How to Play

Cthulhu: Death May Die

1-5 players 90-120 min 8.2 Board Game Geek Rating

In this 1920s Lovecraftian cooperative game, insane investigators deliberately summon Elder Gods to destroy them permanently. Players roll dice while managing escalating madness that causes unpredictable effects. Each standalone episode features two acts: pre-summoning (where any death means failure) and post-summoning boss battles. Victory requires surviving long enough to eliminate the otherworldly threat.

Published 2019

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Pick a Class

Choose one of three classes: Fighter (melee combat specialist), Support (healing and buffing), or Occultist (powerful spells at sanity cost)

Choose a Subclass

Select one subclass from your class, which grants a unique signature skill with 4 tiers (Base + 3 Levels)

Select Base Game Abilities

Pick two original CDMD skills (e.g., Brawling, Toughness, Swiftness, Marksman, Stealth, Arcane Mastery)

Set Up Investigator Sheet

Write down your class, subclass signature skill (Base Tier unlocked), and two base game abilities (Level 1)

Track Resources

Record your Health, Sanity, Stress, and any scenario-specific items or features

Prepare Aura Cards (Optional)

Create or shuffle a deck of 12 Aura of the Arcane cards for difficulty scaling

Draw Starting Aura

At episode start, draw 1 Aura card that remains in play for the entire episode

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Take Actions

Spend 3 actions per turn on available abilities, attacks, movement, or resting

Use Signature Skill

Activate your subclass ability at its current tier level

Use Base Game Abilities

Apply your two chosen CDMD skills following standard rules with 3 levels each

Activate Skill Tree Abilities

Use unlocked class-specific powers from your skill tree

Manage Sanity Costs

When abilities require sanity loss, reduce your sanity tracker accordingly

Handle Tentacle Results

When rolling Tentacles on dice, apply negative effects as specified by your abilities

Apply Aura Effects

Each time a Mythos Card is drawn, apply the active Aura's effect to the game

Unlock New Skills

After completing each episode, choose 1 new ability from your class skill tree

Winning

How to claim victory.

Upgrade Through Insanity

Cross insanity thresholds to unlock higher tiers of your signature skill and base abilities

Progress Through Episodes

Complete scenarios to gain "new insight" and unlock skill tree abilities

Defeat the Elder One

Deal sufficient damage to the Elder One while managing health and sanity

Perform Ultimate Banishment (Occultist Tier 12)

Complete a 3-turn ritual requiring all actions each turn; roll 8 dice where each success banishes a sufficiently damaged Elder One

Survive Resource Drain

Avoid reaching 0 Health or 0 Sanity, which results in investigator death

Scale Difficulty

Introduce multiple Auras or replace existing ones with punishing versions as investigators progress through higher skill tree tiers

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