Cultist Simulator

Cultist Simulator: A Guide to Its Card-Based Mysteries

Cultist Simulator is a unique narrative card game where you orchestrate a cult in a hidden 1920s world. You manage resources, followers, and forbidden knowledge to achieve apotheosis, appealing to players who enjoy deep, complex strategy and lore-rich worlds. This guide details the core functions of Cultist Simulator.

Dreaming to Uncover Hidden Realms

Players use the Dream verb in Cultist Simulator by dragging a Soul card into the slot. This action opens a new slot where players must place a relevant aspect, such as Lore or a Location. Successfully combining these cards allows your character to explore mystical realms like the Mansus, gather vital resources, or recover from ailments like dread. This is a primary method for uncovering the core mysteries within Cultist Simulator and is essential for progression.

Studying and Upgrading Fragments of Lore

A central activity in Cultist Simulator involves acquiring and improving your understanding of occult Lore. Players obtain low-level Lore cards from sources like books or dreams. To study a Lore card, you drag it into the Study verb slot. This often requires spending Reason or pairing it with another resource, like a follower, to successfully upgrade it to a higher-level version. Mastering this system in Cultist Simulator is mandatory for performing advanced rituals and unlocking new story paths.

Recruiting and Assigning Followers

Building your power base in Cultist Simulator requires recruiting disciples. You can attract followers by using the Talk verb with a suitable card, such as Notoriety or Funds. Once recruited, each follower has specific skills and aspects. You then manually assign them to tasks; for example, sending a follower with Moth aspect to handle a perilous expedition or using a Grail follower to seduce and recruit new characters. Managing your cult in Cultist Simulator is a hands-on process of resource allocation.

Initiating Rites to Achieve Goals

Performing rituals is how you accomplish major objectives in Cultist Simulator. To start a rite, you drag a specific Ritual card into the board. This opens several slots that must be filled with the correct components: a Lore card of a required aspect, a follower or tool to serve as the catalyst, and often a sacrifice, which can be anything from Funds to a human life. Executing a successful ritual in Cultist Simulator can summon powerful entities, transform your character, or pave your path to ascension.

Managing Vital Resources and Desires

Your journey in Cultist Simulator is a constant battle against time and deteriorating states. You must generate Funds through work to sustain yourself, while simultaneously managing cards like Dread, Fascination, and Reason. These are not just resources but persistent conditions; if Dread accumulates unchecked, it can lead to despair and game over. A key part of the Cultist Simulator experience is creating chains of actions to generate positive cards to counteract negative ones, maintaining a fragile balance.

Embarking on Expeditions for Relics

To acquire powerful artifacts and lore, you must send followers on expeditions. This is done by using the Explore verb with a Location card. This opens a slot where you must assign a follower; stronger locations require multiple followers or those with high-level aspects. The expedition then operates on a timer, with a risk of failure or injury to your followers. Successfully completing an expedition in Cultist Simulator rewards you with crucial tools needed for end-game rituals.

Pursuing a Legacy After Death

Failure is a core part of the experience in Cultist Simulator. If your character dies or succumbs to madness, you do not simply restart. Instead, the game offers a legacy system. Based on your progress, you may unlock a new unique character background, such as the Dancer or the Priest. This subsequent playthrough in Cultist Simulator carries over unlocked content, providing new abilities and narrative options, making each attempt a step toward greater understanding rather than a total loss. The design of Cultist Simulator ensures knowledge is the ultimate reward.