Looks like we've got another -class boss killer! Here's a four-piece combo, which I offer as one way of abusing the power of this tome for virtually testless burst damage, keeping in mind the restrictions outlined in the FAQ above (i.e.: no excessive stacking to unleash a +12 attack or whatever). What you'll need in addition to this card:

• The Raven Quill with "Living Quill" and "Spectral Binding" marked, the attached asset being Gray's Anatomy itself. The former upgrade saves you from AoO, while the latter ensures that you have your hands free while carrying the book around and using its . XP cost so far: 7 (5 for the book +2 for the Quill); both hand slots are still free at this point.

• Occult Lexicon or Occult Lexicon (3). Obviously the upgraded version would be better, but with the difference amounting to 2 damage, you may just as well roll with the vanilla book if starved for experience (like on your way to Dunwich or Carcosa). XP cost in total: 10 (or still 7); hand slots required: 1.

----- Important side note: to unleash this combo, you need to hold at least one copy of Blood-Rite in your hand as well as two or three resources in the bank (two for the vanilla Lexicon, three for the upgrade)!!! -----

• Ancient Stone (Knowledge of the Elders). As usual, you want to have as many secrets stacked here as possible, but seven seems a good number. Then again, since our damage output in this combo stems from three combined sources, there's no need to obsess over having more than seven secrets. In fact, in one go, you'll need only two or three, depending on whether you're using the vanilla or the upgraded Occult Lexicon. XP cost in total: 14 or 11 (depending on the lexicon); both hand slots are filled now.

So how do we pull this off after all this preparation?

1. Move to the same location as the boss, then use Gray's Anatomy's , choosing the damage option, obviously. No worries, thanks to the raven's gift, you won't eat an AoO, meaning you may take this action right under the boss's nose! This is the test that you actually need to take --- and to pass to your satisfaction --- to make this combo work. That's why I wrote above that this is only VIRTUALLY testless damage. But testing your strongest stat against 1 shouldn't be this hard. Let's say you've aced the test, giving you the +3 damage we'll need in a second.

2. You play Blood-Rite, which conveniently neither triggers an AoO nor requires a test. Depending on your version of the Occult Lexicon, you spend 2-3 resources to inflict the same number of damage. Added to this is the +3 from Gray's Anatomy, meaning you actually inflict 5-6 damage. :-)

3. But wait, there's more! As part of the effect of Blood-Rite, you've just drawn cards, right? This triggers your Ancient Stone, meaning you spend some secrets to dish out another 2-3 damage (depending on how many cards you've drawn, which in turn depends on your version of the Occult Lexicon). This brings the damage count up to 7-9. And all of this reliably, i.e. without having to test against the presumably high stats of the boss. And this is even BEFORE the dedicated fighter(s) of your team has/have moved in to do their thing. If you're playing true solo, then the boss might already be dead now.

Although you need some 11-14 XP and several different cards to pull off this combo, I don't think it's too janky. All of the cards involved are strong also outside this particular setup, so by including them in your deck it's not like you'll get value solely out of this combo and never in other situations. And of course you try this combo only if you KNOW that there's a boss coming up. So I acknowledge this might be less manageable in blind playthroughs.

Finally, note that the damage you need to inflict to get the +3 bonus may come from any source. So, if you've moved to the boss's location via Shortcut, Pathfinder, Eon Chart, etc., or if Carson Sinclair has gifted you an additional action, or if you're Daisy Walker, you still have three actions to take at the start of this combo, which in itself requires two (or merely one, if Blood-Rite is played off of Farsight). After this combo, then, you have one left to use Gray's Anatomy once more as your final action. This is sure to benefit the fighters of your team. And again, since the boss is in all likelihood hard to hit, simply have your buddy use the of a Beat Cop or whatever to deal 4 "testless" damage! :-D

PS: Shoutout to the YT channel Rather Incoherent, which taught me the Ancient Stone-Blood-Rite combo à propos an overpowered Harvey Walters deck: www.youtube.com

EDIT: fixed the damage count under step 3. The correct totals are 7-9 damage (rather than 7-8).

Hello. I have 2 questions about this asset:

Is the move of the mini-card an investigator's move? (For instance, can Ursula do a free investigate?) The second part (move to any revealed location) is explicitly a move.

What happen to ennemies engaged? They follow and stay engaged? They stay in previous location and obviously desengage?

Thanks!

This review will probably never be seen by anyone, but in case it does, I want to point out how much this card is an example of why I love this game:

• Test to not be afraid.
• If you are afraid, test to not trip.
• If you tripped, test to hold on and climb back up.
• If you fail all 3 tests, you fall into the infinite depths... of Yoth.

It's just such a great way to blend gameplay and storytelling while also creating great tension (the is always around the corner).

A good starter weapon for off-mystic guardian investigators. It doesn't take a slot for Lilly Chen and its the ability to get a +2 on tap for a +1 dmg is great for Sister Mary, who struggles to push her fist to reasonable amount. Note that it doesn't have a supply or amno cost attached for a relatively cheap weapon (3r for one handed). The doom can be mitigated if you have another weapon (enchanted blade) or spell besides it in case of autofail on the first attempt to kill a 3hp enemy.

It can be a great pick for Diana as well, since it starts at a reasonable amount for skill tests (3+2) and can be further boosted with daring. In mid game, you will probably be capped in willpower and have some other boosts to complement it. Since it's an item and a weapon, it can also be tutored with back-pack and prepared for the worst, which can be another argument to go for it as those tutors also fetch for her mandatory signature.

For those interested in detailed probabilities, here is what I have computed, and the comparison with a default investigator. The bag I use is the following: [+1 (elder sign), +1, 0, 0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -3, -3, -4, -4, AUTO_FAIL];

The "cum. prob" is the probability to have a result higher or equal to the given value.

So Jacquelines offers a nice bonus probability on everything.