text:
A Note from ArkhamDB
The Thing That Should Not Be...
The Golden Rules
The Grim Rule
The Silver Rule
A, An
Constant Abilities
Forced Abilities
Revelation Abilities
Triggered Abilities
Spawn Instructions and Prey Instructions
Action Designators
Act Deck and Agenda Deck
"...only as your first action"
"Take an action" vs "Perform/resolve an action"
Activate Action
Active Player
Agenda Deck
Aloof
"As if..."
Asset Cards
Attach To
Control of Attachments
Moving Attachments
Attacker, Attacked
Attack of Opportunity
Automatic Failure/Success
Base Value
Campaign Play
Defeat by Card Ability
Advancing to Next Scenario
Joining or Leaving a Campaign
Transferring Investigators to a New Campaign
Cardtypes
Chaos Tokens
Bless and Curse Tokens
Frost Tokens
Resolving Multiple Revealed Chaos Tokens
Choices, and the Grim Rule
Dealing Damage/Horror
Deckbuilding Options
Delayed Effects
"Different"
Difficulty (level)
Difficulty (skill tests)
Direct Damage, Direct Horror
Discard Piles
Doubt and Conviction
Draw Action
Drawing Cards
Empty Location
"Encounter Cards" vs "Scenario Cards"
Encounter Deck
Encounter Set
Enemy Cards
Enemy Engagement
Enemy Phase
Engage Action
Enters Play
Evade, Evade Action
Event Cards
Exhaust, Exhausted
"Farthest from all investigators"
Fight Action
Flood Tokens
"For each" or "for every"
Health and Damage
Hidden Cards in Hand When Eliminated
In Play and Out of Play
In Player Order
Investigate Action
Investigation Phase
Investigator Deck
Joe's "Hunch Deck"
Killed/Insane Investigators
Lasting Effects
Lead Investigator
Leaves Play
Limits and Maximums
Limits Pertaining to Play Areas
Location Cards
Being at No Location
Lola and "Roles"
Move Action
Multi-class Cards
Mythos Phase
Nested Sequences
Nested Skill Tests
Ownership and Control
Per Investigator
Play Action
Play Restrictions, Permissions, and Instructions
Priority of Simultaneous Resolution
Prologue Investigators
Put into Play
Reaction Opportunities
"Record in your Campaign Log..."
"Remember that..."
Removed from Game
Replacing an Opening Hand
Resource Action
Sanity and Horror
"Looking at," "Searching," and "Finding"
Searching During Setup
Self-Referential Text
Set Aside
Signature Cards
Skill Test Results and Advanced Timing
Shifting Slots
Spawning an Enemy
Swarming X
Taking Damage/Horror
Tarot Slot
Tekeli-li!
Threat Area
Tokens, Running out of
Treachery Cards
Treachery Subtitles
Triggering Condition
"...Unless all of (location's) clues have been discovered."
Uses (X "type")
Vengeance X
Victory Display, Victory Points
Wild Skill Icons
The letter "X"
You/Your - Expanded
Interpreting "You" When Taking or Being Dealt Damage
Appendix I: Initiation Sequence
Appendix II: Timing and Gameplay
Phase Sequence Timing
Framework Event Details
I. Mythos phase
II. Investigation phase
III. Enemy phase
IV. Upkeep phase
Skill Test Timing
Appendix III: Setting Up The Game
Appendix IV: Card Anatomy
Scenario Card Anatomy Key
Player Card Anatomy Key
This page contains a replica of the Rules Reference found in any copy of the Core Set of Arkham Horror: The Card Game. It also includes updates to the Rules Reference: rules added in deluxe expansions (marked in red) and rules added in the official FAQ for the game (marked in blue).
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents.
– H. P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"
Halt! Read the Learn to Play book first. As questions arise during gameplay, use this document's glossary as a reference. After playing the tutorial game, we recommend reading the appendices beginning on page 22.
This document is intended as the definitive source for rules information, but does not teach players how to play the game. Players should first read the Learn to Play book in its entirety and use this Rules Reference as needed while playing the game.
The majority of this guide consists of a glossary, which provides an alphabetical listing of terms and situations a player might encounter during a game. This section should be the first destination for players who have a rules question.
The latter part of this guide contains four appendices. The first appendix describes the process of playing cards or initiating triggered abilities. The second appendix provides timing diagrams that illustrate the structure of a game round, as well as a detailed explanation of how to handle each game step presented in those diagrams. The third appendix lists the complete rules for setting up a game of Arkham Horror: The Card Game. The fourth appendix provides a detailed anatomy of each cardtype.
If the text of this Rules Reference directly contradicts the text of the Learn to Play book, the text of the Rules Reference takes precedence.
If the text of a card directly contradicts the text of either the Rules Reference or the Learn to Play book, the text of the card takes precedence.
If players are unable to find the answer to a rules or timing conflict in this Rules Reference, resolve the conflict in the manner that the players perceive as the worst possible at that moment with regards to winning the scenario, and continue with the game.
When investigators are forced to make a choice and there are multiple valid options, the lead investigator decides between those options. The Grim Rule does not play a part in these choices.
For example: Locked Door reads "Attach to the location with the most clues, and without a Locked Door attached." If there are 3 locations that are tied for the most clues, and none of them already have a Locked Door attached, the lead investigator decides between those 3 locations. Players are not forced to decide which of those 3 options would be the objectively worst option.
The Grim Rule only comes into effect if players are unable to find the answer to a rules or timing conflict, and are thus unable to continue playing the game. It is designed to keep the game moving when looking up the correct answer would be too time-consuming or inconvenient for the players. The Grim Rule is not an exhaustive answer to rules/timing conflicts.
"The Silver Rule" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.20)
If the text of two cards directly contradict one another in a way that is impossible to reconcile, the encounter card takes precedence over the player card. If both cards are encounter cards or both are player cards, the lead investigator may decide which takes precedence.
The following is an alphabetical list of entries for game rules, terms, and situations that may occur during play.
When used to describe a condition, the words "a" or "an" are satisfied if one or more of the conditional elements are present. For example, an investigator with 3 resources will satisfy the condition of "Each investigator with a resource."
An ability is the specialized game text that indicates how a card affects the game.
Card abilities only interact with the game if the card bearing the ability is in play, unless the ability (or rules for the cardtype) specifically references its use from an out-of-play area.
Card abilities only interact with other cards that are in play, unless the ability specifically references an interaction with cards in an out-of-play area.
If multiple instances of the same ability are in play, each instance interacts with (or may interact with) the game state individually.
The various types of card abilities are: constant abilities, forced abilities, revelation abilities, triggered abilities, keywords, and enemy instructions (spawn and prey). Each type is described in detail below.
See also: "Costs" on page 7, "Effects" on page 9, "Qualifiers" on page 17, "Self-Referential Text" on page 18.
Constant abilities are simply stated on a card with no special formatting. Constant abilities are always interacting with the game state as long as the card is in play. (Some constant abilities continuously seek a specific condition, denoted by words such as "during" or "while." The effects of such abilities are active any time the specified condition is met.) Constant abilities have no point of initiation.
A forced ability is identified by a bold "Forced – " command. Forced abilities initiate and interact with the game state automatically at a specified timing point. Such a timing point is usually indicated by words such as: "when," "after," "if," or "at."
If a forced ability does not have the potential to change the game state, the ability does not initiate.
The initiation of a forced ability that has the potential to change the game state is mandatory each time its specified timing point is met.
A forced ability with a timing point beginning with the word "when..." automatically initiates as soon as the specified timing point is reached, but before its impact upon the game state resolves.
A forced ability with a timing point beginning with the word "after..." automatically initiates immediately after that timing point's impact upon the game state has resolved.
For any given timing point, all forced abilities initiated in reference to that timing point must resolve before any [reaction] abilities (see below) referencing the same timing point in the same manner may be initiated.
See "Priority of Simultaneous Resolution" on page 17.
A revelation ability, indicated by a bold "Revelation – " command on an encounter card or weakness, initiates as that card is drawn by an investigator (see "Revelation" on page 18).
A triggered ability is any ability prefaced by either a [free] icon, a [reaction] icon, or an [action] icon. If the ability has one or more prerequisites (costs and/or conditions), these are listed in text immediately following the icon. A player must always meet the prerequisites of a triggered ability in order to trigger that ability. There are three types of triggered abilities:
Free triggered abilities ([free]) – A [free] triggered ability may be triggered as a player ability during any player window. (See "Appendix II: Timing and Gameplay" on page 22 for a complete list of player windows.)
Reaction triggered abilities ([reaction]) – A [reaction] triggered ability with a specified triggering condition may be triggered any time that triggering condition is met. For example: "[reaction] After you defeat an enemy:"
A [reaction] ability with a triggering condition beginning with the word "when..." may be used after the specified triggering condition initiates, but before its impact upon the game state resolves.
A [reaction] ability with a triggering condition beginning with the word "after..." may be used immediately after that triggering condition's impact upon the game state has resolved.
Each [reaction] ability may be triggered only once each time the specified condition on the ability is met. For example, an ability that is triggered "After X occurs," may be used once each time "X" occurs.
Action triggered abilities ([action]) – An [action] triggered ability may be triggered during a player's turn in the investigation phase through the use of the activate action, and only if the player uses one action for each [action] specified in the ability's cost.
All triggered abilities are governed by the following rules:
Triggered abilities on a card a player controls are optionally triggered (or not) by that player at the appropriate timing moment, as indicated by the ability.
A triggered ability can only be initiated if its effect has the potential to change the game state, and its cost (if any) has the potential to be paid in full, taking active cost modifiers into account. This potential is assessed without taking into account the consequences of the cost payment or any other ability interactions.
Once an ability is initiated, players must resolve as much of the effect as possible, unless the effect uses the word "may" (see "May" on page 15).
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.2) An investigator is permitted to use triggered abilities ([fast], [reaction], and [action] abilities) from the following sources:
A card in play and under his or her control. This includes his or her investigator card.
A scenario card that is in play and at the same location as the investigator. This includes the location itself, encounter cards placed at that location, and all encounter cards in the threat area of any investigator at that location.
The current act or current agenda card.
Any card that explicitly allows the investigator to activate its ability.
A keyword is a card ability which conveys specific rules to its card (see "Keywords" on page 13).
Spawn instructions inform where an enemy spawns as it enters play (see "Spawn" on page 19).
Prey instructions inform which investigator an enemy pursues and/or engages if it has a choice (see "Prey" on page 17).
Some abilities have bold action designators (such as Fight, Evade, Investigate, or Move). Activating such an ability performs the designated action as described in the rules, but modified in the manner described by the ability.
The act deck represents the progress the investigators can make in a scenario. The agenda deck represents the progress and objectives of the dark forces arrayed against the investigators in a scenario. Generally, advancing the act deck is good for the investigators, and advancing the agenda deck is bad for the investigators.
The act deck advances if the investigators, as a group, spend the requisite number of clues (as indicated by the act card). An act card may indicate a flat value (such as "4") or a per investigator value (as indicated by the [per_investigator] icon). This is normally done as a [free] player ability. Any or all investigators may contribute any number of clues towards the total number of clues required to advance the act. If the act has an "Objective – " instruction, that instruction overrides or adds additional requirements to the spending of those clues.
The agenda deck advances if the requisite number of doom is in play (doom on the agenda card as well as doom on any other cards in play), as indicated by the agenda card. An agenda card may indicate a flat value or a per investigator value. If the agenda has an "Objective – " instruction, that instruction overrides or adds additional requirements to meeting this doom requirement.
The act/agenda on top of the act/agenda deck is referred to as the "current" act/agenda.
To advance the act deck or the agenda deck, follow these steps, in order:
Remove all tokens from the card to be advanced. If the agenda deck is advancing, remove all doom from each card in play.
Flip the advancing card over and follow the instructions on the reverse ("b") side.
If the reverse side of the act or agenda is an encounter card, follow the rules for drawing that encounter cardtype. Otherwise, simply follow the instructions on the card.
Sometimes, the advancing act/agenda specifies which card becomes the next act/agenda. If it does not, the next card in the deck becomes the current act/agenda. As a new card becomes the current act/agenda, the advancing card is simultaneously removed from the game.
Some instructions in the act and agenda decks (as well as on other encounter cardtypes) contain resolution points, in the format of: "(→R#)." If a resolution point is reached, the scenario ends. Read the designated resolution in the campaign guide.
See also: "Clues" on page 6, "Doom" on page 9.
During his or her turn, an investigator is permitted to take up to three actions. When performing an action, all costs of the action are first paid. Then, the consequences of the action resolve.
If an investigator is instructed to lose 1 or more actions, he or she has that many fewer actions to take during that round.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.10) Some card abilities grant investigators "additional actions." If an investigator has one or more additional actions during his or her turn, the first action he or she takes that is able to qualify as that additional action automatically uses that additional action.
For example: Daisy Walker reads: "You may take an additional action during your turn, which can only be used on Tome [action] abilities." The first time Daisy performs a Tome [action] ability each turn, it automatically uses up that additional action, and not one of Daisy's three standard actions.
If an action qualifies as more than one of an investigator's additional actions, he or she may choose which additional action is used.
If an effect causes an investigator to lose one or more actions, that investigator has that many fewer standard actions to take that turn (the investigator's three standard actions are the ones that are "lost" first). If an investigator only has additional actions remaining, those are then lost, in an order of the investigator's choosing.
For example: An effect causes Daisy to lose two actions. She has two fewer standard actions to take during her turn. She cannot choose to "lose" her additional action unless it is the only action she has remaining.
For a complete list of the available actions, see "2.2.1 Investigator takes an action, if able" on page 24.
"...only as your first action" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.18)
If a card can only be played or its ability only triggered as your "first action," it must spend one of your actions, and that action must be the first one you have taken during your turn. If it is fast, a free triggered ability, ignores its action cost, or takes place outside of your turn, it cannot be played or triggered.
"Take an action" vs "Perform/resolve an action" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.19)
Some effects allow an investigator to "take" an action, usually of a certain type - for example, the ability on Ursula Downs or Haste. If an effect allows an investigator to take an action, they effectively gain an action and then immediately spend it in order to take the action in question, meaning it follows all of the rules taking an action might normally follow: it may provoke attacks of opportunity, it counts as an action for the purposes of cards that count how many actions you have taken, etc.
Some other effects, such as Quickdraw Holster, allow an investigator to "perform" or "resolve" an action. Such effects typically specify that they ignore that action's [action] cost. In this case, no action has been gained or spent, and the action is resolved as specified.
"Activate" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
When this action is taken, the investigator initiates an ability that specifies one or more [action] icons as part of its ability cost. The number of [action] icons in the ability's cost determines how many actions the investigator is required to use for this activate action. When performing an activate action, all of that action's costs are simultaneously paid. Then, the consequences of that action resolve.
An investigator is permitted to activate abilities from the following sources:
The active player is the player taking his or her turn during the investigation phase.
The word "after" refers to the moment immediately after the specified timing point or triggering condition has fully resolved.
(For example, an ability that reads "After you draw an enemy card" initiates immediately after resolving all of the steps for drawing an enemy – resolving its revelation ability, spawning it, etc.)
See also: "Ability" on page 2, "Priority of Simultaneous Resolution" on page 17.
Additional Costs (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.6)
Some cards add additional costs that must be paid in order to perform certain effects or actions, in the form of "As an additional cost to (specified effect/action) you must (additional cost)" or "You must (additional cost) to (specified effect/action)."
Additional costs are costs that can be paid outside the normal timing point of paying costs (for instance, during the resolution of an effect). If an effect that requires an additional cost would resolve, the additional cost must be paid at that time. If the additional cost cannot be paid, that aspect of the effect fails to resolve.
Additional costs do not have to be paid when a Forced effect or mandatory instruction (such as in the Campaign Guide, or on the back of an Act or Agenda card) requires an investigator to resolve an effect.
For example: "Ashcan" Pete is at the Miskatonic Quad and activates Duke's second ability, which reads: "[action] Exhaust Duke: Investigate. You investigate with a base skill of 4. You may move to a connecting location immediately before investigating with this effect." Pete pays the cost to activate this ability, which is spending one action and exhausting Duke. Then Pete resolves the ability, first moving to the Orne Library, followed by investigating. The Orne Library, however, reads: "You must spend 1 additional action to investigate the Orne Library." This adds an additional cost that must be paid in order to investigate the Orne Library. This additional cost is paid when the investigate action would resolve, outside the normal timing point for paying costs. If Pete cannot spend the additional action, that aspect of Duke's effect fails to resolve.
See "Act Deck and Agenda Deck" on page 3.
Alert (added in The Forgotten Age)
Each time an investigator fails a skill test while attempting to evade an enemy with the "alert" keyword, after applying all results for that skill test, that enemy performs an attack against the evading investigator. An enemy does not exhaust after performing an alert attack. This attack occurs whether the enemy is engaged with the evading investigator or not.
Aloof is a keyword ability. An enemy with the aloof keyword does not automatically engage investigators at its location.
When an aloof enemy spawns, it spawns unengaged.
An investigator may use the engage action or a card ability to engage an aloof enemy.
An investigator cannot attack an aloof enemy while that enemy is not engaged with an investigator.
"As if..." (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.10, amended October 2020)
Some card effects allow an investigator to resolve an ability or perform an action as if a certain aspect of the game state were altered, using the text "as if..." to indicate the difference. The indicated ability or action is resolved with the altered game state in mind, but the actual game state remains unchanged.
The game state is considered to be altered throughout the duration of the indicated ability or action, from its initiation (including the paying of its costs, attacks of opportunity, etc) through the resolution of each aspect of its effect, and up until its completion.
Other card abilities or game effects resolved during this duration are also resolved with the altered game state in mind.
The game state is not physically altered in any way. (e.g. if you are considered to be at a location, you do not move your mini-card to that location, enemies at that location do not automatically move to your threat area, etc.)
For example: Luke Robinson wants to play Preposterous Sketches, but is at a location with no clues. One of the locations next to him has a clue on it, so he uses his ability to play Preposterous Sketches as if he were at that location and engaged with each enemy at that location. The game state is considered to be altered in this way throughout the playing of Preposterous Sketches, from its initiation to its resolution. Among other things, this might mean: (a) if there is an enemy at that location, playing Preposterous Sketches would provoke an attack of opportunity, (b) if that location has an ability that would alter the cost of playing the card, it would do so, and (c) other card abilities that might trigger from Luke drawing 1 or more cards would do so as if he were at that connecting location and engaged with that enemy, and so on and so forth. Once Preposterous Sketches has finished resolving and is placed in the discard pile, Luke is no longer considered to be at that location and engaged with each enemy at that location.
