TTRPGs / Solo RPGs That Use Tarot

[thornapple]

Hi, what do people here think of the TTRPGs/solo RPGs that employ tarot cards? I recently played Anamnesis (a journaling game found on itch.io) and enjoyed how tarot cards were integrated into the gameplay. The author included two ways to interpret the cards (which are used to generate writing prompts/events) which I found to be a fun way to study card meanings on a more regular basis. You can use the traditional meanings, or interpret the card's design/imagery and name as you wish. look

 

This led me to look for more games with similar mechanics, such as Princess With a Cursed Sword.

 

A look into itch.io's Tarot tag under Physical Games shows that there are a lot of indie creators who like to use tarot as an alternative to dice rolling or other random number generators.

[Saturn Celeste]

10 hours ago, thornapple said:

Hi, what do people here think of the TTRPGs/solo RPGs that employ tarot cards?

Such a delicious question!  My son and I do employ tarot and oracle cards in our games!  Currently we are setting up our Fallout TTRPG and no matter the core rules we change games to make them co-op where there is no DM so the cards really can be important.  Because Fallout uses chems, I purchased a cannabis oracle deck that we use when chems are involved in the game.  I also use an erotic deck for sexual situations.  In our medieval game (Goblin Slayer) that began in Greece, I purchased an oracle deck of the Greek Pantheon.  So when we began a new scene, we pulled the oracle card.  That game also used an erotic deck.  He's developing a sex system module that can be used with any game.

 

10 hours ago, thornapple said:

You can use the traditional meanings, or interpret the card's design/imagery and name as you wish. look

This is true.  When it comes to using the erotic decks, I often use them as images or prompt but ironically both of those decks are tarot so I have the option of reading the card as tarot.  The oracle decks are used for their messages on the card.  The Greek oracle I used was powerful when it came to beginning a new scene!  The cannabis deck is just a lot of fun.  In our Fallout game we are including poker chips and playing cards for a certain type of token system we're utilizing.--similar to Savage Worlds.

 

10 hours ago, thornapple said:

A look into itch.io's Tarot tag under Physical Games shows that there are a lot of indie creators who like to use tarot as an alternative to dice rolling or other random number generators.

I used that site for a game purchase but I don't remember what it was exactly.  It might have been for a virtual map, been awhile!  There are more and more solo games out now that incorporate using decks.  That's how our policy of playing co-op began, my son was playing a solo game and needed to work out some problems so I came in with him and that's the only way we play now.  He would spend all week writing up a campaign just with me and I said enough!  We do this together or not at all, it wore him out all that writing.  Now he's on the path of writing his own books based on his solo game and it's going to be awesome but I'm his mom so of course it will!

Edited September 21, 2023 by Saturn Celeste

[thornapple]

On 9/22/2023 at 12:19 AM, Saturn Celeste said:

I used that site for a game purchase but I don't remember what it was exactly.  It might have been for a virtual map, been awhile!  There are more and more solo games out now that incorporate using decks.  That's how our policy of playing co-op began, my son was playing a solo game and needed to work out some problems so I came in with him and that's the only way we play now.  He would spend all week writing up a campaign just with me and I said enough!  We do this together or not at all, it wore him out all that writing.  Now he's on the path of writing his own books based on his solo game and it's going to be awesome but I'm his mom so of course it will!

That sounds really cool! I find that roleplaying games are such a good source of inspiration for writing original stories.

 

You two make your own systems? That sounds fun. If he's ever interested in creating solo RPGs too, he should try sharing them on itch.io or another RPG site. There are a ton of solo games there that make use of more than just dice, it's refreshing to try them in between group campaigns. I'm currently playing Village Witch by Kestrel Eliot, and it's been great so far. It has tables for both playing cards and tarot cards depending on which you have on hand.

 

I think when I'm more knowledgeable about both tarot and RPG game design, I'd like to try making my own solo games. There are a number of SRDs out there that employ the use of tarot that already give a base to start with.

[Saturn Celeste]

48 minutes ago, thornapple said:

I'm currently playing Village Witch by Kestrel Eliot, and it's been great so far. It has tables for both playing cards and tarot cards depending on which you have on hand.

