Aspects – STUFFER SHACK

Add this one house-rule, multiply your fun by ten!

I’m all about fun (that’s why we play the game, right?). So, let me talk about how adding one little house-rule ~~can~~ will add so much fun to your game. Ok, sure. Not everything appeals to everyone, but I’m going to add this house-rule to every game I run from now on…

In the past, I’ve cut up so many games and then put them back together according to “my vision,” all so that I could make the “perfect” game. Yes, had I been a pupil of Dr. Frankenstein, I would have made him proud. And no, my creations never delivered as expected, really. Actually, they usually ended up a bloody mess.

So, I vowed never to mess with games again. Until now…

We have a Playing with FATE series here at the Shack where we talk about and explore Mike McConnell’s “any setting” Strands of FATE (SoF). Aspects are such a large component of the game, yet are so easy to explain and implement into your own game, that I think it’s imperative for you to consider adding it.

“Sure, sure. But I don’t want to convert my game…”

I’m NOT talking about converting your game to FATE; I’m talking about adding one little part of it to your current game. Hey, if an aspect is so cool, if aspects are the mechanic of FATE, and if aspects make FATE incredibly fun, then why not take a small slice of that and add it to your game? It’s super easy to do, especially since we’re only giving your character one aspect.

Really quickly, I’m going to explain what an Aspect is,
explain why it’s so beneficial (to almost any game),
and show you how easy it is to implement it into your favorite game.

Part 1:

We’ve talked about FATE and Aspects several times here, so this part is for those of you who are new to the concept. An aspect is a single phrase that says something significant about your character. This phrase is something that you (the player) would like to see come up in the game (usually often). Strong as an ox and Bound by the Jedi Counsel are two such aspects (I just made them up).

When a situation comes up in the game, and you think your aspect is relevant, spend a Fate Point to gain a bonus to whatever roll is appropriate. If you’re Strong as an ox, you might gain a bonus to melee attacks, withstand charge attacks, break down doors, etc. You could also get an occasional bonus to endurance or to resist poison. All you have to do is say why you think the aspect applies to the situation, and spend your Fate Point.

To replenish your Fate Points (or bank new ones), you need your aspect to work against you. For example, Strong as an ox implies strength and endurance, but it also implies slow and not very agile. So if you are making some sort of acrobatic stunt, you (or the GM, or even another player) can suggest that because you’re sometimes not very agile, you might get a penalty to certain checks (even if your stats say you’re very agile). Remember, taking a penalty gets you Fate Points, which are used to gain bonuses for your aspect.

To read further about how aspects work, check out this very informative article.

Part 2:

Ok, so you have the basic idea of what an aspect is and how it works, but why include it in your game? Because it’s one part of your character that may never make it into the story otherwise. An aspect adds more depth to your character. It makes your character unique in what could otherwise be a sea of cookie-cutter vanilla PCs. It helps you bring out the intricacies of your character, not because you’ve written down a piece of descriptive text, but because that descriptive text is now part of the mechanic of the game (Fate Points, bonuses, and penalties).

As aspect enhances your character with regard to making him more real, simply because the Fate Point mechanic encourages it to be brought into the story. I can put an 18 into my character’s Strength stat, but saying that he’s Strong as an ox (and having that come up in the game in creative ways) just says something so much more about him. It brings him so much more alive.

Part 3:

Under the Strands of FATE rules, using an aspect normally grants either a +2 or -2 modifier (which is a big modifier considering how FATE dice are rolled). And, since you would normally have at least 10 aspects, they would be coming into play constantly. This makes aspects a huge part of the system’s mechanic, and necessitates that the modifier be big.

I suggest you incorporate only a single aspect for your character, and that the modifier remain relatively small. As a house-rule, it’s important to not rock the boat too much. At this point, adding several aspects and/or large modifiers can simply be too heavy for games that don’t normally carry this concept.

