Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition)

2021

Welcome to the thrilling world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition). This immersive, cooperative game plunges you into the mysterious, eerie town of Arkham, Massachusetts, in the midst of the roaring 1920s. The game combines the classic Lovecraftian setting with a dynamic story to create a unique gaming experience that is equal parts strategy, horror, and adventure. The theme of the game revolves around the mythical and supernatural elements derived from the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. As investigators, you and your fellow players delve into the unsettling mysteries of Arkham, facing horrifying monsters and strange occurrences. The story ... Read more

180
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Welcome to the thrilling world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition). This immersive, cooperative game plunges you into the mysterious, eerie town of Arkham, Massachusetts, in the midst of the roaring 1920s. The game combines the classic Lovecraftian setting with a dynamic story to create a unique gaming experience that is equal parts strategy, horror, and adventure.

The theme of the game revolves around the mythical and supernatural elements derived from the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. As investigators, you and your fellow players delve into the unsettling mysteries of Arkham, facing horrifying monsters and strange occurrences. The story progresses through different scenarios, each with a unique plot that deepens the overall narrative.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition) comes with a variety of components. These components are crucial to the gameplay and each has its own specific role in the game.

1. Investigator Cards:

These are the characters that players will control throughout the game. Each investigator has their own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses that can greatly influence the outcome of the game.

2. Scenario Cards:

These cards represent the different challenges, encounters, and events that the investigators will face. They help to set the stage for the game and drive the narrative forward.

3. Act and Agenda Cards:

These cards represent the progress of the investigation and the machinations of the enemies. The Act cards are advanced by the players accumulating clues, while the Agenda cards are advanced by a doom counter, which increases each turn or due to certain game events.

4. Location Cards:

These cards represent the different places in Arkham that the investigators can visit. Each location has its own set of instructions that can affect the game.

5. Enemy Cards:

These cards represent the various monsters and adversaries that the investigators will have to deal with. They have their own stats and abilities that can make them challenging to defeat.

6. Asset, Event, and Skill Cards:

These are the cards that players can add to their deck to improve their investigator’s abilities, execute powerful effects, or provide crucial bonuses during skill tests. They form the bulk of the player’s deck and their wise use can greatly influence the game’s outcome.

7. Token Set:

The game includes a set of chaos tokens, clue/doom tokens, and resource tokens. Chaos tokens are drawn during skill tests and can affect the outcome, clue tokens represent the clues players need to find to advance the Act deck, doom tokens advance the Agenda deck, and resource tokens are spent to play cards from your hand.

8. Campaign Guide:

Each game comes with a campaign guide that guides players through the setup and gameplay for each scenario, as well as providing the narrative context for the events happening in the game.

9. Rulebook:

The rulebook contains all the rules and instructions for how to play the game. It’s important to read this thoroughly before starting the game to ensure everyone understands how to play.

10. Health and Sanity Tokens:

These track the physical and mental well-being of your investigators. If an investigator’s health or sanity reaches zero, they are eliminated from the game.

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

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a cooperative game for 1-2 players (or up to 4 with two Core Sets), where players become investigators trying to solve horrifying mysteries. Each game is a chapter of a larger campaign, promising a thrilling narrative experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Choose Your Investigator

Each player chooses one investigator card. These characters have different abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and initial resources.
The chosen investigator card indicates the initial deck configuration, including a set of basic cards and some unique cards.
Each player also receives a mini-card version of their investigator to track their location during the game.

Step 2: Create Your Player Decks

Follow the instructions on the back of your investigator card to create your initial investigator deck. This deck will be used to draw cards throughout the game.
Make sure to include the specific cards indicated and a random basic weakness card.

Step 3: Set Up the Scenario

Select the first scenario from the campaign guide. The guide will instruct you on which encounter sets to gather. An encounter set is a group of cards marked with a specific symbol.
Shuffle the gathered cards and place them face-down to form the encounter deck.

