City of Mist vs Monster of the Week
Compare City of Mist and Monster of the Week side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| City of Mist | Monster of the Week | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern | Horror, Modern |
| Play Style | Narrative, Investigation, Mystery, Roleplay-Heavy, Fiction-First, Noir, Urban Fantasy, Drama, Tag-Based | Narrative, Horror, Beginner-Friendly, Investigation, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Theater of the Mind |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + invoked tags. Characters have no numerical stats — instead they invoke narrative tags from their Mythos (legendary) and Logos (mundane) themes. 7–9 partial success, 10+ full success. Statuses replace HP on a 1–6 tier track. | Roll 2d6 + stat. 10+ full success, 7–9 success with a cost, 6 or less the Keeper makes a move. Playbook moves trigger from fictional actions. Luck points turn failures into successes but never come back. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Community | Low | High |
| License | Community content (Cauldron of Mist) | Generic Games Third Party License |
| Cost | $$$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Son of Oak Game Studio | Evil Hat Productions |
| Year | 2019 | 2023 |
| Best For | Groups who want noir-style investigations in a modern city where characters channel mythological archetypes — balancing mundane lives with legendary powers. | Groups who want episodic monster-hunting adventures inspired by Buffy, Supernatural, and The X-Files — investigating mysteries, confronting creatures, and dealing with hunter drama. |
| Highlights | Tag system makes every character unique, investigation mechanics are well-designed, layered interplay between mythic and mundane identity | Very easy to learn, mystery countdown gives the Keeper a clear prep framework, playbooks map directly to genre archetypes, large community |
| Considerations | Tag-based resolution takes adjustment from traditional RPGs, heavily tied to its urban noir setting, two-book format can feel expensive, prep-intensive for the MC | No pre-written mysteries in the core book, limited mechanical depth for long campaigns, custom move design requires GM experience, monster creation guidelines are loose |