Skip to main content

Problem → workflow → tool

Forgetting XP spends in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition

Track changes over time so you can always explain what you bought and why. Use the links below to apply the workflow in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition and keep it consistent across sessions.

Workflow (do this first)

  1. Log XP gained at session end, amount plus source (session award, milestone, downtime training).
  2. When you spend, record both the rating change AND the in-fiction reason for it.
  3. Save the entry with a timestamp so the GM can audit history later.
  4. Mark a rollback flag while you’re unsure, easier to reverse than to reconstruct.
Roll loop reminder (Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition)

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.

Example: Spot Hidden 55%: a roll of 42 succeeds; a harder threshold would require a lower roll.

Key facts

  • Percentile skill system: Roll d100, succeed if equal to or below skill rating
  • 8 Characteristics: STR, CON, POW, DEX, APP, SIZ, INT, EDU (plus Luck)
  • Occupation system: Each occupation grants skill bonuses and Credit Rating range
  • Sanity mechanics: Starts at POW, maximum reduced by Cthulhu Mythos exposure
  • Skill improvement: Mark skills during play, improve after sessions
  • Luck: Spend after a roll, point for point, to turn a failure into a success; can't be used on Sanity, damage, Luck rolls, or pushed rolls

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Spending XP in your head and updating dots later. Fix: Log the spend the moment the GM approves it; an unsourced dot is an audit failure.
  • Mistake: Tracking totals but not what each spend bought. Fix: Every spend gets a one-line reason, "raised Athletics to 3 after the rooftop chase."
Roll resolution
Fast lookup while running scenes.
System guide
Rules + key concepts in one place.

Context (system overview)

Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition is a horror investigation roleplaying game based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Players take on the roles of Investigators, ordinary people who uncover cosmic horrors beyond human comprehension. As you investigate mysteries, your character's Sanity slowly erodes, skills improve through use, and the line between reality and madness blurs.

System guide
Rules + key concepts.
System glossary
Definitions for system terms.

Recommended next steps

Character sheet
Use the online sheet and keep it current.
Character creation
Checklist + builder entry points.
Advancement
Track progression with a clean workflow.

Solve it with RPG Stack

Use the free tools now, and save progress with an account.