Dark Horse Fairmont with static buffers

from https://arkhamdb.com/decklist/view/10556/dark-horse-fairmont-with-static-buffers-1.0

This is a Preston Fairmont deck designed for the Path to Carcosa campaign and meant to be played alongside Joe Diamond in a 2-player run. This doesn't mean though that this deck cannot work as a "flex" investigator in any group running through any campaign (maybe not Dunwich), but the thing is that I get a few "bonus" features by having Joe as my partner.

The Level 0 version of the deck

Combat: Combat will be done with Fire Axe. Backpack can fish for it. Dark Horse can also help a bit, but it's not really of a great-value card in the level 0 version of the deck.

Clues: Preston doesn't have access to level 0 buffers, so quite a lot of slots are dedicated to that end. Our primary tool is Flashlight (which can also be fished with Backpack). That, either alone, or in conjunction with other cards can get us clues from either 2-or-lower shroud locations, or from locations with higher shroud respectively. "Look what I found!" is a high-value card for the level-0 version, and Winging It can also get us clues in the same manner as Flashlight can. These cards can be used in combination with any or all of the skill cards (except Quick Thinking and Take Heart) to get your skill value high enough, so that you can grab the clues.

Defense: Peter Sylvestre will soak horror and boosts our (irrelevant for now, but will be relevant once we get some XP). Then "You handle this one!" can pass a bad treachery to your partner and as a bonus for my group, Joe Diamond will be running "Let me handle this!" and Logical Reasoning, both high-value cards for our setup in order to avoid nasty treacheries or heal horror.

The upgraded version of the deck

(A fully upgraded version of the deck can be seen here: https://arkhamdb.com/deck/view/340485)

Once we get some XP, Preston will start working better and will have more tools both to advance the scenario and to defend himself. With access to Streetwise, things become a lot easier and all these cards slots that are devoted to clue gathering can be freed. Fire Axe is also a little less important, as we can now deal with enemies through evasion.

The general plan is to stack the passive buffs from Peter Sylvestre (2), Dark Horse and Lola Santiago and be constantly at 3, 3, 2 and 4 . After these 3 cards hit the board we will always be denying the upkeep money and we will be getting boosts in the Mythos phase through Cornered, and/or through some of the skill cards. We also have Take Heart for card draw in order to get all these cards faster. In the meantime, "You handle this one!", or its "upgrade", A Test of Will, can protect us from a bad treachery while we 're trying to set up.

Lone Wolf is there to boost your income during the investigation phase, getting you to 5 resources from 4 which you normally get from Family Inheritance. This may seem unimportant at first glance, but it's very important because after your key cards hit the board, you will begin each round with 0 resources. So, getting from 4 resources to 5 is actually a boon, as it allows you to get an extra boost for Fire Axe, or to be able to play Cunning Distraction and Hot Streak (2), both of which cost 5. Hot Streak's main purpose in the deck is to give you a burst of resources so that you can deal with Lodge "Debts" easily, but it can also be combined with Quick Thinking, Lola Santiago and Streetwise for a "rush" turn in order to gather a lot of clues fast. In a pinch, Quick Thinking can also give you that extra action you need to finish off a foe with your Fire Axe. Both Quick Thinking and Hot Streak are situational cards in this deck and they can easily be fed to Cornered if the situation in which you might need them does not arise.

Upgrades (in suggested purchase order):

Streetwise

2x Peter Sylvestre (2)

1x Hot Streak (2)

1x Cornered

Charisma

2x Lola Santiago

1x Hot Streak (2)

2x A Test of Will

1x Key of Ys

Since this deck is meant for Carcosa, I'm limited to around 30 XP. But with more XP, you can get a second Cornered, and/or a second Key of Ys, which I strongly recommend. With the addition of Key of Ys, by the way, late in the campaign, I expect this deck to become very powerful. I will only have 1, but Backpack can also fish for it and, additionally, my partner Joe Diamond will probably have gotten a No Stone Unturned (5) by then.

And that's the general idea. I'd be happy to hear suggestions. We 're not going to be playing very soon, so there is still time make changes if necessary, be that for the greater good. Cheers. :)