Harrow deck

A harrow card is one of the 54 individual cards that make up a Harrow deck, used in a form of divination among Varisian fortune-tellers. Each card symbolizes the six basic abilities of a creature, its moral and ethical stance, and the outlook of events past, present, and future. Although the basic symbolism of each cards is briefly summarized here, the cards have additional symbolism and meanings, especially when they are misaligned or in an opposite match.

When playing a card of the given suit, you may choose to gain the listed effect in place of that granted by the card’s alignment.

Ability: Strength

In the Harrow deck, strength is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented as a hammer. Strength represents a creature's muscular and physical power, and its ability to fight in melee. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes war, battle, and honor.

If used before a roll is made, a hammers card grants you a +8 luck bonus on any one d20 roll. If used after a roll is made, this bonus is reduced to +4. You can also use this card to grant a bonus to another character, as long as you are in the same location and your character can reasonably affect the outcome of the roll (such as by distracting a monster, shouting words of encouragement, or otherwise aiding another with the check). Cards of the suit of hammers spent to aid another character grant only half the listed bonus (+4 before the roll, +2 after the roll).

Ability: Dexterity

In the Harrow deck, dexterity is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented as a key. Dexterity represents a creature's agility, reflexes, balance, and skill with ranged weapons. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes trouble, children, and entertainment.

You can spend a keys card to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn.

Ability: Constitution

In the Harrow deck, constitution is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented by a shield. Constitution represents a creature's health, stamina, and increased ability to survive injuries or disease. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes health, the home, and pain.

You can spend a shields card on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.

Ability: Intelligence

In the Harrow deck, intelligence is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented by a book. Intelligence represents a creature's ability to learn and reason, and may indicate facility with languages or arcane magic. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes money, school, and literature.

You can spend a books card to recall a spell you have already cast or to gain another use of a special ability that is otherwise limited. This should only be used on spells and abilities possessed by your character that recharge on a daily basis.

Ability: Wisdom

In the Harrow deck, wisdom is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented by a star. Wisdom represents a creature's willpower, common sense, awareness, intuition, and perception, and may indicate facility with divine magic. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes ancient history, morality, and the gods.

If you feel stuck at some point in the adventure, you can spend a card of this suit and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the stars card is not spent.

Ability: Charisma

In the Harrow deck, charisma is one of a creature's six basic abilities, represented by a crown. Charisma represents a creature's personality, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and appearance, and may indicate facility with magic cast spontaneously. In a harrowing, it more broadly symbolizes love, family, and politics.

You may spend a crown card to reroll any one d20 roll you just made. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse.

When playing a card of the given alignment, you may choose to gain the listed effect in place of that granted by the card’s suit.

You may smite evil, as the paladin ability, gaining the benef its until the start of your next turn. If you have levels in paladin greater than half your total Hit Dice, use your paladin level to determine bonus damage; otherwise, your bonus damage equals half your character level, rounded down (minimum 1).

You channel positive energy that cures a creature touched of an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level. This effect damages undead creatures as spells like cure light wounds.

You receive a +4 circumstance bonus on one CMB check to avoid or escape a grapple or on one Escape Artist check.

You gain a +10 bonus on any single Sense Motive check.

You may gain a one-time insight into the future as the spell augury, using your character level as your caster level. Meditating on the particular action in question requires 10 minutes and does not expend material components.

You gain the effects of rage, as the spell, lasting a duration of 1 round + an additional round for every 3 Hit Dice you possess above the first.

You can give another creature a command as per the spell command. This command can affect undead that are normally immune to mind-affecting effects, but not other creatures that are immune to mindaffecting effects. The DC of this command is equal to 10 + your character level.

You channel negative energy that deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level to a creature touched. This effect heals undead creatures as spells like inf lict light wounds.

You may instantly force any creature to reroll a saving throw it has just made, taking the result of the second roll, even if doing so means the check will fail.