Fortune Cards, we just received a preview

[Piratecat]

Heh. I think I'd pay wotC for a card that gave a player fewer things to remember and keep track of, instead of more. I want WotC to make money creating stuff for the game I love, but my main complaint about 4e is that it's already too complex for the player. Fortune cards just seem to magnify that.

 

[Adso]

I'm going to make two assumptions:

(1) Most WotC employees who work on D&D play D&D in a regular game that meets at least bi-weekly.

(2) Most WotC employees who work on D&D and play D&D in a regular game that meets at least bi-weekly have NO interest in using Fortune Cards in their games.


So, if (1) and (2) are true, then I have to wonder--why make Fortune Cards at all? Who is the customer they're trying to reach? Judging by the response we've seen so far--one that doesn't really exist, since it feels like even the people who are defending the decision to sell the cards are saying they have no interest in them. But maybe thats a mis-perception on my part.

And, of course, I'm open to the possibility that the folks at WotC who work on and play D&D think Fortune Cards are a terrific idea, and can't wait to use them in their home games. I'd love to know if thats true...

Well, I don't work there anymore, but my guess is that the D&D Encounters program has show WotC that if you provide a fun and fast game experience, people show up an play it. It also shows that those folks rarely spend money in the store that is hosting the event. My guess (through limited observation, nothing more scientific) is that 1 out of 4 people who participate in D&D Encounters regularly make purchases at the stores where they play these games. Most of these D&D Encounters players are either getting their D&D fix through D&D Insider (and they are probably using a buddy's account) , ordering through Amazon (or leeches off a friend who orders on Amazon) or bought the only book they will ever need and just show up to play every week. There are other books they could buy; but they’re getting what they want.

That's right, the RPG market is relatively small and it’s cluttered with folks who don't buy RPGs. There are a bunch of them. There are even more in a recession.

So Wizards of the Coast is trying to regain market share by printing the currency of play.

Will the folks in the flash cube use it in their home game? Sure. Why not? It's just another random effect generator. In fact it can serve to somewhat flatten the affects of the swingy d20 in an active way. It is less mechanical than other effect generator in that it describes a filament of story in narrative terms (it's not just a "20" or a "hit.") that talks to the core mechanics.

And they have control of the currency.

For the rest of us we have something to chase or guffaw. To be honest I don't know which way it will ultimately go. Even folks who hate random in theory, love random in their repeat purchase patterns. That and people love a card trick.

 

[Dire Bare]

When they first talked about these they kind of explained it.

The cards are designed to be able to open the pack, and use the cards therein-
No need to collect multiple packs in order to build a deck that is useful. Using whatever cards you get should be roughly balanced against all other cards.

At the same time though, they don't want you to feel like you're buying a bunch of one shot packs of cards, so if you've been buying a bunch, there are rules to use that bunch in a deck.

Don't know why it's so hard for folks to see the obvious. But, this is the land where hyperbole flows more readily than water.

 

[The Little Raven]

Don't know why it's so hard for folks to see the obvious. But, this is the land where hyperbole flows more readily than water.

Indeed. The first mention of Fortune Cards at GenCon 2010 was explicit about them being sold in random booster decks.

And the deck-building aspect is really nonexistent, since you can't combine the cards into combos and cascades like you do in Magic. They are isolated effects, used one at a time, and they get reshuffled for every encounter, so you would normally only get to used a handful of cards each encounter and a large deck really isn't going to be much help (except for variety). So, you won't be waiting for that rare Blue card to make your perfect kill-them-in-three-rounds deck or anything like that.

 

[shadzar]

Well, I don't work there anymore, but my guess is that the D&D Encounters program has show WotC that if you provide a fun and fast game experience, people show up an play it. It also shows that those folks rarely spend money in the store that is hosting the event. My guess (through limited observation, nothing more scientific) is that 1 out of 4 people who participate in D&D Encounters regularly make purchases at the stores where they play these games.

