So, it's my guess that they'll release a third big box expansion, and another little box.

I came up with an idea that it would be nice if the next little box expansion was geared toward those who play with all expansions at once.

I sort of get the feeling, from a design point of view, that the expansions are mostly tested in isolation (might be wrong on that, but it's the impression from the sometimes less than eloquent way they go together, and the fact that the small and big boxes are made by different teams).

So, it would be neat to do something along the lines of "Munchkin Blender." A small box expansion that would help the game run better when playing with it all.

Ideas might be to:

introduce a different Ally-setup mechanic, so that you aren't having everyone but 11 of your over 22 allies leave town at the beginning of the game (actually, I think something like the Dark Pharaoh's rule might work)

add more Act Cards, so that they are actually a threat if you have a skyscraper mythos deck

Any other ideas? What do you think of this idea in general?

- More gates at Dunwich locations and other mythos cards that help to avoid the dilution of adding all expansions (e.g. more cult encounters for the black goat expansion). Maybe a few elder signs and other items

- The two heralds available on the website so they look the same instead of printed.

All of the above, but additionally add a ways to get the relics from CotdP more regulary.

kilrah said:

Agreed. I don't have CotdP so I didn't think about it. They could also include a manual with "If you have expansion X and Y, add these cards:".

I find the biggest problem with using all the expansions is the skyscraper decks for Mythos and Outer World cards. I'd rather see them as being limited in some ways, like rules for the removal of x amount of cards, or something. The same problem occurs with the many of the items -- there are just too many. Perhaps for every big-box after the first, every time a player "shops" they draw an additionl card for each BB expansion. That way, if we are playing with Dunwich, Kingsport and "Innsmouth," we draw 5 items and purchase one at the General Store and the Curiostity shop, and four spells at the Magic Shop, etc.

JerusalemJones said:

Heh... It's good that the item decks are tall... Otherwise it's easy to fish for items you need and exploit the game dynamics ;')

The taller the better, in my book. Need me a man servant to shuffle my cards though...

-glam

I like my current Unique Item deck. When shopping normally, there is a 1 in 8 chance of drawing an Elder Sign. Since I use 4 investigators, if all head to Curiositie on the first turn, there's a 50% chance of getting an Elder Sign (though shuffling sometimes clogs them at the wrong end of the UI deck). That's if all investigators have $5 (I only head to CS with 5, unless using Pete to re-buy King in Yellow) and can reach it. Generally though, I'll be lucky if I see 1 Elder Sign during a game, making each one feel that much more special (or Unique if you will). Which is what they should feel like IMO. There shouldn't be Elder Signs galore (though calling 4 galore is a bit much), any game that features 3 or more tends to become too easy.

kilrah said:

I forgot about that one. That's a great idea. They could add more Exhibit Items as well.

Quizoid said:

::Shrug:: if you want to see exhibit items more frequently (while keeping them rare), make a house rule where you roll a die whenever told to draw a unique item (with the exception of starting equipment and shopping), on a one, draw an exhibit item instead. It'll still keep the exhibit items fairly rare, but they will see *some* play (perhaps one or two per game) as opposed to almost none at all.

Avi_dreader said:

Plus, when using the Dark Pharaoh Herald, you don't want too many Exhibit Items!

Shnik said:

Pfft, just make sure you're Michael McGlen and already Cursed ! Or just roll a success to avoid getting Cursed (yeah, that's not for me).

I had a similar desire to synthesize the various elements. My answer was to create new tasks with Payoffs that include rewards from all the expansions. I now have a deck of 45 tasks, each with two alternate Payoffs.

I'm still working on artwork, but if you like the idea, you can take a look at the text of the cards here: http://sites.google.com/site/arkhaminquiries/

Ophryon said:

Speaking of which, I played the game yesterday and remembered one other thing that might help, and actually it's off topic, so maybe I'll start a new post on it, but I think something could be done about Tasks and Missions that make them matter more (especially missions).

I also agree with Eddie and Kilrah about Relics, Cross-Expansion activity (Act Cards, Cult Activity, Dunwich Board).

I appreciate either a small box or a big box expansion that helps the rest of expansions to work better as example:

+ Clue tokens (For playing with hypnos or very easy we ended using the cats and eihort tokens as more clue tokens)

+ Rift tokens (so there isn't always black moon, but you can get other rifts as white moon, square, cross, etc...)

+ Dunwhich cards, to help against the dillution of the set when all expansions are together

So, basically, more things to increase the fun factor of the set and that may bring monsters that give wounds as "penance for failing" to make them more used (and annoyng)

Since its an all out set, you can add a few of each set, in case someone doesn't have the other expansions they can still use things.

Who could be the evil that gives you a wound when it moves on its slumber? Discuss. (Between Hi!)