A Card Based Fantasy RPG
This is a super simple Fantasy RPG designed for "beer and pretzels" gaming or running with children. It is designed to occupy mostly the same narrative niche as D&D.
The basic mechanics
Players have no character sheet and instead have a small hand of cards. These indicate what they are able to do, magical equipment, or what status effects such as injuries are on them. characters are otherwise assumed to be well prepared for, trained in, and physically suited to the roll they are taking
To accomplish basic actions the players will discribe there intent to the GM. The GM will then state what skill this uses and what their Target Number (TN) is, and the player will roll the dice they have available for that skill, and keep the best die. If that die, plus or minus any modifiers, is equal to or greater than the Target Number, then the character succeeds. If the resulting roll is below the Target Number, then the GM assigns some sort of consequence.
players will also start with a number of special action cards, based on their heritage or profession, in there hand. These can be played instead of taking a basic action, and tend to do something amazing and heroic. Unless otherwise specified on the card, playing it means that the card is used for the rest of the adventure, and should be handed over to the GM for keeping. In general cards which are expended are quite powerful, and should dramatically change the state of play, often solving entire encounters in one action.
The Skills
All players start with a profession card, which indicates how many dice they roll for each skill. The skills names are intended to be fully descriptive, but I have included a bit more description for each below
Animal Handling: Getting animals, or non-intelegent monsters to do things, or guessing what they might do. This includes distracting them, baiting them into eating something, calming them down, or figuring out what their general goal is, or what their next action is.
Conviction: This is used when the primary challenge is emotional or pain related. This is typically used when trying to do something terrifying, or trying to push thru pain, magic, or enchantments.
Climb: In addition to climbing things, this covers balance, contortion, and flexibility related checks.
Deceive: In addition to lying and misdirection, this covers finding the truth behind lies and misdirection.
Intimidate: Making others afraid of you. In many cases this can be used as an alternative to violence with lesser foes to making them flee. It can also often be used as alternative to persuasion.
Jump: This covers all sorts of acrobatics and high speed mobility. Things like catching a rope while falling, or snatching a falling necklace out of the air. This can also be used for a race or chase on foot.
Knowledge: Knowing things. This includes languages, history, how magic works, who specific people are, what magical items and nearly any other question the player might ask. If the players asking for any information about the world that might be found in a book then there is a good chance this is the right skill. It overlaps with Mechanisms, Medicine, and Nature in many cases.
Mechanisms: Dealing with mechanical devices and similar. This might mean activating a mine-car system, or firing a catapult, or activating a complex magical machine. This also includes the physical parts of sailing.
Medicine:
Nature:
Observe:
Persuade:
Pick Locks: Note that many professions do not have access to this skill. This covers Picking locks, escaping from bonds, picking pockets, and covering up evidence that any of that has been done.
Ride:
Stealth:
Survival:
Swim: Swimming, staying afloat, and moving underwater. This also can be used as a skill for holding your breath.
Violence: Attacking others. This covers unarmed, melee, ranged, and magical attacks. Wether you are attempting to wrestle your buddy to the ground without hurting him, shoot an arrow at the zombie, or fire a magic wand at the kobold it's violence. Characters are assumed to be well equipped with both a ranged and close up weapon. The types of weapon can be left to "flavor"
Class Powers
Below find details, clarification, suggestions, and edge cases for all of the profession powers. When a player plays a class power it always means it is used up for the remainder of the session unless the card specifically says otherwise. In general as a GM you should allow nearly any creative use of class powers to work out. They are intended to be very powerful since the are all one use. As a rule of thumb: if it completely defeats an encounter, allow it. If it completely defeats the entire adventure consider preventing it.
Accuse (inquisitor) : Roll deceive to magically accuse a target. They will be presumed guilty by all, even if you are the opponent of all involved. Keep card on failure. This is the inquisitor's signature move, and about the only big move they can pull in combat. It should very reliably be allowed to "flip" one opponent in combat. For instance point out one goblin of five: "He's secretly going to betray you all" and the other four will turn on him. More plausible lies, and a knowledge of the culture allow
Animal Buddy (trapper) : At game start, specify your animal buddy. Play to have your buddy do something incredibly helpful but possible. The animal buddy should not be limited to helping when this card is played, but should be restricted to more basic levels of help, including being ridden, when the card is not played. GMs should be quite generous with the help provided when this card is played. A cat might cross a dungeon and a desert, and lead friends to the rescue. A raccoon might pick a lock. A raccoon cannot smash thru a brick wall, or write a sonnet. If the player opts of "violence" as the help, allow it to fight along side of them thru the adventure, until it is injured or killed by failing a roll. The most deadly animals (Tiger, Elephant, Boa Constrictor, Etc) are a D12 for violence.
Arrow Storm (hunter) : Fire up to 6 shots in sequence: D20→D12→D10→D8→D6→D4. Each die needs a different target. Ignore failure consequences.
Banish or Exorcise (cleric, inquisitor) : Play to make an unholy, undead, or supernaturally evil entity leave forever. This includes demons, ghosts, zombies, but not evil dragons. Any possessing entity, good or evil, can be exorcised.
This ability frequently simply beats an encounter. Don't begrudge the players this! For two classes with few combat abilities this is their chance to shine! This can frequently work on a whole hoard of creatures, such as a hoard of zombies, but will not work on multiple distinct challenges. For instance if faced with 20 skeletons and the vampire lord Nocturn, this card could banish Nocturn or the 20 skeletons, but not both.
