Card Reviews · ArkhamDB

Eldritch Inspiration

So, can this be used to double elder sign effects? I have seen a couple people claim this but it wasn't widely agreed upon. If so this is a fantastic card for father mateo.

This is a secret filler for 200 characters :P

2/19/21

jonklin · 515

While investigators could be considered mystic cards, elder sign effects would need to have a triggering condition of "if" "when" or "after", there is currently only one such mystic elder sign and it is Jacqueline fine's elder sign that triggers if the elder sign is cancelled. — Zerogrim · 295 2/19/21

Elder Sign effects are by definition triggered "if" an elder sign is revealed. "If this token is revealed for a skill test, resolve the [elder sign] effect on the investigator card belonging to the player performing the skill test." So I would think yes. — suika · 9497 2/20/21

The thing about that argument, though, is that the line that has the "if" (the quote) is a game rule and not a card effect, and it only indirectly resolves the elder sign effect — Thatwasademo · 58 2/21/21

My interpretation is that nothing says the "if" needs to be on a mystic card, just that the effect must be on a mystic card, and the triggering condition for the effect must be when/if/after a chaos token is revealed. There could be an alternate interpretation that the when/if/after must be on the card itself, but I don't see anything that would support such an reading. — suika · 9497 2/21/21

Unfortunately, I don't think this works. The corollary is Defiance, which ignores token effects but not effects which trigger based on the "revelation" of a token. I.e. shrivelling dealing you horror etc. Gator elder signs are not by definition "IF an elder sign is revealed," when/if/after effects are in response to a token being revealed regardless of the token's effects themselves. So unfortunately not even Jackie's elder sign is eligible as the effect of the E.S. is simply +1 and the cancellation/ignoring must come from a different source. — Sycopath · 1 2/21/21

That's persuasive, though while Defiance makes such a distinction, nothing says that Eldritch Inspiration has make the same distinction. It's self-consistent to interpret effect of a token be "if revealed, do X" and for Defiance to ignore this effect, and for Eldritch Inspiration to work on also work on the effect. Although again, nothing supports such an interpretation. — suika · 9497 2/22/21

Revealing a token and trigger when a token is revealed are two different things. if you ignore/cancel it's effect, the token is still revealed and can trigger other abilities. if you cancel/ignore the token, it is as if it was never revealed. — Adny · 1 2/22/21

And I agree with suika's interpretation. Nowhere does it say, that the 'if' must be on the card. — Adny · 1 2/22/21

'If' triggers happen at the time a thing happens, after 'when' and before 'after' triggers for the same timing point, and at the same time as 'at' (and 'as' and 'each time' as best I can tell). But the Elder Sign chaos token effect initiates in Step 4, while the chaos token is revealed in Step 3. The 'when', 'if', and 'after' triggers Eldritch Inspiration reacts to all proc in relation to that step 3 timing. The 'if' used in 'Chaos Tokens' for 'Elder Sign' therefore must be informal, since we know the effect actually initiates in Step 4, *not* at the time abilities that really trigger 'if' a chaos token is revealed would trigger. — Yenreb · 15 2/22/21

@Yenrub agreed, I think step 3/4 quite definitively shows that chaos token effects are distinct from on reveal effects that Eldritch Inspiration is meant to apply to. — suika · 9497 2/23/21

Unexpected Courage

The reason you take this is a little tricky. But it allows you to fail by two less on test you would never pass, with things like old keyring and look what I found. In a deck that uses covenants and blessed tokens, you can guarantee you get a two on the chaos token, +2 from unexpected courage, then you can drop Oops, Dumb Luck, look what I found or anything else… Then keep unexpected courage. With granny Orne, you can adjust your values even more, if you want to pass by zero or fail by one and keep this card in your hand.

It’s also great to give to allies, if they don’t pass, oh well, next time they might! And you can recur it with True Survivor. Neat how one little sentence can make a card worth two XP.

