Hello, Arkham Horror: The Card Game fans. For over five years, this thrilling game has captivated players all over the world, and seasoned fans have built, rebuilt, and tweaked an ever-expanding variety of investigator decks. Today, we’d like to showcase some of those decks for you!
We asked some wonderful members of the Arkham Horror: The Card Game community to share their favorite decks with us and tell us why they’re so great. You can find links to their full deck lists within their respective sections below, as well as their thoughts about the decks’ playstyles, strengths and weaknesses, and more.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look!
DUBS (Dreamy Ursula By Scott)
Deck List: DUBS (Dreamy Ursula By Scott)
Created By: Scott
Tell us about your deck’s general playstyle. Why is it your favorite deck? What are some of the best things you can pull off with it? Any standout combos?
The main point of this deck is to finish the scenario so quickly that the encounter deck doesn’t have a chance to slow you down! This deck is a solo deck and really leans into Ursula’s ability of getting a bonus Investigate action after she moves. This essentially gives you 33% more actions than you would usually have! I love the speed of this deck and how it uses speed to avoid many of the dangers posed in certain scenarios. There is nothing crazy about this deck, per se; no big fireworks combos. But what it lacks in sensational combos it makes up for in pure unbridled efficiency. Every card has a job and that job is to support Ursula getting four actions a turn and usually clearing two locations a turn. The only neat combo is using Unearth the Ancients as Ursula’s bonus investigate action in order to get an asset down when you would otherwise only be able to investigate. Otherwise, it’s a great card for a skill test!
What inspired the creation of this deck? What made you want to build it this way?
Initially this deck was designed specifically to use on the A side of The Dream-Eaters campaign, hence the name Dreamy Ursula By Scott. However, after absolutely crushing that campaign, I began to adjust it for other campaigns. The unique nature of solo is that many locations have a single clue, so that inspired this deck to focus on grabbing a single clue and continuing to move.
What are some of the particular strengths of your deck? What are some of its weaknesses?
This deck excels at clearing locations quickly and advancing the act deck. You need minimal assets to be fully “set up,” so you can get a jump off the starting block. The main strength is obviously Ursula’s ability, offering you four actions a turn instead of the normal three. Over the course of three rounds, this is a whole extra turn! The cost curve of this deck is very low, so you don’t need many resources throughout the course of a scenario. Don’t be afraid to use Crack the Case on a 3-shroud location, or even a 2-shroud! You’ll only need 10-12 resources throughout the game and you start with five, so you can see how you don’t actually need a huge burst from Crack the Case. Two or three is often enough.
The weakness of this deck is that, if you get bogged down with enemies, you may be in for a world of hurt. We’ve all had those games where every enemy in the encounter deck is aiming to come out against us! Ursula starts with a 4 in agility so evasion is the main tool to combat this. Manual Dexterity is there to help as well, and Dr. Maleson gives you the option of dropping a clue to reshuffle a just-drawn enemy into the encounter deck and try again. Discovering a single clue is much easier for this deck than dealing with an enemy on the board!
What is your favorite scenario to play with this deck and why? What about your favorite campaign to use it in?
Any scenario with a large map is a joy to play with this deck. The idea of “just keep moving” makes large maps enjoyable. For a favorite campaign, it obviously has to be the A side of The Dream-Eaters! I have tweaked this list to be more universal, but if you do try it in Dream-Eaters, be sure to sneak in a couple copies of True Understanding.
If a newer player wanted to give your deck a try, what advice or recommendations would you give them?
First, be sure you are ready to be spoiled for solo play forever, haha! Second, the key of this deck is to keep on moving. Your asset setup should be light and be spread out between turns. Try not to spend your entire first turn setting up; instead, put down an asset or two and get to work! Third, don’t be afraid to fail non-critical tests. Sometimes just accepting a failed test and taking some damage or horror is worth saving your cards in hand. Which leads to my last point: don’t be afraid to commit cards to pass important tests! Sure, a second Fieldwork would be great, but if you desperately need to evade an enemy, commit it. If you don’t evade that enemy, you’re not going to get to play that Fieldwork anyways!