Note that the evil entities leave, the are not destroyed. The Vampire Nocturn might be banished from his own castle Duskmorn never to return, but this does not mean that his plan drive the world into eternal darkness is foiled, and he may well take a hostage or precious artifact with him as he leaves.
In general Undead and full Demons can be banished. Half Demons such as Tieflings, and evil faires might be mildly affected based on a conviction roll. This is a "negotiate with the GM situation".
Any form of full mind control, including the sorcerers "possession" can be broken by this, and the possessor will also be compelled to leave.
Become Bird (druid) : Play to transform into any bird until you are killed, you choose to revert, or the scene ends. Injuries heal upon reverting. You retain your mind but likely can't speak.
As a GM feel pretty free to "kill" the player for failed consequences as it just causes a reversion. Scene ending usually can be thought of as "after combat rounds are ended and there is a change of venue". If there was no combat then the party as a whole changing venue is usually enough to trigger a scene change.
For players fishing for maximum combat effectiveness a "terror bird" is probably a great option. These flightless apex predators from the cenozoic can use a D12 for violence.
Become Mammal (druid) : Play to transform into any mammal until you are killed, you choose to revert, or the scene ends. Injuries heal upon reverting. You retain your mind but likely can't speak.
Become Reptile (druid) : Play to transform into any reptile, including dinosaurs until you are killed, you choose to revert, or the scene ends. Injuries heal upon reverting. You retain your mind but likely can't speak.
Blademaster (fighter) : After you fail a Violence roll, play to turn it into a guaranteed success.
Note that a lot of what makes this strong is that you can play it after failing your violence roll, so it doesn't get spent as readily. Also note that this may very well mean doing a mortal wound to a dragon.
Bless (cleric) : Make a person, place, or thing you touch holy. The target cannot be cursed or possessed. Unholy and undead creatures cannot willingly touch it, and openly fear it.
Divination (wizard) : Play to ask one question to the GM and receive a detailed, high-quality, non-cryptic answer. GM may decline if it would ruin the adventure, but you keep the card.
Elemental Blast (erer) : Play to shoot a stream of any 'element' from your fingers, automatically succeeding at a Violence check. Options include fire, lightning, acid, water, moonlight, gravity, etc.
Enchanting Performance (performer) : Play to perform music that inspires an overwhelming emotion of your choice in those who hear it. Options include Compassion, Exhaustion, Paranoia, and Fear.
This is a soft mind control option. At the very least it's a sleep spell. Curiosity can probably get you questioned instead of killed.
Frenzy (berzerker): For the rest of the scene roll a D20 in addition to your other violence dice.
Greater Restoration (cleric) : Play to heal one person you touch of ALL afflictions, both natural and supernatural, including death.
Grow or Shrink (wizard) : Play to change the size of anything you touch, affecting its strength and weight. You can dismiss this effect at any time.
This is an encounter ender fairly reliably. GM's should make sure that you give big bosses at least one "Resistance" card, or have more than one big boss. Or that your big boss can still fight effectively while tiny, as some magical threats can.
A pro move with this ability is to bring a jar with a lid. If you miniaturize a non-intelegent monster, you can later throw it and dismiss the effect to cause havoc with other opponents, assuming you can stay out of the creatures sights.
This can also be used to make someone giant, which can potentially raise their violence die to a D12 (not a D20 because much of what they gain in strength they loose in finess)
Hidden Truths (inquisitor) : After failing a Knowledge, Observation or Deception roll, play this to turn it into an automatic success.
Holy Smite (paladin) : Automatically succeed on one violence roll. This attack is infused with holy energy that allows it to wound anything regardless of immunities.
Illusion (performer) : Create a visual and auditory illusion for 10 minutes, It can move, but cannot be touched, tasted, or smelled. It can disguise someone or make them invisible
Know a Guy (performer, rogue) : Play to encounter someone you know who is willing and able to help with your current challenge.
Leadership (fighter) : Play after making any check. Allies may make the same check using your results
Magical Herbs (trapper) : Apply an herb to cure all injuries, ailments, enchantments, and curses but not psychological issues, or death.
Master Thief (rogue) : Play to steal anything, from pickpocketing to complex heists. GM may allow this to be used as a retcon, or decline if it would ruin the adventure.
Perfect Shot (fighter, hunter) : Play to make any shot with a ranged weapon. This can auto-succeed a Violence check or perform incredible trick shots.
Poison (trapper) : Play to use a plant poison. Deliver via food, weapon, or contact. Choose effect: sleep, poor judgment, illness, paralysis, or death.
Possession (erer) : Look into a person or creatures's eyes and roll persuade to take possession of their body while you fall asleep. Keep card on failure.
Radiance (paladin) : Play to take on an aura of faith. For the rest of the scene allies who can see you are immune to fear, possession, curses, and enchantments.
Restoration (paladin) : Heal one person you touch of all physical and psychological issues, wounds, fear, or poisons, but not possession, curses, or death.
Silent Stalker (hunter) : After you fail a Stealth, Survival, or Swim roll play to turn it into a success, or Play to track anything until you catch up with it
Smash (berzerker) : Play to break one object up to 10x your size. This includes smashing through doors and walls, or bursting out of chains.
Telekinesis or Fly (erer) : Play to move an object you can see with your mind, including yourself or willing person for flight. Once chosen, you can't switch objects. Effect lasts until the end of the scene.
Teleport (wizard) : Play to move yourself and anything or anyone you're touching to any place you've been before or can see.
Throw (berzerker) : Play to hurl an object or person up to 10x your weight up to 500 feet, with moderate accuracy.
Wind in the Trees (rogue) : After you fail a Stealth or Climb roll, play to turn it into a guaranteed success.