Malifaux Core
Seamus’s penchant for narcissism, lechery, and brutality is so immense that the very aether of Malifaux has made it come to life in a stunning mockery of humanity known as the Copycat Killer. Of course, this amuses Seamus to no end. He claps and hoots as his “little friend” slices its victims to ribbons or blows its victims away with its ridiculously oversized gun. Despite these “comedic” displays, the being is vicious and cunning, and few have escaped an encounter with it and its master alive.
The Copycat Killer is Seamus’s totem, so it may only be included in crews led by Seamus. It packs a gun almost as damaging as that of its master, though it has more difficulty hitting. It can also be immediately placed next to Seamus so long as he is within eighteen inches, allowing it to catch up quickly and take its own pot shot. Finally, if Seamus has the “Mad Haberdasher” upgrade, the Copycat Killer may pick up his hat for him, gaining its own use of the upgrade. Ultimately, this is a great model for any Seamus list.
McMourning’s first successful experiment in the exciting new frontier that was necromancy, the Zombie Chihuahua holds a special place in McMourning’s heart. Other creations may be more revolutionary or inspired or just better able to defend themselves, but there is something about the little, rotten, yapping thing that the doctor just can’t say no to. After all, what is a man without his dog?
The Zombie Chihuahua is McMourning’s totem, so it may only be taken in crews led by McMourning. With its “Horrific Odor” ability, the Zombie Chihuahua can make all models near it gain the Poison Condition, which can be key in getting McMourning’s Poison machine working properly. It may also take the “Expunge” action, just like its master, allowing the Chihuahua to capitalize on the Poison it is spreading. This is a model McMourning should always consider having at his side.
Nicodem has a strange affinity with the vultures of Malifaux. Perhaps it is because both share a calling to death, or perhaps it is simply because he spends so much time with the creatures. Whatever the reason, this affinity has grown into an aetheric link that allows Nicodem to see through vultures’ eyes and use them to command his undead minions at a distance, a useful skill for anyone practicing the dangerous, and highly illegal, art of necromancy.
The Vulture is Nicodem’s totem, and it may only be taken in lists led by Nicodem. Nicodem can cast his spells on targets by drawing range and LoS from the Vulture, allowing him to remain safely far away and still affect the game. It also makes Undead immune to Slow with its “Death’s Whip” ability, which is particularly useful for Undead that have just been summoned. It can even carry corpse markers back to its master. A Vulture is always a useful tool for Nicodem.
Graveyard spirits help usher the souls of those who die in Malifaux into the aether. They often carry some sort of light source as they guide the spirits of the fallen. Occasionally, a cunning Resurrectionist may call on the aid of such a spirit, which will patiently help the necromancer as it waits for more souls in need of guidance.
The Graveyard Spirit is the general Resurrectionist totem, and any Resurrectionist master may take it so long as they do not have their specific totem. It grants Armor to any friendly models in base contact, and it is good at catching up with other friendly models. This added durability can make the already stalwart Resurrectionist minions into real tanks, so the Graveyard Spirit is good in many different lists.
Everyone needs to start somewhere, and many fledging Resurrectionists have turned to the large numbers of stray dogs that inhabit the streets of Malifaux to practice their art. These poor, rotting creatures are loyal to their new masters, defending them with tooth and claw or sniffing out fresh corpses for further innovation.
Canine Remains are cheap models with a high Wk, making them great for grabbing objectives. They also can Charge enemies with the Poison Condition more easily, spread Poison themselves, and create corpse markers. These are tools any Resurrectionist crew can take advantage of, particularly if the crew uses Poison.
In life, most Crooked Men were miners whose time was cut short by a cave-in or other mining accident. Driven by a burning need to accomplish something left undone in life, Crooked Men pull their twisted bodies from the rubble, too stubborn even for death. Such creatures are always useful to the canny Resurrectionists, who are able to control them and put their resolution to good use.
Crooked Men have great defenses against shooting attacks, so crews expecting ranged enemy combatants should consider taking Crooked Men to prepare. They also have a Trigger on their melee attack that allows them to apply the Paralyzed Condition to their enemies, which is a very powerful effect. Finally, their “Shafted” action can be used to protect Scheme Markers, damaging enemies who get too close. When you combine everything, you get a toolbox that helps to shore up some of the faction’s weaknesses, making them fantastic models.
