I am new to this game but been playing Warhammer Invasion for a while. I like the LCC format. Just starting looking at this card game because I have started playing the board game. What do I need to get started? It seems this started out as a collectable but now a LCC. Would I been lost or not be able to put together a good deck if I do not have the collectable cards or would the LCC cards be a good enough play to start. Would I have to buy some of the 40 card decks 3 times to get enought cards. I had to with Warhammer, including the core sets until they starting the 60 card deck with 3 of each in it. I noticed this game has a lot of different decks that have been released. I would like to get started without spending an arm and a leg. Thanks.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

A smart first lump investment to get you to cruising speed might be two cores and the expansion. I know that's a ton of cash. But you're an old hand. You understand it takes a little something to graduate from skeletal games. You should not buy any black border cards if you're streamlining your purchase. Definitely (definitely) download the deckbuilder, and install the images. Then, you will be informed beyond the cards you own.

Shoes assertion seems about right. Having a Core (or two) and a Secrets of Arkham should give you a reasonable pool, with lots of cards that would go into several different deck types. The Asylum Packs tend to be more focussed towards certain strategies.

Even though the game started out as collectible, it depends on your meta if you want to include the old cards. If your meta is LCG only, you won't have much trouble. Getting the bare essentials, getting a feel and looking through the deckbuilder software to figure out what fits your playstyle seems like a good strategy.

If you've never played it, then I think a single core set would be sufficient to start. It will give you at least an idea of how the cards interact and the flow of the game. I think you'll really like the game after you've tried it. Then Secrets of Arkham, then whatever you want.

After long years, no longer will FFG release a card inserted only at a single for cthulhu. Food for thought when considering owning one of each card.

johnny shoes said:

What does this mean?

I think what Johnny is referencing is the new format of the Asylum packs. (These are the expansions for the game). In the old format, there were different distributions of cards - Triples, doubles, and singles, sort of like commons, uncommons and rare in collectable games.

However, they found that the players wanted three copies of everything, so the new Asylum packs (starting with the most recent cycle: YogSothoth Contract) have 3 of each card. So one pack takes care of a player's needs.

One question I had was with regard to "cycles," such as The Yuggoth Contract cycle. I have heard this terminology thrown about, and I just wanted to make sure: this game is not restricted by any kind of block format, is it?

Only the one restriction applies - CCG vs. LCG. The three AP cycles, and all white border cards, are all current. And, small detail, AP were inserted at 1 and 3 cards, but never 2.

The "cycles" are the terminology FFG uses for a set of 6 asylum packs that are associated with a common theme or story (or set of stories) from Lovecraft. To the game, it doesn't mean anything specific. But there is a common feel to the cards in a given cycle. And you'll see things like Dreamers and Dreamland Locations all come from the Dreamlands cycle.

And, yes, Johnny is correct as usual - there were no "2 of" releases in the APs. Sorry!

Welcome Drakson! Tell us what you decide and visit here often!

I think 1 Core and 1 Secrets of Arkham should have everything you need to get started. If you like the game and really want to have the same number of all cards then you can buy more cores later. Add the Asylum packs when you can.

If you are not a hard-core tournament type, a single core and one each of the Asylums should be good enough. I prefer highlander style decks (which having only 1 core set encourages) simply because of the resourcing decisions are more meaningful (and thus more thematic). But if you have to win no matter what the cost, then do what you need. I don't. I love tear-inducing choices.

I see tssfulk's point. Highlander is a highly respected type of card play. It is not, however, typical of us cultists. Resourcing in Highlander is certainly high stakes. That card is gone. Good deck construction and smart resourcing are certainly tools of hard-core tournament types. But, in truth, it is how most of us aim to play. Most aren't paying for three of every card. Those folks should still expect to have a good cthulhu experience. That said, according to each individual's tastes, a deck will probably come along where three cards are merited. With one of each card, and to much of an extent, with two of each card, one may be lessening that experience. It was crazy buying three cores. I felt like I was in posession of three winnebago's in my driveway.

I tried out the lcg format by only buying one core set. Even one core set can create fun games and lets you experience tha great mechanics like decide which cards to add as a resource and the great combat system (struggles).

We just play as suggested in the rulebook. As a former ccg player I also played the game tournament style but for me its just as fun as playing only the core lcg game

I am getting back into the game slightly for GenCon - I have most of the cards.

The new larger expansion had story cards in them - do they replace the existing set, or do you add them all together?

Any other changes I should know about? I will check the most recent FAQ but wanted to see if anything major or major bannings had happened in a year?

thanks!

The new stories from Secrets of Arkham are going to be the official story cards as of GenCon (and used at GenCon). They replace the original stories (don't add to them).

I suggest you get the FAQ 1.1 and review. Descendent of Eibon was nerfed to require 2 token removals instead of 1. "Nerfed" is too strong a term - it was right-sized.

Aspiring Artist was banned outright.

With any luck (?? don't know if I mean good or bad!) there will be a new FAQ before next week. There was an official request for unanswered questions (see the Rules sub-forum) and perhaps those questions will actually be answered before a World Championship is held.

Thanks! I had those 2 characters in my deck...so good to know. I saw the banning, but missed the Decendent nerfing (and, yes, he still seems good...wish they would have just made him unique).

Unluckily I also found out that the CoC Worlds is at the same time as Warhammer (or aGoT?) Worlds. I was hoping they would have the three on three different days, I had heard something about a 'all LCG Champion' thing, but must not have come to pass.

Last year there was only 1 or 2 decks at Worlds that did NOT have Descendent of Eibon. I wonder if that will still be true...

I don't like it when there are "must have" cards - takes some of the variety out of the game.