If no one else is gonna do it, I guess I’ll put my neck out there on the block. Axes on the left, clubs on the right, try to stay organized, eh?

This is going to be LONG…which is probably why everyone balked at actually attempting to do it…which means I am either clearly insane, or I just love being a martyr. I’ll just list their names in the opening post, so the sheer mass isn’t repeated on subsequent pages. For later pages, if you want to know why I ranked them this way, check the first page.

48. Vincent Lee, the Doctor
47. Diana Stanley, the Redeemed Cultist
46. Luke Robinson, the Dreamer
45. Charlie Kane, the Politician
44. George Barnaby, the Lawyer
43. Sister Mary, the Nun
42. Minh Thi Phan, the Secretary
41. Dexter Drake, the Magician
40. Amanda Sharpe, the Student
39. William Yorick, the Gravedigger
38. Skids O'Toole, the Ex-Convict
37. Gloria Goldberg, the Author
36. Jim Culver, the Musician
35. Mark Harrigan, the Soldier
34. Monterey Jack, the Archaeologist
33. Silas Marsh, the Sailor
32. Ashcan Pete, the Drifter
31. Kate Winthrop, the Scientist
30. Patrice Hathaway, the Violinist
29. Finn Edwards, the Bootlegger
28. Agnes Baker, the Waitress
27. Michael McGlen, the Gangster
26. Norman Withers, the Astronomer
25. Rita Young, the Athlete
24. Bob Jenkins, the Salesman
23. Tony Morgan, the Bounty Hunter
22. Jenny Barnes, the Dilettante
21. Hank Samson, the Farmhand
20. Harvey Walters, the Professor
19. Lola Hayes, the Actress
18. Marie Lambeau, the Entertainer
17. Akachi Onyele, the Shaman
16. Wilson Richards, the Handyman
15. Jacqueline Fine, the Psychic
14. Lily Chen, the Martial Artist
13. Zoey Samaras, the Chef
12. Joe Diamond, the Private Eye
11. Leo Anderson, the Expedition Leader
10. Trish Scarborough, the Spy
9. Ursula Downs, the Explorer
8. Tommy Muldoon, the Rookie Cop
7. Roland Banks, the Fed
6. Rex Murphy, the Reporter
5. Wendy Adams, the Urchin
4. Carolyn Fern, the Psychologist
3. Daisy Walker, the Librarian
2. Darrell Simmons, the Photographer
1. Mandy Thompson, the Researcher

UNGH! This was DIFFICULT. It was bad enough trying to do the AOs, but the Investigators have infinitely more layers to attempt to quantify: stats, abilities, possessions, etc. I really tried to be as objective as I could, but we all have a different sum of experiences with each of these guys ‘n’ gals, so I’m sure my stank is splattered all over this.

The one factor I really didn’t know how to handle was their Personal Stories. In some cases, this may make or break the character, but not everyone owns or plays with them. Plus, there could be spoilers involved, and I despise those. So I rated the gang as if without their Personal Stories, and then added a small qualifying blurb at the end as to what the PS could mean to their gameplay in a somewhat less-spoilery way.

Alright, let’s take it from the bottom, 48 to 41:

48. Vincent Lee, the Doctor . I like Vincent! I really do. But I have to admit he often requires very specific cards to shine above a certain ordinariness. He’s slow, he’s not a great fighter, he doesn’t quite have the Sanity to be a great spellcaster, and his greatest asset is a wad of cash while the stores are on the other side of town. His ability is solid, but usually underused because, statistically, Sanity is damaged a lot more than Stamina.
PS: Could be beneficial, but the cost is pretty high. Hard to say that it’s worth it.

47. Diana Stanley, the Redeemed Cultist . Diana is a mismatched Investigator. She has a great Lore for Spells and Tomes, but a low Sanity, so try not to cast/read too much. She has San/Stam recovery and Clue gaining abilities, but they’re dependent on how badly the game is going. She starts with a Silver Twilight Membership, which penalizes her $10 in starting possessions. Toss in a low Speed and Focus, and her appeal is quite niche.
PS: Cost seems too high for end results that are mostly conditional.

46. Luke Robinson, the Dreamer . Luke is an oddball. All that Sanity without a Lore to match, or a Stamina for heavy combat after his easy Horror Checks. Speed and Focus are minimal. His Clue-gaining ability is a bit slight; how often does one go offworld during a game? His Gate Box allows for some clever nasty-dimensional bypassing, but his stats make it difficult for him to close those nasty Gates.
PS: Really? So what?

45. Charlie Kane, the Politician . Charlie’s biggest advantage is his ability to block the Terror Track, but it uses Clues you often don’t want to lose, and there are other ways to keep the Terror Track in check. His Ally ability is seldom used. That leaves his stats—Speed is bad, but combat is decent—and his starting Ally, which is usually good. This candidate just doesn’t live up to his promises.
PS: Very costly and very conditional, but you might be glad you bothered.

44. George Barnaby, the Lawyer . George seems to have a lot of potential, but in execution, he’s so hit-and-miss. He starts with a Retainer, his Clue usage often comes with more guarantee than rolling a die, and preventing arrests in Innsmouth can save quite a few turns. On the other hand, that Retainer may be fleeting, his Clue usage uses Clues, and his stats are unflattering (low Speed, bad combat).
PS: You’ll barely notice it at all.

43. Sister Mary, the Nun . Mary’s ability is like car insurance: it prevents you from having an ability you really want, waiting for that one rare time when you’re glad you have it (Yog). Her stats are quite defensive, which protects her frail Stamina, so try not to get into any fights. Her fixed starting possessions, though thematic, block some chances at better random draws. But there is her Blessing and high Luck.
PS: Outstanding. Accomplish this, and Mary ascends up this list.

