Arkham Horror: The Lurker at the Threshold Expansion
Arkham Horror: The Lurker at the Threshold Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
The Lurker at the Threshold expansion contains these components:
- 56 Investigator Cards, including:
- 4 Common Item Cards
- 4 Unique Items Cards
- 12 Spell Cards
- 12 Relationship Cards
- 24 Dark Pact Cards (8 Blood Pact, 8 Soul Pact, and 8 Bound Ally Cards)
- 110 Ancient One Cards, including:
- 36 Arkham Location Cards
- 24 Gate Cards
- 22 Mythos Cards
- 28 Reckoning Cards
- 1 Herald Sheet (The Lurker at the Threshold)
- 18 Gate Markers
- 35 Power Tokens
All cards from The Lurker at the Threshold expansion are marked with a small cultist symbol on their fronts. This will allow you to later separate them from your Arkham Horror cards if you choose to do so.
Component Overview
The following are summary descriptions of the various components included in The Lurker at the Threshold. They should help you identify the components and introduce you to how they are used.
New Investigator Cards
The new Common Items, Unique Items, and Spells are similar to those found in Arkham Horror and can simply be shuffled into their respective decks.
The Relationship deck consists of cards that represent the effect on two investigators resulting from their history together and their attitude toward each other. The cards are only used in games with two or more players.
The Dark Pact cards denote an eldritch and profane bargain struck between an investigator and the Lurker at the Threshold. When a player gains one or more of these cards, it grants unique advantages to his investigator, but it also increases the likelihood of being affected by Reckoning cards. The Dark Pact cards are only used in "The Herald" variant described later in these rules.
New Ancient One Cards
The new Arkham Location, Mythos, and Gate cards are similar to those found in Arkham Horror and can simply be shuffled into their respective decks.
The Reckoning deck consists of cards that represent the capricious and often cruel effects the Lurker has upon those who have entered into a Dark Pact with him. The Reckoning cards are only used in "The Herald" variant described later in these rules.
New Herald Sheet
This sheet depicts a powerful supernatural entity that is preparing the way for the Ancient One. This sheet is only used in "The Herald" variant described later in these rules.
New Gate Markers
The new Gate markers, used in place of the Gate markers included in Arkham Horror, represent holes in the fabric of reality that allow travel between the town of Arkham and other worlds. They are treated exactly the same as the previous Gate markers, but each has an additional attribute assigned to it. (See "Gate Markers" on the reverse side of this sheet.)
Power Tokens
Power tokens represent arcane resources and insight provided by the Lurker at the Threshold. The exact way in which these tokens may be used depends on which Dark Pacts an investigator has acquired. These tokens are only used in "The Herald" variant described later in these rules.
Setup
Before you play your first game of The Lurker at the Threshold, carefully punch out the cardboard pieces so that they do not tear.
Integrating the Expansion and the Base Game
Perform the two steps below before your first game of Arkham Horror using the Lurker at the Threshold expansion.
- Prepare Decks. Shuffle the Common Item, Unique Item, Spell, Arkham Location, Mythos, and Gate cards into their respective decks.
- Replace the Gate Markers. Return all Gate markers included in Arkham Horror, as well as those included in The Dunwich Horror and The Kingsport Horror expansions if you are using either of them, to the box and replace them with the Gate markers from The Lurker at the Threshold. If you are not using the Dunwich Horror expansion, do not add the three Gate markers from The Lurker at the Threshold that connect to Another Time or Lost Carcosa. If you are not using the Kingsport Horror expansion, do not add the three Gate markers from The Lurker at the Threshold that connect to Unknown Kadath or Underworld. Shuffle the Gate markers and place them facedown in a stack next to the board.
Expansion Setup
When playing with the Lurker at the Threshold expansion, perform the normal setup of the game as instructed in the Arkham Horror rulebook, with the following additions and changes listed below:
- Separate Decks. In games with two or more players, shuffle the Relationship cards into a deck and place the deck near the other Investigator cards.
- Receive Random Possessions. In games with only two players, after the first player receives the cards for his random possessions, he also draws the top card from the Relationship deck and places it between himself and the other player. In games with three or more players, as each player receivinges the cards for his investigator's random possessions, he also draws the top card from the Relationship deck and places it between himself and the player to his left.
Expansion Rules
These rules are used in addition to those in the Arkham Horror core game when playing with the Lurker at the Threshold expansion.
Gate Bursts
Certain Mythos cards have their Gate location colored red. This coloration indicates a Gate burst. A card with a Gate burst works exactly the same as a normal Mythos card, unless the listed Gate location has an elder sign token on it, in which case the Gate bursts open, causing the elder sign token at that location to be removed from the board. A Gate then opens at that location and a monster appears there as usual. However, a doom token is not placed on the Ancient One's doom track when a seal is burst open by a Gate burst. Also, the bursting of a seal does not cause a monster surge.
