Blood Bowl Deck (Preferred Categories)

[Evolve To Anarchism]

There's been some talk of reintroducing a deck of cards for BB. I put a bit of work into developing a set of cards that would work using an ordinary deck of cards. I'd like to try to get 4 nice and fluffy categories with at least 10 effects for each suit. I'd like a bit of feed back on my choice of categories.

I came up with 3 categories:
Special Plays: These represent classic trick plays from North American Football (Razzle-Dazzle,On-side Kick, Lightning Blitz, Sleeper Play, Fake Handoff, Pump Fake, Deke, Desperate Block, Hurry Up Offense, Punt, Heroic Leap)
Dirty Tricks: These represent the various forms of skullduggery that BB is famous for (Stolen Playbook, Bribe The Ref, Illegal Substitution, Taunt, Rowdy Fans, Playing Posum, Greased Balls, Heavy Balls, Spiked Balls)
Magic Items: A return to the classic days when magic played a larger role in the game (Magic Helmet, Rabbit's Foot, Magic Sponge, Potion Of Strength, Ring of Teleportation, Boots of Speed, Gloves of Holding, Magic Wand, Ball Magnet)


I was considering but rejected the following categories:
Stadium Upgrades (Pit Trap, Minefields, Trampoline Trap, Rowdy Fans, Friendly Fans): rejected because of too few ideas
Spellcasters: rejected because I think they are worthy of an independant system (on pitch or racial wizards)
Secret Weapons: rejected because there already is an independant system

I'd appreciate some feeback on my choice of categories and suggestions for possible effects. I'd like to steer clear of discussin specific rules as much as possible. The emphasis is on creating and choosing fluffy effects at present.

[narkotic]

I don't know if I'm right but those new cards are supposed to work similar to a 3-tier-handicap table which means that first, there should be 3 categories and second, the categories should be divided according to their impact/strength and not an particualr theme.

[sean newboy]

All 4.

[duff]

Some thoughts for other categories -
Freebooters (you'd need a a table for each race tho)
Counter effects (each card will counter a card within one of it's value, eg
queen of counters would stop a jack, a queen or a king).
The crowd- Include "away fans banned" some of the FF effects and maybe a
riot or two

[GalakStarscraper]

Uh ... guys ... we want the cards to mirror a 3 tier handicap table with scaled effects so that it can be used as an inducement replacement.

Galak

[Evolve To Anarchism]

Uh ... Galak ... we were excited about the return of the fun and suspense that the cards were promised to re-introduce, not mirror a rejected 3 tier handicap table that vocal group grumblers wanted to see included.

I don't mind seeing a 3 tier handicap table introduced as a choice for Inducements. But please don't co-opt an idea that had me (and many others) excited. Cards are perfect for introducing some of the wackier and suspenseful elements back into the game. Personally, I get a little bit more excited about drawing from a thematic deck (Special Plays, Dirty Tricks, Magic Items) than some of the loosely connected tiers. Even the thematic decks could be easily tweaked to create different power levels with Special Plays= 1st tier, Dirty Tricks = 2nd tier, etc. (not my preference, but doable).

I fear that kludging the rejected 3 tier handicap table into a card system will kill the promised inclusion of more fun in BB that a BB deck was supposed to introduce. The table(s) were designed to be used as table, not as cards. They should remain in their original format or given an extensive reworking to fit with their changed format.

I wouldn't be offended if some of the above were put into a revived 3 tier deck (heck I "stole" ideas from all over the place). But if you are going to use a deck format, please take advantage of it's potential to add some suspense into the game.

[Tim]

Hmm, i think the cards should be independent from the inducement system, so you can add them if you want to go for the fun or leave them out if you go for the strategic approach, without losing a way of blancing diffferent TRs.

For that, go for all 4 categories. It also resembles the 4 colors of regular playing cards ... hearts, gems, spades, crosses (?)

I think it should be possible to add more ideas for stadium upgrades: Crowd Fences, Locker Room Upgrades, etc.

[Darkson]

Firstly, Galak's right. My brief is to present a card system based on (but not the same as) the 3-tier system that many (myself included) wanted instead of inducements.

However, I'd like to see a set of cards based on those above. Would JJ ever accept it? No idea, though I didn't think he'd allow the 3-tier in in any form, so I was wrong there. I'd say that if it's well worked out though, he'd print it in the Fanatic mag as the least.