Cthulhu: Death May Die

2019

In the thrilling board game, Cthulhu: Death May Die, join forces with other investigators to summon and defeat the Elder Gods. Navigate insanity, survive, and win!

120
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’ is an engaging cooperative board game that plunges you into a world of arcane mysteries, unfathomable horrors, and thrilling adventures. Set in the intriguing universe of H.P. Lovecraft, the game offers a unique blend of thematic storytelling and strategic gameplay.

The narrative backdrop is steeped in the chilling lore of the Cthulhu mythos, a world where ancient, malevolent entities lurk in the shadows, threatening to awaken and bring about the end of humanity. As investigators, players work together to disrupt the rituals of these cosmic horrors and prevent the impending apocalypse.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’ is an exciting cooperative board game filled with horror and mystery. The game requires careful setup to fully enjoy. Follow these step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Player Boards

Each player selects an investigator. They then take the corresponding board and place it in front of them. Each investigator has unique abilities which are detailed on their board.

Step 2: Assign the Roles

Each player selects an Elder One. They take the corresponding board and place it next to their investigator board. The Elder One has specific abilities and weaknesses that the players will need to exploit.

Step 3: Setup the Game Board

Assemble the game board according to the scenario you are playing. The board is modular and changes depending on the scenario. The scenario details the layout of the board, including any special rules for setup.

Step 4: Prepare the Resources

Separate the different types of tokens into piles. These include the sanity tokens, health tokens, fire tokens, and the discovery tokens. Place these piles within reach of all players.

Step 5: Shuffle the Discovery Cards

Shuffle the discovery cards and place them in a deck next to the game board. These cards provide the players with helpful items and clues throughout the game.

Step 6: Setup the Monster Deck

Take the monster cards for the Elder One you are facing and shuffle them into the monster deck. Place this deck next to the game board.

Step 7: Place the Investigators and Monsters

Place the investigator and monster miniatures on the game board as indicated by the scenario. The scenario will detail the starting locations for these pieces.

Step 8: Determine the First Player

The player who most recently read a horror story is the first player. This player takes the first player token and begins the game.

Note: The game includes several random elements. The layout of the board, the abilities of the Elder One, and the discovery cards can all change from game to game. This ensures that each game is a unique experience.

Game flow Round and round we go

Cthulhu: Death May Die is a cooperative board game where players take on the roles of investigators battling against the Lovecraftian horrors. The game is divided into episodes, each with a unique setup and objectives. Here’s a detailed description of the game structure:

Setup:

Choose an episode and set up the game board and pieces as indicated by the episode’s setup instructions.
Each player selects a character and takes the matching character board, placing it in front of them.
Players place their sanity and health markers on the maximum values of their respective tracks on the character board.

Gameplay:

The game is played over a series of rounds. Each round consists of three phases:

Investigator Phase: Each player in turn order takes their turn, performing up to three actions. Actions include moving, attacking, resting, trading, and using special abilities. Players can perform the same action multiple times during their turn.
Monster Phase: All monsters on the board take a turn, moving towards and attacking the nearest investigator. Monsters attack in an order determined by the current player.
Mythos Phase: The current player draws a Mythos card and resolves its effects. The Mythos card can spawn new monsters, trigger special episode events, or impose other effects on the game.

Winning the Game:

Players win the game by fulfilling the victory conditions specified in the episode’s instructions. This usually involves defeating a specific monster or completing a series of objectives. If all investigators are driven insane or killed, or if the Mythos deck runs out, the players lose the game.

Losing the Game:

Players lose the game if all investigators are driven insane or killed, or if the Mythos deck runs out before they can complete the episode’s objectives.

Throughout the game, players must balance their sanity with their health. As investigators use their powers and confront the horrors around them, they become more and more insane, gaining new abilities but also bringing them closer to death or total insanity.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Cthulhu: Death May Die, each player’s turn is divided into three phases: the Action Phase, the Monster Phase, and the Mythos Phase. The steps of these phases are as follows:

Action Phase:

Perform two actions: During this phase, a player can perform two actions. These actions can be the same or different.

Move: The player can move their investigator up to two spaces.
Attack: The player can attack a monster in their space. The player rolls a number of dice equal to their attack value. Each success (a result of 4, 5, or 6) deals one damage to the monster.
Rest: The player can recover one sanity and one health. However, this action cannot be taken if there is a monster in the same space.
Trade: The player can give or take items to/from another player in the same space.
Search: The player can draw the top card of the item deck if they are in a space with a Search icon. However, only one search action can be performed in a space per round.
Use a special action: The player can use a special action on a Discovery card or an investigator card.

Monster Phase:

Resolve Monster effects: If there are any monsters in the same space as the player, the effects of those monsters are resolved now.
Monsters attack: Any monsters in the same space as the player attack. The player can choose the order in which attacks are resolved.
Monsters move: Any monsters not in the same space as the player move one space towards the player. If there are multiple options, the player chooses the path.

Mythos Phase:

Draw and resolve a Mythos card: The player draws the top card of the Mythos deck and resolves its effects. This could spawn new monsters, move monsters, or have other effects.
End of turn: If the Mythos deck is empty, the player reshuffles the discard pile to create a new Mythos deck. Then, the next player clockwise takes their turn.

Strategically, players need to balance between advancing their objective and managing the monsters on the board. If players focus too much on the objective, they may become overwhelmed by monsters. But if they focus too much on fighting monsters, they may not progress the objective quickly enough. Cooperation and coordination between players is key to success.

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

Cthulhu: Death May Die is a cooperative board game where players work together to disrupt a ritual and kill the summoned eldritch monster. Victory in the game comes in two distinct stages. First, players must successfully disrupt the ritual and secondly, they must defeat the elder one.

