I want to use some gambling checks that include 'cheating' and a chance for the opponent to spot the cheating. Either for card or dice games.

Basically, I want to play out the 'Mistaken Identity' part where the players play cards with a cheater.

Any suggestions?

Yeah, we've had a gambling session in our game and iirc we decided that you would use Intelligence checks with either Intuition, Guile, Education, Intimidation, or Charm skill levels to reflect how you were playing: normally, deceitful, playing the odds, macho bluffing, or friendly.

A simple Observation vs Guile opposed check would work for spotting the cheating, but load up the cheater with A/C/E, I would say, otherwise, he'd be stabbed to death already by now.

Skullduggery (Agility) for sleight of hand tricks (cheating with dice / cards, etc.) opposed by Observation or Intuition (both Int).

For a simple game, I suggest allowing each player to roll 2D6 and add their INT score. If anyone is cheating, simply give them a + modifier, like 2D6+INT+4.

In "Rough Night at Three Feathers" update, with Glimbrin Oddsocks, I used this in a card game (like Poker) where bluffing etc. matters, below results also consisdered time to play as it tied the PC up and prevented other encounters etc. in a "clock is ticking" scenario.

A competitive Guile (Fel) check with the winner being whoever generates more successes. Characters are considered to perform “one success better” when compared to a character with fewer total boons in the competitive check. In a tie, each competitor takes 1 Stress and game continues.

Each player must pay 1 sp (or other denomination relevant to stakes at table) per success they were beaten by to each other player who scored more successes (a tie is 1 sp) - e.g. if three players are 1, 4 and 5 successes - player #1 pays 3 silver and 4 silver to #2 and #3, player #2 pays 1 silver to #5 (thus player 1 loses 7 silver, player 2 is up 2 silver, player 3 is up 5 silver).

A round of cards takes 20 minutes, ties extend time by 10 minutes. A “delay” result on dice adds another 10 minutes (per player rolling delay).

Skulduggery can be used in parallel if trying to cheat: 1 success adds 1 success, 3 successes adds 2 successes, boons are treated as Guile boons – however it is opposed by Observation and on a failure the cheating is detected. Banes cause stress normally.

- Note, I used a Competitive check since, among other things, it allows mutliple contestants in same contest all against all, whereas other "opposed tests" don't work so well for "all versus all" situations like races with more than 2 runners etc.

Rob

Illustrious said:

2D6 ?!?

Cwell2101 said:

Yeah, of course. Skulduggery, not Guile.

monkeylite said:

Your suggestions are great, i would use them for a gambler that tries to win without physicaly cheating in fact. Guile and Charm are good tools to any gambler to get an edge (think poker and the panel of attitudes you can adopt around a table).

Int based are for the mechanics of a game (odds and the like) and noticing things, Fellowship based are for the psychological/influencing game. WP would be the mental fortitude of the player, resisting "tilt" either form lack of luck odd wise, or/and the opponent(s)'s constant pressure / verbal abuse / whatever

One of the characters in my game is a chronic gambler. The way we have been running it is drawing 3 cards from a real deck, high card wins. You can get more cards through skill checks or by buying 1 for a fortune point (being lucky).

It's worked well so far.

As a member of the reknowned N.M.O.C. organization, I proudly say No More Observation Checks. Playing cards or dices is a tricky game that requires Fel, so i would use opposed FEL+Guile. For some strategy games, I might consider to roll Guile+INT instead.

Observation must not be that Uber-skill it would become. If we roll Observation anytime to progress in the adventure, why should we even roll it ? Is it a condition to be allowed to go on in the game ?... Any way you see my point about it.

In my games I changed the skills distinction between Observation and Intuition :

• Use Observation when characters are actively searching for something in a room, or are extremely vigilants... And in that case, reduce their speed if they are walking.
• Use Intuition not to detect deception, but to detect anything with the character' senses that is around : a sound, a smell, something to see.

That distinction Observation/active and Intuition/Passive works very well, is verrry easy to rule and make Observation less important.

But please N.M.O.C.

Opposed by Intuition sounds right, as it is the person you are trying to read and not the actual numbers on the cards.