The most classic intro scenario to CoC is The Haunting, which was the first scenario Sandy Petersen wrote for the playtest. It isn't strictly a Mythos story but it is a horror story and a mystery. And it has high stakes.
This was our first CoC adventure as well, and what drove it home for us was playing during a hurricane and a power outage. It was TERRIFYING! Best intro to CoC.
I ran that in an old house quite similar to the one featured and even I felt some shivers down my spine as I passed the dark stairs on my way to the bathroom.
I've been playing CoC since it came out. I Love it. It is My favorite RPG. I recommend you play "The Haunting" scenario. That scenario used to be included in the Keepers Rule book. It is a MUCH better first scenario. As far as your critique about ordinary people becoming investigators, I explain it this way to new players: It is like the Television program "Supernatural". A normal person has an encounter with a monster. They realize that the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night are real and want to hurt us. If they don't go crazy right off the bat They're now all in to learn about them and fight them. One of my favorite things about this game is the push and pull you as a player have to balance between learning the "Terrible Truths" of the Mythos and fighting against the creatures and cultists of the Mythos. You need the knowledge to defeat them but the more you know the more fragile and weak you become.
Indeed. Especially the warlock of the Elder Influence, which is way better than the GOO. The there-not there abilities add a great deal of flavor to the character.
Adding Mythos elements to 5e isn’t really the same as playing CoC. Horror-themed adventures for characters with superpowers feel very different to spending the whole campaign with so few hp a fall on the stairs or a punch can kill you, with no extraordinary powers or special abilities. The goal of CoC isn’t so much to win as to loose in an interesting way.
I'm looking forward to this! CoC became one of my favorite systems once I tried it! I especially love that once the sheet is made, players don't have to do math by adding modifiers and the like. You just roll and see if it's under the appropriate number. Also, I love the starter set because of the solo adventure! If you don't have friends who already know the game, it's a great way to get a hang of things on the mechanical aspect. I think more RPGs should consider this for introducing people to it. Maybe making it a free pdf for people to sample the system?
@@genghisgalahad8465 I think, for example, a solid d&d solo prequel could be your village being attacked by goblins, kobolds, or zombies. You get the choice of staying and fighting, or leaving to go get help from a nearby town. Failures can lead to either the death of your character, your character's loved ones, or the village, or any combination thereof. End the solo adventure with some reveal that the baddies are working for a bigger baddy, show the process of leveling up to level 2, and then you and your friends can do the starter adventure together, all in the town that was nearby, all with a common enemy.
When I suggested Call of Cthulhu to some of my players, one of them was hesitant because of the fact that they are not going to be playing someone who is super strong like in DnD. They gave it a shot and they immediately fell in love with the game. It has it's charm and fulfills some things that DnD doesn't do. I'm honestly thinking about implementing some of the chase rules into our 5e games though because it's so much more streamlined compared to 5e.
My first time as a GM was as a CoC keeper and, as someone who gets easily stressed over the mechanical side of DnD like balancing and such, being able to forget about that and let my inner storyteller out was one of the best experiences I've had as a Roleplayer.
I play 5e weekly, but love, love, love CoC. It is so much fun, and really itches an itch for role playing and investigation that D&D misses, often due to a “fix it with combat” rut that is easy to fall into as a party. I can’t wait to see if y’all do some more CoC content.
Yeah, in my dnd game I have a druid who basically wants to rp and an artificer who wants to min max all the time, using violence and combat to solve all problems. Last night the druid and warlock in my game, came over for a game of COC, and the druid exclaimed half way through that this was what she was missing from dnd.
I've been a keeper for groups with 1 to 6 investigators. Running shorter scenarios totally, imo, works best with 1-3 investigators. Longer campaigns can really get a boost from a fourth investigator to fill whatever is lacking in the group. 5 or 6 investigators wasn't really my cup of tea, but it works. They can always split up into smaller teams if necessary.
I love both your campaigns and this summary made me really excited to test the system out. There is another CoC youtuber named "Seth Skorkowsky" that publishes lots of CoC reviews. Maybe you could have him Keeper a 3-4 shot with you guys! He did some old DnD module reviews too!
I love how the title gives impression that players might get lost or in over their heads! I imagine it's possibly less crunchy than even modular 5e...? Kelly rocking the hat! Much needed! All's need is guitar!
CoC is not crunchy at all.... after character creation that is. Many players will wrinkle their nose when they have to divide everything by 5 to fill in the extreme challenge slots, but after that it's just about rolling and referencing the sheet
34:13 "I feel that CoC is the ideal second RPG for D&D players" -Monty Great insight. I'd love to hear more specific recommendations and insights like this on other systems.
CoC is the RPG that Ive played the most by far. We had a 6 year campaign during high school that was absolutely epic. My character was the only one who survived the final bossfight because he ran away lol. Glad to see you guys branching out and enjoying this game so much
Just wrapping up a 5 Investigator game. It’s been great. Each individual has strengths and weaknesses and with a larger party when death starts it gives the team a better chance of success.
Thank you for looking at a non-DnD system, non-DnD TTRPGs really need the exposure. I hope you continue with this. I have played 5 oneshots of CoC and I really enjoyed the increased focus on narrative over mechanics and beating everything up.
Can we talk about Kelly's killer outfit? Btw, I'm looking forward to any further CoC content, I have a few friends I might consider playing this with(with me playing as the keeper). I had a blast watching your paper chase game (although it was weird not to see Joe after like 100 Drakkenheim episodes).
I really enjoyed this video! I’ve been playing 5e for so long now that trying something else is becoming more and more appealing. But it’s hard to now what everything is, and it’s often not worth diving deep into something just to check out if it’s something for my group. But video’s like these makes it easy to judge what sort of game Call of Cthulhu is. So I would love more video’s like this about other RPG’s!
Would love to see you play some CoC Delta Green. Kind of like The X Files+Seal Team 666 meets Eldritch Horror. Good stories, good combat (well, brutal combat) and lots of really freaky stuff.
I feel this video is very prescient. I don't know where it's coming from, but I am seeing more and more D&D players showing interest in the Cthulhu mythos and the CoC and Delta Green systems.
I think that 5e will be the most popular version of DnD ever. I think when WotC stops publishing and switches to One many players will change systems. I believe that 5e's incredible success will ripple across the hobby over the next few yeara
The very first CoC scenario I ran was the second one in the starter set : Edge of Darkness, it was fantastic, closed and remote area, an element of mystical mystery, genuine fear in the players, it was amazing. I would however recommend the Lightless Beacon for beginners, as it is a very very short scenario, very self contained, that is as lovecraftian as it gets while still providing potential follow ups. All in all : I LOVE that game
I was playing with a group of almost all new DnD players and a couple sessions in the group got bored with it. The GM recently got the handbook and decided we should all try it out and I loved it. Our group have a lot of fun with it and we still get together and do one shots almost every week!
