If 1 of the above things happen to an investigator, what do you do if you only have 1 item? Does that get discarded? I ask because you can't get half of one. Thx in advance.

If you've only got one of something left when you're told to "discard half," you discard it.

I know this is the case for items, and I suspect it's the case for other things (like money) too.

It is a special rule put in place to prevent players from taking advantage of having one item and going constantly insane or unconscious.

Tibs said:

Really!!!

I've always taken it that you do not discard the odd half!

From the AH rules on Page 16 under "Investigator Status, Insane/Unconscious in Arkham"
"He must immediately choose and discard half of his items and half of his Clue tokens (rounded down), along with all retainers (if any)."

I've taken this to mean that you round down on the number of discards. So if you had 1 item then you try to discard 0.5 item, rounding down means you therefore discard 0 items.

Same with items and clues when Insane or Unconscious in an Other World, plus money when Arrested.

Do you mean an exception was created to change the rules to stop players taking advantage of never having to lose their last item? Or have I read the rule wrong?

An explicit exception was made when you have one item left. Yeah, that doesn't follow from the literal reading.
Anyway, I've tried searching the forum for reference to when that was announced and I can't find it .

So you should continue to play that "lose half of 1 thing" means "lose nothing," at least until I find it. ****, I keep winding up looking foolish in front of xris.

Tibs said:

Personally I'd say play to the rule's as written and just make sure you don't exploit the situation when you only have 1 item. If you are constantly looking for ways to exploit the mechanics of Arkham then I'd say you were missing out on the gaming experience.

Sometimes you are going to lose...

I appreciate the alternate interpretation, but I'll never relinquish one item if the Investigator goes unconscious or insane. By the way, if you can exploit the game with one item, you're an Elder God and should find harder games to play.

The Professor said:

It's pretty easy, in a multi investigator game you can arm the 'street sweeper' character with 1 good weapon. That way they can engage in combat with no real penalty. Go insane? Go to the asylum, next turn move immediately back to that monster and have another go with no real consequences.

I can fully understand an amendment to the rule to stop this but I would rather just not exploit the rules.

It is like every time I read a thread along the lines of "the game is broken because character X can get items Y and Z to become invincible" - Just because you can does not mean you have to..

Krawhitham said:

But if the option is there, and it is legal, why not? Where do you draw the line for what is "exploiting"?

What if you're the kind of person who doesn't like to exploit stuff but you're playing with someone who does?

Krawhitham said:

The consequence is a wasted turn - there are times when that is not an insignificant thing.

Tibs said:

Then I throw that person out of my game and send him to YOUR house.

Tibs said:

The Professor said:

jgt7771 said:

<lurker mode: off>

Hey, all, I'm going to back Tibs on this one.

Being forced to discard your last item (let's face it, in most cases a weapon we feel we can't do without) when driven insane or unconscious serves to make those few items that can't be discarded unless the player allows it (e.g. derringer) that much more valuable, even though they're rather weak in the greater scheme of things. If I recall correctly, that was, in fact, one of the reasons for the adjustment of the "discard half your items (round down)" rule.

However, I'm of the opinion that this exception should not apply to money or clues, only items.

I don't remember where I read this being explicitly stated, so I have no textual evidence to back this up, but I do remember reading it in the not too distant past.

<lurker mode: on>

Thanks, Avi and Istvan, for at least confirming that I'm not totally insane.

Right, the "discard one when only one" is meant to make "cannot be discarded" more meaningful, so it doesn't need to apply to money or clues. Discarding your last item would be the exception, and not the rule.

Glad someone else remembers this discussion.

Tibs said:

It took me a moment to figure out what you were talking about, but sure. Our brains are wired to make us remember that we were responsible for something when we can't remember who it actually was.

Tibs said:

Wellll, I don't know if the explanation for that rationalization was *that* simple. I mean, I was obsessed with that clock, and I did send the link to other people (I just forgot that I wasn't the original source of it). I'm pretty sure I've never attributed myself as being the cause of historical events when I couldn't remember who did what on a history test ;'D

Tibs said:

I've found it for you!

Avi posted this, saying it would be included in the coming FAQ (at that time FFG allowed him and Tibs to speak about this):

Q: If an investigator who has only one item is knocked unconscious or driven insane, does he lose that item?
A: Yes, unless some other game effect allows him to keep it (for example Finn Edwards’ [iH] Holdout ability).

The thread is here

Thank you! Well, the FAQ was (is) subject to change too, so that may not wind up being correct in the end.

Yep, sure, but for now I prefer playing in this way!

Avi_dreader said:

that would be me. Really! Its always ME!

dj2.0 said:

Wait, are you taking credit for my taking credit?! Because that really was me!

;')