I just got AH about a week and a half ago. It's been played a few times and I, along with my friends, love it. We haven't quite seen all the content yet, and have not battled every ancient one; there's still mystery left for us. However, the idea of an even bigger playing space (add-on boards) is hard not to look at.

Anyone have a personal favorite? Why?

well im very new to this game, its only my second play tonight but the general feeling is wait until youre winning about 60-70 per cent of the time,.................or get a big box like dunwich or insmouth lol

hokay, If you're really interested, skim a few pages, there are about a zillion threads like this one. If you want my opinion, as far as the big boxes:

Innsmouth is the best, followed closely by Dunwich, followed by Kingsport.

Top marks for innsmouth for the increase in difficulty and the amount it adds to the game. Seriously, it's a lot. You're practically doubling your available investigators and adding a whole host of new AOs too. Personal Stories are in general, amazing and well done. There are a few gripes of course, mostly about investigators that we were hoping would get a power up with the stories who simply didnt (kate winthrop is the best example here, Vincent Lee as well). Still, for your other 30 investigators, the personal stories are great. Innsmouth mechanics are very cleverly done as well.

Dunwich is very nice, and lets you play with the DH herald, who is a very fun herald (printout available on the support page) and a good 'intro' to heralds in general. Injury/Madness cards are to die for. Dunwich spells help to give a bit of a boost to beleugered casters, so very good spells in this expansion. Innsmouth has no items, therefore no new spells.

Some laud Kingsport because it was an expansion made with a built-in anti-dillution system: IE, the basic mechanic of kingsport never is dilluted no matter how many expansions you have mixed into your mythos deck. Well, there are two reasons for this. One of them is simply that Kingsport doesnt have any unstable locations, which means that there wont be any gate dillution like can occur with dunwich. IMO, this isn't a benifit, it's a flaw. The second reason is the rift mechanic, which, while clever, is no more 'anti-dillution' in itself than the Innsmouth mechanic of the Deep Ones track. All kingsport really does is occupy one investigator's turns. I'm not impressed. While it's true that there are a few AOs and Investigators here that might compel you, I really wouldn't understand why anybody would get this expansion instead of Innsmouth. The one selling point to Kingsport is that it has Guardians, who are kind of like anti-heralds, and can be used to mediate the difficulty of heralds by giving you some benifits. Kingsport is the only expansion with Guardians.

Now then, while I maintain my ordering as far as the best expansions are concerned. If you were to ask me what expansion you should *buy* first, my order would probably change to Dunwich, Innsmouth, Kingsport. Innsmouth might be a little difficult for people who are a bit newer to the game, and Dunwich will get you used to a lot of the mechanics that are present in Innsmouth. I also maintain that there is no reason to play a spellcaster if you're playing with just the spells from the base game, which is sad, because I have always had a thing for magic. Dunwich gives lots of love to the spell deck, whereas Innsmouth doesnt.

awp832 said:

Pun intended, I'm sure .

Hehe, of course it is. =)

MegaDestroyo said:

I'd say get Dunwich first. Then Kingsport (it comes with alot of useful components and the ever so fun Epic Battle cards), even though it's not as good as Dunwich or Innsmouth, it will be a bit of a disappointment if you get it last. Finally Innsmouth, the icing on the cake :')

Avi_dreader said:

Pfft, just skip KH and get 2 small-boxes for the same price .

Dam said:

Bah, don't listen to Dam, he is insane. The miniboxes are far inferior to Kingsport. I would rather have Kingsport than all three miniboxes. Although it would make me sad to not have them all ;.( Dam has no heart, hence his lack of feeling for Innsmouth, hence he can not be sad. Or bleed. Or so I've heard it said.

Avi_dreader said:

Why you trashing IH ?

No heart is still better than no brain, so I got that over Avi .

Dam said:

DAM YOU! DAM YOU TO HELL!

Edit: Oooo wait, this comeback is better. No brain is better than no Kingsport. ::Cough cough:: >_> Okay, maybe not.

Kingsport, I meant Kingsport. Blah! ;') I just woke up from a worthless nap about fifteen minutes ago (whenever I started posting)... Excuse the grogginess.

Hmmm...

Quite a bit of information. I suppose I'll stick with the base game for a while longer. From reading about the expansions I've concluded that Innsmouth sounds the coolest. Thanks for the input, I'm sure any additional content to this already great game will be sufficient.

MegaDestroyo said:

There are a few problems with Innsmouth (particularly if it's your first expansion). It doesn't have items, spells, allies, or skills, and the new monsters that come with it are the weakest of the three box sets. It is a lovely expansion, but I wouldn't recommend making it your first.

If you want a cheaper alternative that does not change the base game much, then go with Dark Pharaoh. It adds location cards to the basic Arkham set up. King in Yellow is next, but it can make the game a lot meaner.

