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NB: ArkhamDB now incorporates errata from the Arkham Horror FAQ in its card text, so the ArkhamDB text and the card image above differ, as the ArkhamDB text has been edited to contain this erratum (updated August 2022): Erratum: This card's Fight ability should read: "at the attacked enemy's location" instead of "at your location". - FAQ, v.2.0, August 2022
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Q: For the card Storm of Spirits and Mk 1 Grenades, the text reads: "(any additional damage is dealt to the attacked enemy)". What does the "additional damage" refer to? Also, regarding the "Mk 1 Grenades", can these be used with "Marksmanship" because they have the "Ranged" keyword? A: The text “any additional damage is dealt to the attacked enemy” refers to any other effects which might add to the attack’s damage, such as Vicious Blow or, indeed, Marksmanship. For example, if you used the grenades on an enemy and committed Vicious Blow to the skill test, the attacked enemy would take the additional +1 damage from Vicious Blow, but Vicious Blow would not affect the damage dealt to all of the other enemies at the location. As for Marksmanship, yes, you can absolutely use it with the Grenades! As with the above example, the bonus +1 damage from Marksmanship would be dealt to the attacked enemy, and not to the other enemies at the location.
Asset
Item. Weapon. Ranged.
Cost: 3. XP: 4.
Uses (3 supplies). If Mk 1 Grenades has no supplies, discard it.
Spend 1 supply: Fight. You get +2 for this attack. If this attack is successful, instead of its standard damage, this attack deals 2 damage to each enemy and each other investigator at the attacked enemy's location (any additional damage is dealt to the attacked enemy).
FAQs
(from the official FAQ or responses to the official rules question form)Reviews
In the 1920s, we didn't have as many regulatory bodies for sports, and thus safety standards were a bit lax. For example, major league hockey didn't require helmets, and Professional Boxers were permitted to carry Demolition and/or Military Explosives.
Accordingly, Nathaniel Cho loves these things. He absolutely needs his Boxing Gloves, and thus has no slots for backup weapons to support his +1 event dmg for the turn. Sure, there's Bandolier, but the beauty of the Boxing Grenades is they're slotless, accomplishing in 1 card & 1 action what Bandolier+(weapon) do in 2 of each.
Better still, they give your Ringside Manager something more to do when he shows up late to the match:
- Got Boxing Gloves? Fetch me my Boxing Grenades!
- Got Grenades? Fetch me my Gloves! (Or more Grenades. Can't have too many!)
- Had Grenades but used them up? Get them back! A nice synergy here- Grenades auto-discard when empty, putting them right where Randall can recur them.
- Even in the 1920s, boxers were only permitted to wear regulation shorts & sweat-soaked tanktop- so Ringside Guys aren't permitted to go find you a Bandolier. You can't even Prepare one!
It's these little details, recreating the pastiche of the early 20th century, that I really appreciate about Arkham Horror's worldbuilding.*
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*- ...I know absolutely nothing about boxing.
As a "weapon" that does not occupy any slot, It's a good secondary to kill critters, while saving ammo on your big guns. Albeit at the risk of hurting other players, but there are ways around that.
Avoiding damage to other players
- Emergency Aid to heal other players afterward
- Attack with Blackjack 2 instead of grenades
- True Grit, Brother Xavier or Agency Backup to take their damage
- Pass your Armor of Ardennes around with Teamwork
- If you have access to seeker, Shortcut to send other players away. However enemies engaged with them will leave as well, you could use Taunt before that
Combos
- Emergency Cache 3, Contraband or Venturer to reload
- Marksmanship to attack a connecting location
- Vicious Blow for more damage on the primary target
Side question, how does Hatchet Man interact with this card? Is the extra damage dealt to the attacked enemy or the target of Hatchet Man?
This is not a review so much as a response to the FAQ entry on the interaction between Mk 1 Grenades and Marksmanship. It ends with a statement that “the bonus +1 damage from Marksmanship would be dealt to the attacked enemy, and not to the other enemies at the location.” This is not necessarily true, it should be clear that the Grenades won’t deal ANY damage ‘to the other enemies at the location’ or even ‘the attacked enemy’ if you targeted an enemy at an adjacent location. Mk 1 Grenades damage ‘each enemy and each other investigator at YOUR location’ INSTEAD of its standard damage. Because it won’t deal any damage to the attacked enemy from the attack, it can’t deal additional damage for the same reason that Deduction can’t discover additional clues when used with Burglary or Unearth the Ancients.
If FFG wants the Mk 1 Grenades to work with Marksmanship, they would need to say ‘each enemy and each other investigator at the attacked enemy’s location.’ Or have Marksmanship work like Luke’s ability where you Fight as if you were there.
(If Marksmanship is used on an enemy at your location, of course the additional damage will apply if the condition is met.)
Comparison between the leveled up dynamite
Pros: -Cheaper resource cost than Dynamite with more uses. -Doesnt hit you. -Same experience cost as that card.
Cons: -Does 1 less damage than dynamite. -Cost an action and requires a skill check. -Campaign specific. The amount of times you're going to be swarmed routinely in most scenarios that aren't Innsmouth or TFA make a regular use AoE somewhat pointless. -Can't be attached to Stick to the Plan.
Overall compared to the level 4 version of dynamite, this is far inferior. Compared to the level 0 version, it's just slightly inferior.
Tldr is dynamite sticks win.