Malifaux – Fourth Edition

Malifaux is a world of danger, wonder, and ambition. Connected to Earth through a dimensional rift known as the Great Breach, it is a place where magic thrives, where lost technologies and buried secrets wait to be uncovered. For those bold enough to cross into it, the place offers opportunity beyond imagination. But the cost is steep, and few leave unchanged.

Humanity discovered Malifaux when the Great Breach opened in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They entered a desolate landscape… but within rested treasures. Constructs, relics, and tomes of spells quickly changed humanity and Earth forever. Mages took up necromancy, driven mad by whispering voices urging them to push the limits of death magic. Earth’s fading magic was bolstered by Soulstones: beautiful gems pulled from deep mines, each capable of storing incredible amounts of energy. Industry boomed. Then, it all fell apart.

Malifaux’s native inhabitants enacted a ritual to seal the Breach for a century. Humanity’s presence had stirred forgotten evils: Tyrants who sought to remake the world as they saw fit, wielding incredible power as though it were nothing. This closure cut the road between Earth and Malifaux. What followed was a brutal century of war. Nations fought viciously over scraps of magic, valuable Soulstones, and anything else taken from the other world. Collapse threatened nearly every country on Earth.

Then, miraculously, the portal reopened. Nations poured resources into trying to claim the Breach. The Guild of Mercantilers secured control and began regulating access to the city, positioning themselves as protectors and peacekeepers… or so they claim. Now, powers fight to take Malifaux’s riches for themselves.

Malifaux, is a twisted mirror of an alternate Earth in the 1900s; a world of gothic horror, Victorian structures, steampunk constructs, and wild west gunslingers. Rife with undead amalgamations, monstrous vengeful apparitions, and other creatures that bump in the night, these near-lawless lands are still worth treading for some, as the Soulstones deep within the cavernous catacombs are worth more than the sweat and blood it takes to obtain them.

Players build a small crew of 5-7 models, led by a “master,” from one of eight factions to compete for control and victory points by completing objectives, rather than just eliminating the enemy. A key feature is the use of a custom “Fate Deck” of cards instead of dice to resolve actions and duels.

Core concepts

Setting: A unique world blending Victorian horror, steampunk technology, and magic, where a portal connects Earth to a new dimension called Malifaux. Magic exists in the form of “soulstones,” and characters battle for control of them and the city.
Gameplay: It is a skirmish-style game played on a 3×3 foot board with a small number of models per player.
Objective: Players score victory points by completing shared “Strategies” and secret “Schemes,” which are objectives like assassinating a target or controlling certain areas. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
Deck-based resolution: Instead of rolling dice, players resolve tests by playing cards from a “Fate Deck,” adding the card’s value to a model’s skill score. This mechanic introduces more strategic possibilities and “mind games”.