Trick to the Plan is amazing. It's 6xp, sure, but it lets you automatically get goodies like Dirty Fighting. On an investigator like Kymani, that saves you 2xp since you now only need 1 copy of DF ... and you are guaranteed to draw it with the first enemy. That's amazing value.
Long Shot becomes even better when you consider the geometry of locations in a scenario. Oh, you're about to fight the Ghoul Priest, in the hallway? Here comes a brick sailing downstairs from the attic. War of the Outer Gods? You're evading a monster in Montreal? Here comes a brick from downtown Arkham, laser focused on that clown's face. I love it.
Boring or not, I absolutely agree with you on Steady-Handed and Chemistry Set. For my first TFoHV playthrough I played Kate with this archetype and had so, so much fun with it. I really hope they find a way to make Katana work with it even better.
Let’s talk about Task Force. It is easier to use than I expected, but also not that great return. It is 2r + 1 card to net one action. As you mentioned, it is basically Working a Hunch, but harder to use. Working a Hunch is very rarely played since it is “fair” and seekers are used to “unfair”. The big thing going for it is that it is in Guardian which has much less action compression. Rogue and seeker have much better action compression options, so if you remove those you end up with Guardian, Mystic, and Survivor which gives this quite a few good homes. Solid, fair and balanced card which is very good to see in designs.
I see your point but in my opinion you're undervaluing key components of the card. A double is inherently restrictive in when you can play it, so it should promise some extra versatility/value in use. Task Force does this by proving 1 net action, as you said, but also a testless clue AND (the best part about the card) the fact that it can be used on anyone. This allows you to structure interesting turns, where one player who is locked down by a treachery may allow another investigator to take 6 actions and keep the game moving. It's great value in solo guardian, but more fun with more players. I'd disagree about it being easier to use because it complicates turn sequencing and you can solve terrible situations with it in ways you would never think from first glance. I also disagree on it being boring because its simplicity on the card (action on a card, move, clue) leads to so many varied uses in practice. Another example is guardian + amanda, who can get very powerful turns with the right skill under her. Using task force on her lets her move without wasting one of her actions and then activate an investigate ability to get extra out of her deduction. If you've ever played carson with another investigator with very valuable actions, then you'll see the power of it. Also, guardian WaH is much better than seeker WaH
This is good for doing things on your turn as a fighter without an enemy, giving an action to your cluever. But this has another home; with Tony or Skids in a Chuck Fergus deck.
My 5 favs are 5. Matchbox. This does so much work and can help out other investigators. A real staple 4. Ancestral token. For a fighter using blesses, nothing is more consistent at piling up the bag with them. 3. Long shot. Every you say about this i agree with. 2. Spectral razor 2 and Read the signs 2. Just so good if you have anyway of pulling the tokens you want. 1. Bewitching. Basically makes the dirty fighting archetype come alive because you can get DF out immediately. Playing a dirty skids atm with it and its fun.
British Bulldog. It's a fun card I can't help and try to slot in every rogue who could take it. Ignoring Aloof isn't game breaking, but it's a nice quality of life gameplay addition that helps progress some scenarios.
Chemistry set is actually even better on higher difficulty if you play it with Lab coat. You’ll very probably fail by a lot, then active the Lab Coat and get 2 ressources and a clue almost every turn. Word case you actually pass the test without the lab coat
You almost had one card per class! Kinda shows how well-rounded the box was. I could easily replace British Bull Dog or Bewitching with one of the 2 Seekers you listed (though both are great too)
I would also have Steady-Handed, Chemistry Set and Long Shot on my top 5. My other two would probably be Hunting Jacket (incredible utility in smoothing out soak and economy), and my boring pick is Blessed Blade 4, which has just become my go to XP weapon for guardians. One handed for only 3 cost (obviously 4 XP) for such a consistent weapon is just really strong. It has made parallel Zoey maybe my favorite pure fighter in the game.
Justin, I frequently disagree with you on these videos. Not in major ways, but in smaller ways. But you really nailed this video from my perspective. Chemistry Set is easily my favorite card from this expansion. I'm not saying it's busted powerful or anything, but it is heckin' fun. And yeah, you do get a lot of value from it throughout the scenario. And Steady Handed? I just wish there was a way for me to take it on rogues. Also fun, because tinkering with numerical values is very fun for me. Task Force also would have made my top 5. Is it super strong? Well, nah. But I love drawing that card and I know it's going to do good things when I get to play it. I know Trick to the Plan would have made my top 5. I'm not sure what the 5th would have been. Probably another Double card (the Seeker one to investigate all connected locations, most likely) as I really enjoy those.
