Arkham Horror: The Card Game

What are some beginner tips for Arkham Horror: The Card Game?

Here are some introductory tips for newcomers to Arkham Horror: The Card Game. These suggestions are partly drawn from the original core rules and partly from seasoned players' common experiences; it's recommended to read them in order.

I. First, Understand What the Game Really Is

Arkham Horror: The Card Game isn't a head-to-head card game—it's a cooperative narrative adventure card game.

In this game, you and your teammates each take on the role of an investigator, following a scripted storyline driven by "Conspiracy cards + Action cards." You explore locations, gather clues, fight monsters, or evade them, ultimately trying to survive until the end of the scenario and achieve your objectives.

Newcomers often mistakenly think it's a "whoever has the strongest combat power wins" game, but it's more like a horror survival story involving resource management and luck control.

II. Three Key Mindsets

1. Don't Try to Fight Every Enemy Head-On.
   If you can't beat them, run or hide—sometimes "keeping yourself alive while advancing the plot" is more important than "killing every enemy."

2. Dead Investigators Don't Contribute Anything.
   Prioritize staying alive, especially if you're a Wizard or a Support-type Investigator.

3. Losing Your First Game Is Normal.
   This game is inherently hard to win completely, and experiencing the oppressive feeling of being gradually pushed into a corner is part of its appeal.

III. Four Essential Rules New Players Should Know

1. The Golden Rule:
   Whatever is written on the card takes precedence over what's in the rulebook. If there's a conflict between the two, follow the card.

2. The Cruel (Dark) Rule:
   If you truly can't find an answer in the rulebook, proceed with whatever outcome is most unfavorable to the investigators at that moment.

Note: This rule is not meant to "force difficulties"—it's a fallback option used when rule conflicts cannot be resolved, allowing the game to continue.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

What does "insight" mean?

"What does 'Insight' mean?"

I. Clarifying the Conclusion

"Insight" is not a keyword, but rather a "trait."

In Arkham Horror: The Card Game, those words printed in bold italics at the top of a card's text box—such as "Insight," "Strategy," "Science," "Spell," "Courage," and so on—are traits. They are distinct from keywords like "Aloof" or "Hunter":

• Keywords: Come with an entire set of specific rules (e.g., Hunters move, and Counterattacks strike back).
• Traits: Have no inherent game effects themselves, serving purely as labels attached to cards. A trait only becomes relevant when another card's ability explicitly references it.

The rulebook defines traits as follows: Traits have no intrinsic impact on gameplay; instead, certain card abilities may reference cards possessing particular traits.

II. Which Cards Feature the "Insight" Trait?

According to the card data, "Insight" primarily appears on event cards, for example:

• Many event cards list Insight, Insight: Strategy, Insight: Science, Insight: Courage, Insight: Skill, and other combinations in their "Traits" section.
• A few support cards, skill cards, and investigator cards also bear this trait.

In other words, "Insight" often coexists alongside traits like "Strategy," "Science," "Courage," and "Skill," meaning a single card can possess multiple traits simultaneously.

III. How Is the "Insight" Trait Actually Used? (That's Its Real Function)

Since traits themselves carry no direct effect, their value lies entirely in being explicitly referenced by other cards. Rulebook data reveals numerous such references, including:

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

What is the Cold Lands Sea?

Conclusion

In the rulebook, no entry, card, or location named "Cold Plains Sea" was found—this name does not appear in the game's rules; it may be a translation mix-up or typographical error.

The actual objects related to "Cold Plains" fall into the following categories. You can cross-reference them to confirm which one you're asking about:

1. Plateau of Leng — a location card
   There are two cards with the same name, "Plateau of Leng," in the rulebook:

• Card Code 06295: Feature "Cold Plains." Effect: Forced — If an enemy attempts to spawn on an unoccupied location and there are no unoccupied locations on the board, that enemy is instead spawned here.
• Card Code 04336: Feature "Shattered·Modern." Effect: Forced — During a skill check performed on the Plateau of Leng, if you reveal an [elder_thing] symbol, you suffer 1 point of Fear.

