So from the point we already know what is looking a Return to a full cycle, this is time to speculate ^^

Because, where the basic cycles are difficult to predict until their are announced, we already know the pool of player cards that would be upgraded or downgraded in the next return ( all those of the cycle ) and what are the scenarios.

So ... Which player cards would you see in the next return ??

Which encounters sets will be replaced ??

What are the problems in the different scenarios of the cycle, and what would do the return to change that ?? What do you want to see ??

Because this one will probably be annouced this month ( if they try to speed this line ) or in april ...

Well.

Which encounter sets to be replaced... that's a difficult one. Core and Dunwich had some that were really weird in some scenarios and seemed out of place. Like the Agents of [Old One] in the Devourer, or the unexplained Ythians in Extracurricular Activity. Carcosa, I don't really remember anything like that. Perhaps they'll switch out Ancient Evils again?

What I'd really like to see, though? I want stuff that really, really screws with the player's head. Was it in RttNotZ where they said something like "You've done this before?" Please lean into that here, hard? There's a familiar cell in the Asylum. Perhaps this time we actually become familiar with it, so we can remember it the first time we played? More screwiness, please. More story cards, perhaps.

Bad scenarios... Echoes of the Past was a bit dull, compared to the rest. That could use some more excitement, instead of just wave after wave of cultist.

I'll happily speculate on player cards, and get back to you with the rest once we finish Carcosa...

Guardian: Trench Knife leaps out as the obvious candidate for an upgrade. +1 damage for each enemy engaged with you could be fun, but would probably be too unreliable for most people to consider.

Seeker: I'd imagine another flavour of Archaic Glyphs. Maybe one that heals damage or horror from your investigator on a successful investigate action?

Rogue: a 1xp version of Knuckleduster which adds a modifier to the fight test. I'm still not sure anyone would want it.

Mystic: a higher level Uncage the Soul, adding Fast and maybe "Then, reveal a random chaos token from the chaos bag. If a [bad symbol] is revealed, remove 1 charge from the played card. If you cannot, take 1 horror." to the end of the card.

Survivor: a 3xp version of Waylay that removes the exhausted condition.

Neutral: Calling in Favors which allows searching your whole deck but removes the discount.

Then upgrades to all of the Composures. Give them 2 sanity and double the pips? Not very exciting, but my feeling is that +2 for one resource might be a bit too powerful even at 3xp.

There's a lot of player cards I don't care for in Carcosa. Hmmm...

• Astral Travel compares poorly to Elusive. Given that it takes an action and has a chance of a downside, it should be free, not 3 resources. So maybe a 2xp version that costs 0 and is fast? Would be an interesting Arcane Research target.
• Cheap Shot is also kinda garbage. It really should be free. So maybe a 2xp version that's either free or does and extra point of damage if you succeed by 2?
• Stealth would be interesting to upgrade. 3xp version, and you actually evade an enemy instead of passing them off to someone else.
• Knuckleduster has the potential to be machete-level powerful, so they'd have to be careful. Maybe add your agility to the attack, and then some extra effect if you succeed by two?
• I'd be cool with Shovel and Lantern upgrades. I know they're both Yorick cards, but they're so expensive for what they do, and he has better options at this point for damage and clues from his guardian pool. 3xp versions would be neat - Shovel does +1 damage and costs 1, Lantern does -2 Shroud and costs 1, double the icons on each.
• Not Without a Fight is really bad. I'd consider slotting a 1xp version that added a wild icon to the side. Not very interesting though.
• Anatomical Diagrams is not a terrible card, but I usually don't feel like I have the deck slots for it. Could be a neat card to upgrade.
• Trench Knife is probably the best candidate for an upgrade amongst Guardian cards. +1 damage if you are engaged with at least two enemies?
• Guardians also have a bunch of weird events that I never play. Mano a Mano, On the Hunt, Heroic Rescue, Eat Lead...any of those could use a boost I suppose.

I really like your idea of proficient Astral Travel.

So, let's start :

for the guardians : Trench knife, I'm with you on this one, but 32 colt would be interesting with a +2 degat in place of 1.

And the second could be a Mano a mano more powerfull, but I would prefer something like the upgrade of the barricade, for the Ambush: in place of a spawning ennemy, apply to any entering ennemy in the location.

seekers: new version of Archaic glyphs, like one with damage for ennemy.

new Anatomical diagram, but no idea of what it would do ...

rogue : Knuckleduster, add agility to it like sayed PureFlight. and perhaps a second damage by it if win with 2 or more ...

