End of Mythos-Deck-Variant (Arkham-Style Adventure-Mode)

[diceman2k4 9]

Just thought about a variant, where the game doesn't end, when you'd run out of Mythos.

Mind that I did not post this here, because I think that the base-game-experience is broke - it isn't - I'm only doing this, because thinking up new stuff about my favorite game of all times is fun:

I also did not test this yet, but if the occasion should arise during one of my upcoming solo-sessions (wouldn't dare to turn members of my group into a guinea-pig for untested ideas), I'd totally go for it, to see how it'll work out:

1.) When it comes to drawing a card from the Mythos-Deck and it's empty (and you haven't won the game), do the following:

- Advance Doom by 1

- Discard all Clues from the board (not possessions!)

- Reset all progression on the active Mystery

- Bring a random Rumor into play.

2.) Then continue playing as usual.

3.) Construct a new Mythos Deck for the following turns, using the same ratio of yellow and green cards, according to instructions on the AO-Sheet (without Rumors, though). Shuffle them all together (no Stage-Construction).

Edited August 5, 2015 by diceman2k4

[GAThraawn 300]

As has been mentioned about such ideas before, I think the basic concept is fine, if unnecessary; trying to give investigators an out when they're so close to victory, and the game just keeps getting harder and harder until they lose.

 

The issue, however, is that Mythos loss provides an important counter to an otherwise valid strategy of focusing almost entirely on gates. I've had games where we've managed to prevent any gates from remaining on the board, and with items and abilities, kept Doom high enough that we're basically never concerned about losing. Most of those games we've lost because we ran out of time. With effectively unlimited time, aggressively closing Gates becomes a valid way to extend the game time by another hour or so, but probably win close to every time.

 

If you were going to do this, I'd suggest something like making the replacement deck 2 Green and 2 Yellow, only giving investigators a short clock before the Mystery resets again and things get even harder. I think there needs to be some fast escalation to death after the deck runs out, or there's no incentive for the players to ever get around to finishing the game.

[diceman2k4 9]

I haven' been in a situation like this before, but, yes, I can see your point. 

Some exploit, that could happen with this variant, which I didn't consider before, would be players entirely focusing on hording Clues and Closing Gates, so they would be prepared when End of Mythos would arrive, and it wouldn't be a scary situation for them anymore.

Thanks for pointing that out. I can see that now, and game-mechanics indeed seem pretty much balanced. Eldritch Horror, at it's a core, will always be a race against Doom and Time.

[Zogwort 78]

Hello.

 

I just picked up the game last week and so far have had the chance to play 3 times. So far I've won once and lost twice. One of the losses was due to the Mythos deck running out and it felt really anti climatic, and so I was also thinking of some ways to keep the game going when the deck runs out. My idea is that once the deck runs out, move the counter on the Doom Track to zero, and the Ancient One awakens. Next, assuming your Ancient One isn't Azathoth, make a new Mythos deck by shuffling all of the unused Hard difficulty Mythos cards together, and draw the top card from this deck at the beginning of each Mythos phase.

 

Watcha think?

[johnwatersfan 7]

I think you can do what you like, but the point of the Mythos deck running out is that you're on a time limit. If you're losing because of that, you need to focus more on the mysteries and less on things like closing gates. While gates are important to prevent the ancient one from arising, your main focus should be the mysteries.

[PzVIE 69]

I recommend this variant from a user over at BGG: https://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/105779/final-mythos-v12-unofficial-addon-eldritch-horror

 

I never play without it