Fate Core: The Best RPG Everyone Rightfully Hates

Fate Core, published by Evil Hat, is one of my favorite RPGs. But it's such a strange RPG that trying to introduce people who are steeped in D&D game culture and theory is a tough thing to do.

It'd be really nice if there were a fantasy supplement that showed people how to do the things they are used to doing in D&D, in Fate Core.

[Authorityfigures]

Aspects are a great idea that FATE implements, but they implement in an uninspired way. Aspects just create modifiers. Which is... boring. Plus, it makes different aspects mechanically identical, the only distinction being when to apply them. To me this is a waste of an idea. On top of that, FATE uses a metacurrency, a complete immersion-breaker in my book, very extensively and systematically.

[FlameQwert]

"this is the thesis statement of Fate Core: the less potent the character’s
narrative, the less likely the character is to succeed."
absolutely perfect thesis statement that encapsulates how amazing FATE truly is

[ImaginerImagines]

"INT is their dump stat lol." That was what was ridiculously hard to catch phrase that seems like it was it flashed by in maybe 1-2 frames at 8:01 . Have to save someone else the headache :)

[TheDungeonNewbsGuide]

As a fellow lover of Fate, and someone that may a very generalized guide of How to Play Fate, this video makes some good points. I think honestly you could bring these points to a number of smaller ttrpg developers, as I think they get a little too close to the material to see the forest for the trees. Still, a wonderful system, and I'm glad to see more folks covering it.. Well thought and structured video.

[brianwatson]

A classic example from the Core book is when they're talking about creating an fantasy world. One of the characters, Zirn, in a wizard. They begin to talk about how they want magic to work in the setting, then simply decide that they want it to work more or less like any other skill. It felt hand waves rather than an exporation of the various ways that magic systems can work in Fate.

My main setting is in Fate. It has an odd magic system. In it, "mages" find spirits and make deals, subjugate them, or are subjugated by them in order to bind the spirit to their souls and gain their powers. But the spirit also gains a voice in the mage's head. Mechanically, this is some stunts, a stress track for the spirit representing its power reserves, a unique set of powers, and an Aspect that gets added to the character sheet.

The fun part is that if you bind more than one spirit, the next Aspect gained replaces one of those the character already has, to represent the fragmenting of the character's personality as more and more voices fill their heads. If can get kind of dark. But Fate was the only system that let me do the magic system properly. And it let me create one hell of a game.

[daniig]

I have never felt a video so hard. I had so much trouble both in running and introducing a Fate-based game (The Dresden Files RPG) to my D&D group and no one ever felt comfortable with how to invoke their aspects or how to deal with combat. We had one amazing combat where someone figured out a few tricks and they managed to take down a BBEG while being relatively lower powered ONCE and then for some reason it just never clicked with them ever again. I actually sent this video to my group and went 'THIS! THIS IS THE ISSUE!' so thank you.

Also just in general I've found your videos to be super thoughtful and insightful and you're probably one of my favorite new TTRPG channels. I'm amazed your following isn't higher at this point. You've got great content, please please PLEASE keep rolling.

[benpuffer]

Agree. Most folks would rather mod 5e rather than try a different rpg that does what they want in the first place. Part of the reason is that there are so many 5e players available.

[Toporshik]

I'm one of the few players who was introduced to the TTRPGs with Fate Core. It is a bizzare experience, to see so many people agree on what is norm and what is strange, while me seeing things as completely opposite.

[graendread]

Huh. You know what - The point about there being no simple entry for Fate Core Fantasy hits home so hard. When I was starting Fate, I just bought every obscure Fate Worlds supplement from RPG-Drivethru to find a good way to represent magic in Fate. This handwaving "The wizard does the same things with the same skills as any non-magic user, just flavored as magic" feels just wrong. Magic is included in Fantasy BECAUSE it does things that are impossible otherwise.

[Pit_Wizard]

My number 1 roleplaying pet peeve is "D&D 5e only players" who try to cram every genre under the sun into 5e. Guys, just go play Savage Worlds. It's made for that and it's very easy to learn.