OMG loved it! It's so good to see a well-stablished channel like you talk about a non-d20 and non-medieval fantasy game for a change. I think it's important for the community to get to know other systems and other themes and how it can be fun to explore them. It'd be wonderful to see you guys doing more videos like this! S2
Delta Green is a great modern Lovecraftian game. It’s sort of a spin off, 1st cousin of CoC but you play as government agents trying to handle and contain things.
Thanks for covering CoC! This game is great and gave me some of my most fun TTRPG moments in recent history all in one short campaign. Can't wait to see what else you fine folks cover next.
Definitely loved this Call of Cthulhu episode. Made me want to do another round with friends here. As for my experience, we started branching out with a new Keeper/GM every few months and they picked the system. It was very easy to pick up. The weirdest change was the fact that building a character combat abilities were not as critical. Coming from D&D since I was a kid, it was like class and combat didn’t matter and the real crux of character creation was the part where you pick your secondary skills. Very different.
I really liked this video. While I love your D&D content, I would love to see you try out and give us your thoughts on other systems. I love exploring other systems, so this is wonderfully entertaining. For instance, from CoC, what are your thoughts on CofD (the one I probably use the most), or from a D&D perspective, I would love to see you try out the starter sets for FFG Star Wars.
More videos exploring alternate TTRPG systems would be great. Would love to see what you think of Burning Wheel for example. And bringing more awareness to the variety of things out there is always good!
This is my go to recommendation for people totally new to tabletop. The hard cosmic horror stuff wont be for everyone but the more mundane detective percentile storytelling is one of those super easy to learn experiences and the starter using the choose your own adventure book leading into 'paper chase' has sold even the most inexperienced tabletop player in my experience. They give it a single sitting and go "oh, i get it" and want to play more. Whereas things like the D&D and Cyberpunk starters seem to toss a lot at the beginner straight away and go "figure it out" but this starter has a planned, incremental tutorial system where you go through 4 scenarios that teach sections of the rules and build on it with each game. So by the time you finish Deadmans Stomp you will be going in knowing the things the other 3 already taught you rather than just being thrown in expecting to pick up things like spell levels and item weights and stuff right off the bat. Its very clever and i've not seen another starter ease new players in no matter how little trpg experience they have.
Love the way it brings along new players. Recently ran "Dead Border" as a 1st time keeper and 2 first time players with no need to stop for rules checks and finishing in 2hrs. Great experience for all. Enjoy D&D but that would have been a 6hr affair.
Yes! Seen a couple of things in here about the Haunting - great scenario however when I have run it I've found it hard to stop players going straight to the house and it can be a little frustrating if it's your first time running this. I would recommend Crimson Letters from the keepers handbook, best written one-shot adventure I have ever seen, it's just a load of dramatis personae and you choose the culprit and guide story with that. Beautiful.
I’m super-excited about the idea of the DD crew playing CoC! You’re such a talented crew, it would be fascinating to see you grow in the system. PS: drinking game - take a sip every time Kelly says ‘beautiful’ 😊
I have been reading into this other HP Lovecratf themed game called "Trail of Cthulhu"; I feel they really exploit these points you love from CoC. It uses the Gumshoe system that is particularly fit for mistery adventures, maybe you could look into them.
It's probably more narrative driven than CoC and ideal for an investigation game. The Eternal Lies and Mythos Expeditions campaigns are both pretty awesome too
CoC lends itself to certain genres of stories. I would suggest all players and game masters watch as much Film Noir as possible. I especially like The Big Sleep and the Maltese Falcon but the St. Valentine's Day Massacre is also good if you want gangsters - any Charlie Chan movie is also good. Old horror movies are good - something like the Island of Lost Souls, or Dr. Cyclops. When we play CoC we often use clips or pictures from these movies to describe the setting. These movies also give you ideas for characters to play or meet. You do not have to limit your game to just a few players. One of the best games we played had the following characters set in 1930s Chicago. 1)Gangster and his 2)girlfriend, 3)Cabbie who wants to be a private detective, 4)rich adventurer based on Howard Hughes, and a 5)demented Doctor/mad scientist. Please note that everyone except the adventurer died and he went insane. It was roughly a two day(16hours) campaign/adventure. The original Scooby Doo is also good for getting ideas - you can also do haunted houses but that is an over done theme in CoC - but it is a good "go to" for beginners. Oh - any of the Evil Dead(Stranger Things) movies work if you want a more modern feel. A really fun one is a Big Trouble in Little China scenario or Tremors. We have also found that it is fun for every character to have a secret "issue" - for example the Gangster's girlfriend was a actually a super genius cannibal based on Hannibal Lector. A bit twisted but a lot of fun.
Try Petersen's Abominations if you want a book with some great modern setting adventures. Pulp is great for that more Indiana Jones or if in modern nights a sort of Supernatural(First couple of seasons anyway.) feel, really fun and interesting.
Great system and great starter set. Highly recommend edge of darkness. The optional luck rule is my favorite part of call of cthulhu. If you get into wanting a campagin to consider I would put forward childern of fear.
I started watching your channel back in 2020 as I was just getting into TTRPGs and learning more about DnD while I was starting my 3D-printable cosmic horror minis brand. I ended up really falling for the CoC as a Keeper as I got more and more into the tabletop hobby. It's so awesome for me to hear you guys' perspective on the system as new players, with so much experience under your belt from DnD and other systems. For me, it's exactly that more "mundane" setting where "normal" people encounter the dark, deeper truths of a Lovecraftian universe that really pulls me in and I love CoC's emphasis on narrative, investigation, and social interaction. We've had some incredible storytelling moments at our table as a group. Since Paper Chase felt a bit low risk to you, I would *highly* recommend both Missed Dues and Blackwater Creek from the Keeper Screen pack - incredible, well-written small scenarios with much higher stakes. Hope you guys get to play more Call of Cthulhu soon!
Yeah, the starter set is comprehensive enough that you don't really need the full books. Monty, given how frequently you make references to Lovecraft's work I'm rather surprised you haven't featured CoC on the channel before :) I'm actually planning on running Drakkenheim using the CoC rules.
That boxed set changed my life. Call of Cthulhu 7th Exition is a superb skills-based system and a wonderful alternative experience to a class & level game like D&D; if you’re an RPGer, and you’ve never tried it, you should check it out-it’s like roleplaying for *adults*. Each of the rule books is an absolutely exquisite omnibus, worth every penny.
