Tinkerer support hybrid guide and strategy for Gloomhaven

[@DownLow0099]

With my Tinkerer I routinely give back 8 cards to our Mind Thief or help our Spell Weaver put off a long rest for a couple rounds. Extremely powerful for the party. I almost always exhaust my Tinkerer but as a support guy I aim for this. So early scenario I'm on crowd control and healing and end scenario I flip to burning cards for as much damage as possible. It's been a fun character to play.

[@totalutilitarian3292]

I used volatile concotion to a VERY good effect. Basically any time an ally has an uneven hand count this gives them one additional round to play befor having to longrest and they can take back their strongest cards and play them again, or get back that card they could really use next round that is very situational but gone at the moment. This has carried my scoundrel through quite a few scenarios, insuring him not exhausting. That being said though if you were playing an actually USEFUL class you would not have to extend their stamina because you actually contribute...

[@MandatoryQuest]

I think you just summarised the class perfectly ;)

[@nicholaschan4481]

Exactly this, also the mine is actually better than you might think. You DON'T want enemies to step on the mine, you drop it to create temporary choke points, since the enemy AI refuses to step on them unless absolutely necessary. I also find tinker has a lot of turns where they end up with nothing to do with the bottom half, this card fits in perfectly.

[@benjamindavis5905]

I played through the side scenario Into the Unknown, and now am playing through Capitol Intrigue using a brute and the tinkerer. One of my favorite combos to do is to stun an enemy with my stun shot on one turn, and then the next use Tinkerer's Tools and Hook Gun to drop a stun trap and pull the enemy directly into it. Two turn stun, with no losses. I think it's pretty good.

[@MandatoryQuest]

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[@mikeclarke3990]

I have been playing Tinkerer and I think he is fantastic so far!

[@DimitrRaev]

I like Stamina booster, not so much for the "planned" combos, but to rewrite mistakes. If some one burned a important card with a short rest ... got unexpected hard hits .. you can put them back in the game.

[@boombapmasterclass5B]

i tested this build i found out it works really well with craghert build that video u did

[@JemyM]

At level 8 I picked up Murderous Contraption (7) to get the bottom attack. A good combo for me that solved our latest map was rushing into a new room with Curative Aerosol + Potent Potables, thus using it both to move and to heal myself up, then use Murderous Contraption to accomplish an important attack. The move allowed me to get close enough to accomplish my goal, and the heal allowed me to sustain myself enough to survive the reaction. I can see many times where this combo is nice, healing yourself up while running into danger.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Love me some curative aerosol too! its very good at getting the harsh stimulants buff up on your allies as well.

[@suikodin2501]

"Rambling" was noticable, but all content was relevant. Good job.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Thanks, yeah that’s always my worry with these long form ones. I try to keep on track and I ended up trimming about 20 mins worth out of the raw footage in editing, but I think everything left in is useful, mostly 😉

[@Mechalibur]

I think the digital Chimeric Formula is fantastic with a Scoundrel. Watch it Burn is an incredible persistent effect, but with only 9 cards, Scoundrel has trouble affording persistent cards. But with Chimeric Formula, they can play it pretty easily. It also combos hilariously with Long Con, inflicting all adjacent enemies with Wound, Poison, AND Disarm (plus maybe Curse if you have the cash to Enchant it)

[@MandatoryQuest]

That's a great application. Giving characters who have small hand sizes so cant burn many persistent abilities an extra card is a cool idea. Makes me wonder if playing the top of Melody and Harmony on Music Note could work too. Don't want to stray too much into spoilers, but it certainly can help you reconsider options.

[@thearchivist250]

Finally leveled up my Tinkerer to level 9. Chimeric Formula on Scoundrel to get two level 9s was disgusting. 😂 I’ve only scratched the surface. And giving an extra card to a low hand size character is nice quality of life.

[@alancollins5714]

One point I would make about the top of Chimeric Formula: used optimally it gives your ally an additional stamina boost because you don't have to lose two cards from your hand - you can lose them from discard and at the same time regain two lost cards, thereby netting an extra turn.

[@MandatoryQuest]

A good way for the Tinkerer to give away some of his bountiful stamina!