Asset cards represent items, allies, talents, spells, and other reserves that may assist or be used by an investigator during a scenario.
When you play an asset, it is placed in your play area. Generally, assets remain in play unless discarded by a card ability or game step.
Some assets have health and/or sanity. When an investigator is dealt damage or horror, that investigator may assign some or all of that damage or horror to eligible asset cards he or she controls (see "Dealing Damage/Horror" on page 7).
Most assets take up one or more slots while in play (see "Slots" on page 19).
Some assets have an encounter set icon and no level indicator. Such assets are known as Story Assets. Story Assets are part of an encounter set and may not be included in a player's deck unless the resolution or setup of a scenario grants that player permission to do so.
At (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.2)
Some abilities have triggering conditions that use the words "at" or "if" instead of specifying "when" or "after," such as "at the end of the round," or "if the Ghoul Priest is defeated." These abilities trigger in between any "when..." abilities and any "after..." abilities with the same triggering condition.
See also: "If".
If a card uses the phrase "attach to" it must be attached to (placed beneath and slightly overlapped by) the specified game element as it enters play. Once attached, such a card is referred to as an attachment.
The "attach to" phrase is checked for legality each time a card would be attached to a game element, but is not checked again after that attachment occurs. If the initial "attach to" check does not pass, the card is not able to be attached, and remains in its prior state or game area. If such a card cannot remain in its prior state or game area, discard it.
Once in play, an attachment remains attached until either the attachment or the game element to which it is attached leaves play (in which case the attachment is discarded), or unless a card ability explicitly detaches the card.
An attachment exhausts and readies independently of the game element it's attached to.
Control of Attachments (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.14)
An attachment may change control depending on the card it is attached to.
If an investigator attaches a player card to a player card he or she controls, he or she retains control of the attachment.
If an investigator attaches a player card to a player card another investigator controls, that other investigator takes control of the attachment.
If a player card with 1 or more player attachments changes control, the card's new controller takes control of those player attachments.
If an investigator attaches a player card to an encounter card, he or she retains control of the attachment (but does not gain control of the attached encounter card).
Moving Attachments (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.25)
If an attachment "moves" from one game element to another, or attaches to a game element while already attached to a game element, it detaches from its original game element and attaches to the new one.
An "attacker" is an entity (usually an enemy or investigator) that is resolving its attack against another entity. The entity being attacked is referred to as the "attacked enemy" or the "attacked investigator."
Each time an investigator is engaged with one or more ready enemies and takes an action other than to fight, to evade, or to activate a parley or resign ability, each of those enemies makes an attack of opportunity against the investigator, in the order of the investigator's choosing. Each attack deals that enemy's damage and horror to the investigator.
An attack of opportunity is made immediately after all costs of initiating the action that provoked the attack have been paid, but before the application of that action's effect upon the game state.
An ability that costs more than one action only provokes one attack of opportunity from each engaged enemy.
An enemy does not exhaust while making an attack of opportunity.
After all attacks of opportunity are made, continue with the resolution of the action which instigated the attack.
Attacks of opportunity count as enemy attacks for the purposes of card abilities.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.1) Attacks of Opportunity are only triggered when 1 or more of an investigator's actions are being spent or used to trigger an ability or action. [free] abilities with a bold action designator do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Automatic Failure/Success (expanded in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.9)
Some card or token abilities may cause a skill test to automatically fail or to automatically succeed. If a skill test automatically fails or automatically succeeds, it does so during step "ST.6" of the "Skill Test Timing" process outlined on page 26.
If a skill test automatically fails, the investigator's total skill value for that test is considered 0.
If a skill test automatically succeeds, the total difficulty of that test is considered 0.
(Here begin the expanded rules. NB this section overrules some of what is above.) Some card effects make an investigator automatically succeed or automatically fail a skill test. If this occurs, depending on the timing of such an effect, certain steps of the skill test may be skipped in their entirety.
If it is known that an investigator automatically succeeds or fails at a skill test before Step 3 ("Reveal chaos token") occurs, that step is skipped, along with Step 4. No chaos token(s) are revealed from the chaos bag, and the investigator immediately moves to Step 5. All other steps of the skill test resolve as normal.
If a chaos token effect causes an investigator to automatically succeed or fail at a skill test, continue with Steps 3 and 4, as normal.
If an ability "automatically evades" 1 or more enemies, this is not the same as automatically succeeding at an evasion attempt. As per the entry on "Evade" in the Rules Reference (see "Evade"), if an ability automatically evades 1 or more enemies, no skill test is made for the evasion attempt whatsoever. Consequentially, because no skill test is made, it is not considered a "successful" evasion. The investigator simply follows the steps for evading an enemy (exhausting it and breaking its engagement).
For example: Patrice uses the ability on Hope, which reads: "[action] If Hope is ready, exhaust or discard him: Evade. Attempt to evade with a base [agility] value of 5. (If you discarded Hope, this test is automatically successful.)" If Patrice chooses to discard Hope, the skill test automatically succeeds before chaos tokens are revealed; therefore Steps 3 and 4 of the skill test are skipped. However, the skill test still takes place. Cards may still be committed to the test, and the investigator's total modified skill value is still determined, as it may have some bearing on other card abilities. However, if Patrice instead uses the ability on Stray Cat, which reads: "[fast] Discard Stray Cat: Automatically evade a non-Elite enemy at your location," no skill test is made whatsoever.
Base value is the value of an element before any modifiers are applied. Unless otherwise specified, the base value of an element derived from a card is the value printed on that card.
The bearer of a weakness is the investigator who started the game with the weakness in his or her deck or play area.
See "Weakness" on page 21.
If a card's printed text box is considered "blank" by an ability, that text box is treated as if it did not have any of its printed content. Text and/or icons gained from another source are not blanked.
A card's text box includes: traits, keywords, card text and abilities.
Bonded (added in The Dream-Eaters)
Cards with the bonded keyword are linked to another player card. They have no level and therefore are not available as deckbuilding options. Instead, the card to which they are bonded (which is listed in parentheses next to this keyword) brings the bonded card into the game.
If your deck contains a card that summons one or more bonded cards, those bonded cards are set aside at the start of each game.
If a weakness with the bonded keyword is added to an investigator's deck, hand, threat area, or play area, it does not remain a part of that investigator's deck for the rest of the campaign (unlike other weaknesses). It starts each game set aside with that investigator's other bonded cards.
For example: Hope, Zeal, and Augur all have the "bonded (Miss Doyle)" keyword. This means each of those cards is bonded to the card Miss Doyle. Hope, Zeal, and Augur each have no level and are therefore not available as options to include when building your deck. However, Miss Doyle summons each of these cards when she is played. Therefore, a player with Miss Doyle in their deck should set aside Hope, Zeal, and Augur at the start of each game. These cards are not part of that investigator's deck and do not count towards their deck size.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.19) If an investigator's deck contains a card that summons one or more bonded cards, those bonded cards are set aside at the start of each game. The number of copies of each different bonded card that are set aside in this way is equal to the number of copies of that were included in the product in which that bonded card was introduced. The number of cards in your deck that summon the bonded card in question does not factor into this limit.
For example: An investigator may only have 3 copies of Soothing Melody set aside at the start of the game. Similarly, an investigator may only have 1 Essence of the Dream set aside at the start of the game, regardless of how many copies of Dream Diary they include in their deck.
A campaign is a series of interrelated scenarios in which each player plays the same investigator from one scenario to the next. As a campaign progresses, the investigator gains experience and trauma, and this is reflected by changes in his or her deck. Each decision made in a campaign may have repercussions in a later scenario.
When starting a campaign, follow the instructions for that campaign's setup in the campaign guide. After playing through a scenario during a campaign, record the specified results of that scenario in the campaign log.
After recording the results of a scenario, the investigators are ready to reflect on their experiences and purchase new cards for their decks. To do this, follow these steps, in order:
Count experience. Each investigator earns experience equal to the total victory value of all cards in the victory display plus or minus any bonuses or penalties indicated by the campaign guide for that resolution. This total is added to any unspent experience an investigator has recorded from previous scenarios in this campaign.
Purchase new cards. New cards may be purchased and added to a player's deck by spending experience equal to the card's level (denoted by a number of pips in the upper left hand corner of the card). While purchasing new cards, observe the following rules:
An investigator's deckbuilding guidelines (found on the back of the investigator card) must be observed while that investigator is purchasing new cards. Only cards the investigator has access to may be purchased. The deck-size requirement must also be maintained, so that for each (nonpermanent) card purchased and added to a deck, a different card is removed from the deck. Weakness cards and cards that must be included in an investigator's deck may not be removed while that investigator is purchasing new cards.
Each card costs experience equal to the card's level, to a minimum of 1 (purchasing a level zero card still costs 1 experience). The number of pips beneath a card's cost indicates the card's level.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.8) When purchasing a new card during campaign play, an investigator must pay a minimum of 1 experience. As a result, level 0 cards cost 1 experience to purchase. This minimum only applies when purchasing new cards. It does not permanently alter a card's level or experience cost, and does not apply when upgrading a card to a higher level version.
When purchasing a higher level version of a card with the same title, the investigator may choose to "upgrade" that card by paying only the difference in experience (to a minimum of 1) between the two cards and removing the lower level version of the card from his or her deck.
New cards are purchased (or upgraded) individually. If an investigator wishes to purchase more than 1 copy of a new card, each copy must be paid for separately, and one card must be removed from that investigator's deck for each copy purchased.
The above processes, and any specific instructions provided by the campaign guide, are the only methods by which a player may modify his or her deck during a campaign.
Record unspent experience. Each investigator records any unspent experience on the campaign log. This experience may be spent at a later time during this campaign.
Trauma reflects permanent damage that has been done to an investigator's health and/or psyche.
If an investigator is defeated in a scenario that investigator is eliminated from the scenario but not necessarily from the campaign.
If an investigator is defeated by taking damage equal to his or her health, he or she suffers 1 physical trauma (recorded in the campaign log). For each physical trauma an investigator has, that investigator begins each subsequent scenario in the campaign with 1 damage. If an investigator has physical trauma equal to his or her printed health, the investigator is killed.
If an investigator is defeated by taking horror equal to his or her sanity, he or she suffers 1 mental trauma (recorded in the campaign log). For each mental trauma an investigator has, that investigator begins each subsequent scenario in the campaign with 1 horror. If an investigator has mental trauma equal to his or her printed sanity, the investigator is driven insane.
If an investigator is defeated by simultaneously taking damage equal to his or her health and horror equal to his or her sanity, he or she chooses which type of trauma to suffer.
If an investigator is killed or driven insane, that player must choose a new investigator to use in the next scenario, and creates a new deck for that investigator. Investigators that are killed or driven insane cannot be used for the remainder of the campaign (see "Killed/Insane Investigators" on page 13).
If a player attempts to choose a new investigator and there are no investigators remaining in the pool, the players have lost and the campaign ends.
An investigator may be defeated by a card ability. A defeated investigator is eliminated from the game (see "Elimination" on page 10). Should this occur, follow the instructions of the card ability to determine if there are any long-term repercussions of the defeat.
After completing a scenario, resolving its resolution, updating the campaign log, and purchasing any new cards, advance to the next scenario (sequentially) in the campaign, unless the scenario resolution explicitly directs the investigators to a different scenario.
Once a campaign has begun, players can freely drop in and out of the campaign in between scenarios.
If a player leaves the campaign, do not delete that player's information from the campaign log, as he or she may re-join at any time between scenarios.
If a new player joins the campaign, he or she must choose an investigator not previously used during this campaign. That player begins as if it were his or her first scenario in the campaign, with no experience and no trauma.
Transferring Investigators to a New Campaign (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.11)
This section expands on the ability for investigators to transfer from a completed campaign to another campaign, as originally described in the section "The End...or Is It?" in the Night of the Zealot campaign guide.
Note: The standard rules of the game dictate that players start each campaign with a clean state (new decks and 0 experience). The following is an optional variant that is likely to affect the game's balance. Only intrepid investigators who wish to embrace the chaos should choose this option.
When transferring one or more investigators from a completed campaign to a new campaign, players should observe the following rules:
Not all surviving investigators in the original campaign need to be transferred. It is okay to transfer some and start fresh with others.
Investigator decks remain the same. This includes all story assets and weaknesses earned in the original campaign, as well as experience gained and trauma suffered. Everything recorded in the campaign log under that investigator's "Earned Story Assets / Weaknesses" should be transferred to the new campaign, as well.
All other notes in the Campaign Log should be wiped clean and do not transfer to the new campaign.
The chaos bag is reset. This includes all additional chaos tokens that were added to the chaos bag throughout the original campaign.
If an investigator has an ability that occurs "at the beginning of the campaign," or "at deck creation," such as Father Mateo's bonus experience, it does not trigger a second time upon transferring that investigator into a new campaign.
Cards and Campaign Guides are written with the assumption that investigators are not being transferred from one campaign to another. For this reason, campaigns are sometimes referred to as "the campaign." (For example, "for the remainder of the campaign...") In general, when interpreting such effects, treat each campaign as being separate from one another. However, some effects should be interpreted as if each campaign played is part of one continuous uninterrupted campaign. This includes rules that dictate how an earned weakness or story asset operates, or additional rules that a specific investigator must follow. (For example, "for the remainder of the campaign, the bearer of X weakness must only speak in French.")
Some card abilities can "cancel" other card or game effects. Cancel abilities interrupt the initiation of an effect, and prevent the effect from initiating.
Any time the effects of an ability are canceled, the ability (apart from its effects) is still regarded as initiated, and any costs have still been paid. The effects of the ability, however, are prevented from initiating and do not resolve.
If the effects of an event card are canceled, the card is still regarded as played, and it is still placed in its owner's discard pile.
If the effects of a treachery card are canceled, the card is still regarded as having been drawn, and it is still placed in the encounter discard pile.
The word "cannot" is absolute, and cannot be countermanded by other abilities.
The game's cardtypes are presented in Appendix IV, with detailed card anatomies (see "Appendix IV: Card Anatomy" on page 28).
If an ability causes a card to change its cardtype, it loses all other cardtypes it might possess and functions as would any card of the new cardtype.
See also: "Asset Cards" on page 4, "Enemy Cards" on page 10, "Event Cards" on page 11, "Location Cards" on page 14, "Skill Cards" on page 18, "Treachery Cards" on page 20.
Chaos tokens are revealed from the chaos bag during skill tests, to modify or influence the results of the skill test.
[skull] [cultist] [elder_thing] [tablet] – If any of these tokens are revealed for a skill test, resolve the effect for that symbol as indicated on the scenario reference card for the current scenario.
[auto_fail] – This is the auto-fail token. If this token is revealed for a skill test, it indicates the investigator automatically fails the test (see "Automatic Failure/Success" on page 5).
[elder_sign] – This is the elder sign token. If this token is revealed for a skill test, resolve the [elder_sign] effect on the investigator card belonging to the player performing the skill test.
If a revealed chaos token (or the effect referenced by a chaos token) has a numerical modifier, that modifier is applied to the investigator's skill value for this test.
See "ST.3 Reveal chaos token" on page 26.
Bless and Curse Tokens (added in The Innsmouth Conspiracy)
This expansion introduces two new kinds of chaos tokens: bless ([bless]) tokens and curse ([curse]) tokens. By default, the chaos bag does not contain any [bless] or [curse] tokens. However, certain card effects can add these tokens or remove them from the chaos bag.
[bless] tokens revealed during a skill test have the following effects: "+2. Reveal another token. Instead of returning this token to the chaos bag, return it to the token pool."
No more than 10 total [bless] tokens can be included in the chaos bag or sealed on cards in play at any given time.
[curse] tokens revealed during a skill test have the following effects: "–2. Reveal another token. Instead of returning this token to the chaos bag, return it to the token pool."
No more than 10 total [curse] tokens can be included in the chaos bag or sealed on cards in play at any given time.
[bless] or [curse] tokens revealed outside of a skill test have no effect on their own unless otherwise specified by a card effect.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Frequently Asked Questions') Frequently asked Bless and Curse questions:
Do [bless] and [curse] tokens have a modifier or value if they are revealed outside of a skill test? No. [bless] and [curse] tokens revealed outside of a skill test have no modifier or value.
If adding a certain number of [bless] or [curse] tokens to the chaos bag is part of an ability's effect, and there are not enough [bless] or [curse] tokens remaining to fulfill that effect, what happens? You perform as much of the ability as you can, adding [bless] or [curse] tokens until there are none left to add.
If adding a certain number of [bless] or [curse] tokens to the chaos bag is part of a card/ability's cost, and there are not enough [bless] or [curse] tokens remaining to fulfill that cost, what happens? If the cost cannot be paid, the card/ability therefore cannot be played/triggered.
During a campaign, do [bless] and [curse] tokens remain in the chaos bag from scenario to scenario? No, [bless] and [curse] tokens do not carry over from scenario to scenario.
When exactly are [bless] and [curse] tokens removed from the chaos bag? Are they still present in the chaos bag during the resolution of a scenario? [bless] and [curse] tokens should be removed from the chaos bag when the game is cleaned up after the resolution of a scenario. This occurs before moving onto any subsequent story interludes, unless otherwise noted. - FAQ, v.2.0, August 2022
Frost Tokens (added in Edge of the Earth)
This expansion introduces a new type of chaos token: the frost ([frost]) token. At the start of the Edge of the Earth campaign, the chaos bag contains only a few relatively harmless [frost] tokens, if any. As the expedition continues, depending on the decisions the investigators make and the events that unfold, more [frost] tokens may be added to (or removed from) the chaos bag, altering the difficulty of every test the investigators perform. The more frost tokens added to the chaos bag, the more crippling their effects become.
The first [frost] token revealed from the chaos bag during a skill test has the following effect: "–1. Reveal another token." If another [frost] token is revealed from the chaos bag during the same test, immediately end the "reveal chaos tokens" step of the skill test and resolve the test as an automatic failure. (Return all revealed [frost] tokens to the chaos bag after the test ends.)
