Down the Rabbit Hole

I'm confused about the interaction between DtRH and Shrewd Analysis and couldn't find an answer.

What happens if my first upgrade in between scenarios is an untranslated card and I choose to trigger Shrewd Analysis. Will it consume the second XP reduction of DtRH since I upgraded two cards even though the second one cost 0? I assume it would as 0 XP is still a value and could therefore be reduced (even though it wouldn't make a difference as there is no negative XP cost). However, the wording on the card being "no XP cost" makes it sound like there is no cost involved at all. Yet you still upgraded two cards and DtRH only reduces the XP cost of the first two upgraded cards by 1.

So what's right here?

Crafty · 1
I'm not sure about the answer, but it wouldn't make a difference if you use DtRH to upgrade another card first and then use it together with Shrewd Analysis as the second upgrade, as Shrewd Analysis doesn't say anything about the order you need to upgrade them. — Gsayer · 1
That's true but it is relevant if you play two different sets of untranslated cards and want to upgrade them both after one scenario using both Shrewd Analysis and DtRH to get a huge XP boost. I know it's somewhat of a niche case but it actually came up in a recent deck I played and I didn't know what to do with it. — Crafty · 1
"Shrewd Analysis" clearly says, that both cards are upgraded. So, imho, the XP discount for the second card from DtRH should get lost. — Susumu · 371
Yeah I think so, too. It's a bit unfortunate, but as @Gsayer suggested, there are ways to work around it. — Crafty · 1
Tennessee Sour Mash

Compared to Sparrow Mask:

--Costs 3 experience instead of 0

--Costs 2 resources instead of 1

--Provides the same +2 boost to Will, but only during treacheries instead of for any test

--Comes with one additional use, but can't be refilled without additional card effects such as Venturer or Emergency Cache. By contrast, Sparrow Mask perpetually refills its own uses by doing what Survivors already do anyway.

--One-time use to boost a fight action and get an automatic evade...but Stunning Blow is a one-time use for the same thing with 2 less to your fight check. Sparrow Mask boosts evade actions, too.

Conclusion: Prohibition wasn't such a bad idea. Stay off the hooch, people.

Pinchers · 131
Yeah, they missed a bit low on this card, and then conversely the Masks are really pushed. — CaiusDrewart · 3189
The mask ar — Tharzax · 1
Masks are auto-take. — MrGoldbee · 1472
Yes but there is a niche for this one, for it's fight option and the survivor recursions — Tharzax · 1
Grim Memoir

As an interesting combo piece - consider for Seekers who have level 0 Guardian access:

Grim Memoir with Alice Luxley and The Raven Quill - Living and Interwoven Ink (total 4xp). Total boosted +3 Int and 2 actions nets you 2 clues, 2 cards, and 2 testless damage on an enemy, even one engaged with you. Most committed Seeker skills cards can make this even more efficient with extra clues or cards. I'm working with this idea on a || Daisy who uses Whitton Greene to tutor everything out and then Calling in Favors to swap Whitton for Alice. Using a couple secrets generating cards can keep this combo going for the whole scenario.

Other seekers who could use this combo include Rex, Vincent, Joe, and actually Charlie. Rex is the most likely to appreciate this (and get extra clues with it). Vincent and Joe probably want the hand slots for other things. Not sure if this would be effective on Charlie, but would be fun to try.

Time4Tiddy · 246
Drain Essence

The biggest upside to this card is ability to hit aloof enemies or enemies engaged with other investigators. The biggest downside to this card is the need to carry around some damage in order to be able to play it.

One good option could be use of Azure Flame (and of course then Azure Flame) as your primary attack spell. Azure Flame can be pretty risky for low health Mystics, but that risk can be mostly offset with this provided you have multiple enemies to take care of. Another option, to visit an old card, would be to take the Smoking Pipe and move some of the Mystic's horror (you know you've got some!) as a fast over to damage so that you can then offload it onto the enemy.

Time4Tiddy · 246
Or take "In the thick of it", if you can afford it (investigator you play doesn't have low health). — bugiel_marek · 23
Lightfooted

Getting to say "Let me go first, I'll evade them." is such a heroic feel-good moment for evaders. Even if in bad case where you must spend an engage to get one enemy to evade and spread the exhaust, that still can solve a lot turn ordering problems for the team.

You can use low enemy to exhaust high enemy out of any investigator, Elite included, bypassing Alert and other nasty effects. When the fighter is dealing with the boss often you get some other enemies piling up, now you can turn the table against the boss lightfoot-ing the goons you just got.

It also removes clunkiness from cards like Sneak Attack in multiplayer. e.g. You are evader, but someone else got an enemy draw. Suddenly it takes all your actions to perform the feat.

If using evade bonus cards like Pickpocketing, Dirty Fighting, etc. I guess you might be able to team up with an another decent player and commit it to their evasion tests, so you get your bonus on the automatic evade.

5argon · 10761
I'd still argue that it really only gets value with 3 or 4 players. With 1 or 2, there simply aren't enough enemies around to kick it off (unless you are doing something wrong) and it will just rot in your hand. — AlderSign · 310