Arkham Horror (1987) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Starting The Game
  • How To Play
• Order Of Play
  • Investigator Phase
  • Mythos Phase
• Winning And Losing
• Investigator Phase
  • Investigator Step 1: Investigator Acts
    • Investigator Moves
    • Entering and Exiting Gameboard Locations
    • Entering and Exiting Other Worlds
    • Investigator Moves And Takes Taxi
  • Investigator Step 2: Investigator Encounters
  • Investigator Step 3: Meeting Monsters
    • Sanity
    • Sneaking
  • Investigator Step 4: Investigator Fights
    • Destroying Gates
• Mythos Phase
  • Mythos Step 1: Gates Appear
  • Monsters Appear
  • The Monster Pieces
  • Mythos Step 2: Monsters Move
    • Direction of Movement
  • Mythos Step 3: Monsters Attack
• About The Monster Pieces
• About Your Investigator
  • Strength Points
  • Sanity
  • Skills
  • Spells
  • Items
  • Charity Cards
  • Making Trades
  • Starting A New Investigator
  • The Roll Of Honor
• Questions And Answers
• Terms, Procedures, Card Explanations
• Gate Appearance Table
• Blocking Traffic Example
• Credits

Starting The Game

ONE: Separate the card and money sheets, and punch out the 50 counters. Separate the various rules, gazettes, and "About Your Investigator" sheets.

Sort the cards into decks. Place the Gates, Items, and Spells decks on the corresponding gameboard spaces. Hold the Local Characters, Retainers, and any extra Skills and Charity cards to one side of the board. Sort the money by denomination.

Reserving the Doom Factor counter, put the monsters into a coffee mug or otherwise arrange them so that they can be drawn randomly.

If investigators are started later in the game, follow the procedures described in the "About Your Investigator" sheet titled "Starting a New Investigator."

TWO: Each player chooses an investigator. (If there are 2-3 players, each should take 2 investigators; if there is 1 player, take 3 investigators.) Find the investigator token or tokens of matching color. Be sure to read "About Your Investigator."

THREE: Decide how to share tasks. One player can make change; another can consult the rules; another can read off location table results.

FOUR: As beginning equipment for each investigator, deal $13 from the bank, 3 item cards, 1 skill card, 1 spell card, and 1 charity card. If there are more than 4 investigators, deal only 2 item cards for each.

Investigators may trade cards and money throughout the game, provided that the traders are in the same space or location and that skill cards are not traded once play begins.

FIVE: Divide 10 points between your investigator's starting strength points and sanity points, each to have at least 3 and not more than 7. Take a moment to figure out the sort of person that your investigator is, and what he or she does for a living. Introduce your investigator to the rest of the group by name.

SIX: Place investigator tokens in play at the Train Station, near the north border of Arkham.

SEVEN: Select the top gate card, and consult the Gate Appearance table on the gameboard to learn on which location to put the card, face down. Randomly select three monsters and put them face up on the gated location. Put the Doom Factor counter on space 1 of the doom track. The threat has begun.

EIGHT: Each player rolls two six-sided dice (abbreviated 2D6): the highest roller moves first. Continue play to the left, once around the table each turn.

How To Play

Follow the order of play. During the Investigator Phase, the players' investigators complete all movement, attacks, etc., in the order around which the players sit at the table.

When the investigators have finished, the Mythos Phase begins. Gates and monsters may appear, and monsters may attack.

When all the monsters have moved and all attacks have been made, the two phases are completed, concluding one game turn. Unless the victory or loss conditions have been met, begin a new game turn.

At times, spells and items may be found or purchased. Payment goes to the bank, unless the deal is with another player. As spells and items are accumulated, lay them in front of you. Retain monsters killed, as well.

The number of game turns has no limit, though players may choose a limit.

Order Of Play

Investigator Phase

Collect Money if on Retainer; Return to Arkham if Starting on Other Worlds Box 1; and

1. Investigator Acts:
   • Waits, or
   • Moves, or
   • Moves and Takes Taxi.
2. Investigator Encounters:
   • Waits, or
   • Rolls for Encounter,
   • Adds Sanity Points,
   • Adds Strength Points,
   • Earns/Loses Money,
   • Purchases/Finds Item,
   • Uses a Skill,
   • Uses a Charity Card,
   • Meets a Monster.
3. Investigator Meets a Monster:
   • Has a Sanity Roll, (maybe)
   • Goes Temporarily Insane, or
   • Waits,
   • Sneaks, or
   • Fights.
4. Investigator Fights:
   • Attacks and
   • Risks Counterattack.

Mythos Phase

1. Random Gate Appears:
   • Roll On Gate Appearance Table.
2. All Monsters Move.
3. All Monsters Attack:
   • Make Applicable Investigator Sanity Rolls,
   • Monster Attacks,
   • Investigator Sneaks, or
   • Investigator Counterattacks.

Winning And Losing

In game turn 2 and thereafter, if all the gates are eliminated then the players win.

The game can be lost in two ways.

• By the presence of a minimum number of gates on the board for a full game turn: if 1-3 investigators start, when 8 gates are present, you lose; if 3-4 investigators start, when 7 gates are present, you lose; if 5 or more investigators start, when 6 gates are present, you lose.
• Or by the appearance of a total number of gates on the board. Use the doom factor counter and the doom track to record the total number of gates appearing during the game, including any which the investigators destroy or donate to the Benevolent Order of Dagon Mission. When the doom factor reaches "Doom of Arkham," the players lose. The spacetime continuum has been altered, and the dimensional walls collapse which staved off the Old Ones.

By agreement, adjust these numbers; let the goal fit your style of play, and never let it interfere with your enjoyment.

