Make Failing Fun

INTRO

This is a strong little build I came up with using interesting card interactions/combinations.

The XP cards shown are the cards that make this build what it is. Will to Survive is not completely necessary but is there just because it is so good.

The idea of this build is to make it so that you deliberately fail select tests to help fuel your engine and find specific cards. Wendy's Amulet is an extremely strong asset however trying to draw it from your deck can be a problem. With the help of Rabbit's Foot, it makes it a lot easier.

PLAYSTYLE

Since Wendy has such a low value, she can make good use of Rabbit Foot's ability so long as the enemy doesn't retaliate as you're nearly guaranteed to fail without skill boosts (especially on hard/expert). With the help of Double or Nothing, by deliberately failing against a 3-4 enemy she can easily look through her top 6-8 cards to find a card she needs. In addition with Try and Try Again, she can take back her Double or Nothing and reuse it later however she likes.

Additionally, Wendy can commit Take Heart to that same test to draw another 2 cards and gain 2 resources. Try and Try Again can also return Take Heart back to your hand. However you can only take back one of the two cards committed so you will have to choose one (unless you got both copies of Try and Try Again out). You may wish to only commit Take Heart. With Rabbit's Foot in play, you end up getting 3 cards and 2 resources.

You may choose to use this combo on an investigate action instead (or even on some treachery cards you would fail at anyways, to save you an action). However, remember you can use double or nothing on higher shroud locations to make the most use of Rabbit's Foot and to ensure you don't accidentally succeed.

Your worst enemy will be the special tokens which do something nasty when you would fail a skill test. But with Wendy's ability you can negate it most of the time should you pick one up. (Most tokens just give you a variable negative modifier. You will mostly need to watch out for the , and ).

FIGHTING

Your main way of killing enemies will be via Fire Axe. You will be able boost your attacks most of the time as resources aren't too scarce in this build. Resource management is key especially before you get Scrapper to ensure you get the +1 dmg on Fire Axe. (Remember, Lone Wolf's ability is optional).

With 3 resources on Fire Axe, Wendy can get +6 and +1 dmg. Against high hp enemies she can do this again within the same turn using Madame Labranche's ability to recieve 1 resource and then failing an attack to get 2 more via Take Heart (in addition to drawing 3 cards when combined with Rabbit's Foot). Playing Live and Learn after failing lets you get an extra +2 to your skill test if needed and saves you an action.

Against retaliate enemies you may not wish to deliberately fail an attack in which case you can instead just receive 1 resource via Madame Labranche, use an action to get 1 resource (or you can just use Emergency Cache) and then use Narrow Escape to get you to +6 for your next attack. (Remember, Wendy's Amulet lets you put Narrow Escape and Live and Learn and back into your deck). You may also choose to evade the enemy first to prevent the retaliate.

Fight or Flight is mostly there as an extra means of adding and for consistent guaranteed hits when used in conjunction with Will to Survive. Quick Thinking (+Double or Nothing) also combos nicely with the aforementioned cards.

INVESTIGATING

Investigating is pretty much the same as other standard Wendy builds.

Some reminders though:

• You can use Double or Nothing with Flashlight on 2 shroud locations to get 2 clues at once with near guaranteed success.

• You can commit "Look what I found!" for its icons for the first test then play its effect (if you have Wendy's Amulet) immediately for the next test/s.

• If you fail (unintentionally or intentionally), you can generally use Live and Learn without too much repercussions.

• Don't be afraid to use Will to Survive if need be to investigate as this build is quite good at recurring this event.

OPTIONAL - CARDS/UPGRADES

Before you have the XP to purchase Rabbit's Foot, Try and Try Again and Will to Survive, you may wish to take Skill cards and/or events such as Backstab or Elusive.

There is some flexibility in regards to card choices.

Quick Thinking, Narrow Escape, Live and Learn aren't essential to this build and as such you may wish to substitute them for other cards such as Skill cards or Leather Coat.You can replace them with upgrades in the future such as Leo De Luca if you get Charisma. Other cards may include Peter Sylvestre or Stroke of Luck.

You may also wish to get Lockpicks instead/in addition to Flashlight. Upgrading to Try and Try Again lvl 3 can also be an option if you are planning to fail more than 3 times.

I would highly recommend Scrapper.

Another interesting card is High Roller. If you ever have too many resources (5-6+) and don't want to dump them all on Scrapper on an attack with Fire Axe to get +1 dmg, you can spend 3 resources on High Roller and 2-3 on Fire Axe to get your +1 dmg no resource requirement on Fire Axe. Then after a successful attack you can get those 3 resources back to perform another attack with Fire Axe at +6 and +1 dmg. This also combos with Madame Labranche whereby in the window where you temporarily have no resources during the attack, you can activate LaBranche's to get the 1 resource, giving you 4 resources after a successful test. (Note: High Roller and Madame LaBranche interaction can be performed during investigation tests too). Also may have combo potential with Dark Horse. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of the above interactions! (You can use "Watch this!" for even more +1 dmg shenanigans with Fire Axe)

SUMMARY

This build assists with some of Wendy's problems and strengths such as

• Searching for Wendy's Amulet
• Searching for Abandoned and Alone using Rabbit's Foot at an optimal time so that it doesn't screw you over later.
• Searching for key event cards.
• Allows event cards that have been placed on the bottom of the deck due to Wendy's Amulet to be easily drawn again via the shuffle effect of Rabbit's Foot.
• Good card draw and resource generation via constant recurring of Take Heart,Rabbit's Foot, Madame Labranche and Lone Wolf.

All in all I found this build to be very interesting and fun if sometimes difficult to play / frustrating.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

• Don't be afraid of using Wendy's ability often as this build's draw engine is quite good.
• Make sure you use Rabbit's Foot's ability first before drawing your two cards via Take Heart if you're looking to recur a specific event at the bottom of your deck. (This tip may be invalid if the skill timing if incorrect i.e. May need to draw with Take Heart first?)
• If you pick up a token during a deliberate fail test when you have Wendy's Amulet out, you can use Wendy's to redraw another token.