nicodem fits a those that like a defensive postional playstyle that enjoy a master that is specifically there to make his crew better. Personally he is tremendous fun and i've rarely lost with him, i tend to tie quite a bit with him which again in a tournament setting is a less desirable outcome for some. To me I love close games and that is what nicodem provides me both in a tournament as well as casual play environment.

Your mileage may vary no warranties implied or guaranteed. Play the game, love the game and remember kids just because its on the internet doesn't mean its true.

[Dustcrusher]

Good stuff from SoulG and Rancor.

Its often a working towards a tie or a small win. Nicodem rarely can prevent opponents from achieving at least some victory points and when differential is used as a scoring method it means your 8-6 win means less than someone taking a 8-2 or an 8-0. Its not saying nicodem can't win, its saying that odds are nicodem wins will be close, which can be problematic in a differential tournament.

This bothers me. Unfortunately, I don't know of a clear alternative other than using straight win-loss record, which merely subs out one set of problems for another. But that's for another topic...

[Calmdown]

Good stuff from SoulG and Rancor.

This bothers me. Unfortunately, I don't know of a clear alternative other than using straight win-loss record, which merely subs out one set of problems for another. But that's for another topic...

There is a very obvious and clear alternative, and it's called strength of schedule. It's what all tournament should be using, but for some reasons Malifaux TOs seem to be very resistant to using anything other than VP diff, which is frankly a horrible system.

[rancor709]

All for strength of schedule and honestly its not overly hard 2 determine. The biggest hurdle is defining strength of schedule.

[Dustcrusher]

True, two wins and a loss means less if the loss was to one of our regulars and the two wins were against brand new players. I guess I never considered that because there are basically four of us that are regular players with everyone else is still too new :-P

[Calmdown]

All for strength of schedule and honestly its not overly hard 2 determine. The biggest hurdle is defining strength of schedule.

Its very easy. Ill post my tournament tool at some point.

Or just download an old version of DCI reporter, it at least does opponent's win percentage which is still infinitely better than VP diff.

[SoulG]

Oh yeah. one more thing: Riger Mortis is literally THE reason to take Nicodem. I can not emphasise it's use and spam enough. Almost all of your 12's and 13's should go into casting it, as should many of your soulstones if necessary.

That said, there there points to using it:

1) Don't be stingy--if you aren't sure what to do, cast Rigor Mortis, 2) Don't be careless--identify and target important models, 3) Try and paralyze someone after they activate.

You really need activation-control to pull off that last one. As long as you have it, you can keep paralyzing someone after they've activated, making the paralysis wrap over to their next turn. This prevents Nicodem from being torn to pieces when you lose initiative.

I don't always sling spells into my opponent's deployment zone with my crippled old man on turn 1. But when I do--I use Rigor Mortis.

[muribundi]

I don't always sling spells into my opponent's deployment zone with my crippled old man on turn 1. But when I do--I use Rigor Mortis.

Good advice from the most interesting crippled old man in the world.

[ilikepizza]

Take Rafkin over mortimer, his ability to create mindless zombies is amazing. by storing up Body part counters for 3 turns, turn 4 i wacked out 8 mindless Zombies just from Rafkin himself I also personally rate Avatar Nicodem, takes 3-4 turns to get him out realistically but once he is out all your movement problems will be solved, plus he still keeps Decay and Rigor Mortis (and as already said that is by far, in my opinion his best spell NEVER FORGET HE HAS IT! using Nicodem and Bete Noire together you should be able to keep any nasty threats paralysed). honestly, i'd always reccomend bete noire, simply because shes amazing full stop. she works well offensively but also on the defence if your opponents crew is closing in on Nico. Grave spirit is nice, wouldnt personally take it as id be going avatar nio most the time, not sure bout vultures, they dont look that great to me tbh but ive never tried em so cant possibly say. And belles are good but id personally summon them

[graeme27uk]

My first master I got was Nicodem as I liked the idea of a zombie horde, I liked his avatar and the alt model was pretty good.

However, he is a bit disappointing:

1. awfully slow,
   
2. doesn't really get a "horde" of zombies,
   
3. there seems to be a lot of other models that are geared up to deal with the undead,
   
4. corpse-counter dependent to be effective so anything that doesn't drop them or removes them automatically has an advantage
   

Just seems Ressers in general are pooped on from all directions.... shame really. The only one who isn't is Kirai but then she deals with spirits not "proper" undead...

Is there not some way to readdress the balance so that ressers actually can properly ressurrect stuff?

[Ozz]

He can get a Zombie horde well enough if you take dogs and run them to swarm your opponents models, and let them die taking 1 or 2 of their minions with them, and slowing down your opponents crew, and then summon the zombies, the thing there becomes, do you want to keep all your zombies, or make big things?

But summoning can not be done to freely as otherwise you will just swarm your opponents with 3 times as many points as it is not really playable, but for Nico he seems to only work as a summoner in games against living opponents, in those games you just spam everything