NaGaDeMon / RoleVember 2019 - Spread

One of the things I really like about the Malifaux RPG "Through the Breach" is the way characters are generated using a modified five-card tarot spread with poker cards. There was something similar implied in Mage: the Ascension, with sourcebooks gradually adding elements to a more complicated spread, but this was never properly explored in the mechanisms of the game (to my knowledge).

My idea for generating supporting characters in this game about urban magic uses a similar idea, but utilising a full tarot deck for the process.

The five card spread is easiest to use here, and with a full tarot deck at our disposal creates a possible variety of ‭2,533,330,800‬ possible combinations (before modifications for characterisation and integration in the story are applied). Here's the basic idea...

  

I could similarly go back to the concept of the "Hold 'Em NPC Generator", and there will probably be elements of that system in this process because it proved so useful and easy to develop interesting characters on the fly. So with that in mind, I'd have a player select three cards, then distribute them between the categories of "past", "present", and "future", then draw a pair of additional cards in order for the "potential" and the "reason". This gives the opportunity to customised characters to a limited degree.

Attributes in this system use the system of step dice, d4 is low, d6 is average, d8 is good, d10 is great, d12 is the maximum human potential. If we work off the assumption that the average person has an average of d6 across their stats (usually one higher, one lower... d4, d6, d6, d8), then is makes sense for all characters to start with d4s in their stats then use four of the cards to bump up attributes. For this, I'd use the "past", "present", "potential", and "reason" cards, while the "future" card indicates the attribute boost they're working towards. Then I'd link the attribute boosts to the tarot suits.

Wands links to "Mental" attribute, Cups to the "Social" attribute, Swords to the "Physical", and Pentacles to the "Paranormal". Characters get an attribute boost and an ability associated with that attribute. If a character has a major arcana laid into their spread, they would instead gain a skill related to a specific path of magic, and if they have more than major arcana they will have awakened ther innate magical potential to some degree. (Magical potential is unlike attributes in that most people have none, they don't get to roll dice for it. The first level gives you a d2, before moving on to higher dice which have a better chance of making mystical changes to the world).

If I remember correctly, the SNAFU system gives starting characters 15 upgrades, including increased attributes, new abilities, defences, and special advantages. So now I just need to work out how best to tie these into the spread of cards.