The Cards of Cthulhu
The Cards of Cthulhu Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Sinister Cults are attempting to awaken their Elder Gods. If they succeed, it will plunge the world into endless darkness. But awakening a god is not easy and requires many Minions to gather together to perform the ritual.
This is the one advantage you have against them. By continually attacking these Cults, you can prevent them from gathering the strength they need.
Each turn, you will draw cards from the Cult Deck to represent their gathering forces. Each card represents either a Minion, a Gate, or a Horror summoned to our world.
You must lead attacks against the Cults of Cthulhu, Arwassa, Chaugnar Faugn, and Yog-Sothoth to reduce their numbers and prevent them from gathering enough strength to summon their specific Elder God.
Components
Symbols
The Symbol on each Cult card identifies which Cult the Minion, Horror, or Gate belongs to. These symbols have matching symbols on the Cult Boards.
- The Cult of Cthulhu
- The Cult of Arwassa
- The Cult of Chaugnar Faugn
- The Cult of Yog-Sothoth
Cult Boards
The Cult Boards have areas for its Gate, its Minions, and its Horrors.
- The Cult of Cthulhu
- The Cult of Arwassa
- The Cult of Chaugnar Faugn
- The Cult of Yog-Sothoth
The Help Sheet
The Help Sheet lists Magic Spells, the Sequence of Play, and other information necessary to play the game.
The Cards
Minion Cards
A Cult card with a numeric value in the top left corner represents the Minions of a Cult.
The value represents the Minion's specific strength, from extremely weak human cultists to powerful unearthly creatures.
Gate Cards
When a Cult Board has 1 or more Gates in play, draw 1 extra Cult card each turn.
There are two Gates for each Cult Board. If you draw a Gate for a Cult Board that already has an active Gate, stack the new Gate on top of the Gate already on the Board.
Horror Cards
These creatures are fearsome and will test the sanity of even the strongest-willed.
Horror cards do not have a number in the top left corner.
While these creatures do not contribute toward summoning their gods, their arrival will affect your Sanity.
Investigators
This is your character in the game. You will choose one of the Investigators to play during the game. Your Investigator can only use his or her Skill once per turn.
These cards have a special backing identifying them as Investigators.
Followers
There are Follower cards in the deck that you may purchase during the game. Each Follower has a unique Skill.
Items
Your team can purchase and use Items to battle the Cults.
Beware, there are also Cursed Items which will hamper your efforts!
The Dice
Your Body Die
The red Body die represents your physical body. If you roll a 1 with your Body die, you are Wounded and you lose a Health die. If you roll a 1 with your Body die, and you do not have any Health dice remaining, you are killed, and you lose the game.
Any roll, including 1s, can be used to destroy Minions and Horrors in Combat.
Your Health Dice
The 2 green Health dice help you Slay Minions and Horrors in Combat.
When you are Wounded, you lose one of these Health Dice until you Heal.
Your Spirit Dice
There are 4 Spirit dice. You can purchase 3 of them to temporarily aid you in combat. You'll receive the fourth Spirit die when you acquire a special Item.
You gain the use of these by using Magic Spells that assist you in combat. These dice are purchased for a single use. You do not retain them, but they can be repurchased for each Attack.
You cannot roll more than 3 purchased Spirit dice during an Attack.
The Coins
You use the Experience Coins to track your unspent Experience points.
When you slay Minions and Horrors, Close Gates, or elect not to purchase Items and Followers, you gain Experience.
You spend Experience to purchase Items and Followers, Close Gates, and to resist Sanity Loss.
The Coins do not limit your Experience. If you run out of Coins, use some other marker to record your unspent Experience.
Set-Up
Place each of the 4 Cult Boards in front of you.
Separate the Investigator cards from the Cult Deck.
Select one of the Investigator cards to be your character during the game. Set aside the other Investigators. You will not need them during the game.
Shuffle the Cult Deck and place it within easy reach. The Cult deck contains Followers, Items, Minions, Horrors, and Gates.
Place the Body die, Health dice, and Spirit dice within easy reach.
