When I created the Vrahode Game System, I knew that cards would play a big role in the experience. No other option offers the variety of outcomes that robust card decks can.
Sure, you can have a lot of big tables where you roll to find out what happens. But that experience isn’t ideal. Don’t get me wrong, tables can be fun for certain things, like recovering loot from enemies, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. We’re talking about card decks.
The Many Card Decks of Vrahode
From the start, you’ll select a Hero Deck or Custom Hero Deck. Then you will grab your starting gear from the Basic Items Deck and select your skills from one or more of the Skill Decks (Body, Spirit, Mind, Focus, or Presence). As you embark on your adventures, you’ll draw from the Overland Exploration Deck and, if you’re lucky, find items from the Basic Items Deck.
Things may get dangerous and you’ll need to draw cards from the Enemies Deck and possibly the Enemy Behaviors Deck. After battles, you’ll want to rest, drawing cards from the Overland Rest Deck until you’re healed and rejuvenated. The Overland Exploration Deck may also lead you to the Underlands where you’ll access a whole new set of decks.
If you choose to travel by sea, you’ll draw from the Ocean Exploration Deck. Eventually, you’ll find yourself wandering into the Underlands and will draw from the Underland Exploration Deck. After leaving a room or cavern, you’ll need to draw from the Echoing Hallways Deck, where you may find other dangers. After battling enemies from the Underlands, you’ll want to draw from the Underland Rest Deck. Some of the best treasures are found in the Underlands. These include items from the Treasured Items Deck or even rarer items that you can craft from the Quest & Crafted Items Deck.
As dangers mount in the world of Vrahode, you’ll hopefully find allies to help you, which you can draw from the Allies Deck. And you’ll better hope you find them before you’re forced to face something from the Legendary Creatures Deck, where things go from bad to worse.
How Cards Support The Story
Cards are a critical part of the Vrahode Game System experience. Each expansion adds, changes, and modifies that experience further. But don’t think that cards are our only storytelling device. We have three novels’ worth of story to enthrall even the most skeptical adventurer in the core box alone. The cards are there to support the story and make it easy to remain in the game world, even if players decide to take the fateful “left turn” that every game master dreads.
With the Vrahode Game System, you don’t need a game master unless you just want to play the role of all the enemies. We designed the game to play well in various modes and difficulties, so your adventures are rich, satisfying, and scaled to the number of players and the style of play they enjoy most. The biggest problem you may face with the Vrahode Game System is getting everybody to agree on what that style of play should be.
Rest assured that with all those card decks, your adventures with be filled with unpredictable enemies, devious dungeons, useful items, dangerous travels through exotic lands. With the cards, you will sail across vast oceans and summon heroic allies. With so much that can happen in the world of Vrahode, you may just decide to stay a while!