Rules reference

Skills in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition

Skills overview and how checks typically work. 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.

Key points

Skills describe trained competence. Use this page to quickly understand what the skill list covers and how to pick priorities.

Copyable facts
  • Percentile skill system: Roll d100, succeed if equal to or below skill rating
  • 8 Characteristics: STR, CON, POW, DEX, APP, SIZ, INT, EDU
  • Occupation system: Each occupation grants skill bonuses and Credit Rating range
  • Sanity mechanics: Starts at 99-POW, decreases with Mythos encounters
  • Skill improvement: Mark skills during play, improve after sessions
  • Derived stats: HP, Sanity, MP, Build, Damage Bonus calculated from Characteristics
What’s in this system
Skills
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Examples
Example: Pushing an investigation roll

If the clue matters, the Keeper can make failure cost time or safety instead of blocking progress. Use Regular/Hard/Extreme to express stakes.

Example: Choosing specialties

Pick a few skills that match your investigator concept, then rely on teamwork and preparation for the rest.

Common mistakes (smallest fix)
  • Mistake: Rolling without stakes. Fix: Say what success changes and what failure costs before rolling.
  • Mistake: Treating failure as ‘nothing happens’. Fix: Fail forward: you still learn something, but pay a cost (time, exposure, resources, harm).

Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition FAQ

How does the percentile system work in Call of Cthulhu?
How does the skill improvement system work?
What are the Characteristics in Call of Cthulhu 7e?
How does Sanity work in Call of Cthulhu?
What are Occupations in Call of Cthulhu?

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