A comment on you saying than 1 to 3 people are the best out of my experience as a keeper (I have never been a investigator during my year playing CoC) 2 to 3 players are the best one player just lacks the strength in 2 minds for solving mysteries and with 4 people there are the main trio and a side kick so one player is just not getting the spotlight regularly or at all. My most recent scenario was supposed to be one session of 4 hour and the investigators died in 40 minutes because they messed with dynamite that deal 5d6 damage and they blew 50 so it was a garenteed death for them. My first scenario that I ran for my party there was only 2 investigators and they died trying to kill 4 rats. The one player had 15 sanity(we used point buy on my players request) so he became indefinitely insane seeing a dead rat. There is a most important skill, swimming, because if you fail a swim check in water and there is not someone close to you to help you you are going to die.
Great video! Would love to see more CoC and more reviews of different systems. Nice to see what’s out there and get your take on it. Eager to try CoC for myself!
You guys should try City of Mist. It’s incredibly simple and the best for creative players. You basically create a character with 4 characteristics: some ordinary, some fantastic. It’s very noir-esque, but the system allows a Cyberpunk setting, a superhero setting, even a freaking Avatar the Last Airbender setting could work. It’s one of the most amazing RPGs I’ve ever seen, but sadly still pretty much unknown
I love Paper Chase, but it is a bit of an anti-climax. When I ran it with my group, it was half-way through a very intense CoC campaign, so the anti-climax really worked for my group as a nice fun breather in the midst of a lot of stress, but it is a very odd choice to introduce players on since it doesn't quite have the same punch as other well-known starter adventures like Edge of Darkness or the Haunting. I'd love to hear your insights if you do keep playing CoC though! I think it's my favourite system I've ever played tbh.
Interesting video, but nothing I've heard about this game makes me want to play it... The math is all backwards from most systems, you're encouraged to NOT interact with the world so you can survive just a BIT longer, there's no reason to grow attached to your character because they're going to die horribly no matter what you do, customization of characters is minimized, most characters will never really be good at much, nearly every situation you enter with an actual threat is a "gotcha, you're dead" moment, etc, etc.
If you want to try a different type of Cthulhu then try playing through "The Haunting" which is a free giveaway in the Quick Start guide from Chaosium.
One cool thing about the combat system is that when defending against melee attacks you can choose to either have an advantage against the attacker, or a disadvantage but a chance to actually hurt them instead.
We had a large group in CoC that played Masks of Nyaralothep over about 2 years! There were 5 of us and it remains one of my favorite gaming campaigns that I've ever been apart of.
Masks is legendary for a reason lol. Honestly a lot of the Call of Cthulhu and Call of Cthulhu related campaigns are some of the best ever. Masks is still king, obviously, but Horror on the Orient Express, Impossible Landscapes for Delta Green and Eternal Lies for Trail of Crhulhu are all definitely in the top 10 greatest campaigns of all time.
Thank you, Dudes, for giving us the tip on Cabinet of Curiosities! I've only seen a few so far, but they're great. My players will be dealing with the Kleinberg Estate next week, and _Graveyard Rats_ is great inspiration. I've amplified the Pale Man's vermiphobia theme by adding some Spawn of Kyuss and a huge mass of Rot Grubs. I don't generally go in for detailed descriptions of body horror, but some things are creepy enough with just a veiled mention. I still remember the 1e AD&D Monster Manual image of rot grubs burrowing into someone's arm, and I haven't even seen it again in decades.
I actually had my first approach to RPG playing CoC many years ago, and I found it as engaging as DnD! Both are amazing games, with their strong and weak points, and I love DMing for both. I'd LOVE to see a series of Call of Cthulhu by Dungeon Dudes!!!
Speaking to large groups, I ran a CoC game for 7 players. Using the backdrop of a mysterious inheritence in the mansion of a long dead cultist, the group decided to split the work and search different areas in the room. Though it was everyone's first time, it was surprising that the de-emphasis on conbat encouraged them to split the party. After all, they surmised that if they run into a Shoggoth, they aren't likely to survive anyway.
I've run, and been in, larger groups 4-6 players... it's really difficult for the Keeper, but we found separating into smaller 'teams/duo's' worked well.
Yeah that's the advanced technique for keeping the tone with larger groups, in my opinion. Separating them into smaller chunks lets you keep tension by controlling the "camera" and switching perspectives dramatically
I really loved call of cthulhu, but my dnd regulars didn't like being normal people as much as being dnd heroes. I strongly recommend Pulp Cthulhu instead of the norm. Seth Skorkowsky does a great set of how to play videos and has a couple reviews / walkthrough campaigns. Definitely check him out. He also does Traveller, Cyberpunk, Conan, and a few others.
I hyperventilated out of excitement when I saw this video in my notifications because CoC is my personal favorite ttrpg because in it I can kill and torture the pc's and my players enjoy it.
Glad to hear that ya'll enjoyed the experience of running through that adventure and very much look forward to seeing additional CoC content on the channel. :-)
I hear you, Kelly, about "Paper Chase" ending the same whether or not the investigators intervened. The important thing to remember is that the real treasure is the inhuman abomination we met along the way.
Just wanted to say that you guys are good at explaining things, how the game plays, and having examples usually right after. Thanks for making your entertaining and educational videos.
This is super helpful, thanks for making! I've been listening to Time for Chaos on Glass Cannon (which is excellent) and the story has been so cool so far, I've been wanting to get into Call of Cthulu. Would love to see your thoughts on other TTRPG systems as well!
biggest problem with groups larger than 4 is always to keep everyone busy and engaged, not mentioning the strain for the gamemaster .. though this applies to almost every rpg out there. me and friends play with a group of 7 to 8 people, one the gamemaster, rest players .. and that gets quite hard to keep track for everyone, especially when we have a group split up. we are somewhat used to it, but it is quite taxing for the GM and the players on the long run. (still fun though)
As a Keeper of 41 years standing I can offer 2 tips. Players: in combat, your best kit are your legs. RUN! Keepers: 'The play's the thing.' It's less of a roleplaying game and more of a spooky storytelling evening with occasional dice. Atmosphere is everything. Great video guys! Welcome to the night time cult.
I've ran 2 different games with 6 and 5 people, respectively. They were very nice, a lot of space for interpersonal drama and different strengths. But it was much harder to control the tone on the table. When you get bigger groups, is much more likely that someone will think of a joke and other may build and break the tension. May also be my ineperience, but the 2-4 is my sweet spot
I love that you are branching out! If you want to try a board game that has some role playing elements/decisions to make, try Above and Below. A great way for people to be introduced to decisions and role playing in games.