42. Minh Thi Phan, the Secretary . Minh’s so much of a team player that she’s absolutely plain without a team. She has good Speed with her Sneak, so she’s okay for infiltration missions, and her Tome gives her enough Clues for a Gate Seal, but after that, without an Ally to give her a marginal boost, she’s a bit blah.
PS: Perhaps a bit too much work to accomplish, and very easy to simply never pass or fail.

41. Dexter Drake, the Magician . Dexter doesn’t really stand out as a spellcaster, even with his good Lore, because his Sanity isn’t quite high enough. But if he sticks to his free Shrivelling…no, he isn’t necessarily all that great in a fight, either (low Will). Dexter excels at being the team courier: he gets around quickly, and provides the best Spells to those that can use them. Perhaps not the most exciting job.
PS: Perfect for elevating Dexter from “magician” to “sorcerer”.

Rankings 40 to 31:

40. Amanda Sharpe, the Student . I think the only reason Amanda keeps landing so far down these lists is because no one knows what to do with her until after a game starts. Her stats are decent (if a bit dull), and a 3 Focus with balanced San/Stam is not bad at all. It’s just that everything after that is such a big gamble, especially now that the Investigator Card decks are so big. One draw from each deck is a roulette spin. Her Skill selection is great, but often sees so little use during the rest of the game.
PS: Not bad, if you can get it. You have a better chance of neither passing nor failing.

39. William Yorick, the Gravedigger . William is something of a one-trick pony, but it’s a pretty good trick. With a good starting draw, he can set himself up as the Street Sweeper in a game, using monster trophies as Clues and removing the really ugly horrors from the Cup permanently. With some good opening trophy draws, Will can have his pick of trophy cash-ins on Turn 1. But he has two sore spots: lousy Speed and Focus.
PS: Possibly the easiest story to pass of all 48.

38. “Skids” O’Toole, the Ex-Convict . Skids has a lot of flavor, but he still smells funny. The first of the low-Will, low-Sanity Investigators, he can be difficult in combat. Worse, he’s slow. But his reroll ability and three starting Clues saves him from being too far down in the sewers.
PS: It’s a somewhat challenging Clue-balancing act, and it seems to be trying to turn Skids into something he probably shouldn’t be.

37. Gloria Goldberg, the Author . Gloria’s just a wee bit underpowered. She’s good at surviving offworld, but not necessarily that great at closing their Gates. Great at Horror Checks, not so great at Combat Checks. With no starting Unique Items, Gloria’s sort of bland.
PS: Almost an afterthought. You were going to fulfill it anyway, but you’ll barely notice that you passed it.

36. Jim Culver, the Musician . I couldn’t put Jim much higher than Gloria, because they have the exact same stats and somewhat similar offworld-survival abilities. But Jim comes with the Golden Trumpet, another Clue, and the Dead Man’s Stomp, which is still a bonus over Gloria even if it’s seldom used.
PS: Requires a bit of luck to accomplish, but doesn’t really change Jim’s style one way or the other.

35. Mark Harrigan, the Soldier . Armed with an awesome free Flamethrower, Mark is all Fight with no Will: it’s hard to roll a blistering Combat Check if you’re already insane. But he is very maneuverable, even at higher Sneaks, and his ability can be fantastic when it activates. He could be a great Gate closer if his Luck was better and his mind wasn’t so fragile.
PS: Infuriating! Kick a man while he’s down, why don’t you?

34. Monterey Jack, the Archaeologist . Monterey suffers from low Will and Sanity, so he’s not well-equipped for fighting even though he comes with a gun. On the other hand, he’s not too bad in surviving offworld and closing Gates, and he slices through the Unique Item deck for often great rewards.
PS: RRRR! So TORN! If Monterey can pass it QUICKLY, it’s worth it. But the longer it takes, the more irritating and stupid it becomes.

33. Silas Marsh, the Sailor . Silas is a strange duck. On land, everything about him says “brawler”. At sea, his +2 skill bonus commands respect. Silas shines on the Kingsport and Innsmouth boards, but unfortunately that glow attracts murky under-dwellers. (Easy solve: don’t play with the Innsmouth board!)
PS: Like many tales o’ the sea, ye have t’ see this one fer yerself.

32. “Ashcan” Pete, the Drifter . Pete is a terrific fighter, one of the best Sneakers, and he starts with Duke and three Clues. But he’s slow with a lousy Focus, starts with very few items, and isn’t the best guy to send offworld. And he’s broke.
PS: You might need more luck than Pete has to even be able to attempt it, but it’s exactly what Pete needs.

31. Kate Winthrop , the Scientist. Kate can take care of herself. She has a decent Sanity for her reading/casting Lore, and to compensate for her low Will. She will never be surprised by a monster she wasn’t ready for, and she will never be delayed by a Gate opening underneath her. However, this may make Kate feel a little unexciting, especially with only 1 Focus, and Innsmouth can make Kate an unfortunate accomplice to the Deep Ones.
PS: A modest challenge with an unpredictable deadline, but worth it.

Rankings 30 to 21:

30. Patrice Hathaway, the Violinist . SIGH…I dare not place Patrice any higher, nor can I conscionably place her any lower. She’s got solid stats, good starting possession spread, and the best Clue-generating and Clue-using abilities available. You cannot lose the game if you play with her. On the other hand…it is very difficult to actually LOSE the game if you play with her. That’s not really a game, is it?
PS: More of the same, and it all depends on how you like/dislike Patrice as to how you feel about that.

