Luck (Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition)

Characteristics

Definition

Luck represents your investigator's good fortune, narrative grace, and the universe's willingness to give you a break. Unlike the other characteristics, Luck is not a fixed measure of capability; it's a depletable resource that you spend across a scenario to push success, reduce damage, or bend small details in your favour. In Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, Luck is rolled on 3d6×5 like the other 3d6-derived characteristics (range 15-90). Where it differs is in how it functions at the table: Luck points can be spent during play and only recover under specific conditions, so investigators must budget them across the scenario.

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How it works

**Generation**: Roll 3d6×5 (range 15-90) **Spending Luck**: - Add Luck points to a failed skill roll to push it to success (typically to escape mortal danger) - Reduce damage from a hit - Avoid a critical injury - Reroll a Sanity check (Keeper's discretion) **Recovering Luck**: Generally only restored between scenarios via the Luck improvement check, or by Keeper fiat. Within a scenario Luck is a finite pool. **Luck Roll**: Rolling under your current Luck score on d100, used for genuinely random outcomes the Keeper wants to put on the investigator's fortune rather than a skill.

Tips

**Budgeting Luck**: Treat Luck like emergency fuel. Spending it to push a Library Use roll early in a scenario is rarely worth it; saving it to escape a Mythos beast at the climax is what it's for. **Improvement**: Between scenarios, roll d100 vs current Luck; if you roll higher, Luck increases by 1d10. Lower starting Luck investigators improve faster.

Frequently asked questions

Is Luck new to 7th Edition?

Yes. In Call of Cthulhu 6th edition and earlier, Luck existed as a derived roll (POW×5) but wasn't its own characteristic. In 7e it's a separate, spendable resource.

Can I run out of Luck?

Yes, once you spend it down it stays low until you improve it between scenarios. Investigators with 0 Luck are still functional; they just have no fortune to spend.

Luck (Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition)

Definition

How it works

Tips

Frequently asked questions

Further Reading