Tarokka Points

[Jester of the FoS]

I mentioned this in the Carrion Crown thread.

The Carrion Crown Player's Guide's (available for free here) includes an alternate Hero Point system based on the Harrow Cards of Paizo's Golarion campaign setting.
The Hero Point system is similar to the Action Point system seen in the Eberron campaign setting and Unearther Arcana. It allows a number of bonuses, such as bonuses to d20 rolls, re-rolls, and the like.

This alternate system splits up the bonuses and gives them to cards of varying suits. So instead of Hero Points having a myriad of uses each card has a single use based on one of the six Harrow suits or its alignment.
I think this is a pretty cool idea so I'm stealing it for my forthcoming Ravenloft campaign.

[Jester of the FoS]

Here's what I've modified the system to so far:

Tarokka Points
Reading the Tarokka is a traditional Vistani method of divination, and most folk believe to at least a small degree that the mystical forces that flow through a Tarokka deck influence their fate and control their destiny.

Tarokka Points combines the fateful elements of the Tarokka Deck with the Hero Points system from the Advanced Player’s Guide. By drawing from the Tarokka Deck, you gain a single-use ability determined by the specific card drawn, which you may play at any time to benefit yourself or a fellow player. The cards’ effects on your campaign represent fate smiling on your party and the heroic destiny that awaits you. Each player begins play with no cards but gains one upon completion of a backstory, and draws a new card at the completion of each adventure in the campaign.

The Tarokka
A Tarokka Deck consists of 54 cards divided into five suits: four Minor Arcana suits and one Major Arcana suit. The suits of the Minor Arcana are swords, coins, glyphs, and stars, while the Major Arcana suit is crowns.

Each of the Minor Arcana suits contains ten cards, with the nine numbered cards affiliated with an alignment. The tenth card of each Minor Arcana suit has no alignment. The fourteen cards of the Major Arcana have no alignment, being innately amoral.

Use
Cards can only be used one and are returned to the Tarokka deck when used.

Unless otherwise noted, cards can only be used during your turn. Spending a card does not take an action.

Cards with an alignment have two powers: one linked to its suit, and the other determined by its alignment. When playing a Tarokka card with an alignment, the player may choose which of the two affiliated powers they wish to employ.

Suits
When playing a card of the given suit, you may choose to gain the listed effect in place of that granted by the card’s alignment.
Swords: Cards of the swords suit modify skills and attacks. If you spend the card before a d20 roll is made, a sword card grants you a +8 luck bonus on any one d20 roll. If used after a roll is made, this bonus is reduced to +4. Alternatively, at any time you can use this card to grant the bonus to another character at the same location. This use grant only half the standard bonus: +4 before the roll, +2 after the roll.
Coins: Cards of the coins suit modify actions. You can spend a coin card to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn. Alternatively, you can spend a coin card on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.
Glyphs: Cards of the glyphs suit modify magic and special abilities. You can spend the card before you use an ability to raise the DC of the ability by 4. If used after the saving throw is made, this bonus is reduced to 2. Alternatively, you can spend a glyph card on your turn to reduce the casting time of a spell by one step.
Stars: Cards of the stars suit modify the use of special abilities. You can spend a star card to gain another use of a special ability or recall a spell you have already cast. This can only be used on spells and abilities that recharge on a daily basis.
Crowns: Cards of the crowns suit manipulate fate and the outcome of events. You may spend a crown card to reroll any one d20 roll you just made. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse. Alternatively, you can play a crown card before rolling to roll two d20s and pick the preferred roll.

Alignments
When playing a card of the given alignment, you may choose to gain the listed effect in place of that granted by the card’s suit.
Lawful Good (1): You may smite evil, as the paladin ability, gaining the benefit until the start of your next turn. If you have levels in paladin greater than half your total Hit Dice, use your paladin level to determine bonus damage; otherwise, your bonus damage equals half your character level, rounded down (minimum 1).
Neutral Good (2): You channel positive energy that cures a creature touched of an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level. This effect damages undead creatures as spells like cure light wounds.
Chaotic Good (3): You receive a +4 circumstance bonus on one CMB check to avoid or escape a grapple or on one Escape Artist check. This can be used at any time.
Lawful Neutral (4): You gain a +10 bonus on any single Sense Motive check. This can be used at any time.
True Neutral (5): You gain insight into the future as the spell augury, using your character level as your caster level. Meditating on the particular action in question requires 10 minutes and does not expend material components.
Chaotic Neutral (6): You gain the effects of rage, as the spell, lasting a duration of 1 round + an additional round for every 3 Hit Dice you possess above the first.
Lawful Evil (7): You can give another creature a command as per the spell. This command can affect undead that are normally immune to mind-affecting effects, but not other creatures that are immune to mind affecting effects. The DC of this command is equal to 10 + your character level.
Neutral Evil (8): You channel negative energy that deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level to a creature touched. This effect heals undead creatures as spells like inflict light wounds.
Chaotic Evil (9): You force any creature to reroll a saving throw it has just made, taking the result of the second roll, even if it is worse. This can be used at any time.

