D&D Fortune cards finally fell on Ben’s game table this week and there are reasons to celebrate including fun game implementation options and the card art/text themselves.
I’ve encountered some crazy Podcasts episodes and Twitter posts that say that the Dungeons and Dragons Shadow over Nentir Vale Fortune Cards are a dagger to 4E’s core game mechanics. Seriously? It’s an optional supplement – plain and simple. How are these bonus cards any different from something like Paizo’s critical hit and miss decks?
Each Fortune booster pack contains 8 randomized cards with a total set count of 80. The cards are broken into 3 types (attack, defense and tactics). Some of the rare card art is a real eye pleaser while the more common cards display kinda humdrum symbols. Why no art on all of them Ben wonders? Still, no need to fret on that as it’s the creative text and convenience that matters most here.
Ben has used the infamous D&D Encounters series cards with great success. His group was even about to make its own deck when these Fortune tellers came around.
Ben opened a booster case of cards (24 packs). Sadly, he came up 16 cards short. Now where the hell is he going to find singles so he can get a complete set?
The official rules (with the 1 card per player per round distribution) are a little too strong for Ben’s mug of ale so here’s how he’s going to introduce them out of the gate with some niche house rules.
Cards may be distributed (at the DM’s discretion) anytime a player:
- demonstrates exceptional role playing
- integrates a character trait into the story
- does what their character would do and not simply just best tactics
- enhances the campaign with a memorable new story/plot idea
- receives the “best player of the session” award
- crits and succeeds with a “yes” on the yes/no dice
- fumbles and succeeds with a “yes” on the yes/dice but this time the DM gets a card
Oh Ben, you’re ideas are silly. Nah – players are human. They accidentally get caught up in meta gaming from time to time. Everyone needs simple encouragement and rewards…welcome to human society.
Questions to Ponder: Will you give Fortune Cards apply? Got a fun house rule implementation idea? What other optional game content supplement accessories like this have you used? Seriously, who is going to sell singles or is Gen Con 2011 Ben’s only hope?
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February 13th, 2011 at 7:23 am
Hi, FYI: Troll and Toad sells singles of the Fortune Cards. http://www.trollandtoad.com/D&D-and-Other-RPGs/6209-922-6207p3n.html
Thanks for the review. I’m not a huge fan of the cards myself, for two reasons: 1) 4E combat is already very fiddly, all the characters in my campaign are 14th level and they have a whole bunch of powers, magic items, and stuff to do every combat. It takes a lot of time to juggle all this stuff. 2) I hate the fact that there isn’t art on all the cards. It makes them feel much less collectible.
February 19th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Awesome! I couldn’t find that link to save my life! Goodness – some of the single cards are a tad pricey. Interesting point about how the cards might be trickier to manage at higher levels (I hadn’t considered that). So, so agree on your art comment. Thanks again for that link.
March 12th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Try ebay. I was on there after seeing your post & I’ve seen a bunch of them so far. Like any collectible, ebay will usually have em.
TnT will never get my cash again after their crappy treatment of a order with them, which of course I never got.
April 4th, 2011 at 7:54 am
I’ve just ordered some of these from the 13th Floor in the UK. Hopefully it doesn’t break our gaming night ambience!
http://www.the13thfloor.co.uk/search.asp?catid=175