How to Run CoC in 2021

 (taken from an exchange on the I'm Begging You To Play Another RPG Facebook page)

Question: "If there’s one thing I’ve learned from D&D, it’s that all RPGs have three core books. What are the core books for your game?"

Tedankhamen: CoC rulebook, Dreamlands of Unknown Kadath, my fevered brain

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• Mr X "my fevered brain" is my favorite rpg sourcebook 

  

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    Tedankhamen

    Yeah, it is why this game has gone 10 sessions with no signs of stopping, we've left Earth for the Dreamlands, and PCs are picking up skills like The Cat Dance and spells like Summon Cats. Epic, off the rails.

    

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  • Mr X summoning cats is definitely the most important spell

    

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    Tedankhamen I'm also realizing that CoC is dated and clunky, but also great fun when hacked this way.

    

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    Tedankhamen It will probably save their lives and end the campaign...

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  • Mr X I've yet to play CoC, but I imagine the weirder you go the better it gets

    

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    Tedankhamen Oh definitely! The rules themselves give an old school, clunky 'this is mundane reality' vibe, THEN you throw Dreamlands or non=Euclidean physics at them. It is the upending of the sane mesh of rules from whence the cosmic horror emanates bwahahahahaha

    

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  • Mr X I love that! I like challenging my players assumptions about how the world works (within reason) to keep them on their toes, or in this case, reinforce the themes of the game

    

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    Tedankhamen  It is unintended consequence of outdated game design and Beggar psychology / gaming methodology

Re-animating Lovecraft

 In a very real way, Lovecraft is dead.

From a Ghostbusters cartoon episode to plush toys to anime, Lovecraftean has almost become a pastiche of itself. The Cthulhu Mythos has jumped the pop cultural shark. Sandy Peterson is making supplements for D&D, a heroic system that is the antithesis of the helplessness at the heart of cosmic horror.

In this context, it is easy to see why Call of Cthulhu (CoC) games seem largely relegated to Haloween one shots and abortive campaigns.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

I just ran my 11th session, with no end in sight. Players seem excited to see what happens next, and keep asking about the next session.

How did I reanimate Lovecraft? Here are a few tips:

1 Explore more than the mythos.

Players have mostly read some Lovecraft stories, or thumbed through the rulebook. This takes lots of suspense out of the game. Add some mystery by including factions not described in mythos fiction or game material.

For example, our PCs discovered the ruins of a moon base put there by antediluvian humans with an eye in their foreheads. Who were these ancient 3 eyed hominids? I'm not sure I know myself, but listening to the players muse about their origins (and generate ideas for me) is a hoot,

2 Roll with their punches

Our game began with an old professor friend who had made an 'exciting discovery' in the desert getting kidnapped by a Latino gang in El Paso. After a rescue of the professor, the PCs planned an executed a daring raid on the gang HQ to retake the MacGuffin.

At first I balked at their D&D-style heroic plans, but I let them have their way and they carried it off. By rolling with the punches, a Keeper lets the Players know they have freedom to act in the world. Speaking of freedom...

3 See the sights

Just like D&D is dull and demotivating if PCs never see dungeons or dragons, Call of Cthulhu gets boring if it is just a haunted house, monster-of-the-week exercise. In our game, PCs have visited the Tennger tribe in Indonsia, and spirit walked inside the deadly Nepalese peak Annapurna. Just before we went on hiatus for the summer, the PCs had arrived in the Dreamlands, and were busy interacting with the cat people of Bast's city. They also learned about our next point...

4 Allow some light to creep in

CoC is known for magic powers that come at a great price, spells that degrade your Sanity so much they are not worth the trouble.

I've introduced other powers with less drawback to the game. One PC learned a simple Psionic power from indigenous people, as well as how to summon cats in the Dreamlands. Another has a magic weapon found on the aforementioned moon base, and is studying 'the Cat Dance' (a form of auto-dodge with limitations) from catfolk. This adds a whole new dynamic to the game, which is strangely in keeping with the Dreamlands.

These are just a few things that I feel are contributing to the longevity of our game.

