Chaosium Digest Volume 21, Number 11 Date: Sunday, September 14, 1997 Number: 4 of 4 Outlined Mythos Decks: The Boston Deck (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS A Day in the Life... (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS A Heroic Rescue Deck (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS Interdimensional Sorcerer's Apprentice (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS The Library Deck (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS On the Edge (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: The Boston Deck System: Mythos Deck Name: The Boston Deck Introduction: The Boston Deck begins with Secrets of the Silver Twilight Lodge, which takes place entirely in Boston. It's one of the better Adventures, since it has only one Location, the Silver Twilight Lodge, and this Location has both the Tome and Artifact Attributes. The strategy behind this Adventure is to arrive at the Lodge, play all the Tomes, Artifacts, and Allies in your deck, score the Adventure, and have a head-start on your other Adventures. Since Boston contains a Library, some Cemetaries, and some Gate Locations, The Curious Parcel is included. This brings the deck to +14 points. No +6 or more Adventure is too obvious to finish the deck. Myself, I use The Theron Marks Society. Sets: Limited Edition Locations: Boston Items: Tomes and Artifacts Investigator: Any Non-English Investigator Adventures: * Secrets of the Silver Twilight (+8) (Moderate - Easy) * The Curious Parcel (+6) (Moderate) * The Theron Marks Society (Moderate) Cards for The Curious Parcel: - A non-English Tome: Any two non-English Tomes - Any Spell: Any two Spells. See Recommended Cards in Secrets of the Silver Twilight. - Library: Houghton Library, Boston (x2) - Cemetary: Copps Burial Ground, Boston. And / or City Morgue,Boston. - Gate Location: The Silver Twilight Lodge, Boston (x2) - Two Allies who are Authors, Scholars, Professors, or Artists: William Channing Webb, Any City (x2). Richard Upton Pickman, Boston (x2) Cards for Secrets of the Silver Twilight: - Tome in a language your Investigator does not speak: Any two English Tomes - Two Spells: Any two Spells - Three Allies: [William Channing Webb, Any City (x2). Richard Upton Pickman, Boston (x2).] Thomas F. Malone, Boston. See Comments. - The Silver Twilight Lodge: The Silver Twilight Lodge, Boston (x2) - John Scott or Carl Stanford: John Scott, Boston (x2). Carl Stanford, Boston, Unique - Any Greater Monster: Any Greater Monster (x2) Recommended Cards: - Voola Ritual, Spell, Octopus icon: This Spell will Summon a Greater Servitor Monster. - Mysteries of Thalarion, Wave icon (from Dreamlands): This Spell will Summon a Greater Independent Monster. Comments: John Scott and Carl Stanford can also be used for the Three Allies requirement. A non-English speaking Investigator who speaks a non-English language is a reasonable choice for an Investigator, since it fulfills the requirements for both The Curious Parcel and Secrets of the Silver Twilight. Cards for The Theron Marks Society: - Monster: [Any Greater Monster (x2)] - Phobia: Any two Phobias - Tome: [Any two English or non-English Tomes] - Spell: [Any two Spells] - Country House: Any two such houses - Two Steadfast Allies: [William Channing Webb, Any City (x2). Richard Upton Pickman, Boston (x2).] Thomas F. Malone, Boston. - Weapon: [Two or more Weapons, Artifacts] Comments: If you have nothing better to do (and have four MSGS sets), you can put Dark Young in your deck, play them as Allies with the Kitab Al-Azif, arm them with Mist Projectors, and go whack your opponent for 21 points of damage for 6 Sanity. (Three 4-value Dark Young at -1 Sanity each, plus three 3-value Mist Projectors, at -1 Sanity each.) -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: A Day in the Life of a Miskatonic University Student System: Mythos Deck Name: A Day in the Life of a Miskatonic University Student (and Six Monsters) Introduction: A Day in the Life and The Expedition overlap in their Location requirements (Miskatonic University Locations