For example: Bob investigates a location and there are two [frost] tokens in the chaos bag. During Bob's first investigation attempt, he reveals a [frost] token. This reduces his skill value by 1 and causes him to reveal another token. The next token he reveals is a +1, resulting in a total of 0 from both tokens. Bob succeeds! Emboldened, Bob attempts to investigate a second time. This time, he reveals a [frost] token, followed by a second [frost] token. Bob must immediately stop revealing tokens and resolve the investigation as an automatic failure.
No more than eight total [frost] tokens can be included in the chaos bag and/or sealed on cards in play at any given time.
A [frost] token revealed outside of a skill test has no effect on its own unless otherwise specified by a card effect.
A [frost] token added to the chaos bag remains in the chaos bag from scenario to scenario unless removed by a card or game effect. Use the "Chaos Bag" section of the Campaign Log to record which tokens are currently in the chaos bag.
Resolving Multiple Revealed Chaos Tokens (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.5)
If an investigator is instructed to "resolve" multiple revealed chaos tokens, any game or card effects which refer to "the revealed chaos token" in the singular should be construed to apply to each of the revealed chaos tokens. For example, when applying chaos symbol effects during Step 4 of a skill test or applying modifiers to an investigator's skill value during Step 5 of a skill test, the effects and modifiers of all of the resolved chaos tokens should be applied, even though the rules state "the revealed chaos token." Similarly, any card effects that refer to "the revealed chaos token" refer to all of the resolved tokens.
For example: An investigator plays Premonition, which reads: "Put Premonition into play, reveal a random chaos token from the chaos bag, and seal it on Premonition." That investigator then uses Olive McBride to "reveal 3 chaos tokens instead of 1, choose 2 of those tokens to resolve, and ignore the other." In this case, both of the resolved tokens would be sealed on Premonition, even though Premonition only refers to the revealed token as a singular token. Likewise, when Premonition instructs that investigator to "Resolve the token sealed here as if it were just revealed from the chaos bag," the investigator should resolve both of the tokens sealed on it.
Additionally, when resolving multiple chaos tokens, any game or card effects which trigger if a certain chaos token is revealed - such as the text "If the named chaos token is revealed during this skill test..." on Recall the Future - will trigger if any of the resolved chaos tokens meet the specified conditions. Such an effect will not trigger twice if two of the designated tokens are resolved.
Note that this entry only applies when multiple chaos tokens are "resolved." If multiple chaos tokens are revealed and all but 1 of them are canceled or ignored, this entry does not apply.
Checkpoints (added in Edge of the Earth)
Some of the scenarios in the Edge of the Earth campaign are split into multiple parts. Players may choose to play these parts one at a time (with breaks between each part), or they may play multiple parts one after another as part of a longer session. Each part is its own game with its own setup and resolution.
After completing one part of a scenario, the campaign guide directs the investigators to a Checkpoint that instructs them how to proceed. If the investigators wish to proceed directly to the next part of the scenario, the Checkpoint will instruct them how to clean up the game to prepare for the next part of the scenario. If the investigators wish to take a break and resume playing during their next game session, the Checkpoint will instruct them to record information in the Campaign Log that makes setup for the next session quick and easy.
Choices, and the Grim Rule (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.5)
Clues represent the progress the investigators can make towards solving a mystery, unraveling a conspiracy, and/or advancing in a scenario.
The first time an investigator enters a location, that location is revealed (turned face-up) and a number of clues equal to that location's clue value are placed on that location (from the token pool). Most clue values are conveyed as a "per investigator ([per_investigator])" value. This may occur during setup.
A clue at a location can be discovered by successfully investigating the location (see "Investigate Action" on page 13), or by a card ability. If an investigator discovers a clue, he or she takes the clue from the location and places it on his or her investigator card, under his or her control.
If there are no "Objective – " requirements for advancing the current act, during any investigator's turn the investigators may, as a group, spend the requisite number of clues (usually conveyed as a "per investigator" value) from their investigator cards to advance the act deck. This is normally done as a [free] player ability. Any or all investigators may contribute any number of clues towards the total number of clues required to advance the act.
A card ability that refers to clues "at a location" is referring to the undiscovered clues that are currently on that location.
See also: "Act Deck and Agenda Deck" on page 3, "Tokens, Running out of" on page 20.
If an ability refers to a player's collection (for example, "search the collection"), the collection of cards from which that player's deck was assembled is used.
Example: Sean and Etienne are each using a deck built from Sean's collection. If Etienne is instructed to "search the collection," he searches Sean's collection.
See "Ability" on page 2.
See "Ownership and Control" on page 16.
A copy of a card is defined by title. A second copy of a card is any other card that shares the same title, regardless of cardtype, text, artwork, or any other differing characteristics between the cards.
There are two types of costs in the game: resource costs and ability costs.
A card's resource cost is the numerical value that must be paid (in resources) to play the card from hand. To pay a resource cost, an investigator takes the specified number of resources from his or her resource pool and places them in the token pool.
Some triggered card abilities are presented in a "cost: effect" construct. In such a construct, the aspect preceding the colon indicates the ability costs that must be paid and any triggering conditions that must be met to trigger the ability. The aspect following the colon is the effect.
If multiple costs for a single card or ability require payment, those costs must be paid simultaneously.
Only the controller of a card or ability may pay its costs. Game elements another player controls may not be used to pay a cost.
When a player is exhausting, sacrificing, or otherwise using cards to pay costs, only cards that are in play and under that player's control may be used, unless the cost specifies an out-of-play state.
If a cost requires a game element that is not in play, the player paying the cost may only use game elements that are in his or her game areas (such as his or her hand or deck) to pay the cost.
If the investigators are instructed to pay a cost as a group, each investigator (or each investigator in the group defined by the ability) may contribute to paying the cost.
An ability cannot initiate – and therefore its costs cannot be paid – if the resolution of its effect will not change the game state.
If an investigator takes damage or horror as a cost and reassigns any of it to an asset, the cost is still considered paid.
There are two types of afflictions that may beset an investigator in the game: damage and horror. Damage afflicts an investigator's health, and horror afflicts an investigator's sanity.
When an investigator or enemy is dealt damage and/or horror, follow these steps, in order:
1. Assign Damage/Horror: Determine the amount of damage and/or horror being dealt. Place damage and/or horror tokens equal to the amount of damage and horror being dealt next to the cards that will be taking the damage/horror.
When an investigator is dealt damage or horror, that investigator may assign it to eligible asset cards he or she controls. To be eligible, an asset card must have health in order to be assigned damage, and it must have sanity in order to be assigned horror.
An asset cannot be assigned damage beyond the amount of damage it would take to defeat the card, and cannot be assigned horror beyond the amount of horror it would take to defeat the card.
All damage/horror that cannot be assigned to an asset must be assigned to the investigator.
2. Apply Damage/Horror: Any assigned damage/horror that has not been prevented is now placed on each card to which it has been assigned, simultaneously. If no damage/horror is applied in this step, no damage/horror has been successfully dealt.
Abilities that prevent, reduce, or reassign damage and/or horror that is being dealt are resolved between steps 1 and 2.
After applying damage/horror, if an investigator has damage equal to or higher than his or her health or horror equal to or higher than his or her sanity, he or she is defeated. When an investigator is defeated, he or she is eliminated from the scenario (see "Elimination" on page 10).
After applying damage/horror, if an enemy has damage equal to or higher than its health, it is defeated and placed in the encounter discard pile (or in its owner's discard pile if it is a weakness).
After applying damage/horror, if an asset has damage equal to or higher than its health or horror equal to or higher than its sanity, it is defeated and placed in its owner's discard pile.
See also "Interpreting "You" When Taking or Being Dealt Damage".
There are 4 main types of decks that appear in any game: the Investigator Deck, the Encounter Deck, the Act Deck, and the Agenda Deck.
The order of cards within a deck may not be altered unless a player is instructed to do so by a card ability.
See also: "Investigator Deck" on page 13, "Encounter Deck" on page 10, "Act Deck and Agenda Deck" on page 3.
When building a custom deck, the following guidelines must be observed:
A player must choose exactly 1 investigator card.
A player's investigator deck must include the exact number of player cards indicated on the back of his or her investigator card as the "Deck Size." Weaknesses, investigator-specific cards, and scenario cards that are added to a player's deck do not count towards this number.
A player's investigator deck may not include more than 2 copies (by title) of any given player card.
Each standard player card in a player's investigator deck must be chosen from among the "Deckbuilding Options" available on the back of his or her investigator card.
Most investigators have 0 experience to spend at the beginning of a campaign, which means that they may only include level 0 cards in their decks. Some investigators, and/or some campaigns, may provide a player with additional experience at the beginning of a campaign, which can be used immediately to purchase higher level cards (see "Campaign Play" on page 5).
All other "Deckbuilding Requirements" listed on the back of a player's investigator card must be observed.
Each required random basic weakness is added to a player's deck at the end of the deckbuilding process.
Story Assets may not be included in a player's deck unless the setup or resolution of a scenario grants that player permission to do so. These assets are indicated by the lack of a card level and the presence of an encounter set symbol (see "Asset Cards" on page 4).
During a campaign, players build a deck before playing the first scenario. In between scenarios, players can purchase new cards or upgrade cards in their deck following the rules found under "Campaign Play" on page 5.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.18) If 1 or more cards are forcibly removed from an investigator's deck and returned to the collection (such as when a card is exiled, or when a campaign effect forces an investigator to remove cards from their deck), that investigator must purchase cards so that a legal deck size is maintained. When purchasing cards in this manner, that investigator may purchase level 0 cards at 0 experience cost until a legal deck size is reached.
This rule also applies if an effect alters an investigator's deck size, deckbuilding restrictions, or deckbuilding options such that 1 or more cards must be removed from or added to their deck as a result.
Most player cards, including investigators, belong to one of 5 classes. Each class has its own distinct flavor and identity, as described below.
Guardians ([guardian]) feel compelled to defend humanity, and thus go out of their way to combat the forces of the Mythos. They have a strong sense of duty and selflessness that drives them to protect others, and to hunt monsters down.
Mystics ([mystic]) are drawn to and influenced by the arcane forces of the Mythos. Many have spell-casting abilities, able to manipulate the forces of the universe through magical talent.
Rogues ([rogue]) are self-serving and out for themselves. Wily and opportunistic, they are always eager for a way to exploit their current situation.
Seekers ([seeker]) are primarily concerned with learning more about the world and about the Mythos. They wish to research forgotten lore, map out uncharted areas, and study strange creatures.
Survivors ([survivor]) are everyday people in the wrong place at the wrong time, simply trying to survive. Ill-prepared and ill-equipped, Survivors are the underdogs, who rise to the occasion when their lives are threatened.
Some cards are not affiliated with any class; these cards are neutral. Generally, investigators only have access to cards from their class.
Some investigators have access to cards from other classes. Refer to the "Deckbuilding Options" on the back of an investigator card to view which cards an investigator has access to.
Deckbuilding Options (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.15)
The following section clarifies how certain investigators' deckbuilding options function.
If one of the categories of an investigator's deckbuilding options contains the word "other" in it, cards only fall into this category if they fall into no other category. (For example, if an investigator's deckbuilding options reads: "Guardian cards level 0–5, up to 10 other Weapon cards," then a Guardian card with the Weapon trait would not occupy one of those 10 limited slots, because it first falls into the unlimited Guardian category).
If one of the categories of an investigator's deckbuilding options lists card text in it, cards fall into this category if the listed text appears in the card in any capacity, even if it is circumstantial. (For example, if an investigator's deckbuilding options reads: "cards that 'heal horror' level 0–5," any card with an ability that heals any amount of horror will fall into this category, even if it only heals horror under specific circumstances.)
Taking damage and/or horror may cause an investigator, enemy, or asset to be defeated.
If an investigator has as much or more damage on it as it has health (or as much or more horror on it as it has sanity), that investigator is defeated. An investigator might also be defeated by a card ability. When an investigator is defeated, he or she is eliminated from the scenario (see "Elimination" on page 10).
In campaign play, an investigator that is defeated by taking damage equal to his or her health suffers 1 physical trauma. An investigator that is defeated by taking horror equal to his or her sanity suffers 1 mental trauma. Taking trauma may cause an investigator to be killed or driven insane (see "Campaign Play" on page 5 for more information).
If an enemy has as much or more damage on it as it has health, that enemy is defeated and placed on the encounter discard pile (or on its owner's discard pile if it is a weakness).
If an asset with a health value has as much or more damage than it has health, it is defeated. If an asset with a sanity value has as much or more horror than it has sanity, it is defeated. A defeated asset is placed on its owner's discard pile.
Some abilities create delayed effects. Such abilities specify a future timing point, or indicate a future condition that may arise, and dictate an effect that will happen at that time.
Each delayed effect initiates automatically and immediately (as a forced ability) if its future timing point or future condition occurs.
A delayed effect affects all specified entities that are in the specified game area and eligible at the time the delayed effect resolves.
"Different" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.17)
Some card abilities refer to "different" cards. Different cards are cards with different titles (excluding subtitles). (e.g. two copies of Ward of Protection are not considered to be "different," even if they have different levels.)
Some card abilities refer to "different" actions or "different" abilities. An ability or action is different from another ability/action if the two are non‑identical abilities, separate abilities on the same card, or abilities on two different cards. (e.g. the two separate fight abilities on Sledgehammer are different from one another, however identical fight abilities on two copies of Machete are not different from one another, nor are two basic fight actions).
The exception to this rule is locations. Separate location cards are, by their very nature, not the same location. Therefore, multiple copies of locations with the same title are still considered to be different locations.
There are four levels of difficulty in Arkham Horror: The Card Game: Easy, Standard, Hard, and Expert. At the beginning of a campaign or standalone scenario, the players choose which difficulty level to use. The campaign setup section of that campaign or scenario's Campaign Guide indicates which chaos tokens should be placed into the chaos bag when playing on each difficulty level.
When playing in Easy or Standard mode, use the "Easy/Standard" side of each scenario's reference card. When playing in Hard or Expert mode, use the "Hard/Expert" side of each scenario's reference card instead.
The difficulty of a skill test is the target number an investigator is trying to equal or exceed with his or her modified skill value to pass that test.
When attacking an enemy, the base difficulty of the skill test is the enemy's fight value.
When investigating a location, the base difficulty of the skill test is the location's shroud value.
When attempting to evade an enemy, the base difficulty for the skill test is the enemy's evade value.
When resolving a skill test created by a card ability, the base difficulty is indicated as a parenthetical value following the indication of which skill is being tested. For example: Intellect (3).
See "Skill Test Timing" on page 26 for the full rules on skill tests.
If an ability causes a card to take direct damage or direct horror, that damage or horror must be assigned directly to the specified card, and cannot be assigned or re-assigned elsewhere.
Any time a card is discarded, it is placed faceup on top of its owner's discard pile. Encounter cards are owned by the encounter deck.
Each discard pile is an out-of-play area.
Each investigator has his or her own discard pile, and the encounter deck has its own discard pile.
Each discard pile is open information, and may be looked at by any player at any time.
The order of cards in a discard pile may not be altered unless a player is instructed to do so by a card ability.
If multiple cards are discarded simultaneously, the owner of the cards may physically place them on top of his or her discard pile one at a time, in any order. If multiple encounter cards are discarded simultaneously, they are placed on top of the encounter discard pile in any order (determined by lead investigator).
Any ability that would shuffle a discard pile of zero cards back into a deck does not shuffle the deck.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.13) A single card cannot be shuffled into an empty player deck or encounter deck via card effect. If this shuffling would occur during the playing or revelation of a card that is typically discarded after it is resolved, such as an event or treachery card, it is discarded. Otherwise, the card remains in its current game area.
Doom represents the progress the forces of the Mythos make towards completing foul rituals, summoning cosmic entities, and/or advancing a scenario's agenda.
During each Mythos phase, 1 doom is placed on the current agenda (see "I. Mythos phase" on page 24).
If there are no "Objective – " requirements for advancing the current agenda and the requisite amount of doom is in play (among the agenda and all cards in play), the agenda advances during the "Check doom threshold" step of the Mythos phase. Unless a card otherwise specifies that it can advance the agenda, this is the only time at which the agenda can advance.
Doom on cards other than the agenda (such as enemies, allies, locations, etc.) counts towards the amount of doom in play.
Doubt and Conviction (added in The Path to Carcosa)
Some story resolutions and interludes in The Path to Carcosa campaign instruct the players to "Mark one Doubt" or "Mark one Conviction" in their Campaign Log. This is done by filling in one of the boxes next to "Doubt" or "Conviction at the bottom of the Campaign Log.
Later in the campaign, some scenarios may be changed or altered depending on whether the investigators "have more Doubt than Conviction" or "have more Conviction than Doubt." The investigators have more Doubt than Conviction if the number of boxes filled in next to Doubt is greater than the number of boxes filled in next to Conviction (and vice versa). Doubt and Conviction are shared among all of the investigators, and they are not tied to any specific investigator. Doubt and Conviction have no game effect except when explicitly referenced by the Campaign Guide or by a card effect.
"Draw" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
When an investigator takes this action, that investigator draws one card from his or her deck.
When a player is instructed to draw one or more cards, those cards are drawn from the top of his or her investigator deck and added to his or her hand.
When a player is instructed to draw one or more encounter cards, those cards are drawn from the top of the encounter deck, and resolved following the rules for drawing encounter cards under framework step "1.4 Each investigator draws 1 encounter card" on page 24.
When a player draws two or more cards as the result of a single ability or game step, those cards are drawn simultaneously. If a deck empties middraw, reset the deck and complete the draw.
There is no limit to the number of cards a player may draw each round.
If an investigator with an empty investigator deck needs to draw a card, that investigator shuffles his or her discard pile back into his or her deck, then draws the card, and upon completion of the entire draw takes one horror.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.14, "Draw" vs "Add to hand") If a card explicitly adds a card to an investigator's hand without using the word "draw," it does not count as "drawing" a card for the purposes of other card effects. (Note that some abilities such as relevation abilities on weaknesses and Dilemma cards trigger regardless of whether the card is "drawn" or "added" to your hand.)
A card effect is any effect that arises from the resolution of ability text printed on, or gained by, a card. A framework effect is any effect that arises from the resolution of a framework event (see "Framework Event Details" on page 24).
Card effects may be preceded by costs, triggering conditions, play restrictions, and/or play permissions; such elements are not considered effects (see "Ability" on page 2).
Once initiated, players must resolve as much of each aspect of the effect as they are able, unless the effect uses the word "may."
