Arcane+Effigy

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 * Arcane Effigy, Arcanist Minion[[image:p-16769.jpg width="266" height="498" align="right"]]**

=__Overview__= The Arcane Effigy is a weird little doll made of books and ice and malice. It gives a Master an extra card, an extra AP for spells, and some strong attacks.

=__Mobility__= The Arcane Effigy doesn't have a lot of mobility. It can move at a pretty average pace of 4, but no faster. Arcane Effigy is best with a Master who won't move much themselves, like Zoraida or possibly Ramos or Rasputina.

The Arcane Effigy generally offers up 1 AP to its Master for spellcasting (with **Conduct Aether**), so it may go slower than most models with the same Wk/Cg line.

=__Offense__= Arcane Effigy is loaded with good attacks. There's a surprisingly good (0) ranged attack spell, plus a ranged attack that drains targets.

This is the Arcane Effigy's melee attack. It's a bad pun -- get it? Weight of Knowledge? Because it's smacking you with a book? Anyway, it's a step up from a Bash, but still not really worth mentioning beyond that.
 * Weight of Knowledge**

The Arcane Effigy's workhorse attack. It uses **Ca -> Ca** instead of the usual statistics for an attack, so you can often hit enemy models that usually dodge attacks through a really high Df. Since it's triggering Ca instead of Df, the Effigy can also bypass a lot of scary **Df** triggers, like Perdita's **Faster'n You**. It's got a fairly short range at 6", but a really nice trigger on a Ram that heals the Arcane Effigy of any wounds it inflicts.
 * Aetheric Bolt**

A vicious little attack spell. It's a (0) Action that doesn't compete with anything else, so there's never a reason not to use it if you have an enemy within range. On top of that, it forces the victim to discard a Control Card, or two Control Cards with a Tome trigger and Severe damage.
 * Siphon Aether**

=__Resilience__= The Arcane Effigy tends to stay back and stay out of trouble, so it doesn't need to be very resilient. However, a concentrated attack will probably destroy it. It has a decent Df and WP of 5 each, which will help a bit, and five wounds, which is about average for a 4 Soulstone cost unit. The Arcane Effigy is also Magic Resistant 2, which can help aainst spell damage.

The Arcane Effigy takes a little less Wd from each attack due to being an Object. This may help a bit, though, and may help the Arcane Effigy survive until its own turn to respond.
 * Object**

The Arcane Effigy has a trigger (Drink Aether) that heals all the Wd it inflicts with an attack. This is the Effigy's primary form of resilience. You need a Ram to get the trigger, but if you do, you get back about as much damage as a healing flip.
 * Damage-Healing**

Gives **Magic Resistant 1** to friendly models within 6 inches. Rarely worth using. This may occasionally be slightly handy against area-affect spells, like Som'er Teeth Jones' **Pull My Finger**. If the Effigy is just sitting there giving the other AP to a Master, then it may want to use this instead of a **Defensive Stance**.
 * (1) Aetheric Barrier**

=__Tips and Tricks__=
 * (1) Conduct Aether** is generally the workhorse ability of the Arcane Effigy. It gives an extra AP to a friendly leader, usable for Cast or Channel actions. This can give some incredible benefits to spellcasting-centered Masters. Don't be surprised if you use it every turn.

=__Master-Specific Tips__= Arcane Effigy loves a caster-heavy master. Generally, effigies are as good as totems or better, if you intend to take the avatar form of said master, since they aren't destroyed when you manifest. With this in mind, both the master and the master with the avatar taken will be discussed separately.


 * Zoraida** - Zoraida gets along extremely well with the Arcane Effigy. Since she's a Neverborn Master, she can use the Effigy as well as her Voodoo Doll, so there's not much to lose. The Effigy also gives her an extra 1 AP for spellcasting, which makes it easier for her to cast Obey. The only problem is that the Arcane Effigy will take a few turns to catch up with Zoraida if she uses Raven to move away -- even more so if she disappears to a high point. If you're expecting Zoraida to fly off to a distant high point, you may want to have the Arcane Effigy deploy close to that point, and spend all its activations rushing toward that point so it can meet Zoraida there.
 * Avatar of Fate** - The Arcane Effigy stacks very well with Avatar Zoraida. The extra AP that the Arcane Effigy can give means another Obey or Pins and Needles spell -- a terrifying total of FIVE (1) spells each round. Combined with a Voodoo Doll, this can kill an enemy model from across the board.


