Undimensioned and Unseen Preview

When it comes to board games I am quite an addict. I read rules for fun, check for new games on regular basis and read forums related to all my favorite games. Some of them multiple times per day (I hope my manager does not read this blog ;) ).

I regularly open FFG main page to check for updates. I was very thrilled to see another expansion pack announced - Undimensioned and Unseen.

 

I don’t like to spoil myself even a tiniest bit of encounter deck. I love, however, to read preview of new player cards. This time we were presented with 2 new cards, which seems quite a standard practice of Fantasy flight Games.

"Turn left! I meant right!"

 

Quick Thinking is a very thematic card, which continues to build an interesting archetype of Rogue investigators as decisive, adaptive and versatile (all of their skill cards so far feature a Wild icon!). It also expands the idea of extra action, as well as succeeding by 2 or more (both being mostly related to the Rogue class). Its biggest strength is having multiple of possible uses, one of which (interrupting a turn of fellow investigator to help them with an enemy).

There is a slight drawback/cost. Technically speaking the card does help with passing the test. However to use it primarily for this purpose is a waste of card’s potential (although when it’s desperately needed, it’ll be used as poor man’s unexpected courage). In order to get the extra action you need to succeed by 2, which means, you need to overcommit to a test (and unless you have a way to control the draw of Chaos Token, overcommit by a wide margin). This means spending cards and/or resources. So in fact, it would mean it’s just a way of turning them into extra action through the use of Quick Thinking. Action is of course not equal an action, sometimes they are more valuable and Quick Thinking helps to get one, when it’s most urgently needed (bit like Shortcut, though both also feature tricks of their own). Another scenario is, where you actually want to succeed by a wide margin (.41 Derringer, for instance). Also note, that when used by the active investigator it nicely stacks with Opportunist.

This is exactly kind of design I’m looking for – thematic, encouraging team playing and presenting with multiple options, both for deckbuilding and playing. I am very keen to put it in my deck, just need to be patient.

I have mixed feelings for Rite of Seeking (Level 4). I wouldn’t like the character’s development to move in a direction, where simply the difficulty of skill checks grows and so does the skill value. Consider two scenarios. In the first scenario, you fight a monster with Fight value of 3, having combat of 5. In the second one monster with Fight value of 7 is faced by investigator with Combat of 9. They are not really different, are they? It does not create a new experience or any interesting choices.

On the other hand, such cards seem to be necessary and playing their role. First of all, they encourage specialization. You need the team fighter with high Combat, to take down the monster with fight value of 7 (to continue using my previous combat-related example), fragile Seeker can handle less and less enemies on his own. And specialization also contributes to importance of team work. Moreover, on the deck-building level you need to decide – do I take stronger Rite of Seeking or a stronger Shrivelling (not there yet, but kinda bound to happen)? Which side of my character should I boost? 

What do you think about the recent preview?