Win or lose, the surviving investigator who closes the most gates is proclaimed First Citizen of Arkham, and is entered on the Roll of Honor, along with the name of the player. If tied, the investigator wins who has the most monsters in his or her trophy stack.

Investigator Phase

Investigator Step 1: Investigator Acts

An investigator can choose to move, or decide to wait.

Investigator Moves

To move, roll 2D6. Unless encountering a monster, the investigator may move as many spaces as indicated by the result, fewer, or none at all. Entering or exiting a location counts as a move of 1 space (exception: entering or exiting a gate takes no movement).

Upon entering a location, an investigator stops. Stopping does not preclude the investigator ending the turn in an Other World.

An investigator entering a space or location containing a monster must stop, with three exceptions: (1) an investigator enjoying a vehicle ride moves through most monsters without stopping but, if an alternate route cannot be traced, a < blocker > monster stops vehicular traffic one space distant from it; (2) an investigator equipped with the Mists of R'lyeh; (3) an investigator can move through the Hound of Tindalos at any time unless the Hound is in a building.

Entering and Exiting Gameboard Locations

When moving into a location an investigator may have an encounter, meet a monster, or destroy a gate. Exception: when being carried through by a nightgaunt to another world, nothing happens in the transited location.

Pointers indicate the street spaces from which investigators may enter gameboard locations. To enter, put the token on the building, lake, etc., close beside the street pointer. An investigator does not need to enter a location on an exact movement count.

Upon entering a gameboard location, the investigator's player must either meet any monster(s) there or roll a D6 and consult the corresponding location table. If the location contains a gate the investigator may instead transit via that gate directly to an Other World and avoid the location event. If a gate appears as a result of a location event, the investigator is swept to the Other World involuntarily.

One location event may lead an investigator to another location. Just as with gates, roll again on the table for the second location after moving there (unless there are monsters there, then just meet them).

Entering and Exiting Other Worlds

Investigators go to Other Worlds to gather useful items and spells, and to find the other sides of gates in order to destroy them.

When a gate exists, the location and the Other World are dimensionally coterminous: movement between costs no movement points.

When entering a gated location, the investigator chooses whether to roll on the gate table or the location table: if using the gate table, then move the investigator token to box 2 of the Other World; if selecting the location table, then the investigator token stays in Arkham. Just as the investigator token is in one plane of existence but not both, a monster either is in Arkham or an Other World.

Sometimes a gate and monster appear as a location event. Then the investigator has no choice: he or she is swept into the Other World to undergo an encounter on that gate table — not meeting the monster that appeared in the Arkham location, nor undergoing any sanity loss.

Monsters never pursue investigators through gates.

If a monster and gate already are present, an investigator may attempt to use his Sneak skill to move past the monster and into the Other World, after surviving any sanity roll. If the Sneak fails, the investigator receives one die of damage to Strength. If he survives, he can again try to Sneak through the gate.

Reaching Other World box 2, roll on the gate table. If the investigator survives, move the token to box 1 when it is next your turn. Then roll again on the gate table. If the investigator survives, on the third turn move the investigator back to Arkham, to the gate of departure. While on the Other World, follow the order of play normally, as you would while in Arkham.

An investigator reaching zero sanity or zero strength points in an Other World is lost. Return and reshuffle the cards, and put the trophies in the monster pile. Start another investigator.

OPTION: An investigator lost in an Other World can be rescued if another investigator lands on the same box.

The rescue can be effected in two ways. The lost investigator can be shifted from box to box and back to Arkham with a successful strength roll by the rescuer for each move. Alternately, the rescuer can give the lost investigator sanity or strength points by means of a spell or magical item.

The player of the lost investigator must agree to do nothing during the turns needed to effect the rescue, or the players must agree that one player can have more than one investigator in play.

Returning from an Other World, an investigator begins movement in the matching Arkham gate, choosing which if two gates to the same Other World are on the board. If a monster guards the gate, the investigator can move away without a sanity roll, because he or she is beginning movement in the location.

If the investigator wants to attack the gate, he or she waits for the attack step, taking any sanity loss for a guardian monster. If the gate is destroyed, any guardians are sucked away and added to the investigator's trophy pile.

Investigator Moves And Takes Taxi

Any investigator reaching a Taxi space or using the Taxi Whistle card and wishing a ride can pay $1 and immediately go to any space or location in Arkham, concluding movement there. Taking a taxi costs no movement points.

Location events often offer free movement to another location. If accepted, treat the move as if by free taxi.

Investigator Step 2: Investigator Encounters

Investigators stop on empty spaces without other effect.

An investigator may find or earn or lose money, purchase or find an item, use a skill, etc., from results on location event and gate event tables. A free ride is declinable unless the Sheldon Gang gives it. A result may be optional.

If a gate and monster appear because of a location result, draw one of each and put them on the location. The investigator stumbles into it and is swept to that Other World, without meeting the monster, there to take a result from that gate table.

If at a location with a gate, the investigator can choose to enter the gate or can decide to take a random event from the location's table. A monster in a location is an encounter in itself: don't roll. A successful Sneak may take the investigator to a different encounter.

Only one gate exists at a location. Add only the monster if a second gate appearance is rolled for at a location.

Investigator Step 3: Meeting Monsters

Monsters move about the board. They appear because of a location or a gate event.

Sanity

Monsters are horrible-looking. Meeting one may cost an investigator sanity points.

Monster pieces bear an abbreviation SAN (sanity) followed by two numbers. The number before the slash is the amount of sanity points lost with a successful D6 sanity roll. The number after the slash is the amount of sanity points lost if the roll fails. For some monsters both numbers are zero: though frightening, the encounter is not mind-threatening.

Make only one sanity roll per individual monster per game turn. Adjust the sanity point marker on the investigator card as sanity rises and falls.

