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Call of Cthulhu Starter Set - PDF

$16.27
SKU:
CHA23178-PDF
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Horror, Mystery and Investigation In A Box!

The Call of Cthulhu Starter Set contains everything you need to play the world’s best roleplaying game of horror, mystery and investigation!

Updated for the 40th Anniversary of Call of Cthulhu

Chaosium Unveiled: Inside The Call of Cthulhu Starter Set

Watch the unveiling video to see the book for yourself. Remember that you get the PDF when getting the physical copy.

What is Roleplaying?

In a roleplaying game, everyone works together in a team, each playing an investigator character. One player runs the game—the Keeper of Arcane Lore—who referees the game and presents the story and adventure plots to the other players.

Dice and the rules of the game determine the success or failure for your character’s actions—all while you are propelled into dramatic and nerve-tingling situations! The emphasis is on having fun.

Promotional image of the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set

What's Inside

The Call of Cthulhu Starter Set contains books, dice, premade character sheets, maps, and enough content to keep a group busy for several roleplaying sessions.

This updated Starter Set also includes:

  • New box art by Lin Hsiang
  • Updated interior book cover designs
  • All errata and corrections
  • 40th Anniversary Investigator Sheets

Rules (Dice not included in PDF)

Investigator

Three PDF manuals broken into rules and scenarios to guide you in playing Call of Cthulhu. You will need the dice you need to play the game: a D4, D6, D8, D20, Percentile D10, and an extra D10 in a different color for use as a bonus/penalty die.

Rules Example of using luck

Solo Scenario

Emberhead

Learn to play in the best way possible—by playing! The special introduction “Alone Against The Flames”, a solo Call of Cthulhu scenario, teaches you the basic rules of the game and character creation as you find yourself in the rural New England town of Emberhead—but can you escape?

The end of the first entry in Alone Against the Flames

Scenarios

Three scenarios designed for 3, 4 and up to 5 players.

Breaking in

In Paper Chase, the search for a missing professor leads to a grizzly discovery.

Farmhouse

Edge of Darkness sees a group of investigators fulfill the wish of a dying friend, and attempt to undo the mistakes of the past.

The Funeral Procession

Finally, in Dead Man Stomp, Harlem and jazz music serve as a backdrop to the nefarious schemes of an alien god.

Maps & Handouts

Brutal Murder

Player aids are an essential component to Call of Cthulhu gameplay. Each scenario has its own collection of maps, notes and player handouts. Each presented in full color, these play aids will enhance your gameplay, and help your players immerse themselves in each of the investigations.

Sample Character Sheet

What's Next?

Once you’ve devoured everything the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set has to offer, you’ll want to expand your horror experience with these! Just click on the images to get more information on each product.

Cover of the Keeper Rulebook

Keeper Rulebook: Everything you need for Call of Cthulhu at your fingertips, and will enhance all of your games.

Cover of the Investigator Handbook

Investigator Handbook: Expanded rules for creating players characters, a wealth of over 100 occupations and skill descriptions, as well as guidance on getting the most from the game.

Cover of Gateways to Terror

Gateways to Terror: Three short-play scenarios for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, ideal for beginning and experienced players and Keepers alike.

Cover of Doors to Darkness

Doors to Darkness: Five scenarios written especially for beginning Keepers and players of Call of Cthulhu.

Downloads for this Product

 
Handouts
 
Pre-Generated Characters
 
Pre-Generated Characters (Auto-Calc)

Play online with our Licensed Partners

Do you play on a Virtual Tabletop? Our partners offer products for playing this scenario online.

What The Critics Say

Call of Cthulhu Starter Set Reviews

  • "If you have wanted to get into the game but didn’t know where to start, this will be a great purchase for you."

    — Geek Tyrant, CALL OF CTHULHU STARTER SET Will Be Re-released For Game's 40th Anniversary June 27.

