Sam Armstrong revamping "52 Card" tabletop series with custom art decks

Independent roleplaying game designer Sam Armstrong is developing updated editions for his entire 52 Card utility line, bringing in a new artist and introducing bespoke, illustrated decks to replace standard playing cards.

Speaking to Geek Native directly on the exhibition floor at Tabletop Scotland 2026, Armstrong confirmed that 52 Card Dungeon, 52 Card Hexcrawl, and 52 Card Blacksmith will each receive updated rulesets paired with dedicated, custom card decks. The move shifts the series from using off-the-shelf poker decks to bespoke physical components tailored specifically to the prompt tables.

The Highland Hall at the Royal Highland Centre hosts Tabletop Scotland this weekend, running through Sunday 6 September. The convention has grown into one of the country’s most significant gaming gatherings and the UK’s largest official Dungeons & Dragons convention. Armstrong, known for characterful story games such as gay pirate RPG Tales From The Spectral Sea, the swarm-disguise romp Small Folk in Big Coats, and the chaotic improv RPG Hello Wizard, I Have a Problem, is exhibiting from the indie alleys at Stand V06, positioned right beside Scandinavian publisher Free League Publishing at Stand V05.

The original trio of titles established Armstrong’s reputation for practical, rapid table utilities. 52 Card Dungeon serves as a quick, low-prep dungeon generator; 52 Card Hexcrawl delivers an interactive map generator; and 52 Card Blacksmith creates randomised magical armaments on the fly. Until now, all three relied on mapping numbers and suits from an ordinary deck of playing cards onto static reference tables.

While standard playing cards make print-and-play distribution cheap, swapping them for bespoke illustrated cards changes the table dynamic entirely. Dedicated cards turn abstract lookups into tangible, atmospheric prompts. Laying down a physical card featuring dedicated fantasy art gives game masters immediate visual cues during prep or live sessions, removing the mental step of cross-referencing a seven of clubs against a PDF chart.

Attendees visiting Tabletop Scotland this weekend can find Sam Armstrong at Stand V06 to review current projects and discuss upcoming revisions before the show wraps on Sunday afternoon.