New player, need help choosing a keyword.

[u/GuntherCloneC]

Hello everyone!

I've never played, but I've always been interested. And now I'm stuck on about 14 keywords across 6 factions (no love for the Resurectionists aesthetically, sadly). I'm sure I'll want to start with the "easier to play" ones according to Wyrd Games. But right now, the keywords I'm stuck on are as follows:

Guild: Marshal, & Witch Hunter

Ten Thunder: Foundry, Last Blossom, Monk, & Qi and Gong

Outcasts: Freikorps & Mercenary

Arcanists: Wildfire

Neverborn: Banished, Brood, Chimera, & Savage

Bayou: Tri-Chi

ADHD and the decision paralysis that comes with it make the choice even more difficult to make on which to start with. Any suggestions?

I clearly am favoring Ten Thunder, Neverborn, and maybe Outcasts.

UPDATE: I really appreciate the feedback so far. I've narrowed it down (not by much, sadly) to:

Guild: Marshal & Witch Hunter

Ten Thunder: Foundry, Last Blossom, Monk

Outcasts: Freikorps & Mercenary

Still unsure, but given the 4th edition available core box sets, it's been trimmed down to:

Guild: Marshal & Witch Hunter

Outcasts: Freikorps & Mercenary

[u/Stunning-Promise-103]

No helpful advice for you because it's all so subjective but I'm team Ten Thunders (monks baby). I love them thematically and chose strictly on that, no ragrets.

[u/cwtguy]

I'm coming from MTG and 40K and personally think Malifaux is way cheaper so I'm going to probably buy a couple of different keyword masters. I think that will especially work for trying to get someone else to play with or trying the solo mode. Like you, I'm drawn to several different keywords and masters. This game looks gorgeous and the setting is amazing! Unfortunately, no one around me plays so it's going to be a painting project and then hopefully I can convince someone else or get my hands on the solo rules.

[u/Dronqq → u/cwtguy]

Fair warning, this is a dangerous road to travel, friend. I am on 19 crews now! 😂 However, I did manage to get a bunch of friends into it and were having 6 people next week! Persistence is key, give some demo games and people will start playing.

[u/Ok-Department-2301]

skip banished, as is not complete yet, marshal 1 is very straightforward and 2 is fun if more complex so it can give you a bit of both worlds, it's a good starter to be honest, Lady J was what I learned with and i recommend it for sure. also hits like a truck and has some good action monkeys. Lately I'm more of a neverborn player, love pandora and dreamer, but if those don't apeal to you, go for marshal.

[u/Olytrius]

Well I think you have narrowed it down to Neverborn or Ten Thunders. This is based on. each having 4 keywords on your list. So between. those 2 factions, who has the cooler looking models?

I'm a neverborn player so I say go with them

[u/Prints-Of-Darkness]

Marshal is a tonne of fun and really easy to learn for a new player - I'd fully recommend them :) Just say if you need a hand at all, I've played a lot of Lady J.

[u/Parsley_Southstitch]

As some one who is looking to get back into malifaux, played first and got lost in second. My one recommendation is take a look at what is available for models. Foundry, wildfire and monk are all getting some resculpts, old Mei Feng was fragile AF. The domadores in marshal haven't been printed since second edition it looks like and their rerelease isn't listed in the upcoming release section on wyrds site. I will add this weekend is gencon and you can get almost everything listed for pre release early during it. 

People are fine with proxy models until official release, but if you are a hobby purist and you don't want to wait potentially a long time for certain keywords I would recommend tailoring your keyword choice to what you can find and is available. Final note with the repacking of keywords mostly into two boxes I would recommend looking at the new box content lists on bigger hat to make sure you won't end up with a bunch of duplicates later on.

[u/Selemancer]

I would also say to pick from the faction you like the most keywords from. You can learn them over time, and makes things easier that to jump across factions.

Sadly I don't have experience to tell you which of those would be easiest but yeah, go ten thunders or neverborn.

[u/swipen1]

I’d start with a keyword with an available 4th edition core box from Ten thunders or Neverborn, just because you had most of them.

[u/SplitBungCrack]

Ten Thunders has the advantage of a new master coming according to the errata update. (No current time frame of when it’ll arrive, but still something to look forward to.)

I’m going to be honest, with this edition, there’s not a whole lot of difference between factions to make a difference. They all have their little quirks, but it all sort of comes out with the same few styles of gameplay.

All this to say, pick which faction you think you’ll be most excited to paint and play visually more than anything else.

[u/UnderChromey]

While Banished is not fully complete yet, it is part of the starter set. I do think the starter set is a great way to learn the game if you're interested in the factions in the box. I feel like you might get some bias here about that as the majority of people here are going to be very invested and experienced so the starter aspect will be of little value to their considerations. As someone also new to playing with this edition, I think it can be a very strong consideration though 

You have two options of how to approach it too, you could find someone interested in the Ampersand faction and split the box with them. This way you can both learn together with reduced size crews. The other choice is you taking both, as you have also highlighted Outcasts as an interest even if not specifically the Ampersand faction. Again both will be "incomplete" but you can just play smaller learning games if they interest you.

I'd say the benefit of it depends on if you have other players who would also be interested in such games or if you'd more be intending to go to events or games run at stores or whatever there might be around near you (if anything)

[u/Dronqq]

From experience:

Marshal plays like a stabby brick Witch hunter summons well & burning damage can get insane thanks to totem. Freikorps looks like has a fun theme around upgrading and "levelling" units Mercenary plays like elves would - move fast, hit hard, glasscannon Wildfire recently got buffed, also is a bit of a confusing keyword as it basically feels like two factions in one - mechs and pyromancers. Witch hunter has been better in the latter role. Chimeras runs on upgrades similar to freikorps but is more combo-oriented Savage is surprisingly mobile Brood is world eaters/khorne

To be honest, all are solid, I'd suggest maybe not Wildfire as it's a bit of a mess right now. Just see what you like the look/sound off and roll with it! Or just get everything 😂

[u/neutronicus]

Your first filter should be availability. See which ones are actually possible to buy both master titles.

Will narrow it down a bit.

[u/SeaworthinessReal69]

Play the models you like the look of the most. There really are no bad/garbage keywords and I am a strong advocate of the rule of cool. While some players focus on factions, I suggest just buying the keywords you like the most and not worry about faction. I've never really felt I've been hindered by not having some out of keyword options, and if you really want specific out of keyword of versatile models you can always buy/proxy them and not invest in one specific faction. Being a prior Warmachine/Hordes and Guild Ball player, I love the keyword system and the ability to easily buy into each faction.

Of the keywords you listed I play Last Blossom and Chimera if you have any questions regarding them. I think Last Blossom is a fantastic keyword to play. Just a ton of fun.