The Movement Deck (variant)

By gazgoblin, in Talisman

I like the idea Robin REEVE mentioned in another thread! https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1486049/no-roll-and-move-variant
His idea was:
"use six cards, numbered from 1 to 6.
You draw one randomly in the place of a die roll, then discard it.
Effects on that number are identical to those of an actual die roll (e.g. a "1" triggers the Reaper).
You reshuffle the discard deck when the draw pile is empty.
So you still have randomness, but some predictabilty (more the draw pile is growing small, more you can estimate the number you can draw)"


I tought about it and came up with a bunch of other ideas for this "roll deck" and made one to use it instead to the Movement roll.

At the setup you shuffle the deck and make it available to every player.

If a player has to roll for normal movement in his turn, then he draws 1 card from the movement deck instead (but if he uses for e.g. Steed he rolls 2d6)

The deck is full of interesting takes on movements (like caravans, go to locations, use fate token to go up to 6 spaces etc.)

You can even put in cards to this movement deck like:

-Activate the Reaper, werewolf etc. (then draw another movement card)
-Put a Dragon token to your space then draw another card

The right mix of this movement deck is up to you (and the numbers of expansions you wanna activate through this deck)

But for start I would print out the Movement deck and shuffle the first 36 movement cards then add 6 reaper card to the deck

here is the printable version (ver.1.2) of the cards for the Movement Deck (in PDF format)
Edited by gazgoblin

If I had such a deck I would go slightly different route. Everybody rolls for movement normally, but whenever you're instructed to draw a spell, you may take from travel deck instead. Everyone's limited to 3 travel cards at one time.

If I had such a deck I would go slightly different route. Everybody rolls for movement normally, but whenever you're instructed to draw a spell, you may take from travel deck instead. Everyone's limited to 3 travel cards at one time.

Interesting idea and you can use the terrain deck from Firelands and/or Harbinger if you just wanna make some kind of "teleport deck"

True, but I would make it more interactive. Example card:

Wooland path

Roll 1 against your Craft. If you roll above, move to closes Woods. If you roll equal or less, move to any Woods, Forest or Cursed Glade.

Looks solid :)

One slight change I'd make: Instead of "move to the nearest edge" which sounds odd, may I suggest "move to the nearest corner space".

Reaper, Dragon, Harbinger and Werewolf could use some description.

You have hills and woods, you plan adding other spaces?

Edited by Bludgeon

The cards look very nice indeed! :) One spelling mistake is that you have spelt Strength as Strenght (as I was typing this I just did the same ! :lol: )

Are you planning on using these cards for every movement? or perhaps there could be a mechanic whereby a character has to test say will power to move of their own free will...and if they fail then they are forced to draw from the movement deck....or something along those lines.

Either way looking good buddy :)

Are you planning on using these cards for every movement? or perhaps there could be a mechanic whereby a character has to test say will power to move of their own free will...and if they fail then they are forced to draw from the movement deck....or something along those lines.

Every time you use this deck for normal move (but if you want to use your steed you roll 2d6 instead of drawing from the Movement deck)

There would be only 1 deck (and you shuffle it back if you runs out of it)

Reeves idea was that "you still have randomness, but some predictabilty (more the draw pile is growing small, more you can estimate the number you can draw)"

There would be multiple sets of move 1,2,3,4,5,6 in it.

Lets say 4 set of "d6" means 24 cards with only numbers on it

then add 4 reaper, 4 werewolf cards (if you play them)

then add 1 of each special movement cards or something like that

Need more ideas and some testing of course

Edited by gazgoblin

Looks solid :)

One slight change I'd make: Instead of "move to the nearest edge" which sounds odd, may I suggest "move to the nearest corner space".

Reaper, Dragon, Harbinger and Werewolf could use some description.

You have hills and woods, you plan adding other spaces?

Cornern space sounds better you are right, thanks!

Other cards will come :-)

Reaper, Dragon, Harbinger and Werewolf cards (lets call them Activation cards) missing description because this way you can use houserules on them withouth confusion (for example we use the dragon expansion but we put scale token oon the board on a roll of 6 for movement instead through the crowning process)

BTW this thread should be moved to homebrews.

Prerequisites for hills woods plains and fields make no sense. Not intuitive and different for each card.

Caravan doesn't specify whether you have to spend the gold or just have it.

Edited by Bludgeon

Prerequisites for hills woods plains and fields make no sense. Not intuitive and different for each card.

Caravan doesn't specify whether you have to spend the gold or just have it.

Good catch on the Caravan thank you!

