Mansions of Madness

2011

Dive into Mansions of Madness, a thrilling game of horror, mystery and survival. As investigators, players unravel dark conspiracies in haunted locations, while one player controls the lurking terrors. Will you dare to enter?

180
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

13+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Mansions of Madness is an atmospheric and thrilling board game that plunges you into the eerie world of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. In this fascinating universe, you’ll become an investigator venturing into the unknown, seeking to unravel mysteries whilst combating strange, otherworldly forces that lurk in the shadows.

The game’s setting takes place in the seemingly quiet town of Arkham, Massachusetts, in the early 20th century. However, beneath the surface, Arkham is riddled with occult mysteries, eerie hauntings, and eldritch horrors. Each game scenario takes you to a different location – from haunted mansions and dark forests to underground caves and even alien worlds.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Mansions of Madness is a complex and immersive board game that includes numerous components. Each has its own unique role in creating the rich, horror-filled world of the game. Below is a detailed description of each component and its role.

1. Game Board: This is a modular board which consists of multiple room and corridor tiles. They are placed according to the chosen scenario, forming the haunted house’s layout. The game board acts as the playing field where investigators move and interact.

2. Investigator Figures: These figures represent the players in the game. Each player controls an Investigator, moving the figure around the board to explore the mansion.

3. Monster Figures: These figures represent the various monsters investigators may encounter during the game. They move according to the app instructions and attack investigators when in the same space.

4. Investigator Cards: These cards provide information about the investigators that players can choose to play. Each card includes stats like health, sanity, and abilities, affecting gameplay strategies.

5. Monster Tokens: These tokens are drawn randomly when a monster appears. Each token represents a different monster and provides the stats needed for combat.

6. Damage and Horror Cards: These cards are given to investigators when they suffer damage or horror. They can have immediate effects or ongoing conditions that impact the game.

7. Item Cards: These cards represent various items that investigators can find and use during the game. They can be weapons, tools, or other helpful objects, each with its own effects.

8. Clue Tokens: These tokens are placed on the board when investigators find clues. They are collected by investigators to help solve the mystery.

9. Dice: Dice are used in the game to resolve tests and combat. The number of successes on the dice roll determines whether an action is successful.

10. Evidence Tokens: These tokens are used to track the investigators’ progress in solving the mystery. They are collected by successfully completing tasks and objectives.

11. Spell Cards: These cards represent magical spells that investigators can learn and use during the game. Each spell has unique effects but often comes with a risk when used.

12. App: This digital component guides gameplay, providing the scenario, controlling monsters, and revealing the story. The app changes each game’s outcome, adding an element of unpredictability.

Game flow Round and round we go

Mansions of Madness is a cooperative board game in which players take on the roles of investigators working together to solve a mystery in the eerie world of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. The game is divided into rounds, each of which is composed of two phases: the Investigator Phase and the Mythos Phase.

Investigator Phase: During this phase, each player takes a turn to perform up to two actions with their investigator. These actions can include moving, exploring, searching, trading items, or using an item or ability. The order in which the investigators take their turns can change from round to round. The specific actions available are as follows:

Move: The investigator can move up to two spaces.
Explore: If the investigator is in a space adjacent to an unexplored area, they can explore that area.
Search: If the investigator is in a space with a Search token, they can search that space.
Trade: If the investigator is in the same space as another investigator, they can trade items.
Use: The investigator can use an item or ability that they possess. This often involves a skill test, in which the player rolls dice to determine the outcome.

Mythos Phase: After all investigators have taken their turns, the Mythos Phase begins. During this phase, the app that accompanies the game tells a story and often presents the investigators with challenges or choices. These might include spawning new monsters, creating new search tokens, advancing the narrative, or causing investigators to take horror checks. The specific actions typically include the following:

Event: The app presents an event, which could be anything from a new clue to a sudden attack by a monster.
Monster Activation: Each monster on the board, in order of its spawn, performs its activation, which could involve moving, attacking, or using a special ability.
Horror Check: Each investigator who can see a monster must pass a horror check against one of the monsters they can see, potentially suffering horror if they fail.

The game continues in this way, alternating between the Investigator Phase and the Mythos Phase, until the investigators either achieve their objective and win the game, or fail to do so and lose the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Every turn in the game of Mansions of Madness consists of two phases – the Investigator Phase and the Mythos Phase. During these phases, players have several choices and strategic options available to them.

Investigator Phase

During the Investigator Phase, each player can perform two actions. The available actions are:

Move: An investigator can move up to two spaces.
Explore: An investigator can reveal the adjacent unexplored room by drawing the corresponding map tile.
Search: An investigator can interact with a Search token in his space.
Trade: An investigator can trade items with other investigators in the same space.
Component Actions: An investigator can perform an action listed on a card in his play area.

Strategically, it’s essential to consider the board’s current state and what the team needs most. If an investigator is in a room with many clues, they might prioritize the Search action. If they’re near an unexplored area, they might opt to Explore to reveal new rooms and opportunities.

