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Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
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 | | 04/12/2006 10:23 PM |
| Okay. This will be the final version of this FAQ until War of the Dragon Queen comes out, unless someone brings up something really interesting before that time.
---Author's Foreword---
We've all seen the Piece Analysis articles on Merric's website. Good stuff, but I wonder if there's room for truly in-depth analysis of a piece.
With that in mind, I would like to offer this rather large 'Gameplay FAQ' on the Brass Samurai. I was initially worried it was too long, but almost every remark about an in-depth article like this has been positive! Nonetheless, there was room to shorten it, so I've chopped off a few paragraphs here and there for this currently 'final' version, until new sets are released.
---Begin FAQ---
Brass Samurai Gameplay FAQ – ver. 1.2 – April 14, 2006
By Pegasus Knight
===Table of Contents===
You can use the search feature in your browser to look up specific sections of this FAQ, by typing in the short form of it. For example, searching for s1-3 a few times will bring you to the segment that area 1-3 covers.
s0-1: Version History
s1-1: Introduction and Purpose
s1-2: Brass Samurai statistical analysis, comparison
s1-3: Caution on entering melee
s1-4: Breath Weapon usage
s2-1: Warband theory
s2-2: When to Whirlwind
s2-3: Good Whirlwind Partners
s2-4: Bad Whirlwind Partners
s2-5: Other Useful Teammates
s3-1: Map considerations
s4-1: Conclusion
s4-2: Credits
===s0-1: Version History===
v1.0 (April 11, 2006): First public release of FAQ, begun on April 11, 2006.
v1.0a (April 12, 2006): Bert the Troll provided a better link for Brass Samurai stats, it's replaced the Vesivus link -- thanks! Also added Devis and Aramil to useful support pieces section since I forgot them and I should know better.
v1.1 (April 13, 2006): Shortened section 1-3 and removed use of slang terms after Johnny.Quest's proofreading. Added Satyr to “Other Useful Teammates” and both Whirlwind Partners section. I'm being anvilicious on the lesson to be learned for using him. Regdar removed from Good Whirlwinders list.
V1.2 (April 14, 2006): Shortened the Breath Weapon section by a lot. Barring any interesting points brought up by readers, this is the final version until War of the Dragon Queen is released.
===s1-1: Introduction===
The Brass Samurai is one of the more interesting additions to Chaotic Good's arsenal, and one of the few high-point commanders available to CG that is also incredibly affordable as far as money is concerned; a Brass Samurai can be had for a dollar or less in most markets. This is significant, since CG's other 40-60 point commander options either currently aren't considered competitive or cost a lot of real world cash. Despite its low pricetag due to being an Uncommon, the Brass Samurai is an effective piece. This FAQ is meant to illustrate some of the better ways to use her.
Please note, this is a lengthy guide. It is meant to cover nearly every aspect of the Brass Samurai.
================================
===s1-2: Stats and Comparisons===
If you'd like to view the Brass Samurai's stat card, MaxMinis' database has a good one. Just look at this link: [mini="WD.15">Brass Samurai[/mini]
At 56 points, the Brass Samurai represents a huge investment in 200/8 format; she's a bit over 25% of your band and will likely be your only commander due to this. Where the Inspiring Marshal has an obviously powerful commander effect and is a very cost-effective Commander 4 at 29 points, the Brass Samurai requires careful consideration before being picked as your main commander.
As a commander, the Brass Samurai is okay. Commander 4 on a 50-60 point frame is about average for Chaotic Good, comparable to Ryld and the Greenfang Druid. The Lion of Talisid and Dragon Totem Hero are also in this point range, but hae Commander 3. So the Brass Samurai is in the upper echelon of Commander ratings in CG for its cost, beaten only by the Moon Elf Fighter. Commander 4 is about as good as CG gets at this point in time, so you're fairly well off by picking the Brass Samurai. Her only deficiency is that Ryld has Improved Initiative and costs one point less.
So the Brass Samurai is 4 CR less effective than Ryld at initiative checks and costs a point more; what's she gain in return? Primarily, attack power. The Brass Samurai fits most of the typical traits for a 'chaotic beater'; low AC, moderately good attack values, and lots of damage. +13/+13/+8 for 15 total damage per hit (10 magic, 5 fire) is pretty good. In fact, that's nearly as good as a Red Samurai from CE. Not quite as good, but nearly so, near enough that one can almost consider the Brass Samurai a Red Sam that spends another 16 points and 2 speed to become a good Commander. If you get a flank going, this becomes 15/15/10, which all but the truly high-AC titans like the Marut will worry about.
An AC of 16 ensures the Brass Samurai is going to be hit almost constantly. Duergar Champions, Chraals, Orc Champions, etc. are never going to miss this gal. 70 HP puts her over the “65 HP sweet spot”, but leaves her vulnerable to two-hit-kills from the Hill Giant Barbarian and similar pieces. At least her Save is good; 9, plus another 4 on Morale Saves for +13 on those checks. Thus you have someone who is easy to hit but will perform reliably. Her defense is low but her durability is acceptable, so it works out.
Since the Brass Samurai trades defense for striking power, care must be used when bringing her into the main fight. She can bring the pain, but is going to receive almost as much damage as she dishes out. Fortunately, her Breath Weapon gives her just the tool she needs for being smart about entering melee.
