Editing Dogs with Cards


= Dogs Play Cards, Too =
 
A set of rules for playing ''Dogs in the Vineyard'' with a deck of regular playing cards (no Jokers). 

I believe that all the features of Dogs mechanics are represented faithfully, although there are also bits in there that are inspired by what I know of ''The Princes' Kingdom'' as well as the rules for the Dogs variant ''Afraid''.

Note: A drawn-out conflict between two people can use up 20-25 cards. If you have more than three players, you'll probably need two decks. 



http://www.toolboxpro.org/secure/teachers/1330/071002021308_D497~Eight-Dogs-Playing-Cards-Posters.jpg


== Characters ==
 
=== Stats ===

The four Stats are Acuity, Body, Heart, and Will.

'''Acuity and Body'''

These two Stats are about your character's general abilities.
 
''Acuity (Awareness)'' describes how sharp, perceptive, alert, clever, quick, or knowledgeable you are--your mental faculties.

''Body'' determines how big, strong, athletic, healthy, muscular, fit or coordinated you are--your physical faculties.

'''Heart and Will'''

These two Stats are about your character's inner self.

''Heart'' is your warm side. It tells us how compassionate, charming, empathetic, emotionally intelligent, loving, enduring, and courageous you are--how effective your character is when he or she is being gentle, sensitive, patient, or disciplined.

''Will'' is your tough side: your conviction, whether that's ice or fire. It tells us how strong-minded, stubborn, tenacious, or unshakable you are--how effective your character is when he or she is being aggressive, brutal, or staring death in the face.

=== Traits ===

All Traits are either ''regular'', ''troublesome'', or ''strong''. A Trait may also be ''significant'' (as well as regular, troublesome, or strong). Here's how to keep track of that:
 
* Regular traits receive no special marking.
* Troublesome traits receive a "-" mark.
* Strong traits receive a "+" mark.
* Significant traits receive a "*" (asterisk/star) after their name.

Converting from regular Dogs rules: 

* Troublesome Traits are like 1d4 or 2d4 Traits.
* Regular Traits are like 1d6, 2d6, or 1d8 Traits.
* Strong Traits are like 2d8, 1d10, or 2d10 Traits.
* Significant Traits are like Traits that have 3 or 4 dice in them, and they can be of any "size", whether regular, troublesome, or strong. For example, 4d6 is significant, 3d10 is strong and significant, and 4d4 is troublesome and significant.

''Example: Let's say you draw your gun. Draw cards for it normally, but also draw cards as though you brought a troublesome trait into play (for that extra d4).''

If you convert an existing character by the guidelines above, you may need to combine or remove a few Traits: a Dogs character could potentially have twice as many Traits as they should under these rules. You'll have to use your best judgement in those cases.

To make a new character, choose one of the following templates:

=== Well-rounded ===

Distribute 9 points between the four Stats. Put at least one point in each.

You get:

* One troublesome trait
* One regular trait
* One strong trait

And:

* One troublesome relationship
* One regular relationship
* One strong relationship

=== Interesting History ===

Distribute 7 points between the four Stats. Put at least one point in each.

You get:

* One troublesome trait
* One regular trait
* One strong trait
* One significant trait

And:
 
* One troublesome relationship
* One regular relationship
* One significant relationship

=== Belongings ===

All characters can also have belongings. By default, you may start with:
 
* One troublesome (crappy) possession.
* One regular (average) possession.

And either:
 
* One significant (big) possession, or
* One strong (quality) possession.

Or just choose whatever you want, as in Dogs. I find having a default is helpful for first-time players, though.

== Conflicts ==

'''Stats'''
 
When a conflict comes up, draw one card for each Stat point that applies, one for your relevant faculties (Acuity or Body) and one for your inner self (Heart or Will), as follows:

* Talking: Acuity and Heart
* Physical: Body and Heart
* Violence: Body and Will
* Murder: Acuity and Will

''(I can imagine circumstances where the other two combinations might also make sense. For example, a purely "outward" conflict, like an archery contest, could be Acuity + Body. Dealing with a purely internal issue, like struggling with your own sanity, could be Heart + Will. And some instances could have different interpretations: making a speech to get a mob of workers to go on strike might be Acuity + Will, even though it's not murder.  But all this is just thinking outloud.)''

'''Traits'''

Also draw cards for any applicable traits, just as you would add dice in Dogs.