To Sneak away from more than one species of monster in a space, roll the Sneak first, then make a sanity roll for the single most ghastly type of monster. Only roll for sanity if your Sneak succeeds: if it fails, you'll get to make the sanity roll before your investigator fights.

If your investigator wishes to attack, make sanity rolls for each monster attacked, just before the individual attack.

If the investigator's sanity reaches zero, put him or her in the Sanitarium immediately. There is no movement cost charge, and the transfer happens out of step or phase, as needed. Discard one spell card of choice, if held, as penalty. Going insane in the midst of combat protects the investigator from monster attention, as readers of Lovecraft know.

Sneaking

To Sneak, roll D6. If the result is equal to or less than the amount of the investigator's Sneak skill, put the investigator in an adjacent space or location of the player's choice. If monsters occupy all adjacent spaces, a Sneak cannot be performed.

Exception: the Hound of Tindalos cannot be escaped by Sneaking.

An investigator can Sneak past a gate guardian and thereby enter an Other World.

Sneak can be used against monsters on an Other World: with a success, remove the monster and leave the investigator in the box.

Investigator Step 4: Investigator Fights

The investigator can attack using the amount of his or her Fight skill, one or two items held in his or her hands, other magical items, and spells.

If making attacks with items marked as one-handed or two-handed, the attacks must be possible. An investigator can employ two 1H weapons or one 2H weapon in one fight.

An investigator can always add Fight to any combination of physical weapons. Fight does not affect monsters immune to physical attack.

Total the numerical strength of spells actually cast, items actually used, the investigator's Fight skill, and the result of a D6 roll. The monster may be immune to all or some investigator physical attacks, though the D6 roll always is effective.

Compare the total to the monster's strength points. If the investigator's total is equal to or greater than the monster's, then the investigator triumphs and the monster counter immediately is added to the investigator's trophy stack.

If the monster survives, then the investigator suffers an automatic loss of D6 strength points from the angry monster's counterattack. If the investigator's hit points reach zero in Arkham, immediately place the incapacitated investigator in the hospital and lose one item of choice; if his or her strength points reach zero in an Other World, start a new investigator.

An investigator may attack as many times as there are targets in his or her space. A monster may defend (counterattack) any number of times.

If several monsters, choose the order of attack. Make a sanity roll for each, just before each attack. Ignore a sanity roll for the second, etc., monster of the same species.

• Should both monster and investigator survive a round of combat, they fight again if the investigator wishes, or the investigator might attempt a Sneak.

Destroying Gates

Destroy gates by using any combination of magical and physical attacks, plus a D6 roll. Attack during step 4. If not destroyed then, the investigator must wait to attack it next turn, and the next, etc.

If an investigator returns through a gate to attack and then leaves the gated location before destroying the gate, he or she must repeat the discovery of both sides of the gate, holders of the Dragon's Eye or the Blue Watcher excepted.

If a monster or monsters are guarding a gate that is destroyed, the implosion sucks the creature(s) to another plane: add the guardians to your investigator's trophy stack.

Add to his or her trophy stack each gate your investigator destroys.

Each Other World is color-keyed to certain monsters. If in play, put monsters corresponding to a just-closed gate back into the monster pile, but not into the investigator's trophy stack.

• Physical force, magical spells, or a combination of the two, specifically including the Bind Monster spell, can destroy a gate. The investigator must first find the gate and then pass through it. Once on the other side, he or she must find the way back. When the investigator returns to the Arkham end of the gate, he or she can destroy the gate with an attack equal to or greater than the listed strength points for the gate.
• The Dragon's Eye and the Blue Watcher of the Pyramid cards can destroy gates. Take one to a gate. It is unnecessary find both sides of the gate. After any encounter at the location, the gate is closed and the card is put back in the items deck. Subtract any personal damage.
• After finding both sides of the gate, placing an Elder Sign upon a gate and spending 2 sanity points destroys the gate. It may not be moved, once used. It blocks future gate and monster appearances in that location, though Hounds of Tindalos may enter and attack in specified locations.

Mythos Phase

During this phase the players work together to operate the monsters and powers of the Cthulhu Mythos. Talk about the problems, and try to arrive at just conclusions. It is not important that any one player perform any special task, but complete all tasks in the order given.

For terms relating to monsters, see the terms section in "About Your Investigator."

Mythos Step 1: Gates Appear

Gates are doorways to the Other Worlds boxes at the top of the gameboard. They represent other times, dimensions, or planets. Cthulhu monsters travel to Earth by means of gates. Investigators destroy gates to end the horrors threatening Arkham and thereby win the game.

A gate appears on the game board (1) as a location event and (2) during the Random Gate Appears step of the Mythos phase. A gate may or may not appear in a turn.

In the Mythos phase, roll on the Gate Appearance table. If a gate appears, draw a gate card and a random monster and put them on the gameboard: the Gate Appearance table determines the location if not established. If the location already contains a gate, place only the monster there. Exception: a location guarded by an Elder Sign produces no gate or monster.

An investigator suffering a "Gate and Monster Appear" result is sucked through the gate to the corresponding Other World. The monster remains on the location, to move and attack in Arkham.

When an investigator goes through a gate, turn the gate card face up so that the destination can be known. Otherwise leave the gate card face down.

Monsters Appear

Monsters appear as the result of the Gate Appearance step in the Mythos Phase or as the result of a location event or a gate event during the Investigator Phase.

When a monster appears, draw a random monster counter from the pile and place it where the investigator is.

Often a monster appears in an Other World. Draw the monster from the pile. If the investigator wins, add it to his or her trophy stack. If it wins it inflicts D6 damage to the investigator's Strength. If the investigator perishes, the monster goes back into the monster pile.

