I'm trying to figure out which action cards a character has access to.

I currently believe that a character by default has access to any action cards except for pet, spell, blessing, or creature action cards (or action cards that explicitly list a requirement). With the right career or other requirements, a character can access those cards, with the exception of creature action cards, which a character may never choose when selecting a new action card. How far off am I?

Also, is the only way to tell if an action card is a creature action card whether or not it has a conservative and a reckless side (and even that has exceptions)? How else would you be able to tell creature action cards from character action cards?

The names and descriptions on the cards are there to add flavor, dramatic flair and conceptual context. From my point of view they are not intended to restrict our game with a iron bands.

Compare Troll-Feller Strike and Shrug it off.

Both have descriptions of Slayer. So you may want to restrict these to characters that are in or have completed a Slayer career. But when you read further, Shrug it off does say that it is usable when 'Toughness 4+, must possess the Troll Slayer Career ability card', so game mechanically you must have the Troll slayer career ability card, if you have left the Troll slayer career and didn't complete the career you would loose access to this action card. Troll-Feller Strike on the other hand says 'Melee weapon equipped, engaged with target, you must be outnumbered or facing a physically larger opponent', so game mechanically you could pick this card up and use it even if your character has never been and never will be a slayer. Character wise, would this card fit nicely with a wondering White Lion of Chrace? Rename the card and off you go, just image your players faces when they pick a fight with those High Elves and the one clad in white animal furs drops that on them... hehe CHOP.

The only restrictions are those written on the cards themselves and what as GM you feels is reasonable for the game or character.

Wombat006 said:

I'm not sure this actually answers my question. I know most keywords don't have a restriction associated with them -- slayer is not a restriction. However, "Pet" does have a restriction associated with it -- explicitly stated in the Adventurer's Toolkit. Similarly, it is my belief that spells and blessings can't just be picked up, nor can creature abilities. However, I'm not certain if that is all true, or if there are other exceptions.

For example, I don't think characters can simply buy creature action cards, but I can't find that in the rules.

Also, I don't believe a troll slayer can buy bright order spells (or a mage can mix spells), but I can't find proof of that in the rules.

I know the restriction from the pet keyword is from the Adventurer's Toolkit.

In general, I'd like to know comprehensively what the resrictions are that aren't on the cards explicitly.

This is addressed on page 9 of the FAQ:

" The Adventurer’s Toolkit introduces several new traits that interact with similar traits in a much more direct way than some of the traits found in the core set. However, these traits are not restrictions unless a rule indicates otherwise.

For example, while a Sword Master of Hoeth will likely gain the greatest benefit from cards with the Way of the Sword trait – and thematically they are best-suited for that career –action cards with the Way of the Sword trait are not mechanically restricted to only Sword Masters of Hoeth.

By contrast, the Pet trait is a restriction/requirement, as the rules presented in the Adventurer’s Toolkit clearly define and establish guidelines for the Pet trait: action cards with the Pet trait require an active pet, such as the Small But Vicious Dog.

If the GM chooses and feels it is more appropriate to the setting and his campaign, he is welcome to establish some guidelines or restrictions to use certain traits as requirements as he sees fit. "

So, aside from the Pet trait (and any future specifically restricted traits), the traits place no restrictions on the Action Card bearing them. However, taking a Spell Action Card without the ability to Channel Power is pretty pointless (but, could make for some interesting roleplaying).

As for Wizards mixing spells, sure they can. There are numerous examples of Human Wizards attempting to go beyond the strictures of Teclisian magic and delve into the other Winds or Dark Magic. So, yes, Wizards can take Spell Action Cards from other College Orders. But, doing so will usually end with you standing atop a Witch Hunter's pyre.

So, to answer your question, as long as you meet the prerequisites, you can take any Action Card you want.

Yes, I read that from the FAQ, and I mentioned pets was an exception.

So, spells and blessings are functionally restricted by restricting channel power. There had to be some restriction somewhere, and that was it. However, you can pick up spells from other orders, which I did not realize. Then why bother having different Orders at all? Also, you have to pay more for spells/blessings of higher rank than you are.

However, the number 1 thing I've been trying to figure out has been unanswered -- can players pick up creature ability cards? Can I lash my tentacles at someone if I don't have any? If a creature can do it, can any player learn it as well? The main reason I think not is that most don't have conservative and reckless sides.

So, can players pick up creature ability cards?

The Broasted said:

The Broasted said:

The new witch career path is based on casting spells without Channeling.

karat said:

You may not find this answer satisfactory, but it's the real answer: "If your GM allows it."

This incarnation of WFRP is less run by a standard set of rules than by a set of hooks that GMs can attach their own rules onto. What we have is a set of elements, but sometimes the way those elements interact is not explicit.

It's like they left some room in the cup for cream and sugar, rather than filling it all the way up. You flavor your own game to taste.

This may appear like lazy design at first, but those rules that seem left out are actually the simplest of things that don't take much to rectify. All the heavy lifting of design is already done, and only the most trivial pieces are left up to interpretation. That's evidenced by how instantly most people react to them. People see traits on action cards, and many immediately think that they should be restricted to appropriate careers. Others have different ideas, but most have some reaction about how it "should work."

This may not sit well with a generation raised on d20, where every conceivable action was enumerated and had associated rules. I find it refreshing.

So, you aren't likely to find a "canon" rule that says you can or can't buy creature action cards, just as you won't find one that says who can and can't buy spells. The designers have left that up to each group. What is a more important question is, "Do you think they should?"

karat said:

Doc's answer "If your GM allows it." is spot on.

Canonically speaking, the prohibition on wizards learning other orders spells is that unlike Elves and Slann, humans usually muck up handling more than one of the Winds of Magic. Reality gets torn asunder, daemons summoned, bodies possessed. It's just bad press really.

If I happened to have a wizard player who wanted to start trying to channel a different wind, I'd be more than happy to let him, but I'd probably throw an extra challenge dice into the dice pool since he wouldn't be familiar with the rituals of a different order. In the event of a Chaos Star, he'd get a point of corruption as he probably exposed himself to just a bit more magic than was healthy. Your GM may handle things differently.

As far as creature ability cards? I'd let my players have access to them provided it advanced the story and made sense. If I have a PC who want's to lash his tentacles at an opponent, he has more problems (like terrified onlookers and zealous witch hunters) on his hands (suckers?) than me telling him "NO! You can't have the "Lash my Tentacles" action card".

cliffetters said:

There actually are rules for this in the Winds of Magic on page 33.

Learning a spell from a different wind requires a spellcraft check with a Daunting (4d) difficulty and each chaos stars = corruption. If the check fails the character gains an additional corruption. Casting a spell outside of the order is adds 2 purple dice to the check and if the check fails the caster gains one corruption. Furthermore the caster gains one corruption for each chaos star on the roll.

And if you are found out there are Which Hunters who would be glad to burn you on a pyre.

Thank you. Those last few replies have been useful (both the rules reference, and the explanation that it's deliberately left loose, so no d20-style rules lawyering).

k7e9 said:

Thanks for the reminder! I totally forgot about that mechanic.

Also wouldn't those Chaos Stars count as miscasts too? Sort of a double-whammy?

cliffetters said:

Yes, getting corruption points is in addition to any other chaos star effects on the spell card or on miscast cards (getting corruption thus does not "use up" the chaos stars), so yes it is a double-whammy.