For games like Shadowrun and Dungeons & Dragons (any edition), I’d say that a modifier of +2/-2 would do just fine. I also think that starting the session with one Fate Point is appropriate. One aspect, and one Fate Point – I think that is perfect as a house-rule. After you get comfortable with the house-rule (and if your group likes it), I’d say make two aspects for your character, and start the session with two Fate Points. And remember, you can get extra Fate Points by having your aspect used against you (a tactic that the smart player will utilize often).

If the GM wants to take it a step further, he can assign his major NPCs, major villains, and major monsters an aspect also (and yes, they can be used against monsters in the same way that a player’s aspect can be used against him).

That’s it. It’s that easy. Talk it over with your group and try it out. I really don’t think it will break your game, and will actually add loads of fun to it.

If you have any questions, read up on our Playing with FATE series for inspiration, or ask us questions below.

Good luck! (not that you need it).

Playing with Fate: Your “Character Aspects”

In Strands of Fate, most player characters are created with ten aspects.

Wait a sec… Let me back up… If you aren’t familiar with Fate, here’s the 38-word rundown: Aspects are simple phrases that sum up everything that is important about your character. These phrases come into play quite often as a simple, major component of the game mechanic, while simultaneously explaining your character’s concept and background.

“Yeah, but how do I come up with those 10 little phrases?”

Easy. Just follow the Aspect Alphabet. The Aspect Alphabet is a nice little package that helps you invent your aspects one at a time, with each one leaning a certain direction. Using this alphabet is entirely optional, but even many veteran Fate gamers will use all or most of this tool, as it simply helps to make a well-rounded, rich character.

The Aspect Alphabet is divided into two parts: Character Aspects and Specialty Aspects. Today we’re going to talk about Character Aspects. As the name implies, these aspects describe who your character really is:

Defining Aspect
A = Ambition
B = Background
C = Conviction
D = Disadvantage

We’ve already talked about our Defining Aspect (Resurrected Valenar Warrior of Legend), so let’s jump right into our other Character Aspects, starting with Ambition. After we figure out what they are, we’ll look into how we can use them in the game.

2. Ambition

What is it that my character, “Desolation” Amearus Omaron, seeks? What is he trying to do? What is his goal?

Well, I know that as a Resurrected Valenar Warrior of Legend, he once attained immortality (figuratively speaking). Others revered him as a great warrior, chanting war cries about him after his death. That’s quite an honor in Valenar society, and made his family proud. However, now that he has been resurrected (especially as a revenant), he has lost that distinction. The Valenar elves revere their greatest dead warriors, not their undead. Granted, Amearus isn’t undead, but as a revenant, he’s not alive, either. This has isolated him from his people, who don’t really know what to think of him. They certainly don’t respect him like they used to, and in truth, they now just barely tolerate him. This is all more than he can bear, and wants nothing more than to regain his glory. He must regain his glory. That’s it, I’ve found my Ambition:

I will regain my glory

3. Background

What is there about my character’s background that will influence his future? What, from his past, is going to have an effect on this character’s story?

In the 100 Years War, Amearus had fought in over 100 battles. As a soldier, he was certainly skilled enough, but it was an unnatural power that followed him into battle. Almost all of his opponents have died from their injuries, even those opponents who surrendered or retreated – they still died from their injuries inflicted by Amearus. His fellow soldiers eventually noticed this, and used it to help drive fear into their enemies. He quickly earned the fitting moniker “Desolation,” which in turn furthered his reputation, status, and rank. Few (if any) questioned this rumored “cloud of death” that followed Desolation into battle, because (in a time of war) he and his men produced continuous, solid results. Until recently, even Desolation didn’t question his place as death’s right hand. That’s it, I’ve found my Background:

Death’s right hand

4. Conviction

What does Desolation believe in? When is he going to stand his ground? When he has something important to say, what is it about?

Elsewhere I mentioned that I wanted this character to be (at times) at odds with his morals and convictions. I wanted him to have strong ideals about honor, loyalty, and duty to country, though because of his taint with “Death” (Death’s right hand), he’s starting to lose touch with his former, ideal self. Death’s right hand has an effect on him that will be subtle at first, then more pronounced as he continues to do Death’s work. So, for his Conviction Aspect, I think that Honor is my middle name will work great.

