Track your hero’s most important status effects with the Pathfinder RPG Buff Deck! Speed up play and cut down on rulebook consultation by stacking bonuses one on top of another, displaying the effects for each with this easy-to-add format. From spells like bless, haste, and prayer to class features like inspire courage, the 54-card Buff Deck puts all the details at your fingertips, leaving you to concentrate on smiting your enemies!
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-428-3
Buff Deck Card List
Barbarian's Rage
Greater Rage
Mighty Rage
Inspire Courage
Inspiring Word
Resistant Touch
Aura of Protection
Charge
Fight Defensively
Total Defense
Aid
Barkskin
Bear's Endurance
I really like this deck, it helps when I'm GMing for new players at cons, but also to remind my veteran players in home games (and to remind me what certain NPCs are able to do).
It would be great to see more in this vein, perhaps covering spells/new class abilities from the ACG, and Ultimate Combat/Magic?
The Buff Deck for Pathfinder is a cheap but extremely handy way to remember all of those temporary little bonuses that are otherwise easy to forget about during an encounter. The deck consists of 54 cards, 49 of which each contain the effects of a spell, ability, or action that gives a character a benefit to attacks, AC, or saves. All of the usual buffs from the Core Rulebook are represented (like haste, bless, inspire courage, total defense, barbarian rage, etc.) but there are also several buffs from the Advanced Player's Guide (like alchemist's mutagen, cavalier's banner, etc.). The face of each card is divided into six sections: the title of the buff, its duration, its source (including book and page number), a list of effects, a table showing the type and extent of bonus to attacks and AC, and a table showing the type and extent of bonus to saves. It was an excellent choice by the designers to include the type of bonus (e.g., morale, deflection, enhancement, etc.) so that it's easy to see which buffs do and do not stack with each other. The presentation is attractive and easy to read even across the table. In addition to the 49 pre-made cards, there are 5 cards with the same formatting but no content so that a GM or Player can add a buff commonly used that isn't in the deck--for example, I added a card about the effects of a ranger's favored terrain when I regularly had a ranger PC at the table. This might seem like a little thing, but it adds to the deck's longevity given the vast number of spells and abilities that come out every year for Pathfinder.
As for downsides, I don't have much. Each card has the same artwork on the back, and it's kinda cartoony. Some of the buff cards aren't precisely accurate: the card for protection from evil doesn't mention the added defence against mind-control effects or versus summoned creatures, the prayer card leaves out the fact that it imposes a penalty on enemies (which is technically a debuff, I guess), the invisibility card doesn't mention the 50% miss chance or +2 bonus on attacks, etc. Still, the vast majority of cards accurately summarize the effects of a given buff.
I've used the Buff Deck for several years now, propping up a card in effect so that everyone at the table can see it. Although not foolproof (even the cards can be forgotten when encounters get harry), they are quite useful and speed up game play. What more could you want?
I saw these in play at Who's Yer Con 2015 this weekend, and I realized immediately I wanted to add this game aid to my arsenal. One quick trip to the vendor hall, and I was sporting my own buff deck.
This has good potential. As a first go at this these cards are alright. Paizo should learn from all the other comments made about this deck and try again. I'll not reiterate the other complaints.
If the cards were not limited to single side only maybe some more information about buffs could be added. For example "Enlarge Person" doesn't mention CMB or CMB modifications, skill adjustments. Fighting Defensively or Total Defense makes no mention of a bonus if you have 3 ranks of Acrobatics. etc.
Another option for the flip side of cards could be De-Buff effects like Bane (printed opposite of Bless).
First, I got these cards 1/2 off, so no complaints here. If I were to criticize anything, it would be that there should be additional Buff decks. This first deck is good for low levels, but it won't get much use at higher levels I'm afraid.
I'm with Moon Glum on this one. A morale bonus to strength may be the source of the bonus to hit and damage, but it's not a morale bonus to hit or a morale bonus to damage. So it should stack with a morale bonus to hit or damage, if some spell or something gave one. Putting it as a morale bonus like that in the hit and damage section of the card could make someone think that it doesn't stack with other morale bonuses to hit or damage.
I actually have considered getting some cheap card sleeves and using permanent marker on them for buffs I'll reuse. Then I just have to put the blank card in them and the info should be in the right place. Just change sleeves for different spells. That way I won't have to rewrite every time I use it. At least I hope that'll work. :) We'll see in a few weeks (hopefully)
Any chance of another deck like this one ? My players saw mine and all ordered one for themselves. An outstanding product for the money just wish we had more cards from other books, photocopied cards just are not the same.
Grolloc's review is on the money. I LOVED the condition cards; we'll need to purchase new ones soon, they get used so often. I liked the chase cards so much, I make up stuff just to use them. Heck, I love everything Paizo!
But these cards suck, and Grolloc's review sums it up quite well.
Any chance we can get an updated deck that addresses some of the previously raised issues and expands on the set? With the new classes coming out and new buffs/spells it would be nice to have a newer set of cards.
I agree. Grolloc's review should be considered to be key in developing a revised set of these. I would love to pick them up, but they just don't look useful enough the way my group plays.
If those complaints were addressed? You'd have a fantastic product on your hands.