Of course, running as GM is all about strategy and tactic. After all we need to planned carefully to keep the player successful but still at their toes until the last act. Then Bam! We goes all-out-attack with the "fun" for our player.
My hat's off to you sir. My brother is arranging a homebrew CoC and he invited me to play. I've done D&D but I'm not familiar with Cthulhu at all. So your video guide is really a lifesaver.
This team would make a great Call of Cthulhu Animated Series! I love this heart-warmingly charming little story playing out in the background to your excellent introduction. Please convey my sincere thanks to you and your team for such an interesting mix of animated characters! If I might be so bold as to earnestly suggest that you start up your own animated series on this channel with these characters in a CoC adventure??? It might be a very exciting addition to your channel! Perhaps you might consider this the start of a series of animated shorts perhaps as a reward for achieving a certain dollar threshold on your Patreon? *hint, hint* I for one would most certainly consider contributing toward such a goal as it has given this young professor character I play irl a smile not seen since before his sanity softly crumbled and his mind was cruelly [half-]devoured in the pursuit for forbidden knowledge! I think this alone is worth a few SAN points back, eh CJ? *nudge, nudge*
The thing you have to keep at the forefront of your mind: the lower you roll, the BETTER. This messed me up a couple of times my first time DMing. In certain specific cases higher will be better, but otherwise, generally you're aiming for lower rolls for skill/ability checks.
Couple of things-- One, technically the rulebook says it's always up to the player to describe what they're doing extra to push the roll; then, if they like, the keeper can foreshadow what that means if the roll fails. This is a minor point though, and the Keeper can suggest things if they like, I just like to keep it in mind because it puts the responsibility for improvisation on the player's shoulders, which can help a Keeper who's desperately trying to keep everything in a complex scenario in their head. Second, the rules for spending Luck points are optional, but everyone I've seen so far really likes them!
I love the art for these, I don't plan on playing Call, but I'm enjoying the art enough to want to watch the tutorials - I'd love it if you'd share some stories from your Call of Cthulhu games with this art style!
Two thumbs up for the animators here, great work. Always thought CoC would be too much to learn, but this explanation makes it seem pretty straightforward.
I like these videos. You hone in on what a player or GM needs to know and explain it clearly. The artful presentation (both visual and verbal) makes it entertaining. You did a great job.
CJ, great series! I’ve been meaning to sit down with the new books for a long time, now, and you’re giving me the impetus to do so. Also, your ending graphic with Lucille and the weird music CREEPS ME THE **** OUT...
I thought something was odd. When you highlight the areas for special it shows Art/Craft but later you elaborate that special is Credit Rating and Cthulhu Mythos. Looking forward to new installments. Keep up the good work!
Yeah turns out playing with 3 people that are firm Christians with poorly defined characters is hard to get them to hate anyone enough to attack them. Silly me then for buying Cyberpunk 2020 just a few weeks ago then.
You’re not forced to use Lovecraft’s works. There are statistics for Ghost, Zombies, Mummies, Vanpires and werewolves. As well as animals. So you can really mix it up!
Just set your expectations right, and you will enjoy. Lovecraft is not about jump scares or action. It's not even moderately scary/shocking if you are a grown up. Lovecraft is about the heavy atmosphere. It's not electro music with heavy drops. It's like ambient music. "Terror" tv series are very Lovecraftian. It's hard to create this atmosphere during rpg session if players are not trying. Most people want to have fun after work during weekends, they want to eat pizza while playing. So most people play CoC like it's a funny thing anyway and cthulhu is this cute monster (it is).
@@abdur-raaziqmajiet3834 I'm still a bit undecided on the rule personally, mostly because I think it overlaps with Pushing a lot, and IMO Pushing is more fun and keeps the uncertainty part of a dice roll. But that's just an initial opinion, and I haven't keeped/played enough to be sure.
@@CaptainJellyBS most players tend to pick luck over pushing wherever possible as it is much safer. But it is quite enjoyable when they've spent all their luck and now they have to push their rolls as everything goes bad. It makes it even more intense. But the way I think is if I want the players to be more heroic than I use the rule.
These videos are awesome, mate! I have to disagree with SIZ being a useless stat though. Two uses I can think of off the top of my head are whether someone can fit through a small opening, or whether they might break through some rotten floorboards.
Someone trying to push or pull or otherwise move you will probably also have to deal with your SIZ. SIZ is a bit of a double-edged sword as well, I think.
