In the dark days of my youth, my
parents took us school shopping along with my not-yet school aged
cousin and her parents. My brother, my sister, and I got all the
supplies that were requested on the slip we got from the teacher.
Since my cousin wasn't in school yet, she got a toy. As it was
explained to me, “she would love to be getting school supplies, but
we got her a toy so she would get something.”
That's what I hear with many of the new
releases for Cygnar. Don't get me wrong, we have gotten some amazing
stuff. The Stormwall revitalized 'jacks in the faction. The
Stormblade Captain got me excited enough to buy two when I was in a
year of playing another faction. We do get good things.
We also get a lot of less than stunning
things. Constance Blaze, Triumph, and Artificer General Nemo (the
3rd one); come easily to mind.
With Reckoning coming out, Cygnar
players are getting Dynamo, a fine 'jack that has the unfortunate
distinction of being another attempt to get Cygnar players to play
Nemo. While there are those that might consider Nemo to be amongst
the best of Cygnar's 'caster, it is hard to argue that in the face of
how little he shows at competitive events; much less places.
Enter Ruin. Just from the entry in No
Quarter, Ruin is one of the top two 'jacks in the faction. (The
other being Behemoth.) By himself, Ruin is really good. As a
special issue for Orsus “the Butcher” Zoktavir, he is likely to
be in every competitive Khador list; the Butcher being one of the
most used 'casters in the faction.
On Ozmachine #28, the concept of
playstyle came up. In this concept, a faction that excels with a
certain type of tactic is likely to perform well for a player that
thinks in line with that tactic. Ruin plays right into Khador's
playstyle, and the Butcher's especially. Khador players get good
stuff for playing Khador like Khador should be played. Ruin Khadors
harder.
Then I look at Dynamo. Should I be
playing more Nemo? If I play all the things designed to give the old
man a decent chance in a fight, then will I find my play is rewarded
for embracing what I turned awat from? Cygnar's playstyle is all the lightings?
So Khador players, when Ruin is
Boundless Charging an old man and his electric company, think about
how Cygnar players didn't want school supplies. We would like some
new toys too.
