Opening Act: A Newbie's Quest with Collete

[Candi]

Hey to all my fellow Arcanists out there. I've just started getting into this (looks to be) great game and there's no doubt in my heart that Collete Du Bois is the Master for me (worry not, I've done my research and am picking up the Viks to learn with but once I am comfortable I plan to quickly jump ship and grab season tickets for a box seat at the theater show!).

I wanted a place to deliberate, discuss and record my adventures with Collete and I intend this thread to be that place. To begin with, other than getting the starter box for my main gal, I am looking for advice on models to have 'on hand' for swapping around. Relevant to this, three of my friends are starting the game with me so I have a short list of Masters I am expecting to face off against often (Seamus, Kirai, Rasputina and C. Hoffman are the guaranteed buys amongst them at the moment).

Also, I'm looking for some general tips on getting into playing Collete and subtleties that perhaps through the good graces of your wisdom I can pick up faster than I would through experimentation.

Great Article on Playing Collette

Backstage
Here I will list the models I own as well as those on the short list for purchase

Owned
1x Miss Demeanor
1x Viktorias
1x Bishop
1x Johan
1x Taelor
1x Collete Du Bois
1x Cassandra
2x Mannequin
2x Performer

Short List
Coryphee (2 pack)
Mechanical Doves (3 pack)
Ronin Blister
Von Schill Box
Angelica / Kaeris Box?

[McDoogle]

Hey to all my fellow Arcanists out there. I've just started getting into this (looks to be) great game and there's no doubt in my heart that Collete Du Bois is the Master for me (worry not, I've done my research and am picking up the Viks to learn with but once I am comfortable I plan to quickly jump ship and grab season tickets for a box seat at the theater show!).

I wanted a place to deliberate, discuss and record my adventures with Collete and I intend this thread to be that place. To begin with, other than getting the starter box for my main gal, I am looking for advice on models to have 'on hand' for swapping around. Relevant to this, three of my friends are starting the game with me so I have a short list of Masters I am expecting to face off against often (Seamus, Kirai, Rasputina and C. Hoffman are the guaranteed buys amongst them at the moment).

Also, I'm looking for some general tips on getting into playing Collete and subtleties that perhaps through the good graces of your wisdom I can pick up faster than I would through experimentation.

Backstage
Here I will list the models I own as well as those on the short list for purchase

Owned
1x Miss Demeanor
1x Viktorias
1x Bishop
1x Johan
1x Taelor

Short List
Showgirls box set
Coryphee (2 pack)
Mechanical Doves (3 pack)

Right, convict gunslinger is rated as good by many, particularly as its a book 1 minion. Bishop is, in theory, 7 shades of awesome, yet seems very expensive for what he does. Taelor and Johan can be great melee characters, and Johan is also cheaper for certain Arcanist masters ( I think Colette and Ramos) to hire.

The Viks desparately need SS, but I know an opponent of mine highly rates taking von schill and a freikorps librarian with them for healing (and I believe that as its a spell if you heal one Vik you actually heal both). I own the Viks and intend to run them with the ten thunderers when they come out this month-a good balance between defence and offence....

Von schill is a minion I would always have avalaible to me tho-hes superb. Especially against undead crews. Sue is also an awesome purchase if one of your opponents decides to start playing Zoraida (I recommend you do bud-its SOOOOO much fun!!!!! (My joint-with-colette fav master for sure!)

The models you have for Colette are exactly those I intend to start with (and I believe most Colette players use!)

She is without doubt my favourite master model, and the one I went "I have to do you at some point" when I got into the game. Angelica is coming out this month, so she would also be a good one to have avalaible to hire, but to be honest I would probably rather stick to the regular girls- Colette and Cassandra are usually more than enough for anyone to handle.

[Candi]

I've seen way too many recommendations for Von Schill, he's on the short list (Short list is in priority order, since the Viks are for learning and awesomeness and Collete is my intended main I'm prioritizing getting Collete up to full steam first).

Also, Collete is indeed one of the Arcanists who can get the M&SU folks on the cheap I was happy to see that, there's a tiny bit of convenient crossover between my starting Masters which is great!

I was also going to field a Viks femme's only squad, but this is the wrong sub form to rant to that end (Ronin + Miss D+ Misaki? + Taelor forming the baseline).

[Mirarii]

Here's a great article about Colette. Helped me really understand how she works a lot better than the PMF page alone.

[Wolfgar]

I like Angelica.

[Candi]

Wow on that article recommendation, I'm going to put it in the first post so any new Collette players who stumble upon this thread will get linked there post-haste!

I like Angelica.

Why? Do tell, do tell!

[Todd]

I like Angelica.

I'm also curious, why?

I'm not too impressed. Especially since taking her means bumping up to 40ss or dropping another model that functions perfectly with the crew already. Even at 40ss, I'd be more inclined to take Johan, or a pair of Union Miners.

[Ebonstar]

Here's a great article about Colette. Helped me really understand how she works a lot better than the PMF page alone.

Thanks so much for the plug, and glad you enjoyed the article!

FYI- that article will eventually be moved to our new subdomain http://socalmalifaux.com

But on topic- I love Collette and Viks are also very fun! Great choices and your short list looks great IMO.

As far as Angelica, I know most people are looking at 35+ crews to include her, seeing how she's being regarded more as an "optional" include given certain matchups (and you can count me among these folks until I've had some time to paint her and play her). I don't see her as part of the big 3 (or the 3 C's if you prefer), but I do think she allows for some interesting combos even in the lower ss situations. Anyway we'll have to see.

Worse comes to worse- we still get an amazing looking model out of the deal!

[Candi]

Thanks so much for the plug, and glad you enjoyed the article!

FYI- that article will eventually be moved to our new subdomain http://socalmalifaux.com

But on topic- I love Collette and Viks are also very fun! Great choices and your short list looks great IMO.

As far as Angelica, I know most people are looking at 35+ crews to include her, seeing how she's being regarded more as an "optional" include given certain matchups (and you can count me among these folks until I've had some time to paint her and play her). I don't see her as part of the big 3 (or the 3 C's if you prefer), but I do think she allows for some interesting combos even in the lower ss situations. Anyway we'll have to see.

Worse comes to worse- we still get an amazing looking model out of the deal!

What are your thoughts on Kaeris and Collete? Pull My Finger seems to indicate that there's a strong synergy, but it centers on Disappearing Act tricks and (well having not yet played, and definitely not played enough to know) that doesn't seem a reliable enough maneouver to justify the mixing.

On the other hand, Kaeris gives you field control that can definitely supplement your ability to control your own positioning.

[Ebonstar]

Collette and Kaeris can be a very potent combo.

A couple of strong reasons come to mind: first, like was mentioned, Kaeris' fire pillars are a great drop off point for Disappearing Act, if (and most importantly, when) you don't get mannequin replacement. It also makes the spell quite a bargain if you get Sleight of Hand off.

In general, Kaeris loves her soulstones, so by default, she loves Collette! Kaeris does a few things very well that Collette's crew normally doesn't: she brings reliable range+ AoE, some field LoS control, and of course, the lovely lovely burning tokens. What's a good thing to do against another fast crew? Slow them down and spread damage out at the same time! Kaeris does this very well.