Flesh Constructs are walking abominations stitched together with whatever parts the Resurrectionist who assembled them thought would be the most menacing. They are bulky, disjointed things, but make no mistake: they can take a good deal of punishment and still tear a victim limb from limb. McMourning has a fondness for making the things and considers each an individual piece of art.
Flesh Constructs have very high Wd for their cost along with a number of defensive abilities, making them fantastic meat shields. They heal when they have Poison, so they are attractive to Poison-themed crews. They also work well with Kirai, as their high maximum Wounds makes them great targets for her summoning action. A Flesh Construct is always a good bet for a model that is hard to put down.
In some ways, each form of undead is unique. Most are resurrected through ritual, sacrifice, or sheer willpower; Mindless Zombies, however, are victims of an undead plague that passes from person to person through murder and bloodshed. These creatures are easily resurrected but difficult to control; many careless Resurrectionists raise them only to join their ranks.
Mindless Zombies can’t actually be hired; they may only be summoned, usually with the “Maniacal Laugh” upgrade. They are the definition of fodder, with low stats and below-average attacks. However, they don’t cost any Soulstones at the start of the game, and sometimes having an extra activation or a model to tie up an area is all you need. In addition to being free fodder, friendly models can treat them as corpse markers, making them mobile summoning points in certain crews.
Necropunks are a blend of necromancy and modern steam power. Their mechanical additions make them more nimble than the usual undead, with well-made Necropunks even surpassing the living in speed and reflexes. Due to the circumstances of their creation, Necropunks are easy to customize, making their appearance fluctuate drastically depending upon the tastes of their creator.
Necropunks are cheap, fast models that are great for taking objectives. Their “Leap” ability allows them to be placed elsewhere without spending AP. This allows them to Interact, “Leap”, and then Interact again. Or, they may simple “Leap” out of trouble. Their attacks aren’t the best, but with “Flurry” they can rely on high attack volume to get some damage through when they do find themselves in a straight-up fight. Necropunks are always a good option for quickly crossing the board to grab a Marker.
McMourning’s Nurses chose to trade their services, and their sanity, for the promise of eternal beauty from the good doctor. McMourning has made good on this promise, supplying the employees of his secret lab with new flesh from his victims. The transplant process has proven to be intensely painful, however, thereby slowly stripping the recipients of their sanity with each update.
With their “Take Your Meds” ability, Nurses have a plethora of options for both boosting friendly models and hampering enemies. Each result of the “Take Your Meds” action is a double-edged sword. For example, one result grants the target bonus damage to melee attacks but comes with the stipulation that it may only take melee attacks on its next activation. This could buff a friendly model or essentially paralyze an enemy who is not in a position to attack. At least one Nurse is always a good buy for any Resurrectionist crew.
Sometimes a body will be resurrected with a bit of its will, desire, or personality intact. The stronger the personality in life, the more will remain upon reanimation. Punk Zombies are created from the corpses of the most vicious murderers, torturers, and otherwise nefarious individuals. Their desire to inflict pain and violence follows them beyond the grave, making them fantastic weapons in the hands of any willing Resurrectionist.
With their highly accurate Katanas and ability to “Flurry” for multiple attacks, Punk Zombies are great at putting out damage at a high rate in close combat. This makes them especially great summoning options for Masters like Nicodem and Molly who can place them right into the action. However, any Resurrectionist crew that wants effective melee can’t go wrong with a Punk Zombie or two.
Although they were once working girls in Madame Sybelle’s Saloon, Rotten Belles are now undead ladies of the evening. Most were raised in a single night of bloodshed when Seamus visited the saloon in an orgy of violence. Now he carefully maintains his girls, replacing them if they are destroyed or damaged with a new victim who has similar features.
Rotten Belles are cheap, highly durable models that can reposition other models with the “Lure” action. “Lure” can be used to force the enemy out of position or even bring them into combat with the Belle, who can then take a free attack on them. It can also be used on friendly models. These are fantastic models for any Resurrectionist crew and should be a strong consideration for players starting to collect the faction.
