There is a very interesting variant using playing cards instead of d20s. Take a deck, pull out all the face cards, aces = 1, black suits = 10 + card value, and deal 5 cards to each player, and the DM gets 8 or so. Instead of rolling 20s, you play a card, applying all the normal D&D modifiers. The players get to choose when to use each card; when they've used up all 5 they are dealt 5 more.I like this idea, though I know some folks won't. I'd want to keep the face cards and jokers and come up with something jazzy for them to do. The other problem would be players trying to work the system by initiating non-dangerous but roll-requiring actions in hope of dumping their low cards.
This would be a nice mechanic in a story driven game. Task resolution is still random, the math stays the same with the same success/failure probabilities, but players have a lot more control over when they "roll well" or "roll badly."
Anyway, if you're intertested in the Advanced GMG it's not yet available in print but RPGnow has it in PDF form.
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I've also learned that the AGMG also has a mass battle system in which PCs play out small chunks on the tabletop to affect the overall battle. I have unformed ideas about just this concept going back to my early-to-mid-90s fascination with Pendragon.
ReplyDeleteThe card system sounds like what was used in the Dragonlance Fifth Age SAGA system. I believe the main issue as you have noted was people getting stuck with crap cards and then doing mundane things so they cound burn through the bad cards. "I pull up my trousers, I'll use a card..."
ReplyDeleteI still think it sounds interesting though...What else does the AGMG have in it?
Hey Rich! Nice to here from you! Email me (jrients AT gmail DOT com) the next time you get down to CU. We should at least play together in something at Winter War.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thread I'm getting all my info from:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=128316
And here's the Table of Contents:
Introduction: Read this First!
Chapter One: Running a Game
Designing a World
Sensitive Subjects
Running a Game Session
Th e Play Environment
Information Management
Styles of Play
Knowing Your Group
Tricks of Pacing
Chapter Two: Adjudicating Play
Combat Rules
Bushwhacking Rules
Class Dodge Bonus
Disabling Critical Hits
Representative Battles
Speeding Play
Set Criticals
Set Damage
Simplified Attacks of Opportunity
Timed Turns
General Rules
Experience Debt
More Average Rolls
Cards
Fortune Points
Hex-Based Movement
Throwing
Magic Rules
Metamagic Points
Self-Limited Spells
Spell Points
Chapter Three: Preparing Adventures
The Basics
Readying Pre-Written
Adventures
Reading for Comprehension
Scaling Adventures
Personalizing Pre-Written
Adventures
Designing Adventures
Starting an Adventure
The Challenge
Wrapping it All Up
Chapter Four:Non-Player Characters
Designing Antagonists
Role
Personality
Motivation
Allies
Mentors
Simplifi ed NPC Design
100 NPC Quirks
NPCs with APM Classes
NPC Eldritch Weaver
NPC Evangelist
NPC Scout
NPC Spellmaster
NPC Th anemage
NPC Warpriest
Chapter Five: Running a Campaign
Defining a Campaign
Choosing a Campaign Theme
Choosing a Cosmology
Choosing Monsters
Choosing PC Races
Choosing Technology
Campaign Styles
The Evil Campaign
Magic-Free or Low-Magic Campaigns
High-Magic Campaigns
Campaign Rules
Feats in a Campaign
Designing Feats
Prestige Classes
Designing Prestige Classes
Bringing It All Together
Campaign Worksheets
Table Rules
References
Chapter Six: Characters
Group Dynamics
Playing with Power Levels
Boosting Power Levels
Reduced Power Levels
Ability Scores
Character Backgrounds
The Passage of Time
Character Advancement
Training
Chapter Seven: Treasure and Magic Items
Magic Chakras
Innate Abilities
Ars Vitae
Boons
Rites
Levin
Mundane Item
Characteristics
Sovereign Materials
Armor and Shields
Weapons
Spell Lenses
Making Artifacts
Chapter Eight: Conditions & Environments
New Conditions
New Environments
and Hazards
Inconveniences
Starvation
Transstorms
Waking Up
New Diseases
New Poisons
Mystic Locales
Magic Locations
Holy Sites
Appendix One: Compiled Feats
Appendix Two: Initiative Cards
Character Cards
Monster Cards
Campaign Worksheet
Index
I suppose one work-around for the Trousers Dilemna would be to only issue cards at the start of a combat and then take them back at the end. If someone wants to waste a 'roll' in the middle of a fight, I'm willing to let them take that action.
ReplyDeleteFor actions not in combat you would still roll a d20.
That sounds like a good idea...or they have a hand of cards, when a combat begins, all cards are put back in the deck reshuffled and handed back out. Same at the end of combat, essentially giving them a combat "hand" and a "non-combat" hand, without having to keep track of two hands at the same time. Sounds cool...not sure what the players I know would think of not rolling the ol' d20 tho.....
ReplyDeleteYeah, as much as I like mixing things up in games I'm not sure I would like an entirely card-based version of D&D. I've played diceless game but when it comes to D&D I think I might feel naked without my trusty dice.
ReplyDelete