Cover Up

This has been updated to match my "Signature Weakness Project." I have done my best to make sure that the original content isn't altered too much, out of respect for any comments.

Everyone seems to think that this is a really bad weakness, and everyone is right. Looking at the two elements, the effect and the discard condition, we get:

The effect: Roland needs to discover 3 extra clues at a location that has clues. This seems fairly easy, since Roland is pretty good at getting clues with his off-class access and special ability, plus cards like Evidence! and Scene of the Crime. So it's handleable, if it goes down early, and the fact that any investigator can trigger the action, and a dedicated clue-getter can clear this tout de suite (as someone more Francophonic than Roland might say), but, if it goes down late or in a scenario where there aren't clues in the normal way or after they've been discovered, Roland is in for a world of trauma. Roland can hedge his bets by reserving a clue until the last moment and using cards like Dr. William T. Maleson and Forewarned to get it back on a location, lessening that late-scenario "clue desert" problem. Remember that, if Roland gets defeated with this thing out, he gets 2 trauma for his pains. And with a low starting Sanity, this weakness can be campaign-ending.

The discard condition: Discover an extra 3 clues from a location with at least 1 clue. At least it stays in your threat area, so it's a once per scenario problem.

All in all, this is a way above average signature weakness.

Box vs book You need to ask yourself if the pretty pistol is worth the pain of this card. If no, consider the "book" signatures, which are less nice but also less awful. If yes, maybe use the "box" set or both for some extra Roland-ness.

It seems odd that a clue is required to be at the location, when the rules do not state that a clue needs to be at a location to investigate. It only states that you investigate against a shroud value, then you discover a clue. Given that plenty of cards let you discover two clues, it follows that you can discover less clues than are available, but they simply go to waste. — eskimoform · 108
Given that it's so easy to draw this card with absolutely no clues available, its the natural expectation based on the games design and the actual text in the rules. — eskimoform · 108
Cover Up does not require you to Investigate, though; it requires you to "discover 1 or more clues at your location." You can investigate a location without any clues; Ursula's Weakness would be much worse and at least one Basic Weakness impossible if you couldn't. However, to discover a clue, there has to be a clue to discover. The Rules Reference under "Clues" makes it clear that clues "at a location" specifically means "undiscovered clues at that location." — LivefromBenefitSt · 1083
Roland's .38 Special

I find it hard to believe that no one has written a review of this, but here we are. It's probably best compared to the .45 Automatic, since that's where the game design was when they came out. Same ammo, bonus, and damage, but the .38 is 1 resource cheaper and has a chance at +2. If I am reading the FAQ right, the critical language is "on your location," so clues on enemies, cards attached to the location, the investigator, etc do not count for the boost. Anyway, it's a nice gun, especially in resource-starved Roland. However, nice guns are pretty common, and this one pairs with one of the nastier signature weaknesses, so is it worth it?

The "book" signatures are less good and less bad , so they are probably the choice for the risk averse. People who are willing to gamble with Roland's shaky Sanity might be satisfied with the "box" signatures or go for both sets.

The .38 special combos with clue-dropping cards like Quick Study and Maleson — Zinjanthropus · 229
Sure, but it's probably better to not drop a clue than to drop one specifically for a combat bonus; it's kind of action-intensive. When it happens naturally (Maleson deals with a ad treachery, and Roland needs to shoot something anyway), though, definitely. — LivefromBenefitSt · 1083
I think the idea would be that you'd drop the clue to boost your gun and then get it back from killing the enemy with Roland's ability. Roland actually has a lot of synergy with the drop clue for X cards for this reason. — Time4Tiddy · 248
Medical Texts

This card, already struggling on release for anyone who wasn't Daisy, seems basically dead now. There are just so many other tomes and actions to take that seem more interesting and/or useful, even for Daisy. In a recent Card of the Day on Reddit over 40 different comments found slightly different ways to state how little they thought of this card. (Apologies to those just getting into the game, to whom probably none of this will apply.)

To me, this calls for an intervention.

My challenge: either legitimately come up for a decent use for the card as-is and make or have made a deck with it, or (more likely?) come up with a redesign.

