Potato deck

Potato
Designer	Binarius
Date	December 10, 2023
Players	2+
This is a playable deck - it's finished, tested and ready to play.
To play Dvorak: Draw five cards each and leave the rest as a draw pile. On your turn, draw a card from the draw pile and play one Thing and/or one Action. (See the full rules.)
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You are a halfling, just trying to exist. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord rampages across the world. You do not care about this. You are trying to farm potatoes. Because what could a halfling possibly do about it anyway? Fates and foodstuffs collide in this adaptation of Oliver Darkshire's single-page RPG.

Special Rules

Grass and Mud

To start the game, each player draws two cards, shuffling any Portents back into the deck and drawing again. A player's turn consists of drawing a card and then playing a card if possible. At the end of each day, players with more than two cards discard down to two.

Morning, Noon, and Evening

Each player's turns cycle through the times of day. In the Garden, A Knock at the Door, and Dusk Approaches cards may only be played at the corresponding time of day. Portents may be played at any time of day.

Fate and Fortune

The game ends when each player has achieved one of the following:

• A player with 10 Potatoes has enough to go underground and not return to the surface until the danger is past. They nestle down into their burrow and enjoy some well-earned rest, winning the game.

• If a player reaches 10 Destiny, an interfering bard or wizard turns up at their doorstep with a quest, and they are whisked away against their will on an adventure. If this happens to more than one player, the companionship they enjoy on their journey is enough comfort that they also win.

• If any player has 10 Orcs, the orcs have finally found your farming community. Alas, when it comes to cooking, orcs are not so interested in potatoes as they are in halflings: all players who are still in the game lose.

Hurling in the Back Garden

At any time, a player may spend 1 Potato to remove 1 Orc.

Card List

In the Garden

Morning

You happily root about all day in your garden.

+1 Potato

In the Garden

Morning

You narrowly avoid a visitor by hiding in a potato sack.

+1 Potato, +1 Destiny

In the Garden

Morning

A hooded stranger lingers outside your farm.

+1 Destiny, +1 Orc

In the Garden

Morning

A tall man claiming not to be a wizard shows you how to fertilize better.

+2 Potatoes, +1 Destiny

In the Garden

Morning

This crop is coming along quite nicely indeed. You should have enough to share with your neighbors.

+1 Potato

In the Garden

Morning

You burrow into a bumper crop of potatoes. Do you cry? Possibly.

+2 Potatoes

In the Garden

Morning

A perfectly ripe potato catches your eye. Delight threatens to overcome you.

+1 Potato

In the Garden

Morning

You tend to your crop of potatoes with patience and care. Nothing is ready to harvest yet.

In the Garden

Morning

An untimely mist is on the barrows. You're sure it's nothing serious.

-1 Potato, target player +1 Destiny or +1 Orc

In the Garden

Morning

A pleasant morning rain seems to cleanse the world's troubles.

You may discard this when War Drums is played to cancel its effect.

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A distant cousin. They are after your potatoes. They might snitch on you.

+1 Orc

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A dwarven stranger. You refuse them entry. Ghastly creatures.

+1 Destiny

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A wizard strolls by. You pointedly draw the curtains.

+1 Destiny, +1 Orc

A Knock at the Door

Noon

It's an elf. They are not serious people.

+1 Destiny

A Knock at the Door

Noon

It's a sack of potatoes from a generous neighbor. You really must remember to pay them a visit one of these years.

+2 Potatoes

A Knock at the Door

Noon

You visit your neighbor with good wishes and a sack of potatoes from the recent harvest.

Target opponent +1 Potato

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A wanderer from a neighboring land warns of strife and doom. You wish them safe travels with a small sack of potatoes.

-1 Potato, +1 Destiny, +1 Orc

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A neighbor calls upon you for luncheon. For a moment, the world seems calm.

-1 Destiny, -1 Orc, you and target opponent +1 Potato

A Knock at the Door

Noon

It's the local gossipmonger. You take the opportunity to pass along a small tidbit extolling or impugning a neighbor's courage.

Target opponent +1 or -1 Destiny

A Knock at the Door

Noon

A cloaked figure speaking in shrill whispers. Chilled, you dare not answer the door.

When a player would gain an Orc today, they instead gain 2 Orcs.

Dusk Approaches

Evening

Your field is ravaged in the night by unseen enemies.

-1 Potato, +1 Orc

Dusk Approaches

Evening

There are rumors of war in the reaches. You eat some potatoes.

-1 Potato, +1 Orc

Dusk Approaches

Evening

A traveler driving a cart by lamplight. You resist a strange urge to open the door for a closer look.

+1 Destiny

Dusk Approaches

Evening

A rustling in the bushes. Panicked, you hurl a potato into your neighbor's garden. The noise diverts the intruder's attention.

-1 Potato, target opponent +1 Potato, +1 Orc

Dusk Approaches

Evening

You open the pantry to take stock of your supply. Hopefully the harvest will go well.

+1 Potato

Dusk Approaches

Evening

The fields seem eerily silent. Settling in for the evening, you decide to lock the door.

Any player who gained no potatoes today gains 1 Orc.

Dusk Approaches

Evening

An ominous glow lingers upon the horizon. You hope it's your imagination.

+1 Destiny, +1 Orc

Dusk Approaches

Evening

You consider stealing potatoes from the garden of target opponent who has more potatoes than you.

If you do, they give you 1 Potato, but whenever they gain an Orc tomorrow, you gain one as well.

Dusk Approaches

Evening

A quiet night in. You hum softly to yourself as you prepare for bed.

You may discard this when Foreboding is played to cancel its effect.

Dusk Approaches

Evening

Flickering candlelight comforts you in your nighttime routine.

You may discard this when Foreboding is played to cancel its effect.

Foreboding

Portent

May not be discarded.

The world becomes a darker, more unforgiving place. From now on, removing an Orc costs an additional Potato.

Foreboding

Portent

May not be discarded.

The world becomes a darker, more unforgiving place. From now on, removing an Orc costs an additional Potato.

Foreboding

Portent

May not be discarded.

The world becomes a darker, more unforgiving place. From now on, removing an Orc costs an additional Potato.

Foreboding

Portent

May not be discarded.

The world becomes a darker, more unforgiving place. From now on, removing an Orc costs an additional Potato.

War Drums

Portent

May not be discarded.

The threat of the enemy draws ever nearer. All players +1 Orc

A Ray of Light

Portent

Hope may yet live. From now on, removing an Orc costs one Potato fewer (minimum 1).