Essentially, the Brass Samurai is a powerful melee piece that also happens to be a good commander and has a single-use standoff weapon. Her only real competitors in the cost range are the Moon Elf Fighter, Ryld, and Greenfang Druid. She's slower than the Moon Elf, but keeps up with Ryld and generally does more damage than him. The Greenfang Druid is faster, more versatile, and has better defense but less offense; it's a tradeoff. The Brass Samurai is not superior to any of these choices, simply a different approach.
===s1-3: Entering melee===
As a melee piece who only has one 'ranged attack' –- the breath weapon -– you must send the Brass Samurai into melee combat to make her worth her 56 points. She is a “fighting commander”, to put it plainly. However, due to her low AC and purely average HP for her cost, the Brass Samurai must be thought of as roughly akin to a 30-40 point melee beater that also spends 16 points on being a Commander 4. I could do a lot of unit comparisons to establish this, but please take my word for it; the Brass Samurai's melee performance and expected lifespan are relatively on par with 30-40 point beaters such as the Duergar Champion and Red Samurai.
This would be okay if the Brass Samurai cost 40 points and wasn't a commander; you could send her right on into the thick of things. But as a 56 point commander, she will likely be your only commander. Therefore you should not bring her into melee immediately. She needs to wait a round or two before doing so.
So, what do you do? The ideal strategy could be summed up like so: “Use your Breath Weapon, then join in on the round after. You want your Brass Samurai to avoid one round worth of melee damage in order to keep her alive long-term.”
===s1-4: Breath Weapon Usage===
One of the coolest parts about any Dragon Samurai (Red, Brass, etc.) is that they're melee fighters who are just as good as their peers in that respect, but trade off a little defense in order to bring an Area of Effect breath weapon with them. The Brass Samurai's is a Lne instead of a Cone, which may disappoint some...but it's still quite the handy perk, and Lines have some advantages.
While Cones are the traditional 'formation slayer', Lines have their uses. For one, longer range. They're also easier to target; you can do very precise shooting with them that hurts an enemy but doesn't affect a nearby ally. Both of these are very good traits for a Commander's ranged threat to have, since they will want to spend a round or two behind the front line.
Who do you target with the Brass Samurai's breath line? Generally you want to hit at least two enemies. They can be fodder or front-line pieces, just be sure you're hitting more than one enemy. Don't wait for the 'perfect shot' that hits his entire warband; you won't get it. As soon as you see a good shot that will hit at least two enemies, take it! You won't have much of a window of opportunity, so take the first good shot you're confident you can set up. If you do decide to wait before breathing, make sure to line up a very good shot; it needs to be worth the time you've spent maneuvering the Brass Samurai.
Is there ever a reason to breathe on just one target? Occasionally. Against titan pieces like Maruts, it can be worthwhile. Their high AC is no avail against a Breath Weapon. They'll make the save, but still take 10 damage. To some high AC titan pieces, 10 damage is still a lot. So if your opponent is only fielding one titan and you can breathe on it, go ahead. Just be sure to nullify any Fire Resistance they may have first; Countersong their Couatl, for example.
What about breathing on your own troops to hit the enemy? This is only rarely acceptable. You must know what you want this to accomplish; will 10 damage force the enemy to make a morale save? Will 20 cause you to make one? Weigh the risks before making this sort of decision. Breathing on your own troops to hit the enemy is a huge gamble, and you probably should have used the breath weapon before this even became a factor in the battle.
===s2-1: Warband Theory===
So far, we've mostly been looking at the Brass Samurai as an individual piece. But no man is an island, and this is true of samurai gals who wield double katanas too. While she is a bit over 25% of your warband, you need other pieces to win. So, what sort of things should you be looking for?
A healer of some sort might be worth considering; CG in general has terrible defense but acceptable durability, so a Healer, Rikka, or similar curing agent may be worthwhile.
You'll need flankers. The Brass Samurai trades off a little to-hit in order to be a Two Weapon Fighter, making it swing at +13/+13/+8 when it could be around +15/+10 or even slightly higher. If someone flanks with her however, she becomes +15/+15/+10, which is a frightening attack setup for just about anyone.
A modest ranged element is worth considering too. The Half-Elf Bow Initiate can be ruled out, as it has no synergy with the Brass Samurai, and the two of them together take up 99 points of a 200 point band. The trio of 15 point archers, the Wand Expert, and Pyromancer are all worth considering but should take up no more than 3 activations; the Brass Samurai is a melee commander whose effect benefits melee followers. The Graycloak Ranger is of particular interest since its free Wolf minion helps take the bite out of the Brass Samurai's high cost.
Therefore, you should aim for three or four melee followers to go with the Brass Samurai, and the rest of the band can be built to your preferences.
===s2-2: When to Whirlwind===
Cautionary Note: Whirlwind Attacks measure the creature's 'natural reach.' Thus, adding Melee Reach to a figure that does not naturally have it on its card does not help with whirlwinding. That means no Dark Traveler + Brass Samurai combo. Only creatures with Melee Reach on their card may use that Reach to Whirlwind.
The Bras Samurai grants followers Whirlwind Attack when they're within six squares. As you can imagine, this is a pretty intimidating ability. But Whirlwinding isn't always the right choice. When should you use it?
The obvious scenario is if your attacking creature only has one attack anyway. For Rikka and the Half-Ogre Barbarian, any time is a good time to Whirlwind since it always increases their damage output. Such creatures are the ones who gain the most benefit from Whirlwind, and should always use it.
