The original Eldritch Horror game came out in 2013 and since then, it has released several terrifying and exciting expansion packs, giving you brand-new missions, investigators, rules, and other game features and elements that make the game more intriguing and fun to play!
However, it can be a little difficult to decide which one to settle for with all these options available.
This is why we’re giving you this comprehensive review of our 5 best Eldritch Horror Expansions, to help you reach a clear decision.
How to Play Eldritch Horror (A Summary)
Eldritch Horror is a 2–3-hour cooperative adventure and Lovecraftian game developed for 2-8 players.
In this game, you will be working together playing as a team of investigators who are trying to prevent the end of the world.
To stop the Ancient One from awakening, you and your team are going to have to find clues, fight monsters, solve mysteries, and encounter absurd and terrifying events.
Jogabilidade
Each turn of the game is split into 3 phases: Action, Encounter, and Mythos.
Each investigator will perform one phase, starting with the lead investigator (the first player) and going clockwise until everyone has had a turn. After which, they can collectively continue to the next phase.
Regras e Pontuação
If you manage to solve 3 mysteries before the Ancient One awakens, then they’re defeated, and your team secures victory over the game.
However, if the Doom token manages to reach “Zero”, then the ancient one awakens, and you’ll have a more challenging time winning the game.
Most Ancient Ones have a “Final Mystery,” which you’ll have to solve once they awaken, and that isn’t always easy.
Additionally, you lose the game if all investigators are defeated in one round or you run out of cards to draw from your Mythos deck.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics for the original Eldritch Horror game, let’s take a look at our top 5 favorite expansions, to help you decide which pack to buy next.
Best Eldritch Horror Expansions on the Market
| Imagem | Produto | |
|---|---|---|
Best for Experts 
| Signs of Carcosa
| Verificar preço |
Best Expansion Overall
| Forsaken Lore
| Verificar preço |
Best Map Expansion 
| Under the Pyramids
| Verificar preço |
Best for Completionists 
| Mountains of Madness
| Verificar preço |
Best for Beginners 
| Strange Remnants
| Verificar preço |
Signs of Carcosa — Best for Experts
The Signs of Carcosa is a great expansion that introduces several new Investigators to Eldritch Horror; not to mention a new Ancient One, plus 196 new cards. It also adds a new layer of complexity to the game; perfect for players who have been playing since its release in 2013 and are looking for ways to spice up their sessions. Signs of Carcosa also introduces new mechanics to the game, so we don’t recommend it for beginners.
Aside from the original Eldritch Horror game, this expansion is also compatible with the other expansions released before it.
One downside to Signs of Carcosa, however, is its production value, which is a little low compared to the others before it. Cards and other items are always missing from their boxes, and you have to go through all the trouble of contacting the manufacturers to send you the missing parts (which could take a week to two weeks tops to arrive).
Componentes
Signs of Carcosa contains:
- 4 new Investigator Sheets
- 1 Ancient One (Hastur)
- 84 new Encounter Cards
- 8 Mystery Cards
- 24 Mythos Cards (10 yellow, 8 green, 6 blue)
- 4 Prelude Cards
- 4 Artifact Cards
- 16 Asset Cards
- 28 Condition Cards
- 12 Spell Cards
- 16 Unique Asset Cards
- 4 Investigator Tokens with Plastic Stands
- 8 Monster Tokens (6 normal, 2 epics)
- 20 Impairment Tokens
Gameplay and Features
Signs of Carcosia introduces a new Ancient One, Hastur, an entity that spreads insanity and dissension to everything he touches.
He brings with him 8 new mysteries, which are:
- Beneath an Alien Sky
- Cities on the Lake
- Finding the Way
- He Who Is Not to Be Named
- Ravages of the Blight
- Spawn of Hastur
- The King in Yellow
- The Yellow Sign
To defeat Hastur, players have to either resolve 3 mysteries before the Ancient One awakens or solve two of his Final Mysteries, which are found on his card.
