Stormkhan Cogg of Pavis

Points taken. YOU may be able to move 8m but that's expecting your opponent to let you! I still hold by my questioning: if you are engaged in combat - your opponent being active - you may physically be able to move 8 yards. But your opponent might delay you. If your opponent wants to delay you i.e. swinging at you with a broom handle for instance or tripping you up, or just tipping over a chair in your way, then your full 8 MOV mightn't be possible. Even running to block you from getting to the door (not a chase, mind) affects your ability to move 8 yards! It's not so unreasonable: While engaged in physical, hand-to-hand combat - all characters MOV represent the feet distance they can move, as an addition to their body moves 'used' in combat. They can use this distance to engage or disengage in combat. If they disengage (MOV vs MOV contest win), then their MOV becomes yards.

Aaaaaand that's the whole point of playing the game? We struggle, stay alive, we sneak and snoop - we test what evil can do so that we can find ways of negating it.

Never heard of them. I am enlightened - I shall find them!

Great GIF (what is that from?) but it displays my point. We can move 8 yards ... as long as we are not engaged in other actions such as looking at an opponent's moves, preparing for a response or action, or having the crud beaten out of us! 8 feet allows us a 'response' movement - after all, we're not going to stand there and watch our opponent wind up for a haymaker! Just because we can physically move 8 yards, doesn't mean our opponent will let us. And we might want to run 8 yards but we're not going to turn our back on the thug, to see if he's impressed with our running skills. Let me stress: my point is movement within engaged combat.

The Occult skill could be considered, in game terms, as a general acceptance of something 'out there' but no real knowledge of the Mythos. And let's not discount that the Mythos' existence doesn't preclude the existence of other mythical beings. While the game is sourced on Lovecraftian creations, it can't be forced to make every paranormal event relate to the Mythos. Sometimes a ghost is just a ghost.

In a detective/murder mystery setting, many authors liked well-off investigators: there was no limit on travel, hiring minions to do the 'leg work', bribes, influence with the authorities and so on. Lord Peter Wimsey, by Dorothy L. Sayers, is a prime example. However, even in this paragon of the virtue of wealth, Sayers introduced the loss of the anonymity which is useful to investigators (vide "Clouds of Witness", "Have His Carcass"). Bottom line is, the more the money you have - to divert attention or take part in anti-Cultist investigations - the more the media will watch you. Even in the 1920's, the "bright young things" had a lot of press attention, to supply the salacious stories that titillated the less well-off members of public. They may not have the photographic or computer resources our modern papparazzi or journalists have available now, but even in the 20s-30s, the "gutter press" were ever vigilant to report on the actions of the wealthy.

Beware the temptation of considering what skills are "useful" to players. You select characters, mold them, train them but really, at the core, they should be realistic. (Well, in CoC anyhow. Bets are off for Pulp Cthulhu. ) We all create characters to be "realistic" but knowing what hideous struggles await, we select skills and powers which may help them survive the ordeal. To create a character with "optimum" stats and skills, interests and flaws; that smacks of creating a "winner". And as we all know, at the end, there is no winner 'cause there's no competition. Our characters can achieve goals, gain successes ... but our characters can always just miss personal (to them) success. Part of the fun of any role-playing game is to play a character that isn't perfect or optimum or equipped with skills that allow them to succeed or 'win'. While games lawyers exist, aint no such thing as a cheat mode in table-top RPGS ... or is there?

Incredibly collectible nowadays. Even with the scorching and dodgy smell from being used as a skin-up station.

Hahahahaha. Ahm so old now that I not only have the vinyl LP but I've the VHS of "Up In Smoke"!

This links back to another thread here - what is the point of the "Occult" skill? It may not tell us much of the roots of the Big Bastards but it tells us tales of their impact on us humans. It drops hints of weaknesses, it lets us know of 'conventions' that they may have to follow. The occult (in CoC) gives us echoes of the Mythos ... which may be interpreted?

How very realistic, eh? If the Elder Gods are so far from our comprehension, how can we comprehend their motives?

I gotta admit, I'm a Keeper who runs a game to play rather than stick to book mechanics. If it sounds right, and it works for the game play, then I'll do it. If it "looks" good for a character to run from one side of the hall to the other then I'm not going to get the tape measure out. But ... As you say, Atgxtg, physically it's possible to move that distance. Sure. But if you are engaged in contact combat with an opponent then it's unresonable (note: I say unreasonable not impossible). Let me use a real life example. After all, the aim of many games is to represent 'real life'. Ish. Training in an aikido dojo, a big sized hall, mats and everything. I face-off against my sparring partner and begin. They come at me and engage, either by movement, strike or attempt to grip. Our movement "envelope" is at least 3m by 3m. I can move, evade, or counter. I remain in that 'envelope'. Yes, I can "nope" it out of there, up to and including 8 yards/meters. But if I were involved, I were engaged in that contact, then yes - I can disengage and, soon, leg it! But as I move, my opponent can react and make a strike! I couldn't decide I'd moved enough so I could remain engaged! Moving 8m in an 'ordinary' combat round is silly. I'd accept 8 foot. In combat, even stretching in certain maneuvers, rolling out of the way, dodging past, even ducking, we use our body length to move our "sensitive bits" away from threat. But we aint 3 yards long! I'm looking at not the physical possibilities of moving 8 yards in one go - that's accepted - but if you are enagaged in physical combat then it's unfeasible. My suggestion is that when engaged in physical combat then the MOV represents feet rather than yards that the character can move. If that movement disengages from physical combat then they can leg it!

