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Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Fortunar
Your future is easy to decipher…it involves blood. Your blood. –Alara Farseer, Elven Fortunar
Fortunara (Fortunar singular), are to fortunetellers as wizards are to adepts. Vastly more powerful, Fortunara wield decks that both allow them to see into the future and additionally grant them assorted other powers.
Adventures: Fortunara travel to learn more about their powers, though they might have the same motivations as the members of any other class.
Characteristics: Fortunara are often known to use their cards to achieve magical effects, but are varied in their aspects.
Alignment: Though many Fortunara are neutral, many also adhere to extreme versions of good or evil. A majority are lawful, due to their common belief in the fate laid out by their cards, but a substantial minority believe that they themselves are creating the fate by looking into the future.
Religion: Religion is rare among Fortunara, but some are known to worship gods of fate, self-discipline, or magic.
Background: Fortunara are chosen by their decks.
Races: All races are drawn to the path of the Fortunara, but nations that are just beginning to civilize have more, as they are a link between the barbarity of adepts and the refinement of wizards.
Other Classes: Divine classes that believe in the will of the gods (Such as Paladin and Cleric) often are somewhat leery of Fortunara’s apparently “cheap tricks”.
Role: Support, Divination, Secondary Caster or Fighter
Adaptation: Mystics, fortunetellers, tarot readers, Fortunara are easy to integrate into any campaign.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Fortunara have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Dexterity and constitution are important to keeping the lightly armored fortunara alive. The class’s most important ability score is wisdom, as that determines their understanding of the cards.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As Bard
Starting Gold: As Cleric
Skill Points at 1st Level
(6 + Int modifier) ×4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level
6 + Int modifier. Class Skills
The Fortunar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise(Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
All of the following are class features of the Fortunar.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Fortunar is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, shruiken, and whip. Fortunara are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A Fortunar can use cards while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a Fortunar wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass Fortunar still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. (Exception: Sword focused Fortunara may wear up to medium armor).
Futuresight (Ex): By their powers of glimpsing the future, the Fortunar may better avoid attacks that otherwise might incapacitate them. The Fortunar adds their wisdom modifier to their armor class while unarmored or lightly armored, to a maximum bonus of their Fortunar class level.
Familiar (Ex): All good fortunetellers have animal cohorts, and the Fortunar is no exception. The Fortunar gains a familiar as a wizard of equal level.
Wondrous Deck (Su, Sp): A Fortunar has possession of an artifact, a Torat, a magical deck of cards. These cards travel from two-bit fortune teller to two-bit fortune teller, eventually choosing one. The cards, as artifacts, are indestructible, and they return to a user as a lodestone. The cards can be used as either +1 returning shruiken or +1 daggers (slashing damage only), but their most common use is as tools for magic. Each card has several abilities.
Within a single deck, there are twenty two individual cards, and also four suits (cups, swords, wands, and coins). The twenty two cards are known as Major Arcana. Each Major Arcana has five effects, three minor, and two moderate. They each additionally have a sixth, major effect, but this comes into play only at 20th level. Initially, the Fortunar may only use the minor effects. Each Major Arcana may only be used once per encounter per seven levels of Fortunar (round down). The player must choose to “prepare” their Major Arcana at the beginning of each day, as per spells. The player may only use the effects of prepared Major Arcana. The player may prepare one Major Arcana per day per Fortunar Level. Both Major and Minor Arcana are used in divinations.
Minor Arcana also have benefits – When Used as weapons (above), the cards deal damage equal to the number written on the card (1 through 10). Each stroke or throw of a card changes the value on the card, though the suit may be any the Fortunar wishes. This effectively makes the cards weapons with a 1d10 weapon range (+1 due to their magic). The deck can be enhanced as a weapon as normal.
