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Using this process, it takes Cali about 2.5-3.5 hours to build a new Adventure Deck.

You don't have to use Cali's process, but we'll use it here to walk you through all the elements of an Adventure Deck.

First things first, Cali starts out with a strong vision for the Adventure that can be encapsulated in a name that is also alcohol related.

When planning a Heist Adventure, Cali typically finds the name of a cocktail that suggests a certain type of heist and/or setting and then names it The [Cocktail Name] Job.

• The Old-Fashioned Job (a straight-forward money heist)
• The Boxcar Job (a train robbery)
• The Dark N Stormy Job (a boat or beach heist)
• The Manhattan Job (a high-end urban heist)

Otherwise, Cali tries to think of a play on words that both references alcohol and gives a strong sense of Genre.

• The Bloody Butcher* (a college spring break slasher adventure)
• A Shot of Ice & Fireball (a Game of Thrones parody)
• Tales of Gold** (a dragon-fighting fantasy heist)
• A Rye Town (a rag-tag western adventure)

Once Cali has chosen the name for the Adventure Deck, it's time to move on to Crew Roles.

*Bloody Butcher is the heirloom variety of corn that the Jeptha Creed distillery uses in their products.

**Tales of Gold is a variant of Dragon's Milk, and the target of the heist is the precious elixir Dragon's Milk

The Premise often goes hand in hand with the Adventure name.

The Premise is a single sentence guidepost for the rest of the Adventure Deck elements.

The Premise starts out with "No matter what scene directions are chosen, this Adventure Deck will always take the form of..."

• "...a heist where the stated target is money." (The Old-Fashioned Job)
• "...the Queensguard preventing a regicide." (A Shot of Ice & Fireball)
• "...a rag-tag crew taking down an outside agitator." (A Rye Town)
• "...a heist targeting the hoard of a dragon." (Tales of Gold)

From here on out, all Cali is trying to do is deliver on this promise.

With the name of the Adventure Deck in place, Cali looks to see if the intended Genre of the adventure could benefit from Crew Role names more specific than the basic Leader, Brain, Brawn, Speedster, Charmer, Specialist.

Types of Leaders:

• The Hero (Tales of Gold)
• House Dark [, member of] (A Shot of Ice & Fireball)
• The Marshal (A Rye Town)
• The Charismatic Nerd (The Bloody Butcher)

Each role will retain their Stat Bonuses no matter what their Adventure Specific Crew Role name is.

• The Wizard is "The Brain" in Tales of Gold. They still receive an extra +1 to all Brain Challenges.

Leaders don't receive any individual Stat Bonuses, but (aside from the regular "decisions and plot points fall to you if no one else jumps on them") they are allowed to have individual Special Rules.

• The Hero is immune to being Frightened (an ability that one of the Dragon's in Tales of Gold).

Speaking of Special Rules...

With the Crew Roles and Adventure Deck name figured out, Cali usually has a good sense about if any Special Rules are in order.

However, sometimes this Step happens at the end of the process, and Cali goes back through and edits all the necessary elements.

A Special Rule can be one of the many suggested House Rules on our Featured page, or it could be unique to the Adventure Deck.

Examples:

• The Dragons in Tales of Gold have extra abilities, and the Hero (Leader) has an extra ability as well.
• A Shot of Ice & Fireball is intended to be played with shot glasses from an ice mold, and Regulars can keep rolling dice by holding the ice in their hand.
• Crew Members die during The Bloody Butcher, so instead of doubling up on Crew Roles when there are less than 6 Regulars, Regulars double up on characters.

Special Rules can apply to the game in a variety of ways:

• Extra game mechanics for Crew Members (e.g. a health system)
• Extra game mechanics for the House (e.g. Dragon stats)
• In person rules for players (e.g. holding ice, hot sauce instead of alcohol, using different dice)
• And more!

Special Rules, like all of 1shots, are just suggestions, and can be modified, ignored, or embraced at the discretion of the group.

Special Rules: Archetype Deck

If the usual Archetype Deck is unlikely to fit the Genre of the Adventure, Cali will create an Adventure Deck specific list.

Cali creates a setting specific Archetype Deck by either:

• Removing the 50 or 80 Archetypes that make the least amount of sense in order to end up with a more curated list of 50 or 20 Archetypes that fit the setting
• Or by creating a completely new set of Archetypes from scratch

Once that is settled, it's time to create the Name Deck.

Next, Cali will create a Name Deck of 36 names, with 6 names for each Crew Role.

To help expedite the process, Cali usually riffs off of a category connected to either the Adventure Deck name or the adventure specific Crew Role name.

• All the names in The Old-Fashioned Job are riffs off of cocktails, and each Crew Role is associated with a base type of alcohol.

You can name them whatever you want.

The purpose of the Name Deck is to expedite the improv process. Not only does it eliminate the need to sputter around trying to come up with a name for something on the spot, but the names themselves provide so much character and color and thus direction for the adventure.