Hanging is the preferred method of execution in Malifaux, which creates many potential victims to become one of the cursed spirits known simply as The Hanged. These spirits are brought forth by only the most skilled Resurrectionists as The Hanged are vicious, often driven mad by their execution. Their insanity is contagious, spreading on a mere whisper.
The Hanged are Incorporeal, making them difficult to take down and allowing them to pass easily through terrain. They are adept at making other models take Horror Duels, which can potentially Paralyze them. However, their best action is “Whispers From Beyond”, which can lower a model’s wounds by half and prevent it from being healed. The Hanged excel at shutting down and removing high cost enemy models who would otherwise be major trouble.
Crossroads
Long ago, the house guards of the Katanaka were compelled through magic to defend the clan at all costs. That magic still lingers in their scattered bones, and Yan Lo has pieced many of them together, raising these skeletal warriors to once more fight for the Katanaka or, more specifically, fight for him.
Ashigaru are durable models, packing “Hard to Kill” and Armor. Their Yari is a decent melee attack with some useful Triggers. They can use one of their Triggers more reliably when near an Ancestor, making them especially effective in Yan Lo crews. Most notably, they can take the “Brace” action, which creates an aura around them that will damage any enemy that ends a Charge next to them. Ashigaru can defend a spot on the board very effectively, holding off Charges which would have devastated more expensive models.
Yan Lo was not alone when he walked the Paths between life and death. There were many other strange beings there. One such being was the Soul Porter, which captured souls and used them to light Yan Lo’s way. When Yan Lo returned to the mortal world, he brought the Soul Porter with him, hoping to make use of its abilities.
The Soul Porter is Yan Lo’s totem and may only be included in crews led by him. It has a number of useful abilities that help to support Yan Lo. “On The Altar Of Eternity” prevents enemies from being able to remove the Chi Condition, which is very important for Yan Lo. It can also hand out Chi to friendly models, and push friendly Ancestors, giving extra movement to models like Izamu. Any Yan Lo crew should strongly consider a Soul Porter.
The Necrotic Machine is an ancient relic of old Malifaux. It is a lost, forgotten thing powered by magic too terrible for humans to conceive. In its vials it still holds the ability to grant a hideous unlife to any who dwell too close. It is a shadow of things best left forgotten. Molly has found it and taken a liking to it, naming it Ponto and decorating it with a pink bow.
The Necrotic Machine is Molly’s totem, so it may only be taken in crews led by her. Instead of hiring the Necrotic Machine, Molly may choose to summon it. When she does so, she can summon at a longer range. Because her summon can also damage enemies, this extra range is very useful. The Necrotic Machine itself has a number of nasty Triggers when attacking enemies, granting them Poison or Paralyzed. It can also Push other friendly models (including Molly) towards it. The Necrotic Machine adds some amazing utility to Molly’s summon and it can still pack a punch.
In life he was a powerful man, the son of the Governor General. He had a bright future, and he was in love with Kirai Ankoku. But fate would not leave things as they were. He died protecting his love, and now her grief and memory hold his spirit to the physical world. To this day he stays by her side, aiding her when necessary.
The Lost Love is Kirai’s totem and may only be included in crews led by her. It has the “Malevolence” ability, which allows it to summon an Ikiryo (a powerful melee model) when a nearby model is damaged. The only other model with this ability is Kirai herself, and having a second instance of “Malevolence” increases the threat of Ikiryo, protecting more models. The Lost Love may also heal Kirai or other spirits, which is particularly useful for Kirai as her summoning frequently damages her crew. The Lost Love is great for any Kirai crew.
Being a Guild guard is not easy work, and having to fight the reanimated bodies of your fallen comrades is one of the most disturbing parts of the job. Someone has been stealing the bodies of guards killed in the line of duty and animating them for their own sick purposes. These Guild Autopsies even retain some of the training they had in life.
Guild Autopsies are relatively cheap models with built-in healing and decent Wounds, which makes them good at holding objectives. They also have “Ceaseless Advance,” which allows them to reactivate if their opponent runs out of cards, and it can be fun to build a list based around models that use this ability. Best of all, they have a good shooting attack, which is rare for the Resurrectionist faction and makes them appealing to many crews.
