Archive of Conduits

This card seems to be absolutely bonkers for Carolyn Fern.

Compared to most other Heal cards, Archive of Conduits do not need you to be at any other Investigator's location, to place the leyline or to heal. The card does not exhaust and does not use Supplies or Charges

Even if you pull the on Rotting Remains, Carolyn Fern will turn it into +3 cards and +3 resources for you no matter where you are on the map.

You shouldn't be afraid To Fight the Black Wind anymore, as removing leylines provide a boost in heal that will make it hard for it to trigger a Doom on the Agenda. Just pack some No Stone Unturned/Eureka! to trigger it when there is no enemy in play or even a Pendant of the Queen to evade enemies in case your Damage dealer failed to kill it during their round.

Good combos:

Forbidden Knowledge: 1 action = 2 resources + 1 card.

Spirit of Humanity: 1 action = 2 , 1 card, 1 resource (+ 1 resource if you place the horror on Peter Sylvestre that will heal at the end of the round).

Toe to Toe for auto damage and the possibility to heal yourself for card and money.

TL;DR This card makes most other Heal cards obsolete for her.

Valentin1331 · 78022
It's really good in Carolyn! But since it's Limit 1 per deck and there is an action tax (although Close the Circle works on it!), Carolyn still wants to pack a good number more healing cards, especially the ones that don't cost an action. — dscarpac · 1211
Can you give your recommendations on other healing cards to add? — Valentin1331 · 78022
I gave some recs on Carolyn's page, but to me to make this card work you need another way to deal with Carolyn's weakness. This plus Hypnotic Therapy will solve the weakness in two actions (over two turns), but it's just two cards in a whole deck, so I think you need Peter Sylvester and Ancient Stone, and maybe First Aid (3) if you need to heal Allies, or Liquid Courage if you're going for a Synergy deck. But with the card draw this card gives you don't need to go overkill with healing; maybe 5-7 cards total. — dscarpac · 1211
Question: Can the owner of the Archive of Conduits card place a leyline on themselves? Like if Carolyn owns the card, can Carolyn place a leyline on herself? — EmmeBGG · 15
@EmmeBGG Yes, the owner can target themselves. If this was not intended the ability would say "another investigator". — MiskatonicFrosh · 344
If Carolyn uses this to draw a card and it's To Fight the Black Wind, does it negate the Horror you would take from it and therefore not add any Doom that round? What's the timing on that? — glockenspeel · 1
Norman Withers

I'd like to throw up a review of my favorite investigator once again, as my previous one was lost when his non-Promo version came out.

Despite the color of his card, don't be fooled, Norman is a Mystic Investigator who plays differently at 0 XP. If you are choosing an investigator for Deduction (2), Higher Education, and Segment of Onyx, Norman certainly isn't it. Instead choose him for your Shriveling (5), Armageddon (4), Grotesque Statue (4) strategies. Mystic/Seeker (as opposed to Daisy's Seeker/Mystic) access was somewhat novel when he originally debuted, but it's a bit more common now (as of this writing, Gloria Goldberg: The Writer and Luke Robinson: The Dreamer have similar access).

So let's go through Norman:

  • Stats - The first thing to notice about Norman is that he is a true min/maxer. 5 Intellect and 4 Willpower are both very strong, and he's given up his other stats to do it. 2 Fight is almost completely irrelevant. The 1 Agility is sometimes relevant (e.g. Grasping Hands), but for the most part is fine. In exchange, Norman has what I would call "high accuracy". Norman is very likely to succeed at his usual actions, even on harder difficulties because of his high base stats. On easier difficulties, Norman can sometimes investigate with a decent chance of success holding nothing.
  • Elder Sign - Norman's Elder Sign is honestly not very good. It gives a small bonus and then you can manipulate the top card of your deck for your static ability. This is close to nothing, and I usually don't bother with cards to try to improve my chance of getting an Elder Sign.
  • Static Text - Norman's static text that allows him to play the top card of his deck at -1 resource cost once per turn is quite strong. Each time you use it you have effectively gained 2 actions (1 for "drawing" a new card, and 1 for the resource you didn't have to generate). Norman's deckbuilding should, in my opinion, take heavy consideration toward maximizing this benefit. Since your goal is to use it nearly every turn, consider building it the same way Joe DIamond builds his hunch deck. Maximize cards that can be used at nearly any time, and cards with fast to make the most of it. Skills are quite bad because you can't play them (I often play only Deduction for example). Using this text often is a big part of Norman's power AND fun.
  • Forced - This reads like a downside, but it's actually sort of upside. You'll never have a dead draw of a weakness.

