Deck of Player Safety review

May 21, 2025

We’ve run a bunch of session zeroes over the years, so it was interesting when Tom Nelson reached out and offered us a free copy of the Deck of Player Safety to try out. It’s a tool designed to make conversations about sensitive topics easier and more inclusive.

In this blog, we’ll walk through what the Deck of Player Safety actually is, how it works, and some honest pros and cons from our experience using it. If you’re thinking about ways to run smoother games with clear boundaries, especially with new groups or at conventions, it’s definitely worth a look.

Why would you pay for a session zero tool?

The idea of paying for something to help run a session zero might seem a bit much - and honestly, that’s a fair thought. TTRPGs aren’t a cheap hobby, especially with the rising costs of rulebooks, dice sets, accessories, and the growing pile of digital and physical content for games like Dungeons & Dragons.

But here's the thing: session zero isn’t just a box to tick - it can make or break a campaign. It’s where you talk about three vital areas with your players: what kind of campaign you're running, what sort of behaviour and expectations you all have at the table, and what safety tools you're using to make sure everyone has a good time. We break those down in more detail in our guide to session zero.

And while that might sound straightforward, it can easily take as long - or longer - than a regular session. Add character creation into the mix, and suddenly you’re spending hours just getting ready to play - especially if your players are the type to create unique D&D characters. That’s where the Deck of Player Safety really shines.

Above: The Deck of Player Safety is a box of 56 cards, weighing approximately 100 grams.

What is the Deck of Player Safety?

The Deck of Player Safety is a physical deck of cards designed to help quickly and discreetly communicate player boundaries before a game starts. There’s also a completely free digital version, so you can use it for online games too.

Using the Deck of Player Safety helps GMs to run smoother games. By identifying and removing sensitive topics upfront, you’re less likely to hit a moment where the session needs to be paused, or a moment X-carded - which can break immersion and disrupt the flow of play.

Above: Just a few of the printed cards from the Deck of Player Safety. In our experience, the printed cards cover most common sensitive topics.

Each card features a potential “hot-button” topic - anything from spiders to body horror - as well as several “Anything Goes” cards for those with no specific limits.

There are also a few blank cards included. The GM can use these to customise the deck by adding topics they think might come up in their game, giving players the chance to draw that card if it's a sensitive subject for them.

Above: Testing out the blank cards (the cards wipe clean after use). The Deck of Player Safety doesn’t include any wet-erase markers, so be sure to pick up a couple and keep them handy!

Alternatively, players could write on the blank cards themselves if there's a sensitive topic not already covered by the deck’s extensive range - though this does reduce the level of anonymity slightly, it remains a valid option.

The real strength of the deck is in how it turns what can be an awkward conversation into something anonymous, simple, and efficient. In our experience, it helped streamline the boundaries discussion into just a few minutes without skipping its importance - a massive win for time-conscious GMs or convention games with strangers.

While the Deck of Player Safety was originally created for in-person, convention-style play, its usefulness extends far beyond that. Whether you're setting up a new campaign, introducing a new player to your group, or just want a reliable way to include safety tools at your table, it’s a helpful resource.

How do you use the Deck of Player Safety?

Using the Deck of Player Safety is surprisingly straightforward and takes just a few minutes. To start, you’ll need to pull out a few specific cards from the deck: set aside the X-Cards, the blank cards (for writing in custom topics), and the Player Instruction Cards. Each player gets one of those instruction cards, which includes a QR code linking to a short explainer video. If you’d rather keep it analogue, there’s also a short script you can read aloud that explains how the process works - and it only takes a moment.

Once the instructions are covered, pass the deck around the table. Each player silently reviews the cards and picks one or more that reflect topics they’re not comfortable having in the game - or chooses an “Anything Goes” card if they’re fine with everything. To keep things anonymous, everyone hands in at least one card, face down.

You then collect the chosen cards, give them a quick shuffle, and review the selected topics with the group so everyone - including the GM - knows what to avoid. After that, you’re good to go.

Because the included hot-button topics can't cover every possibility, the included X-Cards can be used as a backup with players tapping or raising them anytime a topic crosses a line. While there are only two X-Cards in the deck, placing them on the table within reach is usually enough, even for larger groups.

The pros and cons of the Deck of Player Safety

Pros:

Makes tough conversations about sensitive topics completely anonymous, allowing players to set boundaries without shining a spotlight upon them.
Using the deck can dramatically shorten the boundaries discussion, turning what might be an awkward or long talk into a quick, interactive, and anonymous process.
Encourages trust and openness, which can lead to a more fun and comfortable gaming experience for the whole group.
High-quality cards with a nice gold and yellow design - they don’t feel boring or cheap like some session zero tools.
Designed for conventions and new groups but flexible enough for any table - in-person or online.

Cons:

Shipping outside the U.S., especially to Europe, can be expensive - sometimes costing more than the deck itself.
Only two X-Cards are included, which might be limiting for larger groups or those who want each player to have one for discrete signaling.
The deck doesn’t come with wet erase markers, so you’ll need to purchase those separately if you want to use the blank cards.

Should you get the Deck of Player Safety?

If you want to make those necessary but often awkward conversations about player boundaries smoother and less stressful, the Deck of Player Safety is a solid option. By making the process anonymous, it helps everyone feel more comfortable and included, which sets a respectful tone for your campaign right from the start.

The physical deck currently costs $16 (plus shipping), and there’s also a free online version if you want to try it out before committing. We’d definitely recommend giving it a try, whichever format suits your table best. You can find out more and check out both options at the Deck of Player Safety website.