The second scenario is with creatures who have multiple attacks, but one of them is unlikely to hit. One example would be a Frenzied Berserker going up against multiple Helmed Horrors. The Berserker attacks at +14/+9 (or +16/+11 with a flank, which CG should be able to provide easily), versus an AC of 22. Realistically speaking, only the +14 will hit in most cases, and the +9 will be wasted. In this case, if you can take a single swing at all enemies with your highest bonus, Whirlwinding is usually a good idea. If your Frenzied Berserker were going against a pair of Blood Ghost Berserkers however, the smart choice would be to use both swings on one target, to drop it quickly. Essentially, you need to ask what the odds are of your second attack connecting. If they're low, Whirlwind. If it's likely to hit, focus your damage on one target.
This rule can be broken if a vulnerable target is present. If there are three Duergar Champions present, and one is at 60 health, consider taking both Berserker swings on it. You might kill it outright, and that's worthwhile.
Of course, there are exceptions to the exception, but the basic lesson to be learned here is that Whirlwinding isn't always the best choice; always take a moment to compare the likely outcomes of a Whirlwind and a standard “full attack”, then decide from there. Likewise, if you can force Morale Saves on multiple pieces at once, that's probably a good Whirlwind choice.
Evaluate things intelligently. Whirlwinding isn't a cure-all solution, but it is a strong choice in many cases.
===s2-3: Good Whirlwind Partners===
Rather than a broad discussion on whirlwinding, which the last segment did, this segment just lists good whirlwind pieces and explains why. Note that 'good' also includes 'great' in this case; not every piece in this list is ideal for whirlwinding, but everyone listed benefits from it in some fashion. Please note this list includes some pieces that are not in the Toolkit but do work well with the Brass Samurai specifically.
This list goes in ascending order of point cost. That is, a 31 point piece is listed before a 32 point piece.
Most Fodder: This is a summary entry for most pieces in the 3 to 10 point range. Frankly, virtually all of them benefit from Whirlwinding. They may not be great at it, but they benefit from it. Xephs, Timber Wolves, etc. gain something from this since they only have one attack.
Elf Spearguard: A fodder piece, but it deserves special mention due to its decent speed, good AC (for fodder, anyway), attack for 10 damage, and Reach 2. These are all highly desired qualities in a Whirlwinder, so if you have 6 points free he's worth considering. Remember, 10 damage means he can even deal a little hurt to Adamantine Laced or DR5 creatures.
Wild Elf Raider: Also a 6 point fodder, it deserves mention as a contrast to the Spearguard. Where the Spearguard goes for defense (high AC) and Reach 2, the Wild Elf Raider trades those in for Bold (quasi-Fearless), 5 more HP, and one higher attack rating plus a great Speed 9. Which to use? That's personal perference; both the Wild Elf Raider and Elf Spearguard are good low-end whirlwinders however, and both deserve consideration.
Half-Orc Barbarian: Normally never played, the Brass Samurai makes this piece a decent choice if you have 12 points left in a band. You shouldn't go out of your way t include him, but if you wind up with about 12 points left after you're done with the core of your warband, toss this guy in. +7 for 15 damage on a whirlwind is pretty good, and Speed 8 ensures he'll get the shots he wants. Just...don't send him after Duergar Champions; they'll take the free Cleave with pleasure and thank you for it. Heck of a fodder-hunter, though.
Satyr: Included in this list not for his attacks, but for his Pipes ability. This is absolutely useful in multi-hitter bands, since it will let them get in the first shot and he will still provide Countersong. Don't use him in titan bands, but see if you can fit him in to a multi-hitter team.
Steelheart Archer: Unusual among CG's archers, this elf lass did what the rest of the ranged warriors did not; she stopped to ask “What do I do if the enemy gets close?” -- Her answer is to carry a big sword that does 10 damage a hit. Since she only has a single swing with it, she fits the ideal whirlwinder checklist quite well. If the enemy sends fodder to swarm her, she can clear them all off. And once the main battle's gone on for a while, stepping up to do a +7 (10) Whirlwind to all of the enemy's main hitters isn't all that bad a choice, especially against CG or CE hitters with low AC. Ranged support and a decent whirlwinder, she's a great friend for the Brass Samurai.
Krusk, Half-Orc Barbarian: See the entry on the non-unique Half-Orc Barbarian, above. Just replace its +7 for 15 attack with a +10 for 15 one; not bad for a 16 pointer!
Talenta Halfling: Inferior to Krusk and the regular Half-Orc Barbarian, but easier to obtain on the secondary market, the Talenta is a fair choice, but you have better options. Included for completeness.
Xen'Drik Champion: Conditional; it needs to move before it attacks in order to get a +13 (15 Magic) Whirlwind, otherwise this is not worth it. The sheer versatility of this piece makes it worth considering however.
Half-Ogre Barbarian: Point for point the best Whirlwinder CG has. Large, Reach 2, a single high attack rating, high damage swing...it hits every single requirement for a good whirlwind. Adding Mialee to the mix makes him attack at +13 for 20 Magic, which is really good. The only problems this guy has are his low Save, and the fact the Hill Giant Barbarian can rout him in a single blow.
