Card Reviews · ArkhamDB

Shocking Discovery

Mandy Thompson is quite a complex investigator to take, not only her deckbuilding options but also her weakness seems to have more to it than meets the eye. I am not completely sure, if I am doing it right, but as far as I do understand the rules as written ("When a player is instructed to search for a card, that player is permitted to look at all of the cards in the searched area without revealing those cards to the other players.") the target of the search for certain cards is the entire deck. This is true for the upgrade No Stone Unturned for example. So if you use such a card, than you will always find Shocking Discovery and by that set it of in a "controlled environment" so to say and don't have to worry about it any longer.

Having said that, as long as you do not have found Shocking Discovery yet, than a card searching the entire deck is pretty valuable for Mandy to have. So not only the expensive upgraded No Stone Unturned which you might probably not want to waste on this, but also cards like the 0xp Research Librarian all of a sudden look completely different to me. Even some encounter cards might help, like SPOILER or SPOILER from Path to Carcosa. The latter will also surprisingly be completely canceled as far as I do understand it.

12/10/19

thakaris · 199

That’s a great find on the SPOILER encounter cards. RAW I’m certain it cancels if you draw the card, but the later would still resolve if a different investigator draws it and is the one searching your deck. The basic weakness, Through the Gates, also. :) — Death by Chocolate · 1484 12/10/19

On the first SPOILER the horror will also be canceled i guess? — Django · 5165 12/11/19

Probably not. It’s does ‘horror and a search’, so I don’t think the horror falls under the ‘search and it’s effects.’ — Death by Chocolate · 1484 12/11/19

@Django: As far as I do understand it, the first SPOILER card will work like this: If you fail the test, you take 2 horror, also you search your entire deck. The latter will be canceled and you have to draw another encounter card. You still take the 2 horror but from now on you can use Rook as much as you want, you may uses upgraded No Stone Unturned and basically become the incredible card search machine that Mandy becomes ones here weakness is out of the way - so enjoy! — thakaris · 199 12/14/19

@Death by Chocolate: Regarding the second SPOILER from Path to Carcosa - you are right about that one in my opinion. If another investigator draws that card and searches you deck it does not trigger, since Shocking Discovery says "Forced - When you search your deck". Since it is essentially not "your deck" you are searching when a player besides Mandy herself draws that second SPOILER encounter card it will not be canceled. It is really a pity that there is not a card that allows you to temporarily take ownership of any given card since I really want to put "Shocking Discovery" under Diana :-) — thakaris · 199 12/14/19

I don’t think such a card would exist since SD is a treachery, so no player has ownership of it while it is resolving. — Death by Chocolate · 1484 12/16/19

Even if you could switch owner, Signature Cards have been errated that you cannot give them to other investigators (unless they'll publish some shapeshifter). — Django · 5165 12/17/19

What happens If you are told to search your deck for a card during the setup? — Taskonidis · 1 12/18/19

Well, that is a very good point. There are very few situations though, I can think of that makes Mandy search here complete Deck during setup. Just one specific situation during Carcosa come into my mind. I don't think, you can draw from the encounter deck or discard during setup, so I would rule per Grim Rule and decide that Mandies weakness would not trigger here. Maybe to file a rule question with FFG would be of help here. — thakaris · 199 12/22/19

It happens at least once during Dunwich and The Forgotten Age also. — Yenreb · 15 1/6/20

The very first scenario of Dream Eaters does it — PanicMoon · 2 7/25/20

So from this post what I understand this "When you search your deck and this card is among the searched cards" effects resolve even if card itself is not a valid candicate for search. This means if I find this with librarian it will be discarded and prevent librarian's effect is that correct? — Makaramus · 10 11/19/20

Yes, that is correct. — thakaris · 199 3/18/21

Historical Society

I'm not sure about the text on this card, we have managed to interpret it in three different ways.

First, after successfully investigating you take two horror and discover a clue and you are only permitted to investigate once per round.

Second, after successfully investigating you take two horror and discover a clue but you only take the two horror once per round and are permitted to continue to investigate for the remainder of the round finding clues as normal.

Three, after you successfully investigate you gain a clue as normal, take two horror and then gain a second clue, only taking the two horror and second clue once per round.

Any thoughts appreciated.

