Hello folks, and I hope you had a happy holiday!
Anyway, today we’re going to cover the Neverborn. A group of monsters and nightmarish horrors that inhabited Malifaux long before people, and isn’t too fond of them on their turf.
Lilith, Mother of Monsters
First, we come to the poster child of the Neverborn. Lilith is the resident nature spirit of Malifaux, and is keen on removing the human population from her world as fast as possible. She wields a wicked sword, and has control over Malifaux itself, causing vines to twist and the very ground to move. Following her are her nephilim, horrible bloodthirsty monsters. The Terror Tots are small and fragile, but can shred a man to pieces quickly. They can even gorge on the blood of their victims and grow into bigger and more horrifying forms. Barbaros is a Nephilim warrior, who wields a mean weapon and savage attacks. And don’t be fooled by the Malifaux Cherub, it’s a nasty little bow wielding monster!
Lilith is a pretty good choice for players new to the Neverborn. She’s strong and resilient, and the Tots are capable of good damage, even if they can’t take much themselves. If you like monsters, and playing with nature itself, Lilith is a fun choice. She can even summon trees!
Pandora
Pandora might seem innocent enough, but she’s there to drive you crazy. No really. Pandora is the avatar of insanity, and leaving people in quivering, babbling heaps is what she does best. She’ll scare you witless, she’ll make people have to use their willpower just to attack her, and when they can’t, the madness racks up, eventually killing her foes. Candy is also adept at causing hesitation and madness, and is just as quick to offer sweets from her basket as she is to stab you with a pair of scissors. Baby Kade is a knife wielding baby, and it doesnt get much scarier than that. As for the Sorrows, they’re Pandora’s best friends, and are there to add further torment.
Pandora is a very unique master. She excels at forcing enemies into various tests of willpower, and forces them to take damage when they fail. These tests can add up quickly and overwhelm enemies. She is rather fragile though. But very powerful. A good choice if you’re slightly more advanced, or want to learn a really unique style!
The Dreamer
A young boy that doesn’t reside in Malifaux. The Dreamer projects himself into Malifaux, and believes that the strange world is simply a dream. He’s childish, and is as cruel as kids can be, treating his victims as mere figments of his imagination. He’s accompanied by Lord Chompy Bits, a huge purple monster from Malifaux itself. Chompy is adept at tearing enemies to pieces with his claws and teeth, while the Dreamer himself can summon other nightmares to the battle. One of his favorites is Teddy, a gigantic teddy bear with huge claws and fangs. He has also been seen in the company of the Stitched Together, horrible puppets made of sacks of meat and bugs. They can dig their hooks into enemies, and exude a creepy fog to protect their crew.
The Dreamer is another slightly tricky crew. His style is all about burying his nightmares, and having them reappear in key positions to wreak havoc on the enemy, by either killing them or inflicting statuses on them. As such, he might not the first choice for a new player, but he’s cool and fun, so maybe he can be a good first pick.
Collodi
The puppet master himself, Collodi run a travelling puppet show out of his wagon. His minions are various dolls and puppets, each armed with tiny claws that are surprisingly good at rending flesh. Collodi himself has an extra set of arms and claws himself, but is more likely to hang back, pulling tje strings of his tiny minions and making them flit around the battlefield, or performing a variety of other useful tasks to support them. His key minions are Mannequins, who can even keep Collodi from taking damage, and Wicked Dolls, who are there to attack anyone who dares get near. There are a variety of other puppets in Malifaux that he can take as well, from the Stitched Together to the mysterious Effigies. He can even get support from the Widow Weaver, a horrifying spider woman who is adept at sewing and making dolls of her own.
Collodi is a good choice for the player who wants to play with dolls. Dolls are super creepy. And Collodi can be an overwhelming force when used correctly.
Zoraida
The big Z herself, Zoraida is an ancient Neverborn that was once a human being. She lives in the swamps of Malifaux, using her powers of divination to see the road that lies ahead for her world. When forced into combat, Z can be a master manipulator, messing with your opponent’s head. She can take control of enemies and force them to do her bidding, and even turn into a raven for more battlefield mobility. She brings a variety of minions with her, like the slimy and sharp-clawed Silurids, or voodoo dolls. Bad Juju is also seen with her, and he’s a huge mass of swamp goo and garbage come to life, and is a tough monster to take down.
Zoraida has also been rallying the Gremlins to action, and has gained Gremlins as a faction choice as well, making her another dual faction master. You can play with her little swamp monsters, or her little green friends!
Zoraida is a fun and efficient master to play. If screwing with fate itself is your cup of tea, she’s a great choice for a master.
Jakob Lynch
Jakob is the consummate gambler. He takes big risks, and often loses just as big. He is the owner of the prosperous Honeypot Casino in Malifaux, and that prosperity is a huge change of pace for him. He joined forces with an ancient Neverborn monster called the Hungering Darkness, and uses the casino as a feeding ground for his new friend. His crew spreads a substance called Brilliance, and it’s highly addictive and corrupting. The Beckoners are employees of the casino, and they also spread Brilliance to their victims, setting them up for devouring by their hungry master. The Illuminated are Brilliance junkies that have hardened the substance into deadly weapons. Mr. Graves and Mr. Tannen are two employees that don’t come in the box, but are perfect for his crew. Graves is a large angry bald man who acts as the Casino’s bouncer, and he really enjoys his job. Mr. Tannen is a creepy little weasel of a man, who seems to carry a streak of infectious bad luck with him. But both of them are really Neverborn in clever disguises.
Lynch can be a tricky crew to play. His main mechanic is spreading Brilliance to enemies, then causing them to suffer for it. He also has a lot of hand manipulation power, which is to be expected for a gambler. If you want to be a cheatin’ bastard, Lynch might be your guy.
Lucius
The right hand to the most powerful man in Malifaux. Lucius has his thumbs in everyone’s pies, and knows more than you think he does. He’s a masked man of many secrets, and has all of the Guild’s substantial power behind him. On the battlefield, Lucius hangs back, delivering orders to his men. He can get them in gear, and allow them to get in extra shots. He recently became a Master in Malifaux 2nd Edition, which expanded his options greatly. Also, he now counts as both a Guild AND Neverborn Master, allowing you to play him with either faction!
If you like setting up strings of extra attacks, and allowing your Guild force to move around with impunity, Lucius is a good fit.
Gaming Grounds 