Arkham Horror Signups and Discussion Thread

mi-go hunter

Here is a thread related to all things Arkham Horror! Rules questions, signups for games, and host signups, will go here.

Waiting List
GrimmyTOA
Shiny New Toys
Kilnaga
Void Slayer
stever777
El Skid
Cerberus

Hosts
mi-go hunter
Farangu
Daemonis (Taking a break)
Nullzone (Taking a break)
Majestic Goat (AFK)

Inactive List


Please keep in mind that there are many who wish to immerse themselves in the insanity that is Arkham Horror for the first time. If there are many new players waiting on the list, veterans should keep them in mind when signing up frequently and consider taking a break from AH to give them a chance to play.

HOSTING RULES:
Nothing formal, really. If anyone plans to host a game, my OP or Nullzone's and the decks on handtracker are tools that are available to make hosting easier. I have also made a spreadsheet to keep track of the game status such as items, monsters, etc. If anyone wants one, just PM me your email and I will email it to you. You can also use Nullzone's Google Docs. Thank you!



TO HOST A GAME.

GrimmyTOA

So, expansions: the good, bad and ugly?

I think that the two best additions to the game are the injuries and insanities (when knocked out you are returned to full life but draw a permanent malus to one of your stats, and if you ever draw two identical maluses your investigator is devoured) and the personal stories (little quests that you can go on that provide a permanent bonus once completed or a permanent penalty once failed. They do a lot to make the characters more even).

Nullzone

Yeah, I have Dunwich Horror and it adds a lot to the game I think. The personal quests are interesting goals to strive for and the injuries get you back in the fight much quicker (you also feel less like you're losing momentum from the first time you die; not losing clue tokens is pretty huge).

GrimmyTOA

Nullzone wrote: »

Yeah, I have Dunwich Horror and it adds a lot to the game I think. The personal quests are interesting goals to strive for and the injuries get you back in the fight much quicker (you also feel less like you're losing momentum from the first time you die; not losing clue tokens is pretty huge).

Definitely. The best thing about injuries for me is that you don't spend a turn and a half recovering from them. There's still certainly a penalty (a scary one) for dying, but it doesn't come in the form of missed opportunities to do stuff.

As for the quests, I love the fact that they can make a pretty marginal character (like Dexter Drake the magician, whose skill set is not great in the base game) into a real powerhouse (by negating sanity loss from spellcasting if he finishes his quest). On the other hand, some of the really powerful characters' quests have very small bonuses and huge penalties for failure (right up to being devoured). It makes things a little less uneven. Whereas in the base game I'd always take XX over Dexter, with the quests I'd give it some thought, at least.

Cerberus

I guess I'll sign up again...
Though I totally think there needs to be a newbie list so they get picked first each time.

mi-go hunter

Cerberus wrote: »

I guess I'll sign up again...
Though I totally think there needs to be a newbie list so they get picked first each time.

Er... any idea on how to implement that? It might be already too late since some AH players from last game got into Nullzone's game. In any case, I will create the Common Courtesy Rule:

Please keep in mind that there are many who wish to immerse themselves in the insanity that is Arkham Horror for the first time. If there are many new players waiting on the list, veterans should keep them in mind when signing up frequently and consider taking a break from AH to give them a chance to play.

Daemonis

Please sign me up.

mi-go hunter

GrimmyTOA wrote: »

Nullzone wrote: »

Yeah, I have Dunwich Horror and it adds a lot to the game I think. The personal quests are interesting goals to strive for and the injuries get you back in the fight much quicker (you also feel less like you're losing momentum from the first time you die; not losing clue tokens is pretty huge).

Definitely. The best thing about injuries for me is that you don't spend a turn and a half recovering from them. There's still certainly a penalty (a scary one) for dying, but it doesn't come in the form of missed opportunities to do stuff.

