I'm on a mailing list for Troll and Toad games, just got this newsletter with a review and some spoiler info for Spawn of the Sleeper

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Last newsletter article talked about my initial impressions of the Call of Cthulhu LCG core set, this time I’m going to talk about the first Asylum Pack to be released after the Core set. The Spawn of the Sleeper. The asylum pack has the same design as the last two packs, Ancient Horrors, and At the Mountains of Madness. The cover art is stunning, definitely not something I want to see when Scuba diving! Inside there are 40 cards, with the strange heavy cardboard insert. The art of the cards is top notch, and one of the reason I have been drawn to CoC LCG and the CCG before that. It has a nice insert with a mini story about Julia Brown who will be making an appearance throughout this cycle. The story ends just as it gets interesting! I’m forced to wait for the next Asylum pack to see what happens.

But what about the cards you ask. Well I’ll go by faction. First up, Miskatonic U. They got two uncommon cards, and one common card.

Dr. Carson: Uncommon Character Cost 1, Skill 1, Investigation Icon. Text: Action: Exhaust Dr. Carson to restore and ready an insane character.
This seems like a nice character to have if you are running Miskatonic, Agency or Syndicate, as you’ll be more vulnerable to Terror Struggles. The ability to ready the character on top of restoring means, you can chump block in a terror stuggle, and then recover your character afterwards. I’d play with this card.

Rabbit’s Foot: Uncommon Support Cost 0 Text: Attach to a MU character. Response: After attached character commits to a story reveal the top card of your deck, then put that card into your hand. If the revealed card was a character card, Combat struggles do not resolve at that story this phase.
I’m not a big fan of attachments, they tend not to last long, as the character can die or the attachment can get discarded pretty easily. However in a character heavy deck, This seems like it wouldn’t be bad at all, the card will replace it self in the first turn, and potentially gaining you a card every turn. The benefit of reducing combat stuggles is also nice, especially considering how weak MU is at combat, though a bit unpredictable, is there a card to reveal your top card of your deck?

Sleeping Pills: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT, ITEM. Attach to a non-ANCIENT ONE character. While attached character is committed to a story, Terror struggles do not resolve at that story.
This one seems weaker than the above card to me, it costs 1 instead of 0, and doesn’t replace itself. However Terror I think is slightly more effective against MU then Combat, so the benefit may be more. I’d probably not play this unless I knew my opponent had a terror heavy deck.

Agency Cards. The Agency got two commons in this pack.

Government Exorcist: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 2 Combat, Investigation Icon Text: GOVERNMENT Response: After Government Exorcist commits to a story on your turn, choose an opponent’s character with a Terror Icon. That character cannot commit to the same story as Government Exorcist.
I like this character, it has combat and investigation, both useful icons, and has a nice ability to block a terror icon creature from stopping him at a story. It’s not awesome, but playable.

Interrogation Center: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Neutral characters cannot commit to stories.
This one seems to be too narrow to put in your deck. Unless the Meta has some way over powered neutral in it, I’d avoid this card.

Syndicate Cards. The Syndicate got two cards, one uncommon one common.

Trent Dixon: Uncommon Character Cost 4 Skill 3 Combat x2 Icon. Text: CRIMINAL If Trent Dixon is able to commit to a story he must commit to a story. If Trent Dixon is the only character you control that is committed, apply his skill and icons to all other story cards as well.
Interesting character, expensive, but a potentially powerful ability, the trick is to get him to survive for more than one turn. Two combat icons no willpower, is not enough to survive on it’s own by the time he is playable.

Underground Asylum: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Disrupt: Exhaust Underground Asylum and pay 1 to cancel an effect that would cause a character to go insane.
The pay one really hurts this card, starting with only three domains, you are talking about sacrificing 1/3 of your turn. There are cards that will add domains, making this more palatable. It is a powerful effect, giving Syndicate a chance to go through a terror stuggle without any problems.

Cthulhu cards: Cthuhlu managed to get two cards, one uncommon and one common.

Called by Azathoth: Uncommon Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT CURSE Attach to a character. Treat attached character as if its printed text box were blank.
This is a good answer to a lot of nasty characters, like the above Trent Dixon, who instead of dropping up to 6 success tokens, would end up dropping only success tokens only on his story. Cost isn’t too bad, I’d play it.

Emerging Deep One: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 3 Combat x2 Arcane Icon Text: DEEP ONE Forced Respsonse: After you play Emerging Deep One from your hand, choose and destroy a Cthulhu character.
Well having to sac a cthulhu character makes this one a bit tougher to play, unless your opponent has a cthulhu character handy, in which case this card is awesome! Again a very situational card, it’d probably not make the cut unless the meta was very heavy Cthulhu.

Yog-Sothoth cards: Yog managed to get two common cards.

Bloodthirsty Zealot: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x2 Icon Text: CULTIST While there is at least one insane character in play, bloodthirsty zealot gains two Combat Icons.
Hmm, Kind of expensive, but if you can keep his ability up, not bad to have a two terror and two combat icon character running around. A nice little gotcha if your opponent doesn’t realize that his terror icons will make a character insane before the combat struggle.