Step 4: Place the Act and Agenda Decks

Separate the Act and Agenda cards from the scenario deck. Arrange them in ascending order with the lowest numbered card on top.
Place these two decks in the middle of the playing area. They represent the progress of the story and the rise of evil forces respectively.

Step 5: Set Up the Location Cards

Place the location cards as indicated in the campaign guide. Some cards are placed face-up (revealed), while others are placed face-down (unrevealed). The guide will specify the initial placement of investigators.

Step 6: Prepare Tokens

Place the chaos bag and tokens within reach of all players. The chaos bag contains a variety of tokens that will influence skill tests during the game.

Step 7: Distribute Initial Resources

Each player starts with five resources, which can be used to play cards from their hand.
Each player also draws five cards from their deck to form their initial hand. If a player draws a weakness card, they must reshuffle it into their deck and draw again.

Now, you’re ready to start the game! Remember, in Arkham Horror: The Card Game, teamwork, strategy, and managing resources are the key to surviving the horrors that await.

Game flow Round and round we go

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is a cooperative game where players step into the shoes of investigators trying to unravel the mysteries of the unknowable universe. The game consists of several rounds, each divided into multiple phases. Here’s a detailed explanation of the overall structure of the game:

1. Setup Phase:

Firstly, players decide on the scenario they want to play and set up the scenario following the instructions on its reference card.
Each player then chooses an investigator and takes the corresponding investigator card, mini-card, and the starting deck of cards.
Players then set their investigator’s mini-card to the starting health and sanity mentioned on the investigator card.

2. Round Structure:

Each round of Arkham Horror: The Card Game is divided into three phases: the Investigation Phase, the Enemy Phase, and the Upkeep Phase.

a) Investigation Phase:

Starting with the lead investigator, each player takes a turn performing up to three actions (move, investigate, fight, draw, gain a resource, play a card, activate a card ability).
After all players have taken their turns, the Investigation phase ends.

b) Enemy Phase:

During the enemy phase, each engaged enemy performs one attack against the investigator it is engaged with.
After all enemies have attacked, any unengaged enemies with the Hunter keyword move toward the nearest investigator.
The Enemy phase ends after all enemy actions have been resolved.

c) Upkeep Phase:

During the upkeep phase, each player resets their cards, draws 1 card, and gains 1 resource.
Then, the players check their hand size, discarding down to their maximum hand size if necessary.
The round ends after the Upkeep phase, and a new round begins with the Mythos phase.

3. Game End:

The game of Arkham Horror: The Card Game ends when the investigators have either completed the objectives of the scenario or when all investigators have been eliminated.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition), each player’s turn consists of three phases: the Investigation Phase, the Enemy Phase, and the Upkeep Phase. Here is a detailed breakdown of each phase:

1. Investigation Phase:

During the Investigation Phase, each player can perform three actions. These actions can be performed in any order and can be repeated. The possible actions include:

Draw a Card: You can draw a card from your deck. This can provide new resources or options for your turn.
Gain a Resource: You may gain one resource token. Resources are used to pay for cards and effects.
Play a Card: You can play a card from your hand by paying its cost in resources. The card can be an asset, event or skill card.
Activate a Card Ability: Many cards have abilities that can be activated by spending a certain number of actions.
Investigate: You can investigate your location to gather clues. Clues are vital for advancing the Act deck and progressing the game.
Move: You may move to a connecting location. Careful movement is crucial to avoid or engage enemies.
Fight: You can attack an enemy at your location. Winning a fight can eliminate threats and protect your investigator.
Evade: You can attempt to evade an engaged enemy. If successful, the enemy will not perform attacks of opportunity against you for the rest of your turn.