This Ability improves every five levels, and then again at 20th:
At 6th level, the Fortunar gains the ability to treat his deck as a deck of illusion, except that as long as the Fortunar draws the card, he may select the card in such a way as to elect which creature appears, and as long as he holds the card, the illusions summoned follow his commands. He may also swap senses to see through the eyes (figuratively: All senses may be used) of these illusions. The illusion lasts for 10 minutes per Fortunar level, and while sense-swapped, the Fortunar is considered helpless.
At 11th level, the Fortunar may use the major effects of cards, although they may still choose to use the minor effect if they so wish.
At 16th level, the Fortunar may choose to treat the illusions as quasi real Shadow creatures, as per the creatures summoned by Shadow Conjuration, Greater. Creatures have a number of HD or class levels in the appropriate class equal to the level of the Fortunar -1.
At 20th level, the Fortunar gains their crowning ability. A number of times per day equal to their Fortunar level divided by five (round down), the Fortunar may choose to treat the next card drawn from their deck as a card drawn from a Deck of Many Things, with the following exception. The Fortunar may choose anyone within line of sight (scrying does not count as line of sight for the purposes of this effect) to be treated as having drawn the card. This means that negative effects can be passed off to enemies, while beneficial effects can be awarded to allies. Any one creature may only be affected by a specific card once. The card that was used is then considered unusable for the rest of the day. The card MUST be randomly drawn, regardless of any ability that would allow you to do otherwise, but the recipient may be chosen after seeing the card.
Chosen Arcana (Ex): The Fortunar chooses a suit from among the four to favour. This gives him certain benefits. When choosing the Cups suit, a Fortunar gains immunity to all poison, allows him to apply poison as a swift action, and the ability to use create water or create food and water a number of times equal to his Fortunar level per day. When choosing the Swords suit, a Fortunar changes his hit dice to d8, and gains a good fortitude save. When choosing the Coins suit, a Fortunar gains the ability to see magic auras as per a permanent detect magic, as well as identify objects as a standard action. A Fortunar choosing the Wands suit gains the ability to take 10 on a UMD check a number of times per day equal to his Fortunar level. This choice may only be made once and may never be changed.
Twist of Fortune (Su): The Fortunar may see into the future and change it. As a standard action, the Fortunar may toss a card at an opponent, severing the threads of fate around them. As a 60 ft ranged touch attack, the Fortunar may inflict a -1 penalty on all of a creatures rolls. The penalty increases by one every five levels past third. At 13th level, this ability improves -- the Fortunar may toss a card as an attack action (that is to say, they may now use their iterative attacks).
Mysticism (Su): The Fortunar is proficient predicting the future, but often people require more of a display. When dealing with crystal balls or other trappings generally associated with fortunetelling, the Fortunar gains a bonus to bluff equal to ½ his Fortunar level, and the Fortunar gains a equivalent bonus to rolls involving the aforementioned items (e.g. A 13th level Fortunar gains a +6 to rolls when scrying).
At twelfth level, this ability improves again. Understanding the intricacies of trickery, it becomes harder to trick the Fortunar. The fortunar gains a bonus to sense motive equal to 1/4 his Fortunar level, and may make a save against an illusion when he sees it (he does not have to interact with it physically). At twentieth level, the Fortunar's mystic presence is such that it can obscure his mind from unwanted intrusion. The Fortunar gains permanent Mind Blank, as per the spell.
Transcendent Performance (Ex): The Fortunar becomes so good at what he does that he may use even a regular deck of cards to predict the future. The Fortunar may use the perform (Cartomancy) skill, and may do so with any set of cards.
Perform: Cartomancy (Cha)
Spoiler
(All credit to Jarian)
Cartomancy, or the art of reading cards, is widely practiced in occult circles, especially amongst traveling bands of humans or gnomes. While cartomancy may be taken to mean one of many different types of card reading, the following examples assume the influence of a tarot deck, specifically the cards in the major arcana set.
Like other performance skills, cartomancy may be used to earn coin as a show act. However, the true purpose of the craft is as a divination tool, though only the most skilled card readers can read true futures with any accuracy.