When a non-targeting effect attempts to interact with a number of entities (such as "draw 3 cards" or "search the top 5 cards of your deck") that exceeds the number of entities that currently exist in the specified game area, the effect interacts with as many entities as possible.
The expiration of a lasting effect (or the cessation of a constant ability) is not considered to be generating a game state change by a card effect.
All aspects of an effect have timing priority over all "after..." triggering conditions that might arise as a consequence of that effect. (For example, if an effect reads "Gain 3 resources and draw 3 cards," resolve both aspects of the effect (gaining resources and drawing cards) before initiating an ability that reads "After drawing a card...")
See also: "Delayed Effects" on page 8, "Lasting Effects" on page 14, "Priority of Simultaneous Resolution" on page 17.
A player is eliminated from a scenario any time his or her investigator is defeated, or if he or she resigns. The only manner in which eliminated investigators interact with the game is when establishing "per investigator" values (see "Per Investigator" on page 16). Any time a player is eliminated:
For the purpose of resolving weakness cards, the game has ended for the eliminated investigator. Trigger any "when the game ends" abilities on each weakness the eliminated investigator owns that is in play. Then, remove those weaknesses from the game.
The cards he or she controls in play and all of the cards in his or her out-of-play areas (such as hand, deck, discard pile) are removed from the game.
Any card that player owns but does not control that is in play remains in play, but if that card leaves play it is removed from the game.
All clue tokens that player possesses are placed at the location the investigator was at when he or she was eliminated, and all of that player's resource tokens are returned to the token pool.
All enemies engaged with that player are placed at the location the investigator was at when he or she was eliminated, unengaged but otherwise maintaining their current game state.
All other cards in the eliminated investigator's threat area are placed in the appropriate discard pile.
If the lead investigator is eliminated, the remaining players (if any) choose a new lead investigator.
If there are no remaining players, the scenario ends. Refer to "no resolution was reached" entry for that scenario in the campaign guide.
An empty location is a location with no enemies or investigators at it.
"Encounter Cards" vs "Scenario Cards" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.15)
These two terms are used interchangeably to mean any non-player card used in a scenario, such as the contents of the encounter deck, locations, acts, agendas, the scenario reference card, etc.
The encounter deck contains the encounter cards (enemy, treachery, and story asset cards) the investigators may encounter during a scenario.
If the encounter deck is empty, shuffle the encounter discard pile back into the encounter deck.
An encounter set is a collection of encounter cards, denoted by a common encounter set symbol near each card's cardtype.
Enemies represent villains, cultists, ne'er-do-wells, terrible monsters, and unfathomable entities from alternate dimensions or the cosmos beyond. When an enemy card is drawn by an investigator, that investigator must spawn it following any spawn direction the card bears (see "Spawn" on page 19). If the encountered enemy has no spawn direction, the enemy spawns engaged with the investigator encountering the card and is placed in that investigator's threat area.
See "1.4 Each investigator draws 1 encounter card" on page 24.
A ready, unengaged enemy engages any time it is at the same location as an investigator (see "Enemy Engagement" on page 10).
If an investigator is engaged with a ready enemy and takes an action other than to fight, to evade, or to activate a parley or resign ability, that enemy makes an attack of opportunity (see "Attack of Opportunity" on page 5).
Enemies with the hunter keyword move during the Enemy Phase (see "III. Enemy phase" on page 25).
Engaged enemies attack during the Enemy Phase (see "III. Enemy phase" on page 25).
While an enemy card is in play, it is either engaged with an investigator (and placed in that investigator's threat area), or it is unengaged and at a location (and placed at that location). Each enemy in an investigator's threat area is considered to be at the same location as that investigator, and should the investigator move, the enemy remains engaged and moves to the new location simultaneously with the investigator.
Any time a ready unengaged enemy is at the same location as an investigator, it engages that investigator, and is placed in that investigator's threat area. If there are multiple investigators at the same location as a ready unengaged enemy, follow the enemy's prey instructions to determine which investigator is engaged. There is no limit on the number of enemies that can be engaged with a single investigator.
For example, a ready unengaged enemy immediately engages if:
It spawns at the same location as an investigator,
It moves into the same location as an investigator,
An investigator moves into the same location as it.
An exhausted unengaged enemy does not engage, but if an exhausted enemy at the same location as an investigator becomes ready, it engages as soon as it is readied.
Note: An enemy with the Aloof keyword does not engage in the manner described above.
See "Engage Action" below.
See "III. Enemy phase" on page 25.
"Engage" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
To engage an enemy at the same location (for example, this could be done to engage an exhausted enemy, an aloof enemy, or an enemy engaged with another investigator), an investigator places the chosen enemy in his or her threat area. The investigator and the enemy are now engaged.
An investigator may perform the engage action to engage an enemy that is engaged with a different investigator at the same location. The enemy simultaneously disengages from the previous investigator and engages the investigator performing the action.
An investigator cannot use the engage action to engage an enemy he or she is already engaged with.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.3) When an investigator engages an enemy, that enemy has also engaged that investigator, and vice-versa. There is no difference between engaging an enemy and being engaged by an enemy. Effects that trigger "after an enemy engages you" will trigger at the same time as effects that trigger "after you engage an enemy."
The phrase "enters play" refers to any time a card makes a transition from an out-of-play area into a play area (see "In Play and Out of Play" on page 13).
If an ability (either on the card itself or from another card) causes a card to enter play in a state different from that specified by the rules, there is no transition to that state. It merely enters play in that state.
"Evade" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
To evade an enemy engaged with an investigator, that investigator makes an agility test against the enemy's evade value (see "Skill Tests" on page 18).
If the test is successful, the investigator successfully evades the enemy (see below). (This occurs during step 7 of the skill test, per "ST.7 Apply skill test results" on page 26.)
If the test fails, the investigator does not evade the enemy, and it remains engaged with him or her.
If an ability "automatically" evades 1 or more enemies, no skill test is made for the evasion attempt.
Any time an enemy is evaded (whether by an evade action, or by card ability), the enemy is exhausted (if it was ready) and the engagement is broken. Move the enemy from the investigator's threat area to the investigator's location to mark that it is no longer engaged with that investigator.
Unlike the fight and engage action, an investigator can only perform an evade action against an enemy engaged with him or her.
Event cards represent tactical actions, maneuvers, spells, tricks, and other instantaneous effects at a player's disposal.
If an event card does not have the fast keyword, it may only be played from a player's hand by performing a "Play" action during his or her turn. You must follow all play permissions/restrictions that card has.
A fast event card may be played from a player's hand any time its play instructions specify (see "Fast" on page 11).
Any time a player plays an event card, its costs are paid, its effects are resolved (or canceled), and the card is placed in its owner's discard pile after those effects resolve (or are canceled).
If the effects of an event card are canceled, the card is still considered to have been played, and its costs remain paid. Only the effects have been canceled.
Playing an event card from hand (or not playing it) is always optional for a player, unless the event uses the word "must" in its play instructions.
An event card cannot be played unless the resolution of its effect has the potential to change the game state.
Exceptional is a deckbuilding keyword ability.
A card with the exceptional keyword costs twice its printed experience cost to purchase.
A player's investigator deck cannot include more than 1 copy (by title) of any given exceptional card.
Occasionally, a card ability or game step will cause a card to exhaust to indicate it has been used to perform a function. When a card exhausts, it is rotated 90 degrees. A card in this state is said to be exhausted.
An exhausted card cannot exhaust again until it is ready (typically by a game step or card ability).
Exile (added in The Dunwich Legacy)
Some player cards in The Dunwich Legacy cycle must be exiled when they are used. When a card is exiled, it is removed from the game and returned to your collection. During campaign play, a card that has been exiled must be purchased again with experience points (between scenarios) if you wish to re-include it in your deck. If exiling 1 or more cards would reduce your deck below your investigator's deck size, when purchasing cards between scenarios, you must purchase cards so that a legal deck size is maintained (when purchasing cards in this manner, you may purchase level 0 cards for 0 experience cost until a legal deck size is reached).
See "Campaign Play" on page 5.
Explore (added in The Forgotten Age)
Some abilities in this campaign (and others) are identified with an "Explore" action designator. Such abilities are generally used to find new locations to put into play, and are initiated using the "activate" action.
"Explore" abilities instruct you to draw the top card of the "exploration deck," which is a separate deck that is constructed during the setup of some scenarios. This deck consists of several single-sided locations and treachery cards.
Each "Explore" ability indicates a particular type of location that you are seeking to draw. If a location of that type is drawn, it is put into play, and you move to that location. This is considered a "successful" exploration.
If any other location is drawn, place it next to the exploration deck, and draw the next card from the exploration deck. Repeat this process until a location of the indicated type is drawn, or a treachery is drawn. After this action has ended, shuffle each location next to the exploration deck back into the exploration deck.
If a treachery card is drawn, it is resolved as normal. If it is discarded, place it in the encounter discard pile as you would normally. There is no discard pile for the exploration deck. This is considered an "unsuccessful" exploration.
As a single-sided location is put into play from the exploration deck, place clues on that location equal to its clue value.
Example: Agenda 1a — "Expedition into the Wild" has the following ability: "[action]: Explore. Draw the top card of the exploration deck. If it is a connecting location, put it into play and move to it." Ursula Downs is at the Expedition Camp and wishes to find a new location to travel to. She spends her first action to explore, drawing the top card of the exploration deck. The card she draws is Circuitous Trail. Because Circuitous Trail is a location that is not connected to the Expedition Camp, it is placed next to the exploration deck, and Ursula draws the next card in the exploration deck. This time, she draws the Low on Supplies treachery card, which she resolves as normal and places in the encounter discard pile. Her exploration is unsuccessful, and she must shuffle the Circuitous Trail that she drew previously back into the exploration deck. Ursula decides to explore one more time, spending a second action. This time, she draws Path of Thorns, which is connected to the Expedition Camp. Her exploration is successful. Path of Thorns is put into play with clues on it equal to its clue value, and Ursula immediately moves from the Expedition Camp to the Path of Thorns.
"Farthest from all investigators" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.16)
Some card effects instruct investigators to put a card into play at the location farthest from all investigators. This is determined by finding the location with the highest combined distance from each investigator. In the event of a tie, as usual, the lead investigator decides.
For example: Location A is 5 connections away from investigator A and 1 connection away from investigator B. Location B is 3 connections away from investigator A and 4 connections away from investigator B. Location B is therefore the farthest from both investigators, because the total distance for each investigator to get to location B is higher than location A. (This is true even though location A is farther from investigator A.)
Fast is a keyword ability. A fast card does not cost an action to be played and is not played using the "Play" action.
A fast event card may be played from a player's hand any time its play instructions specify. If the instructions specify when/after a timing point, the card may be played as if the described timing point were a triggering condition for playing the card. If the instructions specify a duration or period of time, the card may be played during any player window within that period. If the instructions specify both a when/after timing point and a duration or period of time, the card may be played in reference to any instance of the specified triggering condition within that time period.
A fast asset may be played by an investigator during any player window on his or her turn.
Because fast cards do not cost actions to play, they do not provoke attacks of opportunity (see "Attack of Opportunity" on page 5).
"Fight" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
To fight an enemy at his or her location, an investigator resolves an attack against that enemy by making a combat test against the enemy's fight value (see "Skill Tests" on page 18).
If the test is successful, the attack succeeds and damage is dealt to the attacked enemy. The default damage dealt by an attack is 1. Some weapons, spells, or other special attacks may modify this damage. (This occurs during step 7 of the skill test, per "ST.7 Apply skill test results" on page 26.)
If the test fails, no damage is dealt to the attacked enemy. However, if an investigator fails this test against an enemy that is engaged with another single investigator, the damage of the attack is dealt to the investigator engaged with that enemy.
An investigator may fight any enemy at his or her location, including: an enemy he or she is engaged with, an unengaged enemy at the same location, or an enemy engaged with another investigator who is at the same location.
Flavor text is additional text that provides thematic context to a card and/or its abilities. Flavor text does not interact with the game in any manner.
Flood Tokens (added in The Innsmouth Conspiracy)
Throughout this campaign, scenario card effects can flood locations. Each location has one of three different flood levels: it is either unflooded, partially flooded, or fully flooded. A location's flood level can be tracked using the double‑sided flood tokens included in this deluxe box. A location's flood level has no inherent game effect. However, some card effects may change or become stronger while you are at a flooded location, particularly if that location is fully flooded.
A location with no flood token is unflooded.
If a location becomes partially flooded, place a flood token on it with the partially flooded side faceup to designate this.
If a location becomes fully flooded, place a flood token on it with the fully flooded side faceup (or if it is already partially flooded, flip its flood token over) to designate this.
If a location's flood level is "increased," it changes from unflooded to partially flooded, or from partially flooded to fully flooded. A fully flooded location cannot have its flood level increased.
If a location's flood level is "decreased," it changes from fully flooded to partially flooded, or from partially flooded to unflooded. If a location becomes unflooded, remove its flood token
For the purposes of card effects, both partially flooded locations and fully flooded locations are considered to be "flooded."
(Added in FAQ, section 'Frequently Asked Questions') Frequently asked Flood questions:
If an investigator starts their turn at a fully flooded location, enters an unrevealed location with no flood token, and that location becomes flooded "after it is revealed," does the investigator still "struggle for air?" Or does this count as entering an unflooded location? Technically the investigator has entered an unflooded location, which then became flooded after it was revealed, so they would not struggle for air.
"For each" or "for every" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.23)
Some card effects instruct an investigator to perform an effect multiple times for each instance of a particular condition (e.g. "for each horror on you," or "for each card in your hand"). If such an effect can be calculated and resolved simultaneously, it should be resolved as a single cumulative effect. If it cannot be resolved simultaneously (for example, if it has multiple steps or other dependencies), each instance should be resolved as separate effects.
For example: A treachery card instructs you to "take 1 horror for each point you fail by." Since you can calculate how many points you fail by and resolve the dealt horror simultaneously, it should be resolved as a single instance of horror.
A different treachery card instructs you: "For each point you fail by, discard 1 random card from your hand. For each card you cannot discard, take 1 horror or 1 damage." In this case, the effect must be applied in full one at a time for each point you fail by.
The word "gains" is used in multiple contexts.
If a player gains one or more resources, the player takes the specified number of resources from the token pool and adds them to his or her resource pool.
If an investigator gains an action, that investigator is permitted one additional action to spend during the specified time period.
If a card gains a characteristic (such as an icon, a trait, a keyword, or ability text), the card functions as if it possesses the gained characteristic.
"Gained" characteristics are not considered to be "printed" on the card. If an ability refers to the printed characteristics of a card, it does not refer to gained characteristics.
A 'game' consists of a single scenario, not an entire campaign. In a campaign, the beginning of a new scenario marks the start of a new game.
See "IV. Upkeep phase" on page 25.
"Heal" is an instruction to remove the indicated amount of damage or the indicated amount of horror from a card.
If a card is healed for more damage or horror than it currently has on it, remove as much of the indicated amount as possible.
Haunted (added in The Circle Undone)
Haunted is a new ability that appears on some locations. Each time an investigator fails a skill test while investigating a location, after applying all results for that skill test, that investigator must resolve all "Haunted –" abilities on that location.
A location is "haunted" for the purposes of other card effects if it has at least one "Haunted –" ability (printed or otherwise).
Health represents a card's physical fortitude. Damage tracks the physical harm that has been done to a card during a scenario.
Any time a card takes damage, place a number of damage tokens equal to the amount of damage just taken on the card (see "Dealing Damage/Horror" on page 7).
If an investigator has damage on him or her equal to or greater than his or her health, that investigator is defeated. When an investigator is defeated, he or she is eliminated from the scenario (see "Elimination" on page 10).
In campaign play, an investigator that is defeated by taking damage equal to his or her health suffers 1 physical trauma. Taking physical trauma may cause an investigator to be killed (see "Campaign Play" on page 5 for more information).
If an enemy has damage on it equal to or greater than its health, that enemy is defeated and placed in the encounter discard pile.
If an asset with a health value has damage on it equal to or greater than its health, it is defeated and placed on its owner's discard pile.
An asset card without a health value is not considered to have a health of 0, cannot gain health, and cannot have damage assigned to it.
A card's "remaining health" is its base health minus the amount of damage on it, plus or minus any active health modifiers.
See also: "Direct Damage, Direct Horror" on page 9.
Hidden (added in The Path to Carcosa, updated in The Dream-Eaters)
An encounter card or weakness with the hidden keyword has a revelation ability that secretly adds that card to your hand. This should be done without revealing that card or its text to the other investigators.
While a hidden treachery is in your hand, treat it as if it were in your threat area. Its constant abilities are active, and abilities on it can be triggered, but only by you.
While a hidden enemy is in your hand, it is not considered to be engaged with you or in your threat area, and it does not attack unless otherwise specified. However, its constant abilities are active, and abilities on it can be triggered, but only by you.
A hidden card counts toward your hand size, but it cannot leave your hand by any means except those described on the card.
For the best experience, players are encouraged to stay "in character" and not share information about hidden cards in their hand.
Hidden Cards in Hand When Eliminated (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.22)
When an investigator is eliminated, each encounter card in their hand with the hidden keyword should be placed in the encounter discard pile, in the same way as encounter cards in their threat area.
Hunter is a keyword ability.
During the enemy phase (in framework step 3.2), each ready, unengaged enemy with the hunter keyword moves to a connecting location, along the shortest path towards the nearest investigator. Enemies at a location with one or more investigators do not move.
If there are multiple equidistant investigators who qualify as "the nearest investigator," the enemy moves towards the one of those who best meets its prey instructions. If none do, or if the enemy has no prey instructions, the lead investigator may choose an investigator for the enemy to move towards.
If a hunter enemy would be compelled to a location to which the move is blocked by a card ability, the enemy does not move.
See also: "Prey" on page 17.
If (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.2)
See also: "At".
If a card is immune to a specified set of effects (for example, "immune to treachery card effects," or "immune to player card effects"), it cannot be affected by or chosen to be affected by effects belonging to that set. Only the card itself is protected, and peripheral entities associated with an immune card (such as attached assets, tokens placed on, or abilities originating from an immune card) are not themselves immune.
If a card gains immunity to an effect, pre-existing lasting effects that have been applied to the card are not removed. If a card loses immunity to an effect, pre-existing lasting effects of that nature are not applied to the card.
Immunity only protects a card from effects. It does not protect a card from costs.
