Norman Withers
L'Astronomo

Investigatore

Miskatonic.

Studioso
  • 4
  • 5
  • 2
  • 1
Salute: 6. Sanità Mentale: 8.

Gioca con 1 carta dalla cima del tuo mazzo rivelata.

Una volta per round, puoi giocare 1 carta dalla cima del tuo mazzo come se fosse nella tua mano, riducendo di 1 il suo costo in risorse.

Obbligo - Dopo che una debolezza è stata rivelata mentre è in cima al tuo mazzo: Pescala.

Effetto di : +X. Puoi scambiare 1 carta dalla cima del tuo mazzo con 1 carta nella tua mano. X è il costo in risorse della carta in cima al tuo mazzo.

Shane Pierce
Ai Confini della Terra, Espansione Investigatori #4.

Norman Withers - Retro

Investigatore

Dimensione del Mazzo: 30 carte.

Opzioni del Mazzo: Carte Studioso () di livello 0, carte Mistico () di livello 1-5, carte neutrali di livello 0-5, fino a 5 altre carte Mistico () di livello 0.

Requisiti del Mazzo (non considerati nella dimensione del mazzo): Livre d'Eibon, Segno Premonitore, 1 debolezza base casuale.

Le stelle custodiscono innumerevoli segreti e Norman non è mai stato il tipo da farsi sfuggire un mistero. Quando sei stelle sparirono dal cielo, non poté far finta di nulla, nemmeno quando i suoi colleghi cominciarono ad accusarlo di aver immaginato tutto. A Norman occorsero anni, mettendo anche a rischio la sua carriera, ma riuscì infine a trovare le risposte che cercava in un antico tomo, dove erano descritti quegli astri e la sequenza in cui sarebbero svaniti, il tutto dettagliato con date e orari. Il libro lo descriveva come il presagio della fine dei tempi: il segno premonitore della grande bestia che avrebbe annientato l'umanità e ogni sua creazione. Norman non sa di preciso cosa possa fare per impedire a quell'entità di distruggere il mondo, ma se la risposta è celata tra le stelle, lui la troverà.
Norman Withers
Norman Withers
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FAQs

(from the official FAQ or responses to the official rules question form)
  • Q: The rules reference and the FAQ both imply that abilities only work during setup if they specifically refer to the setup process. Does this also apply to constant abilities? In particular: Is Norman Withers’ “Play with the top card of your deck revealed.” ability active during setup (e.g. while he’s taking a mulligan)? Is Lola Hayes “You can only play, commit, or trigger abilities on Neutral cards or cards of your role.” ability active during setup (e.g. before drawing her opening hand, when she might trigger the abilities on Stick to the Plan or Ancestral Knowledge)? A: To answer your question(s):
    • Norman Withers would not have the top card of his deck revealed during Setup.
    • Lola Hayes would not be limited by her constant ability during Setup. She could resolve the abilities on Ancestral Knowledge and Stick to the Plan before drawing her opening hand.
Last updated

Reviews

I'd like to throw up a review of my favorite investigator once again, as my previous one was lost when his non-Promo version came out.

Despite the color of his card, don't be fooled, Norman is a Mystic Investigator who plays differently at 0 XP. If you are choosing an investigator for Deduction (2), Higher Education, and Segment of Onyx, Norman certainly isn't it. Instead choose him for your Shriveling (5), Armageddon (4), Grotesque Statue (4) strategies. Mystic/Seeker (as opposed to Daisy's Seeker/Mystic) access was somewhat novel when he originally debuted, but it's a bit more common now (as of this writing, Gloria Goldberg: The Writer and Luke Robinson: The Dreamer have similar access).

So let's go through Norman:

  • Stats - The first thing to notice about Norman is that he is a true min/maxer. 5 Intellect and 4 Willpower are both very strong, and he's given up his other stats to do it. 2 Fight is almost completely irrelevant. The 1 Agility is sometimes relevant (e.g. Grasping Hands), but for the most part is fine. In exchange, Norman has what I would call "high accuracy". Norman is very likely to succeed at his usual actions, even on harder difficulties because of his high base stats. On easier difficulties, Norman can sometimes investigate with a decent chance of success holding nothing.
  • Elder Sign - Norman's Elder Sign is honestly not very good. It gives a small bonus and then you can manipulate the top card of your deck for your static ability. This is close to nothing, and I usually don't bother with cards to try to improve my chance of getting an Elder Sign.
  • Static Text - Norman's static text that allows him to play the top card of his deck at -1 resource cost once per turn is quite strong. Each time you use it you have effectively gained 2 actions (1 for "drawing" a new card, and 1 for the resource you didn't have to generate). Norman's deckbuilding should, in my opinion, take heavy consideration toward maximizing this benefit. Since your goal is to use it nearly every turn, consider building it the same way Joe DIamond builds his hunch deck. Maximize cards that can be used at nearly any time, and cards with fast to make the most of it. Skills are quite bad because you can't play them (I often play only Deduction for example). Using this text often is a big part of Norman's power AND fun.
  • Forced - This reads like a downside, but it's actually sort of upside. You'll never have a dead draw of a weakness.