Touched with Madness: Common Event Cost 3 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase. Action: For each terror struggle that you win this phase, instead of the normal struggle effect, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane.
I’m a big fan of tricks, and this could be a doozy, you could easily get a two for one with this event, driving insane a character with combat icons, and then killing a different character in the combat struggle. I’d definitely play this card.

Shub-Niggurath cards. Shub got two cards, one uncommon and one common.

Grim Wraith: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 1 Terror Icon Text: MONSTER Response: After Grim Wraith commits to a story, choose an icon struggle at that story, Instead of resolving that struggle, resolve an additional Terror Struggle in its place.
A very nice ability. Grim Wraith can’t stand on it’s own with only a Terror Icon, but with an appropriate back up it would be good. It can stop MU from running rampant on the investigation struggle, stop Agency from blowing away Grim Wraith or any other character you commit to defense.

The Black Goat’s Rage: Uncommon Event Cost 3 Text: Play only if every card you control has the Shub –Niggurath affliation. Action: Each player counts the Terror Icons on all readied characters he controls. The player who counts the fewest Terror Icons must immediately choose two characters he controls to go insane, if able.
Yuck. Mono Faction deck card only. The effect is decent, not awesome for the limited ability for it to be played. What if you are playing against Hastur? Not likely to ever get to use this to any effect.

Hastur Cards. Hastur managed to get three cards, Two uncommons and one common.

Erich Zann: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x3 Icon Text: MUSICIAN If you win a terror stuggle in which Eric Zann is participating, instead of of the normal struggle effects, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane
A nice ability, I like the surprise of Touched by Madness better, but he’s got a good skill, and plenty of Terror icons.

Spawn of the Sleeper: Uncommon Event Cost 2 Text: Action: Choose a character that has gone insane as a result of a terror struggle this phase, take control of that character.
Wow! Nice card. With Hastur’s ability to reduce or remove terror icons, through such cards as Scotophobia, or Messenger from Beyond, this could be an excellent card.

Terrifying Visage: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT Attach to a character with a Terror Icon. Response: After you wina a terror struggle, ready attached character.
Not a bad card, but it suffers from being an attachment. I don’t think it is a strong enough attachment to overcome it’s inherent flaw.

Neutral Cards. Neutral cards did the best in this Aslyum pack getting four different cards, 3 uncommon and 1 common.

Julia Brown: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Arcane Investigation Icon Text: INVESTIGATOR Julia brown gets +1 skill for each insane character in play. Disrupt: If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead. Then, search your deck for a card titled Julia Brown, or The Sleepwalker, put it into play committed to the same story, and then shuffle your deck.
Well there is no Sleepwalker yet, I’m assuming it’ll show up in a future Asylum pack. However the ability is still nice in a constructed format, as it will allow Julia to commit to a losing Terror Struggle, and get through. With an Investigation Icon and high skill it is possible to achieve 2 story success tokens. Her cost isn’t bad at all. I’d play her. This card could get quite a bit better if The Sleepwalker ends up being an excellent card.

Sleepless Nights: Common Event Cost 2 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase, before characters are committed to stories. Action: Resolve an additional Terror Struggle at all stories this phase.
Well there is no surprise element with this card as it must be played in advance of character commitment. The cost is high, and it potential won’t do much. It may stave off a MU rush for a turn. I’m not terribly impressed.

The Underwater Conspiracy: Uncommon Conspiracy Cost 2 Terror x2 Combat Arcane Investigation Struggles Text: CONSPIRACY If you win this conspiracy, you may cause all characters in play to lose WILLPOWER and then go insane, if able.
I’ve never really looked at the conspiracies before, I’m intrigued by the switch up in the struggles, this one has two Terror struggles, which is interesting, making it a good one to play against MU, Agency, or Syndicate. The effect is very nice, and goes well with extra Struggle icon.

Those Without Faces: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Terror Icon. Text: Disrupt: After you win a Terror Struggle, the loser of the struggle discards a card from the top of his deck.
Hmm, very expensive, very few icons, 2 skill, and an ability that just seems to be not that good. We’ll leave this one in the box, until there is something that will combo with it.

I’m no expert at the game, in fact I consider myself a novice. I didn’t see anything that looked broken beyond repair, but several of the cards looked good, and I think this will be a nice addition to the core set. I’ll be ready for The Horror Beneath the Surface in a month.

Thanks for posting that. Theres some nice ideas in there, but I'm guessing we'll have to see where the next packs in this series go.

Government Exorcist - for the same stats, Undercover Security (reprinted to core) with Willpower may win out. But gov has an effective ability.

Interrogation Center - won't stop assistant nor Nodens. The first anti-neutral card ever.

Dr. Carson - Laboratory Assistant (also core) move over! Since 2004 Cost 1 Investigate belonged to L. A. Now with late game ability. 3 X unique?

Rabbit's Foot - gain a card and avoid killing your committed character. zero cost attachment. 60% chance of going off in a 30 character deck.

Sleeping Pills - Nice MU early game terror evasion. Reminds me of a New Aeon card.

Trent Dixon - Workaholic indeed! Three stories at once alone. Skill and Icons. Great.

