Empower Self

I don't see much use of any of the Empower Self cards.
Most Mystics will prefer to use their willpower since it's likely to be their highest stat, plus it takes up a highly coveted Arcane slot.
I can see it appearing in a Werewolf Diana Stanley deck, particularly in the Eldritch Knight variant.
Outside of Mystics I doubt Patrice Hathaway can truly capitalize with her low ,, and , particularly on higher difficulties.
Sefina Rousseau is plagued by the same limitations, while also having it compete with Double, Double (4), Borrowed Time (3), and Suggestion (4) for the Arcane slot.
Intriguingly, I can see a support Daisy Walker taking this, with limited competition for her Arcane slots and ability to maximize its utility combining with Encyclopedia (2), Strange Solution (4)
Norman Withers might be able to make use of Empower Self: Acuity, but the not much of the others. Besides, I'd prefer to use Scrying (3) as well as Shrivelling (5)/Mists of R'lyeh (4) on the Arcane slot over Empower Selves.

Did I miss out on any investigator who is able to pick up Empower Selves?
Or any combinations that maximizes its utility?

unremb · 254
(Not my idea) Lola Hayes can take and probably benefit from all 3. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
@StyxTBeuford True... I always miss out on Lola Hayes - I tend to play on Hard difficulty and Lola's 3 on all stats just doesn't cut it. — unremb · 254
@unremb you are clearly missing the piint about this card. Hard. Empower Self allows enables you to play previosly unmatching skill icons into the test. Acuity allows you to combine the upgraded sixth sense with deduction to gain 1 or 2 extra clues on every location you may be considered investigating. Stamina allows you to add vicious blow for extra damage (if you can muster enough combat icons). But most of all Purple can finally use enraptured on investigation spells to add more charges. And Mystic has some good wild card icons on its cards so you can reasonably expect to pass them. I am looking forward to try this in Maria Lambeau. — Skeith · 2450
Maybe I'm being dense here, but I don't really understand your point Skeith. I mean, I get it, but I can't think of many examples where this is going to actually help. The only one that immediately springs to mind is with Rite of Seeking, where an off class mystic like Daisy who has a baseline Int that's much higher than her will could choose to use the higher stat and to commit Deduction to get 3 clues with one action. That is admittedly a pretty sweet combo, but in most cases mystics will have much stronger Will than they do any other stat so where is the advantage ? You're only going to be able to commit unmatched icons if you're not choosing to use Will for the test, so most of the time it'll be a wash even with the boost from Empower Self. What am I missing ? — Sassenach · 180
@Skeith I get what you mean with combination of Shrivelling/Rite of Seeking with Vicious Blow/Deduction/etc, however, Arcane Slots are highly coveted for all Mystics. Marie Lambeau can somewhat make use of Acuity (like Norman Withers as described in my review), but can barely make use of the other 2. Is it worth the 2XP, 3 resources, and Arcane Slot for a 1/round +2 boost to your intellect? I very much doubt so. Daisy can reasonably make use of each skill, which makes the cost much easier to stomach. With Akachi is somewhat reasonable, with her decent 3 combat, but as described above, my personal favourite to use Empower Selves in Mystics is Diana Stanley, with her 1/3/3/3 statline (and moderate resource generation). — unremb · 254
I really think people are overestimating the impact of changing skill cards for a test. Throwing a Vicious Blow onto a Shrivelling as Diana for example sounds good, but then you have to also have weapons in your deck as Diana to make that worthwhile- if you slot VB in just for empower self, you're relying on a one of in your deck to let you do that, and if you do have other weapons then it's not hard to just play those and use VB on those instead. Enraptured on investigating is nice, but Read the Signs already does that anyway, on top of boosting your investigating power enough that you're unlikely to fail the test, thereby all but guaranteeing the Enraptured charge. Deduction with Sixth Sense/Rite also sounds nice, but again it's adding a dead card into your deck unless you have some way to investigate normally that isn't dependent on the one of card. For Marie in particular that seems really bad because Deduction is eating two of your five splash slots and she didn't need to use the investigating spells anyway, so switching icons isn't so meaningful for her. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
@StyxTBeuford not to mention it’s a limit 1/deck for each Empower, making this janky combination extremely unreliable. — unremb · 254
@StyxTBeuford my bad... didn't notice you already mentioned that it's 1/deck in your comment. I'm liking Empower Self less and less :-( — unremb · 254
As you'd probably expect, it's on a par with other on-demand +2 boosting assets. Well Connected can boost any test but requires you to keep 10 resources on hand. Cornered requires you to discard a card every time you use it. This doesn't have any activation cost so in that sense it's superior, but it requires a greater resource cost to get all the boosts into play, takes up an arcane slot and uses up more of your deck space. That seems about right tbh. We wouldn't want it to be much more powerful. I think it'll likely find a home in off-class mystics more commonly, who don't have access to the higher level spell assets or who don't have very high willpower. — Sassenach · 180
I didn't say that it is a very good by itself. It is niche card that serves a specific purpose and that it does well. Only the skill boost is once per turn. The stat change can be applied at any time. That makes it useful for building combo decks. — Skeith · 2450
For example I am currently trying to abuse defiance and dark prophecy to draw bad tokens and negate them most turns. To do this I use dream enhancing serum and lab assisstant to hold the entire deck without discarding. This enables redrawing everything you play in action via feed the mind. Why is that good? Because with knowledge is power you can use feed the mind to redraw everything fast and thus have every powerful once or twice per game event available on every action. This also enables you activating spell assets from hand. No need to worry about arcane slots at all. I actually use six. 2 from sign magick and 2 in hand. The only thing missing was something to consistently recharge the played spells without spending an action. Rapture fits the bill but was not playable with clue spells aside from guiding stones. This fixes that nicely. — Skeith · 2450
Given your requirements, I gather you're referring to Marie Lambeau. I don't see why you wouldn't just use the Archaic Glyphs then, instead of jumping through hoops using Empower Self. Other candidates are Daisy Walker and Akachi Onyele; Daisy is already discussed above and Akachi would prefer to use her 5 willpower vs 2 intellect. — unremb · 254
You are correct of course. But I have developed the deck basically to make bad token fishing worthwhile via consistently replaying dark prophecy. And I wanted to use as many bonus effects that trigger of it. So sixth sense > archaic glyphs. But yes, the latter would save me some headache. I also included jewel of aurelious even though alchemical transmutation 2 is far more effective generating resources then used with knowledge is power. Neither Akachi nor Daisy can pull off what I want to do here. Only Ms. Lambeau has access to both feed the mind and the high level mystic spells. — Skeith · 2450
@Sassenach I think it's not truly on par with other +2 boosting assets. Cornered has the benefit of being able to activate more than once per round. Well Connected can boost an insane amount for any test if resources permit (e.g. Preston/Sefina moneybags). Well Prepared does not take up any slots. Quick Study's cost is prohibitive, though certain builds depend on the clue manipulation afforded by it. I think the resource and the slot cost for Empower Self might be too much, looking at it from purely the 1/round +2 to 1 stat point of view. Perhaps it might improve with future expansions adding new combinations. — unremb · 254
Dream Diary

