GimmeYerGold's [revised] Custom Cards Preview: Settlement

[GimmeYerGold]

These were previously called the Tavern cards. These are cards that are optional to draw from between Quests. If you wish to draw a card, you may only draw one card. Some cards offer mini-games, a chance to win some extra gold, a chance to purchase treasure items, and a chance to sell excess treasure items. There are also some gold loss hazards.

Overall, it sort of simulates the "cost of living" and civilization event features of Advanced Heroquest and Warhammer Quest, but aim to be more simple.

Notes:

1) I think for the Merchant's Belt and Traveler's Cloak cards, I will add a nominal gold value (5 to 10 gold coins) to the items of clothing themselves, because I feel like any thrifty hero might ask how much they can sell the clothes for

More card sets I'm working on:
[revised] Encounter Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2828
[revised] Artifact Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2826
[revised] Combat Skill Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2823
[revised] Chaos Spell Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2822
[revised] Hero Spell Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2821
[revised] Monster Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2820
[revised] Equipment Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2818
[revised] Lone Monster Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2816
[revised] Treasure Cards here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2812

[torilen]

Pretty neat. You could easily make other cards to simulate festival day, or a holiday day, and have
different themes for various festivals and holidays. I like it.

[Big Bene]

I like the design. If I like the approach, I still have to decide.
Seems a bit flawed at first glance to me. I'll put my problems here, not to discourage you or put down your work, but for you to explain. IN fact, I would rather prefer to stand corrected, as I like the looks of it and would like it to work.
My problem is that the system seems to add nothing to actual gameplay. Other than the settlement sequence of Warhammer Quest, which is sort of a mini-game in it's own right, here you just threw a card. I'm all for simplicity, and if you could add some between-quests effects by one card thraw, it would be a good thing. But then, to make it interesting, it would have to make an effect on the main game that is different from what the heroes could archive in the dungeons. The result mostly just adds some money into the "real" game without effort on the players' side, wich only serves to bring it faster to the point where developement comes to a halt.
So I would either elaborate the settlement game, or put more diversity into the cards.

[GimmeYerGold]

I like the design. If I like the approach, I still have to decide.
Seems a bit flawed at first glance to me. I'll put my problems here, not to discourage you or put down your work, but for you to explain. IN fact, I would rather prefer to stand corrected, as I like the looks of it and would like it to work.
My problem is that the system seems to add nothing to actual gameplay. Other than the settlement sequence of Warhammer Quest, which is sort of a mini-game in it's own right, here you just threw a card. I'm all for simplicity, and if you could add some between-quests effects by one card thraw, it would be a good thing. But then, to make it interesting, it would have to make an effect on the main game that is different from what the heroes could archive in the dungeons. The result mostly just adds some money into the "real" game without effort on the players' side, wich only serves to bring it faster to the point where developement comes to a halt.
So I would either elaborate the settlement game, or put more diversity into the cards.

These are excellent critiques Big Bene, thanks for offering them up! I agree with you, that adding something that adds nothing is excessive, and bogs down gameplay. I would rather not include the deck if it truly adds nothing.

My initial goals with the settlement deck were thus:

1) to create a gold sink for the heroes to diminish the rate at which they accumulate large sums of gold. Gold loss hazards, the gambling games, and the opportunity to purchase quest treasures for variable prices attempted to address this.
2) I did not want to create anything extra for heroes to keep track of other than what already exists in-game. Any lasting effects I considered that existed outside of items proved difficult to note or keep track of, or at least didn't fit the "simple" goal i was going for.
3) I was on the fence about adding new items via the settlement deck, as the content of the custom treasure deck and custom equipment deck are ample to fill up a character sheet.

Considering your points, I think I could do a few things:

A) go back and addressed #2 above. I could do something simple, maybe a mystery potion purchase that could be good, worthless, or poison. Also an effect like the hero starts the quest with one less mind point or one less body point. That could be 2 different cards. 2 perk cards, could be that they could even start with one extra perhaps, but it's a temporary extra that cannot be recovered with spells or potions. Something that's not too complicated, that could be easily noted on the character sheet.
B) Reevaluate the loss-to-gain ratio of the gold in the settlement deck. If the settlement deck is to meet the goal of #1 above, being a true gold sink, then the loss should be slightly higher than the gain for the heroes.

[GimmeYerGold]

This set still has me a bit stumped! I've got some ideas, but anything y'all can think of to make the addition of a settlement deck worthwhile, I'm interested to hear.

