Choosing Arkham Horror Expansions can be a little more complicated than other board game expansions. Due to the story-based nature of this fun mystery game, expansions like The Dunwich Legacy have a natural progression from the core game. Leaping ahead to a different expansion cycle might leave you feeling lost! Other times, the new mechanics can be complicated for beginners to handle.
Nevertheless, I always get completely immersed in the new stories and settings. If you’re looking to freshen up the base game in new and unpredictable ways, playing the expansions is guaranteed to add hours of play time.
We’re going to look at some of the best Arkham Horror Card Game expansions in order according to the story in the scenarios. But I’m also going to show you some expansions that you can dive right into!
Once you’ve finished the core storyline from the base game, this is the first of the Arkham Horror expansions I’d recommend. Included in the box are two different scenarios, so there’s already a baked-in replay value. However, the new deck-building strategies and styles of play can keep the game fresh through all the new playthroughs.
I really enjoyed the Louisiana setting and I felt immersed by the werewolf hunt. Without spoiling much, there were a lot of strategies and challenges along the way that will really test your decision-making. It flows well from the first game, so it’s great for new players. If I had any minor complaint, it would be that the different styles of cards make it difficult to integrate into other expansions. But this doesn’t take away from the fun!
While this is listed as the next in order, I have tried it as a first expansion with new players and they got hooked just as easily! For purists, however, I’d say to stick to the order.
As with all the Arkham Horror board game expansions, the scenarios are creepy and full of surprises that will keep you wanting to uncover more. Along with that, there’s six new investigators with a complete set of player cards each. Since I usually play with less than four people, I got a lot of replay value out of this expansion by shuffling investigators with each playthrough. But I’ve even played this solo and had a lot of fun.
This one’s for the diehards! More challenging than most of the Arkham Horror expansions, I wouldn’t recommend trying this until you have a lot of experience with the core game. But if you’re willing to press through certain failures and learn all the new mechanics, I find it’s a really fun and rewarding experience. Pro tip: start with a character with high willpower!
Part of what makes the difficulty fun is the quality of the storyline here. Distinct from other expansions, this one is set in a rainforest. And not only can the scenarios be used to continue your custom campaign, they can be played as standalone adventures. Great for playing with other experienced players for the first time!
If you want something a little less complex than the last one, try the Circle Undone. As a return to the original Arkham setting, this expansion really turns up the spooky dial. I recommend it for those who appreciate the more traditional settings!
I was really impressed by the branching resolutions in the scenarios here. When I played through this multiple times, each victory was achieved completely differently. All the scenarios are consistent and I thought the second half of the campaign was very well done. Along with quality new player cards, there’s nothing to complain about here! This is a great expansion for a more casual game night.
As with all the Arkham Horror Card Game expansions, this one has a riveting story. Prepare to be disoriented though, the Innsmouth Conspiracy jumps around time and really twists your expectations. Even though this is the sixth deluxe expansion released, there’s no lack of excitement or new thrills. The creativity in these games is fantastic.
Unlike some of the other expansions, this one works well as a standalone. I liked the mechanics from all the new tokens and I feel like they made an effort to make the gameplay a bit different than other releases. If you’re a seasoned player who wants a bit of a non-traditional approach to the game, I’d highly recommend this!
Once you start playing the Arkham Horror expansions, the game gains a lot of depth. I find it’s like getting a new season of an entertaining TV show, except in these ones the plot changes according to how you play!
Any Arkham Horror Card Game expansions guide would be incomplete without recommending finding a group of other players to change up the flow of the game! Better yet, I like to use each other’s creative skills to blend elements of the expansions and create unique progressions and investigator combos. As a last tip, I recommend getting two core sets just to make sure you have enough cards for a larger table. With that in place, exploring the new scenarios will be seamless and the variety will seem endless!