Will You Answer the Call of Cthulhu? 8 Reasons It May or May Not Be Right for Your Group

Greetings, gamers from all systems, places and timelines!

Is the Call of Cthulhu RPG as maddening as its reputation suggests? The system offers a  journey into the Lovecraftian world of mystery and macabre. Because who’s not up for an evening filled with suspense and shoggoths? However, a game surrounding a group of somewhat ordinary characters set in the 1920s might not be everyone’s idea of a good time. We’re a few adventures into DM Thorin’s Call of Cthulhu 7E campaign, and like we did with the TSR Marvel Super Hero RPG, we put together some points to help you determine if the stars are right for you to introduce the Call of Cthulhu to your players.

1. It Is a Mystery 

If your players aren’t interested in taking on the role of investigators trying to solve a mystery, this probably isn’t the game for them. Now, to up the ante, this will be a mystery filled with both strong elements of horror and the supernatural. However, everyone will have to find and collect clues to crack the case.

So, your rewards after encounters are likely to be information or tips instead of just loot, but that’s there as well (just more sparingly and without any weapons with pluses). 

2. It Encourages Creative Problem Solving 

Some players, like myself, enjoy a good encounter of hacking and slashing. While combat is present in Call of Cthulhu, it’s something you should think twice about. Because maybe the police in 1920s Boston don’t want to hear that you just shot up a store because its shopkeeper was a ghoul. Nor are the local police ok with you carrying around enough guns to get you through a zombie apocalypse, even if one is right around the corner. 

3. It’s Gritty and Mostly Realistic 

An even more important reason why your characters should avoid fights is because someone could die in literally any combat scenario. Don’t believe me? The first time my group played this system, someone died in each of the first two games. Later, when I played this system with a new group, my character almost died in the first game falling down some stairs.

So, if you always wanted to play in a system where a single gunshot or stab from an ordinary knife can kill someone, then you’ve found what you’re looking for. 

4. Your Team Will Not Be the X-Men 

In this game, you will not be playing the part of either a spell-casting mage or a superhero in tights. Instead, my childhood best friend is playing a waitress. This makes it much easier to instill actual fear in the party because you and your friends are indeed squishy. And while you can advance your skills between mysteries, your life totals do not.

So, take a good look at your starting life total because that’s probably all you’re getting. But this fits the system’s flavor because someone shouldn’t just shrug off three or more gunshot wounds unless they’re in a John Wayne movie. 

5. Ignorance Is Bliss 

Because the stories are designed to inspire terror, some of the things discovered may literally damage your sanity. That’s right, you have an actual sanity score and, just like hit points, you don’t want to run out of that. So, be careful what you stare at when looking for clues from a crime scene because everywhere is potentially a haunted house and you could win an all-expenses-paid trip to a 1920s sanitarium. 

6. Spells Are Not for the Faint of Heart 

While it’s understandably tempting to read that mysterious black book you found in the cultist’s basement, it will just not end well. Learning about the forbidden truths surrounding the Cthulhu mythos will rot your sanity away faster than you can say Hastur.

Case in point, we have one member of our team who’s dabbling with magic and there just isn’t enough Prozac in Arkham to help him sleep through the night. 

7. The Skill Checks Are Backwards and Unforgiving 

In nearly every system my group has ever played in, rolling high is a good thing. Except in Call of Cthulhu. Because rolling a 99 while firing a gun is nothing you want to happen when you have a friend who’s anywhere near you.

While it can be frustrating when your character bombs a check in their strongest skill, it also keeps everyone grounded. In Call of Cthulhu, you will always need to be ready with a backup plan or some improv. 

8. Roleplay Is Both Welcomed and Encouraged 

Because the players really need to come up with creative solutions to problems, Call of Cthulhu leads to some excellent roleplay. In fact, as I look back at all of the games we played this year, some of the absolute best came from this game. Now, understandably, the players in the party are a huge factor in this. But you will find that, because combat should be avoided, it may be replaced by some of the best roleplay your players can dish out. 

Final Thoughts 

The Call of Cthulhu RPG is worth checking out for any RPG players who also enjoy the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Or anyone who was always curious about them but doesn’t have the time to power-read through his complete works.

The environment is dark and gritty, so players who like to punch or shoot their way out of situations may have a hard time. Also, the game will require attention to detail by both the person running it and the players. All the clues have to be introduced in a way that fits the flow of the game and proper attention is given to them when discovered.  

Like with any new system, it’s advised to run a one-shot game and see where it goes. While crawling around in dungeons is near and dear to our hearts, a little variety can be the spice of your gaming life. If you have played or are currently playing this system, we would love to hear both your stories and take on it.