and a Country Site Location), but their Adventure Points are +8 and +11, respectively. This total is one short of the minimum 20! The Interesting Shop at +5 finishes the deck and works pretty well with it (see comments for The Interesting Shop). What's fun about this deck is that The Expedition requires Three Monsters. Using the Two of a Card guideline, this means you will need to put six Monsters in the deck. Here are some suggestions: - Four Travel by Monsters and two Giant Albino Penguins. The Travel by Air Monsters will allow you to quickly travel to non-Arkham Locations in this deck, such as Asylums and Country Sites. - Father Dagon, Mother Hydra, a Shoggoth, and three or four Deep Ones. Don't forget the Jewelry of the Deep Ones, which increases each of these Monster's values by one. - Six Living Dead. Sets: This deck needs only one card from the Mythos Standard Game Set: Miskatonic Commons. This card can be substituted with similar Limited Edition cards (any Miskatonic University Location). Some Tome Locations from MSGS are recommended (see The Interesting Shop). Items: Tome deck. The Miskatonic University Science Annex and two Tramp Steamers are required cards for this deck, and add three Artifact Locations / Events. Investigator: Any Female English-speaking Investigator with a low hand size (eg. The Enthusiastic Chorus Girl from Dreamlands). Munchkin cards: - Unexpected Calamity, Event: This Event is played as a Pass and ends the Round. This card is required for The Expedition. Adventures: * A Day in the Life of a Miskatonic University Student (+8) (Moderate) * The Expedition (+11) (Moderate -- Easy) * The Interesting Shop (+5) (Moderate) Cards for: A Day in the Life of a Miskatonic University Student - Three different Miskatonic University Locations: Orne Library (x2). Science Annex. Medical School. Commons (from MSGS). Memorial Hall. Another Miskatonic University Location. - Spell with either Barrier, Circle, Sign or Chant: Any such Spells. - Monster: Any Monsters (see Introduction). - Country Site: Any such Sites. - Ally of the Opposite Sex: Any such Male Ally. Recommended are KJ Hooper (to prevent Tomes and Artifacts from being stolen) and Harvey Walters (to reduce your Minimum by one). Comments: Since most Allies are Male, and this Adventure requires an Ally of the opposite sex, it's easiest to play a Female Investigator. Cards for The Expedition: - Miskatonic University Location: [Orne Library (x2). Science Annex. Medical School. Commons (from MSGS). Memorial Hall. Another Miskatonic University Location.] - Travel by Sea: Tramp Steamer, Event, Travel by Sea - Storm: Any such cards - Unexpected Calamity: Unexpected Calamity, Event (x2) - Amnesia: Amnesia, Event (x2) - Site: [Any Country Site] Hangman's Hill, Arkham - Tome: Any such Tomes - Three Monsters: Any Monsters (see Introduction) Comments: The Tramp Steamer is the only Travel by Sea Event that allows you to travel within a Region. You can use it to arrive at or from the Country Sites and non-Arkham Sanitarium. Aggressive decks will have more Unexpected Calamities and Amnesias. Cards for The Interesting Shop: - Four different City Locations with the Tome or Artifact Attribute: [Orne Library (x2). Science Annex.] Any five such Locations with the Tome Attribute. See Comments. - A Tome or Artifact costing Sanity: Any such card. Comments: Since this is primarily a Tome deck, choose City Locations with the Tome Attribute for the City Location requirement. In the MSGS set, the Arkham Gazette and Boston & Maine Train Station are two such Locations. The Interesting Shop's strengths in this deck is that it can be played early or late in the game. Early, this Adventure allows you to play your Tomes, Spells, and Allies to the Play Area, reducing the size of your Deck for the other two Adventures. Later in the game, after the Tomes, spells, and Allies have been removed from your Deck, your Deck will be small enough to quickly play the Locations needed for this Adventure. -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: A Heroic Rescue Deck System: Mythos A Heroic