What game should my thugs be playing?

[Mallus]

Prison Chess.

 

[Schmoe]

Hmm, I thought this was a commentary on your players, and you were trying to decide if Hackmaster or Tunnels and Trolls would be a better fit.

 

[schnee]

So, I am starting a new campaign. I have my adventurers starting in a tavern where a brawl will be breaking out. In the corner will be a table of 6 thugs playing a game at their table. What kind of game should I have them playing?

Cards or dice.

Those games enable gambling, are super portable, and cheap.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Dungeons and Dragons?

or Papers & Paychecks.

Or they could play a real game, a man's game... called Fizzbin.


A popular tavern game in an old 3.0 campaign I was in was "I'll Kill You." It was a drinking game where you exchanged creative death threats.

 

[Celebrim]

Cards or dice.

Those games enable gambling, are super portable, and cheap.

It should be noted that decks of cards are only cheap in the modern era, and were aristocratic games until comparitively recently owing to the great cost of producing a set of cards. Prior to the widespread introduction of printing, a single pack of playing cards could cost as much as 100 days wages (for a peasant).

 

[MarkB]

Charades, except that instead of plays, books or movies, the subjects are cons, shakedowns and fighting techniques.

 

[Jhaelen]

It should be noted that decks of cards are only cheap in the modern era, and were aristocratic games until comparitively recently owing to the great cost of producing a set of cards. Prior to the widespread introduction of printing, a single pack of playing cards could cost as much as 100 days wages (for a peasant).

Well, I suppose, they could use tiles instead of cards (think Mahjong). Tiles should be easier to produce cheaply. But, yeah, pure dice games would probably be the most affordable option.

 

[Calithorne]

Armwrestling, or that game where you take a dagger and stab around your fingers very quickly. Darts is also good.

 

[Redthistle]

Armwrestling, or that game where you take a dagger and stab around your fingers very quickly. Darts is also good.

That's Mumblety-Pegs. Great suggestion!

 

[Gilladian]

I was going to suggest mumblety-peg. If you need rules, look for "Tournaments, Fairs and Taverns". A great 3rd ed book!