"Watch this!"

"Watch this!"

This card was enough for me to fall in love with rogues.

The icon spread deals with the three attributes that rogues care about. All rogues like the willpower and agility and MOST rogues will make some fight tests.

Oh and you only need to succeed by 1 or more to get a return on your "gamble" of up to three resources.

By itself, it will probably accelerate your resources from 3 to 6, making it a skill equivalent to Emergency Cache.

But it gets better. The card has a few other delicious combos!

The best and probably most powerful combo is using double or nothing to turn your net gain from +3 credits to +9 credits. That is quite a resource swing!

You can also use it with Alchemical Transmutation to get a similar "burst". Add in Double or Nothing to gain a potential of 18 resources from a single test (albeit with a three card combo).

The card is really good. All Rogues like money and most investigators ALSO like money. So long as you have something to spend your fat stacks of cash on, this card will serve you well. Slot it now and thank me later.

Myriad · 1226
Wouldn't it be 12 resources with Double or Nothing? Commit 3 and gain twice 3 - twice. — mgorka · 1
Yeah it would be 12, but taking the 3 spent as an additional costs that makes a net gain of 9 — witchfan · 49
I desagree. 3 resources are spend as a base cost for commiting Gambit. You are not doubling commit costs already invested only gain effect. Ofc 12 minus 3 invested means you gained 9 if that is what you've ment. — Bany · 14
When you compare this to emergency cache, don't forget that "Watch this!" doesn't actually cost an action ;) — Palefang · 72
But will I flip the table over when I play this, then draw an auto-fail? — bigstupidgrin · 84
the rogue life does involve a lot of table flipping, especially where tentacles are concerned — Zinjanthropus · 230
So... what's the common opinion? Playing with the Taboo list (Double or Nothing is illegal), is this card worth playing? Is it a good way to get cash fast? Or is the gamble not worth it? (I've got my eye on you, auto-fail tentacle token....you always pop up when we are counting on a particular effect. haha) — VanyelAshke · 181
It's a good card. 3 actionless resources is good. You won't always win, but if you're careful you should most of the time. I think it does have competition from a number of more recent Rogue econ cards, though, particularly Gregory Gry and Faustian Bargain. Also Easy Mark for only 1 additional XP. — Zinjanthropus · 230

Shortcut

Shortcut

So, remember how Pathfinder is a good card right?

What if I told you, that there was a version of pathfinder that was fast and could be used by your whole group?

Well, this card is as close as it gets and depending on the scenario and the player count it might JUST get you to that level of efficiency.

Add to this fact that Seekers typically have some extra experience to play with and I think this is an auto include in most seeker builds.

Myriad · 1226
Note that Level 2 Shortcut is inferior to Level 0 Shortcut in one critical point - it does not 'move', but instead activates a 'Move', and therefore provokes an attack of opportunity. Attaching the Shortcut to the location does not, of course, since it is a Fast. — Cluny · 52
Cluny- that is incorrect: "Attacks of Opportunity are only triggered when 1 or more of an investigator’s actions are being spent or used to trigger an ability or action. abilities with a bold action designator do not provoke attacks of opportunity." — lunaticcalm · 1
Worth noting that Roland Banks can attach this card to 'Stick to the Plan' in order to ensure it can be played early for good value. — Low_Chance · 13

First Aid

First Aid

Does your group have their act together as Mark Harrigan? Find yourself with an occasional action and not sure what to do with it? Well, this card is probably the way to go.

The sad part? Where will you find the XP? For 1 more XP you could play the mighty "I've Had Worse", which allows you to dodge damage AND gain cash for FREE.

But lets say for arguments sake you want to play an asset heavy build and you have allies that can potentially benefit. Or you have XP coming out of your eyeballs.

Mark Harrigan definitely likes this ability and it is pretty close to playable. If it didn't take an action or you had someway of using it once a turn for free it would be far better.

Still, it might be worth trying out if your group is ally heavy.

Just don't skip out on the best stuff for this. This card is a second or third tier pick at best.

Myriad · 1226
Or you are Yorick and have no monsters to fight. Concieveably with enough time you can just keep everything and everyone at full at all times. — CecilAlucardX · 10
...except that Yorick can only use Guardian cards up to level 2, and this is level 3. It might shine in a Carolyn deck, however. — SGPrometheus · 847

Inspiring Presence

Inspiring Presence

Good for Beat Cops, Aquinnahs and Duke. If you are playing those, you probably want to try this.

That means Yorrick REALLY likes this one, as do most Mark Harrigan decks that run ally heavy.

If you are playing those two characters check it out. Otherwise, I would skip this.

Myriad · 1226
Dario, too. Leo Anderson loves this card, of course. — crymoricus · 252
I can see a David Rensfield/Arcane Initiate Diana running this card — PanicMoon · 2
I don't really get the conclusion: good for Beat Cops, ergo skip it, if you don't play Yorrick or Mark. I'm currently almost done with a Dunwich campaign playing Zoey, and I LOVE the combo with upgraded Beat Cop. I have a deck with only Allies, that exhaust on abilities (also Mr. Rook, Morgan and Whateley). I think, I used it maybe twice on Rook, in particular, before I upgraded my Beat Cops. But having 5 charges on Beat Cop rather than 3, AND being able to use them twice a round (e.g. on a 4 health enemy, or a Whippoorwill, followed by a 3 health creature) is amazing! — Susumu · 381

Mano a Mano

Mano a Mano

There is something to be said for testless damage. Sometimes, being able to just reach out and finish off a foe can be really, really good.

This card is in an odd spot because you basically have to have a foe that is "softened up" beforehand in order to get the most out of the testless, conditional one damage.

Beat Cop and Ambush can do that, so they are worth mentioning.

Also, Zoey's Cross can soften up your opponent for the final blow.

That means you probably want Taunt or Let Me Handle This! so that you can reliably trigger this card.

Ultimaltely this is a support card that might be just a bit before its time. It isn't a lynchpin card for an archetype, as all it really does is let you either finish off a wounded foe or sprinkle some damage on them. I anticipate a weapon or effect in the future that keys off of "damaged enemies". Until then, this card probably won't get a ton of play (outside of some Expert builds that value the testless damage).

Myriad · 1226
With Nathaniel giving plus one damage to event cards, this is one XP for two free damage in a fast action. Its time has come, which is probably why it’s in a boxing ring. — MrGoldbee · 1491
@MrGoldbee Mano a Mano isn't a fast. — Death by Chocolate · 1489
Free action :) — MrGoldbee · 1491
I don't know what you mean with "free action", but certainly playing "mano a mano" isn't free of an action cost, as it costs one. — Killbray · 12413
maybe he meant "free" as in 0 resources? — osumariokartman · 1