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Bigred
04-04-2010, 09:09 AM
Welcome to the BoLS Lounge Privateer Press fans, and make yourselves at home. Today's question is:

Tell us who is your favorite warcaster and why?

Good Luck everybody!

mikethefish
04-04-2010, 10:50 PM
As a Mercenary player, I would probably have to go with Ashlynn D'Elyse. Her rules are really fun and promote an aggressive play style, which I've found to be quite entertaining!

But not only that, I find her backstory to be one of the most compelling in the game. I've always been a sucker for the whole "rebellion" thing, so her band of freedom fighters is something that really resonates with me. It's a lot like the French Resistance of WW2, and I think that's way way cool.

Plus she once won a duel by kissing her opponent full on the mouth, and then when he was reeling back in surprise, she shot him in the chest. How effing cool is that?!?

Herr Wiggles
04-05-2010, 03:41 AM
As a Mercenary player, I would probably have to go with Ashlynn D'Elyse. Her rules are really fun and promote an aggressive play style, which I've found to be quite entertaining!

But not only that, I find her backstory to be one of the most compelling in the game. I've always been a sucker for the whole "rebellion" thing, so her band of freedom fighters is something that really resonates with me. It's a lot like the French Resistance of WW2, and I think that's way way cool.

Plus she once won a duel by kissing her opponent full on the mouth, and then when he was reeling back in surprise, she shot him in the chest. How effing cool is that?!?

Half of my warmachine gaming group has mercs, all of them use Ashlynn as their main caster, and she is a tough cookie, though the one game I have played against her I managed to kill her with fire.

As for me, I havent read too much of the fluff as I am still pretty new (started playing beginning of march) but so far my favorite is the High Reclaimer. He is both a high priest of sorts, but has a foreboding, dark, unholy feel to him. In addition to that, it is cool to essentially have the ferryman as a the leader to your force, too bad he is hard as hell to play with.

Faultie
04-05-2010, 07:19 AM
For me, it is and always will be Gorten Grundback. In his first major fluff outing, he kills the Deathjack on his way to save Darius, and survives the collapse of the Tower of Souls. Later on, he fights through the Butcher's army to reach Fellig.
Plus, I love PP's take on dwarfs with their Rhulfolk. On the tabletop, Gorten is a strong caster with just as much killyness as survivability. In scenario play, he's even more powerful.

He's the only Epic Warcaster without a normal version. Epic by default.

Further, Gorten is what got me into Warmachine. I have told the story many times, but there I was, walking through a game shop. I stop and did a Hanna-Barbera style double-take at the Gorten battle box and thought "What on earth is this?!" I bought it, painted and assembled it, and then found out there was a game for it!

Thus, another reason for Gorten being the best: without Gorten, I wouldn't be playing Warmachine.

ZenPaladin
04-05-2010, 09:18 AM
I'm still pretty new to the game myself and not up on the fluf so much. My favorite caster is probibly Vyros. He's kinda a dick and not so acomplished yet in fluf but his look is so regal and commanding. He strikes me as an elven Julis Ceasar or Alexander.

I really need to become more familiar with the fluf though.

Faultie
04-05-2010, 09:35 AM
I'm still pretty new to the game myself and not up on the fluf so much. My favorite caster is probibly Vyros. He's kinda a dick and not so acomplished yet in fluf but his look is so regal and commanding. He strikes me as an elven Julis Ceasar or Alexander.

I really need to become more familiar with the fluf though.

Not so accomplished?! He defeated and killed Goreshade (made him become an undead lich thing). That's pretty decent, considering Goreshade is a professional bаstаrd.

djwetmouse
04-05-2010, 11:28 AM
Lich Lord Terminus because he is a Gigantic Winged Bile-Spewing Zombie Pirate King! Nuff said...

DudeOfOrboros2
04-05-2010, 11:29 AM
You mean my favorite right now. Next week it will likely be another warcaster, but right now it is Servath Reznik.
Why? Quite simply, he wracks.

jay
04-05-2010, 11:29 AM
My favorite caster is the butcher. Every time I play with him I can feel his insane rage in the gameplay. Plus he has the best models in the game.

GentleBen
04-05-2010, 11:29 AM
I like Severius because he's a grim and uncompromising evil old man who scares the crap out of everyone who gets anywhere near him. Visually, his hat and weird mask are part of what got me playing this game in the first place. And as a caster his abilities mean he's always interesting to play. He's got assassination potential, troop clearance, and the ability to buff his army to ridiculous levels.

ForsakenPoptart
04-05-2010, 11:30 AM
My particular favorite warcaster is Kreoss- both versions are good, though I particularly like the original version best.

Gamewise, he's a solid, all-around well balanced warcaster who can do just about anything I need him to.

Fluffwise, he stands for justice, strength, and force of will- he's not as hot-headed as some of the other members of the Protectorate, but he's willing to lay down his life for his beliefs.

M'yen'shi
04-05-2010, 11:32 AM
I like Ravyn, Eternal Light because she increases the value of the ranged units in my army and allows me to control line of site with her Veil of Mist spell.

Eklinck
04-05-2010, 11:33 AM
I just started Warmachine a couple of months ago. I bought the Protectorate of Menoth battle box and High Exemplar Kreoss has worked very well for me. His spells in conjunction with a well timed use of his feat has bagged me many a warcaster.

yobtar
04-05-2010, 11:41 AM
My favorite warcaster would have to be Magnus the Warlord not for his abilities or spells or feat , because he can fight along skorne my Hordes Faction and I believe that is the only legal way to have a warlock and a warcaster with jacks and beasts in the same list just an unstoppable clash of Metal and Claws. Running a list full of titans and then some renegades is just awesome!

Grim
04-05-2010, 11:42 AM
I'd have to say my favorite caster is epic Skarre. I am new to Warmachine and her ability to allow me to roll and then decide if I want to boost is a huge help in my learning curve. Also Great Rack ftw.

Subhedgehog
04-05-2010, 11:43 AM
I'm a Hordes player, with no Warmachine faction currently. However, if I choose my favourite warcaster from among the Warmachine factions, it is the Witch Coven of Garlghast.

I really like their fluff - this is one of the groups of models that I think really bring their rules in line with their "pulp" concept. An evil coven of beautiful witches, serving the dark orb Egregore evokes shades of the Heavy Metal movie which als trips my nostagia too, as that movie was really my first time seeing what dark fantasy could be. :cool:

ProfT
04-05-2010, 11:43 AM
Easily Strakhov

What keeps Khador from overwhelming the opponents? it moves slowly.

With strakhov though, my army races forward at insane speeds, ready to deliver a well place axe to the :eek:

Albertorius
04-05-2010, 11:44 AM
Well... i kinda like good ol' Commander Coleman Stryker. He is not a powerhouse, not by a long shot, but he always have something useful for any given scenario. He is a swiss army knife that will never be really out of place.

ricefrisbeetreats
04-05-2010, 11:46 AM
Magnus is one of my all-time favorite casters. He bridges the gap between 2 of my favorite factions (Cygnar and Skorne) so that I have even more options and excuses to get new models.

Of course, we can't forget that the Steelheads just look awesome with him!

Perhaps one day he'll end up on the winning Cygnar side and leave Vinter. Until then, I'll throw down with the dark blues!

piscatore
04-05-2010, 11:49 AM
My favorite caster is Seige Brisbane. He has everything you want including a way to turn Cygnar pow 10's into killers. he's visually intimidating and has great weapons. That and his fluff doesn't have any namsy pamby distractions...he's all killer.

summerspeak
04-05-2010, 11:53 AM
Still learning, but right now I have been enjoying pHaley and using lots of chain lightning everywhere. I enjoy her fluff, and really like her spell list. Like a said still learning the game, but I have really focused on sticking with her for now.

phantem2
04-05-2010, 11:54 AM
For me its Epic Butcher, hes super aggressive with a balls to wall playstyle that delivers the red Khador axe fast and hard with surgical precision. Its all about what you are going to do to your opponent, not what hes going to do to you.

As the Empress's personnel headsman anyone should think twice before crossing her or Orsus.

WielderOfTheTrueLaw
04-05-2010, 11:54 AM
I currently play The Protectorate as my main faction. My favorite warcaster is easily High Exemlar Kreoss. I won't bore you with the same generic comments you'll be getting regarding Kreoss and his "awesome balanced list of abilities".

Everything regarding Kreoss's story is awesome in my own opinion. Story wise, he was a Khadoran peasent who eventually became one of the most powerful generals of a nation. The fact that he wasn't born into the protectorate really grabbed me and got me reading the fluff more. It showed me this tabletop game had more to offer than just testing one's strategic wits.

So, you could say it was Kreoss who got playing the game in the first place and I've never looked back. For that, he will always be my favorite warcaster.

razialx
04-05-2010, 11:56 AM
Although choosing a favorite caster is no easy task, when pushed to choose the first name that leaps out at me is Goreshade the *******.

Goreshade is great for many reasons. When running him he can cause so much aggravation for your opponent that losing still feels like winning! He may not be the most offensive caster, his spells may have a high price and his medium base may make him more vulnerable than others, however none of that matters. Why? Because he shuts you down. And then, he summons banes from Urcaen and shoves them into the heart of your army!


But, lets set this aside and cover the place where he really shines. Every other Cryx caster became Blighted through Toruk. The Dragonfather corrupts everything, but he doesn't have his talons in Goreshade. Goreshade's relationship with Cryx is one of more symbiosis than subjugation. In fact, if you look at his motivations he is the closest thing to a "Good Guy" that Cryx has!

Goreshade, your race is in peril! What will you do? Kill your Gods. A plan that might even surprise Nietzsche. All the other Elves being serious downers? No worries, just become an Eldritch! Those jerk Elves hunting you down? Forget about it, just shack up with the Nightmare empire.

Yeah, Goreshade is my favorite caster. And I like to believe that he is most other peoples least favorite to see on the battlefield.

Kwagmyer
04-05-2010, 11:58 AM
I'd have to choose Adaptis Rahn, his background is awesome. But the kicker is the way he makes the enemy army almost like his own plaything is awesome.

vipernyc
04-05-2010, 12:03 PM
My favorite warcaster is Skarre, Queen of the Broken Coast. I love the pose of her miniature, standing on the bow of the wrecked ship. She has a great spell list, and I'm building a pirate-themed cryx force around her... black ogrun, revenants, reapers, and of course, plenty of satyxis.

I also like that she's not really tied to any of the warring factions inside cryx. She'll work with terminus, or asphyxious as needed, but she has her own motives, and her own bond with Toruk that goes beyond loyalty to any of the liches.

Plus, she has a great rack!

thesavage
04-05-2010, 12:07 PM
Since I am a Cygnar player and know the most about Cygnar, I'm gonna have to go with Captain Jeremiah Kraye.

He is a very unique caster. He is the only large based warcaster in Cygnar, and as far as I know he is the only caster in the game to be riding a horse (but maybe Hordes has some). He is also unique in the fact that he can make his jacks act like cavalry. Furthermore, he has an almost psychic connection with his horse Malagant as well. Who knows? Maybe in the future we will see Kraye commanding warbeasts as well (although I seriously doubt it).

The first unit I bought was rangers, simply because I usually play rangers in RPGs that have them. To me, rangers with guns was the coolest thing ever. Since Kraye is the closest thing to a ranger warcaster we have, I find him fun to play. It;s nice to be so maneuverable.

I also enjoy covert operations. Since Warmachine is supposed to be a skirmish game, I see Kraye as a prime example of that. He would naturally take just a few units and jacks, and attack the enemy where they are the weakest.

It was also nice to see Kraye featured in the FoW: Cygnar book. He may not be the most powerful warcaster, but just because his play style is so different from anything else we have, he is always fun to play.

gnam
04-05-2010, 12:08 PM
My favorite Warcaster right now would have to be Skarre, Queen of the Broken Coast (eSkarre), I am really loving the Satyxis pirate themed armies that I'm playing now and Skarre is the perfect fit for them. She's also a real beast on the table, and a pain to deal with. She's the Warcaster I chose for our local painting league, and it's working out pretty well so far!

DiscoSuperfly
04-05-2010, 12:09 PM
Kommander Strahkov is easily my favorite currently. His image and playstyle are highly compelling to me.

I like the concept of a leader that leads the troops in, as opposed to standing in the backlines safely behind their army. Also he doesn't rely on heavy powered armor to stay alive at the front, but his own disciplined training and developed abilities. His methods and approach seem to have a far greater mortality propensity than others, so advancing as far as he has resounds louder than any arcnode user. Also he seems more like the every man that rose through the ranks from the bottom, instead of being part of a bloodline or caste that would give him an easier leg up in advancement.

ersatzgnomes
04-05-2010, 12:11 PM
My favorite warcaster is Gorten Grundback.

As for the why, there are many reasons. Gorten first off is a Rhulic warcaster, which means he is very limited in what he can take, and must make the best of his limited resources (both focus and unit/jack choice).

Unlike some other warcasters, Gorten isn't typically just a "Jack caster" or a "Infantry caster"- he is actually well balanced in that he works well with heavy forces in either. At the same time that he is not specifically an infantry or jack caster, he also is not limited in his roll on the battlefield. He has a well-balanced feat that can really be used in several different ways in order to have a major impact on the game. He also isn't afraid to wade into the fray and lay down some of his own pain on opposing models- a personal example being when he went toe to toe with a Cygnar Thorn and pounded it into the ground. Can he be a support caster? Why yes, he has a very dynamic spell list that can be useful in a variety of situations, and if you don't want to get right up front, he even has a pretty reasonable gun and RAT to fire it.

Some might not like Gorten because of his low focus, and therefore low command area. But I think that this is one of the better features of Gorten, as he challenges the players that use him to really manage their focus well, rather than giving them an obscene amount to just waste on anything. Every focus allocated, camped, or used on a spell is a major decision that can lead into a larger plan. With only a 10" command area, Gorten does have one of the smaller ranges, and admittedly he doesn't have an arc node to shoot spells through, but I believe that is part of the flavor of him and the Searforge faction. It is more of a challenge or finesse issue to make use of his spells and abilities with such a small command range than it is to just hide him in the back l ike other factions do with their casters that have 14+" ranges.

Another reason that Gorten is my favorite caster was hinted at above- he is not overpowered. Using him has it's challenges and positioning is very important- especially with his low speed and focus- but there is something to be said about going toe to toe with some of the epic casters and their ridiculous nature in some cases and pulling out the win that says he can compete, and is a viable force. He doesn't make your opponents groan when they see him coming, they just know that he can do well if used right.

And that good sirs, is why Gorten is my favorite caster.

Sheeplauncher
04-05-2010, 12:16 PM
My favorite warcaster is Karchev the Terrible. For me warmachine has always been about the warjacks and karchev is the man who makes them very sick. To see massive khador heavy jacks being towed around the battlefield is a scary thought for many people. Fluff wise i love him because he slaughtered many enemies of khador as a greylord, then when he was mortally wounded they stuck him in a warjack so he could continue his rampage.
On the forums in mk1 he was called underpowered and i disagreed and played him anyways. He had many flaws like many people on the PP forums said, but his hyper aggressive small army really fit how i play. In mk2 he has gotten even better with the improvement of 'jacks and i could not be happier.

Khamos
04-05-2010, 12:16 PM
My favorite Warcaster is Lich Lord Asphyxious. He is An undead homicidal, power hungry maniac who is willing to do anything to advance himself and there is no sacrifice too large for his ambition. He destroyed his living body to prove himself to Lord Toruk, he put an end to lich Lord Daemortis and created a weapon from his remains and he runs around with the hot undead seductress Deneghra. On the battle field he is extremely fun to play and his play style fits his fluff. He is the epitome of darkness and despair and as a Cryx player what else could you ask for?

PeteTSM
04-05-2010, 12:20 PM
I have to show my love for the brilliant strategist and commensurate tactician, Gurvaldt Irusk! Whether as a Kommandant or as THE Supreme Kommandant, the flexibility that his spell list and abilities give to the already awesome troops of the Motherland really make them shine, and is always a pain for the enemy.

For the Motherland!

lordcypher
04-05-2010, 12:22 PM
my favorite warcaster is Major Victoria Haley, the better half of a set of twins, and shes got a thing with the poster child Stryker. Haley is amazing and Major Haley is even better with her ability to copy any spell and take over your enemy's jacls and use it to kill there warcaster its just amazing and then when you take into account her feat forcing the enemy to sacrifice movement or action and she gets to choose which order she is perfect.

notsoevil
04-05-2010, 12:23 PM
My favorite warcaster right now is Amon Ad-Raza. Not because I'm good with him. Not because he's broken. Not even because his model is awesome (which it is).

I'm trying to push myself in Warmachine MKII to branch out of my go-to casters of MKI. I played the Protectorate of Menoth from 2003 to 2006, and mostly stuck with Kreoss and Severius, with a sprinkle of The High Reclaimer thrown in for good measure.

I tapered off from playing in 2006 but MkII has reinvigorated me and I'm jumping in with both feet. I'm making sure I give all the casters a go and I've really been enjoying myself.

Amon is a particular challenge for me for some reason. I know he's a great caster and his synergy with his jacks (no pun intended) is spectacular. However, I just can't get it all to fall in place for me. I'm struggling to execute his playstyle because it differs so much from the spellslingers I'm used to (especially Kreoss).

