Sleuth Enforcer [Co-op & Solo] - "Curtains" Update

DadouXIII · 10698

Log

16/04/18

  • Back after a long break
  • Updated the Decklist, Deck Composition, Playstyle / Upgrade guides and Alternatives / Exclusions / Missing Expansion sections
  • Sefina deck finally out here, she was not an easy one to crack
  • With the new cards from the "Path to Carcosa" cycle, this Roland deck is really pushing the Encounter deck manipulation aspect, in order to avoid the nasty Treacheries, and instead draw those juicy enemies.
  • Enjoy the decks :)

Sleuth Enforcer

"Curtains" Update - [Co-op & Solo]

Level 0 co-operative Guardian / Seeker deck for 2 investigators that relies on discovering clues by defeating enemies rather than by investigating locations, which means both protecting the other investigator while also contributing to advance the Act deck.

Ideal co-op partners: Survivors and Mystics Agnes, Jim, Akachi, Wendy, Pete and exceptionally Sefina.

Current version 15.0 - Check out the Version History to see the incremental changes.

For a good Sefina Rousseau co-op decklist to go with this one, click here.

Requires 2x Core Sets and the Path to Carcosa Deluxe Expansion, as well as the Essex County Express, the Blood on the Altar, the Undimensioned and Unseen, the Lost in Time and Space, the A Phantom of Truth, and the Black Star Rise Mythos Packs.

Missing a pack or two? Check out the Missing Expansions section for card replacements.

Going in solo? Check out the Solo Experience section for tips. imgur

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Table of Contents

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  1. Investigator Breakdown
  2. Deck Composition
  3. Weakness Mitigation
  4. Mulligan Guide
  5. Playstyle Guide
  6. Upgrade Guide
  7. Scenario Tips
  8. Solo Experience
  9. Card Alternatives
  10. Card Exclusions
  11. Missing Expansions
  12. Version History

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Investigator Breakdown

Roland Banks Guardian - Agency, Detective

  • 3 Willpower (), 3 Intellect (), 4 Combat (), 2 Agility ()
  • 9 Health, 5 Sanity
  • Signature ability: After you defeat an enemy: Discover 1 clue at your location (Limit once per round).
  • Elder Sign () effect: +1 for each clue on your location.

Deckbuilding restrictions

  • Access to all Guardian cards
  • Access to all Neutral cards
  • Access to Seeker cards of up to level 2
  • Unique Asset Roland's .38 Special
  • Unique weakness Cover Up

Strengths

  • Very good at defeating enemies
  • Very powerful unique weapon
  • Very high Health
  • Good at discovering clues
  • Good at manipulating the Encounter deck draws

Weaknesses

  • Poor mobility
  • Very low Sanity
  • Weak economy
  • Punishing and difficult to resolve unique weakness


"Everything by the book: every "i" dotted, every "t" crossed. It had worked, until now."

Roland Banks (Core Set #1)

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Deck Composition

There are 4x Weapon Assets in the deck, which makes it very likely to draw one in the opening hand and/or in the next couple of turns (a hard Mulligan for one is recommended). It also makes it much easier to defeat enemies, and therefore take advantage of Roland Banks's signature ability

  • 1x .45 Automatic A reliable weapon that sets the standard in cost and efficiency for all weapons. The +1 Damage bonus it gives during combat is absolutely essential in order to defeat enemies in one turn. Unfortunately, it is limited to 4 uses, so save them for when they are really needed.

  • 1x Roland's .38 Special Roland Banks's unique weapon, a cheaper and better version of the .45 Automatic. Use it in a location with at least one clue to profit from it's full +3 bonus.

  • 2x Machete Arguably the best non-unique weapon from the core box, as it's cheaper than the .45 Automatic, still provides a +1 Damage bonus and is NOT limited to 4 uses. The drawback is that the +1 Damage bonus is lost if you are engaging more than just one enemy, but you can overcome this easily by defeating enemies as they spawn, and/or by having your co-op partner help you with engaging enemies strategically.

  • 1x Prepared for the Worst A great Event that you can play when looking for a specific weapon from your deck, or just a weapon in general. Will be even better if you decide to upgrade into a Lightning Gun later, as it will essentially let you draw it whenever you need it.

Since this deck is so focused on combat, it also includes a couple of Events and Skills that will help out a lot when fighting enemies

  • 2x Dodge Fast Event you can use to cancel an attack from particularly nasty enemy. Can be used on your co-op partner if you are in the same location, during his own turn. Very useful when facing attacks that deal high amounts of Horror.

  • 2x Vicious Blow Skill you can commit during a test when fighting an enemy, to raise your chances of passing it and then deal +1 Damage. Allows you to deal 2 Damage to an enemy without using a weapon, or even deal a whopping 3 Damage (or more) to an enemy when using a weapon.

Sometimes you'll find yourself in a situation where no enemies are around, which means that you won't be able to discover clues using Roland Banks's signature ability, and will have to do it by investigating locations

  • 2x Flashlight A staple Asset that reduces the Shroud value of locations by 2 while investigating. It's limited to 3 uses, so save it for investigating locations with a high Shroud value.

