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Deck of Many Things. What happens if you don't declare any number of cards and just start drawing?

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Deck of Many Things. What happens if you don't declare any number of cards and just start drawing?

Deck of Many Things vs. Forced DreamWhat does Joker “with TM” mean in the Deck of Many Things?How does it work when the Deck of Many Things activates at once, but you draw Donjon?How can I free someone who is imprisoned after having drawn the Donjon card from the Deck of Many Things?Does the Deck of Many Things “autodraw” after drawing Void or Donjon?Drawing as many cards as possible, what are the odds of drawing a beneficial order of cards from the Deck of Many Things?Which aspects of D&D 5e will be affected by incorporating the Savage Worlds “Card Draw Initiative”?Is there an upper limit on the number of cards a character can declare to draw from the Deck of Many Things?What is the average number of draws it takes before you can not draw any more cards from the Deck of Many Things?

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3

$begingroup$

In the Dungeon Master's Guide the description for the Deck of Many Things contains the following.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

It doesn't say what happens if you don't declare anything and just start drawing.
So what happens?

dnd-5e magic-items

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

3

$begingroup$

In the Dungeon Master's Guide the description for the Deck of Many Things contains the following.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

It doesn't say what happens if you don't declare anything and just start drawing.
So what happens?

dnd-5e magic-items

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

In the Dungeon Master's Guide the description for the Deck of Many Things contains the following.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

It doesn't say what happens if you don't declare anything and just start drawing.
So what happens?

dnd-5e magic-items

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

share|improve this question

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

NeutralVaxNeutralVax

3881010 bronze badges

2 Answers
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11

$begingroup$

You simply can't do that. I understand it may sound odd, but the text of the deck indicates you "must", so if you want to draw from it you have to declare how many cards you want to draw.

I'd contend this question makes as much sense as asking "what happens if I act on someone else's initiative in combat?" You simply can't do that.

You and your table might find that argument strange, though, and make a ruling to allow someone to draw from the deck without declaring a number of cards (e.g., if you draw without a declaration, it is presumed to be 1 so they trigger as you draw, or something else).

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  So what would happen if you found the deck and started to play cards with it. Would you find yourself unable to draw a card?
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NeutralVax They would know the deck was magic as the rules state: "Whatever a magic item's appearance, handling the item is enough to give a character a sense that something is extraordinary about it." And if they wanted to figure out how to use it (and its possible effects) they could spend a short rest observing it
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

9

$begingroup$

As the deck notes.

Any cards drawn in excess of this number have no effect

If you don't name a number then the cards you draw will have no effect.

The rules as you note also state.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

So, if you want to trigger the magical effect, you need to declare a number.

Exactly what happens if you try to draw a card before you declare a number isn't stated. Maybe it doesn't work, stopped by powerful magic. Maybe nothing happens. It depends on the whims of the DM and the artifact.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If you don't name a number then what counts as "this number"?
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since the deck releases it's cards based off that number, presumably zero or it would automatically activate. >If you fail to draw the chosen number, the remaining number of cards fly from the deck on their own and take effect all at once.> If this number was anything but zero, then it would automatically activate.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This doesn't actually answer the question.
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I edited in some more to clarify.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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11

$begingroup$

You simply can't do that. I understand it may sound odd, but the text of the deck indicates you "must", so if you want to draw from it you have to declare how many cards you want to draw.

I'd contend this question makes as much sense as asking "what happens if I act on someone else's initiative in combat?" You simply can't do that.

You and your table might find that argument strange, though, and make a ruling to allow someone to draw from the deck without declaring a number of cards (e.g., if you draw without a declaration, it is presumed to be 1 so they trigger as you draw, or something else).

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  So what would happen if you found the deck and started to play cards with it. Would you find yourself unable to draw a card?
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NeutralVax They would know the deck was magic as the rules state: "Whatever a magic item's appearance, handling the item is enough to give a character a sense that something is extraordinary about it." And if they wanted to figure out how to use it (and its possible effects) they could spend a short rest observing it
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

11

$begingroup$

You simply can't do that. I understand it may sound odd, but the text of the deck indicates you "must", so if you want to draw from it you have to declare how many cards you want to draw.

I'd contend this question makes as much sense as asking "what happens if I act on someone else's initiative in combat?" You simply can't do that.

You and your table might find that argument strange, though, and make a ruling to allow someone to draw from the deck without declaring a number of cards (e.g., if you draw without a declaration, it is presumed to be 1 so they trigger as you draw, or something else).

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  So what would happen if you found the deck and started to play cards with it. Would you find yourself unable to draw a card?
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NeutralVax They would know the deck was magic as the rules state: "Whatever a magic item's appearance, handling the item is enough to give a character a sense that something is extraordinary about it." And if they wanted to figure out how to use it (and its possible effects) they could spend a short rest observing it
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

You simply can't do that. I understand it may sound odd, but the text of the deck indicates you "must", so if you want to draw from it you have to declare how many cards you want to draw.

I'd contend this question makes as much sense as asking "what happens if I act on someone else's initiative in combat?" You simply can't do that.

You and your table might find that argument strange, though, and make a ruling to allow someone to draw from the deck without declaring a number of cards (e.g., if you draw without a declaration, it is presumed to be 1 so they trigger as you draw, or something else).

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

ZhugeZhuge

2,91222 gold badges1414 silver badges2727 bronze badges

9

$begingroup$

As the deck notes.

Any cards drawn in excess of this number have no effect

If you don't name a number then the cards you draw will have no effect.

The rules as you note also state.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

So, if you want to trigger the magical effect, you need to declare a number.

Exactly what happens if you try to draw a card before you declare a number isn't stated. Maybe it doesn't work, stopped by powerful magic. Maybe nothing happens. It depends on the whims of the DM and the artifact.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If you don't name a number then what counts as "this number"?
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since the deck releases it's cards based off that number, presumably zero or it would automatically activate. >If you fail to draw the chosen number, the remaining number of cards fly from the deck on their own and take effect all at once.> If this number was anything but zero, then it would automatically activate.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This doesn't actually answer the question.
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I edited in some more to clarify.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

9

$begingroup$

As the deck notes.

Any cards drawn in excess of this number have no effect

If you don't name a number then the cards you draw will have no effect.

The rules as you note also state.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

So, if you want to trigger the magical effect, you need to declare a number.

Exactly what happens if you try to draw a card before you declare a number isn't stated. Maybe it doesn't work, stopped by powerful magic. Maybe nothing happens. It depends on the whims of the DM and the artifact.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If you don't name a number then what counts as "this number"?
  $endgroup$
  – Medix2
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Since the deck releases it's cards based off that number, presumably zero or it would automatically activate. >If you fail to draw the chosen number, the remaining number of cards fly from the deck on their own and take effect all at once.> If this number was anything but zero, then it would automatically activate.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  This doesn't actually answer the question.
  $endgroup$
  – NeutralVax
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I edited in some more to clarify.
  $endgroup$
  – Nepene Nep
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

As the deck notes.

Any cards drawn in excess of this number have no effect

If you don't name a number then the cards you draw will have no effect.

The rules as you note also state.

Before you draw a card, you must declare how many cards you intend to draw and then draw them randomly.

So, if you want to trigger the magical effect, you need to declare a number.

Exactly what happens if you try to draw a card before you declare a number isn't stated. Maybe it doesn't work, stopped by powerful magic. Maybe nothing happens. It depends on the whims of the DM and the artifact.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 6 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Nepene NepNepene Nep

5,36111 gold badge1313 silver badges3939 bronze badges