I just got CoC:LCG core set today and was digging through the cards and rulebook when I noticed some things that confused me. Hopefully you guys can point out whatever I'm missing:

1) The rulebook says decks must consist of at least 50 cards, and the initial set-up mentions using 2 factions and a neutral card packet. However, factions are usually only 20 cards each, and the neutral packets are 7 cards each, making only 47 cards. Do the three domain cards (taken from non-used cards) count towards the 50 total? What about the Agency and Miskatonic factions, which have 21 and 19 cards respectively, and thus screw up that math?

2) How do conspiracy cards fit into the deck-building math as well?

Or am I just looking too far into this, and it's really just about making a deck using whatever cards you want, and that initial set-up stuff is just a suggestion for the first game?

Welcome ninjaneer, you're doing great. Core set. Good start. Enough cards to form two decks even with the neutrals? I forget. Likely not. But you get the point. Deck building is a journey. You'll want three of some cards. Three cores! Well, you could pick up a few AP, Asylum Packs, with 3 X 20. You need to download the deckbuilder and correctly install the images. Then you'll be so hooked on cthulhu, we'll have lots more to discuss. Then you have the power to know what to buy next.

Conspiracies are rectangular and look like story cards. In actuality, they are beer cards. Play one each time someone stops for a beer or a smoke or a restroom break. Like Tentacular Spectacular, the promo of old, you must first yell out "Amelia," "Grassy Knoll," or "Jello Box Prosecution" or "Tommy Chong," something like that. It is good as a coaster or carrying ashes to the sink and has been known to win an important game or two. Welcome. ia!

johnny shoes said:

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As it is written, so shall it be.

The 50 card minimum does not include domains or story cards. Conspiracy cards act like story cards but are included in your deck so they count toward the 50 card minimum. I suggest you play with 40 card decks (and allow a reshuffle if you run out of cards) if you are testing the game out by only using x1 of the Core set, or pick up one of the two mini-CORE sets: Secrets of Arkham and/or Order of the Silver Twilight.

For clarification, what Tokhuah calls "mini-Core", Fantasy Flight calls "Deluxe".

Ninjaneer said:

Once you've got the hang of things, you can start to get more cards and actually custom-build your decks. Then you can create decks using zero, one, or more factions. That's when the 50 card minimum and the maximum of three copies per card becomes relevant.

As long as you're playing casually, everything goes (if all players agree).

The discrepancy in card numbers for Agency and Miskatonic is because of Steve Clarney which has been incorrectly printed as an Agency card. Playing casually, you can treat Steve Clarney as a Miskatonic character since that's the faction he was supposed to belong to. Officially, though, it was ruled that he now belongs to Agency, though, imho, that was one of the worse decisions FFG made.

Nicely explained.

Hey, we should be due for that promised replacement MU Clarney.