Introduction and Spoiler Warning
This is a full, in depth-guide to Celtic Rising, a custom Arkham Horror Card Game campaign by Qggone. This article discusses potential XP, story paths, secrets, and FULL SPOILERS, so be warned!
Experience
Available XP per scenario/interlude:
Scenario 1: Caorthannach's Demands: = 5 (locations) +1 (cursed coral axe) +1 (Kelpie in the encounter deck) +2 (successful resolution) or +3 (failed resolution) = 9/10 XP
Scenario 2: Away with the Fairies: 6 (locations) +3 (Dub, Dother, and Dain enemies) +2 (Carman) +1 (resolution for defeating Carman) or +2 (failed resolution or surrendering to Carman) = 12/13 XP
Scenario 3: The Stephen's Manor: 8 (locations) +1 (white lady in the encounter deck) +2 (Banshee or Dearg Due) +2 (all resolutions) = 13 XP
Scenario 4: Flight from the Dullahan: 8 (locations) +2 (Werewolf of Ossory in the encounter deck) +1 (Ellen Trechend, cave walk path encounter deck only) +2 (Ollipheist, waterside path encounter deck only) +4 (Dullahan, cannot be done with Climbing Spire Hire location which is 2 VP) +2 (all resolutions) = 12-16 XP
Scenario 5: Balor Rising: 5 (locations) +1 (Gulert) +2 or +3 (Formorian Berserker or Caorthannach) +3 (successful scenario resolution) = 10-12 XP
Epilogue: The Phantom Queen: 3 (locations) +1 (Cailleach) +5 (Morrigan) = 9 XP
In scenario 2, there are 7 random Woods locations, of which 3 will be put into play at a time. There are two Victory 1 locations, and one Victory 2 location. Only 3 will come out at once, but there are 3 "Forest Magic Intensifies" cards in the encounter deck, which add any locations with Victory to the Victory Display and reshuffle the locations among the entire set. If you want all the location XP, you'll have to grab any with Victory quickly and check them after they reshuffle.
For Scenario 4, it's extremely unlikely you'll be fighting the Dullahan. There's a section on him below, but I just wouldn't expect to do so unless you have a plan. Each of the three different paths has a different amount of VP available in its enemies, although you likely really don't want to fight the Ollipheist in the river path, as it's a 6/5i/4 creature.
For Scenario 5, you can't kill Gulert for the VP if you want to do the epilogue. If the Formorian Berserker or Caorthannach spawn is based on what outcome you got in Scenario 1.
There's a total of 46 XP before entering Scenario 5, but I'd expect to get a little under 40 before the finale.
Campaign Breakdown
Gift of Gab - Changes
Celtic Rising introduces a fifth stat "Gift of Gab". Unlike with normal stats, there's a few places to permanently increase or decrease it.
On a successful completion of Scenario 1, for each surviving sailor, one investigator can get +1 to Gift of Gab.
For Scenario 2, one investigator can take Lil'Joe, a permanent granting them +1 to Gift of Gab.
After Scenario 2, if the investigators surrendered to Carman, whoever actually spent the action to do so gains +1 Gift of Gab.
In scenario 3, if you defeat the Banshee, any investigator who engaged it reduces their Gift of Gab by 1.
In scenario 3, if you fail to save Alannah (either by defeating the Banshee or losing the scenario), one investigator gets to add the Remorseful Pete O'Kane card to their deck, a permanent that gives +1 Gift of Gab, and a reaction that after you succeed at a Gift of Gab test, you gain a resource and can look at the top card of your deck, drawing it if it's an Item.
Gift of Gab - Uses
Celtic Rising introduces a fifth stat "Gift of Gab". There's a few places you can use it through the campaign:
In Scenario 2, the Vengeful Pixies encounter card is a Gift of Gab (3) test or take damage and/or horror equal to the number of non-elite enemies at your location or a connecting location. Each investigator can also activate a once-per-round free action on Carman, the boss of the scenario, that's a Gift of Gab (6) test to deal her up to 3 damage.