Place the Help Sheet in front of you.
Starting Experience
You begin the game with 4 Experience. Take 4 of the Experience Coins and place them on your Investigator.
Objective
If there are more than 5 Minions on any Cult Board at the end of any turn, that Cult summons their Elder God. You lose. No mortal can hope to face these beings and, the world is lost.
If, however, you are able to empty the Cult Deck without the world ending, you have foiled the arrival of the Elder Gods, and you win the game.
Turn Order
Perform the following steps each game turn:
(1) Summoning
- Draw 4 Cult cards
- Purchase Items and Followers
- Suffer Sanity Loss
(2) Combat
- Choose Target Cult Board
- Roll Combat Dice
- Re-roll Combat Dice
- Protection
- Attacking Minions
- Attacking Awake Horrors
- Attacking Gates
- Gain Experience
(3) Outcome
- Check for Defeat
- Check for Victory
Summoning
Draw 4 Cult Cards
Draw 4 Cult cards, plus 1 Cult card for each Cult Board with a Gate. Draw only 1 extra card for a Cult Board even if it has 2 Gate cards in play.
If you draw any Followers and Items, set them aside for purchase later in the turn.
Minions
When you draw a Minion card, place it in the Minion area of the Cult Board with the matching symbol.
Gates
When you draw a Gate card, place it in the Gate area of the Cult Board with the matching symbol.
Keep in mind that the draw amount is increased immediately, meaning you will draw an additional card from the Cult Deck this turn.
If more than one Gate is in play during the Draw phase, draw 1 extra Cult card for each Cult Board with a Gate.
Example: There is 1 Gate in play on the Arwassa Board, so you are about to draw 5 Cult cards. You draw a Minion and place it on the appropriate Cult Board. You draw another Minion and place it. You then draw a Cthulhu Gate and place it. This increases your Draw by another extra card. Instead of drawing 5 cards this step, you must now draw 6 cards. You now have 3 cards left to draw.
If you draw a Gate for a Cult Board that already has an active Gate, place the new Gate on top of the first Gate on the Cult Board. You must Destroy both Gates before that Cult Board stops generating an extra card draw.
Horrors
Horrors are not from this world. They must be Awakened in our plane of existence by their Minions in order to manifest themselves here. Much like the Elder Gods themselves, a specific number of Minions are required to Awaken each Horror.
When you draw a Horror card, check if there are enough Minions on the matching Cult Board to Awaken the Horror.
- Minor Horrors require 2 or more Minions.
- Major Horrors require 3 or more Minions.
- Unspeakable Horrors require 4 or more Minions.
If there are enough Minions, place the Horror card faceup on the Cult Board in its corresponding Horror Slot.
Sleeping Horrors
If the Cult Board does not contain enough Minions to Awaken the Horror, place the Horror card facedown in its place on the Cult Board. That Horror is now a Sleeping Horror.
Later, if there are enough Minions to Awaken a Sleeping Horror during a Draw phase, turn the Horror card faceup.
A faceup Horror is Awake, and a facedown Horror is Asleep.
Purchase Items and Followers
When you draw Cult cards, some of them will be Followers and Items.
Each Follower or Item card has an Experience purchase cost shown near the top. Pay this number of Experience Coins to purchase the card.
When you draw an Item or Follower card, you must either purchase the card during the Buy step of the turn or discard it. If you discard it, gain 1 Experience Coin for each Item or Follower you discard. You can purchase as many Items or Followers as you can afford.
If you purchase the card, place it next to your Investigator for later use.
Each card also has an Experience cost to use the card shown near the purchased card's text. Pay this cost in Experience Coins to use the card's ability. You can only use each card's ability once each turn.
Your Investigator Skill, and each Follower Skill, may only be used once during each turn, even if you gain an extra Attack from Magic Spells or Items.
When you suffer a Sanity Loss or a Wound you can discard a Follower to absorb the Hit.
Unless the card reads otherwise, you can only use a card's ability during your Combat step.
Card Terms
The following game terms appear on the cards.
Any — This means any of the specified cards on any Cult Board.