Underground Asylum - disrupt one insanity causing effect every turn. Crafty. Really cool, but does it sneak into the spots taken by midnight oil, warehouse, dutch courage, koth, gun runners, seventh house, ancient gold, on the lam...exposed panic... This is high praise to challenge these.

Emerging Deep One - Cthulhu themed effect in a lower cost form. Gotta like "destroy" on any CT card. Tenth Deep One. Did you know that (except for one cost Twsha) every Deep one is CCA? Cool fact. This one has beefy stats - 2 cost 3 skill. But counters a la Spawn of Cthulhu.

Called by Azathoth - did Forgotten Isle just get replaced? Cost one nets you one character blanked permanently. Isle for two can pick a different character when it wants. Sweet looking card like Noises in the Hills.

Spawn of the Sleeper - permanently control an insane character, beats Blind Submission (core), similar to Words of Inspiration, but equally as limiting as either.

Terrifying Visage - hmm

Bloodthirsty Zealot - zanier than Mgambe and Blood Magician. Spell Bound Shoggoth is similar with better ability. Deacon and Visitor from the Spheres offer Event trickery for similar stats and cost. Wilbur, Reawakened Elder Thing, Hermetic Scholar also are Yog 3 cost competition.

Touched with Madness - Yog Erich Zann Event. Why have these two cards do virtually the same thing?

The Black Goat's Rage is a beauty. But how tough. It's the first Shub card to drive opponents insane. Nine Spawn of the Sleeper cards have a woman who could be Julia on them. Here, she's got it especially bad. Looks like the Child of Yog Sothoth with the hoof prints.

Those Without Faces - I hope people argue that this card is playable, because it looks amazing. Illustrator Rafal Hrynkiewicz has outdone himself. He has 48 previous cards - many of them classics. Kitab is a recent great piece. Could this be his best? I say so.

Sleepless Nights - F19 neutral terror struggle filler. Doesn't help the humans. Tell me if it boosts a terror deck much.

Underwater Conspiracy - is another beauty. Drive the board insane. Glowing terrorizing Deep Ones over R'Yleh. If you play conspiracies...

I really thought the new cards would inspire more discussion than the Core Set's mis-pricing on Amazon & Overstock. Maybe I can jump start a discussion.

I can't really rail against this set or embrace it in general. In a black border world, they're mostly out classed by earlier cards or just bad for their cost vs ability. In the white border world, they're nothing special with a few exceptions, just what you have to work with. When we were play testing the cards, we had no idea all white border was coming, so we compared them to all cards in play and tried to make them as viable as we could in the card pool. I am getting a "Board Game" feel to this set, like the cards were made with the assumption that it was going to be Humans vs Monsters in every game.


Miskatonic
Dr. Carson: Uncommon Character Cost 1, Skill 1, Investigation Icon. Text: Action: Exhaust Dr. Carson to restore and ready an insane character.
Nice all round card.

Rabbit’s Foot: Uncommon Support Cost 0 Text: Attach to a MU character. Response: After attached character commits to a story reveal the top card of your deck, then put that card into your hand. If the revealed card was a character card, Combat struggles do not resolve at that story this phase.
Zero cost, recurring card draw? Very Nice.

Sleeping Pills: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT, ITEM. Attach to a non-ANCIENT ONE character. While attached character is committed to a story, Terror struggles do not resolve at that story.
Better than the original idea of getting rid of the Arcane & Investigate struggles, but it is weak compared to Rabbit's Foot.

Agency
Government Exorcist: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 2 Combat, Investigation Icon Text: GOVERNMENT Response: After Government Exorcist commits to a story on your turn, choose an opponent’s character with a Terror Icon. That character cannot commit to the same story as Government Exorcist .
Originally it cost three, so I suggested it should exhaust to remove all committed characters with a T off a story. Having it on your turn only really limits it's use. Cost, skill & icons are fine.

Interrogation Center: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Neutral characters cannot commit to stories.
Why was this card made? All the powerful black border Neutral characters' effects happen away from the story, Nodens, Assistant, Mentor. They have nice Icons, but using them at a story is not the reason you put them in your deck. In a White border world, however....., it is still useless.


Syndicate
Trent Dixon: Uncommon Character Cost 4 Skill 3 Combat x2 Icon. Text: CRIMINAL If Trent Dixon is able to commit to a story he must commit to a story. If Trent Dixon is the only character you control that is committed, apply his skill and icons to all other story cards as well.
I had trouble with his wording and I'm still not sure about it. Are we to assume he is considered to be committed to the other stories as well? Can blockers go to these stories? Two free tokens on two stories is pretty **** good.

Underground Asylum: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Disrupt: Exhaust Underground Asylum and pay 1 to cancel an effect that would cause a character to go insane.
Not as good as Dr Carson one on one, but since it cancels the effect, it will stop a blanket effect nicely.

Cthulhu
Called by Azathoth: Uncommon Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT CURSE Attach to a character. Treat attached character as if its printed text box were blank.
OK in a White Border world, but it still gets Ancient Ones. I thought that was one of the major sticking points of Forgotten Isle. Still not enough incentive to play the "can't be blanked' Ancient Ones from the last packs. We added Curse to make Europeans happy. (Curse decks were the rage when this was tested.)