Chemistry set also takes an action to play, so you'd really need it to hit 3 times for it to "pay out". I think my problem with the card is mostly that it pays out things that seekers don't really have problems with anyways, cards and resources. And it's difficult to get it to actually accelerate clues like you'd like, especially without steady handed. Like you're a seeker, even if you aren't drowning in resources from Milan or cards from Kirby/Carillo, you can always just Book v Shroud and you're still doing fine so I only really see one of those "hits" as being all that worth it. I ran a deck with it and never really ended up putting it down as a result.
@@andrewrobson9363 I tend to build any deck I have with Chemistry Set to easily get up 6 as needed. It helps with the bag on Standard to hit a lot. You gotta trust the science, but science rewards. 🤓
recently ran steady handed with katana on roland, worked great on mitigating the horror he took from encounters and monsters. unfortunately though katana is just sort of mid
@@joeyrobson3677 How is it a gambit? A gambit is either a risk taken to try to turn a situation around, or a strategy which serves to set you up for future success. I don't really see how Long Shot qualifies, since it's taking advantage of a situation where you already have the advantage (as a rider on a successful test). I guess throwing a brick is creative, and there's a bit of an implication of creativity in the term gambit, but you might also be skilled at throwing stones.
I was really blown away by Bewitching. Acquired taste, for sure. But wow, it was sweet.
Trick to the Plan is amazing. It's 6xp, sure, but it lets you automatically get goodies like Dirty Fighting. On an investigator like Kymani, that saves you 2xp since you now only need 1 copy of DF ... and you are guaranteed to draw it with the first enemy. That's amazing value.
Long Shot becomes even better when you consider the geometry of locations in a scenario.
Oh, you're about to fight the Ghoul Priest, in the hallway? Here comes a brick sailing downstairs from the attic.
War of the Outer Gods? You're evading a monster in Montreal? Here comes a brick from downtown Arkham, laser focused on that clown's face.
I love it.
Boring or not, I absolutely agree with you on Steady-Handed and Chemistry Set. For my first TFoHV playthrough I played Kate with this archetype and had so, so much fun with it. I really hope they find a way to make Katana work with it even better.
The only one I KNEW was long shot! Lol great video!
Chemistry Set in Darrell is something I have played a little too much of recently
Let’s talk about Task Force.
It is easier to use than I expected, but also not that great return. It is 2r + 1 card to net one action. As you mentioned, it is basically Working a Hunch, but harder to use. Working a Hunch is very rarely played since it is “fair” and seekers are used to “unfair”. The big thing going for it is that it is in Guardian which has much less action compression. Rogue and seeker have much better action compression options, so if you remove those you end up with Guardian, Mystic, and Survivor which gives this quite a few good homes. Solid, fair and balanced card which is very good to see in designs.
I see your point but in my opinion you're undervaluing key components of the card. A double is inherently restrictive in when you can play it, so it should promise some extra versatility/value in use. Task Force does this by proving 1 net action, as you said, but also a testless clue AND (the best part about the card) the fact that it can be used on anyone. This allows you to structure interesting turns, where one player who is locked down by a treachery may allow another investigator to take 6 actions and keep the game moving. It's great value in solo guardian, but more fun with more players. I'd disagree about it being easier to use because it complicates turn sequencing and you can solve terrible situations with it in ways you would never think from first glance. I also disagree on it being boring because its simplicity on the card (action on a card, move, clue) leads to so many varied uses in practice. Another example is guardian + amanda, who can get very powerful turns with the right skill under her. Using task force on her lets her move without wasting one of her actions and then activate an investigate ability to get extra out of her deduction. If you've ever played carson with another investigator with very valuable actions, then you'll see the power of it. Also, guardian WaH is much better than seeker WaH
This is good for doing things on your turn as a fighter without an enemy, giving an action to your cluever. But this has another home; with Tony or Skids in a Chuck Fergus deck.
