Encounters

During the Encounter Phase of each round, investigators must each complete one or more encounters. There are many types of encounters, most of which draw cards from their own specific deck. Other encounters may be initiated by Monsters, Mysteries, or other events.

## Encounter Order

When the encounter phase begins, investigators resolve an encounter, starting with the Lead Investigator going clockwise. If the active investigator would have multiple possible encounters, resolve them in the following order of precedence:

1. If a card effect (such as Lost in Time and Space) requires the investigator to complete an encounter, this encounter supersedes all other encounters.
2. If there are one or more Monsters present on the investigator's space, you must enter a Combat Encounter with all Monsters in the order of your choice. If there are both non-epic Monsters and Epic Monsters on that space, the non-epic Monsters must be encountered before the Epic Monsters. If, after all Combat Encounters, there are no Monsters remaining on that space, he may resolve another encounter of lower precedence.
	1. Essentially, all Combat Encounter are queued before any encounters are resolved. Once the encounters are queued, very few effects can stop them from happening, one of which being the investigator is defeated. Effects such as Gug's and Mists of Releh's can't prevent the investigator from having to resolve other Combat Encounters after one has started to resolve.
3. If, at this point, there are multiple encounters available to the investigator, he may choose *one* encounter to resolve. If the encounter causes him to resolve an additional Combat Encounter and he defeats the Monster in that encounter, he will not be able to resolve a second non-combat encounter for the round.

Following this section on this page, all information stating along the lines of "the investigator may choose to complete X encounter type if..." assumes that the investigator has gone through this checklist beforehand.

Some effects may give additional changes to this general order:

* If an effect grants an investigator an additional encounter option, then similar to location encounters and token encounters, he must encounter all Monsters on his space first. Then, if there are no Monsters on his space, he may resolve that effect as his additional encounter. Effects that grant encounter options includes wording like "as an encounter" (e.g. The True Name) or "choose to encounter" (e.g. Clairvoyance).
	+ Some effect may allow an investigator to bypass the requirement that investigators must encounter all Monsters first. They may say "as if there are no Monsters on your space" (e.g. Mists of Releh) or "ignoring Monsters on your space" (e.g. Clairvoyance).
	+ Effects that grant an investigator an additional encounter option finish resolving *before* he resolves that encounter. Therefore, any other effect that triggers due to those effects will also have been resolved completely before the encounters take place.
* If an effect says "instead of resolving an encounter," such as the Detained Condition, this can be resolved even on a space containing a Monster.

## Regular vs. Complex Encounters

Encounters can be split into two categories: regular, and complex. Regular encounters will usually have one test or task that the investigator needs to successfully complete in order to resolve its effects. Complex encounters, on the other hand, have three sections to them and will usually require two tests/tasks to be completed.

A complex encounter will be split into three sections. The top section will have a white background and will usually contain an initial test or task. If the investigator passes the test/task, he may move onto the pass effect section of the card, otherwise he resolves the fail effect section of the card. In some cases, the initial section will allow the investigator to choose which section to resolve.

The pass section of a complex encounter has a yellow-gold background and usually contains a second test or task that the investigator must complete. The fail section of a complex encounter has a red background and may contain a second test, or just simply have an effect to resolve.

Location and Research encounters are regular encounters; Other World, Expedition, Mystic Ruins, Dream-Quest, Devastation and Special encounters are complex encounters.

## Types of Encounters

There are 11 main categories of encounters, some having their own subtypes. These main categories are the following:

### Combat Encounters

*Main article: Combat Encounter*
A Combat Encounter is a type of encounter that occurs when the Investigator begins the Encounter Phase while on the same space as a monster. The investigator must encounter every monster that shares his space, one at a time.

### Location Encounters

*Main article: Location Encounter*
An investigator may always choose to complete a General Encounter or a specific Location Encounter if they are on a major area; major areas have a distinct color group and large portrait on the game boards. The investigator only resolves the encounter for the area that they are in.

### Research Encounters

*Main article: Research Encounters*
An investigator may choose to draw a Research Encounter if he is on a space with a  Clue token during the Encounter Phase. Similar to a General Encounter, the player is given three options of  City,  Wilderness, or  Sea space, and picks the one that is appropriate to the space.

### Other World Encounters

*Main article: Other World Encounters*
An investigator on a space containing a Gate may choose to complete an Other World Encounter; Other World Encounters are the primary way in which investigators close Gates. Other World Encounters are complex encounters; the pass effect usually allows players to close the Gate that they are on.

### Expedition Encounters

*Main article: Expedition Encounters*
An investigator on a space containing the Active Expedition token may choose to complete an Expedition Encounter. Each Expedition space is indicated by a postcard image of its area. The Active Expedition token is always located on the space indicated on the back of the top card of the Expedition Encounter deck; Expedition Encounters are complex encounters.

### Mystic Ruins Encounters

*Main article: Mystic Ruins Encounter*
An investigator on a space containing the Mystic Ruins token may choose to complete a Mystic Ruins Encounter. They are used when  Syzygy or  Antediluvium is the Ancient One, or if the In Cosmic Alignment or The Stars Align Prelude card is in play. They are extremely similar to Expedition Encounters; Mystic Ruins Encounters are complex encounters.

### Dream-Quest Encounters

*Main article: Dream-Quest Encounter*
An investigator on the Dreamlands side board on the same space as the Dream-Quest Token may undertake a Dream-Quest Encounter. These are in play whenever  Hypnos is the Ancient One, or if the Otherworldly Dreams Adventure is in play; Dream-Quest Encounters are complex encounters.

### Devastation Encounters

*Main article: Devastation*
An investigator on a space that has a Devastation marker on it after a Disaster has taken place on it may resolve a Devastation Encounter. They are in play whenever  Shudde M'ell is the Ancient One, or if the player is using a Prelude that uses Disasters. Devastation Encounters are complex encounters.

### Special Encounters

*Main article: Special Encounter*
Special Encounters are tailored to specific Ancient Ones and will only be used when a Mystery or a special rule specifies their usage.
Special Encounters are complex encounters.

### Defeated Investigator Encounters

If an investigator is on the same space as a defeated investigator, they may do an encounter with that defeated investigator. The investigator follows whichever checks are written on the back of the investigator's sheet, and removes the investigator from play after this is completed. In general, encounters with defeated investigators will grant the player the defeated investigators' possessions and will typically retreat  Doom if a successful skill check is passed.

When an investigator gains a defeated investigator's possessions, he is *gaining* them. Effects that trigger on gaining items like Voice of Azathoth would trigger in this case.

### Effect-Initiated Encounters

Some Conditions like Detained will immediately trigger if the investigator still has the Condition when the Encounter Phase begins.

A  Mystery,  Rumor or  Adventure token may be encountered, allowing the player to perform a certain type of skill check or action, in which case the investigator follows the instructions on the corresponding card.

## References

1. ↑ Official answer from Nikki Valens for Gug on  *BoardGameGeek*.
2. ↑ Official answer from Nikki Valens for Additional Encounter on  *BoardGameGeek*.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 FAQ p. 9.
4. ↑ Official answer from Nikki Valens for Clairvoyance on  *BoardGameGeek*.
5. ↑ Official answer from Nikki Valens for Clairvoyance timing on  *BoardGameGeek*.
6. ↑ Official answer from Nikki Valens for Defeated Investigator Encounters on  *BoardGameGeek*.