Mansions of Madness is a cooperative board game in which investigators explore a haunted mansion, uncover mysteries, and battle monsters guided by an app. The core mansions of madness rules define turn structure, card types, and how dice resolve combat and skill checks.
Below is a quick reference that summarizes the main components, setup steps, and outcomes you will encounter when learning the mansions of madness rules.
| Category | Detail | Impact on Play | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players | 1–8, ideally 2–5 | Cooperative focus, app narrates and tracks threats | 2 investigators plus Arkham consultant |
| Setup Time | 10–20 minutes | Scenarios dictate map tiles, tokens, and deck building | Place tiles, shuffle encounter decks, assign roles |
| Victory Condition | Complete all scenario objectives and defeat final threat | Shared win or loss, raising stakes with fails | Seal the rift before sanity collapses |
| Core Resolution | Skill tests using two dice, target number based on skill and assets | Risk management via dice color and horror tokens | Green skill die 2, blue support die 5 equals 7 total |
Understanding Core Mechanics
The mansions of madness rules center on turns divided into investigation, encounter, and mythos phases. During the investigation phase you move, gather clues, and trigger card effects, while the app enforces hidden conditions and enemy movements.
Each investigator sheet lists health, sanity, skills, and traits, and the cards you draw present choices under time pressure. Managing wounds, sanity damage, and limited actions is essential to surviving the escalating horror.
Scenario Setup and Exploration
Map Tiles and Door Connections
Scenario instructions determine which mansion tiles to place, how to connect doors, and where to position the investigators and nemesis. Tile setup defines reachable rooms, choke points, and routing options for both investigators and monsters.
Asset and Spell Management
Before searching for clues, you build your deck from the investigator pool, choosing starting gear, weapons, and spells. The mansions of madness rules outline how many cards you may hold, how assets upgrade, and when to spend clue tokens to gain powerful effects.
Combat, Horror, and App Guidance
Dice Resolution and Creature Threat
Combat relies on rolling skill dice, adding support dice, and comparing to a target number influenced by enemy toughness and modifiers. Horror tokens track ongoing fear effects, some persisting across multiple rounds and complicating future skill tests.
App Scripting and Hidden Actions
The application script guides monster activations, spawn locations, and narrative revelations, ensuring that even fully explored mansions can remain unpredictable. App-driven events can flip objectives or trigger instant failures, making every decision feel consequential.
Streamlined Gameplay Approach
- Review investigator sheets and understand your skill strengths and weaknesses
- Follow the app script step by step to preserve narrative pacing
- Conserve actions and cards, prioritizing objectives over exploration when threatened
- Track horror tokens and status effects to anticipate difficult turns
- Coordinate roles in multiplayer so the consultant can manage app surprises
- Use clue tokens efficiently to unlock story beats and crucial upgrades
- Plan recovery options to prevent burnout from wounds and sanity loss
- Adapt your route and combat posture based on evolving monster behavior
FAQ
Reader questions
How do skill tests work in the mansions of madness rules?
You roll one die matching your active skill and optionally add one die from a matching color support pool, comparing the total to a target number printed on the card or token. Modifiers from assets, conditions, and investigator abilities can raise or lower this target.
What happens when an investigator gains wounds or sanity damage?
Wound and sanity tokens are placed on your investigator sheet, reducing your health or sanity track and often limiting the cards you can play. Tokens can be recovered through specific recovery events, rest actions, or completing certain clues.
Can the app be used with the standalone or campaign versions?
Yes, the script supports both formats by adjusting enemy stats, deck sizes, and scenario goals. The app tracks investigators, monsters, and persistent tokens so you can switch between scenarios without losing progress.
What is the role of the Arkham consultant in the rules?
One player acts as the Arkham consultant, reading scripted app events aloud and overseeing token placement while investigators focus on decisions. This role keeps the app narrative clear and ensures the mansion of madness rules are followed consistently.