Survival Instinct

Skill

Innate. Developed.

XP: 2.

Survivor

If this test is successful during an evasion attempt, the evading investigator may immediately evade each other enemy engaged with him or her, and may move to a connecting location.

David Nash
Undimensioned and Unseen #235.
Survival Instinct

FAQs

(from the official FAQ or responses to the official rules question form)
  • The clause "may immediately evade each other enemy" gives you the choice whether or not to evade "each other enemy", but doesn't allow you to pick and choose which to evade [modified quotation based on Matt's original email, quoted on Survival Instinct (level 0)]
Last updated

Reviews

I am a bit biased towards investigator cards with cool artwork, so pardon me if i present Survival Instinct a cut above the general opinion.

Considerations about the value of this card are found under the basic version of Survival Instinct(0).

The cost of 2xp have to be put into relation to the additional effect that the upgraded version gives you.

And the differences in Survival Instinct(2) are outstanding! A second Agility icon was added, and the skill text has changed to "evade" from "disengage". In particular, this invalidates every disadvantage i reviewed in the skill's basic version. Now it is resembles a cheaper version of Cunning Distraction, which is limited to all enemies engaged to a specific investigator, as in contrast to all enemies at one location.

Pros

  • Adds 2 Agility icons to a skill test. It can, of course, also be committed to a non-evasion skill test.
  • The evading investigator evades his/her enemies, they are exhausted, Hunters can't move in the same turn.
  • You can now combo it with other cards: Sneak Attack, Close Call, Pickpocketing.
Synisill · 803
Question: You've compared this to the turkey, which states "automatically evade". Died this 2xp version make you choose to test evade versus all other enemies engaged with you, or none, in an all our nothing choice, but that you must test verses each of them? OR Does this, also also just give you successful websites without testing, similar to the auto evade of the turkey? — Quantallar · 8

This Survival Instinct is absolutely awesome. Evade a whole bunch of enemies - and because it's Evade and not Disengage you might stand a chance of getting away from them - and move too!

In particular (Spoiler ahead) in The Devourer Below, it's a fantastic way of getting past the cultists from the Midnight Masks. Walk up, evade one of them - and you're home free, as they're not hunters. You still won't win, but by heck it helps.

Also, 2 icons - excellent.

I'm almost certain this will be an automatic choice for Agility based survivors. It's like Cunning Distraction, only affordable.

AndyB · 955

Both versions has two "may". In the Lv. 0 version you can choose to not disengage but choose to move to drag it away one location, for example if it has some kind of same location ability and you want to get it away from friends. Inversely, likely you always choose to perform the move, because if not moving away you became engage with it again and it hits you since it didn't exhaust.

(Some niche situation you may choose not to move? e.g. Disengaging Aloof and let it go. Change engagement to the fighter that is already here while stay around to help commit a card. Wanted to perform some combo that triggers on engaging?)

In this Lv. 2 version, the exhaust all effect add more dimension to the "may move". It is now more strategic to not move in order to stand ground and fight since Enemy Phase damage / horror is now likely none. In effect this is a much more fighter-oriented card than Survival Instinct (0) as you even get full set of actions to go at them next round without wasting the move. Enemy phase same location effect that is only activated when ready is also all gone.

5argon · 11183