Preposterous Sketches

Excessively poor card - let's analyse it. You draw 3 cards:

  • First card: Could have been drawn instead of drawing Preposterous Sketches
  • Second card: Could have been drawn instead of playing Preposterous Sketches
  • Third card: You pay 2 ressources to get this one (ressources that you gain in 2 actions or round). Only if you have too much money is this move interesting... but wait:

There is also the opportunity cost of eating a slot in your deck, slot that could have contained a much better card. Finally, you need to have a clue on your location.

To the garbage bin!

(edit after 3 years: we now have Harvey Walters and Farsight that make this card significantly more interesting)

jd9000 · 76
So i think your first point perfectly right, when we look at draw cards we should consider the cost of drawing the card itself. Your second point is true to a great degree, you could simply have drawn another card, however this ignores benefits of deck thinning. For example if there was a zero cost fast event that drew 1 card, if you so desired, you could simply use it to effectively reduce your deck size by 1 slot for consistency purposes basically making all other cards in your deck (weaknesses and all mind you) more likely to come up in a given game. Please don’t be offended if I say I think your third point might miss a key point though. This obviously doesnt belong in a deck that runs poor and your having to wait or click for resources, but tbh you have Milan in faction here so seekers have the option to build their deck to be ok for cash (and often do). I would always avoid comparisons on 1 resource for 1 action as they are only realised in certain decks. They are an exception rather than the rule really. Similarly needing to have a clue at the location is indeed situationally restrictive, but ive very rarely had a real problem. Crucially Seekers seem to be getting Draw, hand size and ofc investigating as a faction traits. So they should more commonly be in a position to make use of a card like this. It doesn’t fit in all decks, and if you can spare the xp, it is very much in the shadow of cryptic research, but it can easily fit into the popular (and from experience very strong) milan/higher ed setup. — StartWithTheName · 71738
This card is effectively an action to draw two cards. Which is an extra card over the stock action, at the cost of 2 resources. So the easiest way to evaluate it is whether two resources are worth more or less than a single action in your deck, and how often you'll be at a point where you have no need for resources. As StartWithTheName mentioned, sometimes virtually shrinking your deck is very valuable - if you have a smaller number of very key cards, getting to them faster and having cards that help do that can be extremely important. If dynamite blast is your way to win the scenario, then digging it out fast is key. If you have 6 weapons in your deck, and you just need any one of them, it's far less key. — Ergonomic Cat · 53
Also, for investigators like Jenny (and other rogues) who swim in ressources, the cost is nearly non existant, so there it's a valid way to speed up the deck. — Django · 5154
I think Jd90 is a bit too harsh here. First, the card has both a Willpower and a Knowledge skill tokens on it, so it's never totally wasted. Second, it's a quick way to fill your hand for [Higher Education] (https://arkhamdb.com/card/02187). I agree that it's not a great card, tho', but there's worse out there. — olahren · 3553
Decent way to spend Dr. Milan cash in the midgame if you're running him. After establishing a board this is a great card to draw tricks and generally reload. — bigstupidgrin · 84
I agree with jd90 - this card is just impossible to justify. If you're so flush with resources that you'd even consider playing this, then why on earth would you spend them on this rather than Hyperawareness or Higher Education? — sfarmstrong · 271
Perhaps you don't have 5 cards in hand? Card cycling and card draw are commonly very powerful in these kinds of games. Deck thinning is a difficult concept, but once you play a lot and repeatedly you'll see its might. It's about finding answers to problems which this card will do for you in a very effective manner. How do you evaluate "Search for the Truth", Rex's signature card? Also really really bad? — Nils · 1
So yeah I'm in the "this evaluation is completely wrong boat". — Nils · 1
Survival Instinct

I am a bit biased towards investigator cards with cool artwork, so pardon me if i present Survival Instinct a cut above the general opinion.

Considerations about the value of this card are found under the basic version of Survival Instinct(0).

The cost of 2xp have to be put into relation to the additional effect that the upgraded version gives you.

And the differences in Survival Instinct(2) are outstanding! A second Agility icon was added, and the skill text has changed to "evade" from "disengage". In particular, this invalidates every disadvantage i reviewed in the skill's basic version. Now it is resembles a cheaper version of Cunning Distraction, which is limited to all enemies engaged to a specific investigator, as in contrast to all enemies at one location.

Pros

  • Adds 2 Agility icons to a skill test. It can, of course, also be committed to a non-evasion skill test.
  • The evading investigator evades his/her enemies, they are exhausted, Hunters can't move in the same turn.
  • You can now combo it with other cards: Sneak Attack, Close Call, Pickpocketing.
Synisill · 803
Question: You've compared this to the turkey, which states "automatically evade". Died this 2xp version make you choose to test evade versus all other enemies engaged with you, or none, in an all our nothing choice, but that you must test verses each of them? OR Does this, also also just give you successful websites without testing, similar to the auto evade of the turkey? — Quantallar · 8
Survival Instinct

I am a bit biased towards investigator cards with cool artwork, so pardon me if i present Survival Instinct a cut above the general opinion. Many investigators find themselves on the cusp of including this card to their deck and it is often the first to be dropped when upgrades are made.

Short explanation what Survival Instinct does: you commit it during an evasion attempt. If the test is successful, the evading investigator evades and exhausts the enemy he was testing against. Additionally, the investigator may disengage from all other enemies he is engaged to. Then he may move to a connecting location, if the text at that location does not prevent moving there.