Disrupting the Ritual

To disrupt the ritual, players must complete a series of objectives specific to the episode they are playing. These objectives are detailed on the episode’s card.

For example, in episode one, players must light braziers in specific locations and then draw the elder one into the center of the map.
In episode two, players must find and destroy three cultist’s lairs.

Once these objectives are completed, the ritual is disrupted and players can move onto the second stage of the game: defeating the elder one.

Defeating the Elder One

Once the ritual is disrupted, the elder one is drawn into the mortal plane and can be attacked by players. Each elder one has a health total and once this total is reduced to zero, the elder one is defeated and the players win the game.

It is important to note that as players attack the elder one, they will often make it stronger, unlocking new, more powerful abilities. Therefore, players must balance their need to attack the elder one with their ability to survive its counterattacks.

Game End

A game of Cthulhu: Death May Die ends in one of three ways:

All players are driven insane or killed. This results in a loss for the players.
The elder one completes its track. This also results in a loss for the players.
The players defeat the elder one. This is the only way players can win the game.

There are no actions players must take before the final scoring as there is no scoring mechanism in Cthulhu: Death May Die. Instead, players either win or lose as a team depending on whether they are able to defeat the elder one.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’, the main objective is not to score points but to defeat the ancient one before the investigators (players) lose their collective sanity or lives. However, the game does have a system of progress measurement based on the investigators’ achievements, such as surviving episodes, wounding the ancient one, and completing personal or shared objectives.

Scoring System

Surviving Episodes: Each player gains a sense of achievement by surviving the episodes. Although not quantified in points, this is an essential part of the progress in the game.
Wounding the Ancient One: Damaging the ancient one is a crucial game mechanic. Each wound inflicted upon the ancient one brings the players closer to victory. Again, these do not translate into points but are a measure of advancement.
Completing Objectives: Certain episodes may have specific objectives that players need to complete. Successfully achieving these objectives can be considered a point of progress.

Tie-breaking rules

In ‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’, the game is cooperative, meaning players work together to defeat the ancient one. Therefore, there aren’t any specific tie-breaking rules as all players either win or lose together.

However, if players wish to introduce a competitive element, they could potentially consider the following tie-breaking mechanisms:

Wounds inflicted: The player who inflicted the most wounds on the ancient one could be considered the winner in a tie.
Sanity remaining: The player with the most sanity left at the end of the game could break a tie.
Objectives completed: If players have completed personal objectives, the one who completed the most could be the winner in the event of a tie.

Remember, these tie-breakers are optional and not part of the original game rules. The spirit of ‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’ emphasizes more on cooperative gameplay and surviving the horror together than individual scoring.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’ is a cooperative board game that throws you into a world of cosmic horror, where you and your fellow players must work together to interrupt rituals and defeat the great Old Ones. There are some special rules and exceptions that need to be noted:

1. Insanity: Unlike other games, going insane does not mean losing in ‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’. When your sanity reaches its limit, you do not die, but instead, you unlock more powerful abilities. However, if your sanity is maxed out and you need to add more, you die.

2. Episode Specific Rules: Each episode has its own set of rules and objectives. These are detailed in the episode guide and override the normal rules where specified. Make sure to review these before starting each new episode.

3. Monster Limit: The game comes with a limited number of monster figures. If you’re ever instructed to place a monster on the board but its figure is not available, you ignore that instruction.

4. Combat Exceptions: When attacking a monster, you hit on a roll of 4, 5, or 6. However, some specific monster abilities or investigator skills may alter this rule.

5. Fire: Fire tokens can spread and cause damage to both investigators and monsters. However, investigators can choose to stop, drop and roll to remove all fire tokens from their space at the expense of ending their action phase.

6. Mythos Cards: When drawing a mythos card, if the deck is empty, do not reshuffle the discard pile. The players are safe until the next Mythos phase.

7. Death: If an investigator dies, they are out of the game, but the game continues. If all investigators die, the game ends, and all players lose.

Players should be aware of these special rules and exceptions to fully appreciate and enjoy the gameplay of ‘Cthulhu: Death May Die’.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Cthulhu: Death May Die is a cooperative board game that combines strategy, teamwork, and a bit of luck. To maximize your game experience, here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies

Utilize Your Insanity: Don’t be afraid to use your insanity. It’s a part of the game and can actually provide benefits. Just be sure to manage it carefully.
Focus on Objectives: The main goal should not be to fight every monster that appears but to complete the scenario objectives as quickly as possible.
Coordinate Attacks: If you’re going to attack a monster, make sure to coordinate with your teammates. A coordinated attack can take down a monster much quicker.

Beginner Tips

Read the Rulebook: It may seem obvious, but the first step to mastering any game is to thoroughly read the rulebook. This will give you a basic understanding of gameplay and mechanics.
Start Slow: Don’t rush into the game. Start by playing easier scenarios and gradually work your way up to more difficult ones.
Don’t Be Afraid to Lose: It’s okay to lose in Cthulhu: Death May Die. Each loss is a learning experience that will help improve your strategy for the next game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring Insanity: A common mistake is ignoring your character’s insanity. The insanity mechanic is integral to the game and can’t be avoided. Managing it well can turn it into an advantage.
Not Collaborating: This game is cooperative, so not working with your teammates can lead to a quick defeat. Always share information and strategize together.
Forgetting the Objective: Don’t get so caught up in fighting monsters that you forget the main objective. Always keep your goals in mind.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Know Your Character: Each character has unique abilities. Make sure you understand your character’s abilities and use them to your advantage.
Balance Your Resources: Make sure to balance the use of your resources. It’s important to save some for the endgame.
Use the Environment: Many scenarios feature environmental elements that can be used to your advantage. Use them wisely to gain an edge in your battles.