I just want to make sure I am playing out the struggles correctly.

Lets say I commit a card that has 2 terror icons. My opponent puts up a card that has none on the same story, but he has 3 combat icons. When going though the struggle I win the terror. So does that character go insane right away, from how the rules make it sound he does. However would my card still take the wound since I would not win the next struggle?

Your first reaction is correct. Each struggle is calculated and resolved before the next one is approached. So in your example, you would resolve Terror first, and you would win that struggle. If the opposing character does not have Willpower, it will go insane. This removes it from the story as well as flipping it over. NOw you resolve Combat, but there is only your character there.

TheProfessor said:

One slight change - if the opposing character does not have Willpower or a terror icon, it will go insane. Characters with terror are protected from insanity, even if they lose a terror struggle. I realize in this example the opposing character(s) doesn't have terror, but it's important to point out this rule as it's sometimes missed by new players.

Yipe said:

Ya did not know that, thanks for the tip. I am also trying to find a list of the effects like .monster .undead seems the rules only cover the basics like Willpower etc.

AmbiguousPackage said:

Don't confuse Traits with keywords. Keywords do something. Traits don't, but may synergize with other effects and abilities.

yeah its Traits that I am looking for is there a list of them?

Traits are not fixed - a new Trail could come out with any Asylum pack. They don't have any pre-determined meaning. Some cards will interact with certain traits, and that is when they become meaningful, e.g. "Lower the cost to play all Monster characters by 1…" would affect any characters with the trait Monster.

TheProfessor said:

Ah I see thanks

Yipe said:

As a new player, I missed that too. And now I know- excellent!

Thanks!

And knowing is half the battle.

Second question about the struggle resolutions and responses during them:

So I have a Dreamlands Fanatic (Response: After an opponent's character leaves play, put Dreamlands Fanatic into play from your hand) in my hand. I win a Combat Struggle, and wound an opposing character, killing it. Do I play the Response of putting the Dreamlands Fanatic in play before the Arcane Struggle occurs? Or do I wait until after all the Struggles are over and use the action window?

The rules doc is a little confusing, so I thought I'd ask.

I'm not sure what you find confusing, perhaps it is because the documents are kind of long and the FAQ is pretty involved, but here are the parts that matter

From the FAQ page 9:
(3.2) Resolving Stories
Resolving struggles and determining
success at all three story cards happens
all within the same “gray box” on the
timing flowchart. Thus, no actions or
responses can be triggered between one
story’s resolution and the beginning of
the next story’s resolution. The only
responses players can choose to trigger
are Disrupts, however Forced Responses
that apply to the situation must trigger
automatically.

Page 13 of the Rulebook shows us the boxes in question and clearly shows after all story struggles are resolved in the same box comes another box with "Response to struggle and success results may be played."

So there ya go. If you don't have the pdf versions I suggest downloading them. Word searching them will sometimes cause you problems but as long as you at least skim every instance of a word that shows up you'll find the one that addresses your question. Makes finding things a LOT easier.

Aha! The 'confusing' part was when I read that same paragraph, but DIDN'T read the "forced" part of the last sentence. Makes perfect sense now.

So to clarify: Any Responses that would be used due to the results of the Story Phase resolution all wait until after the grey box?

In a long, and unlikely example:

Terror Struggle: Agency Guy goes insane.

Combat Struggle: Syndicate Guy is wounded and killed.

Arcane Struggle: Miskatonic Guy is readied.

Investigation Struggle: Success Token is added

<end of grey box>

I play Sirens of Hell to destroy the insane Agency Guy.

I play Dreamlands Fanatic in response to Syndicate Guy dying.

I use Lodge Barkeep to exhaust Miskatonic guy.

I use Deciphered History to remove a Success Token.

Correct!

So when do you play something like Despair [After you win an Icon Struggle by at least 2 icons, choose a character without any Attachment cards on it. Return it to its owner's hand.]? Is that STILL after all of the stories have been resolved?

And as a followup, does that mean for something like Discarded History, you can only play it if the story wasn't won? (Meaning, if the 5th success token is being added you can't remove it with Discarded History to prevent the story from being won?)

Thanks for your patience. The hardest part to wrap my head around is the feeling of doing stuff, then later responding to the stuff that was done. Here's an extreme example: I have 3 Ocean Crawlers, and send 1 to each of the three stories. My opponent only defends Story A with a Mad Genius. Then the timing is (if I'm getting this right)-

Story A : Ocean Crawler v Mad Genius

Terror Struggle --> Mad Genius goes Insane

Combat Struggle --> no result

Arcane Struggle --> no result

Investigation Struggle --> no result

2 success tokens (Skill + Unopposed)

Story B : Just Ocean Crawler

Terror Struggle --> no result

Combat Struggle --> no result

Arcane Struggle --> no result

Investigation Struggle --> no result

2 success tokens (Skill + Unopposed)

Story C : Just Ocean Crawler

Terror Struggle --> no result

Combat Struggle --> no result

Arcane Struggle --> no result

Investigation Struggle --> no result

2 success tokens (Skill + Unopposed)

(Grey box closes)

NOW I play Sirens of Hell to destroy Mad Genius.

NOW my opponent plays Deciphered History to remove a Success Token from Story A.

I am I getting this right?

yes, i think it works like you say

Anything that says action or response may only be triggered before any story struggle resolution has happened (if the trigger has been met) or after all story struggle resolution has happened. Disrupts are the only player triggered actions that can be used during story struggle resolution.

So if it says Action: or Response: yes it must wait until all story struggles are resolved, which includes winning and resolving any triggered won story effects, and replacing any won stories.

Also remember that Pasive abilities and Forced Response are not triggered by players and occur immediately (following timing structure if there are any conflicts) even during stories, between struggles.