Changing the game state

[mplain 129]

Use the last charge to recycle it with Scavenging?

[rsdockery 537]

You'd need some way to discard it during the test, no? Though I suppose you could pull some other item asset from the discard pile.

[Xenu's Paradox 40]

No offense but my question is why in god's name would you ever wanna use an action or card that doesn't help?

"Doesn't change the game state" isn't necessarily synonymous with "doesn't help".

[Khudzlin 734]

Use the last charge to recycle it with Scavenging?

 

Flashlight doesn't discard itself when it has no more charges.

[Soakman 987]

 So Roland cannot just shoot stuff to generate clues where none are. He also cannot get rid of the markers on his weakness if there is no clue to find first.

Hahah, this is pretty much the worst way to be a government agent. I'm glad he doesn't work this way!

[mplain 129]

Matt has spoken:

Q: People keep asking whether you could use Flashlight in a location with 0 clues without violating the "change of game state" rule. Is the test considered to be enough of a game state change by itself? Even if you played Will to Survive this turn?

 

A: Yes, you can use Flashlight in a location with no clues, as taking the test always has the potential to change the game state (you can draw a wacky chaos token, or an elder sign, or auto-fail and draw a card with rabbit’s foot, etc). This is still the case even if you play Will to Survive because you may still commit skill cards to the test, which may still affect the game state. For example, I could play Will to Survive, use Flashlight in a room with 0 clues, and commit Perception to draw 1 card. Probably not the best use of my time, but it definitely has the potential to change the game state.

[mwmcintyre 271]

Remember there is also the Burglary card that you can use to investigate a location and gain resources instead of clues. My understanding of how it is worded is that you can use Burglary even when there are no clues at the location.