How To Start Playing City of Mist TTRPG
We cover a lot of topics about the City of Mist TTRPG on this channel. From character creation tips to in-depth gameplay examples, we want to enhance your table experience while also making videos that are fun to watch. But there’s one topic that gets brought up a lot, and it’s a question we’d like to answer:
Where do I start?
There are actually multiple easy ways to get into our favorite cinematic modern fantasy TTRPG, and some of them won’t even cost you a dollar! And no, none of these ways are going to be “pirate it online”. If you like a game, please support it, especially if it’s from an independent game studio. It’s only thanks to community support that Son of Oak will be coming out with two new tabletop RPG’s, with even more content on the horizon.
So as we welcome you to this game’s community, let’s talk about how to start playing City of Mist.
City of Mist Quick Start
If you want to try out the game for free, then check out the City of Mist Quick Start Rules. This free set replaces and updates the original 2016 award-winning starter set from the game’s initial release.
Inside this set you’ll find a quick start rulebook, along with character sheets, tracking cards, and reference sheets for player and MC moves. You also get 7 pregenerated character folios for the characters that started it all, including Kitsune the high school ninja and Salamander the fiery plumber vigilante who's been around since early concepts spelled City of Mist with a Y.
Finally, you get two sample cases–V is for Going Viral and Demons in Cross End–which not only introduce the world, but can also be used to segue into your own homebrew campaigns. It’s quite a bit of content to get you started!
To get the City of Mist Quick Start Rules, simply go to the Free Resources page on the City of Mist website. From there, just sign up for the City of Mist email list to receive the link to download the Quick Start pack. You can also download other useful resources while you’re there, like game sheets, a sample playthrough, sample Dangers, and a City of Mist Case Concept Generator.
Starter Box
The Quick Start rules are one way to get into the game. But if you want a bigger experience that will get everyone at the table excited, then grab the City of Mist Starter Box.
With the Starter Box, you get a player booklet and an MC booklet that teach you the game as you play through an exciting starter case called Shark Tank, which is built for new players. In fact, the scenario in our first City of Mist: In Action is ripped right out of this case!
The Starter Box includes 5 pregenerated character folios featuring the All Seeing Eye Investigations Crew, including Detective Enkidu and the monster hunter Baku. If you want more info on these characters, check out our video on the Starter Box Roster.
Finally, you get a bunch of other accessories like tracking cards, location maps, illustrated character tokens, and custom City of Mist dice. If you want the most supported starting experience for your group then the Starter Box is for you!
You can get the Starter Box in PDF, print, or as a Roll20 module if you play online.
Player’s Guide & MC Toolkit
But of course, if you want to dive right into the game, then nothing beats the game itself. The City of Mist Player’s Guide includes everything essential for players of City of Mist, old and new. In one book, you get an introduction to the setting, tools for creating unique modern fantasy characters, and the complete cinematic game rules, including ample options for leveling up.
Meanwhile, the MC Toolkit provides an in-depth look at each District in the city along with tips for running sessions and writing cases. You also get an extensive list of Dangers to throw at your party, including a system of power sets you can use to create foes on the fly. These Dangers range from random thugs on the street to the bigshot, all-powerful Avatars that secretly rule the City.
But we’re not done yet! Included in the modern MC Toolkit is one more unique starter case, Gambling with Death. This noir murder mystery will not only transport your players right into the setting, but it will also set them up against one of the City’s biggest movers & shakers. If you want to get really into it, try playing Shark Tank from the Starter Box and then Gambling with Death. Once your players start connecting the dots between the two cases, use the Avatar Profile of a “certain someone” from the MC Toolkit to springboard into creating your own cases!
You can pick up the Player’s Guide and MC Toolkit by themselves, or you can pick up the Core Set which features both books plus a special City of Mist MC Screen. And if you want to go all-in, you can pick up the Ultimate Set which features the Core Set, Starter Box, and even more City of Mist expansions and character folios.
Other Ways to Start
Besides the game items themselves, there are even more ways to start exploring the City of Mist. If you want to know more about the people who inhabit the City, you can check out the character profiles on the website at cityofmist.co.
You can also watch the many actual plays of City of Mist online. Plus One Exp has a one-shot of the City of Mist Starter Box with the creator of the game, Amit Moshe. You can also check out our channel’s Actual Play playlist for shows like Mistconceptions, Madness Calls it Forth, and my own actual play Rolling in the Mist!
We’ve also got a City of Mist 101 playlist where Amit goes over the main rules of City of Mist step-by-step. These videos are soon to be updated, so be sure to subscribe to this channel to be the first to see when they’re released! Once you learn the basics, explore this YouTube channel to find tons of tips and guides on all things City of Mist.
If you want to interact with the community, check out the City of Mist Discord, subreddit, and facebook group, all linked in the description. There are many City of Mist experts and gurus happy to answer your questions about the game and brainstorm ideas for Rifts and cases. These groups are also some of the best ways to find players for your own game. For more info, you can also check out our video 5 Ways to Find Other City of Mist Players.
Now we want to hear from you! What was your experience starting out with City of Mist? As always, let us know in the comments, on social media, or on the City of Mist Discord.
Until next time, have fun!