Looking for a Playing Card Based RPG

[The Green Adam]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a RPG whose system is primarily based on the use of standard playing cards or, in a pinch, playing cards and normal D6's.

I'm preparing to run a rather oddball wild west game and would love to use cards to keep the western atmosphere. I also would prefer to use something rules-lite as I am not a fan of hardcore, crunchy mechanics.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
AD
Barking Alien

 

[RangerWickett]

Deadlands sounds like a pretty good start. You have playing cards for character creation and spellcasting, though it uses dice for its main gameplay mechanics.

Deadlands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jaerdaph]

vs. Monsters, by Ronin Arts. There's a free edition and a deluxe version for sale.

I love this game. There's a Wild West version sold by Ronin Arts called vs. Outlaws as well.

There's also a fan made fantasy version called vs. Elves out there somewhere.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, Savage Worlds (Deadlands: Reloaded specifically, which is a setting for Savage Worlds now; Horror Western).

Aces & Eights (pure Western) also comes to mind.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Adammar]

The old deadlands is probably one of the best for atmosphere. Cards and Pokerchips though it still uses dice. Castle Falkenstein is pretty good also but would need a bit of work to get it to modern western.

 

[scourger]

I personally really like Savage Worlds, which uses cards for initiative with dice for task resolution and chips for fate points. It is a derivative of the original Deadlands, which used cards for character generation, initiative and magic effects (I think).

But the game you're describing really sounds like Dust Devils:

Dust Devils - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

a Western game with cards & poker hands for event resolution. If you use it, post a note here and let us know how it works.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

While the other replies are very well suited for an Western game, one simply has to add Castle Falkenstein.

 

[TheNovaLord]

Duty and Honour, is all card based

ok its early 1800's setting, but has great mechanics and fab setting

 

[maddman75]

All Flesh Must Be Eaten has rules for using playing cards rather than d10s. IIRC, everyone gets a hand of 5 cards, and instead of rolling you play a card. The card's value (10 for face cards) is what you have 'rolled'. You can't roll without a good reason, and you have to use all five before you get a new hand. So you'll have to use that 2 somewhere.

Its pretty easy to adapt AFMBE to whatever setting, and they have an old west setting - Fistful o' Zombies. It can be pretty rules light if you don't use the optional rules and keep things simple.

 

[The Green Adam]

Thanks All!

Still toying around with the options and I really appreciate the ideas given here. I am especially intrigued by those games that are rules-lite and that I was less than familiar with like Dust Devils (heard of it but didn't really know anything about it) and vs. Outlaws (brand new to me - Thanks!). Unfortunately the latter is sold out - Arrggh!

Hmm...All Flesh with cards eh? Curious indeed...

AD
Barking Alien