Emerging Deep One: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 3 Combat x2 Arcane Icon Text: DEEP ONE Forced Respsonse: After you play Emerging Deep One from your hand, choose and destroy a Cthulhu character .
I asked if this should target one of your characters only as a drawback to it great stats. I guess not, so mini Deep One rising it is.

Yog
Bloodthirsty Zealot: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x2 Icon Text: CULTIST While there is at least one insane character in play, bloodthirsty zealot gains two Combat Icons.
Weak. We suggested two Combat for each insane character in play or dropping the cost to two. Since Yog doesn't focus on Terror like Hastur does, his bonus will come and go if it gets set off at all. Cost of 2 was suggested to make him a worth while, white border blocker at least.

Touched with Madness: Common Event Cost 3 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase. Action: For each terror struggle that you win this phase, instead of the normal struggle effect, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane.
Horrible compared to Zann. Same cost for a one off effect as for a character that does it for every story he's at. We wanted to drop it to 2 cost, 1 cost would even be plenty, and send it to Hastur or Cthulhu with a Hastur steadfast since they are buddy factions. Shadowed Reef would help make this playable.

Shub-Niggurath
Grim Wraith: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 1 Terror Icon Text: MONSTER Response: After Grim Wraith commits to a story, choose an icon struggle at that story, Instead of resolving that struggle, resolve an additional Terror Struggle in its place.
We wanted to give it another Terror icon to help it support it's own effect.

The Black Goat’s Rage: Uncommon Event Cost 3 Text: Play only if every card you control has the Shub –Niggurath affliation. Action: Each player counts the Terror Icons on all readied characters he controls. The player who counts the fewest Terror Icons must immediately choose two characters he controls to go insane, if able.
In the White Border World, how long is it going to be before you can play straight faction? Before you'll want to? We said you should get to choose the characters that go insane. We got the wording cleaned up at least, even if 'affiliation' slipped in.

Hastur Cards
Erich Zann: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x3 Icon Text: MUSICIAN If you win a terror stuggle in which Eric Zann is participating, instead of of the normal struggle effects, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane
This card is frustrating to me. The version we saw all through play testing was 2 cost, 2 skill, Terror, Combat. Those abilities gave it a nice balance and made it a viable first turn card for Hastur. You could get it out first turn and he would survive long enough to use his ability to help to gain a little board control until you could get out the more expensive cards. This version is too little for the cost, too late in the game. If we were shown it, we could have mentioned this, but it came out unknown & untested.

Spawn of the Sleeper: Uncommon Event Cost 2 Text: Action: Choose a character that has gone insane as a result of a terror struggle this phase, take control of that character.
You never let your best characters go insane, but it is a removal effect for Hastur that beefs up your side some. Would have dovetailed nicely with original Erich for more early control.

Terrifying Visage: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT Attach to a character with a Terror Icon. Response: After you win a terror struggle, ready attached character.
Hastur already rules Arcane, do they need more readying effects? It would have been better as just a support card and not as an attachment. I suggested making it ready as many characters as the number Terror Icons you won the struggle by. We also suggested making it a 'Sac to choose a character at the story to go insane'.

Neutral Cards.
Julia Brown: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Arcane Investigation Icon Text: INVESTIGATOR Julia brown gets +1 skill for each insane character in play. Disrupt: If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead. Then, search your deck for a card titled Julia Brown, or The Sleepwalker, put it into play committed to the same story, and then shuffle your deck.
OK for her cost and Icons, but being unique hurts her usability. As does Interrogation Center I still don't see how her being sacrificed cancels the Terror struggle, nothing in the text suggests that the effect is skipped. You should have to choose another target to go insane.

Sleepless Nights: Common Event Cost 2 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase, before characters are committed to stories. Action: Resolve an additional Terror Struggle at all stories this phase.
Awful, Awful. We said play before A story phase, so you could use it as a sneak attack on your opponent on their turn. Again, no where on our spoilers was "before characters are committed to stories" in the text. This is a last minute, untested addition that makes the card so much less useful.

The Underwater Conspiracy: Uncommon Conspiracy Cost 2 Terror x2 Combat Arcane Investigation Struggles Text: CONSPIRACY If you win this conspiracy, you may cause all characters in play to lose WILLPOWER and then go insane, if able.
This falls so short of what it could be. We discussed Conspiracies during play tests, and we decided they needed to be worth the card slot in your deck. For that, they needed an effect that could be game changing and you would want to set off. Having a blanket effect that can hurt you as much as your opponent doesn't do it. We want the effect to be 'your opponents loose all Terror Icons and Willpower, then go insane.' The reward for putting this in your deck and giving up any guess work of which story you'll be going to is clearing out your opponents side of the board. That's worth the trouble and effort to us. If you're playing two "monster' factions against each other , there won't be Willpower and you should be near equal on Terror, so winning this gains you nothing extra and you lost deck space putting it in. Ron Kotwica had a great idea for revamping the Conspiracies in these sets that would really have changed things up and made the Icons that much more important. I'll see if I can get him to explain it since they idea wasn't used. And The Underwater Conspiracy? We suggested "The Lurking Fear".