[Jester of the FoS]

I'm thinking each of the cards in the Major Arcana will offer a bonus when used for a certain skill or type of d20 roll. This can be a surprise, held back for the GM's eyes only.

They might also have a unique power, but I'm undecided about that because thinking of that many unique little powers is time consuming. The Carrion Crown adventure path has a half-dozen ideas (related to its cards) but I'd still need something like 8 more.

If anyone has any power or neat little bonus ideas let me know.

[artemis wands]

This is pretty cool. I really like it, and I will be watching this thread for further development.

I've been brainstorming a house-rule Ravenloft system that used only the Tarokka deck. In some ways, it would resemble what you've done here, except that all actions in the game would be resolved by playing from a hand of Tarokka cards.

Basically, it works like this: each suit governs a specific group of actions or abilities -- Swords = physical, Coins = social, Glyphs = magical, and Stars = spiritual. Each card is worth its face value in the given suit, with the ruling card of each suit worth 10 points. Players are dealt a hand, and can play any or all of their cards against a difficultly that's modified by the play of the DM's hand, if he chooses. The catch is that cards are worth their full face value only if they're being used for actions relevant to their suit. Otherwise, they are worth only 1 point.

Character creation would used one of the readings from the Forbidden Lore boxed set to determine background and roleplaying hooks.

The only thing I haven't worked out yet is how the Major Arcana could be used. I had a thought of assigning special bonuses to each of them, or allowing players who draw one to trump one DM action, or call for a reading that could alter the outcome of upcoming events. In a pinch, they could be read as worth 11 points in any suit.

Keep up the good work!

[Jester of the FoS]

Crowns
Each of the cards in the crowns suit have an unique bonus power, it additional to its base bonus of re-rolling a d20. This benefit relates to the type of d20 roll being manipulated.

The benefits of these cards should by a mystery until discovered. Once the unique benefit of a crowns card has been used it does not function again. Alternatively, it gains the power of a random crown card.

The Artifact: If used to affect a Use Magic Device or Disable Device skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Use Magic Device and Disable Device skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Beast: If used to affect an Intimidate skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Broken One: If used to affect a Climb or Swim skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Climb and Swim skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Darklord/ Dark Master: If used to affect a saving throw, all PCs gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws for the rest of the encounter.
The Donjon/ Prison: If used to affect a Knowledge skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Knowledge skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Esper/ Hero: If used to affect a attack roll, all PCs gain a +1 circumstance bonus to attack rolls for the rest of the encounter.
The Ghost/ Spirit: If used to affect a Stealth skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Stealth skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Hangman: If used to affect a Perception skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Horseman: If used to affect an Acrobatics skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Innocent: If used to affect a Diplomacy skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Marionette: If used to affect a Sense Motive skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Sense Motive skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Mists: If used the affect a roll to overcome Spell Resistance, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to rolls against Spell Resistance for the rest of the encounter.
The Raven: If used to affect an Appraise or Fly skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Appraise and Fly skill checks for the rest of the day.
The Temptress: If used to affect a Bluff skill check, all PCs gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff skill checks for the rest of the day.

[Jester of the FoS]

This is pretty cool. I really like it, and I will be watching this thread for further development.

Thanks. One of the advantages of this system is that I have an extra Tarokka deck.
I actually have four decks. One from the Red Box, two from the Black Box, and the drool-worthy release from Sword & Sorcery with Talon art.
The Red Box version has a misprint (the pictures on a couple cards are swapped) but since I have two Black Box sets I can actually hand out the cards for the player's to keep. Actually having a physical reminder of the card will help them remember to actually use the cards & hero points.

I've been brainstorming a house-rule Ravenloft system that used only the Tarokka deck. In some ways, it would resemble what you've done here, except that all actions in the game would be resolved by playing from a hand of Tarokka cards.

Ever hear of the Dragonlance SAGA system? It used a deck of non-collectible cards in place of dice and I believe they did a Ravenloft update for the Tarokka. Let me test my google fu.

Yup. DRAGON #264. "Sagas of Gothic Earth", which adapted the aforementioned system to Ravenloft. I'd check it out for inspiration.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Yup. DRAGON #264. "Sagas of Gothic Earth", which adapted the aforementioned system to Ravenloft. I'd check it out for inspiration.

also:
http://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Saga_of_the_Mists
Dragon 240.

This is all great stuff, by the way. I don't have much to add.