29. Finn Edwards, the Bootlegger . Finn has STUFF! And it’s rather hard for him to lose any of it. He’s gonna need that stuff, because all his stats are up in his movement. Finn excels at stealth and infiltration missions, and it would be best if he were never seen by anything going bump in the night.
PS: A bit frivolous.

28. Agnes Baker, the Waitress . Her modest appearance belies a warrior specializing in Combat Spells…well, almost, because her Will and Sanity don’t completely fit that mold. Her ability to use Stamina to take up her spellcasting slack keeps her on the front lines longer, but Agnes has an annoying tendency to need both the Asylum and the Hospital at the same time. The rest of her is a tad mediocre, so at least she starts with a free Wither (at +4) and three Clues.
PS: Plays to her strengths, perfect results.

27. Michael McGlen, the Gangster . Like Mark, Michael seems geared for combat. Unfortunately, these “fighters” have the thinnest of skulls, but at least Michael has a bit of extra Will and a really big gun to compensate for keeping his Will high. He’s fast enough to cover the whole city, but he should stay in this dimension. His ability sees a bit less use than Harvey’s, but it covers for the things the Michael tends to bump into, like Ithaqua, Cthugha, and Overwhelming.
PS: Awesome. How to build a better Michael.

26. Norman Withers, the Astronomer . Norman is all about “being somewhere else”. He can get in and out of Other Worlds quickly with his free Find Gate and high Luck, and he can remove those hard-to-get monsters on a whim after a closure. Good Lore for closing, and starts with three Clues for Sealing. With a decent combat Spell, he can hold his own in a fight. But Norman tends to chip at his Sanity a lot—plan for Asylum visits—and on terrestrial ground, he’s frustratingly slow trying to get to his next Gate.
PS: Brilliant. It’s exactly what Norman’s good at.

25. Rita Young, the Athlete . Rita has an ability that you never want to have to use; like Sister Mary, Rita has the same kind of “unexciting ability” assessment. But Rita has much better stats. She has great Speed and good combat; just keep her on Earth. Her Retainer will help make up for any deficiencies in her starting possessions.
PS: Also a bit unexciting.

24. Bob Jenkins, the Salesman . Bob’s a great fighter. He has an outstanding Will, it’s very easy for him to locate the best guns, and he’s got the Speed to come rushing to anyone’s rescue. His ability can also find lots of cheap utility items that no one would mind having, like Maps, Whiskey, and Research Materials.
PS: Annoying that it plays away from Bob’s strengths, but still isn’t that hard to accomplish.

23. Tony Morgan, the Bounty Hunter . Tony’s also a good fighter, but may require some luck or preparation to make him great. His Handcuffs are a bit of a throwaway; he needs a good weapon. His great Will can cover for his low Sanity, his Luck and starting Clues are good for an early Gate hop and Seal, and he makes fantastic use of monster trophies.
PS: Great theme, but almost nonsensical in its Pass/Fail. Go make a choice and see for yourself.

22. Jenny Barnes, the Dilettante . Jenny has cash, and lots of it. Shopping, hospital bills, mad bombers…cash is the one thing no one thinks they need, until they need it. Coupled with some fine combat and offworld survival stats, the only thing Jenny lacks is Speed, Focus, and starting Clues.
PS: Possibly one of the best stories thematically, and both results are perfect.

21. Hank Samson, the Farmhand . Hank’s the lovable lunk. He’s so much of a brawler, he can completely bypass nasty Horror Checks. (Suck on that, Colours.) He’s fast and tough, and still manages to have a good Sanity. All he lacks is Lore and Will, and why would Hank need them anyway?
PS: Just like Jenny: good theme, perfect ends.

Rankings 20 to 11:

20. Harvey Walters, the Professor . Harvey’s got brains! Sanity is a highly-assaulted target, and Harvey can shrug off the lion’s share of it, and generally absorb what he can’t, such as low-Willed Horror Check failures. By preserving his Sanity from attack, more will be available for spellcasting and reading Tomes, which Harvey excels at. He just needs to compensate for his low Speed, and not take too many physical hits.
PS: A silly scavenger hunt, but so worth it.

19. Lola Hayes, the Actress . Lola’s Improv does the one thing everyone has wished they could do: ditch an unwanted Skill. And keep doing it to apply to various situations and conditions. Even if this is something you find tedious, Lola’s stats are fine by themselves. She can fight, she can cast, and she can run. She just can’t do any of that quietly.
PS: Applause. But it’s a short play, so don’t waste time.

18. Marie Lambeau, the Entertainer . Marie’s a bit of an amateur at spellcasting, and her low Fight and Stamina make her a featherweight at Combat Checks. But the third hand can really take up the slack, especially with all the Combat Spells available. The rest of her stats are solid, so she’s not too slow, and she can handle an offworld jaunt. The ace up her sleeve, though, is that one free Doom Token; that can save games.
PS: Thank you, Grand-mere. It’s just what I wanted.

17. Akachi Onyele, the Shaman . Akachi can keep pursuing your victory conditions when the game does everything it can to hinder Gate Closings. Her starting Gate Trophy can be an early advantage. She’s got a great set of stats, except for a somewhat ironic lack of Luck, considering how much she’s going to be offworld. And her lack of Focus doesn’t make her the best at reacting to unforeseen circumstances.
PS: Spectacular. And by the time you actually pull it off, you’ll be so glad you did.