Lasers & Feelings Play Report

Message from Mission Command to USS Indefatigable

You've been tasked to survey an anamolous planet near the Neutrality Zone

Sensors have been unable to penetrate its elector-magnetic field

It was passed over in a survey of the sector 100 years ago, but now the Confederation wants you to knock on the door

SHIP

The Indefatigable (The Indie)

PROS: Fuscia interior, Good shields, Sensors

CON: Grim reputation

CREW: Command 6 + 15 support below decks

 

CHAIN OF COMMAND

 

Chain of command: 

Captain - Dr. C (dangerous scientist, solve space mysteries, L&F 5)

1st officer - 88-8135 (engineer droid, wants to be captain, L&F 2)

2nd  - Solly (emergency doc, wants to heal xeno diseases, L&F 5)

 

 

Bridge: Dr. C , 88-8135, Nokia (hot shot pilot, L&F 2, wants to prove his worth)

 

Away team: Flempf (hotshot explorer, wants to stay awesome, L&F 2), Cass (hotshot soldier, wants to shoot em up, L&F 4), Solly (doc 5), red shirt Mc Gee

Mission Log: USS Indefatigable

Stardate XYZ123.6 Mission casualties: 1 Collateral damage: 2 shuttle craft, 2 discount androids, a small amount of trilexium fuel, ALL OF OUR TINFOIL

We sent a shuttlecraft into the magnetic field and lost contact immediately upon entry. Reports from crewmen Starchild and Cassiopeia, as well as Dr. Solly describe the situation as follows: an ancient race of beings has determined this planet to be a prison for a race of beings they called Dextromethazoids or Democraticons. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that these creatures were determined to be too agressively evolved for the universe at large, and thus have been confined to this planet by means of a strong electromagnetic field that disables all electronic devices that come in contact with it. 

Our first shuttle craft crashed on the surface, and the survivors attempted to disable the field from there. Meanwhile, aboard the ship, our scans detected the location of field emitters at the north and south poles, but before we could deal with them, a Cromulan Warbird approached and claimed this area of space as Cromulan territory. I told them that no such official claim had been made of their behalf. They did not agree, and we were at a stalemate.

When the Cromulans were not looking, we constructed a makeshift explosive device with the intention of dropping it and a large amount of heavy matter from orbit onto the north emitter. Unfortunately, the shuttle craft carrying the device was piloted by our two worst androids, and got too close to the field and was lost.  

Soon after, our away team successfully disrupted the field long enough for us to teleport them away, at which time they gave their report. It is the opinion of this captain that the planet is of no use to the Confederation, but that the Cromulan Empiracy may seek to use methods similar to our own to dismantle the planet’s defenses and bring the Dexterwhatsits under their control. A Confederate patrol is thus recommended for the area.

Transmission ends

Advice on Running Social Interactions With NPCs

 Hi everyone!

This is advice I sent my CoC players and thought I'd share. Please enjoy.

 

I just thought I’d clear things up about social interactions with NPCs.

 

Mostly, I just roleplay the NPC as if they were a real person. In the first session when Lady Jane offered her sword to a policeman in a shootout, he boggled at her and shouted, “Just get some backup lass!” Ditto for when Shirly Bath walked into a hospital brandishing a shotgun and people freaked out. Act nice & they’re nice, act not and they’ll respond in kind.

 

When you need to get an NPC to do something special, here is basically my procedure:

 

Here is some advice about running NPCs that I shared with my players.

SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH NPCS

Tedankhamen will explain the NPC’s motivations

You can add or point out things that may be off

If we agree on these particulars, we move to the resolution.

 

There are then 3 skills you can choose from

 

Fast Talk – For when you need to flim flam in a rush.

 

Persuade – For when you need to appeal to reason or their better nature.

 

Credit Rating – For when you want to make a deal.

 

After choosing which route is possible and best for the situation, you enter into the roleplay & roll.

 

First, you act out what your character says.

If it makes sense or sounds good, you get a flat roll or even a bonus if done well.

If it doesn’t make sense or sounds off, you might get a penalty or automatic refusal.

Then you roll the bones.

A critical success might mean you get extra information or help.

Straight failure means they might still point you in the direction of someone who can help.

A fumble just means refusal, unless there is a good story reason for them to turn on you (ie secretly a nazi).

 

I am just trying to balance out the roleplaying and roll playing in a fun and fair way.

Hope that helps!

Stormbringer Redux # 3 - Squad Combat

Originally, I had posted this as a proposal for a Mass Combat system. However, JB rightly pointed out the elegance and simplicity of the old Stormbringer POW save to survive mass combat and avoid unnecessary dice rolling. That is the fun of posting things like this. You get to go back and rethink and rediscover the games you love, and hear opinions from people who share that love, but see things a little differently. 

