Tarot Deck of All Things

The decks of many things are known throughout the world as objects of great and chaotic power, warping probability itself to work their magic. They are, however, mere imitations of the first Deck of All Things. This deck calls upon the powers of lesser gods, Fae Queens, and greater demons, and based purely upon the winds of fate, can curse or bless the results it gives. Truly, not even a god would dare draw from such a thing.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The Major Arcana

0 - THE FOOL

The Reader says, "The Fool approacheth." A fool appears and laughs riotously at the cardholder, mocking them for taking such a stupid risk as drawing from the deck. He takes a comically oversized hammer and slams the cardholder in the side of the head with it. The cardholder loses 10,000 XP, discards this card, and turns over another card, counting both draws as one of the draws declared. If losing 10,000 XP would cause the cardholder to lose a level, they are left with just enough XP to keep their level.

Inverted

The Fool shakes his head at the cardholder and says sadly "Thou art a fool." The cardholder is shocked into a reflective fugue state, thinking about their life, realizing the fool is right. They come out of the daze with insight on how they have been foolish in the past, gaining 10,000 XP or drawing an additional two cards beyond their declared draws.
 

I - THE MAGICIAN

The Reader says, "The mighty magician cometh." A wizard appears and gives assistance to the party in any way he can, but he will seek spells or magic items as payment. He looks like a grandiose and embellished stereotype of a wizard; white beard that brushes his toes, gold-trimmed starry robes, a tall pointy hat with a silver moon at the tip, the works. He uses the diviner stat block from Volo’s Guide.

Inverted

The same wizard appears, attempts to help, but makes things worse. The entire time he insults the cardholder for wasting his time.
 

II - THE HIGH PRIESTESS

The Reader says, "Hail, holy matron." A stately woman of steely hair and eyes, dressed in archaic holy vestments appears. She asks “Who should receive the sacrament?” The cardholder may designate up to ten creatures. Each is suffused with holy light, recovering all hit points and being cured of all diseases and curses.

Inverted

The same woman appears and asks the player, "Who should receive judgment?" The cardholder may name any one creature on the Material Plane. This creature will die within the next 24 hours. If the cardholder says they do not wish anyone to die, the priestess smiles, declares the cardholder merciful, and instead asks the question from the upright version of the card.
 

III - THE EMPRESS

The Reader says, "Kneel before the Empress!" An ornate palanquin borne by four otherworldly servitors appears, bearing a regal figure. She regards the cardholder for a brief moment, then inclines her head and says “I grant thee the grandest blessing possible in this or any world.” The cardholder becomes pregnant. If the cardholder is male, the baby grows inside a magic bubble inside his torso, and will need to be birthed via C-section when the time comes.

Inverted

The empress instead gives a look of scorn and curses the cardholder, declaring, "Thou art accursed, and I curse thee! Thrice I say and done: DIE ALONE." The cardholder is rendered sterile, and should they marry, their spouse is fated to die before them.
 

IV - THE EMPEROR

The Reader says, "Long live the Emperor of the World!" A towering figure in golden plate mail with a mithril circlet upon his head sprouts from the ground, along with his throne. He sits before the cardholder and asks them to kneel before him.
 
Should they choose to kneel, he nods gravely and says “Rulership is oft the knowledge of thy betters—but from this day on, thou shalt kneel to no one.” Should they choose to remain standing, he offers an approving smile and says “Thy spirit is strong and unbowed. Take its mirror, and in the taking, become rightwise ruler in all regards.”
 
He then bestows upon the player his Rod of Lordly Might (DMG p196). He asks the player to use it for the good of all. The first time the player uses the rod in a deliberately evil way it will stop being magical for one day. The second time it will lose all its magic permanently.

Inverted

The Emperor’s face darkens and he says “Thou art unfit to rule, and I judge thee here and now: DIE.” The cardholder is forced to kneel, paralyzed in that position. The Emperor transforms his Rod into a battleaxe +3, and gets a single attempt to chop off their head (Instant Death rule applies, PHB p.197). After the single attack is made, the Emperor returns to the ground.
 

V - THE HIEROPHANT

The Reader states, "Hail, holy father." A wizened, but unbent old man appears, clad in simple clothes. He asks the cardholder if he follows a god or divine path. If they do, the priest comments on the virtues of the chosen vocation and anoints the cardholder’s forehead with holy oil. The symbol of their faith is branded there. Those of the faith will give the branded respect, but enemies will hate them. The DM should devise suitably drastic results in social situations. Players who answer that they worship no one receive a pitying look and a pat on the shoulder.

Inverted

The same as above, though the priest punishes the faithless by branding their forehead with a mark that reads INFIDEL to all who read it. The mark will only disappear when the cardholder finds faith.
 

VI - THE LOVERS

The Reader smiles and says “To thine own heart be true.” A pair of beautiful people clad in white clothing appear over each of the cardholder’s shoulders and press a token of some sort into their hand, replacing the card. This token hints at the identity of the cardholder’s soulmate. This soulmate will meet the cardholder sometime before the next new moon, although there is a trial involved in winning their heart. The DM should put the time in to make the soulmate a fully fleshed out NPC with stats, goals, etc.

Inverted

The same as above, except rather than a comedy, the story is a tragedy. The cardholder’s soulmate may die of disease or murder, they may be the sworn vassal to a terrible villain, or they may be cursed to lie forever in enchanted sleep. Whatever the result, the cardholder is always kept away from their true love.
 

VII - THE CHARIOT

The Reader cocks their head as though hearing distant noise and says “Sing, O Muse, of the terror of the Chariot." A black steel chariot, pulled by two Nightmares (MM p235) and driven by a Cambion (MM p36), bursts forth from the ground with an explosion of hellfire. The chariot and its rider will attempt to run down the cardholder, attacking relentlessly each day for 10 rounds or until the cardholder or the nightmares and the cambion are all killed. The fiends have resistance to all damage from sources other than the cardholder.

