Three-Dragon Ante was a card game played in many taverns across Faerûn, including Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate in the late 15th century DR.[3][4] Played across all levels of society, the game was sometimes called copper dragons or three-copper when played by peasants, as well as golds or plats when played by adventurers and aristocrats.[1]
Description[]
The dedicated deck of Three-Dragon Ante consisted of one hundred cards. Of those, seventy were standard dragon cards, divided in ten suits of seven cards, each representing one type of chromatic or metallic dragon[5]. The remaining thirty cards depicted other types of creatures, which included stronger Legendary dragon cards[6] like the two draconic deities Bahamut and Tiamat, and non-draconic creatures, collectively called "mortals"[7] in the game. The many existing variants of the game mainly differed in the choice of those additional cards.[8]
At the beginning of play the dealer must separate the 70 suit cards from the 15 Legendary Dragon and 15 Mortal cards. The 30 special cards are then shuffled and 10 cards are drawn[9]. Then the 70 suit cards and the 10 special cards are shuffled together. Each player draws a hand of 6 cards (during play they can hold a maximum of 10 cards).
The game consisted of rounds called "gambits" that involved betting and building sets of cards that competed with one another. The first phase of the gambit was a round of betting, or "ante", when players placed bets determined by random card draws on the stakes at the center of the table. It then proceeded to the second phase, when players took turns in placing cards in front of them to form "flights". At the end of three rounds, the player with the strongest flight collected the stakes. In addition, certain cards granted special moves whose effects could shape a single play or the dynamics of the entire gambit.[10]
"Flights" are a set of three cards. "Color Flights" are grouped by the same dragon color suit (like three Gold Dragon cards). "Strength Flights" are grouped by the same card value (like three Dragon cards of different color suits worth "5"). A "Fellowship" is a group of three Mortal cards.
In Game Rules[]
If the players are playing Three Dragon Ante during a gaming session, then they must make a d20 roll to see how well they perform. Characters who are Proficient in Three Card Ante get to add their Proficiency bonus to the roll. If they want to cheat, they must make a Sleight of Hand skill roll. If they want to bluff or blather their opponents into betting their way, they need to make a Persuasion skill roll.
Cost[]
In the late 15th century DR, a set of Three-Dragon Ante was typically sold for 1 gp.[2]
History[]
In the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR,[note 1] Renaer Neverember played a few rounds of Three-Dragon Ante with Floon Blagmaar at the Skewered Dragon shortly before they were kidnapped by the Zhentarim.[3]
Reputation[]
The game was popular across all social classes. The main difference was the type of currency employed in the ante. Peasants and farmers usually played for copper pieces, while merchants and artisans favored betting silver, and adventurers typically played with gold or even platinum.[1]
By the Year of Twelve Warnings, 1494 DR,[note 2] the Elfsong Tavern in Baldur's Gate kept a chest filled with popular games such as Dragonchess and Three-Dragon Ante, for the use of its patrons.[4]
The game was also popular among the Zhentarim, who often played it during their free time.[11]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, but Christopher Perkins answered a question via Twitter and stated the year was 1492 DR. Corroborating this, Dragon Heist page 20 refers to events of Death Masks (set in 1491 DR) as being "last year". Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will use 1492 DR for events related to this sourcebook and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (which is referenced on pages 5 and 98 of Dragon Heist).
- ↑ Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus is set in 1492 DR per the "Baldur's Gate Gazetteer" section (p. 159) and a clarification from the adventure's lead writer. Baldur's Gate III, which is a direct sequel to Descent into Avernus set immediately after its events, is also set in 1492 DR. In an apparent error, pages 7 and 47 of Descent into Avernus describes certain events as occurring "fifty years" after 1444 DR (1494 DR).
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Waterdeep: Dragon Heist • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus • Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden • Zikran's Zephyrean Tome
- Novels
- Darkvision • Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter
- Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
- Storm Lord's Wrath • Sleeping Dragon's Wake • Divine Contention
External Links[]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.
Three-Dragon Ante article at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Rulebook included in (September 2019). Designed by Rob Heinsoo. Three-Dragon Ante: Legendary Edition. Wizkids, p. 15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 16. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.
- ↑ The Metallic Dragon suits are Copper, Brass, Bronze, Silver & Gold and the Chromatic Dragon suits are Black, Red, Green, Blue, & White.
- ↑ There were originally only 3 Legendary Dragon cards: Bahamut [Good / Colorless], Tiamat [Evil / Colorless], and Dracolich [Colorless]. This was later expanded to 15, adding Metallic Wyrmling, Copper Trickster, Brass Sultan, Bronze Warlord, Silver Seer, Gold Monarch, Chromatic Wyrmling, Black Raider, Red Destroyer, Green Schemer, Blue Overlord, and White Hunter. When triggered, the Metallic Legendary Dragons grant the drawing of more cards, the Chromatic Legendary Dragons grant gold or forces an opponent to put gold in the pot, and the "Colorless" Dragons have special abilities.
- ↑ Each Mortal card has unique special game effects when triggered. Originally there were 7 Mortal cards: Archmage, Dragonslayer, Druid, Fool, Illusionist, Priest, and Thief. This was later expanded to 15, adding the Dragonrider, Kobold, Merchant, Princess, Prophet, Queen, Sorcerer, & Wyrmpriest.
- ↑ Rulebook included in (September 2019). Designed by Rob Heinsoo. Three-Dragon Ante: Legendary Edition. Wizkids, pp. 4, 14.
- ↑ Players using the "Classic" rules use the original 10 special cards: the Dragons Bahamut, Tiamat, and Dracolich and the Mortals Archmage, Dragonslayer, Druid, Fool, Illusionist, Priest, and Thief.
- ↑ Rulebook included in (September 2019). Designed by Rob Heinsoo. Three-Dragon Ante: Legendary Edition. Wizkids, pp. 3, 6.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.