Delve Too Deep: Roland Banks

Read the full article here: https://delve2deep.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/investigator-focus-roland-banks/

This is an economy light, action focused deck focused on just having Roland fight and gather clues as efficiently as he can. Guard Dog, Art Student and Smoking Pipe grant you extra ways to to manage your health and sanity, which will help keep you going when the going gets tough (the latter two are especially important, as horror is going to be the quickest way for Roland to fall).

The setup to aim for each game is a Machete (Rolands .38 Special is great too, albeit limited), a Magnifying Glass (or Flashlight, but again, limited), and Physical Training. Mulligan any card that is not one of the five mentioned above, Prepared for the Worst (unless you already have a weapon) or Art Student (though if it appears you need a specific card for the scenario, keep that of course). However, you’re not reliant on any assets to succeed, so don’t fret too much if you’re missing a piece of the puzzle.

The single resource you gain each turn should be enough to fuel any resource needs you have during the game, which frees you up to just get things done. Try and save your Unexpected Courages and Inquiring Minds for the most crucial tests, or for any check that threatens 2 or more horror on failure. This becomes less important if you have Physical Training in play, and frees these powerful skills up to be used as you see fit.

Other options to try out include Leadership, Fieldwork, and Working a Hunch. When levelling up, grab Keen Eye IMMEDIATELY. I’d aim to add in Beat Cop (Level 2) and “I’ve had worse…” as early as possible after that, trading in Physical Training, Guard Dog, and a Magnifying Glass or Flashlight. Pathfinder is a nice consideration for a replacement for a single Shortcut, although these upgrades do start to turn you into a slightly more resource dependent investigator. Stand Together is another great choice, especially if you do go the more resource heavy route, though I’d save it until later in the campaign, where the potential to see your experienced cards makes drawing cards more attractive.