Goliath Barbarian: Another good Whirlwind choice since its second attack is at +5. If you add Mialee to this instead of to a Half-Ogre, you wind up with +11 for 20 magic on a whirlwind, and you can reroll one of those attacks. Not bad at all.
Rikka: Probably the second best whirlwinder in the faction overall. +15 for 20 magic means she's relatively likely to hit even high-AC titans, and it's reliably accurate against anything else. That she brings along a 20 point heal is a nice bonus. While her save is terrible, Rikka is a very good whirlwinder in general, and if an affordable way to help her saves ever comes along, she'll become very, very useful indeed.
Celestial Pegasus: I'm not just saying this because I like this piece in general; it really does benefit. Due to its low AC, lots of players will swarm a pegasus that goes into their backfield area. +11/+11 for 10 magic ensures the pegasus could normally only hurt two of them. But with a Whirlwind, since it was going to get swarmed anyway, now it can take a swing at all of its attackers. Nice way to discourage Quaggoth Slave swarming, for example.
Longstrider Ranger: See the pegasus entry, above. The same points largely apply, though it should be noted the Longstrider Ranger is generally not as good a piece as the pegasus is, since the pegasus counters popular LE pieces like the Chraal while the Longstrider is 2 points more, has fewer defenses, etc. Still, it does kind of benefit from whirlwinding.
Dire Bear: Conditional – you need some way to ge it under command. This entry is currently speculative, since right now the only ways to deal with Wild cost about 50 points. The combo would require about 150-ish points total as a result. But if a cheaper beastmaster does come along, the Dire Bear is a good whirlwind choice; +19 for 15 normal is essentially auto-hit on everyone but Maruts and the like. I wouldn't use it right now, but if a cheap enough beastmaster comes along? Then yes, absolutely worth considering.
Warforged Barbarian: Its +9 attack is unlikely to hit many Lawful pieces, thus making a +14 (20 magic) whirlwind rather interesting. As a bonus, you'll get a Bloody Rage 5 in for free when you try this, albeit only on one piece. Unfortunately, the Warforged Barbarian isn't as good as the Frenzied Berserker in most cases, and many people aren't sure it's totally worth 49 points. The Warforged Barbarian is likely to be removed from this list as soon as a better hitter in the 35-45 point range exists for CG, as it is 'borderline good' in this regard but has too many shortcomings to make up for its cost.
Frenzied Berserker: Since the +9 attack is unlikely to hit, +14 for 30 magic, plus an Aura of Fear 2, makes this a great whirlwinder for forcing morale saves. Some people have been experimenting with running 2 Frenzied Berserkers plus a Brass Samurai, but Hill Giant Barbarians tend to smash Frenzied Berserkers with casual ease, making the 2 Berserker setup risky; you may want to try just one.
Rask: Normally inferior to the Frenzied Berserker, the Reach 2 makes him worth considering. That he can include a stun on one attack in the Whirlwind is a nice bonus. That he can do +16 Whirlwind or +16/+16 against titan pieces makes him versatile, and thus a strong choice.
===s2-4: Bad Whirlwind Partners===
This list is going to be pretty short. It focuses on pieces that people have thought would serve well as Whirlwinders, but in reality haven't proven to be so. Most bad whirlwinders are obvious, so this list only focuses on “red herrings.”
Satyr: This piece is also going to be mentioned in the Useful Partners section and was in the Good Whirlwinders area, so why is the Satyr here? Because some people use him incorrectly. They use his Pipes to boost initiative before a key Whirlwind round, which is the right thing to do. But people will use it with the wrong pieces, such as Aspect of Kord. Here's the problem: The Satyr is improving your offense, and CG's titan pieces have a defense issue, not an offense one. Since the Satyr doesn't improve AC or HP, you're better off using his Pipes to benefit multiple pieces instead of using it to help a titan-centric band.
Dark Traveler: This was covered at the start of the last section, but bears repeating here since so many people were curious about it: The Brass Samurai and Dark Traveler commander effect combo does not work. Whirlwind Attacks measure the creature's 'natural reach', which is a reach of “adjacent only” unless there are a longer Melee Reach explicitly listed on the card. Thus, reach granted by the Dark Traveler does not work for Whirlwinding. There might be reasons to use him, but Brass Samurai combo-banding is not one of them.
Aspect of Kord: At first, Kord seems right for the job; +18 for 30 magic, on a Large creature with Reach 2 sounds like a good deal. +18 for 40 magic sounds better. The problem is this requires winning initiative, which isn't unlikely for a Commander 4, but also isn't particularly likely. The end result is 'high variance'; +18 for 30 magic is okay, but isn't as good as doing 40 damage and doing 40 is how the Aspect of Kord becomes worth its cost. The other problem is that the Aspect of Kord is too poorly defended. AC 19 means most front-line hitters will land a hit, and HP 90 with the possibility of failing a Morale Save on a 5 or lower isn't that good for its cost. With the Wardrummerrunning around, you'd be rolling +11 on morale, and that's not good for a Titan Piece. The Aspect of Kord's offense is about right for a whirlwinder, but its defense is far, far too low for its cost. Therefore, consider it a red herring.
Wemic Barbarian: A point more than the Frenzied Berserker, for less, non-magic damage, and its Fearlessness is hardly guaranteed. While not truly terrible as a whirlwinder, it's not as good as the Frenzied Berserker or Rask, and costs more.
Most of the other bad whirlwinders are inherently obvious, but more pieces may be added to this list as time goes on.