Do you have a story or memory about this deck that you could share with us?
One of my favorite memories of this deck is when I finally took it through The Dunwich Legacy campaign. I knew it was a fast deck, but I was not prepared for the speed I would see. Extracurricular Activities done in six turns. Essex County Express done in four turns. It took me longer to set up the scenario than to play it!
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your deck?
When choosing this deck to play, consider the campaign you are about to play. What are the main mechanics of the encounter decks of the campaign? If there are more enemies, pack a couple more “enemy management” cards. If there are lots of tests on encounter cards that are in play, grab True Understanding. If there are more willpower tests than an average campaign, throw in some Guts.
At the end of the day, think fast! If you’re not sure what to do, just keep moving!
Alone with His Inheritance
Deck List: Alone With His Inheritance
Created By: Frank
Tell us about your deck’s general playstyle. Why is it your favorite deck? What are some of the best things you can pull off with it? Any standout combos?
First of all, the name’s a joke I like to tell myself. The main thrust of this deck is using Preston Fairmont’s amazing resource-generation ability to have a whole suite of buddies supporting him. Preston’s army starts relatively small, but you can spend experience over the course of a campaign to assemble a real horde! It makes me chuckle to think of Preston saying, “Let me handle it my own way,” even though he’s surrounded by disreputable associates. I suppose that’s his own way!
The playstyle is to play out a suite of potent allies so that Preston can turn his hand to anything, buying clues and damage as he goes while also gently improving his statline. It’s not a “rich Preston” build per se (the type of deck that hoards money to use on Money Talks and Well Connected); all those assets cost resources, and some of them notably spend resources. So, at its heart, this deck is a “dark/poor Preston” style, especially in the level 0 list, in which Family Inheritance means Preston can be broke while also, you know, not really being broke.
It’s a favorite of mine because solo Preston is a real head-scratcher. Some of the conventional wisdom around playing solo (that I’ve definitely espoused myself) is having at least one decent stat to build around. Preston’s great ‘stat’ is how rich he can be, and the conundrum is making the best use of his resources and not running out of ways to ‘cheat’ past challenges by paying your way.
I love how the inclusion of a bit of Bless tech in Keep Faith means that Preston has, alongside Trial by Fire, yet another way of suddenly having super-potent stats. Once you have earned some experience, you can swap some cards out for Eye of the Djinn and Ancient Covenant, giving you even more Bless tech. I’d add that with Leo de Luca in play, Trial by Fire turns can become superb, giving Preston four actions with a stat at 5: start chopping with that Fire Axe while broke!
What inspired the creation of this deck? What made you want to build it this way?
As I mentioned above, there’s definitely a challenge in creating a solo deck for Preston Fairmont. For this particular list, I decided to play through The Innsmouth Conspiracy, so there were also the challenges of large maps and how the enemies of Innsmouth require particular handling. I’m sharing the list where it started, but after a few scenarios, you’ll want to replace cards like Leather Coat and Dig Deep with more allies like Delilah O’Rourke and Lola Santiago, as well as other handy cards like Charisma and Under Surveillance.
In terms of what made me want to build it this way, well, there’s definitely the theme of the “lonely” millionaire surrounded by his entourage. But I also wanted to lean into the “just getting by” Preston style, even with all his wealth. Overall, that style does feel like a unique approach to playing Arkham, and Preston’s modus operandi is so different from pretty much anyone else (sorry Jenny and Bob!).
What are some of the particular strengths of your deck? What are some of its weaknesses?
On paper the deck might look like a bit of a hot mess, but I’ve found it to be surprisingly robust. As the allies get down, you can buy damage and clues, which saves actions (and attempts at tests) to draw more cards and assemble even more of the party. The axe is a really useful weapon, especially in the hands of an investigator who can have zero resources and yet somehow still have resources to spend to boost. Overall, the way Family Inheritance interacts with Dark Horse, letting Preston be both rich and poor, is great fun. Then there’s also the classic survivor shenanigans of Rabbit’s Foot, Take Heart, Old Keyring and “Look what I found!” to turn failure into success; even when the chips are down, Preston can start making progress.