The cards that a player controls in his or her play area are considered in play.
The current act, the current agenda, each location in the play area, and each encounter card in a investigator's threat area or at a location, are all considered in play.
Out of play refers to the cards in a player's hand, in any deck, in any discard pile, in the victory display, and those that have been set aside and/or removed from the game.
A card enters play when it transitions from an out-of-play origin to an in play area.
A card leaves play when it transitions from a in play area to an out-of-play destination.
Tokens on in play cards are considered in play. Resources in each investigator's resource pool are also considered in play.
If the players are instructed to perform a sequence "in player order," the lead investigator performs his or her part of the sequence first, followed by the other players in clockwise order. The phrase "the next player" is used in this context to refer to the next player (clockwise) to act in player order.
The word "instead" is indicative of a replacement effect. A replacement effect is an effect that replaces the resolution of a triggering condition with an alternate means of resolution.
If multiple replacement effects are initiated against the same triggering condition and create a conflict in how to resolve the triggering condition, the most recent replacement effect is the one that is used for the resolution of the triggering condition.
The word "would" is used to define the triggering condition of some abilities, and establishes a higher priority for those abilities than abilities referencing the same triggering condition without the word "would." (For instance, "When X would occur" resolves before "When X occurs.")
If a replacement effect that uses the word "would" changes the nature of a triggering condition, the original triggering condition is replaced with the new triggering condition. No further abilities referencing the original triggering condition may be used.
"Investigate" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
Each time an investigator takes this action, he or she makes an intellect test against the shroud value of that location (see "Skill Tests" on page 18).
If the test is successful, the investigator has succeeded in investigating the location, he or she discovers one clue at the location. (This occurs during step 7 of the skill test, per "ST.7 Apply skill test results" on page 26.)
Any time an investigator discovers a clue from a location, that player takes the clue from the location and places it on his or her investigator card, under his or her control.
If the test is failed, the investigator has failed in investigating the location. No clues are discovered during step 7 of the skill test.
See "II. Investigation phase" on page 24.
A player's "investigator deck" is the deck that contains that player's asset, event, skill, and weakness cards. A reference to "your deck" refers to the investigator deck under your control.
Joe's "Hunch Deck" (added in The Circle Undone)
As a private eye, Joe Diamond has learned to follow his instincts, and therefore he has a separate hunch deck, which is constructed during step 4 of the setup of each scenario. The cards in this hunch deck are chosen from Joe's 40-card deck and therefore count toward his total deck size. With the exception of these setup instructions, all references to Joe's "deck" refer to Joe's standard investigator deck and not his hunch deck. Joe's hunch deck has no discard pile; cards from your hunch deck are discarded to your standard discard pile when played.
Keys (added in The Innsmouth Conspiracy)
This expansion introduces key tokens that represent important objects or pieces of information that can be claimed and used during scenarios.
Key tokens have two sides. When facedown, all seven keys have the same universal key symbol, so they can be randomized without the investigators knowing which is which. When faceup, each key is color coded with a unique color (red, blue, green, yellow, purple, black, white).
If a scenario uses one or more keys, the setup of that scenario indicates how many are set aside and whether they should be faceup or randomized facedown. Keys can enter play via several different card effects, and they are usually placed on an enemy, location, or story asset. Keys can be acquired in any of three ways:
If a location with a key on it has no clues, an investigator may take control of each of the location's keys as a [free] ability.
If an investigator causes an enemy with a key on it to leave play, that investigator must take control of each of the keys that were on that enemy. (If it leaves play through some other means, place its keys on its location.)
Some card effects may allow an investigator to take control of keys in other ways.
When an investigator takes control of a key, they flip it faceup (if it is facedown) and place it on their investigator card. If an investigator who controls one or more keys is eliminated, place each of their keys on their location. As an [action] ability, an investigator may give any number of their keys to another investigator at the same location.
Keys have no inherent game effect. However, some card effects may change depending on which keys an investigator controls. Additionally, keys may sometimes be required in order to progress during a scenario.
A keyword is a card ability which conveys specific rules to its card. Each keyword has its own rules which can be found in the keyword's own section of the glossary. The keywords in this game are: aloof, fast, hunter, massive, peril, retaliate, surge, uses.
There are also two deckbuilding keywords: exceptional and permanent. Deckbuilding keywords affect deck customization while building and/or leveling up a deck. They have no effect during gameplay. There are no exceptional or permanent cards in the core set – each of these keywords will be presented in future expansions.
A single card that has and/or is gaining the same keyword from multiple sources functions as if it has one instance of that keyword.
The initiation of any keyword which uses the word "may" in its keyword description is optional. The application of all other keywords is mandatory.
During campaign play, investigators who are killed or driven insane must be recorded in your campaign log and cannot be used for the remainder of the campaign.
An investigator with physical trauma equal to or higher than his or her printed health is killed.
An investigator with mental trauma equal to or higher than his or her printed sanity is driven insane.
An investigator may also be killed or driven insane by card ability, or during a scenario's resolution.
When playing a standalone scenario, there is no practical difference between being killed, driven insane, or defeated.
Some card abilities create conditions that affect the game state for a specified duration (for example, "until the end of the phase" or " for this skill test"). Such effects are known as lasting effects.
A lasting effect persists beyond the resolution of the ability that created it, for the duration specified by the effect. The effect continues to affect the game state for the specified duration regardless of whether the card that created the lasting effect is or remains in play.
If a lasting effect affects in-play cards (or cards in a specified area), it is only applied to cards that are in play (or the specified area) when the lasting effect is established. Cards that enter play (or the specified area) after its establishment are not affected by the lasting effect.
A lasting effect expires as soon as the timing point specified by its duration is reached. This means that an "until the end of the phase" lasting effect expires before an "at the end of the phase" ability or delayed effect may initiate.
A lasting effect that expires at the end of a specific time period can only be initiated during that time period.
The lead investigator is sometimes required to make important scenario decisions. At the beginning of a scenario, the investigators choose a lead investigator. If they cannot agree on a choice, a lead investigator is chosen at random.
If there are ever multiple valid options for a choice or decision that must be made (for example, a hunter enemy that could move in two different directions), the lead investigator is the final arbiter in choosing among those options.
The phrase "leaves play" refers to any time a card makes a transition from an in-play state to an out-of-play state (see "In Play and Out of Play" on page 13).
If a card leaves play, the following consequences occur simultaneously with the card leaving play:
All tokens on the card are returned to the token pool.
All attachments on the card are discarded.
All lasting effects and/or delayed effects affecting the card while it was in play expire for that card.
Limbo (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.23)
While the effects of an event or treachery card are being resolved, or while a skill is committed to a skill test, it is neither in play, in the discard pile, nor is it in an investigator's hand. For the purposes of rules clarification, this liminal state is called "limbo."
An event card enters limbo during step 3 of the Initiation Sequence, after costs are paid and attacks of opportunity are made (see "Appendix I: Initiation Sequence"). A treachery card enters limbo after it is drawn, while its revelation ability is being resolved. A skill card enters limbo as it is committed to a skill test. While in limbo, the card is typically placed on the table to show that its effects are being resolved. It is no longer considered to be in any investigator's hand, but it has not yet been placed in any discard pile. It is technically not in play, and does not count as being in play for the purposes of other card effects, however its effects may still alter the game state. After resolving the card's effects in full, it is placed in its relevant discard pile and is no longer in limbo. If its effects cause it to enter play (such as attaching to another game element or placing it in an investigator's threat or play area), it leaves limbo and enters play at that point in time.
"Limit X per [period]" is a limit that appears on cards that remain in play through the resolution of an ability's effect. Each instance of an ability with such a limit may be initiated X times during the designated period. If a card leaves play and re-enters play during the same period, the card is considered to be bringing a new instance of the ability to the game.
"Limit X per [card/game element]" is a limit that appears on attachment cards, and restricts the number of copies of that card (by title) that can be attached to each designated card or game element.
Unless stated otherwise, limits are player specific.
A "group limit," however, applies to the entire group of investigators. (For example, if an investigator triggers an ability that is "group limit once per game," no other investigator may trigger that ability during that game.)
"Max X per [period]" imposes a maximum across all copies of a card (by title) for all players. Generally, this phrase imposes a maximum number of times that copies of that card can be played during the designated time period. If a maximum includes the word "committed" (For example, "Max 1 committed per skill test"), it imposes a maximum number of copies of that card that can be committed to skill tests during the designated period. If a maximum appears as part of an ability, it imposes a maximum number of times that ability can be initiated from all copies (by title) of cards bearing that ability (including itself), during the designated period.
If the effects of a card or ability with a limit or maximum are canceled, it is still counted against the limit/maximum, because the ability has been initiated.
Limits Pertaining to Play Areas (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.3)
Some limits may pertain to a particular play area, such as "Limit 1 per deck," "Limit 1 in the victory display," or "Limit 1 in play." This limit restricts the number of copies of that card (by title) that can exist in the specified play area. Another copy of that card cannot enter the specified play area if this limit has already been reached. Remember that limits are player specific unless otherwise noted. For example, a card with "Limit 1 per deck" can exist in two different investigator decks.
Note: "Limit X per investigator" is a limit that pertains to an investigator's play area.
Location cards represent the places the investigators may explore during a scenario.
Use each investigator's mini-card to indicate which location he or she is at.
While an investigator is at a location, that investigator, each of his or her assets, and each card in that investigator's threat area is at the same location.
Locations enter play in an "unrevealed" state, so that the side with no shroud value and/or clue value is faceup. Do not read the "revealed" side at this time.
The first time a location is entered by an investigator, that location is revealed by turning it to its other side and placing a number of clues on it equal to its clue value (this may occur during setup). Most clue values are conveyed as a "per investigator" ([per_investigator]) value.
A location with its shroud/clue value side faceup is in the "revealed" state.
Being at No Location (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.21)
Unless explicitly specified by game text, enemies and investigators must always be at a location during gameplay. If an effect (such as a "cannot move" effect) would cause an investigator or enemy to not be at a location, ignore that effect.
Lola and "Roles" (added in The Path to Carcosa)
As a renowned actress, Lola Hayes can play many different roles. At the beginning of each scenario, after investigators draw opening hands, Lola Hayes must choose a role (Neutral, Guardian, Seeker, Rogue, Mystic, or Survivor). Lola can only play cards, commit cards to skill tests, or trigger [action], [fast], or [reaction] abilities on Neutral cards or cards whose class matches her role. This restriction only applies to player cards, not to encounter cards or weaknesses. Note that Constant and Forced abilities remain active on cards whose class does not match Lola's role.
Massive is a keyword ability. A ready enemy with the massive keyword is considered to be engaged with each investigator at the same location as it.
An exhausted enemy with the massive keyword is not considered to be engaged with any investigators.
An enemy with the massive keyword cannot be placed in an investigator's threat area.
When an enemy with the massive keyword attacks during the enemy phase, resolve its (full) attack against each investigator it is engaged with, one investigator at a time. The lead investigator chooses the order in which these attacks resolve. The massive enemy does not exhaust until its final attack of the phase resolves.
When an enemy with the massive keyword makes an attack of opportunity, that attack only resolves against the investigator who provoked the attack.
A massive enemy does not move with an engaged investigator who moves away from the massive enemy's location.
If an investigator fails a combat test against a massive enemy, no damage is dealt to the engaged investigators.
The word "may" indicates that a specified player has the option to do that which follows. If no player is specified, the option is granted to the controller of the card with the ability in question.
Some abilities cause values or quantities of characteristics to be modified. The game state constantly checks and (if necessary) updates the count of any variable value or quantity that is being modified.
Any time a new modifier is applied (or removed), the entire quantity is recalculated from the start, considering the unmodified base value and all active modifiers.
When calculating a value, treat all modifiers as being applied simultaneously. However, while performing the calculation, all additive and subtractive modifiers are calculated before doubling and/or halving modifiers.
Fractional values are rounded up after all modifiers have been applied.
A quantity on a card (such as a stat, an icon, a number of instances of a trait or keyword) cannot be reduced so that it functions with a value below zero. Negative modifiers in excess of a value's current quantity can be applied, but, after all active modifiers have been applied, any resultant value below zero is treated as zero. (For example: Danny tests agility and reveals a –8 chaos token. When applied to his agility of 4, this would reduce his skill value to –4. However, his agility cannot be reduced so that it functions with a value below zero. While the –8 modifier still exists, his agility is treated as zero. If Danny were to play "Lucky!" to receive a +2 bonus to the test, this bonus would not be applied to the functioning skill value of zero; but rather, it is applied in conjunction with all active modifiers. Danny's agility would then be calculated as follows: base skill 4, –8 from chaos token, +2 from "Lucky!" for a total of –2, which is still treated as zero.)
Any time an entity (an investigator or enemy) moves, transfer that enemy card or investigator's mini card from its current location to a different location.
Unless otherwise specified by the move effect or ability, the moving entity must move to a connecting location. Connecting locations are identified on the location card representing the entity's current location, as shown below.
Any time an entity moves, it is considered to leave the previous location, and to enter the new location, simultaneously.
If an entity is "moved to..." a specific location, the entity is moved directly to that location, and does not pass through other locations en route.
If an investigator moves to an unrevealed location, that location is revealed by turning it to its other side, and placing a number of clues on it equal to its clue value. Most clue values are conveyed as a "per investigator" ([per_investigator]) value.
If an enemy moves to an unrevealed location, that location remains unrevealed.
Game elements (tokens or cards) may also be moved by card abilities from one card to another, or from one game area to another game area.
When an entity or game element moves, it cannot move to its same (current) placement. If there is no valid destination for a move, the move cannot be attempted.
"Move" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
When an investigator takes this action, move that investigator (using his or her mini card) to any other location that is marked as a connecting location on his or her current location (see "Move" on page 15).
After a player draws a starting hand during setup, that player has a single opportunity to declare a mulligan on any number of the drawn cards he or she does not wish to keep in his or her starting hand. These cards are set aside, and an equivalent number of cards are drawn and added to the player's starting hand. The set-aside cards are then shuffled back into the player's deck.
Players take or forgo the opportunity to mulligan in player order.
Multi-class Cards (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.16, updated in FAQ v.1.9, June 2019)
A multi-class card is a card which bears multiple class icons instead of one, and is a card of each of those classes. For example, a card with both a Rogue ([rogue]) and a Guardian ([guardian]) icon is both a Rogue card and a Guardian card for all purposes. Generally, a multi-class card can be included in an investigator's deck if that investigator has access to either of that card's classes.
If an investigator has limited access to one of the classes on a multi-class card and unlimited access to one of the other classes on that card, it will still occupy one of the investigator's limited slots unless their deckbuilding options contains the word "other" in it (see Deckbuilding Options).
The following section clarifies how multi-class cards operate depending on how an investigator's deckbuilding options are presented.
Investigators with unlimited access to more than one class (i.e. All Core Set investigators, Minh Thi Phan, Sefina Rousseau, William Yorick, Leo Anderson, Joe Diamond, Preston Fairmont, Diana Stanley): A multi-class card can be included in that investigator's deck if it falls into either of the listed classes.
Investigators from The Dunwich Legacy expansion (i.e. Zoey Samaras, Rex Murphy, Jenny Barnes, Jim Culver, "Ashcan" Pete): A multi-class card will not occupy one of these investigator's five "out of class" slots if one of its classes is the class they have unlimited access to. A card cannot take up more than one "out of class" slot, regardless of how many class icons the card bears.
Investigators with unlimited access to one class and limited access to one or more "other" classes (i.e. Marie Lambeau, Finn Edwards, Carolyn Fern, investigators from Edge of the Earth): A multi-class card will not occupy one of the investigator's limited slots, because it falls into the unlimited category (see Deckbuilding Options).
Lola Hayes: A multi-class card will count as a card of each of its classes toward her Deckbuilding Requirement.
If an investigator is instructed that he or she "must" choose among multiple options, the investigator is compelled to choose an option that has the potential to change the game state.
In the absence of the word "must" while choosing among multiple options, any option may be chosen upon the resolution of the effect – even an option that does not change the game state.
Myriad (added in The Dream-Eaters)
An investigator may include up to three copies of a player card with the myriad keyword in their deck (by title), instead of the normal limit of two copies. Additionally, when you purchase a myriad card for your deck, you may purchase up to two additional copies of that card (at the same level) at no experience cost.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.20) When counting the total amount of experience in your deck, each copy of a Myriad card after the first copy does not count towards your experience total.
See "I. Mythos phase" on page 24.
Some card abilities reference the "nearest" entity. Nearest refers to the entity of the specified kind at a location that can be reached in the fewest number of connections, even if one or more of those connections are blocked by another card ability. The path to the nearest entity is the "shortest" path to that entity.
Nested Sequences (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.4)
Each time a triggering condition occurs, the following sequence is followed: 1) execute "when..." effects that interrupt that triggering condition, (2) resolve the triggering condition, and then, (3) execute "after..." effects in response to that triggering condition.
Within this sequence, if the use of a [reaction] or Forced ability leads to a new triggering condition, the game pauses and starts a new sequence: (1) execute "when..." effects that interrupt the new triggering condition, (2) resolve the new triggering condition, and then, (3) execute "after..." effects in response to the new triggering condition. This is called a nested sequence. Once this nested sequence is completed, the game returns to where it left off, continuing with the original triggering condition's sequence.
It is possible that a nested sequence generates further triggering conditions (and hence more nested sequences). There is no limit to the number of nested sequences that may occur, but each nested sequence must complete before returning to the sequence that spawned it. In effect, these sequences are resolved in a Last In, First Out (LIFO) manner.
For example: Roland and Agnes are embroiled in a fierce battle. Roland has a Guard Dog in his play area, and is engaged with a Goat Spawn with 2 damage on it. Agnes is engaged with a Ghoul Minion. Roland wishes to play a .45 Automatic, which provokes an attack of opportunity from the Goat Spawn, dealing 1 damage to Roland. Roland assigns this damage to his Guard Dog, which has a [reaction] ability: "When an enemy attack deals damage to Guard Dog: Deal 1 damage to the attacking enemy." Before resolving the playing of Roland's .45 Automatic, Guard Dog's ability resolves, and 1 damage is dealt to the Goat Spawn, which would defeat it. Goat Spawn has the following Forced ability: "When Goat Spawn is defeated: Each investigator at this location takes 1 horror." Before resolving the damage dealt to the Guard Dog, 1 horror is dealt to each investigator at the location, including Agnes, who has a [reaction] ability: "After 1 or more horror is placed on Agnes Baker: Deal 1 damage to an enemy at your location." Before resolving the Goat Spawn's defeat, Agnes deals 1 damage to the Ghoul Minion engaged with her. Now that there are no further [reaction] or Forced abilities to trigger, the players return to the previous triggering condition and resolve the Goat Spawn's defeat, and resolve any "After..." effects that might occur when it is defeated. Then, the players resolve the damage dealt to the Guard Dog, and resolve any "After..." effects that might occur from that damage. Finally, the players return to the original triggering condition, and Roland is able to put his .45 Automatic into play.