===s2-5: Other Useful Teammates===
Not everyone in your team can constantly be doing Whirlwind attacks. CG doesn't have enough truly good melee pieces for that anyway. But here's a list of pieces you might want to consider adding to your band to shore up other flaws.
This list is done by category instead of point-cost. If the entries are obvious, no explanation text will accompany the piece names. None of these lists are all-inclusive; these are suggestions, and other pieces may fit your band based on your needs.
Victory Area Grabbers: Xeph Warrior, Timber Wolf, Wolf (via Graycloak Ranger), possibly the 5 point Catfolk.
Magic Weapon for non-Magic Damage Whirlwinders: Mialee, Half-Elf Sorcerer (Only if you need multiple castings), Halfling Wizard (two castings, plus range support), Nebin, Wand Expert.
Ranged Support: Wand Expert (also provides Magic Weapon if needed), Graycloak Ranger (for the Wolf minion and HGB-hate), Steelheart Archer (Good all around performance), Halfling Wizard (Squishy but otherwise excellent) Xen'drik Champion (Good all around), Halfling Ranger.
Defense and Support: Celestial Dire Badger (Spell Resistance plus elemental Resistances), Healer (healing your low-AC pieces, helps against Gauth paralysis), Crow Shaman (various uses), Wizard Tactician.
Special Purpose: Devis (Countersong helps against Shuluth, Couatl, etc), Aramil (Nerfium Beams or minor ranged support), Satyr (Countersong, Initiative boost on key rounds. Use him in multi-hitter bands for best effect).
===s3-1: Map Considerations===
Given the fact multiple maps are coming out in the very near future, I would like to 'shelve' this section for now, and do it in a future version of this FAQ. Consider this 'reserved space' for the time being.
===s4-1: Conclusion===
The Brass Samurai is currently a good commander, and its value should only grow with each new set released. Currently CG lacks any truly 'breakthrough' melee pieces like LE and CE have that would truly, astoundingly benefit from this commander. It's nobody's “Eye of Gruumsh” at this time.
But it is still a solid commander that has decent synergy with its followers. It is hard to recommend this piece over Ryld, the Greenfang Druid, or Moon Elf Fighter at this time...but it is easy to recommend them equally with those commanders. It really depends on what you're looking for. The Brass Samurai trades in some of their advantages for a focus on sheer damage output, and she does a pretty impressive job of that.
Plus it's cheap; you can get a Brass Samurai for under a buck, unlike the others. Its real-world low cost and performance that equals its more expensive peers in this category make it worth your time if you play CG. Due caution must be exercised in playing the Brass Samurai, but if you keep your wits about you, she'll do well.
===s4-2: Credits===
I'd like to thank a few people, either for contributing to the FAQ directly, or contributing to DDM in general. This list may expand as time goes on and is in alphabetical order.
Christopher Groves: For his work on the “Toolkit”, which helped jumpstart my CG collection by helping me figure out some really good pieces.
DDM Staff at WotC (LurkngLidda, Shoe, Talfenix, etc): For producing the game. I've leveled my share of criticism at some of it, but I genuinely do enjoy the game you help design, produce, and offer us. Hopefully you enjoy my money every bit as much.
DoubtOfBuddha: For his work on the Toolkit Files and discussions on CG warband ideas.
Guy Fullerton: For being the most personable 'rules ref' I've ever seen in a competitive game; where else can one post a rules inquiry and expect a considerate, intelligent answer in under 48 hours and oftentimes within 6? Plus it's fun discussing warband ideas with ya, Guy.
MaxMinis Community: For being the second competitive game community I've seen where rational, intelligent, polite discussion is the norm. You've proved I don't have to put up with a bunch potty-mouthed jerks whenever I play a game with other human beings, and for that you have my thanks.
Merric: For hosting MaxMinis. At least, I believe that's the case? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But even if that's wrong, your companion strategy website helps a lot.
Pegasi (Celestial): For being awesome. You rock, and your rise to the Core Toolkit proves it. Hopefully you'll have even more of your brethren joining you in future sets, and together we'll show the world just how high you can soar!
Vesivus: For providing filterable galleries; it's handy being able to load cards on the fly when I play on Vassal, for pieces I don't own -- “What's that CE or LE piece do?” -- Now I know!
Honorable Mention -- Anavel Gato: For showing me what true irrational fanaticism is, and why it's fun.
---End of FAQ.--- | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
| 
Bert the Troll
Commander
3964 Posts
Adelaide
| | 04/12/2006 11:41 PM |
| Wow. Excellent write up on her. I can feel the love [)].
Some very good points. Keeping the pegaus at the back under command range would be difficult though.
ps: I found the length to be fine.
A suggestion (unrelated to the faq really) but you could use maxmini's gallery to display stats for her instead of linking off site to a shortened version. Like so: [mini="WD.15">Brass Samurai[/mini]
Just add the following instead of linking. Replace {} with [ ].