Signature Cards:

  • Livre d'Eibon/The Harbinger - I admit being surprised how high the review is on Livre d'Eibon. The first fast ability on it is borderline flavor text. The second ability is okay (committing a card from the top of your deck is worse than drawing it), but I don't think it's great, and I think including cards that are great to commit fights against your best text. Livre d'Eibon can be searched for as it is a tome. The Harbinger is extremely mild, but always takes two actions to resolve, and probably needs to be resolved BY YOU each time it's revealed unless it's very late. The Harbinger rarely "pins" you, which is an advantage over Vengeful Hound which rarely does but can.
  • Split the Angle/Vengeful Hound - The slow action on Split the Angle is absolutely nothing. The fast action just changes the top card of your deck, don't worry about what it does to the encounter deck. The actions I think are meant to be used together, but they're just too slow. I commit Split the Angle a lot, unless I draw it early. Vengeful Hound is hard to solve if you have nothing in play (you need 0s to punch it, and +2s to evade it), but if you have absolutely anything in play it can be solved easily, often in one action (Shriveling) or no actions (e.g. Shriveling + Knowledge is Power). In addition, unlike the Harbinger your allies can help you with Vengeful Hound. The fighter may have nothing to kill anyway.
  • Final Result - I don't think you're playing Norman for either one of these Signatures, as I think they're both low impact. I understand the appeal of The Harbinger, as you can resolve it without a test, but the Hound requires so little of you, and can be solved by your allies (Edit: In the comments someone said that the text does allow Allies to help you with Harbinger. We didn't read it that way originally, and played it as yourself only because it wasn't on top of "their" deck. I still think Livre isn't worth the hype). Overall, unless I'm specifically building around Livre d'Eibon, I prefer to play Split the Angle and Vengeful Hound.

Choices For 5 Mystic Level 0 Cards:

  • Read the Signs - You combine for 9, ignore a ton of bad stuff, plays off the top of your deck for 1 resource, and gives you action compression. An easy include.
  • Spectral Razor - Sometimes the three damage is relevant, and gives you a few outs to combat.
  • Delve Too Deep - XP is very good, and Norman uses XP well.
  • St. Hubert's Key - Synergy with Read the Signs, and a boost to your best skills. KO protection. Sometimes I throw it out when I pull my Delves.
  • Open Gate - Worth mentioning as if you pivot off of several level 0s it restocks for only 1 XP. It's Fast, and on some scenarios it's quite good.
  • Arcane Research - I'm not sure how popular it is now, but it used to see some play for Norman. I personally am not a fan. It takes a slot forever, and because of your limited access to level 0 spells you might later upgrade, it's pretty clunky. I would skip it.

Final Thoughts:

  • Scrying/Protective Incantation/Support Builds - Seeing Norman builds that use these cards drive me crazy. In my opinion, these sorts of cards are best used by characters who are bad at tests either because of stats, or because of card access. That's not Norman. An ideal Norman turn maximizes his strength at taking tests, and utilizes his static text; play the top card of your deck, and take two or three tests with Intellect or Willpower is perfect. Stay away from these support type builds, or use a different investigator.
  • Norman is both very fun, and very powerful. He might look like another Gloria nerd, but he solves problems very differently. Norman is at his best brute forcing problems, and I love playing him.
  • Try Norman today!
LastWalter · 35
Why should allies not be able to solve the Harbinger? And calling the first ability of the Livre d'Eibon useless when the combo with Astronomical Atlas exists is quite a stretch. — Darth Sithius · 1
I didn't quite call it useless, but I do think it's pretty overhyped, and I think the combo you mention is more cute than good. — LastWalter · 35
I may have been playing The Harbinger incorrectly. How do your allies resolve it? It says you can take the action if it is on top of your deck. — LastWalter · 35
Livre d'Eibon is phenomenal compared to split the angle, even without considering the atlas combo. — SSW · 216
I agree with not playing Split the Angle for Split. It's bad. — LastWalter · 35
The Harbingers ability "may be activated while The Harbinger is on top of your deck, as if it were in your threat area." Other players may activate the effects of encounter cards in your threat area, so other players can resolve the Harbinger. — Darth Sithius · 1
Okay, I see that reading. Fair enough! I still think the hype around Livre is undeserved, and the Hound is less actions to resolve. Thanks! — LastWalter · 35
The issue is that RAW 'you' inside of activated ability text refers to the person activating the ability, so for anyone else trying to activate it, it would need to be on top of THEIR deck. It wouldn't be an issue if the allowance was a constant ability outside of the triggered ability. Howevere an, I'm pretty sure that MJ weighed in on the argument and said that the intention is that other players can activate the ability while it is on top of his deck, and we'll probably see that clarification in the next FAQ. — Death by Chocolate · 1488
Yes. This above is how we played it. — LastWalter · 35
"I admit being surprised how high the review is on Livre d'Eibon. The first fast ability on it is borderline flavor text." Consistent cost discount on the cards you play and setting up combos with Written in the Stars, Astronomical Atlas, and and Foresight is akin to fluff huh? Hard disagree. — CorvusLibrarius · 210
Cyclopean Hammer

I've used the hammer to crushing effect in a playthrough of Innsmouth Conspiracy with Zoey Samaras. Hitting at 8 by default is good enough to get 2 damage reliably, but for the real magic to happen you want at least one, ideally two copies of Reliable attached (each copy gives +2 to hit) and maybe 1 or 2 stat boosts from other sources.

