theatlas · 217
Cutting Corners
This is a "post-Dunwich" update to my previous Roland deck. Unfortunately Roland really didn't get very much out of this expansion. The only new card that made the cut here is Shortcut, which I think will have a fair amount of utility for Roland. It's somewhat similar to Working a Hunch in the way it provides action efficiency. Shortcut also lets you move without taking an attack of opportunity, so if you're engaged with an enemy but your current location is already out of clues then Shortcut helps you shift it over to a new location where you can make use of Roland's ability.
I have dropped First Aid, which seemed to only get used rarely because it's just so slow. I also swapped Guard Dog for Evidence!. Guard Dog is nice but Beat Cop already has the ally slot filled, and as I'm shifting to playing two-handed I see the utility of Evidence! going up. It adds to the speed/efficiency focus that Shortcut and Working a Hunch bring to the deck.
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Jan 16, 2017 |
Jan 17, 2017I agree that the R1 victory in The Devourer Below is very difficult for Roland solo. I once ran an earlier Roland deck through Devourer solo about 5 times in one sitting, aiming for R1 each time and always falling short. Although I feel like this deck works well both in solo and group play, I'll admit having a partner definitely makes Devourer much easier for Roland. (I'll say also that in my opinion Devourer has some rough edges, and they show the worst in solo play.) That said, Shortcut should help Roland get the woods explored quicker in the beginning. And if the extra efficiency during Midnight Masks translates to a better performance there then that also helps in Devourer. Some of the deck choices (including raising the count of weapons) were informed by problems I ran into during those earlier Devourer plays. As far as completing Act 3a, there are a decent number of willpower icons to help with those tests (including 2x Guts and 2x Unexpected Courage). I upgrade Beat Cop and Magnifying Glass first. Beyond those, unfortunately I think Roland's options for spending experience are a little lacking right now. After I've done cops and magnifying glasses, I'll either go for Elder Sign Amulet (especially if Roland's hit trauma) or Shotgun (which is just OK to me - I may end up using it for icons). I've started to drift away from Police Badge. |
Great deck. Simple, to the point, busting skulls and writing notes. I think Shortcut is exactly the card that Roland needed. Especially for The Midnight Masks and The Devourer Below. He already gets some action compression through his ability to discover clues while fighting, Shortcut gives him a little more action compression by turning a draw directly into a movement action (which is good because some draws are free). You need a lot of movement actions to beat the clock on those scenarios.
I'm a little worried about Roland's success rate in The Devourer Below if you try to beat Act 3a for R1 (mostly the number of non-Combat tests at the end), but I think this is about the best shot I've seen at it.
Where do you go for level ups? Seems obvious to upgrade Beat Cop for Beat Cop, but what else? Magnifying Glass can but useful, and Police Badge could help with that last section I'm concerned with (and normal Willpower checks).