A deck I hope could be bread and butter Zoey for running through your first Dunwich campaign if you got the repackaged Investigator Expansion along with it.

Comes with tons of economy XP cards to support putting down a Lightning Gun, in addition to the expensive Brother Xavier + Rite of Seeking + Holy Rosary combination to sometimes work on clues, and a lot of horror soaks as comfortable as her 9 health, for when horror treacheries somehow passed through your check.

If you would like the end game weapon to be Shotgun or (Taboo-buffed) Springfield M1903 instead, I have other 2 packs Zoey decks for those too (here, and here). But Lightning Gun is the most solid one in my opinion and is recommended for beginners.

► About "2 Packs Deck Guide"
　A series of decks made with the new distribution model in mind, requiring a Revised Core Set box + just 1 more Investigator Expansion box. ⌂ character on the deck's name means the additional box it uses is The Dunwich Legacy Investigator Expansion.
　It maximizes the chance of newcomers being able to build and learn to play the game, enjoying the story on Standard difficulty ASAP. They can then get into deck-building later if they wished to do so. See other decks in the "2 Packs Deck Guide" series here.

(View at arkham-starter.com)

It is difficult to reach 28 XP in The Dunwich Legacy campaign. Don't worry if you have just 1x Lightning Gun towards the end, the added consistency from 2x Stand Together (3) and 2x "I've had worse…" (4) is generally better than a 2nd gun.

The splashes

Holy Rosary (2x)

Holy Rosary theoretically clash with Zoey's Cross. As a beginner, I made mistake of over-fantasizing that I would always have my signature asset. (Same mistake with Wendy Adams and her Wendy's Amulet, then I put TONS of Event in the deck.) Reserving Accessory slot exclusively to Zoey's Cross is way too risky for beginners.

In reality, I would rather have something else if I don't find the cross in some scenarios. (In Dunwich it is also common to see your cross goes straight from deck to trash can.) Don't forget that it soaks 2 horror. Though Zoey has 4 for treachery defense her sanity is quite limited. Successfully playing Holy Rosary just once meant she is now 9/8 investigator, therefore can take 1/1 attacks more times as her health allow.

There are many effects that deal straight 2 horror without anything related to , or very difficult to pass. In that case Zoey's 4 and Holy Rosary's boost maybe useless, but you have 2 horror soak to take the hit anyway! From my experience, very often that at least one Holy Rosary break while playing the scenario and she is often at 4~5 / 6 sanity at the end. Now imagine if she don't have Holy Rosary...

Rite of Seeking (2x)

This thing is clutch on Standard. 2 shroud is where there are a lot of clues and your unboosted 4 can do the job hitting quite a sweet spot. New players would be itching to do variety of actions instead of specializing, and a Guardian that can attempt to get clues is delightful.

Combined with Holy Rosary, Brother Xavier, Guts, and a bit of luck avoiding turn-ending effect, it can net you like 4 clues per round! I have clutched Return To Dunwich Legacy Scenario 5 with this in my testplay on the final round, putting my actual clue finder to shame.

Lone Wolf (1x)

This deck's "lucky draw". I can't bring myself to remove even one copy of Rite of Seeking or Holy Rosary and it is limit 1 per investigator anyway, so one copy felt just right. Wish you good luck getting it since it would add even better economy on top of everything. Nothing is too much when you could be playing Brother Xavier 2 times to keep surviving.

When you are planning to group up and have Brother Xavier tank for others, you can be lonely anyway if you let other investigators play first and move away. "When your turn begins" and you found no one, trigger and get 1 resource. Follow them and still have Brother Xavier take the hits.

Fun fact : Many years ago when Dunwich Legacy was originally released, there is no Lone Wolf in the initial Deluxe Box that kickstart the campaign (and also no Prepared for the Worst) and players must wait for the Scenario 5 blister pack purchase to get these cards, to use them the next time they start over. This is why arkhamdb says the deck needs 3 packs instead of 2.

Upgrade explanation

To successfully play these darn expensive cards : Brother Xavier (5) + Rite of Seeking (4) + Lightning Gun (6), we need extra economy, in addition to Emergency Cache and Zoey's ability.

Stand Together (3) is a great card that get the resources and also draws you the thing to spend on. I decided to get 2x even before the Lightning Gun. Because at that point Zoey can potentially get to 6 with Brother Xavier + Holy Rosary, and she can then use Rite of Seeking to beat 3-4 shroud on Standard without commit. Make use of 2x Machete + 2x .45 Automatic for now. (Sometimes drawing is not so good in Dunwich, for reasons, so try to notice the encounter set pattern.)