However, I'm adamant about mastering Amon and will continue to try and smash face with him until I get it right.

Magonus
04-05-2010, 12:26 PM
My favorite is Karchev. He's a giant, hulking engine of destruction and rage. His drive to crush the enemies of the Motherland is so great that he endures a lifetime of constant pain inside of an engine of destruction. And to top it off, he's one of the greatest military minds in the history of Immoren. He's arguably second only to Irusk in the current age.

Viscus Infirmus Est
04-05-2010, 12:36 PM
My favorite would be Gorten Grundback. I like him because, first of all, he is Rhulic and I love PP take on dwarfs as well as Rhulic models. He also has a lot nice moments in fluff.

His rules are interesting - he has extremely low SPD (4) and low focus (5), however he is one of toughest casters, has extremely powerful feat (if he had bigger control area it would be downright broken), really nice weapons and good spells - Strength of Granite is awesome, put it on Driller, mix with Tune Up on damage rolls, sprinkle with few focus and eat Behemoths for breakfast, Molten Metal is awesome because it can deal 6 damage to the toughest Jacks and doesn't rely on lucky rolls, Solid ground is nice and general and can be a big $%@# you to some strategies/casters (Why hello there Kreoss, are you constipated? What do you mean you are feating? I don't see anything happening...).
Nice thing about it is that Gorten forces you to play against his huge weaknesses and again his also huge strengths, that's why Gorten Grungback is my favorite warcaster.

Shavnir
04-05-2010, 12:39 PM
I remember when I first started Khador. The Doom Reavers had just been released and a lot of players were wondering what Privateer's next move was going to be. It was a shock to a lot of us when they released the new warcasters and as soon as I saw the good Kommandant I knew I had found my primary warcaster.

Irusk provided an incredible toolbox. Need something that's in charge range of unit X dead? Battle Lust. Need to deter some counter-charges? Feat. Need control over a faster army without pathfinder? Inhospitable Ground. Need a warjack to mitigate most of the flaws of Khador warjacks (low SPD and DEF)? Superiority. His spell list conveniently fit into 3 focus "chunks" leaving me most of the time able to pick two actions a turn for him. His ROF 2 gun also fit into a 3 focus chunk, allowing for two boosted shots (either boosted to hit or damage). Take into account that he has one of Khador's most powerful warjack upkeeps and finding uses for his focus 3 at a time makes sense. He even has decent survivability...I can't count how many times I was two or three points from dying to an assassination only to survive on to win via counter attack the next turn. My only real complaint about Mark 1 Irusk was his relative vunerability to wraiths : at 4 focus airburst was quite pricey.

Imagine my surprise when I saw the first field test and Irusk was unchanged...except for airburst getting cheaper! Admittedly charging into rough terrain changes made Inhospitable Ground not quite so abusive but the airburst changes more than made up for it. His toolkit is stronger than ever and remember, he wrote the book on modern warfare in the Iron Kingdoms.

tonyzahn
04-05-2010, 12:42 PM
I tend to field everyone Khador has to offer, but nobody is quite as much fun to play a Orsus Zoctavir, AKA The Butcher of Khardov in his Epic form.

How can you not love a guy who actually has a rule called "Homicidal Maniac". He's perfectly capable of killing everything on the board by himself, regardless of whose side it's on. I've lost count of how many games have ended with "and then the other guy almost killed the Butcher".

Team him up with his buddies the doomreavers, and you've got an army of psychos that runs screaming at the other site, hacks it to bits, and that hacks up anything else that's within reach.

Indiowan
04-05-2010, 12:42 PM
My favorite caster is Magnus the Traitor, hands down.

Why?? simple, he is a caster that builts his own jacks out of spare parts, he is capable of building an arc node out of scrap, and ultimatly forming an Army out of nothing, only to get his real king back to his throne.
And game wise, people allways understimates him, and his 2 renegades, untill he drops you in a single round of fire.

raincaller
04-05-2010, 12:46 PM
Durgen Madhammer is my favorite warcaster bar none. Whats not to love about a guy who would probably hand a girl a lit stick of dynamite than a bunch of flowers. He reminds me of the goblin sappers in old warcraft 2. I can see him dancing around the battle field screaming "MORE EXPLOSIONS!!" not only do i find his fluff entertaining but I find his mark to incarnation very rude. Also I adore the cast of the model as he ends up looking like the worlds angriest teapot, which definitely is a plus. I want to thank privateer press for making dwarves that aren't just tolkien knockoffs. they still bring axe to face but its usually loaded with explosives. :D

till we meet on the table good luck
Rain

madjack
04-05-2010, 12:49 PM
It's got to be Stryker. The fact that he's in the Cygnar battle box meant that he was the first warcaster I ever used, and the fact that he's very much a support caster meant that I had to learn to make my army work together instead of just trying to win with my warcaster while the rest of my army is just window dressing. It sure took me a while to figure out the best timing to use his feat, though! Oh, and did I mention how much I love knocking stuff down and then shooting it, or shooting over it? :D

JohnTheJragon
04-05-2010, 12:49 PM
I have been playing menoth since Warmachine started and I have to say, Harbinger has to be one of my all time favorites! With some awesome spells to help the troops to stay alive, a very good offensive spell with a couple other enemy hindering spells to help.

Not to mention her feat is awesome and a very cool model in general! She is like a Float in a Menoth parade! :p

Thunderwave
04-05-2010, 12:50 PM
Favorite Warcaster you say?

I'm going out on a limb here and say Captain Kara Sloan.

I read the quote at the top of her entry in the Cygnar book and loved it. Her fluff is the kind of stuff I love to read, and her attitude in the fiction hits spot on. I love the commander apart that's hiding a secret.

As for game play, she fits my style of aggressive shooting. Of finding that one weak spot in the enemy's force and ramming a large bullet shaped wedge into it and applying as much force as I can muster to it.

Draekon Darkstorm
04-05-2010, 12:52 PM
My favorite Warcaster, is Adeptis Rahn.

I started playing Warmachine with the Protectorate of Menoth shortly after the game was released, they were still releasing models from Prime when I started. With the Protectorate, I never felt that there was a go-to caster that I could play when I really wanted to win. I had good records with just about all of them. Reznik was pulling ahead as my favorite, for shear awesome sculpt, and playstyle. However, when the Retribution was released, I wanted a change of pace from the Protectorate, so I decided to focus on the Retribution for a while. After playing a handful of games, each with different warcasters, I finally settled on Adeptis Rahn as my hands down favorite.

The main reason, I love his spell list. Such an eclectic assortment of spells that have uses in every single game. I've used Telekinesis to reposition multiple models for opening charge lanes for game ending charges. Force Hammer has assisted in ending more games than I'd like to admit, both from scenario standpoints and assassination points. Defensively, Force Field keeps my squishier units from suffering random deviation death if I can help it, not to mention preventing Rahn from any sort of slam/thrown collateral damage knockdown and damage. He protects my units with his anti-charging spell. He has a great AoE spell with Chain Blast, and to top it all off an impressive 8 Focus.

Now, add on a really awesome looking sculpt from my point of view, and I have a warcaster that I will use because I love his spell list, and sculpt.

Out of all the warcasters that I've played or played against, Rahn to me is the most fun. There are times when I think that everything is lost, but I somehow manage to pull out the last minute win thanks to his versatile spell list. I'm not perfect with him by far, and I know there are several bad match-ups but that is where I find his tricks to be the hardest to find when you have those hard to win situations, but that makes them all the more satisfying when they do work.

For the story side of things, I like how everything seems to be an inferior being next to his intellect. He reminds me of Vezzini from The Princess Bride. I'm rather sad that he's probably going to have to take a large fall to realize just how strong he could really be.

Draekon

seraphsong
04-05-2010, 12:53 PM
If I really must choose one, it has to be Lich Lord Terminus.

There are a lot of reasons for this:

1- He makes Cryx into the stereotypical undead horde from the movies. His ability to give his troops tough makes it simple to imagine a shambling horde of the living dead who cannot be stopped by simple means. You have to get those Mechanithralls in the head, or they'll just be slowed down for a second before they get up and shamble towards you again!

2- I LOVE the model. Something about a hulking-undead-steam-punk-tattered-winged-behemoth of a lich with a face that not even a mother could love just does it for me.

3- He was my first overall tournament winner. I won a recent Resurgence event with Terminus. Can't stop the undead horde! I've always done decently in tournaments, but Terminus was the first one to really bring it home for me.

4- My girlfriend calls him "Litchler Termnibus", and that's just freaking adorable.

5- From a pure gameplay standpoint, I think he has a very solid spell list, his feat is amazing (but not essential), and his abilities are rock solid. Sacrificial pawn helps him to mitigate the large base issue. Malediction makes him an even more fearsome beatstick than his impressive stat-line started him out as. Effective MAT 9, POW 18's? Yes please. Hellfire is nice to get those pesky non-fearless troops off of an objective. Ravager turns Nightmare into his namesake. And lastly the feat. Who can argue with three turns of ARM 40 Warcaster tromping around the field. Noone, that's who.

Those are my reasons, and I don't think anyone will be taking the crown from him in the near future.

Merroth
04-05-2010, 12:55 PM
I love lots of warcasters, but my favourite warcaster is probably Adeptis Rahn from the RoS. Whats not to love about a kinetic-power wielding warrior-mage with awesome power gauntlets? He is just made of pure win. :D

Jolly Angus
04-05-2010, 12:59 PM
Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff is the reason I fell in love with Warmachine.

When I picked up the Khador battlebox and the Prime rulebook to make my first foray into Warmachine I had no idea what I was getting into. As I read about the world of the Iron Kingdoms and the character of Sorscha I realized that I actually cared what happened to the little metal figure waiting for paint on my desk. Before my armies were nothing but disposable troops waiting to be sacrificed for victory (or more likely defeat). But with this game, I genuinely wanted to protect my characters. I wanted Sorscha safe so I could see if her relationship with Vlad could develop. I needed her to stay alive so she could exact her revenge on the Butcher. Before I even played my first game of Warmachine I felt like I had an understanding of my army on a deeper level. And then the metal hit the table.

I can still remember my first games of Warmachine. I was so excited that I could play a game with just 3 models and have way more fun than all the other games I had played before with hundreds of troops. Sorscha would wind rush across the table, lay waste to her enemies with her spells and her feat and look good doing it. I was sold and have never looked back. And I have Sorscha to thank for it.

alflip
04-05-2010, 01:01 PM
By far I will say taht denegra is the best caster ever. Why??? Her background is incredible, being part of a prophecy is awsome, being a twin and wanting to kill her sister to recover her full power is incredible.

And in play, she just has very good spells to keep armies playing in her hands. She is the best...

Devilsquid
04-05-2010, 01:07 PM
My favorite caster has always been The Butcher. Yes, I'm primarily a mercenary player, but I've always enjoyed the Frankenstein-esqe feel to the Butcher. He's this madman, who causes terrible destruction everywhere he goes...but there's tragedy in his past, which makes him who he is today.

That's the main reason I picked him to be my caster for my 2010 Breast Cancer Brawl army. My mother passed away from breast cancer when I was young, and it really shaped who I am today. So on some level, i sympathize with the Butcher because of that. Loss leads to anger, which leads to lashing out.

No giant axes for me though.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g120/DasDevilSquid/FTH/eButcherFront.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g120/DasDevilSquid/FTH/eButcherBack.jpg

Breast cancer can feel my hate.

Skywatcher
04-05-2010, 01:08 PM
I play POM. My favorite warcaster is the High Reclaimer. His sculpt is really neat. Now the resculpt is even better. And the fluff around him is really interesting and unique. Also how he plays and then his feat can be a game changer that has done so for me. And soul storm is cool too.

GnomesofZurich
04-05-2010, 01:12 PM
My favourite warcaster would have to be Karchev. The model is large and impressive. Karchev is basically a warjack himself, a cyborg wizard who is effective in a warjack heavy force. His fluff is also interesting.

Erekose13
04-05-2010, 01:13 PM
My favorite warcaster is Asphyxious mostly based on style and design. Both the regular and epic versions look terrific!

almightyfoon
04-05-2010, 01:14 PM
Favorite warcaster... grrr, its a hard pick between Irusk and Mortenebra. I love Irusks fluff and his character, and I adore the way the spider queen plays. Tough choice tough choice. If I had to pick though? Mortenebra wins it for me.

James diGriz
04-05-2010, 01:17 PM
When flipping through the Warmachine books, one caster grabbed me more than any other... Caine the one man army. From the fluff perspective, I love the fact he is the bad boy of the good faction (even better if it is all and act for the CRS).

In his LT. form I love running around the board supporting my troops while mowing down my opponents troops, slamming jacks from 13 inches out, and then teleporting to safety.

With his promotion to Captain he gained the special ability "... and then Caine got line of sight". He is still the same crazy fast teleporting thorn in the side that he was previously. What he gained was the ability to put out outrageous amounts of damage at long range. He loses many of his support abilities for the ability to be one of the most feared assassin casters in the game.

Not bad for a troubled youth from Bainsmarket.

ThomasRahl
04-05-2010, 01:21 PM
My favorite Warcaster would be Captain Coleman Stryker.

Rules-wise he is not a top-tier 'caster, and his strengths aren't as over-the-top as other Warcasters. To me he feels like a jack-of-all-trades that doesn't really excel in any one area too much. His offensive and defensive upkeeps work just as well with troops as with Warjacks. His offensive power is limited, but Earthquake can set your troops up to really squish something in one go. His defensive upkeeps, capability for Disruption, high DEF stat, and defensive feat make me play him more as an attrition caster than anything else. However, this means I'll be playing in a straight-forward manner without any over-the-top combos.

His story is what really makes me like him. Sometimes you have to give in to the power of the Dark Side in order to get things done. My favorite piece of fluff in the entire IK collection is at the end of Escalation when Stryker throws his sword before King Leto and his court in disgust, realizing that idealism will only take you so far. There are a great many characters in the IK who wreck face all day every day, but Stryker's fall from honor and subsequent return to it really spoke to me. Maybe I'm a sucker for anti-heroes, maybe I'm a sucker for redemption stories, who knows. I look forward to seeing where his story leads.

IvanTheRedLlama
04-05-2010, 01:38 PM
Regular old prime Vladimir, The Dark Prince of Umbrey is my go to caster. He is exceedingly difficult to hit, let alone damage with Blood of Kings on with 18 def/19 arm (23 if you dont spend his other focus) and then add to that Mat 10, P+S 16/13, and Spd 9. Vlad has the killing power of and armor of an warjack combined with mobility and dodgyness of a squishy Cygnarin/Menite caster. Plus his feat gives Khador jacks and their slow speed a nice boost that can surprise and devastate your enemies faster than just letting Vlad do it on his own. I am a little sad Mimic was changed into Blood Boon in MKII, but all it really did was make it easier to keep BoK on Vlad when you are up tearing through enemy troops.

firebringeraxel
04-05-2010, 01:47 PM
As a player of bother Mercs and Protectorate I must say my favorite Warcaster is hands down Broadsides Bart. I love hsi story, model, and in game abilities.

BartThrall
04-05-2010, 01:52 PM
Favorite warcatser...has to be Goreshade The Bastage (spelling altered due to BoLS' naughty language filter).

- He's a twisted, power-hungry, bloodthirsty, undead elf...what's not to like?! I love the rich background of the Iron Kingdoms, and Goreshade's story is no exception.

- In-game, he is a melee beat-stick. Most of his spells are focus heavy, especially mageblight (which I recently and devastatingly discovered only affects 'LIVING' warcasters)...which makes him very selfish as far as running a warjack battlegroup. I mitigate this issue by taking focus efficient 'jacks like the Seether and Deathjack.

- Even with his selfish tendencies, some of his spells allow him to give his battlegoup stealth and even send in a warjack to pound on the enemy, only to teleport the beast back to safety when its through pulverizing its target.

- He gets a second chance at un-death with his hot-ghost-chick 'Deathwalker.'

-AND the icing on the cake? His feat allows him to summon an entire unit of Bane Thralls which immediately get to activate, and do his bidding! This feat is HUGE in smaller games where that extra unit can tip the balance on the field in the Bastage's favor!

Overall, he's a no-nonsense caster, who's tactics even the beginner Warmachine player can easily grasp...that, and his model is sweet (the deathwalker is hot too).

Ivellis
04-05-2010, 02:04 PM
My favorite warcaster is by far Lord Commander Stryker. There's nothing like fielding an army full of lightning and that's exactly what eStryker wants, I love my Stormblades and the imagery you get playing the army is great, lightning roiling across the battle field and your enemies. However the best part of eStryker is a little spell called velocity, combine with an ability called overload, eStryker can get anywhere he needs to be and destroy near anything single handedly and this allows him to play balls to the wall! Oh, did I mention his feat? Extra attacks are always sweet, but they get to advance too!

Not to mention he has an awesome model and his back story is great, he's a tragic hero who lost himself only to prove he is still a better man than his enemies. Those are my reasons for thinking eStryker is the coolest warcaster in Warmachine. I can't wait to see what happens to him in the next expansion. :cool:

blakeh1
04-05-2010, 02:04 PM
My favorite warcaster would have to be Epic Skarre. She has all the tools to get the job done. She even has a great wrack (hey, my horns are up here). You want to run warjack heavy you got it. You want to run infantry heavy, no problem. You want to get your caster's hands dirty and finish it your self in melee. no problem. You want to do things from a distance casting Hellfires. No problem. She comes with the melee equivalent of a "get out of jail free card" with Admonition allowing her to step away from a charge. Her feat is useful in thumbing your nose at the enemy for a turn while he ponders what to do since he can't attack the things he wants or can't make attacks with some of his key models.

