Deadlands Magic

[Pielorinho]

I'm hoping to run a Deadlands D20 game at GenCon this year. Although the rulebook has got lots of flaws (both contentwise and editingwise--hoo boy does it have editing flaws!), it's got some pretty fun ideas in it.

Unfortunately, one of my favorite things about old-school Deadlands was the huckster magic system: you drew cards to cast spells, looking to get at least two-pair for a successful spell. If you ever drew the red joker, then you got a critical success; if you ever drew a black joker, you got a critical failure. I'd love to use at least a version of that magic system in my game.

Can anyone help me re-create it? It's going to be for a fifth-level character. My basic idea is that each day, the character will need to prepare a deck of cards with X cards in it, representing all her magical ability for the day.

When she casts a spell, she'll draw a certain number of cards as the spell's base power (e.g., 1 card per spell level), plus draw cards until she achieves a poker hand of at least a pair. Once she's drawn a pair, she can cast the spell, or keep drawing. If she draws two-pair, she can extend or enlarge the spell. If she draws three-of-a-kind, she can empower a spell, or extend and enlarge it. A straight or flush lets her do any of that, or maximize the spell. Full house or four-of-a-kind lets her choose any two feats to apply; a straight flush lets her add a quickened, free spell.

How does that sound as a base system? Can anyone help me build on it?

Daniel

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Another possibility is to replicate the system in Deadlands using a Raise system, a base roll (DC15 or so perhaps) gets you four cards, every five above that DC gets you another card. The hand required increasing with spell level - cantrips can be cast with a pair, first level spells with a pair of 10s or better or a pair of blacks or reds, etc.

The Auld Grump, who also liked the cludgy but fun magic system in Deadlands.

 

[dvvega]

List the poker hands and assign them level adjustments ... they may modify a spell by metamagic (multiple feats if possible) of equivalent level adjustment OR cast the spell at a higher level with the adjustment OR combine the two options.

So ...


Pair - 0
2 Pairs - +1
Three of a Kind - +2
Straight - +3
Flush - +4
Full House - +5
Four of a Kind - +6
Straight Flush - +7
Royal Flush - +8

You can then use some kind of roll (based on INT) to draw extra cards or to make it simpler just use their INT mod / 2. You really don't want them drawing more than 2 extra cards.

So if they draw a straight ... they get +3 so they could modify with a +2 level feat and cast at +1 level.

Of course this is just an idea.

D