I started playing with a friend and the game seemed really out to get the players. like there was no way to win. I like the game and bought the game. I have since played 2 games and players won by sealing enough gates before the ancient one awoke, but it left me with a couple questions on how we were playing the game vs the first two times we played the game on a couple rules.

1) Closing gates with monsters on the same location.

Example: Investigator is in part 2 of The Abyss other world location. The gate open in Arkham is in the woods and currently has a monster on it. during his movement phase he returns to Arkham location The Woods. There is a monster here but the rules said the investigator doesn't have to evade or fight them the turn he returns. He receives the explored token during movement. Now comes the question: During the Arkham Encounters Phase he can close and then seal the gate. Can that investigator do this even though there is a monster in the same location?

The first two times I played with my friend's copy we couldn't do that. monsters had to be dealt with first but you didn't have to fight or evade them when you returned. According to my understanding of the rules the investigator could close/seal the gate because he didn't have to deal with the monsters since he didn't have to evade or fight them upon return. Which way should it be played?

2) Monster surges and the doom track.

The doom track for the ancient one increases when a gate actually opens. if a gate doesn't open becuase the area is sealed or because of an investigator's special ability, then the doom track doesn't increase. That's explained in the rules, errata and FAQ. What about when a monster surge happens?

Monster surge happened becuase a gate tried to open in a location where another gate was already open. I thought based on my understanding that the gate didn't actually open since I didn't place a second gate marker on the board, thus the doom track doesn't increment. however my friend said the doom track should increase becuase the gate tried to open and caused a monster surge instead. not sure which way this should be played either.

Hi, and welcome to the game!

1. Monsters are dealt with only during the movement phase. When you return to Arkham from an OW, you get a free pass for monsters for the movement phase of the turn you are returned to Arkham. This means that if you return to Arkham from an OW during the movement phase (something happening in most of the cases) then you don't have to fight / evade any of the monsters present there during this movement phase (this also implies you can cherry pick them and decide: I'm gonna fight the Cultist, and leave the Dark Young for later. Perfectly legit choice). You close / seal gates during Arkham Encounters, and you can *always* do that, as long as you're on a gate with an explored marker beneath you. This regardless of the eventual monsters guarding the gate. So, yes, you can seal.

2. Monster surges do not trigger doom to be added. If you look at the Phase V: Mythos section in the rules, you'll notice that "advance the doom track" is listed only for option C: no ES, no gate at the location hit by the Mythos card.

Hope this helps

JULIA

If you want some other conformation on the second question, look at the black goat of the woods herald. one of it's abilities is that doom tokens are added during monster surges. the only reason it says that is because it doesn't happen normally.