The Evil Wizard deck came about as a collective fix for something Zargon can do when no monster are on the board, and to offer a variety of challenges for heroes who are vanquishing the board of monsters... The Diplomacy/Parley/Lone Monster deck came about as an alternative to killing a monster, and possibly gaining some treasure in the event of a favorable outcome... I'm trying to figure out if a settlement deck in any form is filling a niche like that.

An idea that just occurred to me are that certain settlement cards could unlock "mini-side quests." Sort of like unlocking achievements! In the settlement maybe a certain guild is encouraging heroes to explore more rooms of a dungeon, (Explorer's Guild!) or disarm more traps, (Rogue's Guild!) or cast more spells (Wizard's Guild!) Anyway, there would be a very modest gold reward for each instance of certain actions or non-actions taken. (3 to 10 gold coins, depending on the typical frequency or threat that each action poses.) These rewards would be quite small, the randomness of drawing the card would keep heroes from benefiting from what might be their strength, but the reward would just enough for a hero to consider doing something that might be out of the ordinary from their usual strategy, just for that extra $$$

Some ideas:

X gold coin reward per monster (per body point?) killed
X gold coin reward per Spell cast
X gold coin reward per trap disarmed successfully
X gold coin reward per trap jumped successfully
X gold coin reward per door opened
X gold coin reward per potions drank
X gold coin reward per trap or secret door found
X gold coin reward per Body Point lost (points lost from other heroes attacking wouldn't count)

In this way, these kinds of cards would have a lasting (albeit minor) "effect" on any quest in which the heroes are about to embark, and adds the layer of an optional "personal" goal. (That is to say, any incentive to perform these actions for the attached gold reward are not blanket rewards for all the heroes, only the hero who drew that particular card before the quest.)

Thoughts on this? or any other ideas for cards in a Settlement deck?

[cynthialee]

I am just not on board with this deck.
The others are pretty cool, and I get what you are trying to accomplish here...but it just isn't working. I can't exactly put my finger on what would rescue this idea.

[Big Bene]

A few ideas that you can take or leave (or mod):
- The text "Pick cards from the treasure deck to see what is [for sale], ignoring all cards until yu pick a card showing a potion, holy water, mutton, or vanishing dust" is too long and awkward, and it makes the card incompatible with other peoples' custom treasure decks. I would write something like "to see what is [for sale], draw cards from the treasure deck until you get one that is nothing negative and no money. Put the other cards back to the bottom of the deck" (you can also exclude gems, but why shouldn't these be for sale).
- Include some consequences that actually affect the next quest, other than just adding or taking money and items. Heroes could loose body or mind points, find a mercenary etc.
-- For example, after having the spoiled food, the player could decide wether to pay the money for medicine or go into the next quest with -1 BP. The town patrol, arena, tavern brawl and bandits can give the chance to fight it out, again at the risk of loosing BP. The drinking contest could give you a hangover, costing some MP. If you do someone a favor (lost dog, gentle giant) that person might offer to help you, becoming a mercenary that stays for one quest (perhaps you would have to buy him a weapon before).

[GimmeYerGold]

Currently revising the entire batch of my custom cards, (will share revisions soon!) but i wanted to share some quick ideas about this Settlement deck since it was in need of the most work!

Here is a brief outline of some ideas to incorporate more in-quest effects:



(in cases of + or -, i reversed the usual order because of spreadsheets)

[Anderas]

I like that there can be an influence between the quests.
I think the gamble cards are good ones.

By which rule are they drawn? Do they heroes have a choice?

[Daedalus]

I'm looking forward to the revised Settlement Cards. The direction shown by your spreadsheet shows marked improvement of in-game interest. I've got some comments as well as suggestions (some a bit more complex) for involving the cards in Quests more:

Rousing Song, Hearty Meal, Good Night's Rest

Why not let the Hero keep the card for when he desires to play it during the next Quest?

Fame

Cool card. A 25 gold coin discount might also work to make this a decision rather than an outright gift.

Tournament- Magicians' Guild

Maybe lose 1 Mind Point from the trial and roll a number of combat dice equal to Mind Points. Each white shield reduces damage by 1. If 2 or more skulls you win; you may reroll a spell defense once next Quest due to a trick you picked up. Keep this card as a reminder.

Tournament- Arena

Maybe roll your Defend Dice against 1 hit or lose a Body Point from the combat. Also roll your Attack Dice. If you roll 2 or more hits you win; you may reroll an attack or defense once next Quest due to a new tactic you picked up. Keep this card as a reminder.

