Editing User:Bill/Malifaux Roleplaying (section)

==Suits==
Tying the core mechanic and the stats to the powers possessed by each character, Malifaux uses the suits of the cards to add another layer of complexity to the resolution system. Many abilities, triggers, and spells require a specific suit or suits to be present in the final total of the flip. This has the effect of reducing the odds of success dramatically without cheating fate. It can be somewhat mitigated by including one or more suits in a character's stats. For example, a character may activate a power that does not require any particular suit will be successful as long as the player can flip a card with a face value high enough to meet the challenge. If the ability requires one suit, the character can fullfil this requirement either by flipping a card with that suit on it or by having the suit included in the appropriate stat. When an ability or spell requires two suits to be present in the total, it essentially requires that one of the suits be attached to the stat.

While not made explicit in the text of the wargame, the mechanics seem to imply that the association of a suit to a stat or type of attack represents a supernatural enhancement or some form of extraordinary training. Similarly from the suits' associations with factions I see the implication of broad areas of influence which may be used as a guide to the creation of new powers.

{| width=100%
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| Rams || Hearts || The Guild || Direct attacks, force, control
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| Crows || Spades || Ressurectionists || Death & decay
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| Masks || Diamonds || Neverborn || Illusions, mind control, primal power
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| Tomes || Clubs || Arcanists || Knowledge, magic, enhancement
|}