Using cartomancy requires a cartomancer's deck (see below) and at least a minute of uninterrupted concentration, though especially difficult tasks may take longer.
Example Cartomancy Usages
Difficulty Class
Learn given name 10
Predict next day's weather 15
Learn relative's given name 20
Read fortune 25
Learn of impending death 30
Learn cause of death 40
Learn Truename Varies
Learn given name: With a DC 10 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn the given name of a willing participant. If the participant has changed their name or is generally known by a different name than their birth name, you learn that name instead.
Predict next day's weather: With a DC 15 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can accurately predict the weather up to 24 hours in advance. You learn the general weather conditions you or a willing participant will face if you continue on your intended course for the following day (calm, sunny, storms, etc), but not details as to the severity of storms, if any.
Learn relative's given name: With a DC 20 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn the name of a relative or love interest of a willing participant, even if you do not know the name of the participant. You can learn the name of hidden or subconscious romantic interests, but any effect that would block a Divination attempt to read thoughts foils the attempt in this case.
Read Fortune: With a DC 25 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can read the immediate fortune of a willing participant. If successful, flip a coin. A result of heads indicates that the participant gains a +1 luck bonus to AC and saves for 24 hours, while tails bestows a -1 penalty to saves for 24 hours instead.
Learn of impending death: With a DC 30 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn whether a willing participant is likely to be confronted with a life-or-death situation within the next 24 hours if they continue on their intended path.
Learn cause of death: With a DC 40 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can accurately learn the cause of death of an individual that you can specifically identify, provided that individual has died within the last week. Effects that would block Divination attempts to learn the same information also foil this use of cartomancy.
Learn Truename: Master cartomancers can learn the truenames of willing participants in the same way they learn given names. The difficulty class of learning a truename is equal to 25 + the HD of the creature whose truename you wish to know. Learning a truename in this way does not bestow any special ability to use Truenaming if you did not already possess it.
Action: Using cartomancy typically takes at least one full minute. Using cartomancy as a means of earning money requires at least eight hours of repeat performances (see the Perform skill entry for more information).
Try Again: Varies. If you fail, you cannot attempt to learn the name of an individual again until you obtain another rank in Cartomancy. You may only read the fortune of a given creature once per day. You may only attempt to predict the weather or impending death once per day. You cannot retry an attempt to learn of a creature's cause of death.
Item
Cost
Cartomancer's deck, basic 5 sp
Cartomancer's deck, inked 2 gp
Cartomancer's deck, masterwork 55 gp
Cartomancer's deck: While cartomancer's decks come in many varieties, they typically fall into the three categories shown on the table above. Like other masterwork tools, a masterwork cartomancer's deck grants its user a +2 competence bonus to Perform (cartomancy) checks. Often this increased skill with card reading stems from a faint enchantment laid upon the cards at their creation.
Possibilities (Ex): The Fortunar gains the ability to, ever so slightly, manipulate fate. Once per day per six class levels, the Fortunar may reroll a failed save or check that directly caused their death (For example, a climb check that made them fall into a 100ft deep pit would count. A failed use magic device check to activate the wand that would stop a Fortunar from bleeding out would not).
Tools of the Mystic: At 9th level, the Fortunar may choose any two item creation feats. They do not have to meet the prerequisite caster level.
Fate's Warning (Ex): Some of the future is always visible to the Fortunar. At 10th level, they may add half their Wisdom modifier to initiative. At 14th they may add their entire Wisdom modifier.
Blessings of the Stars (Ex): At 15th level, the constellations which the Fortunar knows so well smile down on them. The Fortunar gains either a bonus to DCs equal to 1/5 their Fortunar level or +3 hit points per level of Fortunar, chosen once each night. Either benefit applies only at night.
True Knowledge (Ex): The Fortunar has the ability to mix and match the cards of fate. A number of times per day equal to twice his wisdom modifier, the Fortunar may choose to draw two cards and either use both at once or boost the power of the second by sacrificing the first. If using the second option, then either the save DC (if any) or the duration of the second card is boosted, by the Fortunar's wisdom modifier or by 50%, respectively. Either way, this use of the cards expends the use of both cards for the encounter.
