Let’s just put the scientific explanation to one side for now, and look at one of the core discussion points: Do you rub out too much on your character sheet, in particular when keeping track of hit points. Do we remake the system to fix this (like my hit-points-replaced-with-usage-dice idea) or do something else like use tokens.
This made me wonder if at the table tracker could be used for HPs at the table, and at the end of the game/session the HPs bit of the character sheet was then updated (obvious an electronic character sheet would solve this problem). So at least you are rubbing out only once a game/session.
I did wonder about the use of a Cribbage board (in this case a peg can be moved from 1 to 120 and you can track the HPs of 4 PCs, NPCs, monsters etc:
… but this board seemed a bit on the big side (except for a DM tracking monster HPs perhaps), or an electronic tally counter:
but this seemed a bit extreme (but not that costly) and not much fun.
Then I wondered about if every player simply carried their own strip of 2 x 10 Lego block (like a mini Cribbage board):
The first column represents 10s and the second column represents 1s (like when you were learning addition for the first time).
You just need a pip to move on the 10s column and one pip to move on the 1’s column.
Here are an simple embodiment of this idea:
The red zones is 0 (I should have put a piece on with pips on it), left column is 10s, the right column is 1s, so in the above case the PC has 28 HPs
Party HP tracker, again left column is 10s, right column is 1s and the top bar is 0 (HPs left to right 17, 14, 9, 6, 9, and 11):
Here’s something a bit extra (and perhaps less prone to being knocked over when reaching for snacks at the table):
The orange zones is 0, left column is 10s, the right column is 1s, and the change in colour show your maximum HPs (just in case you forget during healing). So in the above case the PC has 28 HPs of a 35 HPS.
Of course you could have other fancier versions like this (not great photo) where you blank of the 10’s column until you need it (27 HPs of 35):
I put this together with the Lego I had knocking around.
Overall, I think this idea is kind of fun (forget the eraser rubbing bit), because it is a visual that other players can see at the table as well as the DM.
… or, maybe just keep a tally on a separate piece of paper and update the total at the end of the session.
:O|
I saw this interesting post by Joshy McCroo (a sort of psychic card guessing resolution mechanic) and this cool looking crowdfunding project by Aaron A. Reed (Downcrawl 2e).
This got me wondering if you could make a card type oracle with a “memory”. That is, the last card effects the result of the next card.
I’ve never thought of this before but my Hex Flower Game Engines are game oracles of sort, just often with specific applications in mind.
Set up (let’s engineer a probability profile):
Draw an initial card (just to get things going, or use the 7 of Hearts).
Draw the next card and compare this card with the current card.
In this order, determine if there is a match:
Number match (6% or about 1 in 20), if not is there a
Suit match (17% or about 3 in 20), if not is there a
Colour match (31% or about 6 in 20, if not
No match (46% or about 9 in 20)
Draw a new card and compare this with the card drawn last time. Rinse and repeat.
A. Let’s use this to make a simple YES/NO oracle:
Rules:
If the new card is EVEN = is a YES result, if the new card is ODD = is a NO result
Number match = Extreme Result
Suit match = Result + AND
Colour match = Result + BUT
No match = Bare Result
So, if the current card is 6 of Clubs and the next card is (this represents 7 possible options):
1 6 of Diamonds (EVEN* card with a NUMBER match), then that would be an Extreme YES
2 4 of Clubs (EVEN card with a SUIT match), then that would be a YES, AND
3 7 of Clubs (ODD card with a SUIT match), then that would be a NO, AND
4 5 of Spades (ODD card with COLOUR match), then that would be a NO, BUT
5 8 of Spades (EVEN card with COLOUR match), then that would be a YES, BUT
6 2 of Hearts (EVEN card no match), then that would be a (bare or very marginal) YES
7 9 of Diamonds (ODD card no match), then that would be a (bare or very marginal) NO
* = if you don’t like the extreme event being YES or NO linked directly from the start card, flip the drawn card, if it lands face up = Extreme YES, if face down = Extreme NO.
B. Let’s make another simple YES/NO oracle that has more of a “memory”
So far it could be argued that there is no true “memory” going on here, the memory as such is just using the last result to engender a probability structure into 52 cards split into 4 suits of two colours etc.
Also, if you think that life should not be an even 50/50 split of good/bad (and that things should tend to regress to the mean), then instead of simply considering whether the new card is ODD or EVEN, you could consider whether the new card is HIGHER or LOWER than the current card.
In this way the next card (and so the result) is influenced by the last card.
