Gambling
Looking to steal some of your companions credits over a friendly game of cards or dice? These rules offer a way to play out a night of gambling rather than playing each hand or round.
Your gambling die
Before we deal the cards, you need to determine your gambling die. Start by choosing either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your main gambling ability.
Are you a master of numbers and calculations and can count cards with ease? Then you're likely an Intelligence based gambler. Or do you use your charm and deception to manipulate the player across the table? Charisma based gamblers fall into this group.
After you decide which ability you're gambling with, determine your gambling die based on the table below.
| Ability Modifier | Gambling Die |
|---|---|
| 0 | 2d4kl1 |
| +1 | d4 |
| +2 | d6 |
| +3 | d8 |
| +4 | d10 |
| +5 | d12 |
Shuffle and Deal
Once all players have determined their gambling die, the buy-in rate should be established. This amount will later be multiplied by the difference in two player's gambling dice, so keep this in mind when choosing a buy-in.
From here it's time to roll the dice. Each player rolls their gambling die and the results are sorted from high to low. Gaming set proficiency can give a bonus to your gambling roll result as outlined below.
Gaming Set Proficiency/Expertise
Spent a majority of your time in the casinos or backroom gambling halls of the galaxy and happen to have proficiency in a gaming set? If so, you can add your proficiency bonus to your gambling die roll, twice if you have expertise.
There is no set game played during this gambling session so any gaming set can give the bonus, but only once. Proficiency or expertise in multiple gaming sets does not stack in this instance.
Winner Winner!
After gambling rolls have been made and any gaming set bonuses factored in, begin working outside-in and taking the difference to determine pay outs. Highest vs. lowest, 2nd highest vs. 2nd lowest, and so on. A single player in the middle of an odd numbered group breaks even. The loser pays the winner the difference of their dice times the buy-in amount.
As an example, with a 100 credit buy-in, Player A rolled an 8 vs. Player D with a 2. Player D owes 600 credits to Player A.
If there is a tie between players, treat their roll as a single number to determine winners and losers. The tying players split the winnings or losses depending on their positioning.
Something Up your Sleeve
You want to know how to cheat, aye? If you're willing to take the risk, you can certainly try.
To attempt to cheat during the game, first make a Sleight of Hand check opposed by all other players' passive Perception. If successful against all players, you can reroll your gambling die one time and take the highest result. Payouts are then determined as usual.
If caught by even one player, the cheater is removed from the final results tally and payouts are calculated otherwise as normal. Additionally, the failed cheater must pay in the maximum difference from the remaining highest gambling roll. This penalty is then divided among the remaining players. If more than one person cheats and is caught, each is removed from the game and must pay the penalty as defined.
Say that Player C decided to cheat in our previous example but was caught. Their roll is removed from all results. Player A is still the highest roll with an 8 and therefore, Player C must pay in 700 credits (8 minus 1) which is divided among all remaining players.
- Inspired by gambling rules for Savage Worlds Adventure Edition and updated for SW5E by IndianaSlone and toddMoonbounce.
