BLACK SEVEN vs Call of Cthulhu
Compare BLACK SEVEN and Call of Cthulhu side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| BLACK SEVEN | Call of Cthulhu | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern | Horror, Modern |
| Play Style | Espionage, Mission-Based, Rules-Light, Theater of the Mind, Fast-Paced, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Cinematic | Investigation, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Atmospheric, Roleplay-Heavy, Mystery, Horror, Corruption, Skill-Based |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + Trait, 11+ succeeds. Characters have 12 Traits organized into three categories, each with four Traits linked to Body, Speed, Mind, or Communication: Infiltrate (stealth and access), Force (open combat), and Mob (silent takedowns). An abstract positioning system tracks agent status through Exposed and Noticed states rather than using maps. Threat escalates from 3 to 5 as agents are detected, with guards only returning fire at Threat 5. | 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 | Very Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | Chaosium Fan Material Policy |
| Cost | $ | $$ |
| Publisher | Zero Point Information | Chaosium |
| Year | 2011 | 2014 |
| Best For | Groups who want fast, low-prep espionage one-shots inspired by stealth video games like Deus Ex and Splinter Cell, with abstract facility infiltration and no maps required. | Investigation-driven horror where combat is deadly and sanity is fragile. Great for one-shots. |
| Highlights | Abstract facility infiltration system replaces maps with positioning actions and escalating Threat levels. Three tactical approaches to every encounter: sneak past, ambush silently, or go loud. Character creation fits on an index card and takes minutes. Optional cybernetics and psionics modules expand the near-future setting. | Tracking Sanity as a depletable score ties mental erosion to the fiction, so confronting cosmic horror mechanically wears characters down. The percentile skills resolve on a d100 roll-under, with Hard and Extreme bands at half and one-fifth of the rating. Bouts of Madness convert failed Sanity checks into temporary phobias, manias, or loss of character control. |
| Considerations | 47-page rulebook with limited content beyond the core loop of facility infiltration. No advancement or campaign mechanics: designed for one-shots and short arcs. No bestiary or NPC variety beyond guards and researchers. Sample adventure is the only published scenario. | The chase rules add a detailed positioning subsystem whose complexity outweighs how often it sees use. Character creation allocates points across a long list of skills, a slow first step for new players. In long campaigns the sanity spiral can strip a character of player control as madness accumulates. |