Testing Sprint

Testing Sprint

Absolutely sick with Luke Robinson and his Dream-Gate, if you set it up properly.

Top Synergies:

Extra safety:

"Sadly" we cannot access Will to Survive for this combo :(

Let me know if I missed anything - always happy to make Luke even more broken.

AlderSign · 391
I want to be happy that someone maybe found a use case for Ace Of Rods, but mostly I'm outraged at the thought of someone Time Warp-ing a Testing Sprint. BTW you have to take basic Investigate tests since Testing Sprint has the bold Investigate keyword on it. — Pseudo Nymh · 67
I'd include Vantage Point as a synergy here - Dream-Gate normally doesn't have clues on it so that first Testing Sprint investigation would be wasted. Vantage Point fixes that. — TheNameWasTaken · 3
This can turn Amanda into pre-taboo Rex. — MrGoldbee · 1485
@TheNameWasTaken: I'd say Vantage Point is a strong synergy with Luke / Gate Box anyway, but I added it to the list nonetheless ;) — AlderSign · 391
You can totally Black Market a Will to Survive in this combo. The net effect is kinda meh, it's a janky Deciphered Reality, suffering all the same problems Deciphered Reality has. — suika · 9505
Surely Hemispheric Map is finally a consideration in this setup — subzerojosurvivor · 1
Also, a weird interaction comes to mind when playing Testing Sprint in pre-taboo Rex Murphy. — AlderSign · 391
@AlderSign you could also use written in the stars to add deduction, perception, etc to all the tests. Scroll of secets makes it less random. — Rafael_Rupert · 1
@Rafael_Rupert, #Written in Stars in Norman's hands plus this event can be quite powerful. — bugiel_marek · 24
If you have Close the circle you can do all of those investigates with willpower. And save one action. — Drostt · 146
@Rafael_Rupert: Or Defiance (2). Or Enraptured to power that Box ;) — AlderSign · 391
@Drostt: Playing Testing Sprint is not a basic action, plus Close the Circle with only 2 charges? Dunno... — AlderSign · 391
What if you draw Detached from Reality during one of the investigation tests? Does the Testing Sprint just stop? Can you test the "new" Dream Gate again if you didn't test a 7 shroud location yet? — WarriorR · 37
Disregard my last comment, of course is the play action a basic action. @WarriorR: As I read it you would test the new Dream Gate as your last eligable location, then it stops. I think you might be right about the shroud, though. — AlderSign · 391

The Tower • XVI

The Tower • XVI

Honestly, if you have big enough card pool to not rely on skill cards and your name is not Silas Marsh, Amanda Sharpe, Winifred Habbamock, Minh Thi Phan, maybe Patrice Hathaway, or Mark Harrigan (his signature) you can probobly deck-build around this weakness to ignore it. Of course it hurts not to run Fearless in Agnes Baker, but is the absence of is really game-breaking?

With me, often times I struggle finding deck slots for cards to include anyway, because there are so many good options. So instead of planning how to find the resources and action to get this card out of my hand I'd rather thank the old soothsayer for making my deck-building choice clearer and just replace all my skills with similar banger cards.

As a certain magician you can of course still opt to bring The Tower • XVI down for discarding it later with your ability. I know, I know, you really really really wanted to include this one super-duper skill card in your deck, but maybe it's time to change your mindset. Become Adaptable.

AlderSign · 391
As far as I remember, I had this weakness for three campaigns: as Amanda, Wini and Minh. I dread playing Silas for it, because I'll sure draw it again, once I play him. — Susumu · 381
Though as Amanda, "Reckless" is probably even more brutal. — Susumu · 381
Oh my, I am sorry :( — AlderSign · 391
One thing to consider, if you draw it in a deck, where it has high impact is not to reduce the number of skills, but rather increase it even. Avoid in particular expensive cards or plan the extra resource economy for them. Because skill decks are cheap, so the resource cost isn't the biggest issue. It's more troublesome, that you have to adress the weakness as soon as you draw it with a play action. On the plus side, it's a weakness that stays in play ("Crypt Chill" and similar cards aside), so at least you normally only draw it once, which can be neat in a fast cycling deck. — Susumu · 381
Very true. Just hope you don't draw this AND Reckless (e.g. in a standalone). — AlderSign · 391

Flurry of Blows

Flurry of Blows

This card is generally weak and not worth 5exp, but the combo i see is with Sledgehammer, immidiate 24 damage, so it kills basically any boss immediality. Due to that, the only point of taking those are campaings that require a boss to be killed, like NotZ or PoC.

Pawiu14 · 196
I'm afraid you have misunderstood how it works. It's confirmed that "ignoring its action cost" only ignores 1 action of the cost. So to use this (a 5xp card) with sledgehammer (a 4 xp card), you need to spend 2 actions playing this. Then you can activate 4 fight actions. But the sledge hammer 3 action swing would cost you 2 more actions each time you use it, so you'd need 10 actions to deal the maximum of 32 damage. If you had 4 actions you could to a 6 damage swings and then 3 2 damage swings for 12 damage. If you only have the normal 3 actions, you can only do 10 damage (5 2 damage swings) — NarkasisBroon · 11
Compare it with the FAQ of the card "Hand-Eye Coordination" from Hemlock feast — Tharzax · 1

Hunting Jacket

Hunting Jacket

While this card seems to be intended to eat Pelt Shipment, both flavor-wise and mechanically, some extra ideas I haven't read here so far come to mind:

  • Patrice Hathaway can stash situational cards she cannot play on turns she draws them
  • Quite edge-casey, but it might save a valuable card from treacheries that make you discard cards at random on a failed skill test (player window)
  • Although it has been mentioned that good targets are second copies of cards you only need one of in play, I think the funniest card to stuff into it is just another Hunting Jacket, as you can pop it as soon as the old one runs out of soak
  • Any other body-slot-occupying card also makes sense to stuff into the jacket, since you couldn't play them without sacrificing Hunting Jacket anyway
  • Since the reaction triggered ability is optional, you can use the jacket to place your Improvised Shield or other discard pile heros (Winging It, etc.) where they belong after they get stuck in your hand

Sadly, but not surprisingly, it won't work with Hidden cards, since they cannot normally leave your hand.

AlderSign · 391

Microscope

Microscope

I'm running this in Vincent Lee, 4 player, Forgotten Age run with Guardians of the Abyss as a side scenario. I went in with modest expectations, and Microscope met those expectations.

Microscope promises to let you spend 2 actions for 3 clues, and only 1 test which you will take at +2 or +3. This is quite a lot for one card to do.

In return, there are hoops. You need to collect evidence by dealing with monsters. You want to spend 2 at a time, but can only gain 1 per round. Overall I hope for about 9 clues for 7 actions and 2 resources, with good bonuses. Even 6 clues for 5 actions isn't terrible, and it comes with the upside that if you do somehow fail the boosted investigate, you at least keep the evidence.

My overall rating of this card is... it's fun! It's fun getting evidence when you or a buddy deals with a monster. It's fun getting a big clue turn on your usually more humble investigator. The card is well balanced and serviceable and I recommend trying it.

The obvious comparison would be Fingerprint Kit, which costs 2 more to play, but can net you 8 clues over 5 actions, with a smaller skill boost. Fingerprint Kit also doesn't require you to keep it out for the entirety of the game to get it's max benefit, or find 2 turns during your turn to get extra clues instead of 1.

Redwardian · 10