I recently played a game where a large portion of them playing was them gambling. They played cards with some people, and even tried to get some gold off a kid skipping rocks by betting.
I haven't played much, so don't know all of the rules, which also includes gambling. I've had them role a d20, and then they can call or roll again. They can roll up to 3 times. Once one person calls, all people gambling must add up their numbers rolled and whoever has the highest wins. It wasn't a very good system, so I was wondering if WotC released a way to have characters play card games, considering it is an item you can have. If not, then how do you run it? Do you just flip a coin to see who wins? Any help will be appreciated.
Two keys points for gambling. First, can the outcome be altered by the gamblers without cheating? Second, is anyone cheating?
If the outcome can't be altered without cheating and no one's cheating (roulette for example) then just determine the outcome randomly. If the gamblers are able to change the outcome, (poker) it's a skill check; use the appropriate ability (usually int or cha)and if they are proficient in those tools, add their proficiency bonus. Make it an opposed roll if its something like poker or a DC (probably in the 12-15 range) if its something like blackjack.
If people are cheating, it will usually be sleight of hand versus passive perception, automatically winning on a success or giving advantage on the skill check, depending on the game and method of cheating.
If you prefer, you can make a minigame out of it, but then the gambling is based on the players' stats instead of the characters'.
3d10 + the proficiency bonus of the opposing player (if applicable) is a good DC. For luck, just roll. For cheating, Sleight of Hand verses Passive Perception is good, and maybe if the opposing player thinks that you are cheating, make a Perception roll and pick the highest out of Passive Perception and the roll.
After, like, level 3, you're getting enough money that nobody can afford to gamble with you anymore. Or they can, but it doesn't matter to you who wins anymore. So the gambling system you use only needs to fill a pretty small range of play.
There's a bunch of gaming sets a character can be proficient with. I would suggest dice are Charisma (maybe?), chess is Intelligence, cards are Wisdom, and I don't know what three dragon ante even is, so let's call it Strength for laughs. Or whatever feels appropriate to you for them. Contested checks are your friend. A bluff would be Deception against Insight, pure skill would be the chosen ability plus proficiency with the game, and cheating would usually be Sleight of Hand against Perception.
Xanathar's Guide has a table of things that might happen if a player keeps gambling for a while. This is nice because statistically speaking a PC is going to win more often than they lose if they're proficient. I would abstract the actual games. Or I would simply play them in full. Don't fall in the middle, that's my opinion. That's boring and repetitious.
The players in one of my FR campaign frequently gamble using dice game such as Baldur's Bone.
Baldur's Bones: Baldur's Bones is a popular dice game in the taverns of Baldur's Gate. Each player requires several six-sided dice. The rules are as follows:
• Each player puts the agreed ante in the pot.
• Each player rolls three dice. Play then proceeds clockwise around the table, with the host of the game going last.
• On their turn, a player can choose to "stand .. or "roll." If the player stands, the next player can take a turn. A player who rolls takes an additional die and rolls it. If the total of their dice exceeds 21, they "bust" and are out of the game. Otherwise they can keep rolling additional dice until they either stand or break.
• After everyone has had a turn, the highest point total (excluding players who busted) wins the game and takes the pot.
Gambling is a tricky one, for me the key is to keep it as simple as possible; D&D is firstly a roleplaying game, not a gambling simulator, and the more rolling you have the players do, the more you'd be better off just actually playing poker or dice or whatever. Though if you want to play an actual dice game that can work well enough with the tools at hand (Plaguescarred's example is a really good one).
Otherwise with simplicity in mind you usually want to boil it down into some relevant skill check(s), which will depend a lot on the game. For example, in poker a big part of the skill comes from hiding your reactions and bluffing your opponents, so Deception vs. passive Insight is a nice and easy way to represent that, or Sleight of Hand vs. passive Perception if your player would prefer to cheat. A game like blackjack however is more about your ability to weigh the odds of going bust, and the need to continue (the chance of being beaten by the dealer) so you might use Intelligence, or maybe Investigation since that's often used as a general "problem solving" check.
The next thing to consider is how many rounds of rolling are required; are you representing just a quick game for fun, or to make a little money, or are they gambling for a protracted period with some goal in mind (win more, get someone's attention etc.)? In the latter case you probably want a few rolls so you can average out their success over time.