2. Monastery of Leng — a location card (06297)
   Feature: "Cold Plains." Effect: [free] Investigators located on the Monastery of Leng collectively spend 1[per_investigator] clue to remember that the investigator "has approached the priest." Its reverse side states: "The monastery's door is sealed—you cannot enter the Monastery of Leng."

3. Corsair of Leng — an enemy card (06105)
   Feature: "Humanoid·Monster," with 4 hit points. Spawns on the nearest [[City]] or [[Lunar Surface]] location; has "Vigilance"; Forced — After attacking via its Vigilance keyword, the Corsair of Leng gains a -3 dodge until the end of this phase.

4. Spider of Leng — an enemy card (06101)
   Feature: "Monster·Spider," with 4 hit points. Forced — At the end of the Enemy Phase, add 1 Swarm card to each spider swarm enemy on the board; if there are no spider swarm enemies present, search both the Encounter Deck and the Encounter Discard Pile for a spider swarm enemy and spawn it (without a Swarm card) at the location where the Spider of Leng resides.

5. "Cold Plains" as a location feature
   Several locations bear the "Cold Plains" feature, such as Cold Wastes (06296), as well as the Plateau of Leng, the Monastery of Leng, and others.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

What is the effect of the "Fire!" card?

According to the rulebook data, you're likely referring to "Fire!" (English name: Fire!). The rulebook lists two cards with the same name, each with slightly different effects—be sure to distinguish which cycle they come from.

1. "Fire!" (Card Code: 10743, from the "Hemlock Grotto Feast" cycle/product)

• Type: Trick (Mythos)
• Traits: Danger
• Effect Text:
• Manifest: Attach "Fire!" to the nearest location that does not already have "Fire!" attached (if possible, connect it to a location already attached to "Fire!").
• Obligatory: At the end of the round: Each card on this location with hit points takes 1 direct damage.
• [Action]: Make an Agility check (Difficulty 4). If successful, discard "Fire!"

2. "Fire!" (Card Code: 12129, from the Core Set Second Edition/Revised Core)

• Type: Trick (Mythos)
• Traits: Danger
• Effect Text:
• Manifest: Attach "Fire!" to the nearest location that does not already have "Fire!" attached.
• Obligatory: At the end of the Investigation Phase: Each non‑Elite card on this location with hit points takes 1 direct damage.
• [Action]: Make an Agility check (Difficulty 3). If successful, discard "Fire!"

Summary of Key Differences

If you're consulting the Core Set or a common Arkham Horror deck, in most cases you're referring to 12129; if it appears in a scenario related to "Hemlock Grotto Feast," then it's 10743.

"Fire!" doesn't have a direct corresponding card name in the rulebook—its closest match is the aforementioned "Fire!". When using these cards, always refer to the specific card code printed in the upper-left corner.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

Arkham Horror: The Card Game round settlement?

Arkham Horror: The Card Game — Round Resolution Process

A "game round" consists of four phases in a fixed sequence: Mythos Phase → Investigation Phase → Enemy Phase → Upkeep Phase. Once the Upkeep Phase ends, the current round concludes and immediately transitions into the Mythos Phase of the next round.

I. Mythos Phase
> Note: The Mythos Phase is skipped during the first round of the game.

1. 1.1 Mythos Phase Begins — As this is the first framework event of the round, it also marks the start of a new game round.
2. 1.2 Place Doom Tokens — Take one doom token from the token pool and place it on the current conspiracy card.
3. 1.3 Check Doom Threshold — Compare the total number of doom tokens on the board (on the current conspiracy card plus any other cards) with the current conspiracy card's doom threshold. If the total is equal to or exceeds the threshold, advance the conspiracy deck: remove all doom tokens from the board and return them to the token pool, flip the current conspiracy card, read the storyline text, and follow the advancement instructions. Unless otherwise specified on the card, this is the only time a conspiracy can advance.
4. 1.4 Each Investigator Draws One Encounter Card — In player order, each draws the top card from the encounter deck and resolves its "Revelation" ability:
   - Check for the keyword peril (if present, no further negotiation with other players; other players cannot play cards, activate abilities, or contribute resources);
   - Resolve the Revelation ability;
   - If it's an enemy, generate it according to the spawn instructions; if there are no spawn instructions, engage the drawn card in combat and place it in the threat zone;
   - If it's a scheme, unless otherwise directed, place it in the encounter discard pile;
   - If it has the keyword surge, draw another card and restart from step 1.
5. 1.5 Mythos Phase Ends → Proceed to the Investigation Phase.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

