The Plot in question read:"Turn the visage tokens facedown and mix them up. Starting with the first player and continuing to his left, each investigator must turn one visage token faceup. If a player turns over Ghatanothoa's face, that investigator is devoured. Continue until only one token is left facedown. If no one finds Ghatanothoa's face, this attack has no effect."

Now, as I read this, you keep turning over tokens until there is only one left, even if the Big G's face has already been revealed by a previous Investigator. This attack can therefore only ever devour one Investigator. Is that how everyone else reads it?

Don't know TBH. The sadist in me wants to apply the Ghatanothoa text/clarification from the rules !

"Remember, leave visage tokens faceup after revealing them
unless either Ghatanothoa’s face is revealed or there are
four visage tokens faceup after revealing the new token." (p. 9)

But maybe that's only for the slumber-party?

Dam said:

Jesus! Wait, what? Is that from the Innsmouth rulebook? Those bloody "notes"! First Quachil Uttaus, now this guy? Are there ANY interesting AOs in Innsmouth who aren't made less interesting by the clarifications?

My group has been playing it according to the text on Ghathanathoa itself, which says that when you turn over the deadly Visage token, it still doesn't 'reset' the other tokens. So if someone is devoured by the first of eight tokens, you can be sure that you get three safe clue-pickups before you flip the tokens and risk devouring again. That was my favourite aspect of it - it seemed like a nice counterbalance. Not that Ghathanathoa hasn't wupped our asses every time anyway.

As for the final battle... the "clarification" seems to refer to the slumber ability, not the sinister plot, so I think it's safe to assume that the plot does just devour one person.... basically, all that plot does is devour someone completely at random. But potentially it does it in quite a tense way.

thecorinthian said:

Yeah, I asked about this in my IH thread after my first Ghatanothoa game. I did play correctly by the rules, but just asked to be clear and was pointed out that bit in the rules. No safe 2+ Clue pickings against Ghatanothoa (well, unless you have Messenger, Bast's favour, etc.).

thecorinthian said:

A) Did you read the whole manual? Or are you one of those gamers who just likes to boot up and test every button/keystroke until you figure out how to play?

B) I fail to see how making Ghatanothoa LESS safe makes him LESS interesting. You need to feel that terror EVERY TIME you want to grab Clues. No freebies here!

'think the OP has right, the sinister Plot card works that way with my reading as well.

thecorinthian said:

Well, I strongly disagree with you.

I started LOVING Ghatanothoa for the same reason you criticise it: because it is an investigator-maiming machine. It's pure sadism. It's pure HORROR.

And it's easy to home-rule it so that you reset the tokens after drawing, say, 2, or 6 according to the difficulty you want to have.

You could even change its effect into forcing such investigator to draw a Madness or Injury card.

I mean, you could even say "ok guys, if you flip its visage up, then you gain $10"- get what I mean?

Best GOO ever.

Gott said:

Bah, needs a shorter doom track (though of late the doom track has been advanving at an almost 1 per turn ratio; I think 31 doomers in the last 33 Mythos cards during 3 games...). Now, if G had a 11-doom track, you'd be forced to get those 2+ Clues to seal faster, meaning more Visage tokens ...

Dam said:

Ahhh, Dam...we ask for some fear, and you steal our shoes and throw broken glass all over the floor. You're enchanting, that's what you are.

You're correct, of course, but I don't necessarily think you're right. Turning Ghatanothoa into a speed trial actually ends the fear earlier. I think that "less fear longer" is better than "more fear quicker".

...But not for YOUR games, you masochist.

13-doom track is just on the weak side IMO. 12 is about the right amount. Anything shorter and you're rushing unless you get a kick-ass setup (like mine was in today's game*), anything longer and you can dilly-dally a bit too much (Mythos dependant of course).

* Minh Thi Phan 2 Clues + fixed KiY, Tommy Muldoon + Elder Sign, Patrice Hathaway + Find Gate, Ashcan Pete + Press Pass & Gate Box, so pretty much setup to seal 4 gates before the game even starts or at "worst", after the first turn . Patrice + Press Pass is just sick. Find Gate just made it worse (for the GOO).