I used this card in my Sefina Rousseau deck (i included mainly spell cards) yesterday and i think he's very strong for 3 reaons:

1. Boosts , mystics main stat
2. Damage soak. Only mystic ally with more than 1 HP.
3. Provides ressources for mystics many expansive assets, like Shrivelling and Rite of Seeking.

Other advantages:

• He's also pretty cheap at 1 ressource (including discount from his own ability).
• Ability always succeedes, unlike Alchemical Transmutation and does not harm user, unlike Forbidden Knowledge
• You MAY to add doom to him, when using his ability. You'll get less ressources, but decreases the risk of advancing the agenda
• Can be killed by placing damage on him, if doom is an issue

Disadvantages

• Occupies ally slot, which has other strong options like Arcane Initiate I, II and Alyssa Graham
• Doom can be a problem
• boost requires doom on him

Combos to deal with doom

• Any card that deals damage to character, so you can kill him if needed, like Shrivelling (if a symbol is revealed) or Forbidden Knowledge
• Moonlight Ritual to remove doom on him
• Calling in Favors to remove doom, damage on him and get another ally out (Alyssa Graham, Arcane Initiate,...)
• Another ally, so he is discarded when you play the other (be careful with Charisma)

This card gets better, when you know the scenario and "ambush" fixed spawns (advancing act or agenda).

It doesn't matter which player stays behind. This allows the parties fighter to "protect" a clue gatherer, as long as the gatherer stays at same location.

Even if it does not trigger, it may safe a lot of time if the gatherer knows he is safe for 1-2 rounds while the fighter saves someone else or hunts specific enemy (Smite the Wicked).

It's very useful when there's lots of clues on one location, like in bigger parties (3-4 players) or special locations (The Hidden Chamber).

It also helps on higher difficulties, as the damage is an "auto success".

This card can be used on enemies and the other investigator does not have to be at your location.

This card is great to protect other (noncombat) players because it can be used on enemies and spawns them on the users location, instead. It also saves the user lots of move actions, if he's the main killer.

So long a player has this card, other players are basically immune to monsters. This allows noncombatants to split from the rest of the team and do some power clue gathering. But be aware, when there's 3 or more players, there's a chance all players draw an enemy.

Combos:

• William Yorick can salvage this card with his effect.
• Ambush, for higher chance to trigger it.
• If your deck can include the appropriate class, combine with the following to cancel any encounter card: Ward of Protection I, Ward of Protection II, Dr. William T. Maleson, Forewarned, A Test of Will

This card is a trap, don't play it.

In best case you spent 6 actions to gain 8 ressources, if all tests succeed with no negative side effect. My cost calculation inludes: draw card, play it, pay 1 ressource, spend 3 actions to trigger it.

if you spend 6 actionst to gather ressources instead, you're only two behind but with no side effect and 100% chance of success.

Futher problems:

• I occupies an arcane slot. Most mystics need one for an attack spell and the other for Rite of Seeking.
• If you fail, the card is less effective than "gather ressource action".
• Has on third chance to deal one damage to user. Mystics don't have high HP, this can kill you.
• Some scenarios add doom on specific symbols, so you want to avoid any kind of test in such a scenario, turning this into a dead card.
• It occupies 2 slots in your deck, which can be used for much better mystic cards. Forbidden Knowledge or David Renfield is a good replacement, if you need ressources.

You ALWAYS take this card

IF you have the following allies in your deck

• Beat Cop, so you can swap your damaged Beat Cop with a fresh and free Beat Cop. And you get the old patched up Beat Cop in your hand. Unbeatable.

• Guard Dog: same reason as above. You can mix Cops and Dogs for major mayhem. Woofwoof.

• Brother Xavier: More meatshield. Just trade him for himself. You just saved 4 coins. Prayer answered.

• David Renfield, so you play him, you ll take some damage on him, take some doom on him. Take some coins off him. And then when doom becomes a probem, you swap him. You can even ditch Moonlight Ritual or Forbidden Knowledge from your deck. Amazing!

• Aquinnah. Is it true? Can you recycle her just like the old and true Beat Cop? YES! But that's insane. INSANE!

But Fellow Investigator what happens when you got this idea about a deck, with one Ally card, that you need to get in play asap or else it's GG? No probem. Here is Calling in Favors the true Hero of your deck.

• Dr. Milan Christopher Yeah. You want him early. Swap a Charles Ross, Esq. or an Art Student or a Research Librarian or even an Laboratory Assistant and get a near-guaranteed early Milan. MONEYPROBLEMSSOLVED.

• Charles Ross, Esq.. So you want Charles, not Milan? The brand new early game money booster. Yeah why not. Swap him for students, assistants or librarians. Or wait... you got both Charles and Milan??? Works like a charm. You find one. You get the other. You play both. Its a DREAM!

• Leo De Luca, so you have this idea of Action heaven, but you need Leo early. Give him a ring. I am sure he'll pick up the phone. Cause he owes you a favor!

• Madame Labranche, a combination of Forbidden Knowledge and Peter Sylvestre combo'd into one old nice lady with an obvious walking cane weapon? Tea please!

Other strong contenders:

• Cat Burglar You usually want this guy before you see the first Monster popping up right next to you. Meow. Meow.

• Dario El-Amin Two coins for one action? Yes please. He can even do work with Leo de Luca who is also on this list. Kashing.

• The Red-Gloved Man Some people have crazy ideas about this card in combination with William Yorick. With calling in favors, you can make sure that Red Glove Dude is ready and waiting in your discard pile. Hello Mystery Man!

Did you just list every single Ally? More or less. Yes. I didn't list Stray Cat. Cats dont do favors. Everybody knows this.

A small excerpt from the interview I did with Doyle Jefferies from the local newspaper about this new appartus: The phone.

But why? Why is this phone such a spectacular invention? My readers deserve to know.

Well Doyle, it offers so much. Lets list it up:

• Card search for what many consider to be the strongest cards: Allies. 9 Cards! Thats better then No Stone Unturned
• You can use an Ally with a come into play effect and upgrade him or her to a more permanent Ally or use the come into play effect twice or up to three times.
• You can heal up old Allies and play them again.
• You get a discount on the fresh Ally. So you dont need insane economy to play all these allies.

Does this phone and ring apparatus work better when you have many friends? Yes. It starts working when you get 4+ allies in your deck. It gets slightly more reliable when you have more.

Should our friends here in Arkham consider picking up Charisma, the extremely popular parfume everyone keeps raving about.. The phone works even without Charisma, Doyle. But yes. It's delicious. Hell. You can even fit in two copies of Charisma now, for the ultimate well scented experience.

TLDR

THIS CARD IS BONKERS, CULTISTS HATE IT, ALLIES LOVE IT, PUT IT IN YOUR DECK, TWO COPIES, ALWAYS, NO REGRETS.