How to Play Elder Sign: Unseen Forces

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:

1. Remove the replacement cards from the base game and replace them with the new expansion cards.
2. Add the new Investigator cards to the Investigator deck.
3. Shuffle the new Adventure and Other World cards into their respective decks.
4. Place the Blessing/Curse cards in a pile within reach of all players.
5. Shuffle the new Common Item, Unique Item, Spell, and Ally cards into their respective decks.
6. Shuffle the new Mythos cards into the Mythos deck, unless using the Master Mythos Cards option.
7. 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:

1. Movement Phase: The investigator can move to a new Adventure, Entrance, or Other World card.
2. Resolution Phase: The investigator resolves the adventure or ability of the card they are on.
3. 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.