So I've never played Cthulhu, and only recently purchased this 2E boxed set and the campaign Shadows of Yog-Sothoth to see what it was all about. I'd heard about it, and some of the guys I played 1E AD&D with in 2024 mentioned it frequently as one of their favorite RPGs. My interest was also sparked by many posts on Grognardia.
I've only read a little of the campaign and the basics of character creation in the rules. So creating in the blind a bit, with no feeling for what is usually 'needed' or used in gameplay. But have to start somewhere!
The process is very streamlined: roll Statistics (characteristics/abilities), calculate a few other numbers, choose a profession and then skills, and then allocate 'percentage points' to the chosen skills. Some skills have a base percentage chance, so you add to that. So you are 'buying' a percentage chance skill level rather than it being based on attributes.
Statistics rolls are not all the same.
Strength: 3D6. Muscle power.
Constitution: 3D6. Health (part of Hit Points), resist poison and disease
Size: 2D6+6. Height and weight combined, part of Hit Pints
Intelligence: 2D6+6. 5xINT is Idea roll, for character to know something based on his INT not the player.
Power: 3D6. Charisma, soul, or will, also leadership. 5xPOW is a Luck roll. Initial Magic Points equal Power.
Dexterity: 3D6. Quickness, used as Initiative value in combat. Also for Dodge ability, base chance is 2xDEX.
Appearance: 3D6. Personal handsomeness or beauty, personality, and sex appeal.
Education: 3D6+3. Equates to highest level of education (12 = HS graduate, 13 or 14 = BA/BS, 16 = graduate degree). 5xEDU gives the Know roll, to know something from learning vice deduct it by INT.
Sanity: Initial Sanity Points = 5xPOW. Maximum Sanity starts at 99, will be 99% - Cthulhu Mythos knowledge %. As you learn more, you lose sanity!
My rolls are poor to mediocre, I think:
STR 9
CON 13
SIZ 12
INT 15
POW 15
DEX 11
APP 14
EDU 11
Average strength, above average constitution and size, high intelligence and Power, average Dexterity, Above Average Appearance, and a High School dropout.
My generated numbers from these Statistics are:
Damage Bonus (SIZ+STR table lookup): NONE :(
Hit Points (average of SIZ+CON): 13 (I went with round nearest, as no direction was given)
Next I pick a Profession, which will drive skills. The options are:
Journalist
Parapsychologist
Professor
Historian/Antiquarian
Author
Private Investigator
Dilettante
Other (Doctor, Lawyer, etc per Keeper [the GM])
Based on my statistics, low education mainly, I rule out those that would require a degree (Professor, Historian, Doctor, Lawyer). I Decide to go with Journalist, which in hindsight is just a bit more of a street-smart author. The base skills available are given, and interestingly Doctor and Lawyer are included. I guess the Keeper would develop the skills list for other professions.
One starts with EDUx15 in skill percentage points to allocate to skills listed for the profession. Some professions (Journalist included) have one 'other' skill, which is a free skill selection from any listed as 'a personal specialty'. My points were 11x15=165. After allocating those points towards profession skills, you have another INTx5 points to allocate to ANY skills.
One needs to keep in mind the starting base percentage chance of success for some skills, so you can save some points for other skills. Also, 'combat skills' are not listed, not selected in the example character, and not really addressed for selection. But I decided they were fair game, so tool handgun (base chance already 20%, so added 30 for a base 50%).
Here's what I selected and the final percentage base chance (given base chance + allocated = total) for my skills (Journalism skills noted with a J). I did not grasp the given base chance of success on some skills, and so went back and adjusted once I figured that out, to free up some points. So I can't tell you what I allocated with my 165 points beyond on the Journalism skills and my one Other, which I selected Electrical Repair.
Debate (J: 10+30) 40
Oratory (J: 5+25) 30
Psychology (J: 5+50) 55
Read/write English (J: 55+20) 75
Read/Write Other (German) (J: 0+30) 30
Electrical Repair (10+35) 45
First Aid (30+10) 40
Handgun (20+30) 50
Sex, Age, Nationality, and Residence are simply selected, maybe based on the Keeper's setting., as no direction is given. I had picked the name Carl Franklin, with some German background for the minor ability in German. Age 28, American, residing in New York.
Finally, 70 pages later in the rules, there is a section Money for a Campaign, that provides calculations for annual income based on the selected profession. For a Journalist, it is 1D4$1000 + $2000. My young journalist rolled a 4, so $6,000 per year, which would be a princely sum in 1920 (average salary $3,300). I think he's a hot tabloid journalist, always getting the juicy dirt on the celebrities. You then calculate Savings (INTx(1/10)x(annual salary)), which gives Carl $9,000 in the bank. Od this is not in the character generation section.
So here's Carl Franklin, semi-famous tabloid Journalist. 28 years old working in New York City. I think his investigations into some odd celebrity or politician's behavior has led him into the more sinister investigations of the Call of Cthulhu!
#CharcterCreationChallenge
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