Cheapshot free, or with more damage. other idea, Sleight of hand, where you would keep the card you take from your hand.

mystic: Alchemical transmutation, you have +1 will, and can have ressource to a max of 5.

Storm of spirit, you must diminue the price and add at least one damage to it. or Quantum flux, with at least 2 cards take.

Survivors: Not too much idea, but I would say a Gravedigger shovel with +3 force and can be discarded for 2 clues instead of one.

And Hidding Spot, free and usefull with elite ennemy now ??

I've love an upgraded Astral Travel. I like the idea of that card, but it never quite makes the cut.

My ideas, kinda wishlisty:

.38 colt(2). +1 to hit. Extra text: 2 actions ->-> Put 2 ammo on this card, to a maximum of 6.

Eat lead (3). Extra text: If this attack defeats an enemy, heal 1 horror from each investigator at your location.

Inspiring presence(4). +Wild icon and: Extra text: Before revealing a chaos token for this test you may search your deck for an Ally asset and play it, it costs 2 less resources. Then, shuffle your deck.

The colt buff aims to maintain the colt's purpose as a main weapon for a monster slayer, this also makes cards that key off weapons and guns more fun. Eat lead in this form makes it pull double duty to keep you alive through all the fighting and is easier to fit into a deck, now it can replace a card like Dodge or "If it bleeds". Inspiring presence is a cool card, I figured that a high level version of it might be used to not just heal an ally but "attract help", Guardians struggle for draw and econ and this greatly helps with that.

Fieldwork (2). Cost: 1. Text replacement: (Free action)- If there is a clue on your location, Exhaust fieldwork and gain +2 on your next skill test.

Anatomical diagrams (3): No more sanity limit, can target elites but doesnt reduce their stats. Extra text: The next time this enemy is successfully attacked this turn it takes +1 damage (+2 instead if your remaining sanity is 4 or less).

I love fieldwork, but its bad in multiplayer. This upgrade removes the movement dependence and makes it a bit cheaper. Perhaps the cost reduction is overdoing it? Anatomical is a fave too and this makes it infinitely better by contributing damage and the theme turns from "The composed mind makes smarter decisions" to "the madder I become the more I comprehend."

Gavediggers shovel(3). +1 damage if the target has 2 or less HP remaining. Text replacement for clue mechanic: 2 actions ->-> Discover a clue at your location.

Waylay(2): cost 2, +3 on the skill test.

This way the shovel becomes a much more consistent (but terribly slow) clue tool and a lot more consistent as a weapon, its still designed not to pass as a main weapon but now it 1-hits 2hp foes, 2-hits 3hp foes and the +hit makes one-rounding a 4hp foe possible, that'll get you a LOT more mileage out of it. The waylay buff is just to make this 2-action kill combo more playable.

Knuckleduster(1). +1 fight. No more retaliate. Extra text: If you fail at least 1 attack with knuckleduster, take 1 damage when your turn ends.

Stealth (3). +Agi icon and Wild icon. Cost: 0. Now evades every engaged foe simultaneously and no foes can engage during turn.

Daring maneuver (2). Extra text: if you beat this test by 4 or more choose 1: Deal 1 damage to an enemy at your location, or, Discover 1 clue at your location.

Knuckleduster shouldnt be some superpowered fight card, but this 1xp version should be worth considering in a combative Rogue deck. This version of stealth helps with a problem Agility folks tend to have, multiple evasions and getting away. The negated cost and many icons means its less a waste when its not being helpful. Daring maneuver now turns any test into a potential "beat by 2 or more" while still being able to help trigger normal +2 effects.

David Renfield (2). Sanity increased to 2. New text: While David Renfield has doom on him he gains: Action-> Exhaust David Renfield and spend 1 doom from him, then deal 1 damage to each enemy at your location.

Astral travel (3). Cost: 1. Fast.

This variant on David rewards the doom on him by dealing damage, you cannot gain and spend the doom in the same round though, it fits with his field of study. This version of Astral travel is powerful and presents a different Arcane research opportunity.

Finally I have an idea for 2xp composures.

Each of them gains: Exhaust, gain +2 (X or Y, same as printes stats) on your next skill check.

The text box on Scientific theory for example would be:

(Fast:) 1 resourse = 1 fight.

(Fast:) 1 resource = 1 intellect.

(Fast:) Exhaust = 2 fight or 2 intellect.

This way a composure grants free boosts, but will eventually discard, which seems apropriate.

Nice idea, I would love to see a replaced colt.

So, as you seem more to speculate on player card, I will tell my feeling about the encounters sets.

