Hidden Entanglements

Hidden Entanglements

What does "surviving" mean here? Do you take trauma if you resigned? What if you had already been defeated (defeated does not equal killed)? I really wish that reviews did not require 200 characters.

GeneralXy · 41
They require 200 characters because asking a question is not a review. There are plenty of other places you can go to ask rules questions. Since you can't be defeated if you've already been defeated or resigned, it only applies to investigators who are still in the level. Check the rules for Elimination to confirm this, it's fairly simple. — SSW · 216
I think surviving means in this circumstances every investigator, who isn't killed or gone insane by to Traumata s, regardless if they are defeated or resigned. — Tharzax · 1
"Surviving" means each investigator who began the scenario but has not already resigned or been defeated. — anaphysik · 97
surviving investigators = remaining investigators = investigators who are not eliminated — elkeinkrad · 500
"The only manner in which eliminated investigators interact with the game is when establishing "per investigator" values (see "Per Investigator" on page 16)." Investigators who have resigned or been defeated are 100% safe from card effects. After being eliminated they are removed from the game until the scenario's resolution — NarkasisBroon · 11
You are right, with the wording it only matter for this scenario. I had the optional rule for playing a campaign in mind, when you take over your investigator to the next. — Tharzax · 1

Call for Backup

Call for Backup

Some desk and upgrade planning is required. But this card can be so insanely amazing and fun with Double, Double. It's probably one of the strongest card to double, it seems to me.

A way to make this combo work with ease-

  1. pick Jenny Barnes
  2. fill your splash with various permanent colours (ex. Geared Up, Down the Rabbit Hole, Forced Learning or even Shrewd Analysis, etc.)
  3. buy Double, Double. Pray that you draw it. Use LCC or LCC lv. 3 to find it, etc. Buy CFB.)
  4. enjoy the doubling effects! Enjoy the whooping gang effects of move 2x, deal 2 damages, discover 2 clues (both can be from different locations), heal 2x horrors and damages for $2 and an action.

Another way for Rogue to get their colour synergy going is for course to upgrade to Bruiser, Crafty and/or Antiquary. Getting the mystic synergy is probably must difficult for most Rogue. Some Rogue build wants neither Antiquary nor Blur.

Well this is at least a 12xp combo. So, ya, it better to be pretty great.

liwl0115 · 42
Antiquary gives 2 ressources per round for Favor card... Precisely what costs Call for Backup with Double, double. — Emmental · 142
Jenny is actually much stronger with this combo now, since Taboo-ed Scroll of Secrets is fast and Thorough Inquiry can be comboed with Double, Double to draw 10 cards for 3 actions. Jenny can easily abuse Green Man Medallion to purchase Double, Double and two Copies of Call for Backup by the end of the first scenario, and she's also one of the best investigators to get assets from all 5 classes because of her access to 5 out of class cards. — Telosa · 68

Call for Backup

Call for Backup

"A player controls the cards located in his or her out-of-play game areas (such as the hand, deck, discard pile)." Core rule book page 16

So this card is not actually difficult to activate at all, but insanely easy. You need one copy of a multi-class card that does not remove itself from the game. Or take an extra couple of seconds to think about deck construction with the Dunwhich investigators' 5 lvl 0 cards of any class deckbuilding option. Or play an investigator who gets to build cards for his deck based off traits.

Fully activated this card is one of the best in the game, measured in action economy, effect per card draw/resource, or value for experience, in all metrics this card is among the best.

After having realized this I doubt I'll end up playing many decks that don't feature the synergy cards ever again.

EntropyEJ · 262
I'm afraid that while you do control cards in your discard pile, from abilities in the RRG "Card abilities only interact with other cards that are in play, unless the ability specifically references an interaction with cards in an out-of-play area." So call for backup doesn't see your cards unless they are actually in play. This is the same as the reason that if an encounter card causes you to discard an asset you control you can't just look in your deck for an asset, discard it, and be like "yep, that's resolved" I think if you check the faq on corrosion you will see this faq — NarkasisBroon · 11
It's on the faq for crypt chill actually, not corrosion — NarkasisBroon · 11
@NarkasisBroon I have 2 objections to that interpretation of how this works. — EntropyEJ · 262
1 I would argue that in this case control is actually verging on a specific reference to the out-of-play areas since that is part of the definition of control. — EntropyEJ · 262
2 This isn't actually an interaction. It's not trying to do anything with the cards in the out-of-play area. It's simply referencing what is in the players Control. If this isn't a case where the cards in the players control also includes cards in the out-of-play areas, the I can't see when that would ever be the case. And if it's never the case then that part of Control's definition could never come into the effect, creating something of a rule paradox. Which makes me thing that your interpretation of the rules are incorrect. — EntropyEJ · 262
If your interpretation is actually the one that FFG intended as the way this card should be played then I think they need to issue a ruling on this. — EntropyEJ · 262
Page 16 in the rules, Ownership and Control: A player controls the cards located in his or her out-of-play game areas (such as the hand, deck, discard pile). And Call for backup says: if you control a class card. And the card never say in-play or assets. So this is the rule that you need to reference. — Kitescout · 1
I think the interpretation of the class cards needing to be in play is the more obvious interpretation... but they could have easily made that more obvious by saying it on the card. From reading over the ability rule that Narkasis mentioned, the big question now is whether or not this is a "Constant Ability" as it's obviously not the others, and it's only abilities that don — Vlishy · 3
*it's only abilities that don't count out of play areas. If it's a constant ability then you must have it in play, if it's not then you just have to deck build around it, would love a ruling on this... — Vlishy · 3
Other cards that use the same "you control" language as the synergy cards: 1) Whitton Greene. Are you saying she now gives you the bonus just because you have a relic/tome somewhere in your deck or discard pile? 2) Able-Bodied. Does it count EVERY item in your deck? Or only the ones in play? 3) Can you use Calling in Favors on ANY ally in your deck, or do they have to be in play? This is not a new question and I don't understand why this misinterpretation is so prevalent suddenly when it comes to synergy. If you apply the rules holistically instead of cherry-picking them there is zero question here. — MiskatonicFrosh · 344
Miskatonicfrosh is correct. Entropy, sorry but this is Arkham Horror. You’re trying real hard to get away with as much as you can but the game won’t let you :) Think about Crypt Chill. So are you going to discard an Asset from your discard pile? LOL The answer to the question of control when applying to interacting card events has been clarified as cards in play. You can’t just use one section of the rule book and ignore the other. The ability section discusses this as well as the fact that this specific question has already been rules as applying only to cards in play. Happy Arkham horror-ing! — rainman1646 · 2

