Post by Big Fat Troll on Sept 22, 2018 19:43:02 GMT
A thread in the general discussion reminded me of something that I had considered before and I think I've finally figured it out. I know that many of you would rather overhaul Madrak 3 completely but I think he really just needs a few tweaks. At one point I had even said that he was one errata or new release away from being great. I had even wondered if that very thing might have been somewhere in the Northkin CID, but really, his feat just doesn't work. It's an unreliable mess.
That said, I think this ticks him up on the power curve without overdoing it and greatly streamlines his feat without losing his uniqueness. To be clear, I see Madrak 3 as a toolbox caster who will lean more toward answer lists than question lists, even if the specific questions that he is answering vary greatly with list building. If he has any specialty it is as an attrition caster who preys on other attrition casters, at least if he is in Band of Heroes.
Stats- No changes. I know, I know, he lost a point of MAT from Madrak 2, but he gained a point of RAT. Some players don't like that, but it makes sense to me both in terms of fluff and game balance. I'm fine with his stat profile.
Weapons- I don't think he really needs Powerful Attack or anything like that. Rather, I would borrow the Headshot ability from Longchops, which is really just the ranged attack version of Takedown. That way he always has at least some RFP if he is not in Band.
Spells- I'm inclined to remove Rebuke. I'm open to suggestions for a replacement but I'm not sure he needs one. To some extent, this is a sacrifice made to balance gains elsewhere, but this move is just as much a hedged bet against the possibility that a control spell might get out of hand when combined with much stronger attrition tools.
Abilities- Gain Attuned Spirit and Veteran Leader for light warbeasts and Stay Death, as per Makeda 2. Hear me out. This goes with changes to the feat, as I will explain below.
Why the light warbeast stuff though? Partly this is a nod to Toby Nathan's (@tobyn) list but I'm going to the root of why he built that way. (At one point there was also a list with a Mountain King and a bunch of different light trolls.) It's just that Madrak 3 is a toolbox caster, but for a warlock that includes animi. We don't have any warlocks in Mk3 who are specifically incentivized to use light warbeasts. That might as well be this odd duck and his utility belt. For that matter, he would actually have a reason to use an Impaler instead of a Bomber. Also, Soothing Song is better with a greater number of light warbeasts than fewer heavies. All of this would work with the desire he already has to bring a variety of different animi. And I do think he needs some help with fury efficiency, especially if he adds Stay Death.
Feat- Streamline to Parry and Steady for all FF models yet keep the super-tough clause in place for warriors, sacrificing the movement trick entirely in favor of Stay Death. I considered changing the movement schtick to Dodge, but that would still be a real pain. That said, Parry gives the feat a proactive use and with it on not just warriors but also beasts and battle engines that could be very strong in Kriel Company. POD too, but an emphasis on light warbeasts keeps him from stepping on Doomy's toes.
Now... Stay Death is strong enough in Skorne. Would it be even worse in Trollbloods? Not necessarily. Makeda can build with a fair amount of Tough too, and I strongly doubt that we would ever have anything as abusive with it as Ferox. Yeah, Champs and Long Riders are really tanky, but they don't have nearly that level of insane threat projection. Makeda also has a MUCH better spell list but the same weakness of never having enough fury to do everything she wants to.
I think that Stay Death gives Madrak more stamina in the attrition game if you've learned to ration fury, which he needs anyway. You'd really only be able to do it for key scenario plays or to keep a Fell Caller or Valka or the Runebearer from dying too soon. This raises his skill ceiling even further but I don't think it raises his skill floor as high as that of say, Kolgrima. Yes, it does compete with Protective Aura, but FWIW, both require you to end your turn with at least 2 or 3 fury on him. The bottom line is that it would be much more reliable and impactful than the current feat; enough that I think it's worth spending fury.
So, any thoughts on all this?
That said, I think this ticks him up on the power curve without overdoing it and greatly streamlines his feat without losing his uniqueness. To be clear, I see Madrak 3 as a toolbox caster who will lean more toward answer lists than question lists, even if the specific questions that he is answering vary greatly with list building. If he has any specialty it is as an attrition caster who preys on other attrition casters, at least if he is in Band of Heroes.
Stats- No changes. I know, I know, he lost a point of MAT from Madrak 2, but he gained a point of RAT. Some players don't like that, but it makes sense to me both in terms of fluff and game balance. I'm fine with his stat profile.
Weapons- I don't think he really needs Powerful Attack or anything like that. Rather, I would borrow the Headshot ability from Longchops, which is really just the ranged attack version of Takedown. That way he always has at least some RFP if he is not in Band.
Spells- I'm inclined to remove Rebuke. I'm open to suggestions for a replacement but I'm not sure he needs one. To some extent, this is a sacrifice made to balance gains elsewhere, but this move is just as much a hedged bet against the possibility that a control spell might get out of hand when combined with much stronger attrition tools.
Abilities- Gain Attuned Spirit and Veteran Leader for light warbeasts and Stay Death, as per Makeda 2. Hear me out. This goes with changes to the feat, as I will explain below.
Why the light warbeast stuff though? Partly this is a nod to Toby Nathan's (@tobyn) list but I'm going to the root of why he built that way. (At one point there was also a list with a Mountain King and a bunch of different light trolls.) It's just that Madrak 3 is a toolbox caster, but for a warlock that includes animi. We don't have any warlocks in Mk3 who are specifically incentivized to use light warbeasts. That might as well be this odd duck and his utility belt. For that matter, he would actually have a reason to use an Impaler instead of a Bomber. Also, Soothing Song is better with a greater number of light warbeasts than fewer heavies. All of this would work with the desire he already has to bring a variety of different animi. And I do think he needs some help with fury efficiency, especially if he adds Stay Death.
Feat- Streamline to Parry and Steady for all FF models yet keep the super-tough clause in place for warriors, sacrificing the movement trick entirely in favor of Stay Death. I considered changing the movement schtick to Dodge, but that would still be a real pain. That said, Parry gives the feat a proactive use and with it on not just warriors but also beasts and battle engines that could be very strong in Kriel Company. POD too, but an emphasis on light warbeasts keeps him from stepping on Doomy's toes.
Now... Stay Death is strong enough in Skorne. Would it be even worse in Trollbloods? Not necessarily. Makeda can build with a fair amount of Tough too, and I strongly doubt that we would ever have anything as abusive with it as Ferox. Yeah, Champs and Long Riders are really tanky, but they don't have nearly that level of insane threat projection. Makeda also has a MUCH better spell list but the same weakness of never having enough fury to do everything she wants to.
I think that Stay Death gives Madrak more stamina in the attrition game if you've learned to ration fury, which he needs anyway. You'd really only be able to do it for key scenario plays or to keep a Fell Caller or Valka or the Runebearer from dying too soon. This raises his skill ceiling even further but I don't think it raises his skill floor as high as that of say, Kolgrima. Yes, it does compete with Protective Aura, but FWIW, both require you to end your turn with at least 2 or 3 fury on him. The bottom line is that it would be much more reliable and impactful than the current feat; enough that I think it's worth spending fury.
So, any thoughts on all this?