This expansion also features 4 new Investigators with 4 unique actions.
Michael McGlen (The Gangster)
McGlen introduces a new action that allows him to gain 1 item or 1 service asset from the Reserve when he is in a city space.
Jenny Barnes (The Dilettante)
Barnes is an Investigator that, when in a city space, may perform an Acquire Assets action and gain 2 Influence points during the action.
Dexter Drake (The Magician)
Drake can magically transport monsters from one space (your space) to another space that contains a gate.
Wendy Adams (The Urchin)
Adams allows you to gain 1 Trinket Asset from the Reserve or discard pile.
Pros and cons
Julgamento Final
Overall, Signs of Carcosa is a great expansion for players who have more experience with the game. Hastur, despite only having 2 Final Mysteries, is a complicated enough Ancient One that players will surely have a fun and intriguing time trying to resolve his challenges. It might not be perfect for beginners, but it’s a great choice for veteran players.
Forsaken Lore — Best Eldritch Horror Expansion Overall
By far the best and most anticipated Eldritch Horror Expansion — Forsaken Lore adds an entirely new level of suspense and excitement to the game that a lot of players enjoy. It’s not so much an expansion as it is a continuation of the game.
To start, it throws Investigators into a cockpit full of defeated Ancient Ones who have all come back to seek world domination. To stop them, Investigators must complete new tasks, uncover new mysteries, and dig even deeper into the story surrounding every single Ancient One. Players can do this with the help of new Research cards.
Componentes
Forsaken Lore comes with the following components:
- 6 New Mythos Cards
- 4 New Generic Encounters
- 6 New Expeditions
- 6 New Other World Encounters
- 8 New Mysteries
- 12 New Ancient One Encounters
- 64 New Ancient One Research Encounters
- 24 New Conditions
- 28 New Spells
- 8 New Artifacts
- 16 New Assets
- 24 New Location-Specific Encounters
- 7 New Epic Monsters
- 1 New Ancient One (Yig)
- 24 Yig Research Encounters
- 6 Yig Mysteries
- 8 Yig Special Encounters
- 1 New Cultist
Gameplay and Features
Forsaken Lore introduces a new Ancient One that’s unlike any other — possibly the most complicated one that the manufacturers have printed so far: Yig.
At the beginning of the game, Yig removes the generic weak monsters (the Cultists and Serpent People) from the Normal Monsters pile, bumping up the difficulty levels for all players, as you’ll be left with mid-to high-level monsters to defeat.
Aside from Yig, the other Ancient Ones included in Forsaken Lore have also received updated loadouts. Shub Niggurath, Cthulhu, and Azathoth all get 2 additional mysteries, plus new tricky Epic Monsters. Additionally, all the Ancient Ones got an increase on Research Encounters of 16 new cards each.
Pros and cons
Reflexões finais
Forsaken Lore is an absolute must-have for anyone who loves to play Eldritch Horror. Not only does it add 1 entirely unique Ancient One to the game, but it also allows players a deeper look into the stories of Ancient Ones from the base game. New spells and weapons add variety to the actions that Investigators can take in-game. It’s the ideal expansion pack for players who want to expand on the core elements of Eldritch Horror.
Under the Pyramids — Best Map Expansion
Although the mysteries in Under the Pyramids do come off a little dry, this expansion opens 6 new locations in Egypt. This includes Cairo, the Nile River, and Tel El-Amarna.
It introduces 2 new ancient baddies (Abhoth and Nephren-Ka) and Cultists who are working to raise an evil power called the Dark Pharaoh back from the dead.
It has other components that add variety to the original Eldritch Horror game, like new mythos cards, encounter cards, and spells. Although, we do think that the side board is too big, making it a little inconvenient to use. Still, exploring the ancient ruins of Egypt does have its own appeal.