How many phases are there?

Arkham Horror: The Card Game Beginner's Guide

〇. First, the conclusion: Regarding the number of "phases/steps"

The "determination"-related quantities you're asking about need to be distinguished between two separate processes, which are clearly delineated in the rulebook:

Conditions and Exceptions

The 4 phases of a round proceed as follows:
1. Mythos phase
2. Investigation phase
3. Enemy phase
4. Upkeep phase

• Exception: During the first round of the game, skip the mythos phase.
• Original text basis: Section 4.6 of the Phase Sequence chart explicitly states, "The upkeep phase is the final phase of the round; this step also formally marks the end of the round, after which the next round begins with the mythos phase."

The 8 steps of a skill test (original text ST.1–ST.8):
- ST.1: Determine the type of skill being tested; the test begins.
- ST.2: Submit cards from your hand for the test.
- ST.3: Reveal chaos tokens.
- ST.4: Resolve effects of chaos symbols.
- ST.5: Calculate the investigator's adjusted skill value.
- ST.6: Determine whether the test succeeds or fails.
- ST.7: Resolve the outcome of the test.
- ST.8: End the test.

Key points from the original text:
- ST.6: If the skill value is equal to or greater than the difficulty, the test succeeds; otherwise, it fails. If the test automatically succeeds due to card abilities, the difficulty is considered 0; if it automatically fails or reveals [auto_fail], the skill value is considered 0.
- ST.8: Discard all cards submitted for this test, and return any revealed chaos tokens to the chaos bag.

> ⚠️ Additional note: In the rulebook texts we've reviewed, there is no provision regarding how many basic actions can be performed per turn. Although the rule index mentions "two actions per turn," this does not align with the actual wording of the rules. Please refer only to the physical rulebook in your possession—do not rely on the action count provided here.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

Which cards are involved in your turn?

Cards Involving "Your Turn"

First, let's clarify what "your turn" means.

The Chinese edition of Arkham Horror: The Card Game translates two distinct concepts as "turn," so you must distinguish between them when reading the cards:

• Round (the entire round): The complete process consisting of four phases—Mythos, Investigation, Enemies, and Maintenance.
• Turn (your personal turn): Occurs only during the Investigation Phase, and each investigator has exactly one turn per round.

When a card states "your turn," "at the start of your turn," "during your turn," or "at the end of your turn," in most cases it refers to the turn—the period when you take your own actions—not the entire round. Below is a classification by trigger timing.

I. Triggering at the Start of Your Turn

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

Could you explain the combat in detail?

Key Words/Actions: Detailed Explanation of "Engage"

I. Clear Conclusion

In Arkham Horror: The Card Game, enemies have two possible states on the board:

• Engaged: An enemy is placed in a specific investigator's threat area.
• Unengaged: An enemy is placed on a location.

"Engage" is both an automatically triggered state (when an enemy and an investigator share the same location) and an action that investigators can actively perform.

II. Automatic Engagement (Enemy Engagement)

Trigger Condition: As long as a ready but unengaged enemy shares the same location as an investigator, it will immediately engage with that investigator and be moved into the investigator's threat area.

• If multiple investigators are present at the same location, the enemy will engage with the investigator designated as its prey.
• There is no limit to the number of enemies an investigator can engage simultaneously.
• Exhausted but unengaged enemies will not automatically engage; however, if such an enemy becomes ready while an investigator is present at the location, it will engage immediately upon becoming ready.
• Aloof enemies are not subject to the automatic engagement rules above—they must be engaged manually.

