Elder Sign
COOPERATIVE DICE + CARD adventure by RICHARD LAUNIUS + KEVIN WILSON (Fantasy Flight Games, 2011). Set in the LOVECRAFTIAN 'ARKHAM HORROR' universe — 1-8 INVESTIGATORS play against the game to gather ELDER SIGNS and PREVENT AN ANCIENT ONE from awakening. Uses 6 SPECIAL DICE (5 investigation dice + 1 amber peril die) to complete ADVENTURE CARDS in a MUSEUM setting. 90-min game; multiple EXPANSIONS.
Quick facts
Category
Dice Games
Type
Team sport
Players
1–8
Duration
~90 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Published 2011 by Fantasy Flight Games; designers Richard Launius (creator of Arkham Horror) + Kevin Wilson; based on Cthulhu Mythos by H. P. Lovecraft; 6+ expansions 2012-2018; Elder Sign: Omens app 2011-2020s.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
GATHER ENOUGH ELDER SIGNS (~4-14, depends on Ancient One) BEFORE Ancient One's DOOM TRACK FILLS.
Rules
Basic rules
Set up MUSEUM with 6-8 face-up adventure cards; each investigator has 4 STAMINA + 4 SANITY
Signature Museum setup.
On turn: PICK an adventure, ROLL DICE, then TRY TO COMPLETE THE TASK ROWS with dice symbols; can re-roll remaining dice
Signature dice-task-clear cycle.
Each FAIL: LOSE 1 DIE + face PERIL PENALTY (lose stamina/sanity/item)
Signature per-fail loss cycle.
COMPLETE all task rows = win adventure → gain ELDER SIGN (or reward, or clue)
Signature win adventure.
EVERY 3 HOURS (~3 turns): CLOCK STRIKES + DOOM COUNTER advances + new MYTHOS card triggers
Signature time-pressure clock.
IF DOOM FILLS = ANCIENT ONE AWAKENS → team fights it directly with combined dice
Signature end-game boss fight.
IF INVESTIGATOR loses all stamina OR sanity = DEVOURED (removed)
Signature investigator death.
Scoring
Win: enough Elder Signs before doom fills (or defeat Ancient One in final battle). Lose: doom fills + Ancient One defeats party.
Win condition · Team collectively wins/loses vs. the game.
Equipment
6 CUSTOM DICE: 5 GREEN 'INVESTIGATION' DICE (faces: investigation, lore, peril, terror, scroll, magnifier); 1 AMBER 'PERIL' DIE
Signature 6-dice set.
ADVENTURE CARDS (~50 in base): each has TASK ROWS with dice-face requirements
Signature adventure cards.
INVESTIGATOR CARDS (~16 base): each with health, sanity, special ability
Signature investigator characters.
ANCIENT ONE CARDS: game-ending final boss with unique effects (Cthulhu, Azathoth, etc.)
Signature Ancient One antagonists.
ELDER SIGN + MYTHOS + MONSTER + ITEM + SPELL + ALLY cards
Signature supporting deck.
DOOM + CLOCK trackers (clock advances every 3 hours)
Signature time-pressure trackers.
Terminology
- Elder Sign
- Victory token: gather enough to defeat Ancient One.
- Doom track
- Rising counter that ends game if it fills.
- Mythos card
- Bad-event card drawn every 3 in-game hours.
- Devoured
- Investigator eliminated from play (stamina or sanity zero).
- Peril die
- Amber sixth die used only in dangerous adventures.
Major competitions
Cooperative board-game / not tournament; casual play only
n/a · Global home gaming · since 2011
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Fantasy Flight Games (publisher)
Founded 1995 · Roseville, MN, USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Richard Launius (designer)
- Kevin Wilson (co-designer)
- Cthulhu-mythos board-gaming community
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Elder Sign— Wikipedia
- BoardGameGeek — Elder Sign— BGG