Those that GM Dungeons & Dragons know that running a game can be difficult. There are a lot of rules to remember. Those rules can change over time either through a new edition or the upcoming 2024 revision. Not to mention the demand for dramatic encounters and storytelling. Enter The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes.
The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes Announcement
According to an official press release, The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes is a deck of game-changing, character-shifting cards designed for any game that uses Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition.
The deck contains 40 illustrated cards. 20 of these cards provide a boon to the player. These include blessings from a higher power, the protection of spirit wolves as they travel, or the ability to grow a pair of dragonfly wings once a day.
The other 20 inflict banes. A curse that strangles a character to death the more they stay active. A blight that covers the character in thick odorous mold. The list goes on.
The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes also includes a companion book. This book contains descriptions of each card’s effects as well as how it impacts the character who drew it. Each entry includes suggested side quests related to each cards as well as ways to scale the effects up and down for different tiers of play.
The twist is, unlike the Deck of Many Things, it is up to the GM to determine how many boons and banes are in the deck players draw from. It can be all boons, all banes, or something in between. Can your players resist the temptation of power, or end up drawing from a deck stacked against them? The choice is yours.
The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes was written by Ginny Di. Ginny Di is a cosplayer, professional Game Master, and YouTuber known for releasing helpful advice videos for new TTRPG players and how to cultivate safe, thoughtful spaces for RPG groups. The cards were illustrated by Tim Foley, the same artist behind board games Maximus and Tori.
The Game Master’s Deck of Boons and Banes will be sold at an MSRP of $19.99. It will be available October 1.