The Monster Pieces

On the front side of the monster counter is its silhouette, an arrow if the monster moves, and a circle or diamond if the thing is handed. On the other side is its name, its bracketed class if it has one, a circle or diamond if it is handed, the monster's strength points, the sanity cost to investigators who meet the thing, and occasionally a special notation. Head the arrow in its direction of movement.

Both sides of some monster pieces are color-matched to the color tint of an Other World. When the gate to an Other World is destroyed, remove any matching monsters and put them in the monster pile. Monsters so removed may return normally to play, and are not added to a trophy stack.

After moving with the silhouette up, turn over the monster piece if it is attacking or being attacked. Resolve the fight, then turn the piece back to its silhouette side. Surviving an encounter with an investigator, a monster piece may be positioned within a space as the player chooses.

Mythos Step 2: Monsters Move

Monsters move during the monster movement phase of the game turn. The number of spaces moved by each monster is given on each piece.

Monsters attack by moving into spaces containing investigators. Monsters appear in locations and move out of locations, but cannot move into locations. See the "Tindalos" entry in the game terms section for exceptions.

Monsters, though unintelligent, patrol ceaselessly. A monster stops moving after maximum movement or when meeting an investigator in a space.

Direction of Movement

When a monster appears, place it on the appropriate location. Use the arrow to determine the direction the monster moves. At intersections, move it left (L) or right (R) as its handedness indicates.

Flyers (flying monsters) have no handedness. As reminders, they are marked < flyer > and carry an F before the number of spaces moved: F-4, for instance. Flyers move on streets, always toward the nearest investigator. If two or more investigators are equally close, a flyer attacks the one with the highest Fight skill. If equal Fights, flip a coin.

Mythos Step 3: Monsters Attack

A monster attacks by moving into the space or location where one or more investigators rest. Determine any sanity loss.

The nearest monster moving into the space attacks the investigator with the higher Fight skill. If one or both of the factors are equal, flip a coin: the higher monster attacks the higher investigator, etc. Once the opponent is determined, make any needed sanity rolls for the investigator(s).

The investigator totals a D6 roll, his Fight, and applicable spells and items. Compare that sum to the monster's strength points. If the investigator has a total equal to or higher than the monster's strength points, the investigator wins the combat and adds the monster to his or her trophy stack.

If the investigator's total is lower than the monster's strength points, the investigator loses D6 strength points.

A monster must continue to attack until the target no longer occupies the space, location, or Other World.

Alone of the monsters, the Tindalos counter is put back into the monster pile after any attack which costs an investigator strength points.

With a Bind Monster spell, a monster may be directed to attack another monster.

This concludes the sequential rules. For information concerning investigators, strength points, sanity points, skills, spell casting, particular spells, items, charity cards, making trades, starting a new investigator, the Roll of Honor, game questions and answers, further examples of play, and game terms, procedures, and card explanations, see the folder titled "About Your Investigator."

About The Monster Pieces

FRONT OF COUNTER: A diamond-shaped counter shows the monster's silhouette in the center, an arrow at the top indicating direction of counter, the monster class in brackets (if any, e.g. < blocker >) above the silhouette, the number of spaces moved per turn and handedness/direction-at-intersection letter to the left (e.g. "R-4"), and an intersection repeater diamond symbol to the right.

Example: a < blocker > monster with an up arrow, moving R-4 (4 spaces, right-handed at intersections).

BACK OF COUNTER: Shows the species name, bracketed class if any (e.g. < blocker >), the number of spaces moved per turn and handedness (e.g. "R-4"), the number of strength points (determines attack and defense, e.g. "SP-18"), and the investigator sanity lost if a sanity roll succeeds versus if it fails (e.g. "SAN: 1/3").

Example: "Star Spawn < blocker > R-4 SP-18 SAN: 1/3."

A monster marked < flyer > is a flyer and carries an F before its movement rate (e.g. "F-6"). A monster with a movement value of "0" does not move.

NB: monsters are colored differently to match the colors of Other Worlds on the gameboard. When a gate is destroyed, any monsters on the board matching the color of the Other World that the gate represents are removed and put back in the monster pile.

About Your Investigator

A WEARY VICTOR, YOU'VE stymied another threat from the Cthulhu Mythos, but at great sacrifice. You need rest. You go to Arkham, a peaceful college town, to recover. Little do you dream the fate awaiting you....

An investigator is a game persona whom you control. Investigators seek out gates and monsters of the Cthulhu Mythos in order to drive them from Arkham.

Each investigator card contains the same information. The skill values vary, since the cards represent different people.

Select an investigator card, then put red markers on the sanity points and strength points columns. Adjust the markers up or down as indicated in the course of play.

Small plastic markers match investigator card colors: black, blue, green, orange, purple, red, silver, and yellow.

• A new investigator's strength points plus sanity points equal 10. An investigator in top shape has 7 sanity and 7 strength points; yours is recovering from previous bouts with the Mythos. Divide the points as you wish, so long as each column has at least 3 points. Once the game starts, points may not be interchanged.
• When starting a new investigator during the game, begin play in the next turn, in your regular player order.

Strength Points

An investigator's strength points measure the physical health of the investigator and reflect the physical effects of battle with Mythos monsters. Strength points earned in excess of 7 are lost.

Strength points do not measure fighting prowess for investigators: use the Fight skill as a measure. Strength points do measure the prowess of monsters.

All strength rolls are D6 rolls against an investigator's present strength, not his or her maximum possible strength. A result higher than the current strength means the roll fails.

If strength points are low, move the investigator to the Hospital and follow the location instructions. Other ways of raising strength points also exist.

An investigator who runs out of strength points in Arkham is moved immediately to the Hospital, losing one item as penalty if any are held.

An investigator who runs out of strength points in an Other World is lost: replace all cards in the proper stacks and shuffle. Start a new investigator.

