tell me about Gumshoe games

[GMforPowergamers]

Ok, so Me and my group are having some problems with the call of cthulu system. We want to keep the game going, but find a better system. One that is more combat fair and less lethal.


BARNES & NOBLE | Trail of Cthulhu by Kenneth Hite, Indie Press Revolution | Paperback

Pelgrane Press Ltd Trail of Cthulhu

anyone have any experance with gumshoe games, or trail of cthulhu to let me know what it is like?

 

[Piratecat]

A couple of useful threads:

My thread about how I'm really enjoying GUMSHOE: http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/316942-im-having-love-affair-gumshoe.html

A live play report for Night's Black Agents: http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...s-black-agents-tinker-tailor-vampire-die.html

Personally, I think Trail of Cthulhu is superb, and I think it's the best incarnation of the CoC rules. I like it much better than BRP Cthulhu or d20 Cthulhu.

The way Gumshoe works for General Skills (athletics, shooting, etc.), you roll one d6 and you try to hit a DC of (usually) 4. Before you roll you can spend points out of your skill pools. So if I'm shooting someone, I may spend 2 shooting points, then I add those to a d6. As long as I don't roll a 1 I probably hit.

For investigative skills, there's no roll required. If you have the skill, and you say you use it, you succeed - period. It's great. You can also spend those investigative skill points for bonus advantages. For instance, let's say my PC has Flirting as an interpersonal investigative skill. I flirt with the gorgeous but creepy swamp woman, and she tells me any clues she happens to know. If I want her to fall in love with me, and maybe betray her deep one father, I could spend a Flirting Point, but it's not necessary to learn clues.

The result is a fun, fast system that focuses on mystery solving instead of accidentally dying during standard easy rolls like in BRP.

 

[scourger]

I can't tell you about Trail of Cthulhu (PC's description of the skills above sounds interesting, though), but I can say that we've had a lot of fun with Realms of Cthulhu for Savage Worlds.
Realms of Cthulhu - Reality Blurs
Pinnacle Entertainment Group | Savage Worlds
It has an option for pulpy play that suits what you're looking for, I think. Even though we're playing the gritty style, it is more survivable than the old Call of Cthulhu games we had.

 

[rptroll]

I love the Mythos but don't care much for CoC. I'll cast another vote for Realms of Cthulhu. We did a review over at The Savage Troll that discusses the various styles of play.

 

[karlindel]

I haven't played Trail of Cthulhu, but I have played Mutant City Blues, which uses the GUMSHOE system. Piratecat gave a good summary, although I will clarify that each level in an investigative skill gives you one point that can be used during an adventure (e.g. using Piratecat's example, Flirting 2 would mean that you could use Flirting to gain a clue twice during the adventure).

Personally, I enjoyed the GUMSHOE system, as it eliminates the problem of having an investigative adventure come to a halt because the PCs all fail a notice/research/etc check and fail to find the crucial clue that leads to the rest of the adventure.

 

[Piratecat]

It took me two tries to really "get" GUMSHOE. I first ran an Esoterrorists scenario years ago, and I definitely didn't have a handle on the game's pacing. Also, my adventure was kind of crap, but that's my fault. Since then I've run Ashen Stars about nine times and Night's Black Agents about five, and we start our new Ashen Stars game this Wednesday. I'm incredibly excited.

One of the reasons for this is that the game rules have evolved and improved with each new book. I think Mutant City Blues (a superhero game where you're police detectives figuring out superpowered crime) was the first game to really get them right, and then Trail of Cthulhu nailed them. ToC also has fabulous support in the form of many VERY good adventures.

 

[Pelgrane]

There are some articles by the writer of Trail of Cthulhu for Call of Cthulhu Keepers here which might help.


On giving out clues
From Call to Trail Part One
From Call to Trail Part Two