Stunning Blow

I wanted clarification on the rules regarding the elusive keyword and effects that would cause an enemy to become exhausted as part of an attack (i.e with Stunning Blow). FFG kindly got back to me to clarify:


Q: How does elusive work if an investigator attack would cause the enemy to become exhausted? For example, if an investigator commits Stunning Blow to their attack. Does the elusive keyword trigger before the automatic evade occurs? Thanks!

A: Yes; an elusive enemy that was ready before attacking will still move after attacking, and it does not exhaust until after it moves. If an effect causes it to exhaust in the middle of an attack triggered by elusive, the enemy still moves, and remains exhausted at the new location.

For instance, if an investigator commits Stunning Blow while attacking an elusive enemy, they’d resolve the attack & effects as normal (including exhausting and disengaging from the enemy), then that enemy would still move to a connecting location and remain exhausted.

Sincerely, Alex Werner, FFG Game Rules Specialist


I know this is more of a question about the elusive keyword than Stunning Blow, but there isn't currently a way to write posts about keywords specifically. Hope this helps anyone else wondering this.

snacc · 973
Hello! Can you share and forward the official ruling email (including questions and answers) you received to arkhamdbfaqs@gmail.com? This is the mailbox of the ArkhamFAQ team, and they will update the ruling you received into ArkhamDB! — Jacksonsu · 1
Thanks for letting me know! I've forwarded the email just now :) — snacc · 973
Blasphemous Covenant

The trigger is rigt after you draw the token or you can trigger it at the end of the test ? Here is my point :

  • Draw a curse
    • Case 1 : Have to choose to trigger, so do i (+1)
    • case 2 : Wait until the end of the test
  • Draw auto fail
    • Case 1: I have screw my blasphemous Covenant
    • Case 2 :I just dont trigger it

Which case is the good one ?

Sasuken · 31
You must trigger this card immediately upon revealing the curse token. You cannot wait until the end of the test. — snacc · 973
Quick Learner

Anyone see the brand new errata on this as of May 2024? I had just finished explaining that it doesn't affect the mythos phase to friend. He checked and saw this errata!

Anyone know when/where this was discussed and changed? Just curious! It reads like it plays now, at least.

DanPyre · 57
They did this for "Plan of Action", and then needed to rule "Quick Learner" the same, since both cards are worded the same. — Susumu · 340
It makes the card worth 1 xp or less now. Complete nerf. — MrGoldbee · 1404
Yep trash card now. Their ruling about Plan of Action was a complete mistake imo. — snacc · 973
For Stella, it is still good, I think. She rather wants to fail skill tests in mythos phase anyway. Sure, cards like "Rotting Remains" can hurt more, but for these she has "Neither Rain Nor Snow", and there are not that many scaling treacheries in the game, that it matters that much. For others it got probably much worse. But I'm not sure, how outside Stella wanted the card to beginn with. — Susumu · 340
*who outside Stella, not how — Susumu · 340
I disagree with the phrase, "It reads like it plays now." It used to do that, but now it doesn't. — Eudaimonea · 3
R.I.P. Quick Learner. May 2024. Even in the Stella deck, the price is too high. It is lvl.1 card now — Axel_Templar · 1
I don't get this sentiment. Failing in the Mythos Phase is usually the best Stella can do. It's like getting a fifth action for her. She can profit from her fail engine with "Rabbit's Foot" and "Drawing Thin" before her turn, then (assuming it is viable based on AoO, but that issue would stay the same with the old rule for QL) use the first action to move, play an asset, engage an enemy, etc. There are plenty options availble without a test involved. You don't HAVE to fail your first action as Stella, unless of course, you draw an "Ancient Evils" or other card not involving a test in the Mythos Phase. — Susumu · 340
@Susumu I disagree that failing in the mythos phase is the best thing Stella can do. Failing in the mythos phase usually has some serious consequences, especially if the test's difficulty is raised by 2. Using the first action to fail an investigate or evade, or even fight if it doesn't have retaliate is usually much better, especially if you have cards in hand that let you benefit even more from the failure (LWIF, oops, Live&Learn, etc.) — neescher · 297
Sure, cards like LWIF and "Oops!" are great for her, and require her to fail a test during her turn as well. But they require to fail by two or three or less, which migth not always be trivial with double QL, and if you want to use "Drawing Thin" as well. And you won't draw a treachery with a test every round, so they are particularly great for the turns, when you don't. NRNS can turn off any bad effects of a failed test (but makes it harder to fail due to 3 wilds), and can be recured almost ad infinitum once you add "True Survivor" to your deck. (In fact ad infinitum, if you add "Resourceful", which you likely do anyway.) — Susumu · 340
Hiding Spot

