Power cards: Why?

[MadLordOfMilk]

So I've tried using power cards, and while having them available for quick reference is useful, it seems almost like they're more of a pain than anything. They sit loose on the table, there's more to keep track of, they get knocked around easily with everything else, etc. And if you're dealing with limited space, there's no really easy way to lay them all out for being readily visible. Compared to just a power sheet with all of the info listed but not cut out into several pieces it just seems less effective. Of course I'm sure this is just personal preference in play also, but is there something I'm missing as far as other uses to them? Are they perhaps more useful the higher in level you get when there's more to keep track of? Maybe it's just the cards I've tried weren't a good fit for me? I've only played low-level characters in 4e thus far. But basically, what is it that makes cards the (seemingly) preferred option?

Thanks!

 

[Sans Serif]

really, all the reasons you mentioned make them useful.

Try printing them on heavy cardstock so they won't get knocked around so much.

 

[Henrix]

That mirrors my experience, or rather, it seems to me that for some power cards are best, for others a good power sheet is much better.

Shado's powers sheet is nice.

 

[SlyFlourish]

no cards

While everyone else in my group, including my wife, uses power cards. I myself do not. I like to just list my powers right on my sheet and I'll check them off when I've used them. I can even fit them on a single sheet of paper if I cut back on the info.

My main rule is to only have the info I absolutely need on the sheet and then reference the book if I need some small detail.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

I was using Shado's power sheet, I did really like that one It may really just be preference but I don't wanna throw out the option of cards just yet.

really, all the reasons you mentioned make them useful.

Try printing them on heavy cardstock so they won't get knocked around so much.

I'll try that - I don't want to totally throw them out but they seemed to have some real drawbacks. My biggest issue was while it initially seemed to be a space saver, it was also a bit of a pain to keep track of. In the campaign that I'm a player in, there's a lack of space - really just enough room for one sheet out, maybe a handbook cracked open, but that's about it. Power cards really didn't seem to have a good spot to be placed other than on top of everything else, hence being very prone to getting knocked around, which basically meant I was moving a stack of flimsy slips of paper around rather than just grabbing one sheet from under the other. Also they weren't really great for flipping through but that was probably because they were flimsy and on regular paper - I'd think cardstock would make a really big difference, now that you mention it. Thanks!

I do have one big question about power cards though: what should I use to protect them? It took all of one session to get a big pizza grease stain on a card. I could see my crapload of plastic card sleeves working well but they'd have to fit a certain size. Are there any other (less size-restrictive) options?

I'll also experiment a tiny bit with different types of power cards. I was using some pre-filled-out ones in MSE, but I think ones I can write in myself would work better for me.

 

[Kanos44444]

Deck protectors are cheap and work well. If you have some magic cards lying around, then use those as a backing in the deck protector and place the printouts in front of the magic cards. That way you don't need cardstock. You can even get deck protectors in the relevant colours.

When we use the power cards (Anders template) they are a handy reference for bonuses to hit and damage. You don't need to thumb through the book. WHen an encounter of daily is used you just put it to one side, or throw it into a box . Pull out after the encounter or rest period.

 

[Guyanthalas]

I myself was skeptical of power cards. I thought they would be an additional clutter to my already crowded table, so for the game I'm a PC in I decided to forgo that option.
Then, I started DMing a game with three people who are brand new to the D&D scene. I felt that power cards would be a must for them, because they did not have PHB's of there own. Since I was going to print out cards for the newbies, i did it for the three vetrans too. Huge success. Everyone at the table loved them. (Grandpa's PPT power cards, by the way).
One of the nicest things about it was you no longer had to reference the PHB since the text was verbatim. Also, it allows people to turn over the powers that they used so they knew what stuff that could do that round. As a dungeon master, if there is a discrepancy on how the power works, I can just ask the player for that paticular card and read the text without having to look stuff up.
I still personally don't care for the things and think they are clutter, but the 3 veterans liked them so much we are going to start using them in the original game.
I'm still struggling with the concept of why/why not use them. If you don't find them useful, don't use them. Honestly, I don't even see the problem with having some people with cards and others without (unless the DM really wants to use them). Isn't this really an argument about individual player taste?

 

[defendi]

I love being able to see my options displayed so visually. It works well with the way my mind is built. I also never forget things with proper cards laid out (like the dailies in my magic items). The real advantage, though, is in the unfamiliar. When a player doesn't show up, I get the job of running them if we need their character (like the cleric). So I make sure everyone has power cards cause if they don't come one night I can run their characters in a snap. Heck, I could probably run a whole party with cards with almost a 0 drop in efficiency.

 

[Thanee]

Since I bought the official character sheets (just to see what the fill-out power cards look like mostly), I figured why not try them out, so I just filled them out yesterday and will see how useful they are next week.

Bye
Thanee

 

[eloquentaction]

Since I bought the official character sheets (just to see what the fill-out power cards look like mostly), I figured why not try them out, so I just filled them out yesterday and will see how useful they are next week.

Bye
Thanee

Do you guys allow laptops / computers at your game table?

I've been thinking of creating a customized app that allows you to pull up and display your power cards for a specific character in a windows app (and also look up all available 'standard' actions as well as just a general lookup).

This would also solve the problem of a missing player - the DM just has their cards on file and looks them up when its that characters turn.

-- Hirahito