Falconer Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Can someone give a summary of the publication history (or lack thereof) of Pulp Cthulhu? What is Astounding Adventures, and how do the products relate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trystero Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Originally announced in 2001 according to its entry in the YSDC wiki (which also includes the summary from the announcement). "On track for a 2008 release" per this YSDC forum post, which again may be worthwhile reading. Quote — “Self-discipline isn’t everything; look at Pol Pot.”—Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Pulp Cthulhu - has been written and is currently being relaid out. Due for release later this year. Astounding Adventures was written for BRP and is completely separate book to Pulp Cthulhu, which is specifically for Call of Cthulhu. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Mike, Any chance of some teasers/ previews for Pulp Cthulhu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 (edited) Okay - Pulp Cthulhu is focused on playing Call of Cthulhu in a pulp style - i.e. it's a supplement to the core rulebook and not standalone. It features creating tougher characters (called heroes rather than investigators), with a tweaked generation system. A range of supplementary rules for pulp style play, giving both players and NPCs more "tricks" to call upon (usually at a cost - it's Call of Cthulhu after all). Tweaked Sanity and magic rules, inc. insane augmented skills. Optional psychic powers, and also Weird Science. Some new organisations for heroes to belong to, or to fight against. A range of pulp villains and monsters. Four scenarios, each with a slightly different flavor of pulp, and a chapter on designing pulp stories and plots, and running pulp style games. Remember, it's still Call of Cthulhu at heart, so while characters can take a few more knocks they can still die and are very likely to go insane; although, a couple of deep ones isn't likely to make them sweat - but they can confidently go toe-to-toe with a hunting horror or larger monster. Edited April 2, 2016 by Mike M 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Thanks Mike; I've been looking forward to this for way too long & it is great to finally see Pulp Cthulhu coming into print and it sounding like exactly what I hoped it would be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Mize Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 As a long time pulp aficionado, I am going to buy the HELL out of this book when it comes out. I'm hoping for hardcover, but that's just me. Who wouldn't want to run a scenario with The Shadow, Doc Savage and The Spider against Fu Manchu and the Cults of C'thulhu? - Bill 2 Quote https://billplayscthulhu.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconer Posted April 6, 2016 Author Share Posted April 6, 2016 On 3/31/2016 at 4:47 PM, Mike M said: Pulp Cthulhu - has been written and is currently being relaid out. Due for release later this year. Astounding Adventures was written for BRP and is completely separate book to Pulp Cthulhu, which is specifically for Call of Cthulhu. Which would be better suited to a game inspired by Indiana Jones (esp. Raiders and Last Crusade)? I want to incorporate supernatural religious elements (artifacts, etc.) not necessarily related to Yog-Sothothery, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 34 minutes ago, Falconer said: Which would be better suited to a game inspired by Indiana Jones (esp. Raiders and Last Crusade)? I want to incorporate supernatural religious elements (artifacts, etc.) not necessarily related to Yog-Sothothery, Well, I'd say get both and combine the bits you like into the game you want. Pulp Cthulhu will cover it, but of course, it is designed for Call of Cthulhu. Astounding Adventures is not so focused on horror and is aimed for a more general setting. Pulp Cthulhu was written after AA and basically builds on or addresses some things differently to suit the Call of Cthlhu style of game, you could easily run a non-Mythos Indian Jones style game with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankcam Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 (edited) I run a Pulp Cthulhu game, we are doing the Masks of Nylarthotep campaign, but playing it more like Indiana Jones. Presently we use Call of Cthulhu 6E and replace Power Points as 'Pulp Points' - essentially 1pt per skill re-rolls. If the players are willing to dish out more 'Pulp Points' than you could allow cool stuff like enhancing chances of doing stuff, and reduce the cost of Pulp Point use depending upon particular character narrative traits. Then make Pulp Points recharge at the same rate as Hit Points, although liberally hand out regains in accordance to characters playing up their personality concepts. It works well for us. Call of Cthulhu has so much background for the 1920s that it is the best for Pulp Era games in my opinion. You can easily 'pulp' it up a notch, depending on how you present the story line. From what I have seen of the Cthulhu 7E pdf it looks like it may be easier to do this then with 6E, given it already has the concepts of Luck and Pushing Rolls built into the system, although in a low-pulp manner. My gut instinct says to get the Call of Cthulhu 7E books and have a good look at that, then wait for the Pulp Cthulhu companion volume to be published, as that will obviously be designed to tweak it further in the direction of high pulp fare. In the meantime, if you have the BRP book then