As a solo player, you know the importance of tables!  That sounds like a cute game!  I love how it includes the use of tarot cards.  If you want to delve deeper into solo games, geek gamers has wonderful videos on how to play these games. I also looked up the Princess with the Cursed Sword.  This video is really cool!!!  The way they use the tarot decks is similar to how I use them for some instances also.  I just can't imagine playing a ttrpg without using my cards!

 

I don't make my own games, I just support my son with his work.  Even while writing a co-op game, he keeps the solo player in mind.  The co-op just comes as a part of how  you can play that solo game.  It is so exciting!  We have recently purchased a few books to help with his work.  As for licensing, I think he might go under the creative commons license for dnd.  There is so much to the rpg world that makes playing these games come alive!

 

Please keep me posted on your gameplay, I love to talk tarot and rpgs!  Any other games you come across let me know, I'll look them up!

[Rose Lalonde]

Reviving a thread from last year... I've just gotten a pdf of the Mythic Game Master Emulator so I'll check out the games you mentioned. Thanks for the thread. 🙂 

 

I'm interested in using tarot in place of some table answers and interpreting the results, but I also ordered the Citadel Oracle limited ed., and it includes a campaign called The Spymaster's Gambit, which makes use of the included 2 decks for character creation, npc's and objects. It's meant to be played along with something like the GM Emulator. CosmicLunarSoul has a video of playing through it, but I've only watched the first 15 minutes, because I didn't want to spoiler myself. 

[Saturn Celeste]

On 5/10/2024 at 12:25 AM, Rose Lalonde said:

I also ordered the Citadel Oracle limited

OMG Rose, this is uncanny!!  I just ordered that deck, not the limited one but just the oracle deck from amazon.  My son and I have gone through several games now and always use tarot cards in the game play.  Matter of fact, each game we play has it's own deck.  Even when we play dnd (as co op using mythic) I have the dnd tarot deck although I don't recommend it.  The deck was a disappointment but it works fine with mythic.  We are still using mythic 1. 

 

I am so looking forward to receiving my copy of The Citadel.  I think it will work perfect with mythic!

[Rose Lalonde]

@Saturn Celeste!! Hi, it's been so long since I've spoken with you, and it's great to hear from you. 😄 

I love that you and your son have a great time playing together. The closest I've come to actual dnd is Baldur's Gate, and I know that's not the same. I played it co-op with my husband. We're playing Remnant together now when we have time. But as far as ttrpg, I'm solo. At the moment, I'm playing Ironsworn - very rules light compared to something like dnd, and it's made for solo so no Mythic with this one.  But I've incorporated the Citadel Oracle for NPC creation, and I'm having a blast with that. I just did my first reading with the deck for the circle here, and it seemed easy to read with. I bet you'll enjoy it too, especially for gaming. 

[Morwenna]

I wish I had known about cooperative RPGs when hubby was alive! We could have had fun with that, without needing to wait till we could get with a group.

 

As for Tarot in an RPG, I never thought of that either; but I can see where whole adventures could be devised using the Tarot as either structure or as encounters! Those GMs out there, take note: build some encounters on a card or sequence of cards! (If Xena Warrior Princess could do it, why not us!) 

[peacewing]

Sefirot: Silver Seals, board game

 

Covens of midnight, solo TTRPG

 

The Hidden Isle, TTRPG

 

Liminal https://liminalttrpg.carrd.co/

 

https://divinationrpg.com/

 

https://blinkingbirchgames.itch.io/anamnesis

 

Saturn Celeste mentioned what seems like hundreds of tarot/TTRPG games on itchio: https://itch.io/physical-games/tag-tarot/tag-ttrpg

Edited October 13, 2024 by peacewing

[tarotnottaken]

His Majesty the Worm incorporates tarot cards: https://www.hismajestytheworm.games

[xTheHermitx]

having played DnD since the late 70's, I have definitely included Tarot readings into the game, as well as rune reads. Also have used Tarot cards as Clues in a "riddle trail" that characters had to follow to finish a quest.