Fate Core
Mechanics
Fate 's system is simple but can easily be expanded to greater complexity. All actions are resolved by rolling 4 Fudge dice, which are six sided dice labeled with two plus signs and two minus signs with the other sides blank. After totalling up the pluses and minuses, you then add your skill value. If your result beats the target difficulty, you succeed. You can also choose to succeed at a cost (minor if you just make the difficulty, major if not) rather than fail.You can also invoke Aspects (or descriptors) for the scene, character, or situation to gain a +2 bonus (per invoke). Sometimes this is free but more often you need to spend a Fate point. More on Fate points later.
In practice I find the spread of results to be oddly skewed. Unlike d20 or percentile systems, Fate works under a curve where 0 is the most likely result. But the results don't feel the same as for a 2d6 or 3d6 system (like Apocalypse World or GURPS). I don't know why, but it feels like the results slide more easily to extremes. Perhaps everyone I play with just sets the difficulties a touch too high. Then again that may be intentional to encourage tagging Aspects.Tagging or invoking an Aspect relies on spending Fate points or setting up a situation so you have a free invoke. Each player character starts off with a small number of Fate points at the beginning of each session and earn more whenever they accept a complication to change their course of action (known as a compel). In practice I find Fate points run out (except for perhaps a point in reserve for near death emergencies) before the climatic end of a game. There's supposed to be a flow of points from the GM to the players and back into the pot but it never seems to work as well as advertised. And if difficulties are too high or rolls are too low and you lack that Aspect bonus, you tend to fail a lot.
Anyway, the system breaks everything down into four basic actions: Overcome (to defeat an obstacle or create a concrete result), Create an Advantage (like overcome but creates a new Aspect with a free invoke), Attack and Defend.
Combat involves comparing Attack rolls to Defend rolls. The difference is the damage dealt. Characters have relatively little ability to absorb damage (or Stress as it is called in the game) without consequences. By default a very tough (high Physique skill) character might be able to absorb 10 points of Stress but more generally you can deal with 3 or 6 points max. Instead characters can avoid damage by taking on conditions (i.e. harmful Aspects for character). Damage heals quickly with stress vanishing between scenes. Conditions last somewhat longer (depending on severity).
So in the end, Characters consist of a few Aspects, several Skills, and a few Stunts, or ways to alter the basic rules of the game. Stunts might increase the bonus from an Aspect or allow a skill to be used where it would otherwise not be appropriate. The more stunts you have the fewer Fate points you get.
That's the system briefly.
Cons
Other than the aspects of the system that don't click as well as I'd like, a major con to me is the 'meta' nature of the system. Every invoke of an Aspect tends to pull me out of an immersive mindset. In other games you might narrate back and forth with a player/GM to describe the action, breaking out the dice when something of consequence occurs. But in Fate you must constantly be aware of the Aspects in play and how to exploit them.My thought process during a typical session tends to the following. Do I want to spend a Fate point to invoke on this attack? Probably not (I only have three points). So I'll need to set up a free invoke. That eats up a round of action while the opposition strikes at me. But if I don't get that free invoke I'll burn through my Fate points fast, perhaps within one combat. Alternatively I'll always be one away from a success.
All in all the system just feels very much like a game: getting the right combos/invoking the right Aspects. The very codifying of Aspects makes them more prominent and distracting to the overall action. When the Aspect is "The House is on Fire" it become hard to focus on the choking smoke, occasional falling timbers, and curling burning wallpaper that gives the scene immersive depth. Everything feels swallowed in bold details.
It breaks immersion for most styles of games I like: drama (I do not want to roll to set up Aspects for everything as I smooth talk the prince to my way of thinking, I'm doing enough strategizing already), horror (so do I know all the Aspects or not? Because knowing kills the dread), mysteries (see horror but add the possibility of roadblock failures).
Pros
Having got through my cons, what makes Fate great?Well the core book is free and the system is trivially hacked to support any setting you want. Just change the skills, add some stunts, and maybe include some rules for extras like magic weapons, mecha, or cybernetics. There are also a ton of tools to make the game your own.
The mechanics are simple and easy to learn. There is little book-keeping and character creation is fast and collaborative.
Also the style of action the game supports (let's call it pulpy or comic style) works great for genres where conflicts naturally involve setting up for the big hits. Good settings include ones where success comes from invoking your magic sword, shouting out power words, or powering up the giant robot's main weapons to pile on the hurt.
Conclusion
Fate is a well-built, fast paced game. Character creation and game preparation is a snap and the system can easily be modified to whatever setting you find interesting. However this is not a game for immersive roleplaying and the mechanics will be more in your face than you'd expect. Also working the Fate point economy requires continual attention.This game has a place in my collection but will never be my game of choice.
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