Miskatonic Univeristy - New Player Cards (vol I)

Hello again, my dear readers! Based on your reactions posts about investigators build a good and needed cycle. However every now and then it’s good (and necessary since we’re running out of investigators anyway) to write about a different subject. The recent release of Miskatonic University creates an opportunity and need to share my thoughts about the new player cards.

There are 13 new cards – 2 neutral ones, 2 for each class and a whopping 3 new Survivor cards (2 out of them use the new exile mechanic introduced in Dunwich Legacy rules).

A first glance over the cards made me quite optimistic already – they seem to be on the stronger end of the spectrum and one can easily see a game play situation/deck they would fit well. Even the ones I don’t particularly fancy still seem to have good uses and match particular play styles.

I do not plan to have a very detailed look at all of them, would like to make some general points about them instead - particularly the ones that might be less obvious. I have chosen 2 cards to describe in more details in a separate post – Song of Dead and Brother Xavier.

Guardian cards seem to be an attempt at creating different Guardian sub-types. Emergency Aid not only provides an enormous boost for existing allies (more uses of for Beat Cop [2] and Guard Dog), which is rather obvious. It also delivers yet another healing card in Guardian’s arsenal. And since they are usually paired with low-Stamina characters, it is an additional opportunity for a support/healer role to be added to Guardian characters. You can read more about the sub-classes in upcoming post.

It's bit funny to use Pathfinder for extra movements... in a museum

Seekers are given yet another quick movement card. I guess this is the direction designers wish to develop the class. I’ve got a Plan on the other hand (sort of along Whoops) is another of the cards that provide some means of fighting to less-fighting classes. Such cards are not only necessary to make solo playing enjoyable, but also do not disturb overall class archetype too much, while making deckbuilding far more interesting. After all, these are only singular cards. They do not allow to consistently deal with monsters, but rather to manage “back to the wall” circumstances or give them something to do, when team is facing a “boss” enemy. Their existence also arranges for another layer of decision making – should I keep the card for later and ask my team fighter to relieve me now? Or should I rather use it now, to allow him to do some other job he’s currently busy with?). Both of these cards are very strong, so Seekers (and Roland) get a substantial boost.

I have mixed feelings about the Adaptable card. This comes back to my approach to the game. I like to treat it as a role-playing experience. Granted, it’s easiest during first run of the campaign and somehow manageable during next few runs. And it is definitely getting much harder afterwards. You can’t make yourself forget content of the cards, resolutions etc. Therefore, willingly or not, you do plan your actions based on the knowledge you’ve gained. However, using Adaptable for the purpose of deck changing, in order to adjust it to scenarios feels… well a bit like cheating. As very well pointed out by KP The Aficionado (link to the whole great article at the end of the post) – if you decide to swap level 0 cards, you might as well take Adaptable, so it’s cost-effectiveness is terrific. Contraband is yet another Rogue – support card, slightly underpowered in order not to become grotesquely overpowered in the future, when some multi-use asset comes into the card pool. 

I am a big fan of teamwork cards.

Mystic is my beloved class and yet again they got really awesome cards! Delve to Deep is easily my favorite card in the whole set. First of all, it is incredibly thematic. It reminds of Lovecraft characters, who decide to pursuit the blasphemous knowledge despite knowing that curiosity might lead to their demise. Further on, it builds on Mystic’s tendency to deal a lot with the encounter deck (Ward of Protection, Drawn to the Flame, Scrying…). Lastly, it has a very unique and powerful effect! Great stuff! And in the later stage of the campaign it can easily be replaced, as experience gets less and less important (cards bought in the beginning of the campaign stay with you for its whole duration, while the ones acquired later for fewer scenarios).

In a popular vote for the best card of the mythos pack
held among all the Shuffle's authors
Delve Too Deep won, getting 100% votes!

Survivor cards deserve mostly few words about the exile mechanic. I am a big fan, as it adds yet another layer of decision making. They also seem to have a reasonable cost and extremely thematic uses (designers even considered a very role-playing aspect of the fire extinguisher – using it as a blunt weapon – truly a nice touch!). The 0 level card is rather on the weaker side, though one might see a good use for it, particularly in bigger teams, more prone to have multiple enemies at one location.

Important note - if you don't find an ally you DO NOT exile Flare

Last, but not least, the neutral cards. It becomes quite clear to me now, there are 2 categories of neutral cards. The first category encompasses staple cards, needed, or at least very useful for investigators of every class (and pretty much everyone) – 5 double icon skill cards, Emergency Caches etc. The other one includes cards that are weaker than their class – restricted friends. You use them to have some means of covering your class’ weaker sides or just for the synergy/combo related benefits (think: Knife, clearly an inferior weapon to any Guardian stuff). The two new neutral assets clearly belong to the latter one, providing a weaker way of healing or a combo opportunity for Agnes (possibly more of clever synergies will show up in the future).

So we’re 2 expansions in and so far Mystics got almost exclusively strong cards, while other classes more of a hit and miss ones. The class ideas are getting clearer with each pack and I’m already biting my fingernails impatiently waiting for next cards.

What are your favorite new cards? Which one do you consider the strongest? Let me know in the comments section!And definitely check out Delve Too Deep's post about the new cards.

Addendum: Here is the second part of DTD's analysis (with quit few guests on board.

 All images are courtesy of cardgamedb.com and fantasyflightgames.com

Jenny Barnes: The Dilletante

Jenny is a character, who has had the smallest personal Mythos related experience (hence her “occupation”). It is limited to learning about a bizarre disappearance of her sister. She’s been presented as a daring, adventurous and self-confident woman. An important part of her image consists also of being both rich and charismatic. 

