As you probably know, a basic Tarot has four suits of number 2 through 10 of each suit, then an Ace, Page, Knight, Queen and King of each suit. Obviously this could make for a random 1 through 14 draw, with slightly less randomness for each card drawn. Not bad. Any given system within the game - percentage chance of success in an action, health, damage, etc - can fit within the number system of the available spread of numbers given to us. Your target number for any chance of a 50/50 success would be 8 or higher. Moving the success number would mirror a change in difficulty. Each card draw is a dice roll.
So what about the Major Arcana? My first thought was that any drawn Major Arcana could be a complication or bonus, but with almost 1/3 of all draws (28%) being a complication, this would make for a LOT more randomness and a lot less dependence on character level or power. I'm not sure if that is best for a a system where we try to maximize fun, but it could be. It would certainly be a boon for game masters who like to throw wrinkles into combat.
As I remember the meanings (or at least one interpretation) of the Tarot cards, I tried to imagine what sort of complications could occur from such interpretations, or even a more literal reading of them. (For example, what if you drew the Tower, and you made some sort of terrain-based fumble? If some structure is rickety, including where you are standing, it falls?) There seems to be two directions I can go, a literal-meaning effect or a fortune telling interpretation effect, which I will call metaphorical.
So, here's a stab at some of the Major Arcana (I might add more in later), and what they might do as an effect. Note that some effects I might make a bit humorous!
| Possible Effect | ||
| 0, The Fool | (Automatic) fail plus a comical catastrophic effect | |
| 1, The Magician | Success, but you are now "the protagonist" of this fight. (aggro) | |
| 2, The High Priestess | Success, and you are moved to the front of the initiative order. | |
| 3, The Empress | ||
| 4, The Emperor | ||
| 5, The Heirophant | ||
| 6, The Lovers | ||
| 7, The Chariot | Success, but your next action of the same type will fail. | |
| 8, Strength | You receive a +1 to [applicable will score] for the scene. | |
| 9, The Hermit | ||
| 10, The Wheel of Fortune | 50/50 chance (Flip the card in the air, maybe?) | |
| 11, Justice | If a character is good, success. If a character is evil, fail. | |
| 12, The Hanged Man | ||
| 13, Death | Success, delivering instant incapacitation if an attack. | |
| 14, Temperance | ||
| 15, The Devil | If a character is good, fail. If a character is evil, success. | |
| 16, The Tower | Fail, and whatever tool used breaks. Swords break, Thieves Tools snap, a voice goes hoarse. | |
| 17, The Star | Success, and temporarily lose any exhaustion penalty for the scene. | |
| 18, The Moon | Success at night, failure during the day | |
| 19, The Sun | Success during the day, failure at night | |
| 20, Judgement | ||
| 21, The World |