12/10/19

lumberingoaf · 1

After you successfully investigate this location (e.g. you investigate and grab however many clues that investigate gives you), you then have the option of triggering the reaction here where you take two horror and discover an extra clue. You can trigger this once per round. Reactions are always optional. — StyxTBeuford · 13052 12/10/19

My group also made that mistake sometimes, mistaking a location reactions with "forced". First scenario of TCU has a location with a reaction to have all drawn enemies spawn there but they attack you. My clue focused marie did that all the time and i was so swarmed until we realized my mistake. We started over. — Django · 5165 12/11/19

Recharge

Hey, here is an official ruling about the interaction between the mystic player cards Eldritch Inspiration and Recharge.

Question:

Hello, I have a question regarding the interaction between the mystic player cards Eldritch Inspiration and Recharge.

So the question is: Does the word "Otherwise" from the card Recharge is referring to the revelation of the , , , or token or the resolution of it's negative effect? In other words, if I use Eldritch Inspiration to cancel the negative effect of Recharge (discarding the targeted asset) do I still get its positive effect (the 3 extra charges) or not? Thanks for the answear and your time.

Answear:

Greetings, If you use Eldritch Inspiration to cancel the “…if you reveal a ___ symbol…” effect on Recharge, it cancels just the “discard the chosen asset” effect. The “otherwise” clause doesn’t kick in because you still revealed the relevant symbol.

In other words, it’s not saying “if the asset wasn’t discarded, add 3 charges to it,” it’s saying “if you revealed any other token, add 3 charges to it.”

Still a great combo for ensuring that Recharge doesn’t get rid of your best spell [or relic] asset, though!

Cheers,

Matthew Newman

Senior Card Game Developer

Fantasy Flight Games

PD: In my personal opinion the combo is not worth it XD. I now use Premonition and/or Olive McBride to somehow mitigate variance when using Recharge on my Pendant of the Queen...so being there is no way to guarantee the 3 extra charges, you've got to ask yourself one question before you put Recharge in your deck: 'Do I feel lucky?'... Well, do you, punk?

12/9/19

Alogon · 1145

Aquinnah

EDIT: removed the cringy self-congratulations for finding an exploit in Arkham Horror.

Step 1: Play Patrice Hathaway
Step 2: Play Aquinnah
Step 3: Get attacked by Watcher from Another Dimension
Step 4: ???
Step 5: Profit

Because I apparently need 200 characters minimum in a review, Step 4 could be either; turn the Watcher's attack on itself, or better yet, make it your attack dog and deal three test-less damage to any fool who dares step up to Patrice.

12/9/19

Lucaxiom · 4548

I don’t think you can deal damage to it when it’s in your hand, only ‘fight’ it as if it were at your location. — Difrakt · 1327 12/9/19

You can fail the test, let it spawn engaged with you and then take an attack of opportunity. Not sure this is the most efficient way to deal with it though. — Sassenach · 180 12/9/19

It's actually quite an ingenious plan, particularly the part about carrying the Watcher around and using it to kill other enemies. Don't think it's game-breaking though. Aquinnah is a 4 cost asset and Patrice only gets one opportunity to play her. Holding 4 resources in hand while you wait to draw her isn't exactly efficient. It's a fun exploit but probably won't be used much. — Sassenach · 180 12/9/19

I can see some use in dealing the Watcher's damage to other enemies, not back at the Watcher. But for this you need to have a viable target at your location at the right time and you also gimp yourself by having -1 card in your hand. So while the combo is certainly potent when it works, it is difficult to setup and has a few downsides. In my opinion it is a fun, but janky combo, not a gamebreaking exploit (like infinite Jenny for example). — PowLee · 15 12/10/19

You don't need to keep it in your hand; you can purposely fail an attack to spawn it at your location, and trigger the attack reflection 3 times on other enemies before using the forth reflect needs to be used on the Watcher itself. if you have another investigator at your location, you can have them engage enemies for you so you only get attacked once per round. Failing that, you can play cards like hiding spot or infighting to delay attacks as you position yourself for maximum damage output. Failing that, good enough evade options will achieve the same result. — Lucaxiom · 4548 12/10/19

@Lucaxiom Excet that Aquinnah exhausts, so you can’t simply trigger three or four times. You have to space it out across 3-4 rounds which means lots of AoOs that can’t be cancelled or actions getting lost, or TN 5 evade checks that need to be made. Yeah, converting TN 5 agility tests into 3 damage hits isn’t the worst, but it definitely requires more than just the one card combo. — Death by Chocolate · 1484 12/10/19