Once I was able to achieve this, pretty much every enemy in the game became a massive joke, as I was essentially using a lightning gun at 13-14 skill value every swing, dealing 3 damage every time, with unlimited ammo.

This freed my deck completely from having to run economy cards + extra ammo generation, usually the biggest problem for big gun guardian builds. Instead I filled my deck with encounter deck manipulation, ensuring I was always able to draw enemies from investigators around the table.

In short - too strong if you can hit 3 damage reliably.

Crash · 7089
so instead of running lightning gun and ammo cards you run this and boost cards, seems fine, 12xp is a lot. I'd say seeing the hammer as a 3 damage weapon that requires set up isn't the strong side, its the 2 damage weapon that just never misses without set up that's scary about it. — Zerogrim · 295
Can you elaborate on your encounter deck manipulation cards? I'd say the new On The Hunt, First Watch, Maybe Scrying? — Valentin1331 · 78022
I ran First Watch, Fool Me Once, Let Me Handle This. — Crash · 7089
Schoffner's Catalogue

I feel the other review underestimated the value of this card in one investigator: William Yorick. I play him in Innsmouth right now with 2 other players (one scenario to go, and until now we are rocking the campaign on hard, but without taboo list), and from my impression it's time to say: In him, this is no niche card, it's a staple!

  • It can be used to pay for other assets in the discard pile in later rounds. Unfortunately no Ally or Talent (up until now Beat Cop, Safeguard and Well Prepared were the only non-permanent assets without the Item Trait in my deck), and it won't be needed for Mr. Pawterson or a Leather Coat, but there was always use until late game for me, gaining extra actions recycling a Police Badge or getting a new weapon into play.
  • With level 0-2, Yorick has no access to Stick to the Plan. Yet, in an excessive Asset build, which you likely do with him, Ever Vigilant is still a solid pick. But having the resources for optimal use, if you don't get it into the starting hand, is normally not a given. With a catalog, either in your hand to be played as the first card, or just played after killing an Enemy, it's so much easier to use this event efficiently even later in the game, when you've used up your starting resources.
  • I have "greedy" partners. Maybe 30 to 40% of the revenue went to them for playing their Items. Since there were turns without enemies on the board, getting a bit into support for the others was a good way to put additional value to my role in the team.

There was not a single game, where I didn't play the catalog at least 4 or 5 times, in one game it might have been up to 8. But the secrets were hardly ever wasted. I will keep going shopping into the Maelstrom.

Susumu · 381
Great suggestions. I want to try something like this myself. Maybe to mitgate the lack of SttP+Ever Vigilant by taking geared up plus one or two backpacks(2). Hard mulligan for the backpacks can result in a really big pile of items in play in the first round with teh catalogue among them. Unfortunately this makes the first round quite swingy if you cant find a backpack, I guess. — 10erRingscheibe · 31
Never mind, Geared up neither works with backpack nor with the catalogue, since you don't put them out one at a time (like ever vigilant). — 10erRingscheibe · 31
I wrote it into the comments in another review: I think, the "one at a time" on "Ever Vigilant" is an unnecessary clarification. Playing a card is always a Sequence, you have to initiate. So you can never play multiple cards "all at once". That said, "Geared Up" is not really apealing to me for some reasons. I do agree though, that if I ever take it, it would be definitely in an investigator without level 3 Guardian access. — Susumu · 381
It's been a blast with Yorick. Question though, do my teammates play items on their turn with it or on Yoricks? — HiPFLasK · 18
I've seen, you have been given the answer on BGG, since. ArkhamDB has no notification for comments on reviews, otherwise I would have helped out earlier. https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3342036/how-does-schoffners-catalogue-work-for-allies — Susumu · 381
Roland Banks

Roland Banks is a very good beginner character, and I love his deck options with Guardian and Seeker combo, making him great at the 2 main aspects of the game, getting clues and killing things. The 5 Sanity is an issue, and can be conquered by Elder Sign Amulet (3), Kerosene (1), and Logical Reasoning. .36 Colt (2) is kind of broken in my opinion, and an auto-include. .45 Automatic (2) is a reliable weapon, and can take out some of the harder enemies. Roland's 4 Combat right off the bat tells you what he's good at. To amp him up to 7 Combat, Beat Cop (2) and .45 Automatic (2) can get the job done, nearly guaranteeing your attack will be successful (minus autofail). A Mystic friend would help him out with Clarity of Mind (3). For Cover Up, Deduction (2) can help rid Cover Up of clues faster. First Aid x2 (3) is OP, and necessary with some Ally like Beat Cop (2), for example, who just hurts himself. Just be sure to get rid of all the clues on Cover Up, because mental trauma as Roland Banks is bad. Timeworn Brand (5) is nice when your guns run out of ammo. Speaking of which, Venturer, Extra Ammunition (1),and Contraband can all help.

jaketrow · 4