In Scenario 4, there are two treacheries that throw a Gift of Gab (4) test against you, but can be removed by an action and another skill test. The two Werewolf of Ossory elite enemies also can be evaded by a Gift of Gab (4) test as a fast action that requires a clue - but at 3/3/4 for stats, you likely won't need to. On the waterside path, the encounter card Salmon of Knowledge requires a Gift of Gab (5) test. Success lets you look at the top 3 cards of the encounter deck - failure means either everyone loses all their resources, or the powerful Oillipheist enemy, a 6/5i/4 hunter spawns on your location. At least it's worth 2 VP?
Scenario 5 has two nasty treacheries that test Gift of Gab. The Sluagh of Torq is a worse crypt chill that tests Agility or Gift of Gab (4), and Haunting a New Battlefield is a alternate version of Hunting Shadows that has a Willpower or Gift of Gab test that scales based on encounter cards in play. You'll also need a Gift of Gab (3) test to Parley with Gulert. There's also a variety of Gift of Gab tests spread all over, most of which aren't terribly major, but might be useful.
The Relics
After scenario 3, each investigator has their pick of 1 relic, a powerful Permanent item. While only available for 2 scenarios, they all have a pretty powerful effect, so might be worth planning your late game deck around. In addition, these relics transform into an even more powerful card in the final scenario once you collect enough clues!
Gae Bulg lets you spend 3 resources when making a Fight action to have it deal +1 damage, with no upper limit. It also lets you spend 1 resource to get +1 Combat or Gift of Gab for a skill test. In Scenario 5, it becomes Cu Chulainn, a slotless ally with 7 health and 3 sanity, who gives you +2 Fight, +1 Agility, and +1 Gift of Gab, as well as +1 damage to all Fight actions. In addition, if a non-Elite enemy spawns on your location, you can exhaust him and deal 2 damage to him to discard that enemy.
Gae Bulg is obviously a good choice for anyone who will be taking combat-based fight action. It doesn't give any benefit unless you're willing to spend some cash, but it's a good option for doing so. Cu Chulainn is also one of the best heroes here - he's especially potent if you're using a melee weapon, or have some plan to make a lot of attacks, like a Haste or Butterfly Swords deck. If you've got anyone fighting with a weapon at all, it's hard not to consider him just the best choice for helping take down Balor.
Furbaide's Sling comes with 1 ammo, which can be recharged as an action. As an action, you can spend the ammo and Fight, using agility instead of combat and dealing 2 damage for the attack. In Scenario 5, it becomes Queen Medb, a slotless ally asset with 5 health and 5 sanity, and gives +2 Agility, +1 Willpower, and +1 Intelligence, and gives you unlimited ally slots. She also lets you spend 1 resource to use Agility in place of Combat for a turn, and you can spend an action to exhaust her to deal 1 damage for each other ally you have in play.
Furbaide's Sling is a little more niche, essentially being a weaker Ornate Bow - still, it's a good option to let a character who's more focused on evading and getting clues to defend themselves. Queen Medb is likewise strange. You're unlikely to build a deck that needs more ally slots - but if you end up having a character like Trish splurge for a switchblade in the final scenario, she lets you contribute to the final combat.
Roth Ramach lets you discard a spell asset in play at any time to move to a connecting location. It also lets you spend 1 resource to get +1 Willpower or Agility for any skill test. In Scenario 5, it becomes Tlachtga a slotless ally asset with 4 health and 6 sanity, who gives +2 Willpower and +2 Agility, as well as an additional arcane slot. She also gives you a free move each turn if you're not engaged with any enemy, and the ability to spend an action to discard a Spell asset in play to gain 2 resources and deal 2 damage to an enemy at your location.
Roth Ramach's power isn't great unless you're cycling through spell assets, but if you're relying on Rite of Seeking and Shriveling, it can maybe give you a few extra actions when needed. Tlachtga's free move, however, is great - and in the final scenario, it gives you something to do with any clue-gathering spells, as well as your Shrivelings you've emptied out into Balor.