Those Without Faces: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Terror Icon. Text: Disrupt: After you win a Terror Struggle, the loser of the struggle discards a card from the top of his deck.
We wanted to lower the cost to 2 and make it a Hastur character that would discard one from your hand. We also thought it could fit with Yog and make you discard 2 from your deck.

I feel there are too many cards that are too expensive for what they do, I know the idea is to slow things down, but some of these cards have too much of a cost swing. I'm sure others , Carioz & TRO, will be able to do a better cost anayslsis than I did, but this is what we were thinking and hoping for in the new set.

Donald

I'd love to comment but there are two things holding me back: I've never played white border only, so many cards would fall in the useless category by default, when compared to blackborder powerhouses -well, even when compared to blackborder average cards-, and I hadn't time to look at the cards closely, since I am involved in another game (Dominion is great! -and, I think, breakable-), another gaming project and keep an healthy dose of rpg up. Sadly CoC had to take the backseat.

So, it would be really unfair for me to comment on the cards crunch.

Dominion=very good game. We play it here a good bit and yes, with the right cards in play you can be going through your deck several times a turn. PM Hastur for a link to a site that has it to play online for free.

Trent Dixon commits to a story. He is then committed to all three stories. Defender realizes he has three stories to defend. He also realises that the active player chooses the order in which the stories are resolved. Defender commits to all three stories rarely. Three with terror should work. Three with 3 combat each beats Dixon. Both are tall orders. Like Donald says,Trent should pretty easily rack up two tokens on two stories before he finally must deal with the single big blocker and go insane or die. (Defending player must be able to commit to all three, just as Trent does.) He's tricky.

Because Emerging Deep One destroys versus sacrifices cthulhu characters, it targets opponents too, or himself if he's the only CT in play.

The illustration has been in circulation for a while. Nice moon, but unlike the sketchy image of Zann, Mike Capprotti's new Deep One is in a great setting but looks a little incomplete. I like that he has shreds of human clothes on.

Those Without Faces could have been great. Donald saw him as cost 2, or discarding 2 cards from deck or a card from hand. All three would have been amazing. They look like they could be Hastur; but they look better on gray. But if tough enough, I still think it would have made a terrific card. Instead it looks really sharp. It's my new favorite illustration. In a discard deck, would Those Without Faces make the cut?

Ok, bear in mind that this evaluation is based on a white and black border mixed environment, 3x cards with the same title, from a competitive point of view:

Miskatonic
Dr. Carson: Uncommon Character Cost 1, Skill 1, Investigation Icon. Text: Action: Exhaust Dr. Carson to restore and ready an insane character.

Dr. Carson is the kind of card which tries to fit in both rush and control, and fail horribly in both. From the rush point of view he is nothing spectacular (granted, any 1 coster is good by definition in rush, but Carson, being unique, somewhat makes his low cost less usefull). The I icon does not offset the fact that he dies or goes bonkers to anything, gets easilly blocked by any chump.

From a control point of view, it is equally useless as insanity is the second least troubling condition of the game (after being exhausted), and is easilly avoided.

Rabbit’s Foot: Uncommon Support Cost 0 Text: Attach to a MU character. Response: After attached character commits to a story reveal the top card of your deck, then put that card into your hand. If the revealed card was a character card, Combat struggles do not resolve at that story this phase.

Very bad. It is an attachment. It cannot be attached only to characters of a faction which sports exactly 1 toughness willpower character. Most of all, it doesn't grant you card advantage until you commit twice, leaving two windows of opportunity for your opponent to get a nice 1 for 2 trade.

Sleeping Pills: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT, ITEM. Attach to a non-ANCIENT ONE character. While attached character is committed to a story, Terror struggles do not resolve at that story.

Char attachment at a cost. If fetch stick fell out of competitive play by Worlds I, this should never see the field.

Agency
Government Exorcist: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 2 Combat, Investigation Icon Text: GOVERNMENT Response: After Government Exorcist commits to a story on your turn, choose an opponent’s character with a Terror Icon. That character cannot commit to the same story as Government Exorcist.

Ok, forget me this digression, but, what in the name of all that is green, squidly and unholy is a Government Exorcist? I really see the government training and paying a crack squad of exorcists... verisimilitude, goodbye... Worse than Undercover Security, probably a little bit worse than Hardboiled Detective. Not ugly overall.

Interrogation Center: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Neutral characters cannot commit to stories.

OK, it stops Wild Beasts... maybe it has use for some neutral future fatty, but right now I'd not take it out the cellophane.

Trent Dixon: Uncommon Character Cost 4 Skill 3 Combat x2 Icon. Text: CRIMINAL If Trent Dixon is able to commit to a story he must commit to a story. If Trent Dixon is the only character you control that is committed, apply his skill and icons to all other story cards as well.

If he works as I think, he isn't so great: situational, and high cost. He didn't make the cut by a longshot in my Synd rush deck. Other could find a use for this kid.

Underground Asylum: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Disrupt: Exhaust Underground Asylum and pay 1 to cancel an effect that would cause a character to go insane.

Situational against insanity... I'd leave him in the blister.

Called by Azathoth: Uncommon Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT CURSE Attach to a character. Treat attached character as if its printed text box were blank.

Very good, it's Forgotten Isle 4-6 in a MonoC deck.

