tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post5464350441396239576..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Cards for GearAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-73425999691479525342008-11-22T22:11:00.000-07:002008-11-22T22:11:00.000-07:00I did something like this for my game. But I drew...I did something like this for my game. But I drew a picture of each item with colored pencils. I'm a horrible drawer but it was a lot of fun. Too much work in the long run. Players also had folders with CCG sleeves (multi-pocket plastic 3hole pages) in them to store all their cool lewts.<BR/><BR/>To handle distribution the cards went into envelopes. Each envelope represented a chest, a body, a table, etc. When a character searched the item/area I gave them the matching envelope. This also helped organizing adventures.<BR/><BR/>But I included other cards besides treasures such as "Gas cloud! roll con save" or "You contract fleas." They really stopped searching Gnolls after getting fleas all the time.<BR/><BR/>Ideas for coins, poker chips, monopoly money. I've not found a solution I like.Norman J. Harman Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319655075997712313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-47359680048878164332008-10-31T07:24:00.000-06:002008-10-31T07:24:00.000-06:00Restless,These are excellent ideas. I gave a call...Restless,<BR/><BR/>These are excellent ideas. I gave a call to a local education bulk outlet, and will have to visit what they have described as their "counting section."<BR/><BR/>Thank you much for the tips.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-69506896914412305172008-10-30T10:24:00.000-06:002008-10-30T10:24:00.000-06:00Sorry for my lateness at returning to this topic, ...Sorry for my lateness at returning to this topic, but I wanted to post about the issue of what to do about money.<BR/><BR/>Foreign coins are actually a good idea. Rather than buying in-circulation coins, google for "coins by the pound." I found <A HREF="http://clearwatercoin.com/clwcoinco/foreigncoinsbythebulkforigncoinsbythepound-c-75_76.html" REL="nofollow">an outfit that charges as low as five dollars a pound if bought in bulk</A> and from what I've read, a pound of coins should be from 80-130 coins depending on size and composition. Similarly, you can search for people selling demonetized foreign coins.<BR/><BR/>Another alternative is to go the educational product market. You can get <A HREF="http://www.eaieducation.com/coins-and-paper-money-in-bulk.html" REL="nofollow">these plastic coins</A> for a reasonable price, less than two cents apiece, which is probably about a third of buying foreign currency. For me they'd be perfect (I like silver standard, so Sacajawea dollars are gold, you have different denominations of silver and pennies are coppers). Bulk wealth could be represented on index cards and for trading and treasure purposes, give them coins.<BR/><BR/>Another alternative I looked at was using glass gems. You can get them online in bulk relatively cheaply, and they different sizes and colors for differing denominations and substances. However, it's not quite the same to me somehow and doesn't solve the counterfeit problem.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and insofar as keeping track of food, ammo, torches, oil, etc., you could use items like <A HREF="http://www.eaieducation.com/530503.html" REL="nofollow">these counting sticks</A> or <A HREF="http://www.eaieducation.com/530841.html" REL="nofollow">these counters.</A> The sticks have the advantage of being cheap and compact and the stacking counters are easy to group and count. Something like <A HREF="http://www.eaieducation.com/530171.html" REL="nofollow">these chips</A> or even <A HREF="cubes" REL="nofollow">these</A> are cheap and would work for what you'd need, all depending on the form factor and the cost you're looking for.<BR/><BR/><BR/><EM>Guess I'll just have to trust my players.</EM><BR/><BR/>I wouldn't go that far! Low expectations lead to less disappointment.Restlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586442439173490257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-37257925340897078192008-10-24T12:28:00.000-06:002008-10-24T12:28:00.000-06:00"I run a very miniatures-heavy game, so figuring o...<I>"I run a very miniatures-heavy game, so figuring out placement when the fight is over shouldn't be too hard. I rule searches as taking place in 5-foot squares, so all I need to do is hand out cards according to what squares the characters are in and to which they are adjacent."</I><BR/><BR/>This is, word-for-word, my exact thought on the subjectAlexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-65106758278479036322008-10-24T11:18:00.000-06:002008-10-24T11:18:00.000-06:00Alexis,I think I'm going to do this, too. It soun...Alexis,<BR/><BR/>I think I'm going to do this, too. It sounds like a laugh-riot.<BR/><BR/>I run a very miniatures-heavy game, so figuring out placement when the fight is over shouldn't be too hard. I rule searches as taking place in 5-foot squares, so all I need to do is hand out cards according to what squares the characters are in and to which they are adjacent.<BR/><BR/>I need to write up some treasure cards!Original_Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521777462227997158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-4646078385467762392008-10-23T17:12:00.000-06:002008-10-23T17:12:00.000-06:00Carl,Out of some sadistic need, I spread them out ...Carl,<BR/><BR/>Out of some sadistic need, I spread them out on the table in front of the party. Was funny!