Brought on by some recent circumstances, I've been thinking about what characters just aren't good, for one reason or another, against any specific Ancient One or Herald. Here are just some I've come up with.

For those of you still worried about Innsmouth,

*POSSIBLE INNSMOUTH SPOILERS*

Ghatanothoa stymies characters like Patrice, Trish, or (especially) Rex, for different reasons. It'll be very hard to pass Trish's story without getting anyone devoured, and Rex is just paralyzed.

Speaking of Rex, his story is a losing proposition against Yibb-Tstill. Possible, as Tibs was kind enough to point out, but highly improbable. You probably don't want to complete Akachi's story against him. Finn, whose game plan probably includes very little fighting, doesn't have a lot of fun here.

The personal stories of Dexter, Mihn or Daisy are quite stymied by Y'Golonac.

Glaaki laughs at easily devoured investigators, like Silas, Amanda or Tommy. And can trash Joe's story, if you're unlucky.

Good luck completing the personal story of Finn, Rita or George against Abhoth, Nyarlathotep or Rhan-Tegoth. Or watch it against Yig or Eihort.

Tsathoggua makes the stories of Mary, William, Lola or Leo a good deal more frustrating.

Norman's pretty well SOL against Azathoth.

Cthugha puts to waste the stat specialty of Joe, Rita or Finn.

Cthulhu terrifies all six 3 sanity characters. (So does Quachil.)

*END SPOILERS*

Jack cries himself to sleep at night if the Dark Pharoah is the herald.

Yog-Sothoth makes any of the classic "in gate" people, like Gloria or Jim, tear their hair out in frustration.

Rex never did like Yig.

That's all for now. What can you guys find?

flamethrower49 said:

With a large enough team, Trish should still be okay. You can always just pick up one of the two clues on a location, and leave the other for later.

Atlach-Nacha makes Mandy's story impossible.

Bokrug can be a pain for Akachi's story, since you may well not want to hold off on spending gates to pay off the Beings of Ib until she has 3 trophies herself.

cim said:

I didn't know that.

It had never occured to me that picking up clue tokens was optional, I've always played it as automatic.

Similarly when a clue is placed on a location with an investigator, I just play it lands on the character.

- Mariana the ex-nun cultist

flamethrower49 said:

I always found that, whatever the big baboo or even the herald is, Drake sucks. No reason. He just does. He became the target of every jokes in our games. Like during the random pick up of invests (two per players, you choose) : "no way ! i even prefer to play Duke on its own than Drake !"

Even with Expert Occultist and lots of spells, I think he sucks.

I'll second that opinion It all the same what you throw at him, he ALWAYS manages to suck big time also in our games...

pahapasi said:

Thirded.

Of course I do single random investigators, so can't ignore DD. "You drew him, you play him", to go along with the lines from KODT.

I used to really dislike Dexter, mostly for background and story reasons, but he became a favourite when I played him in the aborted on-line game in the Old Forum. I still think of him as carrying on a continuous (mostly) inner conversation with himself, sometimes with his hat and scarf on his hand like a ventroliquists doll.

- Mariana the ex-nun cultist

cim said:

Actually Trish's personal story card says she has to get two clues in an encounter, not by picking up clue tokens on the board. Also, where in the rules did you get the idea that an Investigator can choose how many clue tokens he picks up when he stops in a location?

Solan said:

"Any time an investigator ends his movement in a location
that contains Clue tokens, he may immediately take
any or all of those Clue tokens." (p. 8)

Solan said:

Yes, but she fails it if a gate opening takes two or more clues off the board at once, so someone needs to go and either pick them up, or perhaps with Ghatanothoa, reduce the pile to one.

She's still at risk when actually meeting her own pass condition, but it need not be putting everyone else at risk trying to avoid her failing.

I like Dexter - he's fast, his Lore of 5 is sufficient, and his arsenal of spells (including Shrivelling) is awesome.

Ok, while Rita, Joe, and Finn hurt against Cthagua, they can still make use of their speed specialty, they all have some stamina they can tank if they need to. Alternatively, they can have their sneak higher the whole game with little penalty, so still good for them.

Dexter's not the greatest, admitted. And his personal story is *hard*, it seems. That or I've had spectacularly bad luck completing it. Even so, I have a soft spot for the guy, and coming with a Shrivelling always gives him some points in my book. He'll have good spells, and that's a plus. Dexter shines best with more expansions so he can get the really juicy awesome spells. In base game he's just plain lame.

Also tough to complete the storys of Rita et all against Nyarlathotep, who has cultists, but they are Endless. Not an impossible endeavor, but in Rita's case it involves getting John Legrasse (+2 will) for a payoff of +1 will. It seems almost superfluous after that =). These guys also have problems agaisnt the Tzulcha Herald (Evasive, -3 cultists).

Wendy is a little harsh against Cahaur Faughn

Hank/Jenny/Diana's storys while harsh in general, are doubly so against Hastur.

Trish can be torpedoed by Dagon's Plans in Motion, or against Zhar, or Zhar and Dagon.

Shub is a bane to anyone with monster-kill missions.

KiY blights Meriam Beecher and The Dean destroy spellcasters.

cim said:

On the other hand, that means the DOR track is a little less active. But if you want to be technical, she can still pass.

Kate Withrop will still prevent gates from opening against Atlach-Nacha. But otherwise, who the hell really wants to be Changed, and then plop the Great Seal on a location and hope for five hits?

Tibs said:

Except Mandy's PS Pass requires 5 bounces from elder signs (DOR specifically uses "or investigator ability" as an additional clause). Great Seal (or whatever from KH) would work.

What's the deal with Rex (or Press Pass) vs Ghatanothoa? If X gains 1 Clue and then gains 1 from ability/item, are those 1 incident of gain or 2?

Carolyn Fern is probably not a good choice for Innsmouth Sentinel.

If you are playing against Yibb-Still and draw the Oliver Thomas Blight, you should probably abandon your hopes for a sealing victory, unless you have some Elder Signs, Parchment thereof, or Akachi.

I managed to Pass Trish's PS on the first turn yesterday, hit the Unnamable with 4 Clues (2 from start, 1 there + Press Pass), then drew the double your clues, if you get more than 3, Cursed. Of course she was Cursed, and would in fact remain Cursed the whole game (not that 7 Mythos cards, or 6 turns is that long really). Yet she dove in and sealed a R'lyeh gate at the Esoteric Order of Dagon. Sadly, her Curse got her arrested due to Martial Law, but both times she got 2 Clues and delayed encounter among her choices.

HëllRÆZØR said:

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