Fortune Cards Threads [Merged]

[blalien]

I am absolutely amazed that people are talking about 5th edition now. I doubt even Wizards is talking about it yet. I am also not cynical enough to believe that they'd introduce random cards into the core rules. Even with Gamma World, they made it very clear that the booster packs were optional. If Wizards was going that route, they would have made these fortune cards collectible and much more powerful.

Now if Wizards really wanted to be a pack of jackasses, they would have released cards with new powers or magic items. But then they'd have to be uploaded into the Character Builder anyway, completely defeating the purpose. Ooh, maybe the cards could have unique codes on them, which you need to activate them online! That would be wicked.

 

[samursus]

Wizards of the Coast may be the only company in the world that believes that selling customers packages of random things is a viable business model.

Believes???

*Looks at the success of Magic et al*

Knows.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

To be fair, they aren't marketing it as collectible cards. cards yes, collectible cards no. "Collectible cards" has an implication of buying a lot and picking and choosing what/how to build your deck, etc.

Read the lines underneath the two bottm example cards:

"An example of an Uncommon card from
Shadows Over Nentir Vale "

"A example of a Rare card from
Shadows Over Nentir Vale"


Sure SOUNDS collectible.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

It's a product I'm sure some will enjoy! I, myself, am not a fan and will likely not be using it.

 

[Almacov]

I could see using them instead of action points. If you add one level of complication, it would make sense to take away another. But my players love their action points, and I don't think they'd want to lose them in favor of something random and uncontrollable.

Just looked at two of the sample cards, and what I'd be tempted to do is: Allow each player to pick a few of them that fit particularly well with their character's personality, then allow them to spend their action points on either an extra action or their pick of one of the card effects. (non-random)

That actually seems pretty appealing if the range of effects supports a good number of personality types.

Though, again, it would be much nicer to be able to buy a full deck. (And for a reasonable cost...)

 

[Obryn]

To be fair, they aren't marketing it as collectible cards. cards yes, collectible cards no. "Collectible cards" has an implication of buying a lot and picking and choosing what/how to build your deck, etc. At least in early product podcasts about this, they mentioned a few times it wasn't meant to be collected, instead you open it at the table, and get what you get sort. however, if they have since changed that stance, that is another story entirely.

That was what I had remembered, too, but they have indeed changed their stance. When you start talking about pre-built decks, trading cards, and the like - it's definitely a collectible sort of thing which rewards players for purchasing additional boosters and stacking their decks with rare cards.

Also interesting is the part where they're non-optional for organized play.

Fortune Cards are available in 8-card booster packs with differing levels of rarity (common, uncommon, and rare), and serve as another avenue for excitement at the game table. Players can crack open boosters of cards just prior to participating in a game session, or come to their game with pre-built decks. With each booster, a player’s tactical options for their character during the game alter and expand in interesting new ways. Integrated into all Wizards Play Network programs and other D&D organized play games in 2011, Fortune Cards create an instant, inexpensive purchase for players on the day of a D&D event at your store. For players playing at home, Fortune Card decks can be customized to suit a player’s character in an ongoing campaign as well. Players can also collect and trade cards with their friends as they build their Fortune Card decks.

-O

 

[Mr. Wilson]

Once again, this is something that in theory I should like, but recent WoTC comments makes me unlikely to buy.

First, I want to point people to this thread: http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan...dex-cards-fly-setting-plot-collaboration.html

I've been using this idea since May, and it has been a huge hit around the table. Each player draws two cards from a deck at the beginning of the game, keeps one of them, and may hold on to them week to week if they like the card, but don't get a chance to play it.

Most of the cards have little impact on combat itself, but are fun character and plot hooks. I think I'm upward of 75ish cards created, so while there may be some repeat, you'll go months at a time without seeing the same card played.

Indeed, in each of the last two campaigns, a card being played between characters has impacted the campaign in insanely fun ways (in Star Wars, it created a love interest NPC out of a bounty they were hunting, and in Eberron a huge plot twist occurred involving an NPC the party was initially friendly towards).

The fact that they want each player to have a deck, if I'm reading this correctly, really makes it unappealing to me.

 

[fba827]

Read the lines underneath the two bottm example cards:

"An example of an Uncommon card from
Shadows Over Nentir Vale "

"A example of a Rare card from
Shadows Over Nentir Vale"

Sure SOUNDS collectible.

When I think of a collectible card system/game, rarity is a feature of it, but (to me) not a defining criteria, merely that some cards are, well, rarer than others in the pack. (but maybe i just have a skewed perception and definition)

HOWEVER ....

After rereading the link, particularly the portion that Obryn quoted ( http://www.enworld.org/forum/5421556-post56.html ), I do agree that they changed the direction on it (from it's originally stated purpose) and it is in fact being marketed as a collectible card system, but for reasons other than rarity; once you talk about collecting, trading, and building decks, yeah, you've crossed that line into a feature that i would consider defining of such a card system.

You win this one, but next time.... next time....!!! *shakes angry fist*

 

[Kelvor Ravenstar]

I also am a big proponent of SabreCat's thread for plot twist cards. I've got around 160 cards in my own deck for my gaming group, with effects culled from a number of similar products and threads.

But, I don't think I'll be using the Fortune Cards in my home campaigns, what we've seen so far are only combat effects, and not very interesting ones either. I'll probably pick up a few packs for the WPN Encounters program, but that's assuming that my FLGS actually orders some in, and I doubt they will.

 

[delericho]

This. Why is it evil and underhanded for a business to try to make money?

It's not. However, with this product it is clear that the issue of what is good for the business is the primary motivation, and the question of what is good for the game is a much lesser consideration (if it is being considered at all).

D&D is (or was) a collaborative game. Game balance is about trying to ensuring that nobody is overshadowed by anybody else, because that's not fun (and wasn't eliminating the not-fun one of the key parts of the 4e rollout?).

The structure of this product means that the player who spends the most will have the best character, and probably not just slightly. They're sacrificing game balance for money, and that's why this is not a good thing.

Even with Gamma World, they made it very clear that the booster packs were optional.

Due to the much more "wahoo!" nature of Gamma World, there was a place for the boosters: at a one-off session, everyone gets 1-3 unopened boosters, open them at the table, and build their characters based on the cards they get.

I absolutely would not use them for campaign play in Gamma World (nor play in a campaign where they were used). And where I would use Gamma World mostly for one-offs, D&D I use mostly for campaign play.

If Wizards was going that route, they would have made these fortune cards collectible and much more powerful.

Remember how "Book of Nine Swords" was a test-bed for the mechanics of 4e? This is almost certainly a test-bed for the mechanics of 5e - if this product flies, expect to see the 5e powers available on a deck.

(And, yes, I would expect to see the 5e power cards having unique codes to tie in to the DDI. Also, virtual boosters available through the DDI. And, probably, some powers being unique to each delivery method, with some of the best combos possible only by combining the two.)

Or, I'm wrong, and this is genuinely just another attempt at them improving our games. How I hope I'm wrong on this one...