16. Wilson Richards, the Handyman . Wilson don’t let nothing bother him. He doesn’t need Focus to adjust his above-average stats. He has a Motorcycle to cut through the bad weather. He has a Shotgun to handle the cockroaches. He can bypass any evil location he finds himself in just by painting a nearby fence. “Jack-of-all-Trades, master of none” might not always be exciting, but it’s reliable.
PS: Disenchanting. Costs too much.

15. Jacqueline Fine, the Psychic . Jacqueline has one of the best fortune-changing abilities ever. The problem is it needs Clues that won’t be used for Sealing. If you can keep her “fed”, she can change the game; if not, she can always fall back on her quality stats and her Enchanted Jewelry to cover for her low Stamina, and be an excellent utility player.
PS: Are you serious??? BLEH!

14. Lily Chen, the Martial Artist . Lily is one of the best fighters, because her skill allows her to bypass resistances and immunities with just her Fight. And if combat ever goes bad, her ability allows her to recover. Her stats are all above-average, so she’s an fantastic utility player. The only problem is they completely stiffed her on starting possessions: she’s $10 less than any other Investigator!!!
PS: Useful, but kind of a non-story. You don’t have to do anything!

13. Zoey Samaras, the Chef . Zoey walks a minefield. Her amazing ability to ignore resistances and reduce immunities is tempered by the fact that monsters with such features tend to come with steep Horror Checks, and Zoey is not the greatest at those (at least she has a Cross). Still, none of her stats max out less than 4, and she starts with two Unique Items and four Clues.
PS: Plays to her strengths, and awards accordingly.

12. Joe Diamond, the Private Eye . Joe’s a pile of give-and-take. He starts with three Clues, but he’s not the best at offworld survival. He starts with a great gun, but he also starts with just Common Items. He’s fast and tough with Focus of 3, but he’s stuck with an irritatingly low Will. But, after all that, Joe has one of the best abilities ever. (It’s why they printed it on all the Skills!) With his Clue usage, Joe simply has more successful checks than most.
PS: A little dull. More thematic than useful.

11. Leo Anderson, the Expedition Leader . Leo has the same decent but unexciting stats as Amanda, but his ability to block a point of damage from anywhere once per turn can save a lot of intricate plans from utter collapse. And a free Ally to boot.
PS: Very difficult to complete, but a bit painful to ignore. Our sympathies.

The Top Ten:

10. Trish Scarborough, the Spy . Easily the strangest Investigator to operate, but she adapts to every turn she plays with a great array of mismatched stats. Just having her Will and Fight independent of each other makes her formidable in combat. Her obvious setbacks are her lousy Focus, which hardly matters, and her weak Luck.
PS: Could be a difficult pass. It’s still worth pursuing.

9. Ursula Downs, the Explorer . Ursula has a lot of utility. She has good “active” stats (moving and combat), and a great collection of starting possessions. She can usually make the most of her Encounter Phases, and she can avoid the worst of them. Being able to start anywhere is icing, especially if Dunwich and Innsmouth have lonely Clues.
PS: Not too hard, with excellent returns.

8. Tommy Muldoon, the Rookie Cop . Tommy is all about taking it for the team. His ability lets him move monsters out of the way for other players, and he can easily get his hands on the Deputy’s Patrol Wagon for instant response times to hot spots. Tommy laughs at Innsmouth. His stats and starting possessions are very good at keeping him alive in spite of his recklessness.
PS: “Tommy…he was a good cop.” “No, he was a GREAT cop.”

7. Roland Banks, the Fed . Like a few others, his Stats all max at 4, with one 5. But that 5 is his Will, and that makes Roland very steady in a fight. His starting possessions are a bit sparse, but one of them is an Ally, and he’s got 3 Focus. But what makes Roland so good is his inability to be without Clues or Money.
PS: So easy. Yes, please!!!

6. Rex Murphy, the Reporter . “How can Rex be so high? He’s Cursed!” Because it’s not all that difficult to lose a Curse, and once he does, Rex becomes a Clue Master. And thanks to that Curse, Rex starts with a PILE of stuff. He’s not the best in a fight, but with all those Clues, high Lore, and decent Luck, he should getting his headlines offworld anyway.
PS: Very steep cost, but in the long run, it pays it back.

5. Wendy Adams, the Urchin . A Gate-Sealing machine. Starting with 3 Clues and an Elder Sign, Wendy is usually equipped to seal two Gates by Turn 2. She can slip through the Streets like a whisper, ignoring everything around her. Innsmouth doesn’t believe she actually exists. Wendy should never fight anything ever, but then, she should never need to.
PS: It might stall the use of her Elder Sign, but there are reasons to hold on to it for a while anyway.

4. Carolyn Fern, the Psychologist . At the end of the game, when Sanity is razed and everyone else is a mess, Carolyn’s mind remains whole. Her Sanity recovery makes her one of the best spellcasters and Gate hoppers around, not to mention your best friend when you can’t get to the Asylum. It’s so good, you can easily forgive her lack of Speed (her biggest fault).
PS: Ridiculous. You read it and wonder if someone forgot this story was about Carolyn.

3. Daisy Walker, the Librarian . A remarkable spellcaster. With the right spells—heck, even with some of the wrong ones—Daisy can do a lot of damage without feeling a twinge. Her stats are well-suited for what she can be, and the Livre d’Ivon makes up for her unpredictable random possessions. A terror when possessing the Necronomicon.
PS: Easy and light, but it may prevent her from using the Livre d’Ivon for a while.

2. Darrell Simmons, the Photographer . Darrell specializes in random acquisition. His ability to filter out the best Arkham Encounters tends to get him lots of stuff, in addition to keeping him alive. He’s a good fighter, he’s not too bad offworld, and his Retainer is good for equipping a team early on.
PS: Hands down, the worst story conditions of the lot. You’ll have to decide for yourself if you can afford to try it.

