Beyond The Conclave

Before Malediction, I had never painted a miniature. Not “I wasn’t very good at it.” I mean I had literally never painted one in my life. In Episode 5 of Beyond the Conclave, I talk about how Malediction unexpectedly pulled me into the miniature-painting hobby — from standing overwhelmed in front of a wall of paints at my local game store, to painting my first very questionable Spirit Shaman, to eventually producing miniatures like Thundersteps that have had people asking if they could buy my work or commission me to paint theirs. This isn’t a masterclass from a professional painter. It’s the story of what can happen when you’re willing to start badly, screw things up, keep learning, and try again. We talk about Army Painter Speedpaints, cheap beginner brushes, zenithal highlighting, some of the mistakes I made early on, why you absolutely do not need to buy every paint and tool you see online, and why your first miniature should never be compared to someone else’s hundredth. I also explain why I’ve turned down painting commissions, why some of my badly painted early minis are still among my favorites, and why I think there’s something special about being able to look at a miniature and remember exactly where you were in your hobby journey when you painted it. And most importantly: painting should never be the price of admission for playing Malediction. Painted armies look amazing and can make the tabletop experience even better, but if you want to bring gray resin, standees, or flat terrain to the table — bring it. Play the game. Have fun. Because you don’t become a miniature painter and then start painting miniatures. You start painting miniatures, and somewhere along the way, you become a miniature painter. Also in this episode: Reinforcement Packs are finally here, the new Malediction Play Network is live, new terrain options have been released, and we look ahead to the upcoming First Agnar Tournament. Welcome back to Beyond the Conclave — a Malediction podcast about learning the game, building the community, making mistakes, and rolling a little differently along the way. https://deviantdicerollers.com/

Want to become a better Malediction player?

In Episode 4 of Beyond the Conclave, I break down 10 lessons I've learned from actually playing Malediction — including plenty I learned the hard way.

I'm not claiming to be the greatest Malediction player out there. Far from it. I've built decks that looked incredible on paper and completely fell apart on the battlefield. I've misunderstood my Seeker, made terrible positioning decisions, chased the wrong targets, held onto strategies long after they stopped working, and lost games I thought I had won.

But that's also how you get better.

In this episode, we talk about:

⚔️ Why truly understanding your Seeker should come before everything else

🃏 Why deck synergy matters more than simply filling your deck with powerful cards

🎯 How positioning, threat ranges and board control can matter more than raw damage

🏆 Why you need to play the mission, not just try to destroy your opponent

🏰 How terrain can completely change your strategy and potentially decide a game

🧠 How understanding what your opponent is trying to accomplish gives you a huge advantage

⏳ Why sometimes the best move is doing absolutely nothing

🔄 Why you need a game plan — but also need to know when to throw that plan away

💀 Why losing games can make you a much better player

🎲 And why the best way to improve is still the simplest: play more Malediction

I also share some of my own experiences with Polinore, Kar-Mamok, Liena Who Dreams, deck building, terrain choices and strategies that absolutely did NOT work the way I thought they would.

Plus, we take a look at the Deviant Dice Rollers deck-building tools, including deck analysis and Grokk's deck-building assistant, and how they can help players understand their decks, identify weaknesses and find potential improvements.

Whether you're preparing for your first game or you've already been battling across the Spheres for a while, hopefully there's something here that helps you approach your next game a little differently.

And I want to hear from you:

👉 What's one thing YOU wish you knew when you first started playing Malediction?

Drop it in the comments or come join the conversation with the Deviant Dice Rollers community.

🎙️ Beyond the Conclave — A Malediction Podcast

🌐 DeviantDiceRollers.com

⚔️ Build decks. Share strategies. Find battles. Join the community.

See you Beyond the Conclave.

 

 

 

 

Welcome back to Beyond the Conclave, the podcast dedicated to Malediction and the growing Deviant Dice Rollers community!

In Episode 3, we're tackling one of the biggest questions every new Malediction player eventually has to answer:

Which faction should I play?

We break down the different identities and playstyles of the Conclave of the Spheres, Order of the Shattered Throne, Legion of the Fallen, and Primal Blood to help you figure out which faction fits the way you want to play.

And yes... I may be slightly biased toward the Conclave. 🔵🧙

But that's only part of this episode.

🎲 In Episode 3:

• Which Malediction faction should you play? — A look at the personalities, strengths, strategies, and playstyles of all four factions.

• More Reinforcement Pack previews! — We take a closer look at several newly revealed cards and miniatures, including Hands of the Church, Courtly Spectacle, Liastrum Research, Murder of Shriekers, Gilded Sentries, and Masharen Deathsinger.

• How much should Reinforcement Packs cost? — With official pricing still a big question, we talk about what feels reasonable, whether $15 is pushing the limit, and how the non-random pack format changes the value proposition.