Haruspex (Ex): The Fortunar is chosen by fate, and isn't meant to die by chance. As such, the Fortunar gains permanent Foresight, as the spell.
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Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Saves against any effects from the cards are by default set at the DC of 10 + 1/2 Fortunar level + Wisdom modifier. The saves against the major effects of the card are instead at a +5 DC.
Card List (with related cards from Deck of many things)
Spoiler
Number/card
Effect
1. The Magician-Rogue
2. The High Priestess-Euryale
3. The Empress- Gem
4. The Emperor - Throne
5. The Hierophant -Key
6. The Lovers-Talons
7. The Chariot-Comet
8. Fortitude -Donjon
9. The Hermit-Vizier
10. Wheel of Fortune-The Fates
11. Justice-Balance
12. The Hanged Man-Jester
13. Death-Skull
14. Temperance-Knight
15. The Devil-Flames
16. The Tower-Ruin
17. The Star-Star
18. The Moon-Moon
19. The Sun-Sun
20. Judgement-Idiot
21. The World-Void
22. The Fool-Fool
Sample Card:
3. The Empress- Gem
4. The Emperor - Throne
5. The Hierophant -Key
11. Justice-Balance
12. The Hanged Man-Jester
13. Death-Skull
14. Temperance-Knight
15. The Devil-Flames
16. The Tower-Ruin
17. The Star-Star
20. Judgement-Idiot
21. The World-Void
22. The Fool-Fool
[/spoiler]
Sample Cards:
1. The Magician
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
Prestidigitation: Prestidigitation, as the spell. However, this ability lasts for an hour per Fortunar level, and may be used between encounters (Only usable once per day).
Light: As the spell.
Magic-Lover’s frailty: The target of this card effect has their Hit Dice size reduced by three sizes, to a minimum of a d4. (E.g., a Barbarian goes from d12 to d6). This lowers hit points accordingly. This effect lasts for four rounds.
Moderate Powers -
Conjurer: Anyspell, as the spell.
Enchantment-breaker: The Fortunar may dispel magic as per the spell, but without the CL restriction. In addition, the CL check is replaced by a special Cartomancy check (1d20+ranks in Cartomancy+CL increases) against an equal DC.
Major Power -
Rogue: An odd card, the target must save or be treated as an enemy by their most powerful former ally (Determined by CR).
2. The High Priestess
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
Positive/harming touch: Heals 1d10 hp per Fortunar level, but requires the ally to be touched. In addition, if the Fortunar is at least of 8th level, the ally receives the benefit of Protection and Aid, as the spells.
(Un)Holy Rays: Allows the Fortunar to fire rays dealing or healing a total of 3d12 damage per Fortunar level (positive or negative energy) over the course of three rounds. The rays may be used in the first round. Firing one or more rays is a standard action, and the rays are treated as ranged touch attacks. No single creature may be targeted by more than one half Fortunar level in rays per round (E.g., Johanna the eighth level Fortunar wishes to heal her allies and harm her undead foes. She activates her Holy rays ability, and chooses to heal one of her allies. She may fire as many rays as she wishes in any of the next three rounds, as long as no single ray deals more than 4d12 damage. Once the total damage/healing of her rays has reached 24d12, she may no longer utilize the ability, and it is considered expended.
Faith Revealed: This ability reveals the name of the deity worshipped by each person within 100 feet, and the portfolios controlled by that deity. This ability is instantaneous, and does not allow a save. If a creature is hiding in the area, the deity is revealed, but not the location of the creature.
Moderate Powers -
Protection of the Soul: The Fortunar may choose to cast Death Ward or Sheltered Vitality, as the spells.
