LEONARD BRIAN JEREMY RYAN MIKE BALSERA ENGARD KELLER MACKLIN OLSON CHARACTERS LIVE AT THE CORE OF FATE A High Priestess of the barbarian hordes, an undead Wild West gunslinger, and a Second Lieutenant of the Intergalactic Security Forces are about as dif erent as they come, but they’ve got one thing in common: they need a strong engine to drive their stories.

Fate Core is that engine.

Fate Core is the latest evolution of the award-winning Fate roleplaying game system from . We’ve streamlined and clarifi ed the rules while maintaining the system’s trademark fl exibility. Name your game; Fate Core can make it happen.

Inside, you’ll discover:

Easy-to-follow rules for character and world creation.

Rock-solid storytelling advice for players and GMs to produce the best play experience.

Clearly-defi ned systems to guide players both new and old.

New and improved approaches to character actions, aspects, compels… and more! TELL YOUR TALE. ROLL THE DICE. EMBRACE YOUR FATE!

EHP0001 • ISBN 978-1-61317-029-8 • $25.00 US www.evilhat.com • @EvilHatOf cial facebook.com/EvilHatProductions CORE SYSTEM LEONARD BALSERA LEAD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT BRIAN ENGARD ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT MIKE OLSON ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT RYAN MACKLIN ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT • EDITING JEREMY KELLER EDITING • LAYOUT • INTERIOR GRAPHIC DESIGN ART DIRECTION • COVER DESIGN • PRINT PRODUCTION KURT KOMODA COVER ART • INTERIOR ART SEAN NITTNER PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHRIS HANRAHAN BRAND MARKETING

FATE WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED BY AND FRED HICKS An Evil Hat Productions Publication www.evilhat.com • [email protected] @EvilHatOfcial on Twitter facebook.com/EvilHatProductions

Fate Core System Copyright © 2013 Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Te text of Fate Core System will be available under the Open Gaming License and a Creative Commons Attribution license. For more details about the terms and requirements of these licenses, please visit www.evilhat.com or www.faterpg.com.

First published in 2013 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. 10125 Colesville Rd #318, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat and Fate logos are trademarks owned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-61317-029-8 Kindle ISBN: 978-1-61317-058-8 ePub ISBN: 978-1-61317-057-1

Printed in the USA.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior express permission of the publisher.

Tat said, if you’re doing it for personal use, knock yourself out. Tat’s not only allowed, we encourage you to do it.

For those working at a copy shop and not at all sure if this means the person standing at your counter can make copies of this thing, they can. Tis is “express permission.” Carry on.

