Bigred
04-30-2013, 03:19 PM
Wyrd just pulled the covers off of Malifaux 2.0
Malifaux Second Edition: Getting Back on the Table
By: Justin Gibbs
We gamers can be a fickle bunch. I couldn’t tell you how many models I have bought with the best of
intentions, “This one will make it onto the table, I swear!” I have often joked that if companies only
made money off of the models which we actually completed our industry would cease to exist. One of
my friends has an entire closet dedicated to his unassembled models; he calls it the “Closet of Shame.”
Today, I am here to talk to you about Malifaux Second Edition. If you already play a ton of Malifaux,
great! Myself and Mack Martin have visited as many podcasts as we could, going into an incredible
amount of detail about the new mechanics (including Forge the Narrative, here on BoLS). If you are a
Malifaux veteran, I would hope you check one of those out, as no questions were off limits to the hosts
of those shows. However, with this article, I want to reach out to a different group. I want to talk to the
people who dabbled in Malifaux, gave it a shot, but ultimately put it into their own “Closet of shame.”
One piece of feedback we’ve received consistently is that the cards simply had too much on them. This
makes the game difficult to learn for new players. We have streamlined and cleaned up the stat cards
(with a new, easy to read layout, I might add) and moved some of the more complex abilities to upgrade
cards, which characters can purchase. This allows a much greater variety in list building. It also allows
veteran players to build all of their favorite characters up to the complexity which they are used to,
while allowing newer players to start at a more focused level. This idea of “optional complexity” will
keep the game fresh for years to come, as players can subtly adjust how their models function from
game to game. Finally, if we find that an older model is under-performing, it gives us a tool to fix that
model by way of releasing an upgrade for it in future expansions.
Malifaux was a hit when it was first released back in 2009; in some ways, too big of a hit. The rules could
not keep up with demand. Since then, the game has seen FAQs and errata. Many rulings were made
on the forums, making them tricky to find. Second Edition will fix all of this. We are taking the massive
amounts of feedback we have received over the years and fixing the clarity issues, addressing the errata,
and doing our best to eliminate the need for mid-game rulings. The game is designed to operate more
smoothly, for both new and veteran gamers. Once Second Edition hits, we will do all of our FAQs on a
preset schedule, on our website. Players will know when a new FAQ will be released, and they can be
prepared. This means that the official rulings that are needed will be fewer, and always in one place, not
spread throughout the forums.
Last, but not least, we are taking a very hard look at the game’s balance. We are putting all of the
models through their paces and making sure that every master is up to par, and none are dominating
the meta. We want this to be as balanced an experience as possible. This includes many revisions, like
an overhaul to how encounters are presented. Both competitive and narrative players will find that the
encounters system is tailored directly to them, so that they can simply turn to the Standard Chapter for
a competitive style game, or the Narrative Chapter to build a unique story-driven event.
The card system is still there. The gritty, wild-west, magic & steam-punk theme is still there. Our
models are getting a rerelease in plastic, with fantastic new sculpts. Oh, and we’re having a public beta
test starting this June. If you fell in love with Malifaux but something made it not the game for you, now
is the time to jump back in and Cheat Fate again!
And a pretty picture for you good boys and girls!
3963
Malifaux Second Edition: Getting Back on the Table
By: Justin Gibbs
We gamers can be a fickle bunch. I couldn’t tell you how many models I have bought with the best of
intentions, “This one will make it onto the table, I swear!” I have often joked that if companies only
made money off of the models which we actually completed our industry would cease to exist. One of
my friends has an entire closet dedicated to his unassembled models; he calls it the “Closet of Shame.”
Today, I am here to talk to you about Malifaux Second Edition. If you already play a ton of Malifaux,
great! Myself and Mack Martin have visited as many podcasts as we could, going into an incredible
amount of detail about the new mechanics (including Forge the Narrative, here on BoLS). If you are a
Malifaux veteran, I would hope you check one of those out, as no questions were off limits to the hosts
of those shows. However, with this article, I want to reach out to a different group. I want to talk to the
people who dabbled in Malifaux, gave it a shot, but ultimately put it into their own “Closet of shame.”
One piece of feedback we’ve received consistently is that the cards simply had too much on them. This
makes the game difficult to learn for new players. We have streamlined and cleaned up the stat cards
(with a new, easy to read layout, I might add) and moved some of the more complex abilities to upgrade
cards, which characters can purchase. This allows a much greater variety in list building. It also allows
veteran players to build all of their favorite characters up to the complexity which they are used to,
while allowing newer players to start at a more focused level. This idea of “optional complexity” will
keep the game fresh for years to come, as players can subtly adjust how their models function from
game to game. Finally, if we find that an older model is under-performing, it gives us a tool to fix that
model by way of releasing an upgrade for it in future expansions.
Malifaux was a hit when it was first released back in 2009; in some ways, too big of a hit. The rules could
not keep up with demand. Since then, the game has seen FAQs and errata. Many rulings were made
on the forums, making them tricky to find. Second Edition will fix all of this. We are taking the massive
amounts of feedback we have received over the years and fixing the clarity issues, addressing the errata,
and doing our best to eliminate the need for mid-game rulings. The game is designed to operate more
smoothly, for both new and veteran gamers. Once Second Edition hits, we will do all of our FAQs on a
preset schedule, on our website. Players will know when a new FAQ will be released, and they can be
prepared. This means that the official rulings that are needed will be fewer, and always in one place, not
spread throughout the forums.
Last, but not least, we are taking a very hard look at the game’s balance. We are putting all of the
models through their paces and making sure that every master is up to par, and none are dominating
the meta. We want this to be as balanced an experience as possible. This includes many revisions, like
an overhaul to how encounters are presented. Both competitive and narrative players will find that the
encounters system is tailored directly to them, so that they can simply turn to the Standard Chapter for
a competitive style game, or the Narrative Chapter to build a unique story-driven event.
The card system is still there. The gritty, wild-west, magic & steam-punk theme is still there. Our
models are getting a rerelease in plastic, with fantastic new sculpts. Oh, and we’re having a public beta
test starting this June. If you fell in love with Malifaux but something made it not the game for you, now
is the time to jump back in and Cheat Fate again!
And a pretty picture for you good boys and girls!
3963