In terms of reward I find the best way to handle it is to work out the roll(s) you need, then make up a quick table of winnings. To do this you pick an size of dice representing the stake (maybe allow the player to choose, but limited by the opponent(s) willingness to bet higher), then pick an increment. If your roll is above your opponent's you win, if below you lose, and same roll is a draw (nobody wins or loses any money). For ever 5 above or below you increase the winnings. So for example, if you set a stake of d6 and an increment of 2, then if you beat your opponent by 1-4 you gain 2d6 gp, 5-9 you gain 4d6, 10-14 you gain 6d6 etc., and the same in negative for losses. If you want to keep it really simple, agree a wager with your player, i.e- between their character and their opponent(s), and the make roll simply win/lose/draw.
For general gambling, you want to make sure that it's not so lucrative that the players have no incentive to go adventuring (and risk their actual lives); I'd aim for a maximum of half as lucrative as a quest, but with the risk of losing money instead.
Alternatively, for a simple downtime activity you might just follow the DMG rules for carousing; this makes the outcome pretty random, though you could let them add an appropriate modifier, and then the player can describe what they do on the basis of the result.
Something I've done when someone wants to quickly represent gambling without taking the time to play a full separate minigame is have the player choose which skill they would utilize in the game... whether it's their insight to read their opponent, sleight of hand to cheat, deception to bluff, etc. If they have proficiency with the particular game, then they can use that instead. Then the opponent does a similar check with whatever skill they specialize in. Then take the difference between the two numbers and either add or subtract 10x the value in GP from the player. So let's say the player rolls a 19 in deception and the opponent rolls a 16 in insight... the player wins 30 gp which represents the two of them going back and forth in the game for however much period of time, and is just what they have by the end.
That said... in more roleplay focused interactions or scenes with higher stakes, I usually play an actual game. I've done something similar to Charles the Plant where we essentially just played cards using dice rolls, although we went for more Poker.
To me, the gambling isn't the point of the event: it's just part of the roleplay description. The gambling shouldn't be the game event at the table, but rather the background that informs what the real reason for that encounter is. Set a simple gaming set contest with the other players, maybe a Perception vs Stealth to detect cheating (unless the whole point is that you want them to learn the NPC is a cheater, in which case just let them catch him with no roll) and get back to the actual RPG.
If people want to get the thrill of gambling, then take a break from D&D and actually gamble. Just like if poker playing friends want to roleplay a clever attempt to use the card game to suss out where one of the players hid their money, they should actually stop playing cards and play an RPG.
The stakes for winning or losing should be relatively inconsequential unless you have some serious plot reason to have them matter. I can't easily think of a plot reason that would matter that I couldn't achieve by some other roleplaying events. Need them to get a lot of cash or some mcguffin? Probably dozens of ways to make that happen. Need to have them lose a lot of money or an item? It's most likely a bad idea, but you have tons of ways as a GM to make that happen.
One approach is to create your own card game rules, just like you did with the d20 system. If you're feeling creative, you could even design your own unique card game for your players to play. Another option is to just wing it and use a random element, like a coin flip, to determine the outcome of the game. It's simple, quick, and takes the pressure off of you to come up with intricate rules. If you're looking for some inspiration, free spins $1 deposit canada is a popular online gambling destination that offers a wide variety of games, including card games. Just don't get too caught up in the real-life gambling aspect, this is still just a tabletop game after all.
I run gambling primarily as a social skill contest. Although sleight of hand is relevant for cheaters, of course.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Whenever players want to gamble, I always play a modified version of 21/blackjack but with dice. Players place their bets, roll 2d10, and then 1d10 for each additional round of betting to see who can get closest to 21 without going over. It's simple, fun, and works basically the same as actual gambling.
If I was playing in person (which I unfortunately don't get to do often), I might also just get out a deck of cards and actually play blackjack.
Wizards of the Coast hasn't released specific rules for character card games, but you can get creative. Consider using contested skill checks, like Sleight of Hand or Deception, to simulate bluffing or card skills. Also, you could incorporate a simple dice game. As for a twist, have you ever thought about integrating online slot games into the storyline? They add a unique dimension and could be a fun diversion in your campaign.