{mini="WD.15"}Brass Samurai{/mini} | |
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrer." Bert the Troll - The Hobbit
Semi-Secret sig business: "In the age of the internet attaching a famous name to your personal opinion to give more weight to it is a very valid strategy." - Benjamin Franklin
Champion of Epic Lolth, Orcus, & Demogorgon and bring us Asmodeus! | |
|
Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 12:18 AM |
| | Bert: ...Whoa. I had no idea you could do that. I've edited the FAQ to use your link since it's more complete than the Vesivus one; thanks for the heads-up on that. | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
|
Luisjoey
Underboss
1704 Posts
Caracas Venezuela
| | 04/13/2006 1:05 AM |
| | Excellent work friend, i see you made lot of research about this new miniature, i want her to put with muy centaur hero! | |
Knight of the Quori
Champion of King Kaius III of Karrnath
 Purple Knight of Venezuela
Venezuelan Site For D&D minis Calabozo Criollo Venezuela
Venezuelan Site for SW minis VeneMinis.com | |
|
Low Key
Underboss
1231 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 2:59 AM |
| Nice. ΖD]
Good work there. | |
Champion of the Sarrukh | |
|
Janos M.
Underboss
1015 Posts
Hamburg / GErmany
| | 04/13/2006 3:09 AM |
| I really like that FAQ.
So when does the next come to us? [:D] | |
My Haves and wants:
http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=Janos_M.
Champion of Elan Psions
Proud Owner of the "Aura of cursed dice" | |
|
Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 3:58 AM |
| Thanks for your feedback, everyone. To answer a few questions that came up...
Bert: You're right to bring up the notion that it's hard to get Whirlwind Attack to a Pegasus that's in the enemy's backfield. Sometimes you just can't. But on other occasions their 'backfield' is only a few squares behind their main line of melee beaters, and in those cases the Brass Samurai can make her commander effect just barely reach the Pegasus. Rikka's also good for this particular trick. It's situational and won't always work, but it can be done.
Janos: I actually do have a few more FAQs in mind, but they'd be much shorter. There's only a few pieces in CG that merit an outright FAQ, though. Ryld? Pretty simple to play. Frenzied Berserker? Has one tactic; run up and hit things. Graycloak Ranger? Shoot stuff. They simply do not deserve a full-length article.
The only other FAQs I'm currently planning on doing are: Greenfang Druid -- similar to this FAQ, but about 2 pages shorter by my current estimate.
Celestial Pegasus/Rikka dual FAQ -- Would be about 4 pages shorter than this one, covering their proper use since they're not Duergar Champion 'melee beater clones'. Some finesse is required to use them properly due to their lower defense and damage output.
So, three total FAQs: Brass Samurai, Greenfang Druid, and Celestial Pegasus + Rikka together in one article. Anything above these three with our current pieces would probably be 'spam', or else would be on a topic I'm not qualified to cover. For example, you'd want Pat Ellis to write an Archmage FAQ, not me; he's got a heck of a lot more experience with that piece than I do. | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
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robbdaman
Underboss
2380 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 4:59 AM |
| What no Gulgar consideration? It's one of the new shining stars of CG, trust me. [:)]
R~ | |
Champion of the Titan
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Successful trades with: Tickparasite, Iyceman, Faragdar The Wise's friend, avrivah, Drakkengi, brucemc, Krush, maniacal_mini_monger, hung4treason, Gandy, NarlethDrider, Kunimatyu, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah..... | |
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orcmonk220
Underboss
1608 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 5:15 AM |
| | Nice FAQ Pegasus Knight. Lookin forward to the next. | |
My Trading Thread | |
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Low Key
Underboss
1231 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 5:48 AM |
| Peronally after Reading this I'd run something like this:
Brass Samurai, 56p
-Well duh.
Rask, 52p
-Melee reach 2, Stun and the +16/+16 to fight off titans makes him a good choice for the main beater of the army.
Rikka, 31p
-Cheap for what you get, great assasin, and a good whirlwinder to boot.)
Half-Ogre Barbarian, 25p
-As your FAQ states, its crazily cost effective in a Brass Samurai Warband.
Steelheart Archer, 15p
-I like the activations Graycloak offers, but the fact that Steelhearts actually have a melee presence gives them an edge in this warband.
Aramil, 13p
-Nerfium Ray + fodder clearer. Later in the game if it survives it can sling a few arrows too.
Timber Wolf & Xeph Warrior, 8p
-Last two activations and VP grappers.
8 activations / Dragon Temple
As a map I might run Dragon temple for two reasons. First it has aloth of clear space where the comabt is going to happen, so I can Whirlwind easily. Secondly the Sacred Circles help me. Since most beaters will hit mine in anycase, I dont have to worry about them getting the +2. I on the otherhand benefit of it. I can park the archer in an circle to get +2 and my Half-Ogre can get his magic weapon that way. Plus it boosts the samurai to +17/+17/+12 when flanking, wich is pretty damn scary. | |
Champion of the Sarrukh | |
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HidesFromHurricanes
Warrior
289 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 6:49 AM |
| Great Article, I like the discussion of all the pieces that you may reasonably put in the warband.