Tis is a game where people make up stories about wonderful, terrible, impossible, glorious things. All the characters and events portrayed in this work are fctional. Any resemblance to real people, fantasy adventurers, wizards of the arcane, supernatural cops in a China-colonized Hong Kong/America that never was, cybernetic super-intelligent apes, or squirrel mechanics is purely coincidental, but kinda hilarious. FEEDBACK HEROES 3Jane, John A, Scott Acker, Jordan Adams, Ryan Aech, Dan Alexander, Danny Alexander, Jens Alfke, Carl Anderson, Alexandre Antonov, Devon Apple, Mark Arndt, Arrghus, Michael Atlin, Wille Backman, Kevin Bates, J B Bell, Richard Bellingham, Garrison Benson, Michael R. Bernstein, Billchuck, Don Bisdorf, Peter Blake, Ron Blessing, Adam Blinkinsop, bodhranist, McKay Bonham, Jérémie “Blacky” Bouillon, Brett Bowen, Michael Bowman, Guy Bowring, Ezra Bradford, Mick Bradley, Fabrice Breau, Jean-Baptiste Breton, Bill Burdick, Francisco Bustos, Jason Campbell, Sean Carroll, Nick Carter, Richard Chilton, Krzysztof Chyla, Coboney, Bill Collins, Cameron Corniuk, Danni Coy, Creature, cthos, Josh Culbertson, Patrick Curtin, Carsten Damm, Darryl, James Dawsey, Tomas Deeny, Martin Dickson, Rob Donoghue, Droqen, Lukasz Dziubczyk, Eärdil, Manuel Echevarria, Jason Eley, Johan Elmquist, James English, Epimetreus, Tomas Erskine, Ian Evans, Dustin Evermore, John Faludi, Keith Fannin, Jarrod Farquhar-Nicol, Christian Fasy, Olman Feelyus, Antaeus Feldspar, Fenikso, Chris Flipse, Ben Flood, Brook Freeman, Emlyn Freeman, Josh French, Gauth, GhostBob, D Gilbert, Ed Gonzalez, Mikhail L. Gordin, Oliver Graf, Tim Graham, Tim Gray, Michael Guerra, Jack Gulick, Gwathdring, Roland Gyarmati, Dan Hall, Rob Hanz, Craig Hargraves, Seán Harnett, George Harnish, John Harper, Jon Harrison, Julien Harroch, Christopher Hazell, M. Herzog, Magnus Lie Hetland, Bruce Hill, Rob Hipskind, Jonathon Hodges, Brian Hofmann, Troy Holaday, Stephen C. Holland, Jef Hoskinson, Robert M. S. Huether, Link Hughes, Casey Hunten, Blake Hutchins, Hypersmurf, Justin D. Jacobson, Kent J. Johansen, johnoghue, Stephen “SDJTorin” Johnson, Andrew Kampen, Jack Kelly, Dave Klempa, Jeremy Kostiew, Darth Krzysztof, Steve Kunec, Mark Kung, Steve Kyer, Jonathan Lang, Alec Lanter, Shai Laric, Gee Lawrence, LDK, David Leaman, Josh Leavitt, PK Levine, Adam Longley, Eliot Lyon, EK Lytle, Edward MacGregor, Joshua Madore, Ergodic Mage, Ville Makkonen, James Malaspino, Erin McBride, Jon T. McCarty II, Robin McCollum, Robert McCowen, Shawn McDaniel, Colin McMillen, Dylan Mikus, Earl Miles, Agustin Miranda, Tom Miskey, Jim Montgomery, Jacob Mooney, Sean Mulhern, Mysterious and Pedantic Stranger, Peter Netzer, Sarah Newton, Brian K. Nielsen, Koji Nishiuchi, Iain M Norman, Selene O’Rourke, Daniel Paarmann, Lisa Padol, Addramyr Palinor, Andrea “Lord Lance” Parducci, Johnny Peng, Ryan Perrin, Jonathan Pierson, Nick Pilon, Alexander Puterbaugh, Scott Pyle, Rob Rendell, James Ritter, Brian Rock, Mike Roddewig, RolHypnos, Roman, Garrett Rooney, Rosque, RPG Geek, Christopher Ruthenbeck, Carrie S., Norman Sager, Ryan Sands, Philippe Saner, Christoph Sapinsky, John Savage, Ernie Sawyer, Evan Sayre, SC, Torge Schmidt, Jason Schneiderman, Adam Schwaninger, Tim Seiger, Alfredo Sendín, Mike Sergio, Andrew Shore, shosuko, Josh Simmons, Scott Slater, Robert Slaughter, Jon Smejkal, Ruben Smith-Zempel, Tess Snider, Paul Snow, Soren, SQLCowboy, Jan Stals, starwed, Sterling, David L. Stewart, Jaap Stoel, Lane Stroud, Joe Stroup, SwiftOne, Ricardo Tavares, David Tackaberry, John Tobin, Tom X. Tobin, Alan Tsang, Joshua Turton, Carrie Ulrich, Shea Lafayette Valentine, Leroy Van Camp III, Kevin Veale, Paul Vermeren, Nathan W., Ralf Wagner, Josh Ward, John Weber, Greg Weir, Marko Wenzel, Beat Wieland, Mitch A. Williams, Jan Willms, Gordon Wincott, Xavon Wrentaile, wusemajor, Savage Yinn, Kris Zaragoza, Jacob Z-Dawg Zimmerman, zombiecalypse CONTENTS