Wings of the Abyss/Heavens: The Fortunar gains wings and flight at a speed of 40 feet (good) and gains a single use of updraft as a free action, which may be used only on their own turn. The wings additionally provide a +2 deflection bonus to AC. This card may be used outside combat, but only twice before it becomes expended for the day (including in encounters). The effects last for the duration of the encounter or 5 minutes, whichever is less. When the effect ends, the Fortunar falls (but takes no falling damage).
Major Power -
Euryale, Curse of the Gods: The target suffers a penalty to saves equal to one half your wisdom modifier for one round, as well as a permanent -1 to saves. For the one round these overlap, the effects stack.
6. The Lover
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
Love: Confusion, as the spell, except single target.
Longing: The Target of this ability takes a -4 to saves versus charms or compulsions for the duration of the encounter.
Lust: The target of this card effect gains the effects of rage as a first level barbarian. This cannot stack with actual rage and has the same restrictions. This effect lasts for three rounds.
Moderate Powers -
Control: Dominate Person, as the spell.
Neediness: The opponent feels an irresistible urge to fulfill your need. The opponent may make a will save. If they fail, they must use their deadliest attacks to attack their former allies. This effect lasts for three rounds.
Major Power -
Talons of Loss: When this card is drawn, every magic item owned or possessed by the character is instantly and irrevocably gone.
7. The Chariot
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Fleetness: Increase the subject’s move-speed by 10 feet. Lasts the whole encounter.
• Armored Charioteer: The target of this effect gains a bonus to AC equal to 1/3 your Fortunar level. Lasts the whole encounter.
• Spiked Accessories: The target of this card effect grows metal spikes from their armor or skin. These spikes deal 1d6 damage, +1 damage per Fortunar level (up to a maximum of the Fortunar’s wisdom modifier). This effect lasts for five rounds.
Moderate Powers -
• Mobility: Fly, as the spell.
• Flashing Blades: This effect targets an item. The item gains the effects of Holy Sword, as per the Paladin spell, but may be any of the four alignments (Holy, Unholy, Axiomatic, or Anarchic). This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the Fortunar’s Wisdom modifier.
Major Power -
• Comet: When this card is drawn, the next time that this character defeats a creature of equal or greater CR in single combat, the character gains a level.
8. Fortitude
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Strengthening: The target of this ability is affected by either Bull's Strength or Bear's Endurance.
• Toughening: The Target of this ability may elect to take a +5 bonus on their next save, or a +2 bonus to saves for the rest of the encounter. This bonus is untyped, and chosen at the moment of the card's use.
• Endurance: This card effect effectively doubles the overland movement speed of a number of targets up to the Fortunar's level by allowing them to hustle without penalties. These effects last for an hour per Fortunar level.
Moderate Powers -
• Feral Strength: Bite of the Werebear, as the spell.
• Reflective Core: The next time the target is forced to make a fortitude save, he may choose to reflect the save back onto whatever is forcing the save. If this is not possible, as in the case of a trap, he may instead reflect it onto a valid target within 30 feet.
Major Power -
• Donjon: When this card is drawn, every magic item owned is taken away, as is every spell prepared, and the character is imprisoned, either by the spell imprisonment or by a powerful being or outsider.
9. The Hermit
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Protection: Invokes the effects of a sanctuary spell on the caster.
• Prayer: Grants a +2 bonus to all rolls to all allies within 30 feet. Lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom Modifier.
• Wisdom: The target of this card effect gains a bonus to Wisdom equal to your Fortunar level (to a max of 5). This effect lasts for one minute per level.
Moderate Powers -
• Protection from energy: Protection from energy, as the spell.
• Robes of the Aescetic: Can be used on one lightly or non-armored target. The subject gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Fortunar level up to a maximum of your Wisdom modifier.
Major Power -
• Vizier: You gain an answer to your next question, subject to DM restraints (How do I win this campaign, for example, should probably be given a snarky answer).
10. Wheel of Fortune
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Gamble: Automatically win games of chance. Lasts a number of minutes equal to Fortunar level.
• Fateful Check: Grants a +2 bonus to all rolls to all allies within 30 feet. Lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom Modifier.
