Fantasy Core RPG--With a Deck of Cards, Part 2

Card Based Fantasy Core RPG
(c) 2012 Jerry Harris

Combat:
Attack and defense are simultaneous, except for Surprise and Sniping. It doesn't matter who draws first.

Importantly, reshuffle the deck after each Combat Encounter.

Time:
A Round is a complete exchange of attacks by the combatants. An Encounter is a completed Combat where one side is incapacitated or flees the battle. Rest may be taken afterwards so that various stats can be recovered.

Surprise:
If one side is caught by surprise, they are Disadvantaged (as explained below) for a Round.

Sniping:
This kind of attack refers to either a ranged weapon attack or a ranged magic attack, where the attacker is not under direct attack. The combatant making the ranged attack does not suffer any damage if they lose the Round, however they may not use Fate for their attack.

Ranged Combat:
If sides are firing at each other, either with a ranged weapon or ranged magic, it is as a normal combat Round and Fate may be used.

A combatant can't engage in Ranged combat (weapon or magic) if another combatant is engaging them in melee combat.

Asymmetrical Combat/Swarmed:
If attacking more than one opponent or being attacked by more than one opponent, only a single Draw is made by the singular combatant. The other side draws individually to try and beat that single Draw. (Any use of Fate is made after everyone has Drawn once.) A combatant fighting more than 3 attackers is at a Disadvantage (as explained below) to the extra attackers. There can be up to 6 attackers on one defender. Note that any win over multiple opponents counts as winning the Round in terms of a Combat Loss.

Disadvantaged:
If a combatant is surprised, fleeing, disarmed, facing more than three attackers, or under the effects of some trap or magic, they are easier to attack or cause more damage.

Minor Opponent-Can be attacked without losing anything.

Character-Heart damage on any successful attack. 2 Hearts, if Heart damage is called for by the Draw.

Major Opponent-Heart damage on any successful attack. 2 Hearts, if Heart damage is called for by the Draw.

Trump:
A player may keep an Ace or Joker from a Combat Draw (and only a Draw in Combat) and elect to use another Draw, or Fate, or even take a loss. The Trump can then be played at anytime within the game session by the player (but not carried over to another session). Only one Trump may be kept per player. The DM may not take a Trump.

Opponents:
Includes anything from monsters to mastermind villains. They come in two categories.

Minor Opponents are simply common Orcs, cultists, and other various cannon fodder. They may have special abilities and attacks, but are always taken out by a single Combat loss. (But there can be exceptions, such as a Troll that rises again after 1 round, unless attacked with fire or acid.)

Major Opponents should be NPC villains (the ones with names) or special monsters with personalities (like Dragons). They may also have special abilities and attacks, but in addition, they have 2 or more Heart (up to 8 for human-sized, up to 16 for large creatures) and may have Fate (up to 5).

Combat Losses:
The losing side in direct Combat Draw takes some kind of loss. If the loss calls for losing something that the combatant is out of, move to the next item on the list. Certain skills, magic weapons, and special attacks may specify certain types of losses, which should be used instead of this general table.

Minor Opponents are Dropped by any loss.

Characters:
Loss to a # card Absorbed by Armor (if worn)
    Or mark off a Fate or a Magic or a Heart (in that order)

Loss to a Face card or two # losses in a row to the same opponent(s)
   Mark off a Heart or Draw on the Consequence Table
   (Player's choice)

Loss to an Ace or Joker
Mark off a Heart and a Fate (or 2 Hearts if out of Fate)

Major Opponents:
Loss to a # card- Absorbed by Armor (if present)
   Or mark off a Fate or a Magic or a Heart (in that order)

Loss to a Face card or two # losses in a row to the same opponent(s)
   Mark off a Heart

Loss to an Ace or Joker
   Mark off a Heart and a Fate (or 2 Hearts if out of Fate)

Consequence Table:
Draw 1 card. Fate may not be used.

- Heart or Joker-Lose 1 Heart + 1 Fate (Or 2 Hearts if out of Fate)
- Diamond-Lose Armor or 1 Magic/1 Backstab
- Club-Lose Weapon (Disadvantaged until recovered)
- Spade-Lose Wealth and Inventory

If the loss calls for losing something that the combatant is out of, move to the next item up on the list.
Recovery:
After an Encounter is over and the Characters have Rested, they recover all lost Heart, Magic, Backstabs, and Turns. (Cleric Resurrects do not refresh until the next session.) Major Opponents also recover their Fate and any other special abilities.

Saving Throws:
Characters and Major Opponents are allowed to Draw on the Suit Table (see below) if the attack effect of any failed combat Round is either immediate death or 5 or more Heart damage. This includes attacks such as poison, paralysis, petrifaction, dragon's breath, and Lethal Magic.

Death:
Occurs at 0 Heart. Players may narrate their own deaths and shout out or whisper any
prepared Death speeches.

Resurrect:
A Cleric (or other improbable mystic means) may restore a dead character that is reasonably intact. This is only good for up to a day after their death.

Cheating Death:
A Character about to lose their last Heart, and lacking any apparent chance of immediate Resurrection, may take a Drop. The Character retains a Heart, but is incapacitated for the rest of the Encounter and for 1 hour afterward. If the entire Group is knocked out or a Character is left behind, they are at their foes' (and the DM's) mercy. A Major Opponent may take a Drop as well.

Part 1
Part 3