LennyL
04-05-2010, 02:28 PM
With the boosts and bonuses that Amon Ad-Raza is able to grant his jacks he is in my opionion the greatest caster of all. He stands alone wearing no armor, carrying no focus generating furnace, and never backs down from a fight. He has the amazing ability to make even the weakest of jacks lethal. Recently I was in a game where one of my dervishes did ten point of damage on a combo strike against Karchev...A DERVISH!!!

Also, his ability to spread out the love with his feat is awesome, effectively doubling the focus he would normally be able to spend on himself and his battle group. Absolutely, Ad-Raza is my favorite caster.

FunkBGR
04-05-2010, 02:28 PM
Who's the red armored man that's a machine to all the chicks? VLAD!
Dang right!
Who is the man that would risk his men for the victory? VLAD!
Can you dig it?
Who's the cat that won't focus out when there's danger all about? VLAD!
Right On!
They say this cat VLAD is one bad mother - SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
Hey, I'm just talkin' 'bout VLAD.
BLOOD OF KINGS!
He's a complicated man but no one understands him but his Drago.
VLADIMIR!

(Shaft Theme song modified for effect)

I like Vlad, both for the background fluff and for how effective I've found him to be in all lists. Starting off with his ability to navigate the battlefield while providing near-boosting to all his forces, then in 'later game' the ability to fend for himself with Blood of Kings, makes him the utility caster of my choice. I'm talking about pVlad specifically, but both are great!

MisterMohawk
04-05-2010, 02:30 PM
I been playing warmachine from the start and i would have to say that irusk is my favorite caster. his pose is what first drew me in, commanding presence with the look of come close to me and i take my sword cannon from behind my back and shoot you in the face. his play style is what had me hooked supporting his troops around him keeping them alive and he has my favorite spell superiority, making jacks hit when it counts and a def buff to hopefully get hit less.

furbs178
04-05-2010, 02:36 PM
Madhammer is my favorite. Whenever I just want to wipe out the opponents troopmachine in one turn I bring Madhammer. I run out of time on his feat turn everytime I've taken him to a tourny but still love him.

I just find it funny when I prime my Risen after bunching them up because I'm not paying attention and then losing the whole unit to a few of my own explosions.

His model is fantastic to. I got him before I knew anything about him just because of his giant hammer and the crazy, some might say mad, look in his eye.

I loved his MarkI incarnation and love his MkII even more. Just the fact that he can blow himself up without dying makes him #1 for me. I just remember one game where he destroyed an entire unit of Dawnguard who got a little to close and felt the wrath of a mad dwarf. I bring him out anytime I want to have the most fun.

jaredchase
04-05-2010, 02:37 PM
My favorite Warcaster has to be Allistair Caine. His story is compelling, his look is intense, and his powers can dominate most games. He's an unruly hail of death for the enemies of Cygnar, and a valuable addition to that country.

Cantor
04-05-2010, 02:39 PM
Hands down, bar none, no contest, my favorite warcaster is Ashlynn D'Elyse. She's the only warcaster I own. She's just too much fun to pass up. Her speed and evasion make her easily the most fun warcaster with which to take a risk. I love to charge her into fights that other people don't think she can win and bank on her feat preventing her death. I love to swing her around with Quicken cast watch my opponent gawk at how quickly I can cross the board. I love her story. She's also one cool model.

huntroll
04-05-2010, 02:44 PM
It sounds strange from a Trollbloods player, but my favourite 'caster is pDeneghra. Her fluff is pretty good, and her model is sexy in a sick way (just like any Cryxian female caster, except Mortenebra), but what I really like in her is her playstyle. She makes your whole army useless with her feat or her spells, then kills them slowly, one by one... And your know that you already lost, and can't do anything about that, but she waits with the final blow to see your suffering. So evil. So Cryxian.

Harbinger
04-05-2010, 02:53 PM
My favorite Warcaster is Ashlynn D'elyse. Why? Well not only does here story make for good reading but she has a cause that I can get behind. While the other casters have some cool stories none really make me go "ooo thats who I'd want at my back". Ashlynn D'elyse also has some great abilities that can make her army a fearsome foe. Her spell selection is well rounded and allows for an interesting psychological game. Her Feat crushes the hopes of your foes. Her selection of Advantages/Abilities/Weapon Qualities make her an extremely hard opponent to deal with on the field.

While I don't win many games with her I have the most fun with this caster. :D

Sam Lam
04-05-2010, 02:59 PM
My favorite caster is, thus far, playing this game for a considerable amount of time now, Karchev. Karchev is not only devastating in game terms, psychologically he is also a very threat by simply being "The Terrible". Karchev is not only one of the rather colorful background casters in my opinion. His story is very enthralling and is powerfully filling to the extent that when you read it, you can almost feel the battlefield around you and the hate that this broken man has for the Southerners.

Karchev is a survivor, a fighter and a master at war. He survived not only war, amputation, age and the brutality of war intellectually and psychologically, he fought on instead of sought comfort for the sake of pleasure and contentment. He drove himself to the extent where he ordered mechanics to not only put him on permanent life-support, but to hoise him in a warjack that is to be his arms and legs. The man stands 13 feet tall and is 12 full tons worth of metal and flesh and will. He is the ultimate annihilator and a vindicating symble of the Khadoran spirit and mental and physical prowess. In simpler words, Karchev is a man in every way around.

Beyond the stories and the tales, on the gaming table, I still remember the first time I played with him. My opponent was playing Prime Nemo and all he could say was "Oh god it's Karchev." I have won many and most of my games with Karchev rather its tow-sling jacks assassination, firing-plateform gunnery crew or simply Fissure and Eruption along with other bombard warjacks shooting a knocked down warcaster in the face.

Karchev is as his signature spell-Unearthly Rage depicts: angry, unyielding, devastating, and relentless. He is the ultimate heart and soul of what WARMACHINE & HORDES is about: playing aggressive, decisive, stunning, and most importantly, playing like YOU'VE GOT A PAIR.

Tilaurin
04-05-2010, 03:02 PM
Asphyxious is my boy. The moment I saw him when browsing a copy of Prime 6 years ago, I knew this was a model I wanted. Leaping to a computer after quickly convincing some friends to start up as well, I ordered him online along with a Cryx starter set, and I haven't looked back for a moment.

With reach on a sustained attack weapon, a fantastic feat, and a spell list that contains nothing but pure win, I've fielded Asphyxious in over 150 games with great success. From Shadow Wings' dropping me in front of Irusk and 3 demo corps and then surviving the round of being wailed on to assassinate the motherland's finest Kommandant, to catapulting up the table with a deathjack and breath of corruptioning the Witch Coven of Gharlghast and killing them in one hit, he has both served me well and been fantastically fun to play.

His fiction is amazing, an ex druid who leaped into a volcano to prove his devotion to Toruk, his model is elegant yet menacing at the same time, and he will always be my first love in Warmachine - the model that started me in the game, causing me to become a press ganger and revitalise the local scene, which I'm still running to this day.

vandalrobert
04-05-2010, 03:06 PM
I like magnus, because he is a traitor.

Reslain
04-05-2010, 03:11 PM
My favorite warcaster is Ravyn, Eternal light, She is in my opinion the best warcaster the retribution has for shooting and She is very versatile and has nice support spells.

Hinklemar
04-05-2010, 03:12 PM
My favorite warcaster is Magnus the Warlord. He might not be the best of guys, but he A) Assembled/repairs (still not sure which) a custom warjack (don't know of anyone who does that), B) Is a sidekick who struck out on his own, C) Works with my Skorne to bring the pain (and ranged weapons.)

skrulnik
04-05-2010, 03:33 PM
My favorite is Warwitch Denegra.
Her backstory tying her power to the existance of her twin is interesting.
She is devoted to her mentor, and downright wicked.

In game, she is subtle. Her feat doesn't kill straight out.
But as a friend says, she makes your stuff suck just enough to make you still think you have a chance.
So, when you try to do something under the feat, you fail, and the attempt demoralizes further.
Then with her spells added to the feat, you can chip away the rest of the enemy with your undead horde.

Namiriel
04-05-2010, 03:34 PM
Adeptus Rahn of the Retribution.

He's got a lot of toolbox utility, lots of movement tricks, raw power, a good buff for his army and decent protection for his army as well. He's also got 8 focus so when he needs to he can always just suck it up and beat the hell out of something.

His back-story is pretty cool as well, being fairly uninterested in the Retribution, but using his involvement as a political maneuver.

Temp22
04-05-2010, 03:35 PM
As a Menoth player I love the background of the Testament of Menoth. Him going epic was truly epic. Just picturing him walking that road out of Sul not saying a word to complete a mission only knows to him is awesome. His model is amazing and easily one of the best caster models out there. So cool and he never has to say a word to prove it.

LarkinVain
04-05-2010, 03:37 PM
My favorite Warcaster is Sorsha. I love the story behind her and how it is intertwined with the Butcher and Vlad. The model's for her look great and I love the rules especially with the new tiers.

Edit
04-05-2010, 03:44 PM
It's going to have to be Rahn, the bald man with a plan. 8 Focus is no joke, combined with good upkeeps to help out his force of softly armoured infantry. Force Hammer is a game winner if put in the right place and with TK he can usually get himself or his arc node to that place.

Also who doesn't love a bald angry elf with giant metal mittens?

hotcha
04-05-2010, 03:45 PM
Broadside Bart is da Bestest! The Captain of the Calamitas will beat the hair beads out of any johnny Depp wanna be pirate. He'll set you up just right, then Unload on you. If you survive through the barrage and think 'once i get em to a sword's edge its over!' you're dead wrong. You'll get a slap to the face from his hidden Ace.
I'm ready to kick some Legion butt and end those ninjas!

crowtales
04-05-2010, 03:46 PM
Favorite Warcaster:

No matter how much I test out other casters I always come back to Asphyxious (Prime). He's my favorite caster, easily. The versatility he brings makes every game just plain fun - whether I win or lose.

Mr. Darkside
04-05-2010, 03:46 PM
Magnus, definitely Magnus the Traitor.

The guy is pure badass, no one comes close in the awesomeness scale, although he could definately do with a PMagnus resculpt, eMagnus is fine for me. The line from Escalation "With a broken body and a will of iron, he wages a vendetta against his former homeland." sums it up perfectly. He is everything a mercenary should be, in my eyes, he has been shunned from his country because he held on to the techniques he was tought and excels in, and he absolutely hates Coleman Styker, that in itslef is enough for me ( i hate that pompus guy).Also, the fact that he has his own secretive agenda makes him stand out from the rest of the casters.

The moment i got into the game this was the guy that stood out to me. Rules are just a bonus, because I love warjacks as well, and this guy can run them like nobody else!

All i wish now was that i had the NQ's that mention him so i can read more about him.


Mr. Darkside

Rion
04-05-2010, 03:48 PM
My favorite warcaster is General Adept Nemo. I love running lots of warjacks and anything with lighting so he is hands down the man for the job. Not to mention he's the Nikola Tesla of the Iron Kingdoms; the creator of the "storm chambers" and other "voltaic technology" that are characteristic of Cygnar's army. Throw him in with two Stormclads,the Thunderhead, a Lancer, a squire, and a couple units of Stormblades with 3 weapon attachments each and you're can ride the lightning into somebody's face at 50pts. Not to mention the model is awesome and fun to paint. Since I'm a painter more than a competitive player that means a lot.

NIK22
04-05-2010, 03:50 PM
Personally I play Khador, but my favorite 'caster would HAVE to be eCaine! He is probably one of the most "Epic" casters in the pose category first of all. With BOTH guns blazin and looking like he could chew through titanium reinforced steel...his model alone induces fear into most enemies. If the model doesn't do it for ya, the feat and spells should! Being able to shoot THAT many times with pistols that are powerful beyond imagination will put almost any other caster down. Great for an assassination run on his own or coupled with a jack or solo that can make it into the enemies' face! Low focus hurts him, but if you run him right (and I have been a victim of this) he usually turns anything in front of him into swiss cheese!

Kingbarbarossa
04-05-2010, 03:54 PM
My favorite warcaster is Kaelyssa. Her back story is fantastic and she has spells that can make your opponent scream in rage, and then cry as their caster melts. She's also really great for me as a novice player, because her high focus stat allows me to change my plans when I screw something up. And she also works very well with a variety of different units and solos, which means i can make lots of different armies with her. I'd recommend her to anyone who is just starting out playing.

LordBocker
04-05-2010, 03:57 PM
My favourite warcaster is Pirate Queen Skarre. She was the first caster I ever used and Death Strike is still the most awesome trick there is. Plus she has a Great Rack !

woldwarrior
04-05-2010, 03:59 PM
I'm going twith Adeptus Rhan for favorite warcaster. I love the way that I can pick apart an enemy's army with him and often end the game on my second turn. The model and fluff are awsome- He's just a great package all in all.

MM

Bloodyweaselkick
04-05-2010, 04:00 PM
My favourite warcaster is the Old Witch of Khador. In a world steeped in magic and mysterious tech she is the least understood entity of them all. She guides the fate of her entire people from the shadows but not one of them could tell you what she really is.

Sempervivium
04-05-2010, 04:07 PM
Favorite Warcaster: Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince. A man of dark heritage, torn between loyalities to duty and his birthright. A man who brings scores of Berserker ´Jacks into the battlefield, and who keeps the ultimate Berserker, Drago as his companion. A relationship more that of a Master and his wardog, than between man and machine. A relationship of mutual loyalty. The great story behind the man, also transfers wonderfully into aggressive gameplay and recklessness.

Martin_Fierro
04-05-2010, 04:10 PM
It's extremely hard to choose a favorite caster as I don't really even have a favorite faction--I love them all! Since I have to choose I think I'll go with Jeremiah Kraye, partially for his fluff, partially for his sweet rules, and largely for the awesome miniature, definitely one of the best of the line. I really like his Confederate cavalry feel (any Stonewall Jackson/Robert E. Lee fans out there?) and the impact he can have on the game.

Mounted caster for the win!

happypanda
04-05-2010, 04:16 PM
My favorite caster has got to be High Executioner Servath Reznik! The pose looks amazing and the little bit of fluff that was put into Legends on him was pretty cool. The fact that he seems to be a rabid attack dog was just awesome, no room for gray in his world of white and black. His spell list has changed and allowed him to be a more up front melee caster and that has made me really excited to use him since I don't like to play the tricky assassination runs since I often mess them up.

Mark D
04-05-2010, 04:24 PM
As a gamer just dipping my toe into the worlds of Warmachine and Hordes, I will have to answer based on look and fluff feel rather than abilities on the table top.

My preferred War Caster at the moment would have to be Epic Skarre. The model's pose has real movement and life. The fluff of raider women striking the Cygnarian coast with lightning raids, no rhyme, or reason gives me the ability to see the possible games cinematically in my head.

Deminyn
04-05-2010, 04:27 PM
Grim Angus is my favourite caster. He may not be my most powerful one to play, but he definitely wins overall.
First; He looks awesome. I love the model with the long coat and the goggles.
Second; He doesn't win the game, he just enables whatever else is on the board to win the game.
Third; Anti solo ability. Grim is perfect for getting rid of annoying solos or UA or whatever single non 'caster/beast model is out there. Stealth doesn't stop him, high def doesn't stop him. My favourite is the Manhunter trying to swing around the flank and trying to make me redirect some effort to deal with him or ignore him and let him do some damage... nope, bang!
Fourth; bait the line. Got something Grim can't kill in one shot, well, just set up a beast to take care of it after grim takes a chunk out of him. Pull a Grim + Axer + Lanyssa = 16" reach out and touch you (without forcing even) that can surprise anyone (through terrain too).
Fifth; a feat that can stall the enemy for that one turn to help the kinda slower trolls get the charge, or to absolutely crush the enemy's forces.

And last but not least, he comes with his own Theme Song...

Grimhowl
04-05-2010, 04:30 PM
My current favorite is Zerkova. Khador's always been my favorite faction and she's the kind of caster I always wanted for them. While not as directly potent or easy to use as others, I like her spell list and like her abilities.
Her background of stealing an Elven God is pretty cool too.

Cairn
04-05-2010, 04:36 PM
I would say that Karchev is my favorite warcaster. I love Khador warjacks and having a warcaster be a warjack as well as being the second angriest person in Khador is a plus.

Rawtooth
04-05-2010, 04:36 PM
Lord Commander Stryker is what drew me to Cygnar. Here is a man who will do anything to save his nation, who is slowly selling his soul to fight the enemy. He will suffer the effects of his armor to bring the fight to the enemy, to crush them and drive them back street by street.

kasin666
04-05-2010, 04:37 PM
my favorite warcaster is karchev the terrible i just like the idea of a man in a machine leading other machines into combat

FellBlade
04-05-2010, 04:38 PM
My favourite warcaster would have to be Commander Adept Nemo, he has a useful toolbox of abilities as well as a decent spell list, i find that he plays on Cygnar's strengths and embodies their weaknesses, Like Nemo himself his theme list is very much a glass cannon. He has always been a presence in Warmachine fluff and i believe has had very natural and subtle character development.

