I've played and run CoC a few times over the years, but been 10+ years since I played it last.
I'm thinking I might like to run a campaign using CoC.
What are people's opinions on the various versions?
Is the new 7th ed any good?
Quote from: danskmacabre;635261I've played and run CoC a few times over the years, but been 10+ years since I played it last.
I'm thinking I might like to run a campaign using CoC.
What are people's opinions on the various versions?
Is the new 7th ed any good?
I don't think 7th is out yet so can't answer that.
Otherwise each "edition" is virtually the same so just grab one and you'll be fine.
Yeah, you can take modules from previous editions and run them any edition without much work on your end. The game hasn't changed that much.
I'm fond of the 4e book for period games; 6e has stuff for modern games though. But if you can find a good copy of the 4e book, I recommend it 'cause it's got some great bits - it's the closest thing to a 1e AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide in terms of verve. :)
The one with the cover art and interior layout you like best. It's a win whatever you choose, since it is backward and forward compatible.
Ah 7th ed not out yet... any idea of a release date?
I'm probs gonna run an 1800s or 1920s campaign, haven't decided yet.
Will be set in London I think (well starting there anyway).
Will have a look at 4th ed and see what it's like. Thanx for the tips. :)
Quote from: danskmacabre;635275Ah 7th ed not out yet... any idea of a release date?
Last rumor I saw was August (Gencon).
4th edition is my favorite. Still, it's somewhat haphazard, they basically kept the earlier rules, but kept adding stuff to the rulebook, so it's packed with stuff, but it's a jumbled mess.
5th is essentially the same rule wise, but they re-wrote it more or less, and lost a lot of the original flavor. And they added a lot of stuff that I don't think was needed in the various 5th revisions. Like 5.6 has this gigantic list of guns. Which sort of goes against CoC, IMHO.
I'd prefer to get something where the rules flow smoothly. I'm not that keen on haphazard rules all over the place and have to search the book at inconvenient times.
4th Ed sounds a lit like that.....
Does anyone know how different 7ed will be ?
(http://www.keepwargaming.co.uk/ekmps/shops/keepwargaming/images/chaosium-call-of-cthulhu-horror-rpg-5th-edition-2337-p.jpg)
Sixth Edition is as close to as perfect as I've seen in a core book for any game.
Quote from: danskmacabre;635295Does anyone know how different 7ed will be ?
For some reason the rules update in 7th Edition now require you to keep a live and angry cuttlefish on the table during a game.
There's the stunning 30th anniversary edition of CoC produced by Sans-Detour:
http://www.yog-sothoth.com/threads/21698-French-Call-of-Cthulhu-30th-Anniversary-edition-(L-Appel-de-Cthulhu)
PDF samples here:
http://sans-detour.com/index.php/Jeux-de-Role/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu-Les-essentiels/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu-Editon-30e-anniversaire.html
The rule modifications are pretty good too.
6th edition is easily available and very good (although I don't care for all the grey backgrounds).
I personally like the 5.6e hardcover version best (which is pretty indistinguishable from 6e in terms of mechanics, but with cleaner layout). I also have 5e, which (again) is pretty much identical to 6e in terms of rules.
As for 7e, my impression (based on what I've read in threads elsewhere) is that it does introduce a number of rules changes -- more than any previous edition of CoC -- but that cross-edition compatibility will be maintained (i.e., it'll be easy to use 7e with earlier material and vice versa).
Quote from: danskmacabre;635295I'd prefer to get something where the rules flow smoothly. I'm not that keen on haphazard rules all over the place and have to search the book at inconvenient times.
4th Ed sounds a lit like that.....
I'd say...track down a 4e book for tons of good flavor stuff, but for organization go with a later one. The 4e book is that good. You know how lots of folks say stuff like "Oh I'd never
play AD&D but the 1e DMG is a great general RPG book"?
That, for horror/CoC games, is what the 4e book is.
I never felt I needed more than the 4e book.
I do particularly like the 4e cover, and I have a nostalgia for Chaosium titles from that time (love my 4e Stormbringer, too). 4e does have a great pull-out section at the back. Also I think the tone of CoC 4e is just right, I like the way the text is presented, etc.
But unless they royally mucked up later editions you probably won't go wrong with anything from 4e onwards. You'd probably be fine with 3e, if you could find a copy that hadn't fallen apart (hello, GW).
Quote from: GrumpyReviews;635301For some reason the rules update in 7th Edition now require you to keep a live and angry cuttlefish on the table during a game.
I hate that rule, I wish they had never implemented that.
