Hi all, noob question (sorry!)

I've just jumped in with both feet and picked up one of every release from the core set to the latest mythos pack.

I'd appreciate some getting started advice.

Should I just crack open the core set and work through it or bust all the packs open and pool the cards?

I'll be playing solo so also wondered whether I should grab a second core set and combine from the start or play through with one first?

Any tips on which packs to use and how to organise the stuff would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Dan

Well it is generally recommended to get a second core so that you have 2x of the cards and can make more reliable decks. As for playing with the entire card pool or not, that just comes down to your preference really. Generally, after you play a scenario you can upgrade cards from your deck to new XP cards, or swap cards out (putting in a new zero XP card still costs 1 XP in the rules). Several of my play groups decided to house-rule ignore that rule so we could more easily get to play with the new cards as they came out. Now that there is a solid collection of cards, I'd personally suggest you play with your entire card pool of player cards and just role from there.

Having access to all your card pool from the start isn't going to enable anything game breaking because all the best cards still cost XP. This just gives you more options on your original deck builds as well as what to spend XP on.

As for organizing, I'm not a "sleeve the entire encounter deck" kind of guy and just sleeve the Agenda/Act cards. These (and the rules/story insert) act as the divider for each scenario in my card box. All the "common" encounter cards that you get from the core and Dunwich that get reused in various scenarios I place at the front of the box and just search through it as needed when setting up a scenario.

I haven't played solo myself, but I hear Roland, Jenny, Ashcan Pete and Wendy are all REALLY good at solo.

@slothgodfather Thanks very much, that's very helpful. Good to know that accessing all the cards doesn't break the game. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in.

3 hours ago, Slothgodfather said:

Now that there is a solid collection of cards, I'd personally suggest you play with your entire card pool of player cards and just role from there.

Having access to all your card pool from the start isn't going to enable anything game breaking because all the best cards still cost XP. This just gives you more options on your original deck builds as well as what to spend XP on.

Agreed, and if you want to get into deckbuilding right away, you should definitely pool all your cards. Using just one core set really doesn't provide much as far as deck building decisions. Although you may want to just play at least the first scenario with the recommended starting decks, just to get a feel for the rules and how everything works, in which case you won't need anything beyond the core set (and the Dunwich deluxe, if you choose a Dunwich investigator).

I started with one core set, and the game is still very playable and very fun. Decks will just be more inconsistent because you may not have 2 copies of some of your important cards. If you're sure you are going to like this game (which you seem to, since you've bought quite a bit), a second core set is definitely recommended. But starting with only one will still work, and having the player cards from the mythos packs will help as well.

I just store my cards in the white 500 count BCW cardboard boxes (though I've designed and printed some art to make them look spiffier). The 500 are good because they fit an entire cycle, even sleeved, and have room for dividers if you choose to make some.

Ashcan was very good for me solo, and I think Roland is always a good first choice.

My recommendation is to use the starter decks for your first play through. They are not good decks, but they do you give you variety. Plus, how are you suppose to know how to build a good deck before you have played the game? Then I would build with the entire card pool from all the expansions.

Get a second core even if you are solo.

Those are balanced and helpful thoughts folks - thank you!

Personally I didn't have access to everything at first and so had no choice but to build with what was available. I've come to see that as a blessing because then on additional playthroughs my options have expanded and been different. It has made for a better replay experience.

Not that there isn't already good variety just by switching investigators, so either way you'll have a great time.

Have fun. I like deckbuilding but for me the best part of this game is the initial run through and getting the story the first time. So much fun and so unique in my collection

I wouldn't think you'd need a second core set when playing solo.

And definitely use all the player cards available to you. No need to limit yourself!

13 minutes ago, Adira said:

I wouldn't think you'd need a second core set when playing solo.

Well, you gain a lot of consistence by gaining access to a 2nd copy of all class-specific player cards.

2 minutes ago, Khudzlin said:

Well, you gain a lot of consistence by gaining access to a 2nd copy of all class-specific player cards.