Discard — Remove the targeted card from the game and place it in your discard pile. You do not gain any Experience Coins from discarding the card.
Slay — Remove the targeted card from the game and place it in your discard pile. You do gain Experience Coins from Slaying the card.
Suffer Sanity Loss
If there are one or more Horrors Awake during this step, you suffer a Sanity Loss and must immediately discard a number of Experience Coins equal to the Combo Value on the most powerful Awake Horror, or you must have one of your Followers go Insane. Turn the Insane Follower card face down. The Follower can no longer participate in the game.
Example: There is a Minor Horror and Major Horror Awake. The Major Horror is more powerful, so it inflicts a Sanity Loss. You must either flip over one of your Followers, or discard 3 Experience Coins.
If you cannot pay the required number of Experience Coins, and you do not have a Follower to flip, your Investigator goes Insane and you lose the game.
Combat
After you place the Cult cards, it is your turn to fight them. You will lead an attack on one of the Cults to weaken it.
You may skip this step, but that is rarely a wise choice.
Choose a Target Cult Board
Your first step in combat is to select which of the 4 Cult Boards you wish to attack. Any dice you roll can only be used to Slay the cards of the selected Cult Board.
Roll Combat Dice
Roll your 2 Health dice and your 1 Body die as well as any Spirit dice you have purchased.
All the dice rolled are considered your Combat Roll.
Re-Roll Combat Dice
After seeing your die roll, you may pick up any dice that you wish to re-roll.
You cannot re-roll dice that rolled a 1.
Your goal is to use the values on the dice to Slay Minions or Horrors on the Cult Board.
Ones and Wounds
1s rolled with a Body die are a special case in Combat. These represent mistakes or moments of weakness.
If at any time you roll a 1 with your Body die, the Cult has Wounded you. You must either set aside 1 of your Health dice at the end of this Combat phase, or flip over a Follower. You may not roll the lost Health die until you heal.
If you ever lose both Health dice, and you roll a 1 with your Body die, you die. The game ends in failure.
If you are Attacking a Cult Board with a Horror, you have the chance of getting Wounded more often. Instead of just getting Wounded on a Body die roll of a 1, you get Wounded on a Body die roll of a 1 through the Dice Combo value of the most powerful Awake Horror on that Board.
Example: If you are Attacking a Board with an Awake Major Horror, you suffer a Wound, or flip over a Follower, if your Body die rolls a 1, 2, or 3.
Protection
Cult cards on a Board protect each other. Awake Horrors protect the Minions on the Cult Board. Until all Awake Horrors are Slain, you cannot attack the Minions on the Cult Board.
Minions protect the Sleeping Horrors and the Gate. You cannot attack a Sleeping Horror or the Gate if there are any Minions on the Cult Board.
Example: In the above graphic, you cannot attack the Minions until the Awake Minor Horror is Slain.
Once the Awake Horror is Slain, you can attack the Minions. You cannot attack the Gate or Sleeping Horror until all the Minions are Slain.
Attacking Minions
You use your rolled dice to Slay Minions.
Single Die
If you place a single die from your Combat Roll on any Minion card with an equal or lower value, you Slay the Minion.
Example: You may place a die roll of 4 on a Minion with a value of 4 or less to Slay it.
Multiple Dice
You can place multiple dice from your Combat Roll on any Minion card. If the total die roll is equal to or greater than the Minion's value, you Slay the Minion.
Example: You may place die rolls of 2 and 4 on a Minion with a value of 6 or lower to Slay it.
Example: You may place die rolls of 3, 4, and 2 on a Minion with a value of 9 or lower to Slay it.
Attacking Awake Horrors
You also use your rolled dice to Slay Horrors.
If there is more than one Horror on a Cult Board, you can choose which Horror or Horrors you attack.
After you roll, you can choose how you allocate your dice to Slay Horrors.
Slaying Horrors is more challenging than Slaying Minions. To Slay a Horror, you must create a Matching Combo or a Run Combo with your roll.
Matching Combo
Multiple dice with the same value may be allocated to the same Horror to create a Matching Combo.
