Hello people, this was something that happened in a game a few days ago.

I was playing with the Insmouth board and I drew Tsathoggua as the ancient one. The game was running as usual (which means bad) when to get things worse a gate opened in Devil Reef. No problem, I just get an investigator to take a boat and... Wait. Tsathoggua ability Malaise says that only the three shops of arkham plus the asylum and the hospital abilities may be used. So Tsathoggua was hungry... and that means I can't sail the seas???

I know that he came before the Insmouth expansion, so things weren't planed that way but, is there any errata about this or is another big "in your face" combo of the game against you?

I think the consensus is that you're disallowed from using location special abilities that say "may," and I think that includes chartering boats.

Tsathoggua's lethargy affects everyone, so nobody can be bothered to offer a ride.

I agree with Tibs (technically Malaise only applies to location abilities that can be "used"). In practice, I ignore Thog's ability for Falcon's Pt.

See, we don't ignore it we just factor in that it might happen and plan accordingly. Not being able to reach Devil/Yan isn't an auto loss. Generally we aim for seal victories, so not every gate is closed and that just means you have to keep a closer eye on the Deep One Rising track than normal. Added to which it doesn't neccessarily mean you can't close the gate.

De Vermis Mysteris, Gate Box, White Ship, Astral Travel - the methods to close or access that gate are numerous and that's before the various encounters that can shift location to Devil's Reef.

We just see it as a challenge!

Also note that you can return to a gate on Devil Reef or Y'ha-nthlei by entering the appropriate Other World through another gate.

But yes, it's brutal.

avec said:

Yeah, I'd agree with this. Thog was designed before Innsmouth and you need to take that into account. Otherwise anyone with a headache can easily climb Kingsport Head.

Jake yet again said:

True ... but they couldn't do anything once they got to the top. The ascent would be easier, because the main "prize" for achieving it would be unavailable.

Re: Falcon point:

VinceT is right: there are ways to deal with an offshore gate without having to go through the Point. And even if you can't get to a gate to close it, you can still win the game some other way, or indeed lose some other way.

Thog may have been designed with no knowledge of Kingsport/Innsmouth, but the reverse also applies: Kingsport/Innsmouth were designed with full knowledge of Thog's effect.