OPTION: Strength points can reflect the number of items your investigator picks up, one item for each point. Though items are not discarded to account for dips in strength, an investigator cannot pick up anything unless his or her strength points exceed the number of items presently carried — or unless the investigator drops something to make room.

Sanity

Sanity measures the investigator's mental stability and reflect the mental effects of confronting the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos. Sanity points earned in excess of 7 are lost.

All sanity rolls are D6. If the result equals or is less than the investigator's current sanity, then the sight of the monster costs the amount of sanity points written before the slash on the monster piece. If the roll is greater than the investigator's current sanity, then the investigator loses the number of sanity points written after the slash.

If more than one species of monster is met in a space or location, make a sanity roll for each as combated. If Sneaking from a monster-occupied space or location, roll immediately only for the monster with greatest potential impact against sanity. If carried via nightgaunt through a monster-infested location, do not make a sanity roll.

An investigator cannot exhaust sanity in order to cast a spell.

When sanity points are low, move the investigator to the Sanitarium and follow the location instructions. Other ways of raising sanity points also exist.

If an investigator's sanity value reaches zero, that investigator is temporarily insane. Place the marker in the Sanitarium. As penalty, the investigator loses 1 spell card of choice if any are held.

If an investigator goes insane in Other Worlds, he or she is lost. If lost, replace all cards and monsters in the proper places and shuffle, then start a new investigator.

• An investigator heinously attacking another investigator or destroying a gate and thereby stranding an investigator then suffers a D6 sanity point loss from remorse.

Skills

Each investigator has four skills.

At times each player must attempt D6 skill rolls for his or her investigator. If the total of the roll is equal to or less than the investigator's skill value, then he or she succeeds using the skill. If the result of the roll is greater than the skill value, then that skill use failed.

A skill card augments one investigator skill. Identical cards augment: two Fight +1, for instance, add 2 points to a Fight skill.

Spells

Arkham is awash with books and manuscripts about Mythos monsters. Each edition of a book contains one usable spell, represented by a spell card. Each card bears the name of a book, the spell it contains, any sanity point cost, and the spell's attack strength or other function. See the game terms section for additional information about particular spells.

An investigator can use only the spell cards he or she holds. The number held has no limit. A particular spell card can be used once per game turn.

Only investigators use spells. Spells work against all monsters. Spells are effective only within the caster's space. A spell can benefit another investigator.

• To cast a spell, the player must make a successful Knowledge roll. Failing, the spell cannot be cast that turn. Put failed and cast spells face down. At the next turn's start, place all spell cards face up.

A spell can be cast at any time, but any sanity cost must be paid before a spell takes effect. No sanity is lost if a Knowledge roll fails, since the spell was not cast.

Items

Each item is represented by one item card. Items are either magical or ordinary. Magical items are marked, and (if weapons) count as magical attacks even though tangible. No Knowledge roll is needed. Items not marked magical make physical attacks.

Some items note 1H or 2H: no more than two 1H or one 2H item can be used in any one attack; 1H stands for one hand, 2H stands for two hands. An item may need no hands to use.

An item is effective only within a space.

After surviving a location event, any item worth more than $1 may be sold at half list price (round up any fraction) to Hib's Roadhouse or to the Curiositie Shoppe; a $1 item may not be sold there. Draw the money from the bank, discard the item.

If an auction card is drawn in place of a physical item, that card nonetheless counts as the player's gained item. For auctions, see the Card Explanations.

Charity Cards

Desiring charity, an investigator goes to the Benevolent Order of Dagon Mission and follows location instructions. The investigator must have a charity card. Further, the investigator either must have (1) no spells, or no money, or no items, or (2) have the fewest spells, or money, or items of all the investigators.

The Order grants charity in one category of the player's choice (which also satisfies the requirements above).

In repayment, the investigator must dispatch a monster or close a gate before the charity card can be used again, and the Benevolent Order of Dagon collects all such trophies in any location or Other World: those trophies return to the monster pile and gate deck, respectively.

A charity card is usable any number of times. Money, items, or spells may not be discarded in order to gain charity. A player need never use charity.

To remind the player that a Dagon repayment is due, flip the charity card to the side reading "Repay Charity With Good Works," then flip the card back to the side bearing the large "Charity" when payment is made.

Making Trades

Money, charity cards, item cards, spell cards, and local character cards may be traded at any time, so long as the traders occupy the same space. Skill cards may be traded before the game begins.

Opportunities to trade during the game. Plan for your investigators to occasionally meet. Help another investigator close a gate by loaning or giving the item or spell most useful. Winners successfully balance personal advantage with the goal of the game.

Starting A New Investigator

An investigator may be selected or drawn randomly.

The new investigator begins at the Train Station, with a complement of 1 skill card, 1 spell card, 1 charity card, 3 item cards, and $13 from the bank. Allot a total of 10 points between the investigator's sanity and strength points, with a minimum of 3 in either.

The player maintains his or her place in the game. The new investigator begins action in the game turn following the demise of the previous investigator.

If you wish, new players may enter the game at the start of any turn. Remember that the victory conditions may change if the total number of investigators changes.

The Roll Of Honor

Use the Roll of Honor to record the investigator who destroyed the most gates. If a tie exists for the most gates destroyed, award the position on the Roll of Honor to the investigator who has collected the highest number of monster points. If a tie still exists, record the tieing investigators.

Also record the player, the number of gates eliminated, and the number of strength points of the investigator's trophy monsters.

Some players like to use the accumulated strength points of the gates to determine whose investigator is honored as First Citizen. If you prefer this, agree to it before play begins.

Questions And Answers

Q: How can we win?

