This is the Keeper Rulebook for the 7th edition of Call of Cthulhu. God, I love this book.

There isn’t a lot of difference between any given set of Call of Cthulhu rules. Unlike Dungeons & Dragons, which tries to reinvent itself every edition, Call of Cthulhu has undergone something more akin to an evolution over the years. The first few editions feel markedly different if you jump back from 7, but seen on a timeline, the changes are natural and gradual.

7E makes a much needed cosmetic update (in full color for the first time!), featuring a design and illustration work on par with D&D 5E, which is welcome as Chaosium rulebooks often feature gimmicky design techniques that age poorly. Some of the old art still sneaks in, though, which is nice and keeps the whole thing grounded. The biggest physical change is the fact that we now have a Keeper’s book and a Investigator’s book, which gives both extra room to breathe.

Rules wise, 7E is largely a tidying up. There is a new sense of clarity in the rules and most of the old school odds and ends that complicated that game are either gone or entirely reworked. Some modernizations are present, like the idea of pushing rolls (attempting a failed roll a second time at the risk of a greater consequence should you fail) or bonus dice for situational advantages and disadvantages (which borrows a bit from storytelling games, I think) smooth things out further. Optional rules for luck points make the game a bit friendlier and set the stage for Pulp Cthulhu’s more action-oriented rules.

Basically, everything you’d want from a new version of your favorite horror game and the best iteration to date. I am so keen to run Orient Express with these rules at some point…