Best starter kit for learning the rules.

[dancingmonkey]

Hey all,

so our group in London is getting into malifaux and we are currently working out who wants to play what.

I've currently got a Zorida box, played one game with it and wan't that thrilled with the way it played.

I'm kind of torn between picking up Hamelein, Colette and the friekorp as I am a big fan of painting and they all appeal to that side of me.

However, I have been in discussion with a couple of guys who play more than I do and they describe hamelin as a negative play experience. I read the thread about the issues and I can see where they are coming from...

So, what box would you guys recommend as a good jumping in point, that works well at the box level and teaches the bulk of the rules?

I'm thinking Sonnia might be a good one, again I like her models and it seems to have a balance of figure types in there.

Note this isn't a decision on long term, as I will make those choices based on models and so forth, mroe a good starting point to work out the game and mechanics.

Cheers all.
Jon.

[Sholto]

Any of the Guild Masters are good learning experiences. Other Masters whose gameplay is easier to grasp include the original three Resser Masters, Lilith and the Viks. Lord Chompy Bits/ The Dreamer is also a good one as he has such a clear and distinct playstyle. I would also add Ophelia and Von Schill, although they are Henchmen, not Masters. Once she comes out, Kaeris' boxset is likely to be among that group, too.

I would avoid the others for beginners, unless they have experience of miniature gaming with complex rules interactions and/ or are not phased by that kind of thing.

[Ferb]

I would recommend the ortegas set. Powerful but straightforward to use. The Von Schill set is good too as they are very resiliant so forgiving to mistakes and can put up a good showing against most masters.

Ferb

[dancingmonkey]

Any of the Guild Masters are good learning experiences. Other Masters whose gameplay is easier to grasp include the original three Resser Masters, Lilith and the Viks. Lord Chompy Bits/ The Dreamer is also a good one as he has such a clear and distinct playstyle. I would also add Ophelia and Von Schill, although they are Henchmen, not Masters. Once she comes out, Kaeris' boxset is likely to be among that group, too.

I would avoid the others for beginners, unless they have experience of miniature gaming with complex rules interactions and/ or are not phased by that kind of thing.

We've got a pretty good mix of ability, plenty of ex GW playtesters and a lot of us rank highly in the UK warmachine scene.

So complex boxes are not a real issue. However, I have been advised to steer away from the boxes from the second book to start with due to their playing a slightly different game to the more traditional core sets.

Mmmm, I guess its going to come down to just picking up the best looking models again.

Cheers.
Jon.

[Sholto]

Nah - if you know you way around multiple model and rules interactions, you'll be fine. Just buy whatever you fancy the look of, or whatever play style suits your players. From your original list I would take Colette, as she is great fun to play, and capable of pulling tricks so bent they create wormholes into their own past ;)

There are some Masters who are identified as having a negative play experience who might be worth avoiding until your players have the experience necessary to know how to counteract those Master's effects - I am thinking of Pandora and Hamelin The Plagued. They only really bring a NPE if you are relatively new to Malifaux and don't know how to deal with them (playing against Pandora has been memorably described as being "trapped under a burning couch"), but I would save them for your second wave of boxset purchases.

[CubertFarnsworth]

Yeah I second, the picks of Lilith, all Book One Guild, and Book One Ressers.

Stay away from Ramos and Colette!

[dancingmonkey]

I like how its not even a suggestion that multiple box sets will be bought. Its an inevitability :D

Everyone get hooked.

[Sholto]

I like how its not even a suggestion that multiple box sets will be bought. Its an inevitability :D

Everyone get hooked.

You obviously know how this works :D

[dancingmonkey]

You obviously know how this works :D

15 years of gaming... I understand plastic crack ;)

[FearLord]

I like how its not even a suggestion that multiple box sets will be bought. Its an inevitability :D

Everyone get hooked.

That's one of the shrewder aspects of the game for me - there are lots of Masters who can take this bit or that from another faction, and once you've got that its a hop skip and a jump to pick up a whole other master, and suddenly you find yourself wanting a little bit of everything...

We're just picking it up in Maidstone as well, so you're more than welcome to pop in to try a few crews out before you buy if you're ever back in town on a Thursday!