Inverted

The same chariot appears and its rider asks the cardholder “Who dies this night?” It will perform the same actions as above, but against whichever creature is named.
 

VIII - STRENGTH

The Reader says, "You are remade, rebuilt, reshaped, with the Strength of the Grand Bull." The cardholder becomes a minotaur, replacing their ancestral benefits with those of a minotaur, with an additional +1 Strength on top. If the player is already a minotaur, they receive an additional +2 to Strength.

Inverted

The Reader says, "Despair in your weakness!" The cardholder’s Strength score is reduced by 2.
 

IX - THE HERMIT

The Reader says, "Rise, and witness your future." The cardholder experiences a vision of their old age: a hermit, crazed and alone in the mountains, with nothing and no one to care for them. This inspires a deep sense of dread for the future, and the cardholder loses any experience gained toward their next level.

Inverted

The same as above, except the vision is of a university classroom, and the elderly cardholder is teaching their skills to a room full of raptly attentive students. A year of such classes flashes by in the cardholder's mind. They gain confidence and insight for the future, receiving 50% of the experience needed to reach their next level.
 

X - THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

The Reader states, "Thou art abandoned to the whims of Chance." The cardholder gains exceptional luck—good or bad. The player rolls a d12 at the start of the day: an odd result means the cardholder has -1 to all attacks, ability checks and saving throws that day and even means +1. Their critical failures and critical successes are also wildly exaggerated. Have fun with this one!

Inverted

The same as above, except the wheel is tilted—only a 1 or a 12 on a d12 in the morning gives good luck.
 

XI - JUSTICE

The Reader states, "The eye of Justice watches over us all." A sense of foreboding weighs on the cardholder, and the impression of an impassive face with bound eyes hangs about the corners of their eyes. The next important action they complete will have consequences. If it is a good act, an unforeseen reward will result. If it is an evil act, swift retribution ensues.

Inverted

The Reader pauses, then states “The watchful eye falls on one close to you." The above is true, but for an NPC the cardholder is close to. The fallout will affect the cardholder, for better or worse.
 

XII - THE HANGED MAN

The Reader gives a pitying look to the cardholder and says “May the gods have mercy upon thee.” The cardholder is swallowed by a large black gem the size of a large house. The party can look into it and watch as a gallows grows about them, operated by a thin, spindly man with a broken neck. Time seems to speed up as they watch the body hung, then buried. Days of terrible storms and dreary clouds pass in instants. Finally, a hand extends from the grave: the cardholder, dragging themselves up out of the ground. They limp to the gem’s surface and emerge as a Revenant. They must decide on a goal to drive them before the next dawn, or they will crumble back into dust.

Inverted

The same as above, but when the cardholder is buried, they emerge not as undead, but reborn with a new regard for life. The cardholder now has resistance to necrotic damage.
 

XIII - DEATH

The Reader solemnly states, "He comes." An Avatar of Death appears within 10 feet and attempts to slay the cardholder, warning all others that they must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until either the cardholder dies or it drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it disappears. Anyone rendering aid summons their own avatar of death. A creature slain by such an avatar cannot be restored to life.

Inverted

The avatar of death appears, but greets the cardholder cordially. It reveals the next deadly threat they are likely to face, and a hint as to how it might be avoided or circumvented.
 

XIV - TEMPERANCE

The Reader says, "Behold the true spirit of Temperance, and allow thyself to be tempered and hardened by its gifts.” A severe-looking knight with dark skin and gray-winged hair passes the cardholder a cup of a peppery, sour-tasting drink that grows sweeter toward the end, then vanishes. So long as the cardholder does not consume alcohol, they require no food, water, or air to survive. Though they may consume these things if they wish, they do not need them to live. The enchantment breaks if the recipient drinks anything alcoholic.

Inverted

The Reader says, "Thou wallowest in vice and intemperance." The cardholder now needs double the food and water to live. They also get exhausted easily, taking disadvantage on Constitution checks related to Exhaustion.
 

XV - DEVIL

The Reader states, “Brimstone and flame hound your steps. The Iron Crown bedevils you.” A powerful devil takes a personal interest in the cardholder. It seeks their ruin and plagues their life, savoring their suffering before finally attempting to kill them. This enmity lasts until the cardholder or the devil is killed.

Inverted

The Reader states, “Thou art born of hellfire, art thou not?” The cardholder’s forehead breaks out into bony nubs that quickly develop into a pair of horns. They gain the thaumaturgy cantrip and darkvision to 60 feet, much like a tiefling.
 

XVI - THE TOWER

The Reader says, "Thou shalt rise to heights unknown since Elder Days." The cardholder begins to grow in height, reaching the maximum height for their ancestry +10%. They gain +2 Strength and Constitution, but -2 Dexterity.

Inverted

The Reader says, "Thou shalt be diminished in the eyes of thy peers." The cardholder shrinks to their ancestry’s minimum height -10%. They gain +2 Dexterity, but -1 Strength and Constitution.
 

XVII - THE STAR

The Reader lifts their head to the sky and says "By the power of the Stars.” A white light suffuses the card, then bursts at the cardholder. The player chooses an Ability Score. A silvery, four-pointed star tattoo appears in a location based on the attribute chosen:
Strength: on the back of their dominant hand
Dexterity: on the palm of their dominant hand
Constitution: over their heart
Intelligence: on both temples
Wisdom: on their forehead
Charisma: around the left eye
The Ability Score chosen increases by 2. This can exceed 20, but can’t exceed 24.

Inverted

As above, but the brand is black instead, and the cardholder loses 1 point in every other ability score. They still get the same bonus to the chosen score.
 