I just saw that all the sets from the core that was used in dunwich legacy 2 times or more were replaced. So we already can suppose that the replaced sets in the return to carcosa will be :

- striking fear

- ancient evil

- dark cult

- agents of hastur

- ?? and perhaps a set of five treachery, because the treachery from '' midnight masks '' are used two time in the campaign.

And finally, in the return to dunwich, we got one replacement set for a dunwich set: the beyond. this one was the more used set ( with sorcery ) of the campaign, and the more linked to the ancient one world. So, if we looked at which one is the more used, this is delusion. But the more linked to ancient one world is Malign portent, and the second more used with the '' inhabitant of carcosa ''. So perhaps we will got one of this two. I prefer to have the '' malign portent '' or '' inhabitant of carcosa '' because I already know they can do nice artwork and use great idea with the thematic of carcosa emergance or beast, more fun than just a madness set with four time the same art on a card.

Wow this is really interesting, though I somewhat Agree with Trench Knife, and kind of with knuckle dusters. Cheap shot and astral travel are remarkably strong cards already. Also Astral Travel is not meant to be as strong as Elusive that is very probably the best level 0 card in the game and designed as a Rogue card exclusively, we don't want everyone to get the "same thing" I think that would be boring. As for Cheap shot a card that lets a Rogue, fight at 7 or 8, most times, inflict damage and evade said enemy, I take it even in expert now. I guess we will have to wait and see but I am really surprised so many people think Astral Travel and cheap shot are that not good, however I will say if they do upgrade them I will take them almost every time in the decks that can use them. So I guess I will be excited to see what happens

1 hour ago, Starbreaker1 said:

Wow this is really interesting, though I somewhat Agree with Trench Knife, and kind of with knuckle dusters. Cheap shot and astral travel are remarkably strong cards already. Also Astral Travel is not meant to be as strong as Elusive that is very probably the best level 0 card in the game and designed as a Rogue card exclusively, we don't want everyone to get the "same thing" I think that would be boring. As for Cheap shot a card that lets a Rogue, fight at 7 or 8, most times, inflict damage and evade said enemy, I take it even in expert now. I guess we will have to wait and see but I am really surprised so many people think Astral Travel and cheap shot are that not good, however I will say if they do upgrade them I will take them almost every time in the decks that can use them. So I guess I will be excited to see what happens

I actually really like cheap shot too (and stunning blow in survivor). Cheap shot is a bit expensive, but it's a good card imo.

Man, Astral Travel could actually be the perfect solution for the 2nd TFA scenario. That place always takes me at least 2 turns to leave after grabbing the MacGuffin. My Norman deck usually prefers Shrivelling and The Chthonian Stone or St. Hubert's Key for its starting level 0 Mystics, but Astral Travel in TFA or Guardians of the Abyss might be just the ticket.

Astral Travel on Normal is also just very flavourful.

1 hour ago, Duciris said:

Man, Astral Travel could actually be the perfect solution for the 2nd TFA scenario. That place always takes me at least 2 turns to leave after grabbing the MacGuffin. My Norman deck usually prefers Shrivelling and The Chthonian Stone or St. Hubert's Key for its starting level 0 Mystics, but Astral Travel in TFA or Guardians of the Abyss might be just the ticket.

My 2player buddy typically takes astral travel just for this, then leaves me to die

I think if I was making an upgraded Astral Travel I'd have it be able to move any one investigator at your location. Or, depending on what level it is, maybe have it move every investigator at your location but also have each investigator subjected to the effect that risks losing an item or ally.

For mystics I was also contemplating what a level 5 Book of Shadows might look like. +1 arcane slot, free triggered ability, exhaust Book of Shadows (and something else? e.g. spend 1 resource/add 1 doom to Book of Shadows): add 1 charge to a spell asset you control. It would be competing with Recharge, which is 3xp cheaper, costs fewer resources, doesn't take up a hand slot and adds multiple charges at once but has a chance of failing which discards the asset and can only ever add three charges. Is that a fair trade? I'm not sure... mystics have a lot that they want to spend resources and xp on, but also have decent economy cards (Uncage the Soul, David Renfield) and xp boosting cards (Delve Too Deep, Arcane Research).

On 1/20/2019 at 3:48 AM, tsuruki said:

Gavediggers shovel(3). +1 damage if the target has 2 or less HP remaining. Text replacement for clue mechanic: 2 actions ->-> Discover a clue at your location.

I like the "+1 damage if the target has 2 or less health remaining" idea. Even if it wasn't on an upgraded Shovel I think this would be a cool idea for a future card (I don't think anything like this already exists?).