I think it compares somewhat well to Lockpicks.

Pros:

• No xp cost
• Doesn't exhaust on use
• Gives your investment back and then some
• Ability to commit icons to investigation tests (which are more common than in Rogues)

Cons:

• No bonus to skill test
• 6 uses only instead of potentially unlimited uses

One thing needs to be said is, if you are banking on Lockpicks to have unlimited uses, then you can mentally add 2 to each skill check difficulty. Then Lockpicks is only better when you have 3 or more (with static boosts added).

Let's also take a look at Flashlight:

• Better than Thieves' Kit if your character's ( - ) score is less than 2.

• Better than Thieves' Kit against less than 2 shroud locations.

• Has half the uses

• Cheaper by a single resource

I wouldn't choose Thieves' Kit if:

• My investigator only needs to assist clue getting occasionally.

• My investigator has less than 4 base

• I will have both and static boosts and I plan to have some over-success thing going on

I think Thieves' Kit will see at least as much play as Lockpicks without dethroning it, which is great.

Just don't bother with its upgrade, 3 xp is so expensive for what it provides (+1 skill value and +1 resource return on success).

Not really so much as a review, it's a really good card, but I just tested Darrell(proxy), I had this in his deck. I never thought that could of been him in the art, and it might not be. But he tests at a 8 for it, you know he's getting those clues.

Normally rogue succeed by cards at level zero have a limit: succeed by two get a card from the cigarette case, keep your lockpicks, or do extra damage with one-handed weapons.

This card, by contrast, is an economic buffet. Compared to the standard emergency cash one action and one card for three dollars, this is zero actions for one action and many dollars saved.

The caveats are major: in a campaign without many humanoids, this is less effective, and if you can’t investigate well, it’s not a good pick. BUT: —Almost every rogue who can this can take lockpicks(1), and succeed by ridiculous amounts. — “I’ll take that” doesn’t require a standard evade, so even Sefina could use a magic spell to combine her willpower and agility.

Obviously, Rita loves this to get out a sledgehammer, old key ring, or catalog to help the team.

One unforeseen drawback is people confusing this card with “you owe me one”, which my group calls “let me see that.”

You'd think that sometimes the Serpent trait would work in your favor, but no. This is the card that demonstrates that Evil Overlord Rule 34 (no, not THAT rule 34) applies to Arkham investigators too. ("I will not turn into a snake. It never helps.")

Disclaimer: Pre-Scarlet Keys release review.

Changelog:

• 18/12/22: Added the Old Shotgun that enters play with 2 ammo while Salvaged!
• 13/02/22: Added the cash engine with .45 Thompson and other expensive assets.

A lot of Recursion tech is 0xp: Resourceful, Scrounge for Supplies, Scavenging. The exceptions are Shrine of the Moirai (3), Scavenging (2) and True Survivor (3).

So what justifies the 2xp?

1. The action compression: instead of adding a card to your hand the way Scrounge for Supplies or Scavenging operate, you get to play it immediately. This is 1 immediate action for 2xp.
2. You can target literally any Item, when Resourceful limits you to and Scrounge for Supplies to lvl 0 cards.
3. You get the flexibility to trash an Item that you will not want to play anymore in case you are not planning on reusing it, and get some resources for it.

It would be impossible to name all of the items that would work with this, but interesting examples are for instance:

• Items that do something when played: the Lupara (though you do not avoid the AoO) or the Backpack that discards itself when empty or if it doesn't hit anything.
• Expensive Items that you can remove from the game to pay for another copy, like the .45 Thompson or a Lightning Gun.
• The Old Shotgun enters play with 2 ammo while played through an event.

An interesting combo is with Act of Desperation; you throw away an item and either replay it with the money that you got back or get the resource cost another time!
Bothered about the only 3 uses of the Chainsaw? Well, you are now served. Throw it with Act of Desperation and play it again right after. Add a Emergency Cache (3), and you have enough supplies to cut a whole forest (of Ancient One's tentacles, which is much more climate-friendly).

Another interesting combo is, especially with .45 Thompson, to hope that Short Supply will throw it away for you (or you can also commit it easily), and you can use Salvage on it for a massive income. There are, unfortunately, very few cards that are items and that expensive, especially in , the Timeworn Brand being the other possibility. Still, there are much better ways to spend 5xp.

Now the real question, though: will it see play? I would say yes, especially in Short Supply Decks. Unless you can use Scavenging (2) reliably, like our new friend Darrell Simmons...