XVIII - THE MOON

The Reader says "Night cometh to grant thy dearest wish." A single platinum coin appears in midair before the cardholder. Flipping the coin, not two but three sides are visible: a dark side, a bright side, and a half side. Roll 1d3; depending on the result (1, dark; 2, half; 3, full) the cardholder may cast the wish spell that many times. When the last casting is completed, the coin vanishes.

Inverted

The coin lands full side up, but rather than bright silver, it shines a deep red—Eclipse. Any wish made with the Eclipse coin will end in tragedy.
 

XIX - THE SUN

The Reader says "The light of Day revealeth much." A brilliant sphere of light appears in front of the cardholder, and at its heart is a gold coin. Taking this coin causes it to transform into a wondrous item of the DM’s choice. The surrounding light floods into the cardholder’s body, granting them 50,000 XP.

Inverted

After receiving the wondrous item, the ball of light explodes, dealing 1d6 radiant damage per level to the cardholder and blinding them permanently until restored by something like a restoration spell.
 

XX - JUDGMENT

The Reader turns a grim eye to the cardholder and intones “Thou shalt face Judgment." The cardholder and the ten closest creatures, friendly or hostile, are transported to an otherworldly courtroom. Three magistrates sit in judgment, asking questions of the defendant and witnesses to determine if they were good or evil in life. Questions here must be truthful, but they do not have to be the whole truth.
 
If the cardholder is determined to be essentially good, they are freed and healed of all injuries, diseases, and curses. If they are deemed neutral, they are freed with no consequence. If they are found evil, they are executed by the bailiff.

Inverted

The Inverted court is a Court of Archdevils, and the results of each verdict are reversed.
 

XXI - THE WORLD

The Reader claps their hands and says “Behold the World!" The cardholder and their companions are hurled through time and space. Land and sea flash before their eyes, until at last they find themselves in a random place on the Material Plane!

Inverted

The Reader states instead "Another World awaits you." A similar blurring of space around the cardholder occurs, but as land and sea pass away, they see the rings of the planet surge past them, and then an infinite starscape studded with planets and celestial bodies. They cross untold distances before landing on another world altogether.

The Minor Arcana – WANDS

Ace of Wands – BALANCE
The Reader says, "The scales of Balance tilt and whirl in mysterious ways." The cardholder’s mind suffers a wrenching alteration, causing their alignment to change. Lawful becomes chaotic, good becomes evil, and vice versa. If they are true neutral or unaligned, this card has no effect on them.
Inverted
The same as above, except the change comes with a physical change. A halo appears above the cardholder’s head. If the change would make the cardholder lawful, the halo is solid; if chaotic, it is two split halves. If it would make them good, the halo appears made of gold; if evil, it is iron.
 
Two of Wands – CHARLATAN
The Reader says, "Thou art a spider, weaving and reweaving thy web." The cardholder becomes a pathological liar, as per the indefinite madness rules in the DMG. They feel as though they may bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to be interesting to other people.
Inverted
The cardholder is seized by an equally fanatical distaste for liars, and gains the ability to cast zone of truth once per day (PHB p289).
 
Three of Wands – DOOM
The Reader says, "Arise, players, and foretell a fitting end!” The cardholder’s sight winks out, replaced by a mental vision of a stage and actors. The players act out a gruesome scene featuring the death of someone dressed and made up to look uncannily like the cardholder. When the play ends, only a few seconds have passed in real time.
 
From now on, any circumstance reminiscent of the mental play resonates in the cardholder’s mind. They must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened.
Inverted
The same as above, except the Reader asks, "Patron of the grisly arts, whose death should grace the stage?” The cardholder may name one person. The play takes place, but this time the events show a possible future death the named person could experience, giving the cardholder future insight.
 
Four of Wands – THRONE
The Reader says, "Thou art sovereign in deed, as well as name." The cardholder gains proficiency and expertise in the Persuasion skill, adding double their proficiency bonus to checks made with that skill. In addition, they gain a deed of rightful ownership to a small keep somewhere in the world. This keep is currently held by monsters, which must be cleared out before the keep can be claimed.
Inverted
As above, but the Reader adds “And kingship, as all power, attracteth envy.” A local ruler in the keep’s vicinity becomes vehemently opposed to the cardholder holding land nearby, and will attempt to conquer them.
 
Five of Wands – DRAGON
The Reader says, "The noblest creatures are oft the smallest." The cardholder receives a pseudodragon (MM p254) of the cardholder’s alignment as a familiar. The normal rules for familiars apply (PHB p107, PHB p240, MM p254).
Inverted
The same as above, except the pseudodragon is Chaotic Neutral and utterly self-absorbed. It will be harder to raise, but over time the alignment of the familiar will shift to that of character.
 
Six of Wands – ECHO
The Reader says, "Hear the sounding in the deeps and see what fruits it beareth." A loud, booming sound resonates around the cardholder. Before the echoes fade, they may select one non-artifact item they can see. When the sound ends, a perfect duplicate of that item appears somewhere within 10 feet of the original.
Inverted
As before, but instead the sound causes the item selected to disappear from existence.
 
Seven of Wands – FAITH
The Reader says, "Take heart, and believe." The projection of a random deity appears before the cardholder’s eyes, filling their sight. This image can converse with the cardholder for 1d6 minutes before fading, and will answer questions as the deity normally would. The cardholder is gifted with the ability to contact a proxy of this deity once per week, as per the commune spell (PHB p223).
Inverted
The same as above, except the cardholder is instantly reshaped by their new belief, losing all levels in their given class and gaining levels as a cleric. The player may also choose to switch their Wisdom ability score with any one other score.
 
