You've Activated My Trap Card (GLOG Class: Duelist)
The summoner archetype has a major flaw in turn-based games and even more so in TTRPGs. Lots of monsters means lots of mini turns, which is a thin facade covering over the real problem - lots of table time relative to the other players.
I have solved these problems once and for all in perfect fashion. Behold, the Duelist.
Duel Monsters
An ancient game is played behind closed doors to determine the fates of kingdoms. Few know this and fewer are involved. These shadow games are the domain of the extravagantly wealthy and well connected, what the hell you are doing with a deck and dueling gauntlet is anyone's guess. But I suppose they will find out soon enough.
These wealthy lord occasionally take an apprentice and become their benefactor. This is solely to jockey for power and gather information. There's also a slight chance that an apprentice does more then die and lose their cards to a competitor. A competent ally capable of dueling is valuable indeed.
These are the Rules.
- The Rite of the Duel, When you announce DUEL MONSTERS in a confident voice, visible life points (hp, but in multiples of 100 to match the jrpg vibe) appear above the head of all present. They reflect current hp and when it reaches zero that participant has lost. Any scenario can be made into a duel by this rite.
- The Rule of One, Duelists begin a duel with 1 card in their hand, draw 1 per turn, play up to 1 monster per turn.
- The Rule of the Gauntlet, Cards can only be played on unoccupied runes on your gauntlet. Monsters and spells played outside of a duel can only manifest for a few seconds and the cards become useless for the rest of the day.
- The Rule of the Shadowrealm, stakes are always established by the duelist that invokes the Rite of the Duel. Stakes must be equitable so most often the consequences of losing are the same for both sides. Abide by them or be banished to the shadow realm.
Duelist
Starting Equipment: 1 inherited monster card from your benefactor (random), 1 blank card, 1 duelist gauntlet (a glove with angular plate that extends down to the elbow, 5 runes mark the surface where cards can be summoned, d6 light weapon), thigh length wool overcoat, fingerless gloves, more than likely extravagant hair which defines not only convention, but gravity itself.
- A Monster Cards, Blank Cards, Magic Cards
- B Trap Cards
- C Heart of the Cards
- D Duel Master
Monster Cards
When you play a monster card on your gauntlet it is summoned nearby and obeys simple instruction. Monsters summoned in attack mode behave as normal and are destroyed permanently if killed (the card tears), but they can be summoned in defense mode. Monsters in defense mode are given a target to defend, receive attacks instead of that target, cannot attack, and are not destroyed when defeated. They are useless until summoned again.
You can usually just use the rules for your system to run the monsters, but if not the cards only have two values; attack dice (d6, d8 etc), and hp (shown as a multiple of 100). The monster's attacks always hit and deal damage according to their attack dice roll. Attacks always hit the monster and hp is depleted as normal. The monster is defeated when its hp reaches 0.
Blank Cards
You may only have one blank card in your deck at a time. If you play a blank card face up onto your gauntlet and then kill a monster, the monster is copied into the card and can be added to your deck. When a blank card is filled the next day you awake with a new blank card in your deck.
Blank cards played face down can be used to catch a spell and capture it. Spells caught in this way have no effect and the previous owner forgets how to cast them. Spell scrolls can be added to a blank card with an hour of effort or with a partner to cast it at you.
Magic Cards
You can play one magic card onto your gauntlet per turn, but can activate as many facedown magic cards at a time as you like. Once activated, magic cards cannot be used until the next day.
Trap Cards
Any card can be placed face down on your gauntlet with a simple condition required to activate it. Once the condition is fulfilled, the spell or monster is summoned. This condition must be fulfilled during a duel (combat)
Heart of the Cards
Once per duel search your deck for a card and put it into your hand.
Duel Master
Start a duel with 5 cards in your hand.
Dangerous Benefactors
1. Lord Teru of the Thousand Lanterns
A reclusive billionaire who fills the halls of his mansions with floating lanterns from hidden markets.
Card: Lantern-Wisp Familiar (d4, 6)
A tiny flame spirit that flickers and floats. Lasts an hour outside of a duel.
2. Sister Ireluna
An astronomer-priestess who owns four private observatories and traffics in celestial relics.
Card: Moonlight Acolyte (d6,6)
A faintly glowing attendant that emanates soft cosmic hums.. Instead of attacking, can heal for the same and is then defeated.
3. Captain Rowen Verdantline
A noble ranger-lord who bought an entire forest so no one else could use it.
Card: Forestblade Sentinel (d8, 6)
A forest warrior grown from enchanted seeds. Defeated instantly by fire.