[erikbuchanan]

My only experience with Fate was as a player. I found I was spending so much time thinking up how to make aspects out of everything around me, the story became secondary. Like the Big Bad is monologuing big plot points and Im thinking how i can use the floral arrangement in the scene to my advantage.

[cameronlloyd]

Spot on. My group tried FATE, and it really didn't fit great for anyone but me. We settled on Cypher system as doing the best job of offering what we most wanted in a core system.

I found FATE has worked great when playing with people who are a bunch of drama nerds, experienced GMs, writers, and/or teachers. Not so much with others. The "anything you want" problem really frustrated people who needed some specifics and limitations to help guide their narrative thinking.

Cypher system has turned out to be an excellent fit. It does most of the same things right that FATE does, but answers the problems you raised in this video. It is narrative-first and supports that sort of improvised narrative play. However, it is more mechanically specific and includes nods to the ideas of things like "classes", "levels", and "HP"... at least enough to ease you in until you realize they actually function totally differently from D&D. It has a stock flagship Science Fantasy setting that will be accessible and familiar to medieval fantasy players, but with it's own weird twist. It has setting specific supplements for types of games people are probably most likely to gravitate towards: Science Fiction, Super Hero, and two additional Fantasy settings.

[TheDungeonCoach]

You make some great videos man! I'm not just saying that because you mentioned me either. I've seen your videos from some people in my communities recommendations. Keep at it man, you're making some great content!

[MindOfGenius]

I tried FATE Core once. I eventually understood the basics, but it felt so bare-bones, like being taken to an empty field and being told "GO" and noting else. It's about having so much freedom to "do whatever", that it's easy to NOT KNOW what you want to do.
It's why I like the Forged In The Dark system; it has *just enough* meat on its bones to give you a nudge in the campaign/setting direction while not constricting you.

[Barquevious_Jackson]

A Masterclass on the value of clear language, useful as always to the aspiring game dev.

[TreeRaper]

I love me GURPS and universal systems. I feel like you missed the mark on GURPS supplements though. At least in so far as characterizing them as necessary. They mostly are the explanatory guide on how to use the core mechanics to reach a theme or emulate an ability of the stated supplement topic. A thing FATE could and should steal. GURPS supplements rarely add anything new (outside maybe a few techniques from Kung Fu or items like in all "Tech" supplements) but spend a lot of time on how to theme skills, setting tropes, build atmosphere, historical summaries, and the always amazing Appendix N style lists of inspirational material. I strongly implore a deeper reading of GURPS as the characterization of a needlessly complex dumptruck of systems misses it's true value as a TTRPG system of study and design.

[akv-et]

We should note that many GURPS supplements are the gold standard for useful, detailed, well researched and well written RPG books. The majority of them can be used with any RPG system.

[tristanevans]

My group found the mechanics very easy to understand and pick up. Of course we are experienced in D&D and knew full well the concepts of rpgs. As a new gm of fate, i didn't find it too difficult to learn and play or teach. The game system teaches the mechanics you need, but leave a lot of options for the GM to establish such as magic and the like. I used Fate Accelerated for an online game and the players were so lost in the story and aspects and the narrative that they didn't miss leveling up or the normal D&Disms. They still talk about the fate campaign and never really mention much about our other D&D campaigns. Story over mechanics is what it seemed to boil down to for us.

[mortagon]

I'm one of the "haters" of Fate. I really tried to give the game system a chance, but it's just not for me or my group, but that's because the game caters to another type of gamer. I like RPG's with deep mechanical and simulationist elements while Fate is a rules lite narrative system, basically two opposite game philosophies. There was a period when rules lite narrative systems were all the rage and Fate was at the top of the list and there was a sort of elitist attitude amongst the fans of those games which soured my opinions even further.

[kevinelmore]

"And playing a roleplaying game is playing D&D."

I don't know how we got to that point, but it's such a terrible disservice to lump all the good RPGs out there with D&D. Those poor bastards.