Maddox Nov Dynamic Update First Thoughts

 I'll start this off with a disclaimer: these are my first thoughts on seeing the changes and are not based on gameplay as of now. 

So Maddox got some buffs, lets take a look at them and see what they are, how impactful I think they will be and if this update changes how I see her viability as a caster.

Here they are broken down...

Gain Flank [Storm Knight]

When I heard Maddox was going to get some changes a few people asked me what I would change and I suggested Weapon Master (WM) as my first choice. Her melee output has been mediocre at best since she came out and with a pow of 13 WM would go a long way to making her a credible threat.

Her gaining Flank is kind of the same thing... except it really isn't. In terms of damage output its actually slightly better as she will also gain the +2 to attack rolls... but... she need a Storm Knight to facilitate this, which if any of you have played Blaize before becomes harder and harder this becomes as your infantry die off. 

It also changes up your order of activations. If you want her to charge on the turn you plan to feat you'd better hope whatever you wanted her to attack already has a Storm Knight engaging it or else whatever you use to help facilitate flank will not be able to benefit from her feat.
This might mean that she will really like to bring as many of the Storm Knight solos as possible to help get around this by being less costly activations when it comes to giving up the feat buff.

I also have always had this feeling that somewhere in PP there is an ideological resistance to Cygnar getting Weapon masters. As a faction we have so few but often have units with ways to get things like flank. It feels like we have to work just that little bit harder to get the same damage output as other factions. Again this is just how I feel about it - I have no evidence.

This change does further push Maddox into being "A Storm Division" Warcaster, though she can still potentially get Flank in Heavy metal using Nemo4 to bring in a Stormblade Captain.
If PP decide to do the right thing Acosta will gain the Storm Knight tag in the SD update next year! That would allow her to have a way to gain flank in every theme!

Gain Resourceful

Being able to upkeep spells on her battlegroup for free (this includes herself) is a great addition. I have often felt as though once she has spent her focus to upkeep spells she didn't have enough left to contribute meaningfully either by herself or fuelling a battlegroup. 

This change essentially gives her 3 extra focus on later turns. (She has 4 Upkeep spells but only 3 which can be on her battle group at any one time as Onslaught and Dauntless resolve (DR) can only be on Maddox herself as battlgroup choices. So realistically you will still be paying 1 focus to upkeep DR on a unit of some sort.

Storm Strike ranged weapon gains Electro Leap

This is the weakest of the three changes in my opinion. Her gun is only ranged 10" so she will still rarely be using it. Still, its a buff so we'll take it! 
I am surprised she still only has critical disruption (and critical cortex damage on her melee) it would have been nice to see this lose the "critical" requirement.

Well that's all I have for you today! I feel like this might be more of an impactful change once we get the Storm Division update next year. I have a lot of thoughts on what I would like to see adjusted in that update, so fingers crossed!

What are your thoughts on the changes to Maddox? Do you have any lists you are excited to play with her? I'd love to hear what you have to say.

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