Seekers are Broken - Plz Nerf

Do you hate this game? Do your friends complain about how long it takes to get clues? Do you despise the auto-fail?

Well, do I have the solution for you!

The engine operates as follows:

Requirement to start combo:

Your deck and discard pile combined have exactly 1 copy of Cryptic Research and 1 copy of Cryptic Writings and no other cards.

All other cards should be either in play or in your hand or in some other area outside your deck/discard. Notably, you do NOT need any actions left to do the combo.

Combo:

1. Play the Scientific Theory (3)

2. Play Shortcut OR Working a Hunch

   • If you do not have enough resources, play [Shortcut](/card/02022) or another 0-cost fast card.

3. Play Cryptic Research to draw your other copy of Cryptic Research, Cryptic Writings, and the fast card you just played. Apply the horror from reshuffling to Scientific Theory (3)

   • Trigger reaction on [Cryptic Writings](/card/60215)

4. Repeat steps 2-3 until the damage destroys your Scientific Theory (3). Ensure you have at least 1 resource before this occurs.

5. Play your Scientific Theory (1)

6. Play Cryptic Research to draw Scientific Theory (3). You should draw Cryptic Research and Cryptic Writings as the other 2 cards. Again, trigger the reaction as in Step 3. Assign damage to Scientific Theory (1), this should destroy it.

7. Play Scientific Theory (3) again.

8. Play Cryptic Research to draw Scientific Theory (1). You should draw Cryptic Research and Cryptic Writings as the other 2 cards. Again, trigger the reaction as in Step 3. Assign damage to Scientific Theory (3).

9. Jump to step 2, but Scientific Theory (3) now starts with 1 horror on it.

10. Combo automatically ends after you collect all of the clues, you complete the scenario, or your friends forcibly restrain you (sometimes multiple at once).

Congrats. You have broken the game. Enjoy running around, grabbing every clue, revealing all locations, and passively generating more wealth than the conceivable universe in 1 fast action window. Make sure to throw someone ahead of you with Shortcut so you don't accidentally run into a monster.

Any investigator who can take level 4 seeker cards can do this combo upon character creation. Take care not to pick an investigator with a weakness that you cannot hold onto. Any weakness that shuffles back into your deck also breaks the combo. Amanda Sharpe is a fantastic option, especially given access to Unrelenting. Her weakness is also very tame and can just sit in your hand if drawn at the right time.

Not including Ascetic would delay this combo until you can find 9 additional experience, but would allow you to upgrade to Cryptic Writings or buy better horror mitigation cards. For example, The Red-Gloved Man has a higher soak threshold, which allows more fast-action plays per cycle. Fast healing horror performs the same function as a horror soak asset.