Charlie and Jeremiah Hit & Run

Hi, this is my version of - what I believe to be - one of the most powerful investigators. The deck has a good mix of economy, card draw, cluever potential and even some emergency damage output. Your allies provide loads of soak, you are all but immortal. Apologies if the lay-out of this guide isn't as fancy as can be. It's the first time I've tried to make one of these.

Any combination of Hit and Run and Jeremiah Kirby or Laboratory Assistant allows for a lot of turn 1 and 2 card draw. Motivational Speech (or Faustian Bargain) and Jeremiah Kirby also gets you off to a good start. I would try and mulligan towards one of these combinations, maybe keeping Stand Together, Dr. Milan Christopher and/or Bonnie Walsh if I don't find any of the pieces within the first five cards, because these cards will also get you going.

Cards you most want to see in your opening hand: Jeremiah Kirby and/or Laboratory Assistant. Cards you most want to see once you have drawn one of the above: Hit and Run, Motivational Speech, Faustian Bargain, Calling in Favors.

The deck has a strong economy, but it's also quite resource hungry, so I would advise against sharing too much with your fellow investigators. Keep all the resources to yourself (like any good politician would).

Don't keep all the healing to yourself though, you (and your allies) can take a punch, the others are probably less lucky.

Before you decide on this deck, you should talk to your friends and ask if it's ok for you to use all the named allies in the deck. My development path stays away from Olive McBride, Peter Sylvestre, Jessica Hyde and all of the other odd costed allies. But they can't use Dr. Milan Christopher, Leo De Luca, Alice Luxley, Jeremiah Kirby or Miss Doyle.

Upgrade path:

IN: Charisma

A second Charisma is key. There's no negotiating here. You need to max out your ally slots asap.

Straight swap: 2x Stand Together for 2x Ever Vigilant

Stand Together for Ever Vigilant is an easy swap, making your potential for a very explosive first turn even larger. The swap doesn't need to happen this early in the campaign though. I tend to do this if I have 1xp floating after a scenario.

OUT: 2x Inspiring Presence, Dr. Milan Christopher, Leo De Luca IN: Geas, Miss Doyle, 2x Well Prepared

The only odd costed ally I'd include is Miss Doyle, she is very strong in this deck. This is probably my first non-Charisma upgrade.

I believe there's a lot of flexibility regarding the upgrade path from here. Just make sure to swap out both Inspiring Presence before you bring a Geas. I know Inspiring Presence with Bonnie Walsh around is very good, but you can't find the card with Jeremiah Kirby and when Bonnie Walsh is in play, you are already winning. The all round stat boost from Geas is just so nice to have.

I like the stability the second copy of Leo De Luca and Dr. Milan Christopher brings to the starting deck (you really want both of them filling up an ally slot), but you don't want the second copy sitting in your hand, doing nothing.

Small XP upgrades Survival Knife and Alice Luxley

End of campaign upgrades:

OUT: Art Student & Medical Student IN: The Black Cat & The Red-Gloved Man

There have been situations where I kept my second Art Student and/or Medical Student throughout the full campaign: being the only cluever, a lot of trauma among the party (and not too much healing around).

A dream first turn could be: 0) Hit and Run playing Jeremiah Kirby Action 1: Faustian Bargain, bringing you to 9 resources Action 2: Ever Vigilant playing Laboratory Assistant + Bonnie Walsh or Miss Doyle + any two cost asset Action 3: Calling in Favors returns [Laboratory Assistant] (/card/02020) to your hand and finds Leo De Luca Action 4: Move or investigate. End of turn: return Jeremiah Kirby to your hand and flash your Motivational Speech. Parade.

This "dream turn" happens quite often. Even when you don't have all the pieces ready, Jeremiah Kirby and Laboratory Assistant will often find you the cards you need.

You could also develop into a more damage oriented deck. In that case you need to upgrade into Survival Knife and two Beat Cop. If you go there, you probably want to stay away from Geas, because Beat Cop loves Inspiring Presence.

Cat Burglar is big in The Forgotten Age, I don't think you should bring him into any other campaign.

Just one more note on one of the odd costed cards that makes the deck tick. Calling in Favors finds you your Leo De Luca (make sure you have enough resources available!). Dr. Milan Christopher, Bonnie Walsh, Miss Doyle or Jeremiah Kirby are all consolation prizes. A poor man's Calling in Favors could trade a Laboratory Assistant for his twin, an Art Student or a Medical Student. I have also returned Jeremiah Kirby to dig for his twin, Dr. Milan Christopher, Alice Luxley or one of the 3 cost allies.

Jeremiah Kirby helps to kickstart the deck, I tend to throw him in front of an enemy when the game progresses and I need my flexible ally slot for an Art Student or a Medical Student. If I draw a Jeremiah Kirby late game and I am still looking for Bonnie Walsh, Miss Doyle and/or both copies of Calling in Favors I have named odd once or twice in a blue moon. Know your deck, know what's still hiding in the deck. You are a smart politician.

I like this deck a lot. Do some goldfishing now, thank me later. No, don't thank me. You are a politician. You already knew how to build this deck.