Hello all,

In my last few games I've come across a few questions I hope folks can shed some light on. If these questions are answered elsewhere I apologize. I've browsed the FAQ threads, but try as I might I can't seem to hold all those answers in my head.

First couple have to do with gate closing from effects other than moving through the other world the gate leads to. Some encounter cards tell you to claim the gate token you close as a trophy, some say not to claim it, a few don't say one way or the other. For instance, the science building encounter on this card: http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Image:MiskatonicU17.png

If an encounter doesn't mention claiming the gate as a trophy, do you do so?

In a more specific question, looking at the Other encounter here: http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Image:Gate2.png

You automatically close the gate you entered through. If you have the clue tokens can you seal it? This is in the other world encounters phase rather than Arkham encounters, where closing and sealing usually takes place. This has come up a couple times, and I've been playing it that if you become LiTaS because of the encounter you can't seal the gate, but if you return to Arkham you can. Is there a specific ruling on this one?

Next an investigator question. Harvey Walters has the Strong Mind ability, so he reduces all sanity losses he suffers by one. Does this effect spellcasting sanity costs? What about a situation like the upkeep cost for maintaining Call the Azure Flame, or the costs to use cerain items, like Flute of the Outer Gods? My logic on that is that those are not "losses" but "costs". I'm not sure I'm interpreting this correctly. Am I being to nitpicky with terminology? Some of the people I play with lump the cost and losses terms together.

For skills such as Disguise ( http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Disguise ) or other skills that use the same wording, if you only need one success, do you need to make the check at all? Does this allow you to succeed at a check that you normally wouldn't be able to pass? Once per turn, obviously.

Last 2 questions relate to specific cards. First The Messenger ( http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/The_Messenger ). If you discard this ally to avoid being devoured, what happens? Do you ignore outright the effect that caused you to be devoured? If you are taken to 0 sanity and stamina at the same time, for instance. Do you just leave one sanity and one stamina and move to the hospital or asylum? If you use this while Yog Sothoth is the ancient one and you are LiTaS do you immediately move out of LiTaS, or not enter it in the first place, perhaps?

Finally a hopefully simpler question, using the Sedanette ( http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Sedanette ) can you automatically pass the Evade check to encounter an elusive monster of toughness 1?

Thanks in advance!

Losses are not costs. Spellcasting is a cost not a loss. You're correct, the terminology is distinct. The gate questions are considerably more difficult to answer (I'll leave them to someone else).

For the evade check skill, yes, it would allow you to auto-pass if an evade check with difficulty one. Your modifier doesn't matter, it would give you one success regardless of how low it was.

For Sedanette, presumably yes (I'm not 100% sure though).

For Messenger, that's also a tricky one. It's being answered in the FAQ in progress... The basic guideline I can give you for how he works in the draft-FAQ (if I remember it correctly, it's been several months since I proof read it) is if a devouring is a continuous effect, he won't save you, but if it's a one time only devouring effect, he'll work.

I'm pretty sure the gate questions are in the unpublished FAQ, but I'll be damned if I go looking for it and through it for answers ;') Coltfan? Tibs? Care to help?

Joseph_Lavode said:

This has been discussed recently over on BGG. IIRC, it has (will be, come new FAQ) ruled that can't seal. Can only seal when you close the gate during your Arkham Encounter phase (and probably with Akachi + De Vermis).

Disguise says it gives you one extra success on an Evade check, and usually that's all there is and you can just say you passed without making the check.

However, Yibb-Tstll's ability requires two successes on an evade check, so in order to pass you'd have to roll a success as well.

If you have the dice, why not roll first and see if you need to use Disguise?

As for Sedanette, or anything else that says "automatically pass," you really don't have to make the check because the outcome is determined. You automatically roll the minimum number of successes required to pass.

Dam said:

I was under the same impression from reading the FAQ draft :' I'm not particularly happy with the ruling though, it feels like cards that were originally designed to help now end up penalizing players. I'm pretty sure (like 90%) that you get the gate trophy though (so that's something). Again, someone else want to confirm? As I said before, it's been a while since I read the FAQ draft so I'm just giving you gut answers here (which could easily be wrong).

Ok, thanks for the answers! Pity about that other world encounter though. That ruling changes that from a great card to a possible detriment.

I'm just going to ask in here if I come up with new questions, I think. Has there been an official ruling on the location encounters that have a gate appear, but don't mention a monster appearing? I remember there being some debate as to whether that's an unintentional ommision, and gates are always supposed to come with a monster.

Also, does this forum have any sort of a spell check? My spelling tends towards horrible.

Joseph_Lavode said:

Also, does this forum have any sort of a spell check? My spelling tends towards horrible.

Move your Lore higher next Upkeep .

Joseph_Lavode said:

I wish :'

Dam said:

Joseph_Lavode said:

Also, does this forum have any sort of a spell check? My spelling tends towards horrible.