  • "The Call of Cthulhu Starter Set is an excellent introduction to one of the best TTRPG systems out there. It offers a gold standard on how to introduce players to a system and helps ease new Keepers into it with a simple and exciting scenario. I feel the bar has been set and future starter kits should be measured against this. "

    — RPGBot, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set – A Review.

  • "The textbook example of how to make an accessible RPG onboarding experience and deserves a place on every TTRPG enthusiast’s bookshelf"

    — GameOnAus, Call of Cthulhu 40th Anniversary Starter Kit: A Perfect Introduction To Cosmic Horror RPG.

  • "A perfect RPG introduction."

    — 5-D Blog, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set – A perfect RPG introduction.

  • "For fans looking to get into the Cthulhu Mythos or for old timers returning to the game to see what’s changed, this boxed set is an excellent choice to play through some classic cases..."

    — ENWorld Review, A Review of the 40th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu Starter Set.

  • "[Edge of Darkness] is a classic for a reason, it basically just boils the entire essence of a Lovecraftian horror adventure into a single session."

    — 1ShotAdventures, Top 10 Horror RPG Adventures You MUST Play.

  • "The best introduction to Call of Cthulhu and best starter set for any roleplaying game currently available."

    — Reviews from R’lyeh, The Call of Cthulhu II Starter Box.

  • "Freaking Fantastic! … this big beautiful box contains everything a new player would need to get started playing."

    — Seth Skorkowsky, YouTube Review.

  • "...this is a magnificent, perfect entry-level product. And no, this isn't misplaced nostalgia about boxed sets of yore. This is exactly how a new entrant should get access into a game as rich and elaborate...Tons of material. Easy to use rules. Dice. A low level price. What more does one want from a starter set?"

    — Antonios S., RPGNet Review.

  • "Chaosium have done an excellent job creating a gateway, a hell-portal if you will, into the world of Cthulhu-based RPGing at a super affordable price."

    — boingboing, What's new in tabletop gaming.

  • "Everything you need to get your feet wet is in this box… a beautifully put together, carefully thought out collection that allows people () to learn the game easily and relatively quickly. …If Call of Cthulhu interests you, this is currently the best investment you can make."

    — Never Read the Latin, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set Review.

  • "The gold standard at the moment, and for good reason – it’s a pretty decent collection of adventures, offering multiple full sessions of play... effectively teaching players the underpinnings of the game, and more than adequately setting them up to move on to the rest of the game’s offerings."

    — Refereeing and Reflection, A Grim, Dark Route Into the Old World.

  • "...an investment that pays off many times over. Get this if you want to start gaming with the Mythos. Everything you need to play and start checking out the rules, plus a good bit more; a slam dunk for me at around 25 USD."

    — Burning Luck Reviews, Burning Luck review Call of Cthulhu Starter Set.

  • "One of the most comprehensively thought-out starter sets on the market, this slim little box gives you a great way to experience the horrors of the game... The solo adventure, Alone Against the Flames, serves as a solid tutorial and can even help players to generate their very first character as they play."

    — Tabletop Gaming Magazine, The Rise of the RPG Box Set.

  • "There is a reason this RPG shows up at the top of everyone’s horror list. There is no better game at setting the mood for terror and delivering abject horror to your players... I recommend first getting a little taste with the starter set. In total you get four different adventures in one box which is more than I can say for any other starter set I know of."

    — Slick Dungeon, Top 5 Horror Tabletop Role Playing Games.

  • "Though Call of Cthulhu is my favorite tabletop RPG, I won’t let my bias get in the way of saying that this might be the most perfect starter set of any tabletop RPG ever."

    — EuroClubAV, Getting started with Call of Cthulhu - A tabletop primer.

  • "One of the neatest pieces of introductory design; a great way to get into Chaosium’s legendary roleplaying game."

    — Staying In Podcast, Podcast Review.

  • "One of the neatest pieces of introductory design; a great way to get into Chaosium’s legendary roleplaying game."