It's especially irritating to keep it alive and so risky poking it all the time to keep it angry.. ;(
Quote from: Bilharzia;635309There's the stunning 30th anniversary edition of CoC produced by Sans-Detour:
http://www.yog-sothoth.com/threads/21698-French-Call-of-Cthulhu-30th-Anniversary-edition-(L-Appel-de-Cthulhu)
PDF samples here:
http://sans-detour.com/index.php/Jeux-de-Role/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu-Les-essentiels/L-Appel-de-Cthulhu-Editon-30e-anniversaire.html
The rule modifications are pretty good too.
But I don't speak or read French so that puts that one out of the question.. :)
Quote from: danskmacabre;635332But I don't speak or read French so that puts that one out of the question.. :)
It's so immaculately and beautifully produced I would recommend it despite that, it's not likely anything like this will be published again and it gives you an excuse to brush up on your French :p besides, reading is much easier than speaking or listening.
Quote from: danskmacabre;635295Does anyone know how different 7ed will be ?
There is a summary of some of the proposed changes here (http://theunspeakableoath.com/home/?p=1024). There's no guarantee, though, that all of these changes will make it into the final text.
I use 6th edition, but I'd probably prefer 5.6 from what I hear, because of its cleaner layout.
Last thing I saw, the idea was to take somewhat of a toolkit approach with 7E where you can decide for yourself if you want to add particular rules modifications/additions/expansions to the core system or not.
Hmmm 7ed ed looks interesting, but I can't wait until August for it.
Actually I went to our LFGS today to pick up a copy and they didn't have ANY Cthulhu books. Really disappointing. They had loads of other RPGs including other BRP RPGs.
I thought CoC was pretty popular, seems strange he didn't have anything in stock.
Oh well, back to ordering online for this I guess.
Chaosium seems to be suffering from the same idiocy that has infected many gamers and companies nowadays that "New Edition" means "New game with the same title".
It's sad really, CoC has been a touchstone of the hobby for many a year, and now it looks like they want to shit can it and make a new game.
:(
Quote from: Bilharzia;635372It's so immaculately and beautifully produced I would recommend it despite that, it's not likely anything like this will be published again and it gives you an excuse to brush up on your French :p besides, reading is much easier than speaking or listening.
Its almost worth Babelfishing it one sentence at a time...
To me 5th is much better organized (I've never looked at 6th) and does have all three of the time periods represented in the core book. However, 4th was a lot better (to me) with character creation in the core book and both the separate Gaslight and Cthulhu Now are excellent. Currently I use the 4th ed books for character creation (with the few skill changes in 5th) and then 5th for everything else.
Quote from: Piestrio;635661Chaosium seems to be suffering from the same idiocy that has infected many gamers and companies nowadays that "New Edition" means "New game with the same title".
It's sad really, CoC has been a touchstone of the hobby for many a year, and now it looks like they want to shit can it and make a new game.
:(
I don't know how far off they go, but yes, its stupid. One thing CoC had going for it is that you could use any book from any "edition" and they were all compatible.
Quote from: RPGPundit;635852I don't know how far off they go, but yes, its stupid. One thing CoC had going for it is that you could use any book from any "edition" and they were all compatible.
Chaosium seems committed to maintaining cross-edition compatibility (i.e., CoC 7e can use pre-7e CoC material; pre-7e CoC can use 7e CoC material).
Yeah as long as 7th ed is compatible with earlier editions, I probably going to like it.
I'll just get 6th edition and roll with that. If I happen to be able to pick earlier editions cheap, than all the better.
Thanks for all the advice. :)
I would personally recommend either 5e or 6e.
RPGPundit
Quote from: danskmacabre;635606Actually I went to our LFGS today to pick up a copy and they didn't have ANY Cthulhu books.
I had to special order my copy of CoC6th at my local game store. From what I understand Chaosium is still working out of severe financial difficulties, which means reduced print runs. I wonder if they will go print-on-demand, like White Wolf.
Anyway, all the editions appear to be easily backwards compatible and I like 6th.
If 7th is bad, then fans and fan response will be partly responsible for the badness.
The 3E hardcover is the nicest looking (non-limited edition) of them all (and I have them all).
I think the one I've used most often is the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (rules version 5.6, corrected). I'm actually shocked to realize that I don't own a copy of the 6th edition - how that happened is beyond me!
Looks like I'm going to have to track down a copy of the 30th Anniversary rules...
I actually like 25th Anniversary best of that group. Not a leather cover, but it has the original Gene Day art from the 1E-3E box sets. Very cool!
Quote from: TheHistorian;636509I actually like 25th Anniversary best of that group. Not a leather cover, but it has the original Gene Day art from the 1E-3E box sets. Very cool!
Damn. I've always wanted prints of those! I miss my copies of the old boxes sets.