Peter Sylvestre

One of the best cards around, here's why:

1: The ultimate horror soak! So long as you can keep him alive, It's a saved horror every turn. Because he can "fit" two at once, and horror effects typically hit in small bursts (often 2 or 3), you can "fill" up on some horror when it hits and slowly heal it in the aftermath. He completely takes the bite out of the worst horror treacheries in the game, the only real danger then to your sanity is a nasty enemy breathing down your neck with opportunity hits, or self inflicted pain (incidentally, one of the best solutions to the backlash of Shrivelling is having Pete around.

2: STATS! A +1 on two different stats is excellent for a single asset, and benefits multiple playstyles, whether you're harnessing to make evades and shoot an Ornate Bow or Enchanted Bow, or the to land spell charges like Shrivelling and Rite of Seeking, the other stats are still there and give you new options, help you pass localized tests like parlays and treachery tests, when your spells are empty you can evade.

Do keep in mind that both of his stats are "defensive stats", the vast majority of Treacheries that inflict skill tests target , and is up there as much less common, but still second place. Even if only defensively this guy is good, if you start looking down the barrel of late-campaign scenarios with some trauma in your bag, give him a look.

Tsuruki23 · 2584
Unexpected Courage

This card does a couple things that are inobvious.

1: It makes repeat testing to beat a hard challenge more consistent. You know that moment when you've just got to try a test, and your odds are low but plausible? You might commit a card like Overpower or Perception but that'd only get you up to a net +1 over the difficulty. This version of Unexpected Courage can do precisely this, it does'nt guarantee the success on the first action, but it'll come back and give you another go, so that hard you're gunning is'nt "so hard that it's not worth trying", it's "Successful eventually".

To give you a precise case: a Wendy Adams trying to get the last clue from a 4-shroud like the Cellar. Ye's it might fail the first time, but it's certainly worth trying for.

2: Pump numbers for "Fail to succeed" events, the likes of "Look what I found!". Sometimes you'll encounter a hard spot, like Cellar, and a Wendy Adams attempting to pick up clues from there might struggle to even play "Look what I found!", especially on Hard difficulty with very big penalties in the bag. Unexpected Courage pumps the numbers, so you'll either succeed or drastically improve your "Look what I found!" chances. And it'll come back too!

Tsuruki23 · 2584
Ethereal Slip

I think it's a really interesting design. How good this is depends of course on the scenarios you're playing and the number of 'gators you're running. More gators, more enemies in play at a time, yadda yadda, it becomes better in campaigns with huge maps (looking at you, Innsmouth!)

Maybe best described as Elusive in reverse, but with a bigger range (assuming the taboo list) and allows Mystics access -- and my if, true to the art with Dexter, it doesn't half let you pull some tricks! Fun to use if you pick an exhausted enemy to swap with. Get to the resign location with that big enemy on; pull aggro from other gators; just move around the map more efficiently... you're saving a move action if you pick 2 connections.

I like it. Did well in Pit of Despair when I tried it in Lily this afternoon. Looking forward to seeing if it continues to carry its weight.

fiatluxia · 68
Move away...THEN swap. Take a foe outta there. — MrGoldbee · 1495
Ah yes, I meant at another location, heh. Definitely shenanigans possible! — fiatluxia · 68
another great option for Tricky Rita! — Krysmopompas · 367
How does this card work when the enemy in question is engaged with another investigator? Does this investigator move with the enemy, or does he or she stay behind? — Krystyna z mrocznej gazowni · 1
Only the enemy moves. — MrGoldbee · 1495
When I play this card ,threat area enemies move with me? or stay in place — Aslan_IFLY · 1
Sledgehammer

Is Arkham Horror not a game you actively enjoy playing? Roped in by a friend or family member, do you just wish that your turn would end faster? Well, call me Bob Jenkins, because FFG has the deal for you!

With Sledgehammer (4), you can make sure your turn is over and done with in minimal time. Spend every iota of your effort and all of your actions crushing that Swarm of Rats into nothing but juicy red pulp, and leave the actual minutiae of doing something so base as looking for clues or discovering locations to the other members of your team.

Sledgehammer (4) -- It's better than just watching.

(As an aside, I'm eternally amused that upgrading to Sledgehammer (4) adds five pounds of weight to the head of the hammer. Lol!)

fiatluxia · 68
I would rather imo run the lvl 0 sledgehammer with Carolyn and attempt to kill rat >:) — Therealestize · 76
This is basically a weapon that deals 2 damage per action which in itself is good if it wasn't for the fact it costs 4 XP. If you are using the first ability, which is basically what you will mostly use, you then only get +1 Combat, which is pretty low as most level 2 weapons and some level 0 weapons offer +2. On the plus side there is no gimmick (as in Fire Axe and Meat Cleaver) and it's unlimited (unlike the .18 Derringer). This weapons only finds its value in the second ability that allows to deal 6 damage for 3 actions (so still 2 damage per action) but with a hefty +5 Combat and you only need to draw one token instead of 3 (this is basically a ritual to summon the tentacle). However this is an ability that you only ever want to use on enemies with 5+ Health and there are really not a lot of them. Moreover if you are fighting some boss then you'd rather have a weapon that deals 3 damage per action like the Chainsaw. I't worth to note that Yorick might like this weapon in conjunction with well prepared since it has 3 Combat icons. But then again so does the already mentioned Chainsaw. — Killbray · 12557
Put the excess damage on Relentless for maximum profit — MiskatonicFrosh · 344
Yeah, this is definitely an end campaign Smack The Boss weapon. — fiatluxia · 68
I never understand why people make comparisons between items with limited uses and those that are unlimited. E.g., the already mentioned Chainsaw. — puert · 48
The God of One Thousand Forms emerges, in all it's hideous majesty. It does not speak, there is only the shrieking discordnat voices from it's many maws and the wet slapping of it's tendrils But in your mind, as clear as though it were a voice, the reality forms: The age of man is done. This being is greater than you could ever fathom From a world beyond your comprehension In a universe so small the you, our race, our entire history and civilization, are powerless and meaningless before the entropic gravity of this harsh truth that- ~~~ Some hobo: "AHHHHHHHH!!!" ~~~ Runs 40 yards across a field to swat Nyar with a sledgehammer ~~~ Nyarlathotep: "Blergh" Dies instantly — The Nue · 1
@The Nue This is how it be. — mythosmeeple · 473
Dragon Pole

Clearly designed for Lily Chen. Fish it out with Prepared for the Worst, fill your arcane slots with cheap Arcane slots like Scrying, and you can get this up and running on Turn 1. Turn 1!! Unlimited uses! At 0xp! It's really good.

Scrying might seem like a throwaway spell just to enable the weapon, but with Lily and the Dragon Pole up it's actually pretty good -- you can use the combo to ensure Lily will be drawing into the nastiest brute in the top of the encounter deck for 1 action a turn, making her excel in the crowd-control role.

2 hand slots is definitely a downside, but again with Lily you can take Bandolier, so it's a little mitigated.

fiatluxia · 68
Bandolier (0) and Prepared is 2-4 of your 5 G cards. — MrGoldbee · 1495