Now in Hemlock Vale survivors got the much better version of this card, Matchbox.

No xp, no slot, lower cost, is an item (can be found with Backpack and can be scavenged). If you combine two of them you can get the same effect as this 4xp card and you can just use one if you need less shroud reduction. Get them into play with Scavenging and you never run out of uses.

Even if you are on regular On the Lam all along you can go Advanced for free on the final scenario since you don't have to bother paying Advanced Hospital Debts there! The added ninja smoke bomb effect seems useful for many such final scenarios as far as I've played this game.

An extremely simple yet powerful card, Bulletproof Vest remains at the pinnacle of efficient defensive options in terms of cost, value, and flexibility. As a 3xp card, this can easily be slotted into any investigator's deck without much thought:

Need a way to circumvent Azure Flame (5) from burning your Father Mateo? Take Bulletproof Vest and watch those self-destructive flames turn to ashes. Your Norman Withers took a bit too much Physical Trauma over the campaign? Slap on a Bulletproof Vest and watch his effective health nearly double in one action.

In terms of action efficiency, Bulletproof Vest is a simple 1 action, 2 resource card, with no setup needed other than simply drawing the card and having a body slot open. For Mystics, this slot competes with Robes of Endless Night (which is only for Spell-Mystics), and Astral Mirror (for Arcane-Mystics), neither of which are highly used even in their own respective archetypes. As for Seekers, their alternative tends to be Lab Coat, which is a possible +1 on skill tests and is good if your Seeker tends to be doing more skill tests that are closer to DC match.

In Investigation Phase, Fast Engage gives you equivalent of redirection of enemy draw from clue finders, allowing them to go first anyway. Though more expensive than options like "Let me handle this!", Martyr's Vambrace, "Get behind me!", it has bigger location coverage.

Using it in window in Enemy Phase after Hunter enemy moves but before it attacks adds one more location away coverage (and can pull the enemy out of your clue finders that is about to get hit) if you could one-shot it. Otherwise you will get hit, which in that case you'd rather use it in Investigation Phase so you can perform follow up hits with weapons that have damage and bonus.

Since the card has no damage and accuracy bonus, commits and additional damage (e.g. Vicious Blow, Long Shot, Michael Leigh, ...) are handy to make a play in weird phases.

Many Basic Weakness are all about dealing you damage/horror. (The longer it stays, or each time it came back.) The mask gives both and which are very useful if you are in some trouble that makes you can't fix the weakness in the first place. In longer fights over multiple rounds, my friend even keep the slip damage/horror weakness going so he always have an offering ready.

• Hypochondria : (2 copies to randomized into.)
• Psychosis : (2 copies to randomized into.)
• Internal Injury : (2 copies to randomized into.)
• Chronophobia : (2 copies to randomized into.)
• Self-Destructive
• Atychiphobia
• Dendromorphosis
• Kleptomania
• Vow of Drzytelech, Maimed Hand, The Silver Moth, Back Injury : Take damage/horror with the postpone option.
• Pay Your Due (Rogue only), Quantum Paradox (Seeker only).

Or, for some relief from various signature weaknesses :

• Agnes Baker : Dark Memory.
• Wendy Adams : Abandoned and Alone.
• Jim Culver : Final Rhapsody.
• Calvin Wright : Voice of the Messenger.
• Patrice Hathaway : Watcher from Another Dimension.
• Bob Jenkins : Greed.
• Darrell Simmons : Ruined Film.
• Hank Samson : "Where's Pa?".
• Stella Clark : Called by the Mists.

Simply making a mistake on Retaliate or Alert enemy would give you back some treats. It also replenishes repeatedly after getting attacked multiple times by Swarming enemy. And there are countless location and attachment treachery effects that deal you end of turn / end of round damage or horror.

This card is just so universal. Take a look at how much more limited Bangle of Jinxes was. Only enemy attack (big constraint since enemy attack hits too hard), take an accessory slot, 1 XP, higher cost, get start with only 1 charge. All in exchange of able to boost the other two stats and accumulate unlimited charges.