  • 2x Working a Hunch Fast Event you can use to immediately discover a clue at your location. Especially useful in locations with high Shroud values, or if you are short on time and do not want to rely on the luck of the Chaos Bag.

  • 2x Deduction Skill you can commit during a test when investigating a location, to raise your chances of passing it and then discover an additional clue at your location.

Roland Banks's biggest weakness is his low Sanity value, but it can be somewhat compensated with the Sanity provided by the various Ally Assets included in the deck

  • 1x Art Student Ally that soaks up Horror and discovers a clue from your location, making it extremely efficient for its low cost in resource.

  • 1x Beat Cop Excellent ally that soaks up Damage and Horror, provides a +1 bonus, and can be discarded to deal 1 point of Damage in a pinch.

  • 2x Dr. William T. Maleson Amazing ally that offers 2 Health and 2 Sanity for only 1 resource, and a very powerful ability that allows you to redraw an Encounter card after dropping one of your clues at your current location.

  • 2x Logical Reasoning This is the card that finally pushed out Guts of the decklist. It features 2 test icons, so it achieves the same purpose as Guts, but also has the ability to heal Horror and even get rid of a Terror card from any Investigator's threat area, provided you are on the same location. Sure you need to have a clue on you, but you ARE playing as Roland, so it won't be an issue.

The deck now features a few cards that help you manipulate the Encounter deck, making sure you're drawing Enemies instead of nasty Treachery encounters. While I placed it in the above section, the Dr. William T. Maleson Ally's ability is also a factor

  • 2x "Let me handle this!" A very interesting Event that will let you draw difficult Encounter cards from your co-op partner in case he will not be able to handle them. Its inclusion in this deck however, is so that you use it to snatch enemies your co-op partner draws, in order to protect them, and so you can discover clues after defeating it. Can even be used to trigger Dr. William T. Maleson's ability.

  • 2x On the Hunt A star inclusion in the deck, this Event is perfect to both avoid horrible Encounter cards that ruin poor Roland's Sanity, and to draw the monsters you need to defeat in order to discover clues. It's also cheap and Fast, making it a really good fit with the other Events.

The rest of the cards offer some much-needed flexibility

  • 2x Emergency Cache Since most of the powerful Guardian Assets are quite expensive, this Event is very needed in the deck. Use it to gain 3 additional resources.

  • 2x Unexpected Courage Skill you can commit to any test to raise your chances of passing. Very flexible, but comes without the card draw.

  • 2x Inquiring Mind Skill you can commit to any test to greatly raise your chances of passing. Very flexible, but comes without the card draw and there needs to be a clue at your location (which comes naturally with Roland).


"You steel your nerves and shout into the darkness. 'Come and get me!'"

Taunt (The Dunwich Legacy #17)

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Weakness Mitigation

  • Roland Banks's personal Cover Up weakness Mitigated by all the cards that help with discovering clues at locations, and by the presence of your co-op partner who can also contribute discovering clues to resolve the weakness.

  • Roland Banks's extremely low Sanity value Mitigated by the Ally Assets that help soak up Horror, and the Events that lets him manipulate the Encounter deck.

  • Roland Banks's low stat Mitigated by his very high Health value. It is therefore generally better to fight enemies rather than evade them.

  • Roland Banks's lacklustre mobility Mitigated by the the high number of Fast cards in the deck.

  • Roland Banks's lacklustre economy Mitigated by the Emergency Cache Event, and the high number cheap cards in the deck.


"It's just a flesh wound."

True Grit (The Path to Carcosa #21)

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Mulligan Guide

  • If no weapon was drawn in the opening hand Mulligan the entire hand.

Exceptions to this rule you can keep Prepared for the Worst, as it will let you look in the top third of your deck for a weapon.

  • If multiple weapons were drawn in the opening hand Mulligan them all except one.

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Best weapons to keep in order Roland's .38 Special > Machete > .45 Automatic.

Example great starting hand [1] Machete, Flashlight, Art Student, Deduction and Unexpected Courage.

Example great starting hand [2] .45 Automatic, Beat Cop, Vicious Blow, On the Hunt and Emergency Cache.


"You can never be too prepared."

Emergency Cache (Core Set #88)

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Playstyle Guide

Roland Banks is a very straightforward investigator to play, and the general strategy of this deck is defeat enemies discover clues

  • With Roland, it is best NOT to be Lead Investigator. When playing with another investigator, it is better being second to draw from the Encounter deck.

  • At the start of a Scenario, assuming you have a good starting hand, the first actions to take should generally be equipping one or two Assets, ideally a weapon, and then moving towards a location with clues.

  • If you did not draw a weapon even after a hard Mulligan, prioritise drawing one rather than moving.

  • If you did not draw a weapon but did draw a Prepared for the Worst Event, then you can use it on your first turn to look for one. Otherwise, it's best to keep it in order to draw a specific weapon at a specific time, like Roland's .38 Special, or even the Lightning Gun if you decided to upgrade into it.