Eight of Wands – DESIRE
The Reader says, "Who dost thou seekest?" The cardholder names a living creature they have seen. This creature is teleported somewhere within 10 feet of the cardholder. It remains for 1 minute, and then is teleported back. If the subject is killed or knocked out, the body is not teleported back.
Inverted
The Reader asks, "Who dost thou covet?" As before, the cardholder names a living creature they have seen. The player is told what feats and skill proficiencies that character possesses, including expertise. They may choose one such skill or feat and obtain it for themselves.
 
Nine of Wands – FLESH
The Reader points at the cardholder and says, "A pound of flesh, no more, no less." Fatigue immediately washes over them. The Reader adds, “Paid in flesh, or staid by blood.” The cardholder’s life force begins to drain. They gain 1 level of Exhaustion at dawn at the beginning of each day. This level of Exhaustion can only be removed by bathing in fresh blood. This effect is permanent, and can be removed only by divine intervention or a wish (PHB p288).
Inverted
The Reader points and says, "Thine body is a temple." The cardholder feels a soothing wave of energy suffuse their body, perfecting their physical form. Scars disappear and will not form in the future, any physical ailments or deformities are removed, and the cardholder gains proficiency on Constitution saves. If they already have this proficiency, they have expertise.
 
Ten of Wands – GREED
The Reader says, "Greed fills thy heart and blinds thine eyes." Thoughts of greed overwhelm the cardholder. Double their number of remaining draws, adding a minimum of one.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Greed fills thy mind and sickens thy soul." The cardholder realizes the horror of greed and rejects it utterly. The next magic item of rare rarity or higher will be refused or given away. They also refuse any remaining draws from the deck.
 
Page of Wands – IDIOT
The Reader says, "Ignorance is bliss." The cardholder’s mind blanks, draining of learned knowledge. They lose 1d4 points of Intelligence, but they can choose to draw another card.
Inverted
The same as above, but the cardholder gains double the Intelligence loss as a Wisdom bonus.
 
Knight of Wands – FEY
The Reader says, "Bonds of glamour, boons of Summer." Lights of all colors surround the cardholder, filling them with a sense of wonder and delight. When these little lights dissipate, the cardholder finds they have become more faerielike.
 
Half-elves become full-blooded high elves. They replace their species traits with those of a high elf, with an additional +3 to their Charisma ability score. Full elves of all kinds gain +2 Charisma as their beauty waxes further. All others gain +1 Charisma, as an elvish grace permeates their body.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Bonds of glamour, boons of Winter." The lights generated are of cooler hues: blues, purples, and grays. The cardholder’s skin grays to a deep charcoal, and their hair goes white. Elves gain only the appearance of drow and an additional +1 Charisma. Half-elves become full-blooded drow, with all the appropriate traits (PHB p24), as well as an additional +1 to Charisma on top of the other ability score adjustments.
 
Queen of Wands – KEY
The Reader says “The key to thy trials is close at hand.” A rare or rarer magic weapon with which the cardholder is proficient appears in their hands. The DM chooses the weapon.
Inverted
The same as above, except the item is cursed. The curse causes the one using the weapon to automatically fail one saving throw per day.
 
King of Wands – THE EIGHT
The Reader says, "Thy life is enthralled to vices eight: Deceit, Hatred, Cowardice, Corruption, Envy, Shame, Blasphemy, and Pride.” Every day one vice takes hold of the cardholder in a random order. This lasts eight days until each gets a turn. If the person survives, they gain a permanent +1 to all saves.
Inverted
The same as above, except The Reader names the Virtues, and it is these eight that control them: Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility.
 

The Minor Arcana – SWORDS

Ace of Swords – BLOOD
The Reader says, "Taste the fury of thy blood." The cardholder immediately drops into a seizure, taking 3d8 psychic damage. When it subsides, they surface with the ability to rage as a barbarian. When they use this ability, they cannot use it again until they complete a long rest.
Inverted
The same as above, except the rage that consumes them leaves them utterly drained. The cardholder takes 1 level of Exhaustion whenever they finish a rage.
 
Two of Swords – COMET
Motes of light like stars orbit the Reader’s head. The Reader captures one and holds it in their hand, saying, "Thou ascendest like a mighty fireball through the night sky." If the player singlehandedly defeats the next hostile encounter they encounter, they gain enough XP to gain one level. Otherwise, the card has no effect.
Inverted
As above, but in order to reap the benefits, the cardholder must die in the attempt. As soon as they fail their last Death Saving Throw, they are suffused with a cold, icy light. They return to full hit points and regain all spent spell slots. They must still defeat the encounter alone.
 
Three of Swords – HELL
The Reader says, "Thou wilt have hell to pay for this." A chasm opens up, and a demon crawls out of it. They seek payment, something that will hurt the cardholder to give up—a favorite weapon, all their gold, their love for their siblings. The DM must decide what is valuable enough to the player that the demon is satisfied. If payment is refused, the demon will attack until either it or the cardholder is dead.
Inverted
The same as above, but the demon laughs, saying “Thy future is darker than even I can say. Take this, damned fool.” He gives the cardholder the Blackrazor.
 
Four of Swords – DONJON
The Reader says, "Thou art confined forevermore." The cardholder disappears and becomes entombed in an extradimensional sphere. Everything they were wearing and carrying stays behind. They remain imprisoned until found and removed from the sphere. They can’t be located by any Divination magic, but a wish spell can reveal the location of the prison. They draw no further cards.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Bars shall not bind thee." The cardholder keeps the card. As an action, they can focus on any lock, ward, or seal they can see and open it. This consumes the card.
 
Five of Swords – ROGUE
The Reader says, "There are wolves among the sheep." A nonplayer character of the DM’s choice becomes hostile toward the cardholder. The identity of their new enemy isn’t know until the NPC or someone else reveals it. Nothing less than a wish spell or divine intervention can end the NPC’s hostility.
Inverted
The same as above, except the NPC will become a firm ally of the cardholder where otherwise they were not.
 
