Arkham Horror: The Card Game Buying Guide

Dive into the chilling world of Arkham Horror: The Card Game, a captivating deck-building experience where you and your friends collaborate to conquer unspeakable horrors. This cooperative card game, part of the expansive Arkham Horror Files universe, offers a deeply customizable gameplay experience. Since its 2016 debut, it's evolved with numerous expansions and revisions, providing a wealth of replayability and strategic depth.

Navigating the game's offerings beyond the core set can seem complex, with various campaign expansions, investigator expansions, and standalone scenarios. This guide breaks down the options to help you curate your perfect Arkham Horror experience.

Featured in this article

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dunwich Legacy Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dunwich Legacy Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Forgotten Age Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Forgotten Age Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Circle Undone Campaign Expansion

0See it at Walmart### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Circle Undone Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Edge of The Earth Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Edge of The Earth Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Scarlet Keys Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Scarlet Keys Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dream-Eaters Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dream-Eaters Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Innsmouth Conspiracy Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Innsmouth Conspiracy Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Feast of Hemlock Vale Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Feast of Hemlock Vale Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Drowned City Campaign Expansion

0See it at Asmodee Store### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Drowned City Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Stella Clark Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Nathaniel Cho Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Jacqueline Fine Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Harvey Walters Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Winifred Habbamock Starter Deck

0See it at Walmart### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Murder at the Excelsior Hotel Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Fortune and Folly Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - War of The Outer Gods Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Machinations Through Time Scenario Pack

0See it at Walmart### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Labyrinths of Lunacy Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Blob That Ate Everything Scenario Pack

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Here's a quick overview of everything discussed, perfect for experienced players. For a more detailed look, continue reading!

The Base Game

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game

0See it at AmazonMSRP: $59.95 USDPlayers: 1-4Playtime: 45 mins per playerAges: 14+

The core set provides everything needed to begin your chilling adventure. Five pre-built investigator decks allow immediate entry into the "Night of the Zealot" campaign, offering a taste of the game's engaging mechanics and setting the stage for further exploration.

Arkham Horror Card Game Expansions

Unlike the board game, Arkham Horror: The Card Game expansions offer modularity. Campaign expansions introduce new storylines, while investigator expansions add new playable characters. This allows for tailored progression, enabling players to purchase only what suits their current playstyle and budget.

The Dunwich Legacy

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dunwich Legacy Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dunwich Legacy Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon

A perfect entry point beyond the core set, this expansion offers a manageable increase in complexity and introduces a narrative arc focused on the search for lost investigators, foreshadowing the expansion's method of introducing new characters.

The Path to Carcosa

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa Investigator Expansion

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This expansion introduces a theatrical mystery within Arkham, offering a compelling narrative and engaging mechanics suitable for both new and experienced players. The second edition offers significant improvements over the original.

The Forgotten Age

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Forgotten Age Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Forgotten Age Investigator Expansion

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Explore the ruins of an ancient Aztec city in this challenging campaign, where temporal anomalies threaten to unravel reality. Its difficulty makes it best suited for players with experience in other campaigns. Also available in a second edition.

The Circle Undone

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Circle Undone Campaign Expansion

0See it at Walmart### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Circle Undone Investigator Expansion

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Affectionately known as "the witches pack," this expansion features powerful investigators to counter its challenging campaign. Purchasing the investigator expansion is highly recommended.

The Edge of the Earth

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Edge of The Earth Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Edge of The Earth Investigator Expansion

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Brave the harsh Antarctic wilderness in this expansion, where chilling threats lurk around every frozen corner.

The Scarlet Keys

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Scarlet Keys Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Scarlet Keys Investigator Expansion

0See it at Amazon

Embark on a globe-trotting adventure to unravel an international conspiracy involving a collection of powerful keys and a race against a sinister organization. This campaign features a less linear structure than others.

The Dream-Eaters

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dream-Eaters Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Dream-Eaters Investigator Expansion

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This expansion offers two distinct four-part storylines, "Dream Quest" and "Web of Dreams," playable independently or combined for an extended eight-part adventure.

The Innsmouth Conspiracy

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Innsmouth Conspiracy Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Innsmouth Conspiracy Investigator Expansion

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Experience a dynamic world where water levels influence gameplay, adding a strategic layer to decision-making.

The Feast of the Hemlock Vale

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Feast of Hemlock Vale Campaign Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Feast of Hemlock Vale Investigator Expansion

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Investigate strange occurrences in Hemlock Vale as residents prepare for a festival, unaware of lurking dangers. The campaign features day/night cycles impacting gameplay.

The Drowned City

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Drowned City Campaign Expansion

0See it at Asmodee Store### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Drowned City Investigator Expansion

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The latest expansion pits players against a formidable cosmic entity awakened from its slumber.

Other Ways to Expand Your Arkham Adventures

Starter Decks

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Stella Clark Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Nathaniel Cho Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Jacqueline Fine Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Harvey Walters Starter Deck

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Winifred Habbamock Starter Deck

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Add new investigators to your roster with these affordable starter decks. While not as powerful as campaign investigators, they provide additional options for gameplay. Characters include Harvey Walters, Nathaniel Cho, Jacqueline Fine, Winifred Habbamock, and Stella Clark.

Scenario Packs

### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Murder at the Excelsior Hotel Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Fortune and Folly Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - War of The Outer Gods Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Machinations Through Time Scenario Pack

0See it at Walmart### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Labyrinths of Lunacy Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon### Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Blob That Ate Everything Scenario Pack

0See it at Amazon

Standalone scenarios offering shorter, self-contained adventures. "Murder at the Excelsior Hotel" is often recommended as a beginner-friendly option. 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 revised and expanded versions of select campaigns, requiring the original campaign for play. Parallel investigators provide alternate versions of existing characters with unique abilities. Both are considered collector's items and may be difficult to find.

The Bottom Line

Arkham Horror: The Card Game offers a compelling and highly replayable experience for fans of Lovecraftian horror. Its solo and multiplayer options, combined with extensive customization, provide endless hours of chilling adventure. While challenging and incorporating elements of chance, its streamlined setup compared to the board game makes it a more accessible entry point into the Arkham Horror universe.