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Thread for A General Note on Stunts, Aspects, and so on.
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The Storyteller
6:04pm, February 18, 2015
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[Delete] | Stunts follow their set patterns for a reason.
For no fate point cost, you can do the +2 stunts all day, provided you make some effort at roleplaying out the actions. I've been lenient here but the point is for stunts to make you look cool. How cool is "I attack" vs, "I slide down the bannister, and leap at my enemy, sword extended with killing intent!"
At some future time, once I am sure we are all good at the base system I may actually deny the use of a stunt if it's just spat out mechanically, but most of us are pretty good at describing what we're doing. This is far more of an issue when I run face to face rather than online, but be aware of it.
The +2s have to follow the pattern. No exceptions.
Because (I am awesome in some way) I get a +2 when I (Carefully/Cleverly/Flashily/Forcefully/Quickly/Sneakily) (Attack/Create An Advantage/Defend/Overcome an Obstacle) where (how I am awesome) would help.
The Once Per Sessions are literally up to what is called "Table Approval" Not just GM. Everyone has to agree that they fit the theme, work, and are not over or underpowered (Or at least not have violent objections to them). Once Per Sessions can actually be modified if they're found out to be either over or underpowered, or don't end up fitting the theme of the campaign. This is not something I made up, it's actually right in the gaming system itself.
The Fate games are deliberately generic and vague when it comes to certain things because sweating number details is not what this game is all about. If you're thinking about how to min-max and make the ultimate combat monster, stop. STAHP. Every Aspect, every Stunt, should always have a double edge. A good Aspect should be very double edged, and a good Stunt should have some situation in which it might be a Bad Idea to use it in.
This is not war of escalating powers, this is a game meant to have casual fun. We will never freeze a combat to look up a rule, I'll just make a ruling and move on, and if it ends up wrong later? Tough. It was Right then simply because it let the game continue.
When A GM asks you to roll on a specific Approach or two, these are suggestions. If you can come up with a logical reason why your character can approach the problem from a different direction, describe it to the GM. If it makes anywhere near logical sense, it'll probably be approved.
An example, trying to get past a guard unseen is generally a matter of Sneaky, but what if your character sucks at Sneaky?
Careful: "I very carefully watch and move from cover to cover, making sure the guard isn't looking my way when I move."
Clever: "I use my smartphone to hack the cell network and send a text to the guard, making it appear that he's needed elsewhere right away and move past as soon as he's distracted."
Forceful: "I charge in and attempt to knock the guard out with a mighty blow!"
Flashy: "I set off a shaped charge, and when he's distracted by the explosion, I pass him by."
Quick: "I run past him so fast that all he might notice is the wind of my passing."
In short, there are NO set approaches to ANY situation, if you have enough imagination for it.
As a GM, be prepared for your players to come up with ways to play to their strengths, and don't limit yourself to thinking a challenge can be passed by only one approach. You're players have to be creative and flexible and so do you, exponentially moreso, however.
GMs. Not every NPC needs to be statted out. Minor Mooks can simply be Obstacles that the players can overcome. In the above example, that guard? I as a GM just put him in as an obstacle to overcome. Sure, I might make a roll or two for him on an arbitrary Approach or two, but that's part of his function of Being In The Way. A high enough roll (and I determine beforehand what is 'high enough') will bypass the guard, whether it is sneaking by or simply knocking him out.
If you find yourself getting wound up or sucked into some sort of game mechanic hell, Remember it's just a game and you should really just relax.
Edited 6:44pm, February 18, 2015 by The Storyteller, author. |
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