Always try to end your turn on a location with clues, ideally one with a high Shroud value, with the hope of drawing an enemy from the Encounter deck. That way, you'll be able to defeat the enemy using your weapon, and discover a clue thanks to Roland Banks's signature ability (only provides ONE clue PER ROUND)

  • Only investigate locations if you did not draw an enemy from the Encounter deck, ideally, with a Flashlight Asset equipped.

  • If you use a Flashlight to investigate locations with a Shroud of 2 or less, you will ALWAYS succeed unless you draw the token.

  • Commit the Deduction Skill to the test while investigating a location to have a chance of discovering TWO clues.

Manage your resources carefully, try not to go down to zero so you can still play Fast cards like the Dodge and Working a Hunch Events when needed

  • Plan when to use the Emergency Cache Event in advance.

  • Gaining a resource should generally be the lowest priority action, so only do it when there is nothing else to do, or if you are planning on playing a costly card the next turn.

  • Drawing a card is generally not as good as moving, fighting or investigating, but it's generally better than gaining a resource.

  • If you ever need to draw a card, make sure it is the first action of your turn.

Keep a close eye on Roland Banks's Sanity, as it is quite low. Equip your Ally Assets to use them as Horror shields, and use the Logical Reasoning Event to regain Sanity. Also try to save your Unexpected Courage and Inquiring Mind Skills for tests that will deal Horror if failed

  • Try to equip the Art Student when in a location with a high Shroud value, don't be afraid to assign Horror to it, discard it, and make room for the next Ally Asset.

Stay close to your partner, try to not find yourselves on the opposite ends of the Scenario map, especially if they are bad at fighting enemies

  • If you need to defeat an enemy Engaged to your partner, it is generally better to engage it first, especially if you have a Machete equipped.

  • In case you are far from your partner and they draw a nasty enemy from the Encounter deck, "Let me handle this!" is there for just such an occasion. Try to snatch the enemy while also being on a location with a clue, so you can discover it right after defeating the enemy.

Cover Up goes into play when drawn, and requires you to discover 3 clues at locations without picking them up before being able to remove it from play. If still in play when the game ends (for any reason), makes you suffer 1 Mental Trauma

  • It is one of the most punishing and most difficult to resolve personal weakness in the game.

  • Focus on resolving it as fast as possible when drawn.

  • Clues discovered from Roland Banks's signature ability, and any other source, count towards resolving the weakness.

  • Clues discovered by other investigators at your location also count towards resolving the weakness.

Take the time to PLAN your turns, every action counts

  • When you need to move into an unrevealed location, make it a habit to only move with ONE action remaining after the move is done, never 0, and never more than 1. This is because some locations have Forced effect that hurt you when you reveal them if you have no actions remaining, or for EACH remaining actions.

  • Seeing as every Scenario is different, adapt your strategy accordingly. Check out the Scenario Tips section for advice.

  • The deck is quite cheap when it comes to actions, as about half of the playable cards are Fast, which makes it quite adaptable.

With the inclusion of the Dr. William T. Maleson Ally Asset, new and ambitious combo possibilities have opened up

  • When it comes to the cost/stats ratio, Dr. William T. Maleson is the best you're going to get: 1 resource for 2 Health and 2 Sanity is awesome value, so this ally is already a great Damage/Horror soak.

  • Its ability gives a chance to redraw the most horrible Encounter cards, especially the ones which test .

  • The cost of this ability is to drop one of your clue at your current location. If you're savvy enough, you can use this ability to strategically drop a clue on a location in order to make use of Roland's .38 Special and Inquiring Mind.

  • The ideal line of play: be in a location without any clues on it drawn a nasty non-enemy Encounter card activate Dr. William T. Maleson and drop a clue a your location redraw an enemy Encounter card defeat it during your turn pick the previously dropped clue right back up.

  • No more clues in play to resolve your Cover Up? No problem, just drop a clue on a location with a Shroud of 1, and investigate away. Same thing for Logical Reasoning and Inquiring Mind.

And finally, with the inclusion of the "Let me handle this!" and On the Hunt Events, you can have much more control on what comes out of the Encounter deck

  • Is your pesky co-op partner being selfish and drawing all the enemies for himself? Just play "Let me handle this!" and snatch it from right under his nose!

  • Alternatively, aren't you tired of ONLY drawing those aweful treacheries? Why leave it to chance? Just play On the Hunt and pick the card you want. Whether it's an easy-to-handle enemy, or a massive beast that grants you lots of experience, it is now all in your hands.


"If we wish to learn, we must first question everything we know."

Inquiring Mind (Undimensioned and Unseen #227)

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Upgrade Guide

Recommended upgrade priority 1 > 2 > 3 > 4

  • Priority 1: 6 exp
  • Priority 2: 16 exp
  • Priority 3: 13 exp
  • Priority 4: 8 exp

  • -1x Flashlight +1x In the Know : An excellent new addition to Roland's arsenal of tools to discover clues, especially because of his subpar mobility. Will allow you to discover clues in any revealed location. Makes his unique weakness Cover Up much more manageable. Also, will save a huge amount of action by not having to move all the way across the map, and is compatible with Magnifying Glass to boot. Priority 1

  • -1x Flashlight +1x Magnifying Glass : Provides a smaller bonus while investigating locations, but is two resources cheaper, Fast, has unlimited uses and puts less stress on the Hand Slot since you can take it back into your hand. Priority 1

