Roland Banks - Structure Deck Series ( The Path to Carcosa )

Hello Fellow investigators

Welcome to my structure deck series!

Concept

We finally finished with Dunwich Legacy and moved to Path to Carcosa. Our new card pool contains all the cards of the new cycle. We will discuss our new choices in our deck and which upgrade choices we take in solo and multiplayer.

In this cycle, we will have an average of 25-28 XP to spend on our upgrade routes. I will also create decks of the Carcosa investigators and I will upgrade everyone to the final cycle of The Forgotten Age. In the Circle Undone, Taboo List was introduced and I think you will already know the advantages/disadvantages of your favorite investigator in order to create your unique deck.

Finally, forgive me if I don't deck build more often but quarantine in our country is over and we start working again. That means less time for me to write and playtest some investigators with their deck(with the current card pool) I create in order to be efficient for you.

Let start with the show, shall we?

Gameplay

Before we start let me mention a card you swap from Solo to your multiplayer games.

2x Inquiring Mind 2x "Let me handle this!"

"Let me handle this!" is great for multiplayer. As Roland, you can protect other investigators who don't have to be on your location. You can draw an enemy giving you the chance to trigger later on Roland's ability. You can even use it when you have Dr. William T. Maleson in play to avoid a nasty treachery card.

Our new card additions from this cycle are:

Calling in Favors. This card works great with Art Student and Laboratory Assistant. You can freely search for 1 more clue in the high shroud location or heal the health of Guard Dog/Beat Cop by returning them to your hand.

Logical Reasoning. Another valuable card for Roland and also important in multiplayer games. Since Roland has low sanity this card works great for him. Specific terror cards can easily be avoided. Don't forget its restriction, keep it as a reminder. Also don't be afraid to use it on a skill test since 2x icons are crucial to succeed.

Eureka!. Great card in our standard games since you most likely to succeed in tests. Use it on Flashlight at 2 shroud locations to guarantee its success. It loses its value when you play an expert game. It looks like a weaker version of No Stone Unturned but it doesn't cost action and 2 resources. Since Roland has a heavy asset build and Calling in Favors along with Prepared for the Worst are doing their job great to find these assets we don't actually need No Stone Unturned. Consider Eureka! as a cheap way to thin our deck further.

Honorable Mention: On the Hunt some times you need it and some times you don't. Also sometimes it may bring you a difficult enemy that you are not ready to fight. I would avoid it in multiplayer since it can increase the number of enemies you have to face as a group unless you are the last one to draw from the encounter deck. This card works better in Zoey than Roland himself.

Upgrade Route

As we delve deeper into our campaign and with the addition of new Guardian characters you start to feel that Roland wasn't meant to be the main Fighter in your group. You try to balance between clues and combat so I still believe that being a hybrid will be a better role in your group games.

I suggest three routes with a main core that you should always buy as upgrades.

1x Charisma. Since we have Calling in Favors we actually don't need to spend XP on a second charisma.

1 Guard Dog/1x Laboratory Assistant 2x Beat Cop.

1x Shortcut Pathfinder

1x Keen Eye

1x Stick to the Plan. A great permanent card helping you have key cards in your hand in order to make a good start. Prepared for the Worst, Emergency Cache are your main priorities but if you 're playing tank-style or fighter then Dodge, Taunt, Extra Ammunition, Ever Vigilant are also good choices.

These are our core cards. Then you can decide what role you want to have:

Fighter Roland: Your main focus is Lightning Gun. Get Bandolier from the beginning instead of Flashlight.

1x Flashlight Lightning Gun

2x Vicious Blow Vicious Blow for the extra test icons and damage.

2x Inquiring Mind 2x Extra Ammunition

Tank Roland: Your main focus is to protect your allies while affording some hits from the enemies. Instead of 1xBeat Cop we get 1xBrother Xavier. In the beginning, we start with 2x True Grit instead of Flashlight and "Let me handle this!" instead of Inquiring Mind.

1x True Grit 1x Armor of Ardennes

2x Vicious Blow 2x Vicious Blow

1x Shortcut/1x Logical Reasoning 2x Taunt

1x Dodge 1x "I've had worse…"

Keyish Roland: It focuses on Key of Ys and it is my favorite build overall. Swap 2x Inquiring Mind with"Let me handle this!" from the beginning.

1x Logical Reasoning Key of Ys. Since we dont use Taboo List this card is mandatory for Roland. Not only protects his sanity but also buffs his stat line making him even stronger.

2x Vicious Blow 2x Vicious Blow

1x .45 Automatic 1x .45 Automatic. Since you won't focus on combat the upgraded .45 Automatic is a good addition since it provides you retaliate immunity.

1x Logical Reasoning 1x Forewarned

Finally, if you Xp to spare go for 1x Dodge 1x "I've had worse…"

Summary

Roland became more balanced with the addition of Calling in Favors and Stick to the Plan solving one of his main problems which was the card consistency throughout the scenario. Also, Key of Ys and Logical Reasoning worked for him as answers to his low sanity. In this cycle, I feel Roland is at his best.

I hope you liked our new card choices and we will continue with Wendy Adams new deck.

To be continued..