Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition occupation
Criminal
Criminal is an occupation in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition: Thief, grifter, or enforcer who brings the practical skills a research-heavy party keeps needing.
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Key facts
- Skills
- Disguise, Fighting, Firearms, Locksmith, Stealth, Psychology, Spot Hidden, Credit Rating
- Credit Rating
- 5-65
Overview
The Criminal handles the jobs the rest of the party will not admit they need done: getting through a locked door, following someone without being seen, and being armed when the evening goes wrong. Locksmith starts at 1 percent and appears on almost no other occupation list, so a party without a Criminal often has no way past a lock at all. The occupation is unusual for building skill points from DEX or STR alongside EDU rather than from EDU alone, so a physical investigator is not punished for a mediocre education. Stealth at base 20 percent, Fighting (Brawl) at 25 percent, Firearms (Handgun) at 20 percent, and Spot Hidden at 25 percent give the Criminal the highest starting floor of any occupation here before points are spent, and Psychology at 10 percent covers the confidence-trick half of the work.
How it works
Occupation Skills: Disguise, Fighting, Firearms, Locksmith, Stealth, Psychology, Spot Hidden, Credit Rating Credit Rating: 5-65% Skill Points: DEX × 2 + EDU × 2, or APP × 2 + EDU × 2 (spent only on the occupation skills listed above) Typical Equipment: Lockpicks, a concealable handgun, a change of clothes for a second identity, fences and lookouts who owe you, a room rented under another name
Tips and playstyle
Best For: Parties that keep meeting locked doors and armed cultists, players who want to solve problems physically, investigators who need a reason to already know the local underworld. Playstyle: Locksmith and Stealth are the two skills nobody else brings, so buy them first. Name your Firearms category, because Handgun at base 20 percent and Rifle/Shotgun at base 25 percent are tracked as separate skills. Credit Rating stays low at 5 to 65, so play your money as cash on hand rather than as standing, and expect police and officials to be an obstacle rather than a resource. Character Concepts: Safecracker, bootlegger with a delivery route, confidence artist working widows, mob enforcer looking for other work, cat burglar who stole the wrong object.
Frequently asked questions
Will the rest of the party's investigation get me arrested?
It can. Criminal has the most to lose from police attention and Law is not on the list, starting at 5 percent. Settle with the Keeper up front how known you are locally, because an outstanding warrant changes every scene where police arrive.
Should I build my skill points off DEX or APP?
DEX suits the burglar, since Stealth, Locksmith, and Firearms all reward quiet precision. APP suits the confidence artist, who gets through the door because nobody doubts a well-presented caller. Both formulas add EDU × 2, so a Criminal with high EDU gets a larger pool either way.
Is the Criminal too specialized to investigate?
No. Spot Hidden at base 25 percent and Psychology at base 10 percent are both on the list, so you find physical clues and read liars about as well as anyone. What you lack entirely is Library Use, so pair up with a researcher.