The Basics ...... 1 Welcome to Fate! ...... 2 What You Need to Play ...... 3 Players and Gamemasters ...... 4 The Character Sheet ...... 6 Taking Action ...... 8 Fate Points ...... 12 Start Playing! ...... 15 Game Creation ...... 17 What Makes a Good Fate Game? ...... 18 Setting Up Your Game ...... 20 Making the Setting Work in Fate ...... 20 A Game’s Scale ...... 21 The Setting’s Big Issues ...... 22 Faces and Places ...... 26 Make Characters ...... 27 Character Creation ...... 29 Character Creation Is Play ...... 30 Your Character Idea ...... 31 The Phase Trio ...... 38 Skills ...... 46 Stunts and Refresh ...... 48 Stress and Consequences ...... 50 You’re All Set! ...... 52 Quick Character Creation ...... 52 Aspects and Fate Points ...... 55 Defining Aspects ...... 56 Defining Fate Points ...... 56 Types of Aspects...... 57 What Aspects Do ...... 59 Making a Good Aspect ...... 61 If You Get Stuck ...... 64 Invoking Aspects ...... 68 Compelling Aspects ...... 71 Using Aspects for Roleplaying ...... 76 Removing or Changing an Aspect ...... 78 Creating and Discovering New Aspects in Play ...... 78 The Fate Point Economy ...... 80 Skills and Stunts ...... 85 Defining Skills ...... 86 Defining Stunts ...... 87 Building Stunts ...... 88 The Default Skill List ...... 96 Actions and Outcomes ...... 129 It’s Time for Action! ...... 130 The Four Outcomes ...... 132 The Four Actions ...... 134 Challenges, Contests, and Conflicts ...... 145 Zooming In on the Action...... 146 Challenges ...... 147 Contests ...... 150 Conflicts ...... 154 Teamwork ...... 174 Running the Game ...... 177 What You Do ...... 178 What to Do During Game Creation ...... 182 What to Do During Play ...... 185 Creating the Opposition ...... 213 Playing the Opposition ...... 222 Scenes, Sessions, and Scenarios ...... 225 So, Now What? ...... 226 Defining Scenarios ...... 226 Find Problems ...... 227 Ask Story Questions ...... 232 Establish the Opposition ...... 236 Set Up the First Scene ...... 238 Defining Scenes ...... 240 The Scenario in Play ...... 246 Resolving the Scenario ...... 248 The Long Game ...... 251 Defining Arcs ...... 252 Defining Campaigns...... 252 Building an Arc ...... 253 Building a Campaign ...... 254 Advancement and Change ...... 255 Defining Milestones ...... 256 World Advancement ...... 263 Extras...... 269 Defining Extras ...... 270 The Bronze Rule, aka The Fate Fractal ...... 270 Creating an Extra ...... 271 Extras and Advancement...... 276 More Examples of Extras ...... 277 Cheat Sheet ...... 292 Veterans’ Guide ...... 294 Character Creation Worksheet ...... 296 Game Creation Worksheet ...... 297 Landon’s Character Sheet ...... 298 Cynere’s Character Sheet ...... 299 Zird the Arcane’s Character Sheet ...... 300 Character Sheet ...... 301 Index ...... 302

1THE BASICS THE BASICS

WELCOME TO FATE!

If you’ve never played a roleplaying game before, here’s the basic idea: you and a bunch of friends get together to tell an interactive story about a group of characters you make up. You get to say what challenges and obstacles those characters face, how they respond, what they say and do, You might be reading this be-

and what happens to them. S cause you’re familiar with Fate from our other games, Spirit of It’s not all just conversation, AN

though—sometimes you’ll use R the Century and The Dresden dice and the rules in this book to Files Roleplaying Game. Several ETE

bring uncertainty into the story V other popular RPGs, like Galileo

and make things more exciting. R Games’ Bulldogs! and Cubicle What Makes 7’s Legends of Anglerre, also Fate doesn’t come with a default FO a Good Fate setting, but it works best with any use the Fate system. Game? premise where the characters are This is a new version of Fate, p. 18 proactive, capable people lead- which we developed to update ing dramatic lives. We give more and streamline the system. advice on how to bring that favor to You’ll recognize some of what’s your games in the next chapter. in here, but we’ve also changed some rules and some terminol- Veterans’ Guide ogy. You can find a guide to all p. 294 the changes we’ve made near the end of the book.

