el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
OK, so the tl;dr version of this post is the simple poll question, "Will using the Deck of Many Things in my 5E game blow up my campaign?"
The party is 4th level, about to advance to 5th. My games usually end before 10th level.
The longer explanation is as follows:
So, I received the Book of Many Things with the fancy cards for Xmas last year (2 years ago) and am finally putting it to use. As a reward for successfully completing When a Star Falls, the PCs were offered draws from a Deck of Many Things - as part of the campaign conceit is that the characters are bound by fate, and the deck represents a way to either embrace or break free of it as they seek to save the world from an elemental apocalypse. I also think this will give a campaign that has suffered some set backs needs to be shaken up.
Anyway, I created my version of the deck based on the original cards and some of the additional ones introduced in BoMT. I have also added some flavor stipulations to give the whole experience a kind of mystic reading kind of vibe.
Essentially, the PC will cut the deck and draw three cards face down: Card of the Dawn, Card of the High Sun, Card of the Twilight. They can then declare how many cards they want to draw up to 3, but must draw them in order. Once you have declared how many cards you want to draw, to pull fewer is to suffer a minor curse. If you want to pull more, you can, but only after everyone else has had a chance to draw or refuse, and after each your turns any boon or bane cards you've drawn are removed from the deck should you choose again.
I have modified the card effects some (for flavor or to fit the campaign/house rules) and only include the 23 listed below. 12 of the cards have positive effects (Book, Campfire, Fates, Jester, Knight, Moon, Sage, Star, Temple, Throne, Tomb, Well), 6 are wholly negative (Donjon, Euryale, Flames, Fool, Puzzle, Skull), and the remaining 5 (Balance, Beast, Comet, Elemental, Tower) are neutral (but may lean slightly one way or another).
I do plan to warn the players about the potential character and campaign shattering results of drawing cards, since they are either completely new to the deck or have only heard of it without actual experience of it. As such, I am gonna tell them about the boon and bane effects of cards not in the deck just as an example of the kind of power they hold without losing the specific element of surprise, horror, and delight:
This poll is just for fun. I will return and report the results after tomorrow's game.
The party is 4th level, about to advance to 5th. My games usually end before 10th level.
The longer explanation is as follows:
So, I received the Book of Many Things with the fancy cards for Xmas last year (2 years ago) and am finally putting it to use. As a reward for successfully completing When a Star Falls, the PCs were offered draws from a Deck of Many Things - as part of the campaign conceit is that the characters are bound by fate, and the deck represents a way to either embrace or break free of it as they seek to save the world from an elemental apocalypse. I also think this will give a campaign that has suffered some set backs needs to be shaken up.
Anyway, I created my version of the deck based on the original cards and some of the additional ones introduced in BoMT. I have also added some flavor stipulations to give the whole experience a kind of mystic reading kind of vibe.
Essentially, the PC will cut the deck and draw three cards face down: Card of the Dawn, Card of the High Sun, Card of the Twilight. They can then declare how many cards they want to draw up to 3, but must draw them in order. Once you have declared how many cards you want to draw, to pull fewer is to suffer a minor curse. If you want to pull more, you can, but only after everyone else has had a chance to draw or refuse, and after each your turns any boon or bane cards you've drawn are removed from the deck should you choose again.
I have modified the card effects some (for flavor or to fit the campaign/house rules) and only include the 23 listed below. 12 of the cards have positive effects (Book, Campfire, Fates, Jester, Knight, Moon, Sage, Star, Temple, Throne, Tomb, Well), 6 are wholly negative (Donjon, Euryale, Flames, Fool, Puzzle, Skull), and the remaining 5 (Balance, Beast, Comet, Elemental, Tower) are neutral (but may lean slightly one way or another).
- Balance. Roll d6 twice to determine ability scores. Choose one of the two in which to gain +2 and the other to lose -2. This is permanent. If you roll the same number twice, nothing happens.
- Beast. You are immediately transformed into a CR 5 (or lower) Beast until the dawn after the next full moon.
- Book. You immediately learn 1d3 languages of your choice.
- Campfire. Until the morning after the next Full Moon, once per day when you take a Short Rest, you gain the benefits of a Long Rest instead (this supersedes the limit on one Long Rest per 24 hour period).
- Comet. If you single-handedly defeat a creature you will recognize as cosmically bound to you, you gain enough XP to immediately go up to the next level. If the creature defeats you, you lose enough XP to be at the minimum for your current level. If anyone interferes, you are cursed to make all Cha-based skill checks at Disadvantage for 1 year.
- Donjon. You reappear in the dungeon of the moathouse*
- Elemental. As a Bonus Action choose one of the following damage types (or pairs of damage types) fire, cold, lightning/thunder, acid/bludgeoning. You gain resistance to the damage type(s) until the end of your next turn, but are vulnerable to its opposed elemental type during that time as well (fire vs. cold or lightning/thunder vs. acid/bludgeoning). This is permanent.
- Euryale. You are cursed to suffer a -2 penalty on all saving throws.
- Fates. You gain the power to, as a Reaction, undo one immediate event - including a card effect.
- Flames. You draw the enmity of a devil. The horned devil Kakoskaratos – comes in a dream.
- Fool. You immediately lose 5000 xp and must draw twice more.
- Jester. You immediately gain 5000 xp and may draw up to two additional cards.
- Knight. A warrior will swear fealty to you.
- Moon. You gain 1 to 3 wishes. Roll 1d6: 1-3: 1 wish, 4-5: 2 wishes, 6: 3 wishes.
- Puzzle. You lose 1d3+1 points of Intelligence and may draw an additional card.
- Sage. You commune with a god, and may ask any one question to get either a yes/no answer or a very brief one, truthfully.
- Skull. The spirit of death follows you around for 1 year and can be seen by those with true-seeing or some kind of second sight. You have Disadvantage on all Death saves and cannot use Hero Points to turn a death save failure into a success.
- Star. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma by 1 (maximum 22).
- Temple. You gain the attention of a god or other divine being. Once within the next year you can call upon its divine intervention.
- Throne. You gain expertise in the Persuasion skill and gain rightful ownership of a keep or other bastion.
- Tomb. You can cast true resurrection once within a year’s time.
- Tower. Draw two additional cards, choose one to return to the deck (and shuffle) and the other takes immediate effect.
- Well. Choose one cantrip from a spell list associated with your highest spellcasting ability score. Int = wizard, Wisdom = cleric or druid, Charisma = bard or sorcerer. You may now cast it at will.
I do plan to warn the players about the potential character and campaign shattering results of drawing cards, since they are either completely new to the deck or have only heard of it without actual experience of it. As such, I am gonna tell them about the boon and bane effects of cards not in the deck just as an example of the kind of power they hold without losing the specific element of surprise, horror, and delight:
- The Void: Your soul is sucked from your body and kept in a distant unknown place and protected by a great power. Your body becomes incapacitated.
- The Sun: A random wondrous magical item appears and is automatically attuned to you, and you gain a large chunk of bonus XP (probably enough to automatically go up a level).
This poll is just for fun. I will return and report the results after tomorrow's game.
