A running gag in the game industry is that adding Cthulhu makes everything better (much like bacon) but adding it to heroic fantasy isn't easy. That calls for not just an expert but a specialist, and Sandy Petersen, creator of Call of Cthulhu, is the perfect person for the job.
Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is far more than just translating otherworldly evil creatures to Pathfinder stats. H.P, Lovecraft's creations are a completely different kind of horror. Not only are the ultimate members of the mythos essentially unkillable, the entire point to Cthulhu horror isn't about killing them, which makes it totally different than typical Pathfinder scenarios. Heroes in a Cthulhu story not only can't stop the core of the horror, they are changed by the fight regardless of how many minions' plots they thwart. If they continue on that path, the changes continue, corrupting them or slowly eroding their sanity as they realize they can't win.
Translating Cthulhu horror to Pathfinder is the core of the book, and it starts with Petersen explaining the three basic rules of horror and then discussing how to add horror to the type of heroic adventure that's typical in Pathfinder. More good advice follows on using horror in an RPG and how to turn an encounter into an adventure.
But you can't have a Pathfinder book that doesn't add player options and one of them in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is sure to be a favorite – Dreamlands Cats as a player character race. For this and the other mythos player character race (ghouls), Petersen doesn't skimp. Entries include the history of the race, how to play a Dreamlands Cat, physiology, family, life cycle, society, faith, culture and more – along with mechanics, traits and equipment, of course. Players also get a variety of class options specific for mythos scenarios.
Then come the races for GMs and that's where things become more intense. Gnorri and Zoogs get a similar treatment to that of player races, but since they're NPCs only, their power levels and sinister tendencies are stronger,
Companion animals and familiars also get a Cthulhu twist. Want to travel with a degenerate satyr, mutated animal, brain cylinder familiar or slime mold? Now you can, along with a few other options. New feat options are also included, and, of course, magic gets a mythos makeover.
Petersen pioneered insanity mechanics in Call of Cthulhu and, because characters in Lovecraft's original stories slowly go insane from what they learn, it's also addressed here. Petersen is very careful, though to distinguish real-world mental health issues from in-game sanity loss. Petersen uses literary and cinematic versions of insanity as his source material, not actual psychiatry to further the distinction. After reading them, I'd use these insanity rules instead of other options presented in Pathfinder and its supplements.
New alchemical items are also included, but as tempting as it might be to move things like “assassin's teapot” to another game, I'd advise against it after reading the descriptions. That's even more true for the new artifacts. “Alien and Bizarre Technology” lives up to its name.
The section on cults will provide GMs lots of story ideas, plot twists and more. In fact, that's likely to be the most heavily used section since it will provide plot seeds to whatever depth you desire. Mythos religion and how the mythos can interact with standard Pathfinder races is also examined.
The showcase, of course, is the section on the Great Old Ones. From cults to domains, stages of influence, etc., Petersen and his team provide GMs a wealth of material.
Even though I've GMed Pathfinder for years, it's not my go-to system, and Cthulhu has never been my favorite form of horror. Despite that, I found a lot great material in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder that I can put to good use in a campaign. In fact, I'm now interested in the coming Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for 5E, which is currently on Kickstarter, to see how Petersen changes it. In my recent interview with Petersen, he said it's not just a translation to different mechanics but reworked for Dungeons and Dragons with new material.
People who are fans of both Cthulhu and Pathfinder will find a lot to love in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder. Petersen and his team clearly thought through every aspect of the mythos and how it would change in heroic fantasy like Pathfinder. If you're interested in bringing horror to your Pathfinder game, Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is well worth the look. It might become your favorite.
This article was contributed by Beth Rimmels (brimmels) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. We are always on the lookout for freelance columnists! If you have a pitch, please contact us!
Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is far more than just translating otherworldly evil creatures to Pathfinder stats. H.P, Lovecraft's creations are a completely different kind of horror. Not only are the ultimate members of the mythos essentially unkillable, the entire point to Cthulhu horror isn't about killing them, which makes it totally different than typical Pathfinder scenarios. Heroes in a Cthulhu story not only can't stop the core of the horror, they are changed by the fight regardless of how many minions' plots they thwart. If they continue on that path, the changes continue, corrupting them or slowly eroding their sanity as they realize they can't win.
Translating Cthulhu horror to Pathfinder is the core of the book, and it starts with Petersen explaining the three basic rules of horror and then discussing how to add horror to the type of heroic adventure that's typical in Pathfinder. More good advice follows on using horror in an RPG and how to turn an encounter into an adventure.
But you can't have a Pathfinder book that doesn't add player options and one of them in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is sure to be a favorite – Dreamlands Cats as a player character race. For this and the other mythos player character race (ghouls), Petersen doesn't skimp. Entries include the history of the race, how to play a Dreamlands Cat, physiology, family, life cycle, society, faith, culture and more – along with mechanics, traits and equipment, of course. Players also get a variety of class options specific for mythos scenarios.
Then come the races for GMs and that's where things become more intense. Gnorri and Zoogs get a similar treatment to that of player races, but since they're NPCs only, their power levels and sinister tendencies are stronger,
Companion animals and familiars also get a Cthulhu twist. Want to travel with a degenerate satyr, mutated animal, brain cylinder familiar or slime mold? Now you can, along with a few other options. New feat options are also included, and, of course, magic gets a mythos makeover.
Petersen pioneered insanity mechanics in Call of Cthulhu and, because characters in Lovecraft's original stories slowly go insane from what they learn, it's also addressed here. Petersen is very careful, though to distinguish real-world mental health issues from in-game sanity loss. Petersen uses literary and cinematic versions of insanity as his source material, not actual psychiatry to further the distinction. After reading them, I'd use these insanity rules instead of other options presented in Pathfinder and its supplements.
New alchemical items are also included, but as tempting as it might be to move things like “assassin's teapot” to another game, I'd advise against it after reading the descriptions. That's even more true for the new artifacts. “Alien and Bizarre Technology” lives up to its name.
The section on cults will provide GMs lots of story ideas, plot twists and more. In fact, that's likely to be the most heavily used section since it will provide plot seeds to whatever depth you desire. Mythos religion and how the mythos can interact with standard Pathfinder races is also examined.
The showcase, of course, is the section on the Great Old Ones. From cults to domains, stages of influence, etc., Petersen and his team provide GMs a wealth of material.
Even though I've GMed Pathfinder for years, it's not my go-to system, and Cthulhu has never been my favorite form of horror. Despite that, I found a lot great material in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder that I can put to good use in a campaign. In fact, I'm now interested in the coming Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for 5E, which is currently on Kickstarter, to see how Petersen changes it. In my recent interview with Petersen, he said it's not just a translation to different mechanics but reworked for Dungeons and Dragons with new material.
People who are fans of both Cthulhu and Pathfinder will find a lot to love in Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder. Petersen and his team clearly thought through every aspect of the mythos and how it would change in heroic fantasy like Pathfinder. If you're interested in bringing horror to your Pathfinder game, Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder is well worth the look. It might become your favorite.
This article was contributed by Beth Rimmels (brimmels) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. We are always on the lookout for freelance columnists! If you have a pitch, please contact us!