However I think whenever talking about
quote:
Aspect of Kord: Seems right for the job; +18 for 30 magic, on a Large creature with Reach 2 sounds like a good deal. +18 for 40 magic sounds better. The problem is this requires winning initiative, which isn't unlikely for a Commander 4, but also isn't particularly likely. The end result is 'high variance'; +18 for 30 magic is okay, but isn't as good as doing 40 damage and doing 40 is how the Aspect of Kord becomes worth its cost. The other problem is that the Aspect of Kord is too poorly defended. AC 19 means most front-line hitters will land a hit, and HP 90 with the possibility of failing a Morale Save on a 5 or lower isn't that good for its cost. With the Wardrummer running around, you'd be rolling +11 on morale...not good for a Titan Piece. The Aspect of Kord's offense is about right for a whirlwinder, but its defense is far, far too low for its cost. Therefore, consider it a red herring.
you probably need to discuss the cost of a Satyr. +4 init is huge on the turn you want to whirlwind with the big guy. However now you've gone to 90 points to make your titan with a glass jaw pull off his trick. | |
Champion of Savage Bard (Unearthed Arcana: Bard Variant)
Bloodwars Called shot (vindicated) Demonic Gnoll Adept/Priestess
Old Jagermonster Saying: Any Plan vere you luz your hat iz a BAD Plan. | |
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iluvxtina
Underboss
1501 Posts
Spain
| | 04/13/2006 8:21 AM |
| | I think the brass is a very highly-costed creature for her power.Its a risky think to select her as tour commander because she,s high costed and low powered.But I think her CFX can be fearsome if you command three or four only-one-poweful-attack creatures.Like kord, half ogres,rikka,warbound,half giant....The problem is that: if your opponent has only a few experience,she will never put her pieces in the right place for your whirlwind attack.Yes,indeed! | |
LOVE THIS GIRL | |
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Wrackspawn
ChristopherGroves
Warlord
6093 Posts
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johnny.quest
Underboss
1366 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 9:34 AM |
| I think it's a solid article. I'm not sure if you're looking to publish, but here are a couple suggestions if you are:
Section s1-3: Entering melee is a bit repetetive
Reference the toolkit fully
Beware of there's: in many cases, it should be there are. For example, "If there's three Duergar Champions present ..." and "Of course, there's exceptions to the exception ..."
Nice work! | | | |
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Helzapoppn
Warrior
258 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 10:29 AM |
| What about the Half-Giant Psychic Warrior?
42 points, single attack @ +11 for 25 magic damage that affects Cursed Spirits and Sacred Watchers (two pieces we're seeing a lot of these days), plus Cleave.
If he gets a turn to prepare, the first attack of the Whirlwind can be Dissolving Weapon for 25 magic + 15 acid damage (pick an injured target or fodder piece first, kill it and get Cleave; possibly hit the second target twice for 50 magic...this can work). He can also Swift cast Hustle before moving into the ideal position (12 squares to 'thread the needle' and avoid AoOs).
Level 7, AC 15 and 55 hit points are three reasons not to include him. But he still deserves consideration (even if it results in ceaseless mocking).
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Champion of Iconics & the Apparatus of Kwalish (Constructs with Drivers? Brilliant!)
Dungeons of Dread Called Shot: Yeah, right | |
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johnny.quest
Underboss
1366 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 10:37 AM |
| | The mocking will cease eventually [)] | | | |
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Low Key
Underboss
1231 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 11:14 AM |
| | You know, I wouldnt mind Wizards doing articles like this on their website. >_> | |
Champion of the Sarrukh | |
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Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 2:44 PM |
| EDIT (4-13-2006): I've uploaded version 1.1, which does a quick grammar clean-up per Johnny.Quest's notes, and also covers the Satyr per HidesFromHurricanes' input. I plan to shorten the Breath Weapon section and cover the Half-Giant Psychic Warrior plus Clay Golem later.
Christopher Groves: Clay Golem...yeah, I probably should've mentioned that piece. The only problem is it's a 'theory piece' to me; I don't own one, and likely never will since it costs 30 dollars on the secondary market. I might run a few Vassal games to experiment with it though, for the sake of completeness.
HidesFromHurricanes: Satyr's something I've been considering for a while, but not for Aspect of Kord. I've been thinking of it for a more balanced band involving Rikka, Half-Giant, etc.; pieces you can run multiples of and would thus get two Whirlwinds off of if you got your initiative right. I will be adding him to the next revision of this article, as you're right to mention him.
Johnny Quest: Thank you for the grammatical proofread. You're right; I use the slang term "there's" a lot. I'll fix that in the next version. I will also look at section 1-3 to see if I can shorten it since I wrote that part while I was busy with four other projects. Version 1.1 should look better, be shorter, and cut down on slang use.
Helzapoppn: The Half-Giant Psychic Warrior was left out for two reasons. One, I don't own this piece and thus have no experience using him. Two, his defense and durability are both too low for his cost, and I don't think he's worthwhile. I'll give him a few Vassal runs if you're that interested in seeing him in the guide, however. It's entirely possible you're seeing something I've missed about this fella.
Low Key: That's high praise indeed. If WotC or anyone else wants to publish this, I'm open to talking with them. But this article is probably too long for general publication on their website. It discusses a lot of high-level concepts, and takes eight pages to do so. If I could somehow chop all this down to 2, maybe 3 pages max, it'd mesh better with their content -- and I'm sure willing to try that kind of compression if someone wants to publish! But its current eight page form is not a 'general interest piece', it's more like an in-depth strategy guide in a videogame magazine. | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
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robbdaman
Underboss
2380 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 3:49 PM |
| So you're not taking me serious about the Gulgar then? Try a few games with him and you'll be sold. Heck I'll pop on vassal and pummel you with them sometime to show you just how mean they can be.