2/19/21

MrGoldbee · 1484

Even without the situations you describe you can get some value out of the added text just as insurance - if there's a test you would kinda like to pass but +2 to your skill value only makes it possible but not overwhelmingly likely, you can commit this and if it doesn't work you keep the card. — Thatwasademo · 58 2/20/21

I am not overlly convinced by this card, but as I get to the end of my want list with Silas I do see the advantage of having a 2? card in the discard pile that can added to hand with resourceful. But, is that worth 2xp. Maybe there will be a 3? 3 or 4cp version in the big box.... — gitty · 7 7/9/21

Harmony Restored

This might seem like a profit center for a continually broke Mateo, but the three cost can be a nonstarter sometimes. If your team is running heavy blessings, it can be hard to restructure into curses; this card is for those who love the benefits of curses and are already putting plenty of blesses in. As a money maker, this will require six of each to be as good as an emergency cache. Think of it as bag manipulation and you’ll be much better off. Preston can afford it easily, tho.

2/19/21

MrGoldbee · 1484

six of each to be as good as an emergency cash...if removing curses from the bag holds no value, if you remove six curses from the bag with this card (double tempt fate followed by harmony) you will be laughing that this card is ALSO an emergency cash. I think most of the time this card will print 1/2 money and still be more than worth it. (lets not even consider tempt fate*3 on the opening turn of a game followed by harmony) — Zerogrim · 295 2/19/21

Holy Rosary

Whoa! I think this is the first time we've seen a card positively change class from one version to another (I'm not counting the dual class cards or the new upgraded cantrips). So, if you're a guardian who has been casting longing eyes on the Holy Rosary since the Core Set, you can now have your very own, and it's better.

But really, how much better? I'm a little skeptical that this thing is going to fire more than a couple times a scenario, even if you have it in your opening hand. Most turns, you won't see a test on an encounter card. And even when you do, you might not pass it. Of course, there are ways to meddle with the encounter deck so that you see more of these tests, including in the pool. "Let me handle this!" and First Watch come to mind. But on the whole, it seems like a pretty iffy way to add more tokens to the bag. For me, this would be a late-campaign upgrade for a Sister Mary deck, when I'm sitting on a bunch of xp and there's nothing in my deck I want to get rid of. In that case, sure, pimp my rosary (apologies to all Catholics).

I will say that this card may make sense in one campaign: The Circle Undone. That hexy hellride is FULL of treacheries with checks. I just checked -- in the deluxe boy and the 6 mythos packs, here's the breakdown:

checks: 4 cards checks: 4 cards checks: 40 cards

So, yeah, you'll be taking some checks. Static buffs of any kind are advised -- all the better if they reward success. Who knows? Maybe you'll run across a certain traumatised chef in the course of your adventures, in which case you can get paid twice!

2/19/21

Mordenlordgrandison · 462

Circle also has some Mythos cards in your threat area that require a will test. So person with this can resolve it. — Django · 5148 2/19/21

Same in TFA. As a blessed card, Mateo can take this, and with two of them, he can add 4 blessings with almost every round in some scenarios. Django is right, and in three player, with 'you handle this one' on our rogue, this is an amazing way to keep the bag full. Especially with sacred covenant. And with Mary, overfull in Carcosa; The bag would be at 10 and I would still have 3+ tokens to add. — MrGoldbee · 1484 2/19/21

I think you take this fairly early in any Mary deck actually just because it’s a reliable source of bless almost every turn. Mary has trouble with keeping bless in the bag. — StyxTBeuford · 13043 2/19/21

I think a will test on encounter cards is fairly common, and you can run cards like First Watch or Let me handle this to ensure you get these tests more regularly. — StyxTBeuford · 13043 2/19/21

For those, who can take both (Mateo, Mary, Diana, Carolyn) it is 2 XP for occasionally putting 2 Bless tokens into the bag. I agree, that sounds "nice to have, once you've got everything else, you really need. For traditional guardians, I think upgraded "Bandolier" (same price and XP) or "Brother Xavier" (much more expensive, but only 1 XP) would be still more interesting to buff willpower. — Susumu · 381 2/19/21

I've run this with Zoey in Return to Dunwich, and it's been fantastic. With Violent Commands, you can keep it out the entire scenario and add 2 blessings to the bag every. single. turn. The bag was pumped so full of bless tokens it actually made me decide to give Blessing of Isis a shot (that, on the other hand, doesn't pull its weight at all.) — Pinchers · 132 2/19/21

