Ability Scores
- Strength is rolled on 3d6. Same as D&D.
- Constitution is rolled on 3d6. Same as D&D.
- Size is rolled on 2d6+6. Combines height and weight into one figure.
- Intelligence is rolled on 2d6+6. Same as D&D.
- Power is rolled on 3d6. Same as charisma in D&D, but it powers both luck and magical ability.
- Dexterity is rolled on 3d6. Same as D&D. Call of Cthulhu combat uses the same rule as Blue Book Basic (Holmes) D&D in that initiative order goes by dex.
- Appearance is rolled on 3d6. Same as comeliness in AD&D.
- Education is rolled on 3d6+3. It more or less equals the number of years of schooling, so a 12 is a high school graduate.
- Hit Points are the average of constitution and size, round up. Unconsciousness is at 1 or 2 hit points, death at 0 (you have until the following round though to bring that back up to 1). Healing rate is 1d3 hit points per week at home and double that at the hospital.
- Idea is intelligence x5. It really only exists as far as I can tell because the game does not have d20 based ability checks; everything is percentile-based.
- Luck is power x5. It's basically a saving throw.
- Magic points are derived from power as well, starting off equal to it. If your magic points ever reach 0, you fall unconscious.
- Sanity is also derived from power x5. The more your pc learns about the Cthulhu mythos, the lower his sanity goes. That's okay, there's room at the Sanitarium for all of you.
- Dodge is dexterity x2, also rolled on percentile, used for trying to get out of the way when you see something coming. Unlike luck, dodge is actually a skill so you can improve it.
- Know is education x5 for simple or limited knowledge checks, education x3 for harder trivia, and education x1 for really esoteric pieces of information.
| STR + SIZ | add to damage roll |
|---|---|
| 2 to 12 | -1d6 |
| 13 to 16 | -1d4 |
| 17 to 24 | none |
| 25 to 32 | +1d4 |
| 33 to 40 | +1d6 |
When you pick your occupation (see next post), you get to spend EDU x20 on the skills related to that occupation. Then you get INT x10 to allocate on all other skills.
Common Skills
Call of Cthulhu uses percentile dice for all skill checks. Some skills have a base percentage that everyone gets without putting any additional points into it, those are noted with the starting rank in parenthesis. Most skill checks are only made for exceptional circumstances. For instance, you don't need to make a Drive Automobile check to successfully drive to a store. However, if you are being chased by a Spawn of Cthulhu and are forced to drive down the wrong side of the road, then you need to roll it.
Accounting (10%)
Anthropology
Archaeology
Art (5%) (as in performing arts, creative arts, etc covering painting, singing, writing, etc.)
Astronomy
Bargain (5%)
Biology
Chemistry
Climb (40%)
Conceal (15%)
Craft
Credit Rating (15%)
Cthulhu Mythos
Disguise
Dodge (DEX x2)
Drive Automobile (20%)
Electrical Repair (10%)
Fast Talk (5%)
First Aid (30%)
Fist/Punch (50%)
Geology
Grapple (25%)
Handgun (20%)
Head Butt (10%)
Hide (10%)
History (20%)
Jump (25%)
Kick (25%)
Law (5%)
Library Use (25%)
Listen (25%)
Locksmith
Machine Gun (15%)
Martial Arts
Mechanical Repair (20%)
Medicine (5%)
Natural History (10%)
Navigate (10%)
Occult (5%)
Operate Heavy Machinery
Other Language
Own Language (EDU x5)
Persuade (15%)
Pharmacy
Photography (10%)
Physics
Pilot
Pilot Aircraft
Psychoanalysis
Psychology (5%)
Ride (5%)
Rifle (25%)
Shotgun (30%)
Sneak (10%)
Spot Hidden (25%)
Submachine Gun (15%)
Swim (25%)
Throw (25%)
Track (10%)
Weapons Skills
Some occupations give access to a skill category; this means you can put points into any skill in that category. For instance, Thugs have access to all Club skills. As usual, starting percentages in parenthesis.