A: You're likely to lose the first game or two. No matter how skillful you become, you'll always stand a chance of losing. Balance your desire to be entered on the Roll of Honor with the usefulness of cooperation: players who actively confer and concentrate on helping each other win most often. Trade skills before play begins. Take advantage of opportunities to trade during the game. Plan for your investigators to occasionally meet. Help another investigator close a gate by loaning or giving the item or spell most useful. Winners successfully balance personal advantage with the goal of the game.

Q: What do we do first?

A: During the early turns, explore downtown Arkham to add additional items and spells. Monsters tend to appear first on the outer fringes of town.

Q: How should we answer rules questions?

A: Play this game like a horror movie: be courageous and adventurous. In that spirit, make informal agreements about rules meanings. Study the order of play closely. If no other agreement can be reached, the owner of the game has final say.

Q: How can I move with all these monsters around?

A: The simplest way to is to lower the population — go out and beat up on some monsters! Failing that, try moving from location to location. Though powers and ghosts can appear and remain in locations, only a Hound of Tindalos can enter a location (and then only buildings). Coordinated movement between investigators can draw flying monsters away from investigators who must expose themselves. Don't forget taxis and taxi whistle cards: they're there to help.

Q: Where do we find things?

A: To gain money, spells, and items, or to increase sanity and strength, study the location tables in the Arkham Gazette, especially the Curiositie Shoppe, Dagon Mission, Hospital, Library, and Sanitarium.

Q: What's the best way to destroy gates?

A: If you must close gates during the early game, close those with lesser chances of re-opening. Closing gates too quickly may accelerate the doom factor. Strengthen the investigators, then act decisively. If possible, have all the investigators jump through gates in the same turn. To win, you'll need to close an average of two gates per turn. Use Elder Signs on locations like Founder's Rock and the Silver Twilight Lodge.

Q: How come investigators sometimes escape from monsters?

A: In earlier days, short-story heroes and heroines fainted in the presence of horror, thereby escaping the foul attentions of monsters and evil-doers. Arkham Horror, set some three generations ago, naturally follows suit. Late twentieth-century monsters are much more bloodthirsty — players take note.

Q: What happens if I take a ride to another location?

A: Because of location events, an investigator may travel to several locations in one turn. When an investigator enters a location or remains in a location, roll on that location table unless a monster is met or a gate transit is made.

Q: When should I use spells?

A: Use spells and items at any time, but always roll for the location or gate event immediately upon entering, and always make sanity rolls before attacking monsters.

Q: How do I use Bind Monster spells?

A: The best way to use a bound monster is to destroy a gate. The released monster is sucked through the gate along with any guardians, and the gate and all the monsters add to your trophy stack. If you use the spell to attack another monster, the bound monster is released after battle and again travels the streets of Arkham. Set the monster in any adjacent space and point it in the direction you wish.

Q: What do I do about powers?

A: Don't fight a power directly: you'll usually lose. Instead, brave the sanity loss and try to destroy the gate which the power guards. Destroying the gate sucks the power through, and you add it and the gate to your trophy stack just like any other monster.

Q: If a location has a gate, can a second gate appear on it?

A: Only one gate per location, ever. If a location event calls for a second gate, ignore that part of the instruction, but do put the accompanying monster on the location.

Q: How did we do?

A: Counting the strength points in your trophy piles is a convenient way to compare efforts. The test, though, is how satisfied you feel: if you all worked hard toward the mutual goal, you'll feel good about the result, regardless of whose name goes on the Roll of Honor.

Terms, Procedures, Card Explanations

Auction: drawer calls an auction, then draws the next two item cards in the deck, discarding back into the deck any additional auction cards. Request bids for one item at a time, always starting at $1. The auctioneer may bid as well, but is not required to bid.

If the item is sold, the auctioneer gets half of the selling price and the other half (including any odd dollar) goes to the bank. If an item is not sold, the auctioneer may pay list price for it. If the auctioneer buys the item at bid, the auctioneer pays full price.

Bidders may be in any space, location, or Other World.

An item may be bid toward the ownership of another item, at the cash value of the item. To make change, put the item back in the deck and draw the change from the bank. The auctioneer always receives cash value, not an item, in such a transaction.

Attacks You in Buildings Only: the Hound of Tindalos attacks only in buildings. The Hound cannot attack in the following locations and Other Worlds where right angles are apt not to be found: Black Cave, Devil's Beach, Founder's Rock, Graveyard, Lake Miskatonic, Woods, the Abyss, Earth's Dreamlands (despite the illustration), or the Plateau of Leng, and goes back into the monster pile without effect. Do not draw a replacement monster. Once a Hound has inflicted damage, put it back in the monster pile.

Back Doors: Three locations, the Dagon Mission, the Boarding House, and Miskatonic University, have two entrances. All entrances to locations are marked; none are unmarked.

Bind Monster: to use this spell, the target monster must be on the gameboard. The investigator must be in or move to a space in which the target rests. Once there, and with a successful Knowledge roll, the investigator may (1) choose to banish the monster to the investigator's trophy pile; (2) choose to have the monster move with the investigator and to make an attack against a monster or a gate at some time in this or a later turn.

The investigator adds his Fight, spells, items, etc., to the bound monster's attack, as desired.

Exception: the five powers are immune to Bind Monster.

A Bound monster moving with an investigator resembles an item except that it does not count against strength. The thing moves at the same rate and in the same space as the investigator. Ignore attacking other investigators, handedness, etc. Imagine the monster as potential, not as occupying space.

Treat the attack of a Bound monster as a weapon. It is always a physical attack unless set against a monster of the same species — ghost against ghost, for instance.

In a successful attack against a gate, the Bound monster is added to your trophy pile as well as the gate.

In a successful attack against a monster, the target monster is added to your trophy pile, and the Bound monster is set free in any adjacent space of your choice.

A Bind Monster spell card can be successfully cast once. Then the card must be returned to the spells deck.

