Investigators

Investigators

Agatha Crane Agnes Baker Akachi Onyele Amanda Sharpe "Ashcan" Pete Bob Jenkins Calvin Wright Carolyn Fern Carson Sinclair Charlie Kane Daisy Walker Daniela Reyes Darrell Simmons Dexter Drake Diana Stanley Father Mateo Finn Edwards George Barnaby Gloria Goldberg Hank Samson Harvey Walters Jacqueline Fine Jenny Barnes Jim Culver Joe Diamond Kate Winthrop Leo Anderson Lily Chen Lola Hayes Luke Robinson Mandy Thompson Marie Lambeau Mark Harrigan Michael McGlen Minh Thi Phan Monterey Jack Norman Withers Patrice Hathaway Preston Fairmont Rex Murphy Rita Young Roland Banks Sefina Rousseau Silas Marsh Sister Mary "Skids" O'Toole Tommy Muldoon Tony Morgan Trish Scarborough Ursula Downs Vincent Lee Wendy Adams William Yorick Wilson Richards Zoey Samaras

When playing Eldritch Horror, each player controls an investigator. The word “investigator” refers to a player, the character he controls, and that character’s Investigator sheet and Investigator token. Before playing the game, during the setup phase, a player can chose from the 55 available investigators, starting with the Lead Investigator and proceeding clockwise. If you don't know who to choose or if you just trust randomness, click on the picture.

Lead Investigator

At the start of the game, players agree upon one player to receive the Lead Investigator token. If they cannot decide, players assign this token to a random player as they see fit (for example, by rolling a die). He receives the Lead Investigator token and is referred to as the “Lead Investigator” by cards and effects.

When investigators make a decision as a group, the Lead Investigator makes the final decision. When players perform actions during the Action Phase or resolve encounters during the Encounter Phase, the Lead Investigator begins and play proceeds clockwise around the play area. During the Mythos Phase, the Lead Investigator resolves a Mythos card. At the end of the Mythos Phase, the Lead Investigator may pass the Lead Investigator token to another investigator of his choice.

Some cards can refer to the active investigator; it refers to the investigator currently performing actions or resolving an encounter. During the Mythos Phase, the Lead Investigator is the active investigator.

Investigator Sheet

Front

Front of an investigator sheet (Lily Chen here)

Abilities

Each Investigator has two abilities that give them uniqueness and a specific gameplay: an active ability which requires a Component Action to activate it, and a passive ability which works anyway. According to the Investigator, some are generic and effective in the majority of cases, while some other may be more situational but open certain combos with specific Possessions or with other investigators. Abilities are often tied to the Investigators Skills and are the major characteristic which defines their team role.

Health and Sanity

Main article: Health and Sanity

Health is the measure of the investigators physical state and Sanity is the measure of their mental state. Each investigator starts with an amount of Health and Sanity equal to his maximum Health and Sanity, respectively; this maximum is between 4 and 8 depending on the investigator. The sum of each investigator's starting Health and Sanity amount is always 12, except for Calvin Wright and Rex Murphy.
An investigator can lose Health and Sanity for any number of reasons; if the investigator's Health or Sanity reaches zero for any reason, he is defeated.

Skills

Main article: Skills

Each investigator has five different skills listed on the bottom of his Investigator sheet. The number below each skill is the number of dice investigator rolls when resolving a test. The sum of each investigator's starting skill value is always 13. Each skill is represented with a unique icon.

• Lore is often tested when casting Spells and resolving Other World Encounters.
• Influence is often tested when performing Acquire Assets action and resolving General Encounters on City spaces and Defeated Investigator Encounters.
• Observation is often tested when resolving Research Encounters and Expedition Encounters.
• Strength is often tested when resolving Combat Encounters and Expedition Encounters.
• Will is often tested when resolving Combat Encounters and Other World Encounters.

Back

Back of an investigator sheet (Leo Anderson here)

Starting Information

The starting information includes the starting location of the player and any Possessions, Improvements, and Conditions the player might have. Give all required items to the players before putting any decks in play. If any starting card is not in the deck, discard pile or reserve, such as if another investigator or a defeated investigator has them, the investigator starts without that card. If any starting token is not in the pool, the investigator starts without that token.

