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

[Tuft]

Wait, what!!! . So the default is that everyone ( 5 players and 1 DM) is expected to buy a new pack for every new game session?... I guess from a profit perspective that's even better than collectible... Yeah, I'm gonna pass on this product.

Well, it does sound inspired by those in-store Magic the Gathering events where you buy a fresh deck of Magic cards for the game night...

 

[Scribble]

This made me smile. In 4e design philosophy, I thought unpredictability was bad; it made things "swingy". Now it's a feature.

FWIW, I've got no issue with the concept. Just found it a bit ironic. Game on.

I doubt these cards are going to be unpredictable on the level of "save or die."

 

[Wicht]

Umm... who suggested that?

It is suggested in this quote from Majoru Oakheart: "-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."

Each player is intended to have their own stack and they are expected to be opened at the table. This equals each player buys a new pack for each game. I'm not sure how to read that any other way.

I don't think most tables would allow one player to use a pack, when the others don't. Its the sort of feature that is either everyone uses it or no one uses it.

Thus, the intention seems clearly that every player buy a new pack for each game. Obviously they don't expect every table to do this - I'm not suggesting its a mandatory part of the game. But those that do choose to use them, this is how, according to Majoru, they are intending them to be used.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

This made me smile. In 4e design philosophy, I thought too much unpredictability was bad; it made things "swingy". Now it's a feature.

FWIW, I've got no issue with the concept. Just found it a bit ironic. Game on.

Do you really not see the difference between "Roll a d20 to see if you survive, nothing you can do could've avoided this" and "The wind is at my back! My ranged weapon has a bonus to hit!"

Really?

 

[Scribble]

It is suggested in this quote from Majoru Oakheart: "-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."

Each player is intended to have their own stack and they are expected to be opened at the table. This equals each player buys a new pack for each game. I'm not sure how to read that any other way.

I don't think most tables would allow one player to use a pack, when the others don't. Its the sort of feature that is either everyone uses it or no one uses it.

Thus, the intention seems clearly that every player buy a new pack for each game. Obviously they don't expect every table to do this - I'm not suggesting its a mandatory part of the game. But those that do choose to use them, this is how, according to Majoru, they are intending them to be used.

Maybe listen to the Gencon Upcoming Products podcast where they talk about these cards? (It's towards the end) You might get a little better perspective on where they seemed to be coming from.

Opening them at the table was a suggestion for how they might be fun to use, as opposed to like the way they're "supposed" to be used or something.

Like it's fun to open a pack and see what you get, as opposed to cards not sealed before use are invalid or something.

Also since they're random, it prevents you from having to buy a bunch in order to build a deck.

Would they like you to buy a new pack everyday? Yeah probably, I mean they get money, who doesn't want money.

And sure maybe some DMs will say all or nothing- but that's on your DM, not the cards. (And lots of DMs make decisions I find kind of odd from my own DM perspective.)

Nothing in the rules of how to use them even suggests that everyone at the table needs to have the cards though from what they said- From how they talked about them, even drawing them if you had some was optional.

 

[Azgulor]

Do you really not see the difference between "Roll a d20 to see if you survive, nothing you can do could've avoided this" and "The wind is at my back! My ranged weapon has a bonus to hit!"

Really?

You're THAT offended? REALLY?!?

It WAS a while a go but I don't recall the "swingy" argument being limited solely to save vs. die.

In any case, I clearly stated I had no issue with the concept of the product (can't really speak to the implmentation at this stage yet), just that I found the sales pitch humorous.

Humorous, as in finding humor within something; NOT "OMG FURTHER PROOF THAT 4E SUCKS". Would I equate save vs. die to the example you provided? No, but then that's your example and not one I provided isn't it? (And while I'm no archery expert I think that depending upon the strength of that wind or gust it might not always deliver a positive effect to a shot but that's just me...)

Try and lighten up and have a little fun. Sheesh.

 

[Wicht]

And sure maybe some DMs will say all or nothing- but that's on your DM, not the cards. (And lots of DMs make decisions I find kind of odd from my own DM perspective.)

I find it odd that you would find it odd that some DMs might think it unfair to allow some PCs to get non-standard bonuses and in-game power that they can't get simply because they did not spend the extra, real world money. That would be like a DM saying, "any player giving me $5 gets 10 extra +2 bonuses in the game tonight." Only, in this case, its any player giving WotC extra money gets extra potential benefits in the game and greater say over the course of events.

Edit: And yes, I understand these are optional. That's not the point. The point is how they are being marketed and the suggested use of them.

 

[Tortoise]

The more I think about these things, the more ideas for them occur to me.

These might be very handy in a sandbox play environment. A DM could occasionally have players draw from decks the DM arranged to represent the types of things likely to happen in a given area of the sandbox. Since he or she would have a good idea what region and maybe sub-region of the box the players were headed for, it wouldn't be that hard to tailor the draw deck to match an intended flavor of events.

Now I'm much more interested in seeing what is actually on them. Still would prefer a deck with the set in it and would then be willing to occasionally suppliment with an occasional booster to help pad out the draw decks.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

After reading all the arguments and speculation in this thread I come to the following conclusion:

This is an interesting product, one that will no doubt find a home in many gaming tables and will probably be incorporated into store events.
The sky is not falling and I don't believe anyone at WotC would be so foolish as to try to make them mandatory for regular play.

This product is not for me, however, as my gaming budget is extremely limited (I don't even use miniatures)

I fully endorse WotC new strategy of boxes full of feelies (I even put it in my sig), but collectible card boosters just don't have the same cost/benefit ratio for me.

 

[MrMyth]

I find it odd that you would find it odd that some DMs might think it unfair to allow some PCs to get non-standard bonuses and in-game power that they can't get simply because they did not spend the extra, real world money. That would be like a DM saying, "any player giving me $5 gets 10 extra +2 bonuses in the game tonight." Only, in this case, its any player giving WotC extra money gets extra potential benefits in the game and greater say over the course of events.

Are they guaranteed to be benefits? The sense I was getting was that things could happen that were good or bad, and would not necessarily affect the player who opens them.

If they are simply random buffs that beef up whomever opens the pack, then yeah, you've probably got a point. I am doubtful that is the case, though, and it sounds like you are coming to a number of conclusions based on incomplete information gathered from a distance.

Maybe some groups will have everyone regularly pick these ups. Maybe some DMs will just snag lots of packs on their own, so they can assemble their own appropriate 'random dungeon events' for specific locations. Maybe some groups will have one every week, or just get one or two and reuse them.

I suspect there will be many ways these are used, and declaring that the only 'proper' use WotC intends is for every player to buy a new pack every week requires making a lot of assumptions. Ones, I would argue, that not only aren't supported by what WotC have said thus far, but may even run directly counter to it.