The Scotto Grotto (org)

Big week this week. Tomorrow I’m reaping the reward of a nice long rest before work.

The Drama Deck… The old RPG Torg had a deck of cards that helped folks along with the adventure. Little plot trumps a person could put out there for when they wanted to make things a little more interesting… and they knew ahead of time what was in their hand. It was always vague, but promising for the story being told. Like “unexpected reversal”, “a second wind”, “The Authorities arrive”, “Someone falls in love”, “Someone gets greedy”, or my personal favorite… “ESCAPE!”

I wonder how much fun being handed five of those every so often in your life would make things?

Lets see if I can find the whole list. Here it is...Some were duplicated more than others… the deck had about five “second chances”, and “Idea” but only one “Escape!”

Actual Card Game Mechanics, for those inclined to read such stuff:

• Adrenaline: +3 to value of DEX, STR or TOU, or related skill.
• Willpower: +3 to value of PER, MIN or SPI, or related skill.
• Alertness: Play to notice an otherwise unseen item, character, or clue.
• Action: +3 to bonus of any action.
• Hero: Gain an extra possibility point.
• Opponent Fails: Play this card before the next update if you want to negate any single, harmful single action that might be aimed at you.
• Rally: All players can discard and refill their hands.
• Second Chance: Use if you are to attempt an action that you don’t want to fail – you can attempt it twice in a row without interruption.
• Connection: You know someone in the area who can aid you.
• Idea: Gain clues indicating the next course of action you should take.
• Glory: Games Master will play this for you after you make a roll of 60+, for three extra possibility points.
• Presence: +3 to value of CHA, SPI or related skill.
• Campaign: At player and GM agreement, makes a subplot permanent.
• Coup De Grace: +3 to effect value.
• Romance: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• Martyr: May defeat opponent at the cost of life.
• Mistaken Identity: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• True Identity: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• Personal Stake: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• Nemesis: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• Suspicion: Subplot. May be turned in for one possibility point, or gain one possibility point per act of subplot.
• Drama: May be used as Hero card, or turned in after adventure for three possibility points.
• Leadership: Play two cards into other character’s pools from your hand, or discard, refilling hand.
• Supporter: +3 to other character’s bonus for any action.
• Escape!: You and your party may escape an encounter. Must be the first card played into pool.

When not in a dramatic situation (a standard situation), the player can play any number of cards from his hand to modify the scenario to his or his team’s betterment. For every card he plays, the player receives a replacement card from the drama deck. The hand may not be used in dramatic situations. When in a dramatic – or combat – situation, the player can only play cards from his pool. At the start of a dramatic situation, none of the players will have any cards in their pool. During the dramatic situation, if the player takes an action that moves the scene along – whether he succeeds at it or not – he can transfer one card from his hand into his pool. At the beginning of each game update that starts in a dramatic situation, the player can play any number of pool cards to improve his – or his team’s – chances at success.

Playing for the critical moment: Once per scenario (not once per update), a player can play as many cards from his hand as he wishes into his pool to vastly increase his success ay any one action.

Losing cards: Enemy actions can actually remove cards from your pool through tricks, tests and taunts.

Trading cards: You can trade the cards in your pool with those from another player’s pool. If the scene is standard, not dramatic, you can trade hand cards. You must trade the same number of cards with each other, one for one.

Replenishing hands: At the end of a dramatic situation, you add all your remaining pool cards to your hand. You can only have four hand cards, so you must decide which cards to discard. You can also discard any card that you do not want and then draw as many from the drama deck as you need to being your hand up to four.