Well, I recently read the novel call of cthulu and now imma run homebrewed DnD similar to call of cthulu for some friends, because almost everything I do is homebrew because I don't have any books.
I didn't know about combined skillrolls. Thanks to you now I know. Well, it is logical. I wondered will I make Batman or Launchpad kind character. I'll go with the pilot. By the way character with two persona/identity is hard to make. For example, how to make Batman. Characteristics: high Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Appearance, Intelligence, Education and Power. Just think what kind of character Batman is. Charismatic playboy, muscular and tolerant body, high detective skills and not even being afraid by ghosts. Ghosts are afraid of Batman
As someone who is new to Call of Cthulhu (the ttrpg not the Mythos of Cthulhu) I come from DND so imma be VERY confused with the "1 is a Critical Success"
CJ plz you do a podcast at somepoint! Also have you ever considered joining the Zodiac Killers animation group with Puffin Forest, Dingo Doodles etc..... Your art is just as good if not better then theirs so you probably could if you wanted to! (Edit) Apperantly its now "Ben and friends"... Im not going to ask why, and i dont want to know why.
Hey, great vid but you need to update your timestamps in the description box! The times are correct but the descriptions are not. I almost thought I was watching the first episode based on them.
Wonderful series, CJ! Your explanations are concise, clear, and entertaining. Sharing with my players. :) Quick question: what animation program do you guys use? I'm making a series of videos designed to explain legal concepts like copyright and contracts to creators and would love to experiment with whatever program you're using. Thanks and looking forward to your next CoC video
Probably my Human Wizard would join the party to gain access to the forbidden knowledge and would use her arcane power to seal the creatures (like the character from Dunwich's horror).
@@Danmarinja especially since Lovecraftian Eldritch creatures are part of D&D especially with Modekadien's tome of foes for 5th Edition which brings us the Star spawn heralds of the old Gods. Yup. Not to mention that the Cthulhu mythos was originally part of 1st Edition AD&D in the original printings of Dieties and Demigods.
Would October be the best time to search for a group for this game? I really want to play but never see any any "players wanted" posts at my gameshop for this.
So does anyone know if the keeper's handbook is all you need because i found a thing called the investigators handbook and i think that what im supposed to use for character creation.
I went to the local gamestore to get a copy of the Keepers Handbook; turns out the book is THICK; it has to be about an inch! This will take a while to read....
Quick Question: Our Keeper agreed to me being imune to sanity loss from certain things because of my back story is it fair or at least advisable I mean everyone else got a bonus to.
imagine coming upon a cultist or something that has gained use of magic due to one of the deities, and after trying to intimidate soldier, he looks him dead in the eyes and says to his face "I was roommates with a wizard that guarded the gates of HELL, and for three years I lived together with him before I got him kicked out and turned his castle into a raccoon sanctuary. YOU. DO. NOT. SCARE. ME."
Hi DST and CJ! I had translated this video into simplified Chinese and reposted it on www.bilibili.com/video/BV1JD4y1o7MN. Of course, I credit you and tell people who made this amazing video. I just put the link here that you can go and check it, I announced that SDT is the author and I put every link which could lead people to your TH-cam Channel down beside the video. If there's anything I missed or anything I need to change, just tell me, I'll re-edit it immediately. And if you don't want any more reposting, I would just delete them. And again, thank you for those great videos!
Question: You said to place a checkmark in the box next to a skill that we succeeded in using without using Luck. Suppose we rolled a success in an opposed skill roll, but our opponent rolled a hard success. Do we still mark that as a successful check for improvement purposes even though we lost the opposed roll?
I think my first character is going to be someone who is already insane. Probably good at fast talk, mythos, and a very very low intelligence for protection against Insanity
Cthulhu mythos is the one skill you usually cannot take as a starting skill (your keeper might make an exception). Low intelligence also has serious drawbacks, especially since it is used to generate part of your skill points. If you want protection against Insanity, a high-ass POW stat will do you a lot better. I'm pretty sure CJ will touch on most of these in the character creation video though! That being said, playing a character that is a bit whacky can be a boatload of fun for both you and your keeper (like everything, if you keep it within reasonable limits, of course)
What's most interesting is character development. So it's better to put a "knife" / hook in the backstory of your character, that will make it easy to develop insanity in convincing and moving way, so your buddies can enjoy your roleplay. Insanity is just insanity. Done. What's interesting is the fall into insanity ;)
I noticed that sometimes your colour coordinating of skills has some overlap (Language being Knowledge AND Social. I also noticed in your last example (Special) you list Credit Rating and Cthulhu Mythos but only highlight the 3 ART/CRAFT skills (which was before categorized as Knowledge). You got me confused now. LOL!