I have the Starter Set too and have played Paper Chase. Need to still play the other scenarios. Have you tried Monster of the Week? Its my new favorite 😍
Playing Call of Cthulhu in a contemporary setting is perfect to me -- it's what Lovecraft did. He chose what was to him the contemporary world to set his stories in for exactly the reasons you mention. He also made reference to the current technological innovations and beliefs and it all made things more impactful. Playing in the classic 20s era always seems too removed from everyday life to me, it becomes a costume piece, and you get players (and Keepers) saying "ah well in the modern world this would be less dangerous, everyone has phones, and computers and drones etc" - Lovecraft would have made damn sure those things proved ineffective and possibly even a vector for the creeping madness... and so should we.
D&D players need to keep in mind that CoC is not designed for long term character progression. You don't really build and develop an experienced high level adventurer. You go insane before you get there. Unless the GM makes some house rules for recovery planning on letting the PCs build a "ghost busters" outfit facing down the occult.
One of my favorite CoC memories regards the deadliness of the combat. My character, who was a mathematician, another PC, and a cultist NPC once got into a gunfight in a space the size of a walk-in closet and it ended with my character in the hospital and the cultist in the morgue after something like two or three rounds of combat.
Welcome to the world of games that AREN'T D&D. Most of the games I play that are not like D&D use a Skill-opposition test using percentiles and have way more skills than the stripped-down skill list that 5e uses. Games such as Shadowrun, Cyberpunk RED, Zweihander: Grim & Perilous, and the entire RIFTS Megaverse, made by Palladium Games.
Modiphius Publications’ Achtung Cthulhu 2d20 system is a neat RPG. It is crunchier and more combat heavy than CoC, and combines a historical WWII setting with Nazi occultism and Cthulhu mythos combined. I’m all for you all doing more videos about CoC. Thanks.
Glad you guys did a non-D&D RPG experience review. I have not played CoC since 1983 (1st edition?). We only played 3-4 sessions, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am only a mild Lovecraft fan, but I do love pulp and the 1920's and 1930's time period. I played a gangster/criminal in my experience with CoC. I even remember his name: Jimmy Lawrence. Your video has sparked an interest in me to want to try giving CoC 7th edition a try. I'm told there is not a lot of difference between the editions of CoC unlike D&D. I do hope you will occasional delve into other RPGs on your channel. As fun and popular as D&D is, I think there are lot of good RPGs out there in all kinds of genres and would love to see you try out some sci-fi and super-hero RPGs. Thanks, guys!
Thanks for the great video on my favorite non-D&D rpg! I often run for groups of 5-7 players, but I've been running CoC for decades. The key to a big group is pacing... you can let things be discursive in a small group but you really have to be very self-confident if you're keeping for a big group and just maintain the forward momentum. It can totally work though. Paper Chase is a neat scenario but as you noted, it's a creepy situation without very high stakes. You'll find Edge of Darkness quite different in that regard! Edge also leans more into the "cosmic horror" angle... of course not everything Lovecraft wrote was cosmic horror. Also with regard to the point about crawling into holes and so on... very well stated. I have sometimes (thankfully rarely) run into situations where a player incorrectly thinks that it's his role to avoid adventure at all costs, stymie the group and defuse any possible interaction with the mystery. I've never had to say "OK your character moves to Springfield and lives in obscurity as a toothbrush refurbisher; go ahead and roll up an Investigator if you want to keep playing"... but I'm not above it. Historically it has sufficed to remind the player that their character is supposed to be a person who would go on an adventure, whatever else may be true about them. Perhaps the truth is that the character does not even know why he persists.
Oh, wow, it's so great to see you Dudes latching on to my fave RPG! :) I'd be remiss of course if I didn't mention that, for those who elect to pick this up, "Seth Skorkowsky" is probably acknowledged by many as the GOAT for bringing all the details of the game to us here on TH-cam. You can no doubt find a link to his many many vids in the right hand video search bar, from which you can then gain access to his Homepage, to select a vid that has your interest. He has vids on all the rules, the mechanics, and multiple game overviews for the many scenarios CoC has on offer. Oh and say hi to "Jack" when ya drop by! Thanks Dudes, for shining light on this wonderful gaming experience that I suspect MANY will fall in love with. p.s. Now, anyone wanna chat about "Kult: Divinity Lost" ? heh, heh, heh...
The most classic intro scenario to CoC is The Haunting, which was the first scenario Sandy Petersen wrote for the playtest. It isn't strictly a Mythos story but it is a horror story and a mystery. And it has high stakes.
Is that the haunted townhouse? I died in that one.
This was our first CoC adventure as well, and what drove it home for us was playing during a hurricane and a power outage. It was TERRIFYING! Best intro to CoC.
And it is so good!
I ran that in an old house quite similar to the one featured and even I felt some shivers down my spine as I passed the dark stairs on my way to the bathroom.
My first CoC adventure. It spawned a 20+ year long love of the game. :)
I've been playing CoC since it came out. I Love it. It is My favorite RPG. I recommend you play "The Haunting" scenario. That scenario used to be included in the Keepers Rule book. It is a MUCH better first scenario. As far as your critique about ordinary people becoming investigators, I explain it this way to new players: It is like the Television program "Supernatural". A normal person has an encounter with a monster. They realize that the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night are real and want to hurt us. If they don't go crazy right off the bat They're now all in to learn about them and fight them. One of my favorite things about this game is the push and pull you as a player have to balance between learning the "Terrible Truths" of the Mythos and fighting against the creatures and cultists of the Mythos. You need the knowledge to defeat them but the more you know the more fragile and weak you become.
The Haunting is included in the free quickstart rules available online ... AND a Roll20 version is free there, too.
Pardon me boy, have you seen the lair of great Cthulhu? In the City of Slime, where it's night all the time...
Its a simple system - send one of the PCs into the room, if he screams, dont go in there. :)
My name is Flint Carson. I am a librarian.
As an interesting side note, Sandy Peterson wrote a book for playing CoC with 5E rules, called "Cthulhu Mythos". It's pretty interesting stuff!
Indeed. Especially the warlock of the Elder Influence, which is way better than the GOO. The there-not there abilities add a great deal of flavor to the character.
One of the best addition books for D&D hands down.
My current campaign is based around it, and my players love it to bits as well
Adding Mythos elements to 5e isn’t really the same as playing CoC. Horror-themed adventures for characters with superpowers feel very different to spending the whole campaign with so few hp a fall on the stairs or a punch can kill you, with no extraordinary powers or special abilities. The goal of CoC isn’t so much to win as to loose in an interesting way.
Yes exactly 😅 it's not the same. Honestly I prefer CoC over DnD for that reason. @@iesika7387
A series of videos like this on other games and systems is something that I would love for you guys to continue making
Enthusiastically seconded!
