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C of C question -- version 5.5 vs. 6.0


rleduc

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This is a little off topic, but I hope I will be forgiven – I’m toying with the idea of writing a CofC adventure, but I only use the old 5.5 edition. Should I update to the newer additions – are there any major differences – or will I be able to get by if I stat everything out with the old 5.5 version?

Thanks,

Rich

(True confession, my gaming group bought me 5.5 when it came out because I was still running using the first edition – I know, I’m a stick in the mud)

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I only know the German CoC versions, there the differences were so few that many people re-

fused to buy the latest edition because a difference in perhaps two dozen words did not justify

the cost of the two books.

"Mind like parachute, function only when open."

(Charlie Chan)

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I believe the changes are minor. You should be able to get by with 5.5 with little or no difficulties. I don't think CoC has gone through any major changes since 2nd or 3rd edition.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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If you're writing a scenario with the intention of having other people run it (give it away, publish it somewhere, etc.), the only thing you need to be aware of for differences between 5 and 6 is the spell multiplier. It was in version 5 but was thankfully removed. It might not even be in 5.5.

Other than that, you're good to go.

If you're writing it solely for your own personal use, then there's nothing to worry about. Since you're asking this question, though, I think you're looking outside your group.

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  • 2 weeks later...

There is a substantial change between 5th and 5.5 editions in terms of the Mental Illness chapter, which was largely re-written by Bruce Ballon (a qualified psychiatrist), and moved away from unauthentic phobia based illnesses, and towards a more rounded discussion of the topic. There is also the inclusion of the entire Call of Cthulhu story, and Magic has a more elaborate introduction in terms of describing what it is. The rule changes were minor (1% starting skills, and some alteration of skill lists, etc), while some essays were added, and others removed to appear in other books.

The differences between 5.5 and 6th editions, however, are purely in terms of graphical layout. The text is identical, for the most part.

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There is a substantial change between 5th and 5.5 editions in terms of the Mental Illness chapter, which was largely re-written by Bruce Ballon (a qualified psychiatrist), and moved away from unauthentic phobia based illnesses, and towards a more rounded discussion of the topic.

Ah, good point about mental illness, I'd forgotten about that change. Still, since I was happy with the phobia-based set up, that fell under the modified rule: "not enough changes I felt needed to bother switching." :)

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At one point, I had 3, 4, and 5.x and we used all of them in game.

The campaign I ran at the time, there were two copies of 5.x and 4, and the copy I used at the table was 4. Since I used 4, that was the declared default edition we would fall back on in the case of rules discrepancies, but I don't remember a single rules arbitration where it came down to one edition superseding another. The differences are so minute that they're not worth worrying about IMO.

That, and factoring in the nature of CoC being more about atmosphere than crunch anyway, unless you're one of those people who need to "upgrade" every few years for the shiny new x, it shouldn't matter anyway.

EDITED FOR (MIS)SPELLING

121/420

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