Game Mechanics
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:34 pm
As noted, I'm using Fate Accelerated Edition (FAE) as the base rule-set, with a few setting-specific mechanics and adjustments. If you're not familiar with FAE, you should go follow that link now, as the rest of this post likely won't make too much sense without it.
Approaches: A starting PC gets 15 points to spread among their six approaches. I suggest using either 5/3/3/2/2/0 or 4/4/3/3/1/0, but there are plenty of other options. No approach may start higher than 5, and I will disallow multiple approaches at +5. You may also choose to create a character with less than 15 points spent; in this case you can spend the points at any later time, potentially even mid-fight ("I'm not left-handed either!")
Compels & Dooms: A regular compel can be turned down without expending a fate point. A Doom is an aspect representing something that will go wrong - generally acquired from pushing your powers past their normal limits. A compel on a Doom aspect does require a fate point to buy off - and if you do buy it off, you keep the Doom; accepting the compel, by contrast, removes the Doom (but does not grant a fate point). (To those familiar with the Dresden Files rules, a Doom aspect functions much like a point of sponsor debt.) For example, walking the Pattern grants you the "Pawn of Fate" Doom (and a physical consequence) even if you are successful; Hellriding somewhere also grants a Doom - either that same "Pawn of Fate", or something specific to the ride.
Four extra rules on Dooms:
1: For one scene after acquiring a Doom, you may turn down compels on that Doom without spending a fate point. In addition, after spending a fate point to buy off a compel on any Doom, you may turn down compels on Doom aspects without spending fate points for the rest of that scene.
2: If you are in a conflict, and wish to concede, you can buy off a Doom by turning that concession into a full take-out result (narrated by the GM even if the conflict is between two players); you are entitled to know what the take-out would result in before you make this decision.
3: "I can spend a fate point to do X without acquiring a Doom" is a valid stunt effect. Most of the Elder Amberites can be assumed to have the Shadowrider stunt that allows them to Hellride places with just a fate point cost.
Refresh & Recovery: A normal pencil & paper fate game uses 'game sessions' as a natural time-frame for fate point refresh and consequence recovery. A forum game doesn't have that - and just to further complicate the issue, fast-time shadows allow a canny PC to quickly recover from even near-mortal physical injuries. I don't - yet - have a good idea of how to address these issues, and would welcome suggestions.
Approaches: A starting PC gets 15 points to spread among their six approaches. I suggest using either 5/3/3/2/2/0 or 4/4/3/3/1/0, but there are plenty of other options. No approach may start higher than 5, and I will disallow multiple approaches at +5. You may also choose to create a character with less than 15 points spent; in this case you can spend the points at any later time, potentially even mid-fight ("I'm not left-handed either!")
Compels & Dooms: A regular compel can be turned down without expending a fate point. A Doom is an aspect representing something that will go wrong - generally acquired from pushing your powers past their normal limits. A compel on a Doom aspect does require a fate point to buy off - and if you do buy it off, you keep the Doom; accepting the compel, by contrast, removes the Doom (but does not grant a fate point). (To those familiar with the Dresden Files rules, a Doom aspect functions much like a point of sponsor debt.) For example, walking the Pattern grants you the "Pawn of Fate" Doom (and a physical consequence) even if you are successful; Hellriding somewhere also grants a Doom - either that same "Pawn of Fate", or something specific to the ride.
Four extra rules on Dooms:
1: For one scene after acquiring a Doom, you may turn down compels on that Doom without spending a fate point. In addition, after spending a fate point to buy off a compel on any Doom, you may turn down compels on Doom aspects without spending fate points for the rest of that scene.
2: If you are in a conflict, and wish to concede, you can buy off a Doom by turning that concession into a full take-out result (narrated by the GM even if the conflict is between two players); you are entitled to know what the take-out would result in before you make this decision.
3: "I can spend a fate point to do X without acquiring a Doom" is a valid stunt effect. Most of the Elder Amberites can be assumed to have the Shadowrider stunt that allows them to Hellride places with just a fate point cost.
Refresh & Recovery: A normal pencil & paper fate game uses 'game sessions' as a natural time-frame for fate point refresh and consequence recovery. A forum game doesn't have that - and just to further complicate the issue, fast-time shadows allow a canny PC to quickly recover from even near-mortal physical injuries. I don't - yet - have a good idea of how to address these issues, and would welcome suggestions.