Lone Wolf Zoey (a solo Zoey Samaras build)

Hi all,

Heyenzzz here. I've been absent for quite some time, but I recently started playing AH again. I thought it might be fun to play solo as Zoey, so here's my take on a solo Zoey Samaras build.

OVERVIEW: In short, this build aims to make Zoey decent at investigating (her weak point), handle bad guys with ease and generate a steady resource income to fuel her investigating and fighting. This build is meant for playing on standard difficulty.

RESOURCES: The main theme of this build is to use Zoey's ability and Lone Wolf to create a steady source of income of +2 or +3 or more (with enemies engaging) resources each turn. After she is set up, resources will start to pile up and Zoey is going to use them to boost her investigating and fighting.

INVESTIGATING: With a base intelligence of only 2, Zoey isn't the most appealing investigator for solo play, but I'm happy with how she performs with this build.

• Use the Flashlight trick to nearly auto succeed on 1 and 2 shroud locations.
• Use Drawn to the Flame to grab clues off high shroud locations with multiple clues on them. Zoey is well equiped to deal with the nasty stuff the encounter deck throws at her.
• Use Evidence! when dealing with enemies while in high shroud locations with clues. Remember that you can 'drag' enemies to high shroud locations with a move action and cancel the attack of opportunity damage/horror they do with Dodge.
• When upgraded with Keen Eye, fueled by Lone Wolf and Zoey's ability, her investigating can be boosted quite well.

FIGHTING: Zoey makes fighting look easy.

• 2x Machete + 2x .45 Automatic 1x Prepared for the Worst most of the time sets Zoey up with an early weapon. Both of them give +1 fight and +1 damage.
• Beat Cop further boosts fight stat and does extra damage. Upgrade to Beat Cop to really push damage output to a new level.
• Zoey's Cross and Beat Cop combine for 2 damage without passing a skill check, add an attack action with a weapon for a total of 4 damage (or 5 if Zoey commits a Vicious Blow.
• When upgraded with Keen Eye, fueled by Lone Wolf and Zoey's ability, her fight stat can be boosted further.
• 3 testless damage on multiple enemies with Dynamite Blast is huge and Zoey often has the required resources to spare.

DAMAGE/HORROR MITIGATION:

• Cancel big damage/horror dealt by enemies with Dodge.
• Take little bits of damage/horror in the face or dump some on Beat Cop.
• Smoking Pipe is your early campaign emergency horror heal when Zoey's Sandy becomes dangerously low. Usually gets cut quite fast in favour of the migthy #"I've had worse".

CARD DRAW: Guardian lacks a bit in solid card draw options, so Zoey has to rely on her skill cards for card draw.

USE OF 'OUT OF CLASS' SLOTS: Like all Dunwich Legacy investigators, Zoey's deck building rules allowes for adding 5 out of class lvl 0 cards. 2x Lone Wolf is essential the builds core strategy and 2x Drawn to the Flame is really needed due to Zoey's mediocre investigating skills. This leaves 1 slot and I decided to go with Elusive. The reason to go with Elusive is for dealing with Zoey's signature weakness Smite the Wicked. The enemy spawned by that weakness usually is going to end up quite a bit away From Zoey's location and drawing it near the end of a game almost guarantees getting a mental trauma. Elusive can help Zoey getting near that enemy's location, saving valuable actions. Elusive isn't really esential, so it can be swapped out for other out of faction goodness.

UPGRADE PATH:

high priority:

• 1) Keen Eye. Essential for this build and it should be the first upgrade you pick up.
• 2) 2x Beat Cop for2x Beat Cop.

medium priority:

• 3) 1x #''I've had worse" for 1x Smoking Pipe. Cancel massive damage/horror and get resources bonus to pump into Keen Eye.
• 4) 1x Police Badge for 1x Dynamite Blast. A static +1 for willpower is welcome when dealing with treacheries, especially when you're actively looking for trouble with Drawn to the Flame. The extra actions Police Badge offers are very good during a turn where you buffed attack or intelligence with Keen Eye.

low priority (in any random order):

• Swap out 1x .45 Automatic for 1x Lightning Gun or 1x Shotgun to better handle bossfights.
• 1 or 2x Inspiring Presence for 1 or 2 neutral skill cards. More damage mitigation for dumping more damage/horror on allies and a very nice synergie with Beat Cop for doing more damage.
• 2x .45 Automatic for 2x .45 Automatic. Straightforward upgrade to a better version of the same card.
• 2x Vicious Blow for 2x Vicious Blow. Straightforward upgrade to a better version of the same card.

MULLIGAN: Prioritise Lone Wolf, a weapon (or Prepared for the Worst when you dont draw one) and cards that gather clues.

UNTESTED IDEA: Maybe it would be cool to add Stick to the Plan to this deck. It brings a lot more consistency to the deck. Sticking Prepared for the Worst to it almost guarantees getting a weapon turn 1. Stick Elusive to it for a guaranteed emergency evade and movement option. Stick Dodge to it for a guaranteed emergency damage/horror cancel. You get the idea.....

Using Stick to the Plan also enables a guaranteed Elusive + Dynamite Blast combo if you have enough resources.

Sorry for this big wall of text, I hope you enjoy the deck and i'd appreciate your feedback.

Heyenzzz