Move your Lore higher next Upkeep .

I disagree ;') some of us need Luhck to spell correctly. Like luhck for instance, I determined whether or not there's an "h" after the "u" in it by rolling a d6.

Sadly, my Lore's highest possible value is 3 without skills or allies.

Hello!

I have a few basic and maybe stupid questions, but i haven't found clear answer in rules nor in FAQ...

1) When i enter a location with gate, it sends me to another world - do I draw Other World Encounter immediately in this round, or in next round?

2) When i enter a locaton with a gate and monster, must I fight or sneak monster and then I go through gate, or do I enter gate immediately?

3) After fight with a monster in a location - do I draw Arkham Encounter, or not?

Thanx much for any answer )

Chattusil said:

All three are answered by the Core Rule of Thumb of Arkham Horror: Follow the Phases (Upkeep-Movement-Arkham Encounter-OW Encounter-Mythos).

#1: Movement Phase, move to a location with gate, Arkham Encounters Phase, sucked in, OW Encounters, OW Encounter.

#2: Dealing with monsters: Movement Phase, sucked into the gate: Arkham Encounters Phase

#3: Dealing with monsters: Movement Phase, Arkham Encounters Phase, Arkham Encounter

Dam said:

thank you

A few questions about AO abilities now.

For Ancient Ones such as Ithaqua, Tsathoggua, or Atlach-Nacha that have an effect on environment cards (such as weather cards for Ithaqua) when those mythos cards come up you still resolve the rest of the card, correct? You don't simply draw a new card, but resolve the gate opening, clue appearing, and monster movement, and then discard it without the environment portion taking effect. I want to make sure I'm playing this correctly. I noticed with Cthugha that it specifically says to draw a new mythos card instead, and the other 3 are from earlier expansions and I want to make sure it wasn't a wording correction or something, but that Cthugha does work differently.

Next, I'm assuming that the -1 penalty to all skill checks leveled by Chaugnar Faugn for being in the vicinity of an Elder Sign stacks? For instance, if both the Unvisited Isle and The Unnamable have elder sign tokens, you'd take a -2 to all skill checks?

Lastly, for Zhar, the first part of his "The Twin Horror" rule states that "when a new gate opens, roll two dice. If doubles are rolled, immediately draw and resolve a new mythos card." If this new Mythos card causes a gate to open do you then roll again for another new mythos card? And then possibly again, if your luck is bad?

thanks!

Joseph_Lavode said:

Yes. For the trio, resolve steps 1-3 of the Mythos Phase (p. 9), discard instead of doing #4. For Cthugha, redraw completely.

Joseph_Lavode said:

Yes. Bigger question is what are you doing in Merchant District neighborhood after both locations have been sealed ?

Joseph_Lavode said:

Yes. You could wake him during the pre-game Mythos card draw step. I've thus far had very good luck with him, just 1 doubles in 4 games against Zhar (in 40+ gate openings).

(knocks on Avi's wooden head)

Dam said:

Picking up clues that still pop up on both the sealed locations?

Only one question this time... How does the bank loan work with Finn Edwards? Is it just to stop him from taking out another bank loan? He never has to discard items, so if he doesn't pay he doesn't lose anything, right? But then could never take out another bank loan, which is fine by me, as I think I've had sheldon gang memberships more than I've had bank loans

Ok, I guess that was more than one question, but all on the same topic

Right, the idea of Finn's bank loan is so that he doesn't run out and take one at the beginning of the game to get 18 dollars instead of his starting 8. The designers preemptively prevented bank loan abuse.

Of course, you could always just pick up two bucks and pay off the loan, but... why?

Tibs said:

No -1 to score. Woot !

Avi_dreader said:

I'd like to have a confirmation on this. This encounter came up in our game yesterday and we paused the game there (we would've paused it anyway soon, for it was getting late), as I couldn't figure out whether or not sealing was possible. The investigator in question has 6 clues and failed the Speed check - if it is possible to seal the gate only if he returns to Arkham, he will certainly use that extra Clue to try and succeed in the check, but if it's not possible to seal the gate in any case, he'd rather just get LitaS.

So, how is it written in the proto-FAQ? Can the investigator seal the gate he automatically closes through this encounter?

-Villain

Villain said:

I'm almost sure that the investigators can't seal auto-closed gates. I think it's a stupid ruling though ::sigh:: I'm at school and don't have the proto-faq here though, so I can't double check.

For the OW encounter: "You've completed your mission but now must leave" or whatever, you can't seal that gate, according to the FAQ draft.

Tibs said:

Thanks for the confirmation. I hope this ruling won't change when the actual FAQ is published, for we intend to continue the game next weekend.

Of course, it'd be even better if the long-awaited FAQ finally appeared before next weekend.

-Villain

Villain said:

Given how long it's been, that seems unlikely, at best