# Pandemic questions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [July 6, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812 "2013-07-06T20:30:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812/1 "2013-07-06T20:30:40Z")

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There’s a board game called _Pandemic_ and an expansion called _Pandemic: On the Brink_. Both the game and the expansion have been issued in second editions.

Reading the descriptions, it appears that some of the stuff from the original expansion was incorporated into the second edition of the basic game. Is this correct? If I have the second edition of the game is there any reason to buy the original expansion? And if this is true, does the second edition of the expansion contain different stuff than the original expansion did?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812/2 "2013-07-06T20:44:03Z")

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I’ve played the game but can’t answer your specific question. If nobody here can, I’d suggest going to boardgamegeek. Com and asking there.

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**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812/3 "2013-07-06T21:33:03Z")

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To my knowledge, none of the material from the “On the Brink” expansion has been included in the second edition of “Pandemic”, except perhaps certain rule changes. The expansion adds extra roles and rules for a fifth player, a fifth mutant strain, nastier epidemic cards, and the Bioterrorist. I believe the expansion is also necessary if you want to play with the next expansion “In the Lab”, which will be released soon.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pandemic-questions/662812/4 "2013-07-06T22:01:09Z")

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> [@Terminus\_Est](#):
>
> I believe the expansion is also necessary if you want to play with the next expansion “In the Lab”, which will be released soon.

This is correct according to the Z-Man website.