cthulhu

I'm stripping Call of Cthulhu down to resemble more of a generic universal system (like Risus for example). Now I'm lazy. I don't want to convert everything to some slightly simpler system (like FUDGE), I want to keep the stuff I get on with (Sanity, Magic, Books and Monster stats), just simplify drastically PC creation and combat. My basic idea is to concentrate on the investigations and flow of the plot and its clues, rather than keeping track of individual skill percentages and whether or not they are being rolled succesfully. I envisagethese rules being used primarily in the Victorian setting that I'm currently gathering material for. But it should stand up just as easily with a 1920s or Modern Era setting.

CREATING CHARACTERS

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES
There are only three attributes in CTHULHU-LITE, STRength, INTelligence and POWer. Each represents an entire skill group: Strength is all physical and bodily actions, Intelligence is all mental and thought-related actions, and Power is anything related to social activity, as well as magic.

Roll 3d6 three times, and allocate to the preferred attributes.

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES
Hit Points: The Strength attribute also becomes Hit Points score.
Sanity: Calculate and administer SANity as normal.
Magic Points: Calculate and administer Magic Points as normal.
Damage Bonus: Ignore any reference to a damage bonus.
Income: All characters have a 'comfortable' wealth level, except for the Aristocrat who is 'rolling in it'.

OCCUPATIONS & SKILLS
There are no longer any individual skills or base chances. To carry out an action the player rolls his character's relevant attribute (Strength, Intelligence or Power multiplied by a modifier) as a percentage. The modifier depends on the ease of the action. If training and skill is a requirement (for example, reading tracks) then the multiplier is X 1. If the action can be attempted by everyone (for example, climbing a wall or lying), then the multiplier is X 3.

Instead each character has an occupation which covers all kinds of experiences, skills and training relevant to that career. To utilise these skills the player makes a percentage roll equal to the Occupaton level. Each occupaton has a primary atrribute (eg. doctor is Intelligence) and the characters skill level in 'Doctor' is equal to x5 this primary attribute. So a character with INT 15 who selects the Doctor occupation will begin the game with Doctor 60%. This roll is made for any medical or physician related tasks.

The common occupations for a Victorian or Edwardian game of Call of Cthulhu (and their primary attributes) are:

Doctor (INT), Barrister (POW), Antiquarian (INT), Author (INT), Aristocrat (POW), Journalist (POW), Professor - specialise (INT), Detective (STR), Consulting Detective (STR), Clergyman (POW), Parapsychologist (INT), Explorer (STR), Old Soldier (STR).

Occupations can be increased in value through experience (1d6 increases only). To learn a NEW occupation, use the rules for starting a skill at 0% (but ignore the learn 'in-game' method for this system). If successful the new occupation begins at primary attribute level x 2 as a %.

COMBAT
All combat is simultaneous.

SUFFERING DAMAGE
STR stands in for Hit Points. Subtract damage suffered from STR - and reduce all relevant rolls accordingly. At 0 the character is knocked out and dying. As normal, if a character suffers half STR damage in one blow, they are in shock. For any damage sustained, a character is stunned for a number of rounds equal to half damage inflicted (round down). Stunned means fallen, unable to actively fight, but able to parry and otherwise defend oneself.

MISSILE COMBAT
Using a gun within range is done by rolling STR x 3 as a %. Over this, but still within double range this drops to 1/2 STR. At any distance over double range the chance to hit drops to 1/4 STR. Use the normal damage rules for firearms if desired or pick out a couple of generic guns and stick with them.

MELEE COMBAT
Hitting or grappling with someone in melee combat is done by rolling STR x 5 as a % if done unarmed. They get to parry your attack of course with a STR x 5 roll. Attacking with a hand weapon (club, shovel, cavalry sabre) is done at 1/2 chance.

LANGUAGES
All the player characters know English at 70%. The following occupations gain two more languages: Explorer, Old Soldier, Aristocrat, Journalist, Professor, Antiquarian. The following occupations know Latin: Barrister, Clergyman and Doctor. Language values are equal to the character's occupation skill.

MAGIC, SANITY, READING BOOKS, MONSTERS
All these sections of the rules should be able to be used pretty much as they stand without modification!

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