With only 1 Agility icon, it does not really shoot your evasion attempt into the stars, so either you push the odds further by adding more cards to the skill test, or your investigator has a high Agility base value anyway.

Survival Instinct has several strong competitors with similiar effects. And this is the important point about it: each other card has it's own desirable effect, but as most investigators hate to leave their position or estimate evading as a flimsiness, they are reluctant to adapt the means to the end.

I would like to enforce to choose your means according to the situations you are most likely to face. If you don't know what to expect in a scenario, Manual Dexterity and Bait and Switch probably provide a better service than Survival Instinct. But the more enemies surround you, the more valuable Survival Instinct becomes. If there are alternate locations available, that is. If the scenario traps you within a small scope of locations, like in The Devourer Below, the basic version of Survival Instinct(0) utterly fails. Cunning Distraction or the upgrade Survival Instinct(2) is there for you then.

Especially on a solo trip, the encounter deck sometimes adds enemies at the most objectionable times. Survival Instinct gives you some tremendous respite in such situations.

Pros

  • Survival Instinct can be committed to bail other investigators out.
  • Works against all enemies engaged with the evading investigator, including Elite and Massive.
  • Can be combined with Double or Nothing, as the movement is independent of the disengagement, so success lets you move 2 locations away.
  • Most effective when played against a group of enemies.
  • A little better suited for Wendy Adams than for other investigators thanks to her high Agility.
  • Each item listed under the "Cons" rubric does not apply for the upgraded Survival Instinct(2).

Cons

  • The evading investigator only disengages from the enemies, they are not exhausted and will engage him again, if he/she decides to stay at the same location.
  • Enemies with the Hunter trait can move and will engage again in the Enemy Phase.
  • Adds only 1 Agility icon to the skill test.

Recommendations

  • (spoiler) If you plan to win The Devourer Below by finding clues and there are some people blocking the path, this skill could become useful.
  • (spoiler) In The House Always Wins there could be a situation where you want to save someone during a turmoil.
Synisill · 803
Lucky!

Lucky! is a superb card from an angle of flavour and universalism. A survivor's trait is escaping dangerous situations rather than appeasing them by force of arms.

Considerations about the value of this card are found under the basic version of Lucky!(0)

The upgraded version has to be evaluated a bit different. While Lucky!(0) can be recommended without a second thought, Lucky!(2) costs 2xp. Someone claimed "Definitely one of the best cards in the game, Every character can run it at all times and the levelled up version is even better! must have in all decks that can run it!"

I disagree. The additional cost of 2xp have to be put into relation to the additional effect that the upgraded version gives you.

The difference between both is "Draw 1 card." That is it. While generally useful, there are plenty of cards which give you better bonuses at the same price. As always, it really depends on the difficulty setting and personal playstyle. For a deck that takes advantage of events, or wants to speedily sift through the cards, Lucky!(2) probably pulls it's weight.

Pros

  • Saves one action, you gain another card.

Cons

  • There is a small danger of drawing a Weakness from your deck which could meddle with your plans.
Synisill · 803
I agree that the additional card draw seems underwhelming for 2XP. Though, it's always handy to consolidate actions, especially when you're in a hurry or when you want to make room for other, more powerful, XP cards in your deck. As such, Lucky! is rarely my first upgrade, but seems to gain consideration as a campaign goes on. — Herumen · 1741
Lucky!

Lucky! is a superb card from an angle of flavour and universalism. A survivor's trait is escaping dangerous situations rather than appeasing them by force of arms.

Especially new investigators should note that this card has similiarities to other in-faction cards (Look what I found!, Oops!), but a fundamentally different mode of operation. Like the other above-mentioned cards, Lucky! is played after the chaos token is drawn from the bag, but unlike the others, Lucky modifies the value of the skill test, giving it a +2 bonus, hence turning the result from failure to success!

Let me give an example to make things clear: There is a location with a clue, a shroud value of 2 and an Obscuring Fog attached to it. You have a base value of 2 Intellect, there are no further modifiers and you draw a "0"-token for the skill test. You failed the test by 2 points.

Variant a. You play Look what I found! The skill test is still considered "failed", but you gain the clue from the location. The Obscuring Fog stays in place.

Variant b. You play Lucky! The skill test is modified by +2, you pass the test "successfully" and gain the clue. The Obscuring Fog is discarded.

Pros

  • Lucky! is played after a chaos token is drawn, so you only play it if you would have failed else.
  • Low priced play cost, only it's competitor, Unexpected Courage, is cheaper.
  • Provides the currently best fallback strategy against otherwise failed skill tests.
  • You can play two Lucky! instances to boost one test, if you are not passing the test after playing the first.
  • Wendy's Amulet can play events from the discard pile.

Cons

  • Lucky! under no circumstances turns a drawn -token into a successful test.
  • One-time effect. Make it worthwile!
  • Does not combine with Rabbit's Foot nor Look what I found!
Synisill · 803
I thought Lucky did combine with Look what I found! if you play it and were still failing the skill test? — HollowsHeart · 17
@HollowsHeart It does, if you play it to desperately get into the margin of "-2" to be enabled to play Look what i found. But that's a very suboptimal combo not worth mentioning! — Synisill · 803
I said this combo is not worth mentioning - i was wrong there! I tried expert mode since then, and whoooaH! there is *plenty* of need to play Lucky and Look what i found (in this order). Sorry i did you wrong there, Hollowheart! — Synisill · 803