Cheers

Wolfpriest Cjarl
04-05-2010, 04:41 PM
My Favorite would have to be Adeptis Rahn !!! Yes indeed sirs. He is like Harry Potter on steroids brother and he isn't afraid to let you know. He is the Gandalf that would have punched Saruman right in the face. Hes the Merlin not with a staff but a pair of MASSIVE GAUNTLETS and yes he would have punched king arthurs enemies in the face. Ok lets get down to it.... hes my favorite because power is good and he can punch you in the face. Not bad for an elf huh?

Zulu81
04-05-2010, 04:53 PM
I have to say that I am a big Amon Ad Raza fan. When I first began playing Warmachine (started right before Escalation) what attracted me to the game was the giant jacks of destruction. So when Mr. Ad Raza came out and I was able to use lots of jacks to good effect I was estatic. I remeber fondly the days of meditative stance and sand blast and of speed 7 pathfinding crusaders. But in MkII he is just as good. So while I may enter into daliances with other PoM casters from time to time, my heart will always belong to the little bare chested, chain weilding Idrian monk.

Iskandar
04-05-2010, 04:58 PM
My favorite warcaster is Sorscha because she is such a complex character. She's got that austere exterior but we know she's got hot emotions brewing beneath the surface as evidenced by her love affair with Vlad. She's admirable because she came from very humble beginnings and rose throught the army ranks through sheer talent and hard work. Her icy good looks make men follow her into the thick of any battle. Hell, she's even managed to beguile a 12-ton warjack who tries to earn her praise at every activation. All that and her powers kick ***. What's not to like?

--Norbert

asheth
04-05-2010, 04:59 PM
The Harbinger, she makes up part of the menite holy trinity! She is like the Holy Spirit. She cannot die despite several attempts she just comes back all inspirating the troops. she is definately the good face of menoth. Even putting Voyle in his place and enabling his transition to Urcaen. Plus she is to holy to touch the earth. Thats serious holiness.

Saxondog
04-05-2010, 05:15 PM
Gotta go with Caine. Love his attitude. Figures are interesting. Powers are rather cool too but not my first priority.

RazorMind
04-05-2010, 05:29 PM
My favorite is Deneghra, that caster is hot in an evil dark, cryxian kind of way :-)

cacuin
04-05-2010, 05:29 PM
My favorite warcaster is epic skarre.
She is a caster who has just about everything one could want. A feat the keeps your army alive. Spells for damaging the enemy, spells that allow extra movement and she is able to still kick some butt in melee. Her abilities allow her to be one of the better jack casters the game has.

vash1321
04-05-2010, 05:31 PM
Kreoss of course. He is the perfect encompassing of an exemplar knight. All parts of his history are impressive and yet somehow stand with and apart from menoth.

First is his blood, in the iron kingdoms knight hood is not made by bloodline, so the fact that he was born into a poor family was irrelevant. But still the story of hardships he fought through to become what he is, is still impressive. To reaching knighthood and then attaining warcaster abilities he has propelled himself to become a strategic and still fierce leader.

Second is his current personality. Despite growing under Garrick Voyel he lacks the same inquisitional zeal. There is an awkward soft side to him that the rest of menoth (minus the harbinger) lack. In a faction based on religious hate, kreoss can fight with a burning zeal to "cleanse" all that oppose him, and yet there are times when chivalry comes out. He can be impressed by the different. Despite Voyal showing much favor towards the violent and aggressive exemplars Kreoss was probably the first of all menoth leaders of his time to acknowledge the importance of Dartan Vilmon. I remember is one of the mk1 books there is a quote to the degree where kreoss says he wishes more of his exemplars fought with the pride and courage that Vilmon does.Then again a soft time in this Inquisitional fire of a knight when he stops Feora from renewing the attack after Voyal is slain. He understands the moral of his people and even under the worst conditions can except a time of grief. Of any character in menoth he has found the true balance between kindness and harsh inquistionalism <-(not a word). He seems to find a spot right in between the exemplars and paladins, a balance between voyal and the harbinger.

Finally his spell list.
Where all other caster either have a use of menoths name for protection or hate, or simply a list of pure burning and ash kreoss stand apart. With his only close comparison being the harbinger. The point is, is that it is expected from the harbinger. Kreoss on the other hand does not justify his actions with menoths name, like servious might. Kreoss has spells that covers menoths anger, hate, sadness, and love.

Lamentation, a combination of sadness and anger, almost a punishment to prevent sinners from doing anymore terrible deeds. This spell inconveniences the target without actually giving it pain. (unexpected from an exemplar)

Purification- again a love, hate spell. Menoths might clears away all sins in the area friend or foe. It is a punishment to all for using his powers only to hurt.

Cleansing fire and Immolation- The pinnacle of menoths hate and anger through kreoss, it shows the true exemplar in him and hate for his enemies.

Defenders Ward- a awkward spell to throw in his list. giving protection to his men but not justifying it in menoths name. Almost a taking of responsibility for his own actions, this spell reeks of the order of the wall and yet it is on his card.

Finally his feat.

A counter to the rest of his card, his full wrath comes out, despite it goes against the battle on his personality that i find so interesting it shows the imperfection in his personality. A loss of temper and all of his rage come out at once. A true showing of exemplar force rages out of him literally knocking everyone back. It is the anger kreoss tries to contain and the fact that it is a feat shows how rare he lets it out.

This has been my much over read into rant.

warmachinenewb
04-05-2010, 05:34 PM
While I have a nStryker, I would have to say the caster that appeals to me the most is Nemo. Something about being the master of lightning is just too cool to turn down. Plus I really like the Nemo 2010 sculpt.

*same person that is on lost hemisphere

roberious
04-05-2010, 05:40 PM
My favorite warcaster is Kommander Scorscha because she was the first one I used in my very first game. I like the original model, her Feat is awesome, lots of Spells and she commands my favorite Warmachine faction, Khador.

remonis
04-05-2010, 05:43 PM
The Butcher of Khardov, Orsus Zoktavir. He's got a brutal axe named Lola. If that doesn't make you interested, maybe you should check your pulse?

I have liked the Butcher since I first saw his rules. No frills, just get in their face and then wreck it. But the best part for me is the sheer intimidation factor he brings to the table. My opponents go out of their way to avoid combat with him. I can plop him down and they'll completely stack their army to deal with or avoid him. Or I play him ranged, because who expects that? His "I throw a big rock" spell has won me many games and always comes as a surprise to my opponents, who mistake him for a one dimensional caster, instead of a tactical tool.

Did I mention his axe named Lola? Because his fluff always keeps me coming back for more. There's a history with him that we have yet to learn, but hopefully one day we will.

Jasefox
04-05-2010, 05:47 PM
My favourite, and incidentally my first, caster is Goreshade the *******.

Originally I was attracted to Goreshade cause he had an awesomely cool model, was accompanied by a cute little chick and he must be cool to be call 'The *******'. Not 'Goreshade A *******' or 'Goreshade A Bad Mannered chap' he was called Goreshade THE *******.

After Reading Goreshades fluff I loved him even more, the product of a Xenophobic mysterious race, a regular little God Murderer. The guy even kills a baby in his background! He really is a *******!

My only regret about Goreshade is that there wasn't a lot of fluff prior to his epic transformation, but this was all addressed and fixed with the release of the Retri book. Abrilliant story and one of the main reasons I currently play Retri!!

Atrix
04-05-2010, 05:48 PM
Irusk1.

First, I love his pose. Hands behind the back, in absolute control, orchestrating the battle with a cool hand and brilliant mind. So perfect.

Second, he is not as in-your-face powerful as Sorscha, Vlad or the Butcher. Or, he doesn't appear to be at first. No crazy stats like the rest. Most of his spells and even his feat kind of appear to be not so spectacular to people not familiar with him. Extra dies on damage, tough, +2 to hit, iron flesh. All seem pretty standard right? I mean, yeah Inhospitable Ground is not fun, its not like he is freezing your army, or giving a -2 to all your states or something, right? At least that's what I think is going through my opponent's mind. It amounts to Irusk being a little unassuming, maybe my opponent is even a bit relieved not to see Vlad across the table. But, then they get hit with my super charged Khador force: super buffed jack, super high def unit, super kill-y unit, wide spread rough terrain, dropping Airbursts on his hidden solos, etc. It's all too much, and it hits home the unassailable might of all those buffs and his feat and inhospitable ground.

Third, the hat.

TheyStoleMyName!
04-05-2010, 05:48 PM
I have to vote for Dawnlord Vyros. To me he's a great agressive character which showcases the way the Retribution can work, and his model also exemplifies what is different between Privateer models and the fantasy "norm." Where else would you find a grizzled, grey haired Elf with an eyepatch? He's just fantastic!

joedj
04-05-2010, 05:50 PM
Siege Brisbane
He's one of a kind. In the PP artwork he's the only minority Warcaster I can think of (there's at least 3 Lichs afterall :) ). Well, maybe Amon too?

In any case, Siege is wielding a mondo-sledgehammer and a rocket-gun!!
Any other caster packing more melee and ranged beat-down than that?
Thaz right!

ReverendPain
04-05-2010, 05:59 PM
I have to say that Goreshade the ******* has to be my favorite. I picked up the Mark II book just to get a sense of the game and see what it was like. I liked the fluff a lot and went back and found all the pre-Mark II books and found myself drawn to Goreshade. I mean really, they call him The *******. Thats just great. Secondly, he is an evil elf who kills elves. Again that is just funny. The only way to make him better is to give him an evil unicorn with a model of a person gored on its horn.


And his name gets edited on the forum. Again, funny.

Loki-lie-Smith
04-05-2010, 06:00 PM
Favorite warcaster? That has to be Ravyn the Eternal light. First, her fluff. Basically a Paladin that quits her Order to do what she knows is right for he Goddess and her people. She is heroic, politcally savvy and perhaps one of the few characters in Immoren that is hard to question her morals.

Stat-wise you can either play with her aggressive up front or as an army supporter and she does both quite well. Meaning you can field the same army twice with her and play in totally different styles and still win and do well.

Scribonius
04-05-2010, 06:11 PM
Well, for me that would have to be Magnus the Traitor. Yeah, I know the Warlord is somewhat better skilled, but I love the challenge that playing the Traitor gives me, his custom warjacks are an excellent way to add some firepower and a big wrecking ball to a merc force, and the challenge offered by use of his spells tactically is a welcome one.

The fluff/background for him is a blast. I love the concept of someone who, while seeming evil, actually thinks he has Cygnar's best interests at heart - deep inside, he's a patriot (in his own mind, at least) and still serves Vinter. He has his own allies hidden within Cygnar that will on occasion turn color when he commands offering up a multitude of special scenarios. His personality as the Traitor is that of a hunted dog who still seeks to serve his master in the best way he can. He is downtrod, hunted after, at his wit's end, but still loyal to Vinter, and you have to respect that.

Javaman
04-05-2010, 06:15 PM
Durgen Madhammer.

I love Searforge, and his model and rules are just sooo much cooler than Gorten's. He's got some of the wackiest Steam aormor in the game, and his spell list is all about beautiful carnage. Redline to boost your jacks, Primed to buff your infantry (and punish whoever dares attack them) and explosivo for the only real artillery barrage in the game. I can reliably get 9 AOEs a round BEFORE using Explosivo now, and when you through another 2-3 on the board and feat, One begins to realize why trench warfare became so fashionable after the advent of reliable artillery. Just remembering how he wiped out an entire unit of Dawnguard sentinals and another of Mage Assassins in one turn brings a tear to my eye.:p

Kotetsu
04-05-2010, 06:33 PM
While the Butcher seems to fit my play style best (as in I rush towards you and beat you to a bloody pulp), the best (at the moment) would be Feora.

What can I say? I just like hot chicks. Especially ones that can incinerate anyone that pisses them off.

capamerica1980
04-05-2010, 06:48 PM
As a Cygnar Player I take p Nemo I find that he is able to move jacks well and boost there strength +2 with Disruption field this iincreases the damage the weapons/fists do... Chain lightning is a great infantry softener, and then there is Volcanic Snare is a situational spell that is great at clogging charge lanes and making a jack a giant target... The fact that his feat hits both jacks and beasts is nice... His ability to put up to 5 focus onto a jack is just golden... He can also get up to three focus points (next turn) for spell casters casting spells in his control area (which you can increase).

So to simplifiy he can make even light jacks hit harder and disrupt and repulse oppenets with spells and if you do the right combo of spells you can have a jack that can chop though the highest Armor values with ease and with 5 focus you could swing and boost a few times...

Kravak
04-05-2010, 06:49 PM
eCaine.

This guy is like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker all rolled into one... very... dangerous... caster.
Need i say more? ;)

Mdw005
04-05-2010, 06:51 PM
Grand Scrutator Severius is my warcaster of choice, for both fluff and playability reasons.

In game, I love what the Grand Scrutator can bring to the table. He is a walking toolbox and has a plethora of synergy. To me, he exemplifies Menoth on the battlefield. He is arguably the best support caster in the game. Between Eye of Menoth, Defender's Ward, Vision, and Death Sentence, Severius is never at a loss for what to cast to support his army. Eye of Menoth and Death Sentence help support the army offensively, allowing for extra hitting and damaging power and re-rolls respectively. Defender's Ward gives a much needed defense and armor buff for the most important models, and Vision allows Severius to keep a key model in a control area or on a certain point that much longer.

Severius is also one of the best offensive spell casters in the game. Thanks to his natural buffing spells, his offensive magic is even more potent. For heavier targets, Immolation can deal a great deal of damage, and potentially ignite enemies of the Faith on fire. For swaths of infantry, Ashes to Ashes is one of the best in the game. Hitting upwards of seven targets, no light infantry is safe from the spreading fires caused by this powerful magic.

My infatuation with Severius does not end on the battlefield. The background of the character is stellar at worst. With a very long history due to his age, Severius has countless deeds attributed to his name. Everything from converting a mass amount of people in Khador to the Menoth interpretation of the faith, to recently ascending to the Heirarch of the Protectorate, Severius has done it all but die in the name of the Creator. Other marks of note on his impressive resume include setting up the City of Sul to invade Caspia, escorting the Harbinger most of the way into the Thornwood, and most importantly, setting up and running the Northern Crusade with limited help from the rest of the Protectorate.

What I find even more appealing than Severius' accomplishments are his personality and his strengths and weaknesses as a character. His strong will and influence as a Scrutator make him appear as a manipulator, which he clearly is, but he is not completely stone cold either, as most Scrutators are made out to be. Right before his ascension as Heirarch, Severius offered a chance for all non-followers to vacate the city before they came to claim it for the Protectorate. He also has to bite his tongue when he disagrees with Heirarch Voyle, even though he teaches, and has been taught, to not question authority in the Church, he is still human, and therefore has questions and does not think anyone is perfect. It is these personality conflicts, both internal and externally that make Severius one of the most dynamic and appealing characters in the Iron Kingdoms.

FinkMonkey
04-05-2010, 07:02 PM
Karchev is my favorite Warcaster!
Why? Because he is the Man in the Machine! Jacks are the coolest part about Warmachine. Throw a warcaster into a jack and that equals 100% awesomeness!

Karchev has lots of wounds. A POW 19 axe. A Range 10 Spray attack that auto causes auto knockdown. Tow allows me to sling shot jacks way ahead for a first strik or assasination run against the enemy caster. Tow also allows Karchev to pull his jacks with him to avoid free strikes. UnEarthly Rage is fantastic! If Karchev get his jacks to models and Karchev has cast Unearthly Rage, Karchev and his jacks win that round big time. It is great to be able to use lots of jacks and not have to worry about distributing focus like I do with other casters. Arcantrik Turbine is awesome too! Being able to get 1 extra focus or more speed with Pathfinder is amazing!
Being able to repair Karchev is awesome too. If opponents do not kill my mechaniks right away my opponents seem to regret it later in the game.
I love jack, and I love the Ultimate Jack caster Karchev. He is a blast to use.

Col_Festus
04-05-2010, 07:07 PM
My favorite Warcaster you say?

Well I would have to say The Butcher of Khardov.

The reason the Butcher is so near and dear is two fold. First he clearly has had some great traumatic experience and lost his love (or so we think) Lola. I think we can all attest to this and makes us feel a big for the giant slaughtering machine in red. I have a feeling that if Privateer Press was to ever expand upon him we would find all his insanity justified ;)

The 2nd reason I love him is because his fury and malice is so well represented on the table top. You can load him up with focus and let him go to town on something and absolutely demolish it... or you can sit back and play a very supportive role and use him to smash apart solos and pesky heavies that have breached your line with a well placed swing from Lola... oh love is a fickle thing!

Melanie
04-05-2010, 07:17 PM
Having started a Khador army long ago, but not finding alot of players, i set the game aside, but by far Sorscha is my favorite warcaster. Strong female characters are often over looked and down played for the sake of the big "manly" male hero. She is a VERY strong female heroine and she's not someone to cross. Sorscha has an interesting background, and an awesome weapon. Being a relative newbie, I'd love the chance at a second army (cryx or cygnar-can't decide lol) Anyway, i know i don't have deeo interesting insight like the others, but here is my entry.