Rescue Deck Introduction: A straightforward deck, A Heroic Rescue takes place in Arkham and Providence. Since it's a multi-Sub-Region deck, it's not as powerful as an Arkham-only or Providence-only deck. Still, at the end of the Adventures, you have the option of sacrificing all your Allies to gain Sanity, heheheheh. This deck has five Adventures for over 25 points, so you could remove any of the Adventures from this deck. Those cards from MSGS are marked with a *. Sets: Limited Edition, MSGS. Summary: Limited Edition / MSGS deck. Artifact / Tome deck. Munchkin cards: - Seeking Everlasting Life I: See Comments about the overlap of The Curious Parcel and Seeking Everlasting Life . SELI's last requirement is a Corrupt Ally, and A Heroic Rescue requires Corrupt Cultists. Investigator: Any French Investigator Adventures: * A Heroic Rescue (+7) * The Curious Parcel (+6) * Questionable Judgement (+5)* * Seeking Everlasting Life I (+5) * The Interesting Shop (+5) Cards for A Heroic Rescue: - Steadfast Author: HP Lovecraft, Providence. Edgar Allen Poe, Providence. - Reporter: Harvey Walters, Arkham. Arthur Munroe, Any City. - Doctor: Dr. Allen Halsey, Arkham. Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willet, Providence. - Private Eye: KJ Hooper, Arkham (x2) - Wife: Asenath Waite Derby, Arkham, Unique. Rhoby Harris, Providence. - Corrupt Cultist: Gomes*, Providence. Dr. Allen*, Providence, Unique. - Cemetary: Any Cemetary, Arkham. Any Cemetary (King's Church Cemetary*), Providence. - Weapon: Any Weapons (x2 or more) - Tome: Any Tomes (x2 or more) Recommended Cards: - Call Power of Nyambe, Yellow Sign icon: This Spell allows you to bury Allies and gain Sanity equal to their value. - Keeness of Two Alike, Diamond icon: This Spell allows you to play an Ally. You can cast this Spell at the end of a Round, effectively giving you a free turn. Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. Cards for The Curious Parcel: - Tome in a language other than English: Livre D'Ivon, French. Cultes Des Goules, French. - One Spell: [Any recommended or required Spell.] - One Library: Orne Library, Arkham. The Athenaeum*, Providence. - One Cemetary: [Any Cemetary, Arkham. Any Cemetary (King's Church Cemetary*), Providence.] - Gate Location: Any such Location. - Two Allies that are Authors, Scholars, Professors, or Artists: [HP Lovecraft, Providence. Edgar Allen Poe, Providence.] Two other such Allies. Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. Cards for Questionable Judgement*: - Library: [Orne Library, Arkham. The Athenaeum*, Providence.] - Tome: [Livre D'Ivon, French. Cultes Des Goules, French.] - Two Gate Locations in different Cities: [Any such Location.] - Monster: Any such card. Serpent People are recommended. See Comments. - Spell: [Any recommended or required Spell.] - Corrupt Cultist: [Gomes*, Providence. Dr. Allen*, Providence, Unique.] Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. Serpent People are recommended on the offchance you're at a Location with the Gate and Artifact Attribute. At this Location, you can play a Serpent People with a Weapon into your Threat. Cards for The Interesting Shop: - Four different City Locations with the Tome or Artifact Attribute: [See Comments.] - A Tome or Artifact costing Sanity: [See Comments.] Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. All of this Adventure's requirements overlap those of the other Adventures. Cards for Seeking Everlasting Life I: - Two Steadfast Allies: [Any four such cards] - Corrupt Ally: [Gomes*, Providence. Dr. Allen*, Providence, Unique.] - Tome with the Skull icon: [Livre D'Ivon, French. Cultes Des Goules, French.] - Resurrection spell: Resurrection, Spell, Skull icon (x2) Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: The Interdimensional Sorcerer's Apprentice System: Mythos Deck Name: The Interdimensional Sorcerer's Apprentice Introduction: The Sorcerer's Apprentice takes place in the Oukranos Wilds (The West) and the Underground. The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a pretty tough Adventure. It requires a Unique