If you’re a new player, all you really need to know is in this chapter and on your character sheet—the GM will help you figure out the rest. You may TO FATE TO want to check out the cheat W

E sheet on page 292 just to

N save your GM some efort, but otherwise, you should be good to go. If you’re a new GM, this is just the tip of the iceberg for you. You should read and get familiar with the whole book.

2 FATE CORE WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY

Getting into a game of Fate is very simple. You need:

• Between three and fve people. One of you is going to be the gamemas- THE BASICS ter (or “GM” for short), and everyone else is going to be a player. We’ll explain what that means in a moment. • A character sheet, one per player, and some extra paper for note-tak- Character ing. We’ll talk about what’s on the character sheet below. (GMs, any Sheet important characters you play might have a character sheet also.) p. 301 • Fate dice, at least four, preferably four per person. Fate dice are a special kind of six-sided dice that are marked on two sides with a plus If you don’t want to use Fate symbol (+), two with a minus dice, you don’t have to—any symbol (-), and two sides are set of regular six-sided dice will blank (0). You can get these dice work. If you’re using regular from many hobby and game stores, dice, you read 5 or 6 as +, 1 or 2 often under their original name, as -, and 3 or 4 as 0. Fudge dice. (For Fate’s purposes we’ll continue to call them Fate dice, but call them whatever you like!) Evil Hat will ofer Fate dice for sale at www.evilhat.com later in 2013. Te Deck of Fate is an alternative to Fate dice that will be available from Evil Hat. It’s a deck of cards that mimics the probability of Fate dice, and is designed to be used in the same way Fate dice are. • Tokens to represent fate points. Poker chips, glass beads, or anything Fate Points similar will work. You’ll want to have at least thirty or more of these on p. 12 hand, just to make sure you have enough for any given game. You can use pencil marks on your character sheet in lieu of tokens, but physical tokens add a little more fun. • Index cards. Tese are optional, but we fnd they’re very handy for Defining recording aspects during play. Aspects p. 56

CHAPTER 1 3 THE BASICS

PLAYERS AND GAMEMASTERS

In any game of Fate, you’re either a player or a gamemaster. If you’re a player, your primary job is to take responsibility for portray- ing one of the protagonists of the game, which we call a player character (or “PC” for short). You make decisions for your character and describe to everyone else what your character says and does. You’ll also take care of the mechanical side of your character—rolling dice when it’s appropriate, choosing what abilities to use in a certain situation, and keeping track of fate points. If you’re a gamemaster, your primary job is to take responsibility for the world the PCs inhabit. You make decisions and roll dice for every character in the game world who isn’t portrayed by a player—we call those non- player characters (or “NPCs”). You describe the environments and places the PCs go to during the game, and you create the scenarios and situations they interact with. You also act as a fnal arbiter of the rules, determining the outcome of the PCs’ decisions and how that impacts the story as it unfolds. Both players and gamemasters also have a secondary job: make everyone around you look awesome. Fate is best as a collaborative endeavor, with everyone sharing ideas and looking for opportunities to make the events as entertaining as possible.

4 FATE CORE Character Creation Worksheet CORE SYSTEM CHARACTER IDEA

High Concept Aspect CHARACTER Trouble Aspect CREATION Name WORKSHEET PHASE TRIO

Phase One: Your Adventure

Phase One Aspect

Phase Two: Crossing Paths

Phase Two Aspect

Phase Three: Crossing Paths Again

Phase Three Aspect

SKILLS STUNTS & REFRESH • One at Great (+4) • Tree Stunts = Refresh of 3 • Two at Good (+3) • Four Stunts = Refresh of 2 • Tree at Fair (+2) • Five Stunts = Refresh of 1 • Four at Average (+1)

