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Don’t Buy Masks of Nyarlathotep First: A Better Call of Cthulhu Book Order
If you are browsing the Call of Cthulhu range at GameSummon, the easiest mistake is to start with the most intimidating box on the page. Large campaigns, monster tomes and deluxe sets look exciting because they promise a whole world at once, but they are rarely the cleanest first purchase for a new table.
A better approach is to buy in the order your group will actually use the books. Decide who is running the game, whether the other players need their own character-facing rules, and only then move into scenario collections, campaign books or specialist extras. That keeps the wider Role Playing Games and RPG Books shelves useful instead of overwhelming.
Why a big campaign is rarely the right first buy
The best example is the larger campaign material in the Call of Cthulhu range. GameSummon describes products such as Masks of Nyarlathotep as linked campaigns for 7th edition with substantial box contents. That is exactly why they are a poor first purchase for most newcomers. They assume someone is already ready to run Call of Cthulhu with confidence, manage a long campaign and make good use of a large amount of material.
That does not make it a bad product. It makes it a later-stage product. If your actual problem is “we have not started playing yet”, buying a famous campaign first usually creates shelf ambition rather than table time. You need a playable foundation before you need a huge investigation spanning multiple books.
The same logic applies across the wider Call of Cthulhu catalogue. The range is easier to shop once you separate core rules, player support, scenario support and long-form campaign material into different jobs.
Start with the Keeper Rulebook if you are actually running the game
For a brand-new table, the most practical first purchase is usually the Call of Cthulhu – 7e Keeper Rulebook Hardcover. GameSummon’s listing is very direct about why: it contains the core rules, background, guidance, spells and monsters of the game, and you must have at least one copy of this book to play.
That one detail removes most of the confusion. If one person is going to organise the sessions, read the adventures and present the horror to the rest of the table, the Keeper Rulebook is the purchase that actually unlocks the game. It is not glamorous in the same way as a huge campaign slipcase, but it is the book that turns interest into a playable plan.
It is also the safest anchor purchase for shoppers who are still deciding how far they want to go. Once you own the core book, you can browse the rest of the RPG Books section with a much clearer idea of whether you need more player options, more scenarios or a larger campaign.
When the Investigator Handbook becomes worth adding
GameSummon’s Keeper Rulebook page also explains the role of the Investigator Handbook: it is useful for the other players because it expands character creation, skills, occupations, equipment and related player-facing material. That makes it a very sensible second purchase, but not always the mandatory first one.
If you are the only person buying books and your group mainly needs one organiser to learn the system first, start with the Keeper Rulebook alone. If you already know the campaign will be regular and the rest of the table enjoys reading player options between sessions, adding the Investigator Handbook becomes much easier to justify.
In other words, the Investigator Handbook is strongest when it solves a real convenience problem: multiple players wanting their own reference material, more character-building depth, or less passing one core book around the table. If that is not your situation yet, it can wait without hurting the start of your campaign.
What to add after the core book
After the core rules are covered, the next book should match the next friction point at your table. Some groups need a cleaner route into short investigations. Some need more player support. Some want to move into larger campaign play only after a few successful sessions.
The GameSummon range gives you several obvious directions. If you want more playable material before committing to a giant campaign, the catalogue includes scenario-led products such as Call of Cthulhu: Gateways to Terror and Call of Cthulhu: Doors To Darkness. If you want a broader creature and Mythos reference later on, the range also includes Call of Cthulhu: Malleus Monstrorum Bestiary – Slipcase Set. These are the kinds of books that make more sense once the core rules already have a job to do.
If, on the other hand, your group has already completed introductory sessions and clearly wants a major campaign commitment, that is when a larger campaign from the Call of Cthulhu range starts to look like an upgrade rather than an overreach. The timing matters more than the prestige of the box.
Simple buying routes for different shoppers
| Shopping situation | Best first buy | Best second step |
|---|---|---|
| You are the person who will run the game | Keeper Rulebook | Short scenario support or the Investigator Handbook once the group is active |
| You are joining an existing group as a player | Ask whether the Keeper already has the core book, then prioritise the player-facing handbook | Only add specialist books once your group knows it wants them |
| You are buying a gift for a whole group | Keeper Rulebook | Add a scenario-focused book before you jump to a deluxe campaign set |
| You already know the table is committed long term | Core rules first | Then consider larger campaign products from the Call of Cthulhu range |
This route is deliberately conservative. It keeps your first spend tied to a book that helps you play now, then lets the rest of the Call of Cthulhu range answer a more specific second question later.
Common buying mistakes to avoid
Buying for prestige instead of readiness. The largest or most famous book in the range is not automatically the smartest place to start. Long campaigns are better when your group already knows it enjoys the system.
Assuming every player needs every book immediately. Many new groups can start perfectly well with one organiser learning from the core rules first, then adding player-facing material once the habit of play exists.
Shopping the whole category as one decision. Use the wider Role Playing Games and RPG Books sections to browse, but split the actual purchase into stages: core rules, player support, scenario support, then bigger campaign commitments.
Jumping to advanced support books too early. Creature books, deluxe campaigns and specialist supplements become far easier to value once you already know what your Keeper and players want more of.
If you want one safe recommendation, buy the Keeper Rulebook first. Add the Investigator Handbook when your players want more ownership of character creation and reference material. Save major campaigns from the Call of Cthulhu range for the stage where your group has already proved it wants a long-haul investigation.
FAQ
Should I buy Masks of Nyarlathotep before the core rulebook?
No. It is a better later-stage purchase for groups that already know they want a substantial Call of Cthulhu campaign.
What is the best first Call of Cthulhu book for a new Keeper?
The Keeper Rulebook is the practical first buy because it contains the core rules and is the book GameSummon identifies as required to play.
Do players need the Investigator Handbook straight away?
Not always. It becomes more useful once multiple players want their own character-building and rules reference rather than sharing the main organiser’s book.
What should come after the Keeper Rulebook?
Usually a product that solves your next actual problem: a player-facing handbook, short scenario support, or only later a larger campaign set if the group is already committed.