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Epsilon Rose
2010-08-28, 03:24 PM
I'm currently designing a class that uses tarot cards to cast spells and augment it's abilities; I talk about it on the forum here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165848), and I've set up a page for it on the DnD wikia (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Knave_of_Tarots_%283.5e_Class%29).

I was wondering if any one would like to help me come up with powers for the cards.
The rules for the cards are as follows: Each card has two powers, one for the upright position and one for the inverted. The numerical cards for each suite follow a generic progression with the low cards having longer durations and little power while the high cards have lots of power but a very short duration; the inverted positions of the numeral cards have more specialized and unique effects but generally follow the same trend in terms of duration and power (the exception to this is the ace which is low when upright and high when inverted). The face cards need not be constrained by the same timing scheme as the numerals and should generally be more powerful. Each suite has a specific theme and associated stat: The suite of swords always produces a weapon (with the exception of certain inverted face cards) and has no associated stat, numeral cards produce progressively more enchanted long swords in the upright position but they may produce any type of weapon (including ranged) in the inverted position); The suite of pentacles is summons and uses the cha stat, the upright position of the numerals summons groups of faceless feature less humanoids, all summons from the suite of pentacles are immune to mind effecting abilities but if there summoner is effected by one it automatically applies to them too (no save); The key stat for the suite of Cups is int and cup cards deal with information and perception; Wands use wis and produce magical effects similar to spells (I would like to stay away from dnd's tendency to just provide many flavors of damage). The major arcana should be written in such a way as to discouraged them being used in a standard way and their effects should be based on both their name and interpretation (your choice on how much of either).

Bellow is a list of cards and miscellaneous powers I have yet to place that I will update as I get suggestions or come up with things my self.
Swords
King
Upright: Excalibur Summon Excalibur- Excalibur is made of adamant, counts as it's wielders alignment. It's wielder is immune to mind effecting abilities and produces a aura of overwhelming awe.
Duration:?
Inverted: Avalon- This is a sheath not a weapon. Wielder gains 1+lv*2 dr against physical damage.
Duration:lv/5 (round down, min 1) rounds
Queen
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knight
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knave
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
10
Upright: Vorpal soul stealing longsword
Duration:1 hit
Inverted:keen tentacle Stalactite Scythe
Duration:1 hit
9
Upright:brilliant energy longsword
Duration:two hits
Inverted:two gauntlets. first is Thundering but it always activates and second is clouting.
Duration:1 hit each
8
Upright: wounding broadsword
Duration:6 attacks
Inverted:Create a bow. Each shot does a different elemental
Duration:6 Shots.
7
Upright: sonic longsword
Duration:8
Inverted:Grenade
Duration:8
6
Upright: blur strike
Duration:10 hits
Inverted:mace anti-undead.
Duration:
5
Upright:silent strike longsword
Duration:4 rounds
Inverted:skillful waterborn spiked chain
Duration:4 rounds
4
Upright:sure striking long sword
Duration:5 rounds
Inverted:keen boken (16-20)
Duration:5 rounds
3
Upright:bane long sword
Duration:6 turns
Inverted:blood seeking bow with as many arrows as needed
Duration:6 turns
2
Upright:nervewrack longsword
Duration:8
Inverted:skillful kusari kama
Duration:8
Ace
Upright: Creates +1 long sword
Duration:until dismissed
Inverted: The dagger- lvl% chance of killing target on strike Fort save DC(10+lv*2). lv/2 stat damage to all stats.
Duration:1 attack (hit or miss) or two rounds (which ever happens first)
Wands
King
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Queen
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knight
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knave
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
10
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
9
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:Battlefield Manipulation
Duration:
8
Upright:vector plate
Duration:
Inverted:vector arrow
Duration:
7
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:Major planer bleed
Duration:
6
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
5
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
4
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
3
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:lesser planer bleed
Duration:
2
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:Create abode
Duration:
Ace
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Cups
King
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Queen
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knight
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
Knave
Upright: Satellite view of battlefield.
Duration:
Inverted: Motion sensor.
Duration:
10
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:Learn all vital statistics pertaining to one foe
Duration:instant
9
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
8
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:See the out come of all roles for at the start of the round and decide weather or not to actually follow through, this lasts for lvl/3 (round down) rounds. You may try int (min one) permutations, No two permutations may be the same.
Duration:
7
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:Illusion (greater)
Duration:
6
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:invisibility
Duration:
5
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:bonus to saves
Duration:
4
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted: bonus to skill checks
Duration:
3
Upright:See invisible Int(not mod)*2ft
Duration:Class level*3 rounds
Inverted:learn about your foes weakness and gain bonuses as if you had made a successful knowledge check of the appropriate type.
Duration:
2
Upright:Dark vision int(not mod)*3ft
Duration:Class level minutes
Inverted:Illusion (Lesser)
Duration:
Ace
Upright:Low light vision.
Duration:Until dismissed.
Inverted:
Duration:
Pentacles
King
Upright:Summon the vengeful spirits of those who died in the area
Duration:
Inverted: summons merciful spirits
Duration:
Queen
Upright: Summon the idea of an acquaintance as you last saw them alive (if the last time you saw them they where dead you may opt to summon their corpse instead). The idea acts and has the same abilities and items as they did at that (though they may not make use of the Queen of pentacles). The idea is under the DMs control but you may attempt to subvert it's will in order to force it to help you it get a will save dc(10+lv/2+cha) to resist. When the duration ends or the idea dies all items it was summoned with disappear.
Duration:
Inverted: Summon a doppelganger of your self. It has the same abilities an items you do at the time of summoning (though it's deck functions without a Queen of hearts) but is based on only one facet of your personality the DM secretly roles a d100 to see how helpful of a facet is summoned (with lower numbers being less helpful and possibility detrimental) but decides on the actual facet himself. You may influence this role by cha*4 points. When the duration ends or the doppelganger dies all items that it appeared with disappear and the effects of any cards he used end.
Duration:
Knight
Upright: Summon (10+cha) cavalry, each with half your level.
Duration:
Inverted:Summon (10+cha) archers, each with half your level.
Duration:
Knave
Upright: Summons dark reflection of one foe
Duration:
Inverted: Creates maze of mirrors.
Duration:
10
Upright: Summon 10 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
9
Upright: Summon 9 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
8
Upright: Summon 8 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
7
Upright: Summon 7 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
6
Upright: Summon 6 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
5
Upright: Summon 5 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
4
Upright: Summon 4 echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
3
Upright: Summon 3 Echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:
2
Upright: Summon 2 Echos.
Duration:
Inverted:
Ace
Upright: Summon 1 Echo.
Duration: Until dismissed.
Inverted:
Duration:
Major Arcana

