Random #dungeonworld thought that I had while playing Phase 10 with my wife the other night…
If we remove the two jokers, and the ones, there are cards from 2-12. That’s the same results (although not the same odds) as rolling 2d6. What if you drew a card from the deck instead of rolling dice?
I’m still pondering how I’d make the card’s suit a factor, too.
It would be interesting to limit the hard moves that the GM can pull from by the suit. I’m not sure that would work but it is an idea. Using cards rather than dice also leads to ideas like giving the players hands, moves that allow draws, moves that place cards back in the stack, and moves that shuffle. Things to think about!
I think if you’re going to do cards, you might want to have people keeping a hand instead of just drawing. Maybe the suit could give bonuses when you play a card for a certain type of action, like playing spades when you’re attacking someone.
…and remove the Kings?
The big difference I guess would be the flattening of the probability of each of the results: it would be like rolling a single d12 instead of 2d6 (or more accurately, a d11 + 1).
The other change would come from whether you shuffle after every draw: if not, then you build in a sort of system “memory” where the chances of a specific “roll” reduces each occasion it comes up until said result is no longer possible.
I think for myself, if going with something like this idea, I’d possibly have each player have a small “hand”, and on any given task, draw a new card and play one for your result. It adds a bit of a tactical element to your results as well: do you go all out now and hope for better cards later, or settle for “success at a cost” to keep your big cards?
In this case, I’d possibly even keep the jokers or aces in play, where drawing one might mean that you discard your hand and then reshuffle the deck or something similar.
Craig Payne is right – also remove the Kings. To get the curve, remove one suit of the deuces through fives, and the tens through queens. You have a 27.78% chance of rolling 2-5, or 9-12 on a 2d6. If you remove the aces and kings (-8 cards), and one each of 2-5, 9-12 (-8), you have a 36 card deck, and a 33% chance of “drawing” 2-5 or 9-Queen. Five and a quarter percent chance off isn’t terrible.
I like it for the hands. Deal every character five cards, or maybe deal eight or nine, and they get boosts if they “play” a hand in order (so every time they play five cards, they discard the set). That could lead to interesting choices wherein the player really wants to stab that ork in the face, and they have a ten of clubs, but if they play the three of hearts they’ll have a full house, and wouldn’t that be awesome.
Parker Emerson makes an interesting point, persistence. If the players play out their cards in front of themselves rather than into a discard pile that might be able to have an effect as well. Aces are wild, Kings get placed in front of the GM and count towards any player’s run. A three of a kind can be traded in for a partial hit, a four of a kind for a full hit. Playing a Joker allows you to discard your hand and draw a new one. Using just a basic deck gives you some really interesting options while giving the middle finger to prior probability.
This would work extremely well for a Western-style conversion of DW!
Having a hand would allow the player the choice to use his lowest card – saving higher ones for potentially more important “rolls”.
Perhaps the player’s hand only replenishes when the last card is played. Though it could still increase if the Move says “draw a new card”.
I like the idea of players discarding cards in front of them, maybe like a mini-solitaire? That could be tied into the “draw a new card” mechanic…
Keep jokers though! As soon as it’s drawn, something unexpected happens (GM’s discretion)
Vincent Baker also made Murderous Ghosts, which uses something like the AW engine but with cards. Basically a multi-tiered blackjack.
One would only need to ensure that the players only “roll” for things that are important.
Also, as a Savage Worlds GM, I can say cards add a fun dynamic to the game.
I have a couple days staycation coming up. I might need to put together a Deadlands World.
Loving all of the ideas. Also, the reason I specifically mentioned Phase 10? There are no face cards. Four suits, numbered 1 – 12, with Wilds and Skips (which I forgot to mention).
Did not know Phase 10. That would also solve the King problem! You should tackle this and write it up!
You could also buy a Deck of Dice. It’s a deck of all 36 results of rolling 2d6. Many board gamers use them.
Removing dice might kill the old school feel to some, IMHO.
Which might be ironic, as wasn’t one of the original models of D&D to draw chits of paper from a cup?