Game Objective

The The Forgotten Age investigator expansion for Arkham Horror: The Card Game does not present a standalone game objective, but rather a set of investigators and player cards. The main objective is to use these cards to build or enhance your investigator decks, which will then be used in any scenario or campaign of the base game Arkham Horror: The Card Game. The victory and defeat condition is determined by the scenario or campaign in which the cards from this expansion are used.

Preparation (Setup)

The The Forgotten Age: Investigator Expansion does not describe an independent game setup process, as its cards are integrated into the base game. However, to prepare for the use of cards from this expansion:

• Identify expansion cards by the specific symbol before the collection number.
• The basic weaknesses "Dark Pact" and "Doomed" should only be added to the available basic weaknesses when investigators are playing in Campaign Mode.
• The weaknesses "The Price of Failure", "Cursed Fate", and "The Bells Toll" are neither basic weaknesses nor scenario-specific. They are not added to the available basic weaknesses and should only be included in an investigator's deck if another card instructs players to do so.
• To include a card with the Researched keyword in an investigator deck, it must first be "identified" or "translated". This is done by performing a task on a lower-level version of the card and recording the result in the Campaign Log.

Game Flow

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Actions and How to Play

This expansion introduces new mechanics and card types that affect actions and gameplay:

• Seal:
  • As an additional cost for a card with the seal keyword to enter play, the controller must search the chaos bag for the specified chaos token and place it on the card, thus sealing the token.
  • If there is a choice of which token to seal, the card's controller chooses.
  • If the specified token is not in the chaos bag, the card cannot enter play.
  • A sealed chaos token is not considered to be in the chaos bag and, therefore, cannot be revealed from the chaos bag as part of a skill test or ability.
  • When a chaos token is "released," it returns to the chaos bag and is no longer considered sealed.
  • If a card with one or more sealed chaos tokens on it leaves play for any reason, the sealed chaos tokens on it are immediately released.
  • Some cards (with or without the seal keyword) may have abilities that seal one or more chaos tokens as part of their effect. This is done by searching the chaos bag for the specified token, removing it from the chaos bag, and placing it on the card. If the specified token is not in the chaos bag, the effect fails.
• Researched:
  • A card with the Researched keyword can only be included in an investigator deck after being upgraded from its lower-level version.
  • An investigator can only include a Researched card in their deck if they have noted in the Campaign Log the completion of the task described on the lower-level version of that card.
  • After an investigator completes this task and records it in the Campaign Log, any investigator in the campaign can upgrade the relevant card by following the normal rules for upgrading player cards.
  • Example: "Ancient Stone (Ancestral Knowledge)" has the Researched keyword. Investigators cannot acquire it directly. Instead, they must upgrade it from "Ancient Stone (Unidentified)," and can only do so if they have "identified the stone."
• Additional Weaknesses:
  • Dark Pact (Basic Weakness, Campaign Mode only): Deal 2 damage to an investigator at your location. Forced – When the game ends or you are eliminated, if Dark Pact is still in your hand: Remove Dark Pact from your deck. Search your collection for the card The Price of Failure and add it to your deck.
  • The Price of Failure (Weakness): Revelation – Suffer 2 damage and 2 horror. Place 1 doom on the current agenda (this effect may cause the current agenda to advance). Remove The Price of Failure from your deck. Search your collection for the card Dark Pact and place it in your discard pile.
  • Doomed (Basic Weakness, Campaign Mode only): Revelation – Suffer 1 horror. In your Campaign Log, under story assets/additional weaknesses added by your investigator, record that "doom approaches." If this has already been recorded, remove Doomed from your deck, search your collection for the card Cursed Fate and place it at the bottom of your deck.
  • Cursed Fate (Weakness): Revelation – Suffer 2 horror. In your Campaign Log, under story assets/additional weaknesses added by your investigator, record that "the hour is nigh." If this has already been recorded, remove Cursed Fate from your deck, search your collection for the card The Bells Toll and place it at the bottom of your deck.
  • The Bells Toll (Weakness): Revelation – Your hour of death has come. You are killed.

End of Game and Scoring

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Tips for Winning

1. Manage Your Campaign Weaknesses: Be aware of the consequences of weaknesses like "Dark Pact" and "Doomed" in Campaign Mode. They can evolve into more severe weaknesses, such as "The Price of Failure," "Cursed Fate," and even "The Bells Toll," which can lead to the investigator's elimination. Plan how to deal with them to avoid cascading negative effects.
2. Prioritize Card Research: If you intend to use cards with the Researched keyword, such as "Ancient Stone (Ancestral Knowledge)," focus on completing the necessary tasks on their lower-level versions. Recording the completion in the Campaign Log is crucial to being able to upgrade and include these powerful cards in your deck.
3. Use the Seal Mechanic Strategically: The seal keyword allows you to remove chaos tokens from the chaos bag, which can be a significant advantage in skill tests. Consider which chaos tokens are most problematic for your investigator or for the current scenario and use cards with seal to mitigate these risks.