Crazy for Cards!

question
#1

Hi, new user here, a few days ago I came across a video from a couple years ago about the index card method for stories/maps, and this was really similar to games I’m running (using zones and whatnot) and I want to say I’m crazy about the cards. While for now I’m not looking to change systems (already having a hard enough time to get people to play something other than D&D), rulesets and maps are still appreciated.

So here’s my question: I want to buy as many of the ICRPG products that contain cards, from all different genres (swords and sorcery, scify, post apocalyptic kitchen sink matrix simulators), over a period of time, I’d like some help choosing which of the books contain the most amount/variety of cards so I can focus on those rather than just adventures or map books or extra rules for invoking Cthulhu or whatevs. So far I think vol1 thru 4 and probably the core are the most obvious, but others probably have a smaller ratio of card to non-card content that would still probably have pretty awesome cards. I’m guessing some have no cards at all or close to none, and I want to avoid those for the time being.

Thanks for the assist!

#2

Other than the card sets, most of the other supplements contain print-and-play assets as opposed to cards. The print and play assets are awesome though, and some of the content comes with cool maps (like Odium and Bearcats). There are other folks on here that are much more knowledgable about the content than I am, so I’m hoping that somebody comes in here and proves me wrong. Also, I’d love to know if there are other creators on here that have made their own card sets…
But I would love to see any cards you create yourself on some index cards or something! If you get some collection going, that would be great.
I’ll give a shameless plug here if you’re interested in maps, there are a couple modular dungeon map packs at daydreamsandtinkering.com :smiley:

#3

Oh I think having print assets other than cards are a bonus, definitely, so even if only about half a book is cards I’m happy. You raise a good point that I also want to see third party content (I came across something called “Moldy Codex” which also apparently contains cards for ICRPG). I’m considering also just printing random clipart from Google to make extra index cards.

I like maps, so I’ll check that one out, just that right now I realized that the Index Cards fit my style of mapping perfectly, I even used blank cards a couple weeks ago and wrote some stuff in them and used them as combat zones in my game. Ones with drawings of things like bridges and statues and stuff would have been really handy…

#4

You want only the card packs and will be good to go. I have used them at my table as a combination with foam boards. I mount them on card stock and insert a tooth pick. Then insert them direct into the foam. I also resize the card art for this purpose to mix up the sizes (a chest vs a tower picture).

It makes for easy objective markers when using a surface for play.

The majority of the other materials are game mechanics. The core book has one of the best GM sections ever written making it worth the purchase. The print and play figure flats - to me - are better than the cards and if that interests you at all, they are the best around. Also obtained with the core book. You also get tokens for VTT play and additional character portrait cards as part of the purchase - you may like those for your style of play.

So maybe get core after you get the cards but in the core folders the portraits are not in a combined PDF — single file giffs - and won’t be as easy to print in bulk.

#5

Are the card packs “vol 1”, “vol 2”? What about the “Magic” book? Preview shows a lot of cards.

#6

Yes – vol 1 - 4 sounds like what you want. All of the books are worth buying (in my opinion) but you were pretty specific in your write-up. The creator is a professional artist as well as a creator of an RPG. His work is evident in all of them but if what you want are ‘cards’ then the card packs are what you want. Magic is an expansion of the core book. If you buy the core book and like what you see, you will see similar art in the expansion but I can’t tell you what you will like. You have to buy it and see for yourself.

#7

Thanks! I’ll focus on the card packs then first, and take a look at the core later when money is less tight.