(Parallel) Ascetic Mateo [GUIDE]

INTRO

START WITH 18XP:

minor update from first publishing as Parallel Mateo is actually a card in thr database.

You start the first scenario with a whooping 18xp!

• 10xp from Ascetic.
• 5xp from Father Mateo.
• 3xp from In the Thick of It.

Although, Ascetic prevents you from earning XP, you'll still be able upgrade a few select cards by reducing their upgrade costs to 0 using Down the Rabbit Hole, and Arcane Research, and Refine. (See 'Upgrading the Deck'.)

SUMMARY

• 3/5 - Clue Finding
• 3/5 - Monster Fighting
• 5/5 - Support
• 4/5 - Survivability

Primary Role: Flexible Support

----- PROS -----

This build is not a dedicated monster fighter nor clue finder, but can perform both easily and repeatibly. The core of this build is to use Parallel Father Mateo's investigator abilities to seal and resolve tokens in combination with Ancient Covenant and Read the Signs or Spectral Razor to ensure they're resolved successfully with a "symbol". This guarantees they return to your hand at the end of the turn, allowing you that same spell next turn!

While swapping between roles, you'll provide constant support and benefits for the other investigators:

• Flooding the chaos bag with tokens.
• Reduce card costs with Rite of Sanctification.
• Heal with Book of Psalms and Soothing Melodies
• Boost stats while enjoying the Good Weather.
• Encounter mitigation with A Watchful Peace.

Living Ink, The Codex of Ages, and Four of Cups will slowly empower your stats. When fully online, you'll have:

• 8, 6, 2, 3

The high Intelligence will allow you to find clues without commiting cards while the high willpower will empower Sword Cane, Power Word, Read the Signs, and Spectral Razor.

----- CONS -----

You'll start with 3 mental trauma (2 from In the Thick of It and 1 from Arcane Research)! While Hallowed Mirror and Book of Psalms can fully heal it, you'll be fragile until you find them.

While you'll have one very strong action by performing the Father Mateo, Read the Signs/Spectral Razor, and Ancient Covenant combo, your other two actions will be less impactful. However, Power Word and Sword Cane can offer a few versatile actions.

UPGRADING THE DECK

UPGRADING CARDS FOR 0XP:

While Ascetic prevents you earning XP, Arcane Research, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Refine can reduce experience costs to 0 or go around the restriction.

each time you can upgrade your deck, you'll earn the equivalent of 3xp. 2 from Down the Rabbit Hole and 1 from Arcane Research.

UPGRADING Read the Signs and Spectral Razor

After each scenario (when you could normally spend XP), you'll use one XP reduction from Down the Rabbit Hole and one XP reduction from Arcane Research to upgrade a single copy of Read the Signs or Spectral Razor.

The second XP reduction from Down the Rabbit Hole can create a checkmark for Living Ink (or Power Word).

UPGRADING Living Ink and Power Word

After you upgrade all four copies of Read the Signs and Spectral Razor. After each scenario, you'll spend Arcane Research and Down the Rabbit Hole to upgrade Power Word by 2 and Living Ink by 1, until both are maxed out with 10 checkmarks.

Because Power Word upgrades at a faster rate, you should focus on Living Ink while upgrading Read the Signs and Spectral Razor.

Power Word

UPGRADE PRIORITY

• 1xp - Cower
• 2xp - Greater Control
• 3xp - Thrice Spoken
• 1xp - Confess
• 3xp - Tongue Twister

IMPORTANT: We are following the latest taboo (2024-10-23). I start with 1xp on Cower.

COWER

I regard this as the most powerful ability on the card. A test repeatable exhaust a foe. This makes the card very useful from the start.

GREATER CONTROL

This allows you to return the card to your hand when they are about to be defeated. You don't have to be at the same location either. You should try to always have power word on a monster or ready to be cast.

THRICE SPOKEN

Gives you another copy of one of your most powerful cards late game. This also allows you to spend 1 action to exhaust up to three foes with 'cower'. This makes the spell sustainable for long scenarios.

CONFESS

This is less helpful, but doesn't require another enemy at the same location like 'Betray' or 'Distract' does. It occasionally offers an easy clue and for a 1xp investment with Refine or Down the Rabbit Hole it worth while.

TONGUETWISTER

This allows you to do 2 of 'Go', 'Cower', or 'Confess' for up to 3 monsters with 'Thrice Spoken' in a single action. This gives you a lot more opportunities to benefit from Confess. Using 'Go' and 'Cower' is extremely effective in late-game scenarios.

LIVING INK

UPGRADE PRIORITY

• 3xp - Macabre Depiction
• 2xp - Eldritch Ink
• 3xp - Vibrancy

MACABRE DEPICTION

With Parallel Father Mateo's ability, Living Ink will never run out of charges!

ELDRITCH INK

Boosts to 4 to assist in finding clues.

VIBRANCY

Boosts to 6 and to 5. The lowered and are reduced but suplimented with Sword Cane and Power Word's 'Cower'.

--- HOPE ENJOY THE BUILD ---