In the case of the token, if there are currently no clue tokens on any Brood of Yog-Sothoth, one cannot choose the first option and consider the effect of the doom token done ; in this case one is compelled to choose the alternative (-4 in easy/normal, auto-fail in hard/expert).

Ruling by Matthew Newman here) :

If you are instructed that you “must” choose among multiple options, you are compelled to choose an option that has the potential to change the game state (Rules Reference, “Must,” page 16). In this case, if there are no clues on any Brood of Yog-Sothoths in play, you cannot choose that option, and must instead change the token’s modifier to –4.

Some observations:

Since the committed card gains after it's committed, this doesn't let you commit cards that don't a matching symbol or cards (like Emergency Cache) that don't have any skill symbols.

The effect only applied to skill cards, not any card you are using to support a skill check.

I always like cards that have multiple effects. For that reason (and more), I'm a fan of "I've had worse…". For 0-cost & no actions, it lets you cancel up to 5 damage/horror and gain that many resources.

Its first effect makes it a good upgrade from Dodge. Like Dodge, it is Fast and will work against Elite & non-Elite enemies alike. Unlike Dodge, which cancels all effects of an attack against any investigator at your location, "I've had worse…" only cancels damage/horror--not other effects that an enemy attack may have--dealt to you, not other investigators. However, "I've had worse…" can cancel damage/horror from other sources, like treacheries, locations, etc.--not just enemies. It also costs 1 less resource than Dodge and provides 1 additional icon. So, if not needed for its effects, it can provide 2 to those all-important treachery tests.

Its second effect provides resources for a class that currently (as of The Path to Carcosa) has few options other than Emergency Cache for resource generation. [Stand Together is another option, but is only effective in multi-player.] When used against an attack from an enemy that inflicts 2-damage & 2 horror (probably the most likely scenario), "I've had worse…" can provide 4 resources toward playing that Shotgun or Lightning Gun or for Dynamite Blast.

The big question: Is all this worth 4XP? In solo play, I would say "Yes, indeed!" In multi-player, I'm more likely to upgrade to Stand Together, which costs 1XP less, provides a similar 4 resources, as well as 4 cards, and needn't be held until facing a large enemy. In solo, though, this is often one of the first cards I'll upgrade to when playing a Guardian investigator--even Zoey Samaras--mostly because, when played wisely, it can give you a Fast influx of 4-5 resources to set up play of your big weapon. That said, you will want to hold "I've had worse…" until it can be used against an enemy (or other source of damage/horror) that maximizes its resource gain. But then, Guardians are usually seeking out danger.

So, in summation: 0-cost, Fast, 3 skill icons, cancels damage/horror, provides resources. What's not to like about "I've had worse…"? Its only real drawback is its high XP cost. But, given all it does, I'd say it's well worth it. Though, as they say, your mileage may differ.

Just looking at the numbers--1 resource for 2 Health & 2 Sanity--Dr. William T. Maleson has the best cost-to-stat ratio of any ally currently in the game (as of The Path to Carcosa). Though he is unlikely to unseat his tenured colleague Dr. Milan Christopher, he is still a good choice as a second ally with Charisma; as a cheap, effective damage/horror sponge; as a target for effects that discard assets; or for investigators for whom Dr. Christopher's resource generation is not crucial.

Once per turn, his effect lets you cancel an encounter card at the cost of 1 clue. The good news: His effect is a reaction, so it doesn't cost you an action; being reactive, you can decide whether to use his effect after you've drawn the encounter card; it cancels that troublesome encounter card; and the clue paid to do so is placed on your location, so it can be picked up again with Roland Banks' effect, etc. The not-so-good news: This effect only works for encounter cards you--not other investigators--draw; the canceled encounter card is shuffled back into the encounter deck, not discarded; and a new encounter card still has to be faced. So, basically, unless you're using some sort of scrying, you've chosen what lurks behind curtain #2 to buy a reprieve against what's revealed behind curtain #1.

Is this effect worth it? That largely depends on how bad the avoided encounter was (compared to the new one drawn) and whether you needed that clue (and, if so, how effectively & quickly you can re-discover it). Maybe that was your only clue, so your Survivor investigator can use Newspaper to easily scoop it back up. Or, perhaps your Seeker investigator is keeping extra clues on himself/herself for "I've got a plan!" or Rex's Search for the Truth, so can drop one without slowing the pace of the game. In any case, you're likely to use Dr. Maleson's effect on an "as-needed" basis rather than every turn, as opposed to other allies whose effect you might use each turn.

There's another use for Dr. Maleson's effect, though. Being able to put a clue back on a location with no clues can benefit several cards, including Roland Banks, Roland's .38 Special, Cover Up, Inquiring Mind, Preposterous Sketches, etc. Dropping a clue on a location in order to get that extra +2 from Roland's .38 Special or to use the 3 icons from Inquiring Mind can make the difference between success & failure. And, since Roland's Core signature weakness, Cover Up, only works on clues as they are discovered, dropping one and re-discovering it in order to remove a clue from Cover Up can potentially save Roland some mental trauma. [I've actually encountered all three of the above situations when playing Roland.] [EDIT: A couple upcoming cards--Forewarned & Mysteries Remain (a spoiled alternate signature card for Roland)--also enable you to drop a clue at your location, perhaps indicating that more cards may use this mechanic.]

From the above, you can probably tell that I think Dr. William T. Maleson is a good fit for Roland Banks, for both his effect and as a cheap horror sponge. His effect may not edge out the first-choice Beat Cop or Art Student for Roland, or Dr. Milan Christopher for Seekers, but his super-low cost & good stats alone make Dr. William T. Maleson a good fit for any investigator that has a deck slot for him.

Here's hoping FFG releases an experienced version (or two) of Dr. Maleson (Working on Something Even Bigger/Truly Huge), perhaps with his effect upgraded to discard rather than shuffle the canceled encounter card and/or to allow his effect to target any investigator at his location.

One of my favourite Spirit cards. Keep in mind that it doesn't let you cancel peril, surge, etc., but it lets you immediately cancel the when revealed ef- I mean, er, the revelation effect of a really nasty treachery at just the right time. It can, however, deal with surge that's part of a treachery's revelation, like False Lead.

It does nothing against cards that do not say revelation at all (like most enemies). Still, it's an amazing card. Grab this and hope you won't have to use it. For 1 exp, the extra security is totally worth it.