Wild Cards: The Gameplay
Dealer's Game
(Rules from one of the successful Wild Cards games)
Hard and Fast rules (for starting at lvl 1): Rolls need either 1, 2, or 3 d6s Players spread 7 points between 4 stats, which correspond to the suits (each suit has different stuff associated with it, like brawn, brains, charisma, luck, etc.) End result means 7 points distributed, with no more than 3 and no less than 1 in any given stat. Suit of player's card adds a +1 to the stat associated with its suit.
Belladonna's character: Hearts: 2 (+1 due to Gun Suit) Spades: 2 Clubs: 1 Diamonds: 2
If you need to roll dice, describe what you're doing and roll the number of d6 your score is. Trying to schmooze your way out of a gunfight? Roll Hearts. Want to see if you're quick enough to run away? Roll Diamonds. Power through? Clubs. Try your luck at dodging? Roll Spades.
Other suits can be used for inappropriate rolls or rolls where they might make some sense (intimidating with Spades, as one example), but generally you'll use whatever score is most appropriate.
I worked out Health as being your main Suit + Club Suit level.
Combat is handled as just mostly free-form, with rolls to either activate your Gun's powers or to pull something off.
Out of combat tasks, just free-form it, with a roll using whatever suit is appropriate if you want a better than average result. (Clubs for strength, Hearts for smooth-talking, etc.). Suits can also be used for other tasks if you can justify it (Clubs to intimidate somebody instead of Hearts, Diamonds for accuracy as opposed to Spades, etc.)
The entire game is very rules-lite. As Dealer said, more Narrative/Role-playing than Rules/Roll-playing.
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