Four years ago I wrote a compilation of support tools for roleplay; I haven't updated the archive in many years, but the thoughts contained within and the tools in the collection are still just as valuable I think. Most of them are widely used in the ttrpg sphere, some are specific to larp, some are things I wrote myself based on my experience working with young people.

So, I was reading through a horror RPG book so I could prep something for my playgroup come Halloween, and they had a section discussing the X-Card.

It’s simply just a notecard with an X on it that each player has and can use to indicate when something is going on that they can’t handle. The book talks about how, while it isn’t required, they recommend it because the story is super improv heavy and it’s horror stems from preying upon your own fears and self doubts - things can get unintentionally personal really fast, and there’s no good way to establish what will or won’t happen ahead of time.

The X-card allows someone to indicate when something goes into that territory so that the story can immediately be redirected, no questions asked and no discussion needed.

More information about it is here

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SB0jsx34bWHZWbnNIVVuMjhDkrdFGo1_hSC2BWPlI3A/edit

I don’t know if I’d always use it, because I avoid taking stories into any areas that I don’t know for sure my players are comfortable with. But especially for horror things it makes sense.

And it can be a HUGELY helpful tool if you’re DM-ing groups of new players who you may not know well, and who may not know one another. You may not know what will set them off, and they may not want to have to divulge traumas that may be irrelevant to someone new.

Some dude: Let me strawman you as being in favour of transparent bad-faith actors rocking up to my Pendragon game and complaining about the monarchy.

X-Card is a brand new effect for Magic Kit. It's my take on the iconic travelling hole illusion. 

The premise is incredibly simple. A card is chosen by a spectator. On the back of the card, towards one end, a small cross is drawn with indelible marker. At the other end a hole is punched. 

This setup, a hole and a cross at opposite ends of a chosen card creates a powerful image. 

You then introduce your iPhone (or iPad) which is showing a faint scanning line. Placing the card under your device, you turn up the X-Ray power. The chosen card, with its drawn cross and punched hole, become clearly visible. 

Then the magic happens. Gently shaking your device will cause the punched hole to travel down the cards towards the cross. Once the hole is right in the centre of the cross it stops moving. 

Flipping your device over, you reveal the hole really has moved. The playing card can be fully examined. 

The great thing about X-Card is that the spectator gets to see the hole actually move, creating a highly visual illusion.