Hello. I'm new to the forums and I had a few questions.

My questions are rules-related and are not covered by the FAQ, so I would have simply asked them on the "Collective FAQ" thread, as would seem appropriate. But for some reason, I cannot find any way to add a post or reply to that thread. What am I missing?

As for my rules questions:

1. Can you willfully choose to fail a roll? For example: You receive a card that says "Your mind is flooded with knowledge. Make a Lore (-2) check. If you pass it, draw 1 Spell, but lose 1 Sanity." You only have one Sanity left.
2. Where do you go if you simultaneously lose your last Sanity and last Stamina while in Arkham? For example: You use an Elder Sign to close a gate.

Thank you!

--Kkat

Kkat said:

#1: If you have dice, gotta roll 'em. In combat, you can choose not to use your weapons.

#2: "If an investigator is reduced to both 0 Sanity and 0
Stamina at the same time, that investigator is devoured." (p. 17)

Some cards say you "may" make a particular check, and we generally play that the investigator has a choice not to roll those checks. Those cards also seem to specify what happens if you don't roll, good or bad. If the card (or rule) doesn't say "may" though, we always play it that you MUST roll.

As for deliberately failing a roll, I believe you can somewhat stack the cards against yourself. For instance, you do not HAVE to use a weapon, and you can shift your focus against fight or lore if you have enough anticipation of the situation arising.

We sometimes want to fail a combat check against a Byakhee, since it chucks you through the nearest gate. There may be other situations where it can be a benefit to fail a particular check.

Glasgow Scotland said:

I think you mean nightgaunt.

mageith said:

SHHHH! That Nightgaunt really, truly believes he's a Byakhee, and nobody has the heart to tell him otherwise

You are right -- I meant Nightgaunt.

I once remembered wrong on another occasion and referred to elusive monsters as "evasive" monsters.

I got some kidding on the forum -- members indicating that the monsters were refusing to answer questions in a forthright way.

Perhaps unrelated, but on the cards using may, I try to avoid reading out loud what happens if so and so, giving my fellow investigator(s) the precious choice of choosing without knowing the consequences.

Then youll love some of the otherworld cards from innsmouth. Longer encounter text with multiple choices like "do you enter the cave, or climb the mountain? If you climb..."

If a skill check is printed in the middle of a sentence, I read until the end of the sentence. Sometimes you know what the consequences of your actions are.

dj2.0 said:

Yes! Those are awesome. PERFECT for the "don't read until chosen" play style.