Deck of many things

I'm tempted to insert this into campaign as the source of the villain's wealth, but also worried about the possible consequences of the PCs actually using it.
Is it really as campaign-wrecking as memes say?

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>is it really as campaign-wrecking as the memes say?
Yes, unless you're lucky, because some characters benefit enormously from it while others get killed, or permanently fucked over such that they should retire, all based on dumb luck. Even if it doesn't do anything catastrophic I hate the tone it sets, it's basically if Teehee Maccaroni was a magic item.

>Is it really as campaign-wrecking as memes say?
Yes, it is. Look over the effects and think about the consequences of each one.

If the players know anything about the deck they should know that it's not worth the risk and should stay the fuck away. You could put it in your game unless you're worried about your PC party being dumb, which they probably are.

There's a reason why I request "All the cards minus one" when a new GM brings the deck out.

Depends on your draws, obviously, but we've had a few characters draw in my group - most players are level 5, but one is level 11 and another level 14 thanks to "sun". The DM is having a tough time designing encounters that are both challenging but manageable.

Even if you removed all the 'bad' cards, you'll get some wild imbalance in your party depending on what good stuff they get.

MAYBE, maybe, if you had the whole party draw as a group and they all got the same benefits/drawbacks it could work, but when you introduce that level of variability between players it's rough to maintain any idea of traditional balance afterward.

Two different cards say, "congrats, you have to go make a new character now."

TWO OF THEM

If you're prepared for one or more of your players to die instantly, go the fuck for it.

my party encountered "the dealer"
some mysterious dealer of fate showed sitting in some hyperbolic time cave let everyone int he party draw 5 different cards from a random assortment of 5 different decks
our DM even brought playing cards so we didnt have to roll
keep in mind if the effect didnt immediately happen we had no idea

my trickster rogue ran up and drew 4 cards
>nerve dmg -5 to touch checks but immune to stun and pain
>high lvl angel is coming for me
>nighttime for 2 years
>a cult forms in your honor
half orc fighter went next and drew 5
>+5 Maul
>a large inherited keep
>every female now shares a language males cannot understand (we decided on "valleygirl")
>high lvl demon has a grudge (DM made it occupy his keep)
>unknown (DM told me his new +5 maul has a chance to turn to dust)
then went our sorceress who drew 7 (pulled 2 cards than let her draw more)
>has to speak in rhymes or get hit by a magic missile
>has a special power than can erase any event in history from ever happening once
>learns she now has a rich uncle who will do anything for her
>draw 2
>turns into a werewolf on full moons (oops its always night and a full moon)
>draw
>unknown
next our wizard drew 5 but i honestly only remember 1
>turns into the last beast he saw (it was a fucking white dragon we fought to get in this room)
our lizardman dino druid drew 3
>lol 10,000 xp
>a high lvl angel is out to get him
>unknown
our cleric was asked to draw but declined saying "nah this is pagan fuckery"
before exiting i tried to use mage hand to take the deck but only managed to pull one more, still dont know what it is

This can all be fixed by making your own deck of many things, to be honest. It might take some time, sure, but it's worth it because you can make it more a part of your games universe if you're into that.

I am deeply autistic so I bought myself a deck of tarot cards with some amazing, detailed designs so there's a lot more to draw inspiration from than just a guy standing in a field with seven swords.
So I got pic related, and said:
XXI Universe
"As you look at the card, your vision darkens. From the empty and eternal blackness, you see small shimmers appear, as if looking at the night sky. You can feel the shimmers all around you, surrounding you and stretching off into the vast infinity. One of these shimmers begins to brighten, glowing a hazy blue, as you feel it move towards you. You know it has travelled a distance incomprehendible to you, but it arrives in mere moments. This shimmer is now a great firey ball, and from the fires flies a great, two-headed eagle, with a wingspan big enough to blot out the sky. He looks down to you, and you can feel the very magic contained within the beast even through the vision. You see it land, perched on the great fires in the depths of the black expanse, and it smiles at you. You feel it telling you that it is your servant, though not with words. It allows you to cast it's wish spell 1d4 times, before it shall be released back upon the firey sphere from whence it came"

I dunno, I just think it's more interesting than just saying "oh yeah you draw a card so you can get a wish"

motherfucker, I SPECIFICALLY rotated you before sending

Rolled 6, 19, 10 = 35 (3d22)

I know everything about the deck and would draw three cards in a heartbeat. Because I want to live a little.

In fact I'm going to do that right now.

dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Deck_of_Many_Things

d22, re-roll any repeats.

Rolled 2, 9 = 11 (2d22)

6: The Flames. Enmity between you and an outsider.

19: The Talons. All magic items you possess disappear permanently.

10: The Jester. Gain 10,000 XP or two more draws from the deck.

I'm going to go for the two more draws.

Rolled 22 (1d22)

2: The Comet: Defeat the next monster you meet to gain one level.

9: The Idiot. Lose Intelligence (permanent drain). You may draw again.

And so I will!

22: The Void. Body functions, but soul is trapped elsewhere.

That was fun.

Rolled 15 (1d22)

>Is it really as campaign-wrecking as memes say?

Lets play a little game. Roll 1d22 and think of the last character you played.
Just after defeating a major threat your character draws that card. What happens?

People should chime in with their campaigns to give a OP a better idea of this item.

Don't have any henchman or support yet because level, so I'm using another party member.

So after having murdered the goblin pope either the spellblade or the ranger turn on me, be it for money or because they have suddenly found religion. We're a party of three and stuck in the middle of nowhere, with a growing army of insane pseudo-dragons about to break into our reality.
At least one character is gonna die. Maybe it's a straight fight, maybe the have to flee and don't make it to safety. The player is gonna be pissed and has to wait for about an hour until we at a place where another adventurer could join. The two other members are in dangerous territory missing a crucial member and maybe also injured.
So instead catching a break after a long-ass stretch of combat we're fighting for our survival again, but just generally much slower because our synergy is gone. Sounds fun.

Everyone point and laugh at this noob

Your fancy deck looks like pleb shit for people who don't get the symbolism of the Rider-Waite.

Rolled 2 (1d22)

>Comet - Defeat the next monster you meet to gain one level.
Reasonable.

Rolled 6 (1d22)

Here we go again

>Flames - Enmity between you and an outsider.
Oh boy.
I can handle it, I think.

>play 5e in Athas where weird shit happens everytime someone uses magic
>druid uses magic
>eyes turn into snakes that grant wishes
>wish for a deck of many things
>fuck the campaign over
>leave after that session because my character got voided and I didn't want to make another one

Rolled a 3 (Donjon)

>After escaping a cultist jail cell, and getting reinforcements, I suddenly find myself in one of the jail cells that I busted open.

Is that how it'd work?

Depends, you've got the lesser Deck of Many things, the Deck of Many things the EXTENDED Deck of Many things, the Fucking Orcus-made Undead jester that has a (su) that let's it use the deck of many things freely without penalty and draw any card it wants from it, the 4e stuff on the Deck of many things, the Deck of Portals and the Deck of illusions.

>Is it really as campaign-wrecking as memes say?
Yes, you can easily gain 5 levels from one good draw.