I would love to see the next session you guys do with one of the longer campaigns.
Yes!
I'm looking forward to this! CoC became one of my favorite systems once I tried it! I especially love that once the sheet is made, players don't have to do math by adding modifiers and the like. You just roll and see if it's under the appropriate number.
Also, I love the starter set because of the solo adventure! If you don't have friends who already know the game, it's a great way to get a hang of things on the mechanical aspect. I think more RPGs should consider this for introducing people to it. Maybe making it a free pdf for people to sample the system?
A prequel to the starter adventure!
@@genghisgalahad8465 I think, for example, a solid d&d solo prequel could be your village being attacked by goblins, kobolds, or zombies. You get the choice of staying and fighting, or leaving to go get help from a nearby town. Failures can lead to either the death of your character, your character's loved ones, or the village, or any combination thereof.
End the solo adventure with some reveal that the baddies are working for a bigger baddy, show the process of leveling up to level 2, and then you and your friends can do the starter adventure together, all in the town that was nearby, all with a common enemy.
When I suggested Call of Cthulhu to some of my players, one of them was hesitant because of the fact that they are not going to be playing someone who is super strong like in DnD. They gave it a shot and they immediately fell in love with the game. It has it's charm and fulfills some things that DnD doesn't do. I'm honestly thinking about implementing some of the chase rules into our 5e games though because it's so much more streamlined compared to 5e.
My first time as a GM was as a CoC keeper and, as someone who gets easily stressed over the mechanical side of DnD like balancing and such, being able to forget about that and let my inner storyteller out was one of the best experiences I've had as a Roleplayer.
I play 5e weekly, but love, love, love CoC. It is so much fun, and really itches an itch for role playing and investigation that D&D misses, often due to a “fix it with combat” rut that is easy to fall into as a party.
I can’t wait to see if y’all do some more CoC content.
Yeah, in my dnd game I have a druid who basically wants to rp and an artificer who wants to min max all the time, using violence and combat to solve all problems.
Last night the druid and warlock in my game, came over for a game of COC, and the druid exclaimed half way through that this was what she was missing from dnd.
I've been a keeper for groups with 1 to 6 investigators. Running shorter scenarios totally, imo, works best with 1-3 investigators. Longer campaigns can really get a boost from a fourth investigator to fill whatever is lacking in the group. 5 or 6 investigators wasn't really my cup of tea, but it works. They can always split up into smaller teams if necessary.
I love both your campaigns and this summary made me really excited to test the system out. There is another CoC youtuber named "Seth Skorkowsky" that publishes lots of CoC reviews. Maybe you could have him Keeper a 3-4 shot with you guys! He did some old DnD module reviews too!
It's so cool to see Seth referenced in the Starter Set as a resource for players
Seth is the man, love his stuff on Cyberpunk too
@@haroldgarner7140 Yea I'd love to see them team up. Kinda a mixing of TTRPG gaming generations.
I love how the title gives impression that players might get lost or in over their heads! I imagine it's possibly less crunchy than even modular 5e...? Kelly rocking the hat! Much needed! All's need is guitar!
CoC is not crunchy at all.... after character creation that is. Many players will wrinkle their nose when they have to divide everything by 5 to fill in the extreme challenge slots, but after that it's just about rolling and referencing the sheet
My absolute favorite TTRPG. You nailed it about Stranger Things. Stranger Things is CoC seen through the eyes of investigators who play D&D.
I'm no haberdasher, but the hat appears to be the real thing, not some cheap trilby.
34:13 "I feel that CoC is the ideal second RPG for D&D players" -Monty
Great insight. I'd love to hear more specific recommendations and insights like this on other systems.
CoC is the RPG that Ive played the most by far. We had a 6 year campaign during high school that was absolutely epic. My character was the only one who survived the final bossfight because he ran away lol. Glad to see you guys branching out and enjoying this game so much
He who fights and runs away, lives to go indefinitely insane another day. 😱🤪
6 year?? that keeper is a keep
Just wrapping up a 5 Investigator game. It’s been great. Each individual has strengths and weaknesses and with a larger party when death starts it gives the team a better chance of success.
5 investigators is fun if you want a mystery gang vibe
Thank you for looking at a non-DnD system, non-DnD TTRPGs really need the exposure. I hope you continue with this. I have played 5 oneshots of CoC and I really enjoyed the increased focus on narrative over mechanics and beating everything up.
I would love to see more videos from you guys about other games systems.
Can we talk about Kelly's killer outfit? Btw, I'm looking forward to any further CoC content, I have a few friends I might consider playing this with(with me playing as the keeper).
I had a blast watching your paper chase game (although it was weird not to see Joe after like 100 Drakkenheim episodes).
It's like Indiana Jones meets Michael Jackson!
I really enjoyed this video! I’ve been playing 5e for so long now that trying something else is becoming more and more appealing. But it’s hard to now what everything is, and it’s often not worth diving deep into something just to check out if it’s something for my group. But video’s like these makes it easy to judge what sort of game Call of Cthulhu is. So I would love more video’s like this about other RPG’s!
Yeah same. I doubt if ill check out DnD One, except as a player if i am invited to a game. Once im tired of 5e ill probably migrate to other systems
Would love to see you play some CoC Delta Green. Kind of like The X Files+Seal Team 666 meets Eldritch Horror. Good stories, good combat (well, brutal combat) and lots of really freaky stuff.
This is awesome you need to talk to #SethSkorkowsky
He's a massive COC creator on TH-cam.
I used his videos to learn the rules
I feel this video is very prescient. I don't know where it's coming from, but I am seeing more and more D&D players showing interest in the Cthulhu mythos and the CoC and Delta Green systems.
I think that 5e will be the most popular version of DnD ever. I think when WotC stops publishing and switches to One many players will change systems. I believe that 5e's incredible success will ripple across the hobby over the next few yeara
The very first CoC scenario I ran was the second one in the starter set : Edge of Darkness, it was fantastic, closed and remote area, an element of mystical mystery, genuine fear in the players, it was amazing. I would however recommend the Lightless Beacon for beginners, as it is a very very short scenario, very self contained, that is as lovecraftian as it gets while still providing potential follow ups. All in all : I LOVE that game
Yeah good to see more people getting into COC. Hopefully you guys get into Pulp cthulhu as will for more players and action
I was playing with a group of almost all new DnD players and a couple sessions in the group got bored with it. The GM recently got the handbook and decided we should all try it out and I loved it. Our group have a lot of fun with it and we still get together and do one shots almost every week!
