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Cthulhu Wars
Petersen Games · 2015
2–490–120 min14+ yrs3.1/5 complexity7.8 BGG#350 BGG8,5 KStrategy
⚡ short answer
How do you play Cthulhu Wars?
Nodens serves as an independent Great Old One that any player can summon, provided they meet the specific summoning requirements. Its presence on the board can significantly impact the game's flow, particularly for factions that benefit from manipulating the Ritual of Annihilation track or leveraging specific unit types through its Proteus ability.
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the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
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01
Setup
To awaken Nodens, a player needs a controlled gate in an area with their Great Old One and must pay 6 power.
The rules, step by step
Setup
To awaken Nodens, a player must first have a controlled gate in an area where their Great Old One is present. Once this condition is met, the player can pay 6 power to summon Nodens and place it into that area. Nodens is classified as an Elder God, but for game purposes, it functions as an independent Great Old One, meaning it is not aligned with any specific faction.
Objective
Nodens serves as an independent Great Old One that any player can summon, provided they meet the specific summoning requirements. Its presence on the board can significantly impact the game's flow, particularly for factions that benefit from manipulating the Ritual of Annihilation track or leveraging specific unit types through its Proteus ability.
On your turn
During combat, Nodens does not roll any combat dice. Instead, it automatically adds 1 kill and 2 pains to the combat total of the player who controls it. This makes Nodens a reliable and consistent damage dealer in battles, providing a fixed contribution without the randomness of dice rolls.
Scoring
Nodens has a unique healing ability that activates during the Doom Phase. At the end of this phase, unless the Ritual of Annihilation track has already reached Sudden Death, Nodens will move the ritual marker backward one step. This ability can prolong the game, benefiting factions that thrive in longer matches or need more time to achieve their objectives. It's important to note that this healing effect does not push the marker past the starting position.
Game end
Unlike other neutral units, if Nodens is defeated in battle, it does not remain with the controlling player. Instead, it returns to the general pool of available independent Great Old Ones. This means that another player can then meet the summoning conditions and take control of Nodens, allowing its powerful abilities to shift alliances and influence the game's outcome for different factions.
Tips
Nodens possesses a powerful ability called Proteus, which costs 2 actions to activate. When activated, the controlling player chooses one of their earned faction spellbooks that names either a type of unit (e.g., Acolytes) or a specific unit (e.g., Flying Polyps). The player then places their faction glyph on that spellbook, and Nodens benefits from the spellbook's effects as if it were the named unit or type of unit. This allows for highly strategic combinations, such as giving Nodens 'Regenerate' if controlled by Cthulhu, or allowing it to be moved with 'Seek and Destroy' if controlled by Crawling Chaos. However, players should be wary of Black Goat controlling Nodens, as it could grant Nodens abilities like creating and controlling gates, adding to Shub-Niggurath's combat, and earning power, making it an extremely potent threat.
🔬 game anatomy
Complexity3.1 / 5
BGG rating7.8 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
90–120 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#350
✨ from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
Nodens serves as an independent Great Old One that any player can summon, provided they meet the specific summoning requirements. Its presence on the board can significantly impact the game's flow, particularly for factions that benefit from manipulating the Ritual of Annihilation track or leveraging specific unit types through its Proteus ability.
Q2How do you set up the game?
To awaken Nodens, a player must first have a controlled gate in an area where their Great Old One is present. Once this condition is met, the player can pay 6 power to summon Nodens and place it into that area. Nodens is classified as an Elder God, but for game purposes, it functions as an independent Great Old One, meaning it is not aligned with any specific faction.
Q3How does a turn work?
During combat, Nodens does not roll any combat dice. Instead, it automatically adds 1 kill and 2 pains to the combat total of the player who controls it. This makes Nodens a reliable and consistent damage dealer in battles, providing a fixed contribution without the randomness of dice rolls.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Nodens has a unique healing ability that activates during the Doom Phase. At the end of this phase, unless the Ritual of Annihilation track has already reached Sudden Death, Nodens will move the ritual marker backward one step. This ability can prolong the game, benefiting factions that thrive in longer matches or need more time to achieve their objectives. It's important to note that this healing effect does not push the marker past the starting position.
Q5When and how does the game end?
Unlike other neutral units, if Nodens is defeated in battle, it does not remain with the controlling player. Instead, it returns to the general pool of available independent Great Old Ones. This means that another player can then meet the summoning conditions and take control of Nodens, allowing its powerful abilities to shift alliances and influence the game's outcome for different factions.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
Nodens possesses a powerful ability called Proteus, which costs 2 actions to activate. When activated, the controlling player chooses one of their earned faction spellbooks that names either a type of unit (e.g., Acolytes) or a specific unit (e.g., Flying Polyps). The player then places their faction glyph on that spellbook, and Nodens benefits from the spellbook's effects as if it were the named unit or type of unit. This allows for highly strategic combinations, such as giving Nodens 'Regenerate' if controlled by Cthulhu, or allowing it to be moved with 'Seek and Destroy' if controlled by Crawling Chaos. However, players should be wary of Black Goat controlling Nodens, as it could grant Nodens abilities like creating and controlling gates, adding to Shub-Niggurath's combat, and earning power, making it an extremely potent threat.
Q7How much does Cthulhu Wars cost?
No store is currently tracking Cthulhu Wars. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy Cthulhu Wars cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play Cthulhu Wars?
Cthulhu Wars is a fantasy game, for 2–4 players, taking ~90–120 minutes, featuring action points. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Cthulhu Wars — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Cthulhu Wars support?
Cthulhu Wars is played by 2–4 players.
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