Friends in Low Places

Another review tells details about FiLP and it is really helpful when you read it! In this review, I'll talk about some parts easily overlooked.

First, rogue class has really few tutor cards, and FiLP is second rogue tutor card and first 0 level rogue tutor card; first one is Lucky Cigarette Case (3). In fact, survivor class is almost similar, i.e., they has only two tutor cards: Flare (1) and Rabbit's Foot (3). IMO, Preston Fairmont is really love FiLP.

Second, Bolstering gives icon. It means added card can be commited into any type of the test, regardless of the icon it has. For example, we can commit "Watch this!", Manual Dexterity, or Overpower into Lockpicks test. Moreover, non-icon card can be commited into the test, such as Dark Memory, The Devil • XV or Pay Your Due. (note: only player card type of weakness can be committed using this method.)

Third, Prompt + Shift make us play any non-fast event at any window. It is useful between 3.2 and 3.3 or during the test of the encounter card. Outside of that, it is also useful when making the example with the non-fast event playing as fast speed.

Lastly, FiLP states "look" and "add" cards. Thus, it does not interact with lots of seeker cards, such as Mandy Thompson, Astounding Revelation or Cryptic Writings.


Traits note for skill cards (Bolstering)

  • Most skill cards have either innate or practiced. None has both traits. Thus, it's recommended to choose either innate or practiced.
  • ALL developed cards are innate. ALL expert cards are practiced. Choosing developed or expert for default trait is useless, and that for Versatile trait may reduce 1 resource cost. Only one exception is Seal of the Elder Sign. It is Expert but not Practiced.
  • Here is list of the skill cards neither innate nor practiced. arkhamdb search link
  • Another candidates for Versatile is Gambit, including "Watch This!", Copycat, and Calculated Risk.

Traits note for event cards

  • The traits for events are variable, but here are the main type of event traits not considering classes: tactic, insight, spirit, spell, supply, fortune, trick, favor.
  • In many cases, it depends on your deck or the investigator's subclass.
  • Considering rogue class, trick is great candidate for Prompt target. Also, favor is also good target, but most of them in the deck are fast.
elkeinkrad · 485
"Third, Prompt make us play any non-fast event at any Fast window" I think you need 3 XP more for Swift too to do this right? — 5argon · 9604
Oh, it needs both Prompt + Shift. Thanks for your correction! — elkeinkrad · 485
Bruiser

So is there a clear answer on how it works with the Fire Axe?

We have "A triggered ability can only be initiated if its effect has the potential to change the game state, and its cost (if any) has the potential to be paid in full, taking active cost modifiers into account. This potential is assessed without taking into account the consequences of the cost payment or any other ability interactions."

Also, we have "An ability cannot initiate – and therefore its costs cannot be paid – if the resolution of its effect will not change the game state." - And as I guess, "You get +2 for this skill test" will change it.

It is also not specifying "Resources on XXX may be spent to PLAY Armor, Firearm, or Melee cards."

Otki · 17
Resources on Bruiser may only be spent to pay the cost to play cards.Resources cannot be used to pay ability costs. For details, see the FAQ of Antiquary (https://arkhamdb.com/card/08124). — Jacksonsu · 1
Yeah, "pay the cost to play" is certainly better wording. — Otki · 17
Disguise

Just as Slip Away may be a better card for you if you only need to evade occasionally, Trench Coat may be a better card for you if you need to evade frequently. Trench Coat obviously provides a lower bonus and uses a slot (and also does not delay readying for non-Elite enemies) but it does come with two health which can be mighty handy.

GeneralXy · 38
Power Word

I have played this card in two campaigns now. Power Word reaches power levels that I haven't seen since pre-Key of Ys being tabooed. And if you were to ask me which I think is more powerful: a pre-taboo Key of Ys or Power Word, its really no contest. Power Word wins this contest hands down. I'm of the opinion that there are few cards in the game more powerful than Power Word.

What makes it so powerful? This is the setup I used when using it to fight: Tonguetwister / Thrice Spoken / Betray / Mercy / Confess / Distract. What has this let me do? Well, trivialize every scenario. I find a decent enemy, I Power Word it. Usually my first command that I give to all my minions is "Cower". Why? The enemy exhausts. It is not evaded so it remains engaged with you but will not attack you during the enemy phase. This means it will follow you around wherever you move. My second command is usually to Betray any non-PW'ed enemy at my location or Confess to get a clue. As the fighter in a 2p campaign, if I'm able to nab a couple of enemies early, I can frequently get half the clues needed to finish the scenario. And that's with me spending a lot of my actions fighting instead of focusing on clues.