The two major weaknesses for the list are:
- It can grind to a halt. Preston needs answers, usually by spending resources, which means that any encounter deck effects that force him to discard cards can be particularly punishing. Losing a Decoy or Intel Report before you’re ready to handle enemies or get clues respectively feels savage!
- Willpower treacheries. Preston’s willpower of 1 and the lack of an inheritance during the Mythos phase means willpower treacheries can be particularly punishing. I get Rabbit’s Foot in play and give myself a consolation draw for my troubles, but that’s about it. In scenarios with Frozen in Fear, it’s important to consider how you’re going to clear it (if at all), and perhaps the list could be altered with Counterespionage too for extra resilience.
What is your favorite scenario to play with this deck and why? What about your favorite campaign to use it in?
This deck ran riot through The Innsmouth Conspiracy (in which you get yet another ally for Preston not to be alone with). In particular, by the time I reached A Light in the Fog and The Lair of Dagon, the deck was singing. The latter, with its specific chaos bag mechanics, was an extra treat for Eye of the Djinn too (which I had added to the deck by that point); I was chuckling my way through the scenario. As ever with Preston, he seems a little back-to-front, finding his own way through challenges and handling issues through unconventional means.
If a newer player wanted to give your deck a try, what advice or recommendations would you give them?
Forget what you learned about how to play! Preston does things uniquely, in his own way, and he’s a great lesson in accumulating cards and resources. Be prepared for some times when it feels incredibly painful to get going. Be prepared for some tough choices, too, when you’ll want to play lots of cards in hand but also be navigating the rhythm of Family Inheritance. Sometimes the right play is to spend 2 on a Decoy, another 2 on Sneak Attack, and clear off a nuisance enemy. At others, it might be taking an Attack of Opportunity to get better set up to be able to handle an enemy permanently; remember, Preston does things his own way.
The level zero deck runs Dig Deep, Cunning Distraction and two copies of Trial by Fire. Don’t be afraid to spend resources on these “panic button” responses, as Preston will get more money a turn later. But think ahead! If you go broke with a Cunning Distraction play, what will you do next turn, or the turn afterwards?
Do you have a story or memory about this deck that you could share with us?
The memory that jumps out is a meta-game one, really: the number of times I settled down to play with this deck and found myself reaching for Discord to say, “I can’t believe it, our boy Preston’s done it again.” I didn’t doubt his abilities exactly, but I found myself repeatedly impressed by how he took scenarios apart! And maybe there’s something particularly funny to me about the contradiction between Rogue and Survivor, the surplus and shortage inherent in that.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your deck?
Solo poor Preston Fairmont is a blast, and he plays in unexpected and hilarious ways. The way this deck evolved with experience was great fun and he always entertained me as I piloted it to victory!
Righteous Justice is Served
Deck List: Righteous Justice is Served
Created By: Ben
Tell us about your deck’s general playstyle. Why is it your favorite deck? What are some of the best things you can pull off with it? Any standout combos?
This deck focuses on what Zoey Samaras does best: defeating enemies in a 2+ player game. I’ve been a fan of Zoey since Arkham Horror’s 2nd edition, and I enjoy roleplaying her passion for slaying the wicked and protecting the innocent. This deck has cards like “Let me handle this!”, On the Hunt, Spectral Razor, and Taunt, which allow her to efficiently pull enemies off allies or from the encounter deck to gain resources while protecting her friends. And it has tools like Meat Cleaver, Enchanted Blade, Spectral Razor, and Vicious Blow to efficiently deal damage to said enemies.
What inspired the creation of this deck? What made you want to build it this way?
I like to lean into the flavor of Zoey being a chef, so I limited her weapon choices to items that could theoretically be found in a kitchen like Meat Cleaver and Enchanted Blade (I assume her cutting knives are all blessed). I like using weapons that don’t have ammo, so I don’t have to worry about running out at a bad time! Prepared for the Worst and Spectral Razor are backup in case she doesn’t start with a weapon in her opening hand, or her weapon is discarded by a scenario effect, like Crypt Chill.
