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Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu is a horror TTRPG that has 3-5 investigators go from normal, everyday people to firsthand combatants of the horrors of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. Fans of Locke and Key, Lovecraft Country, and Stranger Things, will love Call of Cthulhu. Everything from the space-traveling Byakhee, to the towering monstrosities known as the Great Race of Yith can be encountered in the tales the Keeper spins. Whether it is reality-bending gods or violent cultists enacting dark rituals; no matter the case: it’s up to the Investigators to stop these horrors and come out of it alive... If they are lucky.

Originally created by Sandy Petersen

Details

3-6 Players
Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine

Themes

Cosmic Horror
Historical
Mystery
Eldritch Horror

Publisher

Release Date

Originally Published: 1981, 7th Edition Released: 2014
Call of Cthulhu Reviews (19)

See what other Game Masters and players are saying about Call of Cthulhu

DM Disaster avatar

DM Disaster

New review

You're an Investigator thrown into a world where knowing is more dangerous than ignorance. You're not a Hero like in fantasy RPGs or, rather, you are but not in the traditional sense. You don't gain recognition for your work. You aren't given titles or land or anything of the sort. Instead, you're exposed to the illogical, the mysterious, the supernatural... and you never come back the same. This game isn't about winning but rather it's about putting emphasis on the unknown as Investigators fight off madness and death all while watching their friends dive head first into it.

Chris avatar

Chris

New review

Call of Cthulhu is a game that encourages a mindset that is different to so many other systems out there. In this game, you are investigators, journalists, every day people experiencing things that threaten to unravel the mind. Unlike fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder, however, your characters put themselves at terrible risk for simply witnessing these events. Trying to face the horrors and the creatures that you see very easily could lead to your untimely demise. Even if you survive, there’s no guarantee your mind will escape unchanged. The system uses percentile dice (D100s) to determine success and failure. The game is focused pretty much entirely on yours skills, and there are a lot of skills for players to choose from. This can feel overwhelming for newer players as they try to figure out which skills should be focused on, how much they should put into each skill, and any other number of factors. However, the book does provide sample choices and ranks to help ease this burden. Much of the game is about investigating mysteries, gathering clues and hints, and unearthing the terrible truths of our world. Monsters that are encountered typically prove beyond human capacity to do real harm to, and any harm a player suffers isn’t so easily repaired. For Game Masters, this game lets you create a mystery across a variety of times and settings. There are adventures premade if you are new, and these do a good job of introducing the mechanics and themes of the game while also giving you a story to reel players in and ratchet up the tension. Sanity is just as much of a resource to track as Health, and neither one of these is very easy to get back after it is lost forcing characters to think carefully about how brave they want to be. I would suggest this to anyone that enjoys thinking deeper into legends and stories. Creating the reason for things being the way they are, the true purpose of secret societies, and the horrors of what watch us from beyond our own reality create an experience that few other systems can replicate.

DM 'Ironheart' Melo avatar

DM 'Ironheart' Melo

New review

1920's hard boiled detectives who can take a punch and go insane, why ask for more! CoC is a skill based game that players will use wit and ingenuity to solve their problems but also realize that having 4hp vs a monster that does 3d6 damage isnt a smart thing to go up against. Fight cults, discover relics and go slowly insane with power or without power. - chases take a bit to learn but are an integral part of the game. - mental breakdowns are great but they take away player agency as the GM takes over your PC - the best compliment you can get from a player "i dont know whats going on" - Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

ChaoticCreative avatar

ChaoticCreative

New review

This system lends itself quite well to long investigations, roleplay heavy sessions, and the mind and reality bending events often featured in Lovecraftian novels. The only downside is that the system is so good at driving that particular Lovecraftian formula, it tends to make the game feel like it's always the same after prolonged play.

Shatargat avatar

Shatargat

New review

Ran 219 sessions

Call of Cthulhu is the best horror starter, because it teaches you that a roleplaying game is not mostly about rolling dice or being powerful. Instead, it's about living in the moment and sharing the chaos beyond everything together. It shapes your personality, and your character's personality as well. In the end, "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."

GM MorganJ avatar

GM MorganJ

New review

Ran 18 sessions

I really enjoy Call of Cthulhu. It’s a good combination of die rolling and character stats affecting game play while not getting too nitty-gritty. There are lots of games where you play heroes who succeed, but this is more realistic where you are regular people struggling to face horrific situations. It’s a different feel, one that’s not for everybody. That’s ok. There are other even simpler horror systems, but this has really stood the test of time and has what many people from all gaming backgrounds consider to be the single best campaign out there (even better than Curse of Strahd, which certainly has the name recognition), The Masks of Nyarlathotep. It’s globe spanning, terror inducing, machination thwarting, and … just maybe … world saving.

