Hello all!

As is tradition, I come to the group with questions.

Firstly, when an Ally card reads "Gain +1 [skill]" does that count as improving that skill with an Improvement token? And if so, would that token be removed if the Ally were ever lost?

Or is a skill strictly only improved when a text reads "Improve [skill]"?

And secondly, do similar effects from Assets stack? I saw in the Reference that only the highest numbered skill modifier on Assets is used in combat, but any additional effects can be used. But does that apply to using 2 effects of the same kind? For example, if an investigator had 2 items that both read "You may reroll 1 die when resolving a [strength] test during a Combat Encounter", could they get 2 re-rolls? And outside of combat, if someone has 2 items that both give 1 Cue after defeating a monster, would they get 2 clues after the encounter?

Answers inline.

Firstly, when an Ally card reads "Gain +1 [skill]" does that count as improving that skill with an Improvement token? And if so, would that token be removed if the Ally were ever lost?

A skill bonus from an ally is independent of that from an improvement token. As long as you have the ally, you have the bonus to that skill. For example, if you have the Hired Muscle ("Gain +1 Strength") and you have also improved strength twice, then all told you would have +3 Strength.

Or is a skill strictly only improved when a text reads "Improve [skill]"?

Correct - improvement tokens are only gained when it says to improve a skill.

And secondly, do similar effects from Assets stack? I saw in the Reference that only the highest numbered skill modifier on Assets is used in combat, but any additional effects can be used. But does that apply to using 2 effects of the same kind? For example, if an investigator had 2 items that both read "You may reroll 1 die when resolving a [strength] test during a Combat Encounter", could they get 2 re-rolls?

In cases such as this, you get two re-rolls.

And outside of combat, if someone has 2 items that both give 1 Cue after defeating a monster, would they get 2 clues after the encounter?

Not clear here. If you mean, would you get 2 clues after a combat encounter in which you defeated a monster, then yes.

Thanks for the clarification.

I figured that's how allied skills were used, but it can sometimes be easy to lose track of all the Asset bonuses so I thought it would be easier to use an Improvement token. But I guess that would be problematic if the ally were ever lost. Plus, like you said, this way the ally bonuses can add more skills on top of the +2 Improvement max.

And I'm glad to hear that the extra effects are cumulative. I certainly won't say no to any re-re-rolls.