Machete is one of the finest weapons in the core set. It's cheaper than the .45 Automatic, not limited in the number of uses like that or the .41 Derringer, and it's damage bonus is reliable too. The only issue is the need to be engaged to an enemy - and only one enemy - to get that damage bonus. Even if you can't, though, it's still as good as a Knife, and often you're only having to deal with one enemy at a time.

It's a great weapon for Roland Banks or "Skids" O'Toole, though it's less clear that it's a good choice for Zoey Samaras, as it seems to her advantage to engage with as many enemies as frequently as possible. If used in a group with Scrying to control the flow of encounter cards, it's a really useful weapon for Roland to have; keep him engaged with only 1 enemy, damaging lots and gaining clues.

This one is one of my favourites, because it is middling priced, effective, doesn't use ammo, and in an uncertain world, reliable.

A review of a Weakness? Yep. Inasmuch as Weaknesses go, I "like" Dark Memory. It is unique among investigator Weaknesses (so far) in that it can actually have beneficial effects in addition to its harmful ones. [Possibly Baron Samedi and Smite the Wicked could be considered to have positive side-effects, but not quite as tangible as Dark Memory.] One of the features I like most about Arkham Horror LCG is that magic is frequently a double-edged sword. Positive effects often have negative blowback--as with Ward of Protection, Shrivelling, Blinding Light, Forbidden Knowledge, etc.--and negative effects can occasionally have a positive side-effect, as with Agnes Baker's innate effects.

Dark Memory falls into the latter category. While its negative effects--spend an action to play it, pay 2 resources, and gain 1 doom token OR keep it in your hand (taking up space toward your hand maximum) and take 2 horror at the end of each turn--are bad, both can have a silver lining for Agnes. In the first case, as a Spell, when played, Agnes can draw a card with Heirloom of Hyperborea. While this doesn't mitigate its ill effects, at least it's something positive, and Dark Memory is discarded. In the second case, Agnes can take one of those two horror on herself to deal 1 damage to an enemy at her location. Since her horror-for-damage effect is limited to once per phase and this horror is taken in the Upkeep Phase, this enables her to potentially deal damage with her effect in all 4 Phases. Yes, that's a lot of horror for Agnes to take; but, then, she's probably prepared for it with assets that soak horror, and healing from Fearless and/or Clarity of Mind.

All in all, if an investigator is going to have a weakness, it's nice if that weakness can also provide some kind of benefit as well. All the more reason Agnes Baker is one of my favorite investigators.

In my opinion, most companion cards have the strongest permanent effects in game, so it's often hard decide which ones to include. However Leo is easily the best of the companions.

If you compare leo to Beat Cop or Cat Burglar, they basically save you actions. Beat cop allows you deal 1 damage as free action (which is like killing enemeis with 1 HP for free), while cat burglar allows you to disengage from all enemies (with no check) AND move to a connecting location (which is 2-x in 1 action). However they both have strong limitations. This is where leo shines, as you can use the extra action for anything, including the above mentioned things.

• Regarding hist cost. As he's a rogue card, the owner can use Burglary to gather ressources, if you draw him later in the game.
• Leo is unique (asterisk in front of his name), like Dr. Milan Christopher, so only 1 player can have him on the board at the same time. So if wendy and skids are part of the same game, only one of them can have leo in play. Here i'd recommend to replace him in skids deck with beat cop. Skid's character ability can compensate for the lack of leo.

The usefulness of this card is obvious, if you need that last clue, and there's a room full of enemies without hunter... Still, like most Seeker cards, slightly underwhelming and very situational. Might fit in some decks though!

At first glance, Leo looks like an automatic-include in every Rogue deck. His power, granting an extra action every turn, is a huge benefit. Unlike things like "Skids" O'Toole's ability, it costs nothing per turn, and unlike Daisy Walker, the action isn't restricted. That extra action is fantastic.

The thing is, so is his cost. Make no mistake, a card draw, an action to play, and 6 resources is big. He is the most expensive card in the Core Set. He only has one - so he's not that useful for skill checks. Even the upgraded Leo De Luca, with it's reduction in cost, he's still the (equal) most expensive card in the game.

So... is he worth using?

If you can get him out early and keep him through the game, Leo De Luca is a huge boon. He will, over time, repay that huge initial cost. I've had games where this card has been the entire margin of victory. When you're racing against the clock, he can be brilliant.

If you don't get him out early, though, he's a wasted card. Late in the game he's too expensive to be worth the investment. For example, 6 resources would pay for 3 additional turns with additional actions for "Skids" O'Toole, and you'd still be better off.

And so I find that I end up either taking 2 copies of him (and no other allies) - to try to draw him in setup or as a Mulligan, so I can get him played on the first turn - or I take none, and instead use other allies. It's very much a "Leo" or "Not Leo" strategy.

Rogues can also have access to Cat Burglar, which is excellent, and "Skids" O'Toole also has access to allies like Beat Cop. Both these cards are very good, and make Leo De Luca look like less of an automatic choice - and more of a considered one.