Call of Cthulhu

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

But, I'll have to take a look at version 5.5. Hmmm...I wonder if that is available in pdf? I'll have to shop around some.

Nope. 5.5 isn't available as a PDF. In fact, 5.5 is currently sold out at Chaosium (but distributers should have it until they run out). Chaosium is planning on releasing version 6 soon (http://www.chaosium.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=3&newsdesk_id=173), but don't hold your breath for it, they are notoriously slow at getting books printed. Apparently, its not really a true new edition, just a redesign of 5.5 (new layout, new art, new cover, etc) using the layout from the 20th anniversary limited edition.

 

[Henry]

I'll add The Rats in the Walls to the list of must read HPL stories. Its my favorite of all his works.

Y'know, when I was making my list, I started with RitW, erased it, and put Dunwich Horror instead! I love RitW, but the "investigator style" is better put forward by inspector Legrasse and company, and Professor Armitage and Company, than by de la Poer - although de la Poer is excellent inspiration for when an investigator goes to zero SAN.

 

[Olive]

Its ruleset is geared toward VERY normal men and women who face something out of their league; you have very little power in the way of defense against the mythos creatures, and you start out as good as you will EVER be.

Except this isn't all true. I'm not sure about the fluff, but you can easily manipulate the skill system to make a very good fighter early on, with a better chance to hit that a 1st lvl d20 CoC character...

 

[Henry]

Except this isn't all true. I'm not sure about the fluff, but you can easily manipulate the skill system to make a very good fighter early on, with a better chance to hit that a 1st lvl d20 CoC character...

...but who dies far easier than a 15th level d20 CoC character. You could make a PC who has the chance to hit of something like a 15th level character out of the gate, but the equivalent character in CoC will have about 60-70 hit points, be able to withstand a dozen shots or knife thrusts, and their chance to get outright killed from any one will be somewhere around 25% or less.

Nowhere near D&D toughness scale, admittedly, but also a far cry above the toughness of an original CoC character. Keep in mind there are NO feats, with most characters having 10 hit points or less, and NO psychic abilities, which do exist in CoC d20.

I definitely think that CoC d20 is preferable to running a long-running campaign of horror than the original, because the fact that you level up does give players at least a sense of improvement and possible survival, even if it's a false one. The original version I can never get anyone to play more than one-shots, because of the fact that they NEVER seem to improve (skills notwithstanding) and start out as healthy as they will ever be.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

You know, I'd recommend visiting www.yog-sothoth.com

A very good group of intelligent Cthulhu-oid fans

 

[Yellow Sign]

...but who dies far easier than a 15th level d20 CoC character. You could make a PC who has the chance to hit of something like a 15th level character out of the gate, but the equivalent character in CoC will have about 60-70 hit points, be able to withstand a dozen shots or knife thrusts, and their chance to get outright killed from any one will be somewhere around 25% or less.

But what Keeper worth his/her salt would run a d20 CoC game with 15th level characters? All of the CoC games that I have run have had 1st to 3rd level characters. I feel that that more representive of a normal person. And if a Coc character can survive to make it to 15th level, I would consider that character to be one very lucky guy/gal. Not withstanding that their Sanity would be about zip.

Also, Cthulhu could crush a 15th level character just as easily as a 1st level one.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Don't forget to read The Thing on the Doorstep, that along with The Whisperer in Darkness and The Rats in the Walls really, really scared me. A lot.

 

[Yellow Sign]

I would strongly recommend the "Cycle" books from Chaosium. They are collections of short stories focusing on certin aspects of the Mythos. I give them a big thumbs up.

 

[Henry]

But what Keeper worth his/her salt would run a d20 CoC game with 15th level characters?

Because they're there.

I feel that (1st to 3rd level characters are) more representive of a normal person.

True, but I was pointing to the difference between a BRP Cthulhu character with the equivalent combat experience of a 15th or so level character. The d20 version will exude a different feel and be somewhat tougher than the BRP version, who has no feats, specials, or hit points to fall back on for cuts and scrapes. A high-level d20 version (remember, because I'm talking about equivalence in combat-readiness) will take more scrapes than a BRP version with, say, 80% to hit with a rifle or pistol and a 70% dodge skill. The BRP character, no matter what, will only take one or two pistol hits at most before passing on; the d20 version will take more than that at high level, because the firearms and weapons do equivalent damage, but the d20 version has many more hit points and a failure chance of 1 in 4 or less to fail a damage save for any hit of 10 hit points or over. He also has feats like drive-by shooting, cleave, toughness, etc. to fall back on.

A BRP version character will likely go down on ONE 10-point hit, even if he has hundreds of percentage points in skills (the quivalent to a high level d20 investigator).

I'm not disputing the lethality of the d20 version at all - I've played both. But I've also seen characters be more reckless with their low-level d20 character because they FEEL better about the character in question. It's kind of like watching a person go into a dangerous situation with NO body armor, versus a person who goes into the same situation with a bullet proof vest on. BOTH still stand a good chance of being killed, but the guy with the vest is slightly more protected, and at least feels better about it.

Also, Cthulhu could crush a 15th level character just as easily as a 1st level one.

Despite what some d20 haters out there may say, this is WITHOUT question. I'm referring more to facing crazed cultists, deep ones, and ghouls than things like tindalos-hounds and shoggoths. No matter WHAT version, if you see a shoggoth, and don't lose your marbles, getting the heck out of dodge is still the best plan.

 

[Wraith Form]

However, I am about to recommend something that may be a bit of d20 Heresy:

The BRP version of Call of Cthulhu (the original, from Chaosium) is better for Horror One-shots in my opinion.

You get an *AMEN* from the audience for that one.

BRP rawks. Ya just can't mess with perfection...although WotC tried, and look at the results? Like a Dunwich Horror, we get CoC d20. ACK!

(Shove that in your pipes and smoke it, CoC d20 lovers!)