Enchanted Blade

Normally I think of Enchanted Blade as a weapon designed for guardians, since the additional cost of an arcane slot means nothing to them but is very painful for mystics. But since this version of the weapon can only be taken by mystics, I thought it was an interesting exercise to compare it to a spell instead, Shriveling (3) in particular, which has the same resource and XP cost, and compared to spending one charge on the blade, is the same number of uses for the same damage.

To make this comparison directly you have to pin down the relative willpower and combat ability of the mystic. I feel that a mystic whose combat is only two points below their willpower (for instance, Jim Culver with St. Hubert’s Key, or Akachi without a willpower bonus) is a relatively muscular Mystic who would be a good candidate to wield a blade, so I made the following comparisons assuming combat equals willpower minus 2:

Advantages of Enchanted Blade:

  1. Allows you to spend two charges on a single attack for double the bonus. This is a huge advantage since it is actually very efficient to do so when fighting an enemy where the extra damage is useful.
  2. Enchanted Blade can be used without spending charges, and is equal in combat ability to the Sword Cane for this purpose, without having to spend the extra card and resources to play the Sword Cane, and without the limitation of having to exhaust it.
  3. Enchanted Blade does not have the risk of causing horror damage.

Advantages of Shriveling:

  1. Compared to using the Enchanted Blade and only spending a single charge, Shriveling gives you +1 fight ability.
  2. A Mystic is likely to have lots more ways to commit cards with willpower bonuses or otherwise boost willpower, fewer ways to commit cards with combat bonuses or otherwise do anything to boost the fight ability on Enchanted Blade.
  3. This card can be upgraded to Shriveling (5), which is a very impressive upgrade and is much better than the blade if you frequently fight foes with 3 health or with 5+ health.
  4. Some decks may find it helpful that this is a spell rather than an item (such as a deck using Arcane Initiate).
  5. Does not require a hand slot. If you use your hand to hold a Sword Cane, you can use it to evade, which Enchanted Blade cannot do. Or you have the option of holding something else in that hand.
  6. In order to keep using the Enchanted Blade’s ability to fight without charges, you have to keep it in play eating up a spell slot. If you play Shriveling and Sword Cane instead, you can replace the Shriveling with a new spell once you run out of charges, and the Sword Cane will stay in play.

After doing the comparison, I felt the Enchanted Blade is more impressive than I first thought. I don't think either the blade or the spell clearly wins the comparison, it depends on the character, but the blade looks like a perfectly reasonable choice for the deck of a Mystic with good combat ability, despite costing a spell slot.

ChristopherA · 113
I think Shrivelling is the clear winner in this comparison. I can see a case for Jim, as he has just +1 in willpower compared to strenght, and a weakness, which can dish out some surprise horror. (But then, he could just as well rather take "Azur Flame" to counter the extra horror and have extra synergy with his ability.) Akachi (who in theory could also take the Guardian Blade) in particular likes additional willpower buffs like "Holy Rosary" or "Four of Cups", which synergies best for her, because she will use her main stat not just for fighting, but preferably for clue finding and possibly evading as well. A charge from the blade also would not satisfy "Angered Spirits". Your 3rd bullet point is particular true. Both level 3 cards seem fine early to mid campaign, but Shrivelling can be upgraded to a great end campaign card, XP spent on the blade will get more and more mediocre on the long run. On a general (albeit very niche) note, there are a couple of Dunwich enemies, who are better taken care of with a spell than a melee weapon, being a relic does not help with them. Also even though there are plenty other options for using your "Arcane Research" discount XP, it is very likely that you will spend just 4 XP for both copies of your main fighting spell at level 3. So you might get both copies a scenario earlier than you would get them in case of the weapon. — Susumu · 381
It is also a good option for Diana since her Willpower can fluctuate quite a lot during a scenario. — LaRoix · 1646
I played a lot of Diana. She's the only investigator, I published a decklist here for so far. And I think, "Enchanted Blade" is pretty bad for her. 6 XP for 2 copies are awfully expensive for a card that gets obsolete in any game, once she has 3 cards below her. You can get her there quite fast, if you pack enough cancels and ignores in her deck. — Susumu · 381
Idk, having an extra fight option isn’t bad at all, and E Blade is better than Shrivelling at delivering one fantastic hit when you need it. Diana’s economy and draw means she doesn’t need two copies necessarily anyway. It’s definitely not bad for her- maybe not her top option, but plenty of people do fighty Diana with .45 Auto level 2 or Machete or lots of other things. — StyxTBeuford · 13050
My weapon of choice was the .45 in Diana, because it has the potential to cancel a retaliate triggered by "Daring". In practice, I think it was not really worth it either. I consider forfeiting combat-based fighting as a whole with her in future decks. "Shrivelling" is in my opinion not the best option for her either, "Azur Flame" is much better. Because of the self inflicted horror caused by "Arcane Research" and "Ward of Protection", she is much more durable in damage than in horror. But she could still take a one-off "Shrivelling" (or "Armageddon") as back-up. Diana's draw is also balanced with her increased deck size, so she definitely wants two copies of her important cards for consistency. — Susumu · 381
*to IGNORE a retaliate triggered by "Daring". That's important distinction. Albeit in practice, I normally was on 5 or 6 willpower, by the time, the gun was empty. — Susumu · 381
Cheat Death