• Grokk's Games are taking off! — We check in on the Daily Lore Challenge, Dice Rolling Challenge, Guess the Card, and the Community Challenge—and some of the debates those scenarios are already creating.

• The First Agnar Tournament is coming! — Join us September 5th in Cherry Hill, New Jersey for our first Malediction tournament. Come throw your hat into the ring, meet other players, and see if you can survive the battlefield and become the First Agnar!

🏆 REGISTER FOR THE FIRST AGNAR TOURNAMENT:

https://malediction.longshanks.org/event/36759/

Whether you're brand new to Malediction and trying to choose your first faction, already have a favorite Seeker and deck, or you're just looking for more Malediction discussion, news, strategy, and community craziness, pull up a chair and join us Beyond the Conclave.

🎲 JOIN DEVIANT DICE ROLLERS

Visit DeviantDiceRollers.com for:

• Malediction community discussions in The Tavern
• Grokk's daily mini-games and challenges
• Seeker deck building and deck analysis
• Painted Legions
• Campaign Calendar and community events
• Find a Battle
• Malediction resources, strategy, and more

Which faction do YOU play—and why?

And if you haven't chosen one yet, tell us which faction Episode 3 convinced you to try.

🎙️ Hosted by Toxic Mike
🎲 Presented by Deviant Dice Rollers

Past the Spheres. Beyond the Known. Into the Malediction.

Welcome back to Beyond the Conclave, the podcast dedicated to the world of Malediction!

Episode 2 is packed with exciting updates as we dive into the latest news surrounding the game and the growing Deviant Dice Rollers community.

In this episode we discuss:

🎲 The complete overhaul of DeviantDiceRollers.com and the new community features now available.

⚔️ Our first impressions of the upcoming Reinforcement Packs, including several of the newly revealed cards and how they could impact the battlefield.

🧙 Why the Conclave of the Spheres continues to be my faction of choice and how I'm experimenting with a new Kar-Mamok/Flesh Gardens strategy.

🎨 Community features including Painted Legions, Seeker Decks, the Tavern forums, the War Board, Campaign Calendar, and more.

🏆 Information about our upcoming First Agnar Tournament and future community events.

If you love strategy, deck building, miniatures, painting, lore, or simply being part of a great gaming community, you're in the right place.

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Join the Community

🌐 https://DeviantDiceRollers.com

Become part of the community with:

• Community Forums (The Tavern)

• Seeker Deck Builder

• Painted Legions Showcase

• Find a Battle

• Campaign Calendar

• War Board

• Beyond the Conclave Podcast

• Discord Community

Registration is completely free.

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In This Episode

• Website overhaul and new community features
• Reinforcement Pack discussion
• Card highlights and first impressions
• Conclave of the Spheres strategy
• Kar-Mamok deck updates
• Flesh Gardens terrain ideas
• Community tournament announcement
• Future podcast plans and guests

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🎲 If you enjoyed this episode:

👍 Like the video

💬 Leave a comment and tell us which Reinforcement Pack you're most excited about.

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a new episode of Beyond the Conclave.

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Roll Different. Roll Deviant.

There's always a seat waiting for you... Beyond the Conclave.

Beyond the Conclave – Episode 1: The Conclave Awakens

The gates are open... welcome Beyond the Conclave.

In the very first episode of Beyond the Conclave: A Malediction Podcast, Toxic Mike introduces the show, the vision behind the podcast, and why there's never been a better time to dive into the dark world of Malediction.

Whether you're a seasoned veteran, a curious newcomer, or someone who's just discovered the game, this episode lays the foundation for everything to come.

Join Toxic Mike as he discusses:

⚔️ What Beyond the Conclave is all about
🎲 Why Malediction deserves your attention
🧙 The incredible world, lore, and factions behind the game
🏆 The future of organized play, tournaments, and leagues
🎨 Painting, terrain, and hobby discussions
📖 Strategy, deckbuilding, and competitive insights
🤝 Building the Deviant Dice Rollers community together

This isn't just another tabletop podcast—it's a gathering place for players who want to master the game, celebrate the hobby, and help grow one of tabletop gaming's most exciting communities.

If you're ready to step beyond the battlefield and into the heart of the Malediction community...

Welcome to the Conclave.

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🎙️ Hosted by Toxic Mike

🌐 Join the community at DeviantDiceRollers.com

💬 Join our Discord to discuss strategy, find games, and connect with other players.

👍 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and ring the bell so you never miss future episodes.

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Coming Soon

• Faction Deep Dives
• Competitive Strategy
• Deck Building Discussions
• Tournament Coverage
• Community Spotlights
• Hobby & Painting
• Rules Breakdowns
• Developer News
• Interviews
• Organized Play

Shape the Realm. Join the Conclave.