Would this work as a system?

[ninjayeti]

Are you familiar with either Gloomhaven or the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game? Both are hybrids with both RPG and deckbuilding elements that are somewhat along the lines of what you are describing above.

Pathfinder ACG is available as an app with a free demo if you were interested in checking it out. Gloomhaven was popular with boardgamers a couple years back so you should be able to find a ton of gameplay videos on the internet.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Random, or uncertain? The sistem of the OP looks more like the latter, at a first glance

I'm not sure that there's a difference, in this case. It's down to probabilities, either way.

 

[Numidius]

I'm not sure that there's a difference, in this case. It's down to probabilities, either way.

Yes, but it's not a straight randomizer. The Player has to choose from his hand, which in turn changes the deck.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

As you level up, you get to add more cards to your deck?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Yes, but it's not a straight randomizer. The Player has to choose from his hand, which in turn changes the deck.

There's an element of randomness within the greater scope of uncertainty, which seems fairly realistic to me. (While real life may not include any true randomness, the complexity underlying many events may be such that they are effectively random for our purposes.)

 

[slobster]

There are some roguelike computer games that use a similar sort of mechanic. Not sure if you are familiar with any of them:

Roguelike deck-building game - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Undrave]

Are you familiar with either Gloomhaven or the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game? Both are hybrids with both RPG and deckbuilding elements that are somewhat along the lines of what you are describing above.

Pathfinder ACG is available as an app with a free demo if you were interested in checking it out. Gloomhaven was popular with boardgamers a couple years back so you should be able to find a ton of gameplay videos on the internet.

I'll check it out, thanks!

As you level up, you get to add more cards to your deck?

Basically you don't level up in the linear sense, you gain XP you can trade for better cards, or simply MORE cards you already have (they'd be cheaper the more you you already have maybe?). There might be a level mechanic? This is all theoretical after all.

 

[Numidius]

There's an element of randomness within the greater scope of uncertainty, which seems fairly realistic to me. (While real life may not include any true randomness, the complexity underlying many events may be such that they are effectively random for our purposes.)

You are very right.
Also, re-reading your previous post, I agree with you. I conflated your answer to the post you quoted, my bad.
What I meant is that I don't like a full random resolution (like a d100: pass/fail), same as you don't like a lack of randomness in a sequence of choices, as per your examples.
Having the (limited) random element BEFORE I make my (again, limited) tactical/narrative choices, is something I usually prefer.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Would the mini-game of the deck building overshadow the story that's trying to be told?

 

[Nytmare]

Yeah, this immediately brought the Pathfinder Card Game to my mind. There are a lot of other games that operate in this space, but the Pathfinder game is probably the one I've played the most.

Randomization is card and die driven. Cards represent things like items or spells, while dice represent when those items, spells, and skills are used. Character and equipment attributes are represented by dice (d4 to d12) and the larger the die, the better the attribute. Every class has an all the time base ability that works with the cards in their hand in some way. The cleric heals (move X cards from a players' discard to the bottom of their deck), the ranger can fire an arrow into someone else's combat (discard a card to do dX damage), the wizard draws cards when he casts spells (when you cast a spell, look at the top two cards of your deck, and put any spells in your hand). In addition, each character has a list of how many of each card type they have in their deck. The different kinds of cards are weapons, armor, items, spells, allies, and blessings (benefits that anyone can pitch to add a die to any other players' check). Over the course of an adventure you can add whatever cards you find, but between adventures, you need to build back to match the numbers of your character's deck list. Levelling up happens after every couple adventures. It can be an addition to your deck size, your hand size, or an increase to your attributes or abilities.

All that being said, although I really enjoy deck builders, I think that a system like this would need to be SO robust to not just be a combat system with role playing elements tacked on to it, that it would be way too much work. I'd be much more a fan of something closer to the card driven resolution system of Burning Wheel, where card interpretations are far more broad, ie. Attack, Defend, Feint, Maneuver.

My current philosophy of design is far more focused towards small and simple over having to make a million cards for every single item, ability, and edge case.