Hello everyone! Welcome to a legendary FATE adventure! This will be our "Tutorial Game." My goal is to show both our 4 players and everyone watching us why FATE is such an amazing system.

Let Me Say It Right from the Start: Don't be afraid! If you have played D&D or other systems, I want you to forget about that "math" part for a bit now. FATE doesn't say "Damage: 8". FATE says, "The blow of the sword crushed the man's armor and broke his rib!" Tonight, we will focus on the "story," not the "numbers."

FATE 101: The Basic Rule (Aspects and FATE Points)

This is the foundation of everything in FATE.

• What are Aspects? These are sentences that describe who your character is. Not a number like "Strength: 18". Your Aspect is: The Strongest Man in Town. And most importantly, Aspects don't just have to be good things. Your character also has a "Trouble" Aspect. Example: Has Enemies Everywhere or Deathly Afraid of the Dark.
• What are FATE Points (FP)? These are your "currency." They are the tokens that allow you to pull off those "boss fight" moments and heroics.

How do these two work? Through a simple economy:

• 1. Invoke: The Moment You Say "I Am Awesome!":
  Whenever you want to say "I am very good at this!"... you spend 1 FATE Point (FP).
  Example: You need to open that giant, Locked Tomb Door. You say: "I am spending 1 FATE Point and invoking my The Strongest Man in Town Aspect!" Result: You get a HUGE bonus to your roll (or you reroll the dice) and you shatter that door.
• 2. Compel: The Moment You Say "Uh Oh!" (The Most Important Part):
  So, how will you earn back those FATE Points you spent? When you get into trouble! This is where FATE shines. When I (as the GM) see your "Trouble" Aspects, I will hand you a FATE Point and say: "Okay, the town guard tells you 'Get lost, you in rags!' Wouldn't your Overly Proud Aspect hit a nerve right now? It's a great time to headbutt that guard, right?"
  
  You have two options here:
  1. You Accept: You say, "Yes, you're right!", you grab that FATE Point (FP), headbutt the guard, and get yourself into bigger trouble.
  2. You Refuse: You say, "No, I will stay calm." But there is a price for this: You spend 1 FP to refuse that FATE Point.
  Meaning: In FATE, your character's flaws (Troubles) come back to you as FATE Points. Your roleplaying is rewarded!

FATE 102: From a Piece of Paper to a Legend (Character Creation)

Alright, we understand the basics of FATE. Now we come to the question, "So, who is my character?" On your character sheet (on the screen on our site), there will be 5 main "sentences" (Aspects) and "special moves" (Stunts).

• 1. High Concept: "Your Movie Poster"
  This is your sentence that describes your character in a single breath, in the coolest way possible. Not "I am a warrior". That's boring. FATE asks this: "Okay, you're a warrior, but what kind of warrior are you?"
  Examples for Our Dark Fantasy Game: The Last Priest to Survive the Plague Epidemic, The Bastard Child Trying to Steal the Baron's Legacy, The Angry Hunter Seeking the Monster That Burned Their Village.
• 2. Trouble: "Your FATE Point Generator"
  This is your character's most important Aspect. Because this is what I (as the GM) will use the most to give you FATE Points!
  Examples: Deathly Afraid of the Dark, Always Draws Their Sword First, Owes a Blood Debt to the Captain of the City Guards.
• 3. Free Aspects: "The Rest of the Story"
  The remaining 3 Free Aspects fill in the rest of your story: a memory from your past, an important relationship, a sacred vow, or a very important item belonging to you...
  Examples: The Rusty But Reliable Armor Inherited From My Father (This is an Aspect! It can break, or it can save you!), I Never Leave an Innocent Behind, My Brother is in the Grave Robbers Guild.
• 4. Stunts: "Your Special Moves"
  Here is where the "math" enters just a little bit. A Stunt says: "Because I am [Very Good at This], I get [This Special Advantage] in [This Specific Situation]." It usually gives you a +2 bonus in a specific situation or allows you to do something no one else can do.
  Examples:
  - Shield Wall: Because I am a Veteran Soldier, I get a +2 to my roll when I Defend against an attack with my Shield.
  - Language of the Streets: Because I am a City Rat, I get +2 when I roll to Create an Advantage regarding 'rabble' like Graveyard Keepers.

