Charon's Obol

Charon's Obol

A few questions about Charon's Obol.

1.)Are you playing a Rogue? - Yep? Okay good! Stick around.

2.)Can you take the pressure of knowing that any game might be your last for this investigator? - Awesome! Take some free XP!

3.) No number 3. That is really it. This card is a playstyle card, but I think every rogue should take it regardless. If you are worried about getting taken down, you might invest in a copy of the next card, but I still think EVERY ROGUE should play this.

Unless you are in an all rogue group... then it is really a matter of first rogue to it (or to stick around).

Also, don't buy this late game. You need to buy this in the first scenario for optimal gains.

Myriad · 1226
Wendy can take this, and she is exceptionally good at staying alive. — SGPrometheus · 856
Are you useing ultimatum of finality — Chaos1842 · 7
Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but can you take a permanent out of your deck in-between scenarios? The longer you have this in, the more it will hurt if you die and have to start with a new investigator. Can I use it for 3-4 scenarios and then drop it? — FutilityJones · 1
#FutilityJones: Outside of a formal ruling, I would say no. Under campaign play, when a non-permanent card would be added, a different card must be removed to maintain deck size. Since removing the permament wouldn't sastify the deck size limits, you cannot choose that to be removed, and must therefore choose something else (i believe). HOWEVER, if someone else can purchase and use the card, only one of you can have it in play, so only one of you takes the risks (and gets the benefits). Thematically, The Ferryman will always want his due; if you buy this, it is yours for YOUR life. — CecilAlucardX · 10
One major problem with this card is that, even if you find a way to consistently manage to stay alive, with or without Cheat Death, is that you might be defeated as a part of a scenario ending effect. A few days ago, me and my friends finished playing Scenario 6 of Carcosa cycle and didn't manage to reach a resolution, as the agenda advanced before we managed to advance the act deck (we were 1 turn away btw). As a result, all investigators were defeated. I wonder if Obol would trigger in this case, but I believe it would. — matt88 · 3242
It absolutely would. Defeated means defeated. — Death by Chocolate · 1491

No Stone Unturned

No Stone Unturned

A powerful card with a supremely expensive cost. Most people will say "Why bother?" and if you are designing your deck in a vaccuum, it probably will be over looked for some other great toys.

But in multiplayer, you can be the supreme support character with a copy or two of this. If you can stomach the xp cost, this card will make your Guardian and Mystics more consistent, allow your Rogues to pull that game breaking combo or just save someone's skin at just the right moment.

Really, this card feels maybe 1 xp too much, but it also is pretty amazing. Fast, during anyone's turn find the solution to a problem for just two resources.

It is hard to argue with it. I think if you are leaning more into a support role, this is your endgame. This card will make your team love you and will allow you to pull some of the best tricks the game can offer.

So yeah, support/10. I think its a home run in multiplayer.

Myriad · 1226
Good for finding hidden watches. — SGPrometheus · 856
Notable: With Crafty to pay for Insight events it can be a life saver even if you have no or not enough resources. — Miroque · 25
I'm a bit surprised no one's mentioned Mandy yet. She gives two cards, doubling this cards power. Great for your friends! And, great for Mandy too, if you've already drawn her signature weakness (which you can pull with Research Librarian). — khoshekh · 8

Eidetic Memory

Eidetic Memory

If you are seeker, you have a lot of great targets for this card.

Really, this card is probably worth a look if you are anyone who isn't splashing heavy on survivor. It is so freaking good.

Yeah, not much else to say. Play it if you are event heavy seeker and don't look back. Play it if you have allys with insight events. Or play it for both. Just do it.

Myriad · 1226
Some highlight Insight cards: Cryptic Research, Deciphered Reality, Mysteries Remain, No Stone Unturned, Shortcut, to name a few. Might be best as a, "I need a second copy of this card right now" card. — SGPrometheus · 856
Wouldn't copying Cryptic Research, cost you ALOT of XP, since both Eidetic Memory and the card you are copying are removed from the game. Copying a Cryptic Research would end up costing you 7XP (3 for Eidetic Memory and 4 for Cryptic Research) — Daerthalus · 16
"removed from the game" is not "exiled." Both Eidetic memory and the card you copy remain in your deck, you just can't use them for the rest of the scenario. — SGPrometheus · 856
On the other hand if you have Cryptic Research, you want to cycle through deck couple of times, so it wouldn't be the main target, but removing one card from your deck might help with consistency — Drostt · 148

Armor of Ardennes

Armor of Ardennes

A headscratcher of a card. Most Guardians will be defeated by horror, not damage. This card will make you all but immune to damage effects.

Sadly, at the moment it seems too expensive (both resource and xp) to be worthwhile. I can see its merit in Mark Harrigan, who wants to preserve his health as much as possible for his triggers and to avoid his weakness... but even then.

Also it has a cute interaction with smoking pipe.

But still, really ask yourself is this better than a lightning gun? I would say 9/10 the answer is a solid no.

I hope there is some way of reducing this cards xp cost or they release a leveled down version at some point, because I have a feeling this won't see all that much play until then.

