Cryptic Writings

Cryptic Writings

This is very nice, but mostly in Big Hand decks. Harvey probably finds the XP worth it, but I think a lot of other investigators prefer the Level-0 version, unless they find themselves with XP to burn.

On editing (mysteriously, fixing a display error took me under 200 characters): The Reaction ability is a pretty interesting mechanic (as opposed, say, to just making the card Fast), and very thematic for Harvey or any other Big Draw investigator. It's very rare an investigator wouldn't want to get 2-4 resources during their turn, but are their other actions where this would be fun or interesting? Probably not Fight or Evade, but maybe a card that triggers an Investigation, Draw, or Play?

LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
Disagree, this is just pure gravy in any deck that has lots of draw, not just big hand, which is basically any Seeker and will definitely include the Rogue 5, Seeker 2 Trish Scarborough. Lucky Cig Case and All In plus this = perfect engine. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
That's assuming that XP ois infinite. 2 XP gets a lot of great stuff in every class, so you want to make sure you are landing 4 resources every time. There are plenty of Seekers who end uo with fairly thin hands. — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
2XP to effectively thin your deck by a card and 3 resources you otherwise wouldnt (actionless!) is ridiculously powerful. I think if you reliably trigger the original, you take the upgrade every time. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
I dunno; do most investigators prefer this to, say, the upgraded version of Deduction? Maybe if you play Solo all the time.... — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
I dont understand why the two are at odds. Deduction 2 is probably taken before this in 3-4 player, probably not 2 and def not 1. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
I think the conflict is with Crack the Case, which is pretty easy for most Seekers to pull off for at least 3 resources and never costs an action. This costs 2 XP and runs the risk of being drawn during upkeep or post-mulligan, turning into an Emergency Cache or couple of icons. I think it's a bit terrible at 2 XP, really. — housh · 171
I'm actually mistaken in thinking it thins your deck since you still draw it instead of another card, so it's not like Astounding Rev. You're right, CtC competes really heavily with this. Still I think a very strong card and worth looking at if CtC gets taboo'd or if you need more resources. — StyxTBeuford · 13028

Whitton Greene

Whitton Greene

Pretty much what they said about Whitton Greene (0), but more so. Who likes this? Ursula, Daisy, and Luke, maybe Harvey, assuming he's running tomes. Joe or Rex could use the boost, but, unless they are running tomes and/or relics, not so great. On the other hand, I am probably going to try and cram Dream Diary into every deck I can, Whitton is a damn sight better than (although more expensive than) Research Librarian. Warning. You probably want to pack Pathfinder and/or Shortcut to make sure you trigger her ability.

LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
Note that Enchanted Blade is a relic, and that is one of Joe’s best weapons. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
Excellent point. Also Tooth of Extli. — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
It's really good in Luke! Whitton's ability triggers every time he Gate Boxes, and Gate Box also triggers her boosts. The wp boost is obviously useful, and the int boost makes him more likely to succeed at a test with Enraptured committed. — Zinjanthropus · 229
Trish Scarborough with Charon's Obol, or even Crystallizer or Celano fragments, says hi. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
Concur that Trish really likes this card. — KillerShrike · 1

Esoteric Atlas

Esoteric Atlas

For 1 XP, this makes a very nice upgrade, if you have a Seeker (or Seeker-adjacent) investigator who absolutely, positively has to get there. Much as I love my "2 Pathfinders in play" Seekers, this lets you skip the intervening locations and their pestilent enemies. I am slightly giddy imagining this plus Arcane Enlightenment in Roland. What elese is he doing with his Arcane slots?

LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
That seems very expensive for Roland compared to just using Pathfinder or Safeguard, since you have to set up this plus the Enlightenment to use it. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
The advantage is the ability to skip the intervening locations, which would be very useful in "The House Always Wins" or "The Unspeakable Oath." — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
I suppose, but if you’re Roland that shouldn’t be that much of an issue to you. Roland wants to kill enemies anyway. — StyxTBeuford · 13028
Not if you are running for the Resign point. — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
That’s very expensive tech for scenarios that Roland is already predisposed well to. — StyxTBeuford · 13028

Glimpse the Unthinkable

Glimpse the Unthinkable

The upgrade is better for investigators with low card draw, but you can't argue with a 4 XP savings for something that will work pretty well in most situations when you need a mid-game mulligan. Although the upgrade would be hilarious with Harvey Walters or any other Big Hand deck.

LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
Great on 50 card Mandy; it’s a great way to get your Occult Evidences back into the deck — PanicMoon · 2
I really prefer this one for Harvey Walters over the upgraded version. The mandatory draw to max hand is not always what you want if you are running low on health, and risk drawing Thrice Damned Curiosity. Then there's the 1 resource cost, and "remove from the game" drawbacks, makes it almost a downgrade (IMO) than something worth spending 4XP to upgrade. They should have kept it at 0 cost and add "fast" instead to justify the large XP cost. — haakenlid · 1

Library Docent

Library Docent

What tomes would benefit from being reloaded? Assuming you can take Seeker XP 1.

De Vermis Mysteriis -- likes being returned; get rid of that pesky Doom! (2)
Encyclopedia (0)
Esoteric Atlas -- both versions
Forbidden Tome -- if you somehow mess up and take the 5th secret without 10 cards in hand.
Grimm's Fairy Tales -- assuming you are Minh (or Rex).
Occult Lexicon
Old Book of Lore (3)
Otherworld Codex
Pnakotic Manuscripts
Scroll of Prophecies (0)
Scroll of Secrets -- All vesions, if you can take (1) for the upgrade.
The Necronomicon -- yes!

The King in Yellow is sadly immune to this card, but I am not sure if you could use it on either version of The Necronomicon and just live with a hand size of 7? I expect the riule of not being able to discard or remove Weaknesses other than by their card effects would hold sway.

LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
You can't bounce The Necronomicon (weakness), but not for the reason you suggest. It can't leave play because of the card text on the card itself specifying it. However, if you have somehow managed to remove the 3 horror from it without it getting discarded by its ability, then it is completely legal to bounce it to your hand with Library Docent. However, I would not recommend it due to the weakness rules: "If a weakness enters an investigator's hand in a manner that did not involve drawing the card, that investigator must resolve the card (including any Revelation abilities) as if he or she had just drawn it." So it would immediately jump back into play with 3 fresh horror! — Death by Chocolate · 1485
OK, best not to mess with the Necronomicon on principle! — LivefromBenefitSt · 1067
Could I return a Tome with the guide and not play another Tome because I don't have any that meet your condition? — tabernero87 · 47
Marie - Library Docent - De Vermis Mysteriis is an interesting combo to clear the doom before the agenda turns over. Moonlight Ritual works of course but having a Plan B is always a good idea. — The Lynx · 980
@Tabernero87 Unfortunately not and that's a major downside of Library Docent. According to the rules you cannot trigger an ability if its effect doesn't have the potential to change the game state. The cost is not factored. If bringing a Tome back in hand was part of the effect and not a cost then you could trigger the ability just to take a tome back even if you couldn't play anything else, but unfortunately it's a cost. I just finished a game where I wanted to bring the Necronomicon (Dacia translation) back into my hand, I actually paid XP for Library Docent for that precise reason. But then I realized I couldn't activate the ability at all because I had not other book in hand. — Killbray · 12063
finally played with this one instead of loading up the Necronomicon with secrets and this is a great card - especially how harvey can cycle through his deck quickly. A couple of these and other cheap tomes to trigger them, and you can play the Necro 3 times in one deck play through — Krysmopompas · 360