Everyone here is talking how cute Lucille is, but what about Scott? he's an adorable naive kid! I MUST PROTECC!!
"As your Keeper I want you to win..." Every CoC game should start this way!
Keyword is start 👀
encouraging gas lighting is very Cthulhu
Of course, running as GM is all about strategy and tactic. After all we need to planned carefully to keep the player successful but still at their toes until the last act.
Then Bam! We goes all-out-attack with the "fun" for our player.
Honestly, this advice for keepers was gold. It is great for players to get a satisfactory ending to their character. 😎
Lucille best girl 2019
TRUTH
I like her Greek design.
Smug girls best girls
There's always one of you roaches somewhere.......
She so cute
Lucille is quite short. Er, I mean delicately proportioned. Even in a tutorial, he's given them great personality!
I love how your explaining the rules with this cute story going on in the background!
"Cute"
@@ishvalda_ adorable cosmic horror my friend. Warms the heart and breaks the mind.
This is extremely useful, bravo!
Easiest way to spot a GM?
5:06 - the laugh! I think our keeper is secretly Krampus!
Another great vid thanks! :D
My hat's off to you sir. My brother is arranging a homebrew CoC and he invited me to play. I've done D&D but I'm not familiar with Cthulhu at all. So your video guide is really a lifesaver.
MADNESS. PURE MADNESS
This team would make a great Call of Cthulhu Animated Series! I love this heart-warmingly charming little story playing out in the background to your excellent introduction. Please convey my sincere thanks to you and your team for such an interesting mix of animated characters! If I might be so bold as to earnestly suggest that you start up your own animated series on this channel with these characters in a CoC adventure??? It might be a very exciting addition to your channel!
Perhaps you might consider this the start of a series of animated shorts perhaps as a reward for achieving a certain dollar threshold on your Patreon? *hint, hint* I for one would most certainly consider contributing toward such a goal as it has given this young professor character I play irl a smile not seen since before his sanity softly crumbled and his mind was cruelly [half-]devoured in the pursuit for forbidden knowledge!
I think this alone is worth a few SAN points back, eh CJ? *nudge, nudge*
Everyone who wants this to happen, say I!
@@CelestialKitsune975 That could be very interesting, although it'd be a lot of work for poor CJ.
Get a team
yes please make this a scenario for sale
@@CelestialKitsune9754 years late but i
The thing you have to keep at the forefront of your mind: the lower you roll, the BETTER. This messed me up a couple of times my first time DMing.
In certain specific cases higher will be better, but otherwise, generally you're aiming for lower rolls for skill/ability checks.
I well damn love these characters!
There seems to be a story going between them 🤔 I wonder what it be
There are no tentacles around yet, but here's hoping!
Couple of things--
One, technically the rulebook says it's always up to the player to describe what they're doing extra to push the roll; then, if they like, the keeper can foreshadow what that means if the roll fails. This is a minor point though, and the Keeper can suggest things if they like, I just like to keep it in mind because it puts the responsibility for improvisation on the player's shoulders, which can help a Keeper who's desperately trying to keep everything in a complex scenario in their head.
Second, the rules for spending Luck points are optional, but everyone I've seen so far really likes them!
Damn CJ, this series seriously looks great! Thanks for the videos!
Lucille new waifu
Yes, waifu until the tentacles sprout from her eyes.
Dracopol hot
Dracopol I’ve seen enough hentai to know where this is going! ;)
@@Dracopol even better
@@theatheistbear3117god no
lucille is too damm cute
This time stamp is gold, i had a doubt about some skills and i am becoming a keeper for the first time, tomorrow!
@BRITO Yep, it was amazing. Played a few games. Now i dm'ing curse of strahd.
Great opening animation and music.
All hail CJ, The Mega Mac Master of Mystery
You have saved my halloween!
Great series :)
I love the art for these, I don't plan on playing Call, but I'm enjoying the art enough to want to watch the tutorials - I'd love it if you'd share some stories from your Call of Cthulhu games with this art style!
I've been watching your vids since you were teaching D&D, HOW IS IT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE MORE SUBSCRIBERS!??!