  • -1x Logical Reasoning +1x Elder Sign Amulet ••• : Great Horror shield, and takes advantage of the Accessory Slot. Priority 1

  • -1x Deduction +1x Pathfinder : Amazing Talent Asset that might seem costly at first, but will end up paying for itself throughout the Scenario, as it effectively provides one additional fourth action per turn in almost all cases. Priority 1

  • -1x Deduction +1x Extra Ammunition : Grants any weapon more charges, should be saved for either the Lightning Gun or Roland's .38 Special Weapon Assets. Priority 2

  • -1x .45 Automatic +1x Lightning Gun ••••• : More firepower is always good. Save it for targets with high Health and Fight values, preferably a Boss. Combos with Prepared for the Worst and Extra Ammunition. Priority 2

  • -2x Vicious Blow +2x Vicious Blow •• : A clear upgrade, one more test icon, and a chance to deal TWO additional Damage when fighting an enemy, so 3 Damage without a weapon, and 4 Damage with a weapon, making it a one-shot kill for most enemies. Priority 2

  • +1x Stick to the Plan •••••• : A very expensive Permanent Asset that will allow you to bank 3 different Tactic and/or Supply events at the start of the Scenario, that you will be able to play later. In this deck, you will be able to bank Emergency Cache, Dodge, On the Hunt and later Extra Ammunition. Since Roland is so dependant on weapons, it's so perfect to have a guaranteed start with Prepared for the Worst handy, and when it comes to Resources, having 1x or 2x Emergency Cache from the start to use when needed is so good! Later, you will also ALWAYS want to bank the Extra Ammunition to go with your Lightning Gun. This Asset is also great because since it thins out your deck, it will make your starting hands / Mulligans better. Amazing upgrade that you should buy if you have the experience to spare, after getting the essentials. Priority 2

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  • -1x Art Student +1x Beat Cop •• : Since you'll be upgrading the deck with other cards which will make Roland much more efficient at discovering clues, the Art Student is not as appealing anymore. The enemies will also get tougher as the Campaign advances, and you will appreciate the extra +1 stat. Priority 3

  • -1x Beat Cop +1x Beat Cop •• : Same resource cost, same +1 stat, one extra Health, and a much stronger ability. Priority 3

  • -2x Emergency Cache +2x Stand Together ••• : A massive improvement over the Neutral Event, since it also offers card draw and is also beneficial to your co-op partner, but costly in XP so should not be a priority. Priority 3

  • +1x Charisma ••• : With 4 Ally Assets competing for the one Ally Slot available, this Permanent Asset will allow you to equip TWO Ally Assets simultaneously, greatly relieving the pressure. Best of all, it doesn't count towards your deck size, and your start a Scenario with it already in play. Priority 3

  • -2x Dodge +2x "I've had worse…" •••• : A direct upgrade from a Fast attack-cancelling effect that costs you resources, to a Fast attack-cancelling effect that gives you resources. Really costly in XP, but this new resource generator is a godsend to Roland. You do lose the ability to use it on your co-op partner, but you can easily get around that. Priority 4


"That's the worst plan I've ever heard. Well, what are we waiting for?"

"I've got a plan!" (The Miskatonic Museum #107)

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Scenario Tips

While this section obviously contains gameplay spoilers, I've written it in a way so there are no story spoilers, which includes not saying much about victory conditions.

That said, I do recommend trying each Scenario at least once before consulting this section, so you don't ruin the surprises!

Extracurricular Activity

In this Scenario, the Encounter deck is heavily focused on making you discard as many cards as possible from your deck, which is a big problem since you can't win if all your powerful cards are thrown in the discard pile before you can even use them.

The Scenario is also quite combat focused, and features powerful enemies with high Health and Fight values, as well as a very tough end Boss. Not only that, you'll be tasked to discover a significant amount of clues from locations with high Shroud values and/or tricky Forced effects, in order to progress.

Therefore, I suggest equipping a weapon as fast as possible before they get discarded, preferably a Machete so it won't run out of charges, and ideally also equipping a Flashlight, or have a hand of cards that help you discover clues.

Suggested Mulligan Any weapon, Flashlight, Art Student, Working a Hunch , Deduction.

Don't be afraid to draw if your hand is less than desirable, you need to draw your cards before they get discarded.

One of the worst Encounter cards will make you discard an Asset in play, so try to play around it at all times. For example, you could discard a depleted Flashlight, or a cheap ally like Art Student.

If played first You'll have 10 Doom Tokens worth of time to roam around the locations before the end Boss manifests, but you won't have access to a special item that will help you defeat it.

If played second You'll only have 7 Doom Tokens worth of time, but you will have access to the special item. You'll need to investigate a location with a Shroud of 5 to pick it up, so keep your Flashlight and Deduction cards ready.

First turns Equip your Assets (priority on the weapon) and head to the Orne Library / Humanities Building where you will be able to discover clues either by investigating or by defeating enemies. Let your partner deal with the with the Student Union.


The House Always Wins

This Scenario features a departure from the established gameplay norms, as it is much more focused on interacting with locations rather than combat, even though it will be unavoidable at some point.