    — Staying In Podcast, Dungeon Scrawlers: Heroes of Undermountain, Disco Elysium, and Call of Cthulhu Starter Set - Ep139.

  • "It could be argued that more people have been introduced to the Cthulhu Mythos through Call of Cthulhu the RPG than the original stories. The horror RPG’s boxed set features a great mix of pregenerated characters, cases that start at solo adventures and ramp up to full investigations, and even some light character creation for when those characters get killed or locked up in Arkham Sanitorium."

    — Dicebreaker, 10 best tabletop RPG boxed sets for new players.

  • “Generally I’m not a huge fan of RPG Starter Sets - I buy a lot of them but I don’t end using them. This is one is an exception. Because it is exceptional.”

    — Books, Bricks and Boards Video, Call of Cthulhu Buyer's Guide (how to get into the world's greatest horror RPG!).

  • “9/10 - A well-designed and well-executed introduction to roleplaying in the horrific and mysterious Cthulhu Mythos. It presents a curated experience that walks you through all the tools you need to understand the system and it provides you with fun mysteries to solve with a table of friends once you have.”

    — RPG Match, Call of Cthulhu Starter Set – TTRPG Review.

  • “Just an amazing way to get new players and keepers in quick. Plus for 25 bucks, it’s a steal with four adventures AND dice. If you want a cheap way into to CoC and to get running in about 15 minutes, here is your easy way to do it. 100%"

    — Throatpunch Games, Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Call of Cthulhu Starter Set.

  • "Always a Fhtagn time, Call of Cthulhu is one of our favorite tabletop RPGs ever”

    — Wargamer, We hand-pick the best RPG starter sets in July’s Roll20 sale.

  • “If you're up for spine-tingling suspense and eldritch horrors, this one's a must-try… In a nutshell, the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set is a riveting plunge into cosmic horror. It's not just a game; it's a chilling narrative experience that'll have you hooked from the first ominous whisper to the heart-pounding climax.”

    — Gametee, Call of Cthulhu: Starter Set.

  • Call of Cthulhu is one of, if not the most popular RPG that isn’t called Dungeons and Dragons – and with good reason.

    — Gab Hernandez, Best horror RPG games 2023.

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PDF Product Name: [Call of Cthulhu Starter Set - PDF]
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Physical Product Name: [Call of Cthulhu Starter Set]
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Footer Name:[ChaosBrandCthulhu]

Publisher:
Chaosium
Year Released:
2018, 2022
Ruleset:
7th Edition Call of Cthulhu
Format:
Color Boxed Set
ISBN:
978-1-56882-463-5
Page Count:
156 pages in 3 books with handouts
Author(s):
Mike Mason, Paul Fricker, Lynne Hardy, Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis
Authors - Adventures:
Gavin Inglis, John Sullivan, Keith Herber, Dan Kramer, Mark Morrison, Chris Spivey
Box Art:
Lin Hsiang
Cover Artist:
Josu Hernaiz
Interior Artist:
Gavin Inglis, Marcelo Gallegos, Rachel Khan, Victor Leza, Wayne Miller, Caleb Cleveland, Eric Lofgren
Cartography:
Gavin Inglis, Vandel J. Arden, Olivier Sanphilippo
Character Sheet:
Matt Ryan
Development and Editing:
Mike Mason
  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Empty Star 4
    Would be 5 stars if not for file size

    Posted by Brian Sandall on 10th Nov 2022

    Another excellent product with poor compression - the 3 books + handouts clock in at 254 MB. Still very much worth the price, and perhaps we'll get smaller file sizes in the future.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Best starter set ever

    Posted by Trenton on 16th Jul 2020

    I’m the person in my playing group that finds and learns to games to teach others. This starter set has everything you need and the first book the intro adventure for the keeper is the best way I have found to bring the rules to life as you learn them. Highly recommend this starter set.