Examples: You can use a 5 and 5 to make a 2 die Matching Combo. You can also use a 3, 3, 3, and 3 to make a 4 die Matching Combo.
Run Combo
Two or more dice that are in sequential order may be allocated to the same Horror to create a Run Combo.
Examples: You can use a 5 and 6 to make a 2 die Combo. You can also use a 1, 2, and 3 to make a 3 die Run Combo.
Minor Horror — You must use a 2 die Combo to Slay a Minor Horror.
Example: You Slay a Minor Horror with a Matching Combo roll of 2 and 2 or with a Run Combo roll of 2 and 3.
You will take a Wound if your Body die rolls a 1 or 2.
Major Horror — You must use a 3 die Combo to Slay a Major Horror.
Example: You Slay a Major Horror with a Matching Combo roll of 2, 2 and 2 or with a Run Combo roll of 2, 3, and 4.
You will take a Wound if your Body die rolls a 1, 2, or 3.
Unspeakable Horror — You must use a 4 die Combo to Slay an Unspeakable Horror.
Example: You Slay an Unspeakable Horror with a Matching Combo roll of 5, 5, 5, and 5 or with a Run Combo roll of 2, 3, 4, and 5.
You will take a Wound if your Body die rolls a 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Attacking Sleeping Horrors
You may Slay a Sleeping Horror by placing dice on the Sleeping Horror. You must use the number of dice equal to the Horror's combo value. The dice can be of any value, but they must be rolled to check for a Wound.
You will only take a Wound if your Body die rolls a 1.
Example: You can Slay a Sleeping Major Horror by placing any 3 dice on the card.
Example: There is a Sleeping Minor Horror and a Value 5 Cultist Leader Minion on the Cult Board. You roll 3 dice. You roll a 2, 4, and 6. You can use the 6 to Slay the Cultist Leader and the 2 and 4 to Slay the Sleeping Horror.
At the end of the game, there can be no Awake Horrors. Keep playing and suffering Sanity Losses until no Awake Horrors remain on any Cult Boards.
Attacking Gates
Instead of using an Attack to Slay Minions and Horrors, you can Destroy a Gate. You do not roll dice to Destroy Gate cards. You must discard 3 Experience Coins to Destroy a Gate on the Cult Board you targeted. Move the Destroyed Gate to the discard pile.
Gain Experience
As you fight, you gain Experience Coins by Slaying Minions and Horrors, Destroying Gates, and by not purchasing Items and Followers.
These Coins allow you to activate powerful Magic Spells, purchase Items and Followers, and to resist Sanity Loss.
Return an Experience Coin to the general pile when you spend it. Cycle them as needed between the pile and your Investigator.
| Action | Experience Coins Gained |
|---|---|
| Slay a Minion | 1 |
| Slay a Horror | = Dice Combo Value |
| Destroy a Gate | 1 |
| Do not Purchase an Item | 1 |
| Do not Purchase a Follower | 1 |
| Resolved a Cursed Item | 1 |
Outcome
Check for Failure
Check each of the 4 Cult Boards. If any Board has 5 or more Minion cards, the Cult members summon their Elder God, and the game immediately ends in failure.
Check for Victory
If the Cult deck is out of cards, and there are 4 or fewer Minion cards on all the Cult Boards, and there are no Awake Horrors, you win.
Continue to play as long as there are Awake Horrors in play.
Magic
As you Slay Minions and Horrors, you can use your valuable Experience Coins to use single-use Magic Spells.
Each Magic Spell takes effect when you purchase it.
Spirit Die [1 Experience]
During an Attack, you roll 1 Spirit die. You may purchase this Magic Spell up to 3 times during an Attack. All Spirit dice for a Combat must be purchased at the same time, before the Combat begins.
If you Hurry and perform a second Attack, you must purchase any Spirit dice you want to use during the second Attack. Spirit dice from the first Attack do not remain for the second Attack.
Hurry [2 Experience]
After performing your Attack for a turn you may spend 2 Experience to perform another Attack on any Cult Board. You may only purchase this Magic Spell once per turn.
