Why You Should Play... 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu

[@MySqueezingArm]

Fun piece of trivia: CoC is the most played TTRPG in Japan. It's so much more popular, it's like the D&D over there.

[@Thegaminggang]

I've got another fun bit of trivia too. Tunnels & Trolls is an extremely popular fantasy TTRPG in Japan. It seems when T&T came out, right after D&D, people in Japan couldn't easily get their hands of polyhedral dice so they passed on Dungeons & Dragons and went for Tunnels & Trolls because the later only used six sided dice. Which were super easy to get. ~ Jeff

[@AngryPict]

It's spelled Cthulhu, but pronounced "throatwobbler mangrove".

[@SteveDahlskog]

You don’t happen to be named Two-shed right?

[@SimonSedgwick]

I think the most importanf point to stress for new comers, especially D&D players, is that the 'how to play' is in the Keepers Guide. The Investigators Handbook is for expanding character development options and some 1920s setting information.

[@puente29712]

A Great Review. I've been a fan of his writing since I was 11. I have been a fan of the Choasim product since I was 12. I'm 52, now my friends play every few weeks. When we can. I 100% love the "Why you should play serious.:"

[@KabukiKid]

I have the 3rd Edition hardcover. I was given a softcover of 5.5e, as well, but I have never used it. Such a fun game! :-)

[@lilcwa]

Excellent, excellent presentation and summary of what is probably my all-time favorite skills-based RPG system

[@Thegaminggang]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@writerguy911]

Used this to introduce a good friend to roleplaying games and as it stands we are about two years into a sandbox campaign that I run every Sunday evening with friends back home (I live overseas). Just a fantastic system and great fun to play.

[@ianoag]

This is an amazing Edition. I've played the previous versions but this one seems extra streamlined - It's worth investing in the Hard Copies just for the Keeper Screen alone but you probably already know that - Congratulations! You just earned a subscriber in the UK!

[@Thegaminggang]

Thanks for watching and welcome aboard!

[@Wraithing]

Thanks Jeff. Through my almost forty years playing and running RPGs, I've played dozens of game systems (and IPs in the different systems); Call of Cthulhu still remains my favourite. System-wise, I think the percentile system (calibrated to a human scale) makes it extremely easy and relatable. And by being set in a historically grounded past, present (or future) understood reality - to become expanded or broken for all, through play - I've always found, the field of ways to begin stories is far more expansive than fantasy or SF: where players often need familiarity (hence so many taverns and spaceport bars) to begin their journey into the shared imagined space. So many great adventures and moments spent with this game at the table (and coffee table, sat on the rug, or even the top deck of a bus!). Brilliant game. Long may it continue!!

[@themadman967]

As a huge horror fan, Call of Cthulhu is right up my alley. It's made me want to make scenarios based on my favorite horror movies. And how you say Nyarlathotep is probably...no definitely better than how I's say it.

[@princealiaps3751]

Great review Jeff. Been a long term COC player/Keeper for 35 years & I think that 7th ed is probably the most complete. The sanity rules are great where you can rewrite backstory. I've heard people criticise the regular/half/extreme mechanic but honestly what's their beef? It's a nice way of adjudicating opposed rolls. My own caveats are the combat & healing flowcharts are a bit dense at first. Been running a Delta Green campaign in the 1960's but I love the 1920's so down the line will be running a COC set in my Native England.

[@alexplaysgames_2]

I already play this on Discord with my friends. :D Currently building my own fictional town that has mythos origins. This game has also been taking place in 2008.

[@kathyevans3251]

It looks like a good game to try.Thank you for your review.

[@Wraithing]

Hi Kathy Sent a nice longer reply earlier, but it was deleted - TLDR: recommended Alone Against the Flames.

[@reptar33]

Great review, have you made a video ranking your favorite supplemental books or books you should own?

[@nutherefurlong]

Not too long ago there were those first edition reprints, wondering how the game mechanisms have changed over the years. You mention ways to mitigate bad rolls but is there anything else pretty substantial? Or is it mainly just a further refinement? I will say that when there's a sort of picking-from-the-bestiary style setup, it does feel nice to get nods to the old stories but I guess what I'd want out of a game, running it or as a player, would be something that was sort of new. Are there horror creation tools in this edition, or maybe other supplements? Or do they mainly rely on established powers to frame interesting adventures around? Do some campaigns/adventures emphasize more sandbox style of exploration or are they more storyline style mysteries?