For the big boxes I would buy Dunwich first. Then your choice after.

awp832 said:

This isn't true. Innsmouth's mechanic, while supported partly by blocking gates (which is a universal mechanic), is also partly supported by monsters entering Innsmouth vortexes. Adding expansions will show a noticeable decrease in the number of monsters entering Innsmouth vortexes, and therefore the activity of Innsmouth's Deep Ones track. Adding expansions will not noticeably slow down the Kingsport track, as every expansion has an almost equal number of Mythos cards that are compatible with the rift mechanic.

I fully agree with everything awp832 says concerning the big boxes.

I just want to add that as far as small expansions are concerned, the best option is, for me, King in Yellow, far above CotDP and BGotW, for different reasons.

KiY adds a new herald that brings some fun new mechanics (while making the game generaly harder - a commom theme with most if not all expansions). It makes for a quite lively and interesting game. Bring ye terror up! Blight is fun!

CotDP is thematically consistent, but mechanically it is essentially more of the same. Most new mechanics are not very interesting or very innovative. Some cards have rules or wording issues that prompt for the use of a FAQ.

BGotW has some interesting ideas (corruption and cult membership), but even when combined alone with the base game is far too diluted for you to notice it is there. The herald somehow mitigates this by making corruption more likely to appear, but it also changes gameplay in a way that is not to everyones taste, as the AH is practically ensured to wake up in every game.

I don't want you to get the idea I don't like CotDP and BGotW. They are good, but I like KiY much more. I own all AH expansions and would promptly buy any one of them again if I "lost" it somehow (yes, even Kingsport has some cool stuff hidden inside...).

Tibor

Seriously, there have been about sixty threads like this... we've got to set up a sticky thread where everyone can just rank the expansions and explain their reasons.

For me, the order to buy the expansions is this:

1. Innsmouth Horror - the best balanced expansion board. It will do something in every game.

2. Kingsport Horror - the board itself does bugger-all, but the new cards are ace, plus you get the Epic Battle rules.

3. Black Goat of the Woods - the herald itself is the only unifying feature of this expansion, otherwise it's just a pile of moderately cool stuff.

4. Dunwich Horror - tonnes of good new cards, but the board itself is unlikely to ever be a serious threat.

5. King in Yellow - new items are nice, new Mythos cards are nice, but there aren't really any new rules.

6. Curse of the Dark Pharaoh - it's great fun, but mainly because it was designed by a mad monk who lives in a wine barrel. Many of the cards have mistakes or don't make sense! And it adds a lot of annoying little unique special cards which aren't part of proper decks. And the Exhibit Items sound cool but aren't as powerful as it seems like they should be. [sigh]. If only someone would make a proper full-size Ancient Egypt-themed expansion with lots more Exhibit items. How great would that be? A man can dream.

Ranking from yours truly:

#1: Dunwich

#2: Curse of the Dark Pharaoh

#3: Innsmouth

#4 (tie): Black Goat of the Woods/King in Yellow

and only if you're feeling completionist

#6: Kingsport

#1 Innsmouth: By far FFG's best effort since sliced corpses. In fact its best if there are no other expansions used. Adds much Horror feeling and adds pleasure because there is allowed some control of the horror by the players. Even with other expansions added, it does add some urgency. Innsmouth's denizens are not very friendly and get more unfriendly the longer the game goes on. Has some interesting investigators and some very tough and creative Ancient Ones.

#2 Dunwich: A lot of fixes from the base game are included and lots of cards added, especially investigator (little) cards. It too is best if no other expansions are included. Otherwise is just adds more gates (which was important and necessary) and the ever intriguing madness and less intriguing injury cards. Adds more Ancient Ones and Investigators. Dunwich is actually an amalgamation of several stories and several themes. The Dunwich Horror is usually easily prevented from coming into play if players pay attention. On the other hand, he's the toughest monster in the game and you may want to let him arrive just for the thrill on Sentinel Hill.

#3 King in Yellow: Carries its theme very well. Makes the terror level significant with Blight cards and also incites the terror level to rise a bit faster. Has option to use only King in Yellow Mythos cards which will give you a run for your money. You've got to play it that way at least once. I play it that way a lot. Does not add Ancient Ones or investigators.

#4 Curse of the Dark Pharaoh. Great theme and use of theme and doesn't add much difficulty, in fact, may even make the game slightly easier due to very powerful exhibit items. Others complain of badly worded cards, but I say just let the first player make a ruling and get on with the game. Adds all sorts of encounter cards, investigator cards and allies. Does not add Ancient Ones or investigators.

#5 Kingsport. Adds some interesting investigators and Ancient Ones. Rift mechanic is clunky. Has an above array of strong monsters. It adds difficulty without adding an equal amount of pleasure. Adds Epic Battle cards that makes the base Ancient Ones more formidable. I'd buy it again, but don't play with it as much as the others.

#6 Black Goat of the Woods. Corruption cards and Cult encounters are new but clunky and have little effect without the very tough herald. Adds several tough stationary monsters and some weak monsters. Needs work. I could have easily lived without it.

I already stated my opinions. I just want to restate that I think making Innsmouth a first major expansion is a mistake since your item decks are going to be too thin. It makes it too easy to win by digging for Elder Signs in the unique deck. I also think that the monsters Innsmouth adds are mostly boring. That being said, I love Innsmouth, but I think making it your first expansion would be a mistake.