• Wisdom: The target of this card effect gains a bonus to Wisdom equal to your Fortunar level (to a max of 5). This effect lasts for one minute per level.
Moderate Powers -
• Protection from energy: Protection from energy, as the spell.
• Robes of the Aescetic: Can be used on one lightly or non-armored target. The subject gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Fortunar level up to a maximum of your Wisdom modifier.
Major Power -
• Vizier: You gain an answer to your next question, subject to DM restraints (How do I win this campaign, for example, should probably be given a snarky answer).
18. The Moon
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Extend Shadow/Moonlight: Creates shadow or dim light within 30 feet. Lasts a number of minutes equal to twice your Fortunar level.
• Moon's Blessing: Grants a weapon bonus damage against shapeshifters equal to Wisdom modifier, or reduces the DC to control shapeshifts by half that amount. Lasts for a number of rounds equal to 4*Wisdom Modifier.
• Wisdom: The target of this card effect gains a bonus to Wisdom equal to your Fortunar level (to a max of 5). This effect lasts for one minute per level.
Moderate Powers -
• Protection from shifters: Antilife-shell vs shapeshifters, as the spell.
• Moonbolt: As the spell.
Major Power -
• The Moon: The target gains a Wish, as per the spell. XP component must be paid as usual.
19. The Sun
Spoiler
Minor Effects -
• Extend Shadow/Moonlight: Creates shadow or dim light within 30 feet. Lasts a number of minutes equal to twice your Fortunar level.
• Sun's Blessing: The sun's healing rays cure your wounds. Lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Fortunar Level. This ability cures the target by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier every round.
• Charisma: The target of this card effect gains a bonus to Charisma equal to your Fortunar level (to a max of 5). This effect lasts for one minute per level.
Moderate Powers -
• Undead destruction: Gain turning as a cleric of your level for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom Modifier.
• Prismatic Ray: As the spell.
Major Power -
• The Sun: The target gains a single magic item of up to 60,000 gp in value. The item remains for one hour, or until expended. The effects of the item, if magical in nature, will vanish after the time is up (For example, if the item in question is a scroll of wish or imprisonment, any items created, bonuses given, or characters imprisoned will be reversed. However, a scroll of Fireball's victims will stay dead, although their cuts or burns will mend.)
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Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Post ideas away!
Edit: Okay. So.
Basically, the idea is a tier 3-4 caster. The cards (which will go online soon) have 3 minor effects, 2 major.
The three minor effects are: A 1-2 level spell, a unique passive effect, and a unique active effect.
The major effects are: a 5-7th level spell, and a unique effect.
Each level of effects should be roughly similar in power.
What i'm looking for - This seems weak (to me) in that power wont "grow" all that much after 11th level, and I dont want to make the whole class "class features".
It also seems like some of the effects are somewhat forced, and this could be reduced to a regular PRC. Does that seem better?
Any other thoughts? Atm im thinking of adding in a swordsage-ish bonus to AC, an inablility to be flatfooted (19th), and a few other things.
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Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Ok. I love this idea just about as much as I loved your Grandmaster. It looks like you carried the 'theme' from chess to the 'suits'.
I am going to have to go and read up on the cards because I think you want to keep in similarities to the real Arcana. For ease of looking do you think you could list the Major Arcana cards?
I was also wondering if you would give second thought to creating a special ability for the minor arcana too. Each of those cards have meanings as well. That way a player can have more versatility as well so they can do something with every card.
Another idea would be to expand benefits you get from playing the prince/princess, queen, and king cards if they match your chosen suit.
Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
I wrote up some cartomancy-related stuff a while ago. While it's not directly applicable to what you have here, you might be able to get some use or inspiration out of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarian
Perform: Cartomancy (Cha)
Spoiler
Cartomancy, or the art of reading cards, is widely practiced in occult circles, especially amongst traveling bands of humans or gnomes. While cartomancy may be taken to mean one of many different types of card reading, the following examples assume the influence of a tarot deck, specifically the cards in the major arcana set.