:)
Melanie

Goldstep
04-05-2010, 07:23 PM
Welcome to the BoLS Lounge Privateer Press fans, and make yourselves at home. Today's question is:

Tell us who is your favorite warcaster and why?

Good Luck everybody!

One week after the first issue of No Quarter hit the shelves, I began playing Warmachine. I didn't really know the rules or how the game worked. All I knew was, Ashlynn was worth buying and painting an army for.

But as much as I loved playing the game she was damned frustrating.
One of my first games was against Vlad. Signs and portents working well against my feat. Imitating Lunge to be able to get past her feint.
I also played several mangled metal games against Darius. She'd saunter up to a centurion, rip off his arms, only to have an ironclad tremor for a KD her without letting her feint away and then have Darius's half jacks patch the spear back on and have a jackhammer kill her.
Skarre bombs and Denny Venom baths. I learned to love losing.
By the time I started playing Menoth, I was knew the rules of the game so well, Sevvy or HR were a cake walk compared to Ashlynn. Halfjacked died to my soulstorms. Vlad lamented his inability to cast spells. Denny couldn't target with spells. Skarre would lose swathes of models into ashes. And, I am ashamed to say, for a while I forgot about Ashlynn.

When the field test started, I realized I could give back to my lady love. And she has a new lease on life. She may not be the next winner of Masters but she has some real teeth. When I put her on the table people don't joke about easy mode. And no one tries to get her with a 10-man CRA anymore... quick draw!

Since I first bought her, I have painted over 300 models for warmachine and got better at doing so. So recently I painted a new Ashlynn. Free handed fleur de lis on her skirt. Better position on the arms. She deserved it.

Goldstep
04-05-2010, 07:25 PM
Grand Scrutator Severius is my warcaster of choice, for both fluff and playability reasons.

Sorry Michael, I wanted to say the same, but I couldn't bear leaving her in the case.
Llael forever!

ukos78
04-05-2010, 07:28 PM
my favourite warcaster is Coleman Stryker, hes been through the worst the iron kingdoms can throw at him and still he manages to keep on coming, he might not be a tournament gamers favourite but he is certainly mine

arbiter_567
04-05-2010, 07:29 PM
My favorite warcaster would have to be Garryth

First off, anything you engage with him is guarenteed to die in 2-5 hits, and he has all of the abilities to back up his assasination run, ranging from the ability to shift in melee, force warcasters and warlocks to not cast spells by damaging them, rerolling missed attack rolls, and bringing stubborn enemy models into his loving embrace...

Second, fluff wise, Garryth really appealls to me....a former criminal who found redemption in his goddesses eyes by using his incredible talents to assasinate enemy mages, using an esoteric fighting style that has almost been forgotten. His relationship with Scyrah is also unique, whereas normal elves see Lacy'rs Midwife as an eternal maiden, he sees her as a wounded warrior, whom he must protect till his dying breath....now, if that doesn't speak of dediction bordering on zealousness, I dont no what does.

Third, in the story so far, Garryth's personality is so contrasting with the rest of his story that it is refreshing. He keeps a level head when killing, and doesn't let his inborn hatred of humans cloud his logic.

Finally, Garryth likes soulless to an extent, unlike other retribution warcasters, and so puts up with Nayl's amusing anatomical observations.

kammek
04-05-2010, 07:33 PM
Much like has been said by others my favorite caster is Kommander Strakhov. The reason why is that he is immune to a bunch of Protectorate and Cryx items due to his immunities. He also helps to speed up the otherwise slow Khador Jacks.

LordRaif
04-05-2010, 08:02 PM
My favorite Warcaster is Allister Caine, both from a mechanical and fluff/story standpoint.

I enjoy the fact that you can easily play him like a light-weight boxer: ducking in, hitting fast, and then bouncing back out. Using your jabs (basic pistol shots) to find an opening and then going for the big 1-2-3 for the KO (feat turn for the assassination). I like playing his normal version on occasion as he is, to me, one of the most versatile ranged casters in the game and has, without a doubt, my favorite feat in the game in Maelstrom. I honestly just like the fact that, as "squishy" as he is, he has the potential to be a 1-man army in either incarnation.

In the fluff/story, he's a great character. The atypical anti-hero, acting the cocky insubordinate while simultaneously being one of the greatest heroes of Cygnar working with military intelligence and performing black ops for the Ranger-General to root out Raelthorne the Elder's old supporters and spies.

All in all, both combine to make him an awesome character, both to play and read about.

LazyPeon
04-05-2010, 08:12 PM
Axe to face.... all the way baby! It's Butcher (of Khardov).
He's Khardor to the bone, big, tough and with the right amount of "diplomacy".

Coming from no where to strike fear into the other factions, he also scares the living crap out of his own faction. Just ask Sorscha - who owes her "Ice Queen" exterior to the Butcher.

He loves his land, and loves his flying hulks of metal. But when necessary, can throw up an Iron Curtain to protect the troops or just wade into battle himself.

Easy to learn how to play, but with enough nuance to make playing him enjoyable. Most of the time you're looking for an excuse to let Lola off the chain and let out those lost love issues.

jgerman
04-05-2010, 08:14 PM
For Warmachine favorite caster is Darius, the jacks attracted me to the game and his armor sold me.

ThatRickGuy
04-05-2010, 08:15 PM
I'm new to the game, so maybe that's part of the draw, but Vlad is the one for me.

He doesn't have a whole lot of finesse, no big bag of tricks, and my friends may call it a crutch to keep wind wall and signs up, but he strongly favors the fundamentals.

There is no get out of jail free card with Vlad, no crazy antics, playing him makes the game feel like a straight up strategy game. Can I out manuever my opponent? Can I bait him into exposing a flank? Can I clear his front line before he realises my goal? Signs lends a bit of forgiveness to him as well, sure it's only a 1.45 rolling advantage, but that third die coming up a 6 on a roll of two 1's makes it feel like a bit of heaven.

Maybe as I learn the game, abilities, and strategies better I'll want to move to other casters, but for now Vlad really works for me.

dewey
04-05-2010, 08:16 PM
pSevvy - for one, you can't cast spells at him. Cryx Players love that.
Two, Eye of Menoth with the choir gives his jacks a +3 to hit and damage. You can see how jealous your opponent is when you pound his hard targets into a pulp.
Three, Vision is something other players forget about, once or twice I've had some one run a jack or solo up to try to lock sevvy down, cast vision and walk off, then block off the charge lane. This has come in handy on a few occasions.
Four, Mix him with the BoV and A2A becomes insane. Immolation hits harder and over all carries some serious assasination potential.
Five, he has defenders ward.
Six, the fluff
Seven, on the off chance you do convert a model, it is truly demoralizing for you opponent. 'Hey man, thanks for the model'

Plus I just like the way he looks... and it doesn't hurt that my win ratio with him is better than any of my other casters.

Bobby Hostile
04-05-2010, 08:19 PM
Coleman Stryker is my favorite caster.

As Warmachine has grown and changed, so has Stryker. Following along with his fluff, he starts as a palace guard, taking part in the Lion's Coup by fighting alongside Leto, then growing into a Warcaster. As war breaks out, Stryker watches the nation he loves beset on all sides and when the people he's supposed to protect are savaged horribly, he snaps and becomes that which he hates. Succumbing to the hate, he acts like those that he tried to protect his own people against. It's in the last moments, when he has the choice to take a life or save one, that he comes full circle and chooses to follow his true nature by acting to save a life at very nearly the cost of his own, that Stryker becomes true champion of Cygnar.

Stryker represents the struggle that all men go through, the choices that make us who we are and what those choices can mean. He's the epitome of the troubled hero, falling from grace only to come back from the abyss at the very moment it seems like he'll be lost forever.

Besides the fluff for the model, I love how the rules for Commander Stryker reflect his more defensive nature, even down to his feat. Then you have Lord Commander Stryker whose rules reflect his decidedly offense orientation.

arquitectoro
04-05-2010, 08:22 PM
I would have to go with Terminus, captain of the pirate fleet, killing machine, awesome looking miniature, and looks great with my dead pirate themed warband. Besides, any Creature with a giant sword, deserves to be admired :D:D

jeremiahdrigg
04-05-2010, 08:22 PM
My favorite warcaster has got to be the pirate queen skarre! She is absolutely awesome! Her model is beautifully sculpted by Jerzy Montwill. Skarre also has plenty of hitting power behind those dainty little hands. Her model presents her as deceptively weak. Her fluff shows her as a cruel tyrant of the seas and her spells show this with the sacraficial lamb spell. Above all else she is a PIRATE!!! What other reason do you need than that! I know most people would say that she is not good because she has to damage herself or others to do really cool spells but with the addition of a surgeon or doc killingsworth she is a great model to play and look at!

Iron_Peanut
04-05-2010, 08:36 PM
My favorite warcaster is Allister Caine. He has style and flair with that masterful spit-curl and manly five-o-clock shadow. And fashion sense! Long coat, sixguns at his side. Like a very out-of-place cowboy. His fluff's got subplots a-plenty. At first he was the loose-cannon warcaster that was too damn good for the Cygnaran army to get rid of, then he was the deadbeat who was secretly a secret agent, then showed up as an inquisitor-hunter, and finally he is trying to find and kill Vinter the *******'s ******* son. Awesome!

He plays in a way that is different from any other Cygnar warcaster, alternatingly annoying and infuriating to fight against. It's like the rest of the army is just ablative armor for Caine's assassination run.

Also, it was fun to imagine the Gun Mage Captain Adept ordering him around because he was only a lieutenant, followed by a sharp role-reversal when Caine went epic.

Cadwallion
04-05-2010, 08:40 PM
Ashlynn D'Elyse is my favorite warcaster. She's got an interesting fluff that's got just enough detail to be immerse yourself without being too detailed to not have flexibility in how you setup your army. Gameplay-wise, she's got a few different ways to play her while still drawing on her synergies. Play her in the front, in the back, in the middle, she's very versatile in her role in the army and her feat and spells have both an offensive (Gallows, Flashing Blade, Roulette, Quicken) and defensive (Distraction, Roulette, Twister, Admonition, Quicken) nature to them making it a lot more about adjusting to the player rather than playing her the way she's 'supposed to be played.'

ariddler
04-05-2010, 08:43 PM
I'm 75% painter/25% wargamer, so for me it has always been about the models.
Nothing says Axe-to-Face like Khador's Karchev!

The model is drop dead, steam powered death!

Sure, in MK I he was the odd man out, but come-on, the "Power Slide" was an instant disco hit!

Thanks PP for giving Karchev some love in MK II!

bnf
04-05-2010, 08:47 PM
Tell us who is your favorite warcaster and why?

My favourite warcaster is the Witch Coven of Garlghast. These witches are very different from all other casters. They have a LOT of focus at their disposal, but that drops to average or below average if you lose one or two witches. So, while losing a witch won't lose you the game right away, you really don't want that to happen. They're very fragile but they have some nice tricks up their sleeves. It's also different to have multiple caster models that activate separately even though they're just one caster. I really like the models too. Having the three ladies stand in a triangle around the Egregore, performing their rituals looks very cool on the tabletop.

azariel
04-05-2010, 08:53 PM
Kreoss.. hands down. lots of focus,
lamentation, and a sweet looking mini. I've won many a game using his feat to finish of an enemy warcaster.

Swift2568
04-05-2010, 08:53 PM
I am a big fan of several casters. I'm a cryx player, so naturally I'm a fan of my own casters, but there are some warcasters that stand out from outside my faction. First, the Butcher of Khador because the stories and fluff about him are amazing. Mostly, though Karchev the Terrible. When I was a new wargamer, looking to get into warmachine, I knew nothing. I was staring at a wall of pewter and two things stood out to me. First were the black and green helljacks of Cryx that I eventually chose as my army. The other, in red, was a man who, for his love of country and war, climbed into a warjack chassis as his armor. I don't know how much more bad *** you can get. Karchev has stalked the battlefields of Immoran for hundreds of years. As a man, he was worse than the butcher. Then, when his body was broken, fueled by pure hate, the man was fit into a warjack and just kept going. I've always sworn that if I ever got the chance, I'd start a Khadorian army with Karchev at the helm.

brunk
04-05-2010, 09:09 PM
I've gotta go with Karchev the Terrible as well. He looks more warjack than warcaster. Makes for a rather imposing looking battlegroup.

thrower
04-05-2010, 09:11 PM
I started out like most people reading the fluff and fell in with the Cygnar faction. They are the "good" guys or so that is what you are to believe. They are the golden city holding back the burgeoning hordes. Commander Coleman Stryker is their poster boy. Clean cut, hero, with no flaws; I was hooked. Here was the good guy I could play with and get behind in ideology. Then I read the end of Escalation.
Stryker then took on a darker persona, a man haunted by the war he is trying to win. You see his madness grow in Apotheosis in his conversion with Nemo and the new armor he gets from Nemo. All the while I am finding it harder to play games with him. I moved on to Nemo as my main caster, because I could not get around the evil that Stryker was perpetrating on the Menites. It bothered me. Just before the release of Mark II, I bought a copy of Legends off of Ebay. I thought it would be neat to see what had changed as I had taken a year off of Warmachine. I began with the story about Coleman fighting Feoria in the temple and captivated. I couldn't stop until I knew if he lived or died. I skimmed the rest of the book to find the stories about him. After reading Legends he was totally redeemed in my eyes and I was wanted to play with him again. No more bitter feelings about passed wrongs, but a new start with an older wiser Coleman. He was now more real and understandable. I could see myself doing what he had done and coming to the same or similar conclusions in the same situations.
That why I like Coleman the most. He is a solid playing piece but the story is what captivated me the most.

theletterv
04-05-2010, 09:12 PM
For me, its most certainly Ashlynn.

Her title of duelist, and her constant struggle to win back her country is quite moving.

The new artwork on her new card sends Llaelese chills up my spine.

It's that tired, but purposeful look, a struggle for freedom and revenge.

She knows that her work will never be finished, but every laden corpse puts her one step closer to her goal.

In the game, her feat Roulette, makes me feel like she's willing to take whatever chance necessary to finish things, despite the costs.

Beyond all, winning a game with Ashlynn feels like a real win for Llael.

Abaddon
04-05-2010, 09:12 PM
Favourite Warcaster : Zerkova

Reason : I've always wanted to make her miniature look better with my painting skills but never really found the spare cash to pick her up.

Cheers.

Chosen of Khaine
04-05-2010, 09:18 PM
Master Necrotech Mortenebra is my preferred and favorite warcaster. The model is amazing. Her story is just as cool in that she knowingly turned herself into the creature she is and willing vowed allegiance to the Dragon Father. As far as the game goes her abilities complement warjacks perfectly and this game for me is all about the warjacks. Infantry are support units only. I much prefer fielding jack centric armies over infantry based ones.

Ellesar
04-05-2010, 09:23 PM
For my Warcaster, I'd like a trickster who can deliver (or assist to deliver) a massive blow to the enemies.
Therefore my favorite Warcaster would be Adeptis Rahn Shyeel. He is fun to play, have a great model, and dangerous as hell.

Fluff-wise, Vyros is the main contributor to Retribution of Scyrah's troops (the Dawnguards) and the commander of the joint forces, while Adeptis Rahn Shyeel is the one who provide the wide arrays of Myrmidons and Battlemages for the Retribution. It is clear that without him, Retribution's full-fledged attacks to the other factions is not possible; They need the Myrmidons to pit against the Warjacks. His role and influence is even big enough that in terms of Myrmidons distribution, he is prioritized over Vyros himself.

Gameplay-wise he is a flexible and dangerous trickster. As a master in knocking-things-down and moving things around, he can practically work efficiently with any model in the Retribution. Telekinesis, Force Hammer, Force Blast, and his Critical Smite are very useful for any Retribution model, even ones with low RAT such as Stormfall Archers or mediocre SPD such as the Dawnguard Sentinels. Not to mention Force Field and Polarity Shield which can help to protect his armies before they get into the fray (or to keep the enemies away, if you're playing a shooty Retribution).

But he is not lacking any firepower at all; Force Hammer and Force Blast are quite destructive as well, especially on his feat turn. With a little set-up, collateral and blast damages could wipe the whole army. While his high Focus stat allows him to fling his spells wherever and to whoever he wants. Add some Arc-nodes and he is a killing machine. Sweet.

Saidin
04-05-2010, 09:27 PM
Its really close in the top three but my favorite has to be hands down Lord Commander Coleman Stryker (eStryker). He got me playing cygnar in the first place, to that point I was able to resist the temptation of playing just Nemo. Cygnar was a nice well rounded faction but it didn't really catch my eye with anything. I was a Khador player and I played a good bit. I always play at least a game a week against Menoth, and god did I hate them. Denial and massive focus gave me no end of trouble, I gave as good as I got but in the end I still had a burning hatred for menoth. Then came Harby and Big V and I wanted to wack a few models with a hammer. Anyways, catching up on the fluff, plain Stryker was the boy scout and that seemed boring, then I hit the fluff at the end of escalation. Wow, whats Leto going to do, whats going to happen to stryker? Then came the prison barges and torchering menites. Wow, strykers gone off the deep end and menoth pushed him there....and I could relate as menoth was pushing me there. So I hands down had to play him, didn't matter about rules or anything had to field estryker and get some flat out grudge matches going.

