Hi, I've been playing the base game for awhile now, and have gotten to the point where it is not that difficult. So now I'm looking at getting an expansion to it, either board or card; normally I woulod just get whatever my game store happens to have, but they don't even carry the base game. So, my basic question is, what is the best expansion to get first? Since two of the card expansions are not currently available (every one except Black Goat of the Woods) which out of the remaining three expansions adds the most challenge and interesting mechanics to the game?

Well, all the expansions have something to be said for them of course, so it depends on what you're looking for.  You mentioned making the game more challenging, and if that's your primary hope then you definitely want one of the bigger expansions as they have a wide variety of options for altering the challenge level.  Personally I would recommend Kingsport.  Dunwich is great, but if you're only gonna get one then I think that Kingsport has more to offer.  Kingsport adds som GOOs that are absolutely terrifying, the rift mechanic which is challenging without being terribly complex, my favorite batch of the new investigators, the heralds and guardians, and it has the most direct references to Lovecraft's literary works of all the expasnions (this may not matter to you, but it made me very happy).

Dunwich really only added the Dunwich Horror and some medium level GOOs.  It provides great variety in the game, but not necessarily an increase in the challenge.

The card expansions are nice for the sake of varitey, but they don't really increase the challenge.

Hope that's helpful.

Well, all the expansions have something to be said for them of course, so it depends on what you're looking for.  You mentioned making the game more challenging, and if that's your primary hope then you definitely want one of the bigger expansions as they have a wide variety of options for altering the challenge level.  Personally I would recommend Kingsport.  Dunwich is great, but if you're only gonna get one then I think that Kingsport has more to offer.  Kingsport adds som GOOs that are absolutely terrifying, the rift mechanic which is challenging without being terribly complex, my favorite batch of the new investigators, the heralds and guardians, and it has the most direct references to Lovecraft's literary works of all the expasnions (this may not matter to you, but it made me very happy).

Dunwich really only added the Dunwich Horror and some medium level GOOs.  It provides great variety in the game, but not necessarily an increase in the challenge.

The card expansions are nice for the sake of varitey, but they don't really increase the challenge.

Hope that's helpful.

Crap, anyone know how to erase a duplicate post like that?  Makes me feel like an idiot.

Thanks for the information. That will help in making my decision. 

Cardexpansions not increasing difficulty?! are you using the herald ?! ...it brings pain...lots of it... XD

also...nope no edit buttons here!

archbishopdan said:

Nope, not possible for right now.  You can't even edit them after 5 minutes.

Dunwich Horror. And get whatever smaller expansion is available.  Heralds will make investigators' life entertainingly hellish.

one vote from me for the Dunwhich Horror expansion. The Injury/Madness cards are a great addition. The GOO's are a good next step up from the base game. Gate activity and monsters in Dunwich adds some tension and stretching of resources which makes for a tighter game. Id really recommend this one over Kingsport of which only the Epic Battle Cards are really a great feature IMO. Also id say the Kingsport GOO's are another next step up from Dunwhich. Id say to keep it all fresh you'd need to play some dunwich first.

Cheers

I would start with the small box expansions to see if the challenge is enough and I think the key to that is to use the heralds. If you want your challenge to come in the form of a new mechanic I would go with the King in Yellow. The blight tokens appearing every time the terror track moves takes advantage of preexsisting events in Arkham Horror and combined with the Acts builds a great amount of tension. If you want your challenge to be more creature based then get the Black Goat of the Woods. Its no small feat to have monster surges add doom tokens while also having to contend with roming Dark Yong (add Shub and they become 4 toughness). Corruption cards also are pretty harrowing- especially when each character has one.

I agress that Kingsport give you a lot of value, but as a first big box expansion I think Dunwich is better. The Kingsport  board itself just does not feel challenging enough to me and the rift mechanic is are hit and miss (I prefer the stress of gates), but it does have the more intresting investigators.

Heh...  Personally, I think you would get the best challenge just playing BGotW with the base set.  Dunwich Horror is loads of fun, KH is fairly boring, even though it does have a couple AOs that are extremely tough, and boss fights.  ::Shrug:: I'd say if you're on a budget, get DH and BGotW.  Then pick up KH when Innsmouth comes out (so you'll fully be able to appreciate the aquatic monsters).

Another vote here for Dunwich. Especially for the injury and madness cards for me, we even use them for base game plays now. Although it saves your kit, the punishment can be pretty harsh. Plus there's something special about watching your gang of barely standing investigators fighting till the end as progressive injuries stack up. We never allow voluntarily devouring an investigator at our table so even the best Investigators can be beome quite pitiful after a few too many mistakes

Dunwhich Horror:

* Additional gameboard enhances 5-6 player games.

* Madness / Injury cards adds theme and players no longer lose items (less drudgework).

IMO, Both King in Yellow and Curse of the Dark Pharoah are fine. KiY adds Blight cards, which add quite a bit of color to the game. Even if you don't get them into play, they definitely add a sense of dread!

You can also make the base game more challenging by reducing the number of Unique Item cards you draw when you visit the Curiousitte Shoppe. I need to make a Herald for that. Here's the old Guardian: boardgamegeek.com/image/352113

Yes! I really enjoyed the sense of dread that the act/blight cards bought to the game in KIY

Playing the touring performance really ramps it up

Fun, Fun, Fun

The masses have spoken and my advice has been soundly repudiated.

Just of note. I noticed about a month ago people saying that KiY and CotDP where no longer available. I know they were "Out of Print." But as soon as I saw people saying that I started searching online retailers for copies. I found them in stock in very little time at all. And of course ordered them. And these were priced at 13-15 bucks (not counting shipping, which was flat rates of about 5-6 bucks). So I don't know about today at this minute, but I found my copies after there were reports on here that copies were unavailalbe.