Double or Nothing

With the Quick Thinking limited to once per round and Three Aces taboo'd to RFG, I think the ban on Donut could be revisited. The abusive edge cases are pretty much all gone at this point. Donuting Momentum or "Watch this!" is perfectly fine, as is committing it to an ally's check.

I think the game has room for some version of Double or Nothing in it. My humble proposal would be, at 0xp:

Double the difficulty of this skill test. If this skill test is successful, resolve the effects of the successful test twice. Then, remove Double or Nothing from the game.

suika · 9508
In my opinion the taboo is justified. If I imagine a Rouge with lockpicks and an upgraded deduction on a two shroud location this means 4 clues. And with each commited skill card this combo gets much better. And if you are afraid of drawing a autofail you can play justify the means. — Tharzax · 1
Spending 6xp and 3 cards and adding 4 curses to get 6 clues once per game doesn't seem out of line to me for the 3 cards 6xp spent, considering that it's just a single action saved over investigating twice with Deduction (2). — suika · 9508
The issue with DoN is that on its own its a good card (double difficulty for a rogue deduction or a vicious blow without any combo's) its that plus the extra effects of making any card they design possibly broken if you double it, even if no card that currently exists was broken DoN needs to be out of the game to allow cards that would otherwise not ever be printed. Removing it from the game is just a limiter on breaking the game only once, which is a speedbump and still doesn't open design space. — Zerogrim · 296
An alternative taboo that I got from a YouTube channel that I really like: No other skill cards can be committed to the same test as Donut, preventing you from simply using Three Aces to automatically succeed. Donut can be allowed back into the game, future design space is still left open, and Travis will finally be able to try out Donut + Shotgun. — NightgauntTaxiService · 464
Please tell me how to calculate correctly? If I add Double or Nothing and Quick Thinking to the skill test, then I need to pass double the difficulty of Double or Nothing and also exceed the test by +2? To make Quick Thinking work? For example, I pass a 3 vs 3 test, I add Double or Nothing and Quick Thinking and have my skill 5 (3+1+1=5) vs 6 (3*2=6) and draw a +1 counter and it's 6 vs 6, I double checked but still get Am I +2 actions from Quick Thinking? or should I have had 8 vs 6??? — LTT · 1
@LTT You do exactly as the cards say. The test would become 6 dif. Your token and skill are also 6. You succeed. Now you check the skill resolutions that hinge on success. Did you beat the 6 dif test by 2 or more? No. You would only get double the result of the test (like 2 clues if investigating.) — Robax · 1
Sneak Attack

This old staple still doesn't have a review?

Testless damage is always good, and this one is a huge upgrade. While Sneak Attack (0) requires you to pass an evade*, this one doesn't as long as the enemy is engaged on someone else. That saves you a test and an action most of the time. Two testless damage that can hit aloof enemies is excellent. Chuck Fergus makes it fast and allows it to be used on other players turns, too. An auto-include in any Chuck deck and a generally strong event that Sefina Rousseau usually wants.

When it comes to contributing to fights, I've always felt it appropriate that this and Backstab are so much stronger than any of the rogue guns. That's how a Rogue's supposed to fight, after all — not head on, but sneaking in a punch while the 's got them distracted. Save your hands for picking locks and strange gizmos, don't try to be a worse guardian!*

* unless you use it in the player window after enemy attacks with Chuck Fergus.

