During a recent bout of insomnia, I was thinking about how a magic deck of cards would make an interesting and unusual weapon for a sorceror-rogue archetype character in a game, but I couldn't think of an example (although Husbit has pointed out that it is something Huxters will do in Deadlands). Of course, in our world using Cards as Weapons has been debunked, but access to magic changes things.
You'd need a minimum (manual) dexterity or sleight-of-hand equivalent to be able to use cards as a weapon, and if picking them up in game, you'd need to spend a bit of time learning to throw them. I've got ideas for more complicated decks to follow, but here's a beginner's deck.
The Basic Deck
This deck comes in the form of a single card. Each time it is used, the face changes to another in the deck. Without an owner, the back of the card is plain. Decoration that is distinctive and personal to the owner appears once a connection has been established, although the decoration might not identify the owner to a third party.
With this card in your possession, an easy sleight-of-hand (or equivalent) check will enable you to manifest a standard deck of playing cards that can be used for games or card tricks. The cards last until you choose to dismiss them, requiring another sleight-of-hand check.
In combat, the deck enables you to manifest and throw a card. Where range or other is assigned through strength, instead use dexterity. The cards do (slashing/piercing) damage equivalent to eg a light throwing dagger. The cards can be used to attempt a ranged disarm. Thrown cards disappear in a manner akin to vanquished enemies in a computer game.
The Basic Deck
This deck comes in the form of a single card. Each time it is used, the face changes to another in the deck. Without an owner, the back of the card is plain. Decoration that is distinctive and personal to the owner appears once a connection has been established, although the decoration might not identify the owner to a third party.
With this card in your possession, an easy sleight-of-hand (or equivalent) check will enable you to manifest a standard deck of playing cards that can be used for games or card tricks. The cards last until you choose to dismiss them, requiring another sleight-of-hand check.
In combat, the deck enables you to manifest and throw a card. Where range or other is assigned through strength, instead use dexterity. The cards do (slashing/piercing) damage equivalent to eg a light throwing dagger. The cards can be used to attempt a ranged disarm. Thrown cards disappear in a manner akin to vanquished enemies in a computer game.
Would the deck be infinite (magical cards that are thrown vanish into the void/ether and then reappear on the bottom of the 'deck') in a manner akin to X-Men's Gambit (who always used to seem to have an infinite supply of playing cards to imbue with his powers and use as projectiles.)
ReplyDeleteSee, this is the problem with me deciding to take a long split it into 2 parts: things get missed! Yeah, the idea on this deck is that you manifest a random card each time you want to throw one.
DeleteWhich I realise doesn't actually clarify: yes, it's an infinite deck in combat!
DeleteInterestingly enough I did this for a player in a gurps campaign I ran a few years ago. Essentially I gave the player a bunch of symbols and runes to put on blank playing cards which they then flashed when they wanted to use one. Some were more complex than others, using word magic in the Gurps 4th ed rules. He also did something similar with guns and bullets, carving the symbol on the tip of the bullet (supernatural totally stole the idea from me ;) ).
ReplyDeleteHehehe!
DeleteI'm really intrigued by the word magic. Really need to read into it.