Your Spellbooks Are Out of Date

If you've watched my old videos a dozen times (hi Mom), you'll notice I covered some of this before. But depending on when you bought your Cthulhu Wars box, you might be playing with outdated spellbooks. Let's get everyone on the same page.

• Dreams got cheaper. It used to cost three Power. Now it costs two, which means you can actually afford to weaponize it. One lonely cultist on a gate is now basically a "Free Real Estate" sign for Cthulhu.

• Submerge got slicker. One to dive, zero to resurface. Yellow Sign thinks he's safe desecrating in Europe? You vanish from the Indian Ocean and pop up in his backyard before he can blink.

• Immortal re-emphasized. This hasn't changed, but it's worth repeating: every time you (re)awaken Cthulhu, it's only four Power, and you score an Elder Sign. "Killing Cthulhu" is less of a counter-play and more of a handout.

• FAQ reminders. Crawling Chaos in particular gets Harbinger bonuses when you die. Everyone else? They just hand you points. Don't let Nyarlathotep farm you, but otherwise treat death as a coffee break.

If you're still using the pre-errata spellbooks, you've been playing with half your toolkit locked in the closet. Time to open the door.

The Tortoise With Teeth

Great Cthulhu is the bruiser faction of Cthulhu Wars. He's not flashy, he's not subtle, and he doesn't win on clever tricks or baroque rituals. He wins by smashing faces and grinding out steady points. His defining feature is Immortal: awaken him early (ideally turn two), and every time he's killed, he comes back for only four power and hands you an Elder Sign. You don't tiptoe with Cthulhu. You throw him into fights, secure your spellbooks, and make your opponents regret every combat they start.

The strengths: some of the best combat units in the game. Shoggoths that eat your own units for extra dice, Starspawn with Regeneration to soak damage, and Cthulhu himself devouring a unit before the dice even roll. You also unlock spellbooks quickly, which frontloads your toolkit.

The weaknesses: fewer units overall than most factions, and your Elder Sign income is limited compared to others. You can't turtle. If you sit back, you'll fall behind. And if you forget to keep a Deep One in your pool, you're suddenly vulnerable to cultist captures, which is like leaving your front door unlocked in a neighborhood full of knife-wielding cults.

He rarely has one gigantic "swing turn" like Hastur or Black Goat. Instead, he builds pressure turn by turn until you suddenly realize you've been losing gates and feeding him Elder Signs all game. The tortoise, not the hare. But this tortoise has teeth.

Six Ways to Ruin Someone's Evening

• Devolve – Your "No Captures Allowed" sign. As long as you keep a Deep One in reserve, opponents can't casually snatch your cultists. Picture your opponent reaching for your lonely cultist with a smug grin. Now picture the look on their face when that cultist becomes a Deep One. Don't be afraid to bait people, leave a cultist looking "unguarded" and let Devolve do the talking.

• Dreams – The paranoia engine. It costs 2 Power and forces every opponent at the table to waste resources doubling up on gates. But here's the thing. The real power isn't the ability itself. It's timing. If another faction blows all their Power summoning a Great Old One, that's the perfect moment to Dream their lone cultist and flip a gate. You'll often gain 3+ Power for the cost of 2.

• Submerge – A teleport and a shield, rolled into one. Submerge defensively when you smell trouble, but also use it to punish overextension. Someone leaves a gate open halfway across the map? Dive, pop up, devour. Because resurfacing is free, you can chain Submerge multiple times in a single turn without bleeding Power. Many of my favorite games have been keeping Cthulhu and a fierce army in waiting, with all six spellbooks, keeping everyone afraid to move against me while I'm getting 4 gate rituals every turn. Some games I've only used Submerge offensively once. But it was enough. The goal isn't to win battles. It's to get Doom.

• Y'ha Nthlei – Your ocean toll booth. You don't need to hold every ocean gate. You just need others to think twice before taking them. Encourage opponents to spread into the sea. You'll siphon free Power from their arrogance during Gather Power.

• Absorb – Eating your own units sounds terrible. It's not. Sacrifice Deep Ones to spike a Shoggoth's combat dice, +3 dice regularly swing battles, and the sacrificed Deep Ones return to your pool, refueling Devolve and Dreams. It's less waste, more recycling.

• Regeneration – Your Starspawn's kevlar vest. Cthulhu + two Starspawn is a terrifying late-game deathball. Their regen soaks enemy hits, buying you time to Devour and roll through massive dice pools. Use them to anchor gates you absolutely cannot afford to lose.

Your First Two Turns Decide Everything

Cthulhu's opening sets the tone for the entire game. Here are three core strategies that cover the spectrum from safe to all-in.

One quick rule to understand before diving in: spellbook requirements don't lock you to a specific book. When you fulfill a requirement, build your third ocean gate, awaken Cthulhu, kill two enemies in one battle, you've earned a spellbook slot, and you choose which of your remaining unearned spellbooks to take. That means the order you unlock your toolkit is a real strategic decision. The openers below call out which spellbooks to grab first and why, lean on that sequence until you're comfortable making your own calls.

