Greetings all.

I had, until recently, resisted the urge to get into any collectible/LCG card games, even ones based on my favorite (CoC) game license.

But, broke down and got the CoC core set this week and played a few games yesterday, using the 2 factions + 1 neutral set suggested in the rulebook. As might be expected, first couple of games had a few hiccups (exhausting committed characters makes a big difference ), but by the last one I'm pretty sure we were getting it mostly right.

However, even after combing the rulebook again and reading the FAQ still had a couple of things I wanted to double check.

1. Support cards with passive effects have no time limit and do what they do until the card is destroyed/removed somehow (like the altar that gives all your controlled characters +1 Skill)?
2. Actions that only have a resource cost (like Ygolnac's "ready a character" or Slavering Gug's "cause a wound") can be used repeatedly, as long as you have the un-drained domains to pay for them?
3. In reference to #2 above. There is a place in the FAQ ("However, since Jack "Brass" Brady is no longer in play and is thus an illegal target, the Slavering Gug' is ignored and discarded without effect"), that makes it sound like you discard a card if you use it's action. I'm completely misunderstanding this, right? Or did I miss something kind of important in the rulebook?

Thanks in advance for your help

Hello,

I will try to resolve your doubts the best i can.

1- Yes, they have no time limit and are always active. For example, there is a Cthulhu's support card that destroy every Character with printed value 1 or less. That will destroy the Extortionist before he can actives his Response.

2- Yes, if there is no limit, you can use that kind of abilities as many times as you can.

3- What you read was:

"For example, if Darrin plays the
triggered ability on Slavering Gug (Core
Set F124) on Tommy’s Jack “Brass” Brady
(Core Set F61), Tommy may choose
to use Jack “Brass” Brady’s Disrupt:
action, which would return him to
Tommy’s hand. Assuming both players
subsequently pass, the Slavering Gug’s
ability now resolves. However, since Jack
“Brass” Brady is no longer in play and is
thus an illegal target, the Slavering Gug’ is
ignored and discarded without any effect."

The last part says that the Slavering Gug' ability is ignored and discarded (from an imaginary pile of actions) without effect.

Thanks for the response Loprw!

Was pretty sure on the first 2, but that FAQ entry was throwing me. Just seemed such an odd way to put it, that it made me wonder if I was missing something important (like that "imaginary pile of actions" you mentioned). All makes sense now, thanks again

I'm going to pile on to this "new player/questions" thread. Do you resolve all 3 stories before passing for actions? The "Detailed Turn Sequence" at the end of the rulebook is a little fuzzy. To clarify:

Resolve Story 1

Response to struggle/success

Actions

Resolve Story 2

Response to struggle/success

Actions

Resolve Story 3

Response to struggle/success

Actions

-----OR-----

Resolve Story 1

Resolve Story 2

Resolve Story 3

Response to struggle/success

Actions

the second one. You resolve all stories, and after they are resolved there may be responses to the resolution of a story. After all stories are resolved there is an opportunity to take actions.

Another way of looking at it is on Page 13, you have to completely resolve a box before you move on to the next box.

OK, so followup question:

Say I succeed in completing two stories during the process (ignoring the 'flip the next story anytime you complete a story' part).

So I chose to resolve the story text immediately, or after all the stories are done?

Additionally, if there are LOTS of things happening due to story resolution (Wounds, Insanity, Story Effects) all of that happens without the chance to use actions, until all 3 stories are resolved? I assume that "responses" can interrupt the sequence?

Example (keep in mind I'm just guessing at effects for examples):

Story 1

Terror - Drive character A insane.

Combat - Wound/Kill character B.

Arcane - Ready character

Investigation - Add token

Win Story/Story Card Effect - Destroy all characters with skill less than 2.

Story 2

Terror - Drive character C insane

Combat - Wound/kill character D

Arcane - none

Investigation - none

Win Story/Story Card Effect - Heal all wounds on all wounded characters.

Story 3

Terror

Combat

Arcane

Investigation

No Story Card Effect

Response to struggle/success

Actions

So, with this sequence, I could (?) uses a Response to making a character go insane, take a wound, or resolve a Story Effect, but I can't use an Action until everything is done?

HomerJ said:

When you get into the Story Phase (see page 9 of rule book), the active player picks one of the stories to which he has characters attached. Then at that store, the Terror, Combat, Arcane, Investigation, and Success (skill) struggles are resolved. (Note that some Conspiracy cards have different struggles than this). The loser of Terror makes a character go insane at the end of that resolution. The loser of Combat wounds a character next, the winner of Arcane readies a character, etc. If someone has won the Story at the end of the resolution, that story effect can happen (choice of active player), and the card is replaced.

After resolving that first story, the active player picks a different story to which he has characters committed and proceeds. And so on for the third, fourth, or whatever is appropriate in terms of committed characters controlled by the active player. (There can be more than 3 story cards if Conspiracy cards are in play).