This looks fantastic for Minh Thi Phan with Analytical Mind.

Not only is Minh more likely to interpret the dreams successfully over the course of a scenario (with the need to over-commit for The King in Yellow), Minh can effectively give a +2-5 (possibly +6/7 with Grisly Totem (3)) boost to any skill test for any investigator each round, with greater flexibility over turn order as well as the option to save it for the next round.
With Dream-Enhancing Serum, Minh should easily be able to reach and hold 8+ cards in her hand each round.
Unfortunately, it will take up one of her hand slots which is generally reserved for Ancient Stone (4) and The King in Yellow, albeit the latter being involuntary.
I can also see this doing well in a Daisy Walker deck.

Any other suggestions on who else it would be good with?

unremb · 254
Mandy seems like a pretty solid pick as well since she just searches double. Daisy and Minh are my top picks, but it is funny that they both have hand slot weaknesses. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
The other version that triggers off a shroud 4 location would work brilliantly with the command centre version of Minh. She can set up shop on a high shroud location and then fire off a +5 boost anywhere on the map. — Sassenach · 180
@Sassenach you're right! — unremb · 254
@StyxTBeuford for Mandy's ability to double search, do you mean to fill her hand quickly to 8+ cards? cos you can't use it for bonded cards. — unremb · 254
Yes I mean it in regards to filling her hand fast. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
@StyxTBeuford makes sense. Mandy also has limited use for her Arcane slots so can probably squeeze in the Dream-enhancing serum. — unremb · 254
How many Essence of Dreams can you have? If you get one on a turn, and don't use it, does it last in your hand until the next turn, joined by yet another copy? — Phelpsb83 · 215
You're limited to one copy. Just make sure you use it every turn and then it pops right back at the start of the next. — Sassenach · 180
What if I have two copies of Dream Diary in play? — Phelpsb83 · 215
You still just get the one copy. If they’re different upgrades they’ll apply their bonuses to the same single Essence. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
Hand slot limitations? Sounds like a job for Arcane Enlightenment (from the upcoming Harvey Walters Deck), also gives you +1 hand size limit. I feel like that might end up being a good card with all of the tome stuff that's been teased recently. — Zinjanthropus · 231
I'm planning on using this as part of my Lucid Dreaming Mandy Rouge deck. Dream Enhancing Serum + Lucid Dreaming + Mandy's On-Card Special + having three different sets of Myriad cards (segment of Onyx, Three Aces, and Easy Mark) = Staying above 8 cards. I’m looking forward to trying it out! — PanicMoon · 2
That FAQ entry really needs to be put in these card entry pages because it's quite surprising you can't have at least one bonded card per copy. — Timlagor · 6
Amanda Sharpe can use this every other turn under her. It also helps keeping her hand big, as you then keep the second draw while using the 4 wild Essence. — Kidaf · 6
If I control two copys of dreams of a child does essence of dreams has ?? ?? ?? icons? — Unterberg84 · 1
Recall the Future

This is really good in Jim, particularly in TFA and Carcosa due to the nature of their Chaos bags. Both bags have a tendency to just be Skulls + 1 other symbol based on your route.