Two thumbs up for the animators here, great work. Always thought CoC would be too much to learn, but this explanation makes it seem pretty straightforward.
1:30 Oh, hey, that warehouse is in my hometown!
Again, please make clear that the *Call of Cthulhu Quickstart* , with somewhat simplified rules, is not something you have to buy but is FREE.
And don't forget, Alone Against the Flames is also free! A solo adventure. NGL, CoC's on-boarding is so much more welcoming than DnD's.
Too late. I already bought the books.
@@probablynotasith5355 That's also a way about it though
Yep; fair warning though for those of you who might aquire them. They. Are. Thick. Maybe an inch or so.
second this! We get that you want people to click on your affiliate links, but not mentioning it is a bit sleazy.
one of the single best resources for learning and understanding the 7e rules. totally invaluable, thank you.
I like these videos. You hone in on what a player or GM needs to know and explain it clearly. The artful presentation (both visual and verbal) makes it entertaining.
You did a great job.
FINALLY, I've been waiting! I'm very impatient lol. sorry
This game sounds really cool. Thank you for such an easy to understand breakdown of character creation!
- Innkeeper Vase Odin
CJ, great series! I’ve been meaning to sit down with the new books for a long time, now, and you’re giving me the impetus to do so.
Also, your ending graphic with Lucille and the weird music CREEPS ME THE **** OUT...
Errybody talkin about Lucille but nobody talkin bout my boy Scott
I was playing call of Cthulhu for the first time on the same day this video was released. So that happened.
I thought something was odd. When you highlight the areas for special it shows Art/Craft but later you elaborate that special is Credit Rating and Cthulhu Mythos.
Looking forward to new installments. Keep up the good work!
*I love the count joke at the beginning .*
the production quality on your videos is incredible. nice work!
Hey man! Thanks for making these! I'm going to run a game in the near future and while I have the book, I'm a lot more visual for learning. So thanks!
As a DmD DM that struggles to get players to get involved in fights, I might seriously have to get CoC for a less action-based game now.
Now that's a first for me, D&D players that don't want to get involved in fights.
Yeah turns out playing with 3 people that are firm Christians with poorly defined characters is hard to get them to hate anyone enough to attack them. Silly me then for buying Cyberpunk 2020 just a few weeks ago then.
You're a life saver. Really appreciate your videos!
I heckin love this series: the animations are just wow, and the little flapper is so much cute.
A question; would you deal Shadowrun a day?
Shadowrun ..... yes please
Awesome tutorial series! Eldritch never had it so good.
Really gorgeous production value on this series, kudos!
Fantastic job explaining the basic rules!
Awesome ive been wanting this vid for a while
Just about to run a campaign and these vids have been awesome!
Amazing the work you've put here man!!!
Very enthusiastic and fun as always!
Excellent tutorial series. I read the rules and then watched this series to really get the grips. Great stuff mate!
Yay I'm actually verry excited for this.
I love all of this, keep doing this amazing job! You have a new suscriber!
This seems like a really interesting system, I’ve never looked into it since I’m not a big fan of Lovecraft but now I think I might.
You’re not forced to use Lovecraft’s works. There are statistics for Ghost, Zombies, Mummies, Vanpires and werewolves. As well as animals. So you can really mix it up!
Just set your expectations right, and you will enjoy. Lovecraft is not about jump scares or action. It's not even moderately scary/shocking if you are a grown up. Lovecraft is about the heavy atmosphere. It's not electro music with heavy drops. It's like ambient music. "Terror" tv series are very Lovecraftian. It's hard to create this atmosphere during rpg session if players are not trying. Most people want to have fun after work during weekends, they want to eat pizza while playing. So most people play CoC like it's a funny thing anyway and cthulhu is this cute monster (it is).
Melhor canal de RPG! Abraços do Brasil!
Adorable characters
Great videos! I’m learning a lot and can’t wait to watch the rest of the videos!
6:51 that look of indignation.
goddamit don't create another waifu, we have enough already
XD
Lucille the smug mini flapper? Welp, I like her, which means she's probably dead or worse by the end of this series.
@@Verbose_Mode THIS IS ANOTHER PROBLEM
@@adzi6164 - _CoC_ in a nutshell! Losing (our minds) is fun.
@@Verbose_Mode oh yes, I know XD
NEED MOAR
Great video, CJ! I'd just like to point out that spending luck on skills is an optional rule.