The hidden reason why each name is associated with a Crew Role instead of just being a generic pool of 36 names is because of an optional rule where, whenever an NPC name is flipped, the Regular who's Crew Role matches the NPC's gets to be in charge of that NPC while they are in the scene.

Having named the Adventure Deck, Crew Roles, and Characters, and having established Special Rules, Cali is ready to tackle the Scene Directions & Moments.

SCENE DIRECTIONS

The art of Scene directions is a balancing act... be specific enough that it evokes a particular sense of where things need to go but be vague enough that the Players can exercise a wide range of creativity.

You can think of each Scene like a room and each scene direction as having three essential parts:

1. ENTRANCE
2. PROPS
3. EXIT

The ENTRANCE gets the Crew into the Scene.

The PROPS are the improv tools placed within the Scene that the Crew must use to accomplish the Scene.

The EXIT is where the Scene needs to end up in order to line up with or transition to the Entrance of the next Scene.

MOMENTS

Moments are the Narrative Beats that might swing between an entire Scene or a much smaller moment depending on the nature of the Adventure Deck.

In one Adventure Deck, a Moment like THE SETBACK might contain the entire ENTRANCE, PROPS, EXIT sequence as a dragon attacks the village where the party is staying in, while in another Adventure Deck THE SETBACK might just be a single a Moment where a piece of equipment breaks.

By labeling them "Moments", we are also intending to communicate that you're not playing the game wrong if those Scenes don't take very long to complete during gameplay.

BEAT BY BEAT

While the names and functions of each Scene might change based on the interplay between Genre and Narrative Beats, this is the underlying Adventure Deck structure that Cali starts out with.

• MOMENT 1 - BEGIN
• SCENE 2 - RECRUIT
• SCENE 3 - THE PLAN
• MOMENT 4 - SETBACK
• MOMENT 4½ - OVERCOME (with possible ESCALATE)
• SCENE 5 - GO TIME (with COMPLICATE)
• MOMENT 6 - UNTIL...
• SCENE 7 - FINALE
• MOMENT 8 - THE END

A big game changer for Cali happened when they realized the framing of all Adventure Decks revolve around THE PLAN:

• In Scene 1, we find the reason THE PLAN is needed.
• In Scene 2, we find the Crew necessary to carry out THE PLAN.
• In Scene 3, we outline THE PLAN (targets, obstacles, workarounds, etc).
• In Moment 4, something goes wrong while preparing for THE PLAN.
• In Moment 4½, we modify THE PLAN to overcome Moment 4.
• In Scene 5, we kick off the THE PLAN and deal with a complication when something goes sideways.
• In Moment 6, THE PLAN continues until something kicks off the final encounter.
• In Scene 7, THE PLAN is either completed, resolved, or otherwise comes to a close during a final encounter.
• In Moment 8, we wind down from the aftermath of THE PLAN.

In Cali's experience, THE PLAN is the most delicate and time consuming part of creating an Adventure Deck, but also the most important, since the rest of the Adventure essentially hinges on it.

MOMENT 1 - BEGIN

A BEGIN deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: A single Crew Member starts off the story.
• PROPS: The inspiration or motivation for THE PLAN/Adventure.
• EXIT: Transition before the Crew Member recruits the rest of the Crew.

During BEGIN, the House and the Regular in charge of the Crew Member who kicks off the story have the opportunity to set in stone much of the setting, since this is the first time we start to establish the canon events of the Adventure.

Even though only one character will be in the Scene, it's important that everyone is paying attention so they don't miss a significant detail about the world or adventure setup.

Sometimes BEGIN will need you to draw a part of THE PLAN ahead of time, such as a Dragon card in Tales of Gold or when an assassination plot is partially uncovered in A Shot of Ice & Fireball.

BEGIN Example:

• The Leader returns home after many years to find that their former rival now runs the town.

SCENE 2 - RECRUIT

A RECRUIT deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: One-by-one, we meet the rest of the Crew.
• PROPS: A scenario through which we can quickly highlight some core characteristics of each Crew Member.
• EXIT: Transition before the Crew hashes out THE PLAN in detail.

The chief purpose of RECRUIT is to introduce the rest of the Crew in an enjoyable manner. In some decks RECRUIT will need to simply be renamed INTRODUCE (e.g. The Bloody Butcher).

RECRUIT Example:

• The Crew Member from Scene 1 tracks down each other member of the Crew and individually convinces them to leave what they're doing in order to join them for an upcoming job.

SCENE 3 - THE PLAN

THE PLAN deck consists of several sub-decks, but over all the Scene accomplishes:

• ENTRANCE: A location where the Crew can meet and plan.
• PROPS: See Scenes 3a through 3e.
• EXIT: Transition after the Crew has locked in THE PLAN, but before the Crew has started preparations for THE PLAN.

