Deck o'

L.A.F.F.S.

**NOTE: I just realized these cards are not numbered quite right on the graphics. It's probably not a good idea to print these out until the day I get the time and desire to fix them all. For now, here are the rules and the cards just for your amusement.

As far as hours of fun and laughter goes, L.A.F.F.S. has been the greatest game I've made. Actually it's probably just the story lines that have been so much fun, but I love this game! I decided to do some cards for the game much like those I made for another RPG a couple years ago.

Before I get too far along, let me remind you that you can find both of these RPGs in a single published booklet at Funny Business Games. If you want a free, introductory version of L.A.F.F.S., it's here. You'll at least want to look over these introductory rules before trying to understand all of the stuff below.

Return home.

Now, back to the cards...

I have always been intrigued by the non-linear possibilities within a deck of cards. Draw out a couple cards in a random order and BAM!--you've got an original thought. Here are just a few things you can do with a Deck o' L.A.F.F.S. once you print and cut out the files below:

Generate random numbers instead of using dice.
Randomly generate adventures.
Aid players and BOSSes in character creation.
Embellish pre-constructed adventures on the fly.
And (my personal favorite) construct over 65,000 universal "flavor text" sayings to cram in any adventure (even if they don't all fit perfectly)!

Print out the files below (you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader) and make your deck. I have a few suggested uses explained thoroughly below.

The card files:

(Sorry, I don't yet have the software to get these things in one handy file.)

Using the cards to generate random numbers (being a method for anybody playing L.A.F.F.S.):

It's pretty obvious that you can draw a card at random from the well-shuffled deck and use the value in the upper left in the same way that you would use a die roll. One interesting twist, however, would be to deal out four cards or so to each player just before a big confrontation. Let them play a number on a card when they would normally have to make a roll. They can actually choose if the character makes the check or not and by how much. When a player has used four cards, deal four more. This can really lead to some silly actions (to use up the high numbered cards). Could be fun.

Note: These cards are numbered 1-20. The introductory version of L.A.F.F.S. at this site is based on a 10-sided die. If you choose to use the cards to generate numbers for the game, you'll have to just take the second digit of any two-digit number. Consider a "0" to be a "10".
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Using the cards to randomly generate adventures (being a method for BOSSES):

Forgive me if I'm insulting your intelligence here, but I'll go on a bit with how I might use these cards to make up an adventure on the spur of the moment.

First, shuffle the cards real well and draw one. Look at it's number and read an "era" off the chart below:

Number Drawn	Era
1-4	Pre-Historical
5-8	Historical
9-12	Present
13-16	Future
17-20	Distant Future

Now, ummmm, let's see. How about spinning the card face up on the table and waiting until it stops. If it stops mostly right side up, go with a fantasy setting. Otherwise, keep it more realistic (as if L.A.F.F.S. is ever that realistic).

Using that as a guideline for your over active imagination, are you getting a picture of the setting? Great! Now draw three more cards and lay them out face up in front of yourself.

In the middle of each card you'll find two little phrases cleverly designed to get the creative juices splurting all over. Base your opening scene on the images that come to mind as you read a few of the phrases. Don't feel like you need to use them all. Maybe you'll just use one or two.

Ok, now you're on a roll. Make up rest of the details with or without the aid of the cards. It might even be fun to run the whole adventure based strictly on the cards just to see if you can do it. You're the BOSS, do it how you like.
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Using the cards to aid in character generation (being a method for players and BOSSes):

Once the BOSS tells you the type of setting, draw four random cards. At the top of each card you'll find a negative character trait followed by a good trait. Pick two of each to describe your character. (Some BOSSes might instruct you to do more or less negative traits depending on the feel of the adventure.)

Instead of rolling a die (as indicated in the rules), simply draw a card and use the random number along with the chart to find your character's stats.

The two steps above should give you some idea of the character you are working with now. Draw one more card and look at the two words at the top again. This time, use the first letter of each of those words to come up with a first and last name for your character. For example, if you draw "Gross/Petite", you might choose the name Grog Pog as the name of your viking hero. You get the idea.
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Using the cards to embellish pre-constructed adventures (being a method for BOSSes):

Ok, you're leading the adventure and the gang decides to do something you didn't expect. They bust down a door you didn't even plan on using in the story. Draw a card or two and look at the silly objects (the big word in the middle of the card) to get an idea of what they find waiting behind the door. Remember, you don't have to go with exactly what you read. Just use it to get thinking. Who would have expected that Volkswagen in the dungeon? And they thought the Pez Dispenser in the treasure chest was whacky....
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Using the "Flavor Text" (being a completely crazy method for no reason other than a good L.A.F.F.):

I always enjoy reading the flavor text on cards from collectible card games. I figured I'd try my hand at a universal system. I failed miserably, but it's still pretty entertaining.

To read a random quote, draw three cards. There are quotes consisting of three lines at the bottom of each card. Read the first line off the first card, the second off the second and the third line off the third. Pretty simple. Every once in awhile the quote will make sense. When it doesn't, it's not stupid. Just consider it profound with a meaning hidden from our understanding.

Feel free to use these quotes as bits of wisdom muttered from mysterious NPCs. Players may also use them as mottos for their newly designed characters. Sometimes it's fun to just use them as comic relief.
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This page was last updated June 6, 2000.