RPG52 - the playing card RPG

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Introduction

It all started when I read the Harry Potter series.

Of course I immediately wanted to run a d20 game in Hogwarts, but d20 always seemed like poor fit. There wasn't a good way to reflect the quick resolution of the wizard's duels, to create the variety of the young wizards or the character's ability to come up with the solution to problems presented in the nick of time. Houserules could be made, but to really capture the flavor I wanted a complete overhaul was required. So I figured, why not just start from scratch?

I never liked level-based advancement and I never liked class-based character creation, so they went out the window.

I wanted the system to be story focused, and hoped to reduce or eliminate the silly failures that sometimes derail RPGs, so that's where the playing cards come in. They enable the characters to make sure they can make simple tests and reach for the sky when necessary.

I wanted the system to be universal, simple and modular, and I'm willing to sacrifice forced balance and fine detail to do so. I'm sure there are parts of the game that a player could break if they so desire, but the Dealer should feel free to stop anything that might damage the campaign.

The default setting I had in mind during creation is a Victorian/wild-west setting. Future settings will include new skills (Transmogrification, Elements, Defense and Charms for the "Wizard Academy" setting for instance).

So, yeah, here it is, the first public release of RPG52. I haven't had the opportunity to do much play-testing yet, so getting some eyes on this will be extremely helpful. Feel free to make whatever comments and suggestions you like.

Character Sheet (http://www.mediafire.com/?w4ccc974jj94c4t)

The rules in a .doc (http://www.mediafire.com/?e3rer30rplg1s3l)

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Character Creation

Step 1: Prioritize Skill Suits: Player assigns a face card value to each skill suit. Player gets one face card of each value and may assign them as they see fit.

Step 2: Initial skill points: The player is dealt 5 cards for their Ace Suit, 3 cards for their King Suit, 2 cards for their Queen suit and 1 card for their Jack suit. Each card must be used on a different skill except in the case of the Ace suit where 2 cards can be combined for a single skill. The starting total of any skill cannot be above 13. No skill rating can ever be higher than 13 + the number of sessions played in the campaign.

Face cards and specialization: Face cards count as 10 when assigned to a skill at character creation, however they also give the player the option to specialize in that skill. When specializing the character chooses a more specific application of the skill, such as Running when specializing in Athletics, Balance when specializing in Acrobatics, or a particular weapon when specializing in Melee or Ranged Attack. The character gains special benefits when using a specialized skill in tests, which will be explained later.

Step 3: Special Abilities: At creation a character may take 2 Jack level special abilities from their Ace suit and 1 Jack level special ability from their King Suit.

The Rules

52 requires one deck of cards for 3 players and an additional deck for every 2 additional players. In a LARP game, each player may carry their own deck.

Initiative is determined first in an opposed test. Each player places a card face down on the table and turns them over simultaneously. Initiative goes in the order of the highest total Initiative skill plus card played.

On a players turn they may initiate an opposed challenge against an opponent. The attacker chooses the relevant skill and plays a card face down. The defender then does the same with the relevant defense skill. The players then reveal their cards and announce their totals. If the attacker has the higher total the attack is a hit and the attacker must play a damage card, which is subtracted from the target's relevant health level. If the the defender has the higher total the attack fails and has no effect.

Static Tests: Skill test made against inanimate objects and background characters are called static tests. These test are made against a number set by the Dealer based on the difficulty of the test. The player plays a card from their hand and adds their skill rating. If the total is higher than the target number , the character succeeds at the test. The character's degree of success or failure can influence a Dealer's interpretation of the results.

Actions: On a character's turn they may both move and perform an action, typically the use of a skill. Some skills: Athletics, Acrobatics and Stealth, may be performed while moving at at no penalty and do not count against this limit.

Some skills are used as a reaction to oppose other skills, and don't use any actions.

Some abilities grant immediate actions, which is a standard action granted out of turn in addition to the player's normal actions.

Out of combat actions can also be measured in scenes or calendar actions. Scene actions typically take from 15 minutes to an entire night in game time depending on the circumstances and calendar actions take more than one day.

Opposed tests: At the beginning of any opposed test each Player draws a hand of 5 cards. The Dealer draws a hand of 5 for the first NPC involved in the combat, an additional 2 for each NPC beyond the first. Players must use every card in their hand before drawing a new one. If a player runs out of card in the middle of their action they must flip over the top card of the deck and use it for the test.

Face Cards and Tests: When a Player uses a face card in test it counts as 10. However, if the face card is used for an on-suit skill or the player is using a skill ability in which they have specialized they also have the opportunity to gain an immediate action. If the player both plays a higher suitable card than his opponent and wins the test, they may make an immediate action.

Critical Success: An on-suit Ace played in a test is always considered an automatic success. Any Ace played in a skill test in which the character has specialized is also considered an automatic success, but is trumped if the opposing player uses the on-suit Ace. DM interpretation of the results of critical successes is encouraged in subjective situations.

