In Cultist Simulator, managing your mind is just as important as managing your cult. Among the various status conditions that can influence your gameplay, Fascination stands out as one of the most dangerous and elusive. While some aspects of the game encourage gaining temporary or fleeting Fascination for advancement, uncontrolled Fascination can quickly lead to doom, especially when paired with Dread. Understanding how to get Fascination, how it interacts with other game mechanics, and how to control or clear it is crucial for survival and progression in this mysterious card-based simulation.
What Is Fascination in Cultist Simulator?
The Definition of Fascination
Fascination is a status card that represents a kind of dangerous wonder. It symbolizes the seductive beauty of the invisible arts, particularly associated with the Lantern principle. Unlike some other conditions in the game, Fascination doesn’t directly harm you, but it acts as a risk factor that can trigger negative outcomes if combined with other mental states, such as Dread during a certain season known as ‘Despair.’ Because of this, many players struggle with how to both acquire Fascination when it’s needed and eliminate it before it becomes a threat.
Duration and Effects
Fascination typically comes in two forms: the fleeting variant and the regular form. Fleeting Fascination disappears after a short period if not converted into the more stable version. The regular Fascination card sticks around much longer and is more likely to be picked up by the Season of Despair, which checks your mental state and may result in madness or worse if you’re holding Fascination and Dread simultaneously.
Ways to Gain Fascination
Reading Certain Books
One of the most common ways to gain Fascination in Cultist Simulator is through reading occult books and grimoires. These texts often contain Lantern lore, which can trigger a deep, unsettling awe. Be careful, though reading them may also provide other effects like Contentment or even temporary Madness.
- Books with strong Lantern influence are most likely to produce Fascination.
- Use the Study verb with a book and Reason to unlock the full effects.
Using a Contentment Card in Dreaming
Dreaming on Contentment can result in Fascination under specific circumstances. This method is inconsistent but provides a potential source of fleeting Fascination if you are aiming to accumulate it intentionally.
- Dream with Contentment and possibly a specific influence or aspect to increase odds.
- This may also lead to other influences like Glimmering or fleeting Contentment instead.
Exploring with the Right Influence
In some playthroughs, especially with advanced Lantern lore, exploring or combining cards in specific ways can generate Fascination. For instance, working with certain locations or influences can draw it into existence through rituals or events.
Using the Lantern Principle
Lantern is deeply tied to clarity, revelation, and often Fascination. If you’re running a Lantern-based cult or focusing on those aspects, certain ceremonies, summoning rituals, and visions will naturally yield Fascination.
- Lantern rites, when successful, may result in Fascination as a side effect.
- Invoking Lantern spirits or lore can also produce this state of mind.
Rituals and Fascination
Ritual Outcomes Involving Lantern
When you perform rituals with Lantern as the dominant aspect, there is a possibility that the process will end with Fascination. This may be intentional if you need Fascination to trigger another event or advancement.
- Use rites with Lantern lore and tools for best results.
- Be cautious of overlapping influences like Dread or Despair while doing so.
Summoning Assistants or Followers
Calling forth specific beings using Lantern lore may leave you with Fascination once the ritual completes. These summoned allies often reflect truths that ordinary minds cannot comprehend, and this leads to awe or obsession.
Uses of Fascination
Triggering Events or Ascension Paths
In certain endings or ascension paths particularly those aligned with Lantern Fascination may be required as part of the ritual chain. You might need to generate and hold Fascination to progress toward enlightenment or transformation. It becomes not just a threat, but a necessary risk.
Feeding Influence into Other Mechanics
Some followers or actions require Fascination as a component. You may use it to satisfy the demands of a rite or dream sequence. Planning your timing and card combinations ensures that you make use of it before Despair seizes upon it.
Managing the Danger of Fascination
How Despair Interacts with Fascination
One of the most dangerous times to be holding a Fascination card is during the Season of Despair. If this season is active and you also have a Dread card, the combination of Dread and Fascination can result in the loss of sanity, representing the collapse of your mind into obsession or madness.
Ways to Remove or Counter Fascination
If you need to get rid of Fascination quickly, there are a few effective methods:
- Use the Dream verb with Fascination: Dreaming on Fascination can remove it or convert it into another state, such as Contentment or fleeting memory.
- Let it expire naturally: Fleeting Fascination disappears quickly on its own. Avoid actions that upgrade it into the full Fascination card.
- Overpower it with Contentment: Some game actions prioritize using Contentment to cleanse other negative or dangerous states.
- Use Discipline cards or skills: Later in the game, there are some advanced cards that help you directly manage your psyche and remove harmful influences.
Advanced Tips for Fascination Control
Watch the Timer Carefully
Each card in Cultist Simulator has a life cycle. Fascination has a countdown, and planning your actions to either use it or let it expire before Despair begins is crucial. Avoid stacking too many mental states that can spiral out of control.
Use the Talk Verb to Distract
If Fascination threatens your strategy, using the Talk verb with a follower might buy you time or redirect attention away from your mental state. This tactic depends on the follower’s loyalty, aspect, and your current cult strength.
Convert or Suppress Through Lore
Some lore combinations allow you to suppress certain cards or effects. With the right balance of aspects such as Moth to disrupt, or Heart to contain you may be able to neutralize Fascination through intentional gameplay.
Fascination in Cultist Simulator is both a tool and a trap. When used wisely, it can help drive your story forward, enable occult revelations, and support powerful rituals. But left unchecked, it becomes a liability that threatens your progress and sanity. By learning how to get Fascination, how to trigger it through books, dreams, or Lantern rituals, and how to manage its timing and removal, you ensure that your journey through the darkness remains under your control. Fascination reflects the seductive pull of forbidden knowledge and only those with discipline and strategy will survive its embrace.