You'll be moving from location to location and discovering clues according to every location's special ability, while also avoiding arousing suspicion from the enemies which start off Aloof, meaning, will not automatically engage you.

Therefore, interact with the different locations as fast as possible to discover the clues, while also avoiding to provoke the enemies following you around, because it is possible to make them aggressive if you're not careful, which would make the Agenda deck advance faster than it should.

Suggested Mulligan Any weapon, Flashlight, Any Ally Asset, On the Hunt, Emergency Cache.

Save up your resources as you'll be needing them, and do not equip your Ally Asset, you'll be needing it for a different purpose.

There will be an Aloof enemy following you through the first phase of the Scenario, so plan your movements carefully in order to avoid engaging him.

If played first You'll have 7 Doom Tokens worth of time to roam around the locations before things start to get serious as long as you don't provoke the Aloof enemies, otherwise you'll cut it down to 3 and you'll be fighting more enemies than you should.

If played second You'll only have 4 Doom Tokens worth of time so make every action counts, and it's even more important to not provoke the Aloof enemies.

First turns Don't equip more than 4 resources worth of Assets as you will need your resources throughout the first phase of the Scenario to advance, discover the clues on La Bella Luna, attract the Clover Club Pit Boss outside, then head to the Clover Club Lounge where you'll hopefully have an Ally Asset in hand to immediately discard for clues.


The Miskatonic Museum

This Scenario is also a bit different from the others, as instead of having multiple enemies in the Encounter deck, it only features one single enemy which will keep coming back after you defeat it, a little bit stronger each time. The main emphasis is still clue gathering, however, and the Scenario features multiple locations with high Shroud values and tough Forced effects to slow you down.

There are two different ways to move from the first location to the second, and taking one or the other will also slightly change your gameplay experience throughout the Scenario. The first one will have you gather clues from a location with a high Shroud value, and the second will have you succeed one VERY tough test. You should, therefore, keep in mind which way you want to go when you are mulliganing your starting hand.

You are going to want to finish the Scenario as quickly as possible, as the one enemy that keeps coming back will get bigger and bigger until you will no longer be able to deal with it. It starts out small enough, so starting out with a weapon is still recommended.

Suggested Mulligan Machete, Flashlight, Art Student, Working a Hunch, Vicious Blow.

The locations you will need to investigate are tough, so any card that will help you discover clues easily are extra valuable here.

You will get extra XP if you choose to continue investigating locations even after having what you need to end the Scenario, so keep that in mind.

At some point, the enemy pursuing you will become Massive, which means it won't follow you if you leave the location (it will still deal an Attack of Opportunity if you decide to move). If you are ahead on the Agenda deck, now would be the best time to try and to get extra XP.

First turns Decide what way you are going to take in order to enter the Museum. In my experience, it's easier to go for the clues, so equip your Flashlight and get investigating. Also equip your weapon, which will hopefully be a Machete since you will never engage more than one enemy in the Scenario.


The Essex County Express

The most important thing to know when playing this Scenario is that you will be only able to move to the next location, AFTER discovering all the clues from your current locations. What you are going to focus on, is moving from location to location as quickly as possible, so discovering clues as fast as possible. You are going to be on a death-clock through the whole Scenario, as every time the Agenda deck advances, the leftmost locations are going to get removed from play. You obviously don't want to be there when it happens.

What is more, every location you will move to has a nasty Forced effect, and Doom will stack up quickly if you are unlucky with the Encounter deck. Also, Revelation effects and enemies from the Encounter deck are mostly based on trying to stop you from moving as much as possible, so GET MOVING.

You might also draw Helpless Passengers from the Encounter deck which can be annoying, but if you equip your allies on the side, you will end the Scenario before they become a problem.

Suggested Mulligan Any weapon, Working a Hunch, Art Student, Flashlight, Deduction.

Cards that help with discovering clues are very useful in this Scenario (Flashlight / Magnifying Glass if you already have upgraded into it).

Some Events from the Encounter deck will target your played Assets first, making the Helpless Passenger always vulnerable. Equipping your allies will make them able to tank the damage, preventing the Helpless Passenger from leaving play, and preventing you from stacking up Horror.

First turns Start by equipping a Flashlight, any weapon and start investigating immediately so you can move to the next location and deal with the Forced effect as fast as possible. Starting from here, try to move at least once every 2 rounds.

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Blood on the Altar

In this Scenario, the focus is back on investigating locations, so get your Flashlights ready. What is unique to the Scenario, however, is that your Ally Assets in play are at risk of getting removed and/or neutralised by cards from the Encounter deck, so mind when you play them.

There will be a significant amount of randomness while setting up the Scenario, so the Shroud values and Forced / Revelation effects on locations will vary greatly per playthrough. Also, every time you clear a location of clues, you will have to resolve a random Encounter, adding to the unpredictability of the Scenario.

I suggest keeping your most powerful clue gathering cards for the very end of the Scenario, so while you are getting there, do not by wasteful when discovering clues.

Suggested Mulligan Any weapon, Flashlight, Art Student, Logical Reasoning, Inquiring Mind.

