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Call of Cthulhu RPG, 7th Edition
Starter Set
This is the updated (40th anniversary edition) of the starter set for Call of Cthulhu 7th edition.
Inside this box:
- Book One: Introduction and Alone Against the Flames - a solo introductory adventure, teaching you the basics of Call of Cthulhu as you play through a mystery.
- Book Two: Call of Cthulhu Starter Rules - the basic rules needed for starting play.
- Book Three: Adventures - three starter adventures for players to explore: Paper Chase, Edge of Darkness, and Dead Man Stomp.
- Ready-made Investigators - five ready-to-play game characters.
- Blank Investigator Sheets - ready for creating your own investigators.
- Roleplaying Dice - six polyhedral dice for use in the game.
- Handouts - a set of ready to use props.
Inside this box:
- Book One: Introduction and Alone Against the Flames - a solo introductory adventure, teaching you the basics of Call of Cthulhu as you play through a mystery.
- Book Two: Call of Cthulhu Starter Rules - the basic rules needed for starting play.
- Book Three: Adventures - three starter adventures for players to explore: Paper Chase, Edge of Darkness, and Dead Man Stomp.
- Ready-made Investigators - five ready-to-play game characters.
- Blank Investigator Sheets - ready for creating your own investigators.
- Roleplaying Dice - six polyhedral dice for use in the game.
- Handouts - a set of ready to use props.
155 pages, boxed set
First published December 17, 2018
12 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mason
32 books48 followersLine Developer and Editor for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, freelance author and game designer.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 2, 2021
Excellent introduction to the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game. All the info you need to play or run a beginning campaign without too much complexity. Also includes 3 very nice adventures to get started with.
June 29, 2021
Amazing starter set, easy to use and has everything you need to start playing. Highly recommend if you wanna start playing CoC
April 28, 2021
Esta caja de inicio no es un mal producto para aquellos que quieran iniciarse en los juegos de rol o en el juego de La Llamada de Cthulhu. Incluye cosas muy interesantes como tres libretos bien diferenciados que luego trataré, fichas de personaje pregeneradas listas para empezar a jugar, fichas en blanco por si prefieres hacerte tus propios personajes, otro libreto con las pistas y ayudas que pueden aparecer en las aventuras y una bolsita con dados.
Está muy bien porque el primer libro explica qué tipo de ambientación y aventuras puedes dirigir y conceptos básicos que te pueden permitir jugar sin tener que comprar y leer el La llamada de Cthulhu. Manual del guardián. Incluye una aventura en solitario (rollo “Elige tu propia aventura”) en la que las mecánicas de creación de personaje, habilidades, daño y cordura se va explicando sobre la marcha. La aventura no es nada del otro mundo. Está pensada para iniciarse en la ambientación y en el juego. Nada que ver con Solo contra el Wendigo o Solo contra la Oscuridad. Esos son productos más desarrollados y orientados a lectores más experimentados en La llamada.
El libro dos hace un resumen de las reglas básicas del sistema de juego. Obviamente, si el juego te gusta, necesitarás adquirir el libro básico para profundizar algunas reglas y ambientación. Pero como punto de partida para aquellos grupos que están empezando o no conocen el mundillo, es perfecto. Para los que venimos de ediciones anteriores (esta caja se basa en la séptima edición del reglamento), también puede servirnos para ver las principales diferencias y cambios que hay en las reglas. Ha habido varios cambios importantes a tener en cuenta. Ojo, que también lo encontraremos más detallado en el libro original de reglas (“Manual del Guardián”). Pero como herramienta de transición nos puede ayudar.
Y en el tercer libro incluye tres aventuras listas para dirigir a tu grupo de jugadores. Ninguna de ellas es inédita en castellano: la aventura “Persiguiendo papeles” ya aparecía en el reglamento básico de La Llamada de Cthulhu: Juego de Rol en los Mundos de H.P. Lovecraft que publicó Joc Internacional; las aventuras “El filo de la oscuridad” y “El baile del muerto” aparecieron en la La Llamada de Cthulhu de Edge Entertainment. Son aventuras poco complicadas pero que las hacen ideales para iniciarse. Además, han sido revisadas para esta nueva edición.
Como digo, es un buen producto para iniciados o lectores que tengan curiosidad por los juegos de rol. Como veterano, no vas a poder rascar mucho salvo si eres coleccionista. El precio es un poco excesivo por el material que trae, la calidad del mismo y si lo contemplamos como un producto que busca abrirse a nuevos aficionados. En breve sale una nueva edición revisada en la que se han corregido algunas erratas, mejorado el material de la caja y se incluye algunos dados extra. El precio será el mismo, lo que sigue siendo una pena para su público objetivo.