You're right, and it is such a fun optional rule.
@@DontStopThinking yeah, I've never not used it. But I do suppose it dampens the horror somewhat, so that's probably why it's optional.
@@abdur-raaziqmajiet3834 I'm still a bit undecided on the rule personally, mostly because I think it overlaps with Pushing a lot, and IMO Pushing is more fun and keeps the uncertainty part of a dice roll. But that's just an initial opinion, and I haven't keeped/played enough to be sure.
@@CaptainJellyBS most players tend to pick luck over pushing wherever possible as it is much safer. But it is quite enjoyable when they've spent all their luck and now they have to push their rolls as everything goes bad. It makes it even more intense. But the way I think is if I want the players to be more heroic than I use the rule.
Awesome thanks alot cant wheit to play it!
These videos are awesome, mate! I have to disagree with SIZ being a useless stat though. Two uses I can think of off the top of my head are whether someone can fit through a small opening, or whether they might break through some rotten floorboards.
Someone trying to push or pull or otherwise move you will probably also have to deal with your SIZ. SIZ is a bit of a double-edged sword as well, I think.
These videos are fantastic!
Just for that comment at the start, i'm making you as a Vampier NPC in my dnd world that i am running. I have a good feeling about it. :)
You should definitely add a "nictitating membrane" to your CJ character's eyes ;D
Thank you so much for making these!
I think the dilettante the best 😍
Looking great!
Great job I love this!
Lucille is adorable T.T must protec
Did you ever think 🤔 of doing a Campaign Diary 📔 for one of your Call of Cthulhu Campaign’s like Matt Colville?
I’ve tried to play coc for a long time but could never figure out what they do exactly until you
I love that you're doing this series, any chance of us seeing you DM a game in the future?
I second that proposition if possible
Its like how roosterteeth did their dnd 5e series named heroes and halfwits
Yey!
More CoC
14:58 Lucile's body is warping. Animation flaw? or Eldritch transformation?
foreshadowing maybe?
Well, I recently read the novel call of cthulu and now imma run homebrewed DnD similar to call of cthulu for some friends, because almost everything I do is homebrew because I don't have any books.
I didn't know about combined skillrolls. Thanks to you now I know. Well, it is logical. I wondered will I make Batman or Launchpad kind character. I'll go with the pilot. By the way character with two persona/identity is hard to make. For example, how to make Batman. Characteristics: high Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Appearance, Intelligence, Education and Power. Just think what kind of character Batman is. Charismatic playboy, muscular and tolerant body, high detective skills and not even being afraid by ghosts. Ghosts are afraid of Batman
As someone who is new to Call of Cthulhu (the ttrpg not the Mythos of Cthulhu) I come from DND so imma be VERY confused with the "1 is a Critical Success"
CJ plz you do a podcast at somepoint!
Also have you ever considered joining the Zodiac Killers animation group with Puffin Forest, Dingo Doodles etc..... Your art is just as good if not better then theirs so you probably could if you wanted to!
(Edit) Apperantly its now "Ben and friends"... Im not going to ask why, and i dont want to know why.
Hey, great vid but you need to update your timestamps in the description box! The times are correct but the descriptions are not. I almost thought I was watching the first episode based on them.
Awesome!! Second episode
Also, first comment!!
Wonderful series, CJ! Your explanations are concise, clear, and entertaining. Sharing with my players. :)
Quick question: what animation program do you guys use? I'm making a series of videos designed to explain legal concepts like copyright and contracts to creators and would love to experiment with whatever program you're using.
Thanks and looking forward to your next CoC video
After effects
I watched ep 1 just earlier today
Well done!
I am watching these hoping to eventually find a game but I know that I probably never will.
Question:what would happen if your dnd characters met your coc characters?
The DnD characters would probably try to pick a fight, or try to fight any of the eldritch creatures they come across.
@@Danmarinja Which must be mentioned, the D&D characters are extremely likely to win.
Sanity rolls for all the CoC characters
Probably my Human Wizard would join the party to gain access to the forbidden knowledge and would use her arcane power to seal the creatures (like the character from Dunwich's horror).
@@Danmarinja especially since Lovecraftian Eldritch creatures are part of D&D especially with Modekadien's tome of foes for 5th Edition which brings us the Star spawn heralds of the old Gods. Yup. Not to mention that the Cthulhu mythos was originally part of 1st Edition AD&D in the original printings of Dieties and Demigods.
love these videos but wish they were numbered so I know what order to watch them in
The number is on the upper left corner of the thumbnail.
