Modern RPG

[unbeliever536]

I'm going to be running a 1 session game in a modern day (cthulhu influenced) setting. I'm considering just using straight CoC and seeing how that works out, but I'm not sure that's what I want to go with. Does anyone know a good, lightweight rpg that works well for a modern setting?

[DMVerdandi]

I'm going to be running a 1 session game in a modern day (cthulhu influenced) setting. I'm considering just using straight CoC and seeing how that works out, but I'm not sure that's what I want to go with. Does anyone know a good, lightweight rpg that works well for a modern setting?

NWOD

The storyteller system is pretty easy to pick up, and you can play horror games pretty well with just the starting book. For what you want, the God-Machine Chronicles would work pretty well too, but personally, there is enough NWOD Books to cover it without even touching that book.

[Rhynn]

Hard to really get much more lightweight than CoC, IMO. My experience is generally one d100 roll per session (not counting the fake rolls to keep the PCs on their toes). There's absolutely no reason it wouldn't work fine - "modern" is one of the three default periods with support for CoC (1890s, 1920s/30s, and "modern").

If you want actual good mechanics for CoC style play, get Trail of Cthulhu. Still light, 100% awesome.

[Grinner]

NWOD

The storyteller system is pretty easy to pick up, and you can play horror games pretty well with just the starting book. For what you want, the God-Machine Chronicles would work pretty well too, but personally, there is enough NWOD Books to cover it without even touching that book.

Given that the books usually run about $20 to $30 a piece, that's sort of an expensive option.

Really, you could do Lovecraftian horror with just the core book and the supplement Second Sight.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

nWoD is by far my go-to when I want a generic system that you can take in any direction, and it needs no hacking for a modern-day game. The core book is all you need for a supernatural-tinged game, especially if you're comfortable with making some stuff up.

This is a pretty well-regarded quickstart for the game that's free. (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/92564/Nightmare-on-Hill-Manor)

[unbeliever536]

Thanks all; I think I'll stick with CoC for now, since I've already been doing stuff with it for the past two weeks.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I totally support your sticking with CoC, but for the sake of offering another option I'll mention Fate Core. Lightweight and free, very character-driven and could easily handle mental anguish of the sort you'd get from observing things man was not meant to know (although without tweaking it would all be temporary).