Archery (10%) - this skill covers all bows but crossbows which are covered by the Rifle skill
Clubs
Black Jack (40%)
Large Club (25%) - two-handed weapon
Small Club (25%)
Knives (25%)
Spear or Lance (15%) - throwing a spear uses the Throw general skill
Swords
Sword fighting requires two separate skills, one for attack and one for parry.
Piercing Sword Attack (10%) - covers fencing foils, rapiers, epees, sword canes
Piercing Sword Parry (10%)
Cavalry Sabre Attack (25%)
Cavalry Sabre Parry (25%)
Machete Attack (25%)
Machete Parry (25%)
Blowgun (25%)
Bolos (10%)
Bull Whip (5%)
Garrotte (15%)
Hunting or War Boomerang (10%)
Nunchuks (5%)
Quoit (25%)
Throwing Stars (20%)
Firearms
Handguns (20%)
Machine Gun (15%)
Rifle (25%)
Shotgun (30%)
Submachine Gun (15%)
Other unusual weapons may appear in the game.
Earning Levels
Lastly, you should determine your character's wealth and income by rolling % dice. While we could correlate occupation with income, it can be more fun to roll the dice and then create an appropriate backstory. A pauper doctor perhaps had a successful practice, but lost a malpractice lawsuit and is now penniless. A wealthy hobo - now that's a backstory that will require some creativity! Naturally income and wealth can and will change over time. You can choose to have a lower income than what you've rolled if it makes sense for your character concept. Use a random generator to determine the character's income within the given range.
All investigators have property in an amount of ten times income. One tenth of that total is banked, as cash. Another tenth is in stocks, bonds, and personal notes, convertible in no less than thirty days. The remaining eight tenths is in property, old books, etc - whatever seems appropriate to the investigator. This wealth should not be turned into cash without thought, and perhaps not without loss of considerable Credit Rating.
01 - 02 Pauper ($0-$250 per annum): This income level is far below the poverty line and is typical of hoboes, indigents, and beggars. Unless the character lives at home with family, he sleeps in alleys and eats handouts or from garbage cans.
03 - 09 Lower Class ($251-$500 per annum): This income group includes the lowest paid part-time help including migrant farm workers, part-time janitors, and dish washers. Such individuals live in flop houses, YMCAs, or, at best, share cramped one-room apartments in awful neighborhoods with one or more roommates, cooking canned soups on illegal hot plates.
10 - 19 Upper Lower Class ($501-$1500 per annum): By careful scrimping and saving this character can afford a one or two-room apartment with a kitchen, in a rundown tenement in a bad neighborhood. Bathrooms and telephones are shared.
20 - 34 Lower Middle Class ($1501-$2500 per annum): This income level affords the character a modest one or two-bedroom apartment located in a neighborhood better than the very worst in town. The character perhaps has his own phone and, if careful how he spends his money, might be able to afford an unreliable used car.
35 - 64 Middle Class ($2501-$6000 per annum): This level of income allows an investigator to own a modest house or rent a quality two or three-bedroom apartment. A modestly priced automobile is also within reason. The investigator owns more than one suit and can afford to treat himself to a decent restaurant once or twice a month. A refrigerator (rather than an ice box) and other home appliances are within his reach.
65 - 84 Upper Middle Class ($6001-$25,000 per annum): At this level of income an investigator can afford a larger house of three or four bedrooms or an expansive apartment of six or seven rooms. There is enough money to easily afford two automobiles of reasonable price, send his children to inexpensive private schools, have a maid in two or three times a week, and have enough money left over for a few solid investments.
85 - 98 Upper Class ($25,001-$75,000 per annum): This level allows ownership of an impressive mansion with a swimming pool and tennis courts, or a penthouse apartment atop a better hotel. More than one domestic is the norm, including a chauffeur for the inevitable limousine. Dining out at fine restaurants and taking annual European vacations are the usual.
99 - 00 Wealthy ($75,001 plus per annum): The sky's the limit: yachts, private aircraft, multiple homes, and major market investments.