card, The Temple of Loveliness. This Adventure has two Regions. Its Locations are all Country. The Sorcerer's Apprentice requires a Tome and four Locations, but only the Unique Temple of Loveliness has the Tome Attribute. And most importantly, while several Adventures share the same Regions as The Sorcerer's Apprentice, few share the same Locations. The Expedition, meanwhile, requires only two Locations, a Miskatonic University Location and a Site. Not only are both located in Arkham, but The Sorcerer's Apprentice's The Enchanted Woods is also a Site. Almost all of The Expedition's requirements, except for the Miskatonic University, can be played in either the Dreamlands or the Waking World -- and are also useful. See the card lists. Finally, The Expedition's 11 points complement The Sorcerer's Apprentice 9 points, giving this deck the advantage of two Adventures. Sets: Limited Edition, Dreamlands. Summary: Sorcerer's Apprentice deck. Tome / Artifact deck. The West, Arkham. Munchkin cards: - Unexpected Calamity, Event: This Event allows you to pass and end the Round. This card is required for The Expedition. - Chant of Thoth, Spell, Diamond icon: This Spell allows you to discard up to four cards and draw an equal number from the deck. Since this deck has Adventures in two different Dimensions, you may wish to use the Chant to discard cards on an Adventure you are not working on. - Discover Secret Cache, Event: This Event allows you to play an Artifact or Tome at a Location lacking the Attribute. Adventures: * The Sorcerer's Apprentice (+9) (Difficult) * The Expedition (+11) (Easy) Cards for The Sorcerer's Apprentice: - Tome and Spell: Any Diamond Icon Tomes. See Recommended Cards. - The Enchanted Woods: The Enchanted Woods, Oukranos Wilds, The West (x2) - Elephant Caravan: Elephant Caravan, Event (x2) - Nightgaunts: Nightgaunts, Monster, Lesser Servitor (x4). - Peaks of Thok: Peaks of Thok, The Wildlands, The Underground (x2) - Town: Ilarnek, Mnar, The West (x2) - Temple of Loveliness: Temple of Loveliness, Oukranos Wilds, The West, Unique - Day: Any such cards (x2) Recommended Cards: - Gate of Oneirology, Spell, Diamond Icon: This Spell allows you to play a non-Exotic Location in another dimension. - Create Time Warp, Spell, Eye Icon: This Spell allows you to return to a Location in your Story Deck. This is useful to return to a Location in another Region or Dimension if you have no other means. - Angles of Tagh-Clatur, Spell, Eye Icon: This Spell allows you to summon or control a Lesser Servitor. Since the Sorcerer's Apprentice Locations are Country and in different Regions and Sub-Regions, you can use Nightgaunts as Travel by Monster to travel faster. - Fly, Spell, Diamond Icon: This Spell allows you to play another Location, including one in another Region, as if Walking. - Silver Key, Artifact: This Artifact allows you to use a Gate to play a non-Exotic Location in another dimension. - Ship of Clouds, Travel by Air (x2): This Event allows you to immediately play another Location in another Region. - Zebra, Event, Travel by Land (x2): This Event allows you to immediately play another Location in another Region. Thus, it will allow you to travel faster among the various Country Locations in this deck. Comments: Although an interdimensional deck, this Adventure can be played solely within the Dreamlands. Cards for The Expedition: - Miskatonic University: Orne Library, Arkham (x2) - Two Allies: Captain of the White Ship, Any Water (x2). HP Lovecraft, Dreamlands version, Any Dreamlands. Harvey Walters, Arkham. Any other Ally that can be met at Arkham. Randolph Carter, Dreamlands version, Any Country. The Hunter, Any Dreamlands Country. See Comments. - Travel by Sea: The White Ship (x2). See Comments. - Storm, Event: Any such cards. - Unexpected Calamity: Unexpected Calamity, Event (x2) - Amnesia: Amnesia, Event (x2) - Site: [The Enchanted Woods, Oukranos Wilds, The West (x2)] Hangman's Hill, Arkham (x2) - Tome: [Any such cards] - Three Monsters: [Nightgaunts, Monster, Lesser Servitor (x4)] Giant Albino Penguins (x2). Comments: