Setting up fight difficulty in FATE

[Fri]

Okay, the one thing that I'm still not sure right now is how to set up fight difficulty in FATE (specifically FATE Core).

That is, how to set up so the enemies don't kill the PCs too easily, but also still provide enough challenge.

I mean, I know that you can just throw around fate point or concession if things go not too well for either side, but still, is there an easy way to calculate how strong should enemies be?

To be specific, it's how strong the enemies' attack be compared to the PC's defense/toughness. If the enemy is too tough (defense/health wise), I can expect the PCs to pile up advantages on them, or if the fight has gone too far the enemy could just concess. But if the enemies' attack are too strong compared to the PC's defense/health, it will potentially end the supposedly climatic/exciting fight too soon.

Like for example, if most players have 2 fight/athletic, how high should the enemy's fight score for close combat, etc.

Or am I once again thinking about this wrongly again?


Thanks before.

[Eisenheim]

I would say that unless you have a very small group, don't worry about basing NPC ratings off of particular skills, but rather rely on the apex of the PCs as a guide. As long as someone has the relevant skill to do stress, the PCs can usually all find way to bring their best skills to bear on a conflict.

In general, the PCs can easily handle mooks of average of fair quality in numbers without taking consequences. Will force concession but may take consequences from a supporting NPC with an apex similar to their own, even if the NPC has some mooks, and will be at an actual risk of failure against a fight that involves an NPC with a higher apex and support from either lesser NPCs or mooks.

I usually have no more than 2 NPCs with apex skills higher than the PCs in a given adventure, and they won't necessarily be expected to engage at the same time, but you'll have best results if you let things follow the fiction and don't worry too much about tuning the challenge just right.

One insightful remark I read over on the fate G+ group is that, because of the fate point economy, you can throw fate PCs into challenges where the dice give only a 50-50 chance of success, because fate points will push them over the top, whereas a 50-50 chance in D&D is deadly and horrible.

[kyoryu]

The general starting place for "combat balance" is an even match with the PCs. Same number, same peak skills, no more or less focused on the conflict type than the PCs are.

Since the PCs *can* bring more Fate Points to the conflict, they'll have the advantage.

Generally, the ideal balance spot for Fate Core is something where the PCs will have to spend *some* of their resources (Fate Points, Consequences) to win, but not too many of them. You want them thinking "is this worth it?"

From there, adjust. If you have less enemies, make them tougher (higher peak skill, etc.). If you add mobs of enemies, get rid of the PC-equivalent ones. And so on.