After all stories have been resolved there is a window for Responses to be played. After that Actions may be played, but not before this. Story resolution shuts down all Actions (except appropriate Disrupts). This is indicated by the green box on page 13 - green boxes mean no actions (other than appropriate Disrupts) may be played.

TheProfessor said:

Wanted to highlight this for all you new cultists and servitors out there. THIS, right there, is really really important. The game can and most likely will change dramatically if you don't do this part right.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stories Resolve ( Disrupts can be used during resolution)

Resolve all Response and Forced Response s. (to anything that happened during the story phase)

Then players can use Action s. (Whole new opportunity to mess your opponent, but cannot be done until after everyone is done resolving their responses to stories)

Then end/pass turn.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is quite possibly the number one thing I see newer players get mixed up (including myself). And that mixing up can really mess with the game balance. So... glad this was brought up.

From the FAQ, " Forced Responses should always trigger immediately, whenever the circumstances of their text would indicate."

A Forced Response will trigger even during story resolution, where no action could be taken.

Penfold said:

See how easy it is! Pen is right. I mistyped. My apologies (doesn't do any good to point things out if I don't do it right /facepalm).

Fixed PSA:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stories Resolve ( Disrupt s can be used during resolution and any applicable Forced Response s that trigger)

Resolve all Response. (to anything that happened during the story phase)

Then players can use Actions. (Whole new opportunity to mess your opponent, but cannot be done until after everyone is done resolving their responses to stories)

Then end/pass turn.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See.... very important!

can characters and support cards be played during any phase where actions can be played? Also, can you explain locations in their entirety?

No. Characters and Support cards can only be played in the Operations Phase. During this phase they have timing like Actions in that the passive player can take an action after a character or support card is played, but they are not actions. Note that some characters have special abilities that allow them to be played at different times, but otherwise only Operations Phase.

Locations are simply support cards that have the subtype Location. They are played during the Operations phase and have whatever abilities they state on the card.

so locations stay in play unless otherwise stated?

Also, each action phase is a back and forth between both players in which the player whose turn it is gets first play?

just wanna make sure this is right. and thanks!

Zandor said:

Yes, locations stay in play unless they are destroyed by some event, or otherwise stated.

During an Action step players alternate taking actions (if they like) starting with the Active player. When both players pass in a row that Action step is over.

awesome. I think I am ready now. thanks!

All Support cards (Locations included) stick around until destroyed by some effect. That's their strength.

Event cards can be used at any time, which can surprise your opponent and upset their plans. That's their strength.

So you're sort of balancing the reusability of Support cards versus their drawback (compared to an Event) that your opponent sees 'em coming.

All rules of course can be broken if the card has special text to override the usual way things work.

several clarifications:

1.) If a character w/ toughness has a wound and you remove its toughness, does it die?

2.) When playing a card such as Restless and Wary(Action: REady all exhausted characters), is that literally all or just yours?

3.) I understand that a dot before a name means unique, but what do the black faction icons to the left of the character name mean? What if there is more than one?

Thank you!

Zandor said:

I can at least answer this question. Cards with faction symbols in their title are known as Steadfast cards. The symbols are part of their cost. In order to play such a card, you must have at least that many matching resource symbols total (they don't necessarily have to be on the domain you drain to pay the card) in order to bring that card into play from your hand.

For example, you have the Sword of Y'ha-tallo in your hand which is a zero cost support card with Steadfast 2 (2 Cthulhu faction symbols in the title). In order to play this card you must have at least 2 Cthulhu resources attached to any of your 3 domains. You have 1 Cthulhu resource attached to domain A, 1 Cthulhu resource attached to domain B, and zero Cthulhu resources attached to domain C. In this case, you meet the Steadfast criteria for Sword of Y'ha-tallo and can play your card. One thing to note about this example, because you are playing a zero cost card, it doesn't matter if your domains are drained or not. As long as you have 2+ Cthulhu resources showing, you can play Sword of Y'ha-tallo for free.

And just in case my long-winded explanation only served to confuse, you'll find the rules for Steadfast on page 12 of the core rulebook, first paragraph on the left.

I hope that helped and happy gaming!

P.S. Regarding your first question: "Is a wounded character with Toughness +1 destroyed if you remove its Toughness?"

In short, yes. The rules for Toughness are found on Page 12 right below the rules for Steadfast. The rules don't specifically state removing Toughness destroys a wounded character, and I couldn't find anything in the FAQ, but perhaps someone else will come along with a page reference to put the final stamp of approval on my answer.

Zandor said:

Zandor said:

2) Effects always literally apply to every applicable card, no matter who controls them, unless the card actually says otherwise, i.e. "ready all exhausted characters under your control".

3) This is called 'Steadfast'. It means that in order to play the card you must have at least as many resources of the displayed faction spread across your domains, i.e. in contrast to 'Loyal' it's not required that the domain used to pay for the card (if any) has all of the resources from that faction.

awesome and thanks!

A quick follow-up: The rules for wounded characters with Toughness/Invulnerability being destroyed when they lose those abilities are found on page 7 of the most recent FAQ.