I think both the system I propose and the old, elegant POW save have their places. For example, if your PCs are leading a squad sneaking into an enemy fortress, you might find my rules useful. If you are caught in the city while armies clash about you, JB's praise of the old rules makes perfect sense.

Now back to the post...

I'd like to get past combat hacks and move into the big picture. I always felt there were two gaping holes in the old Stormbringer game:

1) Lack of a squad combat system.

2) Lack of mechanics governing the struggle between Law and Chaos

Today, I'll try to figure out the first of  these two, and tackle the second next time.

SQUAD COMBAT

Mass combat was basically dismissed as for 'fighting fools' in Stormbringer, and the two methods for resolving them given below simply handwaive the outcome of the conflict, and only determine the survival of player characters.

I find neither of these options satisfying, as large battles that put the heroes in the thick of the action are a staple of the Elric books, and indeed all of Moorcock's fiction.

Instead, I would implement the simple rule hack of using unit types as characters. Simply use the stats of a member of each unit fighting as an extra character. If numbers are unequal, the greater number gets an extra attack per multiple by which they outnumber their foe. Also, cover or good terrain should also give an extra attack, serve as armor, or reduce the to hit roll or attack numbers of the enemy. Damage is recorded as normally, but when either side is reduced to zero, this simply means one member of the unit is slain or defeated, and thus Hit Points return to full to signify the next combatant stepping into the breach.

For example, if Elric is leading a band of Melniobneans against some pirates attacking Imrryr, he and the pirate leader are the main characters in the conflict, while the Melnibonean warriors and pirates are the secondary unit characters. If the pirates outnumber the Melniboneans 3 to 1, they will get 2 extra attacks. However, if they Melniboneans are on a fortified battle barge against wooden ships, the Gamelord can reduce the number of pirate attacks.

The Gamelord should decide in advance what the victory conditions are, based on the situation and stakes of the conflict. Fanatic enemies will need to be defeated to the last man, while desperate or poorly motivated troops may break ranks and flee when their numbers are reduced to half.

This simple hack can be ported to other Chaosium games. Imagine the fun of having your investigators in Call of Cthulhu accompany a squad of the 1st Bombay Grenadiers on a raid against Thuggee cultists.

House Rule - No More Fumbles

So, people hate fumbles.

My original Stormbringer game fizzled because the heroes fumbled poorly when trying to burgle a fat apothecarist and his 2 guards. One character broke his greatsword, another shot an arrow into a comrade. Since then, I have used fumbles sparingly, and often ask players what they think should happen.

Today, I ran across this post on a Facebook page: 

"Any game (be it D&D/PF/WFRP/Runequest) ran by Joey:

Joey: This is a heroic campaign. You'll be mighty warriors of peerless skill and stuff of legends.

Also Joey: We're playing with my critical fumble house-rule meaning that every time your PC attacks and rolls a nat 1/below 5%/snake eyes they hit themselves or a nearby ally for full damage.

Folks, whatever you're doing, don't use fumbles. Failing hysterically at something you're supposed to be good at 5% of time just isn't heroic. If you want to use it, call the game slapstick comedy and not saga of legends."

How about instead of a BAD thing happening to the PCs, which detracts from heroism and imperils the shared story, we let a GOOD thing happen to the bad guys. Namely, for every fumble rolled, the opponents can turn one miss into a hit. Since PCs are usually well armed and armored, this heightens the tension and challenge without turning combat into comedy.

What about the reverse? Maybe give the PCs a free attack, or let them have some minor advantage they ask for (ie free retreat from combat, or time to grab an item, etc).

Anything is better than just fumbles.

Stormbringer Redux # 2 - Signature Weapon Attacks

It looks like these little bonsai-style snips at the combat system are my entry into re-constructing Stormbringer. I'll continue in this vein with signature weapon attacks.

SIGNATURE WEAPON MOVES

Now in the old game rules, the only signature attack was the riposte. The rule goes like this:

Although the rules do not specify what weapon this is for, ripostes are generally associated with swords, and the example given is of Elric using Stormbringer. So for this installment, I'll try to construct a number of signature weapon attacks based on the Riposte template.

Now, I don't want to make a bloated list of special feats or attacks that turn this into D&D or a PbtA game. Sure there were feints, hooks, trips, and a plethora of other techniques common to all weapons. Instead, I'd like to propose one signature move for each weapon type, based on the template of the Riposte, to give flavour to the game and some options for players.