Cards that help with mobility are very useful in this Scenario (Pathfinder if you already have upgraded into it).

As mentioned before, your Ally Assets in play are constantly at risk, but I do not recommend never playing them. Instead, I recommend playing them when needed, but assigning Horror / Damage to them as quickly as possible. You do NOT want them removed by the Encounter deck.

In this Scenario, a specific enemy will allow you to discover a clue from any location when you defeat it. If possible, avoid defeating them early, and instead try to save them for the very end when they will be REALLY needed.

Take a good look at how locations connect in this Scenario. It is possible to never have to go back to the central location if you plan your movements carefully.

First turns Start by equipping a weapon and a Flashlight, and then take a GOOD look at how locations connect, because there could be dead ends depending on which ones are in play. Then, plan the most efficient routes, and then start moving / investigating.


Undimensioned and Unseen

In this Scenario, you will be hunting a certain number of big and tough enemies that can only be damaged by a special Story Asset, which you will obtain in the Scenario. The better you did in the previous Scenario, the tougher this one will be because you will have more of those enemies to defeat.

A lot of people dislike this one because of its overreliance on the stat, since you will need to succeed very tough tests in order to damage the beasties. With Roland's 3 , it is going to be pretty tough.

The good news is that you do not need to defeat all the big baddies, only as many as you can, which is exactly how you will want to play the Scenario. Defeating all of the (if you did really well in the previous Scenario) is going to be VERY difficult, so don't overextend or you might regret it and obtain a less desirable Resolution.

Suggested Mulligan Any Firearm weapon, Flashlight, Art Student, Logical Reasoning, On the Hunt.

Weapons are much less useful here, as you will not be able to damage Story enemies with them, but the Encounter deck will still feature some regular enemies that you might need to deal with.One of them is weak to Firearm weapons, so the Machete is inferior to any other weapon here.

You will be able to place your clues on the Story enemies to make them weaker, but you will need to get them from the locations first and their Shroud values are high. Therefore, any tool that will help you investigate is quite powerful here.

Aim to kill TWO Story enemies, only go for more if you can without risking yourself too much, and try to save all your . Logical Reasoning will be a great help here.

Pathfinder is great here, since you will be moving around a lot. The Story enemies will move randomly around locations, so always keep 1 buffer location between you and them unless you want them to come to you.

First turns Start by equipping a Firewarm, a Flashlight, and priorities discovering clues in order to get your special Story Asset you will need to defeat the baddies with.


Where Doom Awaits

This Scenario is a race against the clock, as failing it will end your Campaign. You will be trying to get to the top of a hill, with the Encounter deck and locations doing everything in their power to slow you down. You will have a total of 22 turns to win before the Scenario ends, and for every Story enemy you let escape in the previous Scenario, you will lose 1 turn. I have still managed to win with 3 escaped enemies, so it is not that handicapping.

There will be a main path to climb, with divergent paths to explore in order to get the clues will you need to advance. The locations you will have to investigate how varying Shroud values, but their Forced effects can really hurt you if you are not careful.

The Scenario is investigation heavy since you will be trying to get clues as fast as possible, so keep your Flashlight handy. It will also be quite tough on your Sanity, so be prepared to equip allies early. The enemies you will be facing are also quite tough, so make sure you have upgraded into a Lightning Gun and the level 2 Vicious Blow to have better chances.

Suggested Mulligan Any Firearm weapon, Flashlight, any Ally Asset, Logical Reasoning, On the Hunt.

Some Encounter cards will hit you if you are on the main path and others if you are on divergent paths, but the latter are much worst than the former. I recommend spending as little time as possible on the divergent paths, so just grab your clues and get back on the main path.

Whenever you want to move to an unexplored divergent path location, do it so you still have ONE action left after the move. I have mentioned earlier that this should be the standard way of moving (see Playstyle Guide), but I think it bears repeating, especially for this Scenario.

Just like for the previous Scenario, Firearm weapons are better than the Machete

First turns Start by equipping a Firewarm, a Flashlight and any Ally Asset, then head out off the main path to start discovering clues.


Lost in Time and Space

Final Scenario of the Dunwitch Legacy Campaign, so win or lose this is the end. Just like the previous Scenario, losing it means you lose the Campaign, so be vigilant.

This Scenario's quirk is that locations will be coming into play from the Encounter deck, instead of through any way. They will come into play with tough Revelation and Forced effects, so be ready to take a beating. Not only that, but locations will also be leaving play quickly for various reasons, so try not to be there when it happens.

It will be quite tough on your Sanity, so I do suggest already having upgraded into an Elder Sign Amulet and a Moment of Respite. The enemies are also very tough, so once again, the Lightning Gun and level 2 Vicious Blow will really help out. You will also need to discover clues in order to advance, so again, get your investigating tools ready.

Suggested Mulligan Any weapon, Flashlight, any Ally Asset, Logical Reasoning, On the Hunt.

Again, locations will be leaving play quite quickly, so make sure you are not on one when it happens, otherwise, you will be stacking up a lot of Horror really quickly.

You will notice that the locations that will come into play will basically link up into TWO different paths to get to the end. Maintaining one in play until you get to your objective is the key to succeeding here.

