- BGG rank
- BGG #356
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Arkham Horror (Third Edition)
- 1–6 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2018
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Rules assistance for Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–8 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters is an expansion for Arkham Horror released in 2009 for 1–8 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Kevin Wilson and Richard Launius and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
From Penny Arcade comes the fabled Investigator Johnathan "Gabe" Gabriel, Investigator Tycho Erasmus Brahe, and Guardian Anne-Claire. These are official expansions from Fantasy Flight Games to be used with games of "Arkham Horror". Investigator Johnathan "Gabe" Gabriel Rules Summary : Home -- River Docks 4 Sanity 6 Stamina 2 Focus Fixed Possessions : $6 Random Possessions : 2 Common Items, 1 Unique Item, 1 Skill Fists of Fury : Any Phase -- Gabe gains a +2 bonus to Combat Checks. Fists of Rage : If the Doom Track is within 3 spaces of awakening the Ancient One, Gabe automatically passes all Will checks. Never Again : Tycho no longer allows Gabe to use any Weapons. Speed -- 1 2 3 4 Sneak -- 4 3 2 1 Fight -- 4 5 6 7 Will -- 4 3 2 1 Lore -- 0 1 2 3 Luck -- 3 2 1 0 Investigator Tycho Erasmus Brahe Rules Summary : Home -- The Library 6 Sanity 4 Stamina 2 Focus Fixed Possessions : $5, 1 Common Item (Tommy Gun), 1 Unique Item (The King in Yellow) Random Possessions : 2 Unique Items, 1 Skill Multi-Tasker : Any Phase -- Tycho reduces all movement costs on Tomes to 0. Rational Man : Any Phase -- Tycho may spend 1 Clue token instead of losing 1 Sanity or 1 Stamina. He may do this as often as he likes but may not use this ability during the Final Battle. Speed -- 1 2 3 4 Sneak -- 4 3 2 1 Fight -- 0 1 2 3 Will -- 5 4 3 2 Lore -- 2 3 4 5 Luck -- 3 2 1 0 Guardian Anne-Claire Mechanical Genius : Investigators may always use the location ability of the Administration Building, regardless of other effects. Cruel Taskmistress : Investigators receive a $1 discount when using the Administration Building's location ability for each Weapon or monster trophy they discard. To the Rescue : Once per game, after an investigator has made a Combat check, the players may choose to have Anne-Claire show up to help out with her flamethrower. She adds 3 successes to the result of the Combat check.
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Fantasy Flight Games
Questions and answers
Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters supports 1–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters belongs to these categories: Fighting, Horror, and Video Game Theme. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters are: Kevin Wilson and Richard Launius. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Arkham Horror: Penny Arcade Characters as an expansion for Arkham Horror. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Arkham Horror to use it. Check that your edition of Arkham Horror is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.