Hello! I'm a CoC fan who played a very little bit years ago and I'm looking to maybe get back into the game. I've read all about the new LCG format and I understand my old black-bordered cards are no longer tournament valid but I'm very willing to trade that in return for not having to buy boosters and chase rares.

Is there any sort of faction primer describing the strengths and weaknesses of each faction, perhaps along with some sample decks? My experience in CCG's is actually very limited so any help would be greatly appreciated. I actually get interested in getting back in from playing Elements online which has a nice beginner tutorial and sample decks for all factions plus various user-submitted decks with notes and I'd love to find something like that for CoC to help me start getting back up to speed.

I'd like to stick with Miskatonic, Cthulhu, Shub, Hastur, and Yog, I'm not that interested in the other "human" factions. I'm willing to go either mono or two-faction, probably preferring two-faction actually as I'd get more options on how to build my decks. What are some of the suggestions on which of these factions make good pairings?

Is Lackey the best way to play online?

Anyway, thanks for any advice you can give!

I don't think there's any more recent guide than the one done for the CCG:

www.chris-long.com/cthulhu/articles/faction-guide.cfm

As far as I can tell, the information in this guide is just as relevant for the LCG.

Welcome dboeren

The Articles List, link above, by Chris Long (and Xedric and all the other dudes who contributed) remains a vital information center for the game. For newcomers especially, it is highly recommended. It's great that it is still active. May it stay so.

There's also a tutorial video that's highly commendable. Who's got that link?

And install the deckbuilder.

Thanks to all who make Lackey work for cthulhu. I've not yet played my first Lackey game.

johnny shoes said:

www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/media/front-page-player/player.html

awesome FFG video tutorial, just scroll down until you see CoC on the right a few videos down

Lackey works just fine, it just requires a few minutes to get a grip on it.

As for CCG (black border) cards, indeed you'll not be allowed to use them in LCG tournaments, except when they have been reprinted in LCG (white border) in the Core Set (pay attention that some of them have been changed when re-issued (most spectacular example: Steve Clarney who changes from Miska to Agency!) .

However, we tend to play sometimes CCG decks or even mixed (CCG+LCG) decks. Not sure if tournaments for these will be organized, but we do play them locally. Of course when you use CCG cards in LCG decks (or mixed decks) you'll need sleeves with opaque back.

There are several tournament formats, though. Stahleck had a 'mixed border' format tourney in the mix, as well as 'highlander' and 'peasant' formats, each indicating a certain subset of cards to be used (or in case of mixed border: almost all of them, except from a couple of banned cards.)

Setting up a group of new players, it's easiest to keep to LCG 'White Bordered' format, since those cards are more easy to obtain, and it keeps a level playing ground. But if your group wants to go nuts on older formats, go for it!

Marius said:

Could someone please explain these terms to a poor newbie? i.e. Highlander, peasant etc.

oldthrashbarg said:

Sure thing! Highlander -as in: "There can be only one!" - is a format where any card can be used, but with a limit of 1 per deck, instead of the usual 3. Often, the 'Highlander' format will include blackbordered cards, but since you have only one copy of each card, it's harder to make degenerate decks.

'Peasant' refers to a 'cheap deck' format. Before Call of Cthulhu became a fixed-product LCG, it came -as with many customizable card games- in random boosters, with each card having a 'rarity.' Most games going with the random model have high-demand but rare cards. To equalize the playing field, the 'peasant' format allows only cards in the 'common' rarity level, ensuring that every player with a reasonable collection has access to the same cards.

The latter format becomes moot in an LCG-only environment though: Since packs are 'fixed' now, everyone has equal access to the same card pool. With the change to the 3x20 packaging in future sets this will become even more true, as there will be no difference between people who get 3 of each Asylum Pack, and people who get one Asylum pack, as it is now.

Note that different playgroups have different interpretations of the diverse formats. If you have doubts on the format, just contact your total Tournament Organiser, or 'Servitor' or just discuss it with your group.

In casual formats, 'kitchen table games' where there are no prizes, anything goes offcourse, as long as you have fun.

Okay...now I posted the same question over in deck construction, but I didn't notice this thread until now. I plan on buying the starter box today, can anyone give me a list of good "starter" decks that I can make with just the starter box? Also, what Asylum packs would be good to get for starters? Is there any other way to play online? Lackey never seems to have anyone using the Cthulhu mod...

mechspike. answered your other post,

hi db you do get about eh, lol.

well like you i had the old ccg, personally (this is my opinion ) so far the ccg was better and had more feel to it, but im sure this will change as we get a bigger card pool.

i would still go for your old factions and 2 seem to always work well together rather than 3 in a deck, not impossible though as im sure you already know, we are trying at the moment to play online via a web cam, its better really and if you keep your decks in view no cheating,lol.