In the eerie and enthralling world of Arkham Horror Card Game, where the Lovecraftian horrors lurk around every corner of the town of Arkham, the success of all types of players ultimately depends on the quality of one aspect: The Art Of Deck Building.

This crucial skill set not only determines the chosen role-playing character, aka the Investigator’s capabilities and abilities to fight the unspeakable but also influences these characters’ actual odds of properly unraveling the mysteries that shroud the enigmatic world of Arkham.

In short, since this is a very lore-driven world, the stories you discover with your investigators directly affect your enjoyment of the game, as not every deck is capable of getting you out of every scenario. 

So, what is a new player gonna do if they know nothing about how to build a better, more impactful deck? Don’t worry, that’s where we came in. 

Here is everything you need to know to build a foundation of a strong deck and, of course, some crucial tips that help you create a perfect deck.

Sounds interesting? Then let’s start with the basics…

1. How To Build A Deck

Building an impactful deck for every player is by understanding the core basics. Here is the step-by-step process and all the critical elements involved.

1.1 Choosing An Investigator

Let’s start with the backbone of every deck: the Investigator. These are the characters that you effectively role-play in the world of Arkham. 

Your chosen investigators directly influence your available card pool and the playstyle you can utilize. For example, The Guardian Roland Banks’s character excels in combat, while the Seeker Daisy Walker is a master of investigation, so it is better for lore explorations.

1.2. Selecting Investigator Specific Cards

Once you choose your investigator character to role-play in the world of Arkham Horror, It is time to check the direct advantage you get in your playthrough. This is done using the Investigator – Specific Cards.

These Investigator-specific cards are directly tailored to your chosen character’s lore and backstory and often offer unique advantages in terms of assets, abilities and objects.

For example, the character Roland Banks, his trusty .38 Revolver, is a powerful asset.

 1.3. Including Class Cards

Depending on your Investigator’s class restrictions, which in turn are dependent on the lore of the character, the player can add class cards to his deck. 

Now, the deck construction opens up to adding cards from one or more of the five classes. a Guardian, for instance, can include Guardian cards without restriction but might need to pay extra experience points for adding non-Guardian cards in the deck.

1.4. Including Weaknesses

In the world of Arkham Horror, the difficulties come in various levels, denoting their complexity and potency, 

In simple words, every Investigator carries personal weaknesses to balance out their skill sets. It can be very gripping if drawn during a game. 

To illustrate how impactful it can be on your gameplay, let’s consider the character of Wendy Adams, a Survivor archetype. 

This character’s strengths lie in her adaptability and evasion skills. When building a deck for playing with her..one might emphasize Survivor cards that allow her to dodge danger and improvise her way through challenges in the lore-driven world.

2. Best Practices in Deck Building

Mastering deck construction goes beyond selecting cards at random or just additions for looking cool. To properly optimize the deck for chosen investigators, consider these strategies:  

2.1 Evaluating The Role of Unique Cards

For effective gameplay, you need to ensure the presence of unique cards, like allies and signature cards, that are effective for your chosen Investigator.

For example, Imagine you are building a deck for the character of Guardian Mark Harrigan. To optimize this Investigator’s combat prowess, you should focus on the Guardian’s weapons and tactics, ensuring he’s well-equipped to take on any monstrosity from the lore.

2.2 Versatile Does Not Matter Against Adaptability 

Some investigators’ characters thrive on adaptability as their leading superpower. For example, if you are playing as Wendy Adams, the Survivor. 

This character is known for her evasion skills, So constructs an adaptable deck that lets her tap her talent and slip past enemies unnoticed, collecting clues and staying alive. 

2.3. Learning from failures:

Monitor your deck’s performance for your chosen Investigator and identify areas for improvement after each scenario card. 

For instance, if you created a survivor deck that repeatedly falters in a duel or combat situation, consider gradually adding combat-focused abilities cards to the Investigator focused deck your capabilities.

2.4. Adapting to Investigator Lore and Weakness

Since Arkham Horror is, first of all, a lore-driven game, you should be prepared to deal with your Investigator’s unique weaknesses that come from the lore of the game.

For example, you’re navigating the intricate plotline of “The Dunwich Legacy” campaign storyline. As this character, Roland Banks, relations to the lore and his narrative consistency might lead you to include cards that mirror his relentless pursuit of justice.

However, as you can tell, these will have weaknesses directly related to lore. So, try to understand the risk of drawing weaknesses and create a deck capable of mitigating their impact on your strategy.  

2.5 Maintaining a steady flow

Ensure a steady flow of cards to maximize your options during the game in your Arkham Horror. 

For example, if you’re playing as the character Rogue Skids O’Toole. Then, Managing your resources is what meticulously allows you to afford those high-impact Rogue cards when they’re needed most for winning the game.

2.6 Narrative Consistency

For better effectiveness, you want to ensure you have enough assets, events, and skills to tackle different scenarios in the Arkham Horror. 

For example, your Investigator’s deck should always reflect your Investigator’s story and personality. Roland Banks wouldn’t typically carry a spellbook.

One Last Thing

In the end, you always wanna coordinate with other players to build effective decks that complement one another playstyle. If your chosen Investigator excels in combat style, the other might focus on a clue-gathering style. So, it’s better to mix matches to find the perfect side. 

Hopefully, you learn something from this article; let us know your thoughts in the comment sections.

Last Updated on September 27, 2023 by soubhik