Using cards instead of dice

[half-dragon dragon]

Having played lots of card games with the family over the holidays, it got me to wondering if there were any RPGs out there that used cards (from a standard deck) instead of dice as way to resolve conflicts. So does anyone out there know of any? If not, any idea how a game might do so?

I'm aware of how Savage Worlds (and I'm assuming the games its related to) uses cards for initiative in combat, I'm hoping to find one that uses cards for as much as possible, while still having characters with stats that can affect the outcome of any conflict or test with their stats and success not hinging entirely on the card drawn/used.

Thanks in advance for any help finding such a game.

 

[Shadowsong666]

Aces & Eights

A standard deck of poker playing cards are needed to resolve combat in the game, as is the Shot Clock™ overlay provided with the rule books. Poker chips are also required if you choose to use the advanced brawling rules included with the Shattered Frontier book. Other handy (but non-essential) items include a table to play on, a calculator, miniature figures to represent your characters, and terrain (such as model town buildings or simulated vegetation or hills). Most game, model or hobby shops carry items like this to enhance your game experience.

 

[Nikosandros]

Castle Falkenstein also uses cards to resolve all actions.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Deadlands uses poker hands to resolve huckster's magical power. The better the hand, the more powerful the spell. Wicked range of power there.

Oh, look, Ace high (Enemy laughs). Well, well, 4 of a kind (enemy has no time to do anything before being obliterated)

 

[Lord Xtheth]

Aces & Eights

Interesting, I've been flopping arround the idea of a card based game (For the design a rpg contest from another thread). I might want to check this RPG out.

 

[half-dragon dragon]

I've been kinda waffling on whether or not to enter that contest myself. Right now my biggest problem is deciding on a core mechanic, which is primarily my reason for asking about card based RPGs. Even if I don't enter I'm still hoping to work on one anyway, and I'm hoping to make one that, if the need or desire arises, the only things needed to play the game would be familiarity with the rules, some paper for characters and notes, and a deck of cards.

Doeas anyone mind elaborating a bit upon how cards are used in Aces and Eights and Castle Falkenstein, particularly in how they relate to the skills and other attributes of the characters? I'm not looking for any great detail, just a bit of a run down would be great.

EDIT: Just looked into Aces & Eights and apparently it still uses dice, as far as I could tell from the review I read, the only time cards are used in the main rules is when seeing how a shot deviated from the original target.

 

[WayneLigon]

The old SAGA system for Dragonlance/D&D used a special card deck for various resolution effects. Depending on your 'level' you got to hold x number of cards, and could not redraw until all were used. Basically, it was like pre-rolling a series of d20's, then choosing when to use them. You could save the '20', hoping for a big event, or hope you could spend the '1' on something inconsequential before it's the last card in your hand and has to be spent.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

vsMonster by Phillip Reed, RPGnet Review here, uses the standard card deck instead of dice.


Simple game and easy rules. I haven't had the chance to play it yet but intend on this being my daughters first RPG when we get to that point.

The game rules call out that you could very well play with D12 instead of cards, but the cards make it a bit different.

 

[dm4hire]

There's a small independant wild west game that uses nothing but cards, called Dust Devils. You can find it here.

 

[Felon]

There was a Marvel Superheroes RPG that used cards instead of dice. I rather liked it, but the system failed to gain traction.