Healing [3 Experience]
Any time you are not resolving an Attack, you may spend 3 Experience to recover one previously lost Health die.
Seal Gate [3 Experience]
Destroy a Gate card on any Cult Board.
Items
These Items aid in battling the Cults.
Disruption Ritual
Purchase cost: 4, Use cost: 1
Each turn, if you pay 1 Experience during the Draw 4 Cult Cards step, draw 1 less Cult card.
Example: If you have no open Gates, you only draw 3 Cult cards this turn.
Elder Sign
Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0
You may discard this card when you are suffering a Sanity Loss to cancel the effect.
Example: There is a Minor Horror and Major Horror in play. You are about to suffer a value 3 Sanity Loss. You discard this card to stop the Loss.
Necklace of the Veil
Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0
You may discard this card to discard any Gate in play, even if the Cult Board has Minions.
Necronomicon
Purchase cost: 5, Use cost: 2
Once each turn, you may pay 2 Experience Coins to discard any Gate in play, even if the Cult Board has Minions.
Otherworldly Idol
Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 0
Once each turn, during the combat phase, you may flip a Follower to discard any Horror in play.
Example: Your Investigator is the Soldier. You previously purchased the Ritualist Follower. There is an Unspeakable Horror in play. You flip the Ritualist and discard the Horror.
Potion of Rebirth
Purchase cost: 3, Use cost: 0
You may discard this card to unflip a Follower.
Example: You previously purchased the Big Game Hunter as a Follower. He was later flipped when you suffered a Wound. You discard the Potion of Rebirth and unflip the Big Game Hunter to being part of your Investigator's team.
Ritual Dagger
Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0
During your Attack step, you may discard this card to treat it as a Spirit die of any value. This is in addition to any Spirit dice you may have purchased.
Example: You are attacking the Cthulhu Cult Board with a Major Horror. You roll, and re-roll, but are one die short of the combo you need to Slay the Horror. You discard this card to complete the combo.
Sword of the Crusader
Purchase cost: 6, Use cost: 0
You get to roll one free Spirit die during one Combat Roll each turn.
Temple of Light
Purchase cost: 3, Use cost: 1
You may pay 1 Experience during your Combat step to draw the next 2 Cult cards and discard them. You must discard these cards and you do not gain Experience for Item or Follower cards.
Cursed Items
These Items focus otherworldly powers to act against you. Once you have dealt with the curse, place the card in the discard pile and gain 1 Experience Coin.
During the Buy step, you must either pay the Purchase cost of the Cursed Item, or suffer its effect. Discard the Cursed Item once its effect is resolved.
Cursed Cubes
Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0
When you draw this card, pay 2 Experience Coins or you cannot do re-rolls this turn.
Cursed Scroll
Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0
When you draw this card, you must either pay 2 Experience Coins or immediately draw 3 Cult cards.
Cursed Temple
Purchase cost: 1 Follower, Use cost: 0
When you draw this card, you must either flip 1 Follower or you cannot use Magic Spells this turn.
Investigators
These cards are your Investigators and Followers.
You must pay the Experience cost to use the Skill noted on the Investigator or Follower's card.
Example: Each time the Big Game Hunter uses his Investigator Skill, he must first pay 4 Experience Coins.
Soldier
The soldier is well-trained and skilled in combat. This makes him exceptional at attacking Minions.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step, you can pay 1 Experience to discard any 1 Minion with a value of 2 to 6. The Minion can be on any Cult Board, and can even have an Awake Horror on its Cult Board.
Follower — Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 1. You can pay 2 Experience to purchase this Follower. Once each turn during your Combat step, you can pay 1 Experience to discard any 1 Minion with a value of 2 to 3. The Minion can be on any Cult Board, and can even have an Awake Horror on its Cult Board.
Big Game Hunter
The bigger they are, the more fun they are to hunt. Big game hunters love the challenge of fighting powerful beasts. As such they are skilled at dealing with Horrors in combat.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step, you can pay 3 Experience to discard any 1 Horror. The Horror can be on any Cult Board, Awake or Asleep, and can even have Minions on its Cult Board.