Legacy: Jenny’s design has always been centered on her wealth – be it seemingly infinite amount of money in Arkham Horror or high influence and an asset acquiring related ability in Eldritch. She was also given fairly fight – leaning stats (which is only slightly kept in AH:TCG through her signature card).

Old Jenny graphic is bit to slutty for my taste¹

Skill values: She has a surprising set of all-average stats. While it makes it hard for her to be very proficient easily at any area, she has quite some ways of adapting (very rogue-ish thing, ain’t it?). You must approach the stats in connection with her deckbuilding options and the special ability – they allow hr to use lots of different, even very expensive assets to boost her stats. She can be designed to fit almost any role in the team, as well as play a wild card, if desired. This is why her skills are on the stronger side, despite (usually detrimental) lack of specialization.  

While I would expect her design to be more consistent with the previous installments of Arkham Files, it provides an interesting and thematic twist to the idea of character. Her adaptability and wealth come stronger into picture, putting more of an individual mark.

Strength

Theme

New graphics - guns and hat are still around
And so classy!

 
Special Ability: Like most of the Dunwich characters, Jenny possesses a strong special ability. An additional resource each turn is pretty much a free action each turn. On one hand, it’s true, that taking a resource is bit of a slightly subpar action. On the other, it is an action, which usefulness might come in handy delayed – a free move action is either useful this turn or not at all and hence completely wasted. Free resource might pay off in 2-3 turns. It also opens new deck-building capabilities (as already mentioned before). You should definitely consider it, when building Jenny’s deck in many ways – you can take more expansive assets, use a lot of “spend resource” talents (Hard Knocks etc.), maybe give up on Emergency Cache’s?

Jenny’s ability is quite a straightforward design choice, once again – like in Rex’ case – nicely tied with her original Arkham Horror ability.

Jenny’s Elder Sign effect is one of many “+ a lot” effects, hardly useful, though due to the link with resources, rather thematic.  

Strength

Theme

Signature Cards: Jenny gets a very powerful weapon. +2 paired with her decent Combat and some ways to improve it (Hard Knocks, Physical Training) she can become a formidable fighter. And topped with Double or Nothing! it can easily deal some damage in one action. Unfortunately it’s only one card in a deck and Jenny has a hard time getting all the extra buffs for damage (Vicious Blow) with limited capabilities for Guardian cards. So she still has a hard time being the main fighter.

The pistols have two main drawbacks. Firstly, they have limited uses. This is a minor drawback, as they have one bullet for each resource you spend, when playing the card – and you can expect Jenny to have plenty! If planned right, she can have enough ammo for the remaining of a scenario. The biggest drawback is taking 2 hand slots. It is not a huge issue if despite Jenny’s limitation you design her as the main fighter. However it comes in a way, if you plan to use some other items – Flashlight or Magnifying Glass for investigating, for instance. And in all honestly, I don’t think she’s best suited to be the main fighter, hence her weapon, while having its merits, is also a bit problematic.

Since Arkham Times players around the globe see Jenny with her favorite guns in her hands. I enjoy using them a lot, since it really does feel like being Jenny just as much as the extra resources do. They are neatly tied with her resources ability (having a consistent character design is always a plus in my book).

All The Dunwich Signature cards use the same pattern for the skill icons.

Jenny’s weakness is for me a place where theme unfortunately won with the pure game. Why? Well, the card is incredibly thematic – not only because of the relation with Jenny’s story and relating it to her original personal story mission from Arkham Horror. It is also thematically harsh – you need to go to the farthest location, spend time investigating and do it well enough to convince Jenny her sister is not there. For sure. Nothing was overlooked. Keep going.

I believe the weakness is too harsh, though. It requires spending at least 2-3 actions for running to the location. On the way Jenny¹ might be forced to deal with enemies she would have otherwise skipped. Once there, another 2 actions are spent on an investigation attempt, which might fail (and Jenny is not a master of investigation)… The only silver lining is – Jenny can afford a mental trauma if needed, but it’s hardly a significant comfort.

Strength

Theme

Deckbuilding/Class: Out of all Dunwich characters Jenny seems to suffer the most. Rogue deck has some pretty cool cards, increasing the efficiency of actions (Opportunist, Double or Nothing, Elusive) or second choice weapon (.41 Derringer). However they lack any means of investigating and basically any reliable means to consistently perform decently at any area. She can attain some level of competence with the out of class cards, but it usually feels bit subpar. She does still feel bit stronger than Skids due to far higher adaptability, though. I strongly advise to take some talents, depending on the needs to make best use out of her special ability. Biggest strength of her options are many, many directions you can take when designing her deck.

I don’t feel Jenny fitting the shoes of a Dunwich character too strongly. I would expect her to have some wider choice of cards due to her flexibility as well as riches. Seems like a missed opportunity to me.

Strength

Theme

Jenny is a very thematic character, with perhaps the most interesting design of all of her Arkham Files incarnations. She also seems to personalize the Rogue archetype better than her ex-con colleague, as she can play any required role with solid efficiency or act as a versatile support character. She has a very high replayability, as she offers multiple different builds. I hope expanding card pool will make her even more playable.

Strength

Theme

¹ Why do so many female characters be necessarily sexy? I understand most of the gamers are man,but does anyone buy a game because of suggestive graphics of woman? REALLY?

² Or, technically speaking, another investigator. Why does Jenny believe that they did everything they could and looked very carefully for all the possible evidence? I guess the trust in the team is a huge one.