First turns Start by equipping a weapon, a Flashlight and start spending actions in order to put locations into play.


The Path to Carcosa

The Path to Carcosa Scenario tips will be included in the next deck I built up, featuring Sefina Rousseau.


"You know this town like the back of your hand."

Shortcut (The Dunwich Legacy #22)

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Solo Experience

It is perfectly possible to play this deck solo with great performance.

Roland Banks can defeat enemies and discover clues like a champ, and he has tools available to deal with his low Sanity. However, the reasons why this deck fares better with two players, are tests and Cover Up

Even with some of the best tools available to Roland Banks included in the deck against tests (Inquiring Mind, Unexpected Courage and Logical Reasoning), sometimes you will just not draw them

  • A co-op partner would be able to commit cards to your tests, giving you better chances to pass them. They could also be the ones drawing those nasty Encounter cards that test instead of you, either by luck or by using cards like Scrying to manipulate the draw.

  • Alternatively, you can insteade take the enemies your co-op partner draws with "Let me handle this!".

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The same principle applies with Cover Up, in some Scenarios, you might not see it at all or draw it from the very beginning, but other times you might get REALLY unlucky and draw it at the very end of the Scenario, which is almost impossible to counter

  • Having a co-op partner to help you deal with the weakness whenever it pops up, will significantly lower the chances of you stacking up Mental Trauma caused by bad luck when drawing encounters across the Scenarios, although this is now mitigated by the On the Hunt Event.

In short, while being a great deck even when played solo, it is more consistent with a partner to have your back when it comes to mitigating your weaknesses ( tests and Cover Up) and unpredictable bad drawing luck that comes with deck building card games.

When playing solo, it becomes essential to know what a Scenario brings so you can adapt to it, keep that in mind! Check out the Scenario Tips section for more.

With each new Mythos pack, we are seeing new Guardian cards which benefit both investigators, such as "If it bleeds...", Stand Together and Leadership. While they are good even when used in solo, they really shine and gain insane amounts of value when triggered on both you and your co-op partner.

If you want to play this deck solo, replace 2x "Let me handle this!" with 2x Shortcut.


"It's dangerous to go alone."

Teamwork (The Dunwich Legacy #18)

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Card Alternatives

Depending on the Scenario, your co-op partner(s), or your own preference, it is possible to shift the deck's focus by switching a few cards while still keeping the same feel. You can also do it in between Scenarios, if you want to "tech" up to counter specific situations.

  • Dr. Milan Christopher For those investigation-heavy Scenarios. I suggest taking out the Beat Cop to make room for it.
  • Dynamite Blast In case a Scenario features enemies bunching up on a location.
  • Emergency Aid In case healing is mandatory or if you need to keep important Ally Assets alive.
  • Evidence! For those combat-heavy Scenarios, even more efficient now since this deck includes "Let me handle this!" and On the Hunt.
  • .32 Colt A decent replacement for the .45 Automatic, as it is 1 resource cheaper and comes with 2 extra ammo, but loses the +1 bonus.
  • Heroic Rescue A decent Event that is good if you like to stick to your co-op partner all the time.

You can remove any of these cards to make room for the above, without changing the integrity of the deck:


"A lens into a world unseen can reveal things you wish it hadn't."

Magnifying Glass (Core Set #30)

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Card Exclusions

  • No Hyperawareness and/or Physical Training They have both shown themselves to be too slow and too costly in resources and actions to be worth it, seeing as the deck already includes other costly Assets.

  • No Dynamite Blast Too slow, too expensive and too situational to be worth generally, but could be good in particular cases, so including in between Scenarios can be considered.

  • No First Aid Too slow, equipping Ally Assets is much more cost and time effective, as their Health and Sanity values effectively add up to Roland Banks's, all for ONE action.

  • No Emergency Aid Same reasons as First Aid, but the fact that you can heal 2 Damage for one action and use it on your equipped Ally Assets, makes it so that it could situationally be good, and therefore "tech'ed in" between Scenarios.

  • No Bandolier So far I've never had any problems with the Hand Slots, as most of the Hand Assets run out of charges and are OK to replace. It might look more useful after upgrading into a Lightning Gun, but how many copies should be included? If one, then we have a consistency problem, if two, then that's two cards which are being cut out for something that, in my opinion, is not crucial.

  • No Leadership I've tried many times to make it work, but it ended up being too situational. In order to profit from its full effect, you'll have to draw it, be at the same location as your co-op partner, and they would need to resolve a test. It ended up spending most of its time just sitting around in my hand. Ultimately underwhelming, there are better cards to include in the deck.

  • No "If it bleeds..." Ended up being too situational and / or not worth it. Most of the time it just stayed in my hand until I committed it to a Skill test. Not worth the card slot, as much as I think that card is badass.

  • No Evidence! I cut it from the deck because it serves the same purpose as Roland's ability. It can still be useful for combat heavy Scenarios (see Card Alternatives section), but I would rather use the card slots for something the deck can't innately do. That said, now that the deck includes "Let me handle this!" and On the Hunt, it's a very viable alternative to Deduction.