Nested Skill Tests (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.17)
A skill test cannot initiate during another skill test. If during the resolution of a skill test another skill test would initiate, instead the second skill test does not initiate until the first skill test has finished resolving. If the first skill test was part of an action, the second skill test does not initiate until that action has finished resolving.
For example: Ursula performing an investigate action. As part of this investigate action, she must perform an [intellect] test. During the resolution of that skill test, she plays Expose Weakness, a fast event which initiates another [intellect] test. Instead of resolving the second [intellect] test during the first one, the initiation of the second [intellect] test is delayed until after the first skill test (and therefore the investigate action) has finished resolving.
A card's owner is the player whose deck (or game area) held the card at the start of the game.
A player controls the cards located in his or her out-of-play game areas (such as the hand, deck, discard pile).
The scenario controls the cards in its out-of-play game areas (such as the encounter, act, and agenda decks, and the encounter discard pile).
Cards by default enter play under their owner's control. Some abilities may cause cards to change control during a game.
If a card would enter an out-of-play area that does not belong to the card's owner, the card is physically placed in its owner's equivalent out-of-play area instead. The card is considered to have entered its controller's out-of-play area, and only the physical placement of the card is adjusted.
Some abilities are identified with a Parley action designator. Such abilities are initiated using the "Activate" action (see "Activate Action" on page 4).
Partner (added in Edge of the Earth)
Partner is a keyword ability that appears on the nine story assets in the Expedition Team encounter set. Each of these assets represents a powerful ally whom investigators can bring along during scenarios in this campaign to improve their chances of success. However, bringing an asset with the partner keyword endangers that asset, with the risk of losing them permanently.
At the start of each scenario in this campaign, each investigator is given the option to choose a partner asset and put it into play. Partner assets cannot be added to an investigator's deck. An investigator may choose a different partner (or no partner) to bring each time they are given this choice.
A partner asset cannot leave play unless it is defeated (for example, it cannot be discarded by card effects unless it is explicitly defeated). If an investigator is defeated, any partner asset they have with them is also defeated.
If a partner asset is defeated, remove it from the game. Then, cross off that character's name in the Expedition Team section of the Campaign Log.
Damage or horror on a partner asset is recorded in the Expedition Team section of the Campaign Log at the end of each game. (The Campaign Guide will instruct you when to do this.)
If an investigator resigns from a scenario, their partner asset leaves play, but is not defeated. Keep all damage and horror on it, as it will be recorded in the Campaign Log after the game ends.
Per Investigator ([per_investigator])
When the [per_investigator] symbol appears after a value, that value is multiplied by the number of investigators who started the scenario.
The "per investigator" multiplication is done before all other modifiers, and the product of this multiplication is treated as the printed value of the card.
Text that uses the phrase "per investigator" also counts the number of investigators who started the scenario, and is applied before all other modifiers.
If investigators have been eliminated from the scenario, they still count toward "per investigator" values.
Peril is a keyword ability.
While resolving the drawing of an encounter card with the peril keyword, an investigator cannot confer with the other players. Those players cannot play cards, trigger abilities, or commit cards to that investigator's skill test(s) while the peril encounter is resolving.
Permanent is a deckbuilding keyword ability.
A card with the permanent keyword does not count towards your deck size.
A card with the permanent keyword still counts as being part of your deck and must therefore adhere to all other deckbuilding restrictions.
A card with the permanent keyword starts each game in play and is not shuffled into your investigator deck during setup.
A card with the permanent keyword cannot leave play (except by elimination).
Once added to your deck, permanent cards cannot be removed from your deck or swapped out of your deck unless explicitly stated otherwise.
To play a card, an investigator must pay the card's resource cost and meet any applicable play restrictions and conditions. Most cards can only be played by taking a play action (see "Play Action" on page 16).
A card with the fast keyword is not played during a play action. Such a card may be played any time its specified triggering condition is met or, if it has no triggering condition, during an appropriate player window (see "Fast" on page 11).
Any time an event card is played, its effects are resolved and it is then placed in its owner's discard pile.
Any time an asset is played, it is placed in the investigator's play area and remains in play until an ability or game effect causes it to leave play. Most assets take up one or more slots while in play (see "Slots" on page 19).
Skill cards are not "played." These cards are committed to a skill test from a player's hand in order to use their abilities.
See also: "Appendix I: Initiation Sequence" on page 22, "Play Restrictions, Permissions, and Instructions" on page 17.
"Play" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
When an investigator takes this action, that investigator selects an asset or event card in his or her hand, pays its resource cost, and plays it (see "Play" on page 16).
Cards with the "fast" keyword are not played by using this action (see "Fast" on page 11).
Many cards and abilities contain specific instructions pertaining to when or how they may or may not be used, or to specific conditions that must be true in order to use them. In order to use such an ability or to play such a card, its play restrictions must be observed.
A permission allows a player to play a card or use an ability outside the timing specifications provided by the game rules.
A play instruction describes the timing point at which, and/or time period during which, an event card may be played.
Given the opportunity, some enemies will pursue a defined investigator. These enemies are identified with the bold word "Prey" in their text box, followed by instructions on whom they should engage.
If an enemy that is about to automatically engage an investigator at its location has multiple options of whom to engage, that enemy engages the investigator who best meets its "prey" instructions (if multiple investigators are tied in meeting these instructions, the lead investigator may decide among them) (see "Enemy Engagement" on page 10).
If an enemy that is moving towards the nearest investigator has a choice between multiple equidistant investigators, that enemy must select among those investigators the one who best meets its "prey" instructions. (If multiple equidistant investigators meet the prey criteria, the lead investigator decides among those investigators. See "Hunter" on page 12.)
If an enemy's prey instructions contain the word "only," that enemy only moves towards and engages that investigator (as if it were the only investigator in play), and ignores all other investigators while moving and engaging. Other investigators may use the engage action or card abilities to engage the enemy.
Prey has no immediate effect on where an enemy will spawn (see "Spawn" on page 19).
The word "printed" refers to the text, characteristic, icon, or value that is physically printed on the card.
If an effect affects multiple players simultaneously, but the players must individually make choices to resolve the effect, these choices are made in player order. Once all necessary choices have been made, the effect resolves simultaneously upon all affected entities.
If two or more forced abilities (including delayed effects) would resolve at the same time, the lead investigator determines the order in which the abilities resolve.
If two or more constant abilities and/or lasting effects cannot be applied simultaneously, the lead investigator determines the order in which they are applied.
Prologue Investigators (added in The Circle Undone)
The four investigator cards depicted here (Gavriella Mizrah, Jerome Davids, Penny White, and Valentino Rivas) are marked with the Disappearance at the Twilight Estate encounter set icon and can only be used in the prologue for The Circle Undone. They cannot be used in other scenarios. Keep them with the rest of the scenario cards for Disappearance at the Twilight Estate, and do not integrate them into your collection of player cards.
Some card abilities cause a card to be "put into play." Such abilities place the card directly into play from an out-of-play state.
The resource cost of a card being put into play is not paid.
Unless otherwise stated by the put into play ability, cards that enter play in this manner must do so in a play area that satisfies the standard game rules associated with playing or drawing (for encounter cards) that card.
A card that has been put into play is not considered to have been played or drawn.
If card text includes a qualifier followed by multiple terms, the qualifier applies to each term in the list. (For example, in the phrase "each unique ally and item," the word "unique" is a qualifier that applies both to "ally" and to "item.")
Reaction Opportunities (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.3)
When a triggering condition resolves, investigators are granted the opportunity to resolve [reaction] abilities in response to that triggering condition. It is only after all investigators have passed their reaction opportunity that the game moves forward.
Using a [reaction] ability in response to a triggering condition does not prevent other [reaction] abilities from being used in response to that same triggering condition.
For example: Roland has just defeated an enemy and wishes to trigger his [reaction] ability: "After you defeat an enemy: Discover 1 clue at your location." He discovers 1 clue at his location. He may then play Evidence! in response to defeating that same enemy. As both cards have the same triggering condition ("After you defeat an enemy"), triggering one of these reactions does not prevent Roland from triggering the other.
A card that is in an upright state so that its controller can read its text from left to right is considered ready.
The default state in which cards enter play is ready.
When an exhausted card readies, it is returned to the upright state. It is then said to be in a ready state.
A ready card cannot ready again (it must first be exhausted, typically by a game step or card ability).
"Record in your Campaign Log..."
Often the players will be instructed to record a key phrase in the Campaign Log. This should be written under "Campaign Notes" unless specified otherwise. Because the players may be instructed to check the Campaign Log for this phrase at a later time in the campaign, the indicated phrase should be recorded as it appears, without alteration.
For example: If the players are instructed to record in the Campaign Log that "the investigators were four hours late," this shouldn't be rewritten as "the investigators were pretty late," because the exact number of hours might be important in a later scenario.
Sometimes a scenario card will instruct the investigators to "remember" a key phrase, often based on an action they have taken or a decision they have made within that scenario. This phrase may come up later during that scenario, and may trigger additional or different effects. There is no need to record this phrase in the Campaign Log, because it will only ever matter during that scenario, or during that scenario's resolution. The players do not need to "remember" any such instruction beyond the end of the scenario in which it appears.
A card that has been removed from the game is placed away from the game area and has no further interaction with the game in any manner for the duration of its removal.
If there is no specified duration, a card that has been removed from the game is considered removed until the end of the game.
Replacing an Opening Hand (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.6)
If an ability replaces an investigator's opening hand with a different set of cards, that set of cards is considered to be their new opening hand for the purposes of effects which would alter the number of cards in their opening hand.
If an ability replaces an investigator's opening hand with a number of cards "kept" from a larger set of cards, an effect which alters the number of cards in that investigator's opening hand alters both the cards originally drawn to replace that opening hand, and the number of cards "kept" from that larger set.
For example, the ability on Sefina Rousseau reads: "When you would draw your opening hand: Draw 13 cards,instead. Choose up to 5 events to place beneath this card and keep 8 cards as your opening hand. Discard the rest." If a card effect or game effect alters the number of cards in Sefina's opening hand, it would alter both the number of cards drawn from her ability and the number of cards she keeps as her opening hand.
Researched (added in Edge of the Earth)
Researched is a keyword ability that appears on some higher-level cards (most prominently on Seeker cards.)
To be included in an investigator's deck, a card with the Researched keyword must first be "identified" or "translated" by performing a task on the lower level version of that card and recording the result in your Campaign Log.
You can only include a researched card in your deck by upgrading it from its lower level version.
You may only include a researched card in your deck if, in your Campaign Log, you have recorded the completion of the task described in the lower level version of that card.
After an investigator has completed this task and recorded it in the Campaign Log, any investigator in that campaign may upgrade the relevant card following the normal rules for upgrading player cards.
For example, Archive of Conduits (Gateway to Tindalos) has the "Researched" keyword. Therefore, an investigator cannot purchase Archive of Conduits (Gateway to Tindalos) directly. They must instead upgrade it from Archive of Conduits (Unidentified), and they can only do so if they have "identified the gateway."
Some abilities are identified with a Resign action designator. Such abilities are initiated using the "Activate" action (see "Activate Action" on page 4).
When an investigator resigns, the investigator is eliminated by resignation (see "Elimination" on page 10.) An investigator who resigns is not considered to have been defeated.
"Resource" is an action an investigator may take during his or her turn in the investigation phase.
When an investigator takes this action, that investigator gains one resource by taking it from the token pool and adding it to his or her resource pool.
Resources represent the various means of acquiring new cards at an investigator's disposal – supplies, money, tools, knowledge, spell components, etc.
In order to play a card or use an ability that costs resources, an investigator must pay that card or ability's resource cost by taking the specified number of resources from his or her resource pool and returning them to the token pool (see "Costs" on page 7).
Resources can be gained by performing the "Resource" action (see "Resource Action" on page 17).
Investigators acquire one resource during each Upkeep phase (see "4.4 Each investigator draws 1 card and gains 1 resource" on page 25).
(Added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.8) If an ability refers to the number of "resources you have," "your resources," or any variation on the above, it is only referring to the number of resources in that investigator's resource pool. Resources on other cards that investigator controls do not count toward this total unless explicitly stated.
See also: "Tokens, Running out of" on page 20.
Retaliate is a keyword ability.
Each time an investigator fails a skill test while attacking a ready enemy with the retaliate keyword, after applying all results for that skill test, that enemy performs an attack against the attacking investigator. An enemy does not exhaust after performing a retaliate attack.
This attack occurs whether the enemy is engaged with the attacking investigator or not.
A revelation ability may appear on encounter cards or on weakness cards.
When an investigator draws an encounter card, that investigator must resolve all "Revelation – " abilities on the card. This occurs before the card enters play, or in the case of a treachery card, before it is placed in the discard pile.
When a weakness card enters an investigator's hand, that investigator must immediately resolve all revelation abilities on the card as if it were just drawn.
Sanity represents a card's mental and emotional fortitude. Horror tracks the harm that has been done to a card's psyche by exposure to the Mythos.
When a card takes horror, place a number of horror tokens equal to the amount of horror just taken on the card (see "Dealing Damage/Horror" on page 7).
If an investigator has horror on him or her equal to or greater than his or her sanity, that investigator is defeated. When an investigator is defeated, he or she is eliminated from the scenario (see "Elimination" on page 10).
In campaign play, an investigator that is defeated by taking horror equal to his or her sanity suffers 1 mental trauma. Taking mental trauma may cause an investigator to be driven insane (see "Campaign Play" on page 5 for more information).
If an asset with a sanity value has horror on it equal to or greater than its sanity, it is defeated and placed on its owner's discard pile.
A card's "remaining sanity" is its base sanity minus the amount of horror on that card, plus or minus any active sanity modifiers.
An asset card without a sanity value is not considered to have a sanity of 0, cannot gain sanity, and cannot have horror assigned to it.
Seal (added in The Forgotten Age)
As an additional cost for a card with the seal keyword to enter play, its controller must search the chaos bag for the specified chaos token and place it on top of the card, thereby sealing it. If there is a choice of which token to seal, the card's controller chooses. If the specified token is not in the chaos bag, the card cannot enter play. A sealed chaos token is not considered to be in the chaos bag, and therefore cannot be revealed from the chaos bag as part of a skill test or ability.
When a chaos token is "released," it is returned to the chaos bag and is no longer considered sealed. If a card with one or more chaos tokens sealed on it leaves play for any reason, any chaos tokens sealed on it are immediately released.
Some cards (with or without the seal keyword) may also have abilities that seal one or more chaos tokens as part of their effect. This is done following the same process as above: searching the chaos bag for the specified token, removing it from the chaos bag, and placing it on the card. If the specified token is not in the chaos bag, the effect fails.
When a player is instructed to search for a card, that player is permitted to look at all of the cards in the searched area without revealing those cards to the other players.
If an effect searches an entire deck, the deck must be shuffled upon completion of the search.
When resolving a search effect, a player is obligated to find the object of the search should one or more eligible options be found within the searched area.
While cards are in the process of being searched, they are not considered to have left their game area of origin.
"Looking at," "Searching," and "Finding" (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.13)
These three terms all involve sifting through out-of-play cards (typically an investigator's deck or the encounter deck), but do not count as one another for the purposes of other card effects. For example, if an investigator "looks at" the top 3 cards of their deck, this is not a search effect. Additionally, while "finding" a card does typically involve searching through out-of-play areas, this is also not considered to be a search effect.
Searching During Setup (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.26)
If an investigator is instructed to search a deck for 1 or more cards during setup, abilities that trigger when a deck is searched (such as Mandy Thompson's [reaction] ability or abilities on Research cards) cannot be resolved, as the game has not yet begun.
When a card's ability text refers to its own title, it is referring to itself only, and not to other copies (by title) of the card.
Self-referential abilities using the word "this" (e.g. "this card") refer only to the card on which the ability is located, and not to copies of that card.
Some scenarios instruct the players to set aside specific cards. Set-aside cards have no interaction with the game until they are referenced by instructions within the scenario or by a card ability.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.7) If an effect instructs an investigator to take control of a card that is currently set-aside, that effect puts that card into play in that investigator's play area.
An investigator's "signature cards" are the cards that are only available to that investigator, and cannot be included in another investigator's deck. This includes player cards with the text "(Investigator Name) deck only," as well as non-basic weaknesses that are listed under "Deckbuilding Requirements" and therefore can only be included in that investigator's deck.
Signature cards are governed by the following additional rules:
The number of each signature card listed under an investigator's "Deckbuilding Requirements" is the exact number of copies of that card that is to be included in that investigator's deck. If no number is specified, that number is 1.
For example: Under "Deckbuilding Requirements" for Roland Banks, the following cards are listed: "Roland's .38 Special, Cover Up, 1 random basic weakness." Roland Banks must include exactly 1 copy of his signature cards—Roland's .38 Special and Cover Up. He is not permitted to include more than 1 copy of either of these cards.
An investigator cannot play another investigator's signature cards, control another investigator's signature cards while they are in play, or possess another investigator's signature cards in their hand (amended in FAQ, section 'Definitions and Terms', v.2.0).
For example: Roland has the Roland's .38 Special card in play. He has the card "Teamwork" which can allow investigators at the same location to trade or give assets among one another. However, because Roland's .38 Special is one of Roland's signature cards, he cannot give it to another investigator.
Signature cards need not abide by typical deckbuilding restrictions, and do not count toward any deckbuilding limitations if other cards share the same title.
Skill cards represent innate or learned attributes or character traits that improve an investigator's skill tests.
Skill cards are not played from a player's hand. In order to resolve their abilities, skill cards must be committed to a skill test.
If a skill card is committed to a skill test, its ability may be used during the resolution of that skill test, as specified on the card.
See "Skill Test Timing" on page 26.
