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# Baldur Hold'em Played in taverns, inns, and dungeons across the material plane. A favorite among nobles, brigands and anyone favoring chance over certainty. Based on elements of Texas and Omaha Hold'em, roll dice in this quick and fun mini-game that can be used to create hooks, NPC introductions, or simply a curiosity. ## Summary During the first round. each player character rolls 3d20 in the open. The DM rolls 4d20 in secret, which represent the best NPC hand at the table regardless of the number of NPCs playing. Like real world poker, there are a set of 5 community dice that all PCs and NPCs share to make the best 5 dice "hand". These community dice are rolled in two additional rounds, 3 dice in the second round and the final 2 dice in the third round. Each time dice are rolled, players and NPCs choose whether they remain in the "hand" and at the end, the best hand (5 dice) wins. ## Rules ### Running The Game 1. **Round 1** - Each PC rolls 3d20 in the open and the DM rolls 4d20 in secret. (Hole Cards) 1. PCs and NPCs post their ante (use 1 GP as default) 1. **Round 2** - The DM rolls community 3d20 (The Flop) 1. PCs and half of the remaining NPCs (minimum 1) add double ante (2 GP) to the pot to stay in the hand. 1. **Round 3** - The DM rolls community 2d20 (The Void) 1. PCs and the last NPC add triple ante (3 GP) to the pot to stay in the hand. 1. The DM chooses 2 of their d20s to reveal, representing the strongest NPC hand that stayed in. 1. The best 5 dice hand wins the pot. ### Key Details - To make a 5 dice hand, PCs and NPCs *must use precisely 2* of their rolled d20s in conjuntion with 3 community d20s. - A **natural 20** is considered a **wild** for making a straight, except for community dice. - Example: A PC's "hole cards" are 20,3,9. The community dice show 2,7,10,11,19. The PC would have a straight comprised of a 7,20,9,10,11 - 2 natural 20s rolled can both be used to make a straight. - If multiple PC or NPC have the same ranked hands (both have a pair), the highest numerical hand wins. - If multiple PC or NPC have the same numerical ranked hand, the remaining dice in the 5 dice hand are used to break ties. ### Valid Hands (Ranked) Ranked in descending order (top beats bottom) - **5 of a Kind** (0.005%, 5 of a single number) - Example: 7,7,7,7,7 - **4 of a Kind** (0.340%, 4 of a single number) - Example: 9,9,9,9 - **Full House** (1.000%, 3 of a kind + a Pair) - Example: 19,19,19,2,2 - **Straight** (1.231%, 5 dice in consecutive order) - Example: 12,13,14,15,16 - **3 of a Kind** (6.098%, 3 of a single number) - Example: 17,17,17 - **Two Pair** (12.971%, 2 different Pairs) - Example: 8,8 and 13,13 - **Pair** (47.544%, 2 of a single number) - Example: 3,3 - **High Roll** (13.971%, High Number) - Example: Hand is 2,5,13,14,**15** {{imageMaskCorner15,--offsetX:47%,--offsetY:-25%,--rotation:0 ![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IP-DND-Resources/Baldur-Hold-em/refs/heads/main/img/bruno-rodak-rpg-poker-color.jpg){height:1000px,right:-750px,bottom:-120px} }} {{artist,bottom:90px,right:30px ##### Fantasy RPG Poker [Bruno Rođak](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/RYZdxA?album_id=1261921) }} \page ### Influence Action PCs and NPCs can take the Influence Action once per round to try and influence the behavior of others in the hand. #### Deception or Persuasion Try to lie about the strength or weakness of their hand. :: - **Contested by:** Insight - **Success:** Get a feeling of the relative strength of your hand. Gain Advantage on Influence actions until the end of the next hand. - **Failure:** Give away the relative strength of your hand and gain Disadvantage instead. #### Intimidation Try to make someone feel unsure of themselves or worried of the consequences of winning. :: - **Contested by:** Insight or Intimidation - **Success:** An NPC might fold their hand. Influence actions against you have Disadvantage until the end of the next hand. - **Failure:** Influence actions against you have Advantage instead. #### Performance Try to distract someone from noticing an attempt to cheat. :: - **Contested by:** Insight or Perception - **Success:** Gain Advantage on Sleight of Hand checks to attempt to cheat until the end of the next hand. - **Failure:** Gain Disadvantage instead. \column ### Proficiency Having proficiency in any gaming set gives you a bonus to checks associated with Baldur Hold'em equal to your Proficiency Bonus. - Insight and Perception checks used to contest an Influence Action. - Pasive Perception to detect cheating. ### Cheating A PC or NPC can attempt to cheat once per round. - **Contested by:** Passive Perception #### Sleight of Hand PCs and NPCs may attempt to cheat by using a concealed card or manipulate the deck or game in someway. - **Failure:** You are accused of cheating. ##### As Dealer (Choose one) - **Success (First round):** A PC of your choice may sets 1 of their dice to any value. - **Success (First round):** The DM removes any two of the NPC dice "hole cards", prioritizing a natural 20. - **Success (2nd/3rd round):** Immediately reroll one community die that was just rolled. ##### Non-Dealer - **Success:** Reroll 1 of your "hole cards". #### Magic PCs and NPCs may attempt to chear by casting spells to influence others or the game in someway. - **Success:** The intended magical effect succeeds. - **Failure:** You are accused of cheating. #### Accused of Cheating If a PC or NPC is accused of cheating, the accuser makes a skill check against the accused based on the situation. If an NPC successfully proves cheating, they immediately take an aggressive action against the accused. If a PC successfully proves cheating, the other NPCs start a brawl and attack the accused. - **Sleight of Hand:** The accuser makes an Investigation check with a DC equal to the passive Sleight of Hand of the accused. - **Magic:** The accuser makes an Arcana check against the spellcasting DC of the accused. {{imageMaskCorner29,--offsetX:-50%,--offsetY:-63%,--rotation:0 ![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IP-DND-Resources/Baldur-Hold-em/refs/heads/main/img/iga-igson-oliwiak-artboard-2-copy-7.jpg){height:500px,bottom:0px,left:-65px} }} {{artist,bottom:50px,left:440px ##### Poker Night at the Stonehill Inn [Iga Oliwiak](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/OylKBv) }}

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