I can only imagine the 'Innate' trait was not on this card to specifically not allow it to go in a Silas deck, because the other similar upgrades over the neutral basics, of Guts, Manual Dexterity, and Perception are all innate. It annoys me more for the asymmetry that the other 3 are innate.
Unfortunately after several attempts I just can't justify this weapon in anyone's hands with the current card pool.
Anyone going for this is obviously setting out for the great task that is monster control.
Guardians or Mystics have access to Cyclopean Hammer which is just objectively better in every way.
Currently the only combat oriented rogue is Tony, and he has a much better pool of weapons to choose from (even a 1 exp switch blade is better than this in his hands due to the fast action, and has similar dps over three turns).
Seekers have their laser books.
Survivors have chainsaws. Yorrick has endless chainsaw recursion through act of desperation, and Silas is better off with his base sea change harpoon than this.
It has many problems that keep it from being viable.
1.) It's two damage. Most enemies have 3 HP, meaning this weapon doesn't actually offer that significant of action compression. You're still going to have to take two actions to deal with most enemies, assuming you pass both checks. You can augment this with vicious blow or plus damage cards, but you don't have to with any of the other options on this list.
2.) Very low might boost. Take someone with a might of 5 and they're testing at a 7. Considering you need to be at a +4 reliably on Expert to hit things, this will struggle to inflict damage on enemies with a fight of 3 or higher, which is most enemies in the game.
3.) It's saving grace is its one handed, but you don't need your other hand for anything else if you are monster hunting.
4.) Cost. 5 resources is extremely expensive and makes this one of the most expensive assets in the game. The other similarly costed assets do major damage.
5.) Its "big hit" is once per game and really only does two attacks at once.
One of the few cards that needs a retroactive buff. Dropping experience requirements to 3 and resource cost to 3 would probably more accurately reflect the power of this card, or removing the once per game restriction on the exhaust. Otherwise, there are just better cards now.
Awesome for Patrice. Her signature weakness becomes trivial once you upgrade it to "always prepared"(still okay if you don't). The "monster" subtype trait is frequent enough for it not to be a dead draw. You can slam the extradimensional trait to have a juicy +5 on that particular test, or be content enough with +3 and put "humanoid" or "terror" on it to help your friends to deal with those pesky cultists/deep ones/frozen in fear.
Analysis could cancel . Of course, there are many cards to avoid before reveal the chaos token in the game. There are very limited way after reveal, such as Eucatastrophe and Nightmare Bauble, whose faction is survivor and whose level is 3. Did you remember Butterfly Effect? With Butterfly Effect + Analysis, we can cancel only with 1xp combo. Now, canceling the after revealed is not exculsive for survivor!
Rule note: "when" has time priority compared with "after", so we can resolve the effect of Analysis even if we commit Analysis using Butterfly Effect. (my rule interpretation)
This Review is only focused on the inclusion of "Charm cards level 0-4".
Charm cards level 0-4 includes (at the time of writing) every Charm card in the game... Except of course Zoey's Cross.
Some of the more interesting options this gives her include:
-Upgrading from Holy Rosary into Holy Rosary.
-Being able to Research Dream Diary.
-Every variant of Grisly Totem.
Given the large amount of Accessory Charm cards, I don't think access to off-class Charm cards is of much use without running Relic Hunter or The Hierophant.
The only Charm cards that are both off-class and not Accessories are Obsidian Bracelet and Dream Diary (at time of writing).
Although this does allow for upgrading Lucky Cigarette Case, Dream Diary, Grisly Totem, Cherished Keepsake, Rabbit's Foot, and Holy Rosary via Down the Rabbit Hole.