Here's how Traits work (belongings and relationships work the same way):

* For a regular Trait, draw one card. 
* For a troublesome Trait, draw two cards but only keep the worst one. 
* For a strong Trait, draw two cards but only keep the best one. 
* For a Trait that's significant, draw twice as many cards, but follow the same rules as usual (e.g. if it's a regular trait, just draw two cards, but if it's a troublesome Trait, draw four cards and keep the worst two). 

'''Playing the Cards'''
 
Aces are low, face cards are worth 11 points (i.e. a face card beats a Ten).
 
To ''Raise'', push forward one card.

To ''See'', you must match or beat that card's value (also with one card).

You ''Take the Blow'' if you decide to See with two or more cards. Draw that same number of cards from the deck (face down) and set them aside--that's fallout. You'll have a space on your character sheet to leave talking fallout, physical fallout, etc--separate piles for each.

You ''Reverse the Blow'' if you can See with a card double the value of your opponent's Raise. You get to keep that card if you want to use it for your next Raise.

Random factors like improvised tools or equipment are usually just like a regular trait: simply draw one more card. If the tool is something that's not quite right for that purpose, or you are doing something desperate and stupid, treat it like a troublesome trait instead.

== Fallout ==
 
At the bottom of your character sheet, have space for four fallout piles, labelled, and with card ranks listed, like this:

<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Talking</th>
<th>Physical</th>
<th>Fighting</th>
<th>Guns</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4 and up</td>
<td>7 and up</td>
<td>10 and up</td>
<td>Q or K</td>
</tr>
</table>

After the conflict's over:

From each pile, put any cards that are of the rank listed or higher aside, all in one pile on the left. That pile of cards is your Experience pile. 

''So, for example, if you have four Physical fallout cards, any of them that are a 7 or higher go into your Experience pile. (Reminder: Aces are low, so you never put those aside.)''

Take all the remaining cards and combine them in a second pile, on the right. This is your Fallout pile.

'''Experience Pile'''

If you have two or more red cards in your Experience pile, you get Experience.

'''Fallout Pile'''

Take the highest ranked card in your Fallout pile and read its value:

<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Highest Card</th>
<th>Character Is</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jack of Spades</td>
<td>Dying</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9, 10, J</td>
<td>Mortally Wounded</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6, 7, 8</td>
<td>Injured</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3, 4, 5</td>
<td>Long-term fallout</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>A, 1, 2, or none</td>
<td>Short-term fallout</td>
</tr>
</table>

'''Dying''' means you're done.

'''Mortally Injured''' means that you must win a healing conflict against the cards in your fallout pile or die. You also choose 2 options from the Long-term fallout list, below.

'''Injured''' means you must choose 2 Long-term fallout, and you may be in need of medical help: draw one card for each point of Body you have. If you can't match your highest fallout card, you're in need of medical attention!

For a healing conflict, draw the healer's Acuity + your Body vs. all the cards in your fallout pile.
 
''Note: in regular Dogs, you add Demonic Influence to this, too. If healing conflicts feel too easy, add some cards along those lines. The best way would be to treat Demonic Influence as a single Trait (just as it is in regular Dogs, really). Something like this:''

* ''1d10 - regular''
* ''2d10 - strong''
* ''3d10 - significant''
* ''4d10, 5d10 - significant and strong''

'''Long-term fallout''': choose one option from the Long-term fallout list.

'''Short-term fallout''': choose on option from the Short-term fallout list. 

=== Miscellaneous Conflict Stuff ===
 
NPCs and fallout: Remember the option to keep a card for a followup conflict: when an NPC takes fallout we don't really care about, the GM should give their highest fallout card to anyone initiating a followup conflict.

Cutting your losses: if you give, you get to keep your second best card (still on the table) for a followup conflict. (Note: Maybe it should be just your best card?)

== Fallout Options ==
 
=== Experience ===

* add 1 to a Stat
* add a new regular trait or relationship
* add a new troublesome trait or relationship
* add a new belonging
* make a trait significant
* change a trait's type (strong, regular, troublesome)
 
=== Short-term ===

* spend time alone
* treat a trait as troublesome for the next contflict
* subtract one 1 from a Stat for the next conflict
* (maybe "discard your best card in the next contflict" is easier than "-1 to a Stat"?)

=== Long-term ===
 
* subtract 1 from a Stat
* add a new troublesome trait or relationship
* lose a belonging
* make something you already have troublesome (trait, relationship, or belonging)
* make a troublesome trait significant