d20 Call of Cthulhu

[Gothmog]

Agreed, Assenpfeffer, I have found from running both the BRP and D20 versions of CoC that the BRP comes much closer to capturing the feel of Lovecraft's tales. Characters are MUCH more fragile in the BRP version, but they can begin as experts in their chosen field(s). The D20 version would be much better for a Pulp Cthulhu game (ala Indiana Jones vs Cthulhu), but is quite poor for capturing the original feel of the stories. D20 CoC characters are far too tough and capable in a fight for CoC, and I have found that players associate D20 with D&D, so their CoC characters act a lot like D&D characters with guns.

I don't have the D20 versions of Arkham or Dunwich, although I do have the original BRP versions of those books. In fact, I have all of the old Chaosium and Pagan stuff for CoC, as well as a number of titles by smaller publishers (can you tell I LOVE CoC?) My suggestions for good adventure/campaign books would be:

Chaosium: 1920s: Cthulhu Classics, Cthulhu Casebooks, Great Old Ones, Fatal Experiments, Complete Dreamlands, Curse of Cthulhu, Taint of Madness, Escape from Innsmouth, Kingdport, Adventures in Arkham Country, Fearful Passages, and the Complete Masks of Nyarthalotep (probably the best CoC campaign ever made)
Modern: Cthulhu Now, At Your Door, Fearful Passages

Pagan Publishing:
1920s: Mortal Coil, The Resurrected vol III, Coming Full Circle, Walker in the Wastes, Realm of Shadow
Modern: Delta Green, Delta Green: Countdown

Fantasy Flight Games:
Modern: Nocturnum Trilogy- I think this has been re-released as a huge d20 book. This is a globe-spanning modern campaign that doesn't involve paramilitary organizations (a good thing in my book).

 

[Assenpfeffer]

Chaosium: 1920s: Cthulhu Classics, Cthulhu Casebooks, Great Old Ones, Fatal Experiments, Complete Dreamlands, Curse of Cthulhu, Taint of Madness, Escape from Innsmouth, Kingdport, Adventures in Arkham Country, Fearful Passages, and the Complete Masks of Nyarthalotep (probably the best CoC campaign ever made)
Modern: Cthulhu Now, At Your Door, Fearful Passages

I've got Great Old Ones, Escape From Innsmouth and CMoN and can vouch for their goodness. I just picked up Fatal Experiments but haven't had the chance to really evaluate it yet.

I'll also reccommend Mansions of Madness and Beyond the Mountains of Madness, as well as Horror on the Orient Express. I think CMoN and BtMoM are neck and neck for Best Cthulhu Campaign Ever.

For modern, I like Unseen Masters and A Resection of Time.

Pagan Publishing:
1920s: Mortal Coil, The Resurrected vol III, Coming Full Circle, Walker in the Wastes, Realm of Shadow
Modern: Delta Green, Delta Green: Countdown

Don't forget Grace Under Pressure. Hard to find, but it's amazing when run well.

Fantasy Flight Games:
Modern: Nocturnum Trilogy- I think this has been re-released as a huge d20 book. This is a globe-spanning modern campaign that doesn't involve paramilitary organizations (a good thing in my book).

I've been thinking of pricking this one up, but I've heard mixed reviews of it.

 

[haiiro]

I have the old Dark Matter hardbound book and plan to use some of the info in that for game play. Any comments. Thanks...

Having just picked up an old copy of Dark*Matter myself, if you're looking for more background material and adventures in that vein you should definitely check out the two Delta Green sourcebooks from Pagan Publishing.

The first one, Delta Green, is out of print and tends to be a bit pricey on eBay (I haven't really looked elsewhere). As Shapermc pointed out, Pagan is theoretically going to be putting out a new version that includes d20 stats -- but given that Tynes is no longer with Pagan and their website hasn't been updated since October of last year, I wouldn't hold your breath.

The second, Delta Green: Countdown, is in print. Like the first DG book, it's massive and chock-full of goodness -- well worth the hefty $40 price tag. In fact, it's probably one of the best values I've ever run across in terms of the quality and sheer amount of material that's covered. It isn't 100% standalone (it helps to have the first book), but I'd say it's at least 95% standalone.

Both explore similar themes to Dark*Matter, but with a much darker and more Lovecraftian slant (at least based on what I've seen of D*M thus far).