Lesh Misérables
The Rogues Gallery box set is available to order now.
So we've previously looked at some green folks who don't use the Arcane Deck properly. How about we change things up now by looking at: Some green folks who don't use the Arcane Deck properly?
One thing you learn pretty early on in Moonstone is the 21 cards in the Arcane Deck. Then, for Leshavult players, the next thing you learn is that the Arcane Deck can sometimes have fewer than 21 cards if you want it to. Now, if you're playing the Leshavult Rogues, you'll learn that there will likely never be 21 cards in the deck (spoiler: they are up your sleeves)!
“My prestidigitation skills are so finely tuned I once tore a hole in reality shuffling cards before a friendly game of snap.”
Now you might be saying that can't possibly be true. There will always be 21 cards in the Arcane deck during the first activation of the game; surely, you'd be cheating otherwise. Now, of course, that's completely true. Well... The second part about being a cheat is, because these streetwise swindlers are filthy cheats, and none more so than Nancy. In fact, she's so much of an underhanded card shark that she steals a card from the deck before turn 1 even properly begins! That's not even the end of it either. When friendly Rogues use these set-aside cards, she can sneak them another card, keeping more cards out of the deck and in your control.
As for the use of the cards, Nancy herself can use them to do a lot of different things. If you need energy, healing, or damage, Nancy is your Goblin, so long as you account for the traditional Goblin lack of reliability. Get a high-numbered card? Big effect but fewer characters affected. A lower-numbered card? Small effect, but more models are affected.
With a lot of different effects on every card, only 3 Arcane, and a chaotic Goblin con artist, what could possibly go wrong? Well, a lot of things, but there are a few silver linings. One, it doesn't Target anything specifically, so you can assess the cards you draw before playing anything. Two, you will normally have a bunch of set-aside cards, so you always know some options that will be available to you with these.
Skuggi's throwing knives have been found at the scene of several major crimes, though finding Skuggi themself is somewhat more difficult.
That isn't the only use of these set-aside cards though, and Nancy certainly isn't the only Rogue that can use those set-aside cards. Enter Skuggi and their very unique and roguish Arcane ability, 'Trick Knives'. At X+1 damage, 6" range, and once per game, it looks like a bit of a naff pistol at first. However, as mentioned previously, these folks are dirty cheats! For the small price of adding one of those set-aside cards to your hand, Skuggi can ignore that pesky little once-per-game rule. This means that with enough set-aside cards and preparation, Skuggi can keep finding more and more of their hidden knives, causing huge piercing damage at range.
There's more than one way to use a knife though, and Skuggi doesn't need to throw them all to be at their best. Between 'Concealed Dagger', 'Shadow Fade', and their signature, they can cause some serious hurt in melee and have the ability to chase down any foes trying to flee them.
Their signature especially allows for a very useful and roguish trick, stealing moonstones! This isn't just any moonstone stealing ability either, it also allows them to heal some wounds. Of course, it doesn't say that on their card, and there is also that ability which reduces (4) cost abilities too. What's this all about?
Violin strings are often made of catgut, which is something Streatham does not tell his housemates, for obvious reasons.
Enter Streatham, who pulls a lot of the characters in this box together, as the ringleader of this band of misfits. 'Lesh Miserables' combines the moonstone-stealing passions of the Rogues and the healing skills of the Leshavult into one handy ability. Now Skuggi’s signature steals a moonstone, places away, and heals a quarter of their wounds: phenomenal!
As for Skuggi’s strange ‘Midnight Miscreants’ ability that reduces a (4) Ability to (3), would you look at that, Streatham has a great one to utilise on turn 1. Using ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ he can play his music and dance his allies away. Round that off with a unique Arcane ability to heal and sometimes move friendly Rogues, and Streatham can keep his troupe healthy and mobile. Perfect for Leshavult and Commonwealth Rogues alike!
“It’s Prince Pickles von Catterton McAllister Murdermausen the 3rd, actually.”
So that's all three models in the new box, so time to… What do you mean, who’s Pickles? Well, as mentioned before, these folks are complete cheats; of course they're not going to follow the standard rules of three characters per box.
Pickles is one of Streatham's many cats* and personal Thrall, and an incredibly unique one at that! This is because Pickles is the only Thrall to ever get a signature ability, letting the very talented cat steal some moonstones for Streatham. The Roguish fiddler can then 'Purrloin' the moonstones himself to relieve Pickles of 'Slow' (and give himself a little heal with ‘Lesh Miserables’).
But what if there's no one to steal Moonstones from? Well, Pickles does love big hugs and is keen to offer any Giants nearby Energy to provide them. Now any Giant would of course love additional energy: one more Energy is one more attack. But it gets incredibly dangerous when Pickles’ favourite Giant is around…
*No cat is ever “owned” and Pickles is a particular exception. He spends most of his time with Streatham but also wanders to Loubard’s home because the giant has a massive fire and very fluffy rugs. And big hands for lots of ear and tubby rubs.
There are thieves and blaggards in every aspect of Tauberian society, from the Lords with their taxes to the mice stealing crumbs beneath our feet. Theft seems to be as much a part of nature as life and death, but whether or not these grubby individuals truly serve Lesh or just themselves remains to be seen. - Kalista, Leshavult Priestess