[@phyrr2]

Scoundrel and Tinkerer is a very powerful duo when Tink is made hybrid. Replenish stam potions, retrieve cards, crowd control to help adjacency (or not) for Scoundrel's insta-kill cards and such. People unfortunately don't give the Tink a chance and assume "I don't want to be a babysitter". Nah, do a hybrid build and you can be an opportunist of the field who's also support class. VERY different playstyle. Favorite class still so far.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Tink is just never bad, and is low key one of the best starters. Huge hand size and great high damage burns make him perfect for starting out strong. The problem with Tink is that he never really grows into what I think most people assumes he would. There's a real lack in my opinion of exciting cards to unlock. If you can just play to his strengths though, and find synergies, he can be still be an excellent party member.

[@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast]

Boy oh boy! When I play with Tink, it will be my 11th character! Bad position to be in, but I welcome the challenge of playing the character in an interesting way.

[@MandatoryQuest]

It can still be a lot of fun and with that card recovery a very cool combo enabler.

[@maxmustermann-zx9yq]

I like the hook gun side board potential, at level 1 it combos nicely with net shooter bottom to disable melee based enemies

[@MandatoryQuest]

For sure, and sometimes you get some nice trap placements for pull too.

[@LordHorst]

In my current playthrough of Digital, I actually used the top of Proximity Mine in the Inox Camp, and then the hook gun in the next turn. Only time I actually managed to pull that off. Very rewarding, but I agree, traps are so underwhelming in this game, it's not really worth it.

[@Alfie-ni7lx]

I played alot of tinker when I started and read up on how she's not very good but I've been consistently doing the highest damage with my friends maybe that's because we are new to the game lol. Mind thief tinker spellweaver brute was our start party

[@MandatoryQuest]

At level 1 you probably will honestly in a beginner group, your attacks are really simple to execute but great early game

[@Alfie-ni7lx]

@@MandatoryQuest We were level 3 and it was still happening but like you said beginners will not know how to best play

[@LordTreyHowdy]

Is your Mindthief using The Mind's Weakness? Because if not, they should be. My party was the same as yours and the Rat was the most consistent single target damage by far.

[@Patatmetmayo]

Tinkerer is pretty good the first few levels, but he scales very badly and at lvl 5 and beyond the tinkerer will feel very lackluster. Other characters just get better upgrades and awesome cards and will make the tinkerer feel like he just doesn't get much stronger like the others do.

[@myhandlewastakenandIgaveup]

I enjoy my tinkerer build but I play a very selfish build in 4 person party. I focus on a damage with a bit if support . Ispend almost every other turn burning an card on attacking alternating with buffing other players. If I have the choice of taking a damage card vs an suppory card I will always take the damage card (except volatile contraption. It is a super useful off turn ability). It definitely helps to play super agressively and I end most games with 2-3 cards left unburnt.

[@MandatoryQuest]

My first ever tinkerer build (and first ever GH experience) was summons with a dash of support and we did just fine at 3 player. I think one of the more annoying things with the tinkerer is a lack of cool attacks at higher levels apart from auto turret and disintegration beam, so It feels sometimes like you are being forced into a support role. This also means it can hard to compete damage wise at higher levels to some allies, and you end up playing the same level 1 cards for a long time. Tinkerer for me was the most fun at level 1-2 when the rest of my party were also level 1-2 as all your burn AOE attacks are legit amazing value.

[@cregkly5444]

Don't forget you can pick a card from a previous level. At level 3 I picked the other level 2 card, because I think neither option was as good as the previous level.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Yes you could although personally having an extra move 4 with a big burn attack on the top I'd argue is better than both level 2's. Just stun as a burn effect is not great value as it only temporarily solves a problem, and you also end up one card down. Its more efficient to try and kill something (even if you fail) as ultimately you are still progressing the game and improving your board state. Crank Bow also frees you up to not worry about losing the movement on both Ink Bomb and Net Shooter if you burn those early. Disorienting Flash is really just a move 2 default action most of the time which is obviously poor value especially with its initiative. I do think it has value as a combo piece to just hold down a room to allow your other mercenaries to set up, but for general play its just a bit costly being a burn for what it does. People often underestimate how important movement is and although not glamourous it can win or lose you a scenario.

[@LordTreyHowdy]

Our party of 4 has a tinkerer and at first it seemed great, but honestly the level up selections are not very good and it just needs a little more on top of the healing. I think the Cragheart functions better in the support role while also dishing out damage.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Yeah with each level up you see your friends getting some awesome new ability or powerful attack, and for you it’s just some rubbish burn heal or trap making ability. There is fun to be had with the character for sure, but it’s just not going to be fun for the average player. Cragheart is a great jack of all trades character.

