Call of cthulhu D20 or not so D20?

[Jraynack]

I do have to say that the d20 CoC book is one of my Top Five gaming books. If everything in my collection were burned tomorrow, it's one of the few books I'd save.

I concur - and I own them all (well, a lot). Not only is the mechanics solid, I find the advice about building a horror adventure to be extremely worth the purchase all in its self.

I constantly take into everything that was said in that book when writing my published d20 Modern Adventure, The Whisper of Horses (I originally playtested the adventure with d20 CoC).

As for support, I know that our company is diligently trying to communicate with Chaosism to letting us write straight d20 CoC Adventures, instead of converting them to d20 Modern. But so far, it seems to be in vain. I think since the release of 6th edition, they have tried to seperate themselves from d20 CoC.

 

[AscentStudios]

I will stand against the tide and say BRP CoC is the best way to play it. Why, you ask?

Skill and atmosphere.

Skill is the cornerstone of the CoC universe. Heroes are almost universally academics, experts, explorers, or some other learned or mentally exceptional individuals. At the same time, the creatures of the Mythos are horrifying abominations who can slay these characters almost at will (mentally or physically). The skills the characters have and develop through their experiences with the Mythose really are the cornerstone of their "power" rather than BAB, saving throws or other various d20 metagame measures.

The Cthulhu universe is inherently nihilistic, and BRP really ensures that it reflects in play. Seperation from DnD is vital to keeping the right atmosphere at the table. I have a 4 year old d20 gaming group, and they all know how things basically work, what they can survive, when to run, etc. The metagame is all figured out. With BRP, my players understand much less of the metagame - no one reads the critter descriptions other than the GM - and so are much more cautious and focused on behaving in a "realistic" manner. This style of play actually improves the mood at the table as well, as we're all walking on eggshells already waiting for the next horrible thing to happen.

I see folks saying the d20 version is better for campaigns, and I reckon it is if you define "campaigns" by the characters who survive the entire story. BRP campaigns tend to rotate casts as characters are driven mad by encounters with Things That Must Not Be Named, killed by cultists, consumed by animals or simply burnt out by going to places that man was never meant to experience. This falls right in line with my envisioning of the Lovecraft universe, where I would fully expect the rigors adventurers experience to retire individuals quickly, but groups to endure regardless. Delta Green really is the epitome of this ethos, where Delta Green keeps sending agents into the grinder in the hopes that one day someone will get lucky enough to break it. Fun

PLUS, BRP CoC has some of the best modules ever made. The Masks of Nyarlathotep and Delta Green are simply incredible, and some of the best supplements ever created for ANY game. We're starting the Shadow of Yog-Soggoth this week, and I can't wait. I don't expect my first character to survive til the end, but I'll surely enjoy the ride

 

[Black Pharaoh]

i reccomend both. BRP and D20 Cal of Cthulhu are both great games. The D20 skill rules are a little better than the BRP rules IMO, and the GMing advice in the d20 book is awesome. The BRP version is better supported with tons of supplemental material.

Keep your eyes peeled for the new printing of Delta Green that is supposed to be coming out soon (I'll believe this when I see it though). It is one of the best supplements ever produced for any game.

 

[Gomez]

Masks of Nyarlathotep and Delta Green make pretty darn good CoC d20 adventures as well.

As for atmosphere, that is created by the GM and players and not the game engine that is being used. IMHO.

I have never really liked the idea that your character in a COC game was expendable like ammunition. Not that I am against the odd mutilation, decapitation, or insane character. But having to create new group ever 2 or 3 games because all the players are insane or dead puts a real strain on the GM and players to come up with good reasons that the investigation would continue.

 

[KaosDevice]

While not wanting to get back on the merry go round of BRP vs D20 (CoC), I will state that when I run CoC I run BRP. I think the deadliness of the system is overstated. I had one campaign that ran for over 6 months with (out of five players with two other in some times out players) 2 player fatalities and 1 character incurably insane. And I tend to run BRP pretty by the book with the only exception being that characters start loosing less san for creatures they see a lot of (c.f. deep ones.).

 

[Henry]

I think the deadliness of the system is overstated. I had one campaign that ran for over 6 months with (out of five players with two other in some times out players) 2 player fatalities and 1 character incurably insane.

How many sessions would you estimate? Admittedly, in my BRP games, I only had about 6 fatalities/insanities over a year span (in my longest one), but the players themselves just burned out on the condition of their characters by the end of it.

Except one guy. One player had the luck of a bale of four-leaf clovers, he always made his SAN rolls, was NEVER in the wrong place at the wrong time, and by the end of the campaign he was the only one who had a character actually BETTER than what he started with. The player was very cunning, and the character lived on.

Long live Philip Harlowe Drake, PhD.

RIP
David Oliver Niles, Mafia Don,
Mario Ontamo Brucci, David's bodyguard,
and Cynthia Alicia Tudier, prostitute.

;-)

 

[Plane Sailing]

I helped co-DM a CoC BRP game last summer and I think that come the end there were a couple of permanently insane and everyone else dead! And that was without any mythos monsters appearing at all

 

[Rykion]

While not wanting to get back on the merry go round of BRP vs D20 (CoC), I will state that when I run CoC I run BRP. I think the deadliness of the system is overstated. I had one campaign that ran for over 6 months with (out of five players with two other in some times out players) 2 player fatalities and 1 character incurably insane. And I tend to run BRP pretty by the book with the only exception being that characters start loosing less san for creatures they see a lot of (c.f. deep ones.).

Do you run Chaosium adventures? Many of them feature situations in which the first PC or NPC to open a door/walk in a room die or go insane with no chance to avoid it. Many of the Mythos monsters and books are likely to drive a character insane, or close to it, on a single bad roll.

 

[Committed Hero]

If your players care about using a good system, stick with d20. The BRP skill mechanic is painfully simple - which is both good and bad. Consider, for example, that there is no real way to do an opposed check involving two characters. The only real advantage IMHO is that the Cthulhu Mythos skill works better as a percentage.

Do your players really need to learn a new system to get the advantages of a good horror game? Not when the d20 version is available.

 

[ruleslawyer]

I'd say go with CoC d20 for a simple reason: If the players don't have to learn new mechanics, then the mechanics slip to the backs of their minds, which means that you can move the emphasis away from them. And CoC is a game that thrives when people aren't focused on the mechanics, but on the story. For old-time BRP players, it's a different story. But I just think that you'll have a better game if people can ignore the mechanics and jump into the story.

Also, I tend to have a surer time balancing my investigator vs. cultist fights using d20 than BRP. Simply put, investigators will NEVER be able to fight monsters effectively in the game unless you want them to. (I can see, for example, an Evil Dead-style game with 15th+ level Investigators kicking Mythos monster butt!) However, it's important that they not get killed off by the cultists before coming face-to-face with the cosmic evil that's SUPPOSED to end their secure, blinkered existences forever.