Candela Obscura vs Chronicles of Darkness
Compare Candela Obscura and Chronicles of Darkness side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Candela Obscura | Chronicles of Darkness | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror | Horror, Modern |
| Tags | Investigation, Playbook-Driven, Corruption, Atmospheric, Mission-Based, Fiction-First | Atmospheric, Character Building, Character-Driven, Classless, Corruption, Drama, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Improvisation, Investigation, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a pool of d6s equal to your action rating (0–3), take the highest result. A 6 is a full success, 4–5 is a mixed success, 1–3 is a miss. Spend Drive points (Nerve, Cunning, or Intuition) to add dice. Gilded actions replace one die with a special gilded die: choosing its result recovers 1 Drive. The GM sets stakes (low, standard, or high) and expectations before each roll. | Build a d10 pool from an Attribute plus a Skill and count each 8, 9, or 10 as a success. Tens reroll, five successes are exceptional, and a pool reduced below one die becomes a chance die that succeeds only on a 10. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d10 dice pool |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Darrington Press Community Gaming License | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Commercial publishing allowed — Storytellers Vault |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$ | $ |
| Publisher | Darrington Press | Onyx Path Publishing |
| Year | 2023 | 2015 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want atmospheric horror investigation with narrative-first mechanics, where supernatural corruption slowly erodes characters across a series of assignments. | Groups who want modern supernatural horror built around investigating mysteries, navigating personal consequences, and confronting threats before they overwhelm an ordinary life. |
| Highlights | Gilded dice create meaningful risk-reward tension on every roll, Drive system elegantly ties character resources to narrative themes, assignment structure gives the GM a clear framework for pacing, marks and scars make supernatural exposure feel consequential | The investigation system can reveal an Incomplete clue on a failed roll, preventing a mystery from stopping at one check. Conditions, Aspirations, and Beats link consequences and personal goals to character advancement. Horror Anchors create investigative inroads for supernatural threats. |
| Considerations | No free core rules: only a free quickstart guide is available, setting is tightly bound to the Fairelands world, limited character customization compared to Blades in the Dark, combat is intentionally de-emphasized in favor of investigation and social play | The core contains detailed procedures for combat, chases, investigation, social maneuvering, and supernatural threats, so groups need to decide which rules to emphasize in a campaign. Damage, Integrity breaking points, and Persistent Conditions create lasting consequences. Social Maneuvering includes sexual goals and hard leverage, so players should back away from uncomfortable concepts. |