Minh Thi Phan: Minnie the Moocher

Concept

This is a really fun seeker deck for multiplayer. It finds lots of clues, helps out fellow investigators, and Minh can usually fend for herself against minor enemies. Also the deck is versatile for a range of situations and can dig for the right card via Resourceful or Eureka!.

Minh Loves to Help

Your main goal is to contribute a skill card to any test that is in doubt, whether for yourself or an ally in your location. Your character ability grants an extra +1 wild stat to this. To get the most of her ability we include 14 skill cards, even including an Overpower. If you have your signature card Analytical Mind in play then you also draw a free card. Most of the skill cards feature a free card draw as well, so the net effect of helping is a net card gain: you spend one card to gain two cards! If you get Analytical Mind in play early it’s not rare to draw your entire deck.

Prepare for your Weakness

Minh’s signature King In Yellow is a crippling weakness! It clogs up your character ability and Analytical Mind . So you should prepare for this ahead of time. Hold onto two or three cards with Knowledge test bonuses (like Unexpected Courage or Perception) in your hand to quickly to deal with The King In Yellow during a routine investigate test. After the weakness is behind you then you can play more freely.

Low Rent "Moocher" Economy

When you get Madam Labranche into play you effectively have an income of two resources per turn. Each turn spend down to zero resources at some point and then use Madam Labranche for a free resource. When you have no resources you gain bonuses to Mariner's Compass, Fire Axe, and Dark Horse. Higher Education (the first card to buy with XP) provides a great way to spend down your resources.

Find All the Clues

This build has a broad toolkit to find 2-4 clues in a single action, rivaling even Rex Murphy. There are knowledge and wild skill bonuses on many cards, and extra clues are granted by Mariner's Compass, Deduction, Look What I Found!, and half the time when you play Winging It. Working a Hunch guarantees success when you’ve invested bonus clue cards and/or face a very high shroud value. Also this deck includes a copy of Seeking Answers, a versatile tool to deal with a location with a monster, high shroud, or weird cost to enter.

Fend for Yourself

Between the mulligan, Eureka!, and your fast card flow it rarely takes long to get a Fire Axe. With that in hand you shouldn’t need help to dispatch acolytes, ghouls or similar weak minions. With some experience you should obtain Acidic Ichor, which is cheap and works against the heavy hitters. Until then your best hope against elite enemies is retaining Mind Over Matter to evade or staying close to the guardian investigator!

The Very Profitable Accident

Late in many scenarios there’s a high-shroud location. By this time you might have the opportunity to try a fun combo. Play Take Heart, and if you fail on the investigate you’ll get free resources and two cards and then can fast-play Look What I Found! to gain two clues. Having the Rabbit's Foot out is extra icing on the cake.

Weak Spots

While this deck is versatile and has some powerful features, it’s not without weaknesses. You’re useless against tough enemies until you obtain Acidic Ichor. Also you’re pretty hopeless at agility tests after your single use of Mind Over Matter.

Cards to Keep in Opening Hand

Madam Labranche, Mariner's Compass, Fire Axe, Dark Horse, and possibly Eureka!

Upgrade Route Priorities (suggest doing these in order)

6 XP Higher Education is permanent, so no substitution is required, It is crucial to successful investigation and running your economy, and unlike Mariner's Compass it starts in play

4 XP Acidic Ichor swap for Strange Solution Unidentified

3 XP Pathfinder swap for the Shortcut

Later Upgrades (in no particular order)

3 XP Emergency Cache can speed up playing costly assets, or refresh the supply of Acidic Ichor. Swap out Take Heart

2 XP Deductions swap out the basic versions

4 XP another Acidic Ichor, swap a Fire Axe

3 XP Drawing Thin has been suggested, I'm interested in trying that out, not sure what would be appropriate to swap

Substitutions

The deck list was built with full universe of cards available. Most of the cards are from the Core Set (13 cards), Dunwich cycle (6 cards), Carcosa cycle (8 cards), and the Stella Clark starter (3 cards). The upgrade cards are Dunwich (6 cards) and Carcosa (1).

Some alternatives:

Winging It from Depths of Yoth is a pretty vital low-cost source of extra clues, I'm open to suggestions!

Mariner's Compass from In Too Deep could be swapped for another copy of Winging It

As a new player I welcome any advice and comments, thanks! The earlier version of this deck included Lucky, and it seems I was playing the timing wrong (paying Lucky for with Madame Labranche is not allowed I gather)