Let's look at Echoes of the Past on Hard. For Jim, assuming he has Recall the Future in play and names the Cultist/Tablet/Elder Thing (whichever there is two of in the bag, which is how the bag will be unless you Doomed out at the party), the bag is:

7/17: 0 or greater 2/17: -1 4/17: -2 2/17: -3 1/17: -4 1/17: -5 And as always, 1/17: auto fail

Assuming for another investigator that the Skull is passed when at -2 you're looking at a change from 64.7% success to ~76.5%. That is quite the gain, and Jim pulls significantly further ahead once the Skulls breach -3, which isn't unheard of in this scenario after the mythos phase.

The thing is this card effectively gives you that same ~12% boost to your success rate until you actually need it. It's just like Lucky! in that sense.

Lucky! is more powerful per use of course, but you don't get it back every single turn. Playing more aggressively against the odds and knowing you have a way to get there anyways allows you to conserve your resources and gain tempo.

Just be careful to name a token that will actually make you pass a given test. Recall is not optional. If you call your shot, you get your +2 so make it something that actually counts. Especially vs Mythos tests you might not care about, try to name something you only have a 1/17 or so pulling.

Still, I encourage you all to try this in your Mystics and off-class Mystics. Lucky! is a genuine consideration in any deck that can take it, so don't sleep on Recall if your deck building restrictions don't allow taking it.

Swekyde · 66
What do you mean by "Recall is not optional"? It is a reaction. Activating the reaction ability of a card is optional. However, once you recall any kind of symbol, it will be triggerd indeed. You can not call for the Elder Thing and then decide "never mind, I don' want this" - whyever you should do this. — Darth Sithius · 1
Swift Reflexes

2 resources and 1 card for 1 action, but 2 cards and 1 card worth 3 actions, so 3 actions for 1 action? Not an impressive card among all those rogue cards providing action. But when export to other factions with Versatile, this ability become priceless. Seekers draw cards so easily, that you can almost consider cards as free. So 2 resources for 1 actions now? If there is any card can get resources as efficient as 1 action (you don't have to count in any cards spent!) for 3 resources, then the combination will become 1 free resource! And then you just use the free resource for more actions! Here is a deck for example.

Tzolkin1065 · 155
I disagree with the basic premise of your argument. Rogues can generate crazy amount of resources such that the resources that you equated to two actions aren't worth nearly the same as two actions. And it also ignores the value of being able to take an action at the highest leverage time. I still haven't used this card in a deck though. It is decent enough to consider but it doesn't end up making the final cut. — The Lynx · 999
I have found one place I do like this card, and that's in Finn Edwards with Crystallizer of Dreams. Taking an extra investigate action and following that up later on with a +2 free evade is solid. But for the most part this card is just too much in my opinion to be worth taking most of the time. You really need some other synergies to make it worth the include imo. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
@TWWaterfalls So this card didn't see much play at least. I was just trying to sell the idea to include this in seekers and create a super easy and stable infinite-loop. — Tzolkin1065 · 155
"2 cards and 1 card worth 3 actions". No way. Actions are clearly more valuable than cards, which are usually worth more than resources. I'd put it much closer to 3:2:1 than 1:1:1. — Blackhaven · 9
Yaotl

I think a good use of this card could be with Agnes Baker or on another level with Patrice Hathaway. Combined with Scrying or Scrying(3), you can see 3 cards of your deck, and decide to discard the one you want, especially Treachery Cards. Moreover, correct me if I'm wrong, but Patrice Hathaway can choose the order of the cards in her discarded hand, making Yaotl sensibly more powerful.

That she can. There are two big issues with this. First, Yaotl doesn't count wild icons, which unfortunately are Patrice's bread and butter. Secondly, Patrice is already pretty happy with some very specific allies. Madame Labranche is insanely good for her combined with her Violin to help her pay for anything she happens to draw (or to sink into Fire Axe tests). Peter Sylvestre 2 buffs her Willpower, which is her most tested skill. Miss Doyle allows her to change her base stats to 5 and has a lot more control in a Patrice deck where you can quickly discard one cat to draw another one from your discard pile. Soon we'll also have Summoned Hound which is potentially an extra action every round for Patrice, which is massive as her current issue right now is not her inability to test well (wild icons, Cornered, Recall the Future, etc already have her covered there) but actions. — StyxTBeuford · 13052