Is it just me, or does Conspiracy Theorist change the entire meta-game? Suddenly it is essential to address CT in every deck build, and if you are going with a "mill deck" (make your opponent empty their draw deck) you should really include CT in your build.

Or am I making too much of this? Is there enough targeted combat/insanity that CT can be dealt with readily?

It looks like a very tedious but usefull card; of course, without proper testing, none can say how effective is it in reality.

On first inspection, I like this card. It adds a bit of randomness to the game. And now offers a reason to have conspiracies in your deck.

I have yet to try it out in a game though.

It does seem to be a rather forced effort in which to make conspiracies valid.

I do love the potenial of conspiracies I just wish a more nuanced effort was made to make them playable.

It could have some effect on the meta but it's a dangerous gambit. If your opponent has won 3 stories or more

and you've got your 3 stories or more but no conspiracy then Theorist leaving play or going insane or text box

blanking on the opponents turn wins the game for'em. It effectively keeps both of you from winning until the

Theorist is nixed. Having Conspiracies in your deck doesn't automatically mean you'll win them. It's a 50/50

proposition unless you hold'em until you have a decided advantage and even then it's sketchy. I believe that

there's enough removal and such even in the LCG to handle the potenial of the Theorist.

CT may give a discard deck (shakey in the LCG) a turn or two which could make the difference.

My conclusion is that CT will not make a major impact on the competitive scene. Maybe Worlds

will reveal its' potenial?

Hybrid said:

the only playable conspiracy is the one that forces characters with cost 2 or lower to commit to it (even in mixed format). The rest of conspiracies is not useful in any meaningful way.

About the CT - very irritating card. Shub can somehow deal with it - either gug, or antarctic yeti, or even Ygolanac to drive him insane, Yog - well, only a single glimpse, and perhaps, path of blood (now I think we all now why path of blood was printed int the first place). Hastur - only bringer of fire, perhaps ghastly regiment. Cthulhu - no problem here - we have DOA, sac. offerings, called by azathoh(which, I believe, is quite a good card, not as good as the isle, but still playable). Agency - no problem, they will shoot him.

MU and syndicate - that's where the problem begins. And yog - path of blood is to narrow card, to put it into your deck. In lcg format, how many neutral characters will you have in your deck? (I don't know, seriously - I play only mixed format). So what should those 3 factions do about CT?

Summing up - some deck factions, unless they play with conspiracies, will have a VERY hard time dealing with CT.

It's true, if you limit yourself to these 3 factions and don't run conspiracies you will be quite subceptible to CT.

If a pet deck or faction is being owned by CT I'd suggest adjusting to a dual faction deck rather than a mono.

At this point I can't suggest running Conspiracies, only if you must. Of course you can always win your

opponents' conspiracey. Often times in collectible or expandable games you are forced to adjust to the

changing environment. It is unfortunate that those factions have little if no resistance to a single card

that can effectively cripple their chances of competing.

Perhaps more thought should have been given to its' creation.

Urban said:

Hybrid said:

Yes, it is a shame there wasn't three playtester saying over and over how bad of a card it was and offering numerous suggestions for a better ability, like giving him extra icons at a conspiracy or he could choose the order of the icon struggles, over and over. That would have helped things, by gum!

Sort of reminds me of Platinum Angel of M:tg fame with a twist.

And I sort of like conspiracies.

I do think Hybrid reflexion is the good one. even if this card could drive the meta to some changes, there is still the possibility to win the conspiracy for the guy who face a deck with this CT.

The whole new "skill lowering strategy" from Synd and the "token rumbling thing" from MU" should take advantage on the use of any other conspiracy than negotium perambulans tenebris !! This card just forces the opponent to play a single strategy, and the fact that it allows milling is interestingenough to introduce it in a deck.

Urban said there was no possibility for Synd to handle this : Driving the character insane, Shooting or Returning to hand can be useful (low Blow, vengeful mob in LCG environnement and some stuffs like Dry Gulch in CCG/mixed), as you only need to have him disapear once you have your three stories to win .

The MU case is still problematic IMO, as the LCG doesn't offer any possibilty to fight this threat !

Well, in general Miskatonic has a tough time, so no news there

In response to Donald7, I think Conspiracy Theorist is quite powerful the way he is - given more abilities he would be overpowering. Just his existence will create a change in the meta-game at any serious tournament. All deck builders must be aware that he might be lurking around the corner, and anyone hoping to deck their opponent will certainly employ him.

I've had a milling+discard deck for awhile now that I love to play with. It's always been a challenge to balance the fight for the stories with the discard aspect, but when I read this card, i instantly put three copies of him in there.

The odd thing though, is that in my play tests against my other decks, he hasn't made a huge impact. I think it could be just because those other decks all have some sort of wounding/insanity aspect to them. What usually happens is that the other deck has 3+ stories won and then CT goes insane or dies or something just before I'm able to empty the other deck. Pretty close race.

If I can ever remember to do so when I get home, I'll upload said deck for your perusal.

TheProfessor said:

These were 'instead of' abilites, not 'in addition to'. His current ability is too powerful and forces the use of Conspiracies, the only way to get them to be played.

Am I the only one who thinks people are overreacting a bit?

Firstly you have to draw and play the Theorist, then your own conspiracy to win (which could be buried who knows how deep in your deck). You could be buying yourself time to gain control of the board while you wait to reach your win condition, true, but if your opponent has the story cards to win, all it takes is a single well placed card effect that causes insanity, wounding, return to hand . . .

I can see how it's definitely something to worry about on a metagame level, but nothing about it screams "broken" to me.

It would be preferable if there were more playable conspiracies in the LCG environment, though.

I too think Conspiracy Theorist can be dealt with, but is so strong that it must be dealt with. In a way, you only have to draw them before the game is over. Plenty of time to find 2 cards inserted thrice each.

It is a bit heavy handed in its specificity. But if it said, you must play your favorite card to win, players wouldn't perhaps so much mind. Instead it feels like, "we will make you play conspiracies, even if they's not popular."

I give the theorist a big thumbs up. I love Felicia Cano's 28 cards from AE to Professor of Archeology and beyond. Cano is as much a mainstay as any cthulhu illustrator. And this card looks sweet. Her type of character with more of that lapis blue on neutral that works so well for countless neutral cards. And he's powerful and controversial. But, worth saying twice, heavy handed.

PRODIGEE said:

I was thinking more about LCG only environment. In mixed killing/returning to hand a character with no combat, willpower, toughness and 2 skill is not a problem.

And I like (to my suprise) the latest conspiracy from 6th AP, looks like a nice trick if you badly want a story's effect to take place.