1. Mandy Thompson, the Researcher . Mandy’s got some fair stats, and starts with 4 Clues. But that’s not why she’s here. Mandy almost guarantees one successful skill check every turn, and it’s just hard to top that.
PS: Requires events outside of your control, but it’s probably worth it.

jgt7771 said:

Huh?

I dislike Patrice but she's still the best.

Darrell above most of the great girl investigators???? Misogynist

Minh is one of my favorites, but only with her PS. That bumps her up 20 steps or so. Or you can get an ally without it!

Ranking them with their personal stories would make a big difference. Though vincent would still be last and Patrice first.

I completely disagree about Sister Mary. I've no idea why she shows up low on people's lists, she's pretty much instantly picked when we deal out 3 randoms to choose from unless the person wants to mix it up. Then again, my group sits on the church until they're blessed since its pretty much the best upgrade in the game, so starting blessed is awesome by itself.

How are you ranking them? By your own personal preferences? By the statistics?

If Patrice "breaks" the game for you, she definitely deserves 1st place in terms of power. But if this list is your own personal preferences, then whatever floats your boat.

We went through this on another thread, and I am convinced that Amanda should be near the bottom if not the bottom. I'm just going to pick one investigator you near the bottom to compare.

Minh Thi vs Amanda:

Their stats are very similar, except Minh has 1 speed over her, which is a plus for Minh. 5 speed allows for more double-back and move to next neighborhood maneuvers (which expedite trading). Higher speed also allows for better Speed/Sneak compromise.

Amanda has luck over Minh but Luck is less versatile than Speed (Speed can be used for movement, reading/using items, and encounters).

I don't think I need to argue that Sanity is more useful than Stamina and Minh gets 1 over Amanda in this stat.

Amanda's focus 3 is higher than Minh's focus 2. But I don't feel like there's a big difference unless you are swapping high luck to high lore or high will to high fight in 1 turn. Amanda has this category but I don't feel like it's a big plus.

Amanda gets 2 skills to start, which could potentially bring her up to a good investigator. But keep in mind that this possibility [Cards to improve investigator] is true for all investigators who could get random possessions. In this way, she only has 1 more skill than the average investigator. If she gets Grapple or Mythos Lore, perfect. But most other skills won't improve her dramatically.

Ability:

To get Minh an ally, you need to invest some time in her. Investing time will generally improve any investigator, so that part of the ability is not necessarily a plus. I haven't played Minh too much as I play random investigators, but sending Minh with someone to the OW together might be a good idea)

To use Amanda's ability reliably you have to gain money to use at Admin. She starts out at the bank which is convenient, but I dislike taking bank loans. Finally, when she has the money, it's only a chance [slightly better] that she'll get a good skill out of the pile. That to me, is too much investment for a somewhat low chance that she'll get the best skills out of the pile.

But if you do decide to invest, if you invest in Minh, it means you are killing monsters/clearing up streets, and you get to SELECT an ally, which is very beneficial to either Minh or the team. If you invest in Amanda, it means you are either getting a loan, or trying to land a retainer, all to DRAW a skill, which is really a toss-up.

I don't want to write too much but heres a quick summary of other items:

Minh basically starts with "6" clues [And if you want to keep her Sanity at 6 over Amanda's 5 you can make that "Transferrable" 4 clues] (And you'll pass Lore check eventually) vs Amanda starts with 1 clue. Minh $4 vs Amanda $1. Minh 2 Commons, 1 Unique, 1 Spell vs Amanda 1 Common, 1 Unique, 1 Spell.

I'm going to conclude that Minh is better than Amanda.

I can't believe you're ranking Diana below George. Diana is *the* twilight lodge camper, a bit of a dubious strategy it's true, but it can have its advantages. If you dont go that route an exceptional lore and built-in healing ability is fantastic. Diana is (rather oddly) very good against Dagon, since when the Terror increases she is never short a clue, and will never have one ripped away from her. Against this herald, she can enter a gate with 5 clue tokens and have confidence in her seal when she comes out, even if there are monsters poised to enter vorticies or whatever. George has no stats that are particularly high, and both are crippled by speed, so even footing there. George has more starting cash than Diana, but that really is his only advantage.

I havent played with Luke, but he seems *very* powerful, deserving of a higher rank. He basically can seal with 3 clues going into a gate under most circumstances. That's awesome.

Yorrick should be higher as well, it's a *really* good trick. Especially considering that there are often monsters sitting on gates. If this is the case, Yorrick can basically pick up a clue, kill a monster, and dive in a gate all at once. That's a pretty **** good turn.

I think Gloria and Jim should change places. I don't buy your arguement for why Jim tops Gloria. The trumpet is actually not that great for Jim, and usually ends up in the hands of another investigator. Gloria's story is easier to complete, and benificial. Jims story doesnt play to his strengths and has mediocre benifits. Gloria is also much more of a survivor in gates than Jim. Jim is plagued by the fact that to use his ability, he has to be in a -2 gate or worse. Gloria doesnt have that problem.

I'd put Monterey in the bottom ten, and certainly not above Mark. Monterey's ability is less useful than Marks, their problems are relatively similar, and Mark has the flamethrower over Monterey's .38. Monterey just has very little that is compelling about him.

Silas is top 10 for sure. His disadvantage rarely comes into play, his ability is awesome to let him get to Innsmouth quickly and kill what needs to be killed. Good starting equipment and one of the most benificial PS out there.

