This product is permanently out of print; please check out the Deluxe Harrow Deck instead!
Divine your future! Lose your shirt! All in one box!
In the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting, the Harrow™ deck has long been a sacred tool of Varisian fortunetellers. In skilled hands, the Harrow deck can predict crop results, divine the gender of your unborn child, or give hints about your immediate future. In unskilled hands, the Harrow deck is a sacrilegious gambling game—a cutthroat diversion for ruffians in every port to lose their hard-earned fortunes.
Harrow will be featured throughout the second Pathfinder Adventure Path, Curse of the Crimson Throne. At least once in each installment, players may divine their futures with the Harrow deck, and Pathfinder #7 contains an in-depth article about the history of Harrow and its in-game use.
Harrow is also a standalone card game designed by Jason Bulmahn, Mike Selinker, and Teeuwynn Woodruff for use inside or outside the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting. Harrow is lavishly illustrated by Kyle Hunter, the artist behind Downer: Wandering Monster and Downer: Fool's Errand, the Paizo Comics compilations of Kyle's original Downer comics from Dungeon magazine.
Harrow contains:
One 54-card deck illustrated by Kyle Hunter
Five chronicle cards to aid in divination
One rulebook with divination rules and card game rules
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Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open
Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
(Elements that are in the public domain or have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.)
Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content,
as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be
reproduced in any form without written permission.
Is this anything like the Three Dragon Ante Character Creation Article featured in one of the Dragons?
Not really... it's more like the way the Taroka deck was used in Ravenloft.
Ooooh, I was still young and innocent when the Taroka deck was published at that time for Ravenloft, so I must have this one before it becomes out of print too...
I think I may have to pick this up. It looks nifty, and I may be able to convert the use over for Ravenloft (as I never owned an actual Taroka deck for that setting).
Huzzah!! I recall asking about such a product, and now there is one.
I think this is one of the best ideas I've ever seen, and I was expecting a mere "in game" crunch blurb only in some upcoming Pathfinder product. To think, an actual deck to fondle and play with. I'd almost like to get a second deck just to mount on backing, laminate, and display like a poster.
I'm unclear on your intent here. Are you suggesting should we check out the blog later tonight?
Speaking unofficially here, as a member of R&D, I think that's Josh's idea. :)
Don't listen to them! It is a trick! They want us to spend even more money at Paizo! Don't listen, don't look, and don't think about clicking on that link! ~My hand automatically goes to the link and clicks on it~ Traitor! ~beats my hand for doing what I told it not to do~ Take that!
You should see some of the art. My god this thing is beautiful.
Will the cards have rules text on them, like the Three Dragon Ante cards? I hope not; that kinda ruined those cards for me, as it would have been fun to see what other kinds of games/divnation tools people could have created with the Three Dragon Ante cards. WOTC had to splat text all over 'em, and IMHO, spoiled them. I'm very much looking forward to this product, though.
You should see some of the art. My god this thing is beautiful.
I'd wager that depends on whether one likes Kyle Hunter's art... which I have to say I generally don't. A shame really, sounded like a cool thing to get.
After reading the blog, I am really, really excited about this product. I'm also really excited about Curse of the Crimson Throne. I think this is definitely on the list to pick up.
You should see some of the art. My god this thing is beautiful.
I'd wager that depends on whether one likes Kyle Hunter's art... which I have to say I generally don't. A shame really, sounded like a cool thing to get.
Yes, well, that's true.
I have seen about 30 of the images so far, though, and I will say that I think Kyle will win a lot of converts with this set. He's been going overboard with the made-up occult imagery on all of the cards (similar to a tarot deck), and it's really a sight to see.
I fondly remember using the card rules in Touch of Death , that gaming session still stands out because my players just loved the novelty of the experience. If the Harrow deck does something similiar I just might introduce it.
Nice to meet you too. I'm the brand manager and lead R&D guy for Titanic, Paizo's board and card game line. And I've done a few other things besides. I was one of the creative directors on 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, for example.
As to the number of cards question, there are 54 divination cards and 6 cards that help you with your divination results.
Is this anything like the Three Dragon Ante Character Creation Article featured in one of the Dragons?
I "decked out" a bunch of NPCs and one PC last night using the system from that issue. One of the best articles in Paizo's run on Dragon, IMO. It would be really, REALLY awesome to have a char-gen writeup article in the back of a Pathfinder or as a blog post.
I sincerely hope this will be more in line with the Tarokka Deck Arthaus made for Ravenloft when they had the license than Three Dragon Ante which I still have not bought as it looks so crappy. Although if I can use it like a Tarot deck that will be an added bonus.Even though a part of me is not really hoping for that.
I sincerely hope this will be more in line with the Tarokka Deck Arthaus made for Ravenloft when they had the license than Three Dragon Ante which I still have not bought as it looks so crappy. Although if I can use it like a Tarot deck that will be an added bonus.Even though a part of me is not really hoping for that.
It will be. The Tarokka Deck is very much an inspiration for Harrow, as are real-world Tarot decks.
I remember very much enjoying the use of Ravenloft's Tarokka deck as a player, so I'm looking forward to this.
I actually had 2 Tarokka Decks. One pre-sorted to the reading I wanted for the PC's and one for them to shuffle as they saw fit. They would shuffle theirs and then I would do the old switcheroo under the table so that they got the set up deck. Worked like a charm =)
Can we expect this to be the Anthology Card Game? That would be way beyond awesome.
I think that's a fascinating question. It won't carry that brand mark, but let's just say we don't intend to limit this thing to just two cool applications.
Will this product be required to play through the second adventure path?
We will have rules for playing without the published deck in Pathfinder #7. You may find it quite a bit less flavorful, but it can be done.
Also, there's nothing that limits the use of the deck to Pathfinder #7-12, or to campaigns set in the Pathfinder universe. As long as you're playing a fairly standard medieval fantasy RPG, you can use the Harrow deck in it. Most of the deck's Varisia-specific content will be found in the Pathfinder books, though.
What are the 6 extra cards? 6 abilities x 9 alignments, but the listing above says "60 card deck". Just rule cards or are they actually part of the deck?
Edit: Never mind. Didn't realize on the product page it only listed the first few messages. Answer duly noted above. :)
You should see some of the art. My god this thing is beautiful.
I'd wager that depends on whether one likes Kyle Hunter's art... which I have to say I generally don't. A shame really, sounded like a cool thing to get.
I have to agree with GentleGiant here. I have checked out the art of Mr. Hunter, to see what to expect, and it is just not my cup of tea. I am hoping I can get the mechanics/card type/rules for a Harrow Deck without Mr. Hunter's art. I would prefer to make my own deck, to be honest.