GM resource
Prep checklist for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition
What to prep (and what to skip) before sessions. Prep for Call of Cthulhu 7e should spend more time on hooks and consequences than on mechanics: Call of Cthulhu uses percentile skills: roll d100 and succeed if you roll at or under your skill. Difficulty often shifts the threshold (Regular/Hard/Extreme) and Sanity loss is a core pressure loop.
Checklist
- Write the scene's pressure and at least two ways it can go before the table sits down.
- Prep just enough mechanical detail that a roll resolves at the table without a rules lookup: Call of Cthulhu uses percentile skills: roll d100 and succeed if you roll at or under your skill. Difficulty often shifts the threshold (Regular/Hard/Extreme) and Sanity loss is a core pressure loop.
- List NPC names, wants, and one secret each so improvised scenes have something to reach for.
- Decide what happens if the players ignore the plan entirely.
Common pitfalls
- Prepping a plot instead of a situation
- Over-detailing mechanics no one will roll this session
- No answer ready for 'what if they don't take the hook'