Está muy bien porque el primer libro explica qué tipo de ambientación y aventuras puedes dirigir y conceptos básicos que te pueden permitir jugar sin tener que comprar y leer el La llamada de Cthulhu. Manual del guardián. Incluye una aventura en solitario (rollo “Elige tu propia aventura”) en la que las mecánicas de creación de personaje, habilidades, daño y cordura se va explicando sobre la marcha. La aventura no es nada del otro mundo. Está pensada para iniciarse en la ambientación y en el juego. Nada que ver con Solo contra el Wendigo o Solo contra la Oscuridad. Esos son productos más desarrollados y orientados a lectores más experimentados en La llamada.
El libro dos hace un resumen de las reglas básicas del sistema de juego. Obviamente, si el juego te gusta, necesitarás adquirir el libro básico para profundizar algunas reglas y ambientación. Pero como punto de partida para aquellos grupos que están empezando o no conocen el mundillo, es perfecto. Para los que venimos de ediciones anteriores (esta caja se basa en la séptima edición del reglamento), también puede servirnos para ver las principales diferencias y cambios que hay en las reglas. Ha habido varios cambios importantes a tener en cuenta. Ojo, que también lo encontraremos más detallado en el libro original de reglas (“Manual del Guardián”). Pero como herramienta de transición nos puede ayudar.
Y en el tercer libro incluye tres aventuras listas para dirigir a tu grupo de jugadores. Ninguna de ellas es inédita en castellano: la aventura “Persiguiendo papeles” ya aparecía en el reglamento básico de La Llamada de Cthulhu: Juego de Rol en los Mundos de H.P. Lovecraft que publicó Joc Internacional; las aventuras “El filo de la oscuridad” y “El baile del muerto” aparecieron en la La Llamada de Cthulhu de Edge Entertainment. Son aventuras poco complicadas pero que las hacen ideales para iniciarse. Además, han sido revisadas para esta nueva edición.
Como digo, es un buen producto para iniciados o lectores que tengan curiosidad por los juegos de rol. Como veterano, no vas a poder rascar mucho salvo si eres coleccionista. El precio es un poco excesivo por el material que trae, la calidad del mismo y si lo contemplamos como un producto que busca abrirse a nuevos aficionados. En breve sale una nueva edición revisada en la que se han corregido algunas erratas, mejorado el material de la caja y se incluye algunos dados extra. El precio será el mismo, lo que sigue siendo una pena para su público objetivo.
September 27, 2020
Absolutely gorgeous introduction to the world of the role playing game of Call of Cthulhu and a bit of insight in the Cthulhu mythos. Looking forward to starting running games with my friends.
June 8, 2019
While the 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu Starter Set is "NOT A BOOK" (it's actually 3), this is a solid product. 7th edition is the first major change made to the Call of Cthulhu game system in...I think ever. But it all looks good. It's still a very intuitive system, and I think it may even be more so now. I think this would be an excellent introduction for someone new to the game, or someone new to tabletop role-playing games in general.
I love that the first book is essentially a choose your own adventure where you build your character while learning the rules of the game. The second book goes over all the rules, which as I said are fairly intuitive. And the third book features three adventures, the first intended to be a one-on-one with a Keeper (Game Master) and one player. The others are more traditionally intended for groups of 3 to 5 players.
Highly recommended.
I love that the first book is essentially a choose your own adventure where you build your character while learning the rules of the game. The second book goes over all the rules, which as I said are fairly intuitive. And the third book features three adventures, the first intended to be a one-on-one with a Keeper (Game Master) and one player. The others are more traditionally intended for groups of 3 to 5 players.
Highly recommended.
July 12, 2024
Awesome
November 27, 2024
I picked this up in 2020. I was bored, wanted to try something new, and felt that the time was finally right to branch out from d20 systems.
This set features three books: an abbreviated rulebook to teach the game, a book that features a solo campaign, and a book that features traditional modules to help teach other players Call of Cthulhu 7E. It also features handouts and, like every starter set I've encountered thus far, a set of dice.
This is one of the best starter sets I've ever encountered. The rules are pretty complex even by RPG standards but these books do a great job teaching them. I'm torn on the solo campaign, though. Enough checks are featured that you get a decent grasp on the system but the choose-your-own-adventure style of the narrative doesn't really fit how CoC is played, so it feels a little disingenuous as an ambassador of the game. I also found the dice set to be pretty bland. The real stars of this box are the other modules and the handouts. The system didn't click for me until I read those modules. It's a bit less flexible than 5E but the elegance with which it intertwines with the story is incredible as it requires a lot less having to figure out situational modifiers which really keeps the game moving. CoC has always relied heavily on handouts as it focuses on solving mysteries. It really makes you feel like an investigator compiling information for a case and I love it.
