It takes the right kind of deck to get this old gal going but when you do she is a POWERHOUSE.

.

What is the right kind of deck?

A: A deck that eats cash for lunch, dinner, breakfast and every other meal, but likes to stay slim. Fire Axe+Dark Horse actually likes the cash but doesn't want to stockpile it, therefore Madame Labranche will keep you covered by kicking you up from 0 straight to 2 credits at the end of a round or even juices you up mid-battle while you swing your axe.

B: A deck that depletes cards quickly, this is generally a bit less common bot certain types of Wendy Adams or "Ashcan" Pete really do go through cards quickly and having the Madame Labranche around to jump start you when you hit rock-bottom can be a lifesaver.

If you're the -A- kind of investigator then seriously consider this chick in your deck. Heck even consider Charisma rather then swapping her out for some XP ally like Yaotl or Peter Sylvestre later. If you're the -B- kind then pass this girl by unless you think you can trigger her for the cash part every now and then too, if you plan to sit on a payload of cash, for the sake of playing something expensive down the line, then this gal probably wouldnt be much help at all.

.

Some tricks to consider/Remember:

The icon means that triggering it is optional whenever you feel like, this means that you can simmer a bit at 0 resources or cards if you feel like it for some reason, for example during a combat check with a Fire Axe and Dark Horse.

When you're committing cards to a skill test, there is a player window between the cards being committed and the result known, this means that if a card like Guts is the last card in your hand, and you play it on a check, you can trigger Madame Labranche before the skill becomes successfuly and Guts triggers the draw effect.

Not a review, more of a question.

How does Improvised Weapon interact with this card while it is in your discard pile? Will it be forced to remain in your discard pile after completion of the attack, or it cannot even be played because you cannot fully resolve its effect??

I suspect you can still play it and it will be forced to remain in your discard pile after the attack resolves, but I'd like to see some opinions. If that would be the case, it would be a very interesting interaction.

This question, by the way, came up while trying to build a Yorrick deck using the upcoming Cornered card, in which Improvised Weapon would be a good addition as it would be great discard fodder for Cornered. I believe Cornered is going to be a great addition in William Yorick's arsenal and Improvised Weapon can find a slot or two in his deck. Looking forward to the release of the pack!!

Not a card to aim for early but it can be a very interesting skill test boost . It s even more efficient with the 4 icon talent from the night of the zealot reboot.

Too bad all permanent cards lack skill icons.

I disagree with the previous reviewer that this is binder fodder. It's not an amazing card, but it's certainly playable and I've run it in quite a few Seeker decks on Hard/Expert. (Admittedly cycling it out later in the campaign when I get more XP). There are two main reasons for running it.

1. Higher Education
2. Dr. Milan Christopher

Both of these are the strongest seeker cards in the game, and you're probably running both (If not, why not? Tell Finn the good Doctor is yours!). Dr Milan is often giving you a surplus of cash that even Higher Education doesn't drain. Additionally Higher Education needs 5 cards in hand and if you go through a period of encounter card, pressure, you might quickly need to fill you hand-up again. In such a scenario, if you were going to be clicking for a card anyway, the sketches come good.

The previous reviewer suggests that, because the sketches actually do very little (if you were clicking for a card anyway, their net effect is a free action to swap 2 resources for a card), this is bad as they've used a slot in your deck. But the opposite is true - this is deck thinning, and this is good! Cards that replace themselves at very little or zero cost, are making it more likely you will draw into the cards you have spent real XP on (or 0XP cards that are just boss). And seekers have lots of high-impact cards that mean they like thinning. The sketches aren't truly free thinning, you have to spend the 2 resources for the bonus card, but they are pretty close.

Yes, you do need to be aware if there are weaknesses left in your deck, but this is a general part of card-draw and play-management within the game, not specific to the sketches. Eg, if you have a enemy basic weakness and your guardian has already played, or is busy, then drawing is much worse. I don't think one should be discounting draw effects just because sometimes draw can be bad. Drawing cards is, in general, a good thing and we should be constructing decks that want to draw (especially when we can control when that draw happens).

Backpack exists, yes, and Backpack is stronger if you have the deck to support it (lots of items, or specific high-value items you need to find). Without that scenario, and faced with the common Seeker scenario of wanting cards and having money, the sketches do have a slot in the Seeker playbook.

The very first card of the pack and I'm already impressed. While not flashy or splashy, this is a workhorse card that warrants consideration in any deck that wants to fight.

Its timing restriction is a bit of an issue; I can imagine (and have played) scenarios where the tank starts every round engaged with an enemy, which would make playing this tricky. I think you have to reconsider how you and your allies engage things if this is in-hand and you want to play it. In solo play, you don't have that option.

Its setback aside, this is usually a cheaper Emergency Aid that also draws you a card. You're drawing treacheries most of the time in any given scenario, even with two On the Hunts in your deck, and many of those can cause you damage with or without a test. Even if they don't, your role as monster-puncher generally means you soak a few hits, and as Mark you'll be pinging yourself every so often anyhow.

In short, it contends with Emergency Aid for damage healing, which is a good spot to be in, even though it can only heal you. The fact that it cycles is what really tips it for me, pushing this from being an iffy grab to a solid pick.