I also took Wither. Yep, good 'ole Wither. If your minions have a fight of 3 but you need an enemy to die that has a fight of 4? Use Wither and lower its fight value so that your minions can finish it off. Or you can just Distract it if necessary. Whatever.

Any chance of you getting defeated? Nope. I sometimes find myself moving a space before fighting. Rather than using an action to exhaust them, then moving, then only getting one round of attacks, I would move (taking opportunity attacks from all 3 minions), then attack/heal, then attack/exhaust. I heal up almost all the damage they've done in the opportunity attacks. My partner and I are never close to death because I can use the minions to heal us up. Yes, healing is bad, but when it's actionless because I'm already exhausting them to pick up 3 testless clues in one action? It becomes very, very good.

Oh, and I'm sure that someone is going to say, "You can't give the same command twice!" But you can. Limit once per round per command. "Limit X per " is a limit that appears on cards that remain in play through the resolution of an ability's effect. Each instance of an ability with such a limit may be initiated X times during the designated period. Another copy of power word would have another instance of the same ability. So if you have 2 minions, you can activate the fight on both of them with Thrice Spoken and get both of them to deal a damage to an enemy at your location... twice. With 3 minions, you can spend all 3 actions telling each of them to fight, which causes the other 2 to fight. For a total of 9 testless damage.

Yes, there are some drawbacks. Health needs to be high for clues. Fight for fighting. Foot for evading. But I tell you, it is hilarious to have a Swarm of Rats as a minion (evade 3!) and while ordering the Rats to evade a scary elite, they are also crawling over you (or another investigator!) and healing you (or the other investigator!) for 1 damage. And the Rats are one of the worst minions you could cast this on.

I was playing Father Mateo with this combo (signature weakness: Serpents of Yig) and drew Mob Enforcer. It feels so good to have weaknesses that actively make your deck better. What other card in the game actively makes your weaknesses into strengths?

If you haven't played Power Word, I encourage you to try it. It's a card that you build around, but it's a spell, so cards to build around it are already cards you would play anyway. This card is so, so good.

tcrudisi · 13
It's good yes, but also requires a ton of XP and resources and the right enemies not spawning too late to make it work, so it better be freaking good or everyone would've called the card binder fodder. Key of Ys is one card that basically makes you unstoppable. I could see the comparison with post-taboo Key of Ys but PRE-taboo? No way. — Nenananas · 251
I'm fairly certain the intention is to still be limited to once per round. Thrice Spoken says to give the command to the others. I get your rationale tho, so perhaps they should Errata it to " max once per round per command" — Death by Chocolate · 1440
I agree with you that Power Word is a strong card, but nowhere near the power level of pre-taboo Key of Ys. The Key was a 5xp card, available to all classes, that provided full benefits without requiring any actions. I feel like a 10xp card, gated to a specific class, that requires actions every turn to maintain the full power level is a different ballpark. — Pseudo Nymh · 54
Refine

Since the checked box is immediately usable (unlike Delve Too Deep which let you shop for more only after clearing the scenario) you can :

  • Make any Customizable with single box choice suddenly usable while playing the 1st scenario where you are not supposed to have any XP yet.
  • When you are missing only 1 box to get a key upgrade from all the XP you got in your previous scenario, or you may intentionally check boxes such that it is missing just 1 and use remaining XP for regular card purchases instead. Carrying Refine into the next scenario and bet for it to check the final box can stretch the limit of how fast you can get good in first half of the campaign.
  • Maybe able to stretch this more with In the Thick of It, for example checking 3/4 box of Pocket Multi Tool Spring-Loaded then bet on Refine to check the final box. Or starting Runic Axe with Saga and then use Refine to add one more inscription inside the scenario to go with it.

Also, if you are planning to add in some Customizable cards into the deck later together with boxes checked (e.g. would rather use deck space for something else than 2x Summoned Servitor in the 1st scenario that cannot do anything), then you do not "own" the card just yet, and cannot use Refine to check the box. (However 1x Summoned Servitor is enough to receive Refine.)

(Ownership and Control : A card's owner is the player whose deck (or game area) held the card at the start of the game.)

5argon · 9604