Blockers: monsters big enough to halt vehicular movement one space distant. 'One space distant' does not mean adjacent: there must be an intervening space between the blocker and the halted traveler.

Byakhee: The phrase < flyer > is missing from the front of the byakhee counters: they are nonetheless flyer monsters.

Cloud Memory: adds 2 sanity points to you or to the investigator of your choice in the same space or location.

Dice: two six-sided dice, abbreviated D6 for one and 2D6 for two, are included with this game.

Discard: also, place card in deck, replace card in deck, return card to deck, etc. Put the card face up at the bottom of the pile. When a face-up card appears, reshuffle the cards.

Doom Factor: the counter measuring the strain upon the local continuum. When the counter moves beyond 13, no way exists to reverse the doom track, and the game is lost.

Dread Curse of Azathoth: adds a magical attack of +9 against a target, and costs 2 sanity points each time it is successfully cast.

Drops You Through Nearest Gate: If the nightgaunt makes a successful attack, it does no harm to strength points (check for sanity, of course) but carries the investigator through the nearest gate. Put the investigator in Box 2 of the appropriate Other World, and leave the nightgaunt in the space which the investigator formerly occupied. If grabbed on an Other World, the nightgaunt takes you to Arkham, through the gate by which you originally left Arkham.

Elder Sign: an Elder Sign destroys a gate. To use one, go through any gate, then return to Arkham. Spend 2 sanity points. Add the gate card to your trophy stack. Leave the Elder Sign card on the location. Move the doom factor marker back one (from 11 to 10, etc.). Once played, an Elder Sign may not be moved. An Elder Sign remains on a location after a gate is destroyed, preventing further gates and/or monsters from appearing there. The Elder Sign does not stop the Hound of Tindalos from entering a building.

Fast Talk: a skill causing immediate agreement. Of no use against Mythos monsters. A successful Fast Talk during a purchase buys an item or translation for $1 less than listed price. Option: failing a Fast Talk roll when bargaining about money raises the cost of the item or service by $1.

Fight: a skill, an investigator's built-in physical attack, including punching, biting, kicking, etc. Add the investigator's Fight skill to all physical attacks, but never to an attack against a monster immune to physical attack. Option: two investigators in the same space who both attack monsters each receive a +1 Fight bonus.

Find Gate: this spell is effective only on an Other World. Use it to return to Arkham after you arrive in the Other World. It can be used before movement, or before combat with a monster after surviving the sanity roll.

Flesh Ward: automatically cancels any one monster attack or counterattack in a turn.

Flyers: monsters bearing the letter F before their movement rate (F-9, etc.) are flyers. Flyers have no handedness; they move toward the nearest investigator located on the sidewalk. Except for the Hound of Tindalos, flyers do not enter locations after appearing on the board.

The phrase < flyer > is missing from the front of the byakhee counters: they are nonetheless flyer monsters.

Gates: a gate is a magical doorway between Arkham and an Other World. The 8 areas at the top of the map are Other Worlds, to which the gate cards lead.

Ghosts: like powers, ghosts do not move, and any number can stay in a location. To Sneak past ghosts and powers, either to visit an Other World or to close a gate, roll for sanity against each guardian in the location. To attack one of the guardians, make a sanity roll only for the entity to be attacked.

Guardians: normally, either a power or a ghost: see those entries.

Handed: monster counters bearing circles or diamonds move right or left according to the position of the sign and the R or L notation with the movement rate. Further, some investigator items require one or two hands to use: see the Items section, above.

Harmed By Magic And Silver Bullet: the werewolf is harmed by magical items, by spells, and by the silver bullet firable by any gun.

Heal: successful cast adds 2 strength points to the specified investigator in the same space as the caster.

Killed, Put in Monster Pile; Take 1 Item: the migo counter returns to the monster pile to be drawn again. No trophies are earned for these monsters, but draw 1 card from the Items deck in return.

Knowledge: a skill, the ability to learn, remember, and analyze; an individual D6 Knowledge roll must be successfully completed each time a spell is cast.

Local Characters: the two cards each add a +2 to an investigator's Fight. Additionally, each can substitute for an investigator by taking one attack or counterattack from a monster in Arkham or an Other World, but then must be discarded. Local characters are not items, nor do they carry or use items.

Magical Attacks: spells, magical items, and an attack by a monster on another of its own species constitute magical attacks.

Mists of R'lyeh: allows you one automatically successful Sneak per turn.

Monsters: 49 1-inch-square pieces.

Only Magic Harms It: only a spell or a magical item can be used to attack this thing: ordinary items and the Fight skill are useless and have no effect, though the D6 roll still applies. Exception: the same species of Mythos creature, if Bound and directed to attack its brother, counts as a magical attack.

Origination Classes: all the monsters are color-coded to one of nine schemes. Eight schemes match the colors of the eight Other Worlds; putatively, the monsters of a certain color come from the matching Other World. When a gate is destroyed, check the monsters on the board and remove any matching that Other World. Put them in the monster pile, not in your trophy pile. The ninth scheme is black and white, representing monsters unaffected by destruction of gates.

Other Worlds: the 8 areas at the top of the map represent 8 Other Worlds to which investigators may go.

Physical Attack: the Fight skill, ordinary weapons, the D6 roll, and Mythos monster attacks constitute physical attacks.

Powder of Ibn-Ghazi: adds a magical attack of +7 against a target, but costs 1 sanity point each time successfully cast.

Power Drain: adds a magical attack of +6 against a target, but costs 1 sanity point each time successfully cast.

Powers: the strongest and hugest monsters, these entities do not move (but after a game is lost, presumably, they wabble and gibber down the streets of Arkham). A power is unaffected by the Bind Monster spell. Two or more powers and ghosts can stack on a location: to Sneak by them to enter an Other World or to close a gate, a sanity roll must be made for each guardian. To attack one of the guardians, make a sanity roll only for the entity to be attacked.