As the spirits of the departed fade into the aether, they are sometimes torn from their final destination to serve one last purpose. These unfortunate spirits are known as Seishin, and they are of limited use. They have almost no power or intelligence to speak of, but they can be used to power a spell or serve as a shield for their master before being cruelly snuffed out.
Seishin may not be hired; they may only be summoned, generally with the “Spirit Beacon” upgrade. They don’t do much attacking, but they may be sacrificed to give models near them immunities to blasts and pulses or to heal a friendly Spirit. Gaining immunity to blasts and pulses is particularly useful in a crew led by Kirai as her tactics encourage grouped models. Although an individual Seishin is not much of a threat, they are easy to summon, and they bring some great options to any crew.
Gaki are souls that the Datsue Ba has judged guilty of greed, jealousy, and desire. Every appetite they had in life is twisted into an insatiable hunger. They appear as terrible forms with giant mouths full of sharpened teeth. They think of nothing but their hunger, tearing flesh from the living and dead alike. They often swarm their targets, devouring them in a hideous feeding frenzy.
With a high Df, high Wounds, and the ability to heal, Gaki are very hardy for their relatively cheap cost. This can make them good objective runners, used to hold areas of the board and score VP. They are Spirits, which gives them synergy with Kirai (who can summon them), but they can also generate Corpse Markers, which combos with Masters such as Nicodem who rely on Corpse Markers for summoning. Gaki are a good addition to any Resurrectionist collection.
Humans were not the first inhabitants of Malifaux, and there are some long-forgotten creatures left over from the times of old. Night Terrors are one such creature, twisted into terrible forms long before humans ever set eyes on Malifaux. These creatures stalk the darkened skies and swoop down to drain the very life force from their prey.
Night Terrors are disruption models. At only 3 Soulstones they are very cheap, making them expendable. They are very fast, capable of quickly engaging enemy ranged models before they can damage the rest of their crew. Night Terrors also Push towards enemy models that take ranged attacks and can reduce the range of enemy casting actions. Night Terrors are an excellent way to frustrate an opponent’s ranged crew.
Onryo are spirits who were wronged in life. Too angry to cross over, they can sometimes tear their way back into the world as Onryo. They hunt down those who have wronged them, leaving a trail of blood and destruction in their wake. They can even be attracted to those individuals who have also suffered injustices in their lives, grief and rage calling them forth.
Onryo are excellent at giving enemy models the Adversary Condition, as they can do so with an action or by taking damage. This Condition means that all Spirits who target the model will gain a bonus to attacks. In addition, they have a shooting attack and a melee attack with a number of useful Triggers. An Onryo can be amazing when combined with other Spirits as it applies Adversary and watches the rest of its crew tear its target apart.
It is said that Shikome were created from the most deadly women of the underworld and that they personally bring those who have earned death’s judgment to the afterlife. The veracity of this claim, like much else in Malifaux, is uncertain. What is known is that they haunt the skies, hunting in pairs and dragging their unfortunate victims into the sky before tearing them apart.
Shikome are fearsome melee models with incredible speed and Flight. They can Charge for only 1 AP if the target has Poison, which gives them some good synergy with much of the Resurrectionist faction, McMourning in particular. They also deal more damage against models with the Adversary Condition and can even be placed near models with the Adversary Condition by their “Taken By The Sky” action; this makes them synergize with other models that can apply Adversary, such as Onryo. With only a little bit of set up, Shikome can be fearsome tools that accomplish amazing things.
There is no shortage of orphans in Malifaux, and naturally not all of them survive. However, quite unnaturally, sometimes those who didn’t survive come back. These Undead children have earned the ghastly nickname of Crooligan. They stalk the streets and alleys of Malifaux, turning murder and butchery into a sick joke, often laughing as they tear their victims apart.
Crooligans are cheap models with “From The Shadows,” which allows them to deploy almost anywhere on the board. They have good defenses and are highly mobile; they can even be placed within 5” of their current location after taking an Interact action. This makes them great at grabbing objectives , deploying up-field and jumping around as they score VP. They can also give models near them cover with their “The Mist” action.