New Rules:
If the new card is HIGHER (or equal*) = is a YES result, if the new card is LOWER = is a NO result
Number match = Extreme Result
Colour match = Result + BUT
No match = Bare Result
So, if the current card is 6 of Clubs and the next card is (this represents 7 possible options):
1 6 of Diamonds (SAME* card number with a NUMBER match), then that would be an Extreme YES
2 4 of Clubs (LOWER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a NO, AND
3 7 of Clubs (HIGHER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a YES, AND
4 5 of Spades (LOWER card with COLOUR match), then that would be a NO, BUT
5 8 of Spades (HIGHER card with COLOUR match), then that would be a YES, BUT
6 2 of Hearts (LOWER card no match), then that would be a (bare or very marginal) NO
7 9 of Diamonds (HIGHER card no match), then that would be a (bare or very marginal) YES
* = if you don’t like the extreme event always being YES or NO linked directly from the start card, flip the card, if it lands face up = Extreme YES, if face down = Extreme NO.
In this system it is hard to have a lucky/unlucky streak (like in real life) as you have to continually be above (or below) the previous card. On the down side, you can guess when your luck is likely to change … holding an ace or a 2 is a sign that things are going to change! I suppose if you are holding the top or bottom 3 cards (Ace, King, Queen, 2, 3 or 4) you could get a re-shuffle and re-draw to set the base card again?
C. Let’s try for a “Change in Circumstance” engine (rather than a YES/NO oracle)
New Rules:
If the new card is HIGHER (or equal*) = is a POSITIVE Change in Circumstances, if the new card is LOWER = is a NEGATIVE Change in Circumstances (CiC)
Number match = EXTREME CiC
Suit match = LARGE CiC
Colour match = MODERATE CiC
No match = NO CiC
So, if the current card is 6 of Clubs and the next card is (this represents 7 possible options):
1 6 of Diamonds (SAME* card number with a NUMBER match), then that would be an Extreme POSITIVE change in circumstances
2 4 of Clubs (LOWER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a LARGE NEGATIVE CiC
3 7 of Clubs (HIGHER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a LARGE POSITIVE CiC
4 5 of Spades (LOWER card with COLOUR match), then that would be a MODERATE NEGATIVE CiC
5 8 of Spades (HIGHER card with COLOUR match), then that would be a MODERATE POSITIVE CiC
6 2 of Hearts (LOWER card no match), then that would be a NO CiC
7 9 of Diamonds (HIGHER card no match), then that would be a NO CiC
* = if you don’t like the extreme CiC always being YES or NO linked directly from the start card, flip the card, if it lands face up = Extreme YES, if face down = Extreme NO.
D. Let’s try for a “Chaos Factor” engine (rather than a YES/NO oracle)
New Rules:
If the new card is HIGHER (or equal*) = is an INCREASE in Chaos Factor, if the new card is LOWER = is an DECREASE in Chaos Factor (CF)
Number match = 2 step change in CF
Suit match = 1 step change in CF
Colour match = 1 step change in CF (this system has a broader middle)
No match = NO Change in CF
So, if the current card is 6 of Clubs and the next card is (this represents 7 possible options):
1 6 of Diamonds (SAME* card number with a NUMBER match), then that would be an +2 CF
2 4 of Clubs (LOWER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a -1 CF
3 7 of Clubs (HIGHER card with a SUIT match), then that would be a +1 CF
4 5 of Spades (LOWER card with COLOUR match), then that would be a -1 CF
5 8 of Spades (HIGHER card with COLOUR match), then that would be +1 CF
6 2 of Hearts (LOWER card no match), then that would be a NO change in CF
7 9 of Diamonds (HIGHER card no match), then that would be a NO change in CF
* = if you don’t like the extreme event always being an INCREASE or DECREASE linked directly from the start card, flip the card, if it lands face up = Extreme POSITIVE change in CF e.g. +2CF, if face down = Extreme NEGATIVE change, e.g. -2 CF.
Other options
These are my first impressions, I feel more could be done. Cards have so many options – two packs, mixed packs, what if numbers are adjacent, face cards are special, reshuffle on a joker … and bespoke cards.
I really want to think about bespoke/custom cards like the cards in Downcrawl 2e, which like geomorphic terrain cards can have set edges that are used to align events. I think a custom pack with rules would have the best chance of having more of a true memory effect.
Summary
Once you understand the probability structure and the potential “memory” effect with this card system you can build up other Oracles. Better still make your own probability structure and rules
What have I missed? Did I get this wrong? Has this been done before (probably)?
For ‘that Reddit user‘: Sure, please keep using the method you like, I’m not the D&D police
Goblin's Henchman 