These are some issues I can't seem to find in the rule book after looking several times. I'm sure it is there but FFG isn't really known for intuitive instruction manuals.

Item limits toward skill checks?

Amount of times a skill can be boosted (past +2 do you just get +2 and +1 tokens?)

When a gate opens do we add doom to the doom track?

Monster Limit?

Any benefit to defeating monsters in empty locations with no reckoning effects?

Expedition encounters seem to be less lucrative than other world encounters, is there some benefit to them that I am missing?

For mysteries when halving the player amount do you round up or down?

Thank you for any of these clarifications if you are able to reply an answer.

These are some issues I can't seem to find in the rule book after looking several times. I'm sure it is there but FFG isn't really known for intuitive instruction manuals.

Item limits toward skill checks?

"He may use one effect that provides a bonus (for example “Gain +3 Will”). If multiple effects provide a bonus, he uses only the highest bonus. He adds any “additional dice” he gains from effects that apply.

Additional dice are cumulative and are in addition to other effects." - Ref Guide page 11

Amount of times a skill can be boosted (past +2 do you just get +2 and +1 tokens?)

"If an investigator improves a skill and already has an Improvement token for that skill, he flips that token to the “+2” side instead.

An investigator cannot improve a single skill more than twice." Reference Guide - Page 7

When a gate opens do we add doom to the doom track?

Nope.

Caveat: "If a Gate cannot be spawn because the Gate stack and discard pile are empty, advance Doom by 1 instead " - Ref guide page 7

Also potentially useful: "When the Omen advances, move the Omen token the indicated number of spaces clockwise around the Omen track one space at a time. For each space it enters, advance Doom by one for each Gate on the game board that corresponds to the current Omen." - Ref Guide page 9

Monster Limit?

Not like Arkham has them. The only limit is how many are in the game and hitting it has no bad effect.

"Monsters cannot be spawned from the Monster cup if the Monster

cup is empty. Set aside Monsters cannot be spawned if all set aside

Monsters of the named type are on the game board." - Ref guide page 3

Any benefit to defeating monsters in empty locations with no reckoning effects?

Not that I know of. Unless, of course, that monster itself is causing problems.

Expedition encounters seem to be less lucrative than other world encounters, is there some benefit to them that I am missing?

I've found them to be more lucrative but getting out to the wilderness can usually be tricky.

For mysteries when halving the player amount do you round up or down?

"If an effect references “half ” of a number, round up to determine the final number." - Ref Guide page 10

so a 3 player game is indeed hard mode like I thought. just as hard as a 4 player game but with 25% less ability to do anything.

Yep. This game is hard. A few notes on the points above.

Weak monsters are mostly worth defeating so they go back to the cup, so you are more likely to draw them in the event of a monster surge or sudden ambush.

Expedition encounters seem mostly like wild goose chases to me, although I may be wrong.

Well, the chief reason to go one expedition is to move back the Doom track and to gain Artifacts. It's pretty much the only consistent method of getting Artifacts. Moving back the Doom track is nice, but considering the time and risk involved it's likely to be a wash.

Some artifacts can be positively game changing. I found that spending a round or two going after expeditions can really help my chances. Especially if Leo is in the team.

Some artifacts can be positively game changing. I found that spending a round or two going after expeditions can really help my chances. Especially if Leo is in the team.

Some artifacts can be positively game changing. I found that spending a round or two going after expeditions can really help my chances. Especially if Leo is in the team.

Some artifacts can be positively game changing. I found that spending a round or two going after expeditions can really help my chances. Especially if Leo is in the team.

expedition also retreat the doom track. also can be important!!!

If I can take a "drive by" Expedition then I will, but until something makes it specifically worth my while to chase Expeditions they are going remain a minor interest in the game. Which is a shame, 'cos I like the actual Encounters. I understand what people say about Artefacts and retreating Doom, but passing the Encounter isn't a high enough probability that sharing a few less powerful Assets around wouldn't be more effective (plus I don't want Artefacts to become EH's "Elder Sign"), as for retreating Doom, I'd rather spend less effort to prevent it advancing in the first place. Closing Gates is better bang for buck IMO.