Health and Damage

Players have both a physical and mental health rating. Every player starts with 13 Health levels in both categories. There is no penalty to losing the first 4 health levels, but each subsequent one gives the player a cumulative -1 on all tests of the corresponding type. Losing all physical health levels renders the player unconscious. Losing all mental health levels has different results depending on the test that reduced them. For instance, losing all mental health levels in a deception test means that the target completely believes the attacker.

Health is generally regained at the end of an encounter, however many weapons and special attacks have the ability to do persistent health damage, which lasts until the character takes an extended rest.

Advancement

At the end of each session the Dealer draws at least one card for each player involved and distributes them as he sees fit, though always at least one to a player. Numeric cards are assigned to on-suite skills normally, but face cards assigned to players made either be used to specialize in an on-suit skill, buy a Special Ability of the same as the card, or buy two special abilities of the next lower face card (I.e one King can buy 2 Queen abilities). Aces may be used to buy any special ability, specialize in any skill or as 10 on-suite skill points.

Distance: Distance is a bit nebulous in 52. Close range is how far a character can move with a single move action (about 10ft.). Medium range goes from about 20 to 100 feet, and long range is above that. Distance is really only relevant when dealing with long-range weaponry.

Chase scenes don't use a measurement of distance however, but are measured in the number of rounds apart the participants are.

Skill Descriptions

This is not everything these skills can do!

The abilities described here are simply some of the common uses for these skills, and while they do cover a broad base of actions they are by no means the only feats you can accomplish with your skills. If you think of an action that doesn't seem to have a skill assigned to it simply find an appropriate skill.

Also note that the target numbers presented are purely guidelines. The dealer should feel free to set the difficulty for any given action at what they feel is a reasonable number.

Automatic Successes and impossible tasks: Some tasks are simply impossible, even with an automatic success. A character may not attempt to jump to the moon, outrace a jet in flight or climb upside down on a smooth surface with no equipment. The Dealer simply informs the player that the task is impossible.

Clubs

Dodge
Reaction
Specializations: Melee, Ranged, Hazards

Dodge is generally used as a reaction against Melee and Ranged attacks. It is also used to avoid traps and natural hazards, such as falling rocks.

When you are targeted with a physical attack or in the area of a hazard you make a dodge test against either the opponent's attack test or the hazard's target number. If you succeed the attack misses or you avoid damage from the hazard.

Stealth
Move action
Specializations: Prowling, Shadowing, Camouflage, Item Concealment

The Stealth skill has multiple functions:

Prowling is used for moving about undetected. When a character starts prowling they must be unobserved. When the Prowler enters the area of another character's Perception they engage in an opposed skill test. How much the Spotter detects depends on how much they beat the Stealth test by.

1-3: The Spotter is tipped off to the presence of someone in the area, but can't pinpoint them.
4-6: The Spotter locates the direction the Prowler is in, and will see him if he moves.
7+: The Prowler is seen clearly.

If the Prowler attacks an unaware character they are considered surprised. the defender must reveal his dodge result before the attacker plays his card. A prowler is immediately spotted if they attack another character.

Shadowing is used to follow people within eyesight without detection. It may only be used in areas with widespread cover, such as towns, forests and rocky areas. The Shadow does not have to be unobserved when he begins the test as long as he in unknown to the Spotter and in a crowd, or on a busy street.

How much the Spotter detects depends on how much they beat the Stealth test by.

1-3: The Spotter is tipped off to the presence of someone in the area, but can't pinpoint them.
4-6: The Spotter locates the direction the Shadow is in.
7+: The Shadow is seen clearly.

Camouflage is used to conceal large items or locations. Camouflaging takes a scene action at least, and may require more time for especially large locations. Camouflaging can consist of everything from hiding secret doors to making a sniper's nest to concealing large military hardware with camouflage netting. A Stealth test is made when the camouflage is complete, and that number becomes the target number for Perception tests to see the camouflaged item.

Item Concealment is used to conceal small item about one's person. Concealment takes a standard action, and you must be unobserved by those you wish to conceal the item from. The item cannot exceed 3 ft. in length, and for every foot after the first you get a -2 penalty on your test. A Stealth test is made when the concealment is complete, and that number becomes the target number for Perception tests to see the concealed item.

Acrobatics
Move action or reaction
Specializations: Balance, Gymnastics, Jumping

Balance is typically a static challenge that is used to remain upright in various precarious situations. It can be used as part of a move action, The difficulty of the test is based on how narrow, unstable or slippery the surface is. Some examples:

Beginner (5): Large fallen tree
Intermediate (10): Gymnastics balance beam
Professional (15): Railings
Expert (20): Tightrope

Difficulty is increased by one category if the surface is either wet, unstable or otherwise unusually difficult to balance on. Difficulty is also increased by one category if the character attempts to land on the object at the end of a jump.