STRESS & CONSEQUENCES • Average or Fair Physique gives you a 3-point physical stress box. • Good or Great Physique gives you 3- and 4-point physical stress boxes. • Superb+ Physique gives you 3- and 4-point physical stress boxes and an additional mild consequence slot. • Average or Fair Will gives you a 3-point mental stress box. • Good or Great Will gives you 3- and 4-point mental stress boxes. • Superb+ Will gives you 3- and 4-point mental stress boxes and an additional mild consequence slot. Game Creation Worksheet CORE SYSTEM

Game Name Setting/Scale GAME CREATION ISSUES WORKSHEET Current Issues Impending Issues

FACES AND PLACES

Name Name Name

Issue / Aspect Issue / Aspect Issue / Aspect

Name Name Name

Issue / Aspect Issue / Aspect Issue / Aspect

DIALS SKILLS

5 Number of aspects 3 Number of phases Great (+4) Skill cap Pyramid Skill pyramid or columns NA Number of columns 3 Refresh rate 3 Number of initial stunts Physical and mental Types of stress tracks 2 Default number of stress boxes 2/4/6 Default consequence slots

STUNTS AND EXTRAS 1 1 Trouble High Concept An Eye for an Smashing Is Always an Option I Owe Old Finn Everything The Manners of a Goat Disciple of the Ivory Shroud A rough-mannered swordsman covered in scars and ragged clothing. Description Landon Name MENTAL STRESS PHYSICAL STRESS EXTRAS ASPECTS ID 2 2 LANDON’S 3 3 CHARACTER SHEET (Will) 4 4 (Physique) 6 4 2 CONSEQUENCES Severe Moderate Mild Average (+1) Superb (+5) SKILLS Great (+4) Good (+3) Fair (+2) Crafts Stealth Athletics Fight STUNTS Tough as Nails. Once per session you can reduce the severity of a moderate physical consequence Backup Weapon. Once per conflict, whenever someone’s about to hit you with a *Disarmed situation Another Round? +2 to Rapport when drinking with someone in a tavern cost of a fate point. to a mild physical consequence, or erase a mild physical consequence altogether, at the gets a boost instead, representing the momentary distraction you suffer having to switch. aspect, you can say you have a backup weapon. Instead of a situation aspect, your opponent

Shoot Provoke Physique Refresh 3 2

Mild

Deceive Rapport CORE

Will SYSTEM - - CYNERE’S CHARACTER SHEET SYSTEM Empathy

CORE Physique Burglary

Mild 2

3 Refresh Fight Investigate Lore

opponent has a fighting style or weakness she can exploit. opponent has a fighting style or weakness security measures. with other to bypass a lock or interact have vided you don’t impair sensory darkness, or other concealment, works unimpeded by conditions like total where someone or something intends to harm you. ments in situations Warmaster. +2 to Fight rolls made to create an advantage against an opponent, provided the an advantage rolls made to create +2 to Fight Warmaster. for all overcome actions, pro can use Athletics in place of Burglary Girl. You Second-Story skill Notice Your danger. detecting for capacity preternatural almost an have You Sense. Danger STUNTS Athletics Notice Deceive Resources Fair (+2) Fair Good (+3) Great (+4) Great SKILLS Superb (+5) Average (+1) Average Mild Moderate Severe CONSEQUENCES 2 4 6 (Physique) 4 4 (Will) 3 3 2 2 ID ASPECTS EXTRAS STRESS PHYSICAL STRESS MENTAL Name Cynere Description thief with a fast blade. An honorable Infamous Girl with Sword by Shiny Things Tempted Back Zird’s I’ve Got A Sucker for a Sob Story Secret Sister of Barathar High Concept Trouble 1 1 1 1 Trouble High Concept Collegia Arcana Magic Doesn’t Suffer Fools Gladly Not the Face! If I Haven’t Been There, I’ve Read About It Rivals in the Collegia Arcana Wizard for Hire A sharp-featured beard. scholar with a dark, triangular Description Zird the Arcane Name MENTAL STRESS PHYSICAL STRESS EXTRAS ASPECTS ID 2 2 ZIRD THE ARCANE’S 3 3 CHARACTER SHEET (Will) 4 4 (Physique) 6 4 2 CONSEQUENCES Severe Moderate Mild Average (+1) Superb (+5) SKILLS Great (+4) Good (+3) Fair (+2) Fight Athletics Rapport Lore I’ve Read about That! You’ve read hundreds – if not thousands – of books on a wide variety topics. The Power of Deduction. Once per scene you can spend a fate point (and a few minutes of observa Friendly Liar. Can use Rapport in place of Deceive to create advantages predicated on a lie. Scholar, Healer. Can make physical recovery attempts with Lore. STUNTS target of your observations, though you may only invoke one of them for free. discover or create an aspect for each shift you make on this roll, either the scene or tion) to make a special Investigation roll representing your potent You deductive faculties. may provided you can justify having read about the action you’re attempting. You can spend a fate point to use Lore in place of any other skill for one roll or exchange,

