Looking for guidance to begin playing Call of Cthulhu (or similar)

[Rukelnikov]

So, I was interested in playing something set in 1800s (either early or late, not a prob) with lots of mystery/investigation, where combat is not the answer to solve the ultimate goals, and I thought Cthulu may be what I'm looking for. I've recently played the Room IV (an investigation/puzzle video game series), and that's the kind of setting and atmosphere I'm aiming for.

I come from an extensive DnD and WoD background, and while I could do this with the nWoD system, I thought a game based on the Cthulhu mythos might be better suited for something like this. Is that the case? I know there are heaps of editions, which one should I try for something like what I described previously?

Thanks!

[comicshorse]

With I believe the exception of the 7th edition the Cthulhu rules stay reassuringly similar throughout the editions so any of 1-6 would do (with probably the later editions smoothing out little wrinkles so better)
The default time period for most Cthulhu is the 1920's so for a 1880's game you might consider grabbing 'Cthulhu by Gaslight' the sourcebook for the 1890's in general and Victorian London in particular

[Digitalelf]

It is true that editions 1 -6 are all pretty much compatible with one-another, for pre 7th edition however, I would go with 6th edition; simply because it still has the most products readily available for it without having to scour places like ebay (but Chaosium and DrivethruRPG have many PDFs of the older products).

The biggest differences between 1st through 6th edition were changes in the skills... Many skills were merged with others or dropped entirely from edition to edition.

[Rukelnikov]

Thank you both, I'll try to read 6th ed then.

[caden_varn]

Trail of Cthulhu by Pelgrane press is also worth a look. Different system, but a bit better designed in the investigation phase IMO. Not done enough combat to see how sturdy that is, but combat in a Cthulhu game is generally a sign that things have gone wroooooong...

[TerrickTerran]

I like 6th (it helps that's what most of my books are). I've played 7th and Trail and they are different but still playable.

[Bilharzia]

So, I was interested in playing something set in 1800s (either early or late, not a prob) with lots of mystery/investigation, where combat is not the answer to solve the ultimate goals, and I thought Cthulu may be what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

I'm guessing you know about "Cthulhu by Gaslight"? It's a setting supplement for CoC, not a separate version, set in Victorian England, 1890s.

Contents:

Part I - Victorian Characters

Victorian Era Occupations
Social Class
Character Traits
Skill Alterations
Weapons
A Glossary of Late-Victorian Terms
Prices
Sample Prices in 1890s England
Clothing


Part II - The Victorian World

Britain's Empire
The Victorian Military: A Brief Overview
Gaslight Era Timeline
Biographies
Victorian Exploration Timeline
A Brief Tour of London
The City of London
Westminster
South of the Thames
Selected London Locations
London Stories
Regions of Britain
Communications
Travel
Media
London Crime
Criminals
The Law
Underworld Slang
The Late Victorian Underground
Jack the Ripper
The British Government
Club Life in London
Hotels and Lodging
Markets and Bazaar
Sources of Information
Coach Chase Rules
British Universities


Part III - Strange Britain

The Occult in the 1890s
The Theosophical Society
Freemasonry
The Golden Dawn
A Timeline of Fortean Events
Spiritualism
The Society for Psychical Research
A Gazetteer of Selected Strange Sites in Britain
Ireland
Scotland
Wales
The North
London and the East
The South West
Cornwall and the West
The Cthulhu Mythos in Britain
The Severn Valley
Cthulhu Mythos Entries in Victorian Britain
Victorian Fictional Characters
A Compendium of Victorian Non-Player Characters
Victorian Scenario Suggestions
Campaign Types
Published Scenarios
On Hauntings


Part IV - Gaslight Adventures

The Night of the Jackals
The Burnt Man


Appendix I - Suggested Sources for Victorian Roleplayers

Fiction from the Era
Modern Fiction about the Era
Non-Fiction
Victoriana on Television and Film
Victorian Roleplaying


Appendix II - Maps and Handouts

Cthulhu by Gaslight Character Sheet