Dork 20 Deck

         The "Dork20 Deck" is an accessory from Atlas Games. It is supposedly for any d20 System games, but it is clearly fantasy oriented (i.e. spells and magic). It recommends that all players start with four cards dealt from the Dork20 Deck, with the option to be buy more during the session for XP equal to 100 x his character's Hit Dice. The GM can also award cards at his discretion. The cards and their open content text are listed below, divided into six categories:


Roll Modifiers

Attention To Detail
Add a +10 bonus to one Search check specified by this card's player.
Beginner's Luck
Add 1d20 to one untrained skill check specified by this card's player.
Dumb Luck
This card's player rolls 2d6 and subtracts the total from a d20 roll of his choice; however, if he rolls doubles, the total is added to the d20 roll instead of being subtracted from it.
Eagle Eyes
Add a +10 bonus to one Spot check specified by this card's player.
First Strike
Add a +4 bonus to one Initiative roll specified by this card's player.
Fleetfoot
Add a +10 feet to a character's Speed for this encounter.
Holy Moly
Add a +4 bonus to a Turn or Rebuke undead check, or to a Turn or Rebuke undead damage roll.
Honey Tongues
Add a +10 bonus to one Bluff check specified by this card's player.
Lie Detector
Add a +10 bonus to one Sense Motive check specified by this card's player.
Mistaken Identity
Add a +10 bonus to one Disguise check specified by this card's player.
Peacemaker
Add a +10 bonus to one Diplomacy check specified by this card's player.
Save It For Later
Play this card when a player or the GM rolls a natural 20 in the course of the game; climbing small trees repeatedly until a 20 comes up doesn't meet this requirement. The player or GM saves the 20 for the use of any character of his choice at a later time during the same game session, and rerolls this check; he doesn't need to specify which character until he's ready to use the 20.
Sharp Ears
Add a +10 bonus to one Listen check specified by this card's player.
Take Two
A player or the GM rerolls a die roll just made. Even if the new roll is worse, he must keep it.
War Monger
Add a +10 bonus to one Intimidation check specified by this card's player.
Windfall
Add a +4 bonus to any one d20 roll specified by this card's player.

Save Modifiers

Nine Lives
Add a bonus to a character's Reflex save equal to the difference between his total result and the DC; the character then gets a penalty equal to that bonus on his next Reflex save this game session.
Opening
One character automatically fails a save against an action taken by another character. This cannot be countered with Nine Lives, Stubborn, or Tough As Nails.
Serendipity
One character automatically succeeds at a save against an action taken by another character.
Stubborn
Add a bonus to a character's Will save equal to the difference between his total result and the DC; the character then gets a penalty equal to that bonus on his next Will save this game session.
Tough As Nails
Add a bonus to a character's Fortitude save equal to the difference between his total result and the DC; the character then gets a penalty equal to that bonus on his next Fortitude save this game session.

Ability Bonuses

Cunning
Temporarily increase a character's Intelligence or Charisma score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character taqkes 1 point of temporary Wisdom score damage as his heightened sense of his own craftiness clouds his judgement. This damange returns after one day.
Adrenaline
Temporarily increase a character's Dexterity or Strength score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character takes 1 point of temporary Constitution score damage for pushing himself too hard. This damage returns after one day.
Contemplation
Temporarily increase a character's Wisdom or Intelligence score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character takes 1 point of temporary Dexterity score damage as his deep thoughts cause a disconnection between mind and body. This damage returns after one day.
Discipline
Temporarily increase a character's Constitution or Wisdom score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character takes 1 point of temporary Charisma score damage as he becomes too intractable to be likeable. This damage returns after one day.
Mighty Thews
Temporarily increase a character's Strength or Constitution score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character takes 1 point of temporary Intelligence score damage as the residual testosterone keeps him from thinking clearly. This damage returns after one day.
Sly
Temporarily increase a character's Charisma or Dexterity score, as specified by this card's player, by +5 for this encounter; afterwards, that character takes 1 point of temporary Strength score damage as his own insidious guile saps his vital energies. This damage returns after one day.
Retaliation
A character makes an attack of opportunity against someone who just dealt melee damage to him, even if an attack of opportunity wouldn't normally be allowed. The character uses the damage he took as a bonus to his damage roll, and the attack of opportunity doesn't count toward the character's normal per-round limit.

