"Not without a fight!"

"Not without a fight!"

Tried it and I found myself in a very simple, predictable even situation.

The situation where I wished I'dd just slotted Unexpected Courage rather then this far more limited wannabe that outright fails to be useful for pretty much every test where flexible icons are useful.

The only time this card proved itself better then Unexpected Courage was during a Cheap Shot action where we realized that we double tapped the icons, and we're not even sure that was a legal move and even then, much too specific to be routinely useful.

EDIT:

My opinion about this card hasn't changed, but I've started to find a use for it: When you want a deck with a lot of skills to use with True Survivor, this isn't a bad option to slot and recurse, even if it's just to throw the card away on a Wendy Adams re-roll. Also it's relatively useful in Agnes Baker decks as a tertiary source of boosts or to punch a Swarm of Rats in the first few scenarios.

EDIT: EDIT:

Lots of cards out since this released, it's binder fodder, never taking it again, not even for the folks who LOVE skill cards. Somebody is going to have to have "Not without a fight!" printed in their deckbuilding rules for it to show up in a deck of mine.

Tsuruki23 · 2581
For thiisI don't think i'll ever play this card, it's too situational. — Django · 5164
Sorry for double post, but i can't edit my comments. For this card to provide any benefit over Overpower or Unexpected courage, you need to be engaged with at least 2 enemies (so it provides +3). It's likely you'd be engaged with 1 after mythos phase, but a second one needs extra effort, like evading in previous turn or engaging one. However these actions could've been used to kill it instead. — Django · 5164
This isn't a for every one card; but mainly for combat focused suvivors. It's got utility in that it can be used as needed; at worst it's +1 will. Most times it will be on par with unexpected courage. The difference is that you can also use it to evade if you have more than one monster on you and are using Machete, for example. Or have people stack up monsters on you in the Mythos phase, then use the boost to pass will-based enounter checks. It's a niche card, but it can find room. It's also innate, so True Survivor can recycle it. — CecilAlucardX · 10
I would put this in a Wendy deck, mostly because it has the flexibility to be used for many purposes. I see this like a second Unexpected Courage. The thing is: I can always use it to evade, as I have to be engaged with an enemy to do that, I can always use it for +1 Willpower (and maybe more) and I can sometimes use it to attack -not always as I have to be engaged with the enemy, and if I'm engaged with multiple enemies I also get a nice boost. — matt88 · 3228
Oops, my mistake! I can't always use it for +1 Willpower, but if I happen to be engaged with an enemy when a Willpower test occurs I can use it for +2 or more. I like this card in general. It has its restrictions but I find it generally useful. — matt88 · 3228
The thing about this card is that it isn't a question of Unexpected Courage or this. You can take both. People would probably run 4 Unexpected Courages given the chance. — janoche · 1
If I read this correctly, this card gains the three additional icons in addition to the printed icons for every enemy engaged? — cheapmate · 1
I would expect that the power of this card would vary, depending on whether you were playing an enemy-heavy campaign like Night of the Zealot, or whether you were playing solo, because you encounter far fewer enemies that way. However, no one else seems to be discussing that, so I think there's something I'm missing. — Scrubsby · 1
Reading the text of the card, and comparing it to others, it seems to me that you can play this card for someone else's skill test. Now granted, I'm sure the Survivor does not want to be engaged with every enemy around, but that does open up some additional options. — Tiktakkat · 38
I would also note that Zoey can take it, and she would rather want to be engaged with multiple enemies, especially if she has a Survival Knife or two equipped if one of the enemies survives to the end of the Enemy Phase. — Tiktakkat · 38
I don't think Unexpected Courage with Cheap Shot would contribute twice, as added cards only add to skills based on icons matcing the test (or wild). The test doesn't change. I can also add that in cases like that the grim rule say you should go with the worst interpetation if you can't be sure. — Telruin · 1
Not without a Fight contributes double for Cheap shot, it provides both the combat and agility icons, doesnt make the card good though :P — Tsuruki23 · 2581
Skill Test Timing goes trough how you add a card to a skill test. Only the "appropriate" icons are applied, and it further spessify that appropriate icons are wild or those matching the skill test in question. — Telruin · 1
Gains some power with the advent of swarm enemies in Dreamlands — AndyN · 42
I am finding this card helpful in an Agnes Meat Cleaver deck where I actually find all three symbols useful at different times and appreciate the flexibility. — Time4Tiddy · 249
This would really boost a Spectral Razor, Agnes, Jim, Marie, Patrice, Lola all could use this combo. — dlikos · 166

Ambush

Ambush

Just a reminder: On the Hunt and "Let me handle this!" exist and are good cards (especially together as a powerful "enemy funnel" build). The fact that these cards exist means that you can ensure that enemies get delivered to your doorstep to trigger this trap. On the Hunt especially is a powerful card for this purpose since it overrides normal spawn rules to put the victim not on its normal spot but right on top of you and also shortens the time you need to wait and stick around for a foe to appear.