Brackets indicate cards used in the other Adventure. Note that the Captain of the White Ship and the White Ship are cards used for interdimensional travel. The Giant Albino Penguins Join with any Monster, so you can more easily play three Monsters at one Gate. In addition, this Adventure can be played in its own Dimension. With four Arkham Locations, you can still play Harvey Walters and The Captain as your two Allies. Harvey also reduces your Minimum hand size by one, a valuable ability. The Gates at Hangman's Hill allows you to play the Monsters needed for The Expedition. The Spells in this deck are the most important cards to play. Therefore, the Dimension that you start playing in will depend on the Tome-playing Locations and Events in your hand. Make sure you play Tomes at Tome Locations! If neither dimension seems obvious to play, start in the Dreamlands, since there are more Dreamlands cards in this deck. By using Unexpected Calamity, you can end the Round, discard cards you cannot play, and hopefully draw ones you can. Hoard cards (especially the Temple of Loveliness and the other Adventure in the deck) so you have a head start on the second Adventure you play in the deck. -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: The Library Deck System: Mythos Deck Name: The Library Deck Introduction: The four Adventures in this deck center all share a Library card in common. The strategy is to fulfill the requirements of one Adventure, use Create Time Warp to place the Library at the top of the Story Deck, and score the Adventure. You then begin on the next Adventure with a Location requirement fulfilled by the Library on the top of your Story Deck. Sets: Limited Edition, Dreamlands. Artifact / Tomes: Tomes. The limited number of Dreamlands Locations forces you to include Artifact Locations, so it's not difficult to add Artifacts to this deck. Location: Primarily Dylath-Leen and Ulthar. Two Great Library Locations are in Ilek-Vad and Celephais. Investigator: Any that speaks a non-English language. Adventures * The Curious Parcel (+6) (Moderate) * A Lender Be (+5) (Moderate) * The Art of Magic (+5) (Moderate) * The Interesting Shop (+5) (Moderate) Cards for The Curious Parcel: - Tome in a language other than English: Any Tome in the non-English language your Investigator speaks. Book of Beautiful Devices, Tome, Dream icon, Hyperborean. See Comments. - One spell: Any spells used for the Tomes in this deck. - One Library: Great Library of the Dreamlands (one of each of the four) - One Cemetary: The Bridge over the River Skai, Ulthar. The Ruins of Sarnath, Mnar. The Ruins of Ib, Mnar. - One Gate Location: Any such Location. - Two Allies that are Authors, Scholars, Professors, or Artists: HP Lovecraft, Any Dreamlands (x2). Tukor, Any Library (x2) Comments: HP Lovecraft and Tukor know Hyperborean, so can tranlate the Book of Beautiful Devices. Cards for A Lender Be: - Tukor: [Tukor, Any Library (x2)] - Two Tomes in different languages: [Any Tome in the non-English language your Investigator speaks. Book of Beautiful Devices, Tome, Dream icon, Hyperborean. See Comments.] Additional Tomes in English. - Two Spells with different icons: Any such spells. - Three different Greate Library of the Dreamlands cards: [Great Library of the Dreamlands (one of each of the four)] Comments: Brackets indicate cards used in the Curious Parcel. Cards for The Art of Magic: - Library: [Great Library of the Dreamlands (one of each of the four)] - Site: [The Bridge over the River Skai, Ulthar] Street of Tears, Dylath-Leen. - Country Gate Location: [The Ruins of Sarnath, Mnar. The Ruins of Ib, Mnar.] - Two Allies that are Spiritualists, Occultists, Priests, or Dreamers: [HP Lovecraft, Any Dreamlands (x2)] Nasht & Kaman-Thah, Any Temple. Captain of the White Ship, Any Water. Barzai the Wise, Ulthar. Atal the High Priest, Ulthar. - Wine of Pnoth, Artifact. Thag Weed, Artifact. (These Artifacts add the Dreamer attribute to an Ally.) - Tome with the Dream icon: [Book of Beautiful Devices, Tome, Dream icon, Hyperborean] Cultus Malefactorum or the Book of