Fortune Cards

[The7thCynic]

Hey, does anyone here use/collect the Fortune cards? What's the general opinion of them within the 4e community?

I personally love them. They had a lot of flavor narrative. (I've actually added similar narrative to my current 5e game.)

I was hoping to find people to trade with. I have a ton, but am down to missing only some rares/promos. :(

Also random question, didn't this forum used to have more 4e posts before? Seems sadly slim.

[Kurald Galain]

In my area, people universally rejected them for slowing down combat, being unbalanced (in particular, towards players willing to spend more money on rares), and because their randomness inhibits roleplaying.

The reaction on the WOTC forums, back when WOTC had active 4E forums, was almost universally negative, largely for the same reasons. They've contributed to the demise of 4E organised play, because WOTC ensured that DMs had to allow them, and many players refused to join a table where some people had those cards. Quite possibly, this is why 5E doesn't have fortune cards.

And frankly? For the company that invented collectible card games, they really should have designed these better.

[The7thCynic]

Interesting, as I have a different experience.

I wasn't there when they came out, so I didn't have to worry about the organized games or rare card issue.

But for me, there was never any concern of it not being balanced - rares or otherwise. I also didn't feel it slowed down combat, as they were quite quick (the cards, not the combat). But the biggest difference in opinion is about the roleplaying. I believe the randomness encouraged roleplay. It added something over the usual, "I swing my axe and hit it".

[LibraryOgre]

I am utterly unfamiliar with fortune cards. They must have been a thing after I dropped 4e.

[Kurald Galain]

I am utterly unfamiliar with fortune cards. They must have been a thing after I dropped 4e.

Near the end of 4E's lifecycle, you could buy randomized packs of cards, out of which you could construct a "fortune deck". Then each turn in combat, you would get a random card from your deck and could play it. Every card gave you a bonus; common cards had a drawback, uncommon cards did not, and rares gave bigger bonuses (note that this is explicitly the way NOT to design a CCG, and WOTC is well aware of it). So a player with a random deck had a power advantage over a player with no deck; and a player with a customized deck (meaning lots of rares) had a bigger advantage. The goal here was probably to make the deckless players jealous so they would buy cards; but what happened in practice is that players who hated the cards (and there were many) refused to join a table with players who used them.

In organized play, of course, DMs were required to allow these cards. They were also marketing a new adventure module that was (by its blurb) so difficult that you need fortune cards to survive it. I don't think it was ever published though.

But wait, there's more! There were also something like "story cards" that the DM could buy and hand out at story-appropriate moments. Basically they showed an emotion for your character ("you are sad now and take <some small penalty>") but you could roll skill checks to overcome that and gain a small bonus instead; this was marketed as a roleplaying aid. The fact that almost nobody remembers these probably serves to show how popular these cards weren't.

It added something over the usual, "I swing my axe and hit it".

...to be fair, if your 4E game doesn't include encounter or daily powers (a.k.a. you're playing the 4.5 reboot) then the cards do add a bit of variety.

[The7thCynic]

Near the end of 4E's lifecycle, you could buy randomized packs of cards, out of which you could construct a "fortune deck". Then each turn in combat, you would get a random card from your deck and could play it...


...to be fair, if your 4E game doesn't include encounter or daily powers (a.k.a. you're playing the 4.5 reboot) then the cards do add a bit of variety.

Just a bit of clarification. All of the cards had conditions on when they trigger, so you couldn't play whenever. For example, "if you hit an enemy and you are adjacent to an ally" THEN the card can be played. I make this distinction because playing cards doesn't happen as often as it may seem (and why I don't think it slows down combat much).

I play regular old 4e and I would take any narrative help I can find. As I said, I created a narrative mechanic (similar to the cards and/or the FF Star Wars RPG) for our 5e game. I wouldn't play without it anymore.

[OracleofWuffing]

Also random question, didn't this forum used to have more 4e posts before? Seems sadly slim.

The default thread display options are for the most recent 45 days. If you scroll down to the bottom of the thread display, you can change the "Show threads from the..." to "Beginning" and see them all. Keep in mind the guidelines on thread necromancy, though.

As far as my card experience went, the only ones that saw any use were the freebies given out in organized play just when they started. Most were already buying Magic the Gathering cards and didn't see much advantage into spending more money when we were already sharing books to build characters.

[Kurald Galain]

Just a bit of clarification. All of the cards had conditions on when they trigger, so you couldn't play whenever. For example, "if you hit an enemy and you are adjacent to an ally" THEN the card can be played.

Sure. But if you build your deck (as opposed to using a random one) then it's not all that hard to include only cards that you can use (almost) every turn. I think most of the uncommons and rares can be played whenever you want, too.

[LibraryOgre]

The default thread display options are for the most recent 45 days. If you scroll down to the bottom of the thread display, you can change the "Show threads from the..." to "Beginning" and see them all. Keep in mind the guidelines on thread necromancy, though.

The Mod Ogre: (No one's in trouble, just official voice). As mentioned, the default is 45 days. Reviving posts older than that is a no-no. If you want to talk about something older, feel free to link to the earlier post, or even quote it in your new thread, but please do start a new thread.

[The7thCynic]

Sure. But if you build your deck (as opposed to using a random one) then it's not all that hard to include only cards that you can use (almost) every turn. I think most of the uncommons and rares can be played whenever you want, too.

Well, there are cards whose trigger is something basic, like 'make an attack', but its definitely not based on rarity.

And I can see decks being built specifically for that, and under those conditions, I would think it's too much and maybe not fun. And yes, probably slows the game down.

We play with decks built to suit your character, not of those that are easiest to fire.

[Wildstag]

Fwiw, three active threads is bigger than it's been in a year, so yay!

[Spartanmoon]

It's given me a good bit to read through!