Survival (Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition)
Definition
Survival represents your ability to live off the land—finding food and water, building shelter, making fire, avoiding natural hazards, and enduring harsh environmental conditions. In Call of Cthulhu, investigations frequently lead to remote wilderness, desolate islands, frozen wastelands, and other inhospitable locations. This skill is a specialization based on environment—Survival (Desert), Survival (Sea), Survival (Arctic), and so on. Each covers the specific knowledge needed to stay alive in that environment. In the 1920s, without modern rescue technology, being stranded in the wilderness can be a death sentence. Survival knowledge can mean the difference between reaching civilization and becoming another unexplained disappearance.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a different Survival specialty for each environment?
Ideally yes, as each environment has unique challenges. However, the Keeper may allow a general Survival roll at penalty for unfamiliar environments, since some principles (fire, shelter, water) are universal.
How does Survival interact with Natural World?
Natural World identifies plants, animals, and ecological patterns. Survival puts that knowledge into practice—knowing which plants to eat, how to avoid predators, and how to read weather for shelter timing.