1 - gnombient
- Warrior
Offline - Registered: 1/28/2014
- Posts: 109
FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
Reading the Age of Arthur RPG[/url] lately has gotten the wheels turning in my head a bit... I really like FATE's use of Aspects. This morning I stumbled across an old Big Purple thread about running BoL with [url=!]FATE Aspects instead of Boons & Flaws -- very intriguing, I'm tempted to give it a try. Any thoughts?
- Simon W
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 1/27/2014
- Posts: 279
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
I'm not keen on aspects or Fate in general. But each to their own...
Last edited by Simon W (4/16/2014 1:02 pm)
- The GIT!
- Hero
Offline
- From: Ontario, Canada
- Registered: 2/05/2014
- Posts: 534
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
I think I have to side with Simon on this. Personally, aspects and such tend to feel a bit forced for my liking - I prefer such things to be roleplayed rather than have direct mechanical impact on the game. Each to his own, and in no way am I being critical of those who do enjoy aspects. Also, I actually prefer Fudge over FATE. I bought the Dresden Files and Starblazer Adventures but, honestly, I'm never likely to run them with my group; I just like them for source material.
Wealth can be wonderful, but you know, success can test one's mettle as surely as the strongest adversary.
- Xavi
- Warrior
Offline
- Registered: 3/06/2014
- Posts: 55
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
If you want to look at the latest incantation of FATE, FATE Core can be downloaded for whatever price you want (including zero) from Evil Hat's website.
I do like Aspects. I do not like much the other aspects of the FATE mechanics, though, since they detract from the basic engine that Aspects create. The rest of the FATE mecvhanics look more like a normal RPG system with difficulty numbers and the like and Feats and so on.
Aspects could be used in BoL, but it will look different as a game. Aspects tend to shine specially if they are not totally black and white but grey in their design, and characters in S&S tend to be as black and as white as you can possible get. The mechanics can still work, but it would create another subgame inside the mechanics and will not be BoL anymore but a FATE- BoL crissover. The grreatness of BoL is precisely its simplicity and centering in the cheesy kind of adventures it is designed to play: rules lite, action packed and heroes against impossible odds. THe FATE systems are also designed to play cheesy over the toip adventures, but they look different. More flashy and posse than raw power. More errol flynn than Conan, if you want. At least to me.
They can be mixed, but the result is unlikely to be as elegant as BoL or the basic Aspects mechanic.
Cheers,
Xavi
- Xavi
- Warrior
Offline
- Registered: 3/06/2014
- Posts: 55
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
PD: I see that Simon can edit his messages. I still can't edit mine, though.
- Simon W
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 1/27/2014
- Posts: 279
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
Xavi wrote:
PD: I see that Simon can edit his messages. I still can't edit mine, though.
That's 'cos I'm special 
- gnombient
- Warrior
Offline
- Registered: 1/28/2014
- Posts: 109
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
Thanks all for the feedback and for playing along with my "what if" question... I confess I have yet to experience Aspects in actual play, and haven't really given a BoL+Aspects serious consideration.
The mechanics can still work, but it would create another subgame inside the mechanics and will not be BoL anymore but a FATE- BoL crissover.
Good point -- even in the Big Purple thread link I posted, the OP's BoL game seemed like it snowballed far beyond just incorporating Aspects.
- •
Thread Starter- GMgerrymander
- Warrior
Offline
- From: Buffalo, NY, USA
- Registered: 2/01/2014
- Posts: 89
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
OK, what are aspects and how do they work in FATE?
- michaeltaylor
- Warrior
Offline
- Registered: 3/25/2015
- Posts: 58
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
"OK, what are aspects and how do they work in FATE?"
Actually I'd love an answer to this myself. The only 'true' FATE game I ever bought and read was "Spirit of the Century". It was so badly written that I could never finish it.
From that and other posting I always got the impression that Aspects were 'Boons" that characters attached to their characters that the GM and the player then spent the rest of the game arguing about that they really could and could not do in the game. Like "James Bond-like Bad Ass". Then the GM would try to make this into a "Flaw" whenever they felt it was appropriate as long as it matched the description.
Is there another way of looking at 'Aspects'?
- The GIT!
- Hero
Offline
- From: Ontario, Canada
- Registered: 2/05/2014
- Posts: 534
Re: FATE Aspects in lieu of Boons/Flaws?
From that and other posting I always got the impression that Aspects were 'Boons" that characters attached to their characters that the GM and the player then spent the rest of the game arguing about that they really could and could not do in the game. Like "James Bond-like Bad Ass". Then the GM would try to make this into a "Flaw" whenever they felt it was appropriate as long as it matched the description.
This actually made me laugh out loud
Last edited by The GIT! (4/09/2015 4:11 am)
Wealth can be wonderful, but you know, success can test one's mettle as surely as the strongest adversary.