perhaps just use Power Points as I described above and you should be able to see things get very pulpy. Edited April 8, 2016 by Mankcam 1 Quote " Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysun Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 On 4/3/2016 at 6:03 AM, William Mize said: As a long time pulp aficionado, I am going to buy the HELL out of this book when it comes out. I'm hoping for hardcover, but that's just me. Who wouldn't want to run a scenario with The Shadow, Doc Savage and The Spider against Fu Manchu and the Cults of C'thulhu? - Bill Hear, hear! Pitting some of the old Pulp heroes against the Mythos would be fantastic. I'm definitely looking forward to the release of Pulp Cthulhu. Quote "It's taken me all these years to realize that the Laws of Time are mine, and they will obey me!" - the Doctor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonHook Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I'm excited for Pulp Cthulhu too. I think Masks of Nyarlathotep and Horror on the Orient Express would be perfect candidates to run with pulp rules. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorax Transtellaris Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 5 hours ago, JonHook said: I'm excited for Pulp Cthulhu too. I think Masks of Nyarlathotep and Horror on the Orient Express would be perfect candidates to run with pulp rules. Don't forget Achtung! Cthulhu! 1 Quote RPGbericht (Dutch) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 ....any news? How is the layout etc going, and is there any chance we'll see this soon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorax Transtellaris Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 We just got un update from the Kickstarter saying the pdf will be going out to backers soon. Layout examples look promising. Quote RPGbericht (Dutch) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Meints Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 The 272 page Pulp Cthulhu book is done, and the files have been sent to our printer. We are awaiting proofs in a few weeks. Expected ship date is probably early July, but I need to get that confirmed with the printer. Kickstarter backers (3005 of them) can now download it via BackerKit. It will go up for sale on Chaosium.com very soon, once backers have had their chance to download it first. 2 Quote Hope that Helps,Rick Meints - Chaosium, Inc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOB Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 If you notice any typos, goofs or issues with the PDF, please note them the thread we have set up for corrections. (No need to email Rick directly or post them on the Kickstarter page or elsewhere) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankcam Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) Looks great! I wonder if this title be available in hardcover? Edited May 19, 2016 by Mankcam Quote " Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Yes, hardcover is the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippyHippy Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 (edited) From the looks of it, it ought to be a very popular supplement. As it provides character generation information, a primer on the 1930s and groups to join, it almost serves as an alternative to the Investigator's Handbook. The rules essentially add Talents and toughen the characters up a bit (double HP and no ageing, lots of uses of Luck points, etc) but there is plenty of variety in Careers and in Archetypes (a new thing that allows for more skill points, for the most part). The bonus for me is the four (count them!) scenarios included in the book, and it's all well presented in full colour. The high octane style might not be to every CoC player's taste, particularly if they are used to more slow burning mysteries and thrillers, but this supplement does achieve what it sets out to do with aplomb and brio. In my view the chase rules would have been better included in this book rather than the Keeper's core rules, but this is a meaty book regardless. It does bode well for the future 7E line. Edited May 19, 2016 by TrippyHippy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorax Transtellaris Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 5 hours ago, Mike M said: Yes, hardcover is the plan. Is the $28 Kickstarter add-on going to be full-color and hardcover? Quote RPGbericht (Dutch) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterioso Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 9 hours ago, Mike M said: Yes, hardcover is the plan. Do you envision another 7E preorder situation wherein one can also order Pulp Cthulhu? Real life got in the way of being able to preorder 7E and now this comes along too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 I believe pre-ordering is on the cards in due course. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I cannot wait for this book! I already have my FLGS on the look-out, yes I know it is still a ways out there , but all the other 7th Ed is already on pre-order..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOB Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 (edited) Free autocalc character sheets now are now available for Pulp Cthulhu at chaosium.com: http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu-character-sheet http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu-character-sheets/ Edited May 28, 2016 by MOB corrected URL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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