My 5 favs are
5. Matchbox. This does so much work and can help out other investigators. A real staple
4. Ancestral token. For a fighter using blesses, nothing is more consistent at piling up the bag with them.
3. Long shot. Every you say about this i agree with.
2. Spectral razor 2 and Read the signs 2. Just so good if you have anyway of pulling the tokens you want.
1. Bewitching. Basically makes the dirty fighting archetype come alive because you can get DF out immediately. Playing a dirty skids atm with it and its fun.
British Bulldog. It's a fun card I can't help and try to slot in every rogue who could take it. Ignoring Aloof isn't game breaking, but it's a nice quality of life gameplay addition that helps progress some scenarios.
Chemistry set is actually even better on higher difficulty if you play it with Lab coat. You’ll very probably fail by a lot, then active the Lab Coat and get 2 ressources and a clue almost every turn. Word case you actually pass the test without the lab coat
You almost had one card per class! Kinda shows how well-rounded the box was. I could easily replace British Bull Dog or Bewitching with one of the 2 Seekers you listed (though both are great too)
I would also have Steady-Handed, Chemistry Set and Long Shot on my top 5. My other two would probably be Hunting Jacket (incredible utility in smoothing out soak and economy), and my boring pick is Blessed Blade 4, which has just become my go to XP weapon for guardians. One handed for only 3 cost (obviously 4 XP) for such a consistent weapon is just really strong. It has made parallel Zoey maybe my favorite pure fighter in the game.
Justin, I frequently disagree with you on these videos. Not in major ways, but in smaller ways. But you really nailed this video from my perspective. Chemistry Set is easily my favorite card from this expansion. I'm not saying it's busted powerful or anything, but it is heckin' fun. And yeah, you do get a lot of value from it throughout the scenario. And Steady Handed? I just wish there was a way for me to take it on rogues. Also fun, because tinkering with numerical values is very fun for me. Task Force also would have made my top 5. Is it super strong? Well, nah. But I love drawing that card and I know it's going to do good things when I get to play it.
I know Trick to the Plan would have made my top 5. I'm not sure what the 5th would have been. Probably another Double card (the Seeker one to investigate all connected locations, most likely) as I really enjoy those.
Chemistry set also takes an action to play, so you'd really need it to hit 3 times for it to "pay out". I think my problem with the card is mostly that it pays out things that seekers don't really have problems with anyways, cards and resources. And it's difficult to get it to actually accelerate clues like you'd like, especially without steady handed. Like you're a seeker, even if you aren't drowning in resources from Milan or cards from Kirby/Carillo, you can always just Book v Shroud and you're still doing fine so I only really see one of those "hits" as being all that worth it. I ran a deck with it and never really ended up putting it down as a result.
@@andrewrobson9363 Nah man, it hits incredibly common at 4 even without Steady Handed.
@@PlayingBoardGames Maybe my bag luck is just worse than yours then haha. I rarely seem to pull 0s.
@@andrewrobson9363 I tend to build any deck I have with Chemistry Set to easily get up 6 as needed. It helps with the bag on Standard to hit a lot. You gotta trust the science, but science rewards. 🤓
I think with Longshot, I just wish it had at least one icon either a fist or a foot.
If you have access to Survivor, you can have guaranteed protection for your chemistry set with Granny Orne (0).
I need to play Arkham again. I keep getting distracted by shiney things…
Let me tell ya', Steady-Handed + Katana Joe Diamond is not a meme.
recently ran steady handed with katana on roland, worked great on mitigating the horror he took from encounters and monsters. unfortunately though katana is just sort of mid
Long shot being practiced along with Girish not being a detective is very upsetting
Long shoting an enemy sounds practiced, not very innate
@@ETiDeQuenVesSendo sounds a lot like a gambit to me
@@joeyrobson3677 How is it a gambit? A gambit is either a risk taken to try to turn a situation around, or a strategy which serves to set you up for future success.
I don't really see how Long Shot qualifies, since it's taking advantage of a situation where you already have the advantage (as a rider on a successful test). I guess throwing a brick is creative, and there's a bit of an implication of creativity in the term gambit, but you might also be skilled at throwing stones.
does task force allow me to use the two-action sledgehammer attack without paying the cost?
The audio is leading the video by a small amount FYI.