Fate Hack – Locked Approaches

Hello! Dave here from Tangent Artist Tabletop. I’m taking a brief break from the world tour to explore a mechanic introduced in Save Game
(see our review of it here). (h ps://tatabletop.com/2019/04/20/fate-world-tour-save-game/) Specifically, I wanted to go over the mechanic
of Locked Actions.

To explain: in Fate Core, there are 4 actions

Overcome – Remove aspects and handle small threats

Create an Advantage – Create a free aspect (without spending a fate point) with one or more free invokes; OR add invokes to an
existing aspect.
A ack – Used in conflicts to Deal stress / a empt to take an opponent out
Defend – Used to defend against create-an-advantage or a ack.

In the Fate Core, each skill in the default list can do at least 2 actions (Overcome and Create an advantage), while some can do 3-4 actions
(adding a ack and/or defend).

However, with the se ing Save Game, the author Rob Wieland made it so that every skill has only 2 actions. Save Game has 11 skills. But, I
wondered: how many unique 2-action skills could there be?

The answer is 6. Which, as coincidence would have it, is same number of approaches in Fate Accelerated. So, here’s an experimental
version: FAE-Locked!

FAE LOCKED

Each of the following approaches has access to the following actions:

Clever

Overcome – Unlock locks; devise clever ways to bypass obstacles; trick minor NPCs.
Create an Advantage – Create tools; confuse enemies; prep plans; bolster allies.
Locked – A ack, Defend

Forceful

Overcome – Break obstacles; power through weaknesses; bully or subdue minor NPCs.
A ack – Deal mental or physical stress with direct a acks to the target.
Locked – Create an advantage, Defend.
Careful

Overcome – Detangle dangerous situations; disarm bombs; remove complications.

Defend – Carefully stay out of range of a acks and entanglements.
Locked – Create an Advantage, A ack.

Flashy

Create an Advantage – craft flashy stories and distractions; bolster allies; create dazzling tools and plans.
A ack – Overwhelm the opponent with a acks and displays.
Locked – Overcome, Defend

Sneaky

Create an Advantage – Sow rumors, create disguises, position self tactically.

Defend – Use denial, obfuscation, and stealth to avoid detection and harm.
Locked – Overcome, A ack

Quick

A ack – Quickly shoot, strike, or insult without pause or analysis.

Defend – Instinctively dodge a acks and a empts to hinder you.
Locked – Overcome, Create an Advantage.

Exceptions: In some cases, it might be good the bend the rules; for example, during a Challenge, it makes sense to use any appropriate approach to
overcome.

But, I’m sure you’re objecting, “But what if I want to a ack with my Rogue using Sneaky?”

Fear not! Just like Save Game, we encourage players to create stunts that unlock an action for one of those approaches. We recommend
phrasing the stunt in such a way to give the player almost-endless access to the Stunt, with a few rare exceptions (to keep things
interesting).

Here are some examples:

Flashy – Unshakable Ego – Unlocks Overcome – You can use Flashy to overcome mental and social aspects (ex. Despair, fatigue, pain, bad
reputation), or to overcome minor opponents in a non-violent way.

Forceful – Shiny Inspiration – Unlocks Create-an-Advantage – You can use Forceful to create an advantage, provided you have a bladed
weapon near at hand.

Careful – Defense is A Good Offense – Unlocks A ack – You can careful to A ack, provided you are a acking an opponent who has
a acked (or threatened to a ack) you or someone else.

Clever – Elemental Wall – Unlocks Defend – Your elemental abilities allow you to throw up magical walls of ice and water. You can use
Clever to defend against a acks and corporeal advantages; may not be used if the location has an aspect signifying that there’s no water
nearby (ex. “Desert”; “Parched Land”; Sealed Bank Vault”)

Best of all, you can use this to create Reinforcement Stunts for players – phrased in such a way that new players are reminded of the right
way to use an approach (and potentially cut down on Fate Debates).
Quick – Be Nimble – Unlocks Overcome – You can use Quick to make overcome actions, provided it deals with you moving or reacting
quickly (ex. Nimbly jumping a fence; wriggling out of hold).

Careful – Plan Ahead – Unlocks Create Advantage – You can use Careful to create advantages, provided you are not rushed or distracted
(ex. Not multitasking).

Sneaky – Surprise A ack – Unlocks A ack – You can use Sneaky to make physical and mental A acks, provided the target is not expecting
the a ack (ex. You’re hidden; target is distracted; flanking the enemy).

That’s all we have for this post. Next time, we’ll be continuing on the Fate World Tour!

MAY 4, 2019
#FATECORE, #GAMES, FATE, RPG
LEAVE A COMMENT

0 thoughts on “Fate Hack – Locked Approaches”

VIKSHADE
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

This is absolutely brilliant. A rare nugget of gaming insight that only comes along once in a blue moon. Thank you . This take on Fate
Accelerated Approaches helps resolve the problem of players exploiting one approach for EVERY situation. Like Cleverly a acking,
defending, sneaking, charming, etc.

MAY 8, 2019 AT 9:43 PM

REPLY