TheBigRedMachine
04-05-2010, 09:29 PM
Sorscha is my favorite 'caster fluff wise. She just has a great many sides. The revenge she wants on Butcher for killing her father. Her tragic/forbidden love for Vald, I hear Queen's "There's No Time for Us" , with them. To being a very strong female figure to her homeland. I also like female characters in games and tend to play them more so than males.

Game wise she has two of the more powerful feats in either version. Being able to lock an army down while allowing melee and ranged attacks to land with ease is easy to see why they had to regin her rules back in.
Or allowing attacks that exceeds the ARM of a model to double the damage is just a great pairing with some of the powerful weapons that Khador can field.

it_landry
04-05-2010, 09:39 PM
I posted in the other, and I'm sorry that I won't have as big a reason why for my favorite caster as I did for my favorite 'jack, but I will do my best.

My favorite Warcaster, hands down, is Nemo.

First, as far as fluff is concerned, from what I've read he is worth the attention. Able to make a relic from the old war work on his own will, being a misunderstood scientest, and able to take on many infantry and jacks at the same time. It's just obvious he's a great caster. And how can you not love a chance to have 10 focus a turn to play with, as well as a feat that lets you damage all enemy warjacks or warbeasts at once.

Chain Lightening; Boosted pow 10's may not kill casters like boosted pow 12's, but it gets the job closer to completion, and it takes on quite a bit of infantry rather quickly.

Voltaic Snare; Halting enemy melee jacks in their place, and hindering movement of other enemy jacks after that, can really save a person's skin.

Locomotion; Up to 3 free inches of movement is never a bad thing.

Electrify; For when you really want a reason to make them question the worth of attacking a model.

Those are a nice amount of my reasons, I have a few more, but I think I'm boring you. Thanks for your time, oh mighty judges.

benfromidaho
04-05-2010, 09:43 PM
Getting back into Warmachine in MK II after a long hiatus, I'm giving Cygnar a try. Kara Sloan is pretty awesome. Not only does she have an awesome gun, but she also can boost up her 'jacks to create a variable shooting gallery. Plus, the model is killer. Can't wait to play her in some large games.

Sikil
04-05-2010, 09:51 PM
It must be Dawnlord Vyros for me. Background (aka fluff), cool model and cheer ingame-fun.

Ingame, he isn't the best of the best. But, on the other hand, he sure ain't the worst either! Many a foe has fallen to his blade, and many a 'caster has died to the relentless barrages of his Hydras and Phoenixes!


I hope he will be among the first to recieve epic treatment! :D

Brandubh
04-05-2010, 09:56 PM
Aleksandra Zerkova - she's the perfect combination of cruel, intelligent, and powerful. She's ruthless and uninhibited by fear of the unknown. Ancient arcane artifacts? She'll take three. Tampering with dark powers? That's her career. Trying to harness the power of an Elven god? That's her hobby.

In game terms, Zerkova gets a lot of crap from players who are looking for the typical beatstick caster. She's much more in line with the finesse casters of some other factions.

The model is great too. She catches flack for the "pickle" but I like the dynamic pose and Orgoth goodies.

tylered85
04-05-2010, 09:57 PM
I'm a big fan of Cygnar's Haley because of her unbending resolve story wise. Background wise I thought it was awesome that she put her ideals and beliefs above her own personal safety. Are they guided mostly by revenge? Sure, but most wars are usually started by someone taking something personally. She even attempted to kill her own sister after her sister chopped off her arm because she thought it would be better for the people to not go through what she did and was willing to sacrifice herself.

As far as game mechanics, I'm big on ranged (more than I care to admit actually. lol) so her ''slow the &%#* down" powers and spells are awesome for me. lol

Benjihuff
04-05-2010, 09:57 PM
Well I expect many Cygnar players will have him as their Favorite as well but my favorite is Caine. Specifically pCaine, I know he is not supposed to be as good as eCaine by many peoples standards but hear me out.

I only started to play this game about a month and a half ago. A buddy of mine sent me a link to Caines model to use as a Necromunda fig since I had been looking for a Delaque model with two pistols. Now I saw the gallery at PP and kept on looking. That same buddy bought a Hordes and Warmachine starter to try out the game and offered to let me use one to see how we liked it. I did not even need to try it first, I went to my LGS and picked up the 2010 model of Caine and a few Cygnar solos. After looking on the Gallery I decided I would play Cygnar based 100% on the models. As it turns out I played my first game later that week and ended up winning my first tournament that weekend. (Thanks Groomie BTW for the loaned models) Caine is the rogue type character everyone loves in every movie and game, he brings controversy and discussion to the table and he makes the person you are about to play say "Oh Caine huh" and then you see them begin to rethink whatever they had been planing previously. I made Caine the first Warcaster I purchased and I had him painted within that first week.

So basically Caine is the man, he can get the job done and although I have only begun to glimpse into his awesome back story so far its everything I would like to see from such a fantastic model and Warcaster.

Ivellos
04-05-2010, 09:59 PM
Being new to this game I started with a Battlebox and have been progressing from there. Thus I began with Kommander Sorscha and while I find Kommander Strakhov to be awesome, Karchev the Terrible to be the coolest looking caster Sorscha is still my favorite.

Jetsetneo
04-05-2010, 10:00 PM
Orsus Zoktavir.
In each incarnation he can only be known as The Butcher. A mad man fueled by rage who has seemingly overcome death itself to continue fighting the enemies of the motherland. Mere sweeps of his axe Lola can bring entire men to their deaths.

But his rage and strength aren't his only weapons.

No, he can conjure explosive destruction across battlefields, control mighty warjacks, and press even the most hardened men to the depths of blood rage, drowning everyone in the battlefield in blood and misery. The Butcher cares not for politics or seemingly even the wars that rage around him. He is simply consumed by rage. He wants nothing but death, and even Khador herself can't find enough bodies to quench this thirst.

All beware they day the Butcher has no more enemies.

anacrophobic
04-05-2010, 10:15 PM
I play primarily Menoth, but I'm going to have to go with the first respondant... Ashlynn is definitely my favorite warcaster for fluff reasons. I love her backstory, but most importantly, I love the potential her story has. She's really only a step away from being able to unite the whole llaelese resistance under her banner as a united army, which makes her a great go-to person should we ever need a 6th (or 7th, as the Rhul are rapidly expanding lately) Warmachine faction.

More than anything, I'd love to see an epic version of her in the near future, and see what kind of major twist the Privateer guys will give her story.

Adept Sippy
04-05-2010, 10:53 PM
Amon. He goes into battle with what kind of armor? Yeah his bare skin. When the man in the machine got up in his grill he wouldn't stay down. He just got up only to be dropped over and over again. He is just a caster who gets the job done. He is the tits.

IronIrony
04-05-2010, 11:04 PM
When I began playing Warmachine the first caster that caught my eye was the Old Witch of Khador and that feeling of excitement and enjoyment of playing her has never wavered with me.
The legend that she is in the fictions gives rise to many guesses and hopes of what she's done or her real past among my local gaming group, that's something that I haven't really seen with any other caster: Is she really from the Circle? Ws she the Spirit of Khador? Wid she send the blizzard to halt the Orgoth? who knows. We can only guess at her real history but the cool things she's done with Krueger and Vlad are some of the best written and thought out fictions.
The Old Witch can be very forgiving and make a player breathe a sigh of relief when you get into a tight spot with her but she can also require intense concentration to get the most out of her. Her FOC stat impresses me and with Great Power she is by far my favorite spell slinger but even as a potent caster she can ruin the day for enemy troops. She's super versatile even if she's a bit fragile. that combo makes her a fun challenge for me to play.
She makes games fun with her power level and she has a feat that has never failed to get a groan from my opponents but at the same time most of my friends really enjoy the games where I play her.
She's just a very neat caster, slow with the ability to be anywhere in a matter of a turn or two, she's a fragile Focus centric Caster that allows for me to be creative with my lists because no matter what I run I can give it pathfinder and Camoflage to follow her into the wilderness, (i'm likely to throw down a few forests :)) and she has a companion 'jack.

She's just really fun. I don't win with her every time. But i've never had more fun playing a miniature game than with Zevanna Agha.

Hesse
04-05-2010, 11:15 PM
I'd have to say Fiona the Black.

She's really what got me into Mercenaries in the first place back in Mark I, and although I've only fielded her once in Mark II, I really like her way of playing. Besides, being Thamarite, she has that aura of mystique about her, which is only made stronger through her fluff.

In game, she's really not all that much, but can - with the right combo of mercenaries at her command - really pull some tricks on the unsuspecting foe.

Besides, who doesn't love an evil, dark, female cleric of death?

Gollumriddler
04-05-2010, 11:18 PM
My favorite warcaster would have to be "Witch Coven of Garlghast & the Egrogore" just because what other warcaster is a giant ball of spellcasting death.

Scherdy
04-05-2010, 11:35 PM
Karchev the Terrible: He's a beast. Given the choice to have a warcaster that looks like he's encased in an armored suit that looks like what would happen if an immovable object and unstoppable force had a lovechild or something much more human, I'll take the former. Just a great model.

Abesolutzero
04-05-2010, 11:47 PM
Welcome to the BoLS Lounge Privateer Press fans, and make yourselves at home. Today's question is:

Tell us who is your favorite warcaster and why?

Good Luck everybody!

After thinking about it, it would definitely be Epic Butcher, and this is coming from a Cygnar player. He's the Butcher in his most pure, distilled form. Big, mean, carries an axe, and is absolutely crazy. Everything he does reflects his fluff to the T. He's unstable, his murderous rage affects his entire army in one form or another, and once he gets going he's nigh unstoppable.

While he's not the most reliable or competitive caster, he's by far the most fun to play. Every single spell in his list is tailored to an offensive playstyle. He destroys everything in a circular arc- with Ravager, he'll keep going until he runs out of people to kill! His Warjacks gain a botload of benefits from the guy. With his feat, the Butcher can effectively allocate focus to his army as long as there's things for everyone to kill. In short, he's just really well designed.

Just seeing him on the table is enough to make anyone soil themselves. That alone speaks volumes of his reputation.

caboose87
04-06-2010, 12:00 AM
My favorite warcaster at the moment is Pirate Queen Skarre because on her feat turn anything in her army can destroy even heavy warjacks, and that is a thing of beauty.

corrinmana
04-06-2010, 12:14 AM
Feora. She works with troops and jacks, packs a punch, is hard to kill, and can outrun the pansies who try to run away!

Fluffwise, she is is one of two killer woman in a highly patriarchal society. Win.

mrpink
04-06-2010, 12:20 AM
Shae is my favorite warcaster for a variety of reasons.....

1. he is the only amphibious warcaster in the game

2. knockdown is useless

3. THE COMMODORE CANNON!

4. Best synergy with my favorite jack.... the freebooter

5. Great spells, Great Feat, HE has a hand cannon! all great warcasters have hand cannons!

6. Model is fantastic

7. Vinter is a bada$$, and because Shae is probably Vinter's son, this makes him a bada$$

8. He temporarily took down Rengrave

9. He is the most fun to play

10. well you get the point, hes just awesome!

usercreated
04-06-2010, 01:02 AM
I like the Butcher. He's bald, fat, and grumpy, just like me.

averith
04-06-2010, 01:07 AM
High Exemplar Kreoss, no doubt. I absolutely love his background. Orphaned child, fights off bandits with his bare fists, and is eventually raised to be a holy crusader. He reminds me of Clerics from Dungeons and Dragons, except less "heal"y and more "beat and burn you until your magics go away, you foolish mortal".

russianpaladin
04-06-2010, 01:07 AM
Prime Sorscha tops my list of favorite warcasters. Eventhough it has taken 3 different sculpts to really do her justice, it has been worth the wait. Her storyline holds meaning to me from a fantasy and somewhat historical standpoint. I can actually relate to the emotional ups and downs that have unfolded in the books from the loss of a parent (albeit my father passing was not violent like Sorscha's but just as painful to watch him slowly fade away) to being embroiled in a romance of two very different stations in life. The way she is written, she has erected great barriers of ice in her soul to hold back the torent of pain and emotion which she in turn unleashes on the battlefield. The only time she seems to be happy is in the arms of the one she loves. I think that alot of us can relate to that.

syresyphirin
04-06-2010, 01:12 AM
Without a doubt Grand Exemplar Mikael Kreoss. Not only do his rules match my play style, but his character is easily the most fascinating to me in the Iron Kingdoms. He's a moderate in a zealous organization. He's hated by a large number of his peers and respected by a large number of his enemies. His actions show the strength of his convictions, and his devotion to the creator of man. That Kreoss continues to be blessed by Menoth while showing a measure of honor and restraint towards his enemies shows me that there is room even in Menoth's eyes for mercy, and that's the angle of the creator, and of the protectorate that I'd like to see played up more.

Vivakenshin
04-06-2010, 01:22 AM
I started with Menoth few years ago and my favorate caster is the one that was with the lot I bought from a friend, Kreoss.

Some of the same reasons as others have said like D&D. I like his figure and the story line that goes along with it.

His abilities are also close to my own play style for rpg's.

Long live the KE.

LarsHesselberg
04-06-2010, 01:26 AM
While not having played Mercenaries myself, my all-time favorite would still be Magnus the Traitor. The fear he always causes against his opponent (including myself), always ends up people packing away their warcaster, cause of the threat of the Renegade obliterator rocket, and then a Hit 'n' Run to charge insane amounts.

All in all, he's a really cool Warcaster cause of the background story, as well as his different ways of threatening and causing psychic fear on the table.

DarienStormlord
04-06-2010, 01:28 AM
May favorite Caster has to be hands down Basic Vladimir Tepesci, The dark prince of Umbrea. He is a great support caster Signs and portents can make even the hardest to hit units have to worry. He can also be his own assassin as blood of kings means even the of warcasters has something to fear.

As far as the fluf goes I love the big brooding dark prince with a dark fate for all of Khador hanging over him

Sabrewolf
04-06-2010, 01:33 AM
for me my most loved caster would have to be the traitor magnus from the way he looks to his backstory he is one caster that knows what he wants and is willing to do whatever it takes to get his agenda done able to fabricate his own arknodes and make his own brand of warjack the traitor knows what he needs and wants and with that kind of determination anything can and will be done. a great spell list to back up his foecleaver nothing will ever stand in his way

Darkgunner
04-06-2010, 01:33 AM
Being a Cygnar player at heart I'd easily have to say my favorite warcaster is Stryker. He's the patriotic do anything for the good of the country kind of guy and I admire that.

Rat
04-06-2010, 01:45 AM
My favourite warcaster is the Witch Coven of Garlghast. Don't really know much about their part in the story, but I do quite like the huge focus pool with plenty of tricky spells.

Also, I got into this game for the jacks, and besides Mortenabra, who I don't like the play style of as much, she is the best in Cryx at using them. It's quite fun to run a node 18' inches and stygian abyss a bunch of advance deploy models to death before my opponents first turn.

MarkoDoornbos
04-06-2010, 01:56 AM
My favourite is Vlad the dark prince. He's just such a versatile caster, able to either buff his entire army or go and tear stuff up in melee. He's also got nice fluff.

mikescandy
04-06-2010, 02:08 AM
I've always been in love with dwarves (!!!) so my choice goes to Gortne and his rulic friends!
Choosing searforge means you have few models and 2 casters, but you have the single best warcaster in steamroller!
I'm not a great player, but whenever i feat with Gorten i feel like I'm going to win! And his sunglasses are way too cool!!!

wall of stone? 2 focus, with Gorten
SoG? 2 focus, with Gorten
Move everyone back 8''? Has no price :)

Lucas
04-06-2010, 02:40 AM
I must confess I don't play Warmachine, but would rather like to, based on what I've heard and read about the game.
Thus my choice of a favourite warcaster was based solely on appearance. That, however made it a tough call, as there is a large number of cool models to choose from, but in the end I decided to go with

Captain Bartolo Montador

I have a fascination with pirates that borders on obsession and I find the mini to poses this iconic romantic flair and a colourful persona, so reminiscent of life on the high seas;
"Aye boy, lemme tell ye of our good Captain ... six feet six he was an' a swagger to make the ground shake when he wasn't 'a pacing the deck of his beloved ship. A sight to behold when he donned his shiny armour and took him sword in hand, many 'a sea dog met his end by that sword ... but he wasn't yer regular brute of a seaman, a style he had, our Captain; always a ladies' man, always dressed like a gentleman. Mark me words boy, I'd sooner manage one of them jacks, than a propper woman, but our good captain did quite well with both. An' what a nose for booty, gods save that nose and seas be merciful upon it, brought us a pretty coin when we could hold our own in his ranks agains the foe. An' what foes did we not meet, boy, lemme tell ye ..." :)

Archibald
04-06-2010, 03:38 AM
I'm a Protectorate of Menoth player and my favourite warcaster of all time is Grand Scrutator Severius!

I love the idea of an old priest, a living symbol of faith, law and judgment for all menites, who is also a crusader-like commander, he leads his army on the field, fighting and converting enemies to the One True Faith.
I started to love him even more after reading the Covenant of Menoth fluff, wow!
I've always loved his spells and the MkII version is really cool. I also love his epic version, one of the most playable of all warcaster, he can really face a great number of different missions and enemies.

dicegod
04-06-2010, 03:42 AM
Epic Severius - because he's got awesome fluff. I love his background and playstyle.

kerensky
04-06-2010, 04:31 AM
Favourite Warcaster? Allister Caine
Why? Caine is hard to pin down in any field of battle. His guns are deadly at any range and quite capable of blasting his way through half an army in one turn before 'flashing' out of harms reach, leaving you with the task of rebuilding your force and trying a new attack. However beneath the image of the womanizing, boozing gun slinger that has been his calling card since military service lies a patriotic no less zealot then Commander Stryker himself! A one man army who will not rest until his kingdom is safe from outside forces and those within trying to bring down a good king.
The only way to stop Caine in the end?
A pint of ale and a tight cosette!

