The House is on fire: or how I learned to start loving the location cards

[keltheos 120]

Don't get me wrong. At first I loved the idea of the location cards. They were slick ways to get players a very fast description of a particular location (dur) and assign some fast special rules to that location.

Then I put them into practice and started relying on them to tell too much of the story and the game began to feel cookie-cutter. oh look, another (insert loc card) that's identical to the last.

I sat back and wondered why this was the case. Then I realized I was doing it wrong.

Instead of tying myself to the location descriptions I needed to use the special rules in interesting ways.

Example (And this is used elsewhere): the burning building could just as well be a sinking ship or catacombs filling with water. The 'fire damage' is 'drowning' damage and instead of the building collapsing the whatever has sunk/filled/etc.

Done and done. A creative new way to use the rule given but not tied to the specific location.

Busy marketplace? Could it also be a very cluttered warehouse/room/etc? Or even a minor avalanche to move through?

I put together a quick reference of the rules each location card comes with and keep it handy when working on adventures. It doesn't list the location description, just the rules with the card name next to them. That way, I don't feel tied to making the Hag Tree or Magnus' Tower be just that each time we play.

 

Anyone else feel the same or have some creative applications of their Location cards? 

[valvorik 271]

Not nearly to degree you have (congrats on that) but I have done something like say "dilapidated shrine's divine aid on comet applies in the temple relic chamber too", simply writting (drawing comet) the effect on an index card and putting it on table (a bit more legible to everyone than the standard location cards).

I completely agree that you can take the mechanical effect of a location and "reskin" the description (maybe adjust mechanical mildly) to handle other  environments.  I do that with monsters.

Rob

[Emirikol 436]

That's a really keen way to describe it.

 

Jay

[ffgfan 0]

Interesting idea Keltheos. And as, Emirikol said, a very nice describtion of how to use then in a little diferent way.

[shinma 0]

 I've made a few location cards out of the descriptions some of my players have come up with.

As a point of note it's clear the creators have similar ideas to you.  There are a number of cards that have the same 'rules' just different fluff - much like you are using (same rules, different scenario).  So you can easily index card  a 'location' and put the rule under it.  You lack some snazzy sepia artwork, but I think you're definitely onto something awesome (or on the right track in the very least).

[keltheos 120]

 I'll compile a list of the assorted 'alt uses' for some of the cards and post here. I think it's one of those lightbulb moments I've had in the recent weeks that has reignited my excitement for the system (not that it had gone out, but we'd cut down on our playing time) and hopefully will carry through to my players. 

@Valvorik, reskinned sounds perfect. 

[Grimandperilous 0]

Sounds great Keltheos. I'm a big fan of the location cards too. An idea I had recently was to let the players have their own location cards (gave a player the Merchant Caravan card to represent his caravan) or to let them design their own ones (to represent their houses, for example).