the Black Stones, Tome, Dream icon, English. - Spell: Any such cards. Comments: Brackets indicate cards used in another Adventure. Cards for The Interesting Shop: - Four different City Locations with the Tome or Artifact Attribute: [Any such card] - A Tome or Artifact costing at least one Sanity: [Any such card] Comments: The cards needed for The Interesting Shop overlap those for the other Adventures. You may need to add enough Ulthar City Locations with the Tome or Artifact Attribute to five Locations, so that you may easily play Ulthar Allies. -------------------- From: cchin@frk.com (Cedric Chin) Subject: On the Edge System: Mythos Deck Name: On The Edge Introduction: On The Edge requires a Corrupt Cultist and a Doctor, and, with the MSGS, only Providence has both such cards. Unfortunately, few of the more interesting Adventures can be played solely in Providence; compare this to the many Arkham-based Adventures. Sets: Limited Edition, MSGS. MSGS cards are *ed. Summary: LE / MSGS Deck. Tricky and Broken. Tome / Artifact deck. Providence. Munchkin cards: - Seeking Everlasting Life I: See Comments for the overlap of The Curious Shop and Seeking Everlasting Life I. Investigator: Any French Investigator Adventures: * On the Edge * The Curious Parcel * Seeking Everlasting Life I * The Interesting Shop Cards for On the Edge: - Sanity below six points: - Sanitarium: Any such cards. - Doctor: Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willet (x2) - Corrupt Cultist: Gomes*, Providence. Dr. Allen*, Providence, Unique. - Two different Phobias: Any such Phobias. See Comments. - Call of Cthulhu Tome: Call of Cthulhu, Tome, Diamond icon (x2) - "Reroll" your Investigator: See Comments. Required Cards: - Waning Moon, Event, Night (x2 or more): This card is required, along with the Call of Cthulhu Tome, to "reroll" your Investigator (select another Investigator). Recommended Cards: - Ring of Eibon, Artifact, Unique: This Artifact allows you to spend 2 Sanity points to look at another player's hand and choose his next play. This will lower your Sanity quickly to fulfill a requirement. - Crawford Tillinghast, Unique: This Ally allows you to play an Artifact at any Location. Comments: Phobias are typically buried when the Investigator affected by the Phobia buries it at a Sanitarium or by playing certain cards. As a result, if you want a Phobia in play for awhile, play a "weak" Phobia that doesn't affect your opponent. When "rerolling" your Investigator, choose one with a low hand size. As you score Adventures, you will have more and more "unnecessary" cards in your deck. These are cards that are required only by Adventure cards you have scored, as well as Locations that are no longer necessary, because the cards you needed them for are in your Play Area. An Investigator with a low hand size prevents you from holding unnecessary cards between Rounds. Cards for The Curious Parcel: - Tome in a language other than English: Livre D'Ivon, French. Cultes Des Goules, French. - One Spell: [Any recommended or required Spell.] - One Library: The Athenaeum*. John Hay Library. - One Cemetary: King's Church Cemetary*. St. John's Churchyard. - Gate Location: Any such Location. - Two Allies that are Authors, Scholars, Professors, or Artists: Any four such Allies. Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. Cards for Seeking Everlasting Life I: - Two Steadfast Allies: [Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willet (x2). The Allies used in The Curious Parcel] - Corrupt Ally: [Gomes*, Providence. Dr. Allen*, Providence, Unique.] - Tome with the Skull icon: [Livre D'Ivon, French. Cultes Des Goules, French.] - Resurrection spell: Resurrection, Spell, Skull icon (x2) Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. Cards for The Interesting Shop: - Four different City Locations with the Tome or Artifact Attribute: [See below] - A Tome or Artifact costing one Sanity: [See below] Comments: Brackets indicate a card used in another Adventure for this deck. All of this Adventure's requirements overlap those of the other Adventures. --