Hear me out - I'm thinking on the hoof here ... Use the same BRP game mechanics. That's a given. SAN is still important; after all, a human's imagination has far more impact on their state of mind than assumed. So ... we have investigators of the occult (as in the true definition of 'hidden knowledge') who start to see *gasp* an organised ... er ... organisation who do unspeakable things in the name of Great Cthulhu (Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth, whatever. Let's not get hung up about it.) Immediately the PCs have a foe, an organisation to fight against. "Call yer Gods Daisy-Do BAD if you want but we'll take you down!" Said Cultists (Yah Boo!) see the investigators as publicising stuff that, really, actually, aint good to publicise. Ice them thar nosey parkers! The actuality - the Cultists being able to summon real, nasty, mind-bending crudmeisters - is missed by both. It's like both sides don't understand the entities that may be brought into the conflict. As said - what if the real, mind-numbing horrors actually notice the insects disturb their sleep/lethargy/indifference.* * We've always assumed these entities actually want Earth. Why? What do they get out of it?

Bottom line (as I see it): CoC Mythos is pretty stunning, even today, in horror tropes. I think it's telling that there's continuous attempts for Hollywood to 'own' it (vide the latest "Color Out of Space" with Nicholas Cage) but ... CGI cannot put over concepts that horror writers did, especially HPL. The Whisperer in The Dark was damn good, and scary to read, but even to someone who'd never read it before, the conclusion - while shocking - was hardly a surprise! Games - one player or many - need to follow certain appeals in order to get players. A nihilistic attitude (we're all gonna die anyhow) doesn't encourage play. In an episode of Star Trek: Next Generation, Worf among others were upset that they hadn't won a competition. Riker pointed out that it wasn't winning but how you played the game. Worfs response? "If winning is unimportant, why keep score?" As a Keeper, I want us all - both players and myself - to have a good time. That's the point of playing a game. If I have to dial back on the Mythos, to let players win "points", kill the bad guys and leave with a bit of sanity then so be it. Frankly, I like the idea of a new approach: it's the investigators versus the cultists. The truth - if there is any - may be drip-fed to either side, making them more intent on their opposition ...

Is it just me (no instant quips here, please) but is using the MOVement score in combat as representing the number of yards a character can move during melee combat a bit too much? I mean, if you consider that the character is involved in combat, swinging weapons, looking at what opponents are doing, dodging, diving for cover (which adds to the distance possible) and so on, an average of 8 yards is dashed generous. This represents being able to move across from one side of a small village hall to the other while engaged in combat. I know that I can tailor a game to suit, using "house rules", and making the MOV value to be feet in distance during combat, but I wondered at the thinking behind such a large estimate.

I've actually begun working on something all about this. I agree the "isolated investigator" label is excellent! New scenarios for a lone investigator, at differing levels of hazard. Nowt published yet but - heck - it takes time to write this stuff!

A very fair point ... and a good way of putting it, especially in game terms. I've always advocated the "ease them into the horror" approach, seeing as thwarting the Cultists, nobbling the lesser thingies (such as Deep Ones, ghouls etc.) then lobbing a real nasty booger at them. Firstly, from a game perspective, they've built up some skills and experience which may give them an edge. Secondly, from a story perspective it's revealing the horror over time.

I've considered a 70% maximum on a starting players skills. Enough to 'specialise' but still lose, enough for a player to be forced to allocate to other skills. It avoids one-trick characters. Taking 50% to be an average skill - not enough to be a tutor but more than a novice - 70% is good for indicating talent or interest in a skill. It may be a "house rule" but it works.

Cage is hit and miss. While he's brilliant at chewing scenery, and has his moments of good (ConAir and Face/Off), he can go waaaay off the rails. "The BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" However, I suggest it's up to the abilities of the director and/or the producers to drop him some Valium now and again. Otherwise, the scene with Hero the horse, tied up at the well mayn't go down too good.

He aint here, man!

The problem I find is that there is nowadays* a demand for more! Got a superbeing able to wish people away? No probs. Let's have a superbeing that can wish planets non-existence. Planet-schmanet ... lets watch a film where the bad guy can just click his fingers and ... Back in the day (1920s), the whole concept of super-Gods actually not caring what motivates us parasites was a chilling nihilism. It's what made Lovecraft scary! It was the concept of our insignificance. And this horror, this futility, is carried over into the game. It's like the whole "journey" narrative. Which is more the challenge - fighting against the odds or just saying "we can't win" and making our characters open a vein? * My inner Miserable Old Git is being channeled here.

Based on the Mythos, we play investigators who fight against an inconceivable foe. We stab the beggars but they still move! We lob sticks of dynamite and they look ... mildly put out! We have successes - after all, if CoC was that lethal, why do we have character development? - but character experiences (plus increases in Cthulhu Mythos skill) gradually makes the inconceivable ... conceived: "they" don't care and we will lose. The huge advantage that the real hard-hitters such as Nyarlathotep and Yogsothoth have over us in game terms acts as a goad! Win or die trying! I guess what I'm saying (in a vague and wind-bag manner) is ... CoC and massively powerful monsters are intertwined in the heart of the game. I remember a little outcry when "Blood Brothers" was released in 1990. "It's Call of Cthulhu but not so serious!" was a mild rebuke. I like the concept of Cultists making more of the objects of their worship than is reality, though. Like when a "hellfire" Preacher rants about the invading thugs being struck down for their impiety, but gets struck by lightning immediately after. A breeze around the witnesses carrying the words "Shucks - missed!"

The Occult skill can be useful as a 'gateway' to ... er ... true Mythos knowledge. Not only can the Keeper use it to nudge characters memories - after all in "The Whisperer in The Dark" Lovecraft story, the occult lore drops not-so-subtle hints on "real" Mythos knowledge - but also it can indicate possible leads. Remember, while the "occult" (in game terms) isn't the reality of the Mythos, it is with the 'common herd' of dabblers in the arcane.