Gymnastics includes both tumbling and aerial gymnastics. Difficulty can vary widely by what the character ants to accomplish.

Beginner (5): Short, low vaults; somersaults
Intermediate (10): Making the transition on the uneven bars, cartwheels.
Professional (15): High-school competition level
Expert (20): Amateur competition level

Jumping is the ability to propel yourself off the ground using muscle power. A running jump can be done as part of a move action, while a standing jump can be done as a move action. A running jump's difficulty is equal to it's horizontal distance plus twice it's vertical distance. A standing jump's difficulty is double what it would be for a running jump.

Survival
Scene action or free action
Specializations: Hunting, Tracking, Foraging, Pathfinding, Endurance

Hunting is used to track, stalk, kill and prepare animals for the purpose of food, product or sport. A hunting test can be made each day that a character attempts to feed themselves in the wilderness. This test is assumed to use off screen time before or after the session's play, but can also be part of the adventure if the Dealer chooses. Hunting tests are made more difficult by the absence or presence of suitable prey.

Beginner (5): Temperate forest at the peak of deer season.
Intermediate (10): Rocky mountainside in the springtime
Professional (15):Conifer forest in the fall
Expert (20): The desert during the summer

These difficulties assume that the character is suitably armed and will accept any prey that comes along. Increase the difficulty category by two if the character is unarmed and by one if they are only hunting a specific type of animal. For every 5 point the character exceeds the difficulty by they can feed one additional person for one day.

Tracking is used to follow tracks in the outdoors. A character may track as a standard action during his turn. The difficulty of tracking is determined by the terrain the target is traveling through

Beginner (5): Fresh snow
Intermediate (10): Muddy Forest
Professional (15): Rocky terrain with little vegetation
Expert (20): Sand

The target may also make an opposed Stealth test to attempt to cover their tracks. The result of this test becomes the target for the tracker's test.

Endurance is used when any other physical test is maintained over a long period of time. The frequency and severity of Endurance tests is determined by the activity.

Walking: 1/day, Beginner Difficulty
Fast Walk: 1/12 hours, Intermediate Difficulty
Running: 1/hour, Professional Difficulty
Climbing: 1/30 minutes, Professional Difficulty
Swimming: 1/30 minutes, Professional
Swimming Underwater: 1/minute, Expert

If a character fails an Endurance test they must cease the activity immediately. The must rest for a scene before trying the activity again.

Foraging is the ability to find food (typically plant, insect and fungi) in the wild. A foraging test can be made each day that a character attempts to feed themselves in the wilderness. This test is assumed to use off screen time before or after the session's play, but can also be part of the adventure if the Dealer chooses. Foraging tests are made more difficult by the absence or presence of suitable flora.

Beginner (5): Tropical Rainforest
Intermediate (10): Temperate forest in the summer
Professional (15): Tundra in the summer
Expert (20): The desert

For every 5 point the character exceeds the difficulty by they can feed one additional person for one day.

Pathfinding covers both a character's ability to intuit his direction and finding or making walkable paths in the wilderness.

Intuiting one's direction is a free action with a static target of 10. However this can be increased by traveling in darkness or on an unusually complex path.

As a scene action a character may use Pathfinding to speed overland movement. With a successful test versus a static Professional Difficulty you may ignore any penalties for moving through rough terrain.

Spades

Athletics
Move action
Specializations: Climbing, Running, Swimming, Grappling, Driving, Riding

Climbing is performed as a move action. The difficulty of a climbing test is determined by the steepness and texture of the climbing surface.

Beginner (5): A tree with low branches, a chain-link fence or typical climbing wall
Intermediate (10): Rock climbing with plentiful handholds and ledges, a free-hanging rope
Professional (15):An old brick or stone wall,
Expert (20): Icy Mountainside

A secure rope at the top of the surface decreases the category by one. Each minute spent climbing without rest requires an Endurance test.

Climbing can be done as a chase. The difficulty of the climbing test is subtracted from the participants' results. Whoever has the highest remaining gains a round of distance on the loser.

Running is always done as part of a move action. Running is typically used as an opposed check against another character, however it may also be used to avoid some hazards.

When characters are in a foot race (whether towards a specific point or one is simply chasing the other) they each make an Athletics test. The winner gains one round of distance on the loser.

With a successful Run test versus a static difficulty of 10 a character can move medium range in a single move action, gaining a round of distance on the target they are fleeing from, but cannot do anything else that turn.

Some hazards (a collapsing ceiling, a rush of water, a cinematic explosion) may have a static Running difficulty to avoid them.

Swimming is performed as a move action. The difficulty of the swimming test is based on the turbulence or current in the body.

