For the Want of a Machete

My list is still evolving but here's where I'm at right now with Roland. I primarily play solo but I have played a little 2-player using a build close to this one.

Slice

I really don't like .45 Automatic but what I've found is that the 3 weapons I want to have (Roland's .38 Special and 2 copies of the fantastic Machete) just don't seem to be enough. I've had games where I just couldn't draw into a weapon and it's not pretty. So the 2 copies of .45 Automatic seem to be necessary evils for now since having a weapon with bonus damage is just so important. If I can get Machete out then the guns will probably just get committed to tests. I'm hoping for another good weapon option in the next few expansions.

Beat Cop, Guard Dog and Vicious Blow all allow you to put out extra damage. The cops are normally upgraded early. I seem to have a hard time making good use of Dynamite Blast but I do include it as a singleton.

I had Physical Training in the deck before but found I usually didn't bother to play it when I drew it so I've dropped it from this list.

Sleuth

Roland is pretty proficient at gathering clues. His innate special ability, his decent base intellect, and his access to Seeker cards like Magnifying Glass and Working a Hunch all help. Working a Hunch is great for dealing with locations with high shroud and for just helping you work quickly.

Survive

Poor Roland's got a terrible sanity stat which means he can be more fragile than you might first expect. Don't take mental trauma if you don't have to. First Aid can help you recover lost sanity but in practice I usually don't have the time to devote actions to it (especially in Night of the Zealot where there always seems to be a heavy time pressure). Dodge is great and gives you an insurance policy against enemies with retaliate.