Robes of Endless Night

Asset. Body

Item. Clothing.

Cost: 2. XP: 2.

Mystic
Health: 2. Sanity: –.

When you play a Spell card, exhaust Robes of Endless Night: Reduce the cost of that card by 1. Playing that card does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Dark is the abyss without. Bright is the abyss within.
Greg Bobrowski
Jacqueline Fine #22.
Robes of Endless Night

FAQs

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

  • Q: Robes of Endless Night has a triggered ability that makes it so playing a Spell card does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If I used this ability in reaction to playing Astral Travel, which has a bold "Move" keyword, would I provoke an attack of opportunity? That is, does the ability on Robes merely prevent attacks of opportunity from taking a Play action to play Spell cards while not preventing attacks of opportunity from the card's effects, or does it cover the entire playing of the card, so to speak? A: To answer your question(s):

    • Exhausting Robes of Endless Night (2) when you play Astral Travel would not result in an Attack of Opportunity.
    • Also noting that the “play” action taken by playing Astral Travel would only result in one AoO; a second one for Astral Travel’s Move would not occur. MJ described this as “a play action that was also a move action.”
Last updated

Reviews

In addition to the considerations of the level 0 Robes, which I've written a review for, for 2 XP you get the following:

  • Cost is reduced by 1
  • A icon for your trouble
  • "Playing that card does not provoke attacks of opportunity."

That last one is the big ticket item. We've all been in this situation: you didn't get Shrivelling in your opening hand, your apprentice is truant, and then you finally draw it during Upkeep, just for an enemy to spawn on you in the next phase. In the past, you used to dread these situations, especially if that enemy had some other nasty Forced effect if it hits you. Now you just laugh.

Sadly, these robes have the disadvantage of being in the Mystic card pool, which tends to be the most competitive in terms of upgrades. Of course, you can always Delve Too Deep or do a little Arcane Research.

EDIT: The cost reduction is actually also really nice and worth emphasizing. You're not just saving 1 resource on this upgrade--you're lowering the buy-in for a card that saves 1 on the first spell you play per round. That's a lot of savings.

MiskatonicFrosh · 342
Im a huge fan of this card. It’s great for the soak and the economy in a way that could easily replace something like Uncage the Soul. Sefina and other off class Mystics are interested. — StyxTBeuford · 12987
Does anyone know how this combo's with Uncage the Soul? Firstly, do I get 4 discount? And secondly, if I am engaged with an enemy I presume I will take an attack of opportunity as I am playing an event, not a spell? — AnyoneForSnakeStew · 1
@AnyoneForSnakeStew Yes to both. — MiskatonicFrosh · 342

Regarding the "not provoke attacks of opportunity" part everyone thinks about getting your Shrivelling or Mists assets out, if you're in trouble or run out of charges.

But I noticed that Soothing Melody is a great life saver spell if you're engaged with a nasty enemy, too. Although you don't get a resource reduction, you could heal important allies like Beat Cop (2) or Grete Wagner up before facing the threat or give your health/sanity some space of if you're afraid of Retaliate/Alert or a bad symbol token in the chaos bag, before you're going to make the skill test. Also you draw a card, which you may commit. Using Clarity of Mind or Healing Words instead would provoke attacks of opportunity.

Rite of Equilibrium is another example why the Robes of Endless Night are good with spell events, too.

Miroque · 25

It looks like the Robes of Endless Night are a wonderful tool to help Luke Robinson play Read the Signs from his Dream-Gate and select a location with enemies without any risk.

Of course if you specialize Luke, you can give him Dayana Esperence to do it 3 times. Or even more thanks to Enraptured, Astounding Revelation, Truth from Fiction, ...

AlexP · 249
P.S: if someone can explain to me why the formating works in the preview but not on the final review, I'm interested ! — AlexP · 249