Want to learn to Gamble [Archive] - Wizards Community

Want to learn to Gamble [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
fableblade
08-06-07, 10:45 AM This is my First Thread. In my game I am planning on the pc's to have to win a battle axe from a gambler, Does anyone have any rules on how to gamble in D&D?
Morwen
08-06-07, 10:48 AM Opposed skill checks, using the Profession [gambler] skill :)
fableblade
08-06-07, 11:14 AM What if one or more wants to cheat at the game?
Tuah
08-06-07, 11:25 AM Depends on the game, and whether you actually play it out. I suggest either Craps 'cause it's easy-access, or Three Dragon Ante because it's more fun.

Start the stakes low, like at silver pieces, 'cause that's what most people use - especially lesser-known professionals. This way they can judge skill.

If you want to include cheating, allow players to make Sleight of Hand checks, use magic, and such. If you want to include this yourself, tell them to make a spot check. While they're rolling, take a card from the deck; very subtley. Easy way to cheat for real.

Look up sleight of hand techniques on the internet.
JackSnape
08-06-07, 11:42 AM I made up a game called "tower" based on the "going to town" gamethat my PCs loved so much we nearly didn't finish playing the campaign.
Each player gets 2d6 and 1d4 the game is named because the dice look like a wizards tower when stacked with the d4 on top.
Everyone rolls all the dice and picks 1 dice to keep then they roll the remaining dice pick 1 to keep and roll the last die. The point of the game is to get the highest total roll, and the fun comes when a player has to pick between a roll of 4 on the d4 and a 5 on the d6.
Cheating is a sleight of hand or prof:gambler check, vs the other players spot or prof:gambler check, and I allowed the players to re-roll on a successful check not place the dice on the highest side.
Bihlbo
08-07-07, 11:39 AM Opposed skill checks, using the Profession [gambler] skill :)

That would work if you weren't playing out the gambling as a roleplaying opportunity. Profession is a very limited (and crappy) skill for PCs. Not only is Knowledge a better choice for knowing something about the subject, but Profession only allows you a daily income - it doesn't help you succeed at anything.

There are two fundamental methods of gambling: betting and wagering.

When you place bets, it's usually on something that is left completely to chance. Craps and roullete are good examples. For this, it's pretty easy to pull of the actual events during RPing sessions by using dice.

When you wager, it's usually on based on a judgement call. Poker and horse racing are good examples. In poker, you generally have a good idea of the odds of success as you play and judge the other players, and you wager money on your hand accordingly. All kinds of skills come into play when RPing wager-based gambling (knowledge, bluff, sense motive, gather information, etc).

As for ways to cheat, I'd just do an Internet search based on the type of game played.

If you're trying to cheat at a dice game, find out the kinds of dice used and buy some real-world loaded dice that look the same, and switch them out as you RP your character. That would be fun! :)
RodinGates
08-07-07, 11:50 AM The best cheaters imho are rogues and sorcerors due to skill selection and spells (Wizards too if they play their cards right). Spells can be used to cheat, particularly with the right metamagic feats. Detect Thoughts (For poker type games), Mage Hand (For roulette), and just about any kind of divination spell are pretty good for cheating. Just make sure you have good bluff and disguise checks so that people don't figure out you're using magic.

I played a Tiefling Rogue/ Sorceror in one campaign who often relied on cheating at blackjack to gain a few things. Typically it was just a matter of pitting a Sleight of Hand check against the opponent's Spot check to pull the needed card out of my sleeve while dealing. Playing a few legit games initially was a good way to soften up the opponenet and then talk them into "getting serious" with a heavy wager. In this manner we were able to introduce a new PC after our fighter died. I basically won his services through the crooked card game. Later he found out about this habit but by then was deeply invested in our party's interests.
Oakes
08-07-07, 04:43 PM Opposed skill checks. Profession would be "realistic," but Sleight of Hand would be a good alternative for cheaters, and more likely for your PCs to have.

Or, you kinda rather sorta have a bunch of dice right in front of you. Just putting that out there. :D

Edit: Obviously, anything players come up with that the DM allows works, too. Illusion spells much? Playing Liar's Dice using Bluff and Sense Motive?
MrCustomer
08-07-07, 07:15 PM I suggest dealing out cards and playing an actual game of poker. Or better yet get the Three-Dragon Ante for more flavour. You play the NPC(s) hands.

If you want to similate their character's skills, then role the NPC's bluff and perform cards or profesion gambling rolls and vs theirs and decide to bet or fold based on that. Or even go as far as having a second deck of cards and swapping in favourable or disfavourable cards that are dealt to the players depending on their rolls.

ie Bob the barbarian has one pair of aces and a pair of twos if he roles really well slip him another ace for a full house.