Prequisites are abstract but there is some "logic" in it (for me at least :D )

Forest: gain Craft, Craigs: gain Str, so I tought woods and hills could be around that analogy too

Neutral people goes to the fields making a living and being peaceful

Evil and Good characters goin to the plains to battle each other

something like this...but as always I am open to suggestions :D

Prequisites are abstract but there is some "logic" in it (for me at least :D )

Forest: gain Craft, Craigs: gain Str, so I tought woods and hills could be around that analogy too

Neutral people goes to the fields making a living and being peaceful

Evil and Good characters goin to the plains to battle each other

something like this...but as always I am open to suggestions :D

My suggestion then: make an universal rule that decides which mode is used on a card and apply it to all cards. Instead of logic that makes sense only to you (no offense) you will have cards that are easier to remember and quicker to use.

Prequisites are abstract but there is some "logic" in it (for me at least :D )

Forest: gain Craft, Craigs: gain Str, so I tought woods and hills could be around that analogy too

Neutral people goes to the fields making a living and being peaceful

Evil and Good characters goin to the plains to battle each other

something like this...but as always I am open to suggestions :D

My suggestion then: make an universal rule that decides which mode is used on a card and apply it to all cards. Instead of logic that makes sense only to you (no offense) you will have cards that are easier to remember and quicker to use.

No offense taken :D

I see what you mean and until I come up with that universal rule for that four cards I will leave them as it is now.

Possible rule: If your Craft is 5 or higher. :)

Possible rule: If your Craft is 5 or higher. :)

Yeah...another idea:

Woods: Move to the nearest woods OR if you are on one you can move to any woods

Could be the same to the others

That's elegant, I like it.

Caravan still doesn't say you have to pay.

Change "or you may move" to "or move" on many cards.

Woods plains fields and hills have rather odd language.

Remove ":" after all card names.

Time Card, not Timecard

Should not have movement cards that allow you at pay a gold to move a extra space a-bit OP. better to have the smallest deck you can make. And try to make a draw shuffle into deck ruling but keep the "on a move of 1 move werewolf etc etc" but put it on the "1 movement" card so players can always keep it to remind them to move the special movement characters.

So lets see if you had 3 of all the numbers 1-6 thats 12 cards

then about 2 "shuffle the movement deck with its discard pile cards.

that 20 cards.

That would be good. You need nothing else - not even a pick a number between ?-? should just be all the numbers.

You can do that or say have 12 cards - 2 of all the numbers and say once the 4th card is discarded the discard pile is shuffled into the deck and you all draw anew. That way the numbers can always be random or say you shuffle when you draw the same number as one already discarded. maybe have 18 cards then.. Playtesting will break it up nicely.

Might make a deck like this and test it out at my next Playtesting game.

Should not have movement cards that allow you at pay a gold to move a extra space a-bit OP. better to have the smallest deck you can make. And try to make a draw shuffle into deck ruling but keep the "on a move of 1 move werewolf etc etc" but put it on the "1 movement" card so players can always keep it to remind them to move the special movement characters.

So lets see if you had 3 of all the numbers 1-6 thats 12 cards

then about 2 "shuffle the movement deck with its discard pile cards.

that 20 cards.

That would be good. You need nothing else - not even a pick a number between ?-? should just be all the numbers.

You can do that or say have 12 cards - 2 of all the numbers and say once the 4th card is discarded the discard pile is shuffled into the deck and you all draw anew. That way the numbers can always be random or say you shuffle when you draw the same number as one already discarded. maybe have 18 cards then.. Playtesting will break it up nicely.

Might make a deck like this and test it out at my next Playtesting game.

This is pretty much the original idea from Robin Reeve!

I really liked that idea but could not resist to add other interesting cards to the deck!

After 4 games we really like the Movement Deck

Should not have movement cards that allow you at pay a gold to move a extra space a-bit OP. better to have the smallest deck you can make. And try to make a draw shuffle into deck ruling but keep the "on a move of 1 move werewolf etc etc" but put it on the "1 movement" card so players can always keep it to remind them to move the special movement characters.

So lets see if you had 3 of all the numbers 1-6 thats 12 cards

then about 2 "shuffle the movement deck with its discard pile cards.

that 20 cards.

That would be good. You need nothing else - not even a pick a number between ?-? should just be all the numbers.

You can do that or say have 12 cards - 2 of all the numbers and say once the 4th card is discarded the discard pile is shuffled into the deck and you all draw anew. That way the numbers can always be random or say you shuffle when you draw the same number as one already discarded. maybe have 18 cards then.. Playtesting will break it up nicely.

Might make a deck like this and test it out at my next Playtesting game.

This is pretty much the original idea from Robin Reeve!

I really liked that idea but could not resist to add other interesting cards to the deck!

After 4 games we really like the Movement Deck

Each to the own :) .