How to play Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu uses a percentile-based skill system, where players roll two ten-sided dice to produce a number 1–100, trying to roll under their skill level, which is rated as a percentage chance to succeed on an average task in that skill. Famously, it also has a Sanity stat which wears down as investigators delve deeper into forbidden knowledge and encounter mind-bending evidence of the Cthulhu Mythos in their world. Player characters’ fates frequently include descent into madness or death.

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Call of Cthulhu map makers

Cthulhu Architect

Cthulhu Architect designs modern maps suitable for various RPGs, including Call of Cthulhu. Their maps are versatile and can be used in multiple settings, providing detailed environments for investigators to explore.

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Lovemaps

Lovemaps creates unique, detailed maps specifically for Call of Cthulhu RPGs. Their maps are designed to immerse players in a Lovecraftian atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience.

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Jason Thompson (Mockman)

Jason Thompson, known as Mockman, is a comic artist and illustrator who has created walkthrough maps for classic Call of Cthulhu scenarios, such as 'The Haunting.' His detailed maps help players navigate complex environments.

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Miska's Maps

Miska's Maps offers high-quality sci-fi and fantasy battlemaps and props for tabletop RPGs, including Call of Cthulhu. Their work is designed for both print and virtual tabletops, providing a range of maps suitable for various settings.

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Call of Cthulhu community artists

Jason Thompson (Mockman)

Jason Thompson, known as Mockman, is a comic artist and illustrator renowned for his detailed walkthrough maps of classic Call of Cthulhu scenarios. His work, such as the 'The Haunting' walkthrough map, provides players with intricate visual guides to navigate complex environments.

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Marion Anderson

Marion Anderson is a designer and illustrator who has worked on various Call of Cthulhu publications. She contributed to the 'Cairo Guidebook,' providing over thirty maps and building plans of temples and other popular tourist sites, enhancing the game's immersive experience.

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Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan is a cartographer who has contributed to Call of Cthulhu publications, including the 'Terror Australis' supplement. His work includes detailed maps that enrich the game's settings and adventures.

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John T. Snyder

John T. Snyder is an American artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games, including Call of Cthulhu. He is known for his fantasy art, contributing to the game's atmosphere with his illustrations.

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Frequently asked questions about Call of Cthulhu

Explore Call of Cthulhu Classes
Author image

Author

Picking the CoC Author occupation isn’t going to keep you alive when the bullets fly, but it will give you an edge in knowing more about the larger mysteries at play. Authors come with knowledge in all manner of culture, history, and the occult. They even dabble in psychology to help reveal the secrets shady characters are hiding from the party.

Cat Burglar  image

Cat Burglar

The cultists of Cthulhu gotta be hiding somewhere, and that place has to have a door. This occupation gives you the tools to break in, eavesdrop on important bad guy conversations, and get away with their all-important cursed plot item.

Explorer image

Explorer

When the time comes to find the location of a lost temple, your group will be glad to have an Explorer along. Become Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake as you climb, swim, jump, and otherwise navigate your way through harsh lands.

Investigative Journalist image

Investigative Journalist

This occupation makes use of a variety of knowledge and investigation skills to get answers. You’ll get the skills needed to research and recall history, but also the interpersonal skills to question leads and talk your way into places you’re not supposed to be in. You’re not much help in a fight, but you should be crafty enough to avoid one.

Nurse image

Nurse

CoC’s version of a nurse is one who has a bedside manner to match their medical skill. They have boosts to their science, medicine, and first aid rolls. They also excel in listening and one interpersonal skill such as persuading or fast talking.

Private Investigator image

Private Investigator

Get right in the mix with this iconic pulp class. When you play a CoC Private Investigator, you’ll have skills for knowledge, discovery, and persuasion. You can also choose to do things the less legal way by relying on disguise, photography, and firearms. This occupation mixes well with any group by allowing you to adjust your playstyle on the fly.

Professor image

Professor

Before players get to the occult powers behind a CoC mystery, they often have to contend with the more apparent obstacles of lost history and human conspiracy. The Professor Occupation goes all in on giving you several knowledge proficiencies to research these things. You can pick your academic specialty to better suit the theme of whatever game you’re playing.

Archaeologist image

Archaeologist

The skills associated with Archaeologist are a good mix of investigative and field work, making it a solid beginner class. They know their history and get an additional language, always good base skills for a globe-trotting case. When it comes to getting their hands dirty, they can repair mechanical devices and spot hidden things.

Dilettante image

Dilettante

The Dilettante occupation makes you the person of action. While others are looking for answers in dirty old tomes, you’re infiltrating secret gatherings with your high society charm. If things get dicey, and you somehow fail to talk your way out, you have the ability to shoot your way out with firearm proficiency.

Soldier image

Soldier

While eldritch horrors tend to be beyond the scope of human weaponry, the cultists that serve them are very much not. And someone has to protect all the researchers on the team. Enter the Soldier. You’ve got physical skills for traversing all manner of terrain as well as the ability to throw down with either fisticuffs or firearms.

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