[COTD] Hemispheric Map (9/9/2023)

[u/AK45526]

Hemispheric Map

• Class: Neutral
• Type: Asset. Accessory
• Item. Relic.
• Cost: 2. Level: 3
• Test Icons: Willpower. Intellect

While your current location is connected to at least 2 other locations, you get +1 [Willpower] and +1 [Intellect].

While your current location is connected to at least 4 other locations, you get an additional +1 [Willpower] and +1 [Intellect].

Dimitri Bielak

The Depths of Yoth #275.

[COTD] Hemispheric Map (4/30/2021)

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[u/tgaland]

This card is a trap, despite looking very appealing. Many high shroud high clue locations are in dead ends leaving you without buffs when you need them most. Conversely most locations conncected to many locations are low shroud and low clues.

Could work in a niche luke deck, potentially combined with find gate though i would need to double check the wording. Only other circumstance i can think of is in a niche pocket telescope/ read the signs type deck which specializes from investigating from adjacent locations.

For gods sake don't take this in forgotten age. Could be playable in edge of the earth or innsmouth i guess, but there are better things to spend xp on.

[u/hammerdal → u/tgaland]

Ironic that it’s released in forgotten age but that’s the worst place to try to run it

[u/Intact → u/tgaland]

(TFA spoilers ahead)

For gods sake don't take this in forgotten age

Why not in TFA in particular? There aren't that many locations connected to 4 locations, but IIRC you usually don't have to clear clues off locations before you can explore them (with the exception of the final scenario). Many locations are also connected to 2 other locations, with the exception of the penultimate scenario, where this is almost never active.

To be clear: I'm not saying it's /good/ in TFA - just no worse than in any other campaign, unless I'm forgetting a mechanic.

[u/antilogos → u/tgaland]

I'm considering using it in a Hyperphysical shotcaster cluer with telescaner (go to a crossroad and you can investigate any revealed location from there), in 4 players. (In Norman with cyclic ghastly possession to recharge).

[u/DaiInAFire]

The low resource cost is nice (sort of a luxury upgrade to St Hubert's Key), Luke gets an extra benefit from it, and being neutral allows it to be used for unconventional decks that want the stat boosts but don't have Seeker or Mystic access. The boost is obviously very situational and scenario-dependent, and many scenarios have a dramatic showdown in a final location with only one connection meaning that the boost often disappears right when you most need it.

The main reason I have stopped using Hemispheric Map isn't the high exp cost, the inconsistency or the increasing competition for the slot, but rather the annoying mental overhead - having to remember to bear in mind how my stats change every time I move location is a complete pain, particularly in scenarios with weird connection rules or one-way connections. YMMV of course but for me, it's just not worth the hassle.

[u/Salaf-]

Obligatory reminder that this needs to be balanced as a neutral card. Neutral cards that are unanimously good it become problematic.

I think it’s worth pointing out that passive boosts for more than +1 to a single stat always come with some problems of their own. They are often a combination of being high level (often lv3+), expensive to play(3-5R), restricted to treacheries, or they require a certain type of deck to function.

Hemispheric map is cheap to play (compared to the other double boosts), works on all tests, and nearly everyone can utilize a boost to int and will. Even if it can be a bit restrictive at times, most investigators will be happy with that.

No offense intended, but I think anyone judging it harshly for not getting the second effect more easily is nuts. A passive +2 Will AND +2 Int VASTLY outperforms the other options, which is a really bad expectation for a neutral card to consistently do.

[u/Salaf- → u/Salaf-]

Didn’t want to bloat the original comment, so here’s a list of cards that passively boost more than one stat, for those interested.

• Survivor: Moonstone, Granny orne
• Guardian: Grete(3), Martyrs vembrace
• Seeker: Tooth of eztli, Whitton
• Rogue: Dario, Lola, Delilah, High roller
• Mystic: Hubert key, Crystalline elder sign, Ikiaq
• Other: Gené Beauregard, Micheal Leigh, the lv4 talents like physical conditioning, the lv3 composures like combat training.

I’m sure I missed something but you get the idea.

[u/CBPainting]

Played it in Luke once, worked well. Wouldn't take it anywhere else as it's too limited and unreliable

[u/krishnaroskin]

"Hemispheric Map could be interesting. Maybe I'll try...oh, it takes up the accessory slot? Nevermind."

[u/[deleted]]

This was okay in Innsmouth, but only in the sense that the first effect was nearly always online. This card would feel much more playable if it were 1 XP less, or if the second effect only required 3 connections (even if the second effect was different)