Retainers: $2 per turn retainers can be found at Miskatonic U. and the Newspaper. Only four retainer cards exist: no more than four retainer payments are made per turn.

Shrivelling: adds a magical attack of +6 against a target, but costs 1 sanity point each time successfully cast.

Sneak: how well an investigator can evade monsters. If successful, put investigator in any adjacent space or location and then roll for sanity loss. If more than one monster in the space, any needed sanity roll concerns only the most ghastly of the monsters. Sneak can be used to get past a gate guardian to enter an Other World. If unsuccessful, the sneaker must confront the monster. Sanity is still rolled before an attack or counterattack can occur. Exception: Sneak may not be used if all adjacent spaces and locations contain monsters. Exception: Sneak cannot be used against a Hound of Tindalos in a building.

Spaces: locations are linked by streets. Streets are divided into spaces quantifying movement. For convenience, locations and Other World boxes often are also termed spaces.

Taxis: taxis are printed on several gameboard spaces. Stopping on one offers quick investigator movement in return for $1. Location events also provide taxi or other vehicle service.

Tindalos: though all monsters enter Arkham through gated locations, the Hound is the only monster which can enter a location from the street. The location must be a building: Black Cave, Devil's Beach, Founder's Rock, Graveyard, Lake Miskatonic, and Woods are not buildings. In Other Worlds, treat the Hound as no encounter in The Abyss, Earth's Dreamlands, and the Plateau of Leng for various reasons. In other than buildings, the Tindalos moves through investigators and vice versa without stopping or other effect.

Alone of the monsters, a Tindalos is put back into the monster pile after any attack which inflicts a strength point loss on an investigator. Once back in the monster pile, a Tindalos can be drawn again normally.

An investigator cannot Sneak against a Tindalos.

Trophy Stacks: keep the monsters and gates which an investigator eliminates. The investigator with the most gates (or the most gates and monsters, as a tie-breaker) at the end of the game has his or her name inscribed on the Roll of Honor.

Unharmed By Guns: attacks made by shotguns, rifles, pistols, and revolvers have no effect on such creatures. All other attacks are carried out normally.

Vampire: each successive Random Monster Appearance step increases the vampire's strength points by 1: add a penny or other acceptable token to the vampire, representing the additional strength point. For convenience, stack the pennies somewhere in the Graveyard. A vampire harnessed by a Bind Monster spell attacks at its present strength, not its original strength.

Weapons Do 1 Point Damage: each physical attack does minimum damage to this thing — there just wasn't enough room on the counter to comfortably write it properly. Example: an investigator uses his Fight skill, his revolver, and a sword against a shoggoth. Each is a physical weapon, and each therefore does the minimum damage, 1 point. The total attack, 3 points, is too little to affect the thing, even with a D6 add.

Gate Appearance Table

2D6 — location

• 2 — Shunned House
• 3 — Dark's Carnival
• 4 — Lighthouse
• 5 — Devil's Beach
• 6 — Graveyard
• 7 — Founder's Rock; Additionally, 1 Monster Appears On Each Presently Gated Location.
• 8 — Silver Twilight Lodge
• 9 — Wood
• 10 — Lake Miskatonic
• 11 — Harney Jones' Shack
• 12 — Black Cave

Blocking Traffic Example

A < blocker >-class monster (illustrated as a gug, movement R-2) occupies an intersection. Blocked, grayed-out spaces around it show where investigator vehicular movement is halted one space distant from the blocker in each direction it could travel; a dashed arrow marked "NEXT TURN MOVES TO HERE" shows where the blocker will move on its next turn.

The gug currently prevents investigator vehicular movement in the gray spaces. Investigators could still move on foot through all but the space occupied by the gug. Foot travelers could move into the gug space as well, but would have to stop for that turn. Since the gug is right-handed, it will continue toward Harney Jones' shack. If it were left-handed, it would move two spaces toward the Hospital.

Credits

PROJECT, COMPONENTS, PRODUCTION: Lynn Willis.

DESIGN: Richard Launius and Lynn Willis; with Charlie Krank and Sandy Petersen.

DEVELOPMENT: Charlie Krank.

ART: Steve Purcell (Arkham basemap and Other Worlds cameos), Tom Sullivan (cover and some silhouettes), Ron Leming (illustrations), Lisa A. Free (most silhouettes).

PLAYTEST: Glenda Barnes, Jeff Bryant, John Cummings, Andy Davis, Albert Dewey, Bruce Dresselhaus, Bill Dunn, Linda Fields, Sean Flynn, Don Frew, Rick Geimer, Diana Goldman, Marc Grossberg, Michael Gurúle, Brian M. Hughes, Ken Kaufer, C.J. Kosmicki, Jack Kosmicki, Rob Kramer, Treesa Krank-McLean, J Robert Lalush, Carolyn Launius, Marcia Lempert, Leo McArdle, Mac McMahon, Harald Moe, Ben Monroe, Dennis Murray, Jeff Okamoto, Gleb Perfiloff, Denise Ramos, Kevin Romano, Rory Root, Brett Smith, Alisha Stafford, Greg Stafford, Noah Stafford, Sean Summers, Barb Sutliff, Joe Sutliff, Al Turner, Mike Watkins.

Copyright © 1987 Chaosium Inc.; all rights reserved.

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Source note: the sequential rules ("rules for Arkham Horror") and the reference booklet ("about Your Investigator") were transcribed from high-resolution scans of the original 1987 Chaosium printed booklets, sourced from the community Tabletop Simulator Workshop mod "Arkham Horror (1987)" (Steam Workshop item 691135310), whose embedded scan images (hosted at i.imgur.com) carry the booklets' own printed Chaosium credits and 1987 copyright notice.