An Craobh Airgid lets you spend 3 resources one per turn to play any asset from your hand, ignoring its cost. It also lets you spend 1 resource to get +1 Intelligence or Willpower for a test. In Scenario 5, it becomes Cormac mac Airt, a slotless ally asset with 4 health and 6 sanity, who gives +2 Intelligent and +2 Willpower. You can exhaust him to use your Intelligence in place of Combat for a turn, as well as spend 1 resource to put any asset from your hand in play, or spend an action to discard an asset to deal 2 damage to an enemy.
An Craobh Airgid has one of the best abilities on its own, especially if you have expensive assets in that it makes them cheaper AND fast. Playing expensive assets for no action is great - and while the Intelligence and Willpower test are aimed at more clue focused characters, it's not bad for playing Shotgun or Agency Backup for free. Cormac mac Airt is focused on letting an asset-focused investigator having something to do in the final fight - basically letting you spend a resource, an action, and a card from hand to deal 2 damage. It's not a great trade, but it's something.
Claiomh Solais gives you a bonus to Willpower on all treacheries equal to the number of enemies engaged with you. It also gives you a Fight action at +1 Combat, and no other bonuses. In scenario 5, it becomes Nuada Airgetiam, a slotless ally who has 4 health and 6 sanity, and gives +2 Combat, +2 Willpower, and an additional hand slot. In addition, you can spend an action and deal 1 horror to him to deal 2 damage to an enemy at your location.
Claiomh Solais is a weird pick. It's largely a defensive option, and its fight option is not really worth using - a pick if nothing else appeals to you. Nuada Airgetiam gives you a bunch of free damage, which is important for the final boss - guaranteeing 12 damage (over 6 turns, mind) against an 11i health enemy means you're at least doing your part. Claiomh Solais doesn't excel at anything, but it's a decent option to guarantee you'll be pulling your weight.
Fighting the Dullahan
Scenario 4 is a frantic race away from the Dullahan... but you can fight him, or at least, try to.
The Dullahan is a 7/10i/4 enemy with retaliate who hits for 3 damage and 2 sanity, and instantly kills anyone at his location at the start of the enemy phase - yes, even if it's exhausted. You're not meant to fight him, but there's a reward for doing so - the character who lands the killing blow gets the Golden Heart, a permanent giving them 1 additional ally slot, 1 additional arcane slot, and they can purchase any player card for their choice for their deck!
If you want to take the Dullahan down, you best come in with a plan. You're going to have to spend actions moving away from it every turn, as well as making sure something is still investigating to give you a runway for your running fight. If you end the scenario too early, you're likely even losing out on VP. You'll need reliable melee weapons with extremely high bonuses to hit, ways of getting bonus damage, and anything that can grant extra movement - as well as a way to reliably evade him.
I've yet to do it myself, but someone with Dirty Fighting seems practically a must, because otherwise you'll have someone wasting their entire turn just to evade him every turn to avoid the attack of opportunity that will shred you in no time. I'd expect to need some ridiculous high power weapons as well - committing hard into a Shotgun + Custom Modifications build, or bringing along a Cyclopean Hammer or Butterfly Swords. Even then, you're unlikely to get more than 3 damage per fighter per turn - and that's in addition to dealing with anything else they have to worry about!
If you manage it, let me know your strategy!
Unlocking the Epilogue
The campaign also has an epilogue, where Alannah finally confronts Morrigan. To reach it, you need to do the following:
- In Scenario 3, you must defeat the Dearg Due to save Alannah
- In Scenario 5, you must Parley with Gulert instead of defeating him. This is only a Gift of Gab (3) test, so not too hard.
- In Scenario 5, you must reveal the Hangman's Green location
- You must successfully complete scenario 5
Completing the epilogue "unlocks" 3 different versions of Alannah to play, depending on which version you complete - each have some pretty unique mechanics to check out!
More on Celtic Rising
Celtic Rising: Spoiler-Light Review