Dark Horse

Asset

Condition.

Cost: 3.

Survivor

Limit 1 per investigator.

During the upkeep phase, you may choose to not gain resources.

While you have no resources in your resource pool, you get +1 , +1 , +1 , and +1 .

Stanislav Dikolenko
Undimensioned and Unseen #234.
Dark Horse
  • Dark Horse (5) (The Feast of Hemlock Vale Investigator Expansion #127)

FAQs

(from the official FAQ or responses to the official rules question form)

  • In response to "Can you boost a stat that isn't being tested?": "There is nothing stopping you from using Scrapper or any other similar asset during a test of another type (i.e. it doesn't say 'During an agility test' or anything like that). You may use it during a willpower or intellect test if you wish; you simply won't get any benefit from it besides from Dark Horse as you suggest."

  • Q: If an investigator has Dark Horse in play, and one resource, then fails a skill test by 3, can they play Lucky! and succeed? A: Yes. If you spend your last resource on Lucky! while you have Dark Horse active, you can get +2 to your skill value from Lucky! and essentially +1 from Dark Horse, because Dark Horse is a constant ability. (Rules Question Form, June 2023)

Last updated

Reviews

This is quite an interesting card. Note that the triggered ability only requires that you not have resources at that moment; there's no reason you can't use this with Physical Training or Arcane Studies, or even better the permanent Scrapper or Keen Eye. Fire Axe should also work, as you would use the card action, then the free action to convert resources for +. And it's 0XP to boot, so all of the Dunwich investigators can use it, as well as Wendy Adams and Agnes Baker.

I could very easily see this becoming part of my standard kit in many many decks.

kolmar · 18

This card can be combined with Lucky! and Lucky Dice, if you spend your last ressource on using them, as the game calculates the final skill value in step 5 of the "Skill Test Timing" (Rules Reference).

Django · 5072
I can agree with Lucky Dice, but not with Lucky!. Success/failure determination occurs during 6th step of "Skill Test Timing" and this is a moment for playing Lucky!. When this card is played, resource is spent and bonus from Dark Horse is working, it's too late do apply this bonus. — KptMarchewa · 1
Dark Horse is a static effect. Timing restrictions prevent you from activating a fast action to reduce your resources to 0 during the test effect; however, Lucky!'s timing window allows you to spend your resource after a token is revealed, at which time both Lucky! and Dark Horse should apply. — darkernectron · 8

Assuming that I'm reading the rules correctly, it seems like you are able to draw your card during the upkeep and then decide if you want to take your resource for the turn or not. This allows much more flexibility in planning your upcoming turn.

"In player order, each investigator draws 1 card. Once those cards have been drawn, each investigator gains 1 resource." - Rules Reference, p. 25

The term "during" seems to apply to any moment within the phase and there's no entry in the Rules Reference for the term.

cheddargoblin · 87
I'd say you're absolutely right. In a similar vein, we've always played Paranoia as essentially, "keep 1 resource," which aligns it thematically with Amnesia, so it makes sense. I would say "during" means, "at any point inside" the phase, so you can decide whenever you like. It seems silly to reply to a 10-month old post, but I just wanted to confirm your assessment. — SGPrometheus · 809

I just tried Dark Horse with a Wendy Adams deck - and it doesn't work, at least not without Scrapper or similar. Wendy's Amulet is pretty awesome, as it lets you play discarded events - so you need some resources for events. However, if you have resources, it's pretty tough to clear them when you want Dark Horse to take effect. Scrapper would be good, as you can pump a test and clear your resources - but without it, I was stuck.

It is a powerful effect, +1 to each stat - but I think this might suit someone like "Ashcan" Pete who maybe can run a little more empty resource-wise.

AndyB · 956
This card comboes well with fire axe, but needs some "mental flexibility" and planning to be used to it's full effect. You don't have to keep it "online" every turn, but if your deck has too many expansive cards, you'll have problems playing them, for example will to survive. — Django · 5072
I personally feel like this card is anti-synergistic with Wendy. She requires money for her events. Much better is any Survivor who can get by on skill cards alone, like Silas or Pete. — clydeiii · 40