Biggest question for me is why you put Trish in the top 10. She's fun to play, I like her. In my experience her PS almost always fails, sometimes before you even get a turn. It's very difficult to pass her PS since it relies almost entirely on luck. Trish is also the investigator with the lowest win percentage, if I recall correctly.

Re: Patrice. I discussed this much with my Cultists, and like many around here, they don't like her because she's not fun. When they play anyone else, Clues can be a challenge to find and cannot be shared; when they play Patrice, the game throws Clues at everyone, and then the game is over. So, you're right: Patrice is the best, and everyone loves to play a rigged game. Oh wait. Maybe we don't. Maybe we prefer to give the AO a chance.

Stats vs. Stats, Cards vs. Cards, Abilities vs. Abilities...I'm gonna draw a line when normal non-forum people tell me, "She's not fun."

Minh vs. Amanda: extremely well thought out. I have little argument against your analysis. I can only fall back on Amanda doesn't require the "investment" Minh does, and one rarely gains/loses Skills.

The better Diana is, the worse your game is going. There is no argument for "camping on the Lodge". And I think those who hate George are those who hate using Clues for anything other than Gate-Sealing.

Jim is plagued by the fact that to use his ability, he has to be in a -2 gate or worse. Gloria doesnt have that problem. Not sure I get this one. They're both plagued by the "-2 or worse"; Fight and Lore are the same. The difference in R'lyeh, for example, is Gloria has to choose between two Red/Yellows, and Jim gets to use another 1/4 of the deck. I also can't see how easily you can downplay a free Golden Trumpet. Obviously, our experiences differ.

Mark vs. Monterey: Not sure how being able to draw extra Uniques is so easily downcast. Obviously, our experiences differ.

Silas: without Innsmouth, Silas has no abilities. And perhaps you view d*****ing as an strategic option.

Gloria, Jim, Silas, Trish: Not everyone plays with Personal Stories. I was trying to remove that as a factor. Perhaps someone else would like to make a list with Personal Stories included.

But I knew what I was getting into. Bring it on.

Gloria/Jim: I've brought this up before, so I assumed you would know what I meant. But allow me to clarify. For the purposes of Jim's ability, there are 3 gates that do not already have Green. They are Yuggoth, Abyss, Ry'leh. All of these gates have -2 or worse mods to close. In other words, if you send Jim into just *any* gate, his Strange Luck ability might not come up, wheras Gloria's ability will always help you. Making matters worse, Jim's Strange Luck ability *requires* him to be in a gate with a harsh modifier, Gloria's does not.

Monterey: Just saying that drawing extra Uniques is good, but it's not *that* good. IMO, not better than being immune to arrest/delay, especially if Innsmouth is involved.

Diana: I'm not sure I see your point here. If the game is going poorly, then isn't it nice to have an investigator who is getting some clues? Even without this, at least for the first half of the game, you can pretty much count on a doom every turn just about, allowing Diana to go for some early tome reading or monster kills.

Silas: While it's true that playing Silas without Innsmouth tends to dull his edge, Silas is an Innsmouth investigator, isn't he? Incidentally, playing without Innsmouth also eliminates his disadvantage. Even Kingsport can give Silas some love, and don't underestimate the niceness of having a +2 to combat/horror checks or gate sealing at the Unvisited Isle, a common gate. Still, even without all this, Silas is an investigator with a badass PS. And Yes, getting Silas devourered is most certainly a strategic option.

Trish: Even without considering her PS, while she is probably in my top 10 investigators fun-wise, I'm still not sure you've convinced me of her effectiveness. She is the best sneaker in the game, but still... her blessing and her curse is that every turn she chooses what she is good at.

First kudos for making topic where we can all blantenly voice our opinions. This board has been pretty dead (and rather boring) with mostly rules related topics.

Second

jgt7771 said:

While everyone agrees with this statement most of us were under the impression that you were ranking based on strength ie how good the character is at winning the game. If you are ranking based on personal preferance Patrice would be probably in the bottom 3 since she makes the game so easy. Your top 10 investigators imply you are looking more at strength rather than person preferance so please clearly state what this ranking is showing or else I can't really comment on your ranking at all.

Re: Patrice. I discussed this much with my Cultists, and like many around here, they don't like her because she's not fun. When they play anyone else, Clues can be a challenge to find and cannot be shared; when they play Patrice, the game throws Clues at everyone, and then the game is over. So, you're right: Patrice is the best, and everyone loves to play a rigged game. Oh wait. Maybe we don't. Maybe we prefer to give the AO a chance.

But I knew what I was getting into. Bring it on.

UNGH! This was DIFFICULT. It was bad enough trying to do the AOs, but the Investigators have infinitely more layers to attempt to quantify: stats, abilities, possessions, etc. I really tried to be as objective as I could, but we all have a different sum of experiences with each of these guys ‘n’ gals, so I’m sure my stank is splattered all over this.

Before I responded I look around for your criteria and above is what I found. I guess her unfunness would fall under "etc.". I 100% agree with you that Patrice is not fun. I think she was a mistake. It takes next to no strategy to play with her. In fact, the strategy is for her to lay low and keep safe. Ugh! However, if you are going to rank investigators by " stats, abilities, possessions, etc.", t hen she really needs to be higher (highest). If you are going to rank her by her design, then put her dead last!

Most of the other rankings aren't really worth arguing about. They wouldn't be the same, but they'd be close. I'm glad to see you recognize the abusability of Daisy and Wendy (both of whom I'd personally rank above Mandy). However Daisy and Wendy's PS put a restriction on them while Mandy's either happens or doesn't for the most part. Patrice is above them all and this would be the team I'll be playing when Cthulhu really wakes up! Bast forbid!