1 out of 4 is better than having none of those people come into your store to buy anything. Also it is the same for Magic the Gathering. Also Magic the Gathering sets a tournament entry fee because it gives prizes for the tournament. This isn't something really done with D&D as you aren't playing a tournament, and stores wont really want to go through that hassle and space to run a D&D tournament with the time it take and table space as opposed to a CCG tournament that can generate more money due to quicker turnover time from the tournament. Also some smart stores have random booster drafts, where the players decide they want to draft, and the store takes a flat $12 per person for 3 booster pack which is less than MSRP, and even gives a booster pack or 2 as prizes on top, meaning they moved merchandise, even if it wasn't sold at full price. But that moving merchandise made them some return on their invested real quick as opposed to waiting for those 24+ booster packs to sell. Box of boosters sold respectably at $120, otherwise about $3.50 per pack, and you already got $96 of it back leaves only $24 left to get from that remaining 12 packs, and you just figure it comes out better than if you had sold the whole box at once.

D&D doesnt have anything like that and the fortune cards wont do that for the store to push D&D products to make any decent amount of money.

Now to the bolded portion. The reason RPGers don't spend money in the stores is because they really have nothing to offer them. Some stores have a little hot dog machine and will sell a dog for a $1, sodas for whatever they have gone up to know with insane inflation and the tax being shifted to the customer rather than the manufacturer. So compared to a hotdog you can make close to 100% profit from, what kind of profit margins will these fortune cards bring that can compare?

I would say 1 in 4 people that go into a Walmart don't buy anything. But Walmart doesn't have space to play games or anything save for video games to test. Doesn't seem to bother Walmart. So you have to have something that they will want or need to buy. Sitting around for a few hours playing an RPG means you will need snacks, drinks, and bathroom. You start charging to use a bathroom you likely to even lose CCG players. That leaves snacks and drinks. If you don't offer then then they will send someone somewhere else.

RPGs just don't have the pull in a store to bring in the money that CCGs did, and this was sen shortly after 3rd edition. There is nothing really to offer an RPG player to get them to pay to play in the store, unless you just rent the gaming space. Every TRUE needed component of the game is buy once, and not for a small price, save for those that collect dice; and who doesn't.

Making someone buy some new component to play a game that works fine without it for them, isn't really going to make them want to be at your store, or be in those events.

The D&D events really are to get butts in seats to make the store look well off and busy, and to hope those RPG players will cross over into other gaming lines if they haven't already to buy some of the things that sell quicker for a slightly better profit margin, like CCGs, minis, etc. I have seen people buy boosters of those Clix because they ran out of different types of D&D minis and needed something for one game.

Also when in a store selling CCGs, you can't help but see the CCG players, and not every D&D player wants to turn into that guy with the notebook of DDM cards in pages to trade with for X.

It takes so much time to play D&D face-to-face for many, being able to get together and do it with a fully prevent event means you can just get to playing, not have to spend time building some deck of cards in advance.

RPG players aren't as renewable customers as the CCG gamers since their games change constatly due to new sets.

 

[Insight]

I got a free booster pack of these cards on Saturday when I picked up Monster Vault. I was a little skeptical of these cards, but I checked them out and they seemed fine to me. I had my Dark Sun game to run the next day, so I decided to spring them on the players and see how it went.

The way I decided to do it at our table was that each player received 1 card. If they spent their card, they would get a new card after a milestone or extended rest.

During a four hour session, each player used a card once, on average. The only complaints I received was that I had so few cards (not much randomizing going on) and occasionally that someone wouldn't be able to do much with the card they received. At no point did anyone complain that they made the game unbalancing or anything like that.

Based on this, I'll probably keep using the cards in this manner. I'll buy some more cards and maybe I can convince some other players to chip in for additional cards. I'd like to have 60-80 cards total and give some real variety. Ideally, I think I'd like to hand out 2-3 cards per player (and 2-3 cards for the DM) -- once I have enough cards, of course.

