I'm having a hard time figuring out what happens in which phase (movement, Arkham Encounters, Other World Encounters etc). Does Combat happen in movement or in one of the Encounter phases? From what I understand, everybody's turn happens at once, so if two people move into a space occupied by a monster in the same turn, does only one person fight it?

Also, in which phase can an investigator try to close and seal a gate? Is that during movement or encounter?

Everyone's turn does not happen at once. Instead, the first player takes their Upkeep, then the person to their left takes theirs, then the person to the left takes theirs, and so on until everyone has taken their Upkeep. Then the first player takes their Movement phase, and so on through Arkham Encounters and Other World Encounters (there is only one Mythos phase). Then you pass the First Player marker to the left and start a new round. Combat with monsters that are on the board occurs only during the Movement phase, but if you get an encounter that says "A monster appears," you draw a monster from the cup and fight (or evade) it. Gates can only be closed during the Arkham Encounters phase, unless you have some special effect (like De Vermis Mysteriis) that states otherwise.

SPQR202 said:

Combat/evasion occurs in the movement phase, either entering or leaving the space with the monster. There are several possibilities depending on whether or not you are entering or leaving the space.

First, if you finish your movement phase in a space with a monster, you must either fight or evade it.

Second, when you attempt to leave a space with a monster you must either fight or evade it, but, once you begin combat, your movement is finished. So, if you are in a space with a monster at the beginning of your movement turn and choose to fight it, you don't move even if you win.

Finally, you can move through or out of a space with a monster, leaving the monster alone, only on a successful evade (this is essentially trying to leave the space). So, if your movement was 4, you could move 2, evade a monster successfully, then continue your last 2 moves. Or you could start your move in a monster space, evade, then move 4

In specific answer to your question, if two investigators are planning to move to the same space, the first one in turn order would battle the monster until a) the monster is dead b) the investigator is unconscious and sent to the hospital or c) the investigator decides to evade the monster.

If (a) occurs, then obviously, the 2nd investigator doesn't have to mess with the monster.

if (b) occurs, the 2nd investigator enters the space with the monster and then either fights it or evades it.

if © occurs, the 2nd investigator enters the space with the monster and then either fights it or evades it.

The only time combat/evasion occurs out of this sequence is when you get an encounter that says 'A monster appears'. In that case you fight or evade it as part of the encounter and whatever the outcome, the monster goes back in the cup.

If you get 'A monster and gate appear' the investigator gets pulled through the gate and does not deal with the monster, and the monster stays on the board.

It seems confusing to read, but in play it works quite nicely.

The gates are closed and/or sealed in the encounter phase according to the rules. However, I think a lot of folks kind of do it as soon as they pop out of a gate as an intentional or unintentional house rule.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Jay said:

no. if you defeat the monster, you keep the token (bar endless monsters), even during encounters. evading it, however, gets it back to the cup.

Taurmindo said:

That is correct, if you defeat the monster you keep it as a trophy. The point is that it doesn't stay on the board either way.