Is it weird or wrong that I totally love Lucille? She’s a little badass and so pretty!
Everyone saying this dude is shrek or dracula, and I'm here wondering if I'm the only who hears The Count from sesame street
Episode 2! Ah, ah, ahhh. That's definitely the Count from Sesame Street.
Would October be the best time to search for a group for this game?
I really want to play but never see any any "players wanted" posts at my gameshop for this.
i wolud like to see a show of a campaign with these characthers, something like critical roll would be really cool
So does anyone know if the keeper's handbook is all you need because i found a thing called the investigators handbook and i think that what im supposed to use for character creation.
The keeper's handbook is all you need. The investigators' handbook is for people who only wants to play & nothing else.
Ok thanks that clears some things up.
I went to the local gamestore to get a copy of the Keepers Handbook; turns out the book is THICK; it has to be about an inch! This will take a while to read....
Call Of Cthulhu is very not bad
Quick Question:
Our Keeper agreed to me being imune to sanity loss from certain things because of my back story is it fair or at least advisable I mean everyone else got a bonus to.
I think it's fine. I don't have enough information, but there are countless of ways for you to lose sanity.
Oh thanks love your vids and I can't wait to learn more about this game thought of buying it together with dnd.
Watching this makes me want to play Jane/John Doe (the tf2 soldier) in a game of Call of Cthulhu.
imagine coming upon a cultist or something that has gained use of magic due to one of the deities, and after trying to intimidate soldier, he looks him dead in the eyes and says to his face "I was roommates with a wizard that guarded the gates of HELL, and for three years I lived together with him before I got him kicked out and turned his castle into a raccoon sanctuary. YOU. DO. NOT. SCARE. ME."
@@FitinLizard fuck it I'll allow it you also have a permit bonus dice against intimidate and a plus 5 to sanity because you're already batshit insane
Hi DST and CJ! I had translated this video into simplified Chinese and reposted it on www.bilibili.com/video/BV1JD4y1o7MN. Of course, I credit you and tell people who made this amazing video. I just put the link here that you can go and check it, I announced that SDT is the author and I put every link which could lead people to your TH-cam Channel down beside the video. If there's anything I missed or anything I need to change, just tell me, I'll re-edit it immediately. And if you don't want any more reposting, I would just delete them. And again, thank you for those great videos!
scott being persuaded by cash reminds me of azusa in k-on
remember the money hand meme?
that's her
Question: You said to place a checkmark in the box next to a skill that we succeeded in using without using Luck. Suppose we rolled a success in an opposed skill roll, but our opponent rolled a hard success. Do we still mark that as a successful check for improvement purposes even though we lost the opposed roll?
No. You should only put the check in when you win the opposed roll.
Do cyberpunk 2020 too please
Why? It's follow up Cyberpunk Red is around the corner. They already dropped a intro basic box set for it.
I think my first character is going to be someone who is already insane. Probably good at fast talk, mythos, and a very very low intelligence for protection against Insanity
Cthulhu mythos is the one skill you usually cannot take as a starting skill (your keeper might make an exception). Low intelligence also has serious drawbacks, especially since it is used to generate part of your skill points. If you want protection against Insanity, a high-ass POW stat will do you a lot better. I'm pretty sure CJ will touch on most of these in the character creation video though!
That being said, playing a character that is a bit whacky can be a boatload of fun for both you and your keeper (like everything, if you keep it within reasonable limits, of course)
@@CaptainJellyBS Alright, thanks!
Magicraft Mods So, you’re basically making Old Man Henderson. Great! Try to be nice to the Keeper (GM) though. Unless they TRULY deserve it!
What's most interesting is character development. So it's better to put a "knife" / hook in the backstory of your character, that will make it easy to develop insanity in convincing and moving way, so your buddies can enjoy your roleplay. Insanity is just insanity. Done. What's interesting is the fall into insanity ;)
Hey CJ! I know these are a lot of work, so take your time, but have you considered doing the Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars RPG series?
I noticed that sometimes your colour coordinating of skills has some overlap (Language being Knowledge AND Social. I also noticed in your last example (Special) you list Credit Rating and Cthulhu Mythos but only highlight the 3 ART/CRAFT skills (which was before categorized as Knowledge). You got me confused now. LOL!
Your English is great! Where are you from?