Beginner (5): Swimming pool.
Intermediate (10): Large lake or calm sea.
Professional (15): Up a slow river.
Expert (20): Against ocean waves.

Swimming can be done as a chase. The difficulty of the swimming test is subtracted from the participants' results. Whoever has the highest remaining gains a round of distance on the loser.

Initiative
Automatic action
Specializations: Initiative

Initiative is used at the beginning of every opposed test. Each player involved plays a card face down then reveals them simultaneously and adds their initiative rating. Play proceeds from the highest to lowest result.

Melee
Standard Action
Specializations: Any Melee Weapon

Melee is used whenever a character executes a melee attack. The attacker plays a card and adds their Melee rating. The result is revealed and the Defender resists with a Dodge test result

Ranged
Standard Action
Specializations: Any Ranged Weapon

Ranged is used whenever a character executes a ranged attack. The attacker plays a card and adds their Ranged rating. The result is revealed and the Defender resists with a Dodge test result.

Hearts

Lore
Free action
Specializations: Mechanics, Medicine, History, Physics, Chemistry, Locksmithing etc.

Lore is used for a large variety of abilities, but primarily represent that the character possesses a great deal of knowledge. Lore difficulties are determined for the obscurity of the information for Academic disciplines or the difficulty of the task for more practical ones.

A character cannot succeed on a Lore test with a difficulty greater than Intermediate unless they are specialized in that usage of Lore.

Beginner (5): Changing the oil (Mechanics). First aid certification (Medicine). High School (Academic disciplines).
Intermediate (10): Disassembling and reassembling a simple motor (Mechanics). CPR certification (Medicine). Undergrad school (Academic disciplines)
Professional (15): Assembling a road-legal car from the ground up (Mechanics). Nursing certification (Medicine). Experts degree (Academic disciplines)
Expert (20): Designing and building a custom car (Mechanics). M.D. (Medicine). Ph. D. (Academic disciplines)

Presence
Reaction
Specializations: Physical appearance, gravitas, natural leader

Presence tests are made whenever characters meet each other for the first time. The result of the Presence test determines a character's initial reaction.

Beginner (5): Cautious
Intermediate (10): Indifferent
Professional (15): Comfortable
Expert (20): Friendly

Willpower
Reaction
Specializations: Skeptical (.vs Deception), Stubborn (.vs Persuasion), Concentration

Concentration is used when external events make it difficult for you to complete some delicate task. The severity of the distraction determines the difficulty of the test. If the Concentration test is failed the character also fails the task.

Beginner (5): Doing research with loud music playing
Intermediate (10): Threading a needle on a train
Professional (15): Picking a lock in the midst of a pitched battle
Expert (20): Playing an organ concerto while wearing a cage filled with angry rats over your head

Research
Scene Action
Specializations: Research, Streetwise

Research is done as either a scene or calendar action. It represents using media to uncover information that is not readily accessible with a Lore test. The difficulty of the research is based on the obscurity of the knowledge.

A character cannot succeed on a Research test with a difficulty greater than Intermediate unless they are specialized in Research or the relevant field of Lore.

Beginner (5): The roster of the winning team of the 1954 World Series
Intermediate (10): The names of the crew that unearthed a specific archeological site.
Professional (15): Original research (conducting experiments and locating primary sources)
Expert (20): Discovering a breakthrough in a scientific field or publishing a definitive work on an humanities topic.


Streetwise is the character's ability to stay up-to-date with the things that are going on in his area of operation. A Streetwise check may be made as a free action to see if the character knows a specific bit of information or it may be used as a scene or calendar action to represent the character asking around to discover more specific information. The difficulty of the Streetwise check is based on the obscurity of the knowledge.

Beginner (5): Where the most popular bars are
Intermediate (10): Where to get common drugs, places where prostitutes hang out
Professional (15): Where to get large quantities of drugs, discreet escorts
Expert (20): Names of large operators in the underworld

Diamonds

Deception
Scene action or standard action
Specializations: Disguise, fast talk, bluster, misdirection

Disguise is used as a scene action to conceal one's appearance. After preparation the character makes a disguise test. The result of this test is the difficulty for observers to pierce the disguise with their Perception.

The observer gets a +2 bonus if the Disguised has radically changed their appearance (I.e. skin color or gender) and a +5 bonus if the character is trying to disguise themselves as a specific person who is known to the observer.

Fast talk is used as a scene action during a conversation. It is used to confuse and disorient its target, attempting to get them to agree to things without being entirely clear on what those things are. When a character uses Fast-talk they initiate an opposed challenges versus another character's Willpower. IF the Fast-talker succeeds at the test they play a mental damage card. If the target successfully resists the attempt to Fast-talk immediately ends and the target gets a +5 bonus to resist future fast-talk attempts by that character.

If a character reduces a target's mental health to 0 using Fast-talk the target finds themselves doing as the player desires, though they might not be exactly sure why.

