Modern Spooky | CharGen

[rpg.veteran]

Fate's approach to character creation is that the gist of it needs to be done to start the game, but none of the three player-decided features (aspects, skills, stunts) need to be all defined. I just checked your summaries, and both characters only need a stunt or two to be playable. Then, during the game, any time you get an idea to nail one of those left vacant, you can just write it on your sheet.

For example:
During a trek the elven ranger's player realizes she would definitely like mountaineering, so during the scene (even right before a roll), she writes down a stunt giving +2 to climb attempts with athletics. It's fine, as long as the player doesn't want to replace already existing ones. While you have an undefined slot, you can fill it in any time during play. You are not forced to define everything.

Derived stuff, stress tracks and consequence slots, still need to be jotted down, but those are not choice-based.

[rpg.veteran]

I should have done this earlier, but here's a simple character template:

Code: Select all

[b]Description[/b]
personality, looks, background story, etc.

[b]Aspects[/b]
* XXX
* XXX
* XXX
* XXX
* XXX

[b]Skills[/b]
+4: XXX
+3: XXX, XXX
+2: XXX, XXX, XXX
+1: XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX
+0: { list all remaining }

[b]Stunts[/b]
* XXX
* XXX
* XXX

[b]Stress & Consequences[/b]
Physical: 1 [_], 2 [_]
Mental: 1 [_], 2 [_]

Mild (2): 
Moderate (4): 
Severe (6): 
Extreme (8):

[shaidar]

Sounds good.

I'm thinking I'd like to add another aspect now about his uncle. Something about him being the only one who understood him when he was younger, or he was even more of a father figure than his actual father. I'm wondering if his real father is in prison and it's his uncle that ratted him out and put him there, that's why his uncle is the family pariah and lives far away.

[Leitz]

Done. I guess I need to think up some skills to replace the XXXs. Definitely want drive, but probably just as a +1.

I updated my character sheet with all the skills, assuming i'm using the right list.

[shaidar]

Cool. I've added skills too.

[Leitz]

Taking a break and watching "Undercover Grandpa". It sort of fits... May have to change Jack a little afterwards.

[shaidar]

For stunts I'm thinking:

(Craft) Eye for Flaws:

+2 to create advantage with Crafts when you examine an object or machine for physical weaknesses.

(Burglary) Hatpin maestro:

You don’t ever have to spend a fate point to declare that you have the proper tools for lockpicking or disabling a device, even in extreme situations (like being imprisoned and separated from all your stuff). This source of opposition is just off the table.

(Fight) Brawler:

You’re at home in any big old burly brawl, with multiple opponents and ideally some beer in you. When fighting a mob of nameless NPCs, you deal one additional stress on a successful physical hit.

[Leitz]

I'm drawing a blank on Stunts, will try to come up with something this afternoon.

[Leitz]

And of course, after saying that, I come up with three within a few minutes... All are open to critique.

(Fight) "I can take it" When the opponent scores a hit, Jack can overcome the pain and reduce the effect of the hit.
(Drive) "I am the machine" When operating a vehicle Jack can feel the motion, hear the sounds, and operate the vehicle at a higher level. This needs a bit of a limit.
(Empathy) "I know what you mean" Jack has experienced a lot of bad in his life and can relate to someone having problems. This also needs a limit, maybe when the person actually talks to him?

[shaidar]

I'm thinking that Brawler isn't quite right, I'm looking for something more boxing related, so what do you both think about the following stunts:

Heavy Hitter. When you succeed with style on a Fight attack and choose to reduce the result by one to gain a boost, you gain a full situation aspect with a free invocation instead. (Fate Core, p.111)

Stunning Fist. Once per physical conflict, when you succeed on an unarmed attack, you may place the aspect Stunned on your opponent with one free invocation.

I'm leaning towards Stunning Fist.

[Leitz]

In Boxing there are "Heavyweights" and "everyone else", so it sort of depends on how big Darryl is. If he's greater than 200 pounds/90.7 Kg then yeah, "Stunning Fist" is apropos.

[rpg.veteran]

Stunning fist seems ok for me for everyone. It can depend on speed and accuracy as much as being heavy. Maybe more on speed and accuracy than being heavy.

@Leitz, the mechanics:
"I can take it": +2 when you defend with Fight
"I am the machine": +2 when you overcome a challenge with Drive
"I know what you mean": +2 when you create an advantage with Empathy

[rpg.veteran]

With Darryl's +1 Physique and Will, his stress tracks are:
Physical: 1 [_], 2 [_], 3 [_]
Mental: 1 [_], 2 [_], 3 [_]

With Jack's +1 Will, his stress tracks are:
Physical: 1 [_], 2 [_]
Mental: 1 [_], 2 [_], 3 [_]

[Leitz]

Updated character sheet and removed duplicate.

[shaidar]

Updated character sheet.

[rpg.veteran]

I can see that you both consistently separate your aspects under three headings, High Concept, Trouble and Aspects. This is very misleading, because all five potential character aspects work exactly the same way. Each can be invoked and each can be compelled, there is no distinction between them.

The idea that one aspect is the main concept (basically a short summary of the character) and another one is the trouble, is purely narrative. High concept helps to get a bird-view picture of the character at a glance, while trouble is supposed to be an easy way to get the character into, well, trouble, making the story more exciting.

If you want to stick to the high concept + trouble designation, you can do it this way without separating your aspects:

Aspects
- XXX (high concept)
- XXX (trouble)
- XXX
- XXX
- XXX

Please collect them all under one heading, into a big happy family, I can see their loneliness by being separated. They are lonely, sad aspects now

[shaidar]

Updated

[Leitz]

Edited. I tend to view them separately since the high concept is core and everything else revolves around that. However, you're right, it does tend to mentally distance them.

[rpg.veteran]

Excellent. I'll start an OOC and a story thread, and we can start their adventure!