Zoey Samaras - Structure Deck Series ( Dunwich Legacy )

Hello Fellow investigators

Welcome to my structure deck series!

Concept

We finished with the core set and we decided to buy the whole Dunwich Cycle to feel the Arkham experience. We 'll discuss the new cards we added in our deck and which upgrade choices we take in solo and multiplayer.

I will focus on 19 XP upgrade routes since this is pretty much average in my Dunwich runs. I will also create decks of the Dunwich investigators and I will upgrade everyone setting as the final cycle The Forgotten Age. In the Circle Undone, Taboo List was introduced and I think you will already know the advantages/disadvantages of your favorite investigator in order to create your unique deck.

Let start with the show, shall we?

Zoey Pros and Cons

Our new is here and she likes monsters! In fact, she wants to engage them to boost her economy, unlike Roland who likes to kill them in order to find clues. She is a Heavy fighter and her end game focuses on One-shot high Health monsters making her fun to play.

Her biggest advantages are:

1) Her High Health (9). It comes to balance with her low where the agility tests usually deal damage to you. Evading an enemy is not an option for Zoey. This little butcher likes slaughter.

2) Her high and (4). Unlike Roland, she has a nice stat of Willpower and you can test few treacheries with ease. Her Combat is there to prove that this is your main purpose: dealing with those enemies.

3) Her strongest advantage is her ability to get resources by engaging enemies. This can boost her talents like Physical Training/ Keen Eye or feeling safe to play your expensive assets later on like Lightning Gun. Overall her resource economy considered being very good.

4) Zoey's Cross is one of the best signature cards. A testless +1 dmg can kill right away Rats for example. It makes Machete more consistent weapon in multiplayer since you deal faster with enemies. You can One-shot 4 health enemies with Lightning Gun. Even the test icons are like 3x . Try to get it on your opening hand.

5) Her elder sign is a good thing when it happens.

Her Flaws are:

1) Her low . Her biggest problem is the ability to investigate. While in Multiplayer is not a big deal you are going to have a hard time in solo. Do we have an answer to that? Well, we're going to find out below.

2) Her low sanity. While she has a good to deal with treacheries some of them can be really nasty. Also if you won't kill an enemy in your phase he can easily stack up your horror.

3) Smite the Wicked. It depends when you will draw it and the situation you are. In the end, you want to kill it before the scenario ends to avoid the mental trauma. A good thing is that if you draw it when the encounter deck is thin you might actually dont get an enemy. Another thing is in multiplayer fellow players can kill it for you if you are far away.

Gameplay

Before we start mention/suggest cards lets talk about the new deckbuilding options the Dunwich investigators have and what criteria you should use to determine your card choices.

First and foremost the Dunwich Investigators have access to all classes and they can choose 5 cards from them. The criteria you should use are:

1) The most important is that you should choose cards that will impact your gameplay until the end of your campaign. You won't change them so better use their full potential.

2) Are you playing solo or Multiplayer? Some cards are great for solo, others for Multiplayer and some play well with specific investigator combinations.

3) Try to close the gap or neutralize your weaknesses/disadvantages as an investigator. Specific cards can help you with your low sanity or health or even boost greatly your signature ability where cards from your class cant.

Saying these let's talk about which cards I recommend for Zoey and I will split them into two categories:

A) Multiplayer:

1) Elusive: This is a great card that helps you move across location if they are revealed. The first thing it comes to mind is to help your fellow seeker and engage the enemy from him. Usually, I play Elusive to deal with Smite the Wicked. After the revelation, you can be either in the same location or the adjacent one most of the time. That's a great tool for you to deal quickly with the enemy without worrying about spending actions to move before the scenario ends.

2) 2x Ward of Protection. As the game progresses you 'll have to deal with nastier treacheries and one failed test might cost your sanity. In multiplayer, a canceled Ancient Evils can give you an extra investigation phase before the agenda advances.

3) Double or Nothing. This is an example of a card that as the game progresses it becomes more impactful. Use it on your Lightning Gun tests or on a testless action of Wendy Adams. You can boost the finishing moves of other investigators like Backstab or grab a bunch of clues in one turn.

