Usefulness of Avatars

[GTDemon777]

the quantity of players who use avatars is entirely reliant of the master they use. Some are great, some need to have its use heavily thought about. For example, ever since book 3 came out, ive never seen a ramos player without his avatar. I am not saying its a must, but its pretty dam handy to have since they take the good parts of a master and improve it greatly. Someone like Lady J's however kinda changes their playstyle decently. I believe she goes from smashing-face to straight up crew buffing. Some, mostly the more mage like, simply get all melee smashy as a defensive mechanism.

[easternheretic]

I've used Zorida and Leveticus avatars quite a bit, but for different reasons.

Zorida's avatar trades in her speed and survivability for a direct damage output increase.

She loses some of her old abilities and spells and gains in others.

The overall play style is almost the same, with a shift from a pure control and manipulation play style to one that add the option of direct damage output.

The biggest reason to use the avatar is for the triggers that her spells have (Obey the same model again? Yes please! Stack my control hand with more cards? Yes please!), and the ability to allow a minion to use her Bayou 2 card ability.

Overall, I feel that the avatar can be used in all strategies. Some become easier, but others, more difficult to achieve. Overall, the changes are easily handled. I feel the avatar is fun to use, and a slight improvement on normal Zorida.

If i intend to play a fun game, I will not hesitate to take her avatar. If it was a competitive game like a tourney, I would seriously consider taking the avatar as well.


Leveticus's avatar on the other hand, I use purely for fluff and for a challenge. I started using Leve purely for the chance to use all 4 riders, and was pleased that his avatar ties in with this theme.

In a fun game, I will consider taking the avatar. In a competitive game, he is unfortunately left in my carry bag.

The reason behind this is because the old man does not perform as well in avatar form when compared to his normal mode for a number of reasons.

In terms of raw power, the avatar take a hit in pure hitting power. He loses his iconic and hard hitting half plus on wd spell (Unnatual wasting), and the sacrfice a 2 wd model spell (Entropic transformation).

This changes his entire play style when he manifests. This however is acceptable if not because of the main reason I feel his avatar is sub par.

He still has his, I wd myself 1 and wd you for 3 spell (Necrotic unmaking), and his finger of death (0/1/12) dmg profile. He gains a number of usefull abilities and spells.

In fact, taken solely on the basis of the abilities of his avatar alone, his avatar is actually ok. Where it all falls apart, is that he needs riders to be in his list, and riders are expensive SS models and quite squishy to boot.

This hamstrings him even more, as his hired crew will impact his effectiveness in game.

Riders being costed the way they are makes playing a rider and avatar list fairly easy to beat.

I keep trying as the idea is so cool, but unless they tweak it a bit, competitive, he is not.

[Mordeqai]

Even though I haven't personally played aSeamus, I've seen him played. By turn 4, he can have Terrifying 17, Anathema, and have all enemy models in 10" (I believe) receive a -2 Wp

Terrifying 19, with Anathema. Pandora, the willpower mindfreak master, needs a 12 or higher to not flee. Every minion with 5 or less almost automatically fails, which is most of Malifaux.

[HtUnliving]

I've considered Avatars for all Masters that I find interesting (atm Nicodem, McM, Ramos, Rasputina, Levy, Lilith... well, almost all; Lynch is an exception).
And I'm happy with the results. Some Masters' Avatars are so cool I want to try them out sometime even though it would mean a wholly new crew, eg. Lilith, McM. Nicodem's, my alltime favorite Master and crewleader, Avatar is just awesome.
Yeah yeah, just theory but my point is that the Avatars are fun and changes how you approach the game. Which is all it needs because what's cooler than knowing that there is the option of taking a little upgrade to the most important model of your crew, ie. the Master, and as a result giving him an extra ace up his sleeve, incase the game situation is such that the Avatar mode can help.
And also, the fluff of the Master feeding on Souls so much that it "levels up"... Cool and balanced idea.
Not all Masters have good avatars per se, but if you like the Avatar, give it a go. All Avatars is good in one or another way, they just need learning.

[Dracomax]

I hear that aDreamer is pretty pointless. Given that to manifest him, you should probably have already won the game.

[Jewomie]

I hear that aDreamer is pretty pointless. Given that to manifest him, you should probably have already won the game.

I don't know about this, From what i understand, you only have to get Chompy's "all done" trigger for one, and do 5 wds with Dreamer's range attack for the other. The first would be pretty simple and probably something most players do regularly by the end of turn 3. The second is probably a little tougher, but not something that would require you to have already won the game. I think ADreamer is pretty awesome. I would love to play against him with all his encounter altering effects.

On a side note, i've done a good deal of research and i think AColette could really ruin some master's day. Sure she may not be as mobile as she once was, but her card manipulation alone makes her pretty scary. Also, i have seen AViktoria in action and i know that if you have a plan, she is extremely useful.

I think the avatars are great, even if they don't make it into half the games i play, they are worth it when the time is right to take them, and that is the same with most of the models i own. You use them when they are useful, and then you appreciate having the options.

my two cents anyway.

Edit: looks like this was a resserrected thread, sorry if this was all redundant. haha