Six of Swords – HERO
The Reader says, "This world needeth heroes." A mighty trumpet sounds, and the cardholder and their companions are dragged deep into Faerie, before one of the Queens of the Sundered Court. They are charged as Knights-Errant on a Quest—something classic, like saving a princess from a dragon or finding the lost heir.
Inverted
The above happens, except the Quest has an ironic twist that makes the cardholder the villain. Perhaps the princess eloped with her true love, but swore a magical oath of silence so she could not reveal their love before it is consummated. Perhaps the lost heir, brought before the Queen, is summarily executed.
 
Seven of Swords – HUNT
The Reader says, "The thrill of the Hunt burns in thy breast." An urge for nature will hit the character: the need for fresh air and the smell of trees. They realize that the hunt calls them. The cardholder gains proficiency and expertise in Survival, adding double their proficiency bonus to checks made with that skill. They are compelled to hunt at least once a week.
Inverted
The same as above, except the player becomes obsessed, wanting to hunt every day, eat only fresh meat they kill. The next time they advance a level, it must be a level in Ranger.
 
Eight of Swords – VOID
The Reader stands and thunders, "Void take thee!" An explosion of black energy erupts from this card and envelops the cardholder’s body before compressing down and down to a single, flawless black diamond gem. The gem generates a portal and flies through, taking the cardholder’s soul with it. While their soul is trapped in this way, their body is incapacitated. A wish spell can’t restore their soul, but it reveals the location of the object that holds it. You draw no more cards.
Inverted
The black energy consumes the cardholder’s full body, leaving a shadowy form behind. This form is ethereal, unable to touch or affect the Material Plane. The same restrictions apply on finding and recovering their body.
 
Nine of Swords – LIFE
The Reader says, "Receive the gift of life." Each of the cardholder’s hit points leaves their body, forming a tiny mote of green light that circles their body. This continues until they reach 0 hit points, at which point they fall unconscious. The lights begin to spin and dance, flying around in swarms and reproducing with one another until the air is awash with green light. Finally, they fly back into the cardholder’s body. They are brought back to full health, and their hit point maximum is recalculated as though they had rolled the maximum possible at each level.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Watch thy life spill through thy fingers." The point of light appears, as well as the lights flying out of the cardholder. When the lights go wild some of them burst and die. The lights return to the cardholder, who learns they have lost 2 HP per level from their total hit points.
 
Ten of Swords – PAIN
The Reader says, "Agony." A scarred female face appears, floating in space—not a head, but a face that’s been peeled from its skull and left stretched and hanging in a howling void. Blood pours from every orifice and from behind the face itself. It curses the cardholder, saying "Thou shalt feel my pain." The cardholder takes an extra 2 damage from melee attacks against them, and those that draw blood leave behind prominent and ugly scarring. This effect can only be stopped with remove curse or similar magic.
Inverted
This same face appears and floats over to the cardholder. Her wounds heal, filling out into a complete head with dark skin and thick black hair. This now-beautiful visage blesses the player: “Thy pain flees before thee." Once per day, the cardholder can use their reaction to bolster themselves for one minute, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
 
Page of Swords – LEGEND
The Reader says, “Thy deeds are the stuff of legend." A thick book appears, bound in leather and brass. It carries the cardholder’s name on the spine. The pages account stories of legendary deeds, all of which are attributed to someone with the same identity as the cardholder. Somewhere among these stories is included an event that mirrors something in the cardholder’s past. Those who read the book are convinced that they are the reincarnation of this legendary hero.
Inverted
The same as above, but it paints the cardholder in a bad light, and the cardholder is seen as the next life of a terrible villain.
 
Knight of Swords – KNIGHT
The Reader says, "Sir Knight, attend thy master!” A fighter retainer arrives on horseback. They are 5th level and share the cardholder’s ancestry, serving them loyally until death. They believe that fate itself has bound them to the cardholder.
Inverted
The same as above, except the retainer is only 1st level.
 
Queen of Swords – PHOENIX
The Reader says, "From the ashes a fire shall be woken." In the air a small flame appears. The phoenix emerges from it and shrieks. It then flies into the cardholder, becoming a tattoo.
 
The tattoo takes the form of countless ribbons of flame crisscrossing the person’s body, converging on a huge fiery bird on the back. The bearer of the tattoo has resistance to fire damage. When the cardholder dies, their body explodes in a massive fireball, as the 5th-level version of the spell (Save DC 15). The cardholder emerges from the explosion resurrected, with all ailments, equipment, and the tattoo gone.
Inverted
When the phoenix appears, she attacks the character in a rage. Her stats are equivalent to a roc with immunity to fire damage and whose attacks deal fire instead of slashing damage.
 
King of Swords – DUEL
The Reader says, "To the arena, then." The cardholder and their party are whisked away. The cardholder is inside an arena, the party in the stands. A man wrapped in bloody bandages is across from the cardholder. He challenges them to a duel using only weapons. (Magic spells automatically fail.) The Challenger gives them a choice: a duel until knock out, where if the cardholder wins, they can keep one of his swords; or a duel to the death, where if the cardholder wins, they keep all the blades. The cardholder is told that they must pick—a duel is the only way the party can leave. When the choice is made, the Challenger grabs a blade from his rack -- roll 1d8 and consult table. After the duel, if he lives, the Challenger laments his survival. He explains that once he fought the previous Challenger and he killed them—he gained all of his swords by becoming the next Challenger. If the player does kill the Challenger, they learn about this outcome the hard way, by being cursed to the same fate!
Inverted
The Challenger looks at the cardholder and declares them unworthy. The party is teleported back. After the cardholder gains two levels, they will be teleported to the arena to finally duel him.
 