Skill Test Results and Advanced Timing (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.7)
During Step 7 of Skill Test Timing ("Apply skill test results"), all of the effects of the successful skill test are determined and resolved, one at a time. This includes the effects of the test itself (such as the clue discovered while investigating, or the damage dealt during an attack), as well as any "If this test is successful..." effects from card abilities or skill cards committed to the test.
[reaction] or Forced abilities with a triggering condition dependent upon the skill test being successful or unsuccessful (such as "After you successfully investigate," or "After you fail a skill test by 2 or more") do not trigger at this time. These abilities are triggered during Step 6, "Determine success/failure of skill test."
A number of situations in the game require an investigator to make a skill test, using one of his or her four skills: willpower ([willpower]), intellect ([intellect]), combat ([combat]), or agility ([agility]). A skill test pits the investigator's value in a specified skill against a difficulty value that is determined by the ability or game step that initiated the test. The investigator is attempting to match or exceed this difficulty value in order to succeed at the test.
A skill test is often referred to as a test of the specified skill. (For example: "agility test," "combat test," "willpower test," or "intellect test.")
See "Skill Test Timing".
Each investigator has a number of specific slots that can be filled at any given moment. Each asset in an investigator's play area or threat area with a slot symbol is held in a slot of that type. Slots limit the number of asset cards the investigator is permitted to have in play simultaneously.
The slots normally available to an investigator are:
1 accessory slot
1 body slot
1 ally slot
2 hand slots
2 arcane slots
If an asset has no slot symbols on it, it does not take up any of the above slots. There is no limit to the number of slot-less assets an investigator can have in play. The following symbols (on an asset) indicate which slot(s) that asset fills:
[accessory] 1 accessory slot
[body] 1 body slot [ally] 1 ally slot
[hand] 1 hand slot [hand_2] 2 hand slots
[arcane] 1 arcane slot [arcane_2] 2 arcane slots
If playing or gaining control of an asset would put an investigator above his or her slot limit for that type of asset, the investigator must choose and discard other assets under his or her control simultaneously with the new asset entering the slot.
Shifting Slots (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.24)
Some card effects allow an investigator to put assets of one slot type into one of their other slots, allow one of an investigator's slot types to carry assets of a different slot type, or cause assets to no longer take up slots. In such an event, the investigator must decide which slot is holding which asset at the moment it is played. This cannot be adjusted later unless the contents or quantity of the investigator's slots changes, at which point the investigator may switch which slots are holding any of their assets.
Some enemies, when drawn from the encounter deck, spawn in a particular location, indicated by a bold "Spawn" instruction in the text box.
An enemy's spawn instruction resolves as the enemy enters play, regardless of how it entered play.
If an enemy has no spawn instruction, it spawns engaged with the investigator who drew it.
If an enemy has no legal location to spawn at (for example, if its spawn instruction directs it to a specific location that is not in play, or if no location in play satisfies its "spawn" instruction), it does not spawn, and is discarded instead.
If an enemy's spawn instruction has multiple valid locations, the investigator spawning that enemy decides among those locations.
If a card ability instructs the players to spawn an enemy in a particular location (for example: "Search the encounter deck for an Acolyte and spawn it in Southside"), treat the ability causing the card to enter play as the enemy's spawn instruction, overriding any other spawn instruction.
Spawning an Enemy (added in FAQ, section 'Quick Reference')
1. If an enemy is being spawned without an investigator drawing it, the effect spawning the enemy will typically indicate where that enemy should spawn. After spawning the enemy at that location, it will automatically engage investigators at its location using the rules for "Enemy Engagement", unless it is aloof.
2. If an investigator draws an enemy, check to see if the enemy has a "Spawn –" instruction.
If the enemy has a "Spawn –" instruction, the enemy spawns at the indicated location. After spawning the enemy at that location, it will automatically engage investigators at its location using the rules for "Enemy Engagement", unless it is aloof.
If the enemy does not have a "Spawn –" instruction, the investigator drawing the enemy spawns it engaged with him/her, unless it is aloof.
"Prey –" instructions have no direct impact on which location an enemy will spawn at. The only time "Prey –" instructions will impact this process is when an enemy spawns unengaged at a location with multiple investigators, and you use the rules for "Enemy Engagement" to determine which investigator it should automatically engage.
When playing a standalone game (i.e., playing a single scenario as a one-off adventure, removed from its campaign), the following rules apply:
When building a deck for a standalone game, an investigator may use higher level cards in his or her deck (so long as they observe the deckbuilding restrictions of the investigator) by counting the total experience of all the higher level cards used in the deck, and taking additional random basic weaknesses based on the following table:
0-9 experience: 0 additional random basic weaknesses
10-19 experience: 1 additional random basic weakness
20-29 experience: 2 additional random basic weaknesses
A player cannot include 50 or more experience worth of cards in a standalone deck.
After choosing a scenario to play, refer to the Campaign Guide for the campaign that scenario is a part of, starting at the setup for that campaign, and continuing on to the first scenario for that campaign. Read through that scenario's introduction, then skip directly to that scenario's resolution and choose a resolution that is amenable to you. You may choose any resolution you wish. (For an added challenge, choose resolutions that put the investigators in an unfavorable state). If the players are unsure which resolution to choose, or are indifferent, choose Resolution 1. Record the results of the chosen resolution in a Campaign Log as if you were playing through in campaign mode, except do not count experience points.
Repeat this process for each scenario up to the scenario you wish to play. Then, setup and play that scenario as normal.
If a story decision would occur during gameplay, choose the outcome and record it in your campaign log.
Do not apply trauma for having been defeated during gameplay, but if trauma is inflicted during a scenario resolution, apply it.
If a scenario weakness or asset is earned that is in an expansion you do not own, simply continue without that card.
Story Cards (added in The Path to Carcosa)
Story cards serve as an avenue for additional narrative and typically appear as the reverse side of another scenario card. When you are instructed to resolve a story card, simply read its story text and resolve its game text, if any.
Supplies (added in The Forgotten Age)
At certain points throughout The Forgotten Age campaign, investigators are given the opportunity to choose supplies to bring on their expeditions into the wilds. These supplies are recorded in the Campaign Log, under each investigator's "Supplies" section.
Supplies are purchased with supply points, which are granted to investigators whenever they are given the opportunity to purchase supplies. Leftover supply points are not recorded, and are lost.
An investigator's supplies will determine the possible options available during gameplay and throughout the story of this campaign. Each supply has no effect on its own. Some card effects, story options, and resolutions may change or become available depending on the supplies carried by the investigator(s).
Surge is a keyword ability.
After drawing and resolving an encounter with the surge keyword, an investigator must draw another card from the encounter deck.
If a card with the surge keyword is drawn during setup, the surge keyword does resolve.
Swarming X (added in The Dream-Eaters)
An enemy with the swarming X keyword is actually a pack of enemies operating in unison. After you put any enemy with the swarming X keyword into play, place the top X cards of your deck facedown underneath the enemy as swarm cards, without looking at them. The enemy they are underneath is called the "host enemy." Some scenario card effects may also instruct a player to add swarm cards to an enemy. This is done using the same process.
If it is ever unclear which investigator should add swarm cards, the lead investigator does so.
Each swarm card underneath the host enemy acts as a separate instance of that enemy for most purposes. Each swarm card has the same values and text as its host card. (For example, if an investigator is engaged with a host enemy with 2 swarm cards underneath it, that investigator is engaged with 3 enemies in total.)
Each swarm card attacks separately when enemies attack during the enemy phase. Once the host enemy and all of its swarm cards have attacked during this step, exhaust all of them.
Each swarm card can be attacked or dealt damage separately, but the host enemy cannot be defeated while it still has swarm cards underneath it. When a swarm card is defeated, any excess damage may be dealt to another swarm card underneath the same host enemy or to the host enemy itself. (For example, Tony Morgan uses a .41 Derringer to attack a Stealthy Zoog with 2 swarm cards. The attack deals 2 damage. The first point of damage defeats 1 of the 2 swarm cards, so the excess point of damage may be dealt to another swarm card, defeating it as well.)
Anytime a swarm card leaves play, place it on the bottom of its owner's deck. If you are unsure of the owner of the swarm card, you may look at it to determine its owner.
The host enemy and all of its swarm cards move, engage, and exhaust as a single entity. (For example, if a host enemy or any of its swarm cards are evaded, all of them exhaust and become disengaged.)
"Take X damage" is shorthand for "deal X damage to your investigator." "Take X horror" is shorthand for "deal X horror to your investigator."
See "Dealing Damage/Horror" on page 7.
The term "choose" indicates that one or more targets must be chosen in order for an ability to resolve. The player resolving the ability must choose a game element (usually a card) that meets the targeting requirements of the ability.
If an ability requires the choosing of a target, and there is no valid target (or not enough valid targets), the ability cannot be initiated.
If multiple targets are required to be chosen by the same player, they are chosen simultaneously.
An effect that can choose "any number" of targets does not successfully resolve (and cannot change the game state) if zero of those targets are chosen.
A card is not an eligible target for an ability if the resolution of that ability's effect could not change the target's state. (For example, an exhausted enemy could not be chosen as the target of an effect that reads, "choose and exhaust an enemy.")
Tarot Slot (added in The Circle Undone)
Tarot slots are a new type of asset slot introduced in this expansion. The following symbol indicates that an asset fills a tarot slot:
As with other slots, tarot slots limit the number of asset cards of that slot type an investigator is permitted to have in play simultaneously.
By default, an investigator has only one tarot slot available.
All other rules governing slots apply to tarot slots, as usual.
Tekeli-li! (added in Edge of the Earth)
This campaign includes an encounter set of 16 weaknesses, each with the title "Tekeli-li!" These cards are shuffled together to form a special Tekeli-li deck during the setup of each scenario of this campaign.
Like normal weaknesses, if one of these cards is added to an investigator's deck, it becomes part of that deck and stays with that investigator from scenario to scenario. However, the resolution of each Tekeli-li! weakness instructs the investigator to return it to the Tekeli-li deck (removing it from their own deck). As a result, the number of cards in the Tekeli-li deck varies based on how many of these weaknesses are in each investigator's deck.
Note: While all Tekeli-li! cards share the same title, they may have differing effects.
If the effect of an ability includes the word "then," the text preceding the word "then" must be successfully resolved in full before the remainder of the effect described after the word "then" can be resolved.
If the pre-then aspect of an effect does successfully resolve in full, the post-then aspect of the effect must also resolve.
The post-then aspect of an effect has timing priority over all other indirect consequences of the resolution of the pre-then aspect. (For example, if an effect reads: "Draw an encounter card. Then, take 1 horror," and a player controls an ability that reads "After you draw an encounter card," the post-then "take 1 horror" aspect occurs before the "After you draw an encounter card" ability may initiate.)
If the pre-then aspect of an effect does not successfully resolve in full, the post-then aspect does not resolve.
An investigator's threat area is a play area in which encounter cards currently engaged with and/or affecting an investigator are placed.
The cards in an investigator's threat area are at the same location as the investigator.
There is no limit to the number of tokens (of any type) which can be in the game area at a given time. If players run out of the provided tokens, other tokens, counters, or coins may be used to track the current game state.
Most cards have one or more traits listed at the top of the text box and printed in bold italics.
Traits have no inherent effect on the game. Instead, some card abilities reference cards that possess specific traits.
Treachery cards represent curses, afflictions, madnesses, obstacles, disasters, or other unexpected occurrences an investigator may encounter throughout the course of a scenario.
When a treachery card is drawn by an investigator, that investigator must resolve its effects. Then, place the card in its discard pile unless otherwise instructed by the ability.
Treachery Subtitles (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.21)
Treachery cards do not have a header for their subtitle. If the title of a treachery card contains 1 or more words in parentheses, that is considered to be its subtitle. Other cards with the same title and a different subtitle are still considered to be copies of one another. e.g. Restless Journey (Fallacy) and Restless Journey (Hardship) are both copies of Restless Journey.
A triggered ability is an ability that is optionally triggered by a player. A triggered ability can be identified by one of the following icons.
The [action] icon indicates an action-costed triggered ability.
The [free] icon indicates a free triggered ability that does not cost an action and may be used during any player window.
The [reaction] indicates a reaction triggered ability that does not cost an action and may be used any time its triggering condition is met.
See also: "Ability" on page 2, "Appendix I: Initiation Sequence" on page 22."
An investigator is permitted to use triggered abilities ([free], [reaction], and [action] abilities) from the following sources:
A triggering condition indicates the timing point at which an ability may be triggered. Most triggering conditions use the word "when" or "after" to establish their relation to the specified timing point.
Each eligible ability that triggers in reference to a specified timing point may be used once each time that timing point occurs.
If multiple instances of the same ability are eligible to initiate, each instance may be used once.
See also: "Ability" on page 2, "After" on page 4, "When" on page 21.
Unique ([unique])
A card with the [unique] symbol before its card title is a unique card. There can be no more than one instance of each unique card, by title, in play at any given time.
A player cannot bring into play a unique card if a copy of that card (by title) is already in play.
If a unique encounter card that shares a title with a unique player card would enter play, discard the player card simultaneously as the encounter card enters play.
"...Unless all of (location's) clues have been discovered." (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.11)
Some locations have abilities that prevent you from entering or using a particular ability unless all of the clues have been discovered from a particular location; for example, the Engine Car. When interpreting such an ability, if the location is unrevealed (and therefore has no clues on it), this does not satisfy the ability; it must have been revealed at some point.
Uses is a keyword ability.
When a card bearing this keyword enters play, place a number of resource tokens equal to the value (X), from the token pool, on the card. The word following the value establishes and identifies the type of uses this card bears. The resource tokens placed on the card are considered uses of the established type, and are not considered resource tokens.
Each card bearing this keyword also has an ability which references the type of use established by the keyword as a part of its cost. When such an ability spends a use, a token of that type must be removed from the card bearing the ability.
Other cards may reference and interact with uses of a specified type, usually by adding uses of that type to a card, or using uses of that type for other purposes.
A card cannot bear uses of a type other than that established by its own "Uses (X type)" keyword. (For example, a card with "Uses (4 ammo)" cannot gain charges.)
Some cards with this keyword bear text that causes the card to be discarded if it has no uses remaining. If the card contains no such text, it remains in play even if out of uses.
Vengeance X (added in The Forgotten Age)
Some encounter cards are worth vengeance points. The text Vengeance X indicates that a card is worth X vengeance points.
Like Victory X, when an encounter card with Vengeance X is overcome by the investigators, it is stored in the victory display until the end of the scenario. However, unlike victory points, vengeance represents the awareness and animosity of the Father of Serpents, and it is generally a good idea to avoid accruing vengeance points whenever possible.
Vengeance points in the victory display have no impact upon the game unless specifically referenced by another encounter card.
As an enemy with Vengeance X is defeated, place the card in the victory display instead of in the discard pile.
At the end of a scenario, take each location with Vengeance X that is in play, revealed, and has no clues on it, and place it in the victory display.
As a treachery card with Vengeance X completes its resolution, place it in the victory display instead of in the discard pile.
Cards worth vengeance points are not also worth victory points unless the card has both Victory X and Vengeance X.
Some encounter cards are worth victory points. The text Victory X indicates that a card is worth X victory points.
An encounter card worth victory points that is overcome by the investigators is stored in the victory display until the end of the scenario. The victory display is an out-of-play game area shared by all players. Upon completion of the scenario, the cards in the victory display provide experience, which can be used to upgrade an investigator's deck (see "Campaign Play" on page 5).
As a victory point enemy is defeated, place the card in the victory display instead of in the discard pile.
At the end of a scenario, place each victory point location that is in play, revealed, and with no clues on it in the victory display.
As a victory point treachery card completes its resolution, place it in the victory display instead of in the discard pile.
Weakness is a card sub-type. These cards represent character flaws, curses, madnesses, injuries, tasks, enemies, or story elements that are part of an investigator's backstory, or that are acquired over the course of a campaign. Weakness cards are resolved differently depending upon their cardtype.
When an investigator draws a weakness with an encounter cardtype (for example, an enemy or a treachery weakness), resolve that card as if it were just drawn from the encounter deck.
(Added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.12) Weaknesses with an encounter cardtype (such as enemies or treacheries) are considered to be player cards while they are in their bearer's deck, and are considered to be encounter cards while they are being resolved, and once they have entered play. Before a weakness with an encounter cardtype is resolved, it is still considered to be a player card.
When an investigator draws a weakness with a player cardtype (for example, an asset, an event, or a skill weakness), resolve any Revelation effects on the card, and add it to that investigator's hand. The card may then be used as any other player card of its type.
If a weakness enters an investigator's hand in a manner that did not involve drawing the card, that investigator must resolve the card (including any Revelation abilities) as if he or she had just drawn it.
If a weakness is added to a player's deck, hand, or threat area during the play of a scenario, that weakness remains a part of that investigator's deck for the rest of the campaign. (Unless it is removed from the campaign by a card ability or scenario resolution.)
A player may not optionally choose to discard a weakness card from hand, unless a card explicitly specifies otherwise.
Weaknesses with an encounter cardtype are, like other encounter cards, not controlled by any player. Weaknesses with a player cardtype are controlled by their bearer.
Some card and game text references a "basic weakness." A basic weakness can be identified by the presence of the words "Basic Weakness" and the symbol indicated below.
The word "when" refers to the moment immediately after the specified timing point or triggering condition initiates, but before its impact upon the game state resolves. The resolution of a "when" ability interrupts the resolution of its timing point or triggering condition. (For example, an ability that reads "When you draw an enemy card" initiates immediately after you draw the enemy card, but before resolving its revelation ability, spawning it, etc.)
Wild Skill Icons (added in FAQ, section 'Game Play', point 1.9)
A Wild ([wild]) skill icon on a player card may be used to match any other skill icon for the purposes of both card abilities and counting how many matching icons are committed to a skill test. When using Wild icons for the purpose of resolving a card ability, a player must state which icon the Wild is matching at the time the card is used.
Wild icons committed to a skill test are considered "matching" icons for the purposes of card abilities.
Each scenario has a number of different possible endings.
The act deck represents the progress of the investigators through a scenario. Some instructions in the act deck (as well as on other encounter cardtypes) contain resolution points, in the format of: "(→R#)." The players' primary objective is to advance through the act deck until a (hopefully favorable) resolution point is reached. Should the act deck invoke a resolution, the players have completed the scenario (they may even have "won!"). Instructions for resolving the designated resolution are found in the "do not read until end of game" section of the campaign manual.