Mythos Phase

After all investigators have completed their actions, the Mythos Phase begins. The app directs this phase, instructing the players to draw and resolve Mythos cards. The effects of these cards vary, but they often involve spawning monsters, placing horror, or advancing the narrative.

Strategically, the Mythos Phase requires investigators to adapt to new challenges and threats quickly. They may need to change their plans based on the effects of the Mythos cards, making flexibility a key part of their strategy.

Overall, Mansions of Madness is a game of strategy, cooperation, and adaptation. Players must work together, plan their actions carefully, and be ready to change their plans at a moment’s notice to overcome the horrors that await them.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of Mansions of Madness ends when one of the two main conditions is met – either the investigators achieve their objective, or the Keeper completes his objective. The specific conditions for victory are described on the Objective cards. The game does not have a scoring system, instead, it is a narrative, cooperative game where players are either collectively victorious or collectively defeated.

Investigator Victory: The investigators win the game if they fulfill the conditions outlined on the Investigator Objective card. This usually involves gathering certain clues, completing certain tasks, or overcoming a particular challenge. Once the investigators meet these conditions, the game ends immediately. The investigators do not need to survive until the end of the game. Even if all but one investigator are eliminated, as long as that last investigator achieves the objective, the investigators win.

Keeper Victory: The Keeper wins the game if the conditions on the Keeper Objective card are met. This could be anything from eliminating a certain number of investigators, preventing the investigators from achieving their objective within a certain number of turns, or completing a specific task. Like with the investigators, once these conditions are met, the game ends immediately. The Keeper can also win if all investigators are eliminated before they can complete their objective.

Before the game ends, all players must complete any necessary actions for the current round. This includes resolving any immediate effects, ongoing effects, or any effects that would result in the end of the game. After these actions are resolved, and the victory conditions for either the investigators or the Keeper are met, the game ends.

After the game ends, players do not need to take any further actions for scoring. Since Mansions of Madness is a narrative game, the end of the game is typically accompanied by a thematic conclusion read from the rulebook or scenario guide, providing a narrative resolution based on whether the investigators or the Keeper were victorious.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Mansions of Madness is a thematic horror and adventure game where players take on the roles of investigators trying to solve a mystery within a haunted mansion. Unlike many traditional board games, Mansions of Madness is not typically scored through a point-based system. Instead, players win or lose collectively as a team based on whether they were able to solve the mystery before time runs out or all players are eliminated.

However, if you want to introduce a scoring system to compare performances across multiple games or groups, you could consider the following approach:

Survival: Award each surviving investigator 5 points. This represents their ability to avoid insanity and death.
Solving the Mystery: If investigators solve the mystery, award each investigator 10 points. This is a significant accomplishment and should be rewarded accordingly.
Clue Discovery: Award 1 point for each clue discovered during the game. These are integral to solving the mystery and advancing the game.
Monster Elimination: Award points equal to the monster’s horror rating to the investigator who delivered the killing blow. This promotes bravery and combat engagement.

For tie-breaking, consider the following rules:

The player who has taken the least amount of damage. The idea here is that the player who managed to stay healthier has performed better.
If there’s still a tie, the player who has used less clue tokens. This represents the investigator’s efficiency in solving the mystery.
If a tie persists, the player who has killed more monsters. This rewards aggression and monster management.

Remember, these scoring rules are optional and not a part of the official Mansions of Madness game rules. The true goal of the game is to survive the horrors of the mansion and solve the mystery together as a team.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Mansions of Madness is a complex and immersive board game, with several unique rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of. These special regulations can significantly affect the gameplay and strategies.

Investigator Elimination: In a typical board game, players are usually in the game until the end. However, in Mansions of Madness, investigators can be eliminated. If an investigator is eliminated by receiving damage equal to their health or horror equal to their sanity, they are not ‘killed’ but instead, they suffer an injury or insanity. The player continues to play, but with a new set of rules detailed on the injury or insanity card.

Monster Movement: Unlike other games where opponents’ movements can be predicted, Mansions of Madness has a unique system for monster movement. The app controls the monsters, and their movement can be entirely random. The unpredictability of the monsters’ moves adds a layer of suspense to the game.

Combat: Combat in Mansions of Madness also differs from many other games. Rather than having a fixed combat value or rolling dice against a static number, the app generates a narrative scenario that requires players to test their skills. The outcome of these tests determines the success or failure of their combat attempt.

Fire: Fire can be both a tool and a hazard in the game. Investigators can start fire in a space to harm monsters, but they must be careful as fire can spread and harm them as well. At the end of each mythos phase, fire spreads to adjacent spaces, and any figure in a space with fire suffers one damage.
Barriers: Barriers are unique in the sense they block movement but not line of sight. Unlike obstacles, which investigators cannot move through, barriers can be moved through with additional movement points. However, monsters can move through barriers without any hindrance.
Spell Effects: Spells in Mansions of Madness are not single use. When a player uses a spell, they flip the card and resolve the effect on the back, then at the end of their turn, they shuffle the spell back into the deck of its kind. This means the exact effect of the spell can change each time it is used.

These special rules and exceptions add complexity, unpredictability, and depth to the gameplay of Mansions of Madness, making it a truly unique and immersive experience.