Arkham Horror Quick Guide

Arkham Horror is one of a number of pure co-operative board games available. Arkham Horror is set in the world created by H.P. Lovecraft and includes all the aspects of Cthulhu mythology including horrifying Ancient One’s, intrepid investigators, dark mysteries and insanity!

Arkham Horror currently has 6 expansions, each of which expands the game in new and interesting dimensions. The following Quick Guide tackles them by size and explains how each expansion fits into the next.

All expansions must be played with the original base game and can be played singularly with the base game or combined.

Arkham Horror
The base game introduces players to a co-operative style of play as they attempt to stop the return of an Ancient One. Players take on the role of investigators in the town of Arkham, working together to collect items and clues and to close gateways as they open. Along the way, they risk death and insanity as dictated by the Cthulhu mythos.

The Big Box Expansions

Arkham Horror - Dunwich Horror Expansion
The Dunwich Horror expansion is the largest expansion for Arkham Horror and introduces a new board (Dunwich) that Investigators can explore as well as new Ancient One’s to combat and even more cards including items, allies and spells. Also included are new rules for acquiring permanent, disabling Injuries and Madnesses for Investigators.

This expansion also features revised rules and an FAQ that addresses many of the perceived faults of the base game. Replacement cards are provided for items and spells that had errata on them.

Overall, this is a major expansion to the base game and probably the most popular expansion for Arkham Horror with the best bang for the buck.

Arkham Horror - Kingsport Horror Expansion
The Great Old Ones return to Massachusetts and this time they are unleashing their monsters on Kingsport. Join new investigators to combat new creatures before battling a new Ancient One. Can you save the world before they stir in their slumber....


Arkham Horror - Innsmouth Horror Expansion
Innsmouth Horror is the newest big-box expansion for Arkham Horror and introduces some new game rules including Personal Stories for each investigator (as seen in Android). In addition, there's a new town to explore - the Innsmouth Look - which is home to the Deep One's and hostile to the Investigators. Innsmouth Horror also adds 16 new investigators, eight new Ancient Ones, two new Heralds, Epic Battle cards for the new Ancient Ones, over 30 new monster markers, plenty of new encounters, and an expansion board featuring the town of Innsmouth. Over all, this expansion adds over 300 new cards to the base game.

The Small Expansions

Arkham Horror - Curse of the Dark Pharaoh Expansion
Curse of the Dark Pharaoh is a small expansion for the Arkham Horror base game that introduces an Egyptian themed exhibit in the museum. The expansion is purely a card-driven expansion and adds new 76 new Investigator cards and 90 other World, Mythos and Arkham Encounter cards to the game.

A small expansion, the Curse is heavily themed to Egypt and introduces a few highly appropriate mythos related encounters (including facing the Ancient One by yourself!).

This expansion is often considered the lesser of the two currently released small expansions

Arkham Horror - The King in Yellow Expansion
The King in Yellow is a play that has begun playing in Arkham. It brings with it new supernatural going-ons in the form of a slew of new cards and alters the ‘face’ of the game by ‘blighting’ allies through his corrupting influence. In addition, a new mechanic, the ‘Herald’ is introduced in this expansion that paves the way for the rising of the Ancient Ones.

The King in Yellow is often considered one of the better mini-expansions to Arkham Horror and really increases the difficulty level. With the ability to modularly add or remove the King in Yellow cards and rules, players can easily decide if they wish to use the rules at each game.

Arkham Horror - The Black Goat of the Woods
A dangerous cult has risen in Arkham! Meeting in secret, these heretics and madmen consort with dark powers and offer up sacrifices to the Ancient One, while hordes of vicious monsters descend on the the town. It’s up to a small band of investigators to infiltrate the cult and learn from these dark rituals, yet even the most pure-hearted may find himself corrupted in the process. Will their efforts be enough to stop the Ancient One from awakening, or will the investigators succumb, one by one, to the blasphemous seduction of its Herald, the Black Goat of the Woods?

The Black Goat of the Woods is a small expansion for the Arkham Horror board game. This expansion features 88 new Mythos cards, 9 new monster markers, 1 Herald Sheet, and 76 new Investigator cards including new items, new spells, and the dangerous lure of corruption.

Delicious     Stumble it!         Slashdot It!