Arkham Horror TTRPG announced

[ProfessorDetective]

Cool. The Arkham Horror Files continuum has been an off-and-on hyperfixation of mine since back when they were still actively supporting AH 2E. Was always too broke to BUY any of it past Elder Sign: Omens (the digital version of the "streamlined" dice game spin-off) and, recently, the long line of tie-in books (soon including a gamebook and a "Visitor's Guide" lorebook, apparently). Yeah, this'll probably just be Pulp Cthulhu, vibes-wise, but I am willing to give it a shot.

 

[Aldarc]

And that's kind of where I am with this and it's the same reason I had no interest in Candela Obscura (not that it's a Cthulhu game). I already own Call of Cthulhu, Pulp Cthulhu, and Trail of Cthulhu, so what what can I expect Arkham Horror to provide me?

My wife just walked by and helpfully reminded me that the world does not revolve around me. While I'm not sure what this game might have to offer me, I hope it does well out of my over abundance of love and joy I feel towards my fellow human beings. And who knows? Maybe it'll be really good and I might end up giving it a try.

I have Pulp Cthulhu (CoC) and Cthulhu Awakens (AGE System). They both scratch similar itches but do things differently and have different views towards the Mythos. It really depends on my mood.

 

[Staffan]

Now, maybe FFG has since taken serious pains to diverge Arkham Horror's setting from its Call of Cthulhu roots. (I'd be interested in hearing the differences, if so.) Maybe that's even part of why they're creating this standalone RPG. But this is still an RPG based on a board game based on an RPG...

A few years back, FFG released a book of short stories based on the investigators that show up in all the Arkham Horror Files games, and as part of the promotion for that book they published this article that among other things describe some of the differences between Arkham Horror and classic Cthulhu Mythos.

Edit: as an example of the somewhat more pulpy bent, once we were playing Arkham Horror (2nd ed) with Hastur as the Great Old One. One of Hastur's game effects is that it's much harder to seal gates (which is one of the ways in which you win the game). We had some seemingly bad luck in the early game with lots of gates opening, and realized some things:

• We were probably not going to win the normal way, by sealing enough gates before getting enough Doom to summon Hastur.
• Hastur didn't have any particular resistances.
• Hastur's combat modifier (how difficult fighting him is) depends on the Terror Level, which is something that normally escalates through the game when too many monsters show up.

So we basically ignored gates, and instead focused on getting weapons and killing monsters. It didn't take too long for Hastur to show up, but he only had like a -2 to our combat checks, so we handily kicked his butt back to Carcosa. Fastest game of Arkham we ever played, only took like 45 minutes.

Anyhow, the point is that in Arkham Horror, a hunting rifle can be a completely reasonable way to prevent a Great Old One from destroying the world.

 

[JEB]

A few years back, FFG released a book of short stories based on the investigators that show up in all the Arkham Horror Files games, and as part of the promotion for that book they published this article that among other things describe some of the differences between Arkham Horror and classic Cthulhu Mythos.

Edit: as an example of the somewhat more pulpy bent, once we were playing Arkham Horror (2nd ed) with Hastur as the Great Old One. One of Hastur's game effects is that it's much harder to seal gates (which is one of the ways in which you win the game). We had some seemingly bad luck in the early game with lots of gates opening, and realized some things:

• We were probably not going to win the normal way, by sealing enough gates before getting enough Doom to summon Hastur.
• Hastur didn't have any particular resistances.
• Hastur's combat modifier (how difficult fighting him is) depends on the Terror Level, which is something that normally escalates through the game when too many monsters show up.

So we basically ignored gates, and instead focused on getting weapons and killing monsters. It didn't take too long for Hastur to show up, but he only had like a -2 to our combat checks, so we handily kicked his butt back to Carcosa. Fastest game of Arkham we ever played, only took like 45 minutes.

Anyhow, the point is that in Arkham Horror, a hunting rifle can be a completely reasonable way to prevent a Great Old One from destroying the world.

Interesting, thanks. So the difference is basically a matter of tone.

 

[Clint_L]

So they're making a tabletop RPG based on a tabletop board game based on a tabletop RPG? Weird.

They're making a tabletop RPG based on a card-based TTG based on a cooperative TTBG.

Anyhow, I'll buy this for sure. All of their Cthulhu games are top tier all-timers, and frankly CotC, while a classic, doesn't have the best system. It's very long in the tooth and a bit of a PITA to play. For example, if you follow RAW there is a good likelihood that the investigation goes nowhere.

Based on track record, I'm willing to bet that this will be a better system. I hope it's going to be on Demiplane.

 

[Weiley31]

The horror! The horror!

"Good thing I brought my Tommy Gun with me!"

 

[Weiley31]

Also with this becoming an option, I can play Arkham FINALLY in the way it was meant to be played while being HEAVILY INFLUENCED by this!

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/12/2/barkham-horror/

 

[Deset Gled]

So they're making a tabletop RPG based on a tabletop board game based on a tabletop RPG? Weird.

FWIW, there's a Record of Lodoss War RPG based on the Record of Lodoss War anime series that's based on the creator's D&D campaign. And there are now multiples movies adapted from Broadway plays that were adapted from movies (Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray, Mean Girls).

Time is a flat circle.

Edit: And how could I forget the classic video game Street Fighter: The Movie.

 

[Staffan]

FWIW, there's a Record of Lodoss War RPG based on the Record of Lodoss War anime series that's based on the creator's D&D campaign. And there are now multiples movies adapted from Broadway plays that were adapted from movies (Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray, Mean Girls).

Time is a flat circle.

Edit: And how could I forget the classic video game Street Fighter: The Movie.

Imagine my surprise when I saw Bram Stoker's Dracula, a Fred Saberhagen-penned novelization of the movie.