Using cards in your game?

[Garnfellow]

I found item cards to be *invaluable* in running a game with a large group of high level PCs. It sped up play considerably.

And I'd buy condition cards in a heartbeat.

 

[BullMarkOne]

Mmmmmm, cards. delicious and nutritious. I don't use cards as game mechanics/aids all that often. I've used initiative cards in the past, and kinda liked them. I do like spell cards for new players who want to play spellcastery types, never tried them myself tho.


I really like the idea of cards as thematic elements within a campaign setting. And before anyone asks, yes, Zelazny was one of my first introductions to the fantasy genre. Some of my favorite ideas to explore are:

- introducing a few more esoteric card games into my campaigns as common forms of gambling.
- cobbling together a semi-unique card game for a campaign.
- a campaign based around an artifact deck of cards, not quite a deck of many things, more along the lines of a "deck of fates" or "deck of creation" The world creation myth would actually revolve around a card game between the entities representing the primary opppositional forces. I would of course have to have some pretty darn wicked props for this. I still toy with this idea occasionally. Some day, if I ever find the perfect group of players a campaign like this would probably be my ideal game to run.
- bringing some Amber-esque "trump cards" into a setting.
- changing the suits of a typical deck of playing cards within a setting to something specific to the setting. (say the crests of four major noble houses)

I have as yet to do something with any of these ideas however.

 

[vulcan_idic]

Mmmmmm, cards. delicious and nutritious. I don't use cards as game mechanics/aids all that often. I've used initiative cards in the past, and kinda liked them. I do like spell cards for new players who want to play spellcastery types, never tried them myself tho.


I really like the idea of cards as thematic elements within a campaign setting. And before anyone asks, yes, Zelazny was one of my first introductions to the fantasy genre. Some of my favorite ideas to explore are:

- introducing a few more esoteric card games into my campaigns as common forms of gambling.
- cobbling together a semi-unique card game for a campaign.
- a campaign based around an artifact deck of cards, not quite a deck of many things, more along the lines of a "deck of fates" or "deck of creation" The world creation myth would actually revolve around a card game between the entities representing the primary opppositional forces. I would of course have to have some pretty darn wicked props for this. I still toy with this idea occasionally. Some day, if I ever find the perfect group of players a campaign like this would probably be my ideal game to run.
- bringing some Amber-esque "trump cards" into a setting.
- changing the suits of a typical deck of playing cards within a setting to something specific to the setting. (say the crests of four major noble houses)

I have as yet to do something with any of these ideas however.

This post gave me beautiful visions of a fanciful deck of cards with earth, air, fire, and water replacing the classic Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs... and such a deck could have interesting effects if a temple of elemental evil existed in that campaign setting - perhaps the elemental princes are the Jacks?

 

[Thunderfoot]

ABSOLUTELY!!!
When running a game with 13 players, Initiative Cards are indespensible. We use the Game Mechanics version. Also, The Complete Spell Cards are a time saving device that I can no longer live without.
My players have all come up with interesting ways to use them, one wizard has a baseball card protector sheet with each card seperated by level as her "spell book". One party cleric has every spell listed by level in the same way, but uses "post-it" flags to show what has been memorized (multiple flags mean multiple castings) and has different colors of flags to seperate acquired spells from domain spells and another color to denote spells that she will sacrifice in order to spontaneously cast.
Great stuff all around!

 

[Janx]

I had released a free PDF of Item cards on ENworld's download section. Seems like it has disappeared off it, since the restoration.

Personally, I like item cards, initiative cards, and monster cards for summonings.

My players didn't like the item cards as much, they found them to be too much to deal with. Managing PCs on the computer is probably a factor in that, since it doesn't produce cards on demand (thus keeping the inventory up to date on the computer is more work).

I just got the Iron Heroes Battle Box, which has combat action cards. I'd like to put the Book of Iron Might combat actions on cards as well...

 

[talien]

Yes

D20 Magic: The Gathering Cards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download: T & M Bazaar
Author: Michael Tresca
Type: Role-Playing Game (D20 Fantasy Supplement)
Suggested Retail Price: FREE
Format: .pdf
Pages: 5
Description:
New players are often bewildered by the number of choices their characters have in the D20 Fantasy system. That doesn't include all the spells, feats, and class abilities they have at their disposal.

That got me thinking about Magic: The Gathering. Each rule is modular, easy to remember (because it's printed on a card), and you can pull it out for reference whenever you need to. Test runs proved their usefulness in play, especially as a DM who doesn't remember all of the rules all of the time.

So I put together all of the combat actions and skill actions one might perform in a round (not including feats, spells, and class abilities). You can download these and print them. It took me five tries, but I got the card backs to line up correctly as well (I should point out they say "Arcanis" for our game). Enjoy!

This product was created using Oliver Weikopf's Magic: The Gathering Editor. Oliver rocks!

http://members.toast.net/talien/michael/freebies/d20magiccards.html

 

[Morrus]

And I'd buy condition cards in a heartbeat.

Now that's fantastic news, because they're ready! Click here!

 

[philreed]

Now that's fantastic news, because they're ready! Click here!

I don't remember working on these but according to this page I published them. I wonder what else I've been doing in my sleep.

Weird glitch.

 

[Spud]

Cheers Morrus, You have just made my Dnd life a lot easier. I was continually having to look up summoned monsters for the Sorcerer so ive just bought the complete monster cards, while i was at it though the condition cards looked a good bet as well.

Well its not everyday England win thought id treat the dnd group with my winnings..

 

[Morrus]

Cheers Morrus, You have just made my Dnd life a lot easier. I was continually having to look up summoned monsters for the Sorcerer so ive just bought the complete monster cards, while i was at it though the condition cards looked a good bet as well.

Well its not everyday England win thought id treat the dnd group with my winnings..

4 bloody nil! That was a good result. So long, Sven - you won't be missed!