As for the quests, I love the fact that they can make a pretty marginal character (like Dexter Drake the magician, whose skill set is not great in the base game) into a real powerhouse (by negating sanity loss from spellcasting if he finishes his quest). On the other hand, some of the really powerful characters' quests have very small bonuses and huge penalties for failure (right up to being devoured). It makes things a little less uneven. Whereas in the base game I'd always take XX over Dexter, with the quests I'd give it some thought, at least.

A couple of Personal Stories falter a little though, by being a little too crippling. I love the concept and I play with Personal Stories every time, but a few (such as Wilson Richards which is basically an autofail) irk me. Especially when a few characters that are handicapped by a difficult PS are not OP characters.

Injuries are excellent. It forces the investigator to make the difficult decision of whether to take a potentially crippling Injury or Madness or discard his/her items (which leaves less to chance). I ban retiring from my games though, since it's a cheap way for a weak investigator to leave the game.

Surprised no one mentioned Epic Battle cards. The level of intensity and unpredictability it adds to Final Combat is pretty awesome. Epic Plots give weak AOs (like Nyarlathotep) more teeth I think. Not to mention EB cards somewhat counteracts the tactic of "gather weapons and clues and wait for the AO to awaken".

Nullzone

As far as the newbie list is concerned, I just took the top 8 names off mi-go's reserve list. A few of those people have said they're willing to reserve, though, so if there's someone who's still waiting for a game that didn't get to play last go-round then they're welcome to join mine.

I haven't heard of Epic Battle cards! Which expansion are they in?

Majestic Goat

!signup! for future available games
Epic Battle are in Kingsport I think, then more are added in couple of expansions

mi-go hunter

MG is right, you get Epic Battle cards from the Kingsport expansion. You get more AO plots from Innsmouth expansion, and Miskatonic expansion adds more EB cards.

GrimmyTOA

mi-go hunter wrote: »

Injuries are excellent. It forces the investigator to make the difficult decision of whether to take a potentially crippling Injury or Madness or discard his/her items (which leaves less to chance). I ban retiring from my games though, since it's a cheap way for a weak investigator to leave the game.

Surprised no one mentioned Epic Battle cards. The level of intensity and unpredictability it adds to Final Combat is pretty awesome. Epic Plots give weak AOs (like Nyarlathotep) more teeth I think. Not to mention EB cards somewhat counteracts the tactic of "gather weapons and clues and wait for the AO to awaken".

Epic Battle Cards! I totally forgot about those. Yeah, they're awesome. You can't count any AO out with those things around (if only because you know that the "everyone's devoured and the game ends" card is lurking in the deck somewhere).

Ditto on retiring. The only valid retirement in my games is the one where you run headlong and naked at that Shan for six or seven turns hoping to get devoured. If my players want to spend their time doing that, they're more than welcome to. I usually don't actually play, I just run the game.

mi-go hunter

GrimmyTOA wrote: »

The only valid retirement in my games is the one where you run headlong and naked at that Shan for six or seven turns hoping to get devoured.

That sounds unusually fun. In a masochistic way.

Majestic Goat

mi-go hunter wrote: »

GrimmyTOA wrote: »

The only valid retirement in my games is the one where you run headlong and naked at that Shan for six or seven turns hoping to get devoured.

That sounds unusually fun. In a masochistic way.

It could be fun when you keep trying to get yourself devoured, but got flushed into Arkham Asylum instead.
I mean fun for those people watching while laughing at the same time.

Nullzone

mi-go: How are you returning monsters/gates to the cup? Can't see any mechanism to do that on handtracker.

mi-go hunter

Nullzone wrote: »

mi-go: How are you returning monsters/gates to the cup? Can't see any mechanism to do that on handtracker.

Sorry, phone posting right now...

I keep a spreadsheet to track the specific monsters that are in play, in the box, collected as trophies, etc. That's why I labeled each monster with a specific number so no duplicates will appear. I can send you my spreadsheet of you want!

Nullzone

Sure, may come in handy. You want to just set the doc to "viewable with link" and PM me?

Dongs Galore

I'd like to sign up

stever777

So many expansions, I think this game could use a streamlining 2nd ed.
It takes an hour just to set it all up.
Worth it, of course, but unwieldy.