Emerging Deep One: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 3 Combat x2 Arcane Icon Text: DEEP ONE Forced Respsonse: After you play Emerging Deep One from your hand, choose and destroy a Cthulhu character.

Not bad, but I'd be wary to put it into a deck, since it could prettymuch become a resource me only card.

Bloodthirsty Zealot: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x2 Icon Text: CULTIST While there is at least one insane character in play, bloodthirsty zealot gains two Combat Icons.

A weak chumpblocker for 3. Hey at least it is not costed 6! I'd avoid him.

Touched with Madness: Common Event Cost 3 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase. Action: For each terror struggle that you win this phase, instead of the normal struggle effect, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane.

TRO already did the analysis for Zann. I agree 100% with him. Since Toched with Madness is Zenn deux, I'd skip.

Grim Wraith: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 1 Terror Icon Text: MONSTER Response: After Grim Wraith commits to a story, choose an icon struggle at that story, Instead of resolving that struggle, resolve an additional Terror Struggle in its place.

Chump blocker. Maybe overpriced by one.

The Black Goat’s Rage: Uncommon Event Cost 3 Text: Play only if every card you control has the Shub –Niggurath affliation. Action: Each player counts the Terror Icons on all readied characters he controls. The player who counts the fewest Terror Icons must immediately choose two characters he controls to go insane, if able.

Weak and pointless. It would be bad without restrictions (if able and faction), another completely casual card.

Erich Zann: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x3 Icon Text: MUSICIAN If you win a terror stuggle in which Eric Zann is participating, instead of of the normal struggle effects, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane

Already analyzed.

Spawn of the Sleeper: Uncommon Event Cost 2 Text: Action: Choose a character that has gone insane as a result of a terror struggle this phase, take control of that character.

Psychotic break did the same and I've seen it played exactly once. Not a good card.

Terrifying Visage: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT Attach to a character with a Terror Icon. Response: After you win a terror struggle, ready attached character.

Character attachment without any use. Attach it to Zann, commit and get rid of two useless cards at once.

Julia Brown: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Arcane Investigation Icon Text: INVESTIGATOR Julia brown gets +1 skill for each insane character in play. Disrupt: If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead. Then, search your deck for a card titled Julia Brown, or The Sleepwalker, put it into play committed to the same story, and then shuffle your deck.

I'll suppose for an instant that The Sleepwalker is Ghoul Khanum on steroid. Then Julia would be usable. Until The Sleepwalker comes out, Julia becomes 100% useless, as she both dies to T and C. Her having a combat would have made her almost useable.

Sleepless Nights: Common Event Cost 2 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase, before characters are committed to stories. Action: Resolve an additional Terror Struggle at all stories this phase.

I agree with Donald here.

The Underwater Conspiracy: Uncommon Conspiracy Cost 2 Terror x2 Combat Arcane Investigation Struggles Text: CONSPIRACY If you win this conspiracy, you may cause all characters in play to lose WILLPOWER and then go insane, if able.

As I said I suck at if able, but doesn't the card read: all chars go insane only it they all have willpower?

Those Without Faces: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Terror Icon. Text: Disrupt: After you win a Terror Struggle, the loser of the struggle discards a card from the top of his deck.

Slow discard FTW! With this and Spider-Pez you can discard your opponent to death by turn 15!

Final review: One very good card (poor's man Forgotten Isle), one average one with a completely random title, a few cards which could be used when the stars are right to some ultimately weak effect, the rest is useless.

Dr. Carson: Uncommon Character Cost 1, Skill 1, Investigation Icon. Text: Action: Exhaust Dr. Carson to restore and ready an insane character.

An Investigation Icon and a good ability for 1. Yes, unique may hurt a little but for a 1 drop you can't really complain with these stats.

Rabbit’s Foot: Uncommon Support Cost 0 Text: Attach to a MU character. Response: After attached character commits to a story reveal the top card of your deck, then put that card into your hand. If the revealed card was a character card, Combat struggles do not resolve at that story this phase.

It's a bit out of place in the Terror based AP. MU has some arcane, lots of willpower so theoretically it can gain you card advantage on your opponents' next turn. And gain you 2 extra cards per turn. The random chance to not block the Combat struggle makes it unrelyable though. Not having a combat struggle may even be a disadvantage, as you will almost always want to have enough combat icons in case you draw non-character.

Sleeping Pills: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT, ITEM. Attach to a non-ANCIENT ONE character. While attached character is committed to a story, Terror struggles do not resolve at that story.

It works the best on your own character, if you don't care for Terror struggles, but you can play it on an opponents' character to make it slightly less vulnerable.

Government Exorcist: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 2 Combat, Investigation Icon Text: GOVERNMENT Response: After Government Exorcist commits to a story on your turn, choose an opponent’s character with a Terror Icon. That character cannot commit to the same story as Government Exorcist.

Combat/Investigation, skill 2 is normal for 2. The ability is a nice semi-evasion ability. It has a lot of competition in the 2 slot between similarly statted characters.

Interrogation Center: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Neutral characters cannot commit to stories.

Mild neutral hosing. Very meta-dependent.