 * Ramos** - Ramos generally gains a lot from taking the Mobile Toolkit. Since Ramos can't take a Totem if he's hiring Arcane Effigy, it's a tough call. Ramos benefits a lot from an extra tome, since it makes his summoning more reliable and gives the Surge trigger. The extra AP won't let you summon another Spider (since that's a (0) Action) or Electrical Creation (since they're Unique), so all it does is give an extra AP for Electrical Fire. The 4 soulstone cost, plus the loss of the Mobile Toolkit, makes the Arcane Effigy a difficult model to justify for Ramos.
 * Avatar of Invention -** Ramos can manifest Turn 2 assuming he has enough tomes, or is lucky enough, and can fulfill the requirement turn 1, then use an (all) turn 2. The extra AP for casting will be nice for him, as he loses casting expert. This frees his 2 general AP to gain scrap counters, use melee attacks, or summon constructs. Whilst his spells remain much the same, he has a (2) that is effectively //"Obey"// on all constructs. The AP does not specify you cast a (1) spell, so whilst a tad ambigious, rules as written I believe you can move once, use this spell for (2), then use your melee expert attack. One thing to note if you take this effigy with Avatar Ramos, is that he will have a much harder time fulfilling the first manifest requirement without the extra tome from the mobile toolkit.


 * Marcus** - (Awaiting future edit. Think you can have an idea of how to use it? Why not submit it?)
 * Avatar of Instinct** - (Awaiting future edit. Think you can have an idea of how to use it? Why not submit it?)


 * Rasputina -** Rasputina could certainly put the +1AP to good use, and has no great need for her totem, either the wendigo, or the essence of power. However, as she already has arcane reservoir, you will not benefit from it a second time - You'd end up paying for a redundant ability. Tina doesnt have any particular affinity with M&SU assets (special forces), so you wont lose anything by taking the doll. Finally, remember exploding gamin will hit the effigy, and damage it for one wound each time.
 * Avatar of famine -**


 * Colette du Bois -** Colette really can gain a lot from the Arcane Effigy, but it comes at the expense of her Mechanical Dove. Due to the wording on the Arcane Effigy, even when it is killed, Colette will still not be able to summon doves, as she forfeits the ability to attach them. Performing a similar role to //magical extension//, //conduct aether// limits you to colettes position, but allows you to use her fantastic Ca for //magician's due//l, or //discharge soulstone//. The effigy is the only other model in the game, apart from Colette, that targets Ca as a resist on spells. Taking both allows you to take advantage of models with low Ca, and both models have an attack that ignores Armor. Whilst this is good, obviously, it has to be considered whether you actually need both models, as their offence fulfills a similar role. The Arcane Effigy's **Arcane Reservoir** is very helpful, though, because Colette can sacrifice two Control Cards for a Soulstone and therefore often has a high demand for them.
 * Avatar of Deception -** Does anybody actually play the Avatar of Deception? I mean, if you do, you're probably not looking to optimize much anyway.


 * Lilith, Mother of Monsters** - Yes there is a strange but effective reason for you take this with Lilith. Its an integral part of BasHamer's Lilith Bus combo, which allows you to cast her Earthquake spell 6 times in a turn, allowing you to move your whole crew 12" without having to activate the rest of your crew, allowing them to save that precious AP for more attacks.
 * Lilith, Avatar of Nature's Malevolence** - Nothing really specific here, normally the point is that you use the Arcane Effigy to setup the Lilith Bus to speed her up in her normal state and switch to the avatar as an endgame. The Arcane Effigy doesn't become a liability to the crew, but its served its main purpose for Lilith.

=__Minion-Specific Tips__= (Any synergies/tricks with other minions worth mentioning, possibly also alternatives and why they're better/worse)

=__Playing Against Arcane Effigy__= The Arcane Effigy packs a lot of punch if you get close (which you may need to do if you're going after your opponent's Master), but it's slow and usually just stands next to its Master and buffs her or his spellcasting AP. Either kill it with ranged attacks, or just shrug and go after other objectives.

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