Reader John Rhoadhouse described an RPG system he was considering, but decided not to run with. (This is what I got out of the 15-minute afternoon break we had to chat, so if it sounds underdeveloped, it’s probably due to a limitation in my understanding.) It was based on the Tarot; each character had a suit aspect, was better at using cards of that suit in combat, and could use any card as if it were their own suit. (The suits corresponded to offense, defense, magic/debilitating effects, and healing.) For instance, a Swords character could play a Cups card for offense. Trumps could be used for a potent amount of any suit.

Characters also were able to train the trumps like “skills” in other RPGs. Each trump could always be played for a specific effect; and with enough skill, it would be likely to have an additional effect as well. For instance, the World card might have a movement effect whenever you play it, but a teleportation or other mystical movement effect if you have enough skill in it.

One of the things that frustrates me about Tarot mythology is that the trumps (or Major Arcana) don’t seem to fill any kind of cycle. What kind of parallelism do “The Emperor,” “Strength,” and “The Moon,” and “The Tower” have? Answer: None. On the other hand, the suits do correspond nicely to the four classical elements, and the trumps can fill the role of a “fifth element” that seems to pop up in many places, whether you want to call it Void, Spirit, Ether, Mana, Mind, or whatever.

As a result, I think someone who was so inclined could put together a pretty interesting RPG based on giving a character five “affinities,” one for each of the suits plus one for trumps. At some interval, based on level, situation, or GM whim, a character would gain access to cards from the deck. They would be played to help with various feats, and the stronger that character’s affinity for a given card, the more it would help. For example, a character with a strong Wands affinity could expend a Wands card to, say, compose a song, Wands being a suit associated with creativity. A character with poorer Wands affinity wouldn’t be able to compose as good of a song, or would need access to extra Wands cards.

Trumps, of course, have strong symbolism (Death! Lovers! The Devil! The Fool!) and would have great power, perhaps even supernatural power in the game. The corresponding disadvantage is that they are much more specialized. For example, a Swords card could be used in a fight, or an argument, to solve a puzzle, or to take any bold or brash action; but the Wheel of Fortune card is never going to be good for anything but influencing your luck in some matter that would otherwise be left to chance. So if you have good trumps affinity and that card, you’ll have to work to manufacture a situation where you can put it to good use.

I already have enough RPG ideas running around my head that I’m never going to take Tarotmancer anywhere, and John feels the same way. It’s sad, but perhaps it will give you something to think about.