# Elder Sign: Unseen Forces

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2013
- **BGG Rating**: 7.6
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 1-8 (Best with: 1)
- **Duration**: 90 min
- **Weight**: 2.41 / 5
- **Designers**: Kevin Wilson, Richard Launius
- **Artists**: Dallas Mehlhoff
- **Publishers**: Fantasy Flight Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Arclight Games, Edge Entertainment, Galakta, Giochi Uniti, Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- **Categories**: Adventure, Card Game, Dice, Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy, Fighting, Horror, Novel-based
- **Mechanics**: Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Modular Board, Player Elimination, Role Playing, Variable Player Powers

## Verdict
The perfect upgrade for fans wanting more chaos and tension in Elder Sign!Fun new dice mechanicsMassive amount of extra contentGreatly increases replayabilityRequires the base gameHeavy reliance on dice luckRECOMMENDED

## Description
If you've already felt the dread of Elder Sign, get ready: Unseen Forces is here to make the chaos even more unpredictable. This expansion dives deep into the Lovecraftian universe, introducing new forces that can be either your salvation or your total ruin. The real game-changer is the introduction of special dice: the white die and the black die. Being blessed grants you a white die to boost your rolls, but beware—if a curse takes hold, the black die can literally wipe out your dice pool if matching symbols appear. It's a high-stakes roller coaster!

Beyond this luck-driven mechanic, the expansion significantly expands the base game's content. You'll encounter four new Ancient Ones (the big bads), eight new investigators with unique powers, and a host of brand-new monsters to battle. Even the museum itself gets a makeover with new Entrance Cards, providing strategic alternatives for players who prefer not to dive into a full adventure during their turn.

For fans of risk management, Unseen Forces is a dream. Blessings can grant you extra spells, clues, or items, but curses are unforgiving: if an investigator suffers a second curse, they are immediately devoured! It’s that classic tension of 'will this die save me or destroy me?'. If you already own the base game and are looking for deeper strategy, more character variety, and, of course, much more cosmic horror, this expansion is the perfect upgrade to keep the terror alive at your gaming table.

## How to Play
Game Objective
In Elder Sign: Unseen Forces, players take on the roles of investigators trying to prevent the awakening of an Ancient One, a terrifying cosmic entity. The goal is to collect Elder Signs to seal the Ancient One before it awakens. If players manage to gather the required Elder Signs, they win. Otherwise, if the Ancient One awakens, players face a desperate final battle. If they fail in this battle, all are defeated.

Setup
To prepare the game with the Unseen Forces expansion, follow these steps:

  Remove the replacement cards from the base game and replace them with the new expansion cards.
  Add the new Investigator cards to the Investigator deck.
  Shuffle the new Adventure and Other World cards into their respective decks.
  Place the Blessing/Curse cards in a pile within reach of all players.
  Shuffle the new Common Item, Unique Item, Spell, and Ally cards into their respective decks.
  Shuffle the new Mythos cards into the Mythos deck, unless using the Master Mythos Cards option.
  Add the new monster tokens to the monster pool, except for the Children of Aboth and Mask tokens, which are only used when specified by the Ancient One's card.

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Game Flow
The game is divided into turns, where each player takes actions with their investigator. The basic flow includes:

  Movement Phase: The investigator can move to a new Adventure, Entrance, or Other World card.
  Resolution Phase: The investigator resolves the adventure or ability of the card they are on.
  Mythos Phase: A Mythos card is drawn, and its effects are applied, which may add monsters, advance the clock, or trigger other events.

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Actions and How to Play
During the game, investigators can perform various actions:

  Move: Choose a new Adventure, Entrance, or Other World card to explore.
  Resolve Adventures: Attempt to complete the tasks on an Adventure or Other World card using the available dice.
  Use Card Abilities: Apply effects from Item, Spell, or Ally cards to assist in adventures.
  Handle Blessings and Curses: If blessed, add the white die to the dice pool. If cursed, add the black die, which may hinder rolls.

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

End of Game and Scoring
The game ends when players collect all the required Elder Signs to seal the Ancient One, resulting in victory. If the Ancient One awakens, players face a final battle. If they fail in this battle, all are defeated. There is no scoring, only victory or defeat.

Tips for Winning

  Manage Blessings and Curses: Use the white die to increase your chances of success in adventures. Beware of the black die, which can hinder your rolls.
  Prioritize Entrance Cards: Entrance cards offer new options and locations to explore. Use them strategically to gain advantages.
  Cooperate with Other Players: Work as a team to tackle tougher adventures and share resources.

## FAQ
### Can I play Unseen Forces solo?
Yes! The expansion works perfectly in solo mode or in groups of up to 8 players.

### Do I need the base game to play this?
Absolutely. It is an expansion and cannot be played as a standalone game.

### What exactly do the new dice do?
The white die boosts your successes (blessing), while the black die can cause dice loss (curse).

### Is the expansion much harder?
It adds more variables and risks, which can make the game more challenging and unpredictable.

### How many new characters are included?
You get eight new investigators to choose from and play with.

### Does the game take longer to finish?
Playtime remains similar, though increased strategic complexity might slightly affect the pacing.

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