The SAGA System is a
role-playing game system that uses "fate cards" to determine the effects of actions. The cards have numbers, suits, positive and negative states, and role-playing cues that guide the
gamemaster
A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, or storyteller) is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are m ...
in telling the story and administering the game. The system has been used in
TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had bee ...
's ''
Dragonlance: Fifth Age'' game
and the ''
Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game
The ''Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game'' is a role-playing game published by TSR, Inc. that uses the '' SAGA System'' and features characters published by Marvel Comics. It should not be confused with the earlier '' Marvel Super Heroes Game'', ...
'', later published by TSR.
Sue Cook
Sue Cook (born Susan Lorraine Thomas, 30 March 1949) is a British television presenter and author. She is best known for co-presenting (with Nick Ross) the BBC One factual crime show ''Crimewatch'' from 1984 until 1995.
Early life
Sue Cook ...
was the brand manager for both of those game systems, and helped design the SAGA game rules.
In SAGA, a player holds a hand of fate cards that represent his health and the range of actions he can take. The maximum number of cards he can hold is determined by the number of quests he has completed. This replaces the
experience points
An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experien ...
system of many other role-playing games. The cards replace dice-rolling, as well. When a player attempts an action, he plays a card from his hand. If the suit on the card matches the action type (swords for strength-related actions, for example) it is considered "Trump." Playing a trump card means that the player can draw another card from the top of the Fate Deck and add the number on it to his total for attempting the action. When a character takes damage, the player must discard the number of points of damage to be taken from his hand. When a player has no more cards in his hand, the character is unconscious.
References
Role-playing game systems
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