OMG loved it! It's so good to see a well-stablished channel like you talk about a non-d20 and non-medieval fantasy game for a change. I think it's important for the community to get to know other systems and other themes and how it can be fun to explore them. It'd be wonderful to see you guys doing more videos like this! S2
Delta Green is a great modern Lovecraftian game. It’s sort of a spin off, 1st cousin of CoC but you play as government agents trying to handle and contain things.
Thanks for covering CoC! This game is great and gave me some of my most fun TTRPG moments in recent history all in one short campaign. Can't wait to see what else you fine folks cover next.
Definitely loved this Call of Cthulhu episode. Made me want to do another round with friends here. As for my experience, we started branching out with a new Keeper/GM every few months and they picked the system. It was very easy to pick up. The weirdest change was the fact that building a character combat abilities were not as critical. Coming from D&D since I was a kid, it was like class and combat didn’t matter and the real crux of character creation was the part where you pick your secondary skills. Very different.
Happy Eternal Darkness got some love with a shout out in this video. Played it as a kid, was fucking terrifying.
100% y'all should do more videos like this for other systems! I love trying out and seeing others talk about different rpgs!
I love your DND content, but it's also nice for you to mix it up. Thanks.
I really liked this video. While I love your D&D content, I would love to see you try out and give us your thoughts on other systems. I love exploring other systems, so this is wonderfully entertaining. For instance, from CoC, what are your thoughts on CofD (the one I probably use the most), or from a D&D perspective, I would love to see you try out the starter sets for FFG Star Wars.
More videos exploring alternate TTRPG systems would be great. Would love to see what you think of Burning Wheel for example. And bringing more awareness to the variety of things out there is always good!
This is my go to recommendation for people totally new to tabletop. The hard cosmic horror stuff wont be for everyone but the more mundane detective percentile storytelling is one of those super easy to learn experiences and the starter using the choose your own adventure book leading into 'paper chase' has sold even the most inexperienced tabletop player in my experience. They give it a single sitting and go "oh, i get it" and want to play more. Whereas things like the D&D and Cyberpunk starters seem to toss a lot at the beginner straight away and go "figure it out" but this starter has a planned, incremental tutorial system where you go through 4 scenarios that teach sections of the rules and build on it with each game. So by the time you finish Deadmans Stomp you will be going in knowing the things the other 3 already taught you rather than just being thrown in expecting to pick up things like spell levels and item weights and stuff right off the bat. Its very clever and i've not seen another starter ease new players in no matter how little trpg experience they have.
Love the way it brings along new players. Recently ran "Dead Border" as a 1st time keeper and 2 first time players with no need to stop for rules checks and finishing in 2hrs. Great experience for all. Enjoy D&D but that would have been a 6hr affair.
Yes! Seen a couple of things in here about the Haunting - great scenario however when I have run it I've found it hard to stop players going straight to the house and it can be a little frustrating if it's your first time running this. I would recommend Crimson Letters from the keepers handbook, best written one-shot adventure I have ever seen, it's just a load of dramatis personae and you choose the culprit and guide story with that. Beautiful.
Really happy to see a branching out into other systems. Keep it coming!!
I’m super-excited about the idea of the DD crew playing CoC! You’re such a talented crew, it would be fascinating to see you grow in the system.
PS: drinking game - take a sip every time Kelly says ‘beautiful’ 😊
I have been reading into this other HP Lovecratf themed game called "Trail of Cthulhu"; I feel they really exploit these points you love from CoC. It uses the Gumshoe system that is particularly fit for mistery adventures, maybe you could look into them.
It's probably more narrative driven than CoC and ideal for an investigation game. The Eternal Lies and Mythos Expeditions campaigns are both pretty awesome too
CoC lends itself to certain genres of stories. I would suggest all players and game masters watch as much Film Noir as possible. I especially like The Big Sleep and the Maltese Falcon but the St. Valentine's Day Massacre is also good if you want gangsters - any Charlie Chan movie is also good. Old horror movies are good - something like the Island of Lost Souls, or Dr. Cyclops. When we play CoC we often use clips or pictures from these movies to describe the setting. These movies also give you ideas for characters to play or meet. You do not have to limit your game to just a few players. One of the best games we played had the following characters set in 1930s Chicago. 1)Gangster and his 2)girlfriend, 3)Cabbie who wants to be a private detective, 4)rich adventurer based on Howard Hughes, and a 5)demented Doctor/mad scientist. Please note that everyone except the adventurer died and he went insane. It was roughly a two day(16hours) campaign/adventure. The original Scooby Doo is also good for getting ideas - you can also do haunted houses but that is an over done theme in CoC - but it is a good "go to" for beginners. Oh - any of the Evil Dead(Stranger Things) movies work if you want a more modern feel. A really fun one is a Big Trouble in Little China scenario or Tremors. We have also found that it is fun for every character to have a secret "issue" - for example the Gangster's girlfriend was a actually a super genius cannibal based on Hannibal Lector. A bit twisted but a lot of fun.
Try Petersen's Abominations if you want a book with some great modern setting adventures. Pulp is great for that more Indiana Jones or if in modern nights a sort of Supernatural(First couple of seasons anyway.) feel, really fun and interesting.
I'd love to watch your thoughts on mutants and masterminds
Oh god bless you
Great system and great starter set.
Highly recommend edge of darkness.
The optional luck rule is my favorite part of call of cthulhu.
If you get into wanting a campagin to consider I would put forward childern of fear.
Glad you guys enjoyed COC. love to see you go deep in the investigators, keepers guide. and even Pulp Cthulhu
I started watching your channel back in 2020 as I was just getting into TTRPGs and learning more about DnD while I was starting my 3D-printable cosmic horror minis brand. I ended up really falling for the CoC as a Keeper as I got more and more into the tabletop hobby. It's so awesome for me to hear you guys' perspective on the system as new players, with so much experience under your belt from DnD and other systems. For me, it's exactly that more "mundane" setting where "normal" people encounter the dark, deeper truths of a Lovecraftian universe that really pulls me in and I love CoC's emphasis on narrative, investigation, and social interaction. We've had some incredible storytelling moments at our table as a group. Since Paper Chase felt a bit low risk to you, I would *highly* recommend both Missed Dues and Blackwater Creek from the Keeper Screen pack - incredible, well-written small scenarios with much higher stakes. Hope you guys get to play more Call of Cthulhu soon!
Will there be more dives into other games and systems? I hope so!
Yeah, the starter set is comprehensive enough that you don't really need the full books.
Monty, given how frequently you make references to Lovecraft's work I'm rather surprised you haven't featured CoC on the channel before :)
I'm actually planning on running Drakkenheim using the CoC rules.