The difficulty of Fast-talk can be altered if the requested action is suitably unreasonable (“Its better for everyone if you lie in front of this bulldozer”, for instance) and these requests can carry a -2 to -20 penalty to the character's Fast-talk test.

Fast talk may not be used against a Player by another player.

Bluster is used to intimidate people when you don't have the ability to back it up. It used as a scene action during a conversation to attempt to convince the target that if they don't acquiesce to your demands then bad things will happen to them. When a character uses Bluster they initiate an opposed challenge versus another character's Perception. IF the Bluster succeeds at the test they play a mental damage card. If the target successfully resists the attempt the Bluster immediately ends and the target gets a +5 bonus to resist future Bluster attempts by that character.

If a character reduces a target's mental health to 0 using Bluster the target finds themselves doing as the player desires, sufficiently cowed or simply not willing to argue the point.

The difficulty of Bluster can be altered if the requested action is suitably unreasonable (Of course I have an invitation to the White House Christmas Party!”, for instance) and these requests can carry a -2 to -20 penalty to the character's Bluster test.

Misdirection is the act of getting someone to look where you want them to.

You can make a Misdirection test opposed by a target's Perception in order to conceal an item while being observed.

Creation
Calendar Action
Specializations: Art, Music, Craft (specific craft), Writing

Creation is used as a calendar action to produce a work of art or functional object. The result of the Creation test is used to determine the quality of the work.

A character may not achieve a work of Professional or Expert quality unless they are specialized in that form of Creation.

Persuasion
Scene Action or standard action
Specializations: Intimidation, Diplomacy, Haggling

Intimidation is used to convince a person of a certain point of view using force or the threat of it. This includes political and legal force as well as physical.

Intimidation is used as a scene action during a conversation to attempt to convince the target that if they don't acquiesce to your demands then bad things will happen to them. When a character uses Intimidation they initiate an opposed challenge versus another character's Willpower. If the Intimidation succeeds at the test they play a mental damage card. If the target successfully resists the attempt the Intimidation immediately ends and the target gets a +5 bonus to resist future Intimidation attempts by that character.

The difficulty of Intimidation can be altered if the requested action is suitably unreasonable (“Tell me where your family is so I can murder them”, for instance) and these requests can carry a -2 to -20 penalty to the character's Intimidation test.

Perception
Reaction
Specializations: Vs. Stealth, Vs. Deception, Investigation

Investigation is used to uncover minor details in an area that give the character an idea of what happened there recently. The difficulty of the test is based on how visible and obviously relevant the detail is.

Beginner (5): “The puddle on the floor was a block of ice!”
Intermediate (10): “You don't stab downwards with a switchblade.”
Professional (15): “I can take this strand of hair I found back for analysis”
Expert (20): “Judging by the angle of the shot and the type of bullet and the location of the sun at the time of the shooting, I'm sure it was Fat Tony.”

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Special Abilities

Universal Abilities

Universal abilities may be purchased with any suit of face card.

Face Value (Jack): When you use a Face card for a test you can either gain the normal benefits or you can use the Face card at its numerical value ( J=11, Q=12, K=13)

Trademark Card (Jack): Pick a specific face card, such as the Queen of Hearts or King of Spades. This card now counts as an automatic success when you use it for a skill ability you have specialized in.

Discard (Queen): You may discard 1 card each round. You may take this ability up to 3 times.

Expanded Hand (King): Your maximum hand size increases by 1. You may take this ability multiple times.

Card Shark (King): As a move action you may give a card to another player, who must then give a card to you as a reaction.

Ace in the Hole (Ace): When you are dealt an Ace you may place it “In the Hole” It does not count against your hand limit, but does count as being used for determining if you can draw a new hand. You may use your “Ace in the Hole” at any time.

Clubs

Improved Camouflage (Jack): You gain a +2 on Stealth checks to camouflage an object or location. You may also camouflage yourself using mud and foliage, gaining a +2 on Stealth checks to Prowl outdoors.

Improved Prowling (Jack): You gain +2 to Stealth tests for Prowling.

Improved Shadowing (Jack): If there are more than 20 people visible to the target you may count any card played for a Stealth test to Shadow as a 7.

Improved Gymnastics (Jack): +2 to Acrobatics tests when jumping, falling or swinging.

Palming (Jack): You may conceal a small object on your person while being observed. You take a -5 on the Stealth test.

Sneak Attack (Jack): When you attack a character that is unaware of your presence they must play their Dodge card before you play your attack card.

Elusive (Queen): You gain a +2 bonus to Dodge checks every round that you move.

Sniper (Queen): You are not automatically spotted when you are Prowling and make a ranged attack against a character at medium or long range. However, all characters do get a +5 to spot you at medium range and a +2 to spot you at long range.

Dive for Cover (Queen): When you win a Dodge test you may immediately move behind a piece of cover at close range.