The Challenger’s Blades
1 – Rapier of Dancing (DMG p161) and Dagger of Venom (DMG p161)
2 – Defender, longsword (DMG p164)
3 – Frost Brand, greatsword (DMG p171)
4 – Nine Lives Stealer, scimitar (DMG p183)
5 – Scimitar of Speed (DMG p199)
6 – Shortsword of Life Stealing, shortsword (DMG p206)
7 – Longsword of Sharpness, longsword (DMG p206)
8 – Vorpal Greatsword (DMG p209)
 

The Minor Arcana – CUPS

Ace of Cups – MEMORY
The Reader says curiously, "Can thou remember?" A glorious halo appears around the character’s head, writhing with tendrils of light. The character feels a rush as their mind expands. Full casters gain unique benefits. Wizards gain an extra use of Arcane Recovery per day. Sorcerers gain 10 extra quintessence (spell points). Warlocks gain an additional Invocation. All other classes gain the ability to cast one spell of their choice once per day. It must be of a level that a sorcerer of equivalent character level would have access to, but it can come from any spell list. The casting stat for this spell is Intelligence.
Inverted
The Reader says the above words with a morbid glee. A full caster loses enough memories to lose a level. Other classes lose their memory of the last 1d4 days and experience equal to 50% of their progress to the next level.
 
Two of Cups – NEMESIS
The Reader says, "Thou art thine own worst enemy." Directly in front of the character a person appears, layer after layer of flesh coming together. This nemesis has the same stats, abilities, and features as the cardholder. It also looks identical to the cardholder, except its eyes are completely black and it has small antlers. The nemesis’ personality is a grim and determined version of the cardholder’s. It expresses a deep hatred for everything the cardholder stands for, and warns them that they will kill them before being teleported someplace else. It will attempt to foil the cardholder’s plans and bring their life down around them.
Inverted
The same as above, except after nemesis fights the cardholder for the first time, it realizes that they deserve to live. It will leave, but one day it will return to sacrifice itself to save the original.
 
Three of Cups – FATES
The Reader says, "The Wheel spins and spins again, and with each rotation the Fates weave our every action.” Reality’s fabric unravels and spins anew, allowing the cardholder to affect how it is put back together again. They can avoid or erase one event as if it never happened. Should the cardholder so decide, they may allow reality to reform as normal, and by so doing save the card. At any other time, they may use an action to invoke this power. Should they die before they do, the card crumbles to dust.
Inverted
The attempt to erase the event from history has disastrous consequences. The butterfly effect takes hold, and billions of causal links are broken from the chain of time, spinning this timeline into something strange. Circumstances are wildly different from how they were when the card was invoked.
 
Four of Cups – NUMBERS
The Reader says, "He who knoweth the numbers knoweth the heavens." Strange symbols swirl around the cardholder, strange arcane equations that change them.
 
The cardholder’s ability scores are replaced with three pairs of sexy prime numbers: 11 and 17, 13 and 19, 17 and 23. The numbers may be arranged in whatever order the player sees fit.
Inverted
The same as above, except the pairs of sexy prime numbers are 5 and 11, 7 and 13, and 11 and 17.
 
Five of Cups – PARADISE
The Reader adopts a sad smile and says “Somewhere there is a paradise waiting for each of us." The cardholder is immediately transported to a paradisiacal demiplane, catered to their every desire. They may also choose companions, up to a dozen people that are willing to come. There is food, drink, and any nonmagical item present that could be desired. The Reader and Tarot Deck are there as well. Should anyone wish to leave, they are free to do so, being teleported back to their last location. The party can stay as long as the cardholder wills it, resting, healing, studying, and visiting with loved ones. Time does not pass in the real world.
Inverted
As above, but instead of time stopping relative to the real world, time accelerates to ten times that of the real world as those in paradise lose all track of time.
 
Six of Cups – PARAGON
The Reader says, "There are many who desire a role model in this life." Confidence fills the cardholder, accompanied by an aura of power and magnetism. The cardholder gains the Inspiring Leadership feat (PHB p167). They are also impossible to forget; anyone asking what they look like, what their name is, or details about what they were doing when they were seen can remember everything with perfect clarity.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Thou art a grey maybe in a world of certainty." The cardholder is easily forgotten, a paragon of obscurity wrapped in an aura of obfuscation. Only those that have had extended contact with them, at least one week, can remember him. Against all others, the cardholder has Advantage on Stealth (Dexterity) checks.
 
Seven of Cups – SMITH
The Reader says, "What hast thou made today, Smith?" A small, squat blacksmith’s shop wrought entirely from brass rises from the ground with a rumbling and a quaking of the ground. A team of azer smiths piles out of the main building and begin working with impossible speed. When the work is completed, the head smith hands the cardholder a spellguard shield (DMG p201) that is sentient. It has random quirks and characteristics, but its main purpose is to kill wizards.
Inverted
The same as above, except the lead smith asks the cardholder for a weapon or piece of armor. The azer rework the item handed over, plating it with adamantium and enchanting it to +2. However, it has a fatal flaw—a weapon rolling a 1 on an attack roll or a piece of armor suffering a critical hit must make a DC 12 saving throw or shatter completely.
 
Eight of Cups – PATHS
The Reader says, "Each man walketh a darkling path… dost thou wish thy turns reversed?" The player may remake their character: changing class, alignment, ability scores, background, skills, feats, or powers. The player rerolls their ability scores, and they must keep the new results in order.
 
The new character, now the cardholder, retains memories of both timelines, although the prior timeline is remembered as though a particularly vivid dream. Their party only knows the new character, and always have.
Inverted
The same as above, except the change has unseen consequences. Perhaps they never met a love interest? Or their family was killed in a tragedy? Maybe certain NPCs are now enemies? Perhaps in the change, their personality has radically altered, possibly to the point that the events of their prior life disgust or appall them.
 
