Dumb Arkham Horror Rules Questions

Played for the first time tonight with my girlfriend. We both really enjoyed it. Had some dumb questions:

1) On the Big Boss cards it often gives a "Battle" penalty--that's only for the final battle, right? Not the same as combat? The game would seem to be impossible if it was!

2) Some of the Mythos Environment cards never go away as for as I can tell--well, a lot of them really. Is this right? Bad weather goes on forever? There's a card where I can no longer seal gates? Is there any way to get rid of these or is it really a penalty for the rest of the game? Brutal.

3) I draw the encounter card that sends me to the woods where I draw 2 cards and resolve one. If there's a gate in the woods, do I draw those two encounter cards?

4) On a monster surge you try to spread monsters evenly. If you can't, is it your choice where they go?

1. You're correct. That's only for the final battle.

2. Mythos Environment cards stay active until you draw another Mythos Environment (it doesn't matter if it's Urban, Weather, or Mystic). At that point, you discard the former and things go back to normal.

3. You go into the gate. But you don't need to fight/evade the monsters there. That was clarified in a FAQ with Kevin Wilson.

4. Spread them evenly, with no gate having more monsters than the one that caused the surge. It is your choice on which gates to put the monsters, but you need to declare the gate before drawing the monster for it.

Argh, missed #2 rule. That would have helped us! We had a million brutal environment cards out!

Gary Sax wrote:

3) I draw the encounter card that sends me to the woods where I draw 2 cards and resolve one.

You sure about that? I don't recall any cards which send you to the woods and allow you to draw 2 cards. Normally you are just sent to the woods and have an encounter there (1 card.)

Mr Skeletor wrote:

Gary Sax wrote:

3) I draw the encounter card that sends me to the woods where I draw 2 cards and resolve one.

You sure about that? I don't recall any cards which send you to the woods and allow you to draw 2 cards. Normally you are just sent to the woods and have an encounter there (1 card.)

IIRC, there's an encounter at the Historical Society where some dude is going bird-watching and offers to give you a ride to the Woods. If you go, you draw two encounter cards and choose which one to resolve. I guess the Sheldon Gang is less likely to fuck with you when you're hanging out with the bird-watching dude.

That's exactly the one Shellhead.

2. Mythos Environment cards stay active until you draw another Mythos Environment (it doesn't matter if it's Urban, Weather, or Mystic). At that point, you discard the former and things go back to normal.

Is that right that things go back to normal? I've been playing that the new one replaces it instantly.

BradH wrote:

2. Mythos Environment cards stay active until you draw another Mythos Environment (it doesn't matter if it's Urban, Weather, or Mystic). At that point, you discard the former and things go back to normal.

Is that right that things go back to normal? I've been playing that the new one replaces it instantly.

Correct. That is what was implied but not said.

New one--a bunch of gate encounters and other cards tell you you can "return to Arkham" if you pass them, making them "good" things. But does that mean you've explored the gate if you come back? So if I am one space into another dimension and I get a return to Arkham event, do I have a chance to close/seal the gate now?

Thanks. Am I missing a part in the rules where it explains that?

Well, regardless, you should have the House Rules , the FAQ , and if Frank is in the mood he'll send you the flowchart, which is the most important thing ever for all time that has ever existed forever.

Yep, it's in the FAQ