FATE Core is an awesome book. Really enjoyed reading it.
You should know that you can read this entire book for free LEGALLY on fate-srd.com. I would highly suggest trying to read it in that format... and then just caving in and buying the physical copy.
First thing to know, if you're familiar with Dungeons and Dragons, (which is basically the standard by which all other RPGs are measured, either positively or negatively) then it will please you to know that this book is basically the Dungeon Master book and the Player's Handbook all in one at a VERY AFFORDABLE price for a high-quality book/game system.
For the physical copy the cover is nice and smooth. I'm not in the know as to what type of material it is, but it feels nice in my hands. The book seems to be well made and the pages are a good thickness. There are no color illustrations, but the art in the book is done in such a way that it actually lends itself to the black and white form very nicely. I would also add that when you crack the book open all the way it does not feel as if the pages are going to fall out or that the spine might break, but I would also advise against doing so, as over time both of those things would probably occur.
If you are looking for something that is NOT Dungeons and Dragons then look no further. Tired of all the math and stats? Tired of having to "find" who your character is along the way? The one thing I didn't like about Dnd ( keep in mind I've only played 3.5 edition) was that sure I knew my character's profession and their skills, but I didn't know who they were. Some people might say, "that's the whole point of role playing." And while I agree that you need to find your character, the FATE way of creating characters already gives them a backstory and already gives them quirks and idiosyncrasies, in essence a platform that you can leap off of and dive right into your character, only to develop them even more as you play.
The system they present for character creation enables you to create a pretty well formed character in a relatively short amount of time. Because you are forced to think of your character in terms of Aspects, it pretty much guarantees that you will have a pretty clear idea of your character in your head and on the paper and it won't be just a bunch of +'s and -'s staring you in the face. And because everyone is making characters this way it will make for more enjoyable game and encourage actual role playing. Now I'm not trying to bash Dnd, (I've heard they fixed a lot of the character creation qualms I had with the whole Flaws concept in 5th edition) but I was just kind of getting tired of making a character that is stats first and personality second. I would not say that the FATE character guarantee's great character creation, but I would say that it is way more helpful at getting the idea of who your character is and what kind of choices they would make right from the get go.
As for other parts of the system I really like the "FATE ladder" or FATE scale (just Google it). This system of your dice rolls falling somewhere in this scale/ladder makes it very easily visually to understand your skill relation to other character's skills. And because Fate only uses 4 dice your rolls are usually only between -2 and +2, (mostly 0 I've found), which makes for really easy math so as to not impede the game play. Example: my Fight skill is a +3. I roll a -2 so my Fight skill in this instance has moved down to a +1.
Which brings me to my final point... which is FATE points. In my above example I rolled a -2 which brought my Fight skill down to a 1. Well I don't like that so I could spend a FATE point to either re-roll the dice completely, or I could just add a +2 to my original crap roll of -2, which would bring my Fight skill back to where it was in the first place.
But the Game Master could also spend FATE points. They are encouraged by the book/system to use FATE points to put the players in bad situations, or to make bad situations worse. The player does not have to accept the terms but they are tempted because they can only use a limited number of FATE points during a session of play. By agreeing to let bad stuff happen to their character, they not only gain a FATE point which they can spend later when they need it, but they also progress the story forward in ways their character would not want, but in ways that makes the game more enjoyable for them as players. This makes the game overall very interesting and different than your math-crunchy, stat boosting, combat driven Dnd game. And I'm not bashing combat. What I'm saying is that when you get to a combat scene in a FATE game you're that much more invested because the game has more character and role playing focus than being ONLY combat driven.
So if that sounds like your kind of thing give this book a try.
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Product information
| Product Dimensions | 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1.21 pounds |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| ASIN | 1613170297 |
| Item model number | EHP0001 |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 13 years and up |
| Best Sellers Rank | #158,122 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #4,465 in Board Games (Toys & Games) |
| Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Language | English |
| Manufacturer | Flat River Group |
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From the manufacturer
Grab your plasma rifles, spell components and jetpacks!
Name your game; Fate Core is the foundation that can make it happen. Fate Core is a flexible system that can support whatever worlds you dream up. Have you always wanted to play a post-apocalyptic spaghetti western with tentacle monsters? Swords and sorcery in space? Wish there was a game based on your favorite series of books, film, or television, but it never happened? Fate Core is your answer. Fate Core is a tabletop roleplaying game about proactive, capable people who lead dramatic lives. The type of drama they experience is up to you. But wherever they go, you can expect a fun storytelling experience full of twists. Of fate.
Game Information
- Number of players: 3-6
- Age of players: 12+
- Length: 2-8 hours
- Type of Game: Roleplaying Game
- Languages Available: English
- Tabletop role playing game
- Flexible and fun
- Tons of variability
Great gateway (introduce non-gamers) RPG system
My kids and I wanted to start roleplaying so I did a bunch of research and the consensus was, "If you are new as a game master and players, start with something rules light and easy to to play, like Fate." So I grabbed the books and started reading. + For around $20 you get all the needed rules to start as a player in Fate or as a game master. Nice on the pocket book! + Rules are light and most of the book is taken up trying to help you understand the unique concepts of Aspects and the like + You have "templates" that help you game master and play in a setting / scenario of your choice. For pre-made stuff, they have some world books that give you backgrounds, locations, characters, scenarios, etc. (see my pic when I get it uploaded) + The hardback is nice production quality and should last a long time even with regular use NOTE: This is a very story driven type of game. I'm rating this "neutral" as this may not be the preference of some folks. From my research, easy game to learn and story driven go with Fate If you want like 100% action and almost no story, but not too much rule overload upgrade from Fate to Savage Worlds If you want to simulate your favorite movie, with a bazillion options to make it 'realistic" to that movie (e.g. Jurassic Park, 5th Element), then go with GURPS. Fate and the other examples are not genre specific, like D&D and Pathfinder are strictly fantasy. So it's all in what you are looking for, as there is a system out there for you. I got all four books for under $70, which isn't much more than the price of a new video game these days. And I get to have hours of fun with my family and friends roleplaying. OVERALL: I'd recommend you check this out if you are like me and trying to get back into RPing after a 20+year break or are simply new to roleplaying or your family/friends who are interested in RPing or want a more story telling system that isn't genre specific.
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