4. Grinda of the Exotic Menagerie
An underground beast collector who operates a moving zoo to evade the law.
Card: Hatchling Emberdrake (d8, 8)
A spark-spitting fire drake bred illegally.
5. Brakkus Steelhand, Baron of Ironblood
A war profiteer with a mercenary army and a platinum-plated prosthetic hand.
Card: Ironhide Berserker (d6, 11)
A metal-skinned brute built for warfare.
6. The Stonemason Syndicate of Granite Gate
A corporate cartel that controls magical construction across kingdoms.
Card: Runestone Golem (d4, 14)
A rune-powered guardian used to protect high-value sites.
7. Riko “Rebounder” Mirelune
A scandalous illusionist heiress who hides money laundering behind stage shows.
Card: Bounceback Gremlin (d4, 4)
A teleporting troublemaker. The first time it is defeated, it returns to play on your turn.
8. Malvok the Alley Warlock
A financier of forbidden spell research who thrives in abandoned districts.
Card: Shadow-Imp Trickster (d8, 4)
A smoky imp that collects whispers and secrets. Can disappear in shadows.
9. The Whitewood Huntmaster
An aristocratic hunter who purchases exotic dangers to release in private forests.
Card: Silvermane Tracker (d8, 5)
A wolf-beast tuned for magical tracking. Can remain for an hour outside a duel if given a scent to track.
10. Aerith Skywatcher of the High Aerie
Owner of the world’s most extravagant skyship fleet.
Card: Aerie Windling (d6, 4, flies)
A tiny sky dragon that glides effortlessly.
11. Zabyr, Merchant Prince Eternal
A magnate with caravans that move jewels, rumors, and blackmail.
Card: Lampborne Djinnling (d6, 8)
A mischievous mini-genie bound to a battered lamp. Will summon a simple item for you if you ask it as a wish.
12. Nelf of the Obsidian Court
A noble assassin-knight seeking a heir outside his bloodline.
Card: Umbral Bladesworn (d10, 4)
A shadowsteel knight with a silent blade.
13. The Tidelock
A wealthy scholar who owns private coastlines for “research privacy.”
Card: Aquamancer Sentry (d6, 6)
A water guardian shaped like a cloaked figure.
14. Captain Salty of the Leviathan Fleet
A pirate-tycoon with a mercenary navy and a grin full of gold teeth.
Card: Sharkhead Marauder (d8, 7)
A shark-spirit that haunts the deep.
15. Engineer Piper Gearwitch
A genius inventor who practically owns an entire factory-city.
Card: Cogwheel Pursuer (2d4, 5, fast)
A relentless one-eyed tracking automaton.
16. Arcanist Velorum
A famous magician whose “shows” cover for heists, assassinations, espionage.
Card: Spellforged Duelist (d6, 5)
A runic swordsman animated by unstable arcana. Parries the first attach against him.
17. Forest Hermit Yavo
A wealthy landowner who chooses to live like a hermit on one of his dozens of estates.
Card: Brambleback Devourer (d8, 12)
A thorn-covered plant beast with snapping jaws.
18. The Ember Knight, Sir Pyrron
A fallen noble desperate to regain his lost status.
Card: Flamebound Swordsprite (d10, 6)
A fiery humanoid spirit with a blade of living flame.
19. Bonekeeper Jareth
A necromantic philanthropist with a network of orphanages and catacombs.
Card: Grave-Tusk Guardian (d10, 10)
A skeletal mammoth spirit with ancient loyalty.
20. Grand Maestro Lucent
A world-famous composer who buys entire amphitheaters to “improve their acoustics.”
Card: Melody-Piper Seraph (d6, 6)
A winged musician spirit. Casts *sleep* when first summoned.
Rare Cards
If you skipped directly to this section, write me a personal letter and I will mail you a pokemon card. Each DUEL MONSTERS card is a treasure in its own right, a Rare card is akin to a magic sword or staff. Rare monsters can have a special ability that can be activated once per duel in lieu of playing a card.
- Uno Reverse
Played in the moment between omen and disaster. Whatever would have happened to you, happens to whoever would have done it.
- Maldross Evil Sorcerer (d12, 12)
Renowned magus with scorched robes and hands. Activate: Power Word Kill
- Blue Eyed Silver Dragon (2d6, 20)
Fearful ice drake of the Glacier Unteraar.
- Darkcap of the Fellingwood (d8, 6)
Stealthy fae with black hat and iron boots. Activate: Duplicate
- Red Eyed Obsidian Drake (d10, 14)
Stoney drake from the Volcano Nyiragongo. Activate: Fireball
- Rebirth Monster
Return a defeated monster to your hand.