Defeated Encounters

This is read if another investigator is having an Encounter with this investigator who has had their Health and/or Sanity reduced to zero without being Devoured. Depending on whether it was the investigator's Health or Sanity that reached zero, the player reads that story on the back of the card and resolves any tests or receives any items just like any other kind of encounter. If the player's Health and Sanity both reached zero at the same time, the player may read the back of the card and choose which one to resolve.

Typically, defeated encounters give the player that players Possessions.

Rulings, clarifications, and reminders

If an effect refers to "investigators" or "an investigator," unless the effect says "other investigators" or "another investigator," it affects any or all investigators, including the one who is using the effect.

Investigators List

A more detailed list for the investigators with their original set, statistics and roles.

Name	Occupation	Set	H	S	L	I	O	S	W	Starting Location	Specialization
Agatha Crane	Parapsychologist	09	5	7	4	3	3	1	2	Tokyo	Magic, Research
Agnes Baker	Waitress	03	7	5	4	3	2	2	2	London	Magic, Support
Akachi Onyele	Shaman	01Core	5	7	3	2	2	2	4	Space 15	Gate Closer
Amanda Sharpe	Student	07	6	6	2	3	4	1	3	Istanbul	Research
"Ashcan" Pete	Drifter	08	7	5	3	1	3	3	3	Space 14	All-Rounder, Gate Closer
Bob Jenkins	Salesman	08	7	5	2	4	2	3	2	London	Support, All-Rounder
Calvin Wright	Damned	09	7	7	3	3	3	3	1	Buenos Aires	All-Rounder, Support
Carolyn Fern	Psychologist	07	5	7	2	3	2	2	4	Rome	Support
Carson Sinclair	Butler	09	6	6	2	3	3	2	3	London	Support, All-Rounder
Charlie Kane	Politician	01Core	4	8	2	4	3	2	2	San Francisco	Support
Daisy Walker	Librarian	03	5	7	4	3	2	1	3	Istanbul	Magic, Research
Daniela Reyes	Mechanic	09	7	5	3	3	1	3	3	San Francisco	All-Rounder
Darrell Simmons	Photographer	07	7	5	1	3	4	2	3	Space 20	Research
Dexter Drake	Magician	06	5	7	4	2	2	2	3	Tokyo	Magic, Gate Closer
Diana Stanley	Redeemed Cultist	01Core	7	5	4	2	3	3	1	Space 7	Magic
Father Mateo	Priest	09	5	7	3	3	1	2	4	Rome	Gate Closer
Finn Edwards	Bootlegger	03	6	6	2	3	3	2	3	Space 5	Support, All-Rounder
George Barnaby	Lawyer	03	4	8	3	4	2	1	3	Space 17	Support
Gloria Goldberg	Author	07	4	8	3	3	3	1	3	Arkham	Support, Research
Hank Samson	Farmhand	05	8	4	1	2	3	4	3	Space 6	Combat, Expedition
Harvey Walters	Professor	05	4	8	3	2	3	2	3	Arkham	Support
Jacqueline Fine	Psychic	01Core	4	8	4	2	3	1	3	Space 5	Magic, Support
Jenny Barnes	Dilettante	06	7	5	1	4	2	3	3	Space 8	Support
Jim Culver	Musician	01Core	7	5	3	3	2	2	3	Space 6	Magic, Support
Joe Diamond	Private Eye	05	7	5	2	3	4	2	2	San Francisco	Research
Kate Winthrop	Scientist	07	5	7	3	2	4	2	2	Buenos Aires	Research, Gate Closer*
Leo Anderson	Expedition Leader	01Core	6	6	2	2	3	3	3	Buenos Aires	Expedition, All-Rounder
Lily Chen	Martial Artist	01Core	6	6	2	2	2	4	3	Shanghai	Combat, All-Rounder
Lola Hayes	Actress	01Core	5	7	2	4	2	2	3	Tokyo	All-Rounder, Support
Luke Robinson	Dreamer	07	4	8	4	2	1	2	4	A space containing a Gate	Gate Closer
Mandy Thompson	Researcher	05	5	7	3	3	4	1	2	Shanghai	Research
Marie Lambeau	Entertainer	04	6	6	3	4	2	2	2	Space 20	Magic, Support
Mark Harrigan	Soldier	01Core	8	4	1	2	2	4	4	Space 14	Combat
Michael McGlen	Gangster	06	8	4	2	3	1	4	3	London	Combat
Minh Thi Phan	Secretary	05	6	6	3	3	3	2	2	Tokyo	Support
Monterey Jack	Archaeologist	05	7	5	2	2	3	4	2	The Pyramids	Expedition
Norman Withers	Astronomer	01Core	5	7	3	1	3	2	4	Arkham	Magic, Gate Closer
Patrice Hathaway	Violinist	03	5	7	3	2	3	1	4	Sydney	Gate Closer
Preston Fairmont	Millionaire	09	7	5	2	5	2	3	1	Istanbul	Support
Rex Murphy	Reporter	05	7	7	2	3	2	3	3	Space 1	All-Rounder
Rita Young	Athlete	08	7	5	3	1	2	4	3	Shanghai	Combat
Roland Banks	Fed	08	7	5	2	2	4	2	3	San Francisco	Research, Support
Sefina Rousseau	Painter	09	4	8	3	2	4	1	3	Sydney	Research
Silas Marsh	Sailor	01Core	8	4	1	3	3	3	3	Sydney	All-Rounder
Sister Mary	Nun	05	5	7	2	2	3	2	4	Space 15	Support
"Skids" O'Toole	Ex-Convict	04	6	6	2	1	3	4	3	Buenos Aires	Combat
Tommy Muldoon	Rookie Cop	03	7	5	2	3	3	3	2	Space 1	Combat
Tony Morgan	Bounty Hunter	04	7	5	2	2	4	3	2	Space 7	Research
Trish Scarborough	Spy	01Core	7	5	1	3	4	3	2	Space 16	Research
Ursula Downs	Explorer	03	6	6	3	2	3	3	2	The Heart of Africa	Expedition
Vincent Lee	Doctor	07	6	6	1	3	3	2	4	Space 17	Support
Wendy Adams	Urchin	06	5	7	3	1	4	2	3	Space 16	Research
William Yorick	Gravedigger	07	7	5	3	2	2	3	3	Sydney	Combat
Wilson Richards	Handyman	03	8	4	1	3	2	4	3	Arkham	Combat
Zoey Samaras	Chef	04	5	7	3	2	1	3	4	Rome	Combat