Seamus is well known for his Rotten Belles, but he upped his game with the Dead Doxies. These women were once performers at the Star Theater; lured away by Seamus with false promises of fame and fortune, they were murdered and are now doomed to an eternity of dancing for their uncaring master. Most can’t speak, their vocal cords having been ruined in death. They simply dance… and dance… and dance…
Dead Doxies are Belles, meaning Seamus can summon them, making them an excellent addition to the collection of any Seamus player. Once on the table, they pack a decent stat line and attack. But their real power comes from their “Take The Lead” action, which moves their target in any direction. It can even give the target penalties on all defensive duels for the rest of the turn, allowing the rest of the Doxy’s crew to tear it to pieces.
It is not uncommon to dispose of bodies in dark, deep waters. Of course, many skip the messy portion and just dump weighted adversaries into the water while they are still alive. Resurrectionists can fish out these bodies and set them to work, although a Drowned will only become compliant after it has sought revenge for its tragic death.
Drowned are highly resilient models, packing a good defense and the ability to reduce damage they suffer in melee. They can also apply Slow and Paralyzed with their attacks, disabling the enemy. Finally, they have good synergy with hazardous terrain, pushing models towards it or raising the damage it deals. This makes them combo with Jaakuna Ubume as she can create hazardous terrain, though it is often simply a part of the board. There are few things more satisfying than pushing your opponents into a patch of quicksand.
There is a careful balance between life and death, and the Carrion Effigy can sense and even help maintain this balance. Due to the turbulent times in Malifaux, the balance is disrupted, and Carrion has stepped in to help, stripping humans of their petty illusions about life and death and introducing them to the balance as it should be.
The Carrion Effigy has excellent stats and defenses relative to its cost, making it great for grabbing objectives. It can also remove immunities to Horror Duels, Slow, Paralyzed, and Poison, which are all conditions the Resurrectionist faction delights in applying to its enemies. This makes it a great solution for otherwise difficult matches against Resurrectionists. Finally, it can be used to heal its friendly leader. Any Resurrectionist crew can find a good place for the Carrion Effigy.
The University of Transmortis has many students, but there are plenty who did not make the cut. Or at least, that’s how Professor Von Schtook tells it. He sees other Resurrectionists and their works as worthy attempts at education, but, even so, he has had to introduce a strict hall monitor policy to keep outsiders away from his secrets, and the Students of Sinew take up the task.
Like all of the students, the Student of Sinew combines Armor and “Hard to Wound” for an amazing array of defenses. It has good melee with its Filthy Dissectors attack that ignores “Hard to Wound” (a common defensive ability on Undead), and it can “Flurry” for extra attacks. With its “Lecture Notes” action, it can also prevent models from declaring Triggers, which is a useful ability, rarely found outside of the other students. A Student of Sinew is a good choice for going up against Undead models.
Students of Steel are graduates of the University of Transmortis’s intensive engineering course. They can dismantle the most powerful and expensive constructs with ease. Despite their rotting appearance and seemingly archaic engines, the Students of Steel are widely feared by the Miners and Steamfitter’s Union, who understand well the destruction these monstrosities can wreak on their precious machines.
Like all of the students, the Student of Steel combines Armor and “Hard to Wound” for an amazing array of defenses. It has good melee with its Rusty Dissectors attack that ignores Armor (a common defensive ability on Constructs), and it can “Flurry” for extra attacks. With its “Lecture Notes” action, it can also prevent models from declaring Triggers, which is a useful ability, rarely found outside of the other students. A Student of Steel is a good choice for fighting Construct models.
The top performers of Professor Von Schtook’s biology class, Students of Viscera are experts at dismantling living flesh. To the untrained eye, it is simple butchery, but every cut has a purpose, every stroke is done with precision and care. These students have replaced the lower halves of their body with metallic, snake-like tails that allow them to silently stalk and catch their human experiments.
Like all of the students, the Student of Viscera combines Armor and “Hard to Wound” for an amazing array of defenses. It has good melee with its Dissectors attack, and it can “Flurry” for extra attacks. With its “Lecture Notes” action, it can also prevent models from declaring Trigger, which is a useful ability, rarely found outside of the other students. Finally, it is the fastest of the students and can use the “Slither” action to move an impressive 9” before taking a melee attack. A Student of Viscera is a good model for facing Living enemies, and it’s also useful as a mobile melee model that is hard to put down.