Componentes
The expansion set contains the following components:
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Livro de regras
- 8 Investigator Sheets
- 2 Ancient One Sheets
- 22 Mythos Cards
- 48 Location Encounter Cards
- 48 Research Encounter Cards
- 6 Other World Encounter Cards
- 12 Expedition Encounter Cards
- 40 Special Encounter Cards
- 12 Mystery Cards
- 6 Adventure Cards
- 6 Prelude Cards
- 4 Artifact Cards
- 16 Asset Cards
- 16 Condition Cards
- 24 Spell Cards
- 35 Unique Asset Cards
- 12 Monster Tokens
- 6 Clue Tokens
- 20 Impairment Tokens
- 6 Gate Tokens
- 1 Adventure Token
- 1 Mystery Token
- 1 Active Expedition Token
- 8 Plastic Stands
Gameplay and Features
As mentioned, Under the Pyramid includes a new side board that features 6 new locations to explore.
To use the side board, you will either have to choose Nephran-Ka as your Ancient One or pick a certain prelude card that requires you to play with the side board.
Otherwise, the mechanics and setup from the basic game all still apply to Under the Pyramids.
Pros and cons
Reflexões finais
Adding a side board with 6 completely new locations will indeed lengthen the game. Still, it adds a ton of variety to gameplay that players can enjoy.
The addition of 8 new Investigators also widens the list of actions that are available to players in-game. It’s a perfect expansion for those who want to explore different locations and discover new assets.
Mountains of Madness — Best for Completionists
Pack your winter gear, because it’s going to get crazy cold once you start playing Mountains of Madness.
This 2014 expansion pack is the first to bring a side board to Eldritch Horror. The side board takes players to the cold, cruel, and icy lands of Antarctica.
There are also a couple of new spells, encounters, and weapons introduced throughout the game. Plus, 2 new Ancient Ones to vanquish.
Similar to Forsaken Lore, Mountains of Madness glues the entire Eldritch Horror narrative together, making it a much easier story to understand and relate to. However, we do feel like they could have done it without adding a side board into the mix.
Componentes
Mountains of Madness includes the following components:
- 1 New Antarctica Side Board
- 2 New Ancient Ones
- 8 New Epic Monsters
- 8 New Investigators
- 48 New Antarctica Encounter Cards
- 12 New Antarctica Adventure Cards
- 6 New Prelude Cards
- 4 new Round Overview Cards
- 26 New Mythos Cards
- 4 New Generic Cards
- 6 New Expedition Cards
- 6 New Other World Encounter Cards
- 24 Special Encounters
- 48 Research Encounters
- 14 Mystery Cards
- 12 New Location Specific Encounters
- 42 New Unique Asset cards
- 32 Novas condições
- 16 novos feitiços
- 8 New Artifacts
- 16 New Assets
- 14 novos monstros
- 6 novas fichas de pista (para locais na Antárctida)
- 6 fichas de Novo Portal (3 locais da Antárctica e 3 espaços de Expedição)
- 8 novas fichas Focus
- 1 ficha Nova Aventura
- 1 Nova ficha Mistério
Gameplay and Features
Como já mencionámos, Mountains of Madness passa-se nas terras nevadas da Antárctida. O tabuleiro lateral abre 6 novos locais, nomeadamente: Posto Avançado de Miskatonic, Acampamento do Lago, Deserto Congelado, Cidade das Coisas Antigas, Planalto de Leng e Montanhas Nevadas.
Os jogadores podem deslocar-se livremente do tabuleiro principal para o Posto Avançado de Miskatonic sem gastar qualquer ação. No entanto, só podem fazê-lo uma vez por turno.
Cada local no tabuleiro contém uma ação específica que o pode ajudar ou prejudicar durante o jogo, por isso tenha cuidado.
Mountains of Madness apresenta 2 novos Antigos formidáveis: Ithaqua e Ride of the Elder Things.
As cartas de prelúdio estão disponíveis para lhe dar mais contexto em termos do que está a tentar resolver ao longo do jogo. Pode escolher estas cartas de forma aleatória ou específica, consoante o método que lhe for mais conveniente.
