Friday, June 13, 2014

(Stat Crunch) Tales of the Sleepless City

While a review of Tales of the Sleepless City is forthcoming, I realized that it had been some time since I compiled a "stat crunch" of a CoC scenario book, and such an analysis would help with said review.

What is a stat crunch, o' true believers?   It's my way of determining if a scenario is appropriate/inappropriate for a group of investigators.  It falls under four sets of data.
  1. Skills:  I will list each skill that is called in each scenario, as well as how many times it is specifically called in it.  If the scenario calls for the potential of skill checks, I will end it with a "+".  Seven Library Use rolls for seven different items is, of course, seven times.  (Library Use x7)  A vague reference to Persuade being useful in a bar counts as one (Persuade 1+).  I've found too many scenarios have "hidden skills" that can kill a scenario in mid-stride if the investigators aren't well-versed (Of course we carry an Egyptologist around in our gang during a turf war, just in case we fall into a sewer full of hieroglyphics.)  In a game was cosmic horrors can overwhelm mere mortals in seconds, I'd like to give the investigators as many chances to succeed/flee as possible.  The inevitable will happen soon enough.   I also don't include any weapon or combat stats unless specifically mentioned.
  2. Potential SAN Loss- If the investigator experiences every encounter that triggers a SAN check, the first number is the minimum sanity loss if they pass every check, and the second number is the maximum SAN loss if they fail every check.  Although it should be common sense, if you're planning on a filler scenario between campaigns, you might not want that scenario that has a range of 5 to 200 in SAN loss.
  3. Potential San Gain - If you succeed in every major objective, this would be your maximum SAN reward at the end of the session.  Perhaps I'm being too kind, but I do compare gain versus loss for a campaign. 
  4. Cthulhu Mythos (and more):  If you read all the tomes and experience all the special circumstances, this is the max Cthulhu Mythos % your investigator can learn.  This does not include the free CM points for experiencing a Mythos creature for the first time (if you do that sort of thing at your table).  Again, CoC is a lot more risk than reward (and earning CM can be more risk than reward), but I like to know what can happen to the group I'm running.  I'll also include any possible automatic skill increases or rewards, such as Occult and Credit, where applicable.
Check out my other Stat Crunch attemps here.

Disclaimers:  The scenarios in Tales are not tied together for a coherent campaign.  They are meant to be one shots or added as filler for a campaign where appropriate.  I've typed up this earliest portion of the post before compiling the data.

To Awaken What Never Sleeps
Architecture x1
Climb x1
Credit Rating x2
Cthulhu Mythos x6
Drive x1
Fast Talk x3
First Aid x3
History x1
Jump x1
Library Use x8
Listen x1
Locksmith x1
Medicine x2
Navigate x2
Occult x6
Persuade x5
Psychology x2
Spot Hidden x4

Min/Max SAN loss range 7-67
Min/Max SAN reward     2-12
Cthulhu Mythos   +3%

 A pretty well-balanced CoC adventure, even with the six Cthulhu Mythos rolls.

The Terror From the Museum
Archeology x1
Art (General) x1
Biology   x1
Cthulhu Mythos x1
Disguise x1+
Egytian Hieroglyphics x1
Fast Talk x4
Hide   x3+
Listen  x3
Locksmith x3
Medicine x1
Occult  x1
Persuade x7
Photography x1
Psychology x1
Spot Hidden x4

Min/Max SAN loss range  4-29
Min/Max SAN reward      3-16
Cthulhu Mythos    +1%

An Egyptian themed scenario the whole party can love!


The Fishers of Men
Anthropology x2
Astronomy
Biology x3
Chemistry x2
Credit Rating x2
Cthulhu Mythos x4
Dodge x1
Fast Talk x2
History x2
Library Use x2
Listen x1
Medicine x2
Natural History x2
Occult x4
Persuade x3
Psychoanalysis x5
Psychology x2
Sneak 4x
Spot Hidden 10x
Min/Max SAN loss range  4-36
Min/Max SAN reward  3-29
Cthulhu Mythos:  +10%
Occult:  +10%
Credit Rating +5%

A LOT of sneaking around and investigating.

 The Tenement  
Anthropology x1
Chemistry x1
Fast Talk x2
Law x2
Listen x1
Medicine x9
Other Lang: Hungarian x1+
Other Lang: Italian x1+
Other Lang: Polish x2+
Other Lang: Spanish x1+
Persuade x20+
Photography x2
Psychoanalysis x1
Psychology x5
Spot Hidden x4
Min/Max SAN loss range 10-55
Min/Max SAN reward   2-26
Cthulhu Mythos  +5%
Credit Raing +16%

The Tenement is a LOT of traditional investigation, taking statements, and persuading people to work with them.  While it doesn't show using this method, there is a lot of potential combat (mostly fisticuffs) so a party would need to be smart, empathetic, and tough to handle the assignment.


A Night at the Opera
Art: Music (any) x3
Climb x3
Credit Rating x1
Cthulhu Mythos x2
Dodge x1
Electrical Repair x3
Fast Talk x1
First Aid x1
Hide x1
Library Use x5
Mechanical Repair x1
Operate Hvy Machinery x1
Other Lang: Italian x1
Medicine x1
Persuade x1
Photography x3
Sneak x1
Spot Hidden x7

Min/Max SAN loss range:  7-165
Min/Max SAN reward     1-20
Cthulhu Mythos 4%

Lots of physical skills for a scenario based upon around an opera.

Ertong He Kuqi De Muqin
Bargain x1
Biology x1
Credit Rating x3
Cthulhu Mythos x6
Disguise x1
Fast Talk x3
Hide x1
History x1
Natural History x1
Occult x2
Other Lang: Cantonese x1+
Other Lang: Mandarin  x1+
Other Lang: Taishanese x1+
Persuade x3
Psychology  x6
Sneak x3
Spot Hidden x15

Min/Max SAN loss range 9-41
Min/Max SAN reward   3-18
Cthulhu Mythos  5%

The scenario is in Chinatown, prepare for some Chinese investigators or a few issues lost in translation.

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