Relying on specific cards in your hand is quite the gamble with Patrice cause you'll discard them at the end of your turn. You could setup hiding spots in advance, but risking you're too far away when the watcher in play and enemy to reflect. Hiding spot and infighting are both rather useless, so i wouldnt recommend using them. Aquinnah 4 on the other hand is very helpful, even without the watcher. — Django · 5165 12/11/19

Tried this out on a whim on a Return to Midnight Masks solo run. I did get stuck under the watcher for a couple rounds, but Aquinnah made up for it by directing the Watcher at two masked cultists and one three-health doom accumulator. — Kergma · 11 8/16/20

Also, one key point: the Watcher is a hunter, so if you can evade it once and get the timing right, it’ll come to your targets. You don’t need to drag it around. — Kergma · 11 8/16/20

Teamwork

EDIT: Grammar

Teamwork is a card that, on it's own, requires such a knowledge of the resource dependency of not just your own deck but each of your fellow investigators' decks as well to determine it's usefulness, that the effort involved in getting and analysing that information is better spent picking a different card and doing something more meaningful with your time. However, Teamwork also has the benefit of facilitating some jank, of which I'm going to detail three such instances below:

First, poverty decks, defined by decks that centre around Dark Horse, have an annoying catch-22; they need to have the resource expenditure to get your resources to zero in order to facilitate Dark Horse, but also be cheap enough to operate without resources once Dark Horse hits the field. The solution is usually cards that have additional avenues for spending resources, AKA Fire Axe and Dig Deep, but investigators that can take guardian and survivor cards have a third option; donating your resources away with Teamwork. So William Yorick, Tommy Muldoon, "Ashcan" Pete, and Zoey Samaras will probably want to including at least one copy of Teamwork, should they decide to go the poverty route.

Second, a deck archetype I call the Charity Gala, with none other than Jenny Barnes in a full support roll. Coupled with Charles Ross, Esq. and Joey "The Rat" Vigil, its main purpose is to bankroll the rest of your team, either by paying for their assets, for straight up giving them money with Teamwork. The Ally exchange part will actually see use as well in this deck; Joey "The Rat" Vigil is a stupidly expensive card, but his effect, and highest health/sanity values, are useful to any investigator, especially if Jenny foots the bill, and Charles Ross, Esq.'s discount affects everyone regardless of who's controlling him.

Third, and while I usually don't advocate begging, I'll make an exception for the poorest investigator in the game bar none; Mark Harrigan. I cannot stress enough how much Mark struggles with economy. Not only is he restricted to guardian, neutral, and lvl 0 tactic cards (AKA "I've had worse…", Emergency Cache, and Act of Desperation), but he also has the fastest draw-engine of all the investigators (which impoverishes him more as he loses out of the one resource stipend gained from drawing cards in the upkeep phase), AND he's disinclined from including the cheapest type of cards in his deck; skill cards, on account of having an on-demand Unexpected Courage most the the time. If you're willing to sell your dignity, then do take Teamwork when playing Mark, because Lord knows he needs every scrap of economy he can get.

12/9/19

Lucaxiom · 4548

I don't get it - why does Mark lose out on the upkeep resource again? — TheNameWasTaken · 3 12/10/19

Mark doesn’t struggle that bad with economy. His card advantage is the best out of all Guardians, and Stick to the Plan helps that even further. His resource gen as a result isnt bad either with Ever Vigilant, and Act of Desperation and Thompson 3 go a long way as well. I dont think I would take Teamwork in Mark just for resources. Play E Cache instead? — StyxTBeuford · 13052 12/10/19

I think skill cards are really good as Mark. They complement Sophie's boosts very well! — CaiusDrewart · 3200 12/10/19

Teamwork is strange with bonded cards, like hallowed mirror. It doesn't leave play, so the owner still keeps the bonded cards, but saves a slot. Regarding mark, you don't have to use his ability, if your hand is full but you're missing ressources to play them. — Django · 5165 12/11/19

Another reason why Mark might want to use teamwork: to take control of Jessica Hyde from a friendly Survivor. — Zinjanthropus · 231 9/6/20

With the sheer power of Hunters Armor and Runic Axe, this card is stronger than it used to be, yeah? A character like Carson can use this to hand nasty items like these off to allies more qualified to use them — The Nue · 1 10/13/22

You forgot the jankiest jank of all: Getting rid or taking control of Charon's Obol in juuust the right moment (: — AlderSign · 418 4/25/24

Absolutely love this card, as it truly shines in 2 handed solo, where you can really tune two decks to share many slots, and the imagination is the only limitation. So much deck building ideas. So much to love about this. — Quantallar · 8 8/21/24