Dive into the chilling world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game, a captivating deck-building experience where you and your friends collaborate to conquer terrifying cosmic horrors. This cooperative card game is part of the expansive Arkham Horror Files universe, which also includes board games and the recently released, accessible Arkham Horror: The Role-Playing Game (available on Amazon). Since its 2016 debut, this deck-building game has expanded significantly, offering a wealth of customization options beyond the core set and campaigns.
Featured in this article
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The Base Game
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MSRP: $59.95 USD
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 45 mins per player
Ages: 14+
The core set provides everything needed to begin your investigation. It includes five pre-built investigator decks, launching you into the "Night of the Zealot" campaign. This offers a replayable introduction to the world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game, with numerous expansions available for continued adventures.
Arkham Horror Card Game Expansions
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Unlike the board game, Arkham Horror: The Card Game expansions differ. Board game expansions include complete stories and investigators. The card game separates campaign expansions (new stories) and investigator expansions (new characters). This allows for flexible investment, enabling players to enjoy new scenarios without immediately purchasing new investigators.
The Dunwich Legacy
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The first expansion, The Dunwich Legacy, serves as a user-friendly stepping stone from the base game, focusing on the search for lost investigators—a theme that reflects the game's expansion through new investigator sets.
The Path to Carcosa
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This expansion introduces a theatrical production to Arkham, offering user-friendly scenarios for newcomers while still presenting a challenge for experienced players. Second edition updates provide additional engagement for those owning the first edition.
The Forgotten Age
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Explore the ruins of an Aztec city in this challenging campaign, where a mystery threatens the fabric of time. Its difficulty makes it best suited for players with experience in other campaigns. Also available in a second edition.
The Circle Undone
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Affectionately known as "the witches pack," this expansion features powerful investigators to counter its challenging campaign. The investigators are highly recommended alongside the campaign.
The Edge of the Earth
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Brave the Antarctic tundra in this expansion, where danger lurks at every turn. The campaign offers a challenging experience, whether played with or without the corresponding investigators.
The Scarlet Keys
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Embark on a global journey to unravel an international conspiracy involving keys and a race against the Red Coterie. This expansion offers a less linear exploration compared to others.
The Dream Eaters
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This campaign features two four-part storylines: "Dream Quest" and "Web of Dreams," playable separately or combined for a longer eight-part adventure.
The Innsmouth Conspiracy
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Experience a dynamic world in this expansion, where water levels affect locations, adding strategic depth to gameplay.
The Feast of the Hemlock Vale
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This newer expansion takes players to Hemlock Vale, where a festival masks dangers like mutated wildlife and a sinister presence. Investigate within a three-day timeframe, with day/night dynamics impacting gameplay.
The Drowned City
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The newest expansion, The Drowned City, challenges players to confront a Lovecraftian deep-one awakening.
Other ways to expand your deck-building adventures in Arkham
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Starter Decks
Add investigators without committing to full expansions. Starter decks offer a cost-effective way to expand your roster, though investigators might not be as powerful as those in campaign expansions. Five investigators are available: Harvey Waters, Nathaniel Cho, Jacqueline Fine, Winifred Habbamock, and Stella Clark.
Scenario Packs
Standalone scenario packs provide shorter adventures than full expansions. Murder at the Excelsior Hotel is considered a good entry point. Other packs include Fortune and Folly, Machinations Through Time, War of the Outer Gods, Labyrinths of Lunacy, and The Blob That Ate Everything.
Return to Boxes & Parallel Investigator Packs
Return to boxes offer revamped and expanded campaigns, requiring the base campaign. Parallel investigators provide alternate versions of existing investigators with enhanced abilities. Both are considered collector's items and may be difficult to find.
The Bottom Line
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Arkham Horror: The Card Game offers a thrilling solo or multiplayer experience for Lovecraft enthusiasts. While challenging and incorporating elements of chance, the card game's accessibility and replayability, coupled with its diverse expansions, provide endless hours of chilling adventure. Setup is simpler than the board game versions, easing the entry into the terrifying world of Arkham.
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