Elder Sign Amulet

Hey guys, just a heads up, this is still a fine card.

I have a hard time spending XP on purely defensive cards, but in terms of sheer horror tank value you can get in a single action Elder Sign Amulet is undisputed champion.

Many powerful heals require 2+ actions, First Aid for example which gives Bulletproof stiff competition takes 5 actions to get full use out of (and is limited). Elder Sign Amulet is 1 action for a whopping 4 more sanity to work with, there is no other card in the game that nets you so much sanity in so little time.

The action efficiency is important, lots of characters scramble for actions. In solo, actions are your most precious resource. If you're trying to multitask clues and combat in a team, you definitely don't have actions to spare! In a team where you're the key performer in a particular role (the only killer, the only cluer). Elder Sign Amulet is a go-to card for the characters who have sanity trouble but no actions to spare.

Obviously the exact same is true for Bulletproof Vest and health.

Officer Pawterson costs 2 less resources and prevents 2 less pain, I don't see either card as being better, being free makes the card better in certain decks, worse in other decks.

Key of Ys is nice for horror tanking, but Key of Ys is less a card you use for tanking than it being the side-effect of using Key of Ys for massive buffs. Heck, grab Elder Sign Amulet and use it to cover your Key of Ys.

The only card that completely overwhelms the Elder Sign Amulet is Deny Existence, where preventing any trigger of 2 horror effectively nets you as much tanking as the Amulet would but for 0 actions and no cost while also being there if you have trouble with other stuff.

Tsuruki23 · 2588
Bulletproof Vest

Hey guys, just a heads up, this is still a fine card.

I have a hard time spending XP on purely defensive cards, but in terms of sheer HP tank value you can get in a single action Bulletproof Vest is undisputed champion.

Many powerful heals require 2+ actions, First Aid for example which gives Bulletproof stiff competition takes 5 actions to get full use out of (and is limited). Bulletproof is 1 action for a whopping 4 more health to work with, there is no other card in the game that nets you so much health in so little time.

The action efficiency is important, lots of characters scramble for actions. In solo, actions are your most precious resource. If you're trying to multitask clues and combat in a team, you definitely don't have actions to spare! In a team where you're the key performer in a particular role (the only killer, the only cluer). Bulletproof Vest is a go-to card for the characters who have health trouble but no actions to spare.

Obviously the exact same is true for Elder Sign Amulet and horror.

Leather Coat costs 2 less resources and prevents 2 less pain, I don't see either card as being better, being free makes the card better in certain decks, worse in other decks.

The only card that completely overwhelms the Vest is Deny Existence, where preventing any trigger of 2 damage effectively nets you as much tanking as the Vest would but for 0 actions and no cost while also being there if you have trouble with other stuff.

Tsuruki23 · 2588
I have a lot of problems with this and Elder Sign amulet. For the same cost of two of these you could buy Charisma and 3 level 0 allies. Allies are great soak that tend to protect both health and sanity instead of just one at a time, and the usually have other built in bonuses. The amulet in particular is absolutely terrible if you can take upgraded Peter Sylvestre, while the vest feels like a worse Guard Dog. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
@StyxTBeuford I think you need to consider the worth of Bulletproof Vest and Elder Sign Amulet on a case by case basis mate. Like of course a Guardian on average doesn't need the vest when they have absurdly high health and a lot of health soaking asset, whether from the level 0 Guard Dog to the level 5 Armor of Ardennes; the opposite can be said for Seeker and Mystics for Elder Sign Amulet. But while Survivors have some of the best health and sanity tanking assets in the game, some classes sorely lack them. Rogues were struggling with sanity damage before Precious Memento was introduced and most Guardians still have issue with low sanity, while Mystic and Seekers lack health. One Elder Sign amulet on a gurdian makes them so much more resistant from being defeated by horror for a very reasonable resource cost, and gives so much breathing room for 5 sanity investigators like Roland. The opposite can be said for Seeker and Mystics in regards to health with bulletproof vest, ESPECIALLY Seeker, whose allies are not know for their great tanking capabilities and lack in-class level 0 options for body slots anyway — HeroesOfTomorrow · 65
Fortune or Fate

This card, like all the exile cards, feels expensive, but it is worth the cost, sooo unbelievably worth the cost. The card basicly reads, if used right: +1 Round.

Time is often your biggest hurdle in Arkham, time until the brain doc's get ya, time until something freaky starts biting your ankles, time until your window closes and the game is over. At 2XP and 2 resources the cost is quite fair, think of that moment in Midnight masks where the agenda is about to advance due to some nasty combo of cultists, or when the mid-map boss shows up to grind your next few rounds to dust, smart application of the Doom negation wins maps and saves lives and minds.

At 2XP a-pop not every character likes it that much, a lot of characters will have quite literally an overflow of XP when they hit 20+XP in a campaign, "Ashcan" Pete and Silas Marsh for example are just, DONE levelling up at 26 XP, this might seem like a lot of XP in a Dunwich campaign or Zealot but post-Dunwich XP is quite a bit easier to come by.

This very much a card, but at 2xp there's lots of folks who can do a surprise Fortune or Fate, I wouldnt jump at a chance to burn XP from a Tommy Muldoon deck but when you need an extra round, you need an extra round.

Tsuruki23 · 2588
I'm a huge fan of this card. It's more expensive than most exile cards for a reason. Also makes a good purchase for Patrice, as it has a wild icon, you'll see it in your next game basically guaranteed, and if you buy two that helps you for 2 scenarios before you have to buy them both again. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
This does seem particularly strong in Night of the Zealot, where Midnight Masks and The Devourer Below both have a lot of time pressure. — CaiusDrewart · 3200
Also worth considering for any scenario that likes to use Doom in other creative ways, or any scenario with Ancient Evils. It's also Blessed so Mateo can take two copies early on and use it to help campaign consistency. — StyxTBeuford · 13052
Narcolepsy

The wording of the card suggests that the victim CAN commit skills while asleep, which is... interesting. Fits the cycle thematically, too... you're asleep but still helping your friends from the Dreamworld.

Amante · 10
It’s interesting and also enables you to pass a catastrophic test during the Mythos phase before it could be removed. — Death by Chocolate · 1490
You can't play action while in Narcolepsy. Other players had to wake you up. — Jashugan · 10
You can still commit a card to assist another investigator's skill test at your location, and encounters often force you to do a skill test to which you commit cards. — Signum · 14
Investigating the Witch House

The b side says 'Remove each other location in play from the game'. Enemies or other cards in such locations are removed as well? I understand so, although there's the bad default rule too...

efialto2 · 10
Unless it says to move them, all tokens and cards on them are discarded. — Death by Chocolate · 1490