Vincent Lee - Decipher the Dream with Skill

Introduction / deck idea

This deck is built around 3 cards:

• Cryptographic Cipher grants up to 3 fast investigate actions if we can handle the increased shroud value, which should not be a problem.
• Dream Diary (Explorer ugrade) acts as a second source of unexpected courage, adding consistency to Vincent's playstyle and enabling a niche combo with Cryptographic Cipher described further below.
• Ancestral Knowledge allows to pack more skill cards with fast access to 5 of them. We get to play these powerfull survivor skill cards (1, 2, 3) without sacrificing deckspace.

The general idea of the deck is to focus on tempo: fast investigate actions, action-less bonus effects from skill cards and endless supply of unexpected courage to never fail a test. It is somewhat flexible, leaning more towards clue getting but with some reasonable combat options as well.

Example combos / practical situations

Example 1: Your location's shroud value is 3. Investigate with Cryptographic Cipher. The location's shroud value is now 4, you can commit your Essence of the Dream (Explorer upgrade) for 4 icons which puts you in that sweet +4 spot. If this was the last clue in the location, throw in Crack the Case to gain 4 resources instead of 3, benefiting again from the increased shroud value. Get 1 clue and 4 ressources for no action.

This is the optimal combo when all your pieces are setup, but I believe Cryptographic Cipher will have many use cases regardless of location shroud value.

Example 2: Your location's shroud value is 2. Investigate with Cryptographic Cipher. The location's shroud value is now 3. Commit On the Mend and Deduction for that +4 sweet spot. Get 2 clues for no action.

You don't have to be at +4 over test difficulty, especially if Lucky! is in your hand. The point is you should be able to reach it consistently when facing an important test.

Example 3: During a basic fight action, commit Brute Force and Helping Hand for +6 icons. You now have 9 / 10 with Jessica Hyde, which secures the +2 damage trigger against 3 / 4 combat value enemies.

Example 4: Use Toe to Toe and laugh at the enemy's attack (you probably heal and bring back an On the Mend). Your attack is automatically successful but you can still commit skill cards so throw in Vicious Blow or Resourceful to secure damage or recursion.

Upgrade path

There are a many options to reach the final deck, but in the end I decided to rush for Ancestral Knowledge, saving the 3 xp from In the Thick of It for this purpose. Some cards worth mentioning in the level 0 deck:

• Bizarre Diagnosis is here to get rid of Wounded Bystander. It also commits for 2 .
• Mr. "Rook": until we get Backpack(2), card drawing is rather weak so we start with Mr Rook to fish out our setup cards. The 2 horror soak is nice too. Incidently, this gave me an excuse to not spend the xp from In the Thick of It on Jessica Hyde.
• Helping Hand helps us translate Dream Diary, and grows in value as the deck gets ugraded with more skill cards & icons to double.

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Pick up skill cards Overpower x2, Perception x1 and Resourceful x2

(View at arkham-starter.com)

Luxury upgrades

If I had additional xp to spend, I would probably go for Deduction(2) x2 and Studious x2.