Divine your destiny with the Deluxe Harrow Deck, the legendary fortune-telling deck of the Pathfinder RPG world! With this 54-card, full-color set of fortune-telling cards, you’ll learn how to include the Harrow in any Pathfinder RPG game, and enhance play with rule cards detailing spells, fortune-telling methods, and other insights. With vivid art, patterned backing, and a size common to many real-world tarot decks, the Deluxe Harrow Deck straddles the lines between game supplement and storytelling set piece. Master the Harrow and make the future anything you desire!
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-652-2
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I've used the Deluxe Harrow Deck several times in my Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign. It's an impressive set--far more than a simple deck of playing cards. The 54 cards are larger, tarot-sized cards, with full-colour artwork on one side and an interesting design (tied to the six ability scores of D&D) on the back. In addition to the main cards, the set contains a extra card for the GM to help them remember how to do a spread, and a few "Harrowing Chronicle" cards to enable them to keep track of particular PC draws and how it should influence the campaign. There's also a 30-page-long instruction booklet that's well-written and contains some Golarion flavour. It goes through how to use the Harrow deck for different purposes, such as general fortune-telling for flavour or more concrete predictions to be integrated by the GM into the campaign. It includes a new spell that creates mechanical consequences for the cards drawn and helpfully summarises other Paizo books and adventures that make use of the Harrow. Each card is given a description of its meaning, and there's a sample narrative Harrowing on the back so the reader can get a sense of how it all comes together in practice.
Having performed a few Harrowings, I can say it's not easy to do well. Some solo practice is a good idea, as the cards have very different meanings depending on placement, and trying to interpret the cards in relation to the characters and the adventure can sometimes be a challenge. Fortune-telling is an art and a skill, but it's pretty cool how the concept has been imported into Pathfinder through Varisians and their culture. I think my only criticism of the deck is that I'm not a big fan of the artwork--it's more cartoony than I'd like. But apart from that, this is a really good deck, useful in a lot of different ways.
I purchased a set of these cards off of Amazon, along with the harrow handbook, and am completely satisfied with both. The artwork is beautiful and often hilarious, and I can't wait to use the archetypes in PFS. Mild confusion, however, regarding the rules for towers. I can't seem to find them anywhere. The harrow handbook says that it's in the divination book included with the deluxe harrow deck. Well, I have the aforementioned book, but haven't seen the rules anywhere. I rather like card games, and would like to be able to learn the most popular one, according to Galorian lore.
Definitely put in for this deck if you're considering the use of the Harrow in your games. I originally picked up my copy in anticipation for the Harrow themed medium (alas, it won't be published until well after Occult Adventures), but I'm still glad I bought the deck. Tarot sized and formatted to show off the art, they're a treat to handle and admire. I recommend picking up some tarot sized card sleeves to keep the cards in good condition.
I don't often write reviews since as a freelancer I try to remain as impartial as I can be. However, this particular product is a bit outside the norm so I don't feel as constrained by personal preference to avoid a review. That said, the Deluxe Harrow Deck is fantastic. I own the original Harrow Deck and have always been looking for proper "tarot" sized cards and these absolutely fill that need. The cards are made from durable stock and have a wonderfully redesigned card back that looks much more thematic than the original. I brought these to Paizocon 2014 to use with my harrow-focused Pathfinder Society character and everyone at the table wanted to look at the new Harrow deck and check out the cards. They feel so much more natural to shuffle and use during gameplay than the smaller cards and they're absolutely a must have for fans of the Harrow or if you've purchased the Harrow Handbook.
I sincerely hope Paizo produces more special edition cards/props like this in the future. With Occult Adventures on the way maybe we can get a Pathfinder planchette board! ;)
to get best use of the deck, it is best paired with the Harrow Hand book:
http://paizo.com/products/btpy95zm?Pathfinder-Player-Companion-The-Harrow-H andbook
I love this prop. I also own the first deck, that was more playing-card sized. The deluxe deck, tarot-proportioned, feels more comfortable in my hands. Full disclosure: I suck at shuffling but the cards hanlde better in their longer size.
There is rules for a game "Towers" included with this book, bidding and bluffing. But the Handbook, link above, talks of more games. Game that could be played as a pathfinder character or by your gaming group during downtime. the games are "illusionit" and "Last Azlant"
Oh and Aroden is mentioned as part of the lore, the namesake of one of the games and linked to Harrow history. In the Harrow Handbook, above.
