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So in Arkham Horror, we're playing with the "Lurker on the Threshold" expansion. It introduces the idea of 'pacts'. When these pacts are received, cards from the 'reckoning' deck are resolved. We pulled a card in the middle of a game with the title "Prisoner's Dilemma":

The investigators must choose: either the investigator with the most Power is devoured, or the investigator with the least Power is driven insane.

Card Info

Nowhere in the rules does it specify how that choice is arrived at. The pluralization of 'investigators' suggests that it is not up to the First Player, but how is this meant to be resolved? In our game, we deadlocked on the issue for a time, as there was fierce and spirited debate over the best course of action. We eventually settled it with a roll-off, but how should this be resolved? Specific citations of applicable rules would be highly appreciated, as various theories were bandied about throughout the remainder of the night to the vague dissatisfaction of all.

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  • It kind of reads like they expected that you'd be able to come to a consensus. Awkward.
    – Cascabel
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 21:13
  • Yea... it came down to whether to drive a key investigator in a good position insane, or devour a VERY well-equipped and useful investigator who wasn't in the middle of something.... and there was a SHARP divide of opinion there.
    – GWLlosa
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 21:14

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"If players cannot agree, then the first player chooses" ...

(It reads something to that effect, though I could only locate it in the Headless Hollow version of the rules on short notice)

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    This seems reasonable, since it's sprinkled through the rules for other things. Notably the rules say that the first player chooses which investigator flying/stalker monsters go for if there's a tie for lowest sneak (nothing about players agreeing there), and that if the players can't agree about monster surge monster placement, the first player decides. Of course, this is effectively a random tiebreaker, so if you'd prefer a house rule about voting or die-rolling, I don't think it'd harm your game!
    – Cascabel
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 23:58

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