2. Enemy Phase:

During the Enemy Phase, all enemies in play act. They may move, attack, or perform other special actions. The order in which enemies act can greatly affect the outcome of this phase. Here is what happens:

Engaged Enemies Attack: Each enemy engaged with an investigator attacks if able. This can result in damage or horror to the investigator.
Enemies Move: Each ready, unengaged enemy moves towards the nearest investigator. Some enemies may have special movement rules.
Enemies Engage: After moving, any enemy that ends its movement at a location with an investigator engages that investigator.

3. Upkeep Phase:

During the Upkeep Phase, players prepare for the next round. This is a crucial phase for managing resources and cards. Here’s what happens:

Reset Actions: Any spent actions are reset. Players will have their full complement of actions for the next round.
Ready Exhausted Cards: Any card that was exhausted (turned sideways) is now readied (put upright).
Draw a Card and Gain a Resource: Each player draws one card and gains one resource. This allows players to replenish their hand and gather resources for future actions.
Check Hand Size: Each player checks their hand size. If a player has more than eight cards, they must discard down to eight.

Understanding each of these phases and the actions available during each phase is critical to effective strategic gameplay in Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition).

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

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition) is a unique and intriguing cooperative game in which players take on the roles of investigators trying to unravel a series of mysterious events in the fictional town of Arkham. The game ends under a variety of conditions, and the victory is determined based on the players’ performance throughout the game. Here’s a detailed explanation of the game’s end and victory conditions.

Game End Conditions:

Completion of All Acts: The game ends when all acts in the Act deck have been completed. Players must follow the instructions in the final Act card to end the game.
Resolution of Agenda: If the Agenda deck runs out and the final Agenda card’s effects are resolved, the game ends.
All Investigators Eliminated: If all investigators are defeated (either by taking damage or horror equal to their respective health or sanity), the game ends immediately.

Victory Conditions:

Victory Points: Players earn victory points by defeating enemies, discovering clues, and making progress in acts. The total victory points of the team determine their success at the end of the game.
Resolution of the Final Act: If players manage to resolve the final Act, they usually achieve victory, though the victory’s specifics are often dependent on the decisions they’ve made throughout the game.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before final scoring, players must perform the following actions:

Resolve End Game Effects: Some cards have effects that trigger at the end of the game. Players must resolve these effects before proceeding to final scoring.
Calculate Victory Points: Players add up the Victory X value of each card in the victory display, plus any additional victory points awarded by the scenario.
Record Trauma: Any investigator who was defeated during the scenario records physical or mental trauma, which will carry into future games.
Record Campaign Log: Players update their campaign log, noting victory points, defeated investigators, and any other relevant information.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition), players work cooperatively to investigate and overcome the horrors that lurk in the city of Arkham. The game’s scoring system is based on a combination of different factors, each contributing to the final score. Here are the details:

Victory Points:

Victory points are the primary scoring system used in the game. Players earn victory points by defeating enemies and discovering clues. Each enemy and clue card has a victory point value that is awarded upon defeat or discovery.

Each enemy defeated earns the players a number of victory points equal to the value listed on the enemy card.
Each clue discovered earns the players a single victory point.

Scenario Completion:

Completing a scenario by fulfilling all the listed requirements gives additional victory points. The exact number depends on the scenario being played and the difficulty level. Generally, more points are earned for completing more difficult scenarios.

Player Survival:

Players also earn victory points for each investigator that survives till the end of the game. The number of points earned depends on the number of investigators that began the game:

For each investigator that survives, the players earn 2 victory points if the game started with one or two investigators.
For each investigator that survives, the players earn 1 victory point if the game started with three or four investigators.

Tie-Breaking:

As a cooperative game, Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition) doesn’t usually involve tie-breaking. However, in the rare case that a tie-breaker is needed (such as in a competitive variant), the player with the most individual enemy victory points is the winner. If a tie still persists, the player who has taken the least amount of damage wins.