FATE 103: How Does the Engine Work? (Dice, the Ladder, and the 4 Actions)

Now, what happens when you say, "I am doing something!"?

• 1. Those Weird Dice (FATE/Fudge Dice): There are + (Plus, +1), - (Minus, -1), and blank (Zero, 0) symbols on the dice. You will always roll 4 of them. Example: + + - 0 = Total +1.
• 2. "The Ladder": In FATE, we don't say "Difficulty 15." We say "Difficulty Great (+2)."
  0 = Mediocre, +1 = Good, +2 = Great, +4 = Legendary. Your skill is also measured with these adjectives (E.g., Fight: Great (+2)).
• 3. The "4 Actions Menu" (What Can I Do?): When it's your turn, any cool action that comes to your mind falls into one of these 4 categories:
  A) Overcome: Trying to get past an obstacle (a locked door, a foggy valley).
  B) Create an Advantage: The heart of FATE! "Passing the ball" to yourself or your friends. If you succeed, you add a new Aspect to the game, such as Eyes Full of Mud.
  C) Attack: Trying to inflict physical or mental harm on someone.
  D) Defend: Automatically triggers when someone tries to "Attack" or "Create an Advantage" against you.

FATE 104: When Things Go South (Stress and Consequences)

So, what happens if an "Attack" is successful? What will we experience when we take a hit in our "Dark Fantasy" game?

• 1. Stress Boxes: "Scrapes and Bruises"
  On your character sheet (on our site), you will see a few small boxes labeled "Stress." These are NOT HP (Hit Points)! They allow you to "absorb" minor blows and reset immediately at the end of the scene.
• 2. Consequences: "Now That Hurt!"
  But what if your Stress boxes aren't enough? Or the blow is too big? Then you take a "Consequence." A Consequence means a new, negative Aspect is added to your character. While a Deep Claw Wound might heal in a scene or two, a Broken Rib (Moderate Consequence) or a Severed Finger (Severe Consequence) will stay with you for weeks! And now I (the GM) and the enemies can Invoke that Aspect against you or Compel you with it!
• 3. Conceding: "A Smart Retreat"
  It's very hard to "die" in FATE, but "losing" is a thing. If you see you're losing, you can say, "I Concede!" You lose the scene, but you decide what you lose in the story (not the GM). Plus, you earn 1 FATE Point (FP) for this defeat, and get an extra 1 FP for every Consequence you took up to that point!

FATE 105: The Story Wins, Not the Dice (Being the Master of the Rules)

Our final and most important lesson. FATE is not a game about what you roll on the dice. FATE is a game about "the meaning you attach to the dice you roll."

• Rule 1: "Fiction First"
  Don't just say, "I use Create an Advantage." It's boring. Say this: "I scoop up that mud from the ground and throw it into the Worg's eyes!" And I will say, "Great! That's a 'Create an Advantage' roll!" Your job is to "do cool things." It's my job to figure out which rule it falls under.
• Rule 2: "Failing Forward"
  In FATE, a failed roll doesn't mean "Nothing happened." A failed roll means, "Yes, you didn't succeed... and things just got even more complicated!" Failure doesn't stop the story; it makes it even more exciting!
• Rule 3: "Yes, and..." / "No, but..."
  You should also say "Yes, and..."! When the guard attacks you with a Broken Sword, you don't just defend; you notice how old and rusty that sword is, and you try to create an advantage!
• Rule 4: You Are Also the GM! (Story Authority)
  By spending a FATE Point, you can add a detail to the story that even I hadn't thought of. You can say: "My Aspect is Always Has an Escape Plan. I'm spending 1 FATE Point and I want to add to the story that this Burning House is actually my old hideout and I know the location of a hidden cellar door!"
• Bonus Rule: "WOW... But No!"
  There is a limit to this authorial right. Declaring that the Terrifying Worg is actually your pet "Peanut" ruins the tone and logic of the story. But by spending 1 FP, you can declare that the Worg is Confused Because It Smelled Peanut!

In Summary (Seriously, the End Now)

FATE is not a "simulation", it is a "creation room."

Don't be afraid to fail; it makes the story better.
Don't think, "Which rule should I use?" Think, "What's the coolest thing I can do?"
Your Aspects and FATE Points are "authorial" rights given to you so you can determine the course of the story as much as I do!

While we do all this, that awesome site of ours will handle the math for us! Are you ready? Because the story is starting!