[@JemyM]

I played Tinkerer for over a year, up to Level 9. Granted I play in a group of four, which I understand make things different. I have to disagree with the commentary comparing Crank Bow with Ink Bomb. The Tinkerer is the class that nudge the flow of the game. As a such, Crank Bow is one of my signature moves that I use every single adventure, often to great effect. It is the card that kill that one foe from afar, tipping the balance. And the way we play is often rather quick on opening the next door, so it's not uncommon that 5 range matters. I use it as a movement card until I end up in the situation where it is time to use it, which is often near the end of the game where it matters. This means that I had an extra move card on me all the way up to when its not needed anymore. When I use the attack, it's a sniper shot, and to be used as such. You use it to take out one important target per game. You wish to combine it with Eagle-Eye Goggles to guarantee success, and depending on the target I use it together with Piercing Bow or Stun Powder, or Power Potion. I snipe one out of; a heavily shielded demon, that monster which is "one too many" for the surrounded tank, that annoying buffer/healer who have too many mooks around him to get close, or the monster that dish out those super-nasty ranged attacks that I wish to snipe at a greater range than they can hit me back, or I shoot out the monster with a nasty retaliate. Or, if a boss monster *really* needs to die, I use it along with the bottom attack on Toxic Bolt or Murderous Contraption. Wherever I use it, it's always guaranteed to change the combat into our favor. Ink Bomb is nice, but is a very different card. It can't replace Crank Bow. I use both. That said, I am far less successful with Ink Bomb, as I usually struggle with getting into the right range, and it is so rare that monsters stand in a perfect triangle.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Tinkerer is an interesting character just because of his massive hand size. He actually skews a lot of the value we would normally say is "bad" because burning a card is so easy for him. Crank Bow on any other character would be a decent move, an underwhelming burn attack, and a mediocre initiative. It wouldn't be worth a slot on say the Spellweaver for example as it just doesn't do enough. On Tink though having a flexible snipe card like you say is really useful and can really help the team out, and the beauty is you can run it alongside pretty much whatever you feel like. I've played Tinkerer for hundreds of hours and have tried pretty much every card out, and apart from the meme that is the big heal burn cards there's a lot of depth to play with. Where I see Tink damage struggle though is at increased difficulty especially at higher levels because then you cant keep pace as well even by burning. The good thing though is that you still have plenty of excellent utility, cc, heals, and buffs to use at those levels.

[@JemyM]

@@MandatoryQuest A problem, I suppose, when considering one class by itself, is that one can only judge cards standalone, when party composition, current level and the flow of a scenario might change a card. Our group are almost level 9 now and I play together with two damage dealers and a tank so it was never my role to be our party's base damage output, something that probably change my perspective. On agreement I will also retire for a Soothsinger once the rest of my group retired their characters. I can see why a damage dealer would not want to go for a card like Crank Bow. A character who need to deal consistent damage would probably be better off with cards that aren't burn at all. But as a tinkerer I planned my attacks out for strategic use only so for me, Crank Bow is a good move to be played as such until a sniper shot is of key value, then I can use it with a battery of stored up items to make it count. More than once I was lucky to draw it along with x2 or +1 target, or used it with Piercing Bow to get rid of a heavily shielded foe who often have 6 health or less, or combined it with Toxic Bolt/Murderous Contraption when I really needed to take out a boss. I really struggled with finding a situation where I can use Ink Bomb on three targets so it doesn't get used as often, and I have discarded Net Shooter while full resting the last 3 scenarios or so. Due to monster AI it is pretty rare that I end up within 3 squares from 3 foes standing in a triangle. In my party, it was easy to give up Harsh Stimulants to favor owning both Murderous Contraption and Curative Aerosol at the same time. Since my group tend to rush a lot, I rarely have a chance to use the "Adjacent" cards and they do not benefit much from bonus shields and damage from me. At best I try to use "Restorative Mist" to area-heal people from Poison, which been increasingly hard to coordinate, even when it matters. Murderous Contraption and Curative Aerosol however is now my staple cards that I often pick up with the Stamina Potion or when given the chance. I am in the dilemma that my deck is so well planned out that I do not see the use for either level 9 cards. In general I do not want to stand adjacent to anything, and play in a group who poison a lot, making Lethal Injection superfluous. And I would have to discuss with my group before putting Chimeric Formula in my deck - again weakened by the fact that I rarely end up adjacent to someone except for when using Curative Aerosol which is another top-card.

