Feat using a deck of cards?

[Falcii]

Tldr: I want ideas on how to make a feat that involves the player [edit: not the character] drawing from a deck of cards

My DM has offered to let me try to Homebrew a feat in our curse of strahd campaign (we just started yesterday night so no spoilers plz).

I am a veteran of 3.5, and as such really like weird gimmicks, so I wanted to do something that'd be thematic to my character, a firlbog warlock who essentially made a pact with a crossroads demon to become a famous magician (and with an INT of 8, he thinks he's doing sleight of hand, not real magic. He asks "is this your card?" Before flinging one at you Gambit style for Eldritch blast.)

So here is the question: how could I incorporate drawing from a deck of cards [edit: as the player, not the character] a reasonable feat?

Thoughts I had looked like "when casting a damaging cantrip, guess a suit, if correct add proficiency to damage" or something similar, but I'd be open to it having a less combat centric effect.

[Teulisch]

first, look at other feats.

I would suggest +1 charisma, advantage on gaming set(cards) and sleight of hand, and advantage on a ranged attack or cantrip once every short or long rest.

this puts a hard limit on how often it applies in combat, and makes it a viable choice for any gambler. it also keeps it broad enough to apply when you cant cast spells (like silence) so you still have options, and it would also be attractive to sorcerers and bards, not just warlocks.

[Personification]

That feels weird for 5e, and seems a bit OP. If you want he flavor you described, I would suggest doing away with the feat entirely (or using it for something else) and instead doing custom background with the proficiencies, languages, and equipment of the charlatan (marked cards, but for magic and not gambling) and the features and characteristics of an entertainer. I might also ask the DM if you could get expertise (double proficiency) for sleight of hand when doing a magic trick (this is so ribbony that you probably won't need to lose anything for it) and ask if you can use a deck of cards as an arcane focus. Additionally, I think that, despite the int of 8, it might make sense for your character to have a weirdly detailed and encyclopedic knowledge of card magic (again, basically just a ribbon) which is what he really wanted out of the pact. He could actually be super good at weird magic card stuff. Anyway, I realize now that I may be going too far with semi-unsolicited advice, so if none of this is what you want for your charater (especially the last part) feel free to ignore whatever. I just like accidentally giving unsolicited advice.:smalltongue:

[Falcii]

I am going to just reiterate here, because while the last posts have offered sound advice, they did not answer the prompt and problem posed.

I want to AS A PLAYER draw from a deck of cards as a mechanical function. Think of it like rolling a d52 if you like (or a d13/ a d4). My character draws from the deck plenty but I'd like my gameplay to reflect that.

[Mr. Crowbar]

Make up a roll table of minor effects for each card as you draw when casting a spell or cantrip. Maybe some cards have the same effect. Maybe one or two are major effects. Some could be bad, like the wild magic surge table.

[DeTess]

This suggestion is going to require a lot of DM work to balance, but I think it'd be really cool and flavorful with what you describe.

Together with your DM to create a list of 52 or 78 spells (78 if you can get your hands on a Tarot deck, which would be really awesome for this). Then, rather than having your usual warlock spells, you draw a set of cards after each rest to represent your spells known. The amount of cards drawn would probably be 25-50% higher than your usual warlock spells known.

Honestly, this'd probably work better as an entire warlock subclass, but this is the first thing I thought of when you started talking about using cards.

[Falcii]

This suggestion is going to require a lot of DM work to balance, but I think it'd be really cool and flavorful with what you describe.

Together with your DM to create a list of 52 or 78 spells (78 if you can get your hands on a Tarot deck, which would be really awesome for this). Then, rather than having your usual warlock spells, you draw a set of cards after each rest to represent your spells known. The amount of cards drawn would probably be 25-50% higher than your usual warlock spells known.

Honestly, this'd probably work better as an entire warlock subclass, but this is the first thing I thought of when you started talking about using cards.

That would indeed be a pretty cool subclass. I'm trying to think of how to scale this down...

[Ganymede]

So here is the question: how could I incorporate drawing from a deck of cards [edit: as the player, not the character] a reasonable feat?

Get a deck of 20 cards with the numbers 1-20 on them. When you want to roll to hit for Eldritch Blast, draw a random card and use that as your attack roll. You don't even need a feat for that.

That said, remember that integrating non-die ways to randomize results is likely to bog the game down and dampen the enjoyment for your other gamers.

[stoutstien]

Use the sor wild magic table?

[Falcii]

Get a deck of 20 cards with the numbers 1-20 on them. When you want to roll to hit for Eldritch Blast, draw a random card and use that as your attack roll. You don't even need a feat for that.

That said, remember that integrating non-die ways to randomize results is likely to bog the game down and dampen the enjoyment for your other gamers.

Fair enough on point one.
As for the second, I play fast and my fellow players are new and tend to take their time planning so I am not worried it'll bog things down. The question right now is not if but how.

[Dr. Cliché]

What about something like:

As a reaction, when you make a melee or ranged attack, you may draw once from a deck of cards. If you do, you must apply the corresponding effect:
Hearts - Add Fire damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Clubs - Add Cold damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Diamonds - Add Electricity damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Spades - Add Poison damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.

(For the purposes of damage, Jacks count as 11, Queens count as 12 and Kings count as 13.)

In addition, if the card drawn was an Ace, Jack, Queen or King, immediately draw an additional card and apply the effect of the new card as well (further Aces, Jacks, Queens and Kings may cause additional cards to be drawn).

If you draw a Joker, all previous cards are cancelled and you must immediately roll on the Wild Magic table.

After using this power twice, you must complete a short rest before using it again.


An alternative would be to do this when you score a critical hit, instead of multiplying the damage.

[Kadesh]

Put Wild Surge on a deck of cards. Can draw prof mod times per long rest.

[Damon_Tor]

What about something like:

As a reaction, when you make a melee or ranged attack, you may draw once from a deck of cards. If you do, you must apply the corresponding effect:
Hearts - Add Fire damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Clubs - Add Cold damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Diamonds - Add Electricity damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.
Spades - Add Poison damage to the attack equal to the number on the card.

(For the purposes of damage, Jacks count as 11, Queens count as 12 and Kings count as 13.)

In addition, if the card drawn was an Ace, Jack, Queen or King, immediately draw an additional card and apply the effect of the new card as well (further Aces, Jacks, Queens and Kings may cause additional cards to be drawn).

If you draw a Joker, all previous cards are cancelled and you must immediately roll on the Wild Magic table.

After using this power twice, you must complete a short rest before using it again.


An alternative would be to do this when you score a critical hit, instead of multiplying the damage.

Damage is boring IMO.

Cups (Hearts) = Target creature becomes friendly to you, and can't attack you or target you with harmful spells
Swords (Spades) = Target creature becomes hostile to you, and can't attack anyone but you or target anyone but you with harmful spells
Staves (Clubs) = Target creature cannot speak
Coins (Diamonds) = Target has disadvantage on Ability Checks

On numbered cards, the target rolls a will save to end the effect at the end of its turn. The number+10 is the save DC. The effect ends after one minute if the creature is still effected.
Jack = The effect lasts one minute
Queen = The effect lasts one hour
King = The effect lasts 8 hours
Ace = The effect lasts 24 hours

Joker = Draw again and apply the effects to yourself, as if your intended target was the caster. If you then draw a second joker, draw yet again, and the result applies to both you and the the target, but effect becomes permanent until you or the target die or if the effect is removed from either of you with a "Remove Curse" spell or similar effect.