Like other performance skills, cartomancy may be used to earn coin as a show act. However, the true purpose of the craft is as a divination tool, though only the most skilled card readers can read true futures with any accuracy.
Using cartomancy requires a cartomancer's deck (see below) and at least a minute of uninterrupted concentration, though especially difficult tasks may take longer.
Example Cartomancy Usages
Difficulty Class
Learn given name
10
Predict next day's weather
15
Learn relative's given name
20
Read fortune
25
Learn of impending death
30
Learn cause of death
40
Learn Truename
Varies
Learn given name: With a DC 10 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn the given name of a willing participant. If the participant has changed their name or is generally known by a different name than their birth name, you learn that name instead.
Predict next day's weather: With a DC 15 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can accurately predict the weather up to 24 hours in advance. You learn the general weather conditions you or a willing participant will face if you continue on your intended course for the following day (calm, sunny, storms, etc), but not details as to the severity of storms, if any.
Learn relative's given name: With a DC 20 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn the name of a relative or love interest of a willing participant, even if you do not know the name of the participant. You can learn the name of hidden or subconscious romantic interests, but any effect that would block a Divination attempt to read thoughts foils the attempt in this case.
Read Fortune: With a DC 25 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can read the immediate fortune of a willing participant. If successful, flip a coin. A result of heads indicates that the participant gains a +1 luck bonus to AC and saves for 24 hours, while tails bestows a -1 penalty to saves for 24 hours instead.
Learn of impending death: With a DC 30 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can learn whether a willing participant is likely to be confronted with a life-or-death situation within the next 24 hours if they continue on their intended path.
Learn cause of death: With a DC 40 Perform (cartomancy) check, you can accurately learn the cause of death of an individual that you can specifically identify, provided that individual has died within the last week. Effects that would block Divination attempts to learn the same information also foil this use of cartomancy.
Learn Truename: Master cartomancers can learn the truenames of willing participants in the same way they learn given names. The difficulty class of learning a truename is equal to 25 + the HD of the creature whose truename you wish to know. Learning a truename in this way does not bestow any special ability to use Truenaming if you did not already possess it.
Action: Using cartomancy typically takes at least one full minute. Using cartomancy as a means of earning money requires at least eight hours of repeat performances (see the Perform skill entry for more information).
Try Again: Varies. If you fail, you cannot attempt to learn the name of an individual again until you obtain another rank in Cartomancy. You may only read the fortune of a given creature once per day. You may only attempt to predict the weather or impending death once per day. You cannot retry an attempt to learn of a creature's cause of death.
Item
Cost
Cartomancer's deck, basic
5 sp
Cartomancer's deck, inked
2 gp
Cartomancer's deck, masterwork
55 gp
Cartomancer's deck: While cartomancer's decks come in many varieties, they typically fall into the three categories shown on the table above. Like other masterwork tools, a masterwork cartomancer's deck grants its user a +2 competence bonus to Perform (cartomancy) checks. Often this increased skill with card reading stems from a faint enchantment laid upon the cards at their creation.
Tarot Reader
Spoiler
Prerequisites: Perform (cartomancy) 6 ranks
Benefit: You are a true master of your craft, having moved beyond mere parlor tricks and minor divinations. Once per day, plus one additional time per day for every four ranks you possess in Perform (cartomancy), you may draw a single card from your cartomancer's deck. You or a willing ally receive the following effects for 24 hours, based on the drawn card. Once drawn, the fate of the recipient is sealed for 24 hours; further attempts to draw cards in this way always results in the same card being drawn, wasting the attempt.
You may randomly generate a number between 1 and 21 when using this feat, otherwise you may mark a set of 21 cards and draw randomly from the deck.
Number/card
Effect
1. The Magician
+1 caster level to first spell cast each hour
2. The High Priestess
Recipient may activate a cure light wounds spell as an immediate action once, CL equal to HD.
3. The Empress
Recipient is immune to first charm or compulsion effect used against them.