Freerunning (Queen): With a successful Acrobatics against a Professional Difficulty you ignore any low terrain while moving.

Remain Conscious (King): When you are reduced to 0 health you may play a Face card to remain at 1.

Acrobatics Mastery (King): Any Kings you play on Acrobatics tests count as Aces.

Stealth Mastery (King): When engaged in an opposed Stealth test, if your Stealth skill rating is 10 or more than your opponent's Perception rating his Ace plays count as Kings instead.

Survival Mastery (King): Any Kings you play on Survival tests count as Aces.

Roll with the Punches (King): When you use a face card to dodge a melee attack you take half damage from a successful attack.

Spades

Sprinter (Jack): +2 to Athletics tests while running. You win all ties on Running tests.

Climber (Jack): +2 to Athletics test while climbing. You win all ties on climbing tests.

Swimmer (Jack): +2 to Athletics checks while swimming. You win all ties on swimming tests.

Advanced Melee Weapon Training (Jack): You may use medium and heavy melee weapons without penalty.

Advanced Ranged Weapons Training (Jack): You may use medium ranged weapons without penalty.

Basic Martial Arts Training (Jack): You may do half of any damage done with an unarmed attack as persistent damage.

Heavy Ranged Weapons Training (Queen): You may use heavy ranged weapons without penalty.

Leaping Attack (Queen): You may make an Athletics test while moving towards an intended target of your melee attack. If the test is successful versus a static Intermediate difficulty you ignore any low terrain in front of the opponent and gain +2 damage on the attack.

Advanced Martial Arts Training (Queen): When you make an unarmed attack you may split your test result into 2 separate attack tests that must be defended against separately.

Quick-draw (Queen): When you go first in a combat encounter you gain a +2 on your first attack.

Quick Reactions (Queen): When you are the victim of a surprise attack you and the attacker play your cards simultaneously.

Sucker Punch (Queen): You get +2 to damage against surprised foes.

Sweep the Leg (Queen): You may choose to sweep with a melee or unarmed attack. Treat this as a normal melee attack, except that in the case of a successful attack the loses it's next move action, but only takes half of the normal damage from the attack.

Weapon Mastery (King): You choose a weapon type, such as unarmed, longsword, knives, bows or pistols. You gain a +2 to all attacks with the specified weapon type.

Knockout Punch (King): If you hit a surprised foe with an unarmed attack you do double the amount of temporary damage.

Olympian (King): Any Kings you play on Athletics checks count as Aces.

Hearts

Leader in the Field (Jack): Choose a Lore Specialization you posses. Whenever you encounter another character with that Specialization you get a +4 on your Presence test and a +2 on any Persuasion or Deception tests related to the field.

Demolitions (Jack): You may make a Lore test to handle, place and time explosives.

Jury-Rig (Jack): You may attempt to make a Lore test to repair a vehicle or device as both your standard and move actions. The difficulty of the test is increased by one category and the repairs only last until the end of the scene.

First Aid (Jack): Target a friendly character and make a Lore test as a standard action against a static difficulty of 10. If you are successful you can remove 1 level of persistent damage from that character. Characters may only benefit from this ability once per scene.

Animal Magnetism (Jack): You gain a +2 to all Presence tests with the opposite sex.

Leadership (Queen): As a move action you can make a Presence test against Intermediate Difficulty. In the case of a success each ally that can see or hear you gets a +2 bonus to all tests.

MacGuyver (Queen): You may make a Lore test to complete a Mechanics test without the appropriate tools. The difficult the test is increased by one category, possibly more if your surroundings are particularly sparse.

Piercing Stare (Queen): Characters get a -2 on all Deception tests in your presence.

Remain Conscious (King): When you are reduced to 0 health you make make a Willpower test against Expert Difficulty. If you succeed you remain at 1 health.

Not what they Expected (King): You may make a Presence test when you encounter a Hostile character.

Shake it Off (King): As a move action, make a Willpower test against Expert Difficulty. In the case of a success remove half of all temporary damage. A character may use this ability only once per scene.


Diamonds

Artist (Jack): Choose a Creation specialization you posses. Whenever you encounter another character with that Specialization you get a +4 on your Presence test and a +2 on any Persuasion or Deception tests related to the field.

Working Artist (Queen): You have made a living out of being an artist. You gain a sustainable income without the regular hours that most jobs require.

Master (King): You are a master of your craft. Any device you create grants a +2 on relevant tests.

Nice Save (Jack): If you lose a Deception test in a conversation you can immediately play a face card to ignore the result and start a new test.

Feint (Queen): As a move action you can initiate a Deception test against an opponent in combat. If you win the test that opponent is considered surprised for your next attack.

Little White Lies (King): All cards you play in a Deception test against an opponent that is not Hostile count as a 7 or use their printed value if it is higher.