  • No Fieldwork I considered including this card in the deck, but quickly realised that it would be used for investigating locations most of the times, as the +2 bonus to skill tests only applies to the current phase. The condition of having a clue at the location also devalues it, and basically makes it a bad Inquiring Mind most of the time. Would be of better use to other investigators.

  • No Inspiring Presence This deck does not focus on healing Ally Assets, as they are mostly sanity-shields with an additional purpose.

  • No Guidance As Roland, you're going to need all the actions you can get, no need to criple yourself, especially since you are so much lacking in economy and mobility.


"Some people need to know the truth at any cost. Some truths can cut like knives."

Seeking Answers (The Dunwich Legacy #23)

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Missing Expansions

Missing The Essex County Express


Missing Blood on the Altar


Missing Undimensioned and Unseen


Missing Lost in Time and Space


Missing The Path to Carcosa


Missing A Phantom of Truth


Missing Black Star Rise


"It’s a small comfort, but you’ll take it."

"If it bleeds..." (Undimensioned and Unseen #225)

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Version History

v1.0 - Core Box

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v2.0


v3.0 - The Dunwich Legacy

v4.0

v5.0

v6.0


v7.0 - The Miskatonic Museum


v8.0 - The Essex County Express


v9.0 - Blood on the Altar


v10.0 - Undimensioned and Unseen


v11.0 - Where Doom Awaits


v12.0 - Lost in Time and Space


v13.0 - The Path to Carcosa


v14.0 - A Phantom of TruthStar Rise


v15.0 - Black Star Rise

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Acknowledgements

  • Thank you to FFG for providing the gorgeous investigator art and images.
  • All other art made by me.

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16 comments

Apr 16, 2018 oliphant · 1

Wahoo!

Apr 17, 2018 Chew · 332

Been waiting for the update! This is amazing! Thank you!

Apr 20, 2018 caleb49 · 1

Just out of curiosity. You mention the low mobility of Roland, so what caused you to remove shortcut from the base deck, and not mention an upgrade to pathfinder? Awesome deck and analysis btw.

Apr 20, 2018 caleb49 · 1

Oops nevermind! You already had Pathfinder as a priority 1 upgrade... I can read I swear!

Apr 20, 2018 DadouXIII · 10698

@caleb49

I don't blame you for not seeing it the first time, I'm starting to think the decklist is too long, it's too easy to miss things. I'm thinking of cutting the individual scenario tips, they are quickly becoming obsolete and it will be too much to keep updating them.

Since we are on the subject matter, with the inclusion of 2x "Let me handle this!" and 2x On the Hunt, Roland will be able to engage enemies much easier, without having to run around the map. Since you will be spending less time trying to kill enemies your co-op partner draws, mobility becomes a little bit less of an issue, which is why it was okay to cut the 2x Shortcut from the deck (especially since in the end, the 2x Shortcut only provide a total of 2 "free" actions).

Apr 20, 2018 caleb49 · 1

@DadouXIII

I think it's fun reading through all the content, so thanks for putting in the time.

And that makes since with your choice of not including shortcut. Mitigating movement is fun to consider because of how important it is in "true solo" play (or any type of play, but especially solo). For my decks I usually use the more obvious choices: Shortcut, Pathfinder, Seeking Answers, Elusive, In the Know, and Astral Travel. So it's interesting for me to see you bypass movement by getting enemies to you faster.

Apr 24, 2018 Low_Chance · 13

What do you think about including the Key of Ys in place of the elder sign amulet as a sanity soak? Though it costs an additional 2 xp and 1 resource, the benefits provided by the Key seem well worth it.

Apr 25, 2018 Teknikal · 1

@DadouXIIIWhat about the novella? Have you used that yet?

Apr 26, 2018 DadouXIII · 10698

@Low_Chance

The Key of Ys is a decent alternative. It's more expensive than the Elder Sign Amulet, and will require you to be more cautious in your approach, when it comes to taking horror, but I like it in the deck. Will add it to the upgrade section as an alternative to the Elder Sign Amulet.

@Teknikal

I decided not to use any promo material in my decks. Whenever those alternative cards make their way into the regular card pool, then I will start working with them.

Jun 28, 2018 Rancord · 1616

What about Preposterous Sketches? I often get stuck with useless hands with Roland and he has no good ways of refilling.

Jul 11, 2018 Chobabot · 1

Does Scene of the Crime replace Working a Hunch?

Jul 17, 2018 DadouXIII · 10698

@RancordHmm, I've never had a problem with card draw in a Roland deck, could you give me an example?

@ChobabotYes this is definitely a good replacement, it's already done in the next version of the deck which I'm working on :)

Oct 11, 2018 kelann08 · 1

Hey @DadouXIII any chance you'll be working on more decks? Maybe creating a Patreon where appreciative people can contribute to your efforts? You do amazing work, both in deck construction and explanation.

Jun 14, 2019 gibby290 · 14

Hi `@DadouXIIIThis is my favorite deck. Any chance you are updating it?

Jun 17, 2019 humbas · 21

Amazing job! :O

Jan 23, 2020 Flazzy · 5

AMAZING JOB, dude! :D Please, can you continue with this or other character?