Nine of Cups – PAX
The Reader says, "Experience tranquility," and gestures toward the cardholder. The cardholder is suddenly struck with memories of every instance of pain they have ever inflicted on another living creature. They live through this as though happening in real-time, though only a few seconds actually pass. When the horror finally subsides, they come away with a deep aversion to pain and suffering. They can cast calm emotions (PHB p221) once per day and sanctuary (PHB p272) twice per day. They can also choose to make any damage they do nonlethal, regardless of source.
Inverted
The same as above, except the Reader states, "Tranquility will come, or else." The result is the same, but every time you roll initiative, you must always act after at least one enemy.
 
Ten of Cups – POX
The Reader says, "A pox upon thy house!" with a dismissive wave of a hand. A wave of heat and nausea flows through the cardholder. They are seized by convulsions and immediately throw up. This sickness lingers, costing the cardholder 1d4 Constitution.
Inverted
The Reader says the same words, though the illness they feel doesn’t affect them directly. For the next week they spread sewer plague (DMG p257) to anyone they touch. It is a more potent version that incubates in 1d4 hours.
 
Page of Cups – RUIN
The Reader says, "Thou shalt arise from thy throne, and lay thy robe from thee, and cover thyself in sackcloth. Thou shalt sit in ashes." All forms of wealth that the cardholder carries or owns, apart from magic items, are lost to them. Portable property crumbles into charcoal and ash. Businesses, buildings, and land they own are lost in a way that alters reality the least. Any documentation that proves they should own something lost to this card also disappears.
Inverted
The above still occurs, but on the next full moon events will conspire to restore ten times what was lost to this card. Lost treasure will turn up underfoot, vast tracts of land will be mysteriously deeded, whatever it takes.
 
Knight of Cups – NEED
The Reader says, "Thou art driven by need." The image of a likable thing or enjoyable act appears in the cardholder’s mind. They are now enthralled by it, and need this thing to go on with their life. If they don’t get it after a week, they make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw in the morning to stop from irrationally pursuing this thing at all costs. If they pass, the next day it is a -1 check, the following day it is made at -2, and so on, until the addiction is met. This penalty resets at the beginning of each week.
Inverted
The Reader says, "Thine needs desert you." A calmness comes over the cardholder, and they find themselves stripped of all vices and needs.
 
Queen of Cups – ROULETTE
The Reader says, "Spin the wheel." The cardholder’s body begins to rapidly shift and change according to different orderings of their ability scores, becoming suddenly more muscular, or slimmer, or heartier, in rapid succession. When the effect finally fades, their ability scores have been shuffled randomly and reassigned to different places.
Inverted
The same as above, except the change occurs once a month, with every new moon.
 
King of Cups – VIZIER
The Reader says, "Thou seekest counsel in trying times." An impeccably tailored and well-kept man appears over the cardholder’s left shoulder, bearing a clipboard upon which he writes. The cardholder may choose to either ask a question, or say “Another time, please.” The latter will cause the man to disappear, to be called upon later. In this case, the cardholder keeps this card.
 
Otherwise, the cardholder may ask one question and receive a perfectly truthful answer. Besides straight information, the answer will help you to solve a puzzling problem or other dilemma to your satisfaction. In other words, the knowledge also comes with the wisdom of how to apply it.
Inverted
The same as above, but the information given has a fatal flaw that will render the solution disastrous in some way.
 

The Minor Arcana – COINS

Ace of Coins – GAMBLE
The Reader says, "Art thou willing to risk it all?" A twisted doorway of black wood appears in midair somewhere within 20 feet of the cardholder. A white door appears and opens from the inside, and a man wearing an expensive black suit invites the cardholder inside: Imshael, Prince of the Velvet Chain. This Demon Prince asks if the cardholder is prepared to gain the one thing they desire most in this world. The risk is losing their soul, which will fuel the magic to provide the next gambler's desire. If the character agrees, he asks the player if they want heads or tails, then flips his coin. If they call correctly, they gain their greatest desire. If they don’t, they are immediately killed as their soul is ripped from their body. Not even divine intervention can bring them back. The desire should be exceedingly grand—more than a wish, even.
Inverted
The same as above, except if the character wins, the man in the suit will take the soul of someone the cardholder loves to fuel the magic.
 
Two of Coins – SAGE
The Reader asks, "Dost thou seekest sage advice?" A hole in the floor appears. Stairs lit by old candles end at an elaborate oak door. When the character goes to touch it they hear, "Come in, come in." When the door is opened they see a room, like a dusty study, where an old but very spry and competent-looking woman asks “Art thou ready to learn already, or must I keep waiting?” If the cardholder agrees, they stay to be taught, gaining 1d4 Intelligence and Wisdom, but aging by 2% of their maximum age for each ability score point gained. The cardholder may age, but no time actually passes.
Inverted
The same as above, except after the strict sage teaches the cardholder for a number of years equal to 5% of their current age, the cardholder realizes they are inadequate to this course of study. They do not gain the bonuses, but still age by the same 5%.
 
Three of Coins – SENSES
The Reader says, "Thou are blind and deaf—no more." The cardholder suddenly feels acute pain in their head and falls unconscious. When they awake moments later they are changed. They gain both the Alert and Observant feats as their senses are honed to a razor edge.
Inverted
The same as above, but the sensory overload caused by the cardholder’s new senses is too much to process and focus on intentionally. Despite their bonuses, they have disadvantage on Investigation and Perception checks.
 
Four of Coins – SEX
The Reader says, "Prepared for a change?" A red shell envelops the cardholder. They emerge biologically changed one minute later. The player rolls 1d10. If 1-6, opposite sex; 7-9, sexless; 10, become more comely, gaining +2 Charisma and the ability to use charm person (PHB p221) once per day.
Inverted
The same as above, except the character becomes sexless, but with the power to swap between male, female, or any combination or permutation of characteristics thereof using an action.
 
