Hardlec

The use of cards alone makes Malifaux a better option than any GW product. The ability to cheat fate is more of the same good stuff. Would a historical miniatures game with Malifaux mechanics be desireable?

Thanks for the help, I still need more. I am subscribed to meetup, I did not know board game geek had an opponant finder section. I used to demonstrate with corporate Sponsorship a GW game. They bullied me into buying a new expansion set, then dumped the game a month later. Three LGS owners I knew were ruined financially by GW. I could go on, but that's enough "why not play war vacuum..." I love the Malafaux game system. I've been gaming since 1969, so that should say a lot. I also like how you can start for under $100 and have a decent force (OK, I have all 3 Terraclips sets, so I will pay for good stuff ....) I do not think I know the game well enough to be a henchman. I recently picked up a second starter set purely for the purpose of having Two Factions so I can limp through some demos. I have moved recently and my painting facilities are limited, but I know the value of well painted minis. I will have to devote some time to this.

I play: Anything but warhammer. I usually call it "warvacuum" because to me it sucks. When I can I go to the friendly local game store wherever I am. I am scouting ANY store within 50 miles of Gainesville Fl. for a place to play. (Yes, I am a follower of the opponant finder.) Lately I have heard store owners say: "Malifaux died out here(implied: why don't you play warvacuum) Well: I won't dwell on negatives save one. GW/Citidel have terrible business practices. They compete by defamation, and by pressuring vendors and venues to drop competing products. Apart from having a great need to play, I put out a warning of a sort. Malifaux sells to the bare wall anywhere I can find it. I don't think it's going away.

As a player desperate to find others in my area, I thank thee.

I started this after having moved to Gainesville Fl. a big college town. The only store plays Warvacuum (warhammer is war+tool. A vacuum is a tool that suchs, a better fit IMHO.) I keep searching.

Hardlec aka hardlecAThotmailDOTcom. Gainesville FL Please add me.

I have a very subjective dislike for the art in the puppet deck. I don't own one although I've seen it many times. Putting in a major Arcana would be a major asset. While I am sure I can design cards for the project, I have no graphic art skills: I would be limited to common domain art I can download. Like the Golden Path Tarot, which is not "another rider-waite clone" I want the Malifaux game/world the focus. One option: a 108 card "double deck" as a game aid and oracle.

While rider-waite has become a standard; 14 cards and 4 minor arcana suits, 22+1 in the Major arcana, this was not always so. Cards used to be hand drawn and individual works of art. There is no need to make a Fate-Tarot deck conform to old restraints. Why not have 13 cards in 4 suits and 2 major arcana? Why not have 26 major arcana instead of 2? This is a different world after all. LonelyPath's work is excellent. The fate deck is not congruent to a "standard" deck in other ways. Rams/hearts/cups or masks/diamonds/pentacles is not all that congruent in symbology. I used to cast tarot spreads to give my fictional characters personality. I also used cards, runes and even the I Ching to push the plot in directions I wouldn't have come up with. Lots of potential still untapped.

So: if I take the existing deck and use it for spreads, that will be a start. How would it be best to put so much info on this message board?

I have an issue of the chronicles and am looking at it with interest. Is there more for download?

Fluff is not rules, but rules are not fluff: I have the condensed rule book, and while I have a lot to learn, the game mechanics are not too arcane; I want to catch up on the fluff. Mainly, I want to design some killer terrain... and other stuff.

Tarot decks were created in about the 14th century for games and divination. It is believed Napoleon played solitaire with Tarot cards on Elba. As Tarot cards branched off to the standard playing cards, playing cards and more specialist Tarot decks were all used for divination: casting fortunes. Prior to Rider-Waite, there was considerable variation between Tarot decks. Almost all were custom, one off works of art. Since Rider-Waite, it has become a standard template, although it need not be. For Malifaux, using the fate deck as a divination tool as well as a game aid has a certain attraction. Divination spreads could be used to create story lines for fiction, campaigns or scenarios. It could also be used to generate characters and or character personalities for a role play game. A couple of issues: Use the existing 54 cards or create a major arcana (trumps?) {Technically, the existing Jokers are Major Arcana} If a major arcana is created, how many cards will it have? Rider-Waite has 56 minor arcana and 22 major arcana, 78 cards. My personal preference would be to use the existing 54 cards only; adding 15 or 20 major arcana cards, say, the masters and henchmen of the 5 factions, might be more fun. I would print cards with pictures on one side, text on the other, and use them in card protectors, using the backs for "notes." What say you?

Tarot deck would be fluff, at least the major arcana, but could be useful. There should be at least two: one staempunk, one goythic.

Is it possible to download the basic icons ram, tome, mask, crow for use for shortcuts etc.? Has anyone tried to make a full Tarot deck for Malifaux?