It makes sense that you could fake your own death to wipe out hospital debts of any size. I can't think of any other card that can do this.

Naturally, just about any other weakness in your threat area can be wiped out too: arkhamdb search

(Except, sadly, you can't cheat away your hands turning into trees)

tercicatrix · 16
I used to be self centered... — MrGoldbee · 1492
You can also discard the Harbinger of Valusia if you have Entombed in your threat area to prevent you from being able to disengage from enemies — Zinjanthropus · 230
Blackjack

This card is exceptional as your team gets bigger.

In a typical 3-4 player game, monsters will be engaged to your far friends more often than to you. Now, you could spend an action to Engage, or invest in a Riot Whistle. But blackjack is cheaper, straightforward, inexhaustible, keeps your accessory slot free, and its upgrade isn't bad either.

When you run up to a friend on the brink of defeat, try to whack their worst nightmare on the head, and then see a tentacles, there's nothing more relieving than knowing that they're still going to live because you used your Blackjack.

So, if you're not using both of those hand slots, why not fill your offhand with a blackjack? I had a great Leo Anderson campaign in Carcosa running Blackjack & Survival Knife with a party of 4 investigators.

tercicatrix · 16
It is still problematic, that it deals only 1 damage. Whacking their worst nightmare three times is VERY ineficient. Upgraded Safeguard let you engage before them, there are several events, that might be considered, if you want to engage, and the hand slot is at least as contested as the accessory slot for guardians. I can't see a deck, that really wants this card. — Susumu · 381
The upgrade does 2 damage — StyxTBeuford · 13050
Sure, but that does not make the level 0 card any better? Unless, if we see an "Arcane Research" like card in the future, that discounts Guardian weapons. — Susumu · 381
If you can't kill it with a Blackjack and Vicious Blow, you should probably be peeling it off properly anyway. — tercicatrix · 16
Blood Eclipse

Just realise that the wording of parallel Agnes Baker provide an opportunity to "pay" one more damage as an additionnal cost. It can provide an other leverage to make it a 0 cost spell and enlarge the scope to make it a 5 dmg card. Not game breaking but quite fun ;-)

Sycla63 · 11
Spiritual Resolve

This card deserves a full-throated endorsement for use in Tommy Muldoon. First, it is Myriad, giving you three copies for five XP. Second, it provides up to six resources or ammo on Becky. Third, it only costs three resources, which is one less than the Beat Cop, which has less soak and provides a +1 that Tommy would rather not lose. Fourth, it uses the arcane slot, meaning that it is not competing with other Guardian assets and you can have two active at a time to make sure that you're optimally distributing damage and horror to get maximum value. All around a great card that has served my Tommy deck well.

togetic271 · 5
It’s just dawned on me that this the fast action on Spiritual Resolve can be triggered by Knowledge is Power without paying the cost of having to discard another copy of spiritual resolve. Pretty niche but as the taboo version of KiP is only 2xp it’s not out of reach for off class seekers. If playing without taboo, we’ll, Zoey Samaras I’m looking at you! — Snakesfighting · 94
Taboo list do not change the level of a card, it only affect the xp needed to include it in the deck. — king_doragon · 1