Follower — Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 4. You can pay 1 Experience to purchase this Follower. Once each turn during your Attack step, you can pay 4 Experience to discard any 1 Horror. The Horror can be on any Cult Board, Awake or Asleep, and can even have Minions on its Cult Board.
Journalist
The people need to know the truth, and the journalist is the one to find it.
Investigator: Gain 1 extra Experience Coin when you Slay an Awake or Sleeping Horror.
Follower — Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 0. Each time you Slay an Awake or Sleeping Horror, draw and discard 1 Cult card. You do not gain Experience if the card is an Item or Follower. You can use this ability more than once each turn.
Psychic
The Psychic uses her mystical powers to predict the best course of action.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step, you can roll and re-roll your dice before deciding which Cult Board to Attack.
Follower — Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0. Once each turn during your Combat step, you can roll your dice before deciding which Cult Board to Attack.
Psychiatrist
The mind is the most powerful weapon when dealing with these cosmic creatures.
Investigator: You pay 1 Experience Coin less than normal when suffering a Sanity Loss.
Follower — Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0. You can discard 1 Item to stop a Sanity Loss.
Thief
Having connections can be very handy when getting things that supposedly do not exist.
Investigator: Once each turn, you can purchase a Item that costs 3 or more for 2 less Experience.
Example: When paying for a 5 Experience-cost Necronomicon, the Thief only pays 3.
Follower — Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 0. Once each turn you can purchase an Item that costs 3 or more for 1 less Experience.
Doctor
A knowledge of the healing arts often comes in handy when hunting the occult.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step, you can recover a lost Health die by paying only 1 Experience Coin to regain the die.
Follower — Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 2. Once each turn during your Combat step, you can recover a lost Health die by paying only 2 Experience Coins to regain the die.
Ritualist
A master of the arcane arts.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step, you can move any 1 Minion to a different Cult Board.
Follower — Purchase cost: 1, Use cost: 1. Once each turn during your Attack step, you can move any 1 Minion to a different Cult Board by paying 1 Experience.
Priest
When faced with the unthinkable, faith in a higher power is needed.
Investigator: Once each turn during your Combat step's Re-roll step, you can re-roll any of your Health or Spirit dice that rolled a 1 during your Roll Combat Dice step.
Follower — Purchase cost: 2, Use cost: 0. Once each turn during your Combat step's Re-roll step, you can re-roll any of your Spirit dice that rolled a 1 during your Roll Combat Dice step.
Optional Rules
Multiplayer Rules
Playing with 2 to 4 players is easy. Each player chooses an Investigator to play. Use the normal game rules except where noted below.
Roll for player order. Highest roll goes first, then proceed around the table clockwise. Each player conducts a normal turn, including checking for Defeat and Victory, then play passes to the next player.
You may only use your Investigator's Skill during your own turn.
You may only use your own Experience to purchase Followers, Items, or Magic Spells.
You can choose to allow another player to use your Follower's Skills or Items. The other player must pay your Follower or Item Use cost with his own Experience.
Turn a Follower or Item card 90 degrees to show it has been used.
At the end of your Investigator's turn, return all Item and Follower cards to their upright position to show they are once again ready to be used.
When a Horror inflicts a Sanity loss, only the Investigator taking their turn suffers the Loss.
If an Investigator is killed, continue playing the game with the remaining Investigators. The game ends when all Investigators are killed, or when the Cult deck is depleted and all Awake Horrors are Slain.
Victory
At the start of the game, decide if you will play cooperatively or competitively.
Cooperatively — If any Investigator survives to the end, all players win.
Competitively — If more than Investigator survives to the end, the player with the most unspent Experience wins the game.
Scoring
When you complete a game, you may score your results.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Won the game | +50 |
| Each Cult Board with no cards on it | +10 |
| Each Unspent Experience | +1 |
| Each Minion | -2 |
| Each Sleeping Horror | -1 |
| Each Open Gate | -3 |
| Each unhealed Wound | -3 |