Pairing it w Violent Commands: a stroke of brilliance :) — Mordenlordgrandison · 462 2/20/21

A note that was brought up on Tooth of Eztli and is also relevant here: A will test "on a treachery" doesn't necessarily have to be part of its revelation effect. There are plenty of treacheries that get discarded as an action with a will test, and anyone at that location can attempt it. — Thatwasademo · 58 4/20/21

Wither

One of the worst cards in the game even before the Sword Cane was released. A mystic fighting with Wither is the equivalent of a Guardian fighting with a Kukri, except worse, since Wither only has a chance to make a second attack easier while Kukri guarantees it.

About the only positive things you can say is that it's a spell, so it can be tutored with Arcane Initiate, and that it gives Diana Stanley something to cancel with Eldritch Inspiration.

2/18/21

suika · 9497

There's a second upside: Wither(0) plus Arcane Research might save you 2 xp on Wither(4), which is actually a decent combat spell if you're worried about charges and have the right sort of chaos bag manipulation. Though, honestly, there are probably enough spells to upgrade whose level 0 version is actually worthwhile that putting up with Wither(0) in the first scenario is unnecessary... — Thatwasademo · 58 2/18/21

I don't consider that an upside because I don't think Wither (4) is a decent combat spell. If Wither (0) is a worse Kukri, Wither (4) is a worse Machete. — suika · 9497 2/18/21

Most 2+ damage spells with Twila are better. Also, Swordcane is similar and doesn't occupy an arcane slot. — Django · 5148 2/18/21

Something that people tend to overlook while examining this card is that this has quite a high "to-hit" bonus. Since the token effect triggers before success is determined, every spooky token effectively has its own modifier reduced by 1. Additionally the modification is independent of success or failure. This is quite good for odd health enemies as it's really cheap, and has none of the punishments of other spells--the 2 horror from shrivelling 5 _really_ adds up, there's a very strong argument that sword cane replaces this but it's not _totally_ dead — Sycopath · 1 2/19/21

Eh, I do think it’s totally dead. It’s upgrade isn’t worth considering as it’s incredibly overpriced for a niche effect. The level 0 version was ok for pinging damage at a decent hit rate, but Sword Cane does the same thing without taking up a slot where a good 2 damage spell could go. Sword Cane has all but eliminated Wither from consideration imo. — StyxTBeuford · 13043 2/19/21

Like suika says, Wither was poorly received on release and already very rarely played. Sword Cane is a much better card for numerous reasons and is quickly becoming an all star. — StyxTBeuford · 13043 2/19/21

Wither is a terrible card but Sword Cane exhausts. Azure Flame replaced Wither imo. Or perhaps even Spectral Razor since it can actually kill an enemy in one turn. With that being said I could see myself running Sword Cane to save Shrivelling or Azure Flame charges. I quite like that card. — The Lynx · 987 2/20/21

It exhausts sure, but enemies either have even or odd health. The only time it’s worth saving a charge on Flame/Shrivelling/Armageddon is when you would be overshooting the health. At 2 damage per hit, that covers even health enemies already, and only one hit from SC is enough to cover any odd health enemy. You could do two hits of wither to save one charge, but the charge is worth less than the extra action you spent. I don’t think Wither is worth the arcane slot at all here. — StyxTBeuford · 13043 2/21/21

Soon the fact wither takes up an arcane slot will be seen as an advantage instead of a disadvantage. — Zerogrim · 295 8/16/21

Not to beat a dead horse, but this has to be objectively the worst way to handle enemies as a mystic. Pre-sword cane, I could see maybe a justification though I'd say there are tons of better options still. Post Sword cane its madness running it. I tried it for 2 campaigns and it was basically lose an action and 2 resources, do nothing. Sword cane has evade, which is a very handy thing while waiting for shrivelling and adds versatility. Unless you want to meme on a monster for your half-guardian to kill it wither is more harmful than useful. — , · 560 10/2/21

Wither worked nicely with Lily Chen's Agility Discipline as the first of the 3 fight actions. — dlikos · 160 2/2/22