I enjoy building investigator decks around a narrative concept. With that in mind, this simple but fun to pilot fail-forward flex deck follows

Will Yorik as he grapples with the chilling and unexplained circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a lover. The story beats include helpful exchanges with a sympathetic police detective, a battle with grief and the bottle, the disconcerting graveside reappearance of an estranged daughter, and the manifestation of a revenant spirit who seeks to usher our erring protagonist toward a final, terrifying revelation.

The deck relies on Rabbit's Foot and Drawing Thin to burn through cards and ensure a bottomless supply of resources to fuel Yorik's recursion mechanic, with Pocket Multi Tool's Lucky Charm upgrade, Live and Learn, "Look What I Found", and Take Heart leaning hard into the engine.

Proof against treacheries is provided by Tenessee Sour Mash and Pocket Multi Tool's bonuses, which when upgraded provide a combined skill value of 7 versus Will tests. And with double digits of added horror soak in the deck you're virtually guaranteed to hold on to your sanity.

Enemy management relies on a ropey-dope strategy, employing Survival Knife (with an 8 Fight counterattack once Pocket Multi Tool is upgraded with Sharpened Knife), Guard Dog, and Aquinna (who replaces Tetsuo) complemented by Guiding Spirit (who replaces Something Worth Fighting For) to soak the surplus horror. However, a 6 Fight Gravedigger's Shovel or 7 Fight bottle of Sour Mash (8 & 9 Fight with Pocket Multi Tool's Sharpened Knife upgrade) along with the recursion of Will's Lantern (providing testless damage) will despatch irksome pests and help to soften up tougher adversaries before you get more intimately aquainted with them (upgraded Lanterns can make the difference here too, especially when a scenario is drawing to a close.)

Clue acquisition is supported by Guiding Spirit, Lantern, and Pocket Multi Tool's Magnifying Lens upgrade, which combine to provide an equivalent 6 Intellect skill value while investigating. Gravedigger's Shovel and "Look What I Found" provide a reliable way to boost tempo and to overcome even the highest shroud locations.

Successfully piloting Yorik through his loss hinges on careful judgement in using his Tool Belt to juggle item assets, circumspect use of Calling in Favours to efficiently finegal his ally assets into and out of play at the right time, and finding the best rhythm to use skills and events in combination with his Multi Tool.

Good luck, and happy endings.