The Gangs of Everast City (Idea)

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

I think three, to give some definition and versatility.

[Philote]

We could try 5 points for skills then, giving either one really strong but limited skill (5) or 5 weak but diverse skill (1)s, with the average being 3 skills.

Hmm, but getting 3 skills would give a (2,2,1) setup. A (3, 2) setup seems the most balanced, and a (4, 1) setup doesn't seem like it would be worth using. A singular skill (5) seems like it would be pretty overpowered even with a lot of restrictions.

We could keep 5 points and say that a max a skill can have is 4, forcing two skills. Only one setup would give a skill (4) then, (4,1), and most would be in the 1 - 3 range.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Maybe.

Poor
Average
Good
Great.

The problem is I never see the problems in things until they're in motion.

[Philote]

The idea is to make having (4,1) not be terribly overpowered and for (1,1,1,1,1) to not be completely useless. The middles ones should be fine on their own.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

I'm good with any configuration. I'm not great at number games so I'll let you to decide and plan that sort of thing.

[Philote]

I like to pretend that I'm pretty good at figuring these systems out, but they don't always turn out as best as I'd imagine.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Yeah, but you and GV are smart...you'll figure it out.

[Philote]

Play testing is probably the only way to know for sure though, which is unfortunate since we need a good system before we actually start the RP.

Thanks for the compliment

[Zaleramancer]

Pi?

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

I founds something that lets me visualize this better.


No stats, no skills. Aspects. 6 starting points to spend in them, 4 is the cap at the beginning. I'll raise it later, hand out more points.

So, Urchin would have been:

Cockney Street Urchin (4)

and I can't think of another aspect because that one literally covers everything they did in that fight. Maybe add a temporary aspect On Fire (2), but that's it.

Maybe have Gang-wide aspects as well, I'll have to think on that.

[Zaleramancer]

Intriguing.

Huh..

I should get back into this.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Fate is a very interesting system to use. One of it's main Mechanics is called Fate Points, which you spent to take control of the story for a moment in different ways.

How do you earn Fate points? The most common way is compels. Compels is the GM taking one of your aspects and using it against you. Say you had the Fashionista Aspect and the party comes to waste high pool of sewer water they have to cross. If I thought it would make the story more interesting, I could compel you to not go into the water on the grounds that it would ruin your outfit, forcing you to find another way across.

You never ever have to take a Compel. Your character can walk through the sewer water, ruining their outfit. But if you do take the Compel, you earn that super useful fate point for later and can use it to screw up my plans in the same way.

[Philote]

Interesting, I really like this compel/fate system.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

There are tons of ways use can spend these points. You can Invoke one of your aspects. Doing this will give you a plus 2 to that roll if you can tie it into the aspect. For example, invoking the Hairdresser aspect to try and identify where someone is from based on their hair style.

You can make a Declaration. With a declaration you can make certain things related to your aspect happen, like a cousin from your Big-rear end redneck family (2) show up on the nick of time, or to say "of course I have a lug wrench, I'm a Mechanic (3).

Tagging works like an invoke, except that instead of using your own aspect, you use the scene's, or even your enemy's. For example, Tag an Urchins Cockney Street Urchin (4) to send them into a hacking fit from their black lung.

Maneuvers set a temporary aspect on the thing you are influencing (provided you pass the roll) that you can invoke later to gain the full benefit. One of the amazing things FATE has is maneuvers in combat: whenever you place a temporary aspect, the first invoke doesn't cost Fate Points, and you can give this benefit to a friend! That way you can create a maneuver on an enemy and let your more combat oriented friend take advantage of it. For instance, dumping a bucket of coal dust on someone will add the aspect Flammable to someone, which another party member can Tag free of charge to set them on fire in some way.

[Philote]

This is really neat, where are you getting this from?

Could you explain Maneuvers more?

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Reading a FATE PDF right now.

The way I understand it is, a Maneuver is putting an aspect on something that can be used later, by anyone in the party, free of charge. Say you spend a Fate point to use Schoolyard Bully (2) to taunt someone. This will add the Temporary Aspect Angry to the opponent. He keeps this aspect for the whole conflict, and anyone can tag it. The first time it's tagged, though, the one who tags it doesn't have to spend a fate point to do so.

[Philote]

How many ways are there to get Fate Points?

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Mostly, it look like it's up to GM discretion. The PDF suggest giving out fate points for players doing something cool, clever, or unexpected.

[Philote]

And the players can just hoard these? Can multiple fate points be used at once?

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

I don't think you can use multiples at once, and The PDF suggest setting an upper limit to how many a player can have.

Also, I think I gave the wrong impression about aspects. They aren't skills, not really. Aspects represent important parts of your character, and they can be anything. Places, Objects, Personality, even other People.

I think I'll use Billy as an example. Not only would he have Necromancy as an aspect, he could also potentiality have Rushes Into Things, Gob, Polite, Energetic, Tool, Enemy, or Shameful Secret.