Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Books: Where Do I Start?
There are plenty of Call of Cthulhu books to choose from. Working out which ones you need can take a bit longer. Here are the main 7th Edition rules and the books to consider if you fancy a different era or a more adventurous style of play.
You do not need all of these books. Choose the game you and your friends want to play, then start with the rules it needs.
Start with the essentials · Choose your era · Change the style
| Where are you starting? | Choose this book | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Never played before? | Starter Set | A gradual introduction with solo and group adventures. |
| Ready to run the full game? | Keeper Rulebook | The complete standard 7th Edition rules. |
| Become a proper Mythos Investigator with this book. | Investigator Handbook | More occupations, equipment and background for your investigator. Optional to play. |
| Only interested in Victorian horror? | Gaslight: Investigators’ Guide | A standalone entry point with the complete rules. |
Already comfortable behind the Keeper’s screen? The Keeper Companion adds more options, but it does not replace the Keeper Rulebook.
Start here: the main books
Call of Cthulhu Starter Set
Best for complete beginners
The Starter Set teaches you through a solo adventure before you bring friends into a group investigation. It includes starter rules, dice, investigators, handouts and group adventures. If you enjoy it, the Keeper Rulebook is the usual next purchase for the full standard game.
Call of Cthulhu Keeper Rulebook
The main rulebook
The main book for anyone running standard 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu. It contains the full rules, including investigator creation, skills, combat, chases, sanity and magic. You also get Mythos material, Keeper advice and scenarios.
Call of Cthulhu Investigator Handbook
The player companion
If you enjoy building investigators, this gives you more occupations, equipment, organisations and period background to work with. It is an optional player companion. You can play without it, and it does not replace the main rules.
Call of Cthulhu: Keeper Companion
More options for experienced Keepers
The 2026 Keeper Companion adds optional and revised rules, investigator organisations and advice for running the game. It is worth considering once you know which parts of the game you would like to adjust. You still need the Keeper Rulebook.
Change the era
You can take Call of Cthulhu well beyond the usual 1920s setting. Changing the era changes what investigators can do, who they can turn to and what gets them into trouble. Check whether your choice is a supplement or includes its own rules.
Cthulhu Dark Ages (3rd Edition)
Medieval Call of Cthulhu
Dark Ages adapts occupations, equipment and social expectations for medieval investigations. Faith and status can shape an investigation, and travelling to the next settlement is a different proposition without a motorcar. This version uses Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition; “3rd Edition” refers to the setting book.
Regency Cthulhu
Jane Austen meets the Mythos
Regency England, roughly 1811 to 1820, brings reputation and social obligations into the investigation. The book includes period investigator options and social mechanics. A good choice if your group enjoys secrets, awkward introductions and the consequences of being seen with the wrong person.
Cthulhu by Gaslight: Investigators’ Guide
Victorian horror with complete rules
If you want Victorian investigations, you can start here. The Investigators’ Guide includes the complete Call of Cthulhu rules alongside Victorian setting and character material. You do not need to buy the standard Keeper Rulebook first.
Cthulhu by Gaslight: Keepers’ Guide
The companion for Gaslight Keepers
The companion for the person running Gaslight. It adds Mythos threats, occult material, organisations, locations and guidance for Victorian games. Buy it to expand on the Investigators’ Guide.
Down Darker Trails
Call of Cthulhu in the Old West
Down Darker Trails takes Call of Cthulhu to the American Old West. Frontier towns and wilderness journeys give lawmen, prospectors and gunfighters plenty to investigate. You can play it as tense horror or lean into a more cinematic Weird West adventure.
Call of Cthulhu: Campfire Tales
Scouts against the Mythos
Campfire Tales follows young scout investigators in 1920s Westhaven. This 2026 book adds rules for young characters, scout Merit Badges and the Adversity system, with four linked scenarios. Use it with the Starter Set or Keeper Rulebook.
Change the style
Pulp Cthulhu
Turn up the action
Pulp Cthulhu makes investigators tougher and gives them pulp talents for more heroic adventures. If your group wants some Indiana Jones action alongside the horror, this is the expansion to look at. It builds on the standard Call of Cthulhu rules.
Cthulhu Through the Ages
Sample Call of Cthulhu across history
A smaller book sampling several historical periods and styles of play. Each setting gets less detail than a dedicated sourcebook, so it suits groups who want to try out a few ideas before choosing an era.
The Roll4Sanity recommendation
For a first game, I would start with the Starter Set. Choose the Keeper Rulebook when you want the full standard rules, or the Gaslight Investigators’ Guide if you know you want Victorian horror. The other books can wait until you have a use for them.
Campaigns, scenario collections and specialist reference books are outside this guide. They are worth looking at once you have chosen the game you want to run.
Book selection and official links researched on 9 November 2026. Links go directly to Chaosium and are not affiliate links. Check each product page for current formats, availability and any required companion books before buying.
Cover images: Chaosium Inc. and the respective artists. Each cover links to its official product page.