Finally Guardian has a weapon that is almost strictly better than timeworn brand.

This is a very unassuming weapon, it doesn't do anything special, it's not a particularly great bless synergy card, it's not a particularly powerful boss killer, but what it does do is give you a +2/+1 weapon you can swing time after time after time that takes only one hand slot, a hand slot that can even be satisfied with an Occult Reliquary.

It's nice that it can put in a few blesses.

It's nice that it doesn't consume blesses.

It's nice that it only costs 3, instead of 5.

It's nice that it's 4 exp instead of 5exp (Timeworn Brand).

It's nice that if you attack an enemy engaged with another investigator and fail, you only deal them 1 damage instead of 2.(The bonus damage is only on a success)

It's just a nice weapon, nothing crazy, just nice. I'm prepared to see this card as a side arm in more than a few decks.

Just played through the Skarlet Keys for the first time. Spoilers ahoy!

Does this actual make the SPOILER Gravity-defining climb ridiculously easy? Was this intended?

One of the most useful keys in the game.

I'd like to add a bit of relevant rule "Control of Attachment : If an investigator attaches a player card to an encounter card, he or she retains control of the attachment." (Location is an encounter card.) ...that gets overridden because Pitchfork explicitly said "lose control of Pitchfork". (It is also on Hatchet.)

Without this "lose control" effect, it would magically disappeared from the ground if you (the owner and also the controller) gets eliminated before someone grab it and take control.

Location attachments like Map the Area, Makeshift Trap, Breach the Door, ... you would be unable to left a legacy for your friends to continue working on it after you get defeated. But you can with Pitchfork.

That said, this is a fun multiplayer weapon that net you more damage than its setup cost by utilizing actions of other investigators taking turn after you (and their accuracy), as long as you successfully pass the baton by landing a successful hit. They would lose whatever hand assets they have, so this is viable for a flex with empty Flashlight looking to transition anyway, or 3 Mystic that is currently using Arcane. Exploding 3 HP enemies one after another is a magical feeling. Everyone can get a taste of Dunwich 3 HP terminator Lightning Gun / Chicago Typewriter / Shrivelling (5) without class restriction.

The accuracy bonus is just +1 , I think it is important that the Pitchfork owner having commits ready to "teach" others how to farm. (Hank conveniently and thematically has 5 to farm without help, and should be able to keep commit cards for others.) It is very likely that you are still standing with someone trying out the fork after you. I imagine a huge in-class icons like Dauntless Spirit or Last Chance can be a good enabler to squeeze more 3 damages in one Investigation Phase. Suddenly, it might looks possible to deal about 3 damage in one round regardless of actual role of other investigators.

It gets messier if you are attacking an enemy engaged on other investigator and you would like them to continue the attack, they'd not be able to pick up without taking AoO, so you might need an another Engage to free them and end your turn. (And risk of getting skewered for 3 damage but that's part of the fun...)

There are awkward moments when you lose the weapon while the enemy is standing, as you punch it to death you may now lack one more action to pick it back up, more enemies came, now you are left with bare fist and a fork just standing there, unable to pick it up unless you are willing to take AoO. Suddenly, you might find yourself dealing too many 1 damage, while that chunky 3 damages are getting too few and far between. To alleviate this problem, fight Event or Vicious Blow / Strong-Armed / Long Shot that adds damage to your neutral fight are handy to get more consistent rhythm of fighting.

In music, vamping means: fill time by doing the same basic thing. And because with fine clothes you can pass any of these tests, there’s a case for doing every one of these options… because some turns, you wanna pass a lot of tests!

The best combo here is with Gregory Gry. Put him into play (either as an action, then ending your turn with calling in favors, or with Hit and Run, to use him again later.) Use other cards to boost your tests. Rogues have dozens of over succeed tools. Bet money on succeeding, and earn a ton of pocket change as you evade, damage, undoom and earn a clue. Extra fun for Trish (who can turn the one clue into two), or anyone with dirty fighting, who can turn the evade into a free attack. It also stacks with the .25 pistols. In the most buckwild configuration, Chuck Fergus lets Trish play this fast. She gets eight net resources for hitting and running with Greg. Then get two clues from enemy. Then either removes a doom and evades it (shooting it three times with your 25s and dirty fighting, four times with haste…). For zero actions. Or with your bonus action if you’re the Countess.

Your teammates check their watches. You still have actions left.

I'm the (unofficial) Vamp ambassador for this cycle of cards! Here’s my thoughts on Vamp:

Methodology: I played five builds that included Vamp through a full campaign. I kept the card in the decks throughout the entire campaign.

A. Trick focused Alessandra (with Vamp) through Innsmouth (paired with Mark) 

 B. Rita and Mandy (each taking vamp) through TFA C. Leo and Gloria (each taking vamp) through Edge of the Earth


In my estimation, Vamp is a strong and versatile card. It has four possible options with two minor prerequisites a) an enemy needs to be at your location and b) you’ll need to be able to pass a difficulty three test in the skill you are testing. The fact that it uses Parley means that playing it does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This is not as relevant for the fight or evade option (as those actions do not provoke AoO) but it comes in handy for the Will or Intellect based option. It only costs 1 resource and has a wild icon for the times when you can’t use it.

This card basically lets you do what you were planning to do on occasion when an enemy happens to be at your location without provoking an attack of opportunity for 1 cost.

The fight and evade options in Vamp are more useful with high Fight or Evade enemies (i.e. higher than the 3 difficulty test on the card) or in multiplayer if the enemy is engaged with another investigator or are aloof. The three difficulty test can be a limiting factor; it leads to situations where someone with a high fight is more likely to use this card for its fight action above the others, and so forth. But I don’t hate that. It’s not that it lets your fighter evade better, it lets them fight better/smarter etc.

The investigate option is nice when your clue gatherer is indisposed. The will option is even more highly situational but it is useful in the right circumstances.

I think with Alessandra - this card is a no-brainer particularly in combination with Chuck Fergus, Fine Clothes, Eldricht Tongue, other Trick treated cards, etc. (NO DON’T TELL ME THERE’S AN UPGRADED VERSION//LEVEL 0 IS MY CARD!!!) In multiplayer, I would seriously consider this card in anyone else as a splash, bearing in mind that three difficulty test. 

Like other parley cards, this one relies on enemies being present and thus is less useful in smaller player counts (less likely to be enough targets to get it to fire) or when enemy management is clearing the board often.


Here are some odd edge case things that happened in my play that made me like this card more:



This card lets you do two damage to enemy via a parley test if you’re Frozen in Fear!



This card can have you evade an enemy you’re not engaged with (including aloof ones); that can be useful in situations where ready enemies do nasty business with doom or other bad effects. 



Overall, I rate this card a 4/5. I love it’s flexibility!