Trent Dixon: Uncommon Character Cost 4 Skill 3 Combat x2 Icon. Text: CRIMINAL If Trent Dixon is able to commit to a story he must commit to a story. If Trent Dixon is the only character you control that is committed, apply his skill and icons to all other story cards as well.

As I read it, it doesn't actually commit to the other stories. That's quite powerful if you resolve his story last. That'll be 4 free icons across 3 stories. Add a little icon boost - Underworld Contacts is a popular choice - and he'll be a really efficient finisher.

Underground Asylum: Common Support Cost 2 Text: LOCATION Disrupt: Exhaust Underground Asylum and pay 1 to cancel an effect that would cause a character to go insane.

It has some downside compared to Arkham Asylum - which can restore characters any time. This one prevents uncommitment though, as well as provide a faction resource in a pinch. And stops cards like Greates Fear. If you run Syndicate, I'd prolly take this one over Arkham asylum.

Called by Azathoth: Uncommon Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT CURSE Attach to a character. Treat attached character as if its printed text box were blank.

Counts as a curse, deals with a lot of problems. It's no Forgotten Isle, but close enough to be FI 4-6.

Emerging Deep One: Common Character Cost 2 Skill 3 Combat x2 Arcane Icon Text: DEEP ONE Forced Respsonse: After you play Emerging Deep One from your hand, choose and destroy a Cthulhu character.

Awesome in the mirror match. Not so much when not, although one can always pitch a used up little character, or destroy a Unique with a come-in-to-play ability. But you're like to encounter a lot of Cthulhu-based decks, and this is good enough to destroy their Yig, and draw some more fire.

Bloodthirsty Zealot: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x2 Icon Text: CULTIST While there is at least one insane character in play, bloodthirsty zealot gains two Combat Icons.

Decent stats, but nothing that pushes it over other cards.

Touched with Madness: Common Event Cost 3 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase. Action: For each terror struggle that you win this phase, instead of the normal struggle effect, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane.

Tricks for 3 are in a difficult postition. Still, this could come as a nasty surprise at some points.

Grim Wraith: Common Character Cost 3 Skill 1 Terror Icon Text: MONSTER Response: After Grim Wraith commits to a story, choose an icon struggle at that story, Instead of resolving that struggle, resolve an additional Terror Struggle in its place.

Pretty good, as it voids one struggle completely. This one works better on defense though, in which case it's a good speedbumb against rush decks.

The Black Goat’s Rage: Uncommon Event Cost 3 Text: Play only if every card you control has the Shub –Niggurath affliation. Action: Each player counts the Terror Icons on all readied characters he controls. The player who counts the fewest Terror Icons must immediately choose two characters he controls to go insane, if able.

Not as efficient as hastur would do it. With Temple of Haon-Dor it could come as a nasty effect versus human faction cards.

Erich Zann: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 3 Terror x3 Icon Text: MUSICIAN If you win a terror stuggle in which Eric Zann is participating, instead of of the normal struggle effects, you choose which of your opponent’s participating characters goes insane

Pretty flavourful. It needs some support to become really effective though. At least it's Yig proof. He probably won't go out on his own, though, and with a run with multiple characters thing can be favourable to Zann.

Spawn of the Sleeper: Uncommon Event Cost 2 Text: Action: Choose a character that has gone insane as a result of a terror struggle this phase, take control of that character.

A cheaper Psychotic Break, which is neat. When Insanity is ramped up, this could be great.

Terrifying Visage: Common Support Cost 1 Text: ATTACHMENT Attach to a character with a Terror Icon. Response: After you wina a terror struggle, ready attached character.

Some extra unexhaust is handy. It triggers for each story you win terror with. Alas, so far there are no characters that have a response to Story Resolution effects that say "exhaust" otherwise this would be a great enabler. Handy, but nothing that abuses it yet.

Julia Brown: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Arcane Investigation Icon Text: INVESTIGATOR Julia brown gets +1 skill for each insane character in play. Disrupt: If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead. Then, search your deck for a card titled Julia Brown, or The Sleepwalker, put it into play committed to the same story, and then shuffle your deck.

Soaking terror is nice. The card is hurt a bit by the 3x rule though.

Sleepless Nights: Common Event Cost 2 Text: MADNESS Play during your story phase, before characters are committed to stories. Action: Resolve an additional Terror Struggle at all stories this phase.

Improves Ghoul Khanum even more. The lack of surprise hurts though.

The Underwater Conspiracy: Uncommon Conspiracy Cost 2 Terror x2 Combat Arcane Investigation Struggles Text: CONSPIRACY If you win this conspiracy, you may cause all characters in play to lose WILLPOWER and then go insane, if able.

Besides the templating issue (the If Able shouldn't be there) it's a mighty useful card for mono Hastur decks, and it works well for Monster based deck in general. Yes, it's a bit weak, but mono Hastur doesn't get any easy way to remove willpower and this fills that hole.

Those Without Faces: Uncommon Character Cost 3 Skill 2 Terror Icon. Text: Disrupt: After you win a Terror Struggle, the loser of the struggle discards a card from the top of his deck.

