So Im thinking about running a Call of Cthulhu game. It will be my first time running a call of cthulhu game and it will be about 15 years since I ran a game at all.  

I can't decide on what rules set. I have been told d20 is easier to play but looses alot of the flavor.  I am looking for the easiest rules set to play with the most flavor so any suggestions are welcome.  I am pretty set in running the game in the 1920's, with 4 players weekly and 2-3 floaters comming in and out of the game....

I don't mind running mods, matter of fact I would probably like to start off with a module or two to get back into running a game so any suggestions on that would be nice as well.

I'd pick your favorite ruleset and match it with just a few house rules to the setting. This always works for me and produces the best result.

CoC is found not in the rules, but in the adventure placed before the players.

But then again, when I ran CoC (using HERO System) I scared the players so much that they refused to continue the campaign or start another, so maybe I'm the person to ask...

Yeh, Gleichman is correct. d20 does lose something, sure, but you can run compelling horror stories using AD&D. The system doesn't matter (all your levels, magic items and cool powers won't bother the Old Ones anyway) so go with what you like and feel comfortable running. I ran both CoC versions (and also ran it with Hero) and they both are simply vehicles for telling sanity-blasting horror with (and the main mechanic for that is the same in both versions). I found the d20 version took longer to prep though.

-=Grim=-

The 3 most important things to running a good CoC game are:

1. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.
2. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.
3. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.

Quote from: Demonoid;246401The 3 most important things to running a good CoC game are:

1. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.
2. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.
3. Be familiar with the actual works of H.P. Lovecraft.

The 3 most important things to playing a good PC in CoC games are:

1. Don't read books.
2. Don't read books.
3. Don't read books.

Quote from: OneTinSoldier;246421The 3 most important things to playing a good PC in CoC games are:

1. Don't read books.
2. Don't read books.
3. Don't read books.

Yeah, especially the necronomicon. I mean, that thing's, what, a 2d6 SAN loss?

And for god's sake, if you find a book that has a cover made of tanned human skin, DON'T READ IT! THE KEEPER WILL FRY YOU!

As for system, what are your players familiar with?

If they're familiar with D20...that might be the way to go.

However if they're not, Chaosium's system is really easy to learn (and is readily available). I'd definitely recommend it if you're using modules, so there won't be any conversion work to be done.

Regarding the HPL books, if your players are familiar with them and want to play CoC because of them, then yeah, you better read them otherwise it's not really necessary IMO.

Regards,
David R

I played the d20 version for the length of a campaign, and I found the notion that it loses something in comparison to the original to be unfounded. I found that d20 is neither more nor less suited for CoC than BRP (another generic system, essentially). The advantage of the d20 version is that gamers used to that system and who resist switching will be comfortable with the game. The advantage of the BRP system is the sheer volume of material for it. You can't go wrong with either, and the d20 version is a very cool-looking book.

The real issue is that CoCD20 might be hard to find cheaply. There are some aspects of it that I prefer however - spells work off of various abilities, magic power and sanity are from different stats, easier to port in other material. But BRP is very easy to learn if D20 isn't your thing.
 
The main thing is to keep players interested but uncertain what's going on.

Having run campaigns in both, I'd say pick whichever strikes you as the best, easiest to get, etc.. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

BRP is pretty damn simple. It's easy to look at a character sheet and have an intuitive feel for what a character can do, is good at, etc.. The most frequently used mechanic couldn't easier - you roll percentile dice and see if you rolled equal to or under your character's skill.

That said, I feel there are some problems with the system. First and foremost, it's old and thus lacking some of the more modern refinements for RPGs. For example, ability scores aren't tied to skills and are rarely used after character creation. Everyone starts with the same chunk of skills - every character has XX% in shotguns, regardless of their history, physical ability, etc.. It seems to me that rolls can be disappointing due to a potentially high whiff factor. A skill of 65% looks great on paper, but you're still missing quite a bit of the time and for non-combat rolls. If you blow your Psychology roll, well, it can have a more lasting affect than missing one shot in a combat. Worse of all, the combat rules are confusing and

The d20 system is awesome. Personally, I don't feel like it loses any flavor because I don't think BRP's flavor comes from the actual mechanics either. They're both just systems.

The nice points of d20 include a system which folks might already know, what I feel is a greater sense of accomplishment for players (leveling), you can take 10 or take 20, Feats help you customize your character, and, best of all, combat is tactical and, in my opinion, more sensible in terms of game play.

On the downside, I can see how if characters ever got to a high level, how they could outclass the normal CoC opponents. The whole Offensive/Defensive character dichotomy just doesn't work (basically, if you want a guy whose good in a fight, choose the Defensive option). Everyone gets a combat bonus as they rise in level. There's barely any support for the game at all.

Personally, I prefer d20. For me as the GM, I like d20 because it's harder to create gun bunnies. With BRP, it's ridiculously easy to give your blind nun a high firearms score. With d20, your attack bonus goes up each level, but you spend Feats to gain proficiency with various weapons.

For players and GMs, I prefer d20 because I feel combat using that system is much easier and, to be honest, more fun. Sorry, but there is combat in CoC and, depending on what you're doing, fairly often. As their characters can die easily, players want to know the lay of the land before getting into it. They want options. As a GM running a CoC combat, I don't want to kill of a character because I forgot, misremembered, or need a rule.

All that said, both games are awesome. I highly recommend each, and I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

Seanchai

Quote from: Seanchai;246539On the downside, I can see how if characters ever got to a high level, how they could outclass the normal CoC opponents.

That's true.  But that's easy to control by either not giving XP or giving them sparingly.  Though there is still the issue that skill advancement and hp/combat advancement are tied together, unless you change that too.  
 
In D20, you can use the level and XP as a pulpishness dial.  A traditional game would start a 1st and stay near there.  A pulp game might start at 5th and advance as quickly as D&D.

While I like the d20 Cthulhu rules, I think I'd pick BRP.  It's drop-dead simple and almost all of the Cthulhu support is for BRP.

That said, I'm not sure that even BRP is the best system for Lovecraftian horror and investigation.  I've been thinking about getting Trail of Cthulhu, which uses the GUMSHOE system.  It sounds like it might fit the investigative style of Cthulhu game better.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;246572That said, I'm not sure that even BRP is the best system for Lovecraftian horror and investigation.  I've been thinking about getting Trail of Cthulhu, which uses the GUMSHOE system.  It sounds like it might fit the investigative style of Cthulhu game better.

Ah gumshoe.

If I'm remember right, that's where you have a limited number of points to spend for a clue. But have no idea how important the clue is you're buying before you spend it.

People will play anything.

D20 and BRP are both excellent. Both do run slightly different, but I think the idea that somehow D20 loses "flavor" is more of an anti-D20 myth.  Besides the D20 CoC book is easily both one of the best-written D20 books ever, and one of the best written books for CoC ever.

Now, they are DIFFERENT.  Keep in mind that, contrary to the stereotypes you might have heard, characters created in D20 CoC will be much WEAKER than your average starting character for BRP CoC.

In my own personal preference, I like using D20 when I play "modern" Cthulhu games, and BRP when I play 1920s Cthulhu games. I couldn't really tell you why, its just what I've found myself enjoying.

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