Five of Coins – SIEGE
The Reader calmly says, "There are barbarians at the gates." There is silence, than a faint rumble which becomes a cacophony, as an army of 2d10 knights charge up on horseback and start attacking everyone in sight, friend or foe.
Inverted
These warriors instead praise the character and begin to revel wildly. After a week of partying, they either can be asked for a favor before riding off to their next siege, or can be recruited as a unit of seasoned elite cavalry if the cardholder has a stronghold.
 
Six of Coins – GEM
The Reader remarks in awe, "How the light plays." Fifty cabochon-cut gems, each worth 1,000 gp, begin to wink into existence on the table or at the cardholder’s feet. There are ten star rubies, ten star sapphires, ten star emeralds, ten star topazes, and ten flawless diamonds.
Inverted
The same as above, except a fey jewel thief will come in three days’ time to steal the gems.
 
Seven of Coins – SOUL
The Reader says, "Show me why thou art a survivor." A purple will o’ wisp (MM p301) flies directly into the center of the cardholder’s forehead. Each round they take 20% of their hit points in psychic damage unless they make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw for that round. If they make two saves, the agony stops. If their hit points reach 0, they are rendered unconscious and comatose for one day.
 
Either way, from then on the character is afflicted by a second, darker soul joined with their own. This soul takes the form of a dark mirror of themselves inside their head who will constantly urge them to kill their companions in the night. Each night they must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or succumb to this influence. While this murder attempt takes place, the will o’ wisp will be visible floating above their head; if it is killed, the possession ends.
Inverted
The same as above, except the second soul is benign, if contrary to the cardholder’s personality. After the mental pain and/or coma, it sits back as a source of counsel and mental backup inside the cardholder’s head. The PC gains advantage on saves against being charmed, possessed, or lulled to sleep. Should the need arise, the second soul will take over when the cardholder is rendered unconscious, allowing them to keep fighting even after they reach 0 hit points by powering their body with itself. When the combat in which this happens ends, the soul is consumed.
 
Eight of Coins – TIME
The Reader says, "Take thy time." A minute-glass appears on the table. The Reader explains that when turned, this glass will halt the passage of time, a la time stop (PHB p281), for one minute. The sand may be used in increments of 6 seconds, or one round. The minute-glass is highly intricate, with a flowing, almost liquid bone design. After the full minute passes and the sand is used up, the item disappears.
Inverted
The same as above, except this minute-glass ages the cardholder 2% of their maximum age for every round used, for a total of 20%.
 
Nine of Coins – WORM
The Reader says, "The worms consume thief and beggar alike… as thou dost." A hunger instantly comes over the character—a hunger for the raw flesh of dead things. They must consume at least one pound of flesh from a carcass per day to survive. The cardholder’s Charisma score is reduced by 1, due to the slight odor of decay that lingers about them.
Inverted
The Reader says, "The worms themselves will not touch thee." When the cardholder dies, they will not decay. The result is that it is easier to bring them back to life—raise dead (PHB p270) has a time limit of 10 years rather than 10 days. Furthermore, whatever the method of restoration, the -4 penalty to rolls that comes with returning to the living is automatically reduced to -2.
 
Ten of Coins – WHISPER
The Reader does not open their mouth, but nevertheless murmurs "Dost thou hear them?" The cardholder begins to hear whispers in their head, and develops an indefinite madness. The whispers emerge when large groups of people are nearby, eliciting a DC 12 Wisdom save or causing fear. Though mostly unintelligible, occasionally the words “kill”, “death”, “murder”, “maim” are heard.
Inverted
The reader says the same phrase, but instead the PC is gifted with the ability to hear distant whispers as if directly spoken to them (they automatic succeed on Perception checks for whispering).
 
Page of Coins – MELODY
The Reader says, "Hearken to the melody of the mind." A mandolin’s song begins to play within the cardholder’s mind—slowly at first, but faster and faster, until it’s accompanied by a different instrument, one of the player’s choice. A beautiful example of said instrument sprouts and grows from the card, and the cardholder is suddenly granted the knowledge of how to play it. They have advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks made with this instrument.
Inverted
The same as above, except the Reader adds “…and be consumed." The cardholder becomes obsessed with music and the minstrel’s lifestyle. The next level they take must be a level in Bard.
 
Knight of Coins – WARD
The Reader says, "Thou are warded against harm." An ethereal suit of plate mail armor forms around the cardholder, then fades into invisibility. The cardholder has a permanent mage armor spell (PHB p256) active on them. In addition, they gain proficiency in any one type of saving throw. Whenever something impacts on the armor or when they utilize this saving throw, the ethereal suit of armor becomes briefly visible.
Inverted
The same as above, except the Reader adds, "but at a price." The mage armor conferred by this spell is violently incompatible with any solid armor, and will disintegrate it if worn.
 
Queen of Coins – TALONS
The Reader says, "Fear magic, for it carries hidden talons.” Every magic item the cardholder wears or carries disintegrates into a fine goldish powder. Artifacts do not disintegrate, but they do vanish in a coruscating burst of iridescent energy.
Inverted
The same as above, except the following dawn, a golden owl will appear before the cardholder and gift them with its wings—a set of wings of flying (DMG p214).
 
King of Coins – HEAVEN
The Reader bows their head and is silent. A pillar of light slams down out of the sky. When it subsides, it is replaced by an authority (S&F). This being grants the character a random blessing (DMG p 227) and some words of confusing and terrifying wisdom before vanishing.
Inverted
The emissary can tell if the cardholder lives by righteous ideals. If so, they gain the blessing. If they don’t, they are cursed with insomnia until they redeem themselves.

Rarity

Artifact

Weight

1 lb.

Dimensions

6x8 in.

Base Price

Priceless