Is it a durable idea to use Tarot cards to resolve whim of chance?

[Geoff Watson]

I was struck by this thought, and was immediately electrified with sparks in my eyes, and my nostrils flared like a bird heading down for landing.

Anyway - do you know of this ever having been done? And if not, do you think its a good idea, and could you help find out how this should or would be?

Sounds like a terrible idea.

Just use DM whim, it'll save time.

The Tarot cards are purposely vague, so the fortune teller can fit the meaning to what the customer wants to hear, so the DM will have to make most of it up anyway. What if the player disagrees on the meaning?

If I was a player, I'd rather use dice. They don't have much 'feel' of their own, but that means you can resolve the roll quickly and get on with the actual adventure/role-playing. Having to stop the game and spend five minutes 'feeling' the tarot cards for every time you'd roll the dice would be much worse for the mood of most games.

Geoff.

 

[ngenius]

Sounds like a terrible idea.

The Tarot cards are purposely vague, so the fortune teller can fit the meaning to what the customer wants to hear, so the DM will have to make most of it up anyway. What if the player disagrees on the meaning?

Geoff.

I noticed the vagueness about the Tarot Cards. That is really messing-up their use in my Fantasy Setting. However, I thought that a consensus could be reached to have standard meanings pre-generated for certain campaigns.

Mystic Eye Games tried to do this with their book Tarot Magic, however most of the meanings did not have the right feel for an adventure DnD game (more like fortune telling).

Anyway, when I finish with my project, I can show you what I have in mind.

But, if any of you guys wish to assist, please write me.

Remi Fayomi

 

[The Little Raven]

Ravenloft uses a Tarot-style system (called tarrokka), and White Wolf just released the new Tarrokka deck this past week.

The Ravenloft DMG has rules on using it in the game.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Moving this one to General

 

[Wormwood]

d20 Tarot

1. Separate the Major Arcana from the rest of the deck.

2. Remove the Fool (0) and the Universe (XXI) cards. Shuffle the Major Arcana.

3. Whenever you have to roll a d20, draw a card and use that number.

4. Replace the card and reshuffle. (or you could skip this step to add a little gambling to your decision making)

You could concievably do the same with the Minor Arcana:

1. Take the numerical suit cards numbered 1-10 and shuffle them well. Hand a stack to each player (max four, one for each Pentacles [Rogues], Cups [Clerics], Wands [Wizards] and Swords [Fighters])

2. Have the player draw a card whenever a d20 is called for. If the card is upside down, just use it's number. If it's right-side up, add 10 to the card's numeral.

Hmm. Sounds like a real pain.

 

[ngenius]

Did not see much on Tarrokka Deck!!!

Ravenloft uses a Tarot-style system (called tarrokka), and White Wolf just released the new Tarrokka deck this past week.

The Ravenloft DMG has rules on using it in the game.

I only found information on the Mage Tarot Deck from the World of Darkness, the White Wolf RPG Setting.

I checked the website www.kargatane.com but did not see much information about Tarrokka only the standard Ravenloft RPG.

Do you have a better link?

Remi Fayomi
EsoTerrana Designer

 

[WayneLigon]

You could also use the deck as an adjunct to create a campaign timeline. The Tarot represents a man's journey from Fool (1st level?) to his understanding of The World (Epic level?). Use each card in turn as a 'theme' for each level the party progresses through.

0. The Fool. Enlightenment through something outwardly foolish but inwardly profound. Puts the characters on the road to adventure.

1. The Magician. A man of worldly power becomes a patron to the adventuresome youths. Through works for him, he shapes their understanding about the world around them and the immediate area in particular.

Etc etc

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Hrm, what I would do is to separate the major and minor arcana, and use them only during combats. I would assign an effect to each major arcana that befits the card, such as the Fool making all rolls of 1-2 automatic/critical failures and the Magician adding +2 to the caster level of all arcane spells. A card from the minor arcana deck would then be drawn, which would determine the number of rounds the major arcana would last (by their corresponding number), and who it effects (allies, opponents, everyone, or no one/or perhaps/Swords-Fighters/Barbarians/Rangers, Coins-Rogues/Bards, Wands-Wizards/Sorcerers, Cups-Clerics/Druids/Paladins) by its type. Whenever the duration of the card effect would end, then another card in its place would be drawn, until the end of the battle.

Suggestions for the effects of Major Arcana (Note that I only have some knowledge on tarot cards):

0. The Fool. Treat all natural rolls of 20 as a natural 1.
1. The Magician. All arcane spells are treated at +2 caster levels higher.
2. The High Priestess. All divine spells are treated at +2 caster levels higher.
3. The Empress. +1 to any ability based on intelligence (wizard spell save DCs, skill checks)
4. The Emperor. +1 to any ability based on charisma (sorcerer/bard spell save DCs, paladin's divine grace, skill checks)
5. The Hierophant. +1 to any ability based on wisdom (cleric/druid/ranger/paladin save DCs, will saves, skill checks)
6. The Lovers. All effects that heal (including items) are empowered automatically if not already (as per the Empower spell feat)
7. The Chariot. +1 to any ability based on dexterity (initiative, AC, ranged attacks, skill checks)
8. Justice (not blind). +2 damage against anyone that dealt damage to you in battle.
9. The Hermit (looking like Moses). +1 to any ability based on constitution (+1 temporary hp/level until end of battle, Fort save, skill checks)
10. The Wheel. Each person affected may choose to reroll any one roll (but must take that result) while the card effect lasts.
11. Strength. +1 to any ability based on strength (attack/damage rolls/skill checks)
12. The Hanged Man (not by the neck but by the FOOT(!). -2 on all attacks
13. Death (Grim Reaper, looking good). No "hanging at death's door" -1 to -10 range, all who would normally go to -1 instead die. All effects (including items) that heal only heal half as much as normal.
14. Temperance. +5 to all skills.
15. The Devil (carrying a serpent and a fortune). -2 penalty on all saves and AC (Alternatively -1 or 2 on all rolls)
16. The Tower. +5 bonus on damage to sunder items
17. The Stars. -2 caster level to all spells cast, to a minimum of 1.
18. The Moon. +2 to all saves and AC (Alternatively +1 or 2 on all rolls)
19. The Sun. Treat all natural rolls of 1 as a natural 20.
20. Judgement. +XP = to 50 x Your character level if you defeat all opponents while this card is in effect.
21. The World. Draw 2 more Major Arcana cards (still only 1 minor arcana)

I would suggest not to reshuffle until the end of a battle for best results. The main purpose would be to add a little flavor and unpredictability in battle (A normally easy battle may turn disastarous if the Devil or Death or both). Hope that helps. I invented this on the fly, btw, and am seriously considering using it in my own game-probably I'll make a PrC which focuses on influencing the draw's decision in the future if I do so.

 

[Mercule]

Just to add another source into the mix: The Everlasting has rules for using Tarot for resolution. Of course, they use a d12 for most things, so it's a bit better fit.

One of the interesting things is that you don't always put the card back into the deck for later use. Karma comes around.

 

[Will]

My suggestion is use cards as a sort of 'dramatic point' system. That is, if someone uses a card, it shoves action in their favor.

So long as the player presents a compelling way the card supports their action (even if it isn't 'proper'), it works. This is best if the cards are fairly detailed and show real world actions, or the symbolism is fairly obvious.

This removes the onus of deciding what it 'really' means or success/failure, and gives players some freedom to storytell.