R~ | |
Champion of the Titan
******************************************************************************************************************************************************
Successful trades with: Tickparasite, Iyceman, Faragdar The Wise's friend, avrivah, Drakkengi, brucemc, Krush, maniacal_mini_monger, hung4treason, Gandy, NarlethDrider, Kunimatyu, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah..... | |
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scifirules
Sergeant
354 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 4:26 PM |
| Excellent article! It's way better (and more in-depth) than the piece examinations I've written on Merric's.
quote:
Elf Spearguard: A fodder piece, but it deserves special mention due to its decent speed, good AC (for fodder, anyway), attack for 10 damage, and Reach 2. These are all highly desired qualities in a Whirlwinder, so if you have 6 points free he's worth considering. Remember, 10 damage means he can even deal a little hurt to Adamantine Laced or DR5 creatures.
Woah! I never thought of using the Spearguard with the Brass Samurai. That would be pretty cool...[}:)]
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Check out my DDM Blog: http://scifirules.livejournal.com
"I will pay my dues when you send me my tusks!" -Strong Bad
Champion of Chainmail Equivalencies | Knight of Efficient Fodder
WotDQ Called Shot: Large Green Dragon (VINDICATED) | Blood War Called Shot: Large Brass Dragon | Unhallowed Called Shot: Skeletal Troll
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Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 5:20 PM |
| Robb: I'll give him a try, I suppose. I'm just not sold on his low hitrate, low damage output for his cost, and so on. But since I do in fact have a Gulgar and have wanted to get some use out of the fella, I'll give him a shot in a Brass Sam Rye band soon.
Scifirules: Generally speaking, the Merric website Piece Examination articles do what they need to. Your average competitive piece has perhaps one or two facets to explore, so a short article covers them well. Only a few pieces in DDM are complex enough to really merit a full FAQ like this.
And yeah, the Elf Spearguard tends to be overlooked because it's from an old, out of print set. Plus the Brass Samurai is one of the few commanders that honestly, really makes it worth using. I still say it's up to personal preference if you use the Spearguard over the Raider, but they're both good choices. | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 6:48 PM |
| Here's a build I've been toying with:
Brass Samurai
Aspect of Kord
Rikka
Crow Shaman
Satyr
Elf Warrior
Xeph Warrior
It works OK, but the variance is a little too high for my tastes currently, even with the +8 for the critical initiative round. I don't think the AoK is quite as bad as you describe him, especially paired with the crow shaman, who gets him up to an AC of 21 and gives you a potential damage output of a 40 point WW followed by a targeted swing for 30 on critical first activations.
You're also overlooking the satyr's defensive points as well, I think - with DR 5, he can screen if you happen to be going against a band with GCRs, rare as those might be, and countersong is a HUGE defensive advantage, shutting down all sorts of commander effects that can give you problems. | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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scifirules
Sergeant
354 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 10:21 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Pegasus Knight
Scifirules: Generally speaking, the Merric website Piece Examination articles do what they need to. Your average competitive piece has perhaps one or two facets to explore, so a short article covers them well. Only a few pieces in DDM are complex enough to really merit a full FAQ like this.
Good point; I just meant that this article is better than anything Icould've written.
Now I wish I hadn't traded my Brass Samurai away... | |
Check out my DDM Blog: http://scifirules.livejournal.com
"I will pay my dues when you send me my tusks!" -Strong Bad
Champion of Chainmail Equivalencies | Knight of Efficient Fodder
WotDQ Called Shot: Large Green Dragon (VINDICATED) | Blood War Called Shot: Large Brass Dragon | Unhallowed Called Shot: Skeletal Troll
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Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/14/2006 12:26 AM |
| | Fortunately, trading a Brass Sam Rye away isn't a hanging offense in most states. Even better, you can replace it for about a buck on the secondary market. I picked up like four from Auggie for 50 cents each, and may order more soon. Now if only I could merge the two somehow, a Brass Samurai riding a Pegasus... | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
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Damien the Bloodfeaster
Sergeant
885 Posts
Portland, OR
| | 04/14/2006 9:01 PM |
| How about an addition, referencing the Brass Samurai in 500 point Epic play? With the constant addition of new Epic creatures, I've found this format being increasingly played. Brass Sam + Storm Giant is an obvious option, but I'd love to see what else you can come up with in that format.
Oh, and the Brass Samurai stat card link in your post does not appear to be working. | | | |
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Pegasus Knight
Sergeant
896 Posts
| | 04/14/2006 9:07 PM |
| Fixed the link. Not sure how that got broken between revisions; how odd. Thanks for pointing it out, Damien.
As far as Epic goes, it's certainly worth considering. I will have to admit however my experience with the format is limited and I may not be the best person to write such a guide at this time. What experience I do have with it tells me this much however: It's a very different environment from 200/8. An Epic segment on this commander could just as easily be a seperate FAQ, since pieces that are cost-inefficient in 200/8 have more leeway to be inefficient in Epic so long as they get results. | |
- Irrationally Fanatical Champion of Pegasus-mounted cavalry
- Proud member of Team Low Tier Beasting: I play CG as my main faction!
- Garland, TX 2006 Qualifier Champion
My trading thread: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19725 | |
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Nobody Important
Sergeant
718 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 12:09 AM |
| Really nice and detailed. Perhaps a little too detailed but then who am I to talk. I may suggest posting a short version of it over on Merric's Article pages where it would be easier to find for future reference. I'd also rate it a 5/5 for it comprehensiveness and objectivity.
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