Fatescape! FATE meets D&D

[potatocubed]

Hello! I'm not used to blatant self-promotion.

Fatescape is a hack of Spirit of the Century which I designed to be useful for playing all my old D&D stuff - from Temple of Elemental Evil to Planescape to Shackled City - without having to interact with the D&D rules, which I'd kind of gone off when I started writing it.

Since it's now in a state where I'd like more input, I'm announcing it properly to everyone who reads this board. You can get the current pdf from here:

http://potatocubed.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/fatescape.pdf

And if you want to see the results of the first RL playtest game I lined up ("Planar Shenanigans") you can read along here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198880

Having experimented, I'd say that Fatescape handles Planescape really well. Aspects allow for extremely flexible character creation, which is useful for showing off the variety of creatures you get knocking about on the planes, and by taking the focus off combat it promotes alternative ways to solve problems.

Fatescape's not so great with dungeon crawls, though, since it takes the focus off combat: tactical options are present, but less important than in D&D. I've found that reducing a typical crawl to a handful of key encounters works best, then spinning further consequences out of that.

So! Fatescape! Have a look, tell me what you think. (Although note that it's not a finished, polished product yet - just a playable one.) I'd appreciate some feedback, and if you have any questions I'd be happy to start a discussion in this thread.

In fact, I'm going to pre-empt a question right here:


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Q: Why not use Strands of Fate? It does FATE-based fantasy already.

A: There are several reasons why I, personally, would choose Fatescape over SoF. I understand that these might not be universal.

Firstly, SoF leans a bit too far back towards crunchy for my tastes. I prefer the SotC variation of FATE because it's extremely rules-light.

Secondly, SoF didn't actually exist when I started writing Fatescape (I've been at it, on and off, for years). I suppose I could have dropped Fatescape and transferred to SoF but... I'm stubborn. I'd started, so I'll finish.

And finally, Fatescape is free. SoF isn't. (I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.)


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What else would you like to know?

[Mewtarthio]

I notice you have an advancement system on your "to-do" list. It appears that some of the DFRPG stuff (http://www.faterpg.com/2011/some-new-additions-to-fates-open-content/) has been stripped of the Dresden Files-related content and added to the OGL. That includes an advancement system.

Speaking of advancement, I've heard it's a bad idea to change up the number of aspects like that. Aspects aren't supposed to correlate with the character's power: They're supposed to define the character. Too few, and the character doesn't really have anything interesting going for him. Too many, and the aspects get their meaning diluted.

[erikun]

Huh. I've been looking at Fudge, and wondering how difficult it would be to hack D&D (or something similar) into its system. Would this be any use to someone with only the Fudge core rulebook, or is it too dependent on Fate/Spirit of the Century rules to work correctly?

[Knaight]

Huh. I've been looking at Fudge, and wondering how difficult it would be to hack D&D (or something similar) into its system. Would this be any use to someone with only the Fudge core rulebook, or is it too dependent on Fate/Spirit of the Century rules to work correctly?

It appears to be completely self contained, so you'll be fine.

Potatocubed: Fudge has experience point based experience systems, which are fairly trivial to port.

[potatocubed]

Speaking of advancement, I've heard it's a bad idea to change up the number of aspects like that. Aspects aren't supposed to correlate with the character's power: They're supposed to define the character. Too few, and the character doesn't really have anything interesting going for him. Too many, and the aspects get their meaning diluted.

Thanks for linking me to the DFRPG advancement system. I had a look at it but it doesn't really match my intention - most of the milestones seem to involve changing things rather than gaining things, and D&D at its heart is a game about getting more: more stuff, more powers, etc.

Although that said, since currently I have 'GM handwaves level gain' it might be worth trying a game of Fatescape with the DFRPG system to see if it works. I think it would keep characters within quite a narrow band of power but allow growth within that band, if that's the sort of game you're angling for.

On the subject of aspects... I can see your point. I don't think I'll change it, though, since a) if I want a tangible level up system all I have to play with are refresh, aspects, skills and stunts, and losing one of those reduces my options; and b) since you're supposed to tie your new aspect to your previous adventures you get characters who are defined by their deeds - or at least their approach to their deeds.

I plan to test Fatescape on a long-term game with advancement in a couple of months (when I get done GMing my current timesink) so I might have a different viewpoint when I get done with that.


Huh. I've been looking at Fudge, and wondering how difficult it would be to hack D&D (or something similar) into its system. Would this be any use to someone with only the Fudge core rulebook, or is it too dependent on Fate/Spirit of the Century rules to work correctly?

Like Knaight said, Fatescape is entirely self-contained. The SotC rules are OGC, so I looted them wholesale.

I even have a bestiary of sample monster write-ups (unformatted) somewhere, although I vacillate between building monsters 'properly' (i.e. using the same rules as PCs) and just giving them abilities that seem appropriate. Leaning towards the latter.


Potatocubed: Fudge has experience point based experience systems, which are fairly trivial to port.

Oooh, thanks. Is there a Fudge SRD somewhere I can look at?

[The Glyphstone]

Could you have an option for characters improving/refining their aspects as an alternative to gaining new ones? Say, for example, your detective has the aspect Grizzled Gumshoe - at the end of an adventure where he spent a lot of time gumshoeing, he could Improve that aspect so that it grants a +3 instead of a +2?

[Knaight]

Oooh, thanks. Is there a Fudge SRD somewhere I can look at?
It's a downloadable .pdf (http://www.fudgerpg.com/goodies/fudge-files/core/FUDGE-1995-Edition-%28PDF%29/). That said, the basic experience system goes like this:
1) After a session, you get 2-5 experience points.
2) Skills cost 1 experience point to improve up to Fair, 2 to Good, 4 to Great, 8 to Superb*. If you use Legendary, it takes 30 (I think).
3) Attributes cost 3 times as much.
4) Gifts cost 6 experience (Aspects were more or less added in FATE).

Transferred to your system, it's pretty easy. A level costs 1 xp per skill point gained, plus 6 xp per aspect gained, plus 3 xp per stunt gained. Figure out the total needed to get to twenty, divide it by twenty, assign that to leveling up, call it a day. If you want to make it more like D&D, set it up so you get 1 xp per major encounter instead of 2-5 based on session length.

*The ladder is different, and tweaking is necessary

[potatocubed]

Say, for example, your detective has the aspect Grizzled Gumshoe - at the end of an adventure where he spent a lot of time gumshoeing, he could Improve that aspect so that it grants a +3 instead of a +2?

It's an idea. I'm wary of it because the the dice mechanic for Fate (4dF) makes the probability curve extremely steep - an extra +1 makes a huge difference in effectiveness. It's worth testing, though; I'll add it to the pile of ideas.


Transferred to your system, it's pretty easy. A level costs 1 xp per skill point gained, plus 6 xp per aspect gained, plus 3 xp per stunt gained. Figure out the total needed to get to twenty, divide it by twenty, assign that to leveling up, call it a day. If you want to make it more like D&D, set it up so you get 1 xp per major encounter instead of 2-5 based on session length.

I like it! Or at least, I like something resembling it! Thanks a lot for that. I'll look into playing about with the numbers and see what I can come up with.

[UserClone]

You should pimp this on http://www.story-games.com/forums. Make sure you choose self-promotion for your discussion category. They'd probably be into it more, as that board has way more people on it who play stuff OTHER than D&D.