Nullzone

I still have two seats at my game; I will start the first mythos phase around 11pm EST, will happily seat any two people off the waitlist in this thread if you go post interest in that thread. (I'll be seating you in order of priority as you are on the wait list)

If you intend to be seated, please check into the thread 10-20 minutes before so we can resolve your character setup.

mi-go hunter

SQUAK! Go on a family trip and already so much reading to catch up! Let me find my bearings...

mi-go hunter

@Nullzone , how do you send a doc to "viewable with link"?

Nullzone

I assume you're using google docs, right? There's a share button on the top right iirc, you set it there.

mi-go hunter

Nullzone wrote: »

I assume you're using google docs, right? There's a share button on the top right iirc, you set it there.

I use Microsoft Excel.... wonder if I can simply send the file to you? We can exchange email in priv chat

Nullzone

Ah, silly me to assume :P

Will pm shortly

mi-go hunter

stever777 wrote: »

So many expansions, I think this game could use a streamlining 2nd ed.
It takes an hour just to set it all up.
Worth it, of course, but unwieldy.

I play with all expansions and let me tell you. A third of the time I was setting up the game. It was damn worth it though. I don't think there needs to be a streamlined 2nd edition, since Elder Sign is essentially an AH Lite.

mi-go hunter

Just to let everyone know, anyone can signup to host a game of Arkham Horror. It would lighten the load for Nullzone and me!

If anyone plans to host a game, my OP or Nullzone's and the decks on handtracker are tools that are available to make hosting easier. I have also made a spreadsheet to keep track of the game status such as items, monsters, etc. If anyone wants one, just PM me your email and I will email it to you. Thank you!

Nullzone

And there's a link to a google docs drawing in my game that includes a lot of the art assets needed to get started, too. Game board, clue tokens, a bunch of the player "pawns" (which are just cropped from their stat sheets). Just make a copy of that page and you should be able to manipulate all those items to your heart's content!

mi-go hunter

Nullzone wrote: »

And there's a link to a google docs drawing in my game that includes a lot of the art assets needed to get started, too. Game board, clue tokens, a bunch of the player "pawns" (which are just cropped from their stat sheets). Just make a copy of that page and you should be able to manipulate all those items to your heart's content!

Yeah yeah, you can use his cool tool. >_>

mi-go hunter

Feel free to sign up! We have a third host now, so the list of waiting players might empty up quickly.

You can sign up again once you enter a game.

mi-go hunter

In fact, I'll sign myself up right now...

Majestic Goat

Hi there guys. I will be your new host of the grand journey to the Darkest Corner of Earth!
Please bear with me that I will need a few days to be familiar with the tools.
More details will be aired sometime Friday.

GrimmyTOA

I'll let other people go to the front of the line, but if you're short of players count me in.

Cerberus

Awesome... In case I end up on your player selection due to no responses, please can you offer my spot to Daemonis as he's not played in a game of Arkham on PA and I'm playing in one currently. Would like people not playing to get a go before me.

blahmcblah

Have to admit that I'm having fun. Sign up to bust some more GOO skulls!

Majestic Goat

New game here
invited player please give report to the thread and start by picking your investigator :^:

Void Slayer

Sign up to have the thin veil of lies covering reality torn away.

The way Mi-go Hunter found to run these is really fast without cutting down the strategy talk between the investigators I like it a lot.

mi-go hunter

Void Slayer wrote: »

The way Mi-go Hunter found to run these is really fast without cutting down the strategy talk between the investigators I like it a lot.

Thank you, that was what I had hoped to accomplish.

Greenbarons

I've never played a PbP game before, mostly lurk and just read others but my eternal love for Arkham has drawn me out. I would like to sign up!. I look forward to being driven insane with you all.

Shiny New Toys

I've also never done any PbP'ing before, but I have played a bit of phalla on the forum. This game looks cool, I would like to sign up

caliber

Arkham Horror? Why, yes of course! Sign up, please!