 

[Camelot]

A few people have talked about putting the power of Fortune Cards into the DM's hands, and I've gone a step further by saying let_the_monsters_use_the_cards_too. This adds an additional layer of excitement if you find encounters to frequently devolve into at-will spamfests, while not giving too much power to either side. Plus, the DM can favor one side or another with Fortune Cards to even the playing field when one side is down on dice luck, or to toughen up or make easier an extreme encounter.

 

[evak]

I played my first game of Gamma World the other day (Group is in between Campaigns at the moment). Gamma world seems to be like D&D Essentials plus alpha and omega cards which are essentially these fortune cards.

It's a simpler games than 4E D&D but uses the same core rules. You have limited powers and the cards are used pretty much as described here.

I quite enjoyed the game and could imagine it working in D&D. One thing I liked that it doesn't sound like the fortune cards have is an overcharge feature. You can roll a d10 or d20 (don't remember) and have a chance to basically get a mini crit but can also fumble and get a penalty. That aspect was fun and sometimes I'd like to see more fumbling in 4E D&D.

 

[Incenjucar]

Fortune cards really don't resemble Gammaworld cards. Maybe if you had to give up a power slot for them. I'd be cool with an "Wild Power Deck" that provided you with random but equal-to-normal powers. The ADDITIONAL power is where there's an issue. I'm sure plenty around here have fond memories of the old Wild Magic tables and the Rod of Wonder.

 

[Robtheman]

My philosophy towards playing a new RPG campaign starts with story, and ends with mechanics. Thus the cards are not going to be included in every game I run. Nor will a Critical Hits/Fumble deck. They will end up in some and they will be a welcome inclusion that enhances the game experience for players and GM alike.

My approach to starting a game:
1. What archetype are we playing? Pick a system (and maybe a setting) to match.
2. What themes do we want to explore? Develop a campaign overview or outline.
3. How serious is the game? Beer and Pretzels Delves gets certain mechanics and character development rules. Serious story and heavy role playing gets others.
4. Pick the mechanics that help make that world tangible and enhance the immersion of the characters while providing exciting and various ways to resolve conflict.

I imagine many GMs share some of this approach. I'd never say to myself "lets use these cards" or "let's incorporate that new mechanic" as a foundation for a great RPG campaign. They will be on my list though.

Two good applications come to mind.

Thematically the Fortune Cards fit in to a mystical setting where cultures hold the spirits in high regard - or fear them. Superstition abounds, allowing players to RP the fortunes and connect them to the setting. Fortunes would be drawn for each day. One card for each PC and 3 for the GM (a'la bennies). A crit allows you to draw another card. The fortunes are smiling on you. The deck would provide marginal benefits, with occasional bombs (awesome cards).

Conversely, a hack and slash campaign can benefit as well. Nothing sucks more than sitting there with at-wills and wracking brain for a new way to describe your Overwhelming Strike or Tide of Iron. Now the Fortune Cards offer a new thing for the tactical table to consider. Will Max use his +2 to hit this round? If he does can he use it to knock the Formorian prone so I can have combat advantage too? The deck would also have more swing to it. The fortunes might go off randomly during an encounter. A terrible fortune might bring you close to death in the wrong situation.

Locations might have an associated fortune and NPCs. If the PCs fulfill the NPCs fortune they can receive a reward. Fortune tellers can become an important theme in the game - offering an RP opportunity. Rituals to manipulate your fortune or gain insight into others. Fortune Artifacts perhaps - Deck of Many Fortunes?

The cards aren't going to apply universally. Consider the game and then consider the tools WotC and other creative enthusiasts have created for us. Some are going to fit, others will not.

I plan on incorporating these cards and creating many of my own using some of the tools created by the Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh community. You can use Magic Set Editor 2, for example, to create your own cards. I'll be creating Flip Cards (stays on the board and flips to become more powerful when a condition is met), Dual-Fortune cards (one for the GM, one for the Players), Bad Fortunes (no risk, no reward). Some games will require them in combat. Some games will offer them as a choice, with greater swing in the effects granted by the included cards.

I like it. I won't always use it. Hopefully enough will see it in a similar light.