Additionally, whenever a Gate burst is drawn, all flying monsters move, regardless of their dimensional symbol.
Relationship Cards
During the setup of games with three or more players, each player receives a Relationship card. (Note that in games with only two players, only one player receives a Relationship card.) This card describes the effects of a relationship between his investigator and a partner. The partner in a relationship is always the investigator belonging to the player seated to the left of the player who received this card.
This means that in games with three or more players, each player benefits from both his own Relationship card and the Relationship card drawn by the player to his right.
A player never loses his Relationship card unless his investigator or his investigator's partner is devoured. When an investigator is devoured, return both his player's Relationship card and the Relationship card of the player seated to his right back to the box. In a two player game, if either investigator is devoured, return the Relationship card to the box. New Relationship cards are not drawn when a new investigator comes into play after one has been devoured.
Gate Markers
The new Gate markers completely replace the Gate markers from Arkham Horror, as well as The Dunwich Horror and The Kingsport Horror expansions. They are treated exactly the same as the previous Gate markers with the following additions:
- Devouring Gate: If an investigator is in the same location as a Gate with this icon when it opens, he is devoured.
- Gate of Doom: If an investigator is in the same location as a Gate with this icon when it opens, add a doom token to the doom track.
- Endless Gate: A Gate marker with this icon cannot be collected as a Gate trophy. Instead, each time it is closed or sealed, reshuffle it into the Gate marker stack.
- Monstrous Gate: If an investigator fails his check to close a Gate with this icon, a monster appears in his location. If this brings the number of monsters over the monster limit, the first player places the monster in the Outskirts instead (see "Monster Limits and the Outskirts," on page 18 of the Arkham Horror rules).
- Gate of Blood: If an investigator fails his check to close a Gate with this icon, he loses 1 Stamina.
- Gate of Madness: If an investigator fails his check to close a Gate with this icon, he loses 1 Sanity.
- Moving Gate: If the dimensional symbol of a Gate with this icon is activated during monster movement, the Gate moves as if it were a normal monster. If multiple Moving Gates are activated, the first player chooses the order in which they move. A Moving Gate does not move if there is already a Gate marker in the location it would move into. If a Gate moves onto an investigator, he is pulled through as if it had opened on top of him. If this Gate moves away from an investigator who has explored it, he loses his explored token.
- Split Gate: When an investigator is drawn through a Gate with two Other Worlds shown on the marker, he chooses one of the two and moves to the first area of that Other World. An investigator returning to Arkham from either of the Other Worlds shown on the marker may choose to move to the Gate marker's location and place an explored token under his investigator marker. (Note: an investigator does not need to have explored both Other Worlds in order to close a Split Gate.) When this Gate is closed, all monsters in Arkham, the Sky, and the Outskirts that have either of the dimensional symbols on the marker are returned to the monster cup.
Closing and Sealing Gates
Occasionally, a game effect (Moving Gates, for instance) may make it possible to close a Gate either in a stable location or in the streets. A Gate may only be sealed when it is located on an unstable location. Gates in a stable location or in the streets can be closed, but cannot be sealed.
"The Herald" Variant
In this variant, the Lurker at the Threshold, a powerful and malevolent being, has appeared to prepare the way for the Ancient One. This variant increases the difficulty of the game and makes use of the Lurker at the Threshold Herald sheet, Dark Pact cards, Reckoning cards, and Power tokens.
Note: the rules printed on the Lurker at the Threshold Herald sheet, and the text of the Dark Pact and Reckoning cards, are not part of this rulebook. The rulebook refers to them throughout this variant; they are printed on those components.
Setup
Set up the Arkham Horror board game as normal, performing the following additional steps during Steps 5 and 6.
5a. Place the Lurker at the Threshold Herald sheet to the left of the Ancient One sheet and place the Power tokens next to it.
6a. Separate the Dark Pact cards into Blood Pacts, Soul Pacts, and Bound Allies and place the three decks next to the Herald sheet. Then shuffle the Reckoning cards and place them by the Mythos deck.
Gameplay
This variant uses all of the standard rules and victory conditions, but adds the rules listed on the Lurker at the Threshold Herald sheet as well.
Note that if no Power tokens are available, any ability or effect that would give Power tokens to a player is ignored. If more than one player receives Power tokens and there are not enough for everyone, the first player chooses the order in which players receive their tokens. If an investigator is knocked unconscious or driven insane, he does not lose any Dark Pacts or Power tokens. If an investigator is devoured, he loses all Dark Pacts and Power tokens.
Selective Variants
Players may choose to play without the new Gate markers or the Relationship cards if they wish, even if using other components of the Lurker at the Threshold expansion. If not using the new Gate markers, simply leave the new Gate markers in the box and instead use the ones included in Arkham Horror, as well as those included in The Dunwich Horror and The Kingsport Horror expansions if you are using either of them. If not using the Relationship cards, simply leave them in the box.