Hello everyone,

I am a long time player of Arkham horror and lurker in those forums, and I have quite a few questions which kinda pilled up, and I wanted to find some answers from people much more knowledgeable in the game than me.

1. During my group's last game we found this problem, I played as Roland Banks vs Nyarlathotep. since Roland gains 1 clue token each upkeep ( 2 with personal story) it is impossible to lose this combat.

As we beat Nyarlathotep in turn 1 this wasn't much of a problem, but is there an errata for this?

2. We had a player with Arcane Insight (an overpowered spell that somehow likes to creep into our games during setup phase), his Investigator kept on being driven insane (he had 4 madness card by end game). Now the question is: does being driven insane end your turn? (he went insane during upkeep phase). I am pretty sure that the answer is no, but any Insight or knowledge will be welcomed.

3. A player read the Y'ha-nthlei Special Encounter and argued that a player should be able to return there from an Other World regardless of if there is a gate there or not. I ruled that this is not true as the meaning was the you can only get there due to an open gate to your current Other World or through Devil Reef.

4. In my group's last game we added the lurker expansion and herald, a player got the bound ally pact (actually we all did) and then sacrificed said ally (I know how low can you get). Now what happen to the bound ally pact card does it remain in play regardless of the ally? (that is what I ruled)

5. I have seen this question asked in the past with no definite answer, what is the combat bonus of Sledgehammer? +4 or +3?

6. This question is regarding the ally Professor Rice, does a sealed location still count as unstable?

7. This question is about the Mask of Vice, this item seemed really powerful as you can just stand in the shop and gain a lot of items for free. Is there a limitation on the card? (you don't even have to have enough money to buy said item)

8. I have one final question about item gains vs item draws, several personal stories says that you should draw a number of a single type of item, so can a player just stand in the shop and draw without buying them until he gets the needed number? The king in yellow for example said that in a case you gain a unique item lose 1 sanity.

Sorry about the amount of questions, my group and I have been playing for years (around 3 I think) and we only had the Dunwich Horror and the old curse of the dark Pharoah, and then about 3 month ago I bought Innsmouth Horror and in within this month I bought The King in Yellow,The Black Goat of the Woods, The Lurker at the Threshold, The Curse of the Dark Pharaoh (Revised Edition) so we are in a bit of a rule overload.

As a group we like to play with all the expansions and things can get a bit complicated.

By the way my group really liked the new Guar.. Herald of the lurker we all fell so fast to temptation . We felt as there is no real downsize as long as we don't keep power when we don't need it.

Tibs style... GO!

1. His clue gaining ability does not works when AO awakens. Also, his personal story does not increases amount of clues gained per upkeep.

2. Your turn ends if you are driven insane.

3. You were right.

4. Yes. it remains til' the awakening.

5. +3

6. No.

7. You need to have enough money for item to use Mask of Vice to get it.

8. No, you can't. You need to get them.

Close... very close!

2. Even if casting a spell drives you insane, it still takes effect if the spell check is successful. Arcane Insight will still work. Things like Shrivelling and Red Sign still work, but since you need to make a combat check to use them, the point is moot.

4. Well... the Bound Ally card says it's "tied to the ally" so I think, as written, it should be discarded as well. However, this makes it less risky and more exploitable. I certainly play that a Bound Ally card remains in play. Whether or not it remains if the associated investigator is devoured or retired, I haven't decided. But, since the Lurker is the most exploitable herald, he really needed this boost. So, he had it coming.

5. As Trololo said. Specifically, +3 Combat if you're making a Combat check. +1 Fight if you're making a (non-combat) Fight check.

6. I used to think so but rumor's going around that sealed gates are no longer counted as unstable. Of course, a gate burst makes them unstable again. This makes the Dark Pharaoh environment that specifies "green diamonds" unique in this sense. Sealing a gate will make the location "stable" but will not make it a "green diamond."

7. I don't think, technically, that you need to have the money to use the mask. Yeah, this makes it POWERFUL. But I've never had a chance to abuse it outright, as I usually get it late and s**t is usually hitting the fan already. But, there is no shame in playing it the way Trololo plays it.

8. "Draw" means "draw and keep." "Gain" is a whole other thing. "Lose" probably means "lose possession of," particularly with Zoey's personal story (if you give the cross away you can't fail your story anymore??). I'll leave it up to your discretion.

Hello again,

Thank you for the quick reply

I need a few clarification about what you wrote.

1. Why doesn't Roland gains clues? each round against the ancient one does include an upkeep right? (you were right about the clue token my miss )

4. A small question about allies, should an investigator be devoured do his allies return to the box or the ally pile?

7. Tibs I sorry but I didn't really understand you (sorry English is not my first language) should an investigator have enough money in order to take a drawn item? and another thing does using the mask count as buying it? if not then you can basically get 2 item a turn by just standing in a shop.

8. Tibs you wrote here that "Gain" is a different thing can you clarify?

1. Yes, each round does include an upkeep but since he can never lose against Nyarlathotep, his ability should just be disabled for all final combats. This goes in line with the way that he can't gain money.

4. The allies are "discarded" like any item, so they go back to the pile.

7. From a literal reading, the investigator does not have to have the money in order to "Mask" the item. But there is no harm in playing that you have to have the money.

8. "Gain" is a hard one to pin down. For personal stories, "draw" means "draw and obtain." Gain usually does not include during trading between investigators, but sometimes it does. This is not an easy one to discuss, unfortunately.