Customer Reviews

Call of Cthulhu Gamemasters Pack (Call of Cthulhu Horror Roleplaying, 8801)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since the amazon.com description doesn't give too many details, here's what you get with the d20 Call of Cthulhu Gamemaster's Pack: A tri-fold GM screen, four handy bookmarks, a booklet of official-looking forms, and a largeish booklet that comprises the Gamemaster Pack proper.

The screen is complete and stands up well, but is slightly smaller than most screens I've worked with. The side facing the players features the incredibly cool artwork for Chaosiums current edition of the Call of Cthulhu RPG. Unfortunatley, the screen doesn't have the game's skill list, so you'll need another method to keep track of which skills can be used untrained and other skill details. Other than that oversight, the screen is so handy that I hardly have to consult the rules book while playing.

The bookmarks are nice and functional. Each is customized for a different section of the rules and features a mini-index of relevent information. Between these and the information on the screen, finding information during a game session is not a problem.

The book of forms is rather useless to me. While it is nice to have official looking forms (dental records, asylum records, etc.) as play aids during a game, these are all customized for an Arkham setting - little use in my Chicago-based games!

The main Gamemaster Pack book is largely comprised of a nice adventure, "The Lost Temple of Yig". The 30 page strikes a good balance between adventure and exploration. Game stats are given for both the d20 and the original version of the RPG. Further background for "The Lost Temple of Yig" or your campaign is given about its Vanguard Club. The official errata follows, which isn't as bad as you'd think - it just seems that some of the authors of the original book didn't communicate too well as most of the errors are internal inconsistancies. A conversion system for using original Call of Cthulhu material with the new d20 version is pretty straightforward - you determine the level of the character you're converting and buy skills and feats from there. Next up are the record sheets, which along with the GM screen, are the shining stars of the pack. There is a redesigned two-page character sheet (with an old-school insanity track), minor character sheets, and monster master and minion sheets. The graphic design of these sheets (and the whole package) is outstanding.

Overall, while I would've preferred paying a little less for just the screen, bookmarks, and sheets alone (errata should always be free!), the adventure and background information is good enough that [this]is a bargain for the whole package. More than a screen, this is a pack to make any d20 Call of Cthulhu Gamemaster's job easier.

Call of Cthulhu Gamemasters Pack (Call of Cthulhu Horror Roleplaying, 8801) is an OK purchase, The adventure is fun, but the screen, although good looking, wasn't designed well for a GM. I found it a bit overpriced for what I got.

The adventure is nice, and there aren't too many D20 Call of Cthulhu published adventures about.

The bookmarks include a much-needed index to the D20 rulebook and are a very nice inclusion to the kit.

The documents are sure to prove useful for gussying-up clues for your games.

The three panel screen is where the stars fall off this review.

It is made from the flimsiest card (like many D&D 3.5 era screens were) and that is a problem as it won't stand up for long if anyone breathes on it. I clip mine to a heavier screen and therefore deny the players the artwork on their side.

The player side features the artwork from the BRP rulebook cover (editions 5.6 and 6) which is a bit odd but not unwelcome. As I said, my players never get to see it.

The outer wing panels have been foreshortened for some reason, making the entire screen a narrower product than might be expected. This has the effect of reducing the real-estate on the GM side.

And that is the main problem, because it means that the information on there is incomplete.

It must be a problem deciding what to leave off a D20 screen - there is just so much damned info that a GM needs during a game. On this one there's no firearm information, which is a very sad omission given that the players will either shoot or be shot at at some point.

And yes, I am speaking from experience. I am currently running a game using the D20 rules and have this screen pinned to my more sturdy GM shield during same. I also have to have a bunch of other stuff to hand when I should be able to read the screen and wing it.

So four stars only.

Being one of the few d20 Call of Cthulhu supplements, this product is actually quiet good. Unlike the Chaosium books, d20 ismuch more "pulpish" and this is reflected in the included adventure. If you own d20 Call of Cthuhlu, this supplement is a must have, for the included adventure if nothing else.

I'm a DM for an ongoing D&D game, but I'm planning to introduce my crew to Call of Cthulhu sometime later this year. I've picked up a few of the books but I also wanted to add some neat elements to the game. This Gamemaster's Pack is it. It contains: A selection of forms for the game (asylum and other record forms, Miskatonic University stationary, etc.); a GM screen; Rules Errata booklet; and some bookmarks with page numbers on them.

It should be noted that, if you're playing the new (ca. 2006) version of Call of Cthulhu, some of these items won't be of much use to you: the rules errata and the bookmarks refer to the older edition of the game, and so the page numbers and corrections they discuss are obsolete. Also, you'll have to check to be sure that the GM screen is up to date, as it uses the old d20 system rules. However, the forms should be perfectly up-to-date, and I look forward very much to using them.