<BR/><BR/>Physical placement of characters in the room: the treasure has to be delivered according to who searches whose body, who is closest to the trunk, who would be within "reach" of a particular item and so on. I'm sure its going to be a big headache.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-24623508653572483502008-10-23T15:30:00.000-06:002008-10-23T15:30:00.000-06:00You state, "the cards were made available to the p...You state, "the cards were made available to the party," but fail to describe this in detail.<BR/><BR/>Did you cast the cards upon the table? Did you place a pile in the middle? How did this go down? I simply MUST know!<BR/><BR/>Also, you state that you, "really will have to distribute my treasure according to the physical placement of characters in the room." Any thoughts on this you'd like to share? Specific examples would be great.<BR/><BR/>I've used card systems in the past. Mostly, I had the cards to the accountant in the party (there's always one) and let them distribute, but I like where you're going with this and I'm very curious to understand what you've done already.<BR/><BR/>Thanks!Original_Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03521777462227997158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-84522217639171952342008-10-22T22:55:00.000-06:002008-10-22T22:55:00.000-06:00Restless,There's nothing that says I can't put mul...Restless,<BR/><BR/>There's nothing that says I can't put multiple items on one card. For example, the baddies the party killed included 48 gnolls of various strengths and powers, including 36 hand axes. I did not use 36 cards for hand axes. I made six singles and three groups of ten. If the party wants to take less, I can scratch out "ten" and write "four" or whatever is necessary. Eventually the cards can be disposed of when they have too many scratchings on them.<BR/><BR/>Just the same, I could write twenty things on one card, then exchange that for cards for items the party doesn't sell when they get to town. Whatever the contents of the card, it can be divided as necessary...as long as the total weight remains correct for whatever is written on the card.<BR/><BR/>As far as coins, that's still a problem. I could use pennies for g.p., nickels for s.p. and dimes for c.p (yes, reversed, as g.p. pile up and c.p. are usually exchanged...we're all well off enough not to make this feasible. Problem is, what's to stop people from bringing their own money to a game?<BR/><BR/>So we're still brainstorming that option. I once tried to get foreign coins, knowing that the exhange rate on foreign currency would make it practical for the necessary piles of coin. Unfortunately, it is illegal by international law to take large amounts of foreign coinage out of a country.<BR/><BR/>But...some sort of option may present itself. I have similar problems with a day's equivalent for food, sling stones, arrows, bolts and so on. Wooden matches would serve very well for arrows or bolts, glass beads for food, actual stones for stones...but again, there's always the counterfeit problem.<BR/><BR/>Guess I'll just have to trust my players.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-34661999387565088352008-10-22T21:16:00.000-06:002008-10-22T21:16:00.000-06:00I am glad that you decided to try this approach an...I am glad that you decided to try this approach and it works so well. I see real benefits in this system.<BR/><BR/>There's one thing I'm really curious about, though. While it sounds like your players only take immediately-identifiable valuables as treasure, those I have had acted much closer to architectural salvage and scrap dealers. What would you do if you have a group that decided that they'd try to take every last item they could find back for salvage, and managed to bring a large number of porters and pack animals to accomplish it? I wouldn't want to have to hand out dozens or hundreds of cards for bronze and iron weapons, creature pelts, every stick of furniture in the place, hand-painted ornate tiles off the floor, etc.<BR/><BR/>Sure, I could have bandits attack them and spoil or steal the cargo, but that doesn't alleviate the need for the three dead trees worth of cards up to that point. I could make the booty identifiable to the locals, so they consider it cursed or taboo and not buy it, but then they can just take it to another town. I could assess taxes on their junkpile... er, treasure back in town that has to be paid in cash and not barter, but they'd just store up a cash reserve to handle it. The constant countermeasures makes me tired even thinking about it, and don't even <EM>try</EM> to get them to change. (They would have been naturals for Hackmaster.)<BR/><BR/>Also, how did you handle coins? Cards, paper currency or another system?Restlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586442439173490257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-81735500734283579512008-10-21T17:52:00.000-06:002008-10-21T17:52:00.000-06:00Holy crap, I love this idea. In fact, I'm thinking...Holy crap, I <I>love</I> this idea. In fact, I'm thinking of even doing character sheets on cards too (ala <A HREF="http://shamsgrog.blogspot.com/2008/05/entourage-approach.html" REL="nofollow">Sham</A>), so that your character would just be a stack of cards that you can add or subtract from. Oh yes, I like this very much...David Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133630988557116729noreply@blogger.com