Gaming sets are the quick and easy way of gaining a large fortune, or finding yourself in debt to some scary characters. Striding up to a gambling establishment can wind you up with a large bag of coin, some serious trouble with the owners, or new friends that are just as poor as you.
Gaming Sets
There are 3 types of gaming sets:
Taflkast,
Kubb,
Nitavl,
Hnefatafl. By being proficient in one type of set, you are better with the odds at games of chance and each type of game may have special bonuses if you are proficient with the appropriate gaming set.
Gaming and Gambling
Not every match of dice or cards will result in gambling your hard earned gold, sometimes its about camaraderie with your party or acting as a distraction while the rest of your party sneaks past the guards.
In any case, certain establishments will have caps as to how much they are willing to bet per match, just like individuals will have their own limits. This guide will focus on three limits: Individual, Gambling Dens and Gambling Halls.
Individuals will have the lowest limit as it is played informally and without a house having a large purse, followed by Gambling Dens and then Casinos.
Gambling Dens and Halls are always assumed to have proficiency in all Gaming Sets and the DM can use that proficiency in their favor. Individuals may have proficiency if the DM chooses to give it to them. When the party is playing in a Gambling Den or Hall, the DM plays the role of the House and certain establishments may be willing to cheat. (See Sleight of Hand below.)
Types of Games
Certain games will require game boards, others will require dice, and some have other requirements. By having proficiency with one set, you can move the odds into your favor but only for that gaming set. This proficiency could mean you get to reroll a single dice, learn what the House knows or something else to help you tip the odds in your favor.
The House
The House should reveal their total after all players. This helps the house win in certain games of chance, and ensures that they can make decisions being the most informed at the table.
Sleight of Hand
Some characters, and establishments, are less trustworthy than others. If a character wishes to, they can roll a Sleight of Hand against the perception of the house. The DC is 5 + 2d10 to determine the Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the House. This allows them to reroll one die. They must repeat the check to reroll more die.
If the House wishes to cheat, the DM can either roll against the passive Perception of the party or have the party make a Wisdom (Perception) check against the DC. If the DM rolls against the passive Perception of the party, they make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check and add an appropriate modifier from the chart below. If the DM has the players roll a Wisdom (Perception) check, the DC is 5 + 2d10.
Other Games
Arm Wrestling
Two players make a contested Strength check. The winner rolls another 1d20 and adds their strength modifier, if the number exceeds the opponent's Strength score, you win. If there is no winner, you start back at the contested Strength check. The winner for the last round rolls with advantage.
Drinking Competition
Everyone playing takes a drink and makes a Constitution check against a DC 10. Each round it continues the DC rises by 2. Every loss you gain a drunk dice that is a d20, when you make your Constituion check you roll the normal dice and all your Drunk Dice, taking the lowest. If you have a number of drunk dice equal to your Constitution modifier, you pass out.
Target Practice
20’s
Each player makes a ranged attack with the same ranged weapon. If successful they roll a 1d6, 2d6 if the roll is over 20. The first player who gets to 20 wins.
20's variant: Perfect 20
Each player makes a ranged attack with the same ranged weapon. If successful they roll a 1d6, 2d6 if the roll is over 20. The first player who can add their dice to exactly 20 wins.
Go Viking
Each player makes a ranged attack with the same ranged weapon. If successful they roll a 1d4, 2d4 if the roll is over 20 and keeps 1 of them. The first player who gets a dice with a 1, 2, 3, and 4 wins.
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