Decide on the situation the game will be played in and let them know well before the game that they will be playing a card game in game. This gives the rogue opportunities to slip an ace up his sleave or the wizard to have prestigitation memmed if they plan on cheating, or the casters to employ such spells as they may think they need. Cleric can use Guidance to give himself ort another player a +1 to a skill check, or Augury to decide if trading in a card is good or bad, or Calm Emotions to keep a poker face, or even Zone of Truth, for casters Detect Magic can show up magical means of cheating, prestigitation when shuffling cards to look impresive, (or to stack the deck) Detect thoughts to see if the op[ponent is bluffing, message to tell the another party member what is in his hand, Eagle's splender to raise Charsima to help bluff. Decide on what magic would be usable at the table, even cast ahead of time. What spells would be considered cheating (calm emotions would likely be legal in any case)
Koenig
08-08-07, 02:32 AM There are some dice games (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/dg) published by WotC. You could play one of them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
fableblade 08-06-07, 10:45 AM	This is my First Thread. In my game I am planning on the pc's to have to win a battle axe from a gambler, Does anyone have any rules on how to gamble in D&D?
Morwen 08-06-07, 10:48 AM	Opposed skill checks, using the Profession [gambler] skill :)
fableblade 08-06-07, 11:14 AM	What if one or more wants to cheat at the game?
Tuah 08-06-07, 11:25 AM	Depends on the game, and whether you actually play it out. I suggest either Craps 'cause it's easy-access, or Three Dragon Ante because it's more fun. Start the stakes low, like at silver pieces, 'cause that's what most people use - especially lesser-known professionals. This way they can judge skill. If you want to include cheating, allow players to make Sleight of Hand checks, use magic, and such. If you want to include this yourself, tell them to make a spot check. While they're rolling, take a card from the deck; very subtley. Easy way to cheat for real. Look up sleight of hand techniques on the internet.
JackSnape 08-06-07, 11:42 AM	I made up a game called "tower" based on the "going to town" gamethat my PCs loved so much we nearly didn't finish playing the campaign. Each player gets 2d6 and 1d4 the game is named because the dice look like a wizards tower when stacked with the d4 on top. Everyone rolls all the dice and picks 1 dice to keep then they roll the remaining dice pick 1 to keep and roll the last die. The point of the game is to get the highest total roll, and the fun comes when a player has to pick between a roll of 4 on the d4 and a 5 on the d6. Cheating is a sleight of hand or prof:gambler check, vs the other players spot or prof:gambler check, and I allowed the players to re-roll on a successful check not place the dice on the highest side.
Bihlbo 08-07-07, 11:39 AM	Opposed skill checks, using the Profession [gambler] skill :) That would work if you weren't playing out the gambling as a roleplaying opportunity. Profession is a very limited (and crappy) skill for PCs. Not only is Knowledge a better choice for knowing something about the subject, but Profession only allows you a daily income - it doesn't help you succeed at anything. There are two fundamental methods of gambling: betting and wagering. When you place bets, it's usually on something that is left completely to chance. Craps and roullete are good examples. For this, it's pretty easy to pull of the actual events during RPing sessions by using dice. When you wager, it's usually on based on a judgement call. Poker and horse racing are good examples. In poker, you generally have a good idea of the odds of success as you play and judge the other players, and you wager money on your hand accordingly. All kinds of skills come into play when RPing wager-based gambling (knowledge, bluff, sense motive, gather information, etc). As for ways to cheat, I'd just do an Internet search based on the type of game played. If you're trying to cheat at a dice game, find out the kinds of dice used and buy some real-world loaded dice that look the same, and switch them out as you RP your character. That would be fun! :)
RodinGates 08-07-07, 11:50 AM	The best cheaters imho are rogues and sorcerors due to skill selection and spells (Wizards too if they play their cards right). Spells can be used to cheat, particularly with the right metamagic feats. Detect Thoughts (For poker type games), Mage Hand (For roulette), and just about any kind of divination spell are pretty good for cheating. Just make sure you have good bluff and disguise checks so that people don't figure out you're using magic. I played a Tiefling Rogue/ Sorceror in one campaign who often relied on cheating at blackjack to gain a few things. Typically it was just a matter of pitting a Sleight of Hand check against the opponent's Spot check to pull the needed card out of my sleeve while dealing. Playing a few legit games initially was a good way to soften up the opponenet and then talk them into "getting serious" with a heavy wager. In this manner we were able to introduce a new PC after our fighter died. I basically won his services through the crooked card game. Later he found out about this habit but by then was deeply invested in our party's interests.
Oakes 08-07-07, 04:43 PM	Opposed skill checks. Profession would be "realistic," but Sleight of Hand would be a good alternative for cheaters, and more likely for your PCs to have. Or, you kinda rather sorta have a bunch of dice right in front of you. Just putting that out there. :D Edit: Obviously, anything players come up with that the DM allows works, too. Illusion spells much? Playing Liar's Dice using Bluff and Sense Motive?
MrCustomer 08-07-07, 07:15 PM	I suggest dealing out cards and playing an actual game of poker. Or better yet get the Three-Dragon Ante for more flavour. You play the NPC(s) hands. If you want to similate their character's skills, then role the NPC's bluff and perform cards or profesion gambling rolls and vs theirs and decide to bet or fold based on that. Or even go as far as having a second deck of cards and swapping in favourable or disfavourable cards that are dealt to the players depending on their rolls. ie Bob the barbarian has one pair of aces and a pair of twos if he roles really well slip him another ace for a full house. Decide on the situation the game will be played in and let them know well before the game that they will be playing a card game in game. This gives the rogue opportunities to slip an ace up his sleave or the wizard to have prestigitation memmed if they plan on cheating, or the casters to employ such spells as they may think they need. Cleric can use Guidance to give himself ort another player a +1 to a skill check, or Augury to decide if trading in a card is good or bad, or Calm Emotions to keep a poker face, or even Zone of Truth, for casters Detect Magic can show up magical means of cheating, prestigitation when shuffling cards to look impresive, (or to stack the deck) Detect thoughts to see if the op[ponent is bluffing, message to tell the another party member what is in his hand, Eagle's splender to raise Charsima to help bluff. Decide on what magic would be usable at the table, even cast ahead of time. What spells would be considered cheating (calm emotions would likely be legal in any case)
Koenig 08-08-07, 02:32 AM	There are some dice games (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/dg) published by WotC. You could play one of them.