Play City of Mist Online

Learn all about City of Mist with our brief guide designed to help new players navigate the world of tabletop gaming.

Learn How To Play City of Mist

Learn all about City of Mist and how to play!

Learn more

What is City of Mist?

A ragtag crew of citizens from all walks of life meet by chance under mysterious circumstances —they used to be sleepers but now they’re awake—in the wake of inexplicable events. They know these people, and by extension themselves, are something more: they are Rifts, the awakened avatars of the mythological figures of legend.

‍City of Mist is a tabletop roleplaying game, or TTRPG, about normal people who discover that they are reincarnations of mythic entities, and find a secret world of people like them living in their city. Legendary figures walk the streets incognito, capable of amazing feats—and terrible evil. Players create characters as Rifts, choosing both a normal human background (their Logos) and the incredible supernatural reincarnation that lives within (their Mythos). They might play a journalist who is the avatar of Anansi, a hardboiled detective with the spirit of Don Quixote, or a bartender who secretly harbors the very concept of the French Revolution. They’ll also create a Crew, the group in which they all work together to fight crime, solve mysteries, and ultimately make their city a better place. One player, the Game Master (GM), takes on the role of the world those players explore; they’ll play as the supporting cast of characters who help and hinder the crew; the strange, shrouded and wonderful city they all inhabit; and the rival Rifts who threaten to tear it all down.

How Do You Play City of Mist?

After players create their characters and the Crew, the GM will present them with the scenario those characters find themselves in. Players describe or act out what their characters do, and the GM tells them how the world responds. Frequently, they’ll take risky or desperate actions that require them to roll dice to find out whether they succeed, fail, or something in between. But most importantly, every choice the players make progresses the story and keeps the action flowing. City of Mist is a game of collaborative storytelling, where the “fiction,” the shared imaginary world, always comes first.

City of Mist characters are made up of “themes,” background information from both Mythos and Logos, and “tags,” character descriptors that give players bonuses to rolls where they’re relevant. In the course of play, the balance of a character’s Mythos and Logos themes might shift, representing changes in their relationship with their legend. But if they lose all Mythos themes, they become a sleeper, and forget the secret world. If they lose all Logos themes, they become a pure embodiment of their legend and lose all humanity. Neither is a happy fate!

How to Play City of Mist Online

City of Mist, like many TTRPGs, is fundamentally a conversation among the players and Game Master. For that reason, it’s extremely easy to play online! All you need to play is two six-sided dice and at least two players (although three to five is usually best), one of whom acts as the Game Master. Character sheets and other resources are free to download on the publisher’s website, and voice and video platforms like Zoom and Discord make face-to-face communication simple. City of Mist is often played in a “theater of the mind” style, where the fiction is described by the players and takes place entirely in their imaginations. For those who prefer visual aids, however, there are plenty of virtual tabletops, or VTTs, that allow players to share images, maps, tokens, notes, and handouts, and even have virtual dice to roll!

How to Find a City of Mist Group

Finding a group of people to play with, especially as a beginner, can feel like a daunting task. Don’t worry! The hobby is growing faster than ever, and with plenty of gaming groups who eagerly welcome new players. You might start by visiting your local game store, which may have an active community of players you can join, a place to advertise open seats for games, or even a scheduled night of organized play you can drop into. Online communities focused on RPGs frequently have “Looking for Group” (LFG) forums or channels dedicated to helping players find the right game for them. Reddit and Discord are common places to look, as are the community forums for digital tools like Roll20. There’s even a collection of community links from the publisher. Not to mention here at StartPlaying, where we’ve created a powerful, user-friendly tool for browsing open games on your schedule and simply signing up to play! Finally, if you have a group of friends who are interested and willing to learn, it’s completely feasible to jump in feet first, learning the game as you go. Of course, someone will need to take on the mantle of the Game Master.

Why Hire A Professional Game Master for City of Mist?

The easiest way to learn City of Mist is by playing, and the easiest way to play is by finding a Game Master to teach you. Professional GMs can call upon years of expertise to not only introduce players to the hobby and make them feel welcomed, but also give immersive and incredible experiences to players old and new. This isn’t easy; creating scenarios that present real challenges, invite creative solutions, include an ensemble cast of compelling characters, and result in a satisfying narrative for any choice the players make is a substantial craft to master! Not to mention City of Mist has no pre-planned plot or storyline to follow, and often requires a Game Master to skillfully improvise and weave their players’ actions into a constantly evolving narrative. Nevertheless, professional Game Masters dedicate themselves to offering the one-of-a-kind experience that only RPGs can: being the hero of a story where your choices really matter. These pro GMs are the fastest and easiest way to jump directly into the fun of roleplaying games; they can teach you the rules, create an amazing adventure, and guide you into the endless possibilities of the TTRPG hobby.

‍

Why hire a professional Game Master?

Convenience and Flexibility:

StartPlaying allows you to easily find and book sessions with professional Dungeon Masters and Game Masters that work for your schedule. You can focus on enjoying the game without worrying about the logistics of organizing sessions. Playing online provides flexibility, as you can join games from anywhere with an internet connection.

Tailored Play Experience:

Player reviews on StartPlaying make it easy to find a Dungeon Master whose style aligns with your preferences. With reviews from other players, you can gauge whether a DM is the right fit for how you want to play, whether it’s combat, role-playing, storytelling, or a specific genre.

Quality and Consistency:

Professional Dungeon Masters on StartPlaying are committed to running the best game ever. When a Dungeon Master is focused on running the best game every and are doing so professionally, games are less likely to get cancelled. Players who play in professionally run games are also incredibly invested, and not likely to flake on sessions.

How to StartPlaying

StartPlaying gives you the opportunity to join fellow tabletop games players across the world. Use the filters to refine your search to Dungeons & Dragons to see who's looking to add a new player to their party.

Once you've found a group you're interested in, head to their game description page to learn more about the adventure they're embarking on. When you're ready to jump in, just hit Join Game and start your quest with your new party.

Find a game

Actual Play

Actual Play (or AP) podcasts and streams are a common entry point for thousands of new players. They offer an entertaining way to watch or listen to the way games like City of Mist work—and the stories and shenanigans that result! Check out this playlist for a few shining examples of Actual Play.

‍

Watch more

More from the blog

View All

More from the blog

View All

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started with TTRPGs?
What supplies do I need to play TTRPGs?
Do I need to be good at math to play TTRPGs?
What is a Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG)?
Are there different play styles or approaches to TTRPGs?
Do I need to know all the rules before I can play TTRPGs?
Do I need to be good at acting or improvisation to play TTRPGs?
What resources are available to help me improve my TTRPG experience?
What if I'm not comfortable with certain themes or content in a TTRPG?
Do people mostly play D&D and other TTRPGs online?
How do I know if I found a good or bad GM?
Is it normal to pay for a Game Master?
What is the difference between a one-shot and a campaign?

Find a City of Mist Game and Start Playing Today!

If you can’t wait to let your imagination run wild creating a Rift in the City of Mist, there’s no better way to start playing than StartPlaying.Games! With thousands of professional GMs offering games, it’s incredibly easy to find one that’s right for you. GM profiles and reviews help you get exactly the kind of game you want to play, at a time that fits in your schedule, from the best Game Masters in the world. So what are you waiting for? Start Playing!

Find a game