Fate Accelerated and Fate Core
I see a number of games coming out that offer an expansion
to meet Fate Accelerated, but I am always reminded of a post by
+Fred Hicks on
how the two are not different games. Fate Accelerated tones down some of the
options, but not by actually toning them down. Instead, it says if you want to
know more about this or that, check out the thicker book (i.e., Fate Core). I
have been wanting to try out Fate Accelerated for a while now and I finally got
a chance the other night. I ran a game.
Now, not to blow my own horn or anything, but it sucked. I
didn’t hit on a lot of the Fate-esque things. We barely touched aspects,
compels, setting up advantages, etc. But, I did do what I set out to do. I got
to see how approaches work. Now, admittedly, I do one thing a little
differently. And, in talking with
+Robert Hanz , it is probably better this way.
The book for Fate Accelerated talks about players choosing which approach to
use based on their description of the action. I submit, however, that the GM
should be able to declare which approach is best based on the description of
the action. Sure, players can and should suggest what approach they believe is
best, but it should be finally decided upon by the GM.
As an RPG, Fate Accelerated allowed me to do some things
that I’ve been trying to do for some time now. Take, for example, the modern
espionage or GI Joe type role playing game. There are actually a lot of ways to
do it. However, even with Fate Core, players are left having to play with
modified rules or fewer options than usual, because you would expect characters
who are all part of an elite military force to have certain skills and
abilities. Want to try d20? Look at all the feats and levels one would have to
acquire. Even the d20 spin-off Spycraft leaves you wanting as you could spend
10+ levels and never be able to make Snake Eyes. Savage Worlds has the same
kind of flaws, but isn’t too far off, especially with rules modifications built
into the system. Cortex Plus comes in as a close second.
Fate Accelerated, which still the same game as Fate, makes a
difference with approaches. Here, the descriptors (or aspects) you give your
character encompass a wide variety of skills and abilities. Where we would
normally have skills and traits, we instead have approaches, which equate more
to how our characters go about getting things done rather than what they can
accomplish. This allows me to run a game of paramilitary specialists without
having people feel like they are playing anything near the same character or
spinning their wheels in an attempt to create the character they really want to
play.
For fun, I’ve even created a handful of GI Joe RPG
characters using FAE below.
Mutt & Junkyard
G.I. Joe M.P.
Which one is Mutt again?
Junkyard is meaner than Leroy Brown
Jungle warfare training
Spec Ops security specialist
Careful Superb (+5)
Clever Good (+3)
Flashy Fair (+2)
Forceful Great (+4)
Quick Average (+1)
Sneaky Good (+3)
Because Junkyard is meaner than Leroy Brown, Mutt gains a +2
when creating an obstacle with his loyal companion.
Because Mutt is a Spec Ops security specialist, once per
session, he can easily work around one security checkpoint or piece of security
equipment without having to roll.
Stress X X X
Consequences:
Mild (2)
Moderate (4)
Severe (6)
Refresh: 3
Firefly
Mercenary frequently allied with Cobra
If you can tell who did it, it wasn’t me
The Faceless Master
False Arashikage, true Koga
Always a way out
Careful Good (+3)
Clever Great (+4)
Flashy Fair (+2)
Forceful Average (+1)
Quick Good (+3)
Sneaky Superb (+5)
Because Firefly is the Faceless Master, he gains +2 to sneakily
create obstacles whenever others are trying to discover his identity.
Because Firefly knows there is Always a Way Out, once per a
session he can concede a conflict and manage to escape without further
penalties.
Stress X X X
Consequences:
Mild (2)
Moderate (4)
Severe (6)
Refresh: 3
