Very few role playing games have the pull with gamers like Dungeons & Dragons. One such game is Call of Cthulhu which has been the standard bearer of horror role playing for over 40 years. The game is currently on a successful seventh edition that keeps the classic mechanics while adding some modern innovation.
Fans looking to check out the latest edition can take advantage of an ongoing Humble Bundle that features 25 items as part of its collection. Even fans that already have these items in print should consider picking up these electronic copies. I want to highlight some of my favorite books in the bundle.
What Is Call of Cthulhu?
Call of Cthulhu is a horror roleplaying game inspired by the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Lovecraft was central to the creation of the Cthulhu Mythos featuring immortal alien monsters that break the laws of science as we understand them. Many humans worship these creatures in the hopes of gaining power for their own personal gain.
Players play characters who stumble upon this secret world and feel the need to put a stop to it. Characters are normal people drawn into a world of horrors they an never truly defeat. But, if they are smart and strong, they can keep humanity safe for one more day.
The struggle is not without cost. Players track their character’s Sanity which goes down as the characters use magic and encounter the creatures of the Mythos. Things rarely end happily for Cthulhu investigators but there’s a lot of memorable moments to come from the fall.
Call of Cthulhu Core Rulebooks
For anyone starting out, The Starter Set features everything a group needs to start playing like multiple character options and several adventures. This set includes ”Deam Man’s Stomp” my favorite adventure to introduce people to the game. It mixes together gangsters, jazz, New Orleans and a cursed artifact in a potent combination.
The Investigator Handbook contains all the rules needed to make a Call of Cthulhu character. It also details the three default eras of play: the 1890s, the 1920s and the modern day. I’m a fan of the 1920s because it’s close enough to now that players grasp how things work but different enough that there’s a touch of the exotic when players recieve a telegram or have to travel by train somewhere.
The Keeper Handbook details additional rules for the Keeper of the game as well as many of the most famous creatures of the Mythos. There’s more advice on how to run the game as well. Paired with the Investigator Handbook, that’s all someone needs to run the game.
Call of Cthulhu Setting Books
The timeless nature of the Cthulhu Mythos makes fighting the Old Ones an option through various points in history. While three eras are covered in the main rules this collection features more times and places to fight for humanity. There re also sevral books that offer more in depth looks at the wide array of Mythos monsters.
Berlin looks at the city as history changes it during the first part of the 20th centuer. Down Darker Trails gets players started on Weird Western adventures. Reign of Terror offers an adventure set during the French Revolution that can tie in to the epic Horror On The Orient Express campaign available seperately.
The bundle also includes two books for Pulp Cthulhu. Lovecraft ofen wrote stories that leaned into the same influences that inspired Indiana Jones and The Rocketeer. These books lean into those later stories with stories that are action packed as well as terrifying.
Call of Cthulhu Adventures
What’s kept the game alive all these years are excellent adventure anthologies. I’ve used Call of Cthulhu adventures in plenty of other games because the writing and stories are compelling. It can be fun running the same story for different groups to see the different outcomes.
Mansions of Madness focuses on the spooky house as a unifying theme. Doors to Darkness features five tales set in the classic 1920s era. Gateways to Terror offers a collection of one shot scenarios perfect to try out at game night or a local convention.
Call of Cthulhu Solo Rolepaying
While Call of Cthulhu can be great fun telling scary stories around a table, it also has several that can be played on their own. These stories resemble the old Choose Your Own Adventure style books with numbered entries and some light mechanics mixed in to teach you how to play the game. These stories are great for learning how to play or for keeping game day alive when logistics conspire to cancel.
The Humble Bundle runs through January 27th. A portion of each bundle benefits the World Wildlife Fund.
