View Full Version : Tarot & role playing
What are your thoughts on tarot based rpgs, or rpgs that use tarot cards in some fasion?
Outside of the context of your question, I wouldn't have
known what an rpgs was... do you have a personal fav?
Vampire; the Masquerade. I have the rules for a tarot based rpg, but haven't played it yet. I found it online.
Do you have any favorites?
I used to play Vampire years ago. We had some friends who lived out in the middle of nowhere, Indiana, so we always had a great time playing outside in high school.
I have seen one or two rpg based tarot decks but haven't looked much into them as I don't play rpgs any more. But I do think it's an interesting idea as long as no one's view of tarot is getting warped. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by that... Are the cards being used with evil intent, casting spells on people or the like? Even then I might not have such a problem with it as long as all the players realize it's just a game and tarot in real life is very different.
Peace,
April
Very funny thing. Some friends of mine and I were once playing Dungeons and Dragons, and he was using an item called the deck of many things, its basically a deck that does a random thing depending on what you drew. So anyway, (We were playing over IRC) he was having cards get drawn then link to a tarot card as a picture (It was a RWS deck for the record) then when an ancestor rising from the dead to aid the party was the card, he stopped and asked me which tarot card was appropriate. I didn't know he knew I used tarot, apparently word had gotten around but he didn't really care. I told him probably the hermit would seem best.
Just a random bit.
-Teranar
mercenary30
10-01-2005, 08:04
RoleMaster from Iron Crown Games has a character class called Tarot Mage. That is what Paul is based on from the story I keep adding to in the Games and Fun forum. As a spell user, this class focuses on the four suit subjects and the two catagories of the tarot deck, majors and minors. It is an enjoyable role to play in that game.
The Mage the Ascencion Tarot Deck was created specifically as an aid to that game an dthe corresponding booklet even states that the deck is not meant to be used for divination (though I use it for just that). The deck is basically used for "what happens next" situations.
The Fradella deck could probably also make a good rpg deck.
ArwenNightstar
07-04-2005, 14:24
The Mage the Ascencion Tarot Deck was created specifically as an aid to that game an dthe corresponding booklet even states that the deck is not meant to be used for divination (though I use it for just that). The deck is basically used for "what happens next" situations.
The Fradella deck could probably also make a good rpg deck.
I don't do RPG any more (can't find the time), but you are so right! The Frank Fradella Adventure Tarot is a perfect one for this!
muteswan
08-04-2005, 19:19
Very funny thing. Some friends of mine and I were once playing Dungeons and Dragons, and he was using an item called the deck of many things, its basically a deck that does a random thing depending on what you drew.
I created my own Deck of Many Things with art paper and coloured contact paper, which has since lost a few cards, but it was a lot of fun.
There's also the non-cursed (and thus, not quite so interesting) Deck of Illusions in D&D, but it just summons illusions, it dosen't decide fates.
The Ravenloft campaign setting for D&D has a native race to the world, the Vistani, which are based off of the Brahm Stoker's style gypsies, and has a whole deck called the Tarokka which is based very heavily off tarot, with different cards. You can actually purchase a tarokka deck from the White Wolf publishing.
Both are excellent, as a Deck of Many Things can cause very interesting changes to a D&D game, granting outrageous power or a fate hard or impossible to overcome without the aid of a deity. Divination in Ravenloft by the Vistana women can also shape a campaign, as the DM can choose to have the reading inspire their plot and the fates they cast for the characters to face.
If that's what you meant, gotta say, D&D does great work of using powerful decks to make an RPG interesting!
muteswan
22-04-2005, 03:02
Wanted to pop back into this thread to make a quick note about my use of tarot in LARP (Live-Action Role Playing).
Surprise surprise, I play a gypsy fortuneteller. Tarot in the Realms, the LARP I participate in of the New England area, is something that's always been around. Now that I have a Visconti deck in the mail, suitable for a fantasy setting for sure, I'm going to use them as they've been used in the past; readings for players OOC, readings for players IC (I've heard those come out rather interestingly) and as a prop for the spell Fortune Tell.
I'm looking forward to how using tarot in a fictional setting will work out.
These are interesting ways to use the very powerful imagery. I somehow suspect the tarot originators never thought of this!
muteswan
22-04-2005, 14:34
Hey, why not use the tarot for games? If I'm not mistaken, that's the heritage of the cards from back in their early development. :D
WooMonkey
08-10-2005, 19:42
The September 1983 issue of Dragon Magazine has an article called "Tarot of Many Things" by Michael J. Lowrey. The author describes outcomes for drawing tarot cards--all 78! It is of course, in the AD&D setting.
:)
Golden Dawn Call of Cthulhu has rules for Tarot use. I haven't done it yet (it's in the pipeline for the near future, when I've finished the 1920's Kingsport campaign!) but I'm looking forward to it. Apparantly you can have a Tarot skill and everything...
I have also used a Deck of Many Things in D&D. It was very fun... we used my Robin Wood deck, and the DM wrote rules for the entire deck. After pulling a card that meant to Rule of Threefold Return applied to my character for the next three game-days, I decided to lay off it though. })
I've also used Tarot to create a campaign I'll be running over the next few weeks. It's a great brainstorming tool, or even a way to think of NPCs!
Kiama
I've got the Tarot Mage the Ascension Game in my collection but purely because I came across this deck some years ago in a shop spezialised in role play stuff so I bought the deck but I never used it for readings.
I am not into role plays but I dress as a witch when I go to Renaissance fairs and stuff like that and as I never leave the house without at least 2 decks (RW and Legend) I don't need a special role play deck.
TaranRavenfrost
12-10-2005, 22:12
This probably doesnt belong here, but just so you guys know, in case you were intruiged by this and wanted to try a roleplaying game out:
Hello
I have recently decided to liquidate my Roleplaying Book collection. These are pen and paper roleplaying books, much like dungeons and dragons. Each of these books range from 15 dollars to 40 dollars (US) if you were to buy them from a store. Most of them are in perfect condition.
This was my main hobby before I found tarot. Basically, the book tells you how to create a character, and gives you the backstory on the types of characters. From then on you become that character in the game, and act like him until the gaming session is over.
I have a HUGE collection of these hardcover books. If you are interested, let me know. You can find more information about roleplaying at:
www.worldofdarkness.com
I would be willing to trade or sell these books for decks or other tarot related books.
I have such a big collection, im not typing them all unless one of you ask me too.
I do have one book that has rules for tarot play, and sections about lucid dreams and rituals for play. Its called "The Book of the Fantastical". Google it. Its by visionary entertainment.
PlatinumDove
13-10-2005, 11:32
I used to have a character in an online RPG that would do Tarot readings, they came out surprisingly accurate for the characters.