Sample Deck Idea

This a Joe deck, I'm mocking up for a friend for a TCU campaign on Hard w/ Taboo. Team is Joe, Diana, Preston, and Tommy Muldoon. Goal is to lean into more clue getting, but without becoming a seeker that needs any protection from teammates. So Joe starts in the 50/50 clue vs fighter, which can lead to him potentially getting stuck between the two worlds. This deck is an idea to make him more 75/25 cluever, but one that can feel safe going on their own and being able to fight their own monsters easily.

Hunch Deck Let's start here (this basically ends up being a free draw every round from a select 10 card pool with a cheaper card). Our goal is to be able to always use that card, so it needs to be as close to free as possible, this means we're targeting non-situational cards with traits like fast and a cost of 2 +/-1 (anything that cost 0 should be in our regular deck) and we're avoid adding more difficulty by trying to avoid 4 cost cards. There are currently (not including EotE) 28 possibilities for the 5 spots. Also those cards can't be committed to skill tests so their symbols are moot.

The 4 that most stand out are: Working a Hunch - Cost 2 and fast, so literally just a free clue for being at a location with one. This is our gold standard. Scene of the Crime - 1-2 clues for your first action w/ No AoOs. Preposterous Sketches - Draw 3 cards for an action. No Stone Unturned - 1 action to search top 6 cards, this helps get our import assets out quicker.

The final one is tougher w/ some options including: Logical Reasoning - Requires a clue, but can either heal 2 horror or discards a Terror Weakness. Joe will likely have some horror due to low and (and that's stressful with 6 sanity), but the 2nd part is extremely situational. I ended up taking it and putting in the hunch deck. "I've got a plan!"- 1 resource for a based potentially high dmg attack. More situational, but the cost reduction is nice. Evidence! - fast and costs 1. Free Clue after a kill, pretty situational and not ideal resource saving. I took this, but left it out of the hunch deck as its still cheap to play and I assume Joe will be killing enemies that spawned on him while in a room with clues to investigate . Emergency Aid - Healing of 2 dmg (including allies!). If planning on upgrading to Beat Cop and going more aggro later, you should consider taking this.

Assets Hand Slots/Body Slots Although Fingerprint Kit is great, its too expensive at times. Instead we focus on getting Magnifying Glass and Flashlight to cheaply fill up our Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (which will help with our and poor sanity. Ideally we also get our Detective's Colt 1911s early which could allow for multiple Magnifying Glass and Hawk-Eye Folding Camera.

For our other weapons, we can take Enchanted Blade. I have an issue with this weapon because it thematically makes no sense, but it's also really strong and will provide more support to a Joe that needs to fight a ghoul or two with a base 4.

To make space for sword, guns, cameras, flashlights, and glasses, we bring one copy of Bandolier. And to get all these items out, we pack two Backpacks to pull any of the above mentioned items and 1 copy of Prepared for the Worst to get ideally our Detective's Colt 1911ss.

Allies Although Taboo'd, we will stick with Dr. Milan Christopher (boring I know). He is still very useful for the +1 and the potential resource. Other options:

Alice Luxley - also provides the +1 and can soak 1 more health, but I don't feel like her ability is as useful most of the time. But should be consider for both theme and that she will trigger off of 4/11 of the hunch cards. Nevermind, I changed back, he's too boring.

If going more aggro, can consider Beat Cop, Grete Wagner, or Guard Dog.

Finally, Hallowed Mirror gives Joe a bit more survivability especially as he's not loading up on guns. I really considered Tooth of Eztli for its ability to help with encounter cards, but I don't know if he'll ever trigger it, so I gave it up for the extra card slot.

Events/Skills Outside of the hunch deck, there's not too much on the Event side. Emergency Cache helps pay for stuff in general (especially since I now dropped Milan). Connect the Dots is maybe great, but expensive. The big one is Practice Makes Perfect which allows for doubling on all of our skill cards, especially Deduction (hopefully making up for the no Fingerprint Kit). Overpower and Perception doubles can lead to increased card draw, which is why things need to be cheap.

And then maybe some upgrades in the side deck, but what do I know.