Swashbuckling Cards RETURN!

[barsoomcore]

Hey folks. In the distant past we discussed and created (yay us!) a great set of Swashbuckling Cards: fun printable card sets that you hand out to your players and they use to gain a little advantage here and there (or, possibly, turn your campaign inside out).

Having been using these cards for the past few years, I feel like I've identified the winners and the losers among them, and further figured out which ones are the most troublesome to try and play with. I've tidied up the grammar and terminology and even more to the point -- I've made them compatible with not only D&D but pretty much any d20-type system -- up to and including True20! You ought to be able to use these cards with any system based on the d20 rules. There's no reference to hit points or attacks of opportunity or anything like that.

Download them and thrill to the buckling!

I love these things -- an easy way to improve player interest, and to generate wacky goofball fun in your campaigns. Instructions are included! Enjoy!

 

[EricNoah]

This is why the internet exists -- for sharing awesome stuff with fellow D&D players!

 

[Mean Eyed Cat]

I love these cards! Our group uses them all the time and they add a fun and creative dynamic to our games. I'm glad they have been updated

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I contributed to that thread. Ah well. Looks like my "Bucephalus! My Bucephalus!" card was a stinker...

 

[grodog]

Thanks for the pointer, barsoomcore: the cards look similar in concept to Lion Rampant's Whimsy Cards (White Wolf later released the Path of Horror and Path of Intrigue card sets based on the same concepts), but with much more concrete in-game action benefits vs. story/role-playing benefits, which is what the Whimsy Cards promoted.

How have you found them to affect play---do they wreak further havoc upon balancing APL and CRs, for example?

 

[barsoomcore]

"Wreak further havoc" is generally a good term to describe the impact of these cards. But in my mind that's a good thing.

They have a couple of consistent effects that I've observed with varying different groups, different campaign styles and different rules:

• The players look for opportunities to play their cards -- so even players who are habitually distracted get more engrossed in what's happening.
• The players feel like they have more control over the direction of the story and aren't at the mercy of the GM.
• The players are more willing to try creative maneuvers/ploys/strategems because they feel like the card in their hand will allow them to survive a catastrophic failure.
• Players who don't know the rules really well will investigate in order to find out how their card works, thus improving their rules knowledge.
• My campaigns get a LOT more unpredictable and I need to be "on" for my games -- particularly if I allow the latter set of cards that can really affect the nature and direction of your campaign.

Oh, and they're often HILARIOUS. Players get HUGE satisfaction out of finding the right moment to play a card, and it's often the case that a well-thought-out card play becomes a "campaign moment" to be savoured in years to come.

 

[Agent Oracle]

Hmm... okay, how do you distribute these cards among your players? Do you just print them out then hand out the deck and tell them to each take a turn drawing? or do you give them out as rewards?

Is it possible for us to suggest more swashbuckling cards?

Like...

Parley!
Play: During a suprise round
Effect: Immediately halt the suprise round, enemies must communicate, or attempt to communicate before resuming hostiilities. At least one side must explain why it is trying to kill the other.

I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request.
Play: Any Time
Effect: You gain a one-time +10 bonus on your sense motive check.

This shot was not meant for you.
Play: After a ranged attack into melee was rolled.
Effect: This attack is treated as if the attacker had the Precise Shot feat

Don't be alarmed, we're taking over the ship.
Play: Before combat.
Effect: Overcome a minor, annoying, not-worth-the-effort confrontation without actually touching your dice. The sum of the opposition must be at least 2 CR's below average party level. Players gain experience and treasure as if the combat had taken place.

You best start believing in ghost stories Miss Turner.
Play: After a natural 20 is rolled against an undead foe.
Effect: For this round, your Undead foe is vulnerable to critical hits.

You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters.
Play: Any time
Effect: The Gm rolls a wandering monster check. The Monster that arrives is not necessarily hostile towards the party.

 

[Dog Moon]

Looks like someone just watched Pirates of the Carribean recently.

 

[Agent Oracle]

Looks like someone just watched Pirates of the Carribean recently.

can you think of a more recent source ofr swashbuckling quotes? from the doccument, these were pulled from everywhere from Looney Tunes to Eroll Flynn.

 

[Psion]

can you think of a more recent source ofr swashbuckling quotes?

I'd have to say Princess Bride is right up there.

"I am not left handed!"