Ideally you'll wait for both cards (Ambush and On the Hunt) to make it to your hand, then you play them in a combo.

.

Spoiler alert for some relatively common (first scenario per story) enemy cards

2 hp foes like Ghoul Minion and Fanatic just blow up.

3 hp foes like Ravenous Ghoul are now firmly in boxing reach (With or without Mano a Mano.

Most importantly, 4hp foes like Yithian Observer, Agent of the King and Icy Ghoul are now one-shottable with a gun and firmly within striking distance.

Tsuruki23 · 2581

"Eat lead!"

"Eat lead!"

Big hitter card. An autofail token can ruin the most assured of hits and this is that tech card you include so that your once-in-a-scenario Double Vicious Blow + Lightning Gun combo assuredly hits.

More realistically though its gonna be a single Vicious Blow with a .45 Automatic to deal that imperative 3 damage hit to a Ravenous Ghoul or a Vicious Blow + .45 Automatic to kill one of oh-so many 4hp foes that terrorize our mythos decks.

This latter scenario is probably the most common and useful use of "Eat lead!" in this game, to ensure that those moderately tough "minibosses" die in as few actions and as little risk as possible.

Tsuruki23 · 2581
Always hoping for that extra elder sign... — Grimbold · 2

On the Hunt

On the Hunt

Howdy Roland Banks, just a quick question. Wouldya rather draw Rotting Remains or Swarm of Rats?

Superb card for the dedicated fighter. It ensures that you trigger the benefits that dedicated fighters generally hope to gain, such as William Yorick or Roland Banks gaining items and clues.

It also doubles as protection, many fighters have the ability to kill off basic foes in just an action or two, but those same fighters might fear and passionately hate drawing mythos cards that force sanity damage or some penalty. Case in point: The first line of this review.

.

-The gathering Spoiler below-

Final note: Also useful to ensure that you've got something to do. For a fighter type character those "dead" rounds with no enemies are bad, they leave you with nothing to do and may cause enemy spawns to be more condensed later, which makes it harder for you to respond to them all. This card lets you guarantee that you've got something to nibble on while your friends do the heavy lifting, a good example for the usefulness of this effect is the very first Arkham LCG scenario The Gathering. Once you're out of the study you can head for the basement or attic and dig out the appropriate ghoul to quickly dispatch for XP.

Tsuruki23 · 2581
Added note that kindof intrigued me (I play LOTR LCG as well, and it has similar mechanics). — NarkasisBroon · 11
Sorry, that was a mistake... first time I have commented on a card before on this site. There currently aren't any enemies with Revelation: effects in Arkham. But from the rules reference Revelation: effects can be on any encounter card, and On The Hunt spawn the chosen enemy, it doesn't draw it. Which means if they ever do produce enemies with Revelation: effects, On the Hunt will allow you to bypass those if timed correctly. The reason I mention Lord of the Rings LCG is that it does have enemies with "When Revealed:" effects, which are a close analogue of Arkham's Revelation: effects — NarkasisBroon · 11
One of the few cards that shuffle the encounter deck. When you reveal 3 ancient evils with scrying, it grants a chance to shuffle unwanted cards deeper into the enocunter dekc. — Django · 5164
"Once you're out of the study you can head for the basement or attic and dig out the appropriate ghoul to quickly dispatch for XP." Actually the enemy spawns at your location instead of its normal location so you don't need to go to the cellar/attic and suffer 1 damage/horror but rather have it spawn in the hallway. That's really good too. — Éole · 14
No good with a Scrying partner — crymoricus · 252
How does this interact with the new concealed enemies? Does this counter that mechanic entirely or miss entirely? — Taevus · 783

Mano a Mano

Mano a Mano

This is not the best card. But. There is a place for it.

Mano a Mano is primarily let down by its restriction of "First action only", this means that it cant be used by a dedicated fighter to tackle down enemies engaged with their dedicated cluehounds.

This card is good in decks that go out of their way to very literally "hunt" for enemies on their own. You use "Let me handle this!" and On the Hunt to ensure that enemies that might've spawned on your friends get spawned on you instead. The circumstance where Mano a Mano is good is when enemies spawn on you and you can start off a fight right in their faces and these combat support cards can make that happen manually.

The most efficient way to put this card to use is in decks for characters who benefit from the monsters they battle, William Yorick and Roland Banks come to mind. Zoey Samaras can also put this card to good use.

Other cards that synergize include: Guard Dog and Beat Cop for more auto-damage. Evidence! to then turn hunted enemies into clues. "I've had worse…" to fuel the warmachine through sustained battle. Every single weapon, obviously!

Tsuruki23 · 2581
Yeah, it's very playable on Expert for the characters you mentioned. — CaiusDrewart · 3200
This can also be combined with free moves (pathfinder, shortcut, elusive) and engage effects (taunt). — Django · 5164