Please note that the goal of the game is not to score the most points, but rather to survive and successfully complete the scenario. The points are primarily used for campaign play, where they can be used to purchase new cards and upgrades between scenarios.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition) is a collaborative game where the players are investigators working to unravel mysteries and protect humanity from Lovecraftian horrors. The rules of the game are generally straightforward, but there are some special rules and exceptions that you should be aware of to ensure a smooth game experience.

1. Drawing an Auto-fail Chaos Token:
When you draw an auto-fail chaos token, it means you fail the skill test regardless of your total skill value. However, you may still apply any effects that trigger when you fail a skill test.

2. Investigator Elimination:
If an investigator is eliminated (either by taking damage equal to their health or horror equal to their sanity), they are removed from the game. Any clues they had are dropped at their location. But remember, elimination doesn’t necessarily mean death. The investigator could instead be driven insane or lost in time and space, depending on the circumstances.

3. Unique Cards:
Some cards in the game are unique, as indicated by the asterisk (*) before their name. If a unique card would enter play and there is already a copy of that card in play, the new card does not enter play.

Exception: Unique player cards. Each investigator can have his or her own copy of unique player cards.

4. Out of Actions:
Players cannot perform actions if there are no actions left in the action window. However, some card effects can still be triggered outside of the action window.

5. Engagement:
When an investigator engages an enemy, that enemy is moved to the investigator’s threat area. If an investigator moves away from a location with an engaged enemy, that enemy gets an attack of opportunity.

Exception: If a card effect specifically says to “disengage” from an enemy, that enemy does not get an attack of opportunity.

6. Multipart Scenarios:
Some campaigns are divided into multiple parts or scenarios. The resolution of one part often impacts the setup and gameplay of the next part.

7. Deck Size and Duplicate Cards:
Each investigator’s deck must contain exactly the number of player cards specified by his or her investigator card (usually 30), no more and no less. Additionally, an investigator’s deck cannot include more than 2 copies of any given player card (by title).

8. Mulligan Rule:
At the start of the game, after drawing your initial hand, you have a one-time opportunity to mulligan. This means you may set aside any number of cards from your hand, draw that many new cards from your deck, then shuffle the set-aside cards back into your deck.

These are the main special rules and exceptions in Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition). Remember, the most important rule is to have fun and enjoy the challenge of working together to overcome the horrors of Arkham.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Edition) is a cooperative living card game where players take on the roles of investigators trying to solve horrific mysteries. Here are some strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Understand the Synergy Between Cards: Each investigator’s deck in Arkham Horror is unique and should be built to maximize the synergy between cards. Look for card combinations that can give you a significant advantage.
Manage Your Resources Wisely: Resources are a crucial part of the game. Use them wisely, especially when deciding when to play assets, events, and skills.
Use Clues Efficiently: Clues can help you advance the act deck, but be mindful of what’s in the encounter deck. Sometimes, it’s better to hold off on advancing until you’ve dealt with other obstacles.

Beginner Tips:

Choose Your Investigator Wisely: Each investigator has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s essential to choose a character that matches your play style.
Understand the Chaos Bag: The Chaos Bag is a crucial part of the game. It’s important to understand what each token does and how it can affect your gameplay.
Always Have a Backup Plan: The game is unpredictable. Always prepare for the worst-case scenario and have a backup plan ready.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring the Encounter Deck: Many new players tend to focus only on the act deck and ignore the encounter deck. This is a mistake, as the encounter deck can quickly change the game’s outcome.
Poor Resource Management: Resources are limited. Spending them too quickly or not using them efficiently can lead to a quick defeat.
Not Utilizing Free Trigger Actions: Free trigger actions can provide significant advantages. Failing to use them is a common mistake among beginners.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Teamwork is Key: In Arkham Horror, cooperation is vital. Work with your fellow investigators, share resources, and coordinate your actions to overcome challenges.
Plan Your Actions: Each action you take should be carefully planned. Avoid wasting actions and always strive to make the most out of each turn.
Master the Rules: The best way to optimize gameplay is to master the rules. The more you understand about the game mechanics, the better decisions you can make.