Tournament- Gambling Hall

This feels like filler as there already is a Let's Gamble! card. Perhaps change the stakes to a pull of the Treasure deck. A negative card isn't played but results in a 35 gold coin loss (or item, lacking the gold). Should a good Treasure Card be returned to the deck before or after the next Quest?

Fortune Teller

Fortune tellers are usually in it for the money, so why not assign a cost to the die roll to balance the possible gain?

Let's Arm Wrestle!

An alternative contest could reward or penalize strength. If you win, your arm is strengthened. You may roll 2 extra combat dice when you attack once during the next Quest. If you lose, you strain your arm. Zargon may force you to roll two less combat dice when you attack once during the next Quest. The winner keeps this card as a reminder.

Let's Play Chess!

An alternative could be titled Your Move. If you win the game, you learn a new tactical advantage. You may move a number of spaces up to your starting Body score before or after a combat action, once during the next Quest. If you lose, Zargon may instead do the same against you with a monster's movement score. The winner keeps this card as a reminder.

Let's Gamble!

Red dice work well for the Gambling card--I like it.

Treasure Hunter, Artifact Collector

These feel too samey. I'd differentiate by having the first card only apply to equipment and the second card only apply to artifacts. Also, I'd increase the worth of artifacts even more--at least permanent ones.

Healer's Shrine, Alchemist's Laboratory

I'm not sure if I get this. Do you mean a Hero reduces his Body or Mind Points by 1 to get 25 gold coins? Theme-wise, I don't know how you'd word that. Are Heroes undergoing transfusions or volunteering for experimental herb trials?

As alternatives or additions, you could reverse these. Donating 25 gold coins at a Healer's Shrine could gain a healing salve in return that restores 1 Body Point once during the next Quest. Paying 25 gold coins at an Alchemist's Laboratory could purchase a smooth potable that restores 1 Mind Point once during the next Quest.

Infamy--Wandering Monster

Since the players know this is coming on Zargon's first turn, they can protect the infamous Hero in a corner, beyond a door, or sandwiched between Heroes in a corridor. If this isn't desired, the Wandering Monster could instead attack when it is first able to be placed adjacent to the infamous Hero on Zargon's turn.

Infamy-- +1 Defend Die

Thematically, this feels like the weakest Infamy card. Also, adding a small chance of a black shield isn't much. Maybe the first monster attacked by the infamous Hero automatically defends the first hit (skull) and rolls its Defend Dice. Another option could be to extend the +1 DD to all monsters the Hero attacks throughout the entire Quest.

Infamy-- +1 Attack Die

I'd consider upping this to +2 AD, like a one-turn Courage spell. Let it last until the monster is dead to add even more bite. Does the Hero cowboy up and face his past, or does he instead run and cower behind his allies for protection? A monster BPx20 gold-coin reward exclusively awarded to the infamous Hero for killing the monster might be enough to tempt him toward heroics.

Bar Brawl!

I'd split the two effects into seperate cards. Bar Brawl!--Defend with a number of combat dice equal to your Body Points against 2 hits. Hung Over!--Reduce your Mind Points by 1. Roll a 5 or 6 on a red die to ignore. Both effects, if any, apply to the next Quest.

Pickpocket!, Bandits!

Both good ideas. I'd up the loss to 1d6x20 gold coins or lose an item of equal or greater worth/1 Body Point. This is the value of lower-difficulty Quest treasure and average reward. Keeping it higher forces a Hero to save more for insurance against item or Body Point loss. Cheap healing potions make the Bandits! card less important. Big gold coin rewards does the same to both cards. Actually, all gold coin cards are devalued by bigger rewards of higher difficulty Quests.

Spoiled Food!

I'd have gone with 1 lost Body Point with this title, though losing a Mind Point is cool for a card, as well. Maybe Tainted Bread could work. Roll a die: skull--lose 1 MP, black shield--lose 1 BP, white shield--no effect.

Nightmare

It might be more fun to give this card to Zargon and let him choose when it applies, but this card still feels samey to Infamy +1 AD to me. Another option could be any black shields cancel white shields while the Hero defends throughout the entire next Quest--now that's a nightmare.

Old Wounds

a movement penalty is good, but just for the beginning turn that lacks combat is inconsequential. I'd extend the effect to the entire next Quest. If a constant plate mail penalty is too high, you could instead force a reroll of the higher red die or roll twice and accept the lower result.