TEXT: The Dragon Citadel Tarokka 
  Deck Game
  A game for three or more players.
  Designed for use with the Gale Force Nine 
  54-card adventure supplement: 
  D&D Curse of Strahd Tarokka Deck
  
  06/03/2019
  Dragon Citadel Card Game - Google Docs
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SExDt1jcioihaoUxRkb5txowYCuhV7RTKiT_XcX5McI/edit
  1/3
   
  The Dragon Citadel Tarokka Deck Card Game 
  Rules for three or more D&D adventurers.  Game time: allow 10 minutes. 
  Equipment: D&D Curse of Strahd Tarokka Deck published by Gale Force Nine (2016). 
  Author: Richard Hayward, 15 January 2019.  Updated 6 March 2019. 
  Lore
  Lore 
  The Dragon Citadel is a city that lies at the centre of a land divided into four kingdoms.
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
  The city is governed by all of the four kings who keep one peace for all their peoples. Yet
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  peace is not eternal, the powers that bring us together can also divide us. The Crowns
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  represent the Dragon Citadel, while the four suits represent the four kings. 
   
  Description
  Description 
  A game of cards for three or more adventurers. In a Table Top Role Playing Game (TTRPG)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
  setting such as  Dungeons and Dragons , the DM plays the role of the dealer and the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  players work together in a  cooperative game .
  There are also rules provided for
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  competitive game  play.   Dungeons and Dragons  rules are not required for this game. 
   
  Turn of Play
  Turn of Play 
  1.
  Shuffle the Tarokka Deck and deal each player five cards. Each player places
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  their cards face up in a  cooperative game . In a  competitive game players may
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  keep their cards hidden. 
  2.
  The dealer plays a single card in the centre of the table with a number or with a
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
     
  symbol (a hero card) from one of the four suits (star, swords, glyph or coin), or a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  Crown card. 
  3.
  One card is played from any one player’s hand to try to win the round.
  In a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  cooperative game , the players decide which of them is to play the card.
  In a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  competitive game , the players bid to play the highest card, and only the highest
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  card is played, the rest of the cards are retained by the remaining players. 
  4.
  To win a round the party must play a card of the same suit that outranks the
   
     
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dealer’s card played. A hero card counts as the highest ranking card of that suit.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Crown card may be played as a wild card or “trump suit” that outranks other
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  cards. The cards played during that round by the dealer and players are collected
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  by the player of the winning card. Crown cards from a winning round are placed
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  face up in front of the player and can be used in a Crown card round. 
  5.
  If a card of the same suit but lower value is played, the round is lost, but there is no
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
     
   
   
     
   
  penalty.  The cards are placed in the discard pile. 
  6.
  If a card of the same suit or a Crown card from a player’s hand cannot be played,
     
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
  then one player will forfeit their game (see Forfeit rules below). The dealer’s card
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  is placed in the discard pile. An open Crown card may be played to avoid forfeit
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  but the round is lost including the Crown card. 
  7.
  If a hero card is played, then all players must play a card from that suit or a crown
     
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
     
   
  card.
  If all players successfully complete this task, the round is won, and the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  cards (except for any Crown cards) are awarded to the player with the highest
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  06/03/2019
  Dragon Citadel Card Game - Google Docs
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SExDt1jcioihaoUxRkb5txowYCuhV7RTKiT_XcX5McI/edit
  2/3
  card from the suit. If this is unsuccessful, then the cards are placed in the discard
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  pile, and one player will forfeit their game (see Forfeit rules below). 
  8.
  At the end of the round players collect one card from the deck to return the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  number of cards in their hand to five cards. If this exhausts the deck, the game is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  over. If the game is being played to “win”, the party has won this game against the
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dealer. 
  9.
  If a Crown card is played by the dealer, one crown card or hero card must be
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  played by each player. These cards can be played from the crown cards already
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  played (more than one of these can be played, and they be played on another
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  player’s behalf), or from a player’s hand, but no more than one card from each
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  player’s hand.  These cards are all discarded.  Forfeit rules apply. 
   