Honor is my middle name

5. Disadvantage

To give my character some great inner conflict, I’m going to make my Disadvantage pretty much go directly against my Conviction. I think The end justifies the means will do just fine. This aspect is not exactly dishonorable or evil, but it’s going to be useful in balancing out his Conviction. It’s a great way to justify doing things that he might not normally do. It’s more or less a sneaky tool that Death is using to corrupt Desolation, to help him cause more death and destruction. In Desolation’s story, there is now potential for a tug-of-war between Desolation’s Conviction and Disadvantage. He’s naturally an honorable person, but his Disadvantage will slowly start to blur the lines between right and wrong, order and chaos, and maybe even destroy his sanity.

The end justifies the means.

How Can I Invoke My Character Aspects?

(Remember, you invoke an aspect when you (the player), want a part of your character to influence the story, scene, or action. Spend a Fate Point to get a +2 bonus to a single action, perform a re-roll, or to invoke an effect)

Defining Aspect – Resurrected Valenar Warrior of Legend
Ambition – I will regain my glory– I will most often invoke this aspect any time that my character is going to do something flamboyant, difficult, or very challenging – especially if others are present to witness. This is my “show off” aspect. This is my character trying to “be the man” so that others will revel my awesomeness. Only as a glorious warrior will I once again achieve immortality among my people.
- [Bonus] Should we get ambushed by orcs, I’ll take on three at a time.
- [Effect] I could bait the biggest, toughest foe to attack me (or all enemies).
- [Bonus] Should I try to intimidate the orc chieftain in front of his men, I’ll do so with style.
Background – Death’s right hand – Death is hanging over me, following me wherever I go. I’m a great warrior, but even more so because I have the touch of death, and can call upon it to aid my blade. This is an aspect that I would invoke in combat, but only under certain conditions. I think this fits well when facing living opponents. It doesn’t usually work against constructs, demons, devils, objects, or elementals (or any chaos monsters that are hell-bent on death and destruction), and it probably doesn’t work using ranged attacks (it’s an up close and personalkind of thing).
- [Bonus] Any soldier worth his weight in dirt should know not to face me (or so I feel). Death will certainly back me up on this with a +2 bonus.
- [Effect] I could invoke Death’s right hand on an injured opponent (who I wounded) who runs away. Perhaps rolls to heal him take a -2 penalty, or he doesn’t heal at all, and ends up dying?
Conviction – Honor is my middle name– What can I say? I’m an old-fashioned, honorable kind of guy.
- [Bonus] Should some spell effect me to do something dishonorable, I can use this aspect to fight that spell.
- [Effect] Should I ask the Duke to help us in our quest, he might be more inclined to help an obviously honorable man.
Disadvantage – The end justifies the means – As this is my Disadvantage (and because of how it is worded), I’ll be invoking this rarely. This aspect will come into play more often when compelled by either me or the GM. Later on in Desolation’s story, I might start invoking it more often to reflect him becoming more of an agent of Death and destruction (if that’s how his story plays out). For now, I’ll invoke this aspect any time I’m working toward a goal, but my method is not exactly honorable.
- [Bonus] Should we ever need to get information out of an unwilling subject, this will work quite nicely as I “encourage” him to talk.
- Really, any action I take that can progress me to my goal (and is not exactly an honorable action) can benefit from this aspect.

How Can My Character Aspects Be Compelled?

