I'm just wondering what peoples experience with spells is. Generally I try to not to use them because they drain sanity. Assuming a character has no money (and Caroline's not playing) using a spell means wasting a turn in the asylum per spell cast. So is playing as playing as a 'sorcerer' plausible? or does that just lead to insanity? As it is someone like Dexter is almost useless, because of the constant sanity drain. Any tips here?

You could refer to Arkhamwiki.com to proxy the personal stories of your investigators (your observation about Dexter makes me think you don't have Innsmouth). Additionally, high San characters are still good spellcasters, especially Harvey because he reduces the San loss of encountering monsters, so he has enough for spells.

Finally, spells draining San is completely thematic and coherent with HPL tales, where using arcane knowledges often brings to insanity.

In terms of gameplay, spells are more the thing you use under special circumstances (for instance, Find Gate, or other utility spells like Astral Travel, Alchemical Process, Control Gate, Sigil of Hermes Trismegistus, and so on are more helpful than "combat spells")

Goblin981,

Julia's spot-on with regard to spells vis-a-vis HPL's stories, and if you haven't read a few, definitely do so. For me, I came to AH as a 20+ year RPGer, so in my games, there's still Sanity loss as that's the price you pay for Eldritch power, BUT only if you successfully cast it. You'll hear variant ideas from all corners, so choose how you want to play, and Happy Gaming!

Cheers,

Joe

Spells are free if they aren't successful? I get the thematics of it, I have read a few of the stories.

Yeah I only have the core game.

Spells are free if they aren't successful?

According to Joe's houserule, yes.

According to the rulebook: no.

You also have to remember that spells have a certain thing over your average weapon: they are magical, and since many monsters have physical resistance/immunity, sometimes that spell is going to come in super handy. Also they combat spells have some of the highest modifiers in the game for when you need to kill the super extra scary monster.

Another note is that being driven insane is not the end of the world. You don't have to stay topped off in your healths to still be effective, and if you do go insane you spend two bucks and you keep chugging next round (since monster fights happen during movement and healing is during the encounter, its all during the same round).

According to the rulebook on page 16, once you're driven insane or unconscious, you have "no further encounters this turn." So basically your turn ends. Which would mean that you would have to wait until the next turn to heal.

According to the rulebook on page 16, once you're driven insane or unconscious, you have "no further encounters this turn." So basically your turn ends. Which would mean that you would have to wait until the next turn to heal.

Good call. I guess MF got confused with Madnesses and Injuries. According to the base game rules, unconscious / insane means losing half of your items, half of your clues to be restored to 1 stamina / sanity. If you want the full recovery, need to spend one turn at the Hospital / Asylum and 2 dollars to be fully restored.

Are all spells transferable or only the ones that specifically say, "you or another investigator".

For example when a spell say you can turn one physical weapon into a magical weapon, does the weapon have to be one of that investigator's weapons?

Active player only, otherwise it's stated on the card