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    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2010

    Default Help Desighning a Tarot Deck

    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, and I've set up a page for it on the DnD wikia.

    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:
    Spoiler
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    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.
    Spoiler
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    Swords
    Spoiler
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    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
    Spoiler
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    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
    Spoiler
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    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
    Spoiler
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    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
    Spoiler
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    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
    Spoiler
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    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.
    Last edited by Epsilon Rose; 2010-10-23 at 05:27 PM.

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