Resources Will Crafts Refresh 2

2 Mild

Investigate Contacts CORE

Notice SYSTEM - CHARACTER SHEET SYSTEM CORE Mild 2 Refresh STUNTS Fair (+2) Fair Good (+3) Great (+4) Great SKILLS Superb (+5) Average (+1) Average Mild Moderate Severe CONSEQUENCES 2 4 6 (Physique) 4 4 (Will) 3 3 2 2 ID ASPECTS EXTRAS STRESS PHYSICAL STRESS MENTAL Name Description High Concept Trouble 1 1 INDEX actions 86, 134, 174 milestones 248, 255, 256, 263, 276 active opposition 10, 131, 133 mobs 216 arcs 195, 252, 298 movement 169 Armor ratings 277 multiple targets 205 aspects 3, 6, 12, 32, 34, 36, 40, 43, 44, nameless NPCs 214 53, 56, 68, 76, 202, 210, 273 non-player characters (NPCs) 4, 26, attack 140, 149, 153, 160 82, 179, 213, 222, 236, 260, 266 boosts 58 overcome 134, 147, 169 Bronze Rule 270 passive opposition 10, 131, 133, 191 campaigns 195, 252, 298 permission 274 challenges 147, 172, 173, 196 phases 38, 40, 42, 44 character aspects 57, 228, 245, 256 places 26 character creation 29, 262, 296 player characters (PCs) 4, 27, 30 character sheet 3, 292, 293, 294, 295 players 3, 4 compel 6, 12, 14, 71, 75, 81, 207, 211 problems 227 conceding 81, 167, 299 recovery 164 conficts 154, 205, 223 refresh 7, 49, 53, 56, 80, 87, 260 consequences 7, 47, 50, 58, 162, 258, scale 21, 184 260, 273 scenarios 181, 194, 226, 246, 298 contests 150, 173, 196 scenes 155, 178, 194, 238, 240, 298 cost 274 sessions 194, 298 create an advantage 70, 78, 136, 149, setting 20, 182 153, 170, 175, 205, 223 shifs 10, 132, 140, 193 death 168 Silver Rule 185 decision compels 73 situation aspects 58, 75, 136, 156, 170, defend 142, 159 187 environmental hazards 208 skill cap 46, 260 event compels 72 skill columns 258 exchanges 150, 159, 194 skill pyramid 46 extras 6, 184, 270 skills 7, 46, 53, 86, 96, 130, 202, 256, faces 26, 229 258, 273, 283 fail 132, 188 story questions 232 Fate dice 3, 8, 130, 187 story time 194, 200 fate points 3, 12, 48, 53, 56, 68, 71, 80, stress 6, 47, 50, 86, 160, 273 82, 167 stunts 7, 48, 53, 80, 87, 202, 256, 273, free invocations 70 299 full defense 159 succeed 132 game aspects 24, 57, 229 succeed at a cost 132, 189 game creation 17, 182, 297 succeed with style 132 gamemaster (GM) 3, 4, 82 supporting NPCs 218 game time 194 taken out 168 Golden Rule 185 teamwork 174 high concept 32, 52 tie 132 hit 140, 216 trouble 34, 53 invoke 6, 12, 68, 80, 210, 299 turn order 158 issues 22, 57, 229 Weapon ratings 277 ladder 9, 46, 86 zones 157, 169 main NPCs 220

302 FATE CORE