B) Solo:

1) 2x Rite of Seeking. The biggest problem of Zoey in Solo is investigating. Flashlight alone won't cut it and Evidence! might be situational. You want one more asset to neutralize this weakness of yours. Now the debate actually is why not Drawn to the Flame? Don't get me wrong Drawn to the Flame is great for Zoey. You get two clues for free and you might engage an enemy so that's a +1 resource. Even if treachery appears you have a chance to deal with it with your high . So these are two locations if you draw both Drawn to the Flame right? Most locations in Dunwich campaign are 3 and 4 shroud where Flashlight is ineffective and you will try but most of the time you will fail. You need a consistent investigation and that's where Rite of Seeking comes in. You can boost it with Physical Training, Guts and Unexpected Courage. But you will ask: Don't we have Keen Eye later in the campaign to deal with our low ? Well yeah, you got Keen Eye but you want to spend your resources to boost your Combat tests(or on Zoey's Cross) and two resources are quite a lot. You want to make them count.

2) 1x Lone Wolf. Boosting your economy consistently combined with Zoey's ability is a win-win! A great solo card that you want on your opening hand for full potential. You can go for two copies but I believe Ward of Protection is too good to pass it.

3) 2x Ward of Protection. As I stated in multiplayer this card can make a difference between win and defeat.

C) Honorable Mentions:

1) Peter Sylvestre. He is a great horror shield for you but after the first scenarios, you will have access to your Brother Xavier or Beat Cop. We really need our card choices to be there until the end of the campaign and you will cut Peter for better allies.

2) Drawn to the Flame. I mention the reasons why I don't pick this card but still is great for Zoey and deserves a spot to my honorable cards. Actually, in the next cycles with the addition of some new cards it becomes a strong candidate.

3) Lucky! A card that helps you until the end and can change a critical failed test to success. If you don't feel comfortable with Double or Nothing as a new player then swap it with Lucky!.

4) Shortcut another great option to fill your deck. It provides mobility, especially in solo. If you are feeling confident enough with your swap Ward of Protection to add some speed and movement to your deck.

5) Contraband this card is expensive to use it. Although if you want to upgrade something else than Extra Ammunition then this will be your only option to add ammo to your Lightning Gun. In the early campaigns, you boost either .45 Automatic or Flashlight. Take this card only if you can boost another investigator otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. There are better options mentioned above.

Let's move onto our card choices from class. Not much to say here. You got three weapons .45 Automatic/Machete and can be found with Prepared for the Worst. Guard Dog is your cheap ally and he will upgraded soon.

Physical Training is essential for your tests especially in solo where you have Rite of Seeking. "If it bleeds..." can help you recover from you or a friendly investigator some horror. Use it wisely to take full advantage of it. Evidence! use it in high shroud locations if the situation allows it.

Dynamite Blast usually is there for your willpower tests but you can use it combined with Elusive to create a nice combo. Finally, Vicious Blow is your finisher move. You need to remember that it stacks with Double or Nothing like your weapons or cards like Guts.

Ideal Opening Hand: Zoey's Cross, Machete, Flashlight,Emergency Cache,Physical Training/ Lone Wolf(in solo)

Upgrade Route

There is One route only and that is Lightning Gun.

Brother Xavier is slightly better than Beat Cop for Zoey. That +1 makes the difference. He is a great shield for your sanity and your teammates around you in multiplayer. In terms of damage output, he is weaker from Beat Cop but the survivability it provides is great. You can go with one copy from each and play around them.

2x Guard Dog 2x Brother Xavier or 1x Brother Xavier / 1x Beat Cop

1x Keen Eye Helps you boost your combat skill even more.

2x Vicious Blow 2x Vicious Blow

2x Evidence! 2x Extra Ammunition

1x Machete 1x Lightning Gun. I remove one Machete because the Extra Ammunition makes .45 Automatic more efficient later in the campaign.

Summary

Zoey Samaras is a great character. She has different playstyle from Roland Banks as a . She goes full Monster Hunter while Roland tends to play around helping both in grabbing clues and fighting. If you like killing monsters and engage everything in you pass then Zoey is there for you! I swear even the Old Ones are feared by this wicked Chef.

I hope you liked this guide and we 'll continue with Rex Murphy deck concept.

To be continued..