Milling decks have a little support to make them a little more consistant. It's no Gatekeeper, but it works for free. Running based milling isn't very good though; Infinite milling is more succesful. It may find a home in Gatekeeper deck though, aided by cards like Sleepless Nights and or Grim Wraith. Realistically, such decks win with Ghoul Khanum instead - But it's a start to bring back non-infinite milling decks.

Marius said:

I understand too it doesn't commit to the other stories, but I'm not agree with " That's quite powerful i f you resolve his story las t "

So if I'm the active player, I commit Trent Dixon in a story. Only this story will be resolved (rules p. 9 each story card ( that contains committed characters ) must be resolved). Skills and icons are applied in the other stories but for nothing because the others stories will not resolve.

If I am the non-active player , Trent Dixon is very nice. Because if my opponnent commits Characters in two or three stories, I will defend each story by commiting only one character in only one story. Unfornately, you can't chose the order to resolve stories because you are not the active player. Your opponent should resolve first the story where you commit Trent Dixon to try to destroy it or made it insane to be sure Trent Dixon wil not apply his icons and skill in the other story.

So for me Trent Dixon is not so powerfull, only usefull when you are the non active player. But it's a very fun card to play

Dadajef said:

I understand what you're saying Dadajef, and it is right according to the rules as written, but that makes Trent a completely useless card. That's nothing new, but a card that designed to be unplayable has to be a mistake. I hope.

If Trent is the active player and you don't resolve the struggles at the story he is "ghosting" on, then his ability is useless on your turn. If you're using Trent to block alone on your opponents turn, he is going to get creamed as you said. Does his whole ability go off even if he is killed on the first story? It's not an action, so it doesn't have to resolve. If you send others with him, his ability doesn't kick in and he is over costed for skill & icons. For him to be worth while, he has to be considered committed at the other two stories and have them resolve. If your opponent can't block at those stories, the two (or three if augmented) free tokens on the other stories is amazing. A kill, crazy or blanking effect is all that can stop him.

It's like Julia's terror struggle effect, nothing says that it stops / replaces / is used for the Terror struggle, but that seems to be the intent.

Marius, can you use your connections to get a ruling on the intent of the card? Thanks.

Donald

Donald said:

Disrupt: If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead .

"Instead" being the key here. So, the effect of the Terror Struggle is replaced by a replacement effect. It happens, but something else happens instead of her going insane.

Donald said:

The intent is clear, it's strange that it went from pseudocommitment to this. My source of clarifications would be the same as yours, but I'll check anyway.

Marius said:

I see. I was going by the FAQ section 1.3 about targeting and forced responses. Not the exact situation but close enough. What page in the rule book is Replacement Effect explained? I only have the PDF download so it may be missing from mine.

Marius said:

Not really. That's why we have those questions.

Donald

I see. I was going by the FAQ section 1.3 about targeting and forced responses. Not the exact situation but close enough. What page in the rule book is Replacement Effect explained? I only have the PDF download so it may be missing from mine.

It's here:

" The Golden Rule: If the rules text of a card contradicts the text of this rulebook, the rules on the card take precedence."

The rules state furthermore that:

"Some effects will cause a character to become insane. To reflect this condition, flip that card over so that it is facedown on the table."

According to the Golden Rule however, If Julia Brown would go insane as the result of a terror struggle, sacrifice her instead.

in⋅stead
–adverb
1. as a substitute or replacement; in the place or stead of someone or something: We ordered tea but were served coffee instead.

So, the rules order tea, but Julia gets you coffee. Thus you won't get any tea. You must order tea though to get the coffee served instead.

To say that Forced Responses factor in here somehow doesn't make sense though. (forced) responses react to a trigger, after the trigger has fully resolved. Disrupt changes it's trigger though. Mostly the change made to the effect is that it's simply cancelled. "Instead" cancels the original effect and replaces it with something else, as per that is what this adverb does in English.

Not really. That's why we have those questions.

My sentence went on after that: "...it's strange that it went from pseudocommitment to this." which would imply that there is extra information that is available to me, which clarifies the intent to me. This info is available to you to, so you could have come to the same conclusion about the original intent. My sentence also read "it's strange" which implies that the change after the release of the card made the intent unclear.

Marius said:

????? I said "I see". As in "I understand how it works". While you have your dictionary out, look up " condescending".

Marius said:

and double ?????. I do have the same information, but the intent of the card is still unclear. What happens with "pseudo-commitment"? Do you get to pseudo block? Do Pseudo struggles resolve? I would have though you'd have a more direct line to Nate since you are writing articles for FFG and a better chance at an answer than the rest of us.

How about another thread: "I'd have thought ,"and "It's obvious to me. " I'd prefer to be left out of it. I'm excited about the new cards and look forward to more discussion, including rules parsing and behind the scenes stuff.

What would clarify Trent?

"Trent is committed to all three stories. Defending player can committ to all stories."

Well, not knowing the intent -and my I add, once a card is printed its intent becomes obfuscated by default- is quite unclear what the clarification should be.

Trent is going to need a lot of clarification from FFG as to what his ability does. I think the intent is to say that he is at all three stories, thus forcing the opposing player to commit more defenders across the board than they may have wanted to.

Any image of any card from this AP?

Abdul Alhazred said:

Just these three:

new.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp