D&D 5E My players just drew from the Deck of Many Things - and Holy Crap!

[R_J_K75]

I read this as the card vanishing and returning to the deck, "Unless the card is the Fool or the Jester"; either of those cards simply vanishes and does not return to the deck.

As thats how its always been I tend to agree now after looking up previous editions. I dont see why theyd change it after 40 years. I bet someone decided to change the text and did a bad job because taking another look it reads weird.

 

[Yardiff]

So does the Jester cards not returning to the deck mean that characters who draw from the deck after someone else has drawn the jesters mean they dont have a chance to draw the jester or is the deck reset for a new character? I'd say deck not reset.

 

[Mannahnin]

So does the Jester cards not returning to the deck mean that characters who draw from the deck after someone else has drawn the jesters mean they dont have a chance to draw the jester or is the deck reset for a new character? I'd say deck not reset.

I agree. No reset. Jester or Fool can only be drawn once per deck.

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

If you're playing in Midgard and are having trouble with Skein Witches, a Deck of Many Things can be handy to have around - just being within 30 ft of one causes them (the witches, that is) to be annihilated!

 

[Stalker0]

As thats how its always been I tend to agree now after looking up previous editions. I dont see why theyd change it after 40 years. I bet someone decided to change the text and did a bad job because taking another look it reads weird.

Beyond the mechanical notes, one thing I found was that clause required me (the DM) to reshuffle the deck after each card was drawn. On the one hand it might have added to the tension, the gypsy slowly shuffling the card while the player waits to see what their fate will be.

On the other, it was a lot of shuffling and might have delayed things too long, killing tension. I'd have to ask my players on that one.

 

[Stormonu]

I read this as the card vanishing and returning to the deck, "Unless the card is the Fool or the Jester"; either of those cards simply vanishes and does not return to the deck.

I'm assuming the vanishing wording was meant to prevent the players from somehow preventing bad cards from returning to the deck (pocketing or destroying it somehow). But I agree it is poorly worded. It should have been stated "nothing prevents the drawn card from returning and reappearing in the deck, except in the case of the Fool or Jester, which vanish thereafter."

 

[Zio_the_dark]

I'm assuming the vanishing wording was meant to prevent the players from somehow preventing bad cards from returning to the deck (pocketing or destroying it somehow). But I agree it is poorly worded. It should have been stated "nothing prevents the drawn card from returning and reappearing in the deck, except in the case of the Fool or Jester, which vanish thereafter."

The french translation is the same. Really poorly worded as you said.

 

[TheLibrarian]

The Deck of Many Things is a lot of fun... until its not... which happens very quickly... for both players and the DM.

The concept is cool, but as its written, the results are way too extreme and wreak havoc with the game. Although I really like the idea above of a boons/curses variant where the effects are a bit more subdued.

 

[Azzy]

I hate the thing. The last time one appeared in a game it screwed every player except one.

 

[Stalker0]

(1 - (21/22)^4)^3

Or about 0.4% chance.

I assume this is the chance that a specific combination of 4 cards occurs over 3 repetitions?

Aka the probability that these exact 12 cards are drawn? (hehe of course technically its 13 as there was a bonus draw)