
Antikythera is the big Seeker card of TDC, and combos very well with a lot of previously released precision tech. For some flavor, an Antikythera is an Ancient Greek hand-powered orrery (model of the Solar System). It is the oldest known example of an analogue computer (yes I did copy and paste from Wikipedia...). This review is a bit of deep dive, you have been warned!
Pros:
- Rewards you for passing tests most of the time, with only a success by 0 or 6+ not providing any benefit (with the latter being unusual).
- The rewards help directly with scenario advancement (a clue on a 1 or 3), or your economy (a resource and a card on a 2 or 4), or whatever benefit you want (free action next turn on a 5). As a result, Antikythera is very likely to refund its cost if played early.
- Has generous icons, so running a second copy is not a dead card.
- The Accessory slot isn't too competitive in Seekers, and most of the other good accessories also cost experience.
- Has the Relic keyword, making it more tutorable.
- The Seeker class is home to many 'precision' cards which combo with it well and allow for success modification.
Cons:
- Costs 5 experience.
- It exhausts, so only useable once per turn without support.
- The success by 5 benefit is arguably the worst one, compared to guaranteed clue compression or a card plus resource.
Deckbuilding tips:
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Success modification: The Seeker class is home to cards which allow you to modify successes and so achieve the result you want. These include Artistic Inspiration and Steady-Handed, as well as Inquisitive (technically not a Seeker card, but accessible to a lot Seekers). Cards like Analysis can provide do-overs for tests, and off-class cards like Daring Maneuver, Scrying Mirror or Olive McBride can help manipulate tests as well. For signature assets, Lucius Galloway's Book of Verse also manipulates successes.
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Precision tech: Seekers have access to a number of cards which benefit from success by specific amounts. Alton O'Connell benefits from success by exactly 3 that you'll usually want for extra clues on Antikythera (plus he's level 0 physical soak, not so common on Seekers). Steady-Handed, in addition to success modification, heals horror by a success of 2 - useful in a class which often cycles its decks. Less usefully there's Dr. Charles West III, Chemistry Set (accessible with Relic Hunter) and Correlate All Its Contents. Off-class there's Katana if you feel like getting creative. There's also overlap with the over-success archetype in Rogues (cards like Breaking and Entering ••, Lockpicks or Bum's Rush) where the threshold of over-success aligns with a succeed-by amount on Antikythera.
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Readying: There's a few cards which will let you ready an exhausted Antikythera so you can get additional uses in a round. Fine Tuning is the most noteworthy of these, and if running two copies you can attach the second one to things like Steady-Handed. Less usefully there's The Raven Quill with the Interwoven Ink upgrade, which allows you to ready another asset. Off-class there's Bulwark accessible to Joe Diamond, and Transfiguration to become "Ashcan" Pete for Daisy.
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Finding Antikythera: Whitton Greene or Whitton Greene •• are excellent for this, tutoring for Antikythera whenever you reveal a new location and providing an boost when it's in play (as well as providing sought-after physical soak). Given a choice between Whitton, Alton or Milan, I would usually choose Whitton as she boosts the stat that Seekers care about and helps you get Antikythera out faster - however it’s a matter of taste and running all 3 with Miskatonic Archaeology Funding is far from a bad idea. Other tutors (Mr. "Rook", Captivating Discovery, Backpack, No Stone Unturned and their relevant upgrades) can also help you find it.
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Increasing opportunities to test: Mind over Matter and Hyperphysical Shotcaster can help you test on a lot of different types of tests, increasing opportunities to trigger Antikythera for Seekers who slant heavily to Intellect. In terms of combos, Hyperphysical Shotcaster as a Relic is also tutorable by Whitton Greene.
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Investigator pairings: Lucius Galloway is a natural pick, having the aforementioned Book of Verse as well as high to provide opportunities outside of tests to trigger Antikythera (look, a deck). Joe Diamond similarly has high and so can trigger Antikythera both while investigating and fighting (getting clues while you kill things is always nice), and can use Bulwark for readying. Aside from Lucius, non-parallel Monterey Jack and Ursula Downs have high and so can trigger Antikythera while evading, and make better use of Alton O'Connell than some Seekers. Harvey Walters is worth a mention, as Antikythera can trigger his card drawing ability on a 2 or 4 success to provide 2 cards (which gives you fodder for Artistic Inspiration). I made a deck along these lines with Harvey and posted it just before this review (link here if you're interested). Realistically though, just about any Seeker will make good use of Antikythera.
There you have it! Antikythera is a very powerful card and useable on just about any Seeker deck - well worth the 5 XP cost in my opinion. Do you think it's too powerful, or just good fun? Let me know your thoughts, as well as if I've missed anything.