Pros and cons
Reflexões finais
Mountains of Madness é um excelente pacote de expansão que acrescenta mais variedade à jogabilidade e à configuração. Melhora o sentido narrativo do jogo original Eldritch Horror e traz novos Monstros, Investigadores, Acções e Activos para os jogadores se divertirem e experimentarem. É uma excelente compra para quem procura um jogo mais longo e aprofundado.
Strange Remnants – Best for Beginners
Strange Remnants transporta-te a ti e aos teus colegas de equipa para diferentes ruínas assombradas em todo o mundo, onde cada um de vocês tem de descobrir os segredos escondidos em cada local.
Há também novos Feitiços de Glamour e Activos Únicos de Relíquias para usar como armas contra um novo e todo-poderoso Ancião: Syzygy.
Strange Remnants também inclui 4 cartas de prelúdio únicas que alteram missões e cenários, dando-lhe uma nova experiência de Eldritch Horror.
Componentes
Strange Remnants inclui vários componentes novos, tais como:
- 4 Folhas de investigação
- 1 Folha Antiga (Syzygy)
- 86 Cartas de encontro
- 6 Cartas Mistério
- 6 Adventure Cards
- 20 cartas Mythos (8 amarelas, 7 verdes, 5 azuis)
- 4 Prelude Cards
- 4 Cartões de visão geral da ronda
- 4 Artifact Cards
- 16 Asset Cards
- 16 Condition Cards
- 16 cartas de feitiço
- 24 cartas de activos únicas
- 4 Investigator Tokens with Plastic Stands
- 6 fichas de monstro
- 6 fichas de saúde
- 4 fichas de sanidade
- 12 fichas de concentração
- 1 Adventure Token
- 1 ficha de Ruínas Místicas
Gameplay and Features
Strange Remnants introduz uma variedade de novas mecânicas no jogo. Para começar, tem 4 novos investigadores: Skids O'Toole (O Ex-Condenado), Tony Morgan (O Caçador de Recompensas), Zoey Samaras (A Chef) e Mary Lambeau (A Animadora).
O novo Ancião, Syzygy, é uma entidade cósmica aterradora que tens de derrotar procurando pistas e resolvendo encontros ao longo do jogo.
Há um novo conjunto de cartas de Ruínas Místicas que podem dar a qualquer jogador acesso a uma nova área no tabuleiro, como as Ilhas da Páscoa, o Stonehenge e a Grande Muralha da China. Há também vários Itens e Feitiços novos e únicos que podes usar para derrotar monstros.
Os jogadores ganham 1 Ficha de Foco cada vez que escolhem "concentrar-se" durante um turno. Mais tarde, podem gastar estas fichas para lançar e voltar a lançar dados quando estão a tentar passar um teste.
Existem também dois novos activos no jogo: Activos de Tarefas e Activos Únicos.
Pros and cons
Reflexões finais
Apesar de trazer uma grande variedade em termos de enredo, a jogabilidade e a mecânica do jogo podem tornar-se um pouco obsoletas por vezes. Pelo lado positivo, tem novos recursos e fichas interessantes para explorar, além de um vilão fixe e todo-poderoso para derrotar. É ótimo tanto para principiantes como para jogadores avançados.
Conclusão
Há mais de uma dúzia de expansões de Eldritch Horror disponíveis no mercado, mas as 5 que acabámos de analisar são as melhores de todas. Se ainda não tem a certeza de qual o pacote de expansão que deve comprar, deixe-nos restringir um pouco mais as suas escolhas.
Se fores um principiante, deves contentar-te com Strange Remnants, que oferece intriga e mistério suficientes sem envolver demasiadas mecânicas confusas. Por outro lado, se fores um jogador avançado, podes misturar as coisas com Mountains of Madness ou Forsaken Lore, que adicionam mais complexidade à jogabilidade para que possas desfrutar.
Have a great adventure!
