Fate Points give you bonuses to Do Stuff
| FP are similar to Spycraft Action Dice, though they do not regenerate each session. | |
Getting Fate Points
When your character is created, you get (half
Phases) FP, rounded down. E.g., if the campaign starts with you in the 7th phase, you get 3 FP. (FUG 18)
Note that these do not
regenerate.; you get additional FP only through awards as noted below:
[1]
- You also get FP from the GM if he compels an Aspect and you go along with it. The GM doesn't get to screw with your character weaknesses for free ... it costs him (Aspect level) points (or whatever you bid it to).
- If you have an Item as Aspect, and the GM makes it inaccessible to you when it would be useful, you get (Aspect level) FP for the session. (FUG 21)
- You can be rewarded for particularly good game play or role play with FP. (FUG 20) Doing something that advances the plot but disadvantages you, or that draws on a genre trope, can earnyou 1-2 FP.
- If character advancement is a slow process, the GM might consider awarding an FP or 2 every few sessions.
A suggestion has been made that players actually start off with
no FP -- but that there be numerous opportunities in the beginning to earn them (as a "Get Folks Into The Game" strategy).
Spending Fate Points
You can use Fate points for the following: (FUG 18)
- Spend 1 FP to add a +1 on any roll. You can do this after the roll, if you want, even after you've invoked Aspects. You can only spend 1 FP this way (unless someone counters it).
- Spend 1 FP to counter an FP spent by another player. Not sure why you'd want to do this, but ... If you do so, the original player can bid another FP, etc.
- Doyce notes: In that the GM is 'another player', I can think of any number of examples of when to do this. :)
- Dave says: See below.
- Spend 2 FP to add +1 to someone else's die roll, if you can show how you could be helping them. (FUG 19) That doesn't mean you're necessarily tied up in that exchange, just that as part of your action you're doing something to help the other person.[2] (You could also house-rule this to allow spending it even without showing how they would help -- a bit of narrative control to keep players not in the scene interested in things.)
- Spend 1 FP to take a hit in combat instead of someone else, if you can show how you'd interpose yourself. (FUG 19)
- Spend 1 FP for "minor narrative control of the situation." E.g., finding a convenient item, knowing someone in town, showing up at just the right moment in another scene. The GM has veto rights, but as long as it "lets people continue to have fun without breaking anything" it should be allowed. (And, of course, if it's not a stretch of coincidence to find the object, etc., it shouldn't cost an FP.)
- Pay FP to deny an involuntary invocation of Aspect by the GM. The cost is (Aspect level) FP.
Using FP vs Aspects to bump up rolls
An FP used to increase a roll gives you a static +1. It is thus less effective than an Aspect die-flip, which can give you a +2 (from a [-] to a [+]). On the other hand, FP can be used any time
FP and NPCs
The GM (and NPCs) do not, generally speaking, start off with FP, but some might be awarded if an Aspect is involuntarily invoked (by the GM or the Players) -- e.g., a Vampire that is forced back by the sunlight outside. a Boastful thug who is taunted into something agnist his better judgment (or the GM's) by a player.
[3]
Character Rules