The Default, "Bread and Butter"

Almost everyone in every faction starts this way: move a cultist, build a gate, summon a monster, then either move another cultist or add another monster. For Great Cthulhu, summoning a High Priest (3 Power) is a solid add-on. He's flexible: you can sacrifice him later for 2 Power if things go sideways, and otherwise he pays you back with +1 Power in following turns.

• Why it's safe: You don't overextend, and you avoid giving your neighbors an easy target.

• Why it's risky: If you only secure one gate plus a High Priest, you'll end turn one with 1 spellbook (the automatic one), 2 Doom, and 13 Power for the next round (6 from gates, 6 from cultists, 1 from the priest). It's steady, but if another player walks away with three gates, they'll snowball hard while you turtle.

The Turn-2 Awaken Rush, "Leroy Cthulhu Jenkins!"

Sometimes restraint is for mortals. This opener gets Cthulhu on the board fast, spellbooks in hand, and terror in your opponents' eyes.

Turn 1 (8 Power):

1. Move a cultist to an adjacent ocean (-1 → 7).

2. Build a gate there (-3 → 4).

3. Move another cultist to a second adjacent ocean (-1 → 3).

4. Build another gate (-3 → 0).

   • You now have 3 ocean gates → take Devolve.

   • End phase: grab Dreams.

Turn 2 (12 Power, 3 Doom):

1. Awaken Cthulhu (-10 → 2). Take Submerge.

2. Recruit a cultist (-1 → 1), then Devolve at the end of someone else's action.

3. Recruit another cultist (-1 → 0).

This is the opener that makes the table hate you. It's also the one that wins. If they don't respond fast enough. But sharp opponents may treat your Devolve as a freebie: slide in a monster, you Devolve (losing the gate), they drop a cultist and lock it back down. Once you've built that second gate, you're exposed. Be aware of your surroundings and pivot accordingly.

Slow and Steady, "I'm Not Dead Yet"

When your tablemates know better than to leave you alone, sometimes patience is the better play. But patience with muscle is not the same as patience without it.

Turn 1 (8 Power):

1. Move a cultist to South Atlantic (-1 → 7).

2. Build a gate (-3 → 4).

3. Summon a Shoggoth at your start or the new gate (-2 → 2).

4. Summon another Shoggoth at the other location (-2 → 0).

   • Doom Phase: take Devolve.

Turn 2 (10 Power):

1. Move a cultist to a fresh ocean (-1 → 9).

2. Build a gate there (-3 → 6). Take Dreams.

3. Summon a Starspawn (-3 → 3).

4. Use leftover power for Devolve/Dreams opportunism.

   • Goal: end with 12+ Power into turn 3.

Turn 3 (12+ Power):

1. Awaken Cthulhu (-10 → 2+). Gain Submerge.

2. Immediately Submerge him with a Shoggoth and 1-2 support units (-1 → 1+).

3. Re-emerge (0 cost) where it hurts.

4. Battle (-1) to unlock more spellbooks and start wrecking neighbors.

You come online with real muscle already on the board. Shoggoths, Starspawn, and enough gates to fund your big squid. The risk? Delay too long, and two factions in particular can remove your ability to awaken Cthulhu entirely. Opener of the Way can use The Beyond One to physically pick up the R'lyeh gate and teleport it across the map. The gate is gone, and you can't awaken until you spend 3 Power to build a new one. Daemon Sultan can use Animate Matter to move a Chaos Gate into R'lyeh, replacing your normal gate. And a Chaos Gate can only be occupied by Daemon Sultan's own Acolyte. A random faction camping your gate isn't a crisis (any gate in R'lyeh still counts, even an enemy-controlled one), but Opener and Daemon Sultan are a different story. If either is at the table, get Cthulhu out before they get that window.

Each of these works. But they send very different signals. Bread and Butter says "ignore me, I'm boring." Leroy Jenkins screams "dogpile me now." Slow and Steady dares the table to test your defenses. Choose based on the player count, the mix of factions, and whether you want to paint a target on your forehead in round one.

Stop Thinking in Units. Start Thinking in Power

Cthulhu Wars is not a game about sitting in your corner and humming eldritch lullabies. It's a knife fight with plastic kaiju, and the sooner you learn to think in actions and power instead of just units, the sooner you'll stop handing your opponents easy wins.

Summoning Beats Moving

It costs the same to move a Deep One into a new area as it does to summon a fresh one there. Summoning gives you a body in the new spot AND keeps your old Deep One in pool. You want to contest a gate across the map? Don't waste Power moving a Deep One over. Spend 1 to summon a new one closer. You've gained a body and kept a Deep One in your pool for Devolve.