What are some of the particular strengths of your deck? What are some of its weaknesses?
This deck is very good at defeating enemies, but not good at collecting clues. You’ll want to team her up with someone that can efficiently collect clues. Scene of the Crime is in the deck for the rare occasion that Zoey needs to pick up clues herself. She has Daring or Unexpected Courage to help with an occasional evade, but may face hardship in a scenario where evading is the preferred solution to dealing with foes.
What is your favorite scenario to play with this deck and why? What about your favorite campaign to use it in?
My favorite campaign is probably The Dream-Eaters, as it strongly focuses on swarm mechanics, which produces a group of small enemies, all of which engage together AND each gives Zoey a resource when she engages. She can quickly gain a lot of resources to get set up and start throwing Dynamite Blast or other fun (but expensive) cards around. War of the Outer Gods is also a fun scenario to run her in for the same reason.
If a newer player wanted to give your deck a try, what advice or recommendations would you give them?
I’d say to remember to focus on your job: slaying the wicked. You want to use your mulligan aggressively to find one of her weapons as a first priority, and other assets as secondary priorities. Also make good use of any time when there are not any enemies to fight to play assets or draw cards. If you can get Zoey’s Cross out, try to use the ability to decrease the actions you need to defeat an enemy. Say you engage a 3-health enemy; if you use the resource you gain to immediately trigger Zoey’s Cross to do 1 damage, now you can use any of her weapons to finish it off in one action. If you get Hallowed Mirror out, make use of Soothing Melody to heal up fellow investigators or allies that are near death, and don’t forget you get to draw a card too!
Also, don’t fear Zoey’s weakness, Smite the Wicked. Most scenario maps aren’t large enough for this to be a big danger of dealing you a trauma, and it even draws an enemy for you to kill! Only time it is scary is on the last turn or two of the game or if it pulls out an enemy like Wizard of the Order on Essex County Express. That said, a mental trauma isn’t even too bad, as the deck has Hallowed Mirror and Beat Cops to soak incoming horror.
Do you have a story or memory about this deck that you could share with us?
The most fun challenge to pull off with this deck is getting to play “Let God sort them out…” This card is very on-theme for Zoey, but because it takes an action to play, it can be hard for her to play it early in the campaign. But by combining Beat Cop, her investigator ability, and/or Vicious Blow with two actions on of her weapons, I’ve successfully gotten it off a few times, which always feels great!
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your deck?
I recommend upgrading early to Beat Cop level 2 and Relic Hunter to allow for a more consistent board state. Stand Together and Safeguard (level 2) are also early upgrades to help yourself and a teammate setup and allow you to spend less actions moving, as you can just follow your friend around! Ace of Swords is always a nice 1 experience upgrade to boost her Combat skill. And then look towards picking up high experience weapons that can do more than +1 damage or offer other action compression, such as Enchanted Blade (guardian level 3), which provides healing and card draw.
After weapons are upgraded, the deck should be firing on all cylinders, but there’s always more fun cards to buy. Upgrading Taunt to level 2 or 3 is a decent pickup, and can help her with card draw, but its value is scenario-dependent, as you’d like to be able to engage 2, if not 3+, enemies at once with it. I also consider picking up a money dump, like Keen Eye or Combat Training (level 3), to productively make use of excess resources. On the Hunt (level 3) is also fun to use to grab specific enemies out of the encounter deck and also gain money doing it! And there’s always Dynamite Blast level 2 or 3. Finally, the good ol’ Stick to the Plan + Ever Vigilant combo to thin out your deck and make your setup faster and cost fewer resources is fantastic, but also expensive experience-wise!
If you want to add a few more skills into the deck, consider Inspiring Presence in the initial deck (to heal your level 2 Beat Cops), or buy Defensive Stance (to help with evading) or staples like Overpower (level 2) and Vicious Blow (level 2).
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