CoC Dark Ages Questions

[Stormborn]

Does anyone have the Dark Ages book for CoC? With a 2nd printing in the works I have been thinking about applying it to Grim Tales or the like. Can anyone comment on how much crunch v. fluff is in it? Would it be worth getting if I don't plan on using the system? And yes, I know the system has its merits etc... but thats not really what I am interested in it for. In fact, I may not wind up using the Lovecraftian elements of it at all, but some other Fantasy Horror type game c. 1000 AD, so any comments on the content would be welcome.

Thanks

 

[trancejeremy]

Had it.

Reviewed it.
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10189.phtml

Sold it.


To answer your question, I would say that you are better off with Call of Cthulhu d20, if you don't already have it.

Much of CA is simply just a regurgitation of the CoC rules. Then you have a huge chunk on a rather average scenario. The rest really isn't anything you couldn't get in a history book, and in fact, is sparse enough that you would probably need to get a history book or two anyway to fill in the details.

If you can get it cheap, you might. But I wouldn't pay full price. $6-7, maybe.

 

[Omote]

Dark Ages is nice, but there is not really much "crunch" to be found in it... other then the standard stuff found in CoC 5th and 6th editions.

Still, not a bad setting at all IMO.

As said above, if you want COC with crunch, go with COC d20.

...................................Omote
FPQ

 

[Stormborn]

Thanks, this seems to answer my questions. I have CoC d20, and several other useful sets of mechanics, I don't want or need the crunch of COC DA and there appears to be little by way of setting material. Oh well. I shall look elsewhere for source material for a Dark Ages game.

 

[rogueattorney]

I got this and liked it, but then I was only vaguely familiar with CoC prior to buying it and have a fair of background on the setting (both historically and the Lovecraft materials).

I think the problem a lot of people have is that it's a game and not a sourcebook, and a lot of space is spent on game mechanics rather than setting details. I personally like it as a stand alone game. Nice and rules lite, about the same amount of rules material as the old D&D B/X sets. Combat is simple and sloppy. It has the first spell-point system I've ever really liked. And I thought the scenario was pretty darn good (again, this is coming from someone who is not real familiar with CoC, so isn't seeing it as the same old same old).

R.A.

 

[Captain Boff]

I know this is a really old thread but just to clarify that this book is infact a totally stand alone book - you don't need CoC Basic Rule Set (?) or d20 or anything .. CoC Dark Ages can be run with only that book?

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I know this is a really old thread but just to clarify that this book is infact a totally stand alone book - you don't need CoC Basic Rule Set (?) or d20 or anything .. CoC Dark Ages can be run with only that book?

Correct. In fact it uses a slightly different character generation method than standard CoC.

The Auld Grump