Teamwork

Teamwork struggles in the course of normal play unless your group goes out of its way to coordinate unlikely asset combos, and even then playing this card likely slows the group down compared to playing independently functional decks.

This card struggles to be consistent, but it's worth noting that because it has the Tactic trait Mark Harrigan can take it.

SorryLaurie · 575
I can’t tell if this is a joke for 200 characters but mark has full guardian access so he can play it anyway. — Django · 5063
Holy Rosary

Love this card to the high heavens and back. I've been running Innesmouth recently with friends and am playing Father Mateo for the first time and this card is so useful. Obviously, it keeps the +1 guts and the 2 horror soak from the basic, but as it is a Blessed card and therefore can be added to Father Mateo's decks; and as a Mystic who already uses guts in many checks for his skills I see it as almost an auto include for him. Especially if you have a player with access to rogue cards, like our Monterey Jack, who can chuck problematic guts tests at you; you have a good accessory that helps most tests you take and a decently reliable bless generation engine to support the rest of the team.

Novasoal · 4
Forced Learning

Quite fun in a Short Supply, Forced Learning Ashcan Deck... Hopefully you discard some Glimmers, Winging It's, etc... but if you don't, your deck size really isn't effected, but now you gain the 2 for one deck draw.

dlikos · 151
Question for the userbase - How does this card interact with the new revelation cards from the scarlet Keys expansion? e.g. making preperations etc.? — Rayleigh101 · 1
Astral Mirror

The wording of this card is interesting. Unlike for instance The Hierophant • V, you do not lose your "empty arcane slots" and replace them with hand slots, but get them in addition. This matters for at least two other cards, that have been spoiled, Eldritch Initiation, for which you can happily fill up all additional hand slots, without having to discard any cards. On the other hand, the only basic weakness, Ectoplasmic Horror also won't care, how many assets you carry in hand slots and will let you draw extra tokens, should you go for the Kali-build.

Susumu · 361
What's a Kali-build? — snacc · 979
Kali is a multiarmed Hindu-Goddess. Nice for taking Sign Magick and not using hand slots. Add in Binder's Jar and you can throw some truly Explosive Wards... — Raketensegler · 1
Yes, on all accounts. These further synergie cards were not spoiled already, when I wrote the review. — Susumu · 361
Charlie Kane

There have been been some particularly nasty investigator + basic weakness pairings in the past, and with the introduction of Charlie, a new one rises to the top of that list.

Stubborn Detective shuts down the front of your investigator card. For Charlie, this includes not just his ability ... but also his 3 additional ally slots. Drawing this weakness could lead to you losing up to 3 allies at once, along with their skill boosts, abilities, and soak. (and the resources and actions to put them into play). You can go from being completely secure, to being defenseless and 1/1/1/1 in the mythos phase.

For other investigators, the detective's effect is temporary e.g. Calvin can get his stats back by walking out. Unfortunately, as Charlie, your discarded allies don't come back. Another problem is that you don't have to be the one to draw Stubborn Detective; another player's Detective zaps you simply by being in the same location.

I think, once you see this guy show up on the table, you will need to make some adjustments to your deck to mitigate the carnage. Charisma shoots up in priority, obviously. If you have the correct classes, deck scrying (Scrying, Parallel Fates etc) can help, as can ally recursion (A Chance Encounter, Protecting the Anirniq). Maybe put in some non-Ally defense/soak, and skills as well. If another player has the Detective in their deck, you will be taking a great risk being at the same location, so you may wish to split up until the detective arrives and is dealt with.

This combination is on par with Lola Hayes' pre-Taboo weakness, in terms of how devastating it can be, and the amount of dread it makes you feel every time you draw a card. But at least it does make for great stories and memorable moments..?

jemwong · 95
For only 3 xp you can take Ikaiq to cancel Stubborn Detective, thanks to Charlie having level 5 ally access. You'll then need to protect Ikaiq, of course, but losing 3 ally slots isn't quite as bad when it happens *after* you already lost an ally. You should probably be lead investigator each scenario after taking her so you draw first during upkeep, to let you help other investigators with less risk of being caught with her exhausted. — Thatwasademo · 57
*her name is spelled Ikiaq, not Ikaiq — Thatwasademo · 57
Ikiaq is very smart. Though she still needs to already be out at the time that the Detective is drawn. Thanks for the tip! — jemwong · 95
Such a fantastic review, thank you — nonobstant · 11