4. The Emperor
Recipient may use charm person as SLA once, CL equal to HD.
5. The Hierophant
Recipient's may make Knowledge checks untrained, gains +4 Luck bonus on all Knowledge checks.
6. The Lovers
Recipient takes a -4 penalty to first charm or compulsion effect used against them.
7. The Chariot
Recipient gains a +10 ft Luck bonus to all forms of movement.
8. Fortitude
Recipient gains 2 temporary hitpoints per HD.
9. The Hermit
Recipient may use silence centered on self as an SLA once, CL 1.
10. Wheel of Fortune
Redraw twice and gain both effects, ignoring any further Wheel of Fortune results.
11. Justice
Recipient gains DR 2/chaos and overcomes damage as if weapons are lawful-aligned.
12. The Hanged Man
Recipient feels an intense sense of impending doom, suffering a -2 morale penalty to all saving throws.
13. Death
Recipient takes a -2 penalty to Constitution.
14. Temperance
Recipient gains a +1 Luck bonus to all ability scores.
15. The Devil
Recipient becomes extremely moody, prone to sudden anger, gaining the ability to enter a Rage once (as a 1st level barbarian).
16. The Tower
Recipient takes an additional point of damage from all non-periodic sources.
17. The Star
Recipient gains Fast Healing 1, though this healing cannot bring them above half health.
18. The Moon
Recipient gains the ability to use mirror image as an SLA once, CL equal to HD.
19. The Sun
Recipient may use daylight as an SLA once, may use light as an SLA three times, CL equal to HD.
20. Judgement
Recipient radiates aura identical to zone of truth out to 5 feet.
21. The World
Recipient automatically succeeds on first saving throw required.
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If you use any of my homebrew, or even if you just have a strong opinion on it, please let me know. Feedback is always useful.
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Lightbringer Adison, Swordmage priestess of Pelor, by the very talented Darwin.
Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merchant
Ok. I love this idea just about as much as I loved your Grandmaster. It looks like you carried the 'theme' from chess to the 'suits'.
I am going to have to go and read up on the cards because I think you want to keep in similarities to the real Arcana. For ease of looking do you think you could list the Major Arcana cards?
I was also wondering if you would give second thought to creating a special ability for the minor arcana too. Each of those cards have meanings as well. That way a player can have more versatility as well so they can do something with every card.
Another idea would be to expand benefits you get from playing the prince/princess, queen, and king cards if they match your chosen suit.
I'll think up some more but now I got to go.
Nice to have you back on board!
Hrmm. I thought of that, but I think it might end up being too much for a player to keep track of. As is, theyre going to have the equivalent of 3 spells per level, and once you reach 11th level, 5 spells per level. This is in addition to all their other class features.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarian
I wrote up some cartomancy-related stuff a while ago. While it's not directly applicable to what you have here, you might be able to get some use or inspiration out of it.
Wow. Can I borrow your entire perform skill??? It would be cool as something the Fortunar can do on the side.
I also am liking some of the tarot reader effects for some of the minor Major Arcana effects.
On a seperate note, what do you guys think? PRC or Base Class? I can see arguments for both, most notably the linear power scaling past 11th level (which could be downplayed by making it a 10-level sort of thing).
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Re: Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Let's see how it goes. I would like to see a Base Class.
PrC-wise you can make for a Fortunar that masters a set of Major Arcana. Will have to make some very standout class features that we keep low and then the PrC blows it out of the water.
Trying to think up abilities but I think I need to write a few down myself. There was a Base Class called the Kismet in the Base Class Challenge thread ('something about "Balance" or "Scales") Very nice class but did rock my soul as much as I think this class could. No offense, I just always have higher hopes for the 'next' class.
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Your fate is here in the cards... (3.5 Base Class Peach)
Lightbringer Adison, Swordmage priestess of Pelor, by the very talented Darwin.
Bunny!Adison by Alarra!
Can I borrow your entire perform skill??? 