I'll start with a redesign:

Action: Choose an investigator at your location and test [book (3)]. If you succeed, move 1 damage from that investigator to an enemy at your location. If you fail, move 1 damage from that investigator to an ally at your location. "Physician, heal thyself"

I'm not going to say it's any good, but it's much more interesting! Please critique, but the rule is, if you do, you have to propose your own!

I mean, you’re just describing forbidden Tome, which requires a scenario of work to get, more XP, more cost, and more actions — MrGoldbee · 1484
I agree the card is pretty trash, even at the time of release. This is atypical since many of the core set cards are excellent, even if they see less play (drawn to the flame for example). The benefit to medical text is the use is unlimited, but it's severely punished for this by having a test of 2 (which isn't high but seriously) and an extremely adverse consequence if you fail/autofail. Redesign is somewhat hindsight 20/20 though so I think for me, I'd suggest an upgrade. 2 xp, intellect test of 1 and remove the possibility of it damaging on a fail and replace it with the ability to heal ally assets as well. Daisy would love it. Even now, I think it's among her better healing cards especially if she's a dedicated healer as it can be a free action for her. — LaRoix · 1646
I like LaRoix suggestion. Here's one I was mulling over until I saw LaRoix's: action - heal 2 damage. Draw a token. If it's a bad stuff token, only heal one damage. — jdk5143 · 98
How about --> Heal 1 Damage. Test Intelect (2). If you pass, heal an additional damage. If you draw an icon token, take 1 Horror. Have you ever tried to sew a wound shut while consulting a book? I know medical librarians who have... stories. — LivefromBenefitSt · 1083
Once upon a time this and Old Book of Lore were the only level 0 tomes, and if Daisy was having trouble drawing the latter this was an okay substitute. If we ever see Vincent Lee get printed, who would most likely have an ability that procs on healing damage, this card might find its forever home. — MiskatonicFrosh · 344
Here's a big brain combo: intentionally fail the test to deal the final point of damage to an ally who has Cheat Death so that they can discard all the treacheries in their threat area. — Zinjanthropus · 229
I'm sorry @MrGoldbee, you earn a tentacle demerit since you did not follow the rules. — iguanaDitty · 5
I like everyone's approaches. One thing I liked about the original is the negative consequence if you fail, so extra points to @Zinjanthropus for coming up with a far-fetched combo. — iguanaDitty · 5
Blessed Blade

Fancy duelists might kill me, but this is an offhanded blade. Unless multiple people are filling the bag with bless tokens every turn, your odds won’t go above ~40% of getting that extra damage. But if you’re a guardian with a gun or mystic blade, Yorrick with an axe, or have vicious blows...You can finish off an enemy and make the world just a little bit easier to deal with, every turn.

And if you’re rocking ancient covenant somewhere on the team, you make the world even better for yourself. When the bag is good, you can start out with the blade as a first hit, hope for the bonus damage, and strike again to replace the token.

Can’t wait to see the upgraded version.

MrGoldbee · 1484
I agree that this is kind of sub par. Offhand/support weapon feels right, although with meat cleaver or survival knife there are already options. Support Mary is probably the best place for this to go, in a 4-hand game with enough chaff to kill. — SGPrometheus · 841
You either go into fully blessed-base build and hope to draw bless say 1 in 2 attacks so this effectively deals 1.5dmg while adding bless tokens to the bag at lvl 0 or use it as you described as an interesting off-hand. I haven't thought about the 2nd use, so kudos! — Eruantalon · 104
No upgrade! :0 — MrGoldbee · 1484
Predestined

This is a failure card that the queen of failure, Stella, only wants in certain circumstances.

Here’s when it’s most useful:

-You’re playing with characters who put a lot of curse tokens in the bag,

-You’re in a big group and other people will be using the bag enough to drain the blesses;

-It’s your third action and your fourth action won’t involve a skill test. (Maybe you’re doing a track shoes test with drawing thin.)

Probably not the best pick, but Silas can make good use of this card. Throw it in with another card at a skill check. If you succeed, take back the predestined. If you fail, take back that useful skill card. With ancient covenant, each of those tokens might be a future success. Predestiny indeed.

MrGoldbee · 1484
This card pairs nicely with the Survivor Grisly totem if you can find a way to guarantee failure — dlikos · 160