This card seems really useful in forgotten age, as it removes "Vengeance X" from non-elite Monsters plus some other terrifying effects they have (retaliate, alert,...)
However with more players, there's a chance such a card is drawn again after shuffling the encounter deck
Compare to its base version, Arcane Initiate(0), this upgraded card is too expensive for what extra benefit it gives. The option to add 2 horrors instead of 1 doom, and 1 extra sanity on it, along with being 1 resource cheaper.
The doom aspect can be easily mitigated by playing this card when the agenda would advance on the next round anyway, as the advancing agenda will take all dooms in play along with it (something I didnt realised ontil the 3rd playthrough...). If you choose to place 2 horrors on it instead, the extra horror soak is meaningless.
True, its more flexible when you choose to play it during mid agenda progress, but your hard earn exp is better spent else where.
Sure, the other reviews are mostly focused on how this card works as an economy card, and I agree that using it to summon Dr. Milan Christopher makes it the equivalent of a fast Emergency Cache which I think is quite good, but I would like to focus my attention on a very important word in this card's ability: Investigate
This card is an investigate action - and one that lets you control the difficulty. Declare a Magnifying Glass and you are making a difficulty 0 Investigate check. "Okay, but why is that useful?" I hear you ask. "You've just paid a resource, a card, and an action to play a free, fast card!"
Yeah, that would be pretty dumb. But here's the thing. Let's say you're Rex Murphy and commit a Deduction. Now you just need a 2 (-4 or better) to pick up 3 clues from that action.
If you want to be even greedier, have your rogue buddy Double or Nothing. It's still difficulty 0, but now the Deduction offers 4 clues in an action. All sorts of silly shenanigans open up when you can Double or Nothing a difficulty 0 test such as Quick Thinking, but sadly not "Watch this!".
But this isn't just about the action compression, the best part is that you control the difficulty, even on a high shroud location, which could reach 5, or even 6 with an encounter card.
Still don't feel like you need this in a pure seeker? You'd rather just pay for Higher Education and Archaic Glyphs Understandable. This is a low enough level combo that it can still be used by secondary - or even tertiary seekers. Roland Banks can struggle to pick up a bunch of clues off a high shroud location without enemies to take advantage of. Even if you're still using Deduction, you succeed with a -2 to Unearth an Art Student and grab two clues.
Is it still a pretty finicky card? Definitely. Do I think you should auto-include it? Probably not. But open your mind to the possibilities, and keep an eye on this card in the future as more synergies become available. I expect this card to eventually be the center of some pretty silly combos.
What does this card really do...
For 1 resource, and a sucessful Investigate (X) action you get to play a Seeker asset of cost X for free. If the Seeker asset has the Relic trait you draw a card too.
There are only 3 Seeker asset at this time with the Relic trait.
Assuming you choose a 3 cost Seeker Relic.
Doesn't seem worth it, unless you are playing on Easy.
Additional Synergies:
Last Chance could work with "Ashcan" Pete after Duke ate all his cards. For other investigators, maintaining a healthy hand size is pretty useful toward having options against the menaces that comes up against you. If you have 3 other cards in hand, Unexpected Courage is a much better pick. I cannot imagine investigator wasting his or her limited off-faction card allowance on this.