Apocalypse Keys vs Call of Cthulhu
Compare Apocalypse Keys and Call of Cthulhu side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Apocalypse Keys | Call of Cthulhu | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Modern | Horror, Modern |
| Play Style | Playbook-Driven, Horror, Investigation, Mystery, Character-Driven, Narrative, Fiction-First, Atmospheric, Drama, Collaborative, Corruption, Mission-Based | Investigation, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Atmospheric, Roleplay-Heavy, Mystery, Horror, Corruption, Skill-Based |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 and spend Darkness Tokens (up to 3) to add to the result instead of a fixed stat modifier. 7 or less is a miss, 8–10 is a complete hit, and 11+ is a catastrophic success — you achieve your goal but your monstrous power causes collateral damage. Bonds with other characters add +1 or −1. Darkness Tokens accumulate through roleplaying triggers specific to each playbook; exceeding 5 tokens forces a crisis that costs either a Bond or advances your Ruin track toward becoming a Harbinger of the apocalypse. | Roll d100 equal to or under your skill percentage. Success tiers at half (Hard) and one-fifth (Extreme) of the skill value. Bonus and penalty dice adjust the tens digit. Failed rolls can be pushed for a second attempt at greater risk. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d100 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Runnability | High | High |
| License | CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) | Chaosium Fan Material Policy |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Evil Hat Productions | Chaosium |
| Year | 2023 | 2014 |
| Best For | Groups who want emotionally intense, mystery-driven play as monstrous agents investigating apocalyptic threats — where the real tension comes from relationships and the risk of losing yourself to your own power. | Investigation-driven horror where combat is deadly and sanity is fragile. Great for one-shots. |
| Highlights | Darkness Token economy replaces static stats with a dynamic risk/reward resource that escalates tension throughout play. Catastrophic success mechanic means the strongest rolls carry the most dangerous consequences. Seven playbooks built around emotional wounds rather than combat archetypes. Five pre-assembled mysteries plus detailed guidance for creating custom ones. | Sanity system mechanically reinforces horror tone. Intuitive percentile skill system with tiered success levels. One of the largest published scenario libraries in the hobby. |
| Considerations | Requires buy-in for emotionally vulnerable roleplay — characters are designed to hurt and be hurt. No tactical combat system; conflict resolution is narrative. Mysteries have no pre-written solutions, which demands improvisational confidence from the Keeper. Mature themes including body horror, mind control, and moral degradation are baked into the core premise. | Chase rules add complexity with limited payoff, 46-skill list requires point allocation across multiple categories, sanity spiral can remove player agency in extended campaigns |