Combat Benefits

Elusive
When this card is applied to a character, one attack of opportunity against him misses.
Glancing Blow
A character takes half damage from a single attack made with a melee or ranged weapon.
Instant Action
One character gets an extra standard action this round, but must make a Fortitude save DC 15 to avoid being dazed for the next round, during which time he is unable to take actions.
Missed My Vital Spot
A critical hit just scored does only normal damage.
Vital Blow
Instead of rolling, when a character scores a critical thread this card makes it a critical hit automatically.
Weeping Wound
This card makes one attack made with a melee or ranged weapon automatically a critical threat.

Magic Benefits

Counterspell
A character automatically counterspells one spell as specified by this card's player with any spell chosen by the character's player that is of the same or higher spell level. The character does not need to make a Spellcraft check, and casting the counterspell is a free action.
Mystic Recharge
A spellcasting character regains a spell specified by this card's player that the character has already used or otherwise lost. After the spell is used again, the character takes 1 point of temporary Constitution damage, which returns after one day.
Power Surge
When played immediately before or after a spell is cast, this card boosts the spell as if by the metamagic feat chosen by this card's player; the GM may limit this choice to Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell and Widen Spell, and the spell uses the higher-level spell slot specified by the feat.

Miscellaneous

Ability Mastery
A character affected by this card uses one of his special abilities or class features one time as if he were 3 levels higher. This card's player specifies the ability or feature affected.
Act With Precision
A character takes 20 on any one skill check specified by this card's player, even one that normally disallows taking 20, in the same amount of time that making a single check would take.
Burst of Speed
A character specified by this card's player takes one extra move action when this card is played.
Eye of the Beholder
Choose any two characters. One of them makes a Bluff or Diplomacy check vs the other's Sense Motive skill. If the first character succeeds, the second character is smitten with him as per the charm monster spell for one hour.
First Aid
A character who has negative hit points and is losing hit points returns to 0 hit points and is now stable. He is conscious but disabled.
Flesh Wound
Lethal damage just scored is converted to nonlethal damage.
A Friend In Need
An NPC whose Hit Dice are equal to or lower than the character to whom this card is applied comes to his aid for this encounter; this card's player can suggest possibilities, but the identity of this NPC and his actions are up to the GM. The NPC will expect a favor of equal value in the future, which will also be determined by the GM.
Hidden Reserve
A magic item or a character's special ability or class feature specified by this card's player that has limited uses and is used up is activated one more time, immediately after this card is played. After this use, the character takes 1 point of temporary Constitution score damage, which returns after one day, or the object is destroyed.
Insight
The target character realizes something he missed before, whether due to an unsuccessful roll or an overlooked roleplaying opportunity, as determined by the GM; for example, he may realize the key to a riddle was in a chamber where a Search roll failed, or that a character is keeping a secret that may lead the party to the heart of the adventure's plot.
Inspiration
One player draws enough cards from the Dork20 Deck to bring his hand back up to four.
Just What I Need
A player discards one card of his choice from his hand in order to draw the card of his choice from the discard pile.
Karma Twin
This card duplicates the effect of a second card played at the same time; the effects can stack or the two cards can be played on different targets.
Lithe
A character's armor check penalty doesn't apply for one skill check or he automatically succeeds at one arcane spell failure roll, as specified by this card's player.
Move As One
For this encounter, the entire party or another group of allied characters uses the Hide or Move Silently check of one of its members. Whose roll is used is determined by this card's player before any dice are rolled.
Power Nap
The party or another group of allied characters gets a full night's rest in half the time.
Scathing Insult
A character hurls such an effective insult that unless the target makes a Will save DC 20 + 1 per HD that the affronting character has, the victim of the abuse becomes shaken, suffering a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for the rest of this encounter. The character's player must describe the insult.
Second Wind
A character regains his character level in hit points, to a maximum of his normal maximum hit points. Also, if he was exhausted he is now considered fatigued, and if he was fatigued he is now considered rested.
Seller's Market
Something a character possesses is of unusual value to an NPC he is dealing with. The NPC will give the character twice its normal value if the character agrees to the sale, but the GM determines what the item is.
These Are My Lackeys
For this encounter, the entire party or another group of allied characters uses the Disguise or Bluff check of one of its members. Whose roll is used is determined by this card's player before any dice are rolled.

John H. Kim <jhkim-at-darkshire-dot-net>
Last modified: Sun Jan 23 01:22:05 2005