This set features three books: an abbreviated rulebook to teach the game, a book that features a solo campaign, and a book that features traditional modules to help teach other players Call of Cthulhu 7E. It also features handouts and, like every starter set I've encountered thus far, a set of dice.
This is one of the best starter sets I've ever encountered. The rules are pretty complex even by RPG standards but these books do a great job teaching them. I'm torn on the solo campaign, though. Enough checks are featured that you get a decent grasp on the system but the choose-your-own-adventure style of the narrative doesn't really fit how CoC is played, so it feels a little disingenuous as an ambassador of the game. I also found the dice set to be pretty bland. The real stars of this box are the other modules and the handouts. The system didn't click for me until I read those modules. It's a bit less flexible than 5E but the elegance with which it intertwines with the story is incredible as it requires a lot less having to figure out situational modifiers which really keeps the game moving. CoC has always relied heavily on handouts as it focuses on solving mysteries. It really makes you feel like an investigator compiling information for a case and I love it.
February 24, 2021
Finally finished re-reading the set. As far as low-cost starter sets go, this is one of the best. It isn't a replacement for the Keeper's Rulebook as its rules are somewhat truncated but the adventures in it alone are worth the price of admission. Alone Against the Flames is a solo adventure and a wonderful introduction to CoC. Paper Chase is my favorite of the set as it's kind of cute, actually. Edge of Darkness is a great introductory adventure with a good mystery and a scary monster. Dead Man Stomp is a beautiful story set in 1920s Harlem. It doesn't quite fulfill the promise of tackling 1920s-era racism but the centerstage character is such a beautifully tragic figure. I have run Paper Chase and Edge of Darkness previously and will be running Dead Man Stomp soon and completing the set.
June 8, 2025
Top tier box if you want to get into CoC, or rpgs in general.
Having a solo adventure for the GM/Keeper to see how principles, procedures and rules work, an intro rules booklet including the fundamental rules on how to create a character and a booklet with 3 adventures makes up for a lot of content. Having premade characters, handouts, dice and some empty character sheets is the icing on the cake.
Everything looks good and is generally well presented, making it a reasonably easy and good read. The adventures is a bit too wall of text-y for me, but for starting Keepers you'd prolly read a lot regardless, and now you can mostly stick to just the adventure text instead of looking up things different places.
Just a top notch product.
Having a solo adventure for the GM/Keeper to see how principles, procedures and rules work, an intro rules booklet including the fundamental rules on how to create a character and a booklet with 3 adventures makes up for a lot of content. Having premade characters, handouts, dice and some empty character sheets is the icing on the cake.
Everything looks good and is generally well presented, making it a reasonably easy and good read. The adventures is a bit too wall of text-y for me, but for starting Keepers you'd prolly read a lot regardless, and now you can mostly stick to just the adventure text instead of looking up things different places.
Just a top notch product.
December 21, 2022
Not only an excellent introduction to the game, but also a useful streamlined rules set to make running pick-up games easier. Includes a quick character generation process which could both be useful for "full-fat" games of CoC but also means people who get this set can viably use it to run a fair amount of Chaosium adventure content. The inclusion of high-quality updates of classic adventures and an entire solo adventure is the icing on the cake. Full review: https://refereeingandreflection.wordp...
December 11, 2021
A great introduction to the system for brand new players presented through an excellent choose-your-own-adventure story and followed up by a few "proper" investigations full of in-world handouts.
Loved it! I only wish the included dice were less boring.
Loved it! I only wish the included dice were less boring.
October 10, 2022
Excellent introduction to the Call of Cthulhu RPG. Fun, engaging and spooky stories for any number of players from 1 (solo) to 6 (full group!). I 100% recommend!
March 24, 2023
This is a great starter set! The box has everything necessary to run your first solo game, and games with 2 - 3 players and more. So many handouts too. Highly recommended!
April 21, 2023
Fantastic tabletop RPG and well written. Excellent introduction into the system and the scenarios provided are great for new or experienced players. Highly recommend!
February 15, 2026
A very appreciated starter set for the 7th edition of Call of Cthulhu, all the information is presented in an easy way with good progression over a few interesting scenarios.
June 3, 2023
It's a good starter guide but there are 2-3 things that they mention when there are no rules on that. I do not know how they have missed that.
The introductory story is just OK and you can play it just to see the basic rules.
The introductory story is just OK and you can play it just to see the basic rules.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews