Playing the Game

When a character wants to take an action where the outcome is in doubt, he rolls 4 FATE dice (dF), 6-sided dice which are marked –1, –1,  0,  0,  +1, +1. He totals the dice, adds them to the appropriate skill, and compares the total to either the difficulty set by the GM (called a “simple action”) or, in the case of a contest with another character, the other character’s result. The scale of difficulties and results is called “the ladder.” (These descriptive ratings can also be applied to skills.)

+8: Legendary          

+7: Epic                   

+6: Fantastic       

+5: Superb

+4: Great

+3: Good

+2: Fair

+1: Average

0: Mediocre

-1: Poor

-2: Terrible

An example of a contest would be a race on foot, using Athletics or Endurance.

Shifts

If a character matches or exceeds the difficulty in a simple action, or exceeds his opponent’s total in a contest, he succeeds.  The amount by which he exceeds the required result is called a shift. Players use the number of shifts they get in describing how well their character succeeds, for example, in how long an action takes, the quality of the job done, the difficulty to detect what the character did, or the damage that the character did.

Spin

If a character gets 3 or more shifts on an action, he gets to spin that action. Spin is typically a cool special effect that the player gets to dictate, subject to the GM’s approval. As a default, spin can add +1 to either his own next action, or another player’s, as long as the player can relate that action to the action that his character took to get the spin.

Conflicts and Consequences

Conflicts are what happens when two or more characters are inopposition in a way that cannot be quickly or cleanly resolved. A conflict is broken down into a number of exchanges where each party makes an effort to try to achieve their goal. They accumulate success in the form of stress or consequences on their opponent. Eventually, one opponent will accumulate enough stress or consequences that he will be taken out or concede. Examples include: combat, debates, staredowns, talking your way past guards, and the like.

Each round of the exchange is treated like a contest. The contest can have an attacker and defender, or simply two opponents. The following table shows some possible conflicts, and the skills the opponents might use in the contest.

Stress

Each shift that the winner gets inflicts one box of stress, either health stress or composure stress, on the loser. The number of boxes in a character’s Health stress track is 2, plus half the character’s Endurance (rounded up). The number of boxes in a character’s Composure stress track is 2, plus half the character’s Resolve (rounded up).

Consequences

Any time a character takes stress, he may opt not to check off a box and instead take a consequence. If the character takes a hit for which he doesn’t have a box, he must take a consequence.  A consequence is a temporary aspect, appropriate to the situation. The first consequence is a mild consequence –dropping your sword, a limiting injury. The second consequence is a moderate one, (weapon is broken) and the third and one severe. The person taking the consequence gets to decide what it is, subject to GM approval. Consequences can be tagged or invoked like any other aspect.

Taken Out

A character who takes a consequence beyond severe is taken out; his foe gets to decide what happens to him. The effect must be limited to the character who was taken out; limited to the scope of the present conflict; and reasonable for the target. A player who does not like the manner in which he’s been taken out can spend all of his remaining fate points to demand a different outcome, which the GM should accommodate.

Conceding

Instead of taking a consequence, a character can concede.  A character who concedes is taken out, but gets to declare himself what happened. The character inflicting the stress can refuse the concession; it the GM rules that the terms of the concession were reasonable, the conceding character gains 1 fate point, and the refusing character loses one fate point.

Clearing Stress and Consequences

Stress tracks clear automatically at the end of the stress scene, unless the GM declares otherwise. Mild consequences usually clear at the end of the current scene—when the character has a chance to rest. Moderate consequences usually take several hours of rest, relaxation, or an appropriate activity to clear.  Severe consequences usually take several days to several weeks to clear.