PlayingBoardGames Beginner Deck - Roland Banks (Core only)

This is a copy of a deck from PlayingBoardGames' beginner deck series - all credit goes to them and the video link is at the end.

Each deck is built using only the revised core (or two old cores) plus cards from the cycle that the investigator was released in (or in the case of core set investigators, only cards from the core set).

I've added all the suggested upgrade cards from the core set to the side deck. There are many suggested upgrades and alternative starting cards from other cycles too, which I did not add to the side deck, because I didn't want it to be too huge of a list.

The original notes from PlayingBoardGames are below:

In this guide, I'll be going over a basic Roland build with two core sets, then talking about upgrade paths as well as talking about what cards to look for from each cycle, as an aid for newer players who may only have access to one or two cycles. If you do not have multiple core sets, I highly recommend either purchasing a second, or proxying the cards you are missing. All decks from this series will be ignoring mutations as well as the taboo list. I also won't be looking at the cards from the Return To expansions for this, as newer players really should look at picking up most of the cycles before delving into them.

Looking at our base deck from just two Core Sets we already have a pile of pretty solid cards to look forward to. Machete and Dr. Milan Christopher are two of the strongest level 0 cards in the game. Cards like Vicious Blow and .45 Automatic will enable you to rumble with the enemies you need to, while cards like Deduction, Evidence! and Flashlight will keep the clues coming when there's no monsters to fight.

Next up are our upgrades. One of Roland's biggest weaknesses is his 5 sanity, and our core set upgrades are going to look to help mitigate that. Police Badge will help scrape by on some of those tough treacheries, while the Elder Sign Amulet will actually keep us alive. Beat Cop is the default option for some better fighting capabilities, and Shotgun is a fine choice for boss killing, or if you just wanna feel powerful. On the seeker side of things, Disc of Itzamna is typically unnecessary, but Magnifying Glass is a fine pickup if you have extra XP.

If you have the Dunwich Legacy campaign, Prepared for the Worst, Shortcut and Inquiring Mind are all easy adds.

Brother Xavier, Pathfinder and "I've had worse…" are all solid upgrades, as are Vicious Blow and Lightning Gun. Look into Charisma if you're looking at an ally build.

The Path to Carcosa offers "Let me handle this!", On the Hunt and Fieldwork for level 0 decks. Calling in Favors opens up an opportunity for a neat ally deck, and the Say Your Prayers cycle of cards are all easily usable to Roland with his piddly sanity score.

For upgrades, Forewarned is good protection, Ever Vigilant is solid setup and Shortcut feels great for your teammates. This cycle also offers Stick to the Plan, a very strong tool for consistency.

Next up we have the Forgotten Age. Things are a little sparse here at level 0, with only Scene of the Crime and Take the Initiative jumping out as strong options. Venturer is okay, if a little expensive should you find yourself running low on ammo.

Quick Study is cute with Roland's reaction, and Well Prepared is a fun and strong build around. Lastly, we have the Flamethrower, roasting and toasting all your enemy troubles.

The Circle Undone is up next, and it has some really great options. At level 0, Hallowed Mirror, Occult Lexicon, Steadfast and Enchanted Blade are all fantastic. Something Worth Fighting For, Alice Luxley and Mr. "Rook" are all a little more niche here, as they're expensive and there's lots of competition for the ally slot, but both are fun to play around with. Crack the Case and Hawk-Eye Folding Camera are both okay options as well.

For the upgrades, both tarot cards, Death • XIII and Ace of Swords are strong, if unexciting. Well-Maintained and Enchanted Blade are good combat options, and "I've had worse…" does everything you want, aside from actually killing monsters. This cycle also features some Big Dumb Stuff if you just like playing flashy cards: Agency Backup and Mk 1 Grenades are both a little tough to get working, but when they do it feels fantastic.

From the Dream-Eaters, basic deck options include Practice Makes Perfect and Daring to make those fight tests better, as well as Tetsuo Morifor a little soak and a way to find your weapons reliably. First Watch is great to keep from being blindsided by a nasty treachery.

For upgrades you'll be looking at Safeguard for those sweet free moves and Leadership to help out your allies in team games. While there isn't much for weapons here, Empty Vessel, "Fool me once..." and Spiritual Resolve are all great tools to keep you alive.

From the Innsmouth Conspiracy, Roland gets a couple of strong options. While there isn't much synergy between the Guardian Bless cards and Seeker Curse cards, there a few generically powerful options. At level 0, Deep Knowledge is great card draw, Plan of Action is a solid skill and The Truth Beckons is good movement economy.

For experienced cards, Holy Rosary is a fantastic accessory, bumping Roland's up to four and sneaking some bless tokens into the bag, Righteous Hunt is good for getting around the map, and Stirring Up Trouble is free clues in exchange for some more dubious tests in the future.

Hopefully this has helped some new players with their deck building and collection buying without being overbearing.

Find our video guide for this decklist here: https://youtu.be/cxT8YaoPOMc