[@captaindemobeard9560]

Masks of Nyarlathotep eh. Nyarlathotep is my favourite villain in all of fiction. I hope he's portrayed well there. He's so creepy in the stories. I love it.

[@SEKr609]

My favorite game.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

If I had to pick only one game, this would be it. It's my go-to game for introducing people to the hobby. I'm still getting used to 7th Ed. I've only run it a couple time so far.

[@aaronsomerville2124]

It's a great game, but I prefer the older editions.

[@johnmascola3403]

Thank You Jeff. Question in my mind. What is the difference between 7th Ed. Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green ? Please respond to my question. Thanks Again !

[@Thegaminggang]

They are similar games since Delta Green was originally a third party supplement for a much earlier edition of Call of Cthulhu. Now they are two separate games, although they both use a percentile system for action resolution. DG focuses on conspiracies player characters are mostly government agents. Call of Cthulhu's default setting is during the 1920s and characters can be just about any occupation. I find many of the DG adventures to be quite a bit darker and more twisted than CofC. ~ Jeff

[@johnmascola3403]

@@Thegaminggang Thank You So Much Jeff ! You just got me hooked into Both games.

[@papapaulrocks]

fell in love with the system ever since watching Crittical Role’s Shadow of the Crystal Palace followed by The Auction ran by Becca Scott and the Chaosium’s Bookshops of Arkham. my group loved how easy to pick the game up. although we dont run it every week, it is always a welcome change of pace to be chased down by mythos and get goosebumps and the jeebie heebies every session.

[@papapaulrocks]

awesome review as always, jeff! thank you

[@theoavg]

I believe that you should try to recreate the world as it was at the time. For instance a woman dressed provocatively should be considered promiscuous and a man stepping out on his wife should be frowned upon. Or if someone forced himself onto a church going lady then it should come as no surprise if he gets sent to the hospital. I mean this is old times and many things we consider mainstream today at that time were a novelty. For instance today taking the law into your own hands would be considered a no no but not so much at that era.

[@Subcomandante73]

The artwork is a mixed bag and most of it doesn't really seem to do a good job of conveying the setting and ambiance of Lovecraftian horror.

[@tylerdubois4603]

Cthulwho

[@hagbardceline7118]

HP Lovecraft was in fact pretty bigoted even for his time, but yeah, it doesn't really matter for the game.

[@user-bm2zb3uh7k]

I doubt he was more racist than average (that’s not saying much though). I just think there’s more evidence of it given how prolific an author he was. He wasn’t, for instance, a member of the Kkk. I think most people would be shocked to consider what mainstream attitudes were like back then. We should consider the historical context and the impact of such events as WW1. And how susceptible people were to the kinds of propaganda being circulated. These people didn’t live as comfortably as we do. And Lovecraft’s writings would be reflective of his anxieties around these issues . I think, having accurately acknowledged the context of his disagreeable attitudes , instead of labelling him uniquely bad, we can then be free to actually enjoy the positive things he accomplished.

[@Elmmoful]

Hopefully you can manage a video with no politics lol 4 and a a half minute in lol nope hahaha

[@Thegaminggang]

I'm about ready to block you.

[@wbbartlett]

That was a moral / ethical viewpoint - not a political one.

[@Thegaminggang]

Thanks Warren. This moron doesn't know nor care to understand the difference.

[@Manticore00]

I understand that you prefer not to have the views and morals of a man whose been dead for nearly a hundred years now be brought up like in nearly every video on anything Lovecraft, but someone was going to bring it up, so at least Jeff addresses it in the video, instead of having someone in the comments be like “I would like to point out(for the billionth time) that Lovecraft was *gasp* racist!

[@Thegaminggang]

Thanks Emu! The main reason I made mention of Lovecraft's personal views is because I've had gamers tell me they WILL NOT play Call of Cthulhu (or any other Mythos game) because of his racism. Personally, I think we can separate the sandbox from the man who built it while also pointing out the author wouldn't be the sort most of us would want to be pals with. ~ Jeff