How do you handle monsters in the outskirts?

[Ezuna 12]

I came across a situation tonight :

 

I was playing with 3 players, I had 5 monsters in Arkham and one in the sky, so I'd reached my limit. I also had 5 sitting in the outskirts.

 

Then there was a surge and 5 more appeared.

 

My take on the rules was that :

 

(a) I could not add any more to the outskirts therefore I increase the terror track by one

(b) I return the 5 in the outskirts to the cup immediately

© I take the 5 NEW spawns and add them to the outskirts

 

...net result = terror track increase by one and outskirts full again.

 

The alternative way I *thought* of interpreting the rules was to say 'OK - I'm over the limit with the surge, so I'll take the 5 from the outskirts, and the 5 new spawns and return them all to the cup and just increase the terror track by one and an empty outskirts' but that seemed like a cop out to me.

 

Was my first interpretation the correct one?

 

Thanks again

[Julia 2,810]

Nope.

 

When the limit in the Outskirts is reached, it's the *next* monster to be added there that, in stead of being added, makes the Outskirts pop and the terror rise.

 

With three investigators, the Outskirts limit is 5. Hence, out of the surge, the first monster is the one responsible for the +1 terror: you clear the Outskirts, raise the terror level by 1, and then you have 4 more to add in the Outskirts

[Ezuna 12]

Cool! The logic was sound but the math was wrong lol

[Julia 2,810]

Yup. Outskirts are tricky, many have asked before you, many will ask in the future; and it was object of the FAQ

[Soakman 998]

There is one way you can help clear the outskirts a tad bit; if you close or seal a gate with the same dimensional symbol as any monster on the board, they are returned to the cup. This also includes monsters in the outskirts!  I seldom find it necessary to do this, but it's a valid strategy.

 

I don't often have to worry about terror unless I'm playing with the King in Yellow Herald's Blights. 

Edited January 15, 2015 by Soakman

[The Professor 216]

Julia,

 

     On two occasions this week, I started to write a response only to find out that you've beaten me to it  ...I swear FFG implanted a chip in your head and it signals a new thread.     You're awesome, my friend!

 

Ciao,

Joe

[Soakman 998]

I don't know how I have it set up, but actually my e-mail signals me when there is a new thread.    I'm not really sure I should have just admitted that though. Haha.

Julia beats me to the punch regardless. 

[Julia 2,810]

Julia,

 

     On two occasions this week, I started to write a response only to find out that you've beaten me to it  ...I swear FFG implanted a chip in your head and it signals a new thread.     You're awesome, my friend!

 

Ciao,

Joe

 

I'm forced at home until I recover from the mononucleosys, so, I'm often at the PC doing stuff and refreshing the Arkham forum while drinking hot tea. Good times.

[Julia 2,810]

(but I still have to answer your latest mail, Joe. Some more patience, tomorrow should be the day)

[The Professor 216]

Soakman,

Good advice...I tend to check all of the illuminated threads every few days.

Julia,

I'm sorry my friend. Here's to a speedy recovery.

Cheers/Ciao,

Joe

[jlhorner1974 98]

The best advice I found is to process each new monster spawn one by one.  

 

If you place a monster in Arkham and this puts Arkham over the limit, move that monster to the Outskirts instead.

 

If you place a monster in the Outskirts and this puts it over the limit, return all of the monsters in the Outskirts to the cup  and increase the terror level.