Cthulhoid Choices: 4thulhu

As it acknowledges, there are too many games about Cthulhu and the Mythos. So why one more? Especially given that the publisher, Just Crunch Games, has its very own roleplaying game of Lovecraftian investigative horror in the form of Cthulhu Hack, Second Edition. So, what is the point of 4thulhu: A 4-sided System for Cosmic Horror? Well, it exists because the author wanted to create a roleplaying game using only four-sided dice. Which begs the question, what exactly does it offer the player and Director of roleplaying games of Lovecraftian investigative horror that other, similar roleplaying games do not? That is a difficult question to answer. Since Call of Cthulhu and Trail of Cthulhu are mainstays, and there is even lighter roleplaying game of Lovecraftian investigative horror than 4thulhu, and that is Cthulhu Dark. Think then of 4thulhu as an alternative to Cthulhu Dark when players and Directors want something lighter, but with a little more mechanical nuance. An absolute cynic might be describe 4thulhu as yet another roleplaying game of Lovecraftian investigative horror for the collector. Morse so given its obscurity. That said, 4thulhu is inexpensive. In fact, the four four-sided dice needed to play the roleplaying game are probably going to cost as much, if not more than the price of 4thulhu.

In order to run and play 4thulhu: A 4-sided System for Cosmic Horror, a group will need some four-sided dice—at least four—and copies of the Player Character sheet (though an index card will do just as well). A Player Character in 4thulhu has four attributes. These are Grit, Form, Lore, and Mien, corresponding to physical power, agility, knowledge, and personality and willpower. These are valued at two each, and then one can be adjusted up and another down. Injury and Realisation are derived values. A player can alternatively roll for the attributes. A Player Character has up to twelve skills. These are rated Expert, Adept, Novice, and Unskilled. An Expert skill means that a Player Character will succeed on a roll of two or more; three or more for an Adept skill; four for a Novice skill; and rolls of four on two four-sided dice. It is important to note that the player can select as many as he wants at the start of play, but he can also leave them blank until they are needed, in which case he selects at that point, during play.

Henry Brinded, Antiquarian
Grit1 Form 2 Lore 3 Mien 2
Injury 4
Realisation 4
Skills
Ancient Languages (Expert), History (Adept), Artillery (Novice), Accounting (Adept)

Mechanically, 4thulhu is as simple as outlined above, whilst attribute checks are rolled like unskilled checks. Combat and similar situations are handled as opposed rolls. If one combatant succeeds and rolls higher, it is the winner; a stalemate occurs if combatants roll the same value and succeed; and if both sides fail, they both suffer negative effects. Damage is brutal with a melee weapon or a light firearm inflicting two points of Injury. If a Player Character has his Injury reduced to zero, he is unconscious. The most complex rule here is how facing the Cosmic Truth is handled. Here a Player Character’s Realisation is subtracted from five and that is the target number, the minimum target number being two or more. If the roll is successful, the Player Character can carry, but if not, his Realisation is reduced by one. If it is reduced to zero, the Player Character might blackout or run away or hide, and so on. Recovery of Injury takes weeks and months for Realisation.

The adversaries in 4thulhu are defined in a fashion similar to Player Characters. The Director can adjust the attributes and assign skills as necessary, and the more powerful the adversary the more unbalanced it will be in comparison to a Player Character. 4thulhu gives details for six Mythos races and entities, including the Colour Out of Space, Deep Ones, Elder Things, Fungi from Yuggoth, Nightgaunts, and Ghouls. 4thulhu does not cover Mythos tomes, spells, or the ‘gods’. Here the Director will need to improvise. There are brief notes on converting content from other roleplaying games of Lovecraftian investigative horror and on improvising horror. The latter actually covers everything you might find in a larger, more detailed roleplaying game, but in the briefest of fashions. More bullet points than paragraphs. To help set up a scenario, 4thulhu includes a set of ‘Unforeseen Circumstances’ tables, which annoyingly require six-sided dice rather than four-sided dice. The advice is good, though light.

The scaling of 4thulhu to use a four-sided die does mean that there is not a lot of mechanical depth or longevity to its play. In comparison with similar games, Player Characters are weaker and there is no scope for experience or growth. So, 4thulhu is likely to be used for one-shots, short scenarios, or mini-campaigns at best. The advice that emphasises improvisation also lends itself towards this conclusion too.

Physically, 4thulhu is slightly roughly presented with extra inserts. It is lightly illustrated. It is decently written.

There are options which are missing from 4thulhu: A 4-sided System for Cosmic Horror—spells, tomes, and gods in particular. It is not a comprehensive roleplaying game of Lovecraftian investigative horror, but it is quick and easy to play, while relying on greater improvisation and creativity upon the part of the Director than another roleplaying game of Lovecraftian investigative horror might. Ultimately, 4thulhu: A 4-sided System for Cosmic Horror is a workable, if limited mini-roleplaying game.