CoC Player Innovations

This Call of Cthulhu game I am running now really has my blood pumping!

Players are bringing their A-game, and so far they have made 2 innovations that have blown my mind.

1) SAN AS MORALE

I mentioned this before, but a player had the bright idea to use SAN as morale. One of the 3 investigators had just taken a slash from the leader of 4 knife wielding cult thugs. A cowardly PC ran off, while the 2 remaining pulled their guns and managed to wing their assailant.

How would we determine if the gunfire would scare off the thugs?

One player chimed in that we could use SAN. If they succeeded, they would realize it was crazy to bring knives to a gunfight. If they failed, they would charge into gunfire. They passed, and naturally fled the scene.

I only realized later on reflection how genius this decision is.

In Call of Cthulhu especially, SAN is an important resource. Ironically, cultists and their ilk have less of it, and thus are more likely to disregard danger in their service to their dark gods. Normal NPCs, however, are more likely to make the sane choice of running from danger. This means cultists and their ilk are more likely to keep coming in the face of superior firepower, which the PCs often have.

This is a Grad A+ houserule that I am keeping.

2) OUTSOURCE RESEARCH

One of the possibly tedious procedures of CoC is research, namely rolling for success repeatedly over days. This is why the Gunshoe system used in Trail of Cthulhu does away with rolls for clues in favour of automatic clues based on abilities.

My players went a step further.

One of them spent a morning researching, but wanted to go adventuring the next day. His solution? Rock up to the university and hire grad students.

As a former broke grad student, I can affirm that this is brilliant. Said player's character quickly got sliced up in an altercation, and the week he is in hospital students have done all his homework for him. He is out $5 a day for 3 grad students for 7 days, on total $105, but with a sheaf of clues to go on.

Worth every penny!

CONCLUSION

Call of Cthulhu 1-6E is an old mechanical system. However, my players are showing that with a bit of thought on how to connect the flesh of roleplaying to the mechanical bones of the D100 system they can make useful innovations. And Keepers should be just as willing to snag a player suggested houserule for their arsenal as they are to implement their own.

TGIF!

The Aftermath of The Haunting Session One

First, our wounded soldier is taken to Boston general. The First Aid on site would have netted 1D3 immediate healing, but that failed. Natural healing with rest is 1D3 per week, comes in after 7 days. If First Aid is applied successfully the first week of recuperation, +1D3 is netted (2D3 total). If instead Medicine is successfully applied, +2D3 is gained (3D3 total). So if J's character can be attendant physician and he makes the Medicine roll, C's soldier gets 3D3 healing. If the roll is failed, only 1D3.

Next, the Boston PD takes everyone's statements. Since you are all reputable citizens attacked by blade wielding toughs during the course of a lawful investigation, you are found to be the victims. The police cordon off the scene and determine that the house has not been broken into, and considering its ill repute, they decide not to go inside, but leave it locked. They do find the bloody switchblade in the grass, and the sigil on its handle turns out to be that of a cult involved in a major police action a decade ago, one that shocked the entire city. Of course you have all heard of the Church of Our Lord Granter of Secrets, the child disappearances and subsequent police raid that left several cultists and police dead in a fire at their downtown church, and lead to a massive cover up. The burnt ruins of the old church are still a mouldering eyesore southeast of downtown between the city center and the docks.

Police have fingerprinted the knife and found it to be of one Enki Giminez, a Catalan immigrant and former member of the above church. They have put out an APB and hope to apprehend Giminez and his group by the end of the week.

Mr Falstaff is quite alarmed at this turn of events, but is steadfast in his support of the investigators in getting to the bottom of the affair. He visits Hollinsworth in hospital to thank him for his efforts in protecting the property and assure him that the estate agency will continue the investigation until the matter is cleared up.

Falstaff also promises to try and find other investigators to bolster the group, and urges all members not to go unarmed, but carry a concealable firearm or other means of self defence.

Finally, the grad students will make their reports at the end of the week. Since there is no use in making multiple NPC rolls, this will just be several clues which should clarify what is going on with the house and lead the investigators towards a resolution.