Threat is Stronger Than Defense

You can't turtle. Gates are never safe forever. But here's the thing: rather than stacking everything at one gate, use Submerge to make your threat global. Dive in the South Pacific, pop up in the North Atlantic, and suddenly your opponents have to defend everywhere, not just against the stack you parked at home.

Timing is Everything

The only thing that matters at the end of a round is how many gates you control during Gather Power. It doesn't matter if you lose them later.

Dreams shines when opponents are tapped out. Yellow Sign just spent everything desecrating? Perfect time to Dream his lone cultist and yoink the gate. Even if he recaptures it next round, you've already pocketed the Doom and extra Power. Net gain.

Be Aggressive, But Not Reckless

Cthulhu wins by applying pressure. But pressure doesn't mean suicide runs. Every attack should either: (a) gain you a gate, (b) unlock a spellbook, or (c) trade favorably in Power/Doom.

The thing about Cthulhu Wars is that you never know if it's going to be a friendly game or an aggressive one. Sandy doesn't want it to be casual, he wants tension, but the temptation is real. Someone builds a third gate in a six-player game, and they're suddenly defenseless. The next player is Yellow Sign. They're not going to capture a cultist. So it comes back to me, and I think: I'm safe. I'll build a third gate too. Get that ocean spellbook. I get the spellbook, sure. But then Opener promptly takes my gate, my cultist, and suddenly I'm starting the next round with less Power than if I hadn't been greedy. Every extension is an invitation. Make sure you can afford the RSVP.

Diplomacy is a Weapon

Deals in Cthulhu Wars aren't peace treaties. They're coordinated hits. If you're making an agreement, it should be something like, "You hit him in Europe, I'll hit him in Antarctica, and we'll both get richer."

Spellbook unlocks are the real currency. Opener needs enemy-controlled gates for their book? Strike a deal: "Take that gate next to me, I won't punish you for sharing a space. We both get progress." You're trading a little board space for long-term leverage.

As Great Cthulhu, this works beautifully because you're rarely subtle. Other factions expect you to crash through walls. Turning that expectation into a bargaining chip makes you scarier, not softer.

The Three Acts of a Cthulhu Game

Early Game (Turns 1-2): Lay the Foundations

• Goal: Secure 2-3 gates, awaken Cthulhu early (ideally turn 2), and unlock your first 2-3 spellbooks.

• Playbook:

  • Grab at least one ocean gate beyond R'lyeh, but don't spread so far you invite everyone in.

  • Awaken Cthulhu by turn 2, even if it leaves you broke. He's not a luxury unit, he's your entire tempo engine.

  • Pick up Devolve early so you can protect your cultists cheaply.

• Example: Black Goat spends their entire pool summoning their Great Old One on turn 2. You still have 2-3 Power left. That's the moment to Dream one of their lonely cultists and flip a gate. You'll pocket Doom + Power, even if they retake it next round.

• Risk: Expanding to too many oceans too fast. Two gates are great, three if you're bold, but a fourth on turn 1 usually just paints a target on your back.

Mid Game (Turns 3-4): Dictate the Table

• Goal: Sit on 3-4 gates, pressure weaker factions, and keep your spellbooks rolling.

• Playbook:

  • Use Submerge to create global threat. Dive when you're cornered, reappear where opponents left a gap.

  • Invest in at least one Shoggoth and a Starspawn. Shoggoths fuel Absorb, and Starspawn with Regeneration make excellent gate anchors.

  • Keep at least one Deep One in your pool at all times. This keeps Devolve live, and lets you combo with Dreams for surprise steals.

• Example: Yellow Sign tries to secure a gate in Europe with a single monster and a cultist. You Submerge from the South Pacific, pop up in Europe (0 cost), Devour their monster with Cthulhu, and suddenly their "safe" gate is yours.

• Risk: Getting baited into unnecessary fights. Every combat should either net you a spellbook, a gate, or a favorable trade. Don't fight just because Cthulhu is big and scary.

Late Game (Turn 5+): Push for the Win

• Goal: Lock down 4 gates, ritual efficiently, and close out before your dice advantage wanes.

• Playbook:

  • By now, Ritual costs are climbing. Use Immortal creatively: every time you reawaken Cthulhu (or another GOO), you gain an Elder Sign. That's often more efficient than late-game rituals.

  • Pair Absorb with battles that matter. Eating Deep Ones to spike dice lets you win fights that would otherwise stalemate.

  • Lean on Submerge offensively. Hop across the map to ruin someone's ritual turn or snatch a vulnerable gate before Gather Power.

• Example: Crawling Chaos is sitting at 29 Doom, about to Ritual for the win. You Submerge into his territory, eat his cultists with Cthulhu + Shoggoth, and steal the gate. He ends the round one point shy, you gain a gate's worth of Power, and the whole table buys you another turn to clinch it.

• Risk: The longer the game drags, the less your raw combat edge matters. Factions with higher Elder Sign income (Yellow Sign, Crawling Chaos) can outscore you if you don't force an early-ish finish.