Fortune Cards: and randomized collectible cards come to D&D

[Hussar]

/snip
"Making a character has never been easier! All the player has to do is open a pack of Character Cards and draw forth the result!"
/snip

Now, imagine that as a DM tool for NPC's. While I'd hate this as a chargen method, as a supplement for allowing me to drop in interesting NPC's, completely statted up, on the fly, into my game? Love it to pieces.

Rogues Gallery Collectible Cards. I'd like it.

Or, imagine a boxed set for classes instead of the XXXX Powers book. In the boxed set you get two minis of each class, one male and one female of iconic races. You get character sheets specific to each class. You get a pack of power cards for each class. And you get a short, softcover book a la the 4ee books detailing the flavour of each new class.

I'd see that as a much better way of presenting new classes than the traditional splat book.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Rogues Gallery Collectible Cards. I'd like it.

Or, imagine a boxed set for classes instead of the XXXX Powers book. In the boxed set you get two minis of each class, one male and one female of iconic races. You get character sheets specific to each class. You get a pack of power cards for each class. And you get a short, softcover book a la the 4ee books detailing the flavour of each new class.

I like all of these, with the caveat that when you make what I actually get when I pay money to get it random, value evaporates for me.

I am not going to pay $10 on a slot-pull to maybe make my games more awesome.

I will absolutely spend $20 on something I know will make my game more awesome.

There's an economic thought exercise about loss-aversion that comes into play at about this point, usually.

I've got nothing really against cards at the table per se, and actually kind of like the idea (I am absolutely the Essentials target audience ). What kills me is the Collectible Randomized angle to it. It's such a sodding mercenary business practice, based around such a catastrophically cynical model of the consumer, who doesn't purchase things for any reason except the thrill of the purchase itself. I don't exactly oppose WotC trying to make a dime off of it (they're a company, after all, they should probably do whatever makes them money), but it is not the kind of tool I'll be supporting in any respect.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

Since I was at the panel where they announced this, I'll try to provide some information for context:

-There will be 80 cards total in the set(or there is, tentatively)
-They will have rarities(common, uncommon, rare)
-They are intended to be opened at the table(and I got the implication that each player was intended to have his own stack of the cards) because that way you have no idea what is in your own deck until the random events actually happens.
-The cards are supposed to be random events that happen during a battle. They didn't say what any of the cards in the set actually do, but things like someone tripping over something or a fire starting were possible examples
-The reason they would have rarities is to allow some of the more powerful effects to happen less often. So, you might go through your card deck during a single session, but have only 1 or 2 really strange things happen(the rares)
-The cards are not intended to be collected(they repeated this about 10 times)
-On the other hand, if you happen to collect them all because you buy a booster every week for your session, there will be rules on how to make decks out of them. This is to make sure a player doesn't show up with a deck that contains 10 copies of the most beneficial card for his or her character.

 

[Hussar]

I like all of these, with the caveat that when you make what I actually get when I pay money to get it random, value evaporates for me.

I am not going to pay $10 on a slot-pull to maybe make my games more awesome.

I will absolutely spend $20 on something I know will make my game more awesome.

There's an economic thought exercise about loss-aversion that comes into play at about this point, usually.

I've got nothing really against cards at the table per se, and actually kind of like the idea (I am absolutely the Essentials target audience ). What kills me is the Collectible Randomized angle to it. It's such a sodding mercenary business practice, based around such a catastrophically cynical model of the consumer, who doesn't purchase things for any reason except the thrill of the purchase itself. I don't exactly oppose WotC trying to make a dime off of it (they're a company, after all, they should probably do whatever makes them money), but it is not the kind of tool I'll be supporting in any respect.

But, would you be be comfortable with three dollars if it was random? I can't see eight or ten cards being ten bucks, but, IIRC, a magic booster is like three bucks isn't it? I could totally see paying three bucks for a random pack of NPC's.

 

[Obryn]

-The cards are not intended to be collected(they repeated this about 10 times)
-On the other hand, if you happen to collect them all because you buy a booster every week for your session, there will be rules on how to make decks out of them. This is to make sure a player doesn't show up with a deck that contains 10 copies of the most beneficial card for his or her character.

You see, this is where I just plain don't get it. I see little reason why WotC should be the one randomizing anything for me. As the DM, I should have say in my randomization. I also don't particularly love the idea of my players spending so much money on these cards that they put together decks made from booster cards. It's not CCG territory, yet, but when players are constructing decks made of randomized cards, it's walking too close to the periphery for my tastes.

I have no problem paying WotC money for great stuff. I do every month, with DDI and all the 4e goodness.

But the justifications from the seminar just kinda ring hollow. There are plenty of non-randomized ways to accomplish everything above - like putting out a simple deck of cards (or two decks, for that matter) that the group can draw from. I don't think the utility of this product is increased in the least by selling them in randomized boosters; it's just costing me and my players more money.

If something is costing me more, I expect to get more out of it.

I want WotC to do well, and I want to buy great products. But I'll be giving this one a pass and hoping they come out with something I'll like better next time. It won't be the first or last time I'll skip one of WotC's products, though, so it's nothing new there!