[@user-sr9qe2zl9w]

I love Flamethrower, and it scales well with enhancements (relatively cheap too). Adding the two extra area enhancements is incredible, and there is still an extra space for another effect. I try to use my pimped out Flamethrower card to soften up as many as possible, then find a good angle for disintegration beam. Really clears out a room. I’m trying a strat to add range on hook gun to make traps useful. Hope it works.

[@jakeduvall6198]

Hey man, I loved the video! I am maining tinkerer right now and this was very helpful. I was wondering if you could do a tutorial on the music note character as I am thinking of switching to him?

[@MandatoryQuest]

Music note will be coming soon, that character is super cool one of my favourites 😉

[@jakeduvall6198]

@@MandatoryQuest Thanks man! I've heard that he is a really good support character and I'm hoping that he is fun to play.

[@xethnyrrow]

A very MEAL-y review but a good one! Is triangles coming next?

[@MandatoryQuest]

Maybe, it’s that or Music Note

[@SpiderWaffle]

9:50 What if you could place the trap within range 3 or 4, would it allow enough opportunities to create choke points or reroute monsters, ect?

[@MandatoryQuest]

Possibly it would, but also the added flexibility for push/pull would be good too if it was a larger range.

[@RationalOrc]

Play Tinkers Tools Bottom and Hook Gun Top together to almost guarantee the stun. You're still fucked on flying enemies though.

[@MandatoryQuest]

Yeah, and you have to make sure your on the right spot at the end of your previous turn. Traps usually taking at least two actions to trigger, or sometimes two turns is what kills them. Hook Gun and Tinkers Tools is probably the best one turn trap combo out there, and that's still a bit awkward.

[@Whitaker69696969]

I'd just like to add that my young daughter obliviously calls her the tinkler and that's S tier.

[@MandatoryQuest]

genius!

[@suikodin2501]

I've watched a few of these vida now, but only just now realized that the guild is called "the madatory quest" (no N). Either a fun play on words, or not enough characters available in name slot?

[@MandatoryQuest]

mistake at first, but then I just stuck with it as I kinda like it. Congrats on finding an Easter egg 😉

[@JemyM]

For Level 4 I use neither. Both cards are underwhelming. Reviving Shock is Tinkerer's highest damage card that is not a discard, which means you can keep on using it over and over again. If you use it with Eagle-Eye Goggles when you're a high level, you also end up drawing from your combat deck 4 times, which increase the chance to draw nice bonus effects from your attack deck.

[@cambyses1529]

cloak of pockets seems like the best item for this class?

[@MandatoryQuest]

It's a decent option, but with limited great small items as a starter it might not be as impactful as say an invisibility cloak. I like invisibility for playing aggressive or opening doors safely which you can do while your team long rests as you have more cards. Cloak of pockets does become great with higher level prosperity items though.

[@superpimpdlx]

Just watched you on twitch today,

[@MandatoryQuest]

Hello again!

[@fernandopena9827]

hook gun + tinker tool = stun free

[@genericusername546]

"free" - you likely need to put a +1 enhancement on hook gun pull, AND spend an entire turn to achieve the same effect that you yourself can achieve with just the top of stun shot. It's not a bad combo, but there's better ways to deal with enemies

[@ethanbarton]

Hm you seem to like potent potables quite a bit!

[@MandatoryQuest]

Love the synergy with the bottom of restorative mist, and with that big hand size tink doesn't mind a burn for an effect like that. I do think it loses value at higher difficulty levels though where the game is more about controlling the enemy.

[@rtch7105]

The tinkerer is an underwhelming character, I used to have a soft spot for her but really I was embarrassed looking at this build, I would never rely on such a character. The most disappointing thing in my opinion is as she levels up she gets absolutely trash cards. The only thing she does well is helping the other characters get their cards (and items) back. Ink bomb and company could do a lot of damage but the 3 hex pattern is very hard to use well, the spellweaver's fire orbs are so much more reliable in comparison. And xp is so hard to get since you have to burn cards every time! Stay away from her if you want to enjoy the game (and be appreciated by your party's partners: literally all the other characters are MUCH stronger.

[@MandatoryQuest]

She isn’t the best no, but she has her place. Not a bad starter for people to learn the game with before moving on to more complex classes. I don’t think the game in general is impossible with her in your party so ultimately it’s going to be down to player preference. I disagree about the 3 hex pattern difficulty, in a 3 or 4 character game it’s the most prevalent pattern so it’s not unlikely. XP is all on burns yes which hurts her support build with the reoccurring heals not having XP unfortunately. On balance it’s easy to see why she isn’t anyone’s favourite who’s played as literally anyone else.