Fantasy Flight Games has unveiled details behind “The Drowned City,” the highly anticipated 10th cycle for Arkham Horror: The Card Game. Set for release in early 2025, this expansion marks a significant milestone in the game’s history by introducing Cthulhu, the iconic cosmic entity from H.P. Lovecraft’s works, as a central figure.
Release Format & Pricing
The Drowned City will follow the revised release format introduced in 2021:
- Investigator Expansion
- Campaign Box
This model offers players a cost savings of approximately $10 compared to the previous method of releasing content through deluxe expansions & multiple scenario packs. The campaign box is specifically slated for release on March 7, 2025.
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New Investigators
The Drowned City Investigator Expansion will introduce six new playable characters, each with unique abilities & deck-building options. Two of the revealed investigators are:
Marion Tavares
- A one-armed fisherwoman
- Special affinity for playing events
- Can play two events back-to-back without spending an additional action
Agatha Crane
- A parapsychologist available in both Seeker & Mystic versions
- Ability to play events by sealing, canceling, or ignoring chaos tokens
New Mechanics: Specialist Cards
The expansion introduces “specialist cards,” a new type of player card with unique deckbuilding restrictions:
- Function as Neutral cards for deckbuilding purposes
- Can only be included if the investigator has specific required traits
- Adds new significance to investigator traits
For instance, Agatha Crane possesses the Miskatonic and Scholar traits, whereas Marion Tavares has the Drifter and Entrepreneur traits. This allows Agatha to include cards like Library Pass in her deck, options that Marion doesn’t have access to. Conversely, Marion can add cards such as True Awakening to her deck, which Agatha cannot use. Both, however, can incorporate Neutral cards ranging from level 0 to 5.
Campaign Setting & Narrative
The Drowned City Campaign Expansion takes players to R’lyeh, the sunken city associated with Cthulhu in Lovecraft’s mythology:
- Narrative begins with investigators accepting a job from antiquarian Randall Tillinghast
- Explore the alien city of R’lyeh as it rises from the ocean
- Branching narrative structure allows players to explore R’lyeh from either east or west
- Introduces “Tasks” – special side objectives tied to investigator traits
Climactic Encounter
The campaign culminates in a battle against Cthulhu himself:
- Described as the largest & most destructive enemy in the game’s history
- Players must fight different parts of Cthulhu separately
- Emphasis on mitigating damage to Arkham as Cthulhu floods & destroys locations
Industry Impact & Future of the Game
The introduction of Cthulhu after nine previous cycles demonstrates Fantasy Flight Games’ strategic approach to content release:
- Jim Cartwright, VP of Strategy, confirmed the game will continue beyond this expansion
- Holding back Cthulhu as a “trump card” for the 10th cycle creates anticipation for long-time fans & potential new players
Player Expectations
Based on previous releases, players can anticipate:
- Approximately 128 different investigator cards in the expansion
- Introduction of new game mechanics
- Potential exploration of existing keyword archetypes
- Experimental campaign structure, possibly featuring fewer but larger scenarios or a nonlinear narrative similar to The Scarlet Keys
As the release date approaches, fans can expect more detailed previews of the new investigators, mechanics, & scenario details. The Drowned City promises to be a pivotal moment in the Arkham Horror: The Card Game storyline, potentially reshaping the game’s narrative landscape for future expansions.
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