Signature Cards:

  • Livre d'Eibon/The Harbinger - I admit being surprised how high the review is on Livre d'Eibon. The first fast ability on it is borderline flavor text. The second ability is okay (committing a card from the top of your deck is worse than drawing it), but I don't think it's great, and I think including cards that are great to commit fights against your best text. Livre d'Eibon can be searched for as it is a tome. The Harbinger is extremely mild, but always takes two actions to resolve, and probably needs to be resolved BY YOU each time it's revealed unless it's very late. The Harbinger rarely "pins" you, which is an advantage over Vengeful Hound which rarely does but can.
  • Split the Angle/Vengeful Hound - The slow action on Split the Angle is absolutely nothing. The fast action just changes the top card of your deck, don't worry about what it does to the encounter deck. The actions I think are meant to be used together, but they're just too slow. I commit Split the Angle a lot, unless I draw it early. Vengeful Hound is hard to solve if you have nothing in play (you need 0s to punch it, and +2s to evade it), but if you have absolutely anything in play it can be solved easily, often in one action (Shriveling) or no actions (e.g. Shriveling + Knowledge is Power). In addition, unlike the Harbinger your allies can help you with Vengeful Hound. The fighter may have nothing to kill anyway.
  • Final Result - I don't think you're playing Norman for either one of these Signatures, as I think they're both low impact. I understand the appeal of The Harbinger, as you can resolve it without a test, but the Hound requires so little of you, and can be solved by your allies (Edit: In the comments someone said that the text does allow Allies to help you with Harbinger. We didn't read it that way originally, and played it as yourself only because it wasn't on top of "their" deck. I still think Livre isn't worth the hype). Overall, unless I'm specifically building around Livre d'Eibon, I prefer to play Split the Angle and Vengeful Hound.

Choices For 5 Mystic Level 0 Cards:

  • Read the Signs - You combine for 9, ignore a ton of bad stuff, plays off the top of your deck for 1 resource, and gives you action compression. An easy include.
  • Spectral Razor - Sometimes the three damage is relevant, and gives you a few outs to combat.
  • Delve Too Deep - XP is very good, and Norman uses XP well.
  • St. Hubert's Key - Synergy with Read the Signs, and a boost to your best skills. KO protection. Sometimes I throw it out when I pull my Delves.
  • Open Gate - Worth mentioning as if you pivot off of several level 0s it restocks for only 1 XP. It's Fast, and on some scenarios it's quite good.
  • Arcane Research - I'm not sure how popular it is now, but it used to see some play for Norman. I personally am not a fan. It takes a slot forever, and because of your limited access to level 0 spells you might later upgrade, it's pretty clunky. I would skip it.

Final Thoughts:

  • Scrying/Protective Incantation/Support Builds - Seeing Norman builds that use these cards drive me crazy. In my opinion, these sorts of cards are best used by characters who are bad at tests either because of stats, or because of card access. That's not Norman. An ideal Norman turn maximizes his strength at taking tests, and utilizes his static text; play the top card of your deck, and take two or three tests with Intellect or Willpower is perfect. Stay away from these support type builds, or use a different investigator.
  • Norman is both very fun, and very powerful. He might look like another Gloria nerd, but he solves problems very differently. Norman is at his best brute forcing problems, and I love playing him.
  • Try Norman today!
LastWalter · 35
Why should allies not be able to solve the Harbinger? And calling the first ability of the Livre d'Eibon useless when the combo with Astronomical Atlas exists is quite a stretch. — Darth Sithius · 1
I didn't quite call it useless, but I do think it's pretty overhyped, and I think the combo you mention is more cute than good. — LastWalter · 35
I may have been playing The Harbinger incorrectly. How do your allies resolve it? It says you can take the action if it is on top of your deck. — LastWalter · 35
Livre d'Eibon is phenomenal compared to split the angle, even without considering the atlas combo. — SSW · 209
I agree with not playing Split the Angle for Split. It's bad. — LastWalter · 35
The Harbingers ability "may be activated while The Harbinger is on top of your deck, as if it were in your threat area." Other players may activate the effects of encounter cards in your threat area, so other players can resolve the Harbinger. — Darth Sithius · 1
Okay, I see that reading. Fair enough! I still think the hype around Livre is undeserved, and the Hound is less actions to resolve. Thanks! — LastWalter · 35
The issue is that RAW 'you' inside of activated ability text refers to the person activating the ability, so for anyone else trying to activate it, it would need to be on top of THEIR deck. It wouldn't be an issue if the allowance was a constant ability outside of the triggered ability. Howevere an, I'm pretty sure that MJ weighed in on the argument and said that the intention is that other players can activate the ability while it is on top of his deck, and we'll probably see that clarification in the next FAQ. — Death by Chocolate · 1447
Yes. This above is how we played it. — LastWalter · 35
"I admit being surprised how high the review is on Livre d'Eibon. The first fast ability on it is borderline flavor text." Consistent cost discount on the cards you play and setting up combos with Written in the Stars, Astronomical Atlas, and and Foresight is akin to fluff huh? Hard disagree. — CorvusLibrarius · 215