Malifaux: Soulstones

I want to touch on the basics of the soulstone. In my last post explaining the basic mechanic of the game (duels, and using card to determine success or failure) I didn't talk much on where they come from and all of their uses. A soulstone is the currency of Malifaux, it is also a powerful gem that allows the wielder to use/enhance their power (read magic). It is also how you determine your encounter size, in this neck of the woods with Malifaux being a new addition to our clubs games we have been running 25ss games. Each model (except Masters) have a soulstone cost associated to them. You add models to your crew adding their soulstone values until you reach your agreed upon max for the encounter.

What if you can't get to exactly 25ss? Any soulstones you don't use when hiring your crew will go into your soulstone pool. Masters do not cost soulstones, instead they have a soulstone cashe. This number will be added to your soulstone pool after hiring your crew. There is a limit to your soulstone pool when starting a game for a scrap it is 8 and for a brawl it is 10.

What can you use soulstones for anyway? You can use soulstone for many things in the game. Some models actions or spells may call for you to discard a soulstone as part of the cost. Models that have the "Use Soulstone" ability will have a general list of things they can do with a soulstone even though it is not printed on the card. These include:

• Discarding a soulstone to add a fate card to your duel total
• Make a healing flip
• Make a damage prevention flip

Soulstones (much like your control hand) add a new dimension to the game, it adds resource management. You have the ability to 'change fate' and hedge your odds but it can only be done so many times. It gives you a bit more control than leaving fate to the roll of the dice.

Of course there are abilities in the game that can allow you to create soulstones, and alter your control hand but these tactics are beyond the intent of this post.

So there you have it, soulstone basics 101. 

Malifaux

Malifaux.

 I have just recently decided to step into the world of Malifaux, and so far I have been nothing but impressed. The fluff is entertaining, the models are beautiful, and the mechanics are original, exciting and refreshing.

Over the next several posts I am going to try and bring you updates as I assemble and paint my first crew (Colette and her showgirls), play my first games, and learn more about the rules, mechanics and tactics of the game.

First I would like to give a small overview of the main mechanic that Malifaux employs. This is using cards to determine success or failure. Those of you who are familiar with most wargames, or even most board games for that matter are use to seeing and using dice to determine random aspects of the game. Not in Malifaux. In Malifaux we use cards, a normal 52 card deck plus two jokers. Although Wyrd (the company responsible for Malifaux) has their own Fate Decks these are just 52 card decks with original art work and the proper suits for the game (there is a conversion for the suits so you can still use a standard deck if you like).

Malifaux also has a mechanic that allows you to "Cheat Fate" which adds a dimension of resource management to the game. Each player has a hand of cards (6-7 depending on the size of the game) this is called your control hand, and are what allow you to "Cheat Fate".

I am going to give a basic example of how the mechanic works and in the hopes of keeping it simple there are several things that I will not discuss in detail (i.e. soulstones, triggers, suits, jokers, etc.). Anytime in Malifaux when you make a melee attack, cast a spell, force a model (or are forced) to take a willpower check, or otherwise use cards to determine success or failure it is called a duel. In the example below we are having a basic combat duel.

Each weapon on a model will have a Cb stat (Combat) and each model will have a Df  (Defense) stat. When a model is making an attack s/he will flip the top card of their deck (known as your Fate Deck). They will add the number on that card (Jacks = 10, Queen = 11 King = 12) to their Cb. The defender will then flip the top card of their fate deck and add their Df and the value of the card. If the attacking models total number is equal to or greater than the defending models total the attacker is winning the duel. Starting with the player who is losing the duel they may now decide if they want to "Cheat Fate". To "Cheat Fate" you may play a card from your control hand to replace the fate card you flipped. If your model has the Use Soulstone ability you may also choose to discard a soulstone to make an additional flip from your fate deck and add that to your total (this decision must be made after you decided to cheat fate or not, and before your opponent has the opportunity to cheat fate). After the player losing the duel has adjusted their total by cheating fate and/or discarding a soulstone then the other player is allowed to do the same. After each player has had a chance to cheat fate, triggers are declared, totals are calculated, compared, and results applied.

Well that is a basic overview of how the cards work in the game. In future post I will try to elaborate and build upon this basic mechanic to help show the depth and control it offers.