Careless Whisper Cardcaster

The wisdom of the tarot is well known by many a fortune teller but these dabblers in mysticism only scratch the surface of the power contained within the cards of fate. Unlocking the energies within, cardcasters tease out destiny’s strands to work magic upon the world whether to tell the future, defend themselves, subdue foes, or achieve the impossible.

Belief is Reality

To a cardcaster there is nothing more real than their tarot deck, the symbology on its cards as actual and impactful as the wind in the air or a rushing river. They are both the overseers and agents of destiny, driven to adventure by powers beyond their control — forces most people are not even aware exist. To truly embrace the ways of the cardcaster one must acknowledge and work to understand fate whether to act in accordance with or directly against it in a vibrant struggle to achieve true free will.

Seers of Fate

Cardcasters derive their powers from the tarot — a deck of mysterious cards purported to divine the future. By opening their minds to the tarot’s whims, these workers of magic can exert a degree of control over fate. Though cardcasters are sometimes maligned for practicing an inscrutable and unreliable art, their proponents recognize that whatever sacrifices are made in predictability are duly compensated by way of adaptability. By accepting the cards they are dealt, cardcasters can see actions play out as foretold and issue a masterful response.

Creating a Cardcaster

As a cardcaster, one of your most important relationships is the one you have with your cards. Did you inherit them from a teacher, or did you uncover the set and its powers on your own? Are your card powers ones you invoke, or are they instead a spontaneous upwelling of fate? When you manifest magic does it appear and feel the same way that a wizard’s spell would or more akin to a cleric’s invocation?

What drove you to become an adventurer rather than a simple fortune teller? Did the cards will it to be so or was it your decision to buck the yoke of destiny? Did you know this was to be from a young age or only just now realizing your lot? Are you beholden to act as an agent of fate or strive against the flow to forge your own unique path rather than what the future might otherwise hold for you?

Class Features

• Hit Dice: 1d6 + your Constitution modifier per Cardcaster level
• Proficiencies
  • Armor: None
  • Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
  • Tools: Game set (cards)
  • Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
  • Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

• More: A Touch of Class Codex, page 19