I guess in a Mandy Thompson's deck, that weakness becomes a very powerful card. If we draw Through the Gates (with Mr. "Rook", for example), we'll trigger a search in ALL THE DECK, but that "search" will be canceled if we have Shocking Discovery in the deck. So... we'll have removed two weaknesses at the price of one card from the deck and one card from the encounter deck. I really think it's worth it.
Do all parts of that "as if" from the FAQ apply here?
Don't attacks of opportunity occur before you reveal the chaos token? ("An attack of opportunity is made immediately after all costs of initiating the action that provoked the attack have been paid, but before the application of that action's effect upon the game state.")
This card specifically says "You are now investigating as if you were at the chosen location", so surely the attacks of opportunity don't happen here?
An incredible card when teamed up with my current investigator: "Ashcan" Pete. He often gets a free test he doesn't care about when Duke takes him off to go off investigating at other locations. (When he uses the Duke investigate action to move to another location and investigate, he is effectively using one action to "move", but if there are no clues there, he still investigates, and only minds failing if there is a nasty chaos token - he's just indulging his trusty dog, who's going off sniffing around the place.)
It is especially strong when teamed up with a few more survivor cards, such as one or two Drawing Thin, to "improve" the chances of failure, by making the test 2 or 4 steps more difficult of the test, and add further economy to a test that effectively didn't even cost an action. I love the way it turns the game on its head and you really don't want to draw an elder sign, in case you waste your card.
On top of that, that you can use it with the upgraded Grisly Totem to return Take Heart to your hand afterwards, and do the same thing again next round!!
I'm currently playing my (non-taboo) "Ashcan" Pete deck and have just upgraded my Grisly Totem. Together with Rabbit's Foot; Relic Hunter, and two Drawing Thin. I'm looking forward to getting them all out, using a "free" action to investigate and deliberately fail. If i get it right, for the cost of exhausting a few assets and moving, I'd get 6 resources(2 from each Drawing Thin, 2 from Take Heart, draw 3 cards and get Take Heart back into my hand. (or using the other choice for Drawing Thin, gain 2 resources, draw 5 cards and get Take Heart back).
Do that combo for a couple of turns in a row and your hand is full of cards, with resources worthy of a rogue, ready to boost the skill checks you want to succeed with Scrapper; Fire Axe; Plucky or Dig Deep; and all those lovely skill cards you just drew.
Since nobody has said it yet. It's good.
If you do fighting, this is a good card. Free fights on small things like Swarm of Rats and Acolyte, finish off a tricky numbered enemy such as the Ravenous Ghoul if your weapon deals 2 damage per hit or the Icy Ghoul if your weapon deals 3 damage per hit.
Delilah O'Rourke is a very obvious combo. Between a successful evade, spending money on Delilah and the Garrote Wire you can do 3 damage every round, which will see you through most enemies in several campaigns, no other weapons needed.
Characters with extra actions really make this thing shine, but a decent stat is required, right now Finn Edwards, "Skids" O'Toole and Tony Morgan all go real fast with decent or good fight values, Winifred Habbamock can play a similar game but with a bit less synergy. It's also surprisingly useful for Leo Anderson who'se damage ping strategy with Beat Cop play's well into a Garrote Wire.
Manicly good and a natural supplement/upgrade to Hallowed Mirror. Requires some build-around.
Getting the charges is a bit of work, but is'nt a terrible challenge for a focused combatant character (like characters usually are). Once the charges are ready the ability to negate very bad tokens makes the character better at literally everything! In one go you can resist a treachery and heal pain, prevent a missed attack and heal, safely pull up a clue and -heal-!
When the Empty Vessel is charged and you swap for Wish Eater it opens a big window of power where attacks get more accurate, tests and treacheries get easier to beat and your pain literally flies away. The benefits make the commitment worth it.
A little groundwork and item teck is required to make it easier to find the Empty Vessel early enough to get the charges, a friendly with a No Stone Unturned, a Tetsuo Mori. Generally the cards you need to make a Empty Vessel shine are good anyway.
Once the Empty Vessel is on the table and charged you need to carefully consider when to swap it. Some scenarios have enough enemies running around that you can get it transformed twice, other times you would save up 3 or 4 charges to do the one and only swap of the scenario. Do note that the swap trigger is Fast and not locked into your turn, so you can rest easy with 3+ charges until right when you need the help.
Finally: Akachi Onyele can use it and it, works, gooood for her. She really needs Relic Hunter to make it work but oh BOY, a combat specialized Akachi Onyele with Wish Eater can bulldoze through fights.