Please help me great when an enemy would become Ready at the end of the enemy phase? Don't enemies that attack normally during enemy phase exhaust, and only ready up in the upkeep phase? So if they all gain Aloof (they never discard the hiding spot) and normal enemies who attack, exhaust, who are these enemies that discard the hiding spot? How long can it last? Many rounds? What's the longest you folks have kept a hiding spot up for?

Quantallar · 5
Aloof enemies would discard this card, unless they either have been engaged with an investigator before gaining aloof (they won't disengage from gaining aloof and hence attack and exhaust in the enemy phase), or have been engaged by an investigator. If an enemy floats on the location with aloof, it (normally) won't attack in the enemy phase and therefore would be ready at the end of the enemy phase, which discards this card. — Susumu · 340
I guess you could extend it for a round by exhausting all enemies and then playing this, so the aloof effect would go away at the end of the following Enemy Phase, but even that is kind of using up actions that could be used to advance the scenario. n the other hand, I've never used it, I don't think, so what do I know? — LivefromBenefitSt · 1023
Power Word

Taking the FAQs above into account I tried the following out.

It is extremely effective to multi-Power-Word one hunter enemy, preferring a hunter enemy preying on me like Guardian of the Crystallizer or Bianca "Die Katz".

With "Thrice Spoken" and "Tongue Twister" you can have a ...

  • ... Charging Warrior -> "Go [1].", "Go [2].", "Go. [3]", "Betray [1].", "Betray [2].", "Betray [3]." -> Runs into a location and deals up to 3x1 damage to enemies with an an equal or lower fight value. "Killing 3 Swarm of Rats at 3 connected locations is crazy ... same is killing a 3 health enemy 3 locations away!"
  • ... Charging Evader -> "Go [1].", "Go [2].", "Go. [3]", "Distract [1].", "Distract [2].", "Distract [3]." Runs into a location and evades up to 3 enemies (maybe including itself) with an an equal or lower evade value. "Make Rita Young look like a sloth!"
  • ... (untabooed) an Ambulance -> "Go [1].", "Go [2].", "Go. [3]", "Mercy [1].", "Mercy [2].", "Mercy. [3]" Runs into a location and heals up to 3 allies for health and/or horror. "Make Bianca "Die Katz" a charging Lay-on-Hands-Paladina who heals 6 health for 1 action at a location 3 steps away!"
  • ... Charging Cluever -> "Go [1].", "Go [2].", "Go. [3]", "Confess [1].", "Confess [2].", "Confess. [3]" Runs into a location and discovers up to 3 clues if its health is equal to or higher than its location's shroud. "Get an On the Trail (3) once per turn!"

In all cases you can also change the resolution order to or skip any of the commands: eg. "Go [1].", "2nd Command [1].", "Go [2].", "2nd Command [2].", "Go [3].", "2nd Command [3]."

You go to the power-worded enemy and send it to it's target doing whatever you want. When the enemy is at least 2 locations away, exhausing or evading it is not necessary. If it is aloof from e.g. Existential Riddle you can even ignore this part because aloof enemies don't exhaust.

Your power-worded enemy becomes a freeking multi-functional boomerang.

You can support this playstype by taking cards like Word of Command and Lucid Dreaming to get the copies out of your deck very fast.

thrice spoken can command each OTHER enemy with power word — Adny · 1
Oh thx, you are right. I will edit my review the next days. — GrueneLupenAufheben · 116