Wizards of the Coast hasn't released specific rules for character card games, but you can get creative. Consider using contested skill checks, like Sleight of Hand or Deception, to simulate bluffing or card skills. Also, you could incorporate a simple dice game.
I recently played a game where a large portion of them playing was them gambling. They played cards with some people, and even tried to get some gold off a kid skipping rocks by betting.
I haven't played much, so don't know all of the rules, which also includes gambling. I've had them role a d20, and then they can call or roll again. They can roll up to 3 times. Once one person calls, all people gambling must add up their numbers rolled and whoever has the highest wins. It wasn't a very good system, so I was wondering if WotC released a way to have characters play card games, considering it is an item you can have. If not, then how do you run it? Do you just flip a coin to see who wins? Any help will be appreciated.
Two keys points for gambling. First, can the outcome be altered by the gamblers without cheating? Second, is anyone cheating?
If the outcome can't be altered without cheating and no one's cheating (roulette for example) then just determine the outcome randomly. If the gamblers are able to change the outcome, (poker) it's a skill check; use the appropriate ability (usually int or cha)and if they are proficient in those tools, add their proficiency bonus. Make it an opposed roll if its something like poker or a DC (probably in the 12-15 range) if its something like blackjack.
If people are cheating, it will usually be sleight of hand versus passive perception, automatically winning on a success or giving advantage on the skill check, depending on the game and method of cheating.
If you prefer, you can make a minigame out of it, but then the gambling is based on the players' stats instead of the characters'.
Nice!
i don't...it's so difficult to shuffle while on the move.
__________
other than that, there's a section in XGE - i'd just customize for the specific game.
there's also some complications - caught cheating, revenge by a loser, etc.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
3d10 + the proficiency bonus of the opposing player (if applicable) is a good DC. For luck, just roll. For cheating, Sleight of Hand verses Passive Perception is good, and maybe if the opposing player thinks that you are cheating, make a Perception roll and pick the highest out of Passive Perception and the roll.
Hope that makes sense!!!
After, like, level 3, you're getting enough money that nobody can afford to gamble with you anymore. Or they can, but it doesn't matter to you who wins anymore. So the gambling system you use only needs to fill a pretty small range of play.
There's a bunch of gaming sets a character can be proficient with. I would suggest dice are Charisma (maybe?), chess is Intelligence, cards are Wisdom, and I don't know what three dragon ante even is, so let's call it Strength for laughs. Or whatever feels appropriate to you for them. Contested checks are your friend. A bluff would be Deception against Insight, pure skill would be the chosen ability plus proficiency with the game, and cheating would usually be Sleight of Hand against Perception.
Xanathar's Guide has a table of things that might happen if a player keeps gambling for a while. This is nice because statistically speaking a PC is going to win more often than they lose if they're proficient. I would abstract the actual games. Or I would simply play them in full. Don't fall in the middle, that's my opinion. That's boring and repetitious.
The players in one of my FR campaign frequently gamble using dice game such as Baldur's Bone.
Gambling is a tricky one, for me the key is to keep it as simple as possible; D&D is firstly a roleplaying game, not a gambling simulator, and the more rolling you have the players do, the more you'd be better off just actually playing poker or dice or whatever. Though if you want to play an actual dice game that can work well enough with the tools at hand (Plaguescarred's example is a really good one).
Otherwise with simplicity in mind you usually want to boil it down into some relevant skill check(s), which will depend a lot on the game. For example, in poker a big part of the skill comes from hiding your reactions and bluffing your opponents, so Deception vs. passive Insight is a nice and easy way to represent that, or Sleight of Hand vs. passive Perception if your player would prefer to cheat. A game like blackjack however is more about your ability to weigh the odds of going bust, and the need to continue (the chance of being beaten by the dealer) so you might use Intelligence, or maybe Investigation since that's often used as a general "problem solving" check.
The next thing to consider is how many rounds of rolling are required; are you representing just a quick game for fun, or to make a little money, or are they gambling for a protracted period with some goal in mind (win more, get someone's attention etc.)? In the latter case you probably want a few rolls so you can average out their success over time.