Salesman (Jack): You get a +2 to all persuasion tests to buy or sell items and get a 10% discount on all items purchased and get 10% more for items sold.

A Pleasure, I'm sure (Queen): When you beat a target in a Persuasion test their reaction towards you is incrased by one step.

Ice to an Eskimo (King): Any penalties you would take from an extrodinarily difficult Persuasion test are halved.

Keen (Jack): You gain a +2 on all Perception tests.

Danger Sense (Queen): Whenever you fail a Perception test you can immediately play a face card to ignore the result and start a new test.

Eyes in the Back of Your Head (King): When you are surprised by an attack you still play your Dodge card after the defender reveals the results of his attack.


Equipment

Equipment in 52 comes in 3 types: Weapons, devices and vehicles.

Weapons are divided into melee and ranged. Melee and ranged weapons are further divided into Light, Medium and Heavy categories.

Light weapons add a +1 to damage, Medium a +2 and Heavy a +3. Some weapons may also have additional abilities noted in their description.

Devices are often required to accomplish certain Skill tests. Some devices give a bonus, typically ranging from +2 to +5, on relevant Skill Tests.

Vehicles have a Health rating and a Speed rating. Vehicles do not take penalties for the first 1/3 of their Health that is depleated, but beyond that confer to the Driver a -1 on the relevant piloting skill for each additional level lost.

Speed denoted how many rounds a vehicles gains on an opponent in a chase when they win the relevant opposed test.

Light Vehicles have a Health Rating of 15 and a Speed of 3.

Examples of light vehicles include horses and motorcycles.

Medium Vehicles have a Health Rating of 30 and a speed of 2.

Cars and Trucks are Medium vehicles.

Heavy Vehicles have a Health Rating of 60 and a Speed of 1.

[raitalin]

reserved just in case

[Kobold-Bard]

Could you give some examples of how a round would play out? This seems interesting but I'm a bit slow when it comes to learning new systems.

[IcarusWings]

It's interesting, but you haven't explained any of the core RULES of the system. How do you draw a hand? how do you discard a hand? How do you use skills (I assume you play a card from your hand and add your modifier to it, but you haven't said).

I like it from what I can see and assume, but you need to to flesh it out.

[raitalin]

Alright, I specifically kept down examples in the test to reduce length. I'll give you a run-through now.

We'll use a PVP situation for this example.

Player A is playing Winston Whitehat, player B is playing Mustachio Dastardly. They have met at high-noon in the town square to settle at dispute by explosively launching little bits of metal at each other.

At the beginning of the encounter both players draw a hand of 5 cards.
They then each play a card face down and reveal them simultaneously. Each player adds their Initiative rating (8 for Winston, 6 for Mustachio). Winston reveals a 8 (16) and Mustachio reveals a 4 (10), so Winston goes first. They now both have 4 cards in their hand.

Winston (Ranged attack rating 9) fires his pistol at Mustachio . Revealing a 8, for a total of 17. Mustachio then attempts to Dodge by playing a card and adding his dodge rating (8). He reveals a Jack of Diamonds (10) for a total of 18 and Dodges Winston's attack. Both payers now have 3 cards in hand.

Now it's Mustachio's turn. He (Ranged attack 8) fires at Winston, revealing a King of Hearts of a total of 18. Winston (Dodge rating 10) plays a King of Clubs (10) for a total of 20, and earns an immediate action (a standard action taken out of turn, basically) because he played a on-suite face card for a skill test. Both players now have 2 cards in hand.

On Winston's immediate action he fires his pistol at Dastardly. He plays a 4, for a total of 13. Dastardly plays a 6 for a total of 14 and the attack misses. Both players now have one card in hand.

Now its Winston's actual turn. He shots at Dastardly, revealing a 9, for a total of 18. Dastardly attempts to dodge with a 10, for a total of 18. Since it is a tie the Defender (the one who reveals last) wins the challenge. Both players now have no cards in their hands and both draw five new cards at the end of Winston's turn.

(If the player runs out of cards in the middle a turn they reveal cards off the top of the deck for any challenge resolutions.)

Back to Mustachio. He fires at Winston and plays the Ace of Spades. Since its an Ace used for an on-suite skill this is an automatic success, unless the other player has an on-suite Ace (or any Ace if they are specialized in Dodging that sort of attack). Winston does not, unfortunately, and throws away a 2 on the inevitable. Both players have 4 cards in hand.

Now Mustachio plays a damage card and reveals a Jack. Since Face cards are used as 11-13 in damage Winston takes 11 damage, and is at a -7 to all future tests. Things look grim for Winston. Note that now Mustachio has 3 cards in hand, while Winston has 4.

[erikun]

I have thought about (and mentioned) a similar deck-of-cards style resolution system myself. A few questions I have, though:

Why not just allow them to draw a card whenever they are making a "roll"? It seems to produce roughly the same effect, with the exception that you run out of cards/keep redrawing.