THE RIPOSTE TEMPLATE

Let's review how a Riposte works:

1) The wielder has to be a Master (90% or higher skill).

2) In combat, if the character makes a successful Parry, they can then Riposte (counter attack).

3) Consecutive attacks incur a penalty of 20%, whether they are Attacks or Ripostes.

So a template for a signature weapon attack has to have the following:

1) A precondition

2) A successful roll

3) Logical limits

Here are my creations:

SWORDS - Riposte (as above)

Riposte as above. When a character parries successfully, they may also make an attack roll.

1) Precondition: Weapon mastery, over 90% in skill

2) Roll: A successful Parry

3) Limits: Minus 20% penalty for each consecutive Attack after the first

AXES - Cleave

On a successful attack (ie successfully rolled and not successfully defended against), an axe can Cleave a weapon, armor, or unarmored limb.

1) Precondition: Weapon mastery, over 90% in skill

2) Roll: A successful Attack

3) Limits: On a successful attack, damage is rolled but applied to the weapon, armor, or limb of the attacker's choice. If damage rolled exceeds the maximum damage of a weapon, maximum reduction roll of armor, or half hit points of an unarmored character, then the weapon, armor, or limb is considered destroyed.

NB: Magical weapons can only be cleaved by magical axes.

Example

Count Baldhead is fighting a Melnibonean guard at the Sack of Immryr and decides to use his Sea Axe (2d6+2 plus bonus of d6) to cleave the Melnibonean's plate (d10+2, so maximum reduction 12) to allow his comrades to finish the foe. He rolls 4, 5, and 3 on his dice, for a total of 14. The Melniobnean plate is destroyed, and now the guard has only his greatsword to defend himself against the reavers.

BLUNT WEAPONS - RINGING BLOW

On a successful attack, an opponent can be momentarily stunned or staggered with a ringing blow.

1) Precondition: Weapon mastery, over 90% in skill

2) Roll: A successful Attack

3) Limits: If the foe is unarmored, on a successful attack, damage is rolled but applied to CON. If CON is reduced to zero, the character is Knocked Out for d8 turns, minutes, or hours depending on what suits the situation. CON is restored to full when they awake. If the character is not reduced to zero, he or she is Staggered, and can only defend and move at 1/2 speed until their CON recovers to full. CON recovers at a rate of 1 CON per round.

If the foe is armored, they can be Staggered but not Knocked Out. Some creatures cannot be Staggered or Knocked Out (ie undead, constructs).

NB: The attacker can choose to forego the Stagger and just do regular damage on a hit.

Example: Zarzonia is captured by pirates, but has escaped her bonds and smashes one in the head with a water jug when he comes to feed her. It is a surprise attack and her player rolls a critical success, doing 12 damage total. This is greater than the pirate's 10 CON, so he crumples in a heap at her feet.

SPEARS, PIKES, & ARROWS - Pin

On a successful attack, an opponent can be pinned to a wall or the ground.

1) Precondition: Weapon mastery, over 90% in skill

2) Roll: A successful Attack

3) Limits: For a normal success, damage is rolled but not applied to hit points. Instead, the character pinned has to make a STR minus damage roll to escape the pin. If the attack is a critical success, then damage is applied to BOTH armor or hit points AND the STR roll to escape as described.

NB: The attacker can choose to forego the Pin and just do double damage on a critical hit.

Example

Rackhir fires an arrow from his desert bow (d10+2 plus d6 damage bonus) at a group of clakar attacking him and Elric. He rolls a critical success, then rolls a 7 and a 3, and so both does 12 damage to the creature, and forces it to make a STR roll minus the damage to escape. The clakar's STR is 14, so this is reduced to 2 for attempt's to escape in following rounds.

DAGGERS & KNIVES - Flurry

On a successful Attack against an unarmored opponent, the attacker can roll to attack again until they miss.

1) Precondition: Weapon mastery, over 90% in skill

2) Roll: A successful Attack

3) Limits: Minus 20% penalty for each consecutive attack after the first.

Example

The King of Beggars is defending himself against an assassin disguised as an urchin, and scores a successful hit. He rolls damage, then rolls to attack again. Another success despite the 20% penalty, and so more damage is done. He scores yet another success on his third attack roll, despite the now 40% penalty, and the damage is enough to finish his would be assassin.

What Do You Think?

How were these signature moves? If you have any suggestions or comments, please leave a message.