Post-Engagement Effects:

• Enemies in the threat area are considered to be sharing the same location as the investigator; when the investigator moves, the enemy remains engaged and moves to the new location accordingly.
• After engaging a ready enemy, if the investigator takes any action other than combat, evasion, parley, or resignation, that enemy will launch a surprise attack.
• Engaged enemies attack during the enemy phase.

III. Engage Action

"Engage" is an action that investigators can perform during their own turn in the investigation phase.

How to Perform: Select an enemy located at the same spot and place it in your threat area—this instantly engages you with that enemy.

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

Arkham Horror: The Card Game – What does the "manifestation of weakness" effect mean?

Conclusion

"Revelation" is not an "effect type," but rather a type of card ability, marked in bold on the card as "Revelation –" (English: Revelation –), and it appears only on Encounter cards or Weakness cards. Its meaning is: an ability that must be resolved immediately upon drawing this card (or otherwise coming into your hand)—not an ability you actively activate by spending an action.

The rulebook defines it as follows:
> A revelation ability, indicated by a bold "Revelation – " command on an encounter card or weakness, initiates as that card is drawn by an investigator.
> (A revelation ability, marked with a bold "Revelation –" on an encounter card or weakness, triggers the moment that card is drawn by an investigator.)

So what you're asking about—the "revelation effect of a Weakness"—refers to the text on the Weakness card that reads "Revelation –," which forces resolution when you draw or acquire that Weakness card.

When exactly does it resolve?

Depending on the main card type of the Weakness, the handling differs.
1. Encounter-type Weaknesses (Enemy Weaknesses, Trick Weaknesses)
- Resolve just as if the card had been drawn from the Encounter deck (i.e., follow the standard "Revelation → Enter/Go to Discard Pile" process).
- Before resolution, it counts as a player card; during resolution and after entering play, it becomes an Encounter card.
- Revelation occurs before the card enters the field; for Trick cards, it happens before they are placed in the discard pile.

2. Player-card-type Weaknesses (Support Weaknesses, Event Weaknesses, Skill Weaknesses)
- First resolve the Revelation effect, then add the card to the investigator's hand, after which it can be used like any other player card.

3. Entering Your Hand by Means Other Than Drawing
- If a Weakness enters your hand through methods other than drawing, you must still resolve it as if you had just drawn it—including its Revelation ability.

4. Who Does "You/Your" Refer To?
- In Revelation abilities, "you/your" refers to the investigator who drew the card and is currently resolving its ability.

Exceptions and Edge Cases

… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)

Can each major round freely decide which investigator goes first?

Yes, during the Investigation Phase of each Game Round, the order in which Investigators take their actions is completely free.

The specific rules are as follows:

1. Free Order Determination: At the start of the Investigation Phase, all Investigators may take turns in any order they choose. Players should negotiate among themselves to decide who goes first.
2. Current Active Investigator: Once an Investigator begins their turn, they become the "Current Active Investigator." Until they finish that turn, no other Investigators may act.
3. Repeating Cycle: After an Investigator completes their turn, the remaining inactive Investigators once again freely determine the order of the next player to act. This process repeats until every Investigator has completed at least one turn during the current Game Round.

Exceptions and Notes:

• Enemy Phase and Preparation Phase: Although the action order during the Investigation Phase is free, the subsequent "Enemy Phase" (handling attacks from entangled enemies) and the "Preparation Phase" (drawing cards, acquiring resources, checking hand limits) generally follow a fixed Player Order—determined during setup, either clockwise or counterclockwise—unless otherwise specified by card effects.
• Order of Opportunistic Attacks: If, during the Investigation Phase, an Investigator is entangled by multiple enemies and performs an action other than combat, evasion, or negotiation, they have the right to decide the sequence in which those enemies launch their "Opportunistic Attacks."

This information is for reference only; in case of conflict, please refer to the rulebook and consult experienced players.