SCENE 3a has 6 options and often depicts the target of THE PLAN.

SCENE 3b, 3c, and 3d have 6 options each and often adds color to the target and/or depict obstacles or complications THE PLAN will have to work around.

SCENE 3e has 20 options and is the only deck that will be drawn from multiple times (3 times during THE PLAN, and once more during OVERCOME). SCENE 3e depicts the main WORKAROUNDS that the Crew will use to accomplish THE PLAN.

THE PLAN example:

• SCENE 3a "THE MARK": The MARK is a well-respected member of the community beloved for their philanthropic endeavors.
• SCENE 3b "LOCATION": The MARK's money is kept in a safe hidden somewhere inside their private office.
• SCENE 3c "SECURITY": The MARK employs a high percentage of veterans and ex-cons in everyday positions.
• SCENE 3d "SPECIALTY": The MARK has access to advanced technology the Crew hasn't seen before.
• WORKAROUND: The Crew exploits a gambling weakness.
• WORKAROUND: The Crew digs underneath something.
• WORKAROUND: The Crew hides in plain sight.

MOMENT 4 - SETBACK

THE SETBACK deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: Preparations surrounding one of the WORKAROUNDS.
• PROPS: An event that either negates a previous WORKAROUND or that requires another WORKAROUND to OVERCOME.
• EXIT: Draw the OVERCOME card immediately after.

SETBACK Example:

• The Specialist discovers a flaw in the design of one of the established WORKAROUNDS.

MOMENT 4½ - OVERCOME (with possible ESCALATE)

Most often, OVERCOME is a single card stating: "The Crew overcomes the SETBACK with an additional WORKAROUND."

The OVERCOME card can also ESCALATE risk or danger:

• ENTRANCE: The Crew as they are preparing for THE PLAN.
• PROPS: A way that either makes THE PLAN more risky to pull off or that makes failure more costly to the Crew.
• EXIT: Transition before THE PLAN officially kicks off.

OVERCOME (with ESCALATE) Example:

• The Crew overcomes the SETBACK with an additional WORKAROUND. Even with the additional WORKAROUND, the Crew realizes the SETBACK escalates the risk level of the job.

SCENE 5 - GO TIME (with COMPLICATE)

A GO TIME deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: The Crew kicks off THE PLAN.
• PROPS: Something that goes sideways.
• EXIT: The Crew continue THE PLAN despite the complication.

GO TIME Example:

• The Crew kick off THE PLAN. Early on in THE PLAN, the Charmer is spotted by an ex who currently works for the MARK.

MOMENT 6 - UNTIL...

An UNTIL... deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: Interrupts GO TIME.
• PROPS: An event that triggers the final encounter.
• EXIT: The RISING ACTION is the transition to FINALE.

UNTIL... Example:

• THE PLAN continues until the Brawn is forced to take on some extra security that wasn't supposed to be there.

SCENE 7 - FINALE

A FINALE deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: The final encounter with the Bad Guy(s).
• PROPS: A event that makes it look like the Crew is not going to succeed, followed by another event (usually some sort of surprise or last second revelation) that allows the Crew to succeed or at least escape just in the nick of time.
• EXIT: Transition after the danger has resolved or dissipated.

FINALE Example:

• The Crew find themselves trapped when the MARK reveals they saw everything coming all along. The Crew struggle against the trap until the Leader reveals the one thing the MARK couldn't have predicted was the Brain's secret final step of THE PLAN.

MOMENT 8 - THE END

A THE END deck has 6 options, each containing:

• ENTRANCE: The [remaining] Crew, post adventure.
• PROPS: Often a "where are they now?" or "how did the adventure change them?" type of element or question.
• EXIT: Either wind down the adventure with a closing image or transition to a plot hook for the Crew's next adventure.

THE END Example:

• Every year, the Crew holds a reunion on the anniversary of the heist. What does the 10th heist reunion look like?

If Cali has done the math right, a normal Adventure Deck has upwards of 4 quintillion possible unique iterations; however, in a single run through you'll only get to experience one.

So, if you're short on prep time but still want to make a custom Adventure Deck, just make the bare minimum:

• 1 Adventure Name
• 1 Premise
• 10 Names for the NAME DECK
• 1 BEGIN
• 1 RECRUIT
• 4 OBSTACLES
• 4 WORKAROUNDS
• 1 SETBACK
• 1 GO TIME (with COMPLICATE)
• 1 UNTIL...
• 1 FINALE
• 1 ENDING

Don't worry about Specials Rules or Adventure Deck specific Crew Roles if nothing immediately comes to mind.

Don't worry about OVERCOME since it's always the same, and don't worry about including ESCALATE unless something immediately comes to mind.

That's less than 30 things!

If you're making an Adventure Deck for a special event like a birthday or celebrity guest appearance, Cheesin' It might just be the route to go in order to assure that every inside joke, gag, or reference that you put into your prep time sees the light of day.