In my system, players were allowed to play two (or more) cards at once, adding them together. The key, though, was that they still didn't draw more than one card at once. Think of it like Luck Dice: you may add an extra card to your play, but your hand is permanently shrunk until you heal/rest/next session. The GM wouldn't have a hand, obviously, just drawing and playing from the deck.

Why do you mention LARP? I'm not very familiar with the LARP card system, but I thought they just drew cards directly from their deck. I would think that holding a hand of cards would become awkward in situations.

[raitalin]

I have thought about (and mentioned) a similar deck-of-cards style resolution system myself. A few questions I have, though:

Why not just allow them to draw a card whenever they are making a "roll"? It seems to produce roughly the same effect, with the exception that you run out of cards/keep redrawing.

To add card management strategy to the actual card game by forcing players to choose when to use their low cards. I suppose this might be a less harsh way to go about it, but I kind of like the idea of the cards representing your "stamina" for a turn, and when you overreach you're swinging blindly. I am starting to leans towards making some change in this direction, though.



Why do you mention LARP? I'm not very familiar with the LARP card system, but I thought they just drew cards directly from their deck. I would think that holding a hand of cards would become awkward in situations.

I was thinking more of using it for WoD-style LARPs or murder parties, as opposed to the foam-sword swinging sort.

[erikun]

I was thinking more of using it for WoD-style LARPs or murder parties, as opposed to the foam-sword swinging sort.
I thought Mind's Eye Theatre (WoD LARP) only drew cards when they were called for, rather than having a handful of cards at all times. LARPing is about moving in character, after all, and holding onto several cards may make that awkward.

Then again, I suppose you could just draw and play cards individually as a LARP variant, if it is more convienent.


To add card management strategy to the actual card game by forcing players to choose when to use their low cards. I suppose this might be a less harsh way to go about it, but I kind of like the idea of the cards representing your "stamina" for a turn, and when you overreach you're swinging blindly. I am starting to leans towards making some change in this direction, though.
I don't know. I mean, when you need to redraw your hand every 2-3 turns, it isn't really representing "stamina" as much as just assuring that you don't deal out a really low card for an important roll. If you get attacked by 3 different people, you are basically drawing a new hand every round, between attacks, defenses, and damage rolls.

Also, note that the larger the bonus compared to the die size, the less important the die is to the success of the roll. This is especially true when other rolls have a low modifier. 1d13+10 (a very common draw in this system) is basically guaranteed against anything that would prove challanging to a 1d13+2 draw.

[raitalin]

I thought Mind's Eye Theatre (WoD LARP) only drew cards when they were called for, rather than having a handful of cards at all times. LARPing is about moving in character, after all, and holding onto several cards may make that awkward.

Then again, I suppose you could just draw and play cards individually as a LARP variant, if it is more convienent."


oWoD used RPS. You wouldn't draw a hand until you initiated a challenge, so you don't have to walk around carrying cards ready.



Also, note that the larger the bonus compared to the die size, the less important the die is to the success of the roll. This is especially true when other rolls have a low modifier. 1d13+10 (a very common draw in this system) is basically guaranteed against anything that would prove challanging to a 1d13+2 draw.

Yeah, I am thinking of using the face values (11-13) for cards played in a test to help mitigate this. There is still a problem of the range of skill ratings being too variable. Not sure how to address that yet.

[erikun]

Yeah, I am thinking of using the face values (11-13) for cards played in a test to help mitigate this. There is still a problem of the range of skill ratings being too variable. Not sure how to address that yet.
Caps on how high a skill can get, in one way or another. With your system, it isn't too difficult to see someone with a +10 in a skill they are focusing on, while most other skills only have a +1 or +0. If the skill caps were considerably lower (perhaps +4, or +5 for the Ace suit) then you would have a lot lower modifiers to deal with.

This could be achieved by hard limits (nothing over +4), by some kind of skill pyramid (cannot go over +4 without two other skills in the same suit at +4), or some other method. I'm not coming up with anything original at the moment.

[Susano-wo]

just from running myself through character gen:
Can you combine two cards on your Ace suit that are above 13, and simply treat it as a 13? If not, I would have ended up wating one of mine.
Also, even if you are priotitizing, the lack of a bell curve effect makes it quite posisble to get lousy scores for Queen, or even king suit skills. (I got a 3 and 4 in my Q suit, and a 3,5, and Face card in my K)
Maybe dealing 11 cards that are to be used with the same restrictions(5 for Ace with 2 being able to be doubled, the 3,2, and 1, like you have it already. This would allow you to ensure, even with a poor deal, that you have good skills in your specialites.

Finally, what was your thinking behind the breakups of the four different suits. Some things seem to be grouped oddly (also, isn't research simply the process of gaining lore?)?