The agenda deck represents the objectives and progress of the malicious forces pitted against the investigators in the scenario. Some instructions in the agenda deck (as well as on other encounter cardtypes) also contain resolution points, in the format of: "(→R#)." Should the agenda deck invoke a (usually darker) resolution, the players have lost the scenario. Instructions for resolving the designated resolution are found in the "do not read until end of game" section of the campaign guide.
Should the scenario end with no resolution being reached (for example, if all investigators have been eliminated or have resigned), instructions for resolving the scenario can be found in the "do not read until end of game" section of the campaign guide.
If playing in a campaign, players will proceed to the next scenario in the campaign regardless of the outcome of the scenario. Even if players "lose" a scenario, they still continue their campaign (although with some negative consequences from their failure).
When playing a standalone scenario, players either win or lose the scenario. They win if they complete a resolution on an act card. Any other resolution is considered a loss (see "Standalone Mode" on page 19).
The value of the letter X is defined by a card ability or a granted player choice. If X is not defined, its value is equal to 0.
For costs involving the letter X, the value of X is defined by card ability or player choice, after which the amount paid may be modified by effects without altering the value of X.
You/Your
(Expanded in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.1) The following guidelines are used to interpret which investigator is referenced by the words "you" and "your."
A Revelation ability that references "you/your" refers to the investigator who drew the card and is resolving the ability.
When resolving a triggered ability ([fast], [reaction], or [action] ability), "you/your" refers to the investigator triggering the ability.
If an ability contains a clause identifying whom it is targeting, "you/your" in that ability refers to those investigators. For example, Stubborn Detective reads: "While Stubborn Detective is at your location..." This clause identifies "you" as any investigator at his location. Young Deep One reads: "After Young Deep One engages you..." This clause identifies "you" as any investigator who engages Young Deep One.
Any other instance of "you/your" that does not fall into the above categories refers to the investigator who controls the card, the investigator who has the card in his/her threat area, or who is currently interacting with the card.
A card may have multiple different abilities in which "you/your" may be interpreted differently. "You/your" may refer to a different investigator in each of these abilities.
For example: Dreams of R'lyeh reads:
"Revelation - Put Dreams of R'lyeh into play in your threat area.
You get –1 [willpower] and –1 sanity.
[action]: Test [willpower] (3). If you succeed, Discard Dreams of R'lyeh."
These three abilities reference "you/your" in different ways. For the Revelation ability, "your" refers to the investigator who drew Dreams of R'lyeh and is resolving its Revelation. For its constant ability, "you" refers to the investigator who has Dreams of R'lyeh in his or her threat area. For its [action] ability, "you" refers to the investigator who is performing the [action] ability.
Interpreting "You" When Taking or Being Dealt Damage (added in FAQ, section 'Card Ability Interpretation', point 2.12)
When an ability refers to "you" in response to taking damage or being dealt damage, it also includes any assets you control.
For example: The [reaction] ability on Survival Knife triggers "after an enemy attack deals damage to you during the enemy phase." This ability triggers even if the damage from that attack is assigned to one or more of your assets, and not your investigator card. However, if all of the damage from that attack is assigned to another investigator or their assets (through the use of a card effect that allows them to do so), then no damage has been dealt to you.
When a player wishes to initiate a triggered ability or play a card, that player first declares his or her intent. There are two preliminary confirmations that must be made before the process of initiating an ability or playing a card may begin. These are:
Check play restrictions: determine if the card can be played, or if the ability can be initiated, at this time. (This includes verifying that the resolution of the effect has the potential to change the game state.) If the play restrictions are not met, abort this process.
Determine the cost (or costs, if multiple costs are required) to play the card or initiate the ability. If it is established that the cost (taking modifiers into account) can be paid, proceed with the remaining steps of this sequence.
Once each of the above confirmations has been made, follow these steps, in order:
Apply any modifiers to the cost(s).
Pay the cost(s). If this step is reached and the cost(s) cannot be paid, abort this process without paying any costs.
Upon completion of this step, attacks of opportunity, if applicable, resolve.
The card commences being played, or the effects of the ability attempt to initiate.
The effects of the ability (if not canceled in step 3) complete their initiation, and resolve. The card is regarded as played (and placed in play, or in its owner's discard pile if it's an event), and the ability is considered resolved simultaneously with the completion of this step.
If the ability being initiated is on an in-play card, the sequence does not stop from completing if that card leaves play during the sequence.
The "Phase Sequence timing chart" depicts the phases and steps of a game round. Each time an investigator makes a skill test, use the skill test timing detailed in the "Skill Test timing chart."
Numbered items presented in the grey boxes are known as framework events. Framework events are mandatory occurrences dictated by the structure of the game.
The red boxes are player windows. Players may use [free] triggered abilities in these windows.
The specific details for each of these steps are explained starting on page 24.
Phase Sequence timing chart
I. Mythos phase (skip during first round of game)
1.1 Round begins. Mythos phase begins.
1.2 Place 1 doom on the current agenda.
1.3 Check doom threshold.
1.4 Each investigator draws 1 encounter card.
[free] PLAYER WINDOW
1.5 Mythos phase ends.
Proceed to Investigation Phase.
2.1 Investigation phase begins.
2.2 Next investigator's turn begins.
2.2.1 Active investigator may take an action, if able. If an action was taken, return to previous player window. If no action was taken, proceed to 2.2.2.
2.2.2 Investigator's turn ends. If an investigator has not yet taken a turn this phase, return to 2.2. If each investigator has taken a turn this phase, proceed to 2.3.
2.3 Investigation phase ends.
Proceed to Enemy Phase.
3.1 Enemy phase begins.
3.2 Hunter enemies move.
3.3 Next investigator resolves engaged enemy attacks. If an investigator has not yet resolved enemy attacks this phase, return to previous player window. After final investigator resolves engaged enemy attacks, proceed to next player window.
3.4 Enemy phase ends.
Proceed to Upkeep Phase.
4.1 Upkeep phase begins.
4.2 Reset actions.
4.3 Ready each exhausted card.
4.4 Each investigator draws 1 card and gains 1 resource.
4.5 Each investigator checks hand size.
4.6 Upkeep phase ends. Round ends.
Proceed to Mythos Phase of next game round.
This section provides a detailed explanation of how to handle each framework event step presented on the game's flow chart, in the order that the framework events occur throughout the round.
During the first round of the game, skip the mythos phase.
1.1 Mythos phase begins.
This step formalizes the beginning of the mythos phase. As this is the first framework event of the round, it also formalizes the beginning of a new game round.
The beginning of a phase is an important game milestone that may be referenced in card text, either as a point at which an ability may or must resolve, or as a point at which a delayed effect resolves or a lasting effect expires.
Take 1 doom from the token pool, and place it on the current agenda card.
Compare the total number of doom in play (on the current agenda and on each other card in play) with the doom threshold of the current agenda. If the value of doom in play equals or exceeds the doom threshold of the current agenda, the agenda deck advances.
When the agenda deck advances, remove all doom from play, returning them to the token pool. Turn the current agenda over, read the story text, and follow any advancement instructions. Unless otherwise directed by the advancement instructions, the front side of the next sequential agenda card becomes the new current agenda, and the advancing agenda is simultaneously removed from the game.
Note: Unless a card otherwise specifies that it can advance the agenda, this is the only time at which the agenda can advance.
In player order, each investigator draws the top card of the encounter deck, resolves any revelation abilities on the card, and follows the instructions below based on the card's type.
Each time an investigator draws an encounter card, perform the following steps, in order:
Draw the card from the encounter deck.
Check for the peril keyword on the drawn card. (If the card has the peril keyword, the investigator who drew the card cannot confer with the other players. Those other players cannot play cards, trigger abilities, or commit cards to that investigator's skill test(s) while the peril encounter is resolving.)
Resolve the revelation ability on the drawn card.
If the card is an enemy, spawn it following any spawn instruction the card bears. (A spawn instruction is any text bearing a "spawn" precursor.) If the encountered enemy has no spawn instruction, the enemy spawns engaged with the investigator encountering the card and is placed in that investigator's threat area.
If the card is a treachery, place the card in the encounter discard pile unless otherwise instructed by the ability.
If the drawn card has the surge keyword, the investigator must draw another card. Restart this process at step 1.
This step formalizes the end of the mythos phase.
The end of a phase is an important game milestone that may be referenced in card text, either as a point at which an ability may or must resolve, or as a point at which a delayed effect resolves or a lasting effect expires.
This step formalizes the beginning of the investigation phase.
The investigators may take their turns in any order. The investigators choose among themselves who (among the investigators) will take this turn, and making this choice begins that investigator's turn. The investigator taking his or her turn is known as the "active investigator."
Once an investigator begins a turn, that investigator must complete the turn before another investigator may take his or her turn. Each investigator takes one turn each round.
2.2.1 Investigator takes an action, if able.
During his or her turn, an investigator is permitted to take three actions. An action can be used to do one of the following:
Investigate your location.
Move to a connecting location.
Draw (draw 1 card).
Resource (gain 1 resource).
Play an asset or event card from your hand.
Activate an [action]-costed ability on an in-play card you control, an in-play encounter card at your location, a card in your threat area, the current act card, or the current agenda card.
Fight an enemy at your location.
Engage an enemy at your location.
Attempt to evade an enemy engaged with you.
The three actions an investigator performs during his or her turn may be any of the above, in any order, and may even be the same action three times in a row.
Important: When an investigator is engaged with one or more enemies and takes an action other than to fight, to evade, or to activate a parley or resign ability, each of those enemies makes an attack of opportunity against the investigator, in the order of the investigator's choosing.
After an investigator takes an action, return to the previous player window. An investigator may end his or her turn early if there are no other actions he or she wishes to perform. If the investigator does not or cannot take an action, proceed to 2.2.2.
2.2.2 Investigator's turn ends.
Flip the active investigator's mini card to its colorless side to show that the investigator's turn has ended. If there is an investigator who has not yet taken a turn this round, return to 2.2. If each investigator has taken a turn this round, proceed to 2.3.
This step formalizes the end of the investigation phase.
This step formalizes the beginning of the enemy phase.
Resolve the hunter keyword for each ready, unengaged enemy that has the hunter keyword (see "Hunter" on page 12).
3.3 Next investigator resolves engaged enemy attacks.
Resolve engaged enemy attacks in player order, with each player resolving all of his or her engaged enemies before advancing to the next player.
Each ready, engaged enemy makes an attack against the investigator to which it is engaged. When an enemy attacks, deal its attack (both its damage and its horror, simultaneously) to the engaged investigator. Upon completion of dealing the attack (and all abilities triggered by the attack), exhaust the enemy. If an investigator is engaged with multiple enemies, resolve their attacks in the order of the attacked investigator's choosing.
After an investigator has resolved the attacks of the enemies he or she is engaged with, return to the previous player window. After the final investigator resolves enemy attacks, proceed to the next player window.
This step formalizes the end of the enemy phase.
This step formalizes the beginning of the upkeep phase.
Flip each investigator's mini card back to its colored side. This indicates that the investigator's actions have been reset for his or her next turn.
4.3 Ready exhausted cards.
Simultaneously ready each exhausted card.
In player order, each investigator draws 1 card. Once those cards have been drawn, each investigator gains 1 resource.
In player order, each investigator with more than 8 cards in hand chooses and discards cards from his or her hand until he or she has 8 cards remaining in hand.
4.6 Upkeep phase ends.
This step formalizes the end of the upkeep phase.
As the upkeep phase is the final phase in the round, this step also formalizes the end of the round. Any active "until the end of the round" lasting effects expire at this time.
After this step is complete, play proceeds to the beginning of the mythos phase of the next game round.
ST.1 Determine skill of test. Skill test of that type begins.
ST.2 Commit cards from hand to skill test.
ST.3 Reveal chaos token.
ST.4 Resolve chaos symbol effect(s).
ST.5 Determine investigator's modified skill value.
ST.6 Determine success/failure of skill test.
ST.7 Apply skill test results.
ST.8 Skill test ends.
ST.1 Determine skill type of test. Skill test of that type begins.
This step formalizes the beginning of a skill test. There are four types of skill tests: willpower tests, intellect tests, combat tests, and agility tests. The card ability or game rule determines which type of test is necessary, and thereby a test of that type begins.
The investigator performing the skill test may commit any number of cards with an appropriate skill icon from his or her hand to this test.
Each other investigator at the same location as the investigator performing the skill test may commit one card with an appropriate skill icon to this test.
An appropriate skill icon is either one that matches the skill being tested, or a wild icon. The investigator performing this test gets +1 to his or her skill value during this test for each appropriate skill icon that is committed to this test.
Cards that lack an appropriate skill icon may not be committed to a skill test. Do not pay a card's resource cost when committing it.
The investigator performing the skill test reveals one chaos token at random from the chaos bag.
See also "Resolving Multiple Revealed Chaos Tokens" above.
ST.4 Apply chaos symbol effect(s).
Apply any effects initiated by the symbol on the revealed chaos token. Each of the following symbols indicates that an ability on the scenario reference card must initiate: [skull], [cultist], [tablet], or [elder_thing].
The [elder_sign] symbol indicates that the [elder_sign] ability on the investigator card belonging to the player performing the test must initiate.
If none of the above symbols are revealed, or if the icon has no corresponding ability, this step completes with no effect.
Start with the base skill (of the skill that matches the type of test that is resolving) of the investigator performing this test, and apply all active modifiers, including the appropriate icons that have been committed to this test, effects of the chaos token(s) revealed, and all active card abilities that are modifying the investigator's skill value.
Compare the investigator's modified skill value to the difficulty of the skill test.
If the investigator's skill value equals or exceeds the difficulty for this test (as indicated by the card or game mechanic invoking the test), the investigator succeeds at the test.
If an investigator automatically succeeds at a test via a card ability, the total difficulty of that test is considered 0.
If the investigator's skill value is less than the difficulty for this test, the investigator fails at the test.
If an investigator automatically fails at a test via a card ability or revealing the [auto_fail] symbol, his or her total skill value for that test is considered 0.
See also "Automatic Failure/Success - expanded" above.
The card ability or game rule that initiated a skill test usually indicates the consequences of success and/or failure for that test. (Additionally, some other card abilities may contribute additional consequences, or modify existing consequences, at this time.) Resolve the appropriate consequences (based on the success or failure established during step ST.6) at this time.
If there are multiple results to be applied during this step, the investigator performing the test applies those results in the order of his or her choice.
This step formalizes the end of this skill test. Discard all cards that were committed to this skill test, and return all revealed chaos tokens to the chaos bag.
To setup a game, perform the following steps in order:
Choose investigators. Each player chooses a different investigator, and places that investigator's card in his or her play area.
Take trauma damage/horror. In campaign play, each player places damage equal to his or her physical trauma, and horror equal to his or her mental trauma, on his or her investigator card.
Choose one of those investigators to be the lead investigator for this game.
Assemble and shuffle the investigator decks.
Assemble token pool. Place the damage, horror, clue/doom, and resource tokens within easy reach of all players.
Assemble the chaos bag. Place the chaos tokens indicated by the campaign setup instructions into the bag, and return the other chaos tokens to the game box.
In campaign mode, use the chaos bag as it was composed upon completion of the previous scenario.
Collect starting resources. Each investigator gains 5 resources from the token pool.
Draw opening hands. Each player draws 5 cards. Each player, in player order, may mulligan once at this time.
Each weakness card drawn during this step is ignored, set aside (without resolving it), and replaced by drawing another card from the deck. Upon completion of this step, shuffle each of these weakness cards back into its owner's deck.
Read the scenario introduction in the campaign guide.
Perform the scenario setup instructions indicated by the campaign guide. This includes gathering the encounter sets listed in the setup instructions in the campaign guide, placing locations, placing investigator mini cards at the location each investigator begins play at, setting aside any listed cards, and shuffling remaining encounter cards together to form the encounter deck.
Set agenda deck. Assemble the agenda deck in sequential order, with the art side faceup, so that "agenda 1a" is on top. Read the story text on agenda 1a.
Set act deck. Assemble the act deck in sequential order, with the art side faceup, so that "act 1a" is on top. Read the story text on act 1a.
Place the scenario reference card next to the agenda deck.
There are no action windows during setup. Players may only trigger player card abilities or play cards from hand during setup if the card or ability's specific triggering condition is met.
This section presents a detailed anatomy of each cardtype. Pages 28-29 detail scenario cards, and pages 30-31 detail investigator/player cards.
Scenario cards include act cards, agenda cards, location cards, treachery cards, enemy cards, and scenario reference cards.
Player cards include investigator cards, investigator mini cards, asset cards, event cards, and skill cards.
Encounter Set Symbol: Indicates which encounter set the card belongs to.
Cardtype: Indicates how a card behaves or may be used in the game.
Title: The name of this card.
Traits: Flavorful attributes that may be referenced by card abilities.
Ability: This card's specialized means of interacting with the game.
Enemy Fight Value: Determines the difficulty of a skill test to attack this enemy.
Enemy Health Value: This enemy's health value, which measures its physical durability.
Enemy Evade Value: Determines the difficulty of a skill test to evade this enemy.
Damage: The amount of damage this enemy deals with its attack.
Horror: The amount of horror this enemy deals with its attack.
Shroud: Determines the difficulty of a skill test to investigate this location.
Clue Value: The number of clues placed on this location when it is first revealed.
Connection Symbols: Indicate the movement connections between locations.
Act/Agenda Sequence: Used to order the act/agenda deck.
Clue Threshold: The number of clues that must be spent to advance this act.
Doom Threshold: The amount of doom in play required to advance this agenda.
Product Set Information: Indicates this card's product of origin.
Encounter Set Number: Indicates the number of cards within an encounter set, and this card's place within that set.
Cost: The resource cost to play a card.
Level: The amount of experience required to purchase this card for a deck.
Class Symbol: The class to which a card belongs. Neutral cards have no class symbol.
Subtitle: A secondary identifier for a card.
Skills: This investigator's value for his or her skills, in order: Willpower ([willpower]), Intellect ([intellect]), Combat ([combat]), Agility ([agility]).
Elder Sign Ability: This investigator's ability for the Elder Sign token.
Health: This card's health value, which measures its physical durability.
Sanity: This card's sanity value, which measures its mental durability.
Skill Test Icons: Modify skill value while committed to a skill test.