Gravedigger's Shovel

Gravedigger's Shovel

So I have to step in here and try and prevent another senseless loss of ...okay its not that critical but honestly I am seeing grave diggers shovel all over the place and wondering to myself "why?"

Let's look at what it does piece by piece:

What it is: 2 cost, item, tool, melee, weapon. hand slot. A lot of cool tags to help it get into play, you can discount it, hold it in a bandolier, its also not too expensive so you don't really need to do much to get it into play.

What it gives you: +2 to combat for 1 damage fights, action and discard to get 1 clue these seem alright on paper, but remember this is tied to a hand slot, a hand slot that could have been a flashlight if core was all you had, and flashlight while providing no combat powers provides much more clue gathering ability at lower shrouds. If you are at the point where all that are left are high shroud locations and the only tool left is the shovel you are in for a world of hurt to win anyway.

The main issue I have is, even if this card is free to play, came into play fast it still isn't worth your time to use it, because the effects that brought it into play could have gotten anything else with the similarly wide net of traits. So really what this turns into is 2 resources, 2 actions, get 1 clue, maybe fight slightly higher between the two actions against odd health enemies. almost any other investigation card you can think of will outperform the shovel and now days we have Ice Pick, Mysterious Raven, Grete Wagner, faster effects that are just as guaranteed to work or remain as the shovel.

And for William Yorick the king of recursion, while the big Gravedigger's Shovel is a little fancy, Ancient Covenant+Favor of the Sun buries this card and breaks it down to salvage. If you really want to get clues at 0xp and your collection is limited: Lucky!, "Look what I found!" and Evidence! are all core set cards, if your team needs more than that there's Flashlight.

I can see it and its upgrades sleeker version being somewhat playable in a one handed melee weapon bruiser deck that had high enough combat to be using bruiser just for free money but what I have seen is decks running things like chainsaw and gravediggers shovel wondering to myself "how do they plan to use it?" "when do you get a chance to play it?" "where is the missing bandolier?" and "why?"

Zerogrim · 295
The shovel always did feel like a beginner's trap card... "Stronger than knife! Turns into a clue when you find a better weapon!" But when you realize how many things have to go in the perfect order for shovel to feel good, you just start bringing the raven instead and continue to improve from there. — Hylianpuffball · 29
You point out the alternates and of those, two are in the highly contested ally slot, and Ice Pick is not testless. You are undervaluing testless clues in a hand slot asset. — fiatluxia · 68
$2 and 2 actions for a clue? Rough outside solo! — MrGoldbee · 1484
I think Bob — Tharzax · 1
is a good candidate for this. With his ability and his special card the cost is reduced to 1 action and one Buck. He can also support other Investigators, who struggle with high shrouds, with this. And he has good chances to recur it with scavenger. Your Ally just need a free Hand (or Detectives Colts) — Tharzax · 1
Ally slots can be purchased and oftern are, and icepicks only discard when you pass so it may as well be testless and it also serves as a better back up weapon. — Zerogrim · 295
The humble Shovel has found new life for me with Parallel Pete + Grievous Wound (which || Pete gets to recur)! He needs Melee, and he needs accuracy more than damage... just land 1 solid thwack, plant the Wound, and Guitar them away. Makes this is the most efficient, consistent option without sacrificing a precious splash card. And given his atrocious INT, the free clue is a perfect little refund once he's got his Trap+Dynamite loop running. — HanoverFist · 745

Relentless

Relentless

This card makes the most sense with Cyclopean Hammer since its unlimited uses means you'll be flattening things like Rats with the Hammer so can get 2 bucks as a bonus. You also end up overkilling beefier enemies after softening them up with the first blow. Not saying it's a must-have but worth considering if your investigator is resource hungry or as a placeholder until you level up to better cards.

MindControlMouse · 45