In the meantime, Strange Eons has given me the ability to disable them to some extent, so Patrice is now a fun girl! And Daisy's OK for a librarian.

By the Way, thanks for this work. It was delightfully written.

jgt7771 said:

Like everyone else is saying, first off I appreciate this topic. I want to see what different people say about each investigator's strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps combos that can be done with them.

If you are going to rank investigators objectively, I think you have to do it by stats/power and that has got to put Patrice 1st. I don't like playing with Patrice/Mandy either, but hands down they are the most powerful investigators.

@ Minh Thi vs Amanda, so would you change their rankings after this analysis?

jgt7771 said:

Okay... I don't want to spend the time to comment on everything, i'm just going to comment on some of the investigators I think you got *really really* wrong.

First of all, Luke is a second tier character. You are not appreciating that he is a clue generator (in addition to being a good fighter). His mission might take a while to pass, but what I'll sometimes do is have him close a first gate (if it's not on a high frequency location) without sealing it, depending on how well equipped the team is during the early game. He is a *very* solid fighter. His speed isn't good, but it doesn't matter most of the time, I use the portals to let him travel (it balances out). He also has his excellent assassination skills- where he can kill the monsters on one gate and kill the monsters on another gate coming out. Any character who can *create* 10-20 extra clues in a game is an excellent character. You're not appreciating how to use him to seal hgih modifier gates by the way (I consider this a more minor issue though), yeah, you can ignore them, or you can give him an elder sign, or you can stack him with an extra clue or two, or you can get him an ally that boosts his fight or lore.

Minh Thi starts with A KING IN YELLOW. That's six clue tokens. That's *excellent*. Possibly even lower second tier. How many investigators let you start off with the resources to seal a gate? Her stats aren't horrible, and I really disagree with you about tome reading. I almost never play a game without several readable tomes being drawn (and of course, whenever she is in the game, she reads them). Also, do you realize other investigators can *start* their movement in her spot, then move somewhere else and still have her bonus from the turn? That's a pretty useful ability, whether she goes to them, or they go from her. She's no Luke, but she's almost definitely in the top 15-20 by my reckoning.

Also... re: Amanda. I love her, and appreciate that she can be used well. I'd also like to remind you that she starts *broke*. That's a big handicap.

jgt7771 said:

Okay. Now I'm starting to *really* get upset :') I assume that Silas is only so low because you're ignoring his PS. Of course, I think his movement abilities, and his aquatic bonuses are both great (he's wonderful for killing monsters in wet streets, or for aquatic encounters outside of Innsmouth).

You're underutilizing Gloria if you think she's just a Jim duplicate. You should be *actively* sending her into the easier other worlds +1 +0 -1 worlds, and not even necessarily for sealing, I'll send her there just for encounters (especially if there is a Dreamlands gate open).

Skids is 3rd tier... This is way too low. He has the potential for becoming one of the nastiest attackers in the game. First of all, he has his hideous multiple rerolls on failures skill, which is devestating when paired with strong weapons. Second, if he has marksmanship or Mandy by his side. Yeesh. Killing machine. Still, he's only a fighter, and that's why he's third tier (although I'll grant that if you go after the ancient one in combat, he's a great character to have.

Yorick 39?!?!?!?!? Gah! He's another clue machine. Any character who can generate clues is 2nd tier, at least (with the exception of Tony Morgan because he's such a pain in the ass, he's the only third tier clue generator).

Pete is a peculiar fellow, I'd have to say he's second tier, because even though his ability isn't necessarily a game breaker, there are quite a few instances in which it can be. The drawing of an Old Journal, a King in Yellow, an Eldritch Chants. And you never know when you'll need to sacrifice that dog. Yeah, and that's not mentioning his combat and sneaking skills and his healthy stamina and sanity.

jgt7771 said:

Agnes is weak. A combat oriented character with 3 will and 5 sanity. Not good.

Sorry. Disliking Patrice does not make her any less an excellent character in terms of sheer power. With the PS she might be the strongest character in the game. She unarguably belongs in the top five.

jgt7771 said:

I"m not even going to respond to most of these specifically. I think you're overrating fighters, and underrating clue gatherers.

One thing I really wanted to comment on was Jacqueline Fine's PS. It's excellent. If you play that choice strategicaly it is even *more* excellent. I can think of two occasions where I would consider passing it absolutely essential.

I also think you're underrating Marie. Not just because she can use the shrivelling Shotgun, but because extending the doom track is an excellent ability. Then again... 16. Hmmm.... She's definitely being underated compared to most of the other names in this section.

Lola's probably being underestimated a bit too. I almost always buy her a second skill immediately, this allows you to get her two top notch skills. She can become really overpowered, really fast.

jgt7771 said:

These are all second tier characters, at best. I'm not sure if Trish is even that. I enjoy playing with her, but she's hardly a character I think of as a power player.

I have no idea what you were thinking making Carolyn ranked 4. She has lousy speed, starts with no spells, and her fight/will isn't particularly impressive. I'm not saying she's bad, but I don't see her as even being second tier. Upper third tier. Meelee characters are inferior to clue creators, gate sealers, and other time and resource saving specialists. If I had to choose between Carolyn and Jenny, I'd always choose Jenny. I'd much rather have that extra cash and access to resources. Other than her speed, she's a solid character, but realistically, speed three is a serious handicap. And besides, I don't value fighting skills most (not that she's a great fighter either-- I'd much rather have Hank for that).