In terms of reward I find the best way to handle it is to work out the roll(s) you need, then make up a quick table of winnings. To do this you pick an size of dice representing the stake (maybe allow the player to choose, but limited by the opponent(s) willingness to bet higher), then pick an increment. If your roll is above your opponent's you win, if below you lose, and same roll is a draw (nobody wins or loses any money). For ever 5 above or below you increase the winnings. So for example, if you set a stake of d6 and an increment of 2, then if you beat your opponent by 1-4 you gain 2d6 gp, 5-9 you gain 4d6, 10-14 you gain 6d6 etc., and the same in negative for losses. If you want to keep it really simple, agree a wager with your player, i.e- between their character and their opponent(s), and the make roll simply win/lose/draw.
For general gambling, you want to make sure that it's not so lucrative that the players have no incentive to go adventuring (and risk their actual lives); I'd aim for a maximum of half as lucrative as a quest, but with the risk of losing money instead.
Alternatively, for a simple downtime activity you might just follow the DMG rules for carousing; this makes the outcome pretty random, though you could let them add an appropriate modifier, and then the player can describe what they do on the basis of the result.
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I always just play black jack but with dice, with people going around rolling d10's as high as they can without going over 21, see who gets closest.
Something I've done when someone wants to quickly represent gambling without taking the time to play a full separate minigame is have the player choose which skill they would utilize in the game... whether it's their insight to read their opponent, sleight of hand to cheat, deception to bluff, etc. If they have proficiency with the particular game, then they can use that instead. Then the opponent does a similar check with whatever skill they specialize in. Then take the difference between the two numbers and either add or subtract 10x the value in GP from the player. So let's say the player rolls a 19 in deception and the opponent rolls a 16 in insight... the player wins 30 gp which represents the two of them going back and forth in the game for however much period of time, and is just what they have by the end.
That said... in more roleplay focused interactions or scenes with higher stakes, I usually play an actual game. I've done something similar to Charles the Plant where we essentially just played cards using dice rolls, although we went for more Poker.
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To me, the gambling isn't the point of the event: it's just part of the roleplay description. The gambling shouldn't be the game event at the table, but rather the background that informs what the real reason for that encounter is. Set a simple gaming set contest with the other players, maybe a Perception vs Stealth to detect cheating (unless the whole point is that you want them to learn the NPC is a cheater, in which case just let them catch him with no roll) and get back to the actual RPG.
If people want to get the thrill of gambling, then take a break from D&D and actually gamble. Just like if poker playing friends want to roleplay a clever attempt to use the card game to suss out where one of the players hid their money, they should actually stop playing cards and play an RPG.
The stakes for winning or losing should be relatively inconsequential unless you have some serious plot reason to have them matter. I can't easily think of a plot reason that would matter that I couldn't achieve by some other roleplaying events. Need them to get a lot of cash or some mcguffin? Probably dozens of ways to make that happen. Need to have them lose a lot of money or an item? It's most likely a bad idea, but you have tons of ways as a GM to make that happen.
One approach is to create your own card game rules, just like you did with the d20 system. If you're feeling creative, you could even design your own unique card game for your players to play.
Another option is to just wing it and use a random element, like a coin flip, to determine the outcome of the game. It's simple, quick, and takes the pressure off of you to come up with intricate rules. If you're looking for some inspiration, free spins $1 deposit canada is a popular online gambling destination that offers a wide variety of games, including card games. Just don't get too caught up in the real-life gambling aspect, this is still just a tabletop game after all.
I run gambling primarily as a social skill contest. Although sleight of hand is relevant for cheaters, of course.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Whenever players want to gamble, I always play a modified version of 21/blackjack but with dice. Players place their bets, roll 2d10, and then 1d10 for each additional round of betting to see who can get closest to 21 without going over. It's simple, fun, and works basically the same as actual gambling.
If I was playing in person (which I unfortunately don't get to do often), I might also just get out a deck of cards and actually play blackjack.
Balance strategy, betting, and narration for an engaging experience that enriches your campaign.
Wizards of the Coast hasn't released specific rules for character card games, but you can get creative. Consider using contested skill checks, like Sleight of Hand or Deception, to simulate bluffing or card skills. Also, you could incorporate a simple dice game. As for a twist, have you ever thought about integrating online slot games into the storyline? They add a unique dimension and could be a fun diversion in your campaign.
WOTC did release optional rules for gamblingin Downtime Revisited - Xanathar's Guide to Everything - Sources - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) that could serve as inspiration.