Games of chance are away to make a fortune—and perhaps a better way to lose one.
Resources. This activity requires day of effort, during which you stake at least 10 gp, to a maximum of 1,000 gp or more, as you see fit or as an establishment demands.
Preparation. Savvy gamblers can improve their odds by engaging in research or carousing to learn about well-run gambling establishments or study their anticipated opponents (if they’re known).
Resolution. Once the gambling begins, you can expect to make a series of skill checks — similar to a skill challenge but (normally) without the threat of death on failure. The DC will be determined by quality of your opponents (which is often related the quality of the establishment you end up in).
Depending on the game being played, you can expect to make Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation) checks. If you have proficiency with an appropriate gaming set, that tool proficiency can replace the relevant skill in any of the checks. Alternative checks might be possible depending on the game or situation: for example, a sneaky rogue might be able to use Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to turn dice in their favour.
Consult the Gambling Results table to see how you did.
Gambling Results (Result, Value)
| Successes | Result |
|---|---|
| 0 | Lose all the money you bet, and accrue a debt equal to that amount. |
| 1 | Lose half the money you bet. |
| 2 | Gain the amount you bet plus half again more. |
| 3 | Gain double the amount you bet. |
Complications. Gambling tends to attract unsavoury individuals, and complications arising from gambling will depend significantly on the establishment you gambled in and the stakes of the game. The tiefling you cleaned out might be a crime lord who decides to send her goons after you. Or you might learn that the clever dwarf that took a good chunk of your ante the previous night was found dead in the river the following morning.