** unless you're Tony, in which case you're actually secretly a Guardian

suika · 9508
Very good summary, but with one caveat: baring aloof enemies, it does nothing compared to the level 0 version in solo play. It is still not a strictly multiplayer card (like "Stand Together" or "Safeguard" would be). I did purchase it in my solo Carcosa run with Sefina (and Chuck), and it was indeed good for getting more than half of my tally marks "Chasing the Stranger" (combined with "Coup de Grâce"), but the second copy lacked usefulness compared to the level 0 version, even there. I would still consider it in any solo Carcosa run, in particular with characters not great in fighting, but certainly not in other campaigns. — Susumu · 382
I'm also not sure, if you can play it out of your turn with Chuck (except for with "Quick Thinking" and similar effects). His ability reads: "When you play an event...", this does not sound, like it allows you to play an event, you normally could not play. — Susumu · 382
Chuck absolutely can play events out of turn. Fast events are played during player windows and cannot be played as a normal action. Therefore, his ability must allow you to play events during a player window. It would not make sense to say that you take an action to play, then trigger Chuck's ability to somehow retroactively play an event in the player window before your action. — suika · 9508
The caveat I have is in "Appendix I: Initiation Sequence": to play a card, you first have to check, if it can be played, then pay it's cost, then (in step 3) actually play it. If any condition does not aply, the sequence is aborted before reaching step 3. The wording of Chuck sounds to me, like it would trigger in step 3. An event, which is not fast could normally, without Chuck, not be played out of turn. So therefore, the sequence could be abortet, before Chuck makes it "playable". Not 100% sure, but that's, how I would read it. — Susumu · 382
It's a minor thing, though. Even without the option to play it out of turn, "Sneak Attack" (2) wirh Chuck is bonkers good! — Susumu · 382
The problem is if Chuck works as if you described, the initiation would be aborted immediately after Chuck makes the card fast because you are now attempting to play a Fast event as an action during 2.2.1, which is actually not allowed. So it cannot work in thee manner you described. — suika · 9508
Besides, via the FAQ from Fence: Q: With Fence, can I play an Illicit asset (or appropriate event, such as Pay Day) in the [player window] after my last action? This seems a bit more prickly as I need to initiate a play action before I can give fast to the card... But then also fast cards don't use the play Action to enter play? A: Yes, you can. Fast assets can be played in any player window during your turn, including the one after your last action is taken. Fence gives the card fast before it is actually played, so this is taken into account during its initiation sequence. — suika · 9508
I wouldn't say, that it would be otherwise unplayable with Chuck. He would "need" the action in advance, but would not spend it with the event becoming fast. Regardless, the Fence F.A.Q. is a good catch! It shows, that "When you play..." actually triggers before playing a card. — Susumu · 382
Galvanize

Galvanize is a card in need of good targets. Guardian assets that you want to use multiple times in a round are relative rare, most common targets would probably be Agency Backup, Beat Cop or Well Prepared. I've also tried this with Nathaniel Cho with Boxing Gloves to some success, since it can be found by the gloves as well.

Note that if you cannot make use of the ready effect, Galvanize is relatively inefficient for what it does; contrast Swift Reflexes, Shortcut, and Taunt. That two resource cost isn't cheap at all.

suika · 9508
Is this right? Enchant Weapon exhausts, not the Hammer. Galvanize can only ready an Asset. Since the exhausted card is an event, this wouldn't work? — acotgreave · 894
Oh darn, you're right. It doesn't work. — suika · 9508
Butterfly swords + Galvanise, fast speed 3 damage attack seems pretty worth it. but I agree you probably need the "potential" to ready a good asset in guardian to want to include this, I think 2 resource for an attack is fair, but it has to do more than that or you'd just use counterpunch. — Zerogrim · 296
Tony might like it with "Quickdraw Holster". Empty the 5 ammo from a "Colt Vest Pocket" in 0 to 1 actions. (You get 1 free action from "Galvanize", two from the "Quickdraw Holster" and possibly 1 from a bounty.) But that's a three card combo. — Susumu · 382
*1 to 2 actions — Susumu · 382
QUESTION: Must the extra fight action be a basic fight action, or can you also use a trigerred fight action? — jobib · 1
@jobib Any fight action, triggered or basic. — snacc · 1022
Blessed blade, Nephys... — MrGoldbee · 1496
Protective Gear

Here's another item that Lonnie Ritter can fix (along with the two Precious Mementos and Heavy Furs in this set), and in the two other factions likely to want the horror healing of Lonnie. But to get more uses of Protective Gear's ability, you'll need to heal the horror, too. That's a tougher task, since most card effects heal horror only from investigator cards or Ally cards. The exceptions are Ancient Stone, for which you'll need Seeker access, and Call for Backup, but for that one you'll need a Mystic card, too to do the horror healing. All of this points to just one investigator, Carolyn Fern, who can additionally run The Star • XVII to beef up this and Lonnie and just never die.

