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Q: As of the latest FAQ and some recent rulings, we now have a pretty consistent and clear distinction between "actions performed" and "actions taken" [see "Take an action" vs "Perform/resolve an action". So, how does Quick Learner (and similar cards, like Plan of Action) work? Does it count actions performed, or actions taken? For instance, suppose I had access to some Fast or free triggered abilities with bold action designators, meaning they allow me to perform certain actions without spending action currency. Could I use two such abilities to perform two actions, thus granting me Quick Learner's difficulty reduction for the rest of my turn? Or do I only "progress" Quick Learner's effect by taking actions? If the latter, would using an ability with multiple action cost, such as Sledgehammer's two-action ability, progress me two actions or only one action? A: To answer your question(s):
- Quick Learner (and Plan of Action) will apply to any action performed or taken by their controller/user during a round. They do not take into account whether the action was performed or taken.
- The Free Triggered ability on a card like Quickdraw Holster does not cost what I’ll call a “player action”, but using it results in a Fight action being performed, so it will still be affected by Quick Learner.
- Sledgehammer’s second ability that costs two what I’ll call “player actions” and only results in a single Fight action being performed, so it only counts as one action toward Quick Learner.
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Q: If i fail the first action and play Live and Learn does the penalty from Quick Learner apply to the new skill test? A: The failed skill test and the test from Live and Learn are part of the same action, and would have the +1 difficulty from Quick Learner. (September 2023)
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Q: Does Quick Learner raise the difficulty of tests during the mythos phase? A: Quick Learner will raise the difficulty of tests during the mythos phase and during/before that investigator's first action. (May 2024)
Asset
Condition.
Cost: –. XP: 4.
Permanent.
During or before your first action of each of your turns, each skill test you perform gets +1 difficulty.
During or after your third action of each of your turns, each skill test you performed gets -1 difficulty.
FAQs
(from the official FAQ or responses to the official rules question form)Reviews
I was chatting with someone online who mentioned that they took two copies of this card. That seems wild to me. If you want testless clues as Stella, there's the raven. A copy of charisma is all you need there. You can even recur it with resourceful. But two?
Because a lot of the time, your first action is going to involve you and the enemy you got during the mythos phase. You’re going to want to punch this person, hit them with a fire ax, or a chainsaw, or dodge them so you can go on with whatever else you were doing. Especially if they're alert.
If you want to modulate difficulty with Stella, and that’s perfectly reasonable, drawing thin costs an action but one less XP, and you can use it whenever you want. Flub a track shoes test. Mess up an attack so you can play oops (Which is particularly funny with the chainsaw). Get paid or draw!
One copy is amazing though, because suddenly you are using your old ring of keys to get free clues at three shrouds, automatically hitting rats... getting one failure that leads to two successes. Definitely an early pick with Miss Clark that helps every other card she might want to play.
As noted above, this looks best in Stella or Wendy with Leo, where you can leverage the -1 difficulty more than once. It's not terrible in anyone who can take it, but it gets better with more actions.
There aren't that many "at the start of your Turn" tests, so the "During or before" usually triggers only once. (It might make playing "A Thousand Shapes of Horror" unpleasant, but you are unlikely to have bought 2 of these before the second scenario).
Wendy could try to get extra actions with .41 Derringer (2) (unlikely with her ) or Haste. Quick Thinking works (assuming you play it during your turn; if you play it during someone else's turner Quick Learner doesn't have any affect at all).
I do wish there was a way to synergize this with Eldritch Sophist, just for the chess theme.
Leo De Luca + Borrowed Time + Haste + Quick Learner + Quick Learner 5 actions with -2 difficulty for each turn.
- 3 normal actions + 1 leo action + 3 click actions = 7 actions (gained)
- first/second action + haste action for stacking clicks = 2 actions (spent)
- 5 actions remain after third action
Wendy is suitable investigator for this. Her friend might have Borrowed Time and she can borrow that using "You owe me one!".
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.
Correct me if I'm wrong: But does this give +1 at the skill tests done in the Mythos phase? Because if it is I can see this card entering my "none Stella Clark" decks, even if it is, to date, the most expensive Survivor card in the collection.
The real benefit of this card is that you can take it twice. You might fail your first action, sure... but Survivors generally don't mind that. Or you could just move or play an asset... but this modifies the difficulty of your test and because you skill value cannot fall below zero, on your third action 2 shroud locations and two fight enemies have a difficulty of zero.
The benefit of this is clear with Stella, but the beauty of it comes for Wendy with access to Leo de Luca, haste, and the skeleton key. Action 1, fail with drawing thins/take heart, place the skeleton key, move, or play an asset Action 2, place the skeleton key, lockpick, or winging it (difficulty 0 because winging it further reduces shroud) Action 3, investigate with difficulty 0 at any location (assuming you played the skeleton key) Action 4, investigate with difficulty 0 at any location Haste Action, investigate with difficulty 0 at any location.