Editing Deadlands (section)

== Mechanics in the Original System ==
Challenges were resolved using [[dice pool]]s with exploding dice.

Playing cards were used often in the original game.
*Playing cards were drawn for character generation.
*Some spellcasters, called "hucksters", would make a skill roll to see how many playing cards they would draw, and the best poker hand they could make with these cards would be the power of the "hex" they were trying to cast; a metaphor for gambling with fate or spirits for the effect they want.
*Rolling for initiative determined how many cards everyone at the table would draw, which is also how many actions they can take during the exchange.  The GM calls the ranks of cards from Ace of Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, king... down to deuces to determine what order actions are taken.

Players were also given poker chips as '''Fate Chips.''' You could spend them during a session to get a bonus to a roll or to prevent injury, and any left over at the end were used the same as experience points in other systems.  GMs were encouraged to award Fate Chips during a session for achieving quest goals and good role-playing... and to give the players plenty of reason to spend them before they could be used as experience points.