For other investigators looking to get extra uses out of this card, forget Lonnie, Call for Backup on its own will do the trick. This card already gives you the damage healing from being a Survivor card, you just need a Mystic card in play, too. Lily Chen and Diana Stanley don't need any more help since their investigator card counts. There's a good chance Sister Mary and Patrice Hathaway already have a Mystic asset out. For all other Guardians and Survivors, you'll need to run another multiclass card, which isn't a bad idea if you are playing Call for Backup anyways.

A more straightforward combo is just to use this thing up three times and pull it out of the discard. Anyone with Resourceful can do this, or anyone happy to take Scavenging like Minh Thi Phan or Agnes Baker.

Finally, the use of Protective Gear's ability depends on the campaign. A few campaigns so far have little to no specific Hazards. Canceling a Hazard usually lets you bypass an Agility test (sometimes a Willpower or Strength), but other times a nasty revelation effect.

dscarpac · 1249
So good on Essex Express. — MrGoldbee · 1496
Unscrupulous Loan

The best time to have a quick injection of a lot of money is at the beginning of the game, especially if you are asset-heavy. If you mulligan for this or it comes up within the first few turns, you're in for a good time. Play your expensive cards, and the rest of the game will be easier. If it comes up later, maybe don't play it. Anyways, you'd better have a plan to get the money back. The best way is to either play an investigator who makes the money back passively or is rewarded for having stockpiles of cash (Jenny Barnes, Preston Fairmont, Bob Jenkins, Monterey Jack (EDIT: Monterey Jack obviously cannot take Rogue level 3 cards)), or is asset/skill heavy where you just don't need to spend too many resources past putting down your key assets. Event-heavy Rogues are probably going to spend all of their money no matter how much they get. If you do need help getting the money back, the usual suspects like Hot Streak and Faustian Bargain are fine, and The Red Clock, Lone Wolf, and Investments will get you the money back eventually, but a special mention for Cheat the System, which cares about assets in play from other classes, and hey, this one is also a Survivor Card.

Speaking of, do any Survivors besides Bob Jenkins really need this? Survivor is, after all, the class that has Dark Horse. Wendy Adams can use this to pay for Leo De Luca, and with Pickpocketing (2) and other Rogue economy cards can make the money back. Rita Young can take Trick cards, so that means Easy Mark and Sneak By are on the menu, and she may want this to pay for an early Pilfer or two. Daniela Reyes may like this to put down some expensive Guardian assets or in Survivor, Aquinnah or a Chainsaw. But paying the loan back may be a challenge with Survivor cards. You can stop playing events or assets and build up your resource pool slowly. Maybe a key Drawing Thin or Take Heart will help. If you have time at the end of a scenario take the resources with the basic action yourself, or maybe get help from a friendly Guardian, Rogue, Seeker, or psychiatrist. Of course, taking Déjà Vu to mitigate the forced Exile may be the answer.

dscarpac · 1249
Jack can't take it. — MrGoldbee · 1496
Thanks -- It's too easy for the Edge investigators' deck-building requirements to sneak by. — dscarpac · 1249
Jack can take Sneak By. :D — Death by Chocolate · 1484
I am currently running it in a Patrice deck with cats & dogs, and first impressions are very good. She has often resource problems early on, which can be solved by this. And I don't think, she is the right investigator for "Dark Horse". — Susumu · 382
Besides, I'm pretty sure "Déjà Vu" won't discount this card, because "When the game ends" is not "during the scenario". Being defeated is just another way to end the scenario for the given investigator. — Susumu · 382
"When the game ends" is in fact during the game, since "when" means before, though. — Thatwasademo · 58
(to be specific, any "when the game ends" triggers happen between determining that the game is going to end and actually ending the game) — Thatwasademo · 58
Survivors who have lvl-0 Rogue access (Pete, Wendy, and Bob) might want this so they can pull shenanigans with Well Connected. With all the great Survivor econ available, it's a surprisingly strong archetype; I've built a really fun "Scrooge McDuke" deck that uses resources solely to power Well Connected instead of spending them. Since the whole point of the deck is to hoard your money, Unscrupulous Loan never gets exiled. — ClownShoes · 161