(Remember, you and the GM compel an aspect to create conflict for your character, instilling complications into his story. Gain a Fate Point to take a -2 penalty, be forced to re-roll, or make something bad happen)

Defining Aspect – Resurrected Valenar Warrior of Legend
Ambition – I will regain my glory– I imagine that this will be compelled when my character is trying to do something on the down-low. My character is trying to accomplish great things to regain his immortality, not subtle things to just “get by.”
- [Effect] I’ve been tasked by the party leader to sit tight and watch our back. However, the GM can compel me to go off on my own and search that other room instead.
- [Effect] My character could be badly injured and retreating, but the GM can compel me to go after more enemies (or the toughest enemy).
Background – Death’s right hand – Death IS hanging over me, following me wherever I go.
- [Effect] Any enemy that I fight, that I’m trying to capture, might get hit with a killing blow accidentally. Or, he simply might die from his injuries after the fight ended.
- [Penalty] Perhaps I take an action in an attempt to save an ally. Now I have a penalty to that action.
Conviction – Honor is my middle name– Sometimes honor can get in the way of things.
- [Effect] When the situation calls for it, strong arm tactics are the only way to go. I could be compelled to not let that happen.
- [Effect] The GM could pull this one whenever I try to tell a much-needed lie. “Ok, it was us who killed your brother.”
- [Penalty] Sometimes intimidation is not in my nature.
Disadvantage – The end justifies the means– This is simply great because it can easily represent my past coming back to bite me in the ass.
- [Effect] “Damn. In one of my previous battles in the war, my men and I set up an ambush in a village to trap an advancing enemy. The enemy was beaten, but the village was leveled. These people are those displaced villagers, and they do remember me.”

Coming soon: Your “Specialty Aspects”

Houseruling Aspects Into Your Game

Hello, Wrath of Zombie here!

Tourq emailed me and asked if I would do a guest article for the Stuffer Shack about incorporating Aspects from FATE into other games, and I have to say I’m very excited about the opportunity.

What Are Aspects?

Aspects are an amazing mechanic used in the FATE system to help players and GM’s develop the characters and story. The truly unique thing about Aspects is that they are not chosen from a list like Edges and Hindrances (as Savage Worlds) or Feats (DnD/Pathinder), but made up solely by the player. The mechanic really puts the whole character into the hands of the player.

Aspects can really be anything: A motto or saying, an item, an idea, etc. The point of this is that players can “invoke” an Aspect to give them a +2 bonus to their roll, or allow them to completely re-roll a bad result. Both instances require you burning a FATE Point.

The other point is for the players or GM to “compel” a player’s Aspects. The best kind of Aspect will be a double edged sword, something that can give a character strength, yet come back to bite them in the butt in certain situations. When an Aspect is compelled and the player goes along with it, they are rewarded, not only by the possibility of some awesome role-playing situations, but with a FATE Point.

A good example would be: Anger is My Security Blanket. This phrase can be used in certain situations to give the player power over the scene, or it can be used by the GM to get the player into some interesting situations that might not have otherwise happened.

This brings me to my next point:

Why Are Aspects Important (in Any Game)?

In my experience players tend to forget all that there is on their character sheet. Who can blame them when you look at a game like DnD or Pathfinder that have TONS of things to keep track of over 2-4 pages (depending on which character sheet you use). Not only do players tend to forget some feat abilities, items, and the like, but I’ve seen players also forget goals and parts of their character’s personality.

Prior to discovering the awesomeness of Aspects, I would ask my players to make a few bulleted notes of key points of their character’s personality in a few words. This allowed them to remember and keep focus on who they wanted their character to be, and keep track of a few key goals.

Aspects do this as well, and the mechanic offers rewards for characters who put themselves in unpleasant and possibly hazardous situations. I would like to point out that this is something that people new to Aspects have a hard time wrapping their brains around – especially for those who have really only played DnD/Pathfinder in the past.

While I love DnD/Pathfinder, there really isn’t any mechanic that rewards role-playing, and it punishes you for taking risks or playing “against” your character archetype. Many games other that have embraced a newer school of thinking reward this kind of action (Savage Worlds and Mouse Guard come to mind).

When you put Aspects in a game and get a group together to discuss them, you will see some awesome creativity come into play and some truly amazing Aspects be created. Here’s a shameless plug, but informative- I did a post about communication and Aspects, which you may find interesting.

