Cthulhu Live
Cthulhu Live
- Author
- Robert McLaughlin
- Publisher
- Skirmisher Publishing
- Year
- 1997, 1999, 2006
- ISBN
- ISBN 0-9777211-0-8
- Pages
- 208
Cthulhu Live is a set of theatre-style larp rules for telling tales of the Cthulhu Mythos. It is based heavily on the Call of Cthulhu tabletop rpg.
History
The first edition of Cthulhu Live was published by Chaosium in 1997. A second edition from Fantasy Flight Games followed in 1999, and this was supported with four supplements:
- Cthulhu Live Player's Companion (1999)
- Cthulhu Live: Shades of Gray (1999), covering pulp fiction and film noir
- Cthulhu Live: Lost Souls (2000), containing information on playing cultists
- Cthulhu Live: Delta Green (2001), for modern adventures using the Delta Green setting
The current 3rd edition was released in 2006 by Skirmisher Publishing. It has been supported with a companion CD and a range of one-shot scenarios:
- House of Pain (2007)
- The Green Fairy (2008)
- Murder at Miskatonic (2008)
- The Old Man of Damascus (2008)
- Sight Unseen (2008)
- Arcanum Imperii (2009)
- Witchfinder (2009)
- Muerte al Chupacabras! (2010)
- The Island (2011)
Rules
The rules are heavily based on the Call of Cthulhu tabletop rpg. Characters are generated by purchasing statistics, advantages and disadvantages, and skills. Cthulhu Live is unusual in that there is no random element to resolution. Skill tests are resolved with an absolute test of stat x skill against a hidden difficulty number. Sanity tests are resolved by comparing the character's sanity level to the threat, and dropping them a level if required. Combat is resolved abstractly, and automatically inflicts damage unless countered by an appropriate skill.
There is a simple experience system for campaign play.
External links
- Cthulhu Live 3rd edition at DriveThruRPG
- Review of 1st edition at rpg.net