-O

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Since I was at the panel where they announced this, I'll try to provide some information for context:

-There will be 80 cards total in the set(or there is, tentatively)
-They will have rarities(common, uncommon, rare)
-They are intended to be opened at the table(and I got the implication that each player was intended to have his own stack of the cards) because that way you have no idea what is in your own deck until the random events actually happens.
-The cards are supposed to be random events that happen during a battle. They didn't say what any of the cards in the set actually do, but things like someone tripping over something or a fire starting were possible examples
-The reason they would have rarities is to allow some of the more powerful effects to happen less often. So, you might go through your card deck during a single session, but have only 1 or 2 really strange things happen(the rares)
-The cards are not intended to be collected(they repeated this about 10 times)
-On the other hand, if you happen to collect them all because you buy a booster every week for your session, there will be rules on how to make decks out of them. This is to make sure a player doesn't show up with a deck that contains 10 copies of the most beneficial card for his or her character.

Thank you for putting this in context, it does differentiate it enough from MtG (something which I actually enjoy) for me. As a DM, it would keep me more on my toes as the players introduce situations into combat.

However, paying money to have WotC randomize the cards for me just seems a little silly. It would make more sense just to sell all the cards in a pack and have the DM make a deck or decks from these (to suit the style of the encounter). It's hard to judge without knowing what the effects will be. At the moment though, I'm with Obryn in that I'd buy this for a premium amount to get the set, rather than have it portioned out randomly and pay the same amount but in an uncertain number of installments.

I see this as an interesting aspect of the game that could be used adapted to other systems if it is done well.

Actually, I just had a thought. What's stopping someone from grabbing the spoiler, creating a table from it and having people roll d100 (or d1000) to determine what happens. That way, you don't have to pay for the cards but the random element of "how good/bad is my roll" is still there. The DM could come up with numerous tables tailored to different styles of combats/encounters.

Is drawing a card more satisfying than rolling dice?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Obryn]

Is drawing a card more satisfying than rolling dice?

I actually think it is, yeah. There are a few reasons for this...

(1) Looking up a table and interpreting dice rolls add an extra step to something which is hopefully quick & easy. The more items on the list, the tougher it gets. This is compared to a card, where all the rules are right there, front and center.

(2) You can put a card out there on the table as a reminder of what's happening.

(3) Thematic and evocative artwork are a plus.

(4) If you go through a deck, you can guarantee that every card will come up once. If you roll on a table, it just gets more likely as time goes on.

(5) People love "feelies." Well, not everyone - but lots of people do. Cards are like novel little toys at the table, and they just feel different than having just another die to roll.

With that said, I think it's a perfectly fine idea for people who don't want to make a major investment. I don't think it would be as smooth or as fun, though. If I want to add something like this to my games, I think cards are the best format for it. I don't, mind you - and I probably wouldn't even if the cards weren't randomized. But still, I do think they are a different experience from dice.

-O

 

[Hussar]

I dunno, I could see this adding something to the table.

Player decides to break out something that he doesn't really know will help and draws a card. Breaks open the package and uses the first one that comes out. I can see that being kinda fun. Certainly attention getting.

And, Obryn - feelies are totally a good thing at the table. Having something in your hand, the viceral feeling of throwing down a card at a tension point in the game is something that could certainly appeal.

 

[Tortoise]

Since I was at the panel where they announced this, I'll try to provide some information for context:

-There will be 80 cards total in the set(or there is, tentatively)
-They will have rarities(common, uncommon, rare)
-They are intended to be opened at the table(and I got the implication that each player was intended to have his own stack of the cards) because that way you have no idea what is in your own deck until the random events actually happens.
-The cards are supposed to be random events that happen during a battle. They didn't say what any of the cards in the set actually do, but things like someone tripping over something or a fire starting were possible examples
-The reason they would have rarities is to allow some of the more powerful effects to happen less often. So, you might go through your card deck during a single session, but have only 1 or 2 really strange things happen(the rares)
-The cards are not intended to be collected(they repeated this about 10 times)
-On the other hand, if you happen to collect them all because you buy a booster every week for your session, there will be rules on how to make decks out of them. This is to make sure a player doesn't show up with a deck that contains 10 copies of the most beneficial card for his or her character.

Thanks for posting this info.
Based on that I can see some pros and cons, however I would still like some example cards to get a better feel for where this is going.

Personally I would prefer something like this in a deck so you can buy all of the cards at once. From an FLGS standpoint, especially one participating in the Encounters program, I could see the appeal of it the way it is being released - sell a pack to the players so they can use them that evening in the Encounter session.

 

[Scribble]

Personally I would prefer something like this in a deck so you can buy all of the cards at once. From an FLGS standpoint, especially one participating in the Encounters program, I could see the appeal of it the way it is being released - sell a pack to the players so they can use them that evening in the Encounter session.

I'm kind of the opposite on this.

There's already so much stuff in gaming that when it hits the shelves it's a "Well that seems cool... But do I REALLY want to spend 30 bux on it?" moment...

This gives me a little bit of gaming coolness that I don't really have to break the bank on.

I can buy a pack every now and then and still get the fun.