I'm with Avi. Everyone who claims Innsmouth is the best...is actually right, but ALLLLL of them are saying that AFTERRRR they bought all the other expansions. Do you all think Innsmouth would be so fantastic if your Investigator decks weren't bursting with all those cards? Let's not ignore the psychological whomp that Innsmouth came after months of lesser expansions for most of you grognards; you all had time to build up towering levels of anticipation.

DO NOT get Innsmouth before Dunwich; you NEED the DH cards first!

jgt7771 said:

Thanks for the backup (I would thank Dam too, but that's against the rules). And a note to you Dunwich Naysayers:

Colour Out of Space

Goat Spawn

Hunting Horror

Mummy

Rat-thing

Spectral Hunter

Star Vampire

Tcho-tcho

Wizard Whateley

Wraith.

No other expansion adds monsters of this caliber. Not even close.

Yeah, Innsmouth is the most exciting board, but so what. You're going to play with weak monsters and no madness and insanity? Blah.

I'm not even mentioning the Dunwich Horror ;') ::cough cough:: DUNWICH HORROR!

The base game and Dunwich Horror together are very exciting and challenging if they are the only components you use, particularly if you play the Dunwich Horror herald too.

jgt7771 said:

I stick with Innsmouth for two reasons:

1) It's by far the very best expansion.

2) It was designed to be played without all those bursting cards. (Though the very best card, the Elder Sign, will be more prevalent and will probably make up for any shortage of Swords of Carcosa or Flamethrowers or whatever bursting cards you think you'll be missing.)

And there's no reason to wait for ALL the other expansions. Two of the other expansions are really hardly worth having and certainly not before Innsmouth.

Dunwich is OK as the first expansion but as soon as you do you are beginning the short road into dilution. It will be diluted by other expansions and will dilute the other expansions.

Besides I thought you were a limited expansion player??

Your last argument is your best argument. But I'm not sure why you'd want others to go through the same heck of playing disappointing expansion after disappointing expansion before playing the best. Life is too short.

If after you've grown weary of Innsmouth, then buy the other expansions for some variety.

And there's no reason to wait for ALL the other expansions. Two of the other expansions are really hardly worth having and certainly not before Innsmouth.

I only said Dunwich before Innsmouth. I never said to buy anything else. Everyone else gave enough reasons for or against each.

Dunwich is OK as the first expansion but as soon as you do you are beginning the short road into dilution. It will be diluted by other expansions and will dilute the other expansions.

Besides I thought you were a limited expansion player??

I am a limited expansion player--I rarely play with the Dunwich Board or Mythos decks anymore, because Innsmouth is that good--but that doesn't mean Investigator cards, which are actually a LOT more exciting when it's not the same guns and skills and allies all the time. 10 different skills? YAWN. A game without Madness/Injury? YAWN. Avi has a serious point about the monsters. A cup full of Shoggths, Proto-Shoggoths, and Deep Ones? YAWN. The only reason our Monster Cups work is because they actually have more than a few monsters in them. The Dunwich AOs and Investigators are good advanced training before you shove the expert Innsmouth ones all over the base game ones.

Your last argument is your best argument. But I'm not sure why you'd want others to go through the same heck of playing disappointing expansion after disappointing expansion before playing the best. Life is too short.

Someone could very well hate Innsmouth as being a pain in the ass without all the other expansions before them. Life is only that short when you have to wait. WE had to wait; THEY don't, and their experience may not be yours if they don't share your months of disappointment. I'm not saying they should, by any means, but you're recommending the deep end without ANY dogpaddling. That feels a bit mean.

That feels a bit mean.

It wasn't meant to mean. Not everyone has loads of cash to spend on expansions. Maybe they can only buy one. Why not get the best first. Innsmouth is tough but not nearly as tough as the Black Goat Herald nor as tough (apparently by the stats) as Kingsport. Both Dunwich and Innsmouth will throw the new owners for a loop for a few games but probably by then, playing only the base game, those folks will feel invincible.

I'm not saying Innsmouth is the only choice, just that's it the better choice. You are even agreeing its the best expansion. "Everyone who claims Innsmouth is the best...is actually right, but ALLLLL of them are saying that AFTERRRR they bought all the other expansions."

With a caveat which may not really be a caveat. Maybe Dunwich is better after we bought all the others and maybe its the bunches of cards that does that, but we don't KNOW that because we already had bought all the other expansions! I just know that when I bought Innsmouth I took everything out except the base game and Innsmouth really, really worked and gave me the feeling (experience) that Lovecraft's best stories give. When I diluted it with other expansions lots of that was lost. Dunwich doesn't do that for me. King in Yellow did when I playing the touring version but it suffers from the same problems the base game does in terms of solving the Arkham gate puzzle.

I suppose most players are all-inners and for them Dunwich first is the way to go, but not all players are all-inners and are looking more for an experience than a mere game. If so, Innsmouth first IMO. If they buy Dunwich or the other expansions first they may not last long enough to experience Innsmouth. Now that would be a shame and that would be mean.