They did a one shot of "Paper Chase" not too long ago. I was just Jill and Kelly with GM Monty, but it was quite fun
Great Video as usual Dudes! Would love to see more videos like this about more TTRPGs, like Monster of the Week or Honor and Intrigue!
CoC is so much fun!! Lately I've been running some Delta Green and it has been a great experience!
That boxed set changed my life. Call of Cthulhu 7th Exition is a superb skills-based system and a wonderful alternative experience to a class & level game like D&D; if you’re an RPGer, and you’ve never tried it, you should check it out-it’s like roleplaying for *adults*. Each of the rule books is an absolutely exquisite omnibus, worth every penny.
Love your shirt, Kelly!
A comment on you saying than 1 to 3 people are the best out of my experience as a keeper (I have never been a investigator during my year playing CoC) 2 to 3 players are the best one player just lacks the strength in 2 minds for solving mysteries and with 4 people there are the main trio and a side kick so one player is just not getting the spotlight regularly or at all. My most recent scenario was supposed to be one session of 4 hour and the investigators died in 40 minutes because they messed with dynamite that deal 5d6 damage and they blew 50 so it was a garenteed death for them. My first scenario that I ran for my party there was only 2 investigators and they died trying to kill 4 rats. The one player had 15 sanity(we used point buy on my players request) so he became indefinitely insane seeing a dead rat. There is a most important skill, swimming, because if you fail a swim check in water and there is not someone close to you to help you you are going to die.
Great video! Would love to see more CoC and more reviews of different systems. Nice to see what’s out there and get your take on it. Eager to try CoC for myself!
You guys should try City of Mist. It’s incredibly simple and the best for creative players.
You basically create a character with 4 characteristics: some ordinary, some fantastic. It’s very noir-esque, but the system allows a Cyberpunk setting, a superhero setting, even a freaking Avatar the Last Airbender setting could work.
It’s one of the most amazing RPGs I’ve ever seen, but sadly still pretty much unknown
I love Paper Chase, but it is a bit of an anti-climax. When I ran it with my group, it was half-way through a very intense CoC campaign, so the anti-climax really worked for my group as a nice fun breather in the midst of a lot of stress, but it is a very odd choice to introduce players on since it doesn't quite have the same punch as other well-known starter adventures like Edge of Darkness or the Haunting. I'd love to hear your insights if you do keep playing CoC though! I think it's my favourite system I've ever played tbh.
Interesting video, but nothing I've heard about this game makes me want to play it... The math is all backwards from most systems, you're encouraged to NOT interact with the world so you can survive just a BIT longer, there's no reason to grow attached to your character because they're going to die horribly no matter what you do, customization of characters is minimized, most characters will never really be good at much, nearly every situation you enter with an actual threat is a "gotcha, you're dead" moment, etc, etc.
I would love to see you guys run Edge of Darkness. Definitely regarded as one of the best beginner scenarios for CoC and a personal favorite of mine!
If you want to try a different type of Cthulhu then try playing through "The Haunting" which is a free giveaway in the Quick Start guide from Chaosium.
Have you guys ever thought of doing a Wizard Artificer multiclass video? That'd be pretty cool to see.
One cool thing about the combat system is that when defending against melee attacks you can choose to either have an advantage against the attacker, or a disadvantage but a chance to actually hurt them instead.
Optimal skills in Call of C'thulhu? Library Use, Spot Hidden and Shotgun.
Also if you try to do combat in CoC, you are playing wrong xD unless its Pulp Cthulhu....or Delta Green....or Acthung...
CoC has one major issue that makes my players not interested in it. The gun rules are awful, especially for automatic firearms.
I loved your adventure. Please continue playing and exploring CoC themes and adventures
We had a large group in CoC that played Masks of Nyaralothep over about 2 years! There were 5 of us and it remains one of my favorite gaming campaigns that I've ever been apart of.
Masks is legendary for a reason lol. Honestly a lot of the Call of Cthulhu and Call of Cthulhu related campaigns are some of the best ever. Masks is still king, obviously, but Horror on the Orient Express, Impossible Landscapes for Delta Green and Eternal Lies for Trail of Crhulhu are all definitely in the top 10 greatest campaigns of all time.
Thank you, Dudes, for giving us the tip on Cabinet of Curiosities! I've only seen a few so far, but they're great. My players will be dealing with the Kleinberg Estate next week, and _Graveyard Rats_ is great inspiration. I've amplified the Pale Man's vermiphobia theme by adding some Spawn of Kyuss and a huge mass of Rot Grubs. I don't generally go in for detailed descriptions of body horror, but some things are creepy enough with just a veiled mention.
I still remember the 1e AD&D Monster Manual image of rot grubs burrowing into someone's arm, and I haven't even seen it again in decades.
CoC:Masks of Nyarlathotep; the best campaign ever made!
I actually had my first approach to RPG playing CoC many years ago, and I found it as engaging as DnD! Both are amazing games, with their strong and weak points, and I love DMing for both. I'd LOVE to see a series of Call of Cthulhu by Dungeon Dudes!!!
Speaking to large groups, I ran a CoC game for 7 players. Using the backdrop of a mysterious inheritence in the mansion of a long dead cultist, the group decided to split the work and search different areas in the room. Though it was everyone's first time, it was surprising that the de-emphasis on conbat encouraged them to split the party. After all, they surmised that if they run into a Shoggoth, they aren't likely to survive anyway.
I've run, and been in, larger groups 4-6 players... it's really difficult for the Keeper, but we found separating into smaller 'teams/duo's' worked well.
Yeah that's the advanced technique for keeping the tone with larger groups, in my opinion. Separating them into smaller chunks lets you keep tension by controlling the "camera" and switching perspectives dramatically
Y’all gonna go insane.
Just played my first session last week, so this was perfect timing!
I really loved call of cthulhu, but my dnd regulars didn't like being normal people as much as being dnd heroes. I strongly recommend Pulp Cthulhu instead of the norm. Seth Skorkowsky does a great set of how to play videos and has a couple reviews / walkthrough campaigns. Definitely check him out. He also does Traveller, Cyberpunk, Conan, and a few others.
Delta Green is what you are looking for
@@castrochris94 haven't tried it. Currently doing star wars force and destiny and wanting to get back to a shadowrun campaign again. I love variety.
Would love to see them do a few videos to help explain StarFinder.
I hyperventilated out of excitement when I saw this video in my notifications because CoC is my personal favorite ttrpg because in it I can kill and torture the pc's and my players enjoy it.
Glad to hear that ya'll enjoyed the experience of running through that adventure and very much look forward to seeing additional CoC content on the channel. :-)
I hear you, Kelly, about "Paper Chase" ending the same whether or not the investigators intervened. The important thing to remember is that the real treasure is the inhuman abomination we met along the way.