0 Fool
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

1 Magician
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

2 High Priestess
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

3 Empress
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

4 Emperor
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

5 Heirophant
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

6 Lovers
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

7 Chariot
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

8 Strength
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

9 Hermit
Upright: Switch two stats.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

10 Wheel
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

11 Justice
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

12 Hanged Man
Upright:No one may attack.
Duration:1/2 class level round down min 1 round.
Inverted:every one gets haste
Duration:1/2 class level min 1 round

13 Death
Upright:Summons Grim reaper under DM control. This is the actual embodiment of death, not a god of death. It has no special compunction to help or hurt the summoner.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

14 Temperance
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

15 Devil
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

16 Tower
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

17 Star
Upright: Light of strange star shines down. Everyone must make a will save for each turn it is in effect. if they fail they are rendered insane for the remaining duration of the star card.
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

18 Moon
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

19 Sun
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

20 Judgement
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

21 The World
Upright:
Duration:
Inverted:
Duration:

Miscellaneous Powers

See the out come of all roles for at the start of the round and decide weather or not to actually follow through, this lasts for lvl/3 (round down) rounds. You may try int (min one) permutations, No two permutations may be the same. (some where in cups)

Every one in a certain radius must make a will save or be shaken when in darkness, depending on how badly they fail the condition may raise several levels. If someone is holding/in a section of light surrounded by darkness at the start they are unaffected but automatically fail the first level if they lose their light source. If someone is naturally blind they are immune if someone was blinded less than 1 hour ago the dc is increased by 10, if some one is deaf the dc is increased by 10 (this stacks). If someone has the ability to "see" in whatever type of darkness they're in they are immune. (somewhere in cups or wands)
Normally I would welcome non-standard suites and arcana (and you're free to suggest them) but write now I want to get this class working before adding options so I probably won't pay them much attention.