Myriad · 1226
I also don't see the point of this card. It's incredibly expensive and it's only available to Guardians, i.e., the class that already has massive health reserves and also has major economy problems. Why bother combining this with Smoking Pipe when you could just buy Moment of Respite or Elder Sign Amulet for fewer XP? — CaiusDrewart · 3202
It's particularly disappointing because Peter Sylvester has a similarly powerful effect against sanity damage, and offers other benefits--and he's a level 0 card! I think the designers were way off on this one. — CaiusDrewart · 3202
Trying to imagine how this could be good in a Guardian deck, I can think of two scenarios: 1) As a Guardian, it can allow you to be totally reckless and take actions while engaged with enemies without worrying about Attacks of Opportunity, but only 1/turn. Probably best for that in solo play. 2) If you're running Teamwork, it's crazy good to give to your squishies. Hand it to Daisy/Rex and watch them investigate with nary a care. Other than that, yeah, kinda pointless on Guardian. — SGPrometheus · 856
Of note, you cannot use this with smoking pipe. Canceling the cost cancels the effect; the cost isn't paid, so you don't get the effect. — CecilAlucardX · 10
@cecilalucardX: Are you sure that's correct? You're still assigning the damage to the armor, which seems to satisfy the "take 1 damage" portion of the cost, and in any case, you're still exhausting the asset and spending the charge. Can you point to the FAQ or ruling that governs this? — SGPrometheus · 856
I can see no reason why this wouldn't work with Smoking Pipe. The cost is paid, damaging the armor, then you exhaust it cancelling 1 damage, so the effect it's preventing from initiating is damaging the armor, not healing the horror. I think!! — bern1106 · 2
What it really comes down to is the definition of "Take": If "Take" means "Assign", then yes, for the purposes of the cost, this is checked during Step 1 of Damage. If "Take" means "Dealt", then per Step 2, "If no damage/horror is applied in this step, no damage/horror has been successfully dealt." and since no damage has been "Dealt", the cost is not considered paid. So now we need a proper definition of "Take" versus "Dealt", "Assigned", "Applied" etc. — CecilAlucardX · 10
Additionally, under Health and Damage: "Any time a card TAKES damage, place a number of damage tokens equal to the amount of damage just taken on the card (see "Dealing Damage/Horror" on page 7)." If you are not putting tokens on the card, due to cancellation, are you still considered to be "Taking"? — CecilAlucardX · 10
Personally, for thematic reason, I don't think Armor of Ardennes should interact with Smoking Pipe. You smoke the pipe, the body get weakened, not the armor. — brightknight_216 · 33
Smoking Pipe combo is useless on Mark. You want that 1 damage on you true grit/etc. to draw a card with his innate. — Xulez · 151
Actually, per Matthew Newman: "If the cost of a card cannot be paid or is canceled, the cost has not been successfully paid, thus its effects do not resolve. For example, if you use Armor of Ardennes to cancel the damage that is part of a card's cost, the damage has not been successfully dealt (or taken), and therefore the cost has not been paid." So it looks like taken also means dealt, which ties to the step 2 post above. — CecilAlucardX · 10
I agree that Guardians in general don't need it, but it's really good on Mark Harrigan. The only problem is it competes with Bandolier, as both of these cards occupy the same slot and Mark would want it as he wants a Shotgun equipped at some point. — matt88 · 3242
Mark can't use it well,because assign damage is earlier than place the damage. — wjqcx512 · 7
It's really sad that it doesn't combo with the pipe; it would actually be usable then. On a totally unrelated note, the symbol on the armor is the same as the symbol on the guy's hood on Fearless. How odd. — SGPrometheus · 856
@SGPrometheus: That symbol looks like the Chi-Rho, an ancient symbol of Christianity. — CaiusDrewart · 3202
i bought this card somewhere during the end of the carcosa campaign with zoey and never regretted it (4 physical trauma sure is a lot). I think that the armor of ardennes is a late-game card. It has been great so far in miigating the traumas. I am pondering whether i should post this deck or not as i am running out of ideas what to buy next. (50+ XP) — RaahqMcMupfel · 1
Armor of Ardennes is a fine synergy with Well-Prepared to provide both Willpower bonuses to resist Treacheries and combat bonuses with one-handed weapons that do not carry the necessary double-icons themselves. — Cluny · 53
Additionally: Since Armor of Ardennes is a relic, it synergises with Dr. Elli Horowitz - you can take advantage of it without even occupying your body asset-slot. This option is available to Zoey and Roland. — Cluny · 53

"Eat lead!"

"Eat lead!"

Guardian insurance (and probably the closest they will get to Lucky!). Its fine, but seeing as the "meta" for the game is more or less dominated by Machete, it loses some points. It does have some fine play with the Colt and it will get better if we ever see an upgraded colt that is worthwhile.

Ironically, at the moment this is probably best in Skids as you can throw sleight of handed bullets at your foe (Typewriter or the like) and ensure that your attack will land.

Overall, pretty ho-hum but it will get better if there are a few more firearms put in the game with copious ammo. Until then, I don't think anyone but Skids will take this.

Myriad · 1226
I think you're right about it being strong in a combat-focused Skids deck, especially with the Rogue cards at his disposal. — SGPrometheus · 856
It's hard to fit it in a deck, but it can be really important at times. Its best use is to guarantee a hit with your Shotgun/Lightning Gun + Vicious Blow x2. In such a case, I would be keen on spending one more bullet for a guaranteed hit. Add a Double or Nothing to this combo and that extra bullet spent goes away even more happily. — matt88 · 3242
Machete is taboo'd! — MrGoldbee · 1498