Quick tip: in many scenarios, you may be able to begin the test on this card, but spend your clues on something useful before suffering the effects of a failure. There are two player windows () after a skill test begins but before pulling a chaos token. Usually that's to activate an ability on something like Hyperawareness, but any ability with the symbol can legally be triggered during that window. Some scenarios let you spend clues as a to do scenario specific things (Midnight Masks, Bad Blood and The Vanishing of Elina Harper come to mind). And in most scenarios, spending clues to advance the act can be done during any player window as well (of the top of my head, can't remember if this applies to any scenarios with false lead, though..). If you know False Lead is in the deck, and you have enough clues to do some needful thing, it's good strategy to hold them through the mythos phase. That way, false lead loses surge, but still can't touch you, because you can spend those clues at the last moment! Also, if false lead is in the deck, Hunting Shadow probably is as well, and having clues at least increases your options on that card.