Roles

The roles for each investigator are not rigid, and each investigator can perform any of the functions required. Rather, the specified role simply states what the investigator's stats, skills, abilities, and starting equipment provide a natural fit for.

It is not necessary to pick one of each type for a successful team. Skill improvements, spells, and equipment can be earned through the course of the game that can augment each investigator's performance in each role.

• Research - A research investigator specializes in obtaining clues, whether by their own abilities or through research encounters (which frequently test Observation). Clues are almost always needed to make progress on Mysteries or to prevent the harmful effects of Rumors.
• Gate Closer - Gate closers complete Other World Encounters to remove gates from the board, preventing doom from advancing. These encounters frequently test Lore and Will, and an ideal gate closer will also have some means of dealing with the monsters that guard gates (or else they can work with a Combat investigator).
• Combat - For defeating monsters that spawn in with gates, or through certain other effects. These investigators have high Strength (taking into account their starting weapon) and moderate to high Will, and ideally a balance of health and sanity.
• Expedition - While expeditions are usually not required to beat the game, investigators who can complete them can retreat doom or obtain powerful artifacts to help the team, making them good support characters. These encounters frequently test Observation and Strength.
• Magic - A magic oriented investigator will typically possesses a high Lore rating and either start with spells or have abilities that facilitate gaining spells. Spells serve a wide variety of functions both in and out of combat, so Magic is more of a bonus to a role than a role itself.
• Support - Support investigators have abilities that assist other investigators in a variety of ways. Most often they perform this role by obtaining Assets (typically with high Influence), while others may assist in recovering health or sanity, granting extra movement, etc.
• All-Rounder - An investigator with well-rounded stats that can quickly adapt to several different roles.