One of the most basic and safest ways a card can be upgraded is a 1 cost reduction for 1 XP. With this, we can see this card is only on-par with its XP pricing. That said, taking a card down to 0 Cost is massive in ways that aren't always obvious. I've had many turns where I held onto the level 0 version simply so I could use the resources for a critical asset. Being able to play a card fast for no Cost means the card is almost never a dead card in hand.

In addition, certain investigators can also get some absurd benefits from it since it's fast. Wendy Adams with her amulet for example can use the card's Double Willpower icons for a skill test, then almost immediately use it for the effect, or simply use it as discard fodder for her Investigator ability.

That said, there are many cards that end up being higher priority purchases for a lot of decks, but don't overlook this one in a blessed deck.

As mentioned sevaral times, this is a staple for Calvin. I usually spilt the trauma 1 and 1 with him, but realized during my last play that it might be more efficent to split it 2 - 0 as you will never test at zero, it will always be a base 1. So I guess the type of 2 trauma you decide on taking is dependent upon your role when undertaking the BOSS that is Calvin.

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?

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.

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.