We get 1x Extra Ammunition before the first Lightning Gun. It is usable for .45 Automatic while you wait for your first Lightning Gun, and Lightning Gun without refill is sad. Extra Ammunition give you that chance to virtually have a 2nd copy at 1 XP, if you hold on the empty gun for a bit.

Lightning Gun starts replacing Machete, while .45 Automatic) survives. This decision might be questionable. But Zoey maybe required to engage with multiple enemies using Taunt to free up the clue finder, and towards the end game you may need to perform risky attack on enemy engaged with your friend to compress actions. Either cases, you can't afford the weapon to suddenly become "offline" in an already difficult situation. (i.e. Not dealing 2 damages anymore) I think I would rather keep .45 Automatic as a fail-safe weapon when you can't find Lightning Gun. (Plus there are enemies that are strong against Melee in Dunwich.) It also get support from Extra Ammunition.

Use Prepared for the Worst to help getting this single copy of the Lightning Gun.

Instead of immediately double up the Lightning Gun, it is wiser to add even more economy in addition to Stand Together (3) and Emergency Cache. This card is "I've had worse…" (4). I'd say 2 copies of this (8 XP) is better than getting a 2nd Lightning Gun right away, since the resource allows many other things such as Dynamite Blast and Rite of Seeking. This "I've had worse…" (4) will also come in clutch when you can't simply hide behind Brother Xavier and Holy Rosary, for certain reasons.

Teamwork Tricks

Holy Rosary is a good gift to give away with Teamwork once you want to replace with Zoey's Cross, or even a new Holy Rosary. Many 3 investigator that can't normally equip this would appreciate it. It is also a good way to help them clear the sticky treachery with repeating (3) test. Give them Holy Rosary then commit a helping Guts.

Earlier I said Stand Together (3) is intended to support playing Lightning Gun. The plan spend 6 XP for 2x Stand Together (3) way before you get your first Lightning Gun. 2x Teamwork that are already waiting in the deck will make this 6 XP very useful right away, helping you earn XP for the first gun for about 2 scenarios.

How it works is that if you got 1x Teamwork before mulligan, you can keep it and try mulligan for Stand Together (3) next (or even Emergency Cache). Since you are likely together at start of the game, using this combo basically let anyone have 5~9+ resources in the first turn to setup very efficiently. This speed setup combo is potentially doable starting from scenario 3, if you had earned 8 XP combined from 1st and 2nd scenario. (2 XP spent for 2x Brother Xavier in the plan) Please try going for it!

There are expensive Asset card that is strong the earlier you play (like Leo De Luca / Dr. Milan Christopher) that could benefit from this combo. Stand Together (3) also draws 2 cards to give you more information to help you decide the best distribution of resources. Don't underestimate danger of the 2nd turn, if you can't setup in the first turn, the only turn which Mythos Phase is skipped, you may get spiral down by enemies after enemies.

For Zoey, you maybe able to play Brother Xavier and Machete / .45 Automatic (8~9 resources) in the first turn, the setup preset that gets you ready for both treachery and enemy, and your friend's treacheries.

If you are pressed for economy in the late game, don't forget Teamwork can also take resources from other investigators too. Seekers likely have spare resources in the late game for you due to Dr. Milan Christopher, for example. So Teamwork is worth holding onto the late game if you get it early and has no use just yet. (The icon is so tempting to use though.)

Lastly, Lightning Gun is super accurate. +5 makes even 2 investigator hit some goons on Standard! You may try passing it via Teamwork to the other low investigator while you switch to .45 Automatic that you can make use of your high . It can be both hilarious and effective strategy when you can turn a dedicated clue finders into an another fighter when there is no more heavy clue works to do. Remember that you can also use Extra Ammunition to the Lightning Gun that your friend is holding! The fun never ends!

How to Taunt

• Of course saves an action to Engage since it is Fast. The action saved potentially decide whether the enemy is killed or not if they require multiple hits.
• Remember that Fast not just save an action, it also ignores Attacks of Opportunity. AoO is problematic when you already got one enemy, but now you must engage more to free up your friend, you would have to take hits from existing enemy. Not anymore with Taunt.
• Add damage to Machete when you are teaming up with high teammate. (Attacking evaded enemy with Machete meant you have zero engaged enemy, and it deals 1 damage.)
• Kills a certain 1 HP Aloof enemy with Zoey's Cross for no action and even if you are engaging with something else already.
• Similar effect to Carcosa card "Let me handle this!" when someone else got an enemy draw (but requires same location). It's like you draw that enemy instead if you go first and Fast play Taunt. The 1 cost is also offset by Zoey's ability.
• The only single icon card you potentially want to commit for yourself. You don't want to commit Holy Rosary, Brother Xavier, or Dynamite Blast. Single take Zoey to 5 , a sweet spot for (3) test on Standard. This can save Guts to help others instead.