This is a review of the deck itself, not the book, but you will get more use out of the Harrow in your games with these together (feats, archtypes, equipment and magic items).
Another disclosure: the art is unchanged. But Kyle Hunter put alot of work into the original art, backstories, and creating them all from scratch. I do wish the art had been refined for the Deluxe Harrow Deck, by Kyle. though it was not. Admittedly the art on some of the common tarot decks is similar in style and line-work. So the art only seems less in comparison to the first Harrow deck.
I pre-ordered this and am completely satisfied with my purchase. Maybe you will too. 5 stars
I just pre-ordered this today. I have had a character in mind for so long and have held off on making her until I had the deck in hand. I'm so thankful that this new edition will be coming out! :) Way to go Paizo! ^_^
Is the 55th card a how-to card again, or is there actually a 55th divinatory card that doesn't match up with an alignment/ability score combo?
There are no plans to add any new actual Harrow cards beyond the established 54. More specifics will have to wait until we've cemented other details.
Excellent, thanks Wes! As you know from Bastardhall, Linda and I really enjoy using the Harrow Deck to add atmosphere at the table when applicable. Ours are getting a bit worn from use, actually. Will these be more durable? I may consider grabbing them for that and for the nicer backs.
I had a new campaign upcoming and I thought it would be kind of fun to do a fortune telling sequence at the beginning (Sort of like the old Ultima games, and yes, I realize I am showing my age) and I noticed that the deck was unavailable. Curious, I went on Amazon and found Harrow Decks were going for $500 to $4100!
Thank goodness I stumbled across this! I was afraid this just was not going to be part of Pathfinder anymore. Thank you Paizo!
If the packaging isn't finalized, would you consider something that would fit all the cards in a single stack? I'm not fond of the two-stack package of the original, and if these are oversized cards, I'd rather not go looking for a custom plastic case.
That said, glad to hear about the new set. I loved the face-art of the original, but really disliked the back-art, and would have liked something similar to the back-art for the plot twist cards. Glad to see that the new set will have different back-art.
If the packaging isn't finalized, would you consider something that would fit all the cards in a single stack? I'm not fond of the two-stack package of the original, and if these are oversized cards, I'd rather not go looking for a custom plastic case.
That said, glad to hear about the new set. I loved the face-art of the original, but really disliked the back-art, and would have liked something similar to the back-art for the plot twist cards. Glad to see that the new set will have different back-art.
Either as you said it's packaged like the last one or it's put in the box sideways.
Oh, that's true. I hadn't even thought of that when I looked at the packaging mockup. If it looks like that because it will be in the box as a single stack turned sideways, that would be just fine.
Our printer will tell us what the box needs to look like for the cards we've selected. Sometimes we have choices, sometimes we don't.
(I believe the mockup image uses a standard poker-sized double-deck, which, while it's far from the correct template, is probably the closest thing we have to it at the moment.)
I'm so happy this is coming soon. Half my original deck was stolen in the middle of the Carrion Crown AP! So frustrating to have such awesome handouts for the optional reward system and then not have them at the end! Definitely buying this in May!
How was the order of the suits on the back of the cards determined?
Chr->Str->Wis->Dex->Con->Int doesn't seem to be a particular pattern.
It's certainly too late now, but i would have loved to see
Chr->Dex->Wis->Str->Int->Con, which would have alternated between mental/physical scores, and when presented in a circle like the back of these carts, would have put each mental score across from its physical analog and vice verse.
Any chance of getting this added to one of subscriptions? At least initially? I've been wanting this deck for about a year or 2 now. Never could find the old ones and worried I'll forget about this one. Heck, I'd even be willing to pay a bit extra for throwing it in subscription for companion or campaign setting. Or the very least, a chance to opt in or out.
Either way, can't wait for a chance to pay this! hehe. Keep up the good work, Paizo!
Also, to answer some of the previous questions, the cards are about 2-3/4" x 4-5/8", and cards that are true neutral have no border symbol highlighted.
Will I be able to use these to play the Harrower prestige class?
I don't see why not. the alignment is based on the placement of the highlighted symbol on the border, (neutral means none are highlighted) and the suit is based on the symbol at the bottom of the card.
Will I be able to use these to play the Harrower prestige class?
I don't see why not. the alignment is based on the placement of the highlighted symbol on the border, (neutral means none are highlighted) and the suit is based on the symbol at the bottom of the card.
it works.
Thank you for pointing that out! I am very much excited to purchase one of these.