  Joker
  Joker 
  The Seer card is the joker, if a player chooses to play it, the game ends and the current
   
   
   
   
   
       
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  round is discarded.  If it is played by the dealer, it is returned to the bottom of the deck. 
   
  In the Dragan Citadel campaign the Seer is a powerful and mysterious NPC. In your own
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  campaign, choose a joker from the Crown cards in the deck that matches an NPC, deity or
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  historical figure  in your plotline. 
   
  Forfeit
  Forfeit 
  A player unable to play a card in a hero or crown round will forfeit their game. If no
   
   
   
   
     
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  players are able to play a matching card then each must play a card from their hand, and
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
  the player with the lowest ranked card forfeits. It’s ok to lose a round by playing a lower
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
     
   
  ranked card of the same suit.  No more than one player can forfeit each round. 
   
  Ending the Game
  Ending the Game 
  The game ends when all players are forfeited, or when the deck is exhausted. A forfeited
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
  player retains the cards from winning rounds to calculate the score at the end of the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  game.  The game ends if the Seer card is played by a player. 
   
  Winning the Game
  Winning the Game 
  In the  cooperative game , players aim to survive the game: 
  ●
  If the deck is exhausted then the party has won.   
  ●
  If all players forfeit their game, the dealer has won.   
  The more players that join the game, the harder it is for the dealer to win. A minimum of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  three players is needed to give the party a good chance of winning. In the  competitive
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  game , the last surviving player wins, or the highest score if there is a tie. 
   
  Scoring the Game
  Scoring the Game 
  Each player calculates the score for each suit by adding the numbered cards for that suit,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and by counting the hero cards for each suit. A score for each suit includes a total score
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
  and the number of hero cards.
  Finally a score for the number of Crown cards is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  calculated. Scores can be used to determine the individual champion, to settle bets, or to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  divide treasure. 
  
  06/03/2019
  Dragon Citadel Card Game - Google Docs
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SExDt1jcioihaoUxRkb5txowYCuhV7RTKiT_XcX5McI/edit
  3/3
  The Dragon Citadel Tarokka Deck Card Game 
   
  Player Score Sheet
  Player Score Sheet 
  Each player may complete one score sheet per game. 
   
  SUIT 
  Total score of 
  Numbered Cards 
  Reward Rolls 
  Number of Hero 
  Cards 
  Swords 
   
   
   
  Stars 
   
   
   
  Glyphs 
   
   
   
  Coins 
   
   
   
  Crowns 
   
   
   
   
  Rewards (example)
  Rewards (example) 
  In this example, a party of D&D adventurers have met an NPC benefactor, who is willing to 
  assist the party in equipping for their next adventure.  The loot to be provided to the party is 
  determined by their performance in a game of cards, and each player tries to get the 
  highest score.  This can be competitive for individual gain, or the players can redistribute 
  the items after they receive them.  The NPC in this case is a powerful enchanter, and has a 
  number of magic items to give to the party, but only if they earn it first! 
   
  One roll per suit according to the total score for each suit by counting numbered cards. 
  Hero card per suit = an additional roll on the same table as indicated by the score. 
  Number of crown cards = a single roll on the row of that value. 
   
  Row 
  Score 
  Rolls on the magic item table 
  Rolls on Individual Treasure tables 
  1 
  1-15 
  1 roll table A 
  1 roll on the Challenge 0-4 table. 
  2 
  16-25 
  1 roll table B 
  1 roll on the Challenge 5-10 table. 
  3 
  26 -35 
  1 roll table C 
  2 rolls on the Challenge 5-10 table. 
  4 
  36-45 
  1 roll table D 
  1 roll on the Challenge 11-16 table. 
   
  Refer to pages 144-145 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for rolls on the magic item tables. 
   
  Alternatively, choose the column for Individual Treasure, see page 136 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. 
   
  Thanks to playtesters at Kay Jays Games and Hobbies Cafe: Matt, Nicholas, and Josh. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/The Dragon Citadel Tarokka Deck Card Game.pdf