Raukromen
04-06-2010, 05:03 AM
For my money, you can't get better than Captain Allister Caine of Cygnar. While the rest of the faction's casters are shiny and polished, Allister is the devillish rogue. He's Han Solo, James Bond, and Mal Reynolds all rolled into one. He operates outside of the normal rules, he does what needs to be done, what others are too afraid or just plain unable to do - often, things that end up with severe consequences for him, but he's no less willing to do them.

And, on the tabletop, his playstyle reflects this - he's a very risky, unforgiving character to play. And, where many of the other warcasters rely on synergies with the rest of their army, Allister needs nothing more than a straight line to the enemy to launch his all-or-nothing attack. In my experience, using him makes for a very dramatic game, where everything hangs on a knife-edge, where a single dice roll can dictate the outcome. That's what makes the game exciting for me, and what makes Caine my favourite warcaster.

gaias.streiter
04-06-2010, 05:28 AM
I Love the Retribution Warcaster Adeptis Rahn because of the fantastic Mini and the playability in the Game.
He is my favorite!
GS

WindlordRyu
04-06-2010, 06:00 AM
Coleman Stryker.

He's the leader of the Storm Division. He "tamed" an old grumpy robot. And when he rushes in to save Caine from an army of Menites he doesn't bring any support other than Ol' Rowdy.

In game he can cause havoc without dealing any damage or smash anything in melee depending on what version of him you're playing.

I also like the model.

Kolmastoista
04-06-2010, 06:34 AM
As a Menoth player, my favourite warcaster of the day is Feora. I have always liked the fiery theme of the Protectorate army, and what would be more suitable for that if not our lovely, hot chick? An age-old pun, excuse me, but that blazing fire is the reason for my choice. What would be a better way for a heretic to die than burning alive?

Patricula
04-06-2010, 06:42 AM
I'm a fan of The Old Witch and Scrapjack. She may not be the best caster but she and her cobbled together 'jack definitely have the most personality!

Can't you just picture that rickety machine standing on a guy pinning him to the ground or a swarm of crows swooping in pecking a soldier to death!?

Silopolis
04-06-2010, 07:01 AM
Iron Lich Asphyxious, mostly because he can finish a game on his own, regardless of my army, which means I can bring whatever cool models I feel like bringing and still win. ;)

He's also a druid who tossed himself into a volcano to prove his loyalty to Toruk, which is pretty hardcore. And I have my best record with him: All the times I've played him, I think I've lost once.

sgtchatterbox
04-06-2010, 07:13 AM
I am going to have to go with Adeptis Rahn for my fav caster. Put him with some mittens and watch the guy on the otherside of the table hang their heads in doubt.

Martianbanshee
04-06-2010, 07:19 AM
I don't yet have a favorite. I've been going to college at night and didn't have time to play. I am interested in getting some feedback on which faction I'd like to play.

robroberson
04-06-2010, 07:45 AM
Karchev the terrible. Such a cool idea for a warcaster where he is half jack himself. Not the best warcaster out there, but some of the best flavour, that and he is rather imposing on any gaming table. One of my favourite models in the game by far.

pchappel
04-06-2010, 07:50 AM
I'd have to say tht CPT Caine is my favorite... With the Arcane Tempest Gun Mages, makes for a very fast, mobile shooting force, fun to play...

WhiteDragon
04-06-2010, 07:51 AM
My favorite is Kara Sloan, because her play stile is to hunt down and kill warcaster and her mad gun range and dmg helps to do that.

Zizzlebit
04-06-2010, 08:50 AM
I got to say I love Goreshade and his Deathwalker. I like to think of it like a Romeo and Juliet mixed with Gorge A Ramaro and Takshi Miike (two Directors of horror films). I know there's some hate on the Privateer Press forums on him, but hear me out. I know this has been said in the past but it needs to be said again, He's a giant undead elf that carriers around a sword that makes hot goth chick. And in MKII he starts out with hot goth chick which is even better. As long as she's alive you basically get an auto pass tough roll that doesn't knock down. I don't know how many times that has saved my ***. Looking at his feat it might seem lack luster, but again that has saved my *** by blocking charge lanes, and giving things -2arm, not to mention if you need it 6 extra guys that can scrap that annoying jack in one turn on the charge. I think Mageblite is the best spell ever. I have locked down many a caster with that spell, and if not lock them down, forced them to feat early making them less effective with theirs. I love the look of the model, and his Deathwalker. I actually like the spell list and I don't find them boring (although I do use a Deathjack to cast some of them like HexBlast). He is my favorite caster and I swear he always works for me. Serving the Dragon father for many years to come Goreshade the *******.

Knight_actual
04-06-2010, 08:53 AM
Darius

, because he clomps around in a giant power armor and brings lots of heavy warjack friends with him!

Xylon
04-06-2010, 09:03 AM
My Favorite warcaster is Skarre, She is a Pirate who can see the future in the entrails of her victims.

Coffeeswiller
04-06-2010, 09:17 AM
My favorite warcaster is Lich Lord Asphyxious. The model way a joy (and challenge!) to paint, and just looks fearsome and menacing on a battelfield.

darthgus
04-06-2010, 10:04 AM
I have to say I really like Magnus the Traitor. All because he is loyal to the TRUE king of Cygnar, who in turn is a kick *** bad hat. Cygnar would never have been in this mess in the first place if Vinter had stayed on the throne!

TKO540
04-06-2010, 10:06 AM
Favorite 'caster, By far Caine. Huge help to people that love that heavy shooty armies. I had a great time painting his Captain version for a friend.

brownbear0605
04-06-2010, 10:10 AM
Karchev all day and twice on Tuesdays, local Warmachine night. Tow up to three jacks that can fire as though they hadn't moved, or stand together in in your own personal mosh pit and get a DEF bonus based on the number of jacks in base-to-base, sweet. He can't always run up into other warcasters' faces and beat them to a bloody pulp, but man is the Sunder war axe bad-on-a-stick when he starts to crash into Cygie warcasters.

I could write a cookbook of ways that he can hurt anything in the Warmachine realms.

I like that since he isn't a warjack, he doesn't sweat the Retribution bonuses against warjacks for damage. He can be repaired as if he were a warjack by Mechaniks and can save himself by being able to heal his body line with focus. He can run for an extra two inches and gains pathfinder for it with his Archanic turbine or give himself a very much needed focus point instead.

His model is one of the most dramatic and beatiful figures in the game. I went so far as to change his pose and add a torn out Mangler warjack arm clutched in his open fist to take it a little further.

I can't see Khadoran life without "Special K." He's an obscene wrecking machine. :D

HellecticMojo
04-06-2010, 10:17 AM
I'm a huge fan of Karchev. His model drew me into warmachine and khador in general since mk1
I've always liked jacks, and the berserker being one of my favorites I needed a caster that I could utilize it to its fullest Karchev was the answer. The current karchev is even more rocking now and when I have to visit someone far away to have a match Karcheve's small army of jacks are a godsend in terms of packing.

also spraying shockwave with an axe is pretty damn awesome too.

realevilgenius
04-06-2010, 10:25 AM
Kommander Strakhov hasn't let me down since I first picked him up. Giving Khador 'Jacks a speed boost is insane. Strakhov signle-handledy gives you the ability to get to your Jacks to your opponents faces to begin the OM NOM NOM NOM.

Bonehead
04-06-2010, 10:34 AM
Skarre, Queen of the Broken Coast. I like her much more in MKII because now I'm not focusing on getting the "Skarre Bomb" off but on creatively using her abilities to support her battlegroup and troops and actually laying the beat-down herself when need be.

thebluebaron
04-06-2010, 10:35 AM
I've always been partial to Magnus. He's a ruthless man who was fighting for his true king. Heck, he has made awesome warjacks from little more than other nations scrap. And besides, anybody who can force Cain to throw away his magelocks is good in my book

r166
04-06-2010, 10:42 AM
My favorite caster has to be Mortenebra hands down. After playing only one faction, Cygnar, since I first started I took a dip to the dark side of the pool and started Cryx. Cryx has forced me to be a more aggressive (and better) player. I love jacks so Mortenebra was the obvious choice for me. I've since racked up a pretty good winning streak with her.

majestycreator
04-06-2010, 10:46 AM
Major Markus "Siege" Brisbane is the coolest warcaster in all of Immoren. In terms of story, he is often left out, but this doesn't diminish his awesomeness or his impact upon the world. There is little to argue against when it comes to his accomplishments. He orchestrated the breaching of the walls of Sul, for Morrow's sake! His unrelenting and precise bombardment brought low the walls that even the Orgoth couldn't circumvent.

Looking at game mechanics, I find that Siege has an unequaled presence on the game table. His array of options allows him to tackle any threat I have come across. It is this ability to handle all comers without regard to the other models in my army list that makes him the most effective warcaster on the battlefield. Siege, with his spells, weapons, and feat, ensures that no matter what models I choose to include with him, the opponent's army will have a hard fight. Lots of warrior models? All warjacks? Terrain in the way? Other models in the way? Stealth? Heavy Armor? No problem. Siege tackles it all.

Siege is Cygnar's ambassador of name-taking.

rstauch
04-06-2010, 10:52 AM
Major Markus "Siege" Brisbane is my favorite caster. He was the first War caster I purchased after my battle box. He is in your face and you have to respect him on the table. If you won’t come to him he will just chase you with his steam cannon. I also love the sculpt.

Raimius
04-06-2010, 10:53 AM
Welcome to the BoLS Lounge Privateer Press fans, and make yourselves at home. Today's question is:

Tell us who is your favorite warcaster and why?

Good Luck everybody!

I will shamefully admit to a "geek crush" on Deneghra. She's the first Cryx caster I ever used, as I purchased the battle box started to being my history with Cryx. I find she's an excellent toolbox of spells and abilities. She's not the front line type of caster, but I have always liked treating my force as sort of an entity in the whole. Not just a caster delivery system.

Also, her back story is great. I really started Warmachine with Cygnar, and played Haley primarily. I like the twins.

~Raimius

LordGorilla
04-06-2010, 10:55 AM
Magnus the Traitor has always been my favourite Caster.

He was always hard to use in MkI but fun, now in MkII he's incredible.

Being able to upkeep for free on his battlegroup makes him focus efficient. Put "Iron Aggression" on the Mangler and watch it Thresher a unit off the battlefield. Vanguard with Temper Metal = 21 Arm Shield Guard. Nomad is also a good recipient of IA. A Sniped Mule or Mariner!! Beautiful things all!

Long Gunners who are just as good for Magnus as they are for Cygnar...

The list goes on...

Magnus is the Man!

blackdeath87
04-06-2010, 10:59 AM
The coven is my current favorite warcaster. An 18 inch control area can mess up your opponents plan and they can stay way back and still be in the game. Also they can jun their jack's hot making sure that there will be a lot of crunching metal.

dysynchtor
04-06-2010, 11:01 AM
The High Reclaimer, for two reasons. One, My wife liked the new model enough that she finally started playing Warmachine and thus brought much peace and harmony to the household by waging make believe war on the table top. Two, how can you not like a hulking brute who mercilessly burns nonbelievers to ash and uses their souls as fuel to beat enemy warjacks into scrap?

Baron Von Chaos
04-06-2010, 11:08 AM
My favorite Warcaster, the best Warcaster is going to have to be Severius.

Grand Scrutator Severius is a General in his own right. Amazing spells. Awesome power list. Fantastic ability of being untargettable by spells.

I absolutely enjoy Severius and his play style as he is totally the General of the army. Any General on the front lines is a General looking to get killed. Easily he leads his army to victory with a battery of excellent spells. Great buffing abilites, even in his venerable state. The power to bend people to the will of Menoth is just one of the easy talents he has. Bending even the sturdiest of heretics to the will of Menoth with just his presence. The fact that he's 80+ years old is even better. Talk about a total die hard. Severius makes no excuse from being old. His glory is in serving his creator to the bitter end. Conviction drives him. Faith powers him. Wit saves him. Confidence guides him.

No other Warcaster is as hardcore as the Grand Scrutator Severius.

On the more simple side, his spells rock, his abilities are fun, and his play style is right up my alley. Totally the leader who sits at the back and points and his followers do his bidding.

Iluzagin
04-06-2010, 11:34 AM
For me the favorite warcaster is Captain Phinneas Shae.

I have always love the mid 20th century swashbuckling movies, so when PP released their privateers my interest was tickled. When I saw the model of Shae I was bated. The model shows the same type of iconography that all the heroes of the swashbuckle movies had. Bravado, elegance, deadly ruthlesness, beautiful.

I got the model, and the rules. And I was pleased with what I got. The model plays like a swashbuckling hero. He's capable of playing a very varied list type. From jack heavy to infantry heavy. His spellls give you a nice toolkit, all the time adding to the general swashbuckling feel.

And then there is the fluff. The story in No Quarter 11 about how Shae turned pirate is Swashbuckling as it should be. Turned pirate by a corrupt company, not by choice. Now on a quest for vengeance. Loved it.

Thus, hook line and sinker, Talion Charter has been my prime choice for an army since. And with the character the army brings fun is there all the way. Add to that his private cannon, the Commodore, and then try to beat that. Fun.

Cheers,
Zagin

Warsmith_Kaile
04-06-2010, 11:41 AM
Favorite Warcaster? Thats a tough one...though in the end I would have to go with Goreshade, the Cursed. There is just something about a tragic hero hell bent to a mission despite all opposition that just seems classic to me. Here is an elf who has already damned himself by becoming undead, so that he can continue his mad attempts to save his dying people.

In the end he may be going about it the wrong way, but as he sees it, he is going to save his people whether they want this salvation or not, and woe be to any who would be foolish enough to get in his way, God or no-God.

And any way, the man has God-sword.

Do you has God-sword?!?

No, I, I thought not.

azekio
04-06-2010, 11:48 AM
I find it really hard not to like Allistair Caine - part Han Solo, part inspector "Tequila" Yeun from hard boiled, with a dash of clint east woods the man with no name he's a rollicking, cinematic bad *** Anti hero with a big heart and a bad attitude. the fact that i also really like the model helps. lets face it who her can honestly say they haven't, at some point wanted to spin through the air with a pistol in each hand?

drahken
04-06-2010, 11:48 AM
Lich Lord Venethrax, I am new to the game and still learning the complexities, so my reason is I just like the way he looks.

Atlemar
04-06-2010, 12:22 PM
The Butcher of Khardov is my favorite warcaster, because I enjoy his motivation -- protecting the Motherland. I like to emphasize the Escalation side-quest, in which he just wanted to kill the pilgrims, because they were traitors. It's okay to be Menite, as long as you remember you're Khadoran first! Playing the Butcher makes it easy to adopt the character for "role-playing" as I play the game, especially against Menoth (obviously).

Calibretto
04-06-2010, 12:27 PM
Again, despite all the new warcasters with their mp3's and hulahoop's i have to go with the old favorite Lich Lord Asphyxious. I love pretty much everything about the guy. I love his powermongering self, the big brass ones he must have to not only have become an Iron Lich (flinging himself into a volcano) but to use the Harbinger as a gate to Urcaen and turn Daemortus into a weapon and take his place. I love his little crush on Deneghra and his old effected accent. The guy never lacks for a plan. Thats not even mentioning his effectiveness game-wise. Whether decimating lightly armored troops with his feat, making man-o-wars killable with parasite, or trashing something himself via hellfire or his voulge he has an answer for everything. Ill take the OG lich lord!

teknolaiz
04-06-2010, 12:36 PM
I definitely have to choose Karchev the Terrible. This is EXACTLY why I play Khador. He is a force to be reckoned with and his model reflects that. When I field Karchev it's almost like saying 'come and get it, i dare you' . Throw in some jacks to create one of his tiered lists and you have something unique and devastating!

Zhedor
04-06-2010, 12:39 PM
High Executioner Servath Reznik, Hands down. Even though I keep losing with him more often than winning. He's a fairly straightforward Caster, with a definite leaning towards being a beatstick, and Iron Aggression combines nicely with my own preference for Jack Heavy Lists. And in our Gaming Group Witch Hound and Perdition have quickly been renamed "The Board is shorter than you think"

Toruk
04-06-2010, 12:43 PM
The glaring gaze from his blind eyeholes pierce the clouds of darkest shadows that follow every one of his movements. He is surrounded by the moaning souls of his latests victims and no one can withstand his manipulative powers when he executes the great dragons orders. A sweeping gesture, and a horde of etherial warriors manifest within the shadows and engage everything that tries to withstand his might. He is a Lichlord and death itself follows his commands.

I am talking about the epic Lich Lord Asphyxious. I love the models design, and his fluff. He is what i would most likely call a true Lichlord and his powers make him a swiss army knife in the ranks of the cryxian army. And his feat proves worthy of a true necromancer.