Tommy miiiiiight be second tier (but only with his PS which you said you weren't counting-- it would be a definitely if it weren't so variable whether you can accomplish it,).

awp832 said:

Umm, how do you fail Trish's PS before you even get a turn? Only way I can think of is if an investigator starts with Prof. Rice. Otherwise, the gate that just opened will not have had 2+ Clues on it.

I don't think I've ever failed Trish's PS, partly because I'll hit those Clue-hoards ASAP, partly because Trish is my #2 favourite, so I'm always looking to pass her PS.

jgt7771 said:

Stormin' Norman just doesn't click for me, he never really seems to do that well. FG is a bonus no doubt, but his PS, for me, is absolutely pathetic. PS that works only in final combat, GTFO !

jgt7771 said:

Along with Vincent, these two have the worst PS Pass requirement vs benefits out there. Swap a Seal for +1 to two stats??? Of which, Jenny only really gains from +1 Speed, +1 Lore is so-so. And Hank? Hank "I don't need to do Horror checks" Samson gets +1 Will and +1 Lore? You're kidding, right? You're not?

Wow. I guess there wasn't anywhere I could have placed Patrice without getting a dominance of comments. I suppose my objectivity was compromised on her. It is a bit odd to see so many haters defending her power. So, I give. On Patrice, I have failed. Imagine her at the top.

Avi...ahhhh, so much MEAT to chew!!!

Regarding Clue Generators vs. Fighters: I find your Clue Generators to be often destroyed (and thus losing their Clues) a good deal of the time because they can't handle themselves in the streets without an abundance of card assistance. I suppose I do place a bit of importance on survivability, which is something I wonder if many people do not, possibly because they use devouring as a strategy. (Okay, that may be a bit mean. ) To be fair, I find devouring to be a bit more stomachable if I'm playing solo; less so when with a party. I honestly begin to think that this may be contributing more than I thought as to how my list is shaking out: many players vs few or one.

Luke: 10-20??? So Luke does nothing but hop in and out of Gates without closing/sealing them? How do you prevent too many open Gates or the Doom Track filling up? I'm afraid I'm not grasping your strategy.

Minh: And after the book is read and that first Gate is sealed? Again, it sounds like you're using Minh to boost everyone else, while Minh flounders about looking for books. Not so great for Minh's player.

Interlude: Which means I guess my stank does indeed include "fun" as a quantity. Again, perhaps more than I thought. So much for my vaunted objectivity.

Silas: without Innsmouth, I think you're reaching . I don't always play with Innsmouth, and Silas just isn't that special in a Arkham/Dunwich game. I suppose we can chalk this one up to all-expansions-vs-few.

Since no one has yet to defend Jim, I'm willing to acknowledge and appreciate a switch there with Gloria. And maybe I'll even take a hint or two on strategy.

You've had better luck with William. I find his Speed to be detrimental to his Monster chasing, and his Focus to be detrimental to his Monster slaying. Without either of those, William's Clue generation falls short. But it's still a good trick.

I'm not inclined to count those special Scrounge circumstances with Pete, any more than I'm inclined to bring up Kate-Arcane Insight or Vincent-Feeding the Mind. Too rare (or manipulative) to pull Pete up to your Tier 2.

Agnes: at second glance, perhaps I did place her a bit high. But she's certainly more stable than Mark or Monterey, and she doesn't have to use her Sanity to cast spells, leaving them for her Horror Checks.

Personal Stories change a LOT of things. Jacqueline definitely. But if you didn't know what the reward was, would you really spend the time or trophies trying to get her two allies? You are correct, of course, but again, it sounds like Jacqueline is just a Task while everyone else does the work.

Heh. I do like Lola better than that, don't I? I think she got lost in some number shuffling.

Trish: The only Investigator who can combat with 4 Will / 4 Fight (with a 5 Lore for Spells, and a 6 Sneak to bail out) unassisted. And you can take that to any Gate. I take it most of you don't "Break the Limits".

Carolyn: By the end of the game, Carolyn's often the only one not scrambling for the Asylum, and able to keep the streets clear for the "fast ones" with the Clues. I thought you'd be proud I was using her for everyone else's gain. I think this one gets chalked up to "playing styles".

Tommy's the only one I really WAS using for everyone else's benefit! Do you not think Deputy worthwhile? I'm not getting any points with you, am I?

Stormin' Norman just doesn't click for me, he never really seems to do that well. FG is a bonus no doubt, but his PS, for me, is absolutely pathetic. PS that works only in final combat, GTFO !

Part of why PS were so difficult to quantify. One man's "GTFO" is another man's "greatest Final Battle gambit available".

Dam said:

Well...I did say "thematically", didn't I? And thematically, both results of both Investigators are perfect. In fact, Jenny's Fail is gloriously written.

jgt7771 said:

Well...I did say "thematically", didn't I? And thematically, both results of both Investigators are perfect. In fact, Jenny's Fail is gloriously written.

Well, why does Diana Stanley's PS get a bad rap then? JB and HS PS get cool points for thematic reasons, but nothing for Diana (cost-wise those PS are all 5 Clues, I would actually consider doing Diana's for the benefit)

Oh, and one more point: Kate Winthrop's PS?

"PS: A modest challenge with an unpredictable deadline, but worth it."

2 gate trophies by doom 6 is modest . 2 gate trophies is normally minimum 6 turns and you're not even sealing them (assuming she can reach the second gate from the first in one movement), and 6 turns tends to equal 6 doomers regularly. Pass Reward? Very meh. Early days with DH, I was getting caught with too many gates open, after adding BGotW, I've made a point to jump in someone always early, too many gates open hasn't been an issue since. DH + IH already give you +1 gate limit, if you find yourself needing +2, you're doing something very wrong.