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To play 🛒Call of Cthulhu, an individual character must be created. These figures are called “Investigators” in the game, as they spend most of their time researching the secrets and horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos. We have tested the Call of Cthulhu system in the seventh edition: Creating an Investigator is straightforward and will be described step by step below.
At the beginning, write down the name, gender, and age on the investigator sheet. If you don’t have an idea for your character yet, you can also do this at the end.
Step 1: The Basic Stats in Call of Cthulhu
Every Call of Cthulhu character has eight core attributes:
- Strength (STR): Determines how much physical strength the investigator possesses.
- Constitution (CON): Shows the character’s general health and robustness.
- Power (POW): A combination of mental strength, mental stability, and determination.
- Dexterity (DEX): Measures the character’s agility and speed.
- Appearance (APP): Evaluates the investigator’s physical appearance and attractiveness.
- Size (SIZ): Combines the character’s height and weight.
- Intelligence (INT): Provides information about logical thinking ability and the ability to draw conclusions.
- Education (EDU): Reflects the knowledge and experience the investigator has acquired through education and life experience.
Assign the values 40, 50, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, and 80 to these 8 attributes.
For each attribute, additionally determine the half and one-fifth values by dividing the number by 2 or 5 respectively and rounding down. These values should be noted next to the full attributes, for example Strength 60 as 60 (30/12).
Step 2: Secondary Values in Call of Cthulhu
In addition to the basic stats, there are some additional values that must be determined: Luck, damage bonus, hit points, and sanity.
Luck is determined by rolling 3D6 and then multiplying by 5. This value is entered on the investigator sheet. It determines whether external circumstances turn out in favor of or to the detriment of the character.
Example: Anna is fleeing from a burning building and tries to escape through a window. The Keeper requires a luck roll to see if the window is already open. Anna rolls a 34, which is under her luck value, and the window opens easily, allowing her to escape.
Magic Points (MP) equal one-fifth of the POW value and are consumed when using magic or supernatural abilities. They regenerate at a rate of one point per hour. Once all magic points are consumed, further magic use is subtracted from hit points, manifesting as physical damage.
The damage bonus indicates how much additional damage your investigator causes in melee attacks. Build is calculated from the sum of Strength and Size, and the bonus is determined from a table:
Example: Anna has a Strength of 70 and a Size of 75, totaling 145. This means she causes 1D4 additional damage on successful melee attacks, and her build is +1.
Hit Points (HP) are determined by adding the values of SIZ and CON and dividing by 10. Hit points are reduced when the character takes damage. Sanity (SAN) starts with a value equal to the POW value and is affected by every encounter with the horrors of the mythos.
Step 3: Remaining Decisions for a Call of Cthulhu Character
Occupation and Skills
At the beginning, you decide what occupation your character practices. This choice influences their abilities. You are not restricted in your occupation choice, but you should coordinate with the Keeper.
You can either select an occupation from the suggested list in the rulebook or create your own occupation. To do this, choose eight skills that fit the chosen occupation. These are called “occupational skills.”
Then distribute points to these skills as well as to “Credit Rating.” One value receives 70%, two receive 60%, three get 50%, and three more get 40%.
Personal Interests
In addition to professional skills, you can select four additional skills that your investigator has learned outside their occupation. These skills each receive a 20% bonus.
Enter all values in the format “full/half/one-fifth” on the investigator sheet so they are easier to reference during play.
Credit Rating
The “Credit Rating” value gives an indication of how wealthy your investigator is. Depending on the value’s level, your investigator can be poor, average, or wealthy. Choose or roll a value between 1 and 100.
Background Story
Now think of a background story for your investigator. Where did they grow up? What experiences shaped them? This information brings the character to life. Write some brief notes on the investigator sheet. Get inspired by 🛒Lovecraft’s best works. Agree with your Keeper on your equipment or look in the 🛒Call of Cthulhu rulebook for occupation-typical equipment.
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