Wargamer Lester
04-06-2010, 12:45 PM
My favorite warcaster? Tough question as I like many across all factions. If I had to pick one, it would probably be Alexander Karchev if only because I relate to him as a handicapped man myself. Rarely do handicapped people take an important role in fiction, and I applaud that.

loftybloke
04-06-2010, 12:55 PM
My Favourite Warcaster is Dawnlord Vyros. When I first came across the Retribution on the PP website, it was the Dawnguard that drew me to the faction, and I began my journey into the Iron Kingdoms. Vyros exudes everything about the Dawnguard, his bulky armour, his huge sword, and the Spells he uses, even his feat add to the feeling of rank upon rank of dawnguard advancing across the battlefield, supported by his Warjacks feeding of the marshall prowess of the infantry uinder his feat.
For me, Vyros has a lot of individual character as well, his eypatch and scar from his confrontation with Ghyrrshyld, who of course later becomes Goreshade the *******, are a reminder of his part of Immoren's history. How different would the Iron Kingdoms be if Vyros had managed to best Goreshade, and slay him, or even if Goreshade had overpowered Vyros and escaped unharmed.
The Birdseye special rule helps to reinforce his status as a noble, in the sense that medieval knights used to hunt with falcon's for sport. This reinforces Vyros as a high ranking nobleman in Ios, and the fact that he has turned this pursuit to his advantage in war adds to his character as leader of the dawnguard.

That's it really, Dawnlord Vyros oozes character, and really helps me get into the "fluff" of each game I play. Warmachine is a very cinematic game (at least i think it is :)) and vyros is a big part of this for me

Cheers
Lofty

osloco
04-06-2010, 01:15 PM
I have been loving Xerxis lately. The model is amazing, two maces the size of most unit troopers, and he's huge. His play style is good for me too,he is a beatstick who can crush Jacks, buff my units, and be a pain in the *** in general! WoO!

Bloodwind
04-06-2010, 01:18 PM
Karchev the Terrible is the warcaster that almost seduced me away from Circle when I started. One day I will have the metal monster, he is a juggernaut of destruction. I am so glad his rules reflect his destructiveness in MkII, the wall of Metal will make a nice change from my circle.

Ironbudha
04-06-2010, 01:22 PM
I have been playing Warmachine from the original release of MKI. From the moment I started, I have only had one true love for a caster. Her name is Sorscha. Not only was/is she one of the most powerful casters from the inception of the game, powerful spells and a kick-@$$ feat. She has a love loss story that many can relate to. The pain of her story has transformed her into the caster she is. Cold hearted. Just the way I play. She is the embodiement of the Khadorian spirit and commands her armies as such.

Even though she has been tweaked here and there, she's still the caster that I will always play, win or lose, summer or winter. Every tournament I have attended, she has been a first pick caster for me. She has brought me many a victory, and climatic failures too. Through thick and thin (and a divorce), I have played her so throughly I barely have to think while playing her. She has become a a feared caster in my hands. Together we will take back the lands of the Khadoran people.

~IB.

Blkswrdsman
04-06-2010, 01:51 PM
My Favorite warcaster is hands down Goreshade the *******. In the fluff Goreshade was a mix of two hard core badass types of psychopaths, a mad scientist and a berserk blood crazed warrior. However, those paths he took caused him to become an eldritch an alienate himself from ios. Also he is a great supporting villain for the Iron Lich. In the game, he has the the best feat in the game, he can die more than once, he is good in combat and he has the death walker's support. He's got ho's yo. Even if the death walker dies she'll always come back, (Goreshade the ladies man) . Goreshade's feat gives him the ability to call in a posse to back him up. He is like a mafioso.

lobbo18
04-06-2010, 01:51 PM
He's big. He's scary. He's sorta dead. And he's ready for anything.

My favorite caster right now is good old Asphyxious. He's somehow both straightforward to play and full of Cryxy trix at the same time. He's solid in melee, solid at flinging spells, and has some simple but effective buffs/debuffs to throw around. His mobility with teleport will never cease to annoy your opponent, and his unpredictable feat will keep them guessing (until they are dead anyway).

Also love his new model! Go go Gaspy!

kalstrai
04-06-2010, 02:09 PM
May sound weird, but I've never actually played warmachine, however I am a huge fan of finely scupted models.I've always put getting a starter set since I didn't have the space to paint BUT now we do, so I'm planning on going full bore.

I play MW and, specifically bannson raiders whose biggest game mechanic is repairability. I can really, really relate to a warcaster that goes to war with a wrench and a gun. Also how isn't he one of the coolest looking models in the game?

John!

Brinjolfur Owens
04-06-2010, 02:37 PM
As for me I like Koldun Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova warcaster from Khador. why you ask?

who wouldn't want a warcaster who has a banishing ward to take away enemy upkeep spells from your units and make them immune to other spells that turn and not only that but get a good focus, WJ+ bonus and artifacts to help your spellcasting

and last but not least her feat is increadible for being able to stop anything within her ctrl zone from making any type of action for one turn. As for the warcaster herself? who dosen't like a hot ruthless kommander to get the job done?

Mobile
04-06-2010, 03:15 PM
I started with Khador, but the fine game eventually lead me to Menoth. It's all about Kreoss. Big bad friggen Kreoss.

I picked him before I knew what his abilities were, or anything beyond his blurb in prime. Beside the love I formed for exemplar in all forms, Kreoss was a manifestation of my values. This man is proud and strong. He knows what he wants to serve: Menoth and the Harbinger, yet duty compels him to serve the nefarious deeds of Severius.

He fights, not because he wants to punish the foolish Cygnarans. Not to please the Grand Scrutator. He fights for Menoth's will, to show exactly what an exemplar should be. In a faction of maniacal fanatics, Kreoss is a calm, reasonable pillar of strength.

Plus, him and Harby seem to be buds, which is cool. :D

Godstalker33
04-06-2010, 03:23 PM
i'm not much of writer, i'm not that good at this so here it goes, hope everyone understand this

well, i havent played WM for a long time cuz i had to sell all of my Khador Army due to money problem but the reason i choose The Butcher cuz he was my First warcaster, i love his history and the story of how he got his title "The Butcher", and the way he's posed while holding his beloved Ax "Lola" which no one know why he gave it's name, and how the Empress used him as a tool and a reminder not to mess around.....

his feats on two of his cards was nasty with the right spells which makes him unstopable plus his high hit point... his spell is awesome, the way he can help himself and his 'jacks for a nasty beating to anyone that stand his way but as for MKII stats, i dont know how much differents he is now since i cant afford to buy the books and models, hoping to buy them back someday....



Jason Weimer

Greggle
04-06-2010, 03:30 PM
I am in love with the Old Witch!

As a part of Khador, she doesn't prescribe to some of the modern parts, but she definitely serves the nation in her own way. I love that the Circle Orboros druids stay away from her because she uses similar powers.

Her abilities play similar to Circle, but she has so much fun variety (CLOUD OF CROWS!) that playing with her is a lot of fun.

RetributionBomb
04-06-2010, 04:19 PM
My favorite warcaster is Kaelyssa. She has a beautiful model that has very nice details such as the way her belt hangs and how she wears her cloak. I love the design of her Rune Cannon and find her posture is very simple but perfect for a Warcaster leading an army. I found the pieces of her fluff to be some of the best part of the Forces of Warmachine: Retribution book, and some of the best warcaster fluff to date. Unlike most other warcasters who are grizzled veterans, hardened by war or personalities that haven't been explored, Kaelyssa seems to hold an air of youth and innocence despite being a skilled warcaster and Mage Hunter. I also find the scene detailing her chase of Zerkova and the way it used her spell list and abilities was a great read. I believe she is the Retribution Warcaster with the most character and I look forward to see more. I also believe her abilities in game are well done, both powerful but nothing to crazy and unbalanced. Her feat is a perfect defensive ability and fits her fluff as a mage hunter, as do her unique abilities.

lordbubonicus
04-06-2010, 04:40 PM
Hmm, a hard choice. Being a Cryx player I'm obviously a fan of their warcasters, but I also have a penchant for some of the other factions' warcasters as well. Do I choose based on the model's aesthetics, the character's background and behaviour as described in the setting, or the way that they play on the tabletop. Such a hard choice, with each category having a different winner. I like the way the Cryx warcasters play, particularly Skarre1, but not how they come across in the background. I love the idea of the High Reclaimer/Testament, and I quite like the model , but the play style doesn't quite sound as though it's for me.

In the end, I think that my favourite warcaster has to be Lieutenant Allister Caine (Caine1). I think that the model, whether the original or the recent update (or indeed his epic version ,Captain Caine) is superb and really captures the gunslinger attitude and style. In the background he's a maverick, sarcastic, strongly independent and disruptive to his own side; I feel that his story and background channels the classic Wild West cowboy/gunslinger, but gives it a great Iron Kingdoms twist. He seems like a cross between Indiana Jones and Stephen King's gunslinger, which is great. Finally, although I've never played him, his playstyle seems like it would be a lot of fun; flashing around all over the place in a blur spitting bullets. I think it says something that one of the few Warmachine armies I've considered starting outside of Cryx is a Gunmage themed list.

Critical
04-06-2010, 05:55 PM
Captain Phinneus Shae - Mercenary Privateer Warcaster.

Of all the models in the Iron Kingdoms Shae epitomizes not just the game of Warmachine, but the whole realm of steam punk that the iron kingdoms encompasses. He is a Pirate/Privateer who was betrayed and then claimed his revenge, a ship, and a crew. He doesn't fight for a nation, he fights against the company. The man who threw him overboard? Yeah, check out the BIG cannon, there he is!

Shae is one of the few characters whose fighting style is really described by the rules. He leaps into action and engages many foes at once, defeating them all and pushing back those who resist. Knock him down and he has the fancy moves to survive.

His spells are not a slouch either, as he rallies his troops forward in a rush of pirates and Warjacks blitzing into the enemy. Add the ability to lend god like combat and defensive abilities and the protection of clouds and the awesome knock-down and back spell.

But Shae is not just Shae, he is also the Commodore! The Commodore can only be included in an army with Shae and rightly so since it is feared by anyone who has suffered from it's fire!

Shae, he's every movie pirate hero wrapped up in pure awesome, and the best caster in Warmachine.

Cheers!
Critical

Nickster8414
04-06-2010, 05:57 PM
I am all about Khador and all about the motherland. So my favorite is Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova. I've always like a good story of secret and unknown cultures that have that spice of magic, and mystery. Also while battling with Aleksandra I have found that I use everything that she's got. I have played with Irusk and Sorscha, but I never used all their abilities (and have failed more battles playing them). More than once has Watcher come into play and saved mine/her behind. Always good to have my handy Destroyer warjack right on her side.

chopa
04-06-2010, 06:10 PM
My favorite caster is hands down Nemo. Crotchety old men are awesome in most all settings, and old guys who control lightning are even sweeter! Sure he's the frailest caster ever, but the fun of chain lightning and possible 10 focus is sweet as heck. When playing the old mk. 1 bonejack swarms few things were more satisfying than frying their whole army on the feat round.
Plus his original figure was a Kev White fig, and being a rabid Kev White fanboy I can't not like it.

Husker010
04-06-2010, 06:13 PM
My favorite Warcaster is Jeremiah Kraye. Cygnar has some of the best ranged models/units in the game. Kraye makes my already good ranged warjacks even better.

TheBeastman
04-06-2010, 06:27 PM
pVlad - with BoK and S&P, he is a pure monster when it comes to sheer destruction. More dice = more carnage. Also, he is a nice jack caster and I never would want to play Infantrymachine.

brickrock121
04-06-2010, 06:30 PM
As I place the miniature down on the table before me I feel a familiar sensation… My head tells me to put him back into the gaming case, to hide him deep away so that the yearning cannot penetrate my being, but my heart urges me once more to succumb to the madness.

Every turn presents it’s own epic struggle, a heroic effort of will to hold back the rage; and yet there it lies just beneath the surface, waiting. It is a torment barely controlled and kept in check, only to be released at precisely the right moment, when each element is in position bearing down on the enemy, whoever it may be. Every manoeuvre leads to that one exquisite moment of terrible release, a torrent of destruction that drives every ‘jack, every soldier to become a blunt instrument of unparalleled destruction.

The enemies of the motherland are driven back in shock and fear as the red tide crashes in, the giant madman who wields a massive axe at its centre cutting bloody swathes through their ranks. And I, the architect of it all cannot help but laugh as my enemies are crushed utterly, for in that moment I too have succumbed to the infectious insanity of my favourite caster: THE BUTCHER.

Peacelord
04-06-2010, 06:32 PM
The Cryx immediately drew me into Warmachine with their sinister malevolence and Deneghra, my favourite warcaster by far, presented a brilliant embodiment of what an evil leader of the Cryx should be; throughly cruel through and through, her humanity buried under the hurt and hatred she has unleashed upon the Iron Kingdoms. The idea of a dark seductress ruling the battlefield has immense appeal for me in terms of Warmachine's fluff, and I love that she was twisted and formed into the beautiful killer she has become now by Asphyxious.

As a warcaster, her powers fit ABSOLUTELY her background too, what with Influence being able to lure men into fighting for her through her dark seductions. With The Withering and Crippling Grasp in her arsenal too, she possesses sorcerous tools of torturous brutality, slowly squeezing the will out of her opponents as she exerts a stranglehold on the enemy. With a legion of pet bonejacks scuttling about being her eyes and arc nodes, she fights like a lady would; wily, canny, always dancing out of reach, but when she strikes, it cripples, chokes and wears you down with venemous intent.

This dark Lady of the Cryx wins my vote for favourite warcaster!

sertaff
04-06-2010, 07:00 PM
My favorite is the original dwarf Gorten Grundback. With only five focus he is greatly underestimated. His feat and solid ground is stupendus. I once killed Eriyss with the feat (landsliding something off of a cliff is always fun). Also he is a true merc, fighting for money not for some ideal or country or king. He helps his Rulic kin out of kindness and for the money.

Gorten Grundback is the man, er dwarf.:D

gjallerhorn
04-06-2010, 07:58 PM
My favorite warcaster is Orsus Zoktavir. The very embodiment of rage, he tears across the battlefield trashing friend and foe alike. A monster of a man who wears the hull of a warjack as his armor. The only thing more painful than the wounds his enemies receive from him is the knowledge that they were killed by a weapon called Lola.

His variable focus is always a fun time, too.

waspinator21
04-06-2010, 08:53 PM
My favorite Casters would have to be the Witch Coven. I don't remember much of their fluff from the books, but I love the way they play on the table as support casters for cryx. I have not won a game with them yet, but the reason I love them is because of the versatility involved with them. The Coven allows for not one, but three activations with the warcaster, and that means more options when playing. If needed they allow you to cast a spell such as ghost walk on one unit, and then you can activate that unit only to activate another member of the coven to cast ghost walk on something else. The fact is that their spells and special rules result in a support caster unlike any other in the game, and that is why I like them.

Zergo
04-06-2010, 08:57 PM
Heh, gotta love free stuff.

My favorite warcaster is pStryker. He's a workhorse, pure and simple. I learned how to play Cygnar with him, and I keep going back to him. He doesn't have a lot of flash, but he gets the job done. That kind of reliability lets me get a little more "out there" with other elements of the army, knowing that I can fall back on good ol' Coleman Stryker.

Plus, he's got a sweet action figure.

-Zergo

Phalanx
04-06-2010, 09:35 PM
My favorite warcaster would have to be Mortenebra. As a new player I don't yet have her, but I plan on purchasing her right after I get the Deathjack. The place where I bought my models didn't have any of either of them in stock at the time so I had bought other models so I would be able to start playing the game.

When I first saw the Mortenebra model back in September I though she looked rather interesting while I liked the sound of the title of Master Necrotech. At the time, though, I didn't think too much about her as I was a bit more interested in the Deathjack model (Sorry, Mortenebra....), but once MK II came out I started looking at different warcasters and models to plan out an army to purchase. I came across several threads about Mortenebra and about how she works well with 'jacks (one of the big draws for me towards Warmachine). As time went on I managed to get a hold of the warmachine field test rules and I found the rules for her very interesting. I like the idea of having a warcaster who can repair my 'jacks, and after reading about how useful slamming is it seems that not being able to be knocked down is a very nice bonus. But the rules are not really why I like her.

My biggest draw to Mortenebra is her fluff. I recently discovered her background and that she is a former priestess of Cyriss, the clockwork goddess. I've always had a big interest in machines and how things work. Stuff like that is part of why I chose to take engineering in university (only a few months until I graduate!). She builds things and she has done a lot for the industry of Cryx. She has built factories, helljacks, bonejacks, and when you think about it she likely even had a lot to do with the "taming" of the Deathjack (though we all know it will never be fully tamed...) due to her position. She's a mad scientist and that's awesome. Nemo doesn't even come close to Mortenebra in my opinion. He's too nice. Mortenebra and her cold, unfeeling logic all the way.

She is like a machine- basing her action on pure unfeeling logic rather than any kind of emotions. She is more than willing to do anything to further how own ends. She dissected and Iron Lich in order to learn how it works and perfect clock work bodies to transfer people into because what she had found before wasn't good enough for her. If that isn't awesome, what is? All hail the Fleshless Maiden.

I also really like the picture of her in Legends. If I had any decent ability with photoshop I would make a wallpaper out of that picture and the picture of the Deathjack in Apotheosis. It would be awesome.