Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ChrisCarlson Oct 21, 2014 10:27:37	As I mentioned in another thread, I've been toying with developing a deck of cards for use in implementing Inspiration in my games. Right now I'm envisioning them functioning something like the ol’ TORG Drama Deck or these homebrew 4e Drama Cards.   I haven't yet nailed anything down or set my ideas in stone. But the way I foresee them being used is as follows: The player can always expend any card for the usual Advantage benefit provided by the RAW Inspiration rules. Or they can use it to gain whatever specific option(s) are listed on the card.   But what might the cards be able to do or provide?   I’ll start with a few quick ideas off the top of my head for possible cards:   Bull’s-Eye: Play this card when you successfully hit an opponent by 5 or more to turn the hit into a critical hit. Not So Fast!: Play this card when an opponent hits you to make them reroll their attack and take the second result. Perfect Timing: Play this card immediately following an ally who has gone earlier than you in the round. Take your turn and set your initiative to just after them for the rest of the encounter. Trust Me: Play this card to automatically score a marginal success on a Persuasion or Deception check (without rolling) against a non-hostile creature that can understand you. Where Did They Go?: Play this card, when being chased, to negate any Advantage for the chasing opponents and force them to make their next check at Disadvantage.   Thoughts/suggestions/ideas/criticisms?
#2 Orethalion Oct 21, 2014 11:26:02	ChrisCarlson wrote:
#3 Uthrac Oct 21, 2014 12:05:05	Generally, I find that providing players with "triggered abilities" shifts their focus from the action in the game to trying to figure out when to use the triggered action. Give a player a hammer and everything will look like a nail. (If you want to test this, let the players find a key early in an adventure and count how many times they ask whether there is anything in the area that the key might fit ... especially in a wilderness based adventure.)   End result: Things like this are distracting from the actual events.   Your best-case scenario is that it slows down the game ...   Bull's Eye ... need to further check each attack roll to see if it hit by at least 5 AND decide whether the crit is worth it (i.e. might not use on an injured opponent). Not So Fast ... best to save for a crit. Wasted if no attacks against the PC crit. Perfect Timing ... creates a lot more tactical options, which can result in discussion about when the "best time to jump in" is. Also messes with initative, which can effect things like durations. Trust Me ... as noted, situational. Most players I know would prefer to take Advantage for a chance to have an awesome success than a boring marginal success. You'll end up answering lots of questions about whether a marginal success is sufficient for the goal. Where Did They Go? ... seems very situational. Do you want players thinking about or expecting that they may be chased?   Personally, I think "Advantage" is a good catch-all for these situations.    Not that this is a bad idea ... adding options can be interesting. I just feel that the added complication has more drawbacks than benefits in actual play.
#4 ChrisCarlson Oct 21, 2014 12:18:53	Uthrac wrote:
#5 ChrisCarlson Oct 21, 2014 12:20:33	Orethalion wrote:
(Reply to #5) Timborama	ChrisCarlson wrote:
#7 Orethalion Oct 21, 2014 15:26:39	ChrisCarlson wrote:
#8 ChrisCarlson Oct 21, 2014 15:34:38	Orethalion wrote:
#9 Orethalion Oct 21, 2014 16:21:12	Bull’s-Eye: Play this card for +1 to hit, when you successfully hit an opponent by 6 or more to turn the hit into a critical hit. Not So Fast!: Play this card to give an opponent -1 to hit, if the opponent still hits you, it reroll its attack and takes the second result. Perfect Timing: Play this card immediately following an ally or enemy who has gone earlier than you in the round. Take your turn and set your initiative to just after them for the rest of the encounter. Jack of All Trades: Play this card to automatically score a marginal success on a skill check. Where Did They Go?: Play this card, when being chased, to negate any Advantage for the chasing opponents and force them to make their next check at Disadvantage or to move without provoking an attack of opportunity.   That gives 5 cards that are more general in use and if you are going to give out cards based on proficiency bonus, it would be random up until they got the 5th card, then they'd have one of each.  I wouldn't give them multiples of a card.   Edit:  I'd also limit use to one card per encounter, or you'll see them saved up and used nova style on BBEG fights.
#10 Psikerlord Oct 21, 2014 18:36:17	ChrisCarlson wrote:
#11 Ansbach Oct 22, 2014 19:34:28	I like them and may steal a few ideas for my game.  My main addition for inspiration will be to allow the player to use it to take over the narrative a bit to add something beneficial.   If you are looking for a good theme for inspiration instead of trying to come up with creative names - have a card for each of the gods in the campaign, and have the card ability match up with the god's domain.
#12 edwin_su Oct 23, 2014 5:01:48	Ansbach wrote:
#13 Ewspy87 Oct 23, 2014 6:37:17	There's a "Deck of many things" coming in the Dungeon master guide. I think an inspiration deck, something beyond "you get advantage on a roll of your choosing" is a cool idea. If you come up with more examples post them. I would love to have a deck that they choose from when i award inspiration.
#14 ChrisCarlson Oct 23, 2014 7:48:38	Thanks for the support. I'm putting some thought into a few more card ideas. I'll post them when I have something to share.
#15 Danny_Montanny Oct 23, 2014 14:58:04	Possibly having 3 decks with a small number of cards to cover each pillar of play? That way the player could choose which deck to draw from. I use a sliding scale to describe and determine the outcome of any check, so I'm always looking out for those 5, 10, and 15 differences in the results of the check.   I use Inspiration to allow advantage or to reduce the DC/AC by 5. Kind of a general, you succeed if you're close. It takes away some of the randomness of the advantage.
#16 pukunui Oct 23, 2014 23:25:10	I've been using Paizo's Plot Twist Cards in place of Inspiration in my game. My players love them.
#17 cowleymen Oct 24, 2014 0:06:32	Love the idea, myself i would probably just limit to 3 or 4 cards a player, probably have about 15 effects total, then just have enough copies to make sure that players can get like 2 cards, if every one is just being greedy and always holding onto them
#18 sleypy Oct 24, 2014 8:27:35	Have you considered having each card have a non-combat. That way you can simply choose to draw a card in the moment instead of hoarding them. when the combat side of the card is right side up, the non-combat side would be upside down (double sided like a PF chase decks.). You simple draw a card and can choose either aspect the moment you draw the card and use it immediately.