Putting Aspects in Other Systems

Every system has some form of mechanical bonus that can be applied to Aspects. DnD 4e, and 3.5 (after the introduction of Eberron) has Action Points. Action Points have some sort of function that can be used in conjunction with Aspects. In the Pathfinder game that I am currently running, I wanted to make sure that I incorporated Aspects into my house rules so all would harmonize and feed off the other.

Savage Worlds uses Bennies to reward players for doing something cool in-game, helping the GM, maybe telling a funny joke, or whatever. The player can use Bennies to soak damage, or re-roll a failed traits or skills roll. This mechanic can easily be modified to work with Aspects.

I discovered a really good post on Savage Worlds and Aspects not too long ago. What the author suggests is pretty much right down the line of what I have done to my Savage Worlds game.

I like Aspects as an option rather than Edges and Hindrances, because, as I mentioned earlier, in previous SW games I have ran the players forget to play their characters as vengeful, or forgot the mechanics of Hard to Kill (or some other Edge). With Aspects, if you forget, you forget.. no harm no foul, except that you really aren’t getting full use and development of your character. However, in Savage Worlds, when you forget to play up your vengeful manner, yet you DO remember all the bonuses of your edges, is that really fair? You’ve taken a Hindrance and aren’t using it, but using the Edge. Another issue is that Aspects are able to be rewritten and are usually pretty clever, where I’ve seen many Hindrances just go to the wayside because they really don’t fit into the campaign, or it is too much of an issue to try to incorporate them.

A recent post I did for Aspects is for incorporating the mechanic into Dragon Age RPG. That one is also simple to incorporate, and it really is a simple and wonderful system. As I say in that post, it’s really easy to do:

Give each character 3 Dragon Points and have them create X number of Aspects (to be determined by the GM). When a player invokes an Aspect it works exactly as with FATE. The player gets +2 to an ability test or a complete re-roll. Compels would work the same way as in FATE as well.

By and large, incorporating Aspects into a game is easy. In most cases you can honestly just use the same mechanics from FATE to whatever system. Look at the mechanics of the system you like and see what needs to be tweaked.

I will use the three games I mentioned above as examples: Pathfinder/3.5, Savage Worlds, and Dragon Age.

To start, at the beginning of every session (regardless of system), each player starts with 3 Fate Points, Bennies, Action Points, Dragon Points, or whatever you want to call them.

Pathfinder: If you just wanted to be simple, the standard FATE rules will work. Burn a point to invoke an Aspect to add +2 to a roll or completely re-roll. However, I feel that +2 is honestly not a huge number in Pathfinder/3.5 and would recommend making that number +4. That +4 makes it more heroic and garners the likelihood for success.

The important thing to remember is that when a player is using an Aspect they are saying they want to do something cool and they want to succeed. Also keep in mind that they will generally be excited that their Aspect, which they created themselves, is able to fit the scenario and come into play.

Savage Worlds and Dragon Age: I’m lumping these two together, because honestly, their mechanics (while different) operate closely in numerical value and difficulty classes. For these games, the normal Fate Rules work perfectly fine (see the above example from Dragon Age again). The +2 is a huge boon in both Savage Worlds and Dragon Age, and would operate in the same way as +4 in Pathfinder/3.5.

I would like to give further examples of how to incorporate your own house rules into facilitating Aspects, but I don’t know your house rules so it would all be supposition at this point and moot. Again, feel free to look at a post of mine where I show how I linked my house rules to Aspects. I’m more than willing to give my opinions on other people’s mechanics and thoughts on the subject, just leave a comment here or on my blog!

I Have to Have the Last Word

Good Aspect right there. I hope I have conveyed how awesome this simple mechanic is. Players really get excited about creating Aspects because it really and truly is theirs. It is exciting (as a GM) when players really want compel their own Aspects to see where the story will go and what will happen. This is very motivating since the players are engaged and helping share in the story that the GM has crafted.

Aspects are simple, elegant, and easily incorporated into pretty much any system. It is something that I really recommend any group try, it’s something I really compel you to do.