I thought the core set already had two copies of all the class-specific player cards? (I have two cores, so I don't actually remember what was available in just one)

Nope, the core set has multiples of the neutral cards but the class cards it only has one of each, to get a full playset of each card (2 copies) you need a second core set.

All the other products, deluxe expansions and mythos packs have two copies of each card.

I think too much is being made of the 'need' for two cores. We only have one and have never been frustrated we didn't have another. A 'complete playset' is, as far as we have needed, whatever came in the core.

I've now had a chance to play through the three core scenarios. One core set and all the expansions. I don't think I was missing the need to double up on any cards I wanted to use, but then the final scenario well and truly kicked my butt so who knows!!

Looking forward to trying again.

It is a fantastically well structured game - and the story is great!

The game is barely playable with only one core unless you don't care about deckbuilding, which is like half the game.

The game is quite playable with just one core, however you will be quite limited if you plan to play mystic or seeker as having only one of some of their best cards limits your options. However if you have one of everything else that may not matter much, especially if you plan to play only solo. I would recommend a second core set for no other reason than if you have someone visit and they say: "hey whats that?" you have enough cards to help other people learn.

Completely agree on not needing 2 core sets for 1-2 investigators. With all of the Dunwich cycle out, there's plenty of investigator cards to build good & interesting decks for any non-overlapping set of investigators.

If you want those extra copies of machete, shriveling, etc., and you feel like spending 40 bucks for them, go for it. I'd rather spend that cash on more campaign content.

12 hours ago, Aaron Foss said:

Completely agree on not needing 2 core sets for 1-2 investigators. With all of the Dunwich cycle out, there's plenty of investigator cards to build good & interesting decks for any non-overlapping set of investigators.

If you want those extra copies of machete, shriveling, etc., and you feel like spending 40 bucks for them, go for it. I'd rather spend that cash on more campaign content.

This topic comes up all the time and it's always the same. Someone asks if they need 2 cores and someone answers truthfully that a second core expands the deckbuilding options. Then it's followed by people who cannot afford a second core trying to convince the rest of us that the game is just as good with one. It's not.

lol, to you it might not be. On the other hand I can see how people would have a lovely time playing the game with a single core. (I have 2 cores by the way just in case you attempted to pigeon hole me as well).

Deckbuilding is just not the be all and end all of playing the game. Two cores just gives you more options and more consistency it does not mean your games will be 'more fun' or 'more exciting'. It isn't a 1v1 competitive game where having a deck firing on all cylinders makes you more likely to win and you could even argue that using those deck building options would mean you should play at a harder level of difficulty to get the same experience others have with less cards in one core.

9 hours ago, Meretrix said:

Other people enjoy a game differently than I do so I will say that they are objectively wrong and I will attempt to deride their opinion of what is and is not fun by implicating that the only possibly way they could think/feel as they do must be because they are 'poor' and that having less money than me means they are bad.

Sigh.

OP asked for our opinions and I gave mine. I am sorry that anyone got upset by being reminded of the empty experience a single core offers. Anyway, have fun with your starter decks. lol

I am sorry that anyone got upset by being reminded of the empty experience a single core offers

rofl - good grief it would be so easy to take the p out of your ridiculous attitude - I shall resist temptation.... On the OP I feel they have seen enough of your posts to know what value to put on them.

That particular poster has proven their worth in multiple posts across other threads in the past, and continues to do so now. Best advice: put the useless waste of time on ignore. Your days will be better.

(I foolishly clicked "show this post" to see what you were responding to, and could not resist. Humans are fragile things, and prone to make poor choices)

For the record my empty experience has been a HECKUVA lot of fun!

I am going to try the approach of buy some of the first few expansions, but only start with the base set and slowly move forward, as though I had bought the game when it was first released. That way I get to know the cards and get the opportunity to really learn the game. Otherwise I could see myself becoming overwhelmed by the choices. My friend and I are still playing the base set of Android for the same reason!