Malifaux Faction Book vs Faction Pack: What Each One Actually Contains

Quick answer

Buy the faction book if you want the full Fourth Edition reference for a faction: stat and Upgrade card presentation for every model, plus the lore and context that make the faction click. Buy the faction pack if you mainly want models and table-ready components to start or expand a crew. Many players end up owning both, but you rarely need them at the same time.

The confusion is understandable: both products carry a faction name, and both show up when you search for a faction. But they do different jobs. One is a book you read and reference during games; the other is a bundle of physical components you put on the table. Knowing which job you actually need right now saves you money and shelf space.

This comparison sticks to what the supplied catalog tells us, using the Malifaux Fourth Edition: Outcast Faction Book as the book example and the Malifaux Third Edition: Resurrectionist Starter Box as a representative faction pack-style product. Where a detail is not listed in the catalog, we say so rather than guess.

What a Malifaux faction book contains

A faction book is a reference volume. The Outcast Faction Book brings the entire faction together in one comprehensive Fourth Edition reference, with full stat and Upgrade card presentation for every model in that faction. That means you can look up any Outcast model you own or are considering, read its rules in one place, and understand how the faction is meant to function as a whole.

It is also a reading product. The Outcasts are described as mercenaries, criminals, opportunists, and survivors who answer to no one but themselves, driven by profit, revenge, or sheer defiance. That framing matters at the table: it tells you what the faction rewards, which helps you pick models and build lists that feel coherent rather than random.

• Best used before a purchase decision and during list building, not as a substitute for owning models
• One book covers the whole faction, so it scales with your collection instead of your first box

What a Malifaux faction pack contains

A faction pack is a playable bundle. The Resurrectionist Starter Box is a clear example: it includes Batsch and Amalie, Oskar, and two Dapperlings, plus a Resurrectionist-themed Fate Deck, stat cards and Upgrades, 30mm scheme markers, and a measuring widget. That is a complete first taste of the faction in one purchase, with the themed play aids included rather than bought separately.

Note the keyword structure. The starter lists Fungal and Versatile keywords, so it slots into specific crew builds rather than representing the entire Resurrectionist faction. A faction pack gives you components and a starting point; it does not give you the full picture of every model the faction can field.

• Check the keyword on the box before buying, since it determines which crews the contents support
• Preassembled models and included play aids lower the barrier for a first game

How the two products differ in practice

The book answers "what can this faction do?" The pack answers "what can I put on the table tonight?" If you are deciding between factions, the book is the cheaper way to explore one in depth before committing to models. If you have already chosen a faction and want to play, the pack gets you there faster.

There is also a format difference worth noting. The Outcast Faction Book is a Fourth Edition product, while the Resurrectionist Starter Box is a Third Edition starter. If your group plays a specific edition, match your purchases to it, because rules presentation and card formats are tied to the edition they were published for.

• Edition matters more than faction when you are buying rules content
• A pack without the matching book still works if the included stat cards cover what you own

Which one to buy first

If you are still exploring, start with the book. It is the lower-commitment way to learn a faction's identity and model range, and the Outcast Faction Book is currently listed at USD 14.00 against a catalog comparison price of USD 28.00. If you already know your faction and want models on the table, start with a pack or starter box instead.

A practical middle path: buy the pack for the faction you want to play now, and add the faction book once you find yourself looking up rules or planning beyond your first crew. That sequence keeps your early spending focused on playable components.

• Buy the book to decide, the pack to play
• Add the other product only when a specific gap appears in your games

Trade-offs to weigh before you buy

• Book: breadth versus table readiness: The Outcast Faction Book gives you rules and context for every model in the faction, but it puts nothing on the table by itself. Choose it when knowledge is the bottleneck, not model count.
• Pack: playability versus scope: The Resurrectionist Starter Box delivers models, cards, markers, and a themed Fate Deck, but its Fungal and Versatile keywords cover a slice of the faction rather than all of it. Choose it when you want to play soon and are happy to expand later.
• Edition: matching versus convenience: The faction book is Fourth Edition and the starter box is Third Edition, so buying both does not guarantee a single unified rules presentation. Confirm which edition your group plays before mixing products.

Catalog facts that decide the choice

• Malifaux Fourth Edition: Outcast Faction Book: Brings the entire Outcast faction together in one comprehensive Fourth Edition reference, with full stat and Upgrade card presentation for every model. One purchase covers the whole faction for reference and list building, so it stays useful as your collection grows.
• Malifaux Third Edition: Resurrectionist Starter Box: Includes Batsch and Amalie, Oskar, and two Dapperlings, plus a Resurrectionist-themed Fate Deck, stat cards and Upgrades, 30mm scheme markers, and a measuring widget. This is a playable starting bundle with the accessories included, so you can run a first game without buying support items separately.
• Malifaux Third Edition: Story of Suzaku: A single Ten Thunders miniature with the Oni and Story keywords, supplied unpainted in high-quality plastic and requiring preparation and assembly. Shows the opposite end of the scale: a targeted model purchase for players who already know their faction and keyword, not a starting point.
• Wyrdscapes: Sewer 30mm Bases: Sewer-themed 30mm bases with brickwork, pipes, runoff, grates, and underground textures. A finishing purchase that improves how finished models look, which only makes sense after you own models to base.

Which product fits your situation

Best for

• Players choosing or exploring a faction who want the full model reference in one place
• Groups that already own models and need rules, stat cards, and Upgrade presentation for list building

Not for

• Players who want models in hand tonight and have no interest in reading faction lore
• Anyone who has not confirmed which edition their play group uses

Treat the book as your faction reference and the pack as your table-ready bundle. Buy the one that solves your current problem, and add the other only when a real gap shows up in your games.