Just wanted to say that you guys are good at explaining things, how the game plays, and having examples usually right after. Thanks for making your entertaining and educational videos.
This is super helpful, thanks for making! I've been listening to Time for Chaos on Glass Cannon (which is excellent) and the story has been so cool so far, I've been wanting to get into Call of Cthulu. Would love to see your thoughts on other TTRPG systems as well!
I would like to see some more CoC videos in the future.
biggest problem with groups larger than 4 is always to keep everyone busy and engaged, not mentioning the strain for the gamemaster .. though this applies to almost every rpg out there. me and friends play with a group of 7 to 8 people, one the gamemaster, rest players .. and that gets quite hard to keep track for everyone, especially when we have a group split up. we are somewhat used to it, but it is quite taxing for the GM and the players on the long run. (still fun though)
As a Keeper of 41 years standing I can offer 2 tips.
Players: in combat, your best kit are your legs. RUN!
Keepers: 'The play's the thing.' It's less of a roleplaying game and more of a spooky storytelling evening with occasional dice. Atmosphere is everything.
Great video guys! Welcome to the night time cult.
Amazing video! I'm pro more CoC content ^^
I've ran 2 different games with 6 and 5 people, respectively. They were very nice, a lot of space for interpersonal drama and different strengths. But it was much harder to control the tone on the table. When you get bigger groups, is much more likely that someone will think of a joke and other may build and break the tension. May also be my ineperience, but the 2-4 is my sweet spot
100%. I can do 5 without too much trouble, but beyond that I'm just running a very frazzled combat sim.
I love that you are branching out! If you want to try a board game that has some role playing elements/decisions to make, try Above and Below. A great way for people to be introduced to decisions and role playing in games.
Just got the core books and would LOVE if you guys did more call of cthulhu stuff!
I have the Starter Set too and have played Paper Chase. Need to still play the other scenarios. Have you tried Monster of the Week? Its my new favorite 😍
Playing Call of Cthulhu in a contemporary setting is perfect to me -- it's what Lovecraft did. He chose what was to him the contemporary world to set his stories in for exactly the reasons you mention. He also made reference to the current technological innovations and beliefs and it all made things more impactful. Playing in the classic 20s era always seems too removed from everyday life to me, it becomes a costume piece, and you get players (and Keepers) saying "ah well in the modern world this would be less dangerous, everyone has phones, and computers and drones etc" - Lovecraft would have made damn sure those things proved ineffective and possibly even a vector for the creeping madness... and so should we.
1:51 it's like comparing "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "To Kill a Mockingbird". they have a different skill level.
D&D players need to keep in mind that CoC is not designed for long term character progression. You don't really build and develop an experienced high level adventurer. You go insane before you get there. Unless the GM makes some house rules for recovery planning on letting the PCs build a "ghost busters" outfit facing down the occult.
One of my favorite CoC memories regards the deadliness of the combat. My character, who was a mathematician, another PC, and a cultist NPC once got into a gunfight in a space the size of a walk-in closet and it ended with my character in the hospital and the cultist in the morgue after something like two or three rounds of combat.
Welcome to the world of games that AREN'T D&D. Most of the games I play that are not like D&D use a Skill-opposition test using percentiles and have way more skills than the stripped-down skill list that 5e uses. Games such as Shadowrun, Cyberpunk RED, Zweihander: Grim & Perilous, and the entire RIFTS Megaverse, made by Palladium Games.
Modiphius Publications’ Achtung Cthulhu 2d20 system is a neat RPG. It is crunchier and more combat heavy than CoC, and combines a historical WWII setting with Nazi occultism and Cthulhu mythos combined.
I’m all for you all doing more videos about CoC. Thanks.
I've played Classic CoC and I even liked the 200s d20 system CoC! Love it and wish I could find more players!
Glad you guys did a non-D&D RPG experience review. I have not played CoC since 1983 (1st edition?). We only played 3-4 sessions, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am only a mild Lovecraft fan, but I do love pulp and the 1920's and 1930's time period. I played a gangster/criminal in my experience with CoC. I even remember his name: Jimmy Lawrence. Your video has sparked an interest in me to want to try giving CoC 7th edition a try. I'm told there is not a lot of difference between the editions of CoC unlike D&D. I do hope you will occasional delve into other RPGs on your channel. As fun and popular as D&D is, I think there are lot of good RPGs out there in all kinds of genres and would love to see you try out some sci-fi and super-hero RPGs. Thanks, guys!
The irony with the "classic" vs "modern" Call of Cthulhu settings is that the 1920s *were* the modern setting for H. P. Lovecraft.
I've been wanting to play CoC for years, and I'm finally going to play with a group of friends next week. Can't wait! Thanks for the primer!
Thanks for the great video on my favorite non-D&D rpg! I often run for groups of 5-7 players, but I've been running CoC for decades. The key to a big group is pacing... you can let things be discursive in a small group but you really have to be very self-confident if you're keeping for a big group and just maintain the forward momentum. It can totally work though. Paper Chase is a neat scenario but as you noted, it's a creepy situation without very high stakes. You'll find Edge of Darkness quite different in that regard! Edge also leans more into the "cosmic horror" angle... of course not everything Lovecraft wrote was cosmic horror.
Also with regard to the point about crawling into holes and so on... very well stated. I have sometimes (thankfully rarely) run into situations where a player incorrectly thinks that it's his role to avoid adventure at all costs, stymie the group and defuse any possible interaction with the mystery. I've never had to say "OK your character moves to Springfield and lives in obscurity as a toothbrush refurbisher; go ahead and roll up an Investigator if you want to keep playing"... but I'm not above it. Historically it has sufficed to remind the player that their character is supposed to be a person who would go on an adventure, whatever else may be true about them. Perhaps the truth is that the character does not even know why he persists.
Oh, wow, it's so great to see you Dudes latching on to my fave RPG! :)
I'd be remiss of course if I didn't mention that, for those who elect to pick this up, "Seth Skorkowsky" is probably acknowledged by many as the GOAT for bringing all the details of the game to us here on TH-cam. You can no doubt find a link to his many many vids in the right hand video search bar, from which you can then gain access to his Homepage, to select a vid that has your interest. He has vids on all the rules, the mechanics, and multiple game overviews for the many scenarios CoC has on offer.
Oh and say hi to "Jack" when ya drop by!
Thanks Dudes, for shining light on this wonderful gaming experience that I suspect MANY will fall in love with.
p.s. Now, anyone wanna chat about "Kult: Divinity Lost" ? heh, heh, heh...