Starter Box Helpset

[Sixshot]

Hi there,

Not actually managed a game of malifaux yet but I have acquired the starter box for the ten thunders faction (I do have a dead justice set aswell but I prefer the ten thunders)

And...I am thinking about signing up for a tournament at the end of the month XD

So im looking for assistance for 35ss up to 55ss in increments of 5 if you guys don't mind =)

Thank you very much!

[Agreen53]

Things that are good for most 10T masters

10T Archers

Mr. Tannen

Ten Thunder Brother

Clockwork Traps

Oryan

Without context the way 10T is setup it is somewhat difficult to offer advice any further advice since each 10T master can bring different things.

[dgraz]

By 10T faction box I assume you mean Misaki.

10T Brothers are really good.....just for the Companion ability they bring.

Yamaziko is very important in a Misaki crew......she is really, really good. Replaces Misaki's Reckless with Fast, she has some nice crew buffs, she can heal people, and she's a pretty good fighter to boot.

I like Kang with her, but if you don't want to purchase the Mei Feng box for him, then Taelor can be pretty nice also...I've used both.

Ronin are also decent since they're one of the cheapest troops that Misaki can field.

10T Archers are also good in some situations....really excellent for picking off annoying things that you need to go away.....like Daydreams, Stolen, and the like.

Ototo is great, but if you think you'll be facing a lot of WP-based stuff then he is a gamble.

The Torakage are a must in any list....at least one....some people like 2.

[xKoBiEx]

I have been running the box plus Yamaziko with no substitutes for an even 35 SS with 4 SS cache. It isn't an optimal list by any means as it has a lot of holes for most strategies. However, it IS a lot of fun and a good basis to tune a list from.

Simply changing one Torakage to a Brother changes the list a lot by giving you the option of an alpha strike. Frankly, I am surprised that Ototo wasn't considered a Brother with Companion as his rules put him below both Kang and Graves as far as the new 8 SS beatstick uniques go.

If you are facing a lot of weak WP models that you know Misaki would like to bash on, drop a Torakage for an Oiran. She can work two ways. Either you can lure someone into Misaki for her to beat on...or you can lure someone that is annoying Misaki away from her. The good part about this last option is that Misaki is Wicked which means she gets a free strike which can do damage.

10T Archers are cheap for what they can do. If you need a target dead and it is hiding in the woods, a 10T Archer CAN and almost always will hit it. As long as you have the severe damage card to cheat in, you should be able to take out small targets in one hit.

Tannen is surprisingly well-suited to Misaki's theme. First, he has abilities that ensure your opponent's hand will shrink. Even better, he has the ability to remove Use Soulstones from an opponent so that Misaki's Decapitate will actually go through. Obviously, you don't want to do this if you are trying to achieve Misaki's Pilfer Scheme, "Emptied Pockets."

All of these options help you with The Thunder's hidden speed problems. Every model in the box makes you think the box runs fast. It doesn't unless you are extremely lucky with your control hand or flip hot in duels. There is no Alpha Strike available out of the box and the only companion chain is Shang-Misaki-Yamaziko. Misaki is too fast for Yamaziko or Shang to keep up with, so this is almost useless unless you plan it out a turn or two in advance.

One last note... Shang is living and very squishy. His abilities are cool but not spectacular. You may want to trade him out for something else unless you like keeping in theme like me.

[Rifter]

One last note... Shang is living and very squishy. His abilities are cool but not spectacular. You may want to trade him out for something else unless you like keeping in theme like me.

What do you recommend? I am going to a tourney in a few weeks, and am still not 100% settled on Mia or Mei. I have the options of the Res and Neverborn 10T, but I am still really new, and want something... simpler.

[xKoBiEx]

Neverborn 10T is VERY combo oriented. Misaki is a lot of fun and I would recommend her, above any of the others. I have yet to play Yan Lo but he looks like a lot of fun, too...I just can't help you there. Mei has the best 8 SS 10T beatstick of any box, hands down. The crew has synergy but the workers almost have to be left behind when Mei wants to unload. As you never mentioned Guild, I won't talk about McCabe.

Pure 10T Misaki: assassin-type runs unless you add a 10T Brother (then you can bash)

Arcanist 10T Mei: spells and melee mix. your "fogs" don't block your LOS.

Neverborn 10T Lynch: combo-spell oriented. buffs and hexes all around.

Resser 10T Yan Lo: toolbox. Yan Lo can choose how he wants to play by the models he chooses. very unique Resser.

As to your last question... I would almost take Student of Conflict over Shang in order to give fast to Yamaziko who could then keep up to Misaki. However, then he can't keep up for the next turn. The 3 SS may be better spent on topping up regular minion count after you sub some of Misaki's other crew out. For now, I will keep Shang as I really like the model. There are also a few tricks I still want to try with double Downburst.

[dgraz]

I like Shang. Arcane Reservoir is great for a luckless bastard like me. His ability to let her re-flip a starting duel card has come in handy a few times and he can reliably cast Downburst which is nice.

He is a great hitter......long charge, good CB, decent damage track...make great with Flay.

I use him to finish off stragglers or to get that last hit in on a model that Misaki left on 2-3 Wds.

[xKoBiEx]

I like Shang. Arcane Reservoir is great for a luckless bastard like me. His ability to let her re-flip a starting duel card has come in handy a few times and he can reliably cast Downburst which is nice.

He is a great hitter......long charge, good CB, decent damage track...make great with Flay.

I use him to finish off stragglers or to get that last hit in on a model that Misaki left on 2-3 Wds.

I think the problem that I am having with him is that I am running him on my flank with Torakage and he is always out of 6" of Misaki so he can't companion. For the other things you mention, and his theme, I am still content to keeping him in my crew. I will just have to try to keep the crew together a bit more. That said, I am adding a Brother in place of a Torakage so I will be able to extend the companion chain and alpha strike.

[Adran]

I'm going to make 2 assumptions.

Firstly I am going to assume you mean the Thunders box with Misaki in it. Secondly I am going to assume you are fairly new to playing.

To get minions for that box to reach up to 55 soulstones I would buy 2 or 3 of the following blisters

Ronin

Ten Thunder Archers

Ten Thunder Brothers

Yamazako.

I would then focus on building lists with several repeating models in (Ten thunder brothers or Ronin probably) and get to learn those models, as you will do better playing with a sub optimal crew that you know the capabilities of than someone elses highly tuned crew that you don't know how to play.

I personally would probaly build the following lists (partially as whilst the archers are good I would not suggest multiple of them when you are learning and I normally recomend using multiples of a model when you learn the game)

25

Misaki - Shang

2 ronin

Torkage

Yamizaki

For 30 add in a ten thunders borther.

For 35 add in a third Ronin

for 40 add in a second Ten thunders brother

For 45 replace that second Ten thunders brother with Ototo

for 50 add in a second Torkage

for 55 add back the second ten thunders brother.

This leads to a fairly versitile and mobile crew.

It also allows you to focus on learning only a few different models at one time.

Good luck with the tournement