Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition occupation
Engineer
Engineer is an occupation in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition: Trained builder of machines who can diagnose, repair, and rig equipment under pressure.
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Key facts
- Skills
- Art/Craft, Electrical Repair, Library Use, Mechanical Repair, Operate Heavy Machinery, Science, Credit Rating
- Credit Rating
- 30-60
Overview
The Engineer is the occupation that fixes things. Mechanical Repair starts at 10 percent and Operate Heavy Machinery at 1 percent, both close to useless untrained and genuinely powerful once occupation points push them past 50. Science must be named for a discipline, and Library Use at base 20 percent means the Engineer researches as well as builds. At the table the Engineer covers the physical infrastructure of a scenario: the elevator, the generator, the dam sluice, the truck that has to start right now, the door held by a hinge rather than a lock. Drive Auto at base 20 percent puts the Engineer behind the wheel, and a Credit Rating of 30 to 60 supplies a professional income, a workshop, and clients who let you walk onto their sites.
How it works
Occupation Skills: Art/Craft, Drive Auto, Library Use, Mechanical Repair, Operate Heavy Machinery, Science, Credit Rating Credit Rating: 30-60% Skill Points: EDU × 4 (spent only on the occupation skills listed above) Typical Equipment: Tool roll and calipers, technical manuals and blueprints, access to a workshop, professional contacts at factories and utilities, a reliable car
Tips and playstyle
Best For: Groups that keep meeting machinery, players who like solving problems with a physical plan, campaigns set around industry, mines, ships, or construction. Playstyle: Mechanical Repair is your signature, so take it high enough that failure is rare, because Keepers ration those rolls. Name Science for something the campaign will use, since Chemistry and Physics both come up more often than Biology in industrial scenarios. Electrical Repair is not on your list and starts at 10 percent, so buy it with Personal Interest points (INT × 2) if you want the complete technical package. Character Concepts: Civil engineer surveying a doomed dam, ship's engineer between voyages, factory foreman, mining engineer sent to explain an accident, inventor with a workshop and no customers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Mechanical Repair and Operate Heavy Machinery?
Mechanical Repair at base 10 percent fixes a broken device. Operate Heavy Machinery at base 1 percent runs a crane, bulldozer, or industrial rig without wrecking it or killing anyone. The very low base on the second means it is effectively unavailable unless an Engineer buys it.
Can an Engineer help with the investigation, not just the machines?
Yes. Library Use at base 20 percent is on the list, so